Friday, January 22 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 04
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Indo American erican News
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January 22, 2016
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
January 22, 2016 3 COMMUNITY Bayou City Canasta Stirs Up a Storm of Card Players!
The 36 players in the Bayou City Canastha Torunament held on Sunday, January 17 at Bhojan Restaurant.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON: These guys have
been playing against each other for years. They know each other’s moves, each other’s strategies, their opponent’s signs of nervousness by the way they flick the cards on the table. But they’ve never played before to see who’s the best of the lot because there aren’t a lot of people who play Canasta in this City by the Gulf of Mexico. That’s what got Gopal Rana talking out loud and wondering what would happen if they all got together to find out who were the best players. A retired business executive who has been playing Canasta for over 30 years, Rana put together the concept for a daylong tournament between many of the players he knew, with an entry fee of $60 and prize money for first and second place. “It had never been done before in Houston,” Rana said of the Bayou City Canasta Tournament that he organized, “so it was a lot of work getting the teams together and the rules of engagement.” Canasta, a Spanish word for “basket”, is a card game of the rummy family and a variant of 500 Rum. It is the only partnership rummy game to have achieved
First prize winners Dr. Sunita Moonat and Sudhir Daga on the right with organizer Gopal Rana (middle) and second prize winners Chitra and Pradeep Pandya on the left.
the status of a Classic. Although there are many variations for two, three, five or six players, it is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. Players attempt to make melds of seven cards of the same rank and "go out" by playing all cards in their hand. The game of Canasta was devised by Segundo Santos and Alberto Serrato in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1939 and quickly spread in many variations to Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argen-
tina where its rules were further refined. It was introduced to the United States in 1948, where it was then referred to as the Argentine Rummy game by Ottilie H. Reilly in 1949 and Michael Scully of Coronet magazine in 1953 and quickly created a card-craze boom. According to local Canasta enthusiast Virendra K. Sethi, a variant of the game was introduced to the Indian city of Indore in the early 50’s by his cousin who had travelled to Brazil. Pretty soon it spread to Sethi’s family in Jaipur where his
mother, known to all as Ma Saheb, took up the game. She taught other family and friends in Bombay and then Sethi and his friends when she first visited Houston in 1982. Pretty soon, there was a regular group playing Canasta every weekend for a round that lasted 3 to 4 hours. Since then, others have joined in and now there must be 70 players in the Bayou City Canasta group. Rana got the idea of tournament after he took part in a similar one in New York where Sethi’s young-
er brother Dilip is a diehard player. “There were 110 players in that tournament and winners got oneounce gold bars!” Rana recalled. The prizes in Houston were more modest: $250 for first place team and $150 for second. So, this past Saturday, January 16, 36 people were busy playing in 18 teams at 9 tables in the party room of Bhojan restaurant. They started at 8:30 am with some chai and nastha (breakfast), topped off with jalebis and played throughout the day till the final round at 8:30 pm, pausing inbetween for lunch, tea and drinks and dinner afterwards. Each team got a chance to play a minimum of 5 rounds or “rubbers”, and a maximum of 7, with each rubber taking upto 75 minutes to play. The winning team tallied up the points and submitted them to Rana for approval before moving forward in the marathon match. At the end, Dr. Sunita Moonat and Sudhir Daga won the First prize and Chitra and Pradeep Pandya won second place. Tired and exhausted, but delighted by the streamlined way the tournament went, the players already talked about a follow up tournament, “and this could have upto to twice as many players,” said Rana.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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January 22, 2016
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
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Houston Chevron Marathon Brings Out the Desi Crowd!
HOUSTON: It’s a growing trend,
Andy Master on his FB page: “As they say in Texas, go big or go home. 26.2 miles full marathon and feeling great”
From left: Pankaj Desai, Sesh Bala, Tushar Dhruv, Riddhi Desai, Lakshmy Natarajan, Nat Natarajan, and Nach Nachiappan. Not in the picture but others who ran were Sahana Rao, Kumara Peddamattam, Suresh Shah, Anita Manoharan and Nagindra Prashad to mention just a few.
Neeta Balsaver on her FB page: “Ran it! The Aramco Half Marathon. 13.1 miles on the streets of Houston on this glorious morning. Loved it!!!”
but a healthy one, as more desis show their passion for long distance running every year by taking part in the Houston Chevron Marathon, which was held this past Sunday, January 17 over a 26.1 mile (42 km) track that snaked through some of the trendiest neighborhoods and district of the Bayou City. As many of the runners posted their pictures on the FaceBook pages, it’s only fair to share them with the rest of us to show how proud we are of their achievement. Here are a few samples. We probably missed quite a few, but if you send us the posts, we’ll add them to our Indo American News FB page.
Soni Vaswani on her FB page: “Chevron Marathon 2015!! It's that time of the year again!!”
Kanchan Kabad on her FB page: “With the ITB popping up the hill behind me felt like climbing the Everest!”
Rahul Reddy on his Facebook page: “Today I completed my 20th marathon. A tradition I started in 2003 has been spreading to family Friends we have five Marathoners (26.2 Miles/42 Kilometers) and we have lots of half marathoners (13.1 miles/21 Kilometers) starting from age 12 to age 65. Proud of all of them.”
Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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January 22, 2016
COMMUNITY
FIS Participated in the 22nd MLK Grande Parade in Midtown
HOUSTON: Under fabulous sunny skies,
Children: Thrayee Sai Saridey (9),Anand Morales (9), Apoorv Nednur (11),Sai Aakarsha Saridey(12), Shravya Aparasu (12), Saureesh Aparasu (12), Adults: Raghavender Nednur,Event Chair, Kranthi Nednur, Dr. Ponnada Narayana, Dr.Sai Kaumudi Saridey, Amanda Vavilala, Satish Saridey, Shankar Perumaalla, Rohan Perumaalla, Raghav Perumaalla, Lakshmi Vavilala,Parul Fernandes,Hiren Sarma, Atul kothari (Gandhi Library) and Krishna Vavilala, FIS Chair dressed as Gandhi ji.
a group of dedicated Indian adults and children maintained the tradition of participating in the annual MLK Jr. Grande Parade, for the fifth year in a row. Being the winner of the prestigious 2015 Grand Marshal Award, FIS was offered a premier spot in the Honors Section of the parade. The children thoroughly enjoyed the attention they got from the spectators and the fanfare. 12 Years old Shravya said "If I could put into words, It’s like being a celebrity for a day. Every minute seem like a dream. Especially when you walk by the crowds to give out T-shirts. At one point a girl even hugged me for giving her one! Most of all though, you make lots of memories and become a part of a really great cause." Saureesh (12) stated "I am thankful to be part of FIS and the MLK parade because it taught me more about Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi" Apoorv,(11) said,"It was exciting to walk along side many other people and all the amazing sights. I hope more people come next time." Aakarsha,(12 ) said "It was super cool to know that everyone knew how Mahatma Gandhi & MLK Jr. were 'related'. I definitely want to come back next year!" Thrayee, (9) remarked: "It was fun to walk around." FIS was committed to connect Mahatma Gandhi's legacy with MLK Jr. Though the two had never met, MLK Jr. was inspired by Gandhi ji's philosophy of Peace and Non-violence in his fight against racial discrimination in America. On invitation from Gandhi Memorial Fund, King and his wife Coretta Scott visited India in Feb.1959. King declared that he may go to other countries as tourist, but to India he would go as a pilgrim. King also spoke on All India Radio broadcast when he said, "If this age is to survive, it must follow the way of love and nonviolence that [Gandhi] so nobly illustrated in his life." Upon his return, he also wrote in Ebony magazine that his visit to India was a revelation as if "the spear of frustration had been transformed into a "shaft of Light". In 2009, fifty years after his trip to India, US Congress unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) recognizing Gandhi's influence on MLK Jr. Here in Houston, Congressman AL Green also declared during his speech at Hilcroft's Mahatma Gandhi District inauguration that "there is no King without Gandhi." Names of Gandhi and King are synonymous in the context of Peace and Non-Violence. Foundation for India Studies(FIS) is proud to participate every year in the MLK Parade.
