Friday, February 27 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 09
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February 27, 2015
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The Grand Release of SAHNA Survey Results at India House
Back row, from left: Sarvesh Bhavaraju, Dr. Hardeep Singh, Lakshmi Naik, Dr. Deborah Banerjee, Dr. Lewis Foxhall, Dr. Sanjay Sethi, Dr. Mala Pande, Dr.Lovell Jones, Dr. V. K. Dorai, Dr. Sunil Krishnan, Front row, from left:Alpa Shah, Meena Agrawal, Dr. Sewa Legha, Dr. Anu Rao, Kanchan Kabad, Dr. Beverly Gor, Gayathri Rao, Beth Allen, Arlene Mathews and Gayathri Kongovi. Photos: Bijay Dixit
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: The Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) in collaboration with the MD Anderson Cancer came together to announce the completion of the project: SAHNA- South Asian Health Needs Assessment. Indian American Cancer network is a cancer resource network to educate and support the Indian American community. On February 22, an event was organized at India House, to announce the completion of the successful health survey “The Release of South Asian Health Needs Assessment (SAHNA) Survey Results to the Community”. It was a proud moment for everyone who was involved in the project and Kanchan Kabad,
president of IACAN mentioned that a study of this magnitude on health-needs of Indian Americans has not been done anywhere in the US. She spoke in length about the multi phased, multi year project and involvement of people across segments to make this possible. Infact the total number of volunteer hours expended were over 1000 hours across who participated in all phases - survey development, pilot testing and recruitment. She mentioned how results from the SAHNA study will be useful in developing culturally appropriate educational and intervention programs to reduce cancer and chronic disease risk in the community. It will guide researchers and open up the avenues in designing studies that are relevant to Asian Indians. The data can also be used to apply
From left: Gayathri Rao, Lakshmi Naik, Alpa Shah, Dr. Sewa Legha, Sarvesh Bhavaraju, Kanchan Kabad, Hon Consul General P. Harish, Dr, V. K. Dorai, Dr. Sanjay Sethi, Dr. Snehal Desai, Dr. Anu Rao, Meena Agrawal and Gayathri Kongovi
for funding to support programs to address the health issues in the community. The data can be used to make health policies to help Indians. The first speaker for the evening, Dr. Lewis E. Foxhall, MD, Vice President for Health Policy and Professor, Clinical Cancer Prevention at The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center spoke about this initiative thereafter. Furthermore, Dr. Umair A. Shah, MD, PhD, Executive Director at Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services (HCPHES) spoke about Health Matters in context to a ‘Local Public Health Perspective’. The ‘SAHNA Report” was released by Consul General of India, Parvathaneni Harish with the deserved accolades that followed.
Dr. Deborah Banerjee, MS. PhD, Bureau Chief, Director’s Office at Department of Health and Human Services, City of Houston was invited to share her thoughts too. A brief presentation on the results was made by Dr. Beverly Gor, EdD, RD, LD, Staff Analyst, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Research for Effectiveness at Department of Health and Human Services, City of Houston. Key findings of the study were: •91% considered their health as excellent, very good or good •88% had some form of health insurance •41% of males and 29% of females were vegetarians, although almost 50% of the participants were overweight or obese •14% reported having diabetes •30% reported that they or a family member had had cancer and of those affected the most fre-
quently reported types of cancer were Breast, Leukemia or Blood, Prostate and Colorectal. Participants appeared to lack knowledge of cancer and source for cancer information The learning’s of the survey was presented by Dr. Hardeep Singh MD. M.P.H, Chief of Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Director of Houston VA Patient Safety Center of Inquiry under the topic: “Moving Research into Action: What I Learned from the SAHNA Survey”. The Vote of Thanks was given by Lakshmi Naik, one of the founder members of IACAN who excels in patient counseling and navigation. The event ended with a Q&A session followed by refreshments of healthy food choices. For further information about IACAN email at iacannetwork@ gmail.com, or visit www.iacannetwork.org or call 713-370-3489
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February 27, 2015
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5 February 27, 2015 COMMUNITY Chinmaya Mission Houston Celebrates Mahasivaratri By Rajesh Thatte HOUSTON: If you are wondering if devotion and dedication can overcome tough situation, look no further than Chinmaya Mission Houston’s (CMH) celebration of Mahasivaratri on February 17. In spite of cold weather, thousands of devotees attended Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya to experience bliss, offer their prayers to Lord Siva and to receive His blessings. Chinmaya Mission Houston started the celebration on Sunday February 15th with Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa. Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa is performed for good health and well-being of everyone. Homa was performed in main Smrti hall in two sessions. Sri Sriganesh Sathyanarayana, priest of Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya led Homa on stage with Acharya Gaurang uncle and Acharya Darshana auntie. Each family was provided with all the necessary items required to participate in Homa. As a part of Homa, Maha Mrtyunjaya Mantra was chanted 108 times. The chanting of Maha Mritrunjaya Mantra along with Aum Namah Shivaya Japa most certainly brings quietude to individuals. Homa was followed by Arti. Tuesday’s main celebration started with Utsava Murti of Lord Siva’s puja performed by Sri Sriganesh ji. The basement of Saumyakasi Sivalaya was decorated to depict Kailasa, the abode of Lord Siva where devotees offered Ksirabhiseka to Sivalingam and Lord Siva’s statue throughout the day till late night. It was very wonderful to observe families taking the opportunity to perform Ksirabhiseka with their young children, particularly to note that many children wanted their parents to help them perform the abhiseka themselves! In morning, Mahanyasa Purvaka Rudrabhiseka was performed in main temple. The evening festivities involved Laghunyasa purvaka Ekadasa Rudrabhiseka which involves performing continuous abhisheka (with milk) to Lord Shiva while chanting Rudra. It is the evening time when the temple is visited by highest number of devotees. At dusk the temple was glittered with thousands of lights. As devotees waited patiently to offer Ksirabhiseka, the puja being performed in main temple was projected on two screens in courtyard. After Ksirabhiseka, devotees were led to main temple sanctum for darsana and Prasada. After the Rudrabhiseka,
Chinmaya Mission Houston started the celebration on Sunday February 15th with Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa. Praying for spiritual upliftment and good health for everyone, hundreds of families chanted the Mrtyunjaya Mantra 108 times. Photos : Rajesh Thatte
Devotee performing the Ksirabhiseka to the Utsava Linga. All the devotees had an opportunity to offer abhisekam with milk to the Utsava Linga.
perfection. Hundreds of dedicated volunteers helped in organizing the event, from helping in kitchen, preparing food, decoration, audio or parking. It is the devotion of devotees that promotes dedication of volunteers. In spite of cold weather, many volunteers worked throughout two day event to bring most joyful experience to Houston community. The continuous flow of thousands of devotees visiting temple each year, on this day is testimony to the calming and blissful experience it provides. For more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston. org, www.saumyakasi.org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233
everyone participated in Arti. The final hour and half of celebration offers perfect opportunity for meditation where devotees chanted “Aum Namah Shivaya” from 10:30 PM to 11:45PM. This hour of meditation is the most joyous part of celebration that brings bliss and peace to devotees by calming their mind. Pujya Gurudeva Swami Chinmayanand said, “process of constructive destruction is Siva, the annihilator. This Siva-Ratri is the destruction of the ego in the discovery of the Self”. The entire celebration was organized to
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The priest, Sri Ganesh, Sri Radhuram, Sri Harish and Sri Chandrasekhar performed the abhisekam of the glowing Sivalinga in complete harmony with his chanting of the Rudram.
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February 27, 2015
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7:00 pm Social Hour 8:00 pm Program Starts Shoba, Rakesh, Hiren Joshi - 832 878 4338 Meet and Greet with us For Tickets please call 832-878-4338 or 281-909-0825 Limited Seating : You can sponsor a Table.
