Friday, April 24, 2015 • Vol. 34, No. 17
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Colorful P5
Vaisakhi Mela
From left: Event committee members Hitpal Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Ravinder Pal Singh Dhillon, Harjit Singh Galhotra, Manohar Singh Mann, Gurbir Singh Boparai and Ikrambir Singh.
Sanathan Dharma’s Loss P6
Padmakant Khambhati
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Hindus of Greater Houston Present 2015 Hindu Youth Awards BY ANANT DESAI
HOUSTON: Six young Hindu’s received 2015 Annual Hindu Youth Award from Hindu’s of Greater Houston. This year’s gala was hosted by Chinmaya Mission Houston on April 11. Next year’s awards will be hosted by Sri Meenakshi Temple. Hindu Youth Award recipients were Sriharsha Kethireddipalli, of Chinmaya Mission, Houston, Vyas Ramankulangara, of Vedic Heritage School at Sri Meenakshi Temple , Karuna Kankani, of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Ankit Bhatla of Arya Samaj of Greater Houston, Jyothi Asokan, of Kerala Hindu Society and Sri Guruvayurappan Temple and Bharat Pallod, of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. Nominations were given for Hindu youth (ages 16 to 30) who provide service to the society and had the potential to become leaders. The HGH Board of Directors selected the winners. Sriharsha Kethireddipalli is a senior at Stephen F. Austin High School. He will attend the University of Texas in Business Honors. At CMH Harsha volunteers for children’s activities, family camps and gardening. Vyas Raman Kulangara, is in 10th grade. He volunteers in a range of Meenaskhi Temple activities including the Vedic Heritage School and the Janmashtami program. Karuna Kankani is a senior at Seven Lakes High School. She is involved with Future Business Leaders of America. She has established Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh chapters across Greater Houston Area. Karuna is a youth counselor for HSS training camps and a Certified yoga teacher. Ankit Bhatla of Arya Samaj of Greater Houston is a Structural
Vyas Ramankulangara, Sriharsha Kethireddipalli, Karuna Kankani, Acharya Gaurang Nanavaty, Jyothi Asokan, Ankit Bhatia and Bharat Pallod. Photos: Jayesh Mistry
System, was the keynote speaker. What you do with what you have is more important than where you stand, Shah said. Anshuman Desai, President, HGH, emphasized the need to unite all Hindu organizations under HGH to get one united voice for Hindu’s. Vijay Pallod, director on the HGH board, said that HGH works to receive positive coverage for Hindu causes. HGH is planning an International Yoga Day later this year. Rapidly growing HGH needs a full-time executive director. Jugal Malani, president of India House and a member of the HGH advisory board, appealed for generous donations to the HGH. Earlier, Chinamaya Mission Balavihar Choir gave a presentation. Shobha Ravishankar presented the CMH Balavihar program from KG to High School, based on ageappropriate Hindu scriptures. The program was organized by Sanjay Jain and Richa Dixit and emceed by Dr. Anand Naik.
Chinmaya Mission Bala vihar choir students performing a selection of bhajans.
Engineer working for WorleyParsons. Ankit serves as a Teacher and Audio-visual coordinator for Arya Samaj. He is a lead volunteers’ coordinator for Magic Bus. Jyothi Asokan is a senior at the University of Houston studying Nutrition. She works at Kroger Pharmacy. She volunteers on her Temple’s youth committee and HGH activities including Janmashtami and Sewa Gala. Jyothi dances with Infused Performing Arts group. Bharat Pallod is a senior Finan-
cial Analyst at iHeartMedia, Inc. He graduated in 2012 with a BBA from UT Austin where he was core member of Hindu Students Association. He attended HSS shakha for 12 years. He works for Hindu Heritage Youth Camp as Camp Director. He works for the Hindu American Foundation on global human rights. Acharya Sri Gaurang Nanavaty of Chinmaya Mission urged the winners not to give up their faith to achieve progress. Progress can be achieved without rejecting the
past. Youth must learn the scriptures and do Karma Yoga (selfless service). He challenged HGH to organize the youth to help the seniors. Amit K. Mishra, Communications Director, Hindu Swaymasevak Sangh, was the guest speaker. Mature Hindu community can offer the universal message of Vedanta to benefit the community at large. Asit R. Shah, a senior at the University of Houston, member of the Board of Regents of the UH
HGH President Anshuman Desai giving plaque to Host org Chinmaya Mission Jay Deshmukh.
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The Skies Clear Up Just Enough for SNC’s Vaisakhi Mela
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: All week long it had poured; two days earlier some parts of the city were flooded by an intense downpour with 80 mph winds that resembled a tropical storm more than the line of squalls that passed across the area. Organizers of the Sikh National Center’s Vaisakhi Mela were anxiously worried about the upcoming event and even pulled ads thinking it would have to be cancelled. It even rained in parts of the city the night before. But the organizing committee took a chance, as if they had a premonition of good weather in the offing and decided to go forward. They were rewarded with a window of great sunny weather that blessed the Vaisakhi celebrations all day long on Sunday, April 19 till right after they ended around 7pm, when the skies once again roared into thunderous action. Needless to say, the grounds of the huge SNC’s tract of land off Beltway 8 between Gessner and Fairbanks-North Houston were soaked and the much planned sports competitions like the tugof-war, volleyball and races that took place last year just didn’t materialize this year, much to the disappointment of many of the
nearly 2,500 people who came to take part in the annual mela. But the little kids did get to enjoy the air mattress playground and slides and a few pony rides. This year, the organizers planned for a concert by touring Indian Punjabi religious singer Surinder Shinda and his team, who entertained the crowd that was assembled under the large open-sided basketball pavilion on makeshift chairs and benches. He sang for nearly 3 hours, while many of the younger set played basketball to one side. Religious bhajans in the morning were led by the SNC Jatha of Bhai Nitendar Singh and a Guest Jatha of Bhai Gurden Singh. The sound system was by Desi Entertainment DJs: DJ Geo - DJ Saini. Across from the pavilion was a new item added this year: a covered area where food and a couple of service booths had been set up, although all the food was free to the public. The langar was held in the ante-rooms to the Darbar Sahib, which is still nestled in a temporary building, and the Langar Seva was hosted by Bawa Jewellers and Monty Bawa Remax. Special guest of the mela was Indian Consul (Passport & OCI) N. P. S. Saini. The 20-acre SNC site has been
the focus of most of the Sikh community’s efforts for the past 15 years as a master-planned center that would house a Gurudwara as well as a boarding school, auditorium, museum, library, pavilion and residence for priests. Posters informed the public that $6 million has so far been raised through donations and spent and another $5 million is needed to complete the work. The main Gurudwara building has slowly taken shape and
is now it is almost shelled in, with its imposing presence visible from the feeder road. According to Harjit Galhotra, Secretary of the SNC, the outside stucco and stone work will be completed through a $1 million loan from Comerica Bank. The inside fit-out and finishes will only be undertaken once more money is raised. The event committee - composed of Hitpal Singh, Harjit Singh Galhotra, Manohar Singh Mann, Gursharan Singh, Gurbir Singh Bopa-
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, APRIL 24 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
rai, Satbir Singh Rana, Bhupinder Singh, Aman Singh Sidhu, Daljit Singh, Gurminder Singh Padda, Gurcharan Sooch and Sarabjit Singh Mann - was ecstatic about the turnout and donations The Chairman of the SNC is Dr. Hardam Singh Azad.