For advertising contact: Vanshika Vipin at 713.789.6397 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
January 22, 2016
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
Council Member Himesh Gandhi Files for Re-election to Sugar Land City Council, At-Large Position 1
Council Member Himesh Gandhi
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Council Member Himesh Gandhi filed for re-election to the Sugar Land City Council, At-Large Position 1. First elected by a city-wide vote in 2012, Council Member Gandhi remains committed to responsible, transparent city government, superior development, and smart spending to keep the City living within its means. "Since the first day I served on City Council I have focused on improving the lives of the people of Sugar Land," said Gandhi. "I am proud of the accomplishments our Council has made to address public safety, aging infrastructure, and also for the recent mobility plan addressing future development and traffic in our region. Despite the recent struggles of the energy sector, Sugar Land has maintained low tax rates for both homeowners and businesses that have strengthened our city's economic base." "I am indebted to the residents of Sugar Land for putting their faith in me as their at-large City Council member. I am also grateful and thankful for the support of my wife Farrah, as I seek another term in public
service to our city," said Gandhi. Since his election to Sugar Land City Council in 2012, Councilman Gandhi has put his values into action to help Sugar Land continue its mission to enhance the quality of life in the community while excelling in the delivery of public service. "Sugar Land has been recognized both in Texas and nationally for the quality of live in our community," said Gandhi. "Much of this success is due to careful long range planning and our Council's commitment to protect the balance between economic development and the interests of our citizens." A twenty-four year resident of Sugar Land, Councilman Gandhi is known for his civic and community involvement. Himesh and his wife Farrah live in Telfair with their son Jaiden. Gandhi is a graduate of Clements High School, and received a BBA from Houston Baptist University and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Gandhi is an Attorney and Partner with the law firm of Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC, and is also board certified in commercial real estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His duties on Council have included service on the Sugar Land Development Corporation, Economic Development Committee, Finance/Audit Committee, Intergovernmental Relations Committee and on the Smart Finance Centre at Sugar Land’s planning task force. In the local community, Himesh serves as a board member for both the Arc of Texas and The Arc of Fort Bend County. Gandhi has also been active with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, and has served as past legal counsel for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and Fort Bend Global Initiative. Gandhi recently was named a recipient of the Houston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 awards. The campaign website is www.HGSugarLand.com.
Republic Day Flag Hoisting Flag Hoisting ceremony on India’s 67th Republic Day will be held on Tuesday, 26 January, 2016 at 8.30 AM at Consul General’s Residence (5634 Briar Drive, Houston, TX 77056). Consul General Parvathaneni Harish will read President of India’s Address on this occasion. Refreshments will be served.
Indian nationals, members of the Indian American community, friends of India and their families along with children are cordially invited to the function. Participants are requested to assemble at Consul General’s Residence by 8.15 AM. Kindly bring a photo ID.
WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week. For more information, Call 713-789- NEWS (6397) or email
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
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Sri Meenakshi Temple Celebrates Pongal Sankranthi and Anadal Kalyanam
Devotees gathered in the grand hall of the MTS main temple to participate in the celestial marriage of Sri Andal with Sri Ranganatha. Photos: Srini Sudarrajan
Sri Meenakshi Temple Pongal celebration with Ponga Panai (Clay pot) in front of the main temple.
BY NACHAL SETHURAMAN AND KAMALA RAGHAVAN
PEARLAND:
The twin celebration of Pongal and Andal Kalyanam occurs at the end of Dhanur Masa (Marghazi) and this year the events were on the weekend of January 16 and 17. Sri Meenakshi Temple, celebrated the Pongal – Sankranthi festival on January, 16. Keeping alive the vibrant harvest festival {Pongal} of Tamil farmers and welcoming the month of Thai by offering Sweet Pongal and other offerings to Sun God, the event happened outdoors in front of the main temple. Sankranthi also signifies the start of Northerly movement of Sun (Uttarayana). The cold weather did not deter the devotee’s enthusiasm, with many cheerfully participating. Sweet Pongal in Brass pots and Clay stoves were prepared, using wood sticks for fuel. The air was filled with rural festive songs, greetings and laughter. Invoking the Sun God, Meenakshi Temple’s Vedic heritage school (VHS) children along with the teacher Bhavani Iyer and VHS coordinator Mahesh, offered a beautiful rendition of the Aditya Hridayam slokas. Another group of children and adults offered the Surya Namaskar through Yoga, coordinated by Achalesh Amar from Hindu Swayam Sevak.
The festive atmosphere was enhanced with a group of energetic ladies (organized by Mala Gopal) performed Kummi, a popular South Indian dance (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) where the rhythm and beat were maintained with clapping since instruments were not present in these folk dominant regions of India. The festive atmosphere complemented the Puja led by Priest Manicka Bhattar, with the offering of Pongal Prasadam to the deities led with the devine beat of Chenadi melam (organized by Sujaha Vijayakumar) by the Chenda Melam Youth group. We thank event coordinators, Prema Prasad and Madhavi Ravoori. The following day the celebrations at Sri Meenakshi temple took on a different ambience, inside the newly renovated grand main temple. The beautiful decorations and wedding finery for the deities, pleasant and sunny January weather, and the ardent chants of “Ezhukondala vada, Venkataramana, Govinda, Govinda!” by the more than 300 devotees at the main temple made the first divine wedding event of 2016 an auspicious beginning for many more to come. Godha, Andal, Choodikodutha Chutarkodi and Kothai are all names used to denote “Andal”
one of the Vaishnava “Azhvars”. She is considered to be a form of Bhoodevi who proved that only steadfast devotion is the path for a mere mortal to be accepted by Lord Ranganatha. Like Mata Sabari in Ramayana, Andal would send flower garlands to her lord only after she herself wore them to make sure that they were fit for her lord. Her pure devotion and
Kummi folk dance during Pongal celebrations at MTS
the 30-day “Pavai-Nonbu” in the month of Margazhi to marry Lord Ranganatha, won his heart. The recital of the 30 songs of “Thiruppavai” by the devotees was a feast to everyone’s ears. The priests made the event touching and meaningful to all the devotees. Priest Sridharan Raghavan recited his mellifluous “samaveda” hymns and captivated the audience with the story about how Godha was named thus because she removed the curse on river Godhavary for not heeding Sita’s cries for help when Ravana abducted her and took her to Lanka by air. He was ably supported by Priests Pawankumar and Sriman Narayana
Charyalu. The final chanting by Sri Manicka Bhattar to complete the wedding ceremony with a praise of goddess Meenakshi was an icing on the cake. The profusion of mouthwatering sweets offered as “prasadam” and the melodious music by devotees added to make the event a feast all senses of the devotees. All in all, a very auspicious beginning for more wedding events in 2016! We thank event coordinator Chitra Kumar. The RAC committee (Padmini Ranganathan, Sheila Sriram and Sasi Pillai) along with numerous volunteers and staff need to be complemented for bringing these authentic celebrations to Houston for all to enjoy.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
10 January 22, 2016
COMMUNITY HMM Houston’s Sankrant Event
BY SUCHITRA DEO
HOUSTON: Houston Maharash-
tra Mandal (HMM) and its patrons celebrated the beginning of harvest season “Makar Sankrant” on January 16, at Williams Elementary School in Katy. It was a super hit event with more than 600 attendees! People of all ages coming together to be a part of the community and culture we have cherished for several years. In Maharashtra, the day marks the official start of harvest season and end of winter. The first harvest of sugarcane (gul) is used to make sweets out of sesame seeds (til). Hence, people eat the sweets and wish each other “Til gul ghya, goad goad bola”! It means, talk sweet like the candy in your mouth! Williams Elementary gym and cafeteria looked like a city fair ground with Maharashtrian touch to it. Lots of colorful decorations that included kites, lights, flower decorations and beautiful Rangoli made the place look extremely festive. People were greeted by soothing sounds of shehanai. Then they were ushered to check in desk where computer systems efficiently verified details of the attendee as well update membership. Ladies were welcomed with traditional “Haldi Kunku”, “vaan” Saffron, til gul and Marathi calendar.