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February 27, 2015
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9 February 27, 2015 COMMUNITY Shiv Shakti Mandir Celebrates MahaShivratri BY VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: This year, the Maha Shivratri festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the ‘Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir of Houston’ located on Harwin. According to sacred scriptures, the ritual worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri festival that falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun pleases Lord Shiva the most. This year it took place on the February 17, at the temple which also has the First Jyotir Lingam, a replica of God Somnath and Maa Shri Ambaji in Houston. The festival of Mahashivaratri is the most important festival for the millions of devotees of Lord Shiva. What made this festival a grand event was the number of devotees who came at the temple for Darshan; the figure exceeded 5000. Shivaratri Pooja has been given tremendous significance in Hindu mythology. It is said that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri day pleases Lord Shiva the most. Devotees further believe that
by pleasing Lord Shankara on the auspicious Shivaratri day, a person is absolved of past sins and is blessed with Moksha or salvation. According to Shiva Purana, sincere worship of Lord Shiva yields merits including spiritual growth for the devotees. It also provides extensive details on the right way to perform Shivratri Puja. Shiva Purana further says that performing abhisheka of ShivaLinga with six different dravyas including milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar
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and water. Each of these dravya used in the abhisheka blesses a unique quality: Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness. Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny. Honey is for sweet speech. Ghee is for victory. Sugar is for happiness. Water is for purity. Keeping in mind all the above, the Maha Shivratri puja of four Prahar was performed with a lot
of passion throughout the night. The Maha Shivratri puja started at 8:30 PM after the evening Aarti and ended the next day morning at 6:00 AM. The devotees were also allowed inside the front area of Garbhgruh to perform the Abhishek. The Mrutyunjya japa Yajna was also performed all day long. Devotees believe that sincere observance of Shivaratri puja and all night worship of Lord Shiva will absolve them of all their sins and
liberate them from the cycle of birth and death. Thandai, a drink made with bhang (cannabis), almonds, and milk, is essentially drunk by the devout on the day as cannabis is said to have been very dear to Shiva. Thus, the Milk Thandai and Prasad were served by temple and were relished by all. Virat Mehta, Managing Trustee of the temple said, “We are very thankful to all our devotees who came for Darshan and would like to thank everyone for their support” .
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COMMUNITY
February 27, 2015
IACCGH, Wallis State Bank and US SBA at Business Outreach Program in HCC, Katy
Vice Chairman and CEO of Wallis State Bank Asif Dakri, SBA District Director Tim Jeffcoat, IACCGH President Ashok Garg Photo: Bijay Dixit
BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: The IACCGH Business Outreach Program held at the HCC campus in Katy on 12th February facilitated an introduction between SBA’s new District Director Tim Jeffcoat and the heads of several local economic agencies as well as business owners looking for capital. Emphasizing that local economic empowerment is a core mission at IACCGH, Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed Tim Jeffcoat, IACCGH Board members and guests. He also described the Chamber as an “inclusive one” and stated that the organizations in the room must continue to share our “best practices” and help each other serve the community. IACCGH President Ashok Garg spoke about the 15 year association that the organization shared with SBA and its recently retired District Director Manuel Gonzalez who was also present at the event. SBA had first partnered with IACCGH in 2000 to share information with its members on how they can get loans but “the message was too powerful to be restricted to its members.” Since then IACCGH has been reaching out to the community though the Business Outreach Program on the best possible way to get a loan. Expressing the hope that IACCGH would “share the same ties of friendship” with the new District Director, President Garg invited the new District Director to address the gathering. A graduate of Auburn University, Alabama, Tim worked at
Schlumberger and other companies before joining government service about 10 years ago – a transition he described as “weird for a big corporation guy” but one he “adapted” to. In his address, Tim drew attention to the crucial role SBA has played over the years in helping startups and established businesses. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” is a Peter Drucker teaching Tim strongly believes in. When he moved to Houston from Oklahoma – another “oil economy,” one of his first tasks was to see how SBA measured up. And the figures were impressive. In the last financial year alone, an average of 5.3 loans were approved per day for $2.75 million and the biggest recipients were hotels/restaurants, retail and healthcare followed by manufacturing. Additionally, SBA’s resource partners – SBDC, WBC and SCORE counseled 9000 clients, aided 404 new businesses get off the ground and helped their clients receive about $120 million in needed finance for growth. SBA plans to continue to partner with AARP for “encore entrepreneurs” and intends to get involved in and support crowdfunding. It also has two new initiatives – the SBA One which streamlines the loan application process and the SBA Linc which helps you connect with prospective SBA lenders based on your business needs. Tim also outlined some of the future plans SBA Houston is working on such as a major matchmaking event between large corporations and small businesses, periodic lending and resource fairs, entrepreneur workshops for the Houston-based oil industry employees being laid off and a small business disaster
preparation workshop He concluded his address by emphasizing that he would work to increase SBA’s presence in the community by encouraging involvement in events that affect small businesses as well as participating in more Outreach programs. President Garg thanked the gathering for attending the event and Wallis State Bank, which has the distinction of being the largest SBA bank in the region, for underwriting the IACCGH Business Outreach Programs. IACCGH will hold its next Business Outreach Program at 5:00 pm on May 20th at the Wallis State Bank Building. SBA’s District Director Tim Jeffcoat will once again address the gathering on “How the US SBA Can Help Your Small Business” and its 8(a) program. For more information, visit www.iaccgh. com or email info@iaccgh. com
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12 February 27, 2015 BY CHITTOOR K. RAMACHANDRAN
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COMMUNITY
February 27, 2015
Mahashivarathri Celebration at Sri Meenakshi Temple
Priests getting ready to do 108 Shankha Puja and Homam
Consul General of India, P. Harish doing Athmalinga puja
BY CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN PEARLAND: Hundreds of Hindu devotees assembled in the evening of the most auspicious Mahashivarathri ( February 17) to offer their respect to Sri Sundareswar, withstanding the chilly weather. Ardent Shiva devotees believe that opportunity to participate in the rituals and listening to the specific vedamanthrams on this day is a divine sanction. Musicians consider that the ability for singing is a blessing from Sri Shiva and singing his glory on Shivarathri is an expression of their gratitude. The basic lesson a classical dancer says that :“Aangikam bhuvanam yasya, vachikam sarva vaangmayam Aahaaryam chandra thaaraadi, tam namah saathwikam Shivam” Meaning: To whom the whole world is the movement of His ( Shiva’s) body, all sound His speech, the Moon and the Stars His ornaments, Him the Almighty being Shiva, the embodiments of divine serenity, I salute. -: Natya Shashtra. Mahashivarathri celebration at Sri Meenakshi Temple facilitated both cultural and religious aspects of the importance of this day to the full satisfaction of the devotees who were looking forward to this day. The newly expanded Sri Ganesha sannidhi was set for the artistic presentations in which dozens of aspiring young and older students from various local dance schools performed classical dances. Several musicians offered their prayers by singing highly regarded compositions by great composers. Hordes of Shiva devotees started arriving by evening to the beautifully decorated main temple prepared to have convenient darshan of the detailed rituals. As the sun started disappearing, for a brief period, the glowing
periphery of the gopuram appeared like a giant jwala-lingam as a signal to begin the elaborate Mahashivarathri pooja. Concentrating on the open flame in the homam, and a plead to Agni, the priests jointly chanted a series of vedamanthrams. It took no effort to draw the attention of all the devotees at the auspicious moment of poornaahuthi. As the flame rose, so did everyone’s energy. Among the ways to adore and admire the majesty of Lord Shiva, abhishekam of Shivalinga with the water poured from the shankha (Shankha- abhishekam) is considered very auspicious. The priests ceremoniously carried 108 shankha filled with sanctified water to Sundareswara sannidhi to perform the abhishekam. The temple resounded with the most auspicious Rudram during the course of abhishekam. The flawless chanting of veda by the priests and the ritwiks eleveated the impact of the rituals to an exalted level. About 500 devotees including the Consul General of India, P. Harish and his wife participated in the various pujas. Devotees also enthusiastically lines up to pour milk on the Shiva lingam ( Athma Linga puja). Many Shiva devotees continued to be present near Sri Sundareswara sannidhi to attend chathur kala pooja, singing bhajans and chanting veda manthrams. As a tradition, abhishekam and archana were repeated every 3 hours during the night. Shivarathri is the only time the temple remains open to the public in the nighttime. This year, nearly one hundred devotees stayed awake throughout the night. The successful Mahashivarathri celebration at MTS was a demonstration of how serving the Lord with ardent devotion leads to great happiness and peace.
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February 27, 2015
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COMMUNITY
SanSkaar Aims to Enhance Creativity, Cultural Values thru Skilled Training
SanSkaar team, from left: Pavan, Sanjay, Srikanth, Bhagwan, Arun, along with Inaugurators: Harish Jajoo and Ramesh Bhutada, Deepti, Sangita , Deepali, Namrata, Trusha , Meet.