For photo collage, see page 4
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COMMUNITY
April 24 , 2015
A Hindu Luminary Passes On to His Heavenly Journey Padmakant Khambhati (1937-2015) BY THARA NARASIMHAN HOUSTON: Padmakant Khambhati, a giant in the world of the Hindu community in the Houston area, and also widely respected and known nationwide, passed away this past Monday, April 20 after a brief illness. He was 78-years-old. Khambhati, hailed from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His parents followed Vaishnavism and he along with his father received initiation from the noted Tathacharya of Srirangam. He was well known in Ahmedabad to present pravachan on “Thiruppavai” on the 30 verses of “Sri Andal” in Gujarati. He graduated in Ahmedabad as a Mechanical Engineer and as a top ranking gold medalist student. He came to the US and stayed in New Jersey for a short while and then ventured into motel ownership in North Carolina. He moved to Houston in 1981 and joined the City of Houston, Public works and Engineering Department as its Manager. Khambhati had the courage of his convictions and worked for the Hindu causes all through his life. Undeterred by any challenges that came his way he became a role model for many and to uphold Hindu Dharma in its truest form and spirit. He made friends with all in the community extending good will and camaraderie. His seeking of pure knowledge of Hinduism made him associate with many Hindu religious leaders including Sri Satguru Bodhianatha Velayanswami of Hinduism Today, Sri Sri
Chinna Jeeyar Swami of JETUSA, Sri Velukkudi Krishnan, Acharya David Frawley and many others. Khambhati is a founding member of Hindus of Greater Houston along with Raj Syal and Prabhat Sharma. He took the initiative to make the George R. Brown Convention Center the venue for the first ever community-wide celebration of Janmashtami. He served in the committee of Vedic Education at Arya Samaj Houston along with Acharya Dr. Prem C. Shridhar and a few others. He was an active participant in the initial setting up of Hindu Swayam Sewak Sangh in Houston. He pioneered into participation in Inter Faith Ministries meetings representing Hindu faith and participated at one of their seminar that was held at Rice University. Khambhati was an active member of Vish-
wa Hindu Parishad of America and volunteered in many of its summer camps. He actively participated in most of the Hindu Temples and organizations and festivals in the Greater Houston area. He conducted classes in Sanskrit and Bhagavad Geeta at Keshav Smirthi. His contribution to the Hindu community is noteworthy in establishing the Sanathan Hindu Center that not only conducted weekly bhajans but another very important role of providing “Anthim Sanskar” – the ultimate service to the human body or the cremation services in the traditional Hindu way. He established contact with the funeral homes that provided not only subsidized rates but also took care of the Hindu ritualistic needs and with one phone call he was able to provide services at family’s time of need. Khambhati established the “Voice of Sanathan Hinduism Radio program”, in Houston, the only radio program devoted to Hinduism as early as 1993. He endeavored to present Vedic Dharma with accuracy, with knowledge gained through intensive research and providing opportunity to dwell on the invaluable philosophies of ancient Hindu heritage. Mantras and Vedic hymns were taken from scriptural authorities and broadcast their significance and offer a better understanding of them. Open discussion on spiritual, divine and religious scriptures
and texts, and interpretations of the Vedas and Vedanta, are regularly conducted during the show. It also includes a wide variety of bhajans, dhun and sangeet interspersed with more serious matters of spirituality. Voice of Sanathan Hinduism is a threehour long commercial-free program aired every Sunday from 9 am to 12 noon and was very close to Khambhati’s heart. He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday, March 29, 2015, right after he finished broadcasting the radio program, which turned out to be his last broadcast. The radio program he created was made possible solely through donations and continues to be sustained all these years by the generous continued support of wellwishers and listeners. Besides all the interaction and his service to the community Khambhati was very caring and loving man and family meant everything to him. His wife Rama was a pillar of support and would extend gracious hospitality to all both at home and outside. Padmakant Khambhati is survived by Rama and their children, Dushyant Khambhati and his wife Anita and their children Jay and Beejal; daughter Kalpavalli and her husband Jitendra Patel, and their children Devanshi and Shivani. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday April 25, 2015 from 11am to 1 pm at Garden Oaks Funeral Home,13430 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, Texas 77083. In lieu of flowers please donate to Sanathan Hindu Center by contacting Kanti Patel at 832-361-0625 or by email at kanti_51@hotmail.com
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IACCGH Hosts Reception for Visiting Delegate Doctors from India
Doctors Reception by IACCGH
BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: Visiting delegate physicians from India were welcomed and honored by the IACCGH at a reception hosted on 16th April at the Hess Club. The delegates also had an opportunity to interact with the medical faculty from MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Houston’s leading doctors and IACCGH members. The evening was hosted by President and CEO of Southside Pharmacy, Harish
Katharani and attended by 60 people. IACCGH President Elect Joya Shukla welcomed the gathering and gave a brief outline of how the relationship between the Chamber and leading cancer institutions in India came about. IACCGH Founding President Durga Agrawal convinced Dr. John Mendelsohn, the then President of MDACC and his wife Ann to visit the Tata Cancer Center in Mumbai. In 2003, a delegation
was led by then IACCGH President Deepa Thakur along with Dr. John Mendelsohn, IACCGH Past President Ashoke Nath, Vijay Goradia, Ajit Thakur, Pankaj Dhume and IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia who coordinated the efforts with Karen Francis of MDACC. The delegation met with doctors at the Tata Memorial Cancer Center leading to a historic MOU between the two institutions. A decade later in 2013, “the magic was repeated”
and another MOU was signed which encouraged the two way exchange of information and knowledge on cancer prevention and treatment. Since then MDACC has partnered with several premier medical institutions across India and every year MDACC’s partners fly to Houston to attend its annual Global Academic Program (GAP). IACCGH Board Member, Karen Francis who heads the Global Academic Programs at MD Anderson and works closely with cancer centers round the world also welcomed the physicians from Tata Memorial and the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Center. In her address, she referred to MD Anderson’s global network which has expanded to the African continent and recognized the visiting delegate doctors from Zambia. She also thanked Founder member and first President of IACCGH, Dr. Durga Agrawal “for being
the reason we are here tonight.” Guest of Honor, Dr. Devinder Bhatia is one of Houston’s leading cardiovascular surgeons and the first Indo American to be appointed to the Texas Medical Board. He and wife Gina are well known for their philanthropic involvement with over 20 nonprofit organizations and have raised over $10 million for various causes. Describing himself as “the epitome of a true Indo American” as his father is Indian and mother, American, Dr. Bhatia stressed the importance of giving back to the community. He also urged the gathering to “get involved” because according to him if you don’t get involved, you cannot bring about change – “change for the better.” Dr. Bhatia also commended IACCGH for its great leadership and described it as “one of the galvanizing organizations which brings together not only businesses but also the medical community.” He also presented a plaque to Vishal Patel from Southside Pharmacy who received it on behalf of Harish Katharani, in appreciation for hosting the reception.