All attendees were given til laddus (sesame and jaggery sweet). The event started at 4 PM sharp with the welcome speech by HMM President Megha Ozarker. The main hall looked like a carnival
of amazing food, entertainment, games and prizes. Many stalls were of traditional Maharashtrian food while others had delicacies from other parts of India. Many stall owners took the opportunity
to showcase beautiful décor items, clothing and jewelry. On stage, the celebration of kids “bor nahan” was performed in which about 30 children participated with great enthusiasm. They were delighted to be showered with candy and other finger food items. Many parents took their child picture in the jewelry provided by HMM. Even new brides couldn’t resist getting their picture taken in the white candy beads jewelry that contrasted beautifully with their sarees. On one side of the hall, HMM committee members were conducting fun games for children like sack race, spoon lemon race etc. It was interesting to see parents being as competitive as their child while
keeping good sportsman spirit. On stage, several raffles were being announced continuously from our wonderful sponsors. HMM committee event organization was impeccable. First time in HMM’s history there were 21 stalls with craft items, authentic Maharshtrian Food Items (e.g. gul poli, ukdiche modak). All patrons were able to enjoy great food like “Jhunka -Bhakar”, Vada pav, Bhel, Sev Batata puri, Modak, Gulpoli and the list goes on., participate in games, bor nahan and raffles without any bottlenecking or confusion. Many of our esteemed members sent high accolades to HMM President Megha Ozarker about the event. HMM 2016 Committee would like to thank all attendees, dedicated HMM Volunteers, Katy ISD Staff, commercial and food stall owners, HMM Sponsors, HMM Raffle Ticket Sponsors on behalf of HMM. Thanks to Samir Patil and Rajesh Thatte for taking beautiful memorable photographs of the event. Big thanks to the sponsors (Alings Hakka, Maharaja Bhog, KT Bombay Bazaar, KurryWalah, Chowpaty Chat). More information about Houston Maharashtra mandal and also the pictures, videos of the event can be found on www.hmmhouston.org
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
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Katy Tamil Friends Grand 10th New Year Celebration
GAURI SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE
For Any Ceremony Contact Pradip Pandya 832 466 9868 Email: pradippandya2000@yahoo.com
BY SHOBHA SIVAKUMAR
HOUSTON: The Tamil diaspo-
ra from Katy and the Greater Houston area gathered together to celebrate the New Year with friends and family at The Durgabari Society, Houston on January 2. While demonstrating solidarity with friends and family affected by floods in Chennai, by collecting clothes and necessities, it was indeed an occasion to commemorate the resilience of Chennai getting back on track by celebrating the New Year’s Day. Well over 500 people were in attendance, with the 2016 Katy Tamil Friends (KTF) committee working around the clock over the holidays to ensure a fun time for everyone involved. The events kicked off about 4:30 PM and were planned in such a way that both adults and kids were fully occupied the entire time. Kids and Young adults had a blast with magic shows, face painting, balloon twisting, dance medleys and pizza. In addition, the Katy and Greater Houston area kids, youth and adults showcased their talents including singing, skits, a flute concert , interactive dance and fashion shows and entertained
the audience till dinner. The sumptuous dinner catered by Annam restaurant was a true feast with buffet dishes including more than 15 varieties of Vegetarian and Non- Vegetarian food items and was appreciated by one and all. Following dinner was the much anticipated light music show by Pinnacle Studios and Performing Arts. Composer/ Vocalist Karthika Mahadev was joined by super singers Barani Krishnan and Krishnamurthy L for this concert. The concert opened with melodious numbers to wide applause from the audience. The singers mesmerized the audiences with their voices and their selection of songs from the 80’s and 90’s. As the concert tempo picked up a notch, the upbeat music and shoe tapping numbers brought the kids and adults to the dance floor. It was a great family entertainment and a fun event for all to close out the evening of New Year celebrations. The concert lasted till 11:30 PM with everyone ending up dancing their hearts out. Sincere thanks to Durgabari Society, for extending their support, Bombay Bazaar and Vishala Grocery for being one of the main Sponsors for the event. The other sponsors were MetLife who took care of the face painting, balloon twisting
and other kids’ activities and also gave away TV, iPad as gifts. Best Brains, Lavanya Arts and Mitzi Piersol (Remax realtor) were also the sponsors. Kudos to the team of volunteers without whose care and support the success of this event could not have been possible. Team of Volunteers: Agila Ilam, Anitha Chandrasekar, Anusha Satya, Arief, Balaji Lakshmanan, Chandran Viswanathan, Chandrasekar, Danesh Kumar, Gopal Krishnan, Hari Swaminathan, Ilamparithi, Jagan Annamalai, Jaiprakash, K Chanthirasekar, Kanchana Vijay, Kishore Kandasamy, Kuppusamy, Manix Vasan, Meenakshi Sundaram, Nagaraj Chinnadurai, Narayanan, Pari, Radhakrishnan, Ramji Ramasubramaniam, Roshan, Sangeetha Neelakandan, Sathish Vi j a y a k u m a r, Satish Arumugam, Sathya Nagarajan, Shankar Karpagavinayagam, Sheik Hameed, Shoba Sivakumar, Shubha Varadharajan, Siva Kumar, Tony Sesayyan, Venkat Ponnusamy, Vignesh Manix, Vijaykumar, Yoganand Ramamurthy together with Marimuthu Natarajan made the event memorable, cherish able and a grand success.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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12 January 22, 2016
Bashisht Sharma Announces Run for Judge, 178th District Court
HOUSTON: Well-known Indo
American attorney Bashisht Sharma announced last week his candidacy for the 178th Judicial District Court in Harris County. Sharma said that he had mulled over the idea for some time and made his final decision a few weeks ago, according to his wife Indira who is helping to manage the campaign. The court is located at 1201 Franklin Street in Houston and is currently presided over by Judge David Mendoza who oversees a staff of seven, with five prosecutors assigned to it. Sharma will be running as a Republican in the March 1 Primary with a slate of three attorneys. The general election will be held on
Tuesday, November 8, 2016. “A judge should be a fair and firm referee. I believe that every person deserves to be fairly and zealously represented by competent counsel, and I believe in our Justice system, which protects such rights,” said Sharma. Sharma received a Bachelor of Science in Economics in May 1991 from the University of Houston and then went on to get a Juris Doctorate in December 1993 from the University of Oklahoma. He has been an attorney and litigator since March 1994 in his own firm, Sharma & Associates, P. C. in northwest Houston. He is married to Indira Sharma who is the firm’s office manager and accountant. They have four children: Gainda Sharma, JD, Sharda Sharma, JD, CPA, and Mala Sharma, JD who are all attorneys and have joined their father’s firm; and Vhada Sharma, MD, a physician. Sharma has been involved with many legal associations and community non-profits and is also an Equestrian Ranger at Houston’s George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport. For further information visit, Sharma & Associates, P.C. at 14411 Cornerstone Village Drive, Houston, Texas 77014 or call at 281-893-8644
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
IACF’s New Leadership to Work on 3 Es: Energize, Expand and Empower SUGAR LAND: The
Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) held its first Board meeting of 2016 on January 14 at the Madras Pavilion (MP) soon after the change in its leadership and Executive Committee members. Outgoing president Dr. Kamala Raghavan who ended her term was recognized for her outstanding contribution to the organization’s overall growth and visibility. Nanda K Vura, IACF’s new president welcomed the Board of Directors including the newly joined director Bela Thacker and thanked outgoing members for their contribution. IACF’s 2016 Executive Committee includes: Outgoing president Dr. Kamala Raghavan, Nanda K Vura, President, Dr. Vanitha Pothuri President-Elect, Alpa Shah, Secretary and Sreeni Nakirekanti, Treasurer. Before presenting his vision for 2016 and beyond, Vura said he was simply inspired by IACF’s mission statement, “We live here, we give here”, “and I can think of
so many ways that I could facilitate this.” He thanked the Board for giving him the opportunity to do so as its president. During the meeting, Vura made a PP presentation outlining IACF’s programs. Broadly, he said they would fall under 3 Es: Energize, Expand and Empower. Maintaining the Charity’s distinctive areas of interest: EFGH: Education, Family, General and Health as its pillars, the 2016 initiatives would expand its core volunteers base, energize its programs with more involvement of the past presidents, former Board members and part-
nering organizations, further, empower IACF with effective communication and branding these areas. A major development in IACF’s path to change was the reviewing of its By-Laws and incorporating valuable suggestions and changes. Vura thanked the By-laws committee members: Dr. Sushovan Guha, Prem Cholia, Dr.Kamala Raghavan and Dr Ramesh Cherivirala for their commitment in getting this done. The Board resumed its meeting for evening and concluded with dinner at MP.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
January 22, 2016
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14 January 22, 2016
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
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Historic Collaboration Signing Event: Rice University to Offer Regular Programs in Jain Studies BY DR. SULEKH C. JAIN AND PAYAL KAPADIA PATANI
HOUSTON: As the world cel-
ebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day for his commitment, compassion and passion to non-violence, Jain Society of Houston took pride and honor to witness a historic signing ceremony on January 17, for the establishment of a full-time Bhagwaan Mahavir Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Jain Studies at Rice University. The signing ceremony was held in the main hall of Jain Society of Houston. Prominent individuals of Rice University, Houston Jain Community, officials of Jain Vishwa Bharati Meditation Center, Honorable Harish Jajoo (City of Sugar Council member), Mahatma Gandhi Library and many others were in attendance. The event itinerary included welcome, Namokar mantra prayer invocation on music, lamp lighting and document signing by Rice University and Jain community officials. Rice University is an elite, prestigious and 104 year old University with a very beautiful campus near the heart of the City of Houston and next door to the world famous Texas Medical Center. Rice University is recognized as a community of curious thinkers, passionate dreamers, and energetic doers who believe that improving the world
demands more than bold thought and brave actions. It takes an unconventional wisdom. There are no course offering in Jainism at present at any university in Houston but that is going to change soon with the hiring of a full time Jain scholar with a PhD and proven track record of leadership and publications.
This historic collaboration which is cost shared 50:50 % between the Jain Society and Rice University will open its doors for the Jain Studies course in Jainism’s philosophy, history art, culture and its contribution to the world. The scholar will create a platform for discussion, learning and awareness of Jainism and will offer
classes in Jainism each semester. In addition, the scholar will also do research, organize seminars and publish papers and books. Another unique feature is that the scholar will also actively interact with the Jain community in Houston and will facilitate the learning of our own tradition about Ahimsa, Anekant and Aprigraha; the 3 jewels of Jainism. Urvashi Jain, President of the Jain Society of Houston welcomed all the guests and then Dr. Sulekh Jain ( Past President of JAINA and Chairman of International School for Jain Studies in USA), Professor Sonya Ryang, ( Director of Chao Center for Asian Studies at Rice University), Professor Jeffrey Kripal (Chair Professor in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University ) in their remarks touched upon the significance of the gift from the Jain community and how the Post-Doctoral fellow will not only do research and teach a course in Jainism each semester but will also share the richness and philosophy of Jainism to many other disciplines, departments and centers within Rice University. Currently Jains in USA have already established Centers for Jain Studies at 10 universities including two fully funded Chairs at Florida International University and at University of California at Irvine.