HOUSTON: Businessman and philanthropist Ramesh Bhutada and Sugar Land Mayor Pro Tem Harish Jajoo on Sunday inaugurated a novel educational project to enhance creativity, positive skill and cultural values among children and young adults. Dubbed as SanSkaar, the project will focus on four areas – arts & craft, dance, Hindi language and Yoga. Classes will be held every Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at 4023 WestHollow Parkway, Hous-
tion behind the SanSkaar project: Na ho kisi bhi vyakti ke jeevan mein acche mulyon ka Andhkaar “Achhi Kala , Udhyog, Nritya , Hindi aur Yoga ke dhani gyan se, milen acchee SanSkaar” It means: “No one should have darkness in life, no one should deprive of positive values in life; By learning Dance, Art-Craft & Hindi, Yoga young minds get SanSkaar (positive skill value).” Ramesh Bhutada lauded the volunteer spirit of organizers and passionate teachers to share with community their knowledge and expertise. He also showed extreme happiness, of best usage of this excellent centrally located facility in Houston which their family has given practically FREE lease for SanSkaar classes. Harish Jajoo also congratulated the SanSkaar team for their novel efforts and promised to visit them again to celebrate their positive progress. The project met an initial success with over 50 registrations on the day of inauguration. Organizers expect that the seats will be filled fast when the classes be15950 N Dallas Pkwy, Ste 400 gin on March Dallas, TX 75248 1. They advised the students and
ton TX 77082 and will be taught by highly qualified and talented teachers. Students will have the option to enroll in one or more classes each of which will be 45 minutes. Non – profit Organization President Arun Mundra who has run many social initiative for positive impact to society like Uttaranchal flood help, Co-organization Crime prevention, Hindi Convention, Makar sakranti , Janmashthmi celebration; summed up the inspira-
11000 Richmond Ave, Ste 300 Houston, TX 77042
parents to register early as the seats are limited and taken benefit of 50% off first month. Bhagwan Bhutada, the program coordinator, is excited that the SanSkaar classes will soon draw the attention of the community. He said the fee structure is attractive with $55 for one class and $5 discount for each of subsequent classes. Siblings will get $10 discount. Moreover a 50 percent discount is offered in the first month of operation for limited time. The Classes are for ages four and up. Besides a novel idea, the project’s biggest asset is its pool of qualified expert trainers’ more voluntary efforts. The team consists of Meeta Arun Mundra, Deepti Sanjay Biyani, Sangita Bhagwan Bhutada, Namrata Srikanth Sharda, Sushma Vijay Pallod, Deepali Pavan Ladha, Trusha Ashish Chandak, Ruchi Nikunj Tibdelwal and Shradha Rishi Bhutada . Art teacher Deepti belongs to an artist family iand has a Master’s degree in Fine Arts with focus on painting and drawing. She is trained in clay modeling, fabric painting, Tanjore painting & stained glass. Deepali (art) has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts, with specializations in animation, graphic design and oil painting. Deepali specialized in drawing, painting and in using these skills in teaching children. She pursued a Child Development Associate (CDA) from a US college. Deepali has been teaching school children for decade and is skilled in the art of connecting with small kids. Dance trainer Namrata Srikanth Sharda has been training kids as well as adults in Bollywood dances as well as folk and contemporary dance styles for many years. She has done instructor training from a dance institute. She is an expert in using movements, gestures and body language to portray dance routines. Besides a particular dance style, kids also learn the basics of dance starting from simple
to advance dance elements. Hindi teacher Sangita Bhagwan Bhutada is the “Limca World Record” holder. She has a Master’s degree in Arts ,a computer diploma and Montessori teacher training certification. She has written more than 10 books on various subjects. Sangita has done a special Hindi DBHPS course and she has been a Hindi teacher, teaching for decade. Sangita Bhutada has been affiliated with the International Hindi Association (IHA) and took workshops “how to make Hindi easy with day to day use” during National Hindi Convention. Yoga teacher Sushma Vijay Pallod is a well-known yoga trainer in Houston. She has been teaching Yoga for the last 12 years. She is a certified yoga teacher. Sushma Pallod has been affiliated with various community organizations. Along with training lessons, she also conveys benefits of Yoga and when and how it is helpful. Project administrator Ruchi is an MBA and is passionate for working in an institute like SanSkaar, and guide parents and children in getting their desired training in order to become successful managers. Trusha Ashish Chandak is volunteering for website creation and helped non-profit organization to develop the wonderful website www.SanSkaarKids.com. Arun Mundra thanked all community leaders & supporters across world for their support including Indian Minister Kiran Maheshwari & MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Bhagwaan Bhutada conveyed that his better half Sangita has led this kind of classes in past, in India earlier when she was youth coordinator in nonprofit organization which shows proven track record of this project. Initiated by non- profit organization with an objective to nurture good SanSkaars among young minds. For more inquiry contact Ruchi 832-570-0331 or email: KidsSanSkaar@gmail.com
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COMMUNITY
February 27, 2015
Love One Love All Club 24 Plus Valentine’s Day Party
through the afternoon grabbed opportunities to gather necklaces in the ‘Taboo’ spell. The games were followed up by a sumptuous lunch that catered to all tastes through the diversity of the menu. With their introductions, the new members were inducted into Club 24 Plus. The guests were also presented with Valentine Day gift bags. This is what some members had to say: Raj & Jugal Malani “This years Valentines event was very well organized by Club 24 Plus, it had all the Members of the social committee for the club. From left: Vandana Prakash, ingredients to have a roAsha Dhume, Savita Rao, Kiran Gupta, Prabha Roopani and Alpa Shah. mantic afternoon with your loved one... good decoraPhoto: Bijay Dixit tion, good food & entertainAsha Dhume, President, Club 24 ment and great company of all the HOUSTON: Club 24 Plus kicked off its 2015 event calendar with a Plus welcomed everyone by giving a members. Me & Raj, we thoroughly fun filled Valentine’s party. In the brief description of the charter of the enjoyed and hats off to the Club 24 elegant ambience of the Sweetwater Club. “It is a social club with a differ- organizing team.” Leela Krishnamurthy ”Love was in Country Club, the organizers made ence, with Philanthropy and outreach an early start to create a pretty pink to the mainstream community as the the air at the Club 24 Plus Valentines and red backdrop to celebrate the core ethos of the club.” She outlined brunch as usually bashful men shed festival of love and friendship. The many exciting events for the rest of their shyness to express their love to social hour started with pictures taken the year and thanked the members for their wives totally festive and fun. Awesome job Asha and team” of couples dressed in themed attire their enthusiastic participation. It was game time thereafter! In a Another feather in the cap to the sowith a beautiful red flower backdrop. Gentle mimosas and samosas congenial mood, the men rolled back cial committee of Kiran Gupta, Savita with romantic melodies set the tone. the years with romantic Bollywood Rao, Alpa Shah, Prabha Roopani, Everyone grabbed the opportunity one - liners. The ‘Knots’ game had and Vandana Prakash whose spirited to mingle with fellow members and the couples in all sorts of funny and elegant shaping of the Club 24 then they were guided to their beauti- contusions, despite the simplicity of Plus event made it a memorable solution. Those who remained sharp occasion. fully decorated tables.