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Masonic Golden Trowel Award Bestowed on a Treasured Brother Raj Bhalla
Raj Bhalla addressing the gathering at the Masonic Lodge
With his wife Kanwal by his side, Raj Bhalla receives the Golden Trowel Award from Worshipful Master Wayne Switzer.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA RICHMOND: Even as he spoke from the podium after receiving the coveted award, Raj Bhalla could not contain his impulse to poke some fun at his own expense with his well-known wit. He began with his experience as a member of his Masonic Lodge in Port Washington, New York when he was told that only the Worshipful Master could have his head covered. Bhalla, a Sikh with a turban, stated his obvious dilemma, and the Lodge relented. He stayed at the PaumanokPort Washington No. 855 Lodge from 1976 till 1993, serving as its Worshipful Master in 1982. He has been a Free Mason for over 50 years. Then he explained how he got involved with the Morton Masonic Lodge No. 72 in Richmond after moving to Sugar Land in 1995. “I met Judge Adolphus at a dinner party at the house of then FBISD Superintendent
Dr. Raj Chopra, and he invited me to join,” he recalled. “Then I found out that the judge had ruled on the traffic ticket that his wife Kanwal had received earlier.” Both the Chopras were among the guests at the award ceremony. To the titters of the about 60 people in the Lodge No. 72’s second floor chambers on Saturday, April 18 – over 40 of whom were Bhalla’s friends or family, each whom he introduced by name – Bhalla went onto to explain how he had become fascinated by the notion of becoming part of the Masons creed as a young boy. “My father was a Past Grand Standard Bearer and Past Junior Regional Grand Warden in the Grand Lodge of India on Janpath Avenue in New Delhi,” Bhalla, who is now a sprightly 84, explained, “and my younger brother GPS Bhalla who became Master of Lodge in Madras and youngest brother Paul who was raised at Hollywood Lodge in CA and I were inspired by him.” By June 1964, Bhalla had become a Master Mason at the Northern Star Lodge
No. 21 in Ferozepur Cantonment, Punjab, just miles from the Indo-Pak border. “Freemasonary is a fraternity, not a religion,” Bhalla continued, “emphasizing personal growth and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy.” On this evening when Bhalla was honored, a copy of the Granth Sahib, Sikhism’s holiest text (which Bhalla had CONTINUED ON PAGE
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Masonic Golden Trowel Award Bestowed on a Treasured Brother Raj Bhalla CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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brought) was laid out next to the Bible on the altar in the middle of the room. Freemasonary is believed to have arisen from stonemason guilds during the Middle Ages in Europe, and are referred to in the Regius Poem printed in 1390. By 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England. It then spread throughout the continent and the American Colonies. Some very famous Americans were Masons, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere. Bhalla quoted from a passage written by another famous Mason, US President Teddy Roosevelt, in which he said that “we meet on the same level in the Lodge” and differences in levels and positions in life evaporate. He concluded with a poem “The Mother Lodge” by another famous Mason: Rudyard Kipling. Bhalla was being presented with the prestigious Golden Trowel, the highest award that a Lodge can bestow upon an individual member in recognition for the Brother’s devoted and outstanding service to Masonic principles. In a handout to the award, the Morton Lodge wrote they “valued him” as a “valuable asset and something
his wife Kanwal stood beside him. The Lodge officers and five other members who attended, wore their distinct Masonic Aprons over their pants and spoke admiringly of the service that Brother Raj had given to the Lodge and the younger brother, a fellow Mason Paul who flew in from San Antonio, congratulated him. Later that evening, after the award, Bhalla hosted a celebratory dinner for all the guests and Mason members at Karl’s Restaurant not too far away on FM 359 in Richmond The front facade of the Morton Mason Lodge where over many libaNo. 72 in Richmond, Texas tions, appetizers and a sumptuous selection of entrees - and many a good cheer of a treasure…. an exceptional ex- - the merriment continued till closample of the Craft.” ing time. The seniormost officer of the The Bhalla’s extended family Morton Mason Lodge, known as from the East Coast were all at the Worshipful Master, Wayne hand to join in: older son Gurpreet Switzer, dressed in a beige suit and his son Ravi (who, his proud and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat, grandfather could not stop telling made the presentation to Bhalla as everyone, had gotten into every
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Bhalla, who is a Past Master, with (from left) Jim Starks, Senior Warden; Wayne Switzer, Worshipful Master and Joe Shepherd, Past Dist. Deputy Grand Master
Ivy League school to study law, settling on Yale); Gurpreet’s wife Jyotish and younger son Narinder with his daughter Sonya and his
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wife Tracy with their son Ashton; Brother Raj couldn’t have been prouder to have them all there.
COMMUNITY
April 24, 2015
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38th Annual Classical Arts Spring Music Festival in Houston
BY PARTHA KRISHNAMURTHY PEARLAND: If it is spring, it is time for the Carnatic music feast presented by The Classical Arts Society of Houston. The 38th Annual Spring Music Festival is being presented on the 25 and 26 of April, at the Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland. This festival presents a series of musical offerings anchored by two concerts that would be top draws in Carnatic music anywhere in the world, Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyan and his entourage on Saturday, April 25, and the Malladi Brothers and party on Sunday, April 26. Sanjay represents the epitome of classicism presenting the timeless compositions in their most authentic interpretations. Even so, he has been rummaging the almirahs of composers of yore, unearthing rare pieces and presenting them in his own inimitable style. Sanjay is accompanied by Sri. V. Varadharajan on the violin and by Sri Neyveli B. Venkatesh on the mridangam. On Sunday, April 26, we present the Malladi Brothers and party. The Malladi Brothers, who have stamped the Carnatic music scene with their vibrant voices, are known for their stoutly classical yet immensely popular interpretations of the known and unknown items from the vast reservoir of Carnatic music. The Malladi Brothers will be accompanied by Sri Embar Kannan on the violin, and Sri Neyveli S. Narayanan on the mridangam. This year’s edition of the music festival is organized around the theme of health and wellness as described and experienced in Carnatic music. Accordingly, in addition to the two
anchor concerts, we present a panel discussion planned by Dr. Arun Mukhopadhyay of experts in the field of medicine and music. In addition, the presentations include an orchestra led by Smt Manjula Rao and several vocal group performances led by prominent teachers of Carnatic music, Smt. Rajarajeshwary Bhat, Smt. Chitra Dharmarajan, and Smt. Anuradha Subramanian, organized around the theme of Music and wellness. A classical dance segment organized by
Dr. Madhuri Vasudevan program will complement the music programs. We hope all lovers of classical music and dance will take full advantage of this special offering on Indian Classical Arts and Wellness presented by the Classical Arts Society of Houston. Additional information about the Spring Music Festival is at www. ClassicalArtsHouston.org or call Prabha Bala at 281-242-4914.