In a message earlier in the day, Dr. Philip Clayton, Dean at Claremont School of Theology at Claremont California very beautifully summed up the uniqueness of this collaboration. He said “the two values of the Jain religion make us brothers and sisters in this endeavor — Rice University, as it commits to study and teach Jainism; and the Jain community, as it supports the study of this religion by American students. The first is the value of pluralism in today’s world, or what we call anekantavada. For thousands of years, Jains have valued and practiced the pluralistic perspective. The belief that all of the world’s religious traditions are valuable, that each has its unique contributions to make, has now also become a central pillar of Religious Studies at Rice and across the United States. This shared value draws us deeply together. Finally, the value of ahimsa, nonviolence, binds us together. We live in a world wracked by violence. The nations struggle with terrorism, wars expand, armies grow. Also within ourselves we recognize violent tendencies, subtle ways that our thought and practices participate in this same system of violence. The wisdom traditions of the world offer path-
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
CONTINUED ON PAGE
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16 January 22, 2016
COMMUNITY
Uttarayan at Swaminarayan Hindu Temple
HOUSTON: Uttarayan was celebrated at
Swaminarayan Hindu Temple on Sunday, January 17. A beautiful sunny sky, warm weather and perfect breeze made Makar Sankranti festival more enjoyable. Houston city sky was full of vibrant colorful kites. There was live music and plenty of traditional Gujarati snacks to enjoy. It is true
there were many new young and old faces on site. The festival was sponsored by New York Life, Spike Energy, ABG Member (Affordable Buying Group). The battle for the skies ended late evening with people heading home with beautiful smiles on their faces.
Historic Collaboration Signing Event CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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ways for humans to live with each other and with the natural world in a more peaceful and harmonious way. Among the religions, none has made the striving for peace more central, and none has called its followers to higher standards of ahimsa, than Jainism. We hope and trust that the gift we celebrate today will inaugurate a long and fruitful relationship between Rice University and the Jain community. Both groups believe that the new courses will help to enhance the offerings of the Religion department. Above
all else, we hope that, in their own humble way, they will contribute to a more peaceful world and to the growth of ahimsa across the planet”. The historic signing ceremony couldn’t be what it was without the time, dedication, and efforts of our volunteers and sponsors, as well as the generous matching contributions from Chao Center at Rice University. We’d like to wholeheartedly thank all of the individuals who played a role in the establishment of this program.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
January 22, 2016
17
Five New Year’s Resolutions for Your Child’s Academic Success
Anew year offers a fresh start, mak-
ing it the perfect time for children to focus on forming new habits that will help bring them success in their future. With that, January is the perfect opportunity for you and your child to discuss areas where there's room for improvement. Below are some ideas to promote a happy, healthy, learningfilled year. Eat Healthier Foods Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet. Not only will this resolution help your child’s body stay healthy, but there are benefits for their brain, as well. While switching from sugary snacks to nutritional noshes can be a difficult transition for kids, it doesn’t mean treats have to go away completely. Try using the term “cutting back” instead of “giving up”—it will make the task much less daunting.
throughout the day. A well-rested child has energy, the ability to focus, concentrate, retain information, and be creative problem solvers. All of these skills depend heavily on healthy, consistent sleep., Aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night. Encourage reading in the evening, instead of stimulating activities such as watching the TV, surfing the web, or playing video games.
Get More Sleep To thrive academically, kids of all ages – no matter if they attend preschool or are college students –need an abundance of sleep to help excel
Encourage More Reading—For Fun Studies show that kids who read more frequently for pleasure have higher GPA’s, greater intelligence,
and more general knowledge than those who don’t read for fun. How many books do you and your children have on your shelves that you've never cracked open? When was the last time you took a trip to your public library? Together, you can make this the year that your entire family becomes bookworms. Find recommended reading for kids of all ages, and encourage your children to keep a reading chart or book diary to rate and summarize the book. Make a Better Effort to Unplug Some people believe technology stimulates the mind, but others feel
that technology is holding children back from accomplishing their full potential. Modern-day children don’t use their brains in the same capacity that we used to before technology advancements became as abundant as they are now, which means that their ability to expand their minds and think creatively has become limited. Make the decision to unplug more in 2016 and teach your children that life is fun and exciting without games, Instagram, and the constant connection to the virtual world. Inspire them to find the value in shutting down and tuning into their surroundings. Focus on Happiness Children are under a lot of pressure that shouldn’t exist. Elementary-aged students feel the need to perform exceptionally both in the classroom and on the field. Middle school children are expected to continue to excel in the classroom to set the stage for their high school academic success. However, regardless of the societal pressures, happy kids are the ones who are most successful at school. This year, help your children explore their pas-
sions so they can achieve happiness. Dial back the intense worry about college acceptances, high school accolades or middle school sport accomplishments, and encourage them to follow their dreams. To help your student exceed his or her academics goals, a local resource, Best in Class, offers a variety of customized, supplemental enrichment courses and tutoring options to ensure your students are equipped with the tools they need this school year. For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www.bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1.888.683.8108. Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 more units in 2016. The state of Texas has been identified as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.
Alabama Officer Acquitted After Injuring Indian Grandfather Parker faced up to 10 years in prison for the incident. Patel, who testified in both trials, was on a morning walk about two weeks after moving from India to northern Alabama to help his son's family care for a young child when he was stopped by police responding to a suspicious person call. Parker abruptly flipped Patel onto the ground during the encounter in front of Patel's son's home. Parker testified the injuries were accidental, the judge noted in explaining the decision to order an acquittal. Madison police released video of the encounter, which had been re-
Job Posting:
corded from inside a patrol vehicle, and apologized for Parker's actions. The department recommended terminating the officer, a move Parker challenged. “Where you were born shouldn't change how you are treated by the police,” said U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance for the Northern District of Alabama in Alabama, noting that her office had wanted to retry the case. Attorneys for Parker could not immediately be reached for comment. The attorney for Patel declined to comment. (Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Andrew Hay)
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ALABAMA (Reuters): A federal
judge has acquitted an Alabama police officer charged with violating an Indian grandfather's civil rights by throwing him to the ground and causing him serious injuries after the case previously went to two mistrials. U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala on Wednesday granted a motion for an acquittal filed by attorneys for Eric Parker, 27, accused of using unreasonable force while working as a police officer in Madison, Alabama. In the February 2015 incident, which was caught on video, Parker caused injuries to Sureshbhai Patel,
then 57, which the Indian national is not expected to fully recover from, his lawyer has said. The decision to acquit Parker came after juries in Huntsville, Alabama twice deadlocked on whether Parker deprived the grandfather of his civil rights in a case that drew international attention. "The gaps in the evidence and the conflicting nature of the trial testimony proved insurmountable to the government’s ability to obtain 12 guilty votes in two trials," Haikala wrote in a 92-page opinion. "The government has had two full and fair chances to obtain a conviction; it will not have another," she concluded.