Quan Law Group to Serve Businesses, Families and Individuals HOUSTON: Gordon J. Quan has opened a new immigration law firm, Quan Law Group PLLC, for small to mid-size business clients and families and individuals. With over 30 years practicing immigration law, service in government as a Houston City Council member, and his weekly radio program “Coming to America,” Quan has built a solid career as a people’s advocate. He is also recognized as one of the leading immigration law practitioners in the United States. Quan is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Immigration and Nationality Law and is recognized as a nationwide “senior statesman” in the prestigious Chambers USA rankings. “Finding a good immigration lawyer can positively change the course of a person’s life. Our firm assists with legal admission and integration, providing personalized attention to
both immigrants and employers as we resolve their unique issues,” . Quan said. As the U.S. continues immigration reforms, Quan expects his firm, which addresses a variety of immigration needs, to be in high demand. “We will provide comprehensive immigration services with a staff of lawyers certified in immigration law and employment law, along with a Certified Public Accountant and business law guidance,” he said. Under Quan’s leadership, his new team will focus on representing people from around the world in selecting appropriate avenues for temporary and permanent immigration to the United States. The firm will handle employment-based cases including immigrant investors and employment sanction cases, as well as family-based immigration, defense in removal proceedings, and citizenship matters. The firm’s staff members are fluent in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Arabic and Russian. Quan is joined at Quan Law Group
by two Partners with over 10 years of experience each: Alexandre Afanassiev, a litigator who represents clients in administrative removal proceedings and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court; and Jarred J. Slater, a former U.S. congressional staffer with experience in a multitude of complex family and business immigration matters. Additionally, three other attorneys will be working with Quan: Senior Attorney Angelique Montano, who has been practicing in immigration since 1996 and represents corporate and individual clients in all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories; Jennifer Dulay Mizulski, who concentrates on investor visas and is also a Certified Public Accountant; and Lauren Rouhana, who works on various business and family-based immigration cases. Quan Law Group PLLC is located in the Galleria area at 5444 Westheimer Road. For further information visit www.quanlaw.com or call 713-QUAN-LAW or 713-625-9200.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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18 February 27, 2015 Hindus Coming of Age
Last December, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri was addressing an audience in Wisconsin and she related one of her formative experiences growing up. In third grade, she said, a schoolmate castigated her: “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you’re going to hell.” That was in a small town in Oklahoma, part of the belt where more Bibles are thumped per capita than there are supporters of American President Barack Obama. As she was being crowned Miss America, Davuluri uttered the words, “Thank you, Swami!”, a statement, that, alongside her duskiness, prompted a barrage of racist and religious bias. This month, Indian Americans complained after the Hindu Temple Cultural Center near Seattle bore the graffiti, “Get out”, coupled with a swastika. Given that Americans are fairly ignorant about Hinduism, that was possibly more Neo-Nazi than antiHindu. And in condemning a policeman’s assault on Sureshbhai Patel in Alabama, the Hindu American Foundation referred to Patel as a “Hindu Indian”. That’s part of recent trend, that of crying Hinduphobia, amid claims of a rise in attacks as the FBI starts tracking specific antiHindu crimes this year. The complaints, ironically, are partly due to growing confidence. In the past decade, their faith has received a fillip, with an invocation to commence a session of the US Senate, the annual White House Diwali ceremony, and the arrival of a clutch of role models. If Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi takes her beliefs seriously, there’s a federal judge and a surgeon-general taking their oaths of office on the Bhagwad Gita. There’s also the first Hindu member of the House of Representatives, Tulsi Gabbard, the anti-Bobby Jindal. That Hinduism has entered the cultural mainstream adds another layer of confidence. When this year’s Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady keeps a bronze statuette of Ganesha to, obviously, remove obstacles, Julia Roberts renames her children Laxmi, Ganesh and Krishna Balram, and the President, famously, owns a Hanuman amulet. In many metropolitan areas, all roads appear to lead to Om, with yoga studios as numerous as corner Starbucks brewing lattes. Major retailers have Diwali specials, complete with discounts on that most essential of foods – Maggi noodles. Columns like US Views on God and Life are Turning Hindu in Newsweek and How movies embraced Hinduism feed into that confidence. Though some can still seem juvenile, throwing tantrums at every manifestation of cultural crossings. Curiously enough, this saffron strand of the America fabric is pretty much also part of the Democratic Party blue; standing firm on a liberal bias though, at times, aggravated when the President uses an evangelical platform to harangue against apparent intolerance in India.. But they’re unapologetic about it. Davuluri, for instance, was speaking at a fundraising event organized by the American Hindu Association. HT Anirudh Bhattacharyya is a Toronto-based commentator on American affairs
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Me and My Mandate
BY PRATAP BHANU Politicians are vulnerable when they are unable to distinguish what is due to circumstances and what is due to them. Instead of seeing how objective reality impinges on them, they begin to think reality is an extension of their will. In Nitish’s case, the specific charge at the time was that he had begun to believe whatever good was happening in Bihar was due entirely to him. He forgot the circumstances that allowed him a modicum of success. Nitish’s first term was unusual because, after decades, caste polarisation had been taken off the explicit agenda. His government had a wide social coalition, of the top and the bottom. One of the conditions of effective governance is to have a wide social coalition behind you, or else some social force or the other will devour the best administrative acumen. This is a deep truth. A subsidiary point was that Nitish had picked all the low-hanging governance fruits. The tougher decisions that Bihar needs to take on topics as diverse as land and education will require even more broad-based support. The wicked challenges now facing Bihar need even broader social negotiations. Bihar had precariously created the possibility of such a moment. Will any political party be able to recreate it? But this piece of wisdom is also relevant to the BJP and the Congress. It is hard to know what the inner tensions and pressures on a politician are. But Rahul Gandhi’s spectacular downfall post 2009 is a classic case of confusing circumstances with one’s own ego. Much changed after 2009. The Congress forgot that, in 2009, the Opposition was still weak; it was still reaping the dividends of growth; it got some benefit from standing behind Manmohan Singh, who had not yet lost his sheen. In fact, in 2009, the Congress took some risks by going it alone in UP; Rahul got credit for that. But after that, it has been a free fall, for which Rahul is at least as centrally responsible. Three big changes were evident somewhere in the middle of the UPA’s
But just as the Congress was blindsided by who its imagined constituency was, the BJP was blindsided by the thought that it needed to send swift signals to investors. second term. First, as a public persona, Rahul came across as increasingly narcissistic. He seemed to be increasingly closed to political realities, and everything from the government to the party became an extension of his pet obsessions. His narcissism was evident in the way he humiliated the prime minister by tearing up his government’s ordinance in public. But the second persona he projected was victimhood. Faced with scandal after scandal, the standard narrative put out was that Rahul wanted to change the party and fix corruption, while the old guard was hemming him in. He was trying to build a virtuous party, while corrupt government was another matter. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The third change was more sociological. The Congress pulled off the spectacular feat of being both crony capitalist and anti-business at the same time. His close circle forgot that urban India was a crucial element in their 2004 victory. In fact, Rahul’s inner circle seemed full of people who were so concerned about expiating their guilt at being privileged that they refused to see the ways in which India was changing. In some ways, they forgot that, just as India cannot be governed with communal polarisation, it cannot be governed with class polarisation: it needs its entrepreneurs as much as its workers, its farmers as much as its urban middle class. This just is a sociological reality: polarisation is a pathway to paralysis. Last month, we saw a hint of Narendra Modi being beset by a similar confusion: his persona occluded reality. Hopefully, he can pull back. But there is a deeper structural challenge faced by the government. The BJP risks being trapped by a double cynicism. Its support of the original land acquisition bill was ill considered. But promulgating an ordinance in haste has cast a shadow over the BJP’s
intentions. It has also been put in an awkward situation where even if it makes the right changes, it will be seen as a climb down. It has unnecessarily given the Opposition an issue. The land act needed changes. But what the NDA’s ordinance proposed was a lot of subterfuge — it reeked of the same casualness that had destroyed the UPA’s credibility. But just as the Congress was blindsided by who its imagined constituency was, the BJP was blindsided by the thought that it needed to send swift signals to investors. Not a bad thought. But the government forgot that, in the final analysis, it will be judged by its ability to manage social contradictions: it needed to do the political hard work of building a broad social coalition. Now, every NGO and Opposition party is jumping on the resistance to the land acquisition bill. Two dialectics are possible: the rough and tumble of opposition could produce a better bill. But what is equally likely is that the government loses face and destroys its political capital. It would be better off making sensible compromises that can square a triangle, as it were. We need a bill that can do three things: withstand legal scrutiny, allow industrialisation, but genuinely protect farmers and affected parties. But the larger issue is this: is there a developmental model possible that can have a broad social coalition behind it? Each class potentially has a veto power if mobilised sufficiently. What will be the social contract that overcomes this polarisation? Perhaps this is better resolved at the level of the states. But the land conflict will be the test of what artful politics looks like. Both the BJP and the AAP will have to be careful not to overplay their hand. A precondition of governance is recognising that your own virtue and dogma are no substitutes for crossclass negotiations. Many a leader has forgotten that. The irony of politics is that it is often easier to take leave of your senses than it is to take a leave of absence. IE The writer is president, Centre for Policy Research, Delhi, and a contributing editor for ‘The Indian Express’
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February 27, 2015
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20 February 27, 2015
COMMUNITY
Plenary Address to the Indian Science Congress in Mumbai, by Dr. Krishna Dronamraju
Dr. Dronamraju honored at the Science Congress by Hem Pande, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority, Government of India.
