Friday, May 08 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 19
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Happy Mother’s Day From left: Dr. Aparna Kamat, Asha Dhume; Club 24 Plus President, and Dr. Asra Oberoi; Chair of Signature Committee .
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SAM Gala is Short, Entertaining and Raises Money in a Hurry By Jawahar Malhotra SUGAR LAND: The Save A Mother charity’s Houston chapter took a major leap forward from its humble origins in a banquet hall on Wilcrest in 2009 to the Crystal Ballroom on Gessner to the glittery, upscale but compact Gala that took place this past weekend on Sunday, May 3 at the Sweetwater Country Club. According to organizers, all 260 seats at the Gala were sold out, and filled up with some late arrivals. It was a step in the right direction for the charity which skipped a fundraiser last year and chapter president Veena Kaul was delighted by the turnout and the show of support. She started the chapter to help the cause that her brother, Dr. Shiban Ganju, a gastroenterologist from Peoria, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, had undertaken. “When we visited a village in India a year ago, the women were in bad conditions but were determined not to let their daughters go through the same experience,” said Kaul as she explained the purpose of Save a Mother. She introduced her Board of Directors and a short video followed showing the way the SAM program works, with women teaching other women in their village. SAM has reached 1,600 villages so far out of the es-
SAM Board : Standing, form left: Sakina Ali, Seema Kachru, Poonam Talsiani, (Founder) Shiban Ganju, (MC) Preity Bhagia, Tina Pariani, Hema Prasad. Sitting, from row: Veena Kaul, Natesan Murthy, Priti Singh and Sangeeta Pasrija. Missing in the pic is Rupa Aiyer.
Dr. Rupa Aiyer updating SAM’s activities in her presentation.
timated 617,000 villages in India. It is a worthy observation to mention, as the Gala and charity season gets rolling along, that, of the past three such events which have taken place over the past two weekends (Pratham, Club 24, SAM), all three have been organized, delivered and presided by Indian women, with an occasional man in the picture. Nat Krishnamurthy is the sole male on the SAM Houston Board, although the founder Dr. Shiban Ganju is a male Keka Kar with her group Rag-Rang performing at gala
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May 08, 2015
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c24+ is Fulfilled as it spreads the Fruits of its Labor Among 11 charities By Jawahar Malhotra
SUGAR LAND: For as far back as I can remember going to the Club 24 Plus events, they have been held at the tres chic and enormous houses (well, mostly in the equally manicured and large backyards) of members of the group. This year’s Philanthropy Night where C24+ hands out checks was to be held at the house of Savita and Sanjay Rao, but due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances as the Raos left hurriedly to attend to the demise of Sanjay’s mother, the event was moved quickly to another member’s house, one who lives within the same vicinity. “When I asked him to hold the event, he didn’t flinch,” revealed C24+ President Asha Dhume, “and we moved the arrangements in four days.” She was referring to the generosity of Madhusudan and Bharti Desai who opened up their gigantic home to the 100 people who came for the event. The food was catered by Bhojan restaurant, which also quickly adjusted to the changed venue. The house was just as much a topic of interest and discussion as was the event itself, for not only is it more than enormous, the interior design down to its indoor 25foot waterwall and reflecting pool, decorations, floor and wall finishes, furniture settings, lighting and room layouts are straight out of the pages of Houston Home & Garden magazine. Careful attention is paid to every little detail of design and construction. In a sense, that is what you’d expect from a man like Desai who has spent a great many years building and owning hotels and motels. Aside from all this, the rows of round dining tables were arranged in the backyard between the cabana and the pool, facing the covered patio of the house where Dhume and her organizing committee warmly greeted the guests and representatives of the honored charities. Off to one side were four finished oil canvases by artist Gopal Seyn; with the artist himself painting another canvas in the three hours that it took the event and dinner to conclude, with the intention of later auctioning it off. “Club 24 Plus members take great pride in giving back to community causes that are near to their hearts,” said Dhume. “We
Photos: Bijay Dixit
are building bridges between the Indian community and where we live.” Signature Committee chair Asra Oberoi (other members are Dr. Aparna Kamat, Poonam Pagnis and Vipra Bhasin) welcomed the guests to the function and the host, Madhusudan Desai gave a glimpse of his philosophy of life. “We have evolved and so has our knowledge base to allow us to help others,” he said. “Club 24 supports all the new and evolving charities.” And during the course of the night, C24+ called upon the list of charities it was donating to come to the stage and receive their checks. These charities were, for the most part, the same as the ones from last year - Ekal Vidyalaya, Daya, Habitat for Humanity, Houston Public Media, iEdu-
cate USA, Interfaith Ministries, Memorial Spring Branch Rotary, Ovarcome, Pratham, Save A Mother, University of Houston – and each of their representatives spoke briefly about the work they perform and thanked C24+. One late, but much appreciated guest, was Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia and his wife who had also attended last year’s function which was held in West University home of Drs. Aparna and Ashish Kamat (see IAN dated May 16, 2014). Garcia greeted everyone with a Namaste, Salam Alakam and Sat Sri Akal. As the philanthropy portion ended evening ended after dinner, many of the guests who stayed had a chance to get a musical interlude from Anand Chauhan, a C24+ supporter, who played his
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, mAy 08, 2015 • Online editiOn: www.indOamerican-news.cOm
electric guitar and serenaded with songs which he dedicated to his wife Dr. Ashima Chauhan who was in the audience in a long red gown. Calling on the fans of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, he played Jadoo Teri Nazar and Woh Ladki Jo Sab Sey Alag Ho on his guitar, lost in the music.
For photo collage,
see page 4
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COMMUNITY
May 08, 2015
Jewelry making - A Therapeutic Hobby By INDU GoSar HOUSTON: One of the visions of IACAN is that no Indian American will take the cancer journey alone. IACAN offers culturally sensitive services to cancer patients such as navigating the complex and unfamiliar landscape of available medical care. Through carefully selected activities, it offers social, emotional and psychological support to both patients and care givers. These activities are designed to create a “buddy system” in which people going through similar experience and road blocks, get to know each other, share feelings and lend each other the most needed emotional support. One such activity was the “Jewelry making - a therapeutic hobby.” Hobbies are activities of interests. There are a whole array of hobbies. Sewing, gardening, painting, jewelry making, knitting, and reading, are such hobbies to name a few. Hobbies are not just to pass time but to make time for ourselves. Modern life is hectic and there is no time to unwind. Hobbies give us a breather and gives us some pleasurable down time. Hobbies are worthwhile activities because they help to keep our minds off of our daily routine. They are a necessary piece of work-free, responsibility-free time in our schedule. Hobbies helps to enhance our immune system, improve flexibility, improve memory and of course self-esteem. They give a sense of accomplishment that makes us move productive. IACAN had a fun filled evening of “Jewelry making - a therapeutic hobby” on Tuesday, April 21st at 6200 Savoy Drive, Hous-
ton, This well attended gathering was lead by Mrs. Kamini Vajapey, a well know jewelry designer. She graciously accepted our invitation to lead the group in a short demo cum hands-on jewelry making session. Kamini, a former Houstonian but presently residing in California, is well known for her simple but uniquely elegant and beautiful sets. Kamini, using a power point presentation, first explained the variety of tools used