KTRK-TV, the ABC O&O station in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an Associate Producer. The person hired for this position will line produce a section of our weekend morning newscasts and have opportunity to fill in on other newscasts as well. Applicants must have experience working as a line producer. This is a newsroom that embraces new technology. ENPS /Aurora/Ignite experience a plus – as is good understanding of social media and how it can be used to reach viewers and create content. Candidates must be able and willing to learn both non-linear editing and writing for our digital platforms. Applicants must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays. To be considered interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job #338862BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please mail writing samples and a DVD of or link to your latest newscast to: Robin Freese, Executive Producer, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Reference job #338862BR No Telephone Calls KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 January 22, 2016 Ganga: Caught in Red Tape
If there is a phrase that captures why cleaning or managing
the Ganga has remained an intractable problem since the start of the formal attempts to do so in the mid-1980s, it is “bureaucratic quagmire”. Essentially, from start to finish, any proposal regarding the Ganga has had to satisfy, and has required the active cooperation of no less than seven to nine departments, both at the Central and state levels. As a result, despite thousands of crores being spent towards improving the Ganga’s condition, little ever gets done and no one is ever held responsible. Something similar is being repeated in the current NDA rule with the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, headed by Uma Bharti, engaged in a very public confrontation with the ministry of environment and forests, headed by Prakash Javadekar, in a matter pending before the Supreme Court. The current controversy, about the fate of six hydel projects in the Upper Ganga, started when the Supreme Court, in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand floods, prohibited the setting up of any new HEPs in the state. In February 2015, a committee of the environment ministry argued against them. But in October, another expert body set up by the environment ministry, which included the Central Water Commission, that falls under the water resources ministry, overturned the first committee’s recommendation. Later, in December 2015, yet another committee — this time led by the secretary of the water resources ministry — reverted to the earlier decision against setting up the HEPs. Now, yet again, the environment ministry, against the clearly stated position of the water resources ministry and Bharti, has gone ahead and given its nod to five of the six projects in question, according to an affidavit it submitted in the apex court. Evidently, this tussle is far from over and this will not only impede the government’s plans of rejuvenating the Ganga but also smudge the policy clarity that businesses have been demanding in India. In his first Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sharply criticised the chronic “disunity and conflict” among different government departments during UPA rule: “It appeared that everyone has its own fiefdom. One department is taking on the other department… to the extent that two departments of the same government are fighting against each other by approaching Supreme Court”. Modi had said that he had “started making efforts for razing those walls”. Clearly, he has a long way to go. Indian Express
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
Reverse Swing: Nikki of America BY TUNKU VARADARAJAN
On the night of the State of the
Union address last week, when many in America were prepared to swoon over Barack Obama— only to be turned off by a speech that was self-aggrandising — a woman of Indian origin, her tone measured, her teeth as white as a Trump rally, stole the show from the Democratic president. Nikki Haley, born Nimrata Kaur Randhawa, is the Republican governor of South Carolina, and to her fell the chore of delivering the response to the President, an American tradition in which a hapless opposition politician is picked by his party’s establishment to speak for a handful of minutes after the Big Cheese has finished. The task is cursed: the nation has had just about enough of politics after the presidential peacockdance. So it treats what follows either as an opportunity to turn off the TV, or to titter at the short (and usually impotent) speech. The worst in recent memory was the response by Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana, to Obama’s first State of the Union in 2009. With the nation on an Obama high, Jindal’s squeaky voice and pedantry made him an object of derision. His decline as a national politician began that very night. Haley’s response, by contrast, was the finest I’ve heard, and the excited talk after she spoke was all about how she’d make a perfect Republican vice-presidential candidate. And yet her words didn’t please everyone: Ann Coulter, a conservative pundit who has made a handsome living by being the shrillest woman in America, tweeted that “Trump should deport Nikki Haley.” This was a response to Haley’s measured words on immigration, in which she’d invoked her own immigrant background while lauding America’s tradition of legal immigration. Haley was suitably tough on the
subject of illegal entrants to America, but things have come to such a pass on the Republican right wing that support for immigration of any kind is seen as un-American. The editorial page of The Wall Street Journal came to Haley’s defence, out of a shared belief in the economic and cultural value of immigration. There was little defence, however, from Indians on Twitter. And their rejection of Haley was, if anything, more ugly than Coulter’s nativist tantrum. Desis have a “Bobby and Nikki problem”, and it goes beyond the peculiar Indian-American rejection of conservatism. Their hatred of Jindal stems largely from his public statements that he is “American”, not “Indian-American”. Thin-skinned Indians misinterpret this as a rejection by Jindal of his Indian-ness, as opposed to seeing it as a pitch for an America that’s free of ethnic pigeonholes. Although Haley has never been dogmatic about her self-definition, the desi Haley-hatred comes from many of the same bigots who despise Jindal, accusing her (and Jindal) of converting to Christian-
ity for political gain. This crude objection to conversion is very Indian, born of a general Indian inability to accept that religion can be a matter of personal election The idea that one is forever of the faith of one’s ancestors is so embedded in the Indian psyche that many can’t imagine that a person’s conversion could have occurred for a reason (or by a process) that isn’t venal. The hysteria that overwhelms the debate on conversion in India is proof of this. But let’s remember that Nikki Haley is American and lives in America, and has the right to convert to any faith she fancies. It is no one else’s business but hers. Those who argue otherwise are primitive bigots who need to get a life. Tunku Varadarajan is the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Research Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.
Reader Feedback
People like Bobby Jindal and
Nicki Halley are of no consequence to India or Indians. They and their parents left India for (selfish reasons) a better life only. Most of these people can only succeed if they are more loyal than the king like the present US Ambassador to India (who proved his loyality by giving away different [read discriminatory] compensation to US citizens and other citizens in the PanAm case). Expecting them to claim their ‘Indianess’ in some way or to do something for ‘India’ and ‘Indians’ if foolish to say the least… Aditya Gaiha It is heartening to note that few Indians are making a mark in US political arena. The rise of Nikki is the assertion of women power in US. Whatever may be the religion or personal opinion on specific issues, she is of Indian origin and all Indians must be proud of her ascendency in the political battlefield of America! KK Sheshu
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
HEALTH
January 22, 2016
19
Burn Fat this Way to Get a Flat Stomach BY DEBARATI S SEN
In a bid to flaunt wash board abs,
most of us sweat it out at the gym and stay away from fried foods and sweets for months. But sometimes, even this is not enough for the perfect 10 figure. And that is where nonsurgical fat removing techniques come into play. These are non-invasive in nature and are said to remove fat from the abdominal area by targeting unwanted fat cells.Dr Simal Soin, cosmetic dermatologist says, "It uses focused radio frequency to heat up the fat cells to the point of apoptosis, or fat cell death, which ultimately causes their permanent removal." Treatment of a large area can be done at one time, claims doctors. Laser surgeons claim that non-invasive fat lipolysis techniques are a non-contact procedure and also painless, unlike surgical removal of fat. Dr Apratim Goel, dermatologist and laser surgeon says, "This technique helps maintain the right contours in the desired areas of the body by targeting the non-surgical way of treating the fat cells to eventually break them, achieving substantial and measurable inch loss." The conventional ultrasound techniques of yesteryears were nonselective and had fewer efficacies against the selective fat treatments. Dr Amit Karkhanis, cosmetologist says, "Selective radio-frequency field is exposed over the treatment area, which is tuned to the fat layer and hence treats the fat cells selectively without affecting the skin or the muscles in close vicinity of the area, in a painless manner." Overall, these treatments feel like a painless heat massage, state doctors. Around four to six sessions are required, depending upon the fat. Doctors say that for best results, along with any kind of non-surgical fat burning technique, it is recommended to practice light to moderate exercise, such as walking, along with following a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water. This helps to maintain the results obtained. HULA HOOP YOUR WAY TO
A FLAT TUMMY This is another way to lose fat.The action of keeping the hoop moving engages all your abdominal muscles and also the obliques or your waist. How to do this: Swati Shah, fitness professional says, "Place the hoop firmly on the small of your back, wind it up and spin it in the direction that comes naturally to you. Remember not to start making circles with your hips after giving the hoop the first push. The movement should come from your pelvis region and the core. It's a to-and-fro movement or sidetoside. Whichever comes more easily to you. Find your own rhythm and then maintain it. It gets better with practice. This works your stomach muscles and What it does strengthens your core. OTHER EXERCISES FOR FLAT ABS Begin with a proper warm up before you start any exercise or workout session. Warming up your muscles prevents injury. A little walking, marching on the spot, rotating your mid-section gently, bending forward to touch your toe, etc can warm up your core for an ab workout. After a 20-minute of warm up exercises, when your body is ready, begin your exercise regime. Add the following exercises to help you get a flatter stomach... TORSO ROTATIONS Stand straight with feet, shoulderwidth apart and hands on your hips. Now, rotate your trunk to the right as
Pigmentation Problem? Use Potatoes, Lemons
Pigmentation, freckles, dark spots
and uneven skin tone are a few skin problems everyone faces but using potatoes and papaya can help in a big way as they provide cell renewal properties and skin exfoliation respectively, says an expert. Divya Ohri, beauty expert and owner of Soham Wellness Clinic, has shared tips on how to get rid of pigmentation and other skin related problems. Potato Potatoes are a treasure house of vitamins, B-Complex, potassium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. It has inbuilt skin lightning properties. Vitamin B in potatoes is known for cell renewal, especially niacinamide, a derivative of vitamin B complex. It is a vital skin lightning agent.
Procedure: Cut potatoes into slices. Rub the slice in circular motion on your skin for 10 minutes. If you feel the potato slice is dry, use another slice. Lemon This is rich in vitamin C. It's known for natural anti-oxidant properties that help to reduce melanin in your skin. Lemon consists of citric acid which is a first-rate exfoliating agent. Citric acid removes the dead cells and makes the skin look lighter and brighter.