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Biodiversity of our planet consists of the sum total of all life, including all species of plants, animals including humans, and various microorganisms, and microscopic life and all biota in their total genomic variants. Certain areas of planet earth are designated as Biodiversity “hot spots” - 35 areas qualify as hotspots. They represent just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface,but they support more than half of the world’s plant species as endemics — i.e., species found no place else — and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemics. A hot spot is irreplaceable. It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it must be threatened. Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented. They are also areas with a high diversity of locally endemic species, which are species that are not found or are rarely found outside the hotspot.The current, planned or potential management activities in hotspots place the natural values at risk, and it is likely this risk will increase in the future in the absence of active conservation management. Because the natural values of hotspots are largely intact, undertaking action
now to maintain these values has the potential to provide value-for-money in contributing to our efforts in biodiversity conservation. Megadiverse countries Seventeen countries have been described as being ‘megadiverse’. This group of countries has less than 10% of the global surface, but support more than 70% of the biological diversity on earth. The concept was first developed by Russell Mittermeier in 1988, as a way to prioritise conservation action. Based on an analysis of primate conservation priorities, 17 countries being identified, representing more than two-thirds of all (known) life forms and the majority of tropical rainforests, coral reefs and other priority systems. The results of the assessment were published in the Megadiversity: Earth’s biologically wealthiest nations. They are: Australia, The Congo, Madagascar, South Africa, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philipplines, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, United States, Venezuela. Biodiversity Research Programme The Biodiversity Research Program uses remote sensing observations and models to improve our understanding of biodiversity within the Earth system and its effects on the
Earth system, exploring patterns of biodiversity extant upon the land and within the water using observations from satellites, airborne and seaborne platforms, and in situ surveys. These are ideally suited for detecting many of biodiversity’s patterns, especially at the ecosystem level, but also at finer levels such as species and communities. It is important to understand the geophysical and ecological processes that result in the patterns of biodiversity our observations detect. Understanding these processes takes observations, although some of these observations may be at finer spatial scales than available from satellites. It also requires models; essentially simplified representations of our knowledge of how certain systems work that in turn allow us to test the validity of this knowledge. Process-oriented research offers the additional benefit of connecting the Biodiversity program to the activities of other Earth Science programs, such as efforts to track the biogeochemical cycling of important elements like carbon or studies of the water cycle. The following questions are important: What drives the diversity of life on Earth? How is this biodiversity changing and why? What are the effects of biodiversity on other components of the Earth system? Why do organisms and ecosystems exist where they do? What are the consequences of land cover and land use change for human societies and the sustainability of ecosystems? What are the consequences of climate change and increased human activities for coastal regions? How will carbon cycle dynamics and terrestrial and marine ecosystems change in the future? Dr. Dronamraju is President of the Foundation for Genetic Research, Houston, and Visiting Professor of the University of Paris. He is a former advisor to the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Washington,D.C.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
February 27, 2015
A Distinction for Suneja by Katy Chamber Heralds His Contributions in Medicine BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: Its probably one of the largest professional services medical practice in the bustling and rapidly-growing city of Katy, not only in physical size of the building but also in the number of patients that have visited for treatment, a fact that was not lost on the President of the Katy Chamber of Commerce as she spoke from the podium at the organization’s gala held this past Friday, February 20 at the Safari Texas Ranch. “It’s an honor to present this (night’s) final award to Dr. Randeep Suneja,” said Ann Hodge, “who is one of the most incredible physicians I have ever met. He has treated over 58,000 patients in his long career as a cardiologist.” In introducing Suneja as the recipient of the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award, Chamber Chairman of the Board Ted Adams referred to him as “the J.J. Watt of the cardiology world”, a reference to the acclaimed defensive end of the Houston Texans. Adams went on to read from Suneja’s biographical sketch printed in the gala souvenir. Suneja is the first physician and first Indo-American to be recognized by the KCC in its 48 year history, a testament to his skill, reputation and
Dr. Randeep Suneja, with his wife Seema (with flowers) after the award presentation from the Katy Chamber of Commerce with Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (second from left) and US Congressman Michael McCaul (on left of Suneja) and the Directors and Committee members of the Katy Chamber of Commerce at the Gala held on Friday, February 20 at Safari Texas Ranch in Sugar Land.
1993 with a $75,000 loan, no patients and one employee. He opened the Katy office in 1998 and relocated from the West Houston Professional Building on Richmond near Kirkwood to the 10,000 building he built. The practice now has 25 employees and provides a full range of cardiovascular services. The gala brought together 540 business people, and their guests, to an evening of entertainment by a fivemember soul group that hit all the notes right, and were accompanied by
Dr. Randeep Suneja and his wife with his partners Dr. Pai (extreme left) and Dr. Desikan (fifth from right) and their office staff at the Katy Chamber of Commerce Gala last Friday, February 20.
the presence of other Indo-American businesses in Katy. As Suneja’s wife Seema, partner cardiologists Dr. Ram Pai and Dr. Kamal Desikan who recently joined the practice, several members of the staff and many of his friends listened, they heard of the remarkable growth of Houston Cardiology Center which Suneja established 25 years ago in
US Senator John Cornyn’s regional office. Suneja was presented with the US and Texas flags that were carried aboard jets on a ceremonial flyover of the Texas Capitol building in Austin earlier in the day. An elated Suneja could not contain his enthusiasm at receiving the honor. “I am humbled by this award,” he said onstage at the mic. “Next to God, I want to thank my team, my staff, wife and especially my parents – my mom for developing a faith in God, and my dad for leadership skills.” A congenial man who genuinely enjoys spending time with his patients when so many others are too overworked to try, Suneja follows up with each one of them. We take care of our patients with heart and soul,” he added, referring to the catchy slogan of the practice, ‘I treat, HE cures’. In closing, Suneja shared his vision for the future of Cardiology Center of Houston, and in doing so threw out a challenge for the next decade. “Our new goal is ’25 by twenty-twentyfive’, or to reduce cardiovascular disease by 25 per cent by 2025 and we need you all to help in that effort.”
the stunning Theresa Grayson who played a mean set of saxophones. Among the speakers and presenters were US Congressman Michael McCaul doing the Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag and State Senator Lois Kolkhorst doing the Pledge to the Texas Flag. Others in attendance were US Congressman John Culberson and Jay Guerrera from
Ganesh Anand Catering Services Pure Vegetarian South & North Indian Dishes. Chaat & Snacks Contact Babulbhai: 832-891-1421 13180 West Park Dr. @ Synott Houston, TX 77082
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22 February 27, 2015 SDM Camp Conducted by Sewa
HOUSTON: A 10 day camp for Stop Diabetes Movement (SDM) completed on Sunday February 15. This was the 5th such camp being organized in Greater Houston by Sewa International in association with VYASA. In the recent past the camps at Keshav Smriti, Katy, The Woodlands & Downtown Houston were very successful. This 10 day camp was held at the beautiful recreational facility in Sugar Land, provided by the philanthropist Jugal Malani. The camp was attended by 24 participants every day for 2 hours. The camp instructors were Daksha Shah, Sarika Phalak and Armin Kasnavia. The integrated approach of yoga therapy for SDM is designed by SVYASA yoga university based on concepts taken from the traditional Yoga scriptures (Patanjali Yoga sutras, Yoga vasishtha and Upanishads) that highlight a holistic life style for positive health at physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels, Because one understand, that health is not just a state of absence of diseases, but a state of wellbeing at various personality levels. The integrated Yoga module includes a variety of practices and not just the physical yoga postures. The practices include joint loosening, breath exercises, postures, deep
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relaxation, meditation all of which is aimed at revitalizing and providing deep rest to the mind & body. Yogic counseling is aimed at understanding the need for life style change and preventing the relapses by yogic self- management of psychosocial stresses, Yogic concepts of health and disease, role of mind in managing Diabetes. They also explain how mind can heal the body through Yoga. All these sessions were conducted by well trained clinicians and yoga therapists. Dr Sudha Rajan spoke eloquently about the epidemic “diabetes” and the effectiveness of yoga. Vishwarupa Nanjundappa spoke about the results which the camp participants noticed within 10 days. The graph (FBS & PPBS) results showed the results of sugar levels pre & post camp for the participants. In order for all the participants to qualify and achieve the accurate level of results; the camp would be continuing for another 10 weeks on Saturday only and the results will be measured at that point also. Shri Arvind Thekdi was emcee of this concluding event. A cross section of participants were picked up at random and requested to summarize their thoughts about their individual experience from the camp. Four of the participants shared as to how re-
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laxation had helped them & relieved so much stress. Some of them mentioned that their energy levels on each day after the camp had risen and had led to more productivity. Among the invited guests were Council man of Sugar Land Harish Jajoo and Himesh Gandhi. Both of them were amazed to see the results of what Yoga had to provide to our metaphysical body. Jajoo volunteered all the assistance which the City of Sugar Land can provide for such camps in the future and he would personally attend too. Gandhi spoke about the mission of City of Sugar Land which promotes healthy Lifestyle and is considered among the top 10 cities which are health conscious. This kind of camp would be useful to a large community in the future and he promised to provide any assistance needed in the future. Dr Virendra Mathur who has been a long time Houstonian & an accomplished cardiologist was very impressed with the camp results and appreciated and encouraged the SDM effort put together by SEWA and VYASA. The other invited guests Jugal Malani & Gaurangbhai Nanavaty supported such endeavors and were keen listeners to the comments from the camp participants. All the invited guests were given a book on Swami Vivekananda. The organiza-
KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned Television station in Houston, TX is looking for a full time General Assignments News Reporter. Candidates should have at least 5 years’ experience in major market TV. We are searching for a great story teller who brings energy and creativity to every report and live shot. Must have the ability to consistently land exclusive stories. Must be comfortable digging through data. Must be able to report on all platforms. Must be highly engaged in social media. If you are able to shoot your own material that is a plus. Must be willing to work any shift. To be considered interested applicants apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please reference Job Req ID 250616BR. No Telephone Calls
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COMMUNITY
tional update for SEWA was given by Arun Kankani and for VYASA by Smitha Vishwarupa. After the brief presentation and the vote of thanks by Vibhuti Shah the attendees were served with a dinner feast catered by Madras Pavilion and was generously sponsored by Nexion Health. The program volunteers were Arvind and Manjula Thekdi, Vibhuti Shah, Pallavi Dhairyawan, Madhulika Tewary and Madhukar Adi. About SEWA International Sewa International is a Hindu faith
based nonprofit charity registered under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). Mission of Sewa is to serve humanity in distress, aid local communities, and promote volunteerism. Sewa has 38 chapters in 22 states across the US. Sewa runs disaster relief/rehabilitation projects and have been involved in Hurricane Katrina (2005), Super Storm Sandy (2012), Maharashtra Drought, and Uttarakhand Flood (2013) relief. Sewa undertakes development projects in India, Sri Lanka, Peru, Guyana, and Kenya, and service projects in the US such as Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment, Adopt-a-highway, Diwali Food Drive, etc. In Houston, Sewa launched Family Services program last year and conducts monthly workshop series useful for families besides organizing Get Inspired Houston Youth Internship program for Houston and YFS Summer Internship program for US youth to serve in India. Sewa also organizes monthly voluntary event to help various nonprofit serving in Houston Area. Visit www.sewahouston.org or contact at info-sdm@sewausa.org.