West Houston (Westheimer) Tamil School – Spring Picnic
HOUSTON: The West Houston (Westheimer) Tamil School of Houston, organized the spring picnic for this school year at Bayland park, Houston on March 29. There were closer to 100 participants including the family of the students, teachers & school committee members having invitations extended to the extended friends and family as guests for the day out. Various competitions and fun activities were hosted to make the day more interesting. A special egg hunt competition for the younger kids was hosted in the morning when they are up bright and shine. And for the parents timed competition like 1 minute game was hosted afterwards. After a lot of fun in the sun, everyone seemed to be looking eagerly forward towards the other offerings of the day. The most important part of any memorable fun filled event is keeping the guests heart filled with good food. The organizing committee didn’t miss its importance. After the awesome lunch, it was tough to keep everyone falling asleep. To get
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everyone involved, more interesting game was hosted after the lunch – Groups were formed to play the ‘Pictionary’ game. It was a great hit and people loved to participate. To keep the kids engaged and enhance their day of fun, face painting and balloon art were provided at the site. To make it more fun, ‘Pinata’ was arranged for all age groups. It was indeed a memorable spring day out for all the participants. On behalf of the West Houston (Westheimer) Tamil School, Principal welcomed special which includes
Principal from Sugarland Tamil School, President and Vice President of Greater Houston Tamil School and the Parents Teachers Association president delivered the ‘Thank you’ note for every participants and volunteers for making the picnic day possible for the school. We thank everyone who made this a grand success. ‘Westheimer Tamil School’ is now called the ‘West Houston Tamil School’ – For more information on the school please visit - www.houstontamilschools.org
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18 April 24, 2015 China’s Gifting Spree for Pakistan Pakistan has, in recent years, felt constantly slighted by the world. The frequency and lethality of terrorist attacks have scared away visitors, including cricket teams — and its political and military leaders are no longer as cultivated by world powers as they used to be. The presence of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil was a severe breach with Western governments that is yet to be fully bridged. United States President Barack Obama avoided visiting Pakistan during both his trips to India, de-hyphenising the relationship in ways Islamabad may not have appreciated. But with its gift of geography, it is difficult to keep Pakistan away from the thick of global geopolitics. Sensing the opportunity, China has earnestly set out to compensate for the US’ tilt towards India. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pakistan this week, likening the trip to visiting the home of his own brother. And like a generous brother, Mr Xi arrived bearing significant gifts. The visit reportedly ‘finalised agreements or broke ground’ on $28 billion worth of infrastructure projects — out of total of $46 billion that Beijing is expected to invest in the country. The projects pertain to developing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which will connect the Xinjiang province with the port of Gwadar, which Beijing has built, in the Arabian Sea. Chinese investments will improve Pakistan’s infrastructure by building road and rail networks, dams, pipelines and significantly scale up its power capacity adding 8,400 megawatts in due course. India has plenty of reasons to be concerned of these developments. Mr Xi’s Pakistan initiative points to Beijing’s urgency in pursuing its twin projects of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The former ‘focuses on bringing together China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe; linking China with the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean through Central Asia and West Asia’ while the latter ‘is designed to go from China’s coast to Europe through the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean in one route, and from China’s coast through the South China Sea to the South Pacific in the other’. These are ambitious projects that are bound to transform global trade flows and extend China’s global influence, notwithstanding the military dominance of the US. India will keenly watch how this surge of Chinese interest will shape Pakistan’s behaviour in the neighbourhood. New Delhi will hope that Beijing consistently prods Islamabad to tackle extremism since that alone can assure durable, secure economic corridors. Indian policymakers have a lot of reflecting to do on the strategic effects of Mr Xi’s benevolence. Hindustan Times
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
Keeping Tabs on Nehrus and Boses BY CHANAKYA History has an uncanny way of intruding into contemporary life and shaping our public conversation. A new controversy emerged recently over the relationship between Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. A media story based on declassified papers reported that the Intelligence Bureau was spying on Bose’s family for 20 years after Independence, all through Nehru’s stint as prime minister and even during the early years of his daughter Indira Gandhi’s reign. Letters between Bose’s wife in Austria and his extended family in Calcutta were reportedly intercepted and read by the higher echelons of the intelligence establishment. Nehru, on one occasion, asked for the details of a visit to Tokyo by Bose’s nephew. Of course everyone was shocked. It is certainly the stuff of national scandal and may have caused real damage to Nehru’s reputation had the story broken at the time. Nehru, a democratic head of government, a self-proclaimed liberal who frequently extolled liberal values — and incidentally wrote columns under the pseudonym Chanakya, suggesting that Nehru himself had dictatorial tendencies — was overseeing a regime that was keeping a tab on Bose’s family. If the public nowadays expects politicians to quit over rail accidents, this could have been, so to speak, a real train wreck for a career. It’s worth remembering that Rajiv Gandhi pulled the plug on the Chandrashekhar government in 1991 on the grounds that two policemen were stationed outside his residence. And this incident had to do with Bose no less, a huge iconic figure who stole our hearts by showing the gumption to wage an armed struggle against the British, restoring some pride after we capitulated to colonial rule without much of a fight. There was therefore an uproar on social media. PM Narendra Modi was coincidentally in Germany and met Bose’s great nephew, assuring him that he would look into the case
of declassifying files about Netaji. Newer twists to the story emerged. A person claiming to be Bose’s driver told the press that there was indeed a strong surveillance regime at the time. There were attempts to restore a measure of perspective but outrage continued regardless. Sugata Bose, Harvard historian and a great nephew and biographer of Netaji, argued that the files “have no indication that Nehru himself ordered the intrusive surveillance in Calcutta”. The thing that strikes me about this is the extraordinary purchase that history and historical controversies have among the public. Why do such controversies galvanise such popular interest that politicians manage to use them frequently for their narrow ends? And the question to ask is: If history is constantly with us how can we get a fuller measure of it? The answer is fairly obvious. India may appear to have a more settled post-independence passage than Pakistan, which went through its cycles of military rule and is now grappling with uncontrollable religious extremism — but our nation’s birth was midwifed too by controversy and Partition violence, whose effects we still live with. Furthermore, our nationalist imagination has been dominated by several strong personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who offered competing policy prescriptions and visions of India’s future. And Nehru is a particularly polarising figure because he had firm views on state-led growth, an equitable world order and secularism, which
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translated into State practice shutting out other visions. And so when the Hindu Right is currently on the ascendant, it is only natural that it will define itself in terms of what has happened before. Indulging in historical debate is not a trivial pursuit and we must not dismiss it as a distraction politicians contrive for their momentary ends. We are still a young nation and are grappling with the ideas of our founding fathers, as it were, and controversies helpfully nudge us to revisit the decisions and silences of the past. But if the past impinges on us insistently and if we define ourselves in terms of what has happened before we might as well do history right. We should be able to confront our past in the spirit of transparency. Leaders and institutions, however laudable, are fallible in the end and there is little need to shield them from scrutiny. Other nations pride themselves on the quality of libraries and archives they maintain, sustained by both state initiative and private endowment. Scholars in the US can draw on an extensive archive on their founding fathers to shed light on contemporary political or judicial questions. There are for instance more than 15,000 books on Abraham Lincoln, whose 150th death anniversary was observed on April 15. Our archives by contrast are inadequate. And even what we do have is shrouded in secrecy. There is thus an urgent need to declassify the governmental archives. There are so many aspects of post-independence history that we know little about and where greater clarity can serve the public interest. Right from what was known at the time concerning Subhas Chandra Bose, to the India-China war, to histories of other wars we have fought and the evolution of governmental policy in a range of areas, we will be better off with more rounded narratives No country can progress without understanding itself honestly. If Nehru and Bose elicit popular interest so easily and history and growth mean so much to us, we should do what it takes to help us know ourselves and our country better. Hindustan Times
April 24, 2015 19 COMMUNITY A Great Day for Lovers of Punjabi, Big and Small!