far back as you can. Move the upper part of your body only, not waist down.Then come back to centre and move to your left again, as far back as it is possible. You should feel your waist muscles stretching. Repeat this 20 times. What it does It works the entire abdominal area and helps you lose flab from your waist too, not just your paunch. PLANKS Lie on your stomach.With your forearms in front and resting on the floor, you need to raise your entire body while resting your body weight on your toes and forearms. Keep your neck and back completely in a straight line. Hold this position for a while. What it does This works your stomach muscles and strengthens your core. LEG LIFTS Lie down with your legs straight and arms by your side. Slowly raise both legs 10-15 inches off the floor. Keep legs together, and use your core muscles. Hold position for 30-40 seconds and then, slowly lower both legs together engaging your stomach muscles. The key is to bring your legs down slowly, even though it may be difficult. What it does This exercise engages your core muscles and makes them strong.Do regularly if you really want a flat stomach. If you have a back problem, then avoid this exercise. -TimesofIndia Procedure: Take tablespoon of brown sugar and mix it with egg white. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to it. Apply this mixture on your face and gently rub with your fingers in circular motions. Repeat this process for 10-15 minutes and wash the covered area. Papaya Papain, better known as papaya proteinase, is an enzyme found in this fruit that helps in skin exfoliation. The process of regeneration of new cells occurs when you go for a papaya treatment. Procedure: Take a ripe papaya and juice it. Apply the mixture on the pigmented area and leave it for 10 minutes. Once you find the mask dry, wash the skin. Repeat this process for a month to achieve positive results. -TimesofIndia
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 January 22, 2016
REPUBLIC DAY
India’s Republic Day
Many Indians remain largely un-
familiar with the anniversary that Indians celebrate on 26th January. For most Indians the day has lost its meaning and value. It has become just another day not to go to work or to school. While paying tribute to one of the most important dates on the Indian calendar I take this opportunity to explain the meaning and importance of 26th January, i.e. Republic Day. The Indian Independence Act, 1947, provided that as from the 15th August, 1947 in place of ‘INDIA’ there would be set-up two independent Dominions to be known as India and Pakistan. The Constituent Assembly of each Dominion was to have unlimited power to frame and adopt any Constitution and to repeal any Act of British Parliament. The Constituent Assembly of India started the work of drafting a Constitution for India. It appointed various sub-committees. The salient principles of the proposed Constitution were outlined by the various subcommittees of the Assembly. After a general discussion of the reports of these sub-committees, the Constituent Assembly appointed a drafting committee on 29th August 1947. The drafting committee under the chairmanship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar drafted the ‘Draft Constitution Of India’ which was published in February 1948. The Constituent Assembly met in November 1948 to consider the provisions of the draft, clause by clause. After several sessions the consideration of the clauses or the second reading was completed on 17th October 1949. The Constituent Assembly assembled again on 14th November 1949 for the third reading and finished it on 26th November 1949.On this day the Constitution received the signature of the President of the
Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and was declared passed. Certain provisions relating to citizenship, elections, provisional Parliament etc. were given immediate effect i.e. from 26th November, 1949. The rest of the Constitution came into force on 26th January,1950 (and this date is referred to in the Constitution as ‘Date of its Commencement’) which day India became a Sovereign Republic with Dr. Rajendra Prasad as its first President. The Constitution is made by the people of India through their representatives assembled in a Sovereign Constituent Assembly, which was competent to determine the political nature of the country in any manner it liked. The Constituent Assembly held its sessions in open. All its proceedings were published everyday and the press in India expressed its views freely. The draft Constitution was published and openly discussed. The words – ‘We, the people of India…, adopt enact and give to ourselves this Constitution’ thus declare the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India and that the Constitution rests on their authority. On and from 26th January 1950, when the Constitution came into force, the Crown of England ceased to have any legal or Constitutional authority over India. Political freedom and civil liberty are the keystone of the Indian Constitution. Our Constitution is primarily shaped and moulded for the common man. The essential purpose of our Constitution is to ensure freedom of the individual and dignity of man, and to put basic human rights above the reach of the State and of politicians in power. Our Constitution ensures that India remains a secular State. People belonging to different religious de-
nominations who are all part of our vibrant pluralistic society, are guaranteed the freedom to practice their own religions. These rights under our Constitution are available even to those who are not citizens of India. Our Constitution is not merely a political document, which provides the framework and institutions for democratic governance - our Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. It provides a framework for the economic and social emancipation of society and particularly, the poor, the underprivileged and the downtrodden. Our Constitution has given us the framework for a strong nation, a Union of States, a nation of harmony between the Union and States and between the various institutions of our democratic polity. We can claim to have achieved significant success in the diverse and inter-connected spheres of democratic governance, our Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. Our Constitutional framework has also resulted in economic progress and the social emancipation of society. Effective representation is provided to the socially depressed groups in legislatures and steps are underway to ensure a strong representation for women. In recent years, we have provided a new impetus to our Panchayati Raj institutions. This has fostered the participation of the people at the grassroots level in our democratic processes in a very tangible and effective manner. This anniversary provides an opportunity for every citizen of India to renew the pledge to work for the well-being of our people, for peace and harmony in our society and indeed, the world. -www.rajanagarwal.com
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22 January 22, 2016
PUZZLES/RECIPES
SUDOKU
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Gulab Jamun (Rose Colored Fried Sweet Balls)
Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before January 27, 2016. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).
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nvariably, every desi restaurant across the world offers at least these four choices of deserts: chawal ki kheer (rice pudding), ras malai (cheese patties in sweet cream), gajjar ka halwa (carrot pudding) and gulab jamun (rose colored fried sweet balls). You don’t even have to ask what the dessert menu is; these four will be there. Each of these deserts has a different level of difficulty in preparation; but in my opinion, making delicious gulab jamun is the most difficult. They have to be soft, but not mushy; firm, but not hard and they have to soak in the chaasni (syrup) which should be sweet and just the right consistency, but not thin. I remember an occasion when a friend was making gulab jamun for a party the next day. She used cold water to mix the dough, though I advised her not to, and then fried the round balls in hot oil. After frying them, she did not put them right away in the syrup; instead she waited till she had fried them all and kept them stacked in a tray, which made them hard as they cooled. Later she let them soak but the gulab jamun stayed hard. I even tried to steam them to soften them, but no avail. Gulab jamun is made mainly from freshly curdled milk, also known as khoya, and garnished with dried nuts like almonds or pistachios in the middle. The khoya is kneaded into a dough, with a pinch of flour; but these days many people use powdered milk instead as it is easier and cheaper to use. After the balls are fried, they are soaked in a light chaasni (syrup) flavored with green illachi (cardamom); gulab pani (rose water); kewra or kesar (saffron). Gulab jamun was first brought to India by the invading Persians, and the word “gulab” is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and ab (water). Jamun is the Hindustani word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit that is purple and has a similar size and shape. It is a dessert eaten often at festivals and special occasions like weddings, Eid or Di-
wali. Gulab jamun are usually brownish red in color because of the sugar content in the milk powder or khoya. If the sugar is added to the batter, it will get caramelized, giving them an almost black color, and are called kala jam (black jamun). Ingredients : 4 cups full-fat milk powder 1 cup maida (self-rising flour) 2 cups bariq chinni (fine sugar) 1 cup makhan (butter) – you can also use vegetable oil 1 cup pani (water) 1 tspn chotti illachi (small cardamom) powder Pinch of kesar (saffron) - to taste Directions: 1. In a bowl, combine the milk powder, self-rising flour then mix in the oil and milk. Knead till it becomes a semi soft dough. Leave aside for at least 15 minutes. 2. To make the chaasni (syrup), in a saucepan, mix in the sugar into the water, then place it over medium heat to boil for 5 minutes and dissolve, then turn the heat off. If you want, throw in the cardamom and saffron for taste. 3. Pour the oil in a wide kadai (wok)
and place over high heat then turn to medium heat after 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, pinch off a little bit of the dough and make into 3/4 inch round balls in the palms of your hands, placing them on a plate. Coat your hands with some vegetable oil so that the ball will not stick. 5. Gently slide the balls into the hot oil and stir till they are brown all the way around. Take them out and then gently drop them into the chaasni. 6. After all the jamun are made, leave in a bowl with the syrup and serve at room temperature. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK
DON’T COOK WITH INGREDIENTS RIGHT OUT OF THE FRIDGE! When cooking, it is best to take the ingredients out of the fridge either the night before or at least a few hours in advance so that they can come to room temperature. If you use them from the fridge, like cold milk or cold water, to make dough for gulab jamun, for example, the atta (flour) will bind together too closely and then the jamun will turn out hard. In the same way, when cooking thinning down daals (lentils) or other curries, cold water will reduce their taste and consistency: it is better to warm the water up before.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
January 22, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
Chalk N’ Duster
61st Britannia Filmfare Awards: The Complete List of Winners BY KIRAN KAUR
T
he 61st Filmfare Awards 2015 were recently commenced and we have to admit it was quite a starry affair with the who's who of B-Town including names like Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny leone, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor and many more, all gathered under one roof for the coveted event and the excitement in the air was almost tangible. To say that it was a fun-filled night would be an understatement. But the best part of the night was to see our favourite celebs take the coveted black lady home. Here's the complete list of winners from the award event... Nominations for the 61st Britannia Filmfare Awards RD Burman Award: Armaan Mallik Best Actor: Ranveer Singh for 'Bajirao Mastani' Best Actress: Deepika Padukone for 'Piku' Best Film: 'Bajirao Mastani'
Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali for 'Bajirao Mastani' Lifetime Achievement: Moushumi Chatterjee Best Debut Director: Neeraj Ghaywan for 'Massan' Best Debutant (Male): Sooraj Pancholi for 'Hero' Best Debutant (Female): Bhumi Pednekar for 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' Critics Award for Best Film: Piku CriticsAward for BestActor (Male): Amitabh Bachchan for 'Piku' Best Actor Female Critics Choice (Female): Kangana Ranaut for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Anil Kapoor for 'Dil Dhadakne Do' Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Priyanka Chopra for 'Bajirao Mastani' Best Story: V Vijayendra Prasad for 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' Best Music: Ankit Tiwari, Meet Bros. Anjjan and Amaal Mallik for 'Roy' Best Lyrics: Irshad Kamil - 'Agar tum saath ho' (Tamasha) Best Playback Singer (Male) :Arijit Singh for 'Sooraj dooba' (Roy) Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Ghoshal for 'Deewani mastani' (Bajirao Mastani) Lifetime Achievement Award 2015: Moushumi Chatterjee receives the Filmfare
Best VFX: Prana Studios for 'Bombay Velvet' Best Dialogue: Himanshu Sharma for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' Best Action: Sham Kaushal for 'Bajirao Mastani' Best Cinematography: Manu Anand for 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' Best Choreography: Pt Birju Maharaj for 'Mohe rang de laal' from 'Bajirao Mastani' Best Editing: A Sreekar Prasad for 'Talvar' Best Background Score :Anupam Roy for 'Piku' Best Sound Design: Shajith Koyeri for 'Talvar' Best Screenplay: Juhi Chaturvedi for 'Piku' Best Production Design: Sujeet Sawant, Sriram Iyengar and Saloni Dhatrak for 'Bajirao Mastani' Best Costume Designer: Anju Modi and Maxima for 'Bajirao Mastani'. -TimesofIndia
It is a subject that deserves a great
deal of attention, but not in the way ‘Chalk N’ Duster’ does it. The treatment is amateurish in the extreme, reducing the conflict to good teachers vs greedy gobblers of money and fame. Kantaben School, run by the just principal (Zarina Wahab) sees a hostile take-over by a `desi’ scheming Cruela De Vil-type togged out in designer saris and a permanent snarl ( Dutta). The teachers who are there because they love what they do, especially the middle-aged maths teacher (Shabana Azmi) and the younger, chirpier teacher of science (Juhi Chawla) and the other like-minded people are left stranded. The rest of
Happy Birthday
Subhash Ghai January 24, 1945
Bobby Deol January 27, 1967
23
it pans out exactly as we expect it to, minus subtleties or nuance, plus heavy-handed sanctimony. Which is a pity, because these are all good actresses, and it is so difficult to have women in a film doing something meaningful, other than singing and dancing and playing second fiddle. In the second half, both Chawla and Azmi’s characters get the chance to be emotional and tug at our heart-strings. When they are on screen, we stay watching even when the situations and dialogues are wince-making. Dutta, who is usually so reliable, is reduced to a one-dimensional evil schemer. And Chaddha shows up as a bustling crusading TV journalist who goes where the cause is, both on the street and in the studio. Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ still remains the go-to film on how the educational system is going down the drain, and what we can do to save it. But nothing rescues this one, not Jackie Shroff nor Rishi Kapoor (in bit parts), nor the sprightly ladies, despite their game attempts. (IE)
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
24 January 22, 2016
3rd ODI: Maxwell Fires to Give Australia the Series
several solid stands, unlike India’s innings that was based around two ELBOURNE (ESPN century partnerships and Cricinfo): Australia 7 little else. for 296 (Maxwell 96, Aaron Finch and S Marsh 62) beat India Shaun Marsh put on 48 6 for 295 (Kohli 117, for the opening wicket S Dhawan 68, Rahane before Finch was caught 50, Hastings 4-58) by 3 behind off Yadav, and wickets Marsh then combined In Perth 309 was insufwith Smith for 64 to set ficient, and in Brisbane Australia’s chase on its 308 was inadequate. But path. Marsh’s fifty came for a short while it looked up from his 53rd ball, like India’s 295 in Melbut on 62 he edged bebourne might have been hind off Ishant Sharma enough to keep this seto give India a sniff. ries alive. That was until Smith (41) had already Glenn Maxwell took it been taken at slip when upon himself to bat InRavindra Jadeja found dia out of the match, his some turn, and Bai96 steering Australia to ley had been sharply a third successive record stumped off Jadeja. But chase to seal the fiveas it turned out, Maxwell match one-day series was the wicket India rewith two to play. Though ally needed. Maxwell fell with one India came to this run still required, James match knowing that a Faulkner finished the deal run a ball may not be with seven balls to spare. enough to set Australia In the past week, Aus- it certainly wasn’t in tralia have now set new the first two matches of records for successthis series. And Smith ful ODI pursuits at the was keen not to change a WACA, the Gabba, and winning formula, sendthe MCG. No wonder ing India in when he Steven Smith sent India won the toss. The early in when he won the toss. loss of Rohit Sharma, A run a ball holds no who scored hundreds at fears for his team at the Glenn Maxwell played some outrageous shots, both the WACA and the moment. This time it was Australia v India, 3rd ODI, Melbourne, January 17, Gabba, perked AustraVirat Kohli’s century that 2016. lia up, but Kohli played set up India’s innings, but the anchor role this time their bowlers were again unable to Sharma, but James Faulkner was with 117 off 117 deliveries. able to help Maxwell put the chase restrain Australia. Kohli worked hard during his India gave themselves their beyond doubt. Australia needed 65 119-run partnership with Shikhar best chance of the series by hav- off the last 10 overs with Maxwell Dhawan and his 109-run stand ing Australia four down inside 30 and Faulkner at the crease, then 35 with Ajinkya Rahane, both of overs. The heroes from the first off the last seven. Maxwell played whom made half-centuries. Only two games - Smith and George some extraordinary shots, includ- 40 of Kohli’s runs came in boundBailey - were among those dis- ing a slap for six over extra cover aries, seven fours and two sixes, missed, along with the openers off Barinder Sran, and was the key and he was constantly taking off Shaun Marsh and Aaron Finch, man. for singles to rotate the strike and Maxwell timed the chase well ensure things did not stagnate. His and it meant a mountain of work for the allrounders. It turns out enough to give himself a chance fifty came from 51 deliveries and Maxwell is quite the mountaineer. at a hundred, reaching 96 with one his century from 105, and when he A searing throw from Umesh run needed. But he skied a catch brought it up he leapt in celebraYadav in the deep ran out Mitch- next ball and left Faulkner to fin- tion: it was his first ODI hundred ell Marsh with the help of MS ish the job. Their partnership of against Australia in Australia. Dhoni’s quick hands, and Mat- 80 was the biggest of Australia’s Kohli fell in the 47th over when thew Wade skied a catch off Ishant innings, which was formed of he drove a John Hastings slower BY BRYON COVERDALE
M
ball straight to cover; Hastings’ variations again proved useful for Australia and he finished with a career-best 4 for 58. Dhoni slapped a quick 23 from nine balls in the dying stages but also fell to Hastings, pulling a 140kph bouncer to deep midwicket. Hastings had also got rid of Rahane for 50 from 55 deliveries, brilliantly caught on the deep midwicket boundary by a combination of Smith and Maxwell. Rahane pulled a short ball and Smith hared around the boundary to make the catch but felt his momentum carrying him over, and threw the ball back inside play for Maxwell to complete the catch. That was one of four wickets in the final six overs. The innings had started with Rohit at the crease fresh from two consecutive ODI hundreds, but this time he failed to reach double figures let alone triple. In the fifth over, Rohit drove at a Kane Richardson delivery and edged behind to Wade, to leave India at 1 for 15. In both of the previous ODIs, Shikhar had fallen in single figures but here he began to find his touch and was especially powerful through the leg side. A straight drive for four off Hastings in the second over of the match was the nearest Shikhar came to scoring an off-side boundary, but he struck nine fours in all and brought up his fifty from his 76th delivery, one ball after Kohli raised his halfcentury. But, seemingly aware that India needed to lift their tempo to avoid the kind of stalling that occurred in Perth and Brisbane, Shikhar took it upon himself up the ante. He scooped a boundary over the head of wicketkeeper Wade off Hastings but next ball he again moved into position for a premeditated shot through the on side, and lost his leg stump, bowled for 68 off 91. Shikhar’s idea was right, though, for India had to lift their rate to push beyond 300 this time. Australia proved once again that they are happy to chase a run a ball. Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo.