Straight A’s Aren’t all you Need in 21stCentury Education
President’s Day, celebrated on the third Monday in February, was originally established to recognize President George Washington, but has since become a day recognizing all U.S. presidents, past and present. When reflecting on this holiday, the word leadership comes to mind. We at Best in Class believe that having high marks on a report card is important, but so is the value of strong leadership skills in our students. Through our programs, we place a strong focus on building leadership skills in students, especially high school students who are applying to colleges. College admissions have transformed in the past decade. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, each year, nearly 60 percent of freshman college students realize they are not prepared for post-secondary studies. It is only through a wellrounded education that students can be confident in their abilities and knowledge. Colleges are not only looking at grades and test scores; but also strong leadership abilities and self-efficacy. If your child is preparing to enter a college or university, here are some tips to help them achieve and hone their leadership strengths. These are also great ways to build experiences that can be highlighted on college applications. Run for student government – Being able to work with others and
lead through student council is a great way to show determination and dedication. This is also a great way to meet people and learn from others. Become president of a club – Does your child have an interest in chess, debate or sports? Becoming captain of an intramural team or president of an organization shows initiation. Take the lead on group projects – Taking on this role helps students work efficiently and creatively. Learning to delegate whilst being fair is a life-long lesson. Volunteer –Dedicating time to a cause that a student is passionate in is not only a great resume builder, but it shows empathy and emotional intelligence. Be a team player –Even if your child isn’t class president or captain of the team, being a team player, showing eagerness, and always being a good sport is just as important as having a leading role. Branch out – Being part of several different organizations shows depth and well-roundedness. Encourage your child to explore new activities; they might even discover a hidden talent. Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll be celebrating your child on President’s Day. 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 additional units in 2015. 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 to ensure our youth will excel academically.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
SPORTS
February 27, 2015
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ICC World Cup Standing as of Feb. 23, 2015 BY NIK NIKAM, MD
HOUSTON: Pool B: ICC World Cup: India playing in Pool B, after an impressive win over South Africa, is at the top after two games, with 4 points. West Indies, Ireland, Zimbabwe and South Africa each have 2 points. UAE and Pakistan have no points. As it stands this week, Pakistan has to win the next game to have a chance in the semi-finals. As it happens so often, the score card may look quite different by this weekend. New Zealand seems to enjoying the home
ground advantage with the best score in the World series at this point with 3 out 3 win and 6 total points. Australia could get only 1 point due to the washout of its game against Bangladesh. Afghanistan and Scotland seem to have lost ground after two games each, and they have to win the next 3 games to have any chance of being in the semifinals. Let’s wish best of luck of luck for all the teams. The week begins with a game on Feb. 23, 2015 between West Indies and Zimbabwe. Courtesy of espncricinfo.com
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PUZZLES/RECIPES
SUDOKU
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Gur Walle Mithe Chawal (Jaggery Sweetened Rice)
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Sweet rice is not a dish that most people in the West know of unless it is in a pudding or other milkbased form. In most parts of India, the milky kheer is the most often rice-based desert that you will find, as it is in many Indian restaurants the world over. It is a great desert that easily reaches many palates because of its familiar pudding formulation and appeal. Adding some cardamoms, saffron and sliced, slivered almonds turns it easily into an Indian dish. But in the Punjab and northwest India, where rice is reserved for special occasions, there are several other ways to prepare the staple in a desert, and in fact, this one, Gur Walle Chawal can be eaten like a filling meal, although sweet, by itself. It combines the dark, sweetened flavor of jaggery with the wholesomeness of rice and the slightly brown dish is aromatic and delicious. Gur walle chawal is another dish that is usually made for weddings that are held in the winter-time when the gur is freshly fermented in the farms. This is the same season when hundreds of farm hands converge on the large northern cities and made gur di gajak (jaggery peanut brittle) and patissa (jaggery sesame seed cakes) to take advantage of the short fermenting season of the new gur. Gur walle chawal can also be made in any season, but if it’s served in a Punjabi family, then you should be sure to ask what the occasion is before trying them. You may have to come back to present a gift! Ingredients: 1 cup chawal (rice) 2 cup pani (water) 1 cup gur (jaggery) 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) –
you can use olive oil ½ tsp jeera (cumin seeds) ½ nariyal giri (dry coconut kernel) Condiments to your taste: kishmish (raisins); saunf (fennel seed) Dry fruits to your taste: badam (almonds – peeled and silvered); piste (pistachios – halved or pieces)
Add the coconut slices, raisins, fennel and dry fruit and stir. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat; then turn the heat down to very low and leave covered. 6. After 10 minutes, uncover and check to see if the rice is tender using a fork or shifting the kernels with a pointy knife. The dish is ready to be served.
Directions: 1. Wash the rice in cold water and let soak for 30 minutes. 2. Pour the gur into 2 cups of water and let it boil for a little while till the gur melts; then set to the side. 3. Cut the coconut kernel into thin slices and put to the side. 4. Warm the oil over medium heat and pour in the cumin seeds. Roast a little, then pour in the gur water and bring to a boil. 5. Drain the rice through a sieve and add the rice to the gur water.
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.
Chole Palak (Chickpeas with Spinach) Chickpeas and spinach is a marvelous combination, and Chole Palak is a healthy, protein-rich dish. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans and kabuli chana, are immersed in spicy spinach gravy.
Ingredients:
1 15oz can of chickpea (chole, garbanzo) 3 cups finely chopped spinach (palak) 2 medium tomatoes chopped 1/2 piece ginger (adrak) 1 green chili 3 tablespoon oil 1/4 teaspoon asafetida (hing) 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera) 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) 1/2 teaspoon red pepper adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Method
Drain the chickpeas and rinse well. Blend the tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger to make a puree. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the
oil; if seed cracks right away, oil is ready. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chili powder. Cook three to four minutes on medium heat. The tomato mixture will separate from the oil and reduce to about half in quantity. Add spinach, salt, and one-half cup of water. Cook, covered, four to five minutes on medium heat. Add the chickpeas and mash them lightly with a spatula. Add more water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking. Cook on low heat for seven to eight minutes. Add the garam masala. -manjulaskitchen.com
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February 27, 2015
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review: Qissa
BY MEENA IYER The film begins in Pakistani side of Punjab before Partition. Sepia tones and a melancholy mood effectively capture the anguish of uprooted Sikh families crossing the border and arriving in India. Like the rest of his tribe, Umber Singh (Irrfan) leaves the ghosts of his past behind and starts to rebuild his life and home. While Umber is struggling to find a sense of belonging in the new land, his wife Mehar (Tisca Chopra), who has three daughters, is worried she will deliver a fourth girl. But Umber, who longs for a son, has already made up his mind to raise his fourth child as a
boy - irrespective of its sex. Surely enough, when his fourth child turns out to be a daughter, Umber raises her as a boy - in a move that is part delusional, part self-resentment and part despair. Not only is Kanwar (Tillotama Shome) made to dress like a boy and adopt manly routines, she is also married off by his father to a naive gypsy girl, Neeli (Rasika Dugal). When the truth unfolds on the wedding night, a cheated Neeli is placated by Umber who offers her his wealth just to keep his family secret intact. Anup Singh’s film, told in a languid fashion (a bit too slow at times), narrates a story which immediately
strikes a chord with Indian society that is obsessed with producing sons. It also boldly shows that the Partition may have affected people in a subliminal way, but its wounds run deep. Qissa has a disturbing effect and in that, lies the film’s strength. It is also shot beautifully across deserts, snow-capped mountains and lush, green landscape. Irrfan, Tisca and Tillotama give A-grade performances, making this film imminently watchable. If only the filmmaker had decided to buck the pace up for a bit, the points being made here would have hit home harder. -TimesofIndia
Kangana Ranaut Turns Boho for ‘Katti Batti’
BY DIMPAL BAJWA NEW DELHI: A versatile actress, Kangana Ranaut is known for playing out of the box characters. After enthralling her fans in ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ and ‘Queen’, the actress is gearing up for another one titled ‘Katti Batti’. The first look of the movie has been revealed in which Kangana looks no less than a painter with colours and a canvas in front of her. The actress, who will be seen op-
posite hearthrob and Aamir Khan’s nephew Imran Khan, looks lovely in a yellow skirt. The bangs sported by her are an icing on the cake that give her a perfect bohemian look. Reportedly, the actress will be playing the role of Payal, who is an arts students hailing from an affluent family in Delhi. Imran will be seen as Maddy Sharma who happens to be Payal’s batchmate. The movie deals with their love life and background clashes. -IndianExpress
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Budget 2015: Markets Bet on Tax Reforms, Higher Infrastructure Spending