From left: Major donors for the construction of the Punjabi School at the Gurdwara Sahib of Southwest Houston at the grand opening; (from left) architect Hardeepak Munday, Paul and Manmeet Likhari and Nandika and Preshant Mehta with their son.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Language is the key to a person’s culture and rootedness, and in this multi-cultured city – one would venture to say country even – raising a child to be comfortable in two, and maybe more cultures, can be challenging at best if the subtle nuances can’t be transmitted. The task got a little easier for an enthusiastic and dedicated bunch of Punjabi speakers as the Gulf Coast’s first Punjabi school opened its building this past Sunday, April 19, to coincide with the area wide celebration of Baisakhi. Located adjacent the Gurdwara Sahib of Southwest Houston, the 2,700 sf, single-story building was designed in six months by the same architect. Hardeepak “Harry” Munday, who did the main Gurdwara and is in the same clean, functional and contemporary lines. The school building was built in four months at a cost of $350,000 but that is not the eventual place of the school. “This building is designed and built to eventually become a sarai or visitor’s quarters,” explained Munday of the traditional way of attaching such facilities for wayward travelers to temples and gurdwaras in India. “We just bought the large tract of land to the south (abutting Beechnut) and intend to build a larger 15,000 sf school there when we raise the funds.” Accordingly, each classroom has a full bathroom attached to it. Ambitious as it may seem, the need is clearly there as the gurudwara draws 350 to 400 worshippers each day of the weekend, besides other activities during the week. And with a fundraising committee (headed by GSSWH Trustee Chair Paul Likhari) that is focused on the expanded scope, the entire site will also include a matching 2,700 sf building on the east side to house the families of the two resident Bhais or priests of the gurudwara. “We emphasized amenities, functionality and providing services instead of simply building prayer space,” said Munday as he gave a tour to the group of people who came for the dedication and opening ceremony. Gurdwara Board Trustee Dr. Tejendra Singh Gill and Joint Secretary Amarjit Singh echoed the sentiments, adding that the facility had to be multipurpose to be used for weddings and socio-religious occasions. The entire student body of about 35 kids and their teachers attended the opening dressed in some form of saffron color – scarves, head coverings and turbans overflowed – contrasting against the white of the pajama kurtas as they lined up between the water feature and the new building to sing devotional and inspiring songs. Bhai Bhupinder Singh Paras gave the benediction and prayer before the doors were opened to the stream of excited visitors.
Don’t miss the opportunity to interact with her. Learn more at tinyurl.com/happyhouston.
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COMMUNITY
Club 24 Visits Turning Point Center
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HOUSTON: A dedicated team of Club 24 Plus members visited the Turning Point Center on Sunday, April 19, as part of the outreach program of the club. They bought the groceries and cooked a hot meal for 90 residents for lunch. It was a very gratifying and a bonding experience for the members as they spent their time cooking the meal together. At the request of the director of the center, the team prepared a light and healthy meal with an Indian twist keeping the residents health restrictions in mind and later served it to them. The Turning Point Center is a non-profit organization which offers food, shelter and other rehabilitative services to meet the physical and emotional needs of a neglected segment of society: underprivileged individuals aged 50 and older who are unable to provide safe and adequate living conditions for themselves. For volunteering information at this facility check out http://www.turningpointcenter.org In words of Laxmi Murthy who was the main coordinator for this activity “It was a fulfilling experience and I am feeling blessed that we got a chance to have made a small difference in their lives at least for one afternoon”. According to Kiran Gupta, Chair for Social committee “We should thank God for making us his instruments to be able to serve the less fortunate. A very humbling experience”. Club 24 Plus is a social club that was started in 2007 by likeminded
individuals in Houston. It is a social club with a difference. In addition to hosting fun activities the underlying principles of the club are Philanthropy and outreach to the community that
we live in. President: Asha Dhume Outreach committee: Manisha Gandhi (Chair), Nat Krishnamurthy & Laxmi Murthy
Annual Hindi Hasya Kavi Sammellan Once Again in Houston HOUSTON: For the past seven years India Culture Center Houston (ICC) and International Hindi Association (IHA) have brought a refreshing, enriching and fun filled entertainment to the residents of Greater Houston. Celebrity poets from India are invited to perform in different cities of USA once a year. The program has also been a great success with community support and the audience are enthralled by such performances. This year on the evening of May 9 the Kavi Sammellan will feature Arun Gemini, a famous maestro of humor. He is a Haryanvi and one of the most popular humorist in India. He has toured the globe and is a recipient of various National awards. Another artist is Ved Prakash Ved who hails from Delhi. He is a leading satirist of eminence. He is a highly celebrated “Hasya vyang” poet and performed widely. He also is a recipient of numerous National Awards and will be visiting Houston for the first time. The third artist this time is the well know poetess Ritu Goel. She writes on human relations and Bhav (emotions). She is a journalist by profes-
sion and has been associated with leading Media channels. She has to her credit as well many prestigious Awards.