SPORTS
NZ’s Record 171 Stand Defeats Pak in 2nd ODI
HAMILTON (ESPN Cricinfo):
New Zealand 171 for 0 (Guptill 87*, Williamson 72*) beat Pakistan 168 for 7 (Akmal 56*, McClenaghan 2-23) by ten wickets Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill - New Zealand’s two form batsmen - combined in a clinical display of poise and timing, to gun down Pakistan’s 168 for 7 inside eighteen overs in Hamilton. Their 171-run stand was the highest ever for T20Is, let alone for opening pairs. The ten-wicket victory evened the series in emphatic fashion. Guptill left the field with 87 to his name, and Williamson with a personal best of 72 - both striking at 150. Williamson had been the early aggressor, flitting about his crease to make use of errant lines from the Pakistan bowlers. He slapped Mohammad Amir through the leg side for four in the second over, then cracked three fours through point off Imad Wasim soon after. With the positioning of the pitch making the eastern square boundary only 52 metres, Williamson continued to move around his crease to target that - most memorably lap-scooping Amir to the fine-leg fence in the fifth over. Guptill was more still at the crease, hitting a flat six off Umar Gul in the first over of the chase, but largely batting in Williamson’s slipstream before taking flight through the middle overs. He struck consecutive fours, either side of the wicket, off Amir in the 13th over, and successive sixes off Shahid Afridi in the 15th. Pakistan had lost early wickets and made a stalling start before Shoaib Malik’s measured 39 and Umar Akmal’s violent 56 not out from 27 balls seemed to have revived their chances in the match. New Zealand’s batting was excellent, but Pakistan’s bowlers perhaps had their thoughts scrambled by the asymmetrical dimensions of the field - one square boundary more than 20 metres shorter than the other. Amir had a particularly poor outing, leaking 34 from his 3 overs, but no one in the Pakistan attack fared well. Wahab Riaz went at 10 an over.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
January 22, 2016
25
Indian Firms Most Optimistic About Economic Recovery
NEW DELHI: Indian business leaders have emerged as the most optimistic lot globally about economic recovery in 2016, largely owing to a pro-reforms government,
recent policy announcements and regulatory changes, a Grant Thornton report says. According to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR),
a quarterly global survey of 2,580 business leaders across 36 economies, 89% of the respondents in India expressed confidence in the stable government and expect economic recovery. The survey was conducted in the October-December quarter of 2015 and participants were asked how optimistic they are for the economy in the next 12 months. India was ranked on top, with 89% respondents confident of economic recovery in 2016, followed by Ireland (88%) and Philippines (84%). “We have a refreshed political will, stretched but resolute businesses, a buzzing start-up space, easing foreign
capital policy and some significant legislative reforms in the pipeline— these are all positive indicators which could not have been imagined two years ago,” Grant Thornton India national managing partner Vishesh C. Chandiok said. While there is expectation of a recovery, corporate India cited regulations and red tape as constraints on growth. A total of 74% of the respondents said bureaucratic hurdles are impediments in growth. “The geopolitical tensions and the structural stress building up in the developed and emerging economies would continue to present both op-
portunities and inherent threats,” Chandiok added. Globally, business optimism heading into 2016 stood at net 36%. “The global economy continues to change and evolve, with shifting landscapes in major economies creating new challenges but also new opportunities. Those businesses with an instinct for growth will be best placed to spot these emerging pockets of opportunity, build new trade links, and make the most of the brighter outlook being reported for 2016,” Grant Thornton Global chief executive officer Ed Nusbaum said. -Livemint.com
PDP Sheds Tough Posturing, to Go Along with BJP BY M SALEEM PANDIT
SRINAGAR: The PDP on Sunday
shed its tough posture on forming a government with BJP in Jammu & Kashmir, describing the "agenda of alliance", the pact on governance reached between the two parties last year, as the "holy scripture" while also citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lahore initiative as "a welcome step" for normalizing ties between India and Pakistan. The development could now clear the decks for the swearing in of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti as the first woman chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The willingness of the two partners to adhere to the governance agenda and the Prime Minister's bid to push the peace initiative with Pakistan are seen as factors that helped the PDP make up its mind after several days of political posturing following the death of its patriarch and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.
While PDP's stand is also not a surprise as any alternate alliance is an arithmatic challenge can come at the cost of Hindu representation from Jammu, the final decision to "authorise" PDP leader and Mufti's daughter Mehbooba Sayeed to take a call is an anti-climax after some pre-emptive bargaining that was seen to be aimed at gaining a free hand in running the administration. After a marathon meeting of PDP's extended core group that lasted for five hours at party chief Mehbooba Mufti's Gupkar Road residence here, spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said the leaders had authorized her to take a final call on government formation. Sources said at the meeting, the first after the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, many leaders favoured continuance of alliance with the BJP. Akhtar said at the meeting, the PDP leaders appreciated Prime Minister's push for normalization of ties with Pakistan, particularly his Lahore initiative. He said Mehbooba welcomed Modi's gesture of landing in Lahore
on Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's birthday. "Despite Pathankot attack, it is a welcome step that the dialogue (between India and Pakistan) is continuing," Akhtar quoted Mehbooba as having said. The easing of stance can also be a reflection of the PDP leadership's assessment that it had played sufficiently "tough" with BJP in the context of its support in the Kashmir
Valley where the Pakistan initiative is also expected to play out well. Noting the achievements of Mufti's ten-month rule, Akhtar said: "We discussed the vision and legacy of our late patron and it was his wish that good relations between India and Pakistan mean a stable J&K." Mehbooba Mufti to take final call on government formation in J&K To a pointed query whether PDP
will continue to be in government with BJP,Akhtar said the leaders have reposed trust in the PDP president and she will take the final call on the subject. However, giving enough hints on continuance of alliance with BJP, Akhtar said the PDP leaders were working on how to move ahead on Agenda of Alliance. As the PDP and the BJP, which ruled the state in an alliance from March 1 till Sayeed's death, did not stake claim for fresh government formation, the state was put under Governor's rule on January 8. The BJP has maintained that the PDP has to make the first move by electing its legislature party leader before they can extend support to the regional party for government formation in the state. Till a couple of days ago, the PDP had said it would review the implementation of Agenda of Alliance during the 10-month coalition before deciding its next course of action. -TimesofIndia
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
26 January 22, 2016
Odd-Even Event: Ink Attack on Arvind Kejriwal Sparks War of Words, AAP Hits Out at BJP, Delhi Police BY PRAGYA KAUSHIKA
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EW DELHI: A 27-year-old woman threw ink on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while he was delivering a speech at Chhatrasal Stadium Sunday, thanking civil defence volunteers and officials for “making the odd-even traffic policy successful”. The woman, identified as Bhawna Arora, is a member of the Punjab division of Aam Aadmi Sena. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was not present at the function, said the incident should not be taken lightly. Woman who attacked Delhi CM Kejriwal in Chhatrasal Stadium claims to be a part of Aam Aadmi sena’s Punjab unit pic.twitter.com/ PC8aO9bhpk— ANI (@ANI_news) January 17, 2016 It was a conspiracy to attackArvind Kejriwal- Manish Sisodia, Delhi
Deputy CM on ink attack on Delhi CM pic.twitter.com/53i5OVzxD7 — ANI (@ANI_news) January 17, 2016 Sisodia said lax security by police was the reason for the incident. “BJP is trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal. We are against VIP security but the cabinet needs to be protected. It’s a dangerous incident. One woman comes and throws ink and there is not a single policeman there to take care of security… ? If someone comes and throws acid on the cabinet or plants a bomb, who will take responsibility? There was no checking done at the programme,” he said. Sisodia said the success of the oddeven programme had not gone down well with the BJP. “There is no other reason why there was no security. The woman is speaking to TV channels and the police are yet to take her into custody,” he added.
When asked whether the CM should be given more protection, Sisodia said, “Our security is in god’s hand. But the Centre should take action if this kind of thing happens. Aam Aadmi Sena is always against AAP.” Meanwhile, BJP Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay said his party does not approve of the incident. “We feel the incident reflects the growing frustration among people towards the Kejriwal regime. Today’s incident could be a case of an activist’s frustration or staged by Kejriwal to play his usual victim card.” Responding to Sisodia’s allegations, Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said, “The allegations regarding lax security are misconceived and unfounded. Appropriate law and order arrangements were made for the function by the Delhi Police as per the practice for the CM’s functions. Arrangements
included one company of armed police and personnel from the local police force. As far as personal security of the CM is concerned, adequate cover was provided, including escort, pilot and PSOs. A team performed anti-sabotage check before the function. The apprehension expressed by the deputy CM regarding conspiracy
will be looked into.” A case under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC has been registered at Model Town police station, said police. -IndianExpress
No Camel Contingent at Republic Day Parade for First Time in 66 Years
January 26 parade this time is undergoing a number of changes such as non-inclusion of paramilitary forces whereas some new features have been added to it including the dogs squad contingent.
NEW DELHI: For the first time
in the history of the Republic Day celebrations, the iconic BSF camel contingent will not be ambling down the Rajpath in New Delhi on the coming January 26. Officials said the 90-member Bor-
der Security Force camel-mounted troops and band contingent has not been practising during the dress rehearsals of the event being held here, in the absence of official directions. “While the contingent is in Delhi since the last few months, it has not been included in the rehearsals as
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there are no official orders issued in this regard,” they said. The majestic and elegantly dressed four-legged ‘ship of the desert’ belonging to the border guarding force first became a part of the national festival celebration in 1976 after it replaced a similar squad of the army which had been participating in the Republic Day parade since the first such event in 1950. “The BSF camel contingent has since been the intrinsic part of the parade at Rajpath on every January 26. There are two teams which take part in the event, the 54-member mounted contingent and the 36-member band,” a senior official involved with the camel squad said. While the first contingent showcases smartly dressed BSF border guards with weapons riding camels, the second follows with bandsmen in beautiful multi-colour dresses on the back of camels playing martial music.
Officials said the January 26 parade this time is undergoing a number of changes such as non-inclusion of paramilitary forces like ITBP, CISF and SSB whereas some new features have been added to it including the dogs squad contingent of the army and a team of French soldiers. “The camel contingent may also not be a part of the Beating the Retreat Ceremony to be held on January 29 where they stand along the ramparts of the North and South blocks on Raisina Hill,” they said. French President Francois Hollande is the chief guest of this year’s event with dignitaries like President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others and general public. The BSF camel contingent is the inheritor of the heritage of the Bikaner Royal Camel Force, known as ‘Ganga Risala’, and is based in the border town of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Every year it travels to Delhi in No-
vember to participate in the Raising Day event of the BSF on December 1 and the Republic Day parade after which it retreats to its base. The contingent has been called in to greet and honour foreign dignitaries many times in the past and recently was present for welcoming US President Barack Obama last year and for entertaining the guests during the Afro-India summit held last year. The BSF is country’s largest border guarding force of the country raised in 1965 and it is mainly tasked with securing Indian frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh. -IndianExpress
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