BY AMI SHAH MUMBAI: With less than a week to go for the Union Budget 2015-2016, investors are focused on sectors they think may benefit from budget announcements, while keeping a close eye on the broader blueprint for the economy which may emerge from the government’s pronouncements. Hopes are running high that the budget will be laced with big bang announcements on issues like the goods and services tax (GST), General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR), and incentives to boost manufacturing. “It is a good opportunity for the government to gather pace on the reforms front and I don’t think it would want to lose out on the opportunity,” said Vaibhav Sanghavi, managing director of Ambit Investment Advisors Pvt. Ltd. “The market expects it to be a game changer, and would
want to see concrete steps on infra spending, incentivizing manufacturing and harmony of taxation,” added Sanghavi. A road map on the implementation of GST is among the most awaited budget announcements, as it would so away with multiple layers of taxation, thereby boosting the ease of doing business in India. The capital markets are also expecting a deferment in the implementation of GAAR by a few years, which could be well received by the foreign investor segment. “The objective is to ensure that the image of the country to attract investors remains positive, which is why it (GAAR) has not been implemented so far. It is unlikely to be implemented in the near future,” said Dhananjay Sinha, head-research at Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. “We need to ensure portfolio flows keep on flowing. Government does not want to create any controversy on what is taxable or not, especially at a time when the economy is on a mend,” Sinha added. More specifically, markets are betting on increased allocations in railways, roads, power and rural infrastructure. Analysts believe savings generated from lower oil prices will be channelized towards capital expenditure, while maintaining a fiscal deficit in
the range of 3.6-3.8% for fiscal 2016. “We expect the government to try and achieve two conflicting objectives: 1) fiscal consolidation (3.6% GFD/ GDP ratio for FY16, and 2) growth through higher capital expenditure,” said Kotak Institutional Equities in a 19 February report, adding that lower oil prices will be important in achieving the objective. Kotak expects a 25% increase in plan expenditure for the year. According to HSBC economists Pranjul Bhandari, Prithviraj Srinivas and Stuti Saksena, the main theme of this budget will be higher outlays on public investments, particularly railways and roads. “This would not only address supply-side deficiencies but also crowd-in private investments,” the economists at HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India) Pvt. Ltd added. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch also expects an increase in budgetary allocations for roads, irrigation, transportation projects and smart cities. It also expects an increase in budgetary allocation for the defence sector as the government plans to place orders worth $5.5 billion. The allocation towards defence had remained flat, in dollar terms during FY12-14, while being hiked by 12% in the year to March. Standard Chartered Bank expects that
Raghuram Rajan Disapproves of Inheritance Tax Idea Mumbai: Strongly disapproving the idea of inheritance tax, Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan has advocated a “cultural change” which pulls the rich towards philanthropy or giving back to the society. “I would argue rather than a blanket inheritance tax, let’s change the culture. Make it such that people don’t want to leave a lot of wealth for their children,” he said while delivering the keynote address at D.D. Kosambi
Festival of Ideas in Panaji over the weekend. Specifically speaking on inheritance tax idea, Rajan said: “I think rather than bringing people down, our focus should be on taking people up. How do we give opportunity to many more people? Inheritance tax only helps the lawyers in the society,” he said. “A dramatic estate tax generates value for lawyers as they figure out ways to hide the estate so that it does not get taxed,”
he said. Rajan’s views come amidst some voices seeking an inheritance tax in the forthcoming budget, which would mean people may have to pay for inheriting a priced property. According to the votaries, this ensures the society ceases being aristocratic. Pointing to the larger play of philanthropies in the western corporate world, Rajan said the western world has a better way of dealing with the issue, which is to “shame” the rich
the government will look for ways to incentivize cash-rich public-sector firms to step up investments. Nonfinancial PSUs (public sector units) listed on the BSEPSU index have a cash surplus of Rs.2 trillion (1.4% of GDP), said a 19 February report by the bank. A number of brokerages are also anticipating clarity on the road map ahead for governance and reforms for state-owned banks, along with an announcement on annual allocation for capital infusion into these banks. Kotak Institutional Equities says the government can consider the creation of a bad bank to take over the stressed assets which have piled up across state-owned banks. Stressed assets were at 10.7% of total loans, as of September 2014, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). “The government could announce a road map for divesting its stakes in publicsector banks; consolidation of these banks; other capital-raising plans for them, including a holding firm structure; and addressing concerns over their non-performing assets. It might also outline a plan to create financial SEZs (special economic zones) which would have more relaxed taxation and capital-control requirements,” adds Standard Char-
tered. Angel Broking expects the government to promote renewable energy by extending incentives, as it has set an ambitious target of 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power and 60GW of wind energy by 2022, with an estimated $200 billion investment. In the conventional energy sector, producers are forced to import coal as domestic supply is insufficient to meet requirements, and they have sought exemption of basic customs duty and countervailing duty. For oil and gas, analysts expect a 2.5-5% custom duty to be imposed on crude oil and expect steps to cut cooking gas and kerosene subsidies. The cement sector may benefit from a continued focus on affordable housing and infrastructure, said analysts. With the government’s focus squarely on reviving investment, expectations surrounding consumer demand-driven sectors are muted. For auto firm, analysts are hoping for status quo on excise duty. However, analysts expect a hike in income tax exemption limits for individuals, which could boost demand for two-wheelers. Consumer goods analysts, too, expect higher income tax exemption to boost consumption. -livemint.com
into devoting wealth for good causes. “One thing the West does very well is to shame them into giving it away so that they feel that they are participating in it of their own will. It is a good way, as now they want to make money because they like to give it away later.” Citing the example of John D. Rockefeller, Rajan said that even though the oil maganate made his wealth in an “awful” way, he did a lot good to the mankind though his philanthropic efforts like the University of Chicago and a centre for
medical research. Rajan welcomed the change in India which has led to creation of foundations, schools, colleges and universities. Rajan also noted that many have publicly taken the Bill Gates pledge of giving back to the society. Rajan also said the system must “incentivize” the people to create wealth, which in turn has a spillover effect in form of job creation, and stressed that the country needs to respect that for some people leaving some wealth for the kids would be a priority. -livemint.com
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28 February 27, 2015 World Cup 2015: India Gets Its Mojo Back vs. South Africa BY SIDHARTH MONGA MELBOURNE (ESPN Cricinfo): India 307 for 7 (Dhawan 137, Rahane 79) beat South Africa 177 (Du Plessis 55, Ashwin 3-41) by 130 runs India showed just why no one was writing them off even after they had spent two-and-a-half months in Australia without a win. They might not be the strongest team in the field, but on big days in limited-overs cricket they stay calmer than most. In a match to potentially decide who finishes top of their group, India sat back and saw South Africa work themselves up into a frenzy, get too funky and wilt under the weight of their own mistakes. This was India’s first win over South Africa in a World Cup match. If at all, India like going old school on big days. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli began slowly, made sure India had a solid platform before they began to accelerate. Dhawan went on to score his first century in three months spent in Australia - his personal best and also the highest score against South Africa in a World Cup match. Kohli fell for 46, but Ajinkya Rahane scored 79 off 60 to help Dhawan along. India kept the defence simple too: bowl as few bad balls as possible, and once again under pressure South Africa imploded. The execution of both the plans from India was spot on, but that had a lot to do with how simple the plans and preparation were. South Africa called in Gary Kirsten and Michael Hussey for consultation, they picked an extra bowler in Wayne Parnell, they used spinners in unconventional parts of the innings, but the anxiety showed the most in the fielding. Hashim Amla dropped Dhawan on 53, but anxiety was never more apparent in their trigger-happiness with unnecessary throws at the stumps and fumbles on the ground. It’s hard to remember when South Africa last fielded so badly. South Africa were fined for a slow over rate they maintained at the MCG as match referee Jeff Crowe found them one over shor-