These artists are going to reminiscence the audience on India’s political, social and cultural ethos with a rip roaring humor, a little satire and some heartwarming patriotism, weaved with intellect and idiocy resulting in pure delightful sprinkle of poetic jokes. All these poets have performed extensively over India, on radio and TV and conducted programs like Kavi Sammellans and Mushairas in many South Asian and Middle East
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countries. They are in the literary league of publishing books, poems and articles in magazines. This program is another joint effort of ICC & IHA. It will start at India House at 5pm on May 9 and after the social hour and opening remarks the exciting evening reins of the program will be with the accomplished poets for the next nonstop 3 hours. The audience can buys the books and CDs of the poets at the event as well. The program is made possible by the combined efforts of ICC & IHA core committee members. This program has been sponsored by Wallis State Bank, Paradise Gifts, Deep Foods, MD & Associates, Madras Pavilion, Hindu Worship Society and Anand & Dr Ashima Chauhan. For an enchanting, enthralling and memorable experience attend the event on May 9 at India House at 5pm and get hooked forever. For tickets (Reserved/Premium 50$ or Regular/ Open seating 25$ each including Refreshments) please contact Manisha Gandhi at 8328762142 or Swapan Dhairyawan at 281-3820348.
COMMUNITY
April 24, 2015
Beware this Immigration Phone Fraud Scam!
HOUSTON: The Indian woman at the gurdwara this past weekend was visibly agitated and distressed by the ordeal that she had just gone through two days earlier. She had just been
Even though the woman is a US citizen and has been here for 11 years, she was scared by the call and the crooks pried on her fears, forcing her to put cash on her Reload card and then transferred the money to their own account. The scam artists were so brazen that they sent a Fiesta taxi
police, who took her information down but told her she didn’t stand a chance of getting her money back or nabbing the crooks.
swindled out of $3,800 and wanted to see if she could get some help in nabbing the crooks, and especially wanted to tell her story. But for obvious reasons, she asked to stay anonymous. Last Thursday, April 16, someone posing as an agent of the NCIS, the National Citizenship and Immigration Service, called her cell phone and told her she was in a heap of trouble regarding some false documentation and needed to wire transfer $3,800 at once to avoid legal action and being incarcerated.
driver to her apartment to pick her up since she doesn’t drive and take her to the Randalls on West Bellfort to make the transaction. The taxi driver may have been in on it too, as he refused to take a credit card and insisted on cash. Since she was short by $500, the crooks made her go to the Randalls on Memorial Drive the next day and pull out the remaining money. Again, a Fiesta Taxi driver took her and she had to pay him cash. Later on Friday, when she realized that she had been duped, the woman called the Houston
This kind of phone scam involving the NCIS has been going around for many months and unfortunately for this lady, still seems to take in some innocent people. The public needs to be aware and vigilant against these scam artists.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
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PUZZLES/RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Meethi Seviyaan Kheer (SWEET VERMICELLI PUDDING) This is another dessert that is especially associated with festivals, both Hindu and Muslim, just as chawal di kheer (sweet rice pudding) has become. Muslims make meethi seviyaan kheer or chawal di kheer on the occasion of celebration of Eid ul Fitr, but Hindus make meethi seviyaan kheer normally to commemorate raksha bandan or raakhee. It is a fast, easy and tasty desert to make. In the old days in the Punjab, people used to make the handmade vermicelli through a huge machine that men would turn with a crank. The women would collect the strands below and place them on a clothesline or branches of trees to dry. It is still possible to find this handmade vermicelli in small stores, but these days most people turn to the readymade variety that are sold in supermarkets in packets. The handmade ones are slightly thicker and coarse, but are much softer when cooked than the much thinner readymade ones, and are used to make regular meethi seviyaan, which is a slightly different recipe. Meethi seviyaan kheer can be found all over India, but in North Indian it is made with ghee, rice, sugar, cardamom, raisins, kesar (saffron) and dried fruit in thickened milk. Just like kheer, it has also found a place as a chic dressed-up traditional desert at receptions and weddings, offered in small earthen bowls, garnished with strands of saffron, chopped almonds, pistachios and with sone da varak (gold film). Ingredients: 1 cup seviyaan (vermicelli) 2 cup doodh (milk) – whole is best, but low-fat will do too ¼ cup chinni (sugar) 2 tbsp condensed milk (if used, you can reduce the sugar) ¼ tsp ilachi powder (cardamom powder) Dry fruits to your taste: kishmish (raisans); badam (almonds – peeled and slivered); piste (pistachios – halved or pieces)
Directions: 1.Pour the milk in a saucepan or small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to make sure the milk does not stick to the pot and thicken for 15 minutes. 2.Meanwhile, break the vermicelli into 3 to 4 inch pieces and keep in a bowl. 3.Add the condensed milk into the boiling milk; slide in the vermicelli and stir a few times for 3 to 5 minutes then turn the heat off. Do not overcook as the vermicelli will turn into slush. 4.Now, add the sugar and throw in the dry fruits. Peeled, slivered almonds taste best. Sprinkle the cardamom powder on top before serving.
5.Thicker seviyaan kheer tastes best. It can be served hot, but most people prefer to eat it cold, so refrigerate for an hour or two before serving. 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 USE CONDENSED MILK INSTEAD OF SUGAR TO SWEETEN DESSERTS
Indian sweet dishes often tend to be high in calories due to the amount of sugar in them as well as often being fried, like gulab jamuns, jalebis, boondi ke laddus or made in fatty oils, like halwas. Even though it has resulted in higher incidences of Type 2 diabetes in people in India, the sweets confectioneries are always mobbed by customers, many of whom are evidently obese. In some sweet dishes, like barfi, khoya, kulfi and kheers,tryusingsomecondensedmilkinsteadofstraight sugar to sweeten them up. It may help to reduce the amount of sugar that is consumed and also the calories.
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April 24, 2015
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review: Margarita with a Straw
Jimmy Shergill: My Character has Matured in ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’
BY SRIJANA MITRA DAS So, a Margarita is usually sweet - but this one has a cutting edge. Laila (Kalki) lovesmusic,romance and people - but cerebral palsy impairs her motor functions. Laila’s loving mother Shubhangi (Revathi) supports her through college. But what happens when Laila meets Khanum (Sayani) and discovers new shades to her sexuality? Margarita with a Straw is an acting triumph. Kalki is amazing, imprisoned in a wheelchair but her spirit flying as she tastes the delights and dilemmas, from crushes to creative pushes, of a college student’s life. Giggling, crying, even masturbating, Kalki portrays Laila, charmer, bummer, winner, with unabashed perfection, cheekily asking a shopkeeper for vibrators, the man, thinking of mobiles, responding, ‘Maine toh apni wife ko bhi vibrator pe daala hua hai!’
Kalki’s matched perfectly by Revathi who shines as a slightly dull middle-class mom, stoically driving a van that evokes Hollywood’s quirky Little Miss Sunshine. Their motherdaughter love’s so strong, you can almost touch it, just as you can feel the electricity that frizzles angrily between them when they quarrel. Some scenes are wryly funny when Laila confesses, ‘Ai, main bi hoon’, her mother, tired of house-
work, crossly responds, ‘Main kya kam bai hoon?’ - while others evoke despair and hope in minutely-detailed settings. The story is a breakthrough, portraying physical challenges with brightness, not bathos, and the direction’s super-sensitive - catch Laila’s eyes when she’s carried upstairs - yet going boldly where few filmmakers have. Some scenes discomfit - Laila and friend Jared (William) have a bathroom encounter - while others, like family dinners, karela joked over by Laila’s father and brother (Kuljeet and Malhaar, both quietly competent) soothe. The script somewhat overdiligently ticks every possible ‘challenge’ box, mixed marriages to a Pakistani-Bangladeshi visually affected lesbian. But that small quibble aside, MWAS is deeply moving, a philosophical film which makes you wonder if the body is a palace or prison - and evokes mothers to lovers who’ve cherished your soul. Try this Margarita - it’s different. -Times ofI ndia
Actor Jimmy Shergill, who is reprising his role in Tanu Weds Manu Returns, says his character of Raja has matured in the Aanand L Rai-directed sequel. The 44-year-old actor said the movie will remain true to the spirit of the original 2011 sleeper hit that chronicled the rocky romance between a small town girl and an NRI doctor. “The director has smartly woven the plot into a completely different situation. Barring a couple of new characters, which have been introduced in the sequel, everything has started from where the first part ended. Some characters have matured while others have retained their
original vibe,” Jimmy told PTI in an interview. “I am returning as Tanu’s (Kangana Ranaut) ex-fiance Raja Awasthi. The character has matured and toned down by 5-6 years. He doesn’t have to try to be convincing this time. Just one look at him suffices.” There is some essence of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Lucknow in the movie, he added. It is Jimmy’s third collaboration with Rai whom he considers one of his closest friends in the industry. “Aanand is one of the closest friends I have. It is always a pleasure working with him. He is one of the nicest human beings you will find in the industry,” the actor said. Tanu Weds Manu Returns is the second time Jimmy has acted in a sequel. Before that, the actor starred in Saheb, BiwiAur Gangster Returns, which was a sequel of Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster. When asked how was his experience and comfort level with the current trend of sequels, the actor said, “Both Tanu Weds Manu and Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster did well at the box office and were liked by the audience. I was not surprised when their sequels were conceived as we knew that there was a seed for another story.” -Times ofI ndia
Last week’s edition can be found online. Issue dated June 27,2014. inyour Small Continuing, freeSpecializing radicals are made in body as byproducts of natural processes, called Business Commercial Loans oxidative processes. In the same way that car exhaust is created when you run an engine to power the car, free radicals are formed by the oxidative processes to power your body. Although these processes are very efficient, free radical formation is inevitable in small amounts—even the most efficient engine will produce exhaust. There are many healthy roles for free radicals, though. For instance, nitric oxide is a free radical that is used by cells to communicate with other cells. In fact it is necessary for proper nervous system function and blood pressure control. Of course, this type of process is very tightly controlled. But nitric oxide is not what has made free radi-
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Reliance Industries Q4 Stand-Alone Profit Climbs to a Seven-Year High Stand-alone net profit rose 10.9% year-on-year to Rs.6,243 cr in the March quarter, the company said BY PROMIT MUKHERJEE MUMBAI: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Friday posted its highest quarterly profit in seven years as record earnings from its mainstay refinery operations countered weak petrochemical margins and lower income from its exploration and production (E&P) business. Stand-alone net profit rose 10.9% to Rs.6,243 crore in the quarter ended 31 March from Rs.5,631 crore in the same period a year earlier, the company said. It’s the highest quarterly net profit for RIL since it earned Rs.8,079 crore in the third quarter of 2007-08. The company, which operates the world’s biggest refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat, posted a 39.2% drop in stand-alone sales to Rs.59,013 crore from Rs.97,087 crore because of a slump in crude oil prices and lower gas output. RIL, headed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, comfortably beat the Rs.5,931 crore in net profit and Rs.64,455.1 crore in revenue forecast by a Bloomberg poll of 16 analysts. “In a time when the collapse of crude oil prices unsettled the hydrocarbons markets, our refining business delivered record earnings,” Ambani said. “The earnings power demonstrated by our hydrocarbon businesses in this environment validates our philosophy of investing in world-scale, cost competitive assets,
cutting-edge technology and the talent of people.” On a consolidated basis, which includes its organized retail business, RIL’s profit jumped 8.5% to Rs.6,381 crore in the March quarter from Rs.5,881 crore a year earlier. Consolidated revenue dropped 33.3% to Rs.70,863 crore from Rs.1.06 trillion. Higher profits will reinforce RIL’s plans to spend Rs.1.8 trillion to boost petrochemical producing capacity, open retail stores and start telecommunications services in the world’s fastest growing major market for smartphones. The company is banking on its refineries to increase profit and make up for lower natural gas output. RIL spent about Rs.1 trillion in the year ended 31 March to expand businesses including petrochemicals, refining, telecommunications and US shale gas projects, according to its statement. The company didn’t specify the investment planned for the current fiscal year. RIL’s refining business, which contributes 66% of overall profit and 70% of revenues, bolstered its earnings in an otherwise weak quarter. Its gross refining margin (GRM)— the profit from each barrel of crude it processed—was a higher-thanexpected $10.1 per barrel, up from $9.3 per barrel. The cost of raw materials declined by more than 50% to
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Rs.37,640 crore, reflecting the slump in crude oil prices since June. Earnings before interest and tax (or operating profit) from the refining business was Rs.4,902 crore for the March quarter, up 47% on a sequential basis. RIL benefited from improvement in product spreads, mainly in petrol, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel and naphtha, said Dhaval Joshi, an analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. The company runs a refining complex capable of processing 1.24 million barrels of crude per day in Jamnagar. The units have the ability to process cheaper, lower grades of crude oil into high-value products for use in Europe and the US. RIL’s interest expenses in the March quarter fell 30% from a year ago and 40% sequentially to Rs.677 crore. The company had debt of Rs.1.61 trillion as of 31 March. “There are mainly two things which have helped to prop up the results— the core refining operation and lower interest expense,” said S.P. Tulsian, an independent investment advisor. “While it was expected that the company would do well in the refining segment, what is surprising is the very low interest expense of the company in the quarter, which translates into an effective interest cost of an unbelievable 1.75% per annum.” RIL’s other major business—petrochemicals—was hit by a cyclical