ing total on the board. South Africa don’t have much batting after No. 6 but their top six are as good as any. There is a reason, though, why they have now failed to chase 270 eight times out of nine since they beat India in Nagpur in 2011. There is credit in how they have conceded 270 only nine times, but under pressure their batting invariably falters. Once again India made sure they didn’t make mistakes. South Africa’s arrived shortly. There was hardly a bad ball bowled in the first three overs, and Quinton de Kock went Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his century with Ajinkya Rahane, India v South manufacturing something in Africa, World Cup 2015, Group B, Melbourne, February 22, 2015. the fourth, driving Mohammed Shami straight to mid-off with the ball nowhere near driving tof their target after time allowanc- worst figures for a South African es were taken into consideration. in a World Cup match - was going length. Amla was handcuffed by the lack of easy boundaries before Captain AB de Villiers was fined to be targeted. Dhawan and Kohli attacked he top-edged a hook. The much20%, while his players received South Africa with proper attacking maligned bowling was doing the 10% fines. “For a captain to be suspended shots, and not scoops and reverses. job for India once the batsmen had during an ICC event, he must They added 127 in 24.2 overs with put runs on the board. At 40 for 2, Faf du Plessis and commit two minor over-rate of- Kohli taking the back seat to Dhafences or one serious over-rate of- wan’s positive approach. It could de Villiers came together. They fence during the event. Therefore, have gone better for South Africa. added 68 for the third wicket, but if de Villiers is found guilty of one Dhawan had looked in good touch they had to earn every run. India more minor over-rate offence dur- in reaching 53 off 73, Kohli had hustled in the field and bustled ing the ICC Cricket World Cup just about got over a slow start, with the ball. There was no freebie 2015 while acting as captain, he but South Africa were offered an on offer. With the asking rate rising, every will receive a one-match suspen- opportunity to halt the assault. sion during the event. If de Vil- Dhawan cut Parnell to the right of set of two-three dot balls imparted liers doesn’t get another minor Amla at point, a regulation catch pressure. De Villiers’ response over-rate offence during the event, by modern standards, Amla got to four straight dots in the 23rd over was to risk an improbable then he will miss the first One-Day both hands to it, but dropped it. Before the match Kohli had spo- second, but India’s fielding today International post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 as this is his sec- ken about sustained momentum gave away nothing. Mohit Sharma ond offence within a 12-month pe- and not relying just on the final 10 swooped in from deep cover, and overs. Dhawan and he then walked threw right by the stumps. The riod,” the ICC release said. De Villiers pleaded guilty to the the talk, taking 53 off the next sev- asking rate was now close to 7.5, offence and accepted the proposed en overs. Parnell was their main and South Africa now needed a sanction, so there was no need for target but even the return of Steyn miracle. didn’t slow India down. Nor did Miracles rarely happen in such a formal hearing. It started much better, though. the fall of Kohli - against the run high-profile clashes once you AB de Villiers sent Rohit Sharma of play and to a long hop from Ta- have put yourself under so much back for a duck with a direct hit hir - slow them down. Rahane and pressure. Wickets kept falling as from extra cover. India deserve Dhawan flowed smoothly, build- South Africa looked to manufacall the credit for not panicking ing up to a crescendo towards the ture runs, and India’s reputation when Dale Steyn was bowling Powerplay, which brought them of good players of big matches well along with Vernon Philan- 44 runs with no loss of wicket. in limited-overs cricket enhanced der. It took them 14 overs to reach Rahane and Dhawan added 125 in even further. They were now all but sure to face in quarter-final the four an over for the first time, but 16.3 overs. In the final few overs, though, fourth-placed team from the other South Africa looked the more anxious team. Philander had walked despite some more ordinary field- group. Sidharth Monga is an assistant off with a hamstring injury, Morne ing, South Africa managed to pull Morkel had begun ordinarily, and India back a little. Only 80 came editor at ESPNcricinfo Parnell - who would register the off the last 10, but India had a test-
SPORTS
Misbah: “Players to Blame for All Losses
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq takes questions after WI loss.
CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said that his “players are to blame” for the team’s humiliating defeat against West Indies in Christchurch which has now forced them to sit tight at the bottom of Pool B. Misbah conceded that the side thoroughly flopped in every department, and that his 15-man squad had to be rejigged for Pakistan’s next four games. The day started well enough for Pakistan as they took two early wickets, but ended in shambles, with their top order crumbling to 1 for 4 - the lowest score at which a team has lost four wickets in an ODI. The previous lowest score was 4 for 4, by Canada, against Zimbabwe in 2006. Pakistan’s fielding too left a lot to be desired, as they dropped as many as six catches to let West Indies post a commanding 310 for 6. “We just lost in all three departments,” Misbah said at the press conference. “We couldn’t bowl well, there were a lot of dropped catches, and the batting totally flopped. At the end of the day, you have to perform as a batsman, bowler and fielder.” Pakistan arrived in New Zealand 15 days before the start of the World Cup in a bid to adapt to the conditions, even playing two ODIs. “No matter how much the coaches work with the players, it eventually comes down to the player individually to adjust and perform accordingly. We being the players are to be blamed because we are the one who are not playing well.”
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February 27, 2015
Swine Flu: 21 More Deaths, Toll Reaches 833
Islamic State a Serious Threat to Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Admits
BY MATEEN HAIDER
NEW DELHI: Swine flu claimed the lives of 21 more people as the toll reached 833 across the country while the number of persons affected by H1N1 virus breached the 14,000 mark. According to Health Ministry figures, the total number of persons who have died of the disease till February 22 is 833 while a total of 14,484 persons has been affected by it across the nation. Health Ministry data Sunday had showed that 812 people had died due to the disease while 13,688 people had been affected with the H1N1 virus. The maximum toll was reported from Rajasthan with 214 deaths till February 22 out of 4,549 people who were affected by it while 207 people have perished in Gujarat where the number of affected persons stood at 3,107. In a stormy start to the Gujarat Assembly budget session Monday, State Governor O P Kohli had to cut short his address to the House owing to continuous protest and slogan shouting by Opposition Congress members demanding discussion on
the swine flu outbreak. Data available with the Health Ministry showed that in Madhya Pradesh 112 people have died due to the disease while 99 have perished in Maharashtra where 1,013 people were affected. In Telangana, 51 people have died while the number of affected persons was 1,316. Health Ministry data showed that eight persons have died in Delhi while 2,241 people are affected by the disease. The government said that all the measures were being taken while there was no dearth of medicines. “We are on the job”, said a senior Health Ministry official. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has recorded eight swine flu related deaths so far but the state is prepared to handle the virus with adequate medicines and vaccines in stock, the government informed the Assembly Monday. In the wake of rising swine flu cases in the state, Uttar Pradesh government has asked people not to panic and that the government has sufficient medicines and is fully equipped to deal with the disease. -The Indian Express
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ISLAMABAD: The foreign office broke its silence on Monday regarding the Islamic State’s (IS) activities inside Pakistan, admitting that the radical Islamist group posed a “serious threat” to the country. Speaking to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee at Parliament House today, Foreign Secretary Azaz Ahmed Chaudhry acknowledged IS was indeed a real concern, while simultaneously assuring those present that the government would talk all steps necessary to counter the threat. “Under UN resolutions, Pakistan is firmly against extremist organisations like ISIL [IS] and is taking all actions to counter them”, Chaudhry told the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. Chaudhry disclosed that after Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in North Waziristan, some extremist elements tried to emerge together on the IS platform, but their efforts were countered. “There is concern in the Gulf and other Muslim countries about ISIL”, the foreign secretary noted. IS arrests, ongoing activity Leaflets calling for support for IS were seen in parts of Northwest Pakistan, while Pro-IS slogans have appeared on walls in several cities.
This picture shows motorists driving past an empty police check post with graffiti which reads as “ISIS” along a street on the outskirts of Karachi. — Photo by AFP In January this year, security forces had arrested a man they believed was the commander of IS in the country as well as two accomplices involved in recruiting and sending fighters to Syria. Intelligence sources, who had spoken to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the man, Yousaf al-Salafi, was arrested in Lahore and confessed during interrogation that he represented IS. Rifts among the Taliban and disputes about the future of the insurgency have contributed to the rise of IS’s popularity but security sources believe there are no operational links yet between IS and South Asia. Disgruntled former Taliban commanders have formed the so-called Khorasan chapter — an umbrella IS group covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and other South Asian countries — in recent months but have not been involved in any fighting. Their leader, Hafiz Saeed Khan Orakzai, a former Pakistani Taliban commander, appeared in a video address this month urging people in the region to join the group. In Afghanistan, one militant com-
mander said many have turned to IS, or Daish as it is also known, because they are frustrated at the lack of leadership by Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Afghan Taliban chief who has not been seen in public for years. “Look, we have been fighting for years but we don’t have an inch of land in our possession in Afghanistan,” said the senior commander, who spoke from the Afghan province of Kunar. “On the other hand, Daish, within limited time, captured vast areas in Iraq and Syria and established Sharia. This is what is being discussed all the time in our circles.” “We have serious doubts about whether he (Omar) is alive at all ... Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is visible and is leading his people,” the commander said, referring to the IS leader. In January, an online video was released showing former militants of the Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group. The video shows former TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid along with dozens of other militants in a wooded area. The SITE Intelligence Group, a US-based terrorism monitor, said the video was released by the Islamic State group on Twitter and jihadi forums. -Dawn.com
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