downturn, posting a 6.8% drop in operating profit to Rs.2,003 crore from a year ago. Operating profit from its oil and gas exploration and production business fell 35.8% to Rs.489 crore in the March quarter from a year ago because of the slump in crude oil prices and a decline in production from its D6 block in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The organized retail segment’s operating profit rose 333% to Rs.104 crore and revenue from the segment increased 31% to Rs.4,788 crore. “With expected improvement of business profile in refining and petchem (petrochemical) in the next two years, potential upsides from exploration and production and attractive valuations, we continue to
maintain our BUY rating on RIL with target price of Rs.1,168,” said Joshi from Emkay. RIL shares fell 0.06% to close at Rs.926.85 apiece on Friday on BSE, while the exchange’s benchmark Sensex index lost 0.78% to 28,442.10 points and the BSE Oil and Gas index fell 0.36% to 9,810.39 points. The earnings were announced after trading hours. RIL’s shares have declined 3.4% in the past year, compared with a 26% gain in the Sensex. “The coming days look quite positive for Reliance as the core refining business is showing strength,” said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, head of fundamental research at Karvy Stock Broking Ltd. “This gives an opportunity to patient buyers.” -Livemint.com
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26 April 24, 2015
IPL 2015: Kings XI End Royals’ Run in Super Over BY ABHISHEK PUROHIT
AHMEDABAD (ESPN Cricinfo): Rajasthan Royals 191 for 6 (Rahane 74, Watson 45) tied with Kings XI Punjab 191 for 6 (Marsh 65, Miller 54) The man with the most runs for Kings XI Punjab had been on the bench for their first four games of the season. Brought in because regular captain George Bailey had a shoulder injury, Shaun Marsh played two crucial innings to give Kings XI their second win. He first made 64 off 40, the highest score in a chase of 192, as Kings XI leveled the scores with Axar Patel’s last-ball four. Marsh then watched David Miller depart off the first ball of the Super Over and went on to hit Chris Morris for three successive fours. Rajasthan Royals lost both their wickets halfway into Mitchell Johnson’s over, which ended their five-match winning streak. Shane Watson was bowled first ball by a yorker, and James Faulkner, pondering a bye, was run out by Wriddhiman Saha. The chase had been slipping away from Kings XI. They were reduced to 59 for 3 in the ninth over when Glenn Maxwell topedged a slog off legspinner Rahul
Shaun Marsh swats the ball away, Rajasthan Royals vs. Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2015, Ahmedabad.
Tewatia. But Marsh and Miller kept their side alive as they put on 58 off 35. While Miller took his time to get going, Marsh kept the runs coming in his usual flowing manner, timing boundaries both sides of the wicket and straight down the ground. Still, the asking-rate continued to climb steadily, and after Marsh top-edged a slog off Pravin Tambe, Kings XI needed 72 off the
last five overs. Saha arrived and played a vital hand, swinging and pulling four fours in the eight balls he lasted. Miller had found his range just before Marsh departed, and was now effortlessly launching sixes over deep midwicket. When he eventually failed to clear the off side boundary and fell for 54 off 30, 25 were required off 12. Johnson and Axar brought it
down to 14 from the final over, and ran four twos and a single off the first five balls from James Faulkner. Axar sliced the last one to the deep point rope to take it to the Super Over. That they would be part of such a tight finish would not have been remotely on the Royals’ players minds after the total they put up. Asked to bat by stand-in Kings XI captain Virender Sehwag, Ajinkya Rahane and Watson came within five runs of making it successive century opening partnerships. Rahane was troubled initially by the swing the Kings XI bowlers generated, but he responded with some stinging shots through the covers. Watson took his time and was on 14 off 23 at one stage. He suddenly sprung into action, hitting his next six deliveries for four fours and two sixes to end on 45 off 35. Steven Smith and Faulkner managed a run between them but Royals’ young Indian batsmen contributed swift cameos. Stuart Binny ended the innings with a four and a six off Anureet Singh but Marsh’s twin innings would overcome them. Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
SPORTS
India’s Anirban Lahiri Making Cuts in PGA HILTON HEAD: Anirban Lahiri was unable to maintain the tempo he set in the third round and rounded off the week with a oneover 72 that saw him finish in tied 44th place, down 17 places from his overnight tied 27, at the RBC Heritage golf tournament here. It was the second straight cut for Lahiri, who also made the weekend at the Masters a week earlier. Slowly coming to grips with conditions in the United States, Lahiri shot two of his four rounds in 60s, including a 66 in the third round, to show gradual improvement. Lahiri seemed to be inching towards a better finish inside Top-30 as he birdied twice against one bogey on front nine. But back to back bogeys 11th and 12th saw him fall and he was unable to convert any of the birdie chances over the last seven holes, which he parred. At four-under 280, it was also Lahiri’s first under-par total in the US and should augur well for his confidence as he prepares for the other majors: WGC-Cadillac and the Players Championship at TPC.
Bangladesh Well Placed to Complete Whitewash vs. Pakistan BY MOHAMMED ISAM DHAKA (ESPN Cricinfo): Bangladesh are allowed to feel some Schadenfreude when hearing Pakistan ask for more time to develop as a team. It used to be Bangladesh’s go-to phrase for years. Ahead of the third ODI, both teams are in uncharted waters: there have been plenty of dead rubbers between these sides but Pakistan were never on the wrong end of one. In the first two matches, Bangladesh had good starts with the bat and that translated into a smoother time for the middle order. Their lower order hasn’t needed to contribute yet. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim had two century stands, with Tamim making a brace of hundreds. Mushfiqur also continued his rich form, collecting a hundred and a fifty. Soumya Sarkar is promising to build on
appointed, eshis starts, but pecially Junaid Mahmudullah Khan. He has just will want a big one wicket in two innings in the games and looked third ODI. listless. Rahat The home Ali’s hamstring team’s spinners niggle meant have also taken Umar Gul could grip of the two be back after his contests. Shakib last playing in Al Hasan and December. Saeed Arafat Sunny Ajmal has also did it by varybeen disappointing their pace, while Nasir Hos- Mushfiqur Rahim whips into ing but he is feelsain was accu- the leg side, Bangladesh v ing his way back into international rate. Mashrafe Pakistan, 2nd ODI, Mirpur. cricket with his Mortaza will also rely on Rubel Hossain and remedied action, while MohamTaskin Ahmed to continue giving mad Hafeez will be relieved to be him breakthroughs. The young given the green-signal by the ICC pair has outbowled their opposite just before Wednesday’s game. The batting has also failed. numbers. Pakistan’s pace attack has dis- Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed
have been poor as openers while Hafeez and Fawad Alam are senior batsmen without runs. Instead it has been Mohammad Rizwan and Saad Nasim, the two newcomers, who have shown glimpses of their talent. FTamim Iqbal will have restored most of his lost confidence after scoring two successive hundreds. His approach in this series has been like the Tamim of old, when he freely charged the bowlers. A third big score can be expected. There was hue and cry to include Sarfraz Ahmed in Pakistan’s XI during the World Cup. He repaid the faith back then, but he has been unsuccessful in this series. With the team desperate for runs at the top, there is pressure on him to get a big score. Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent.
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Anirban Lahiri in action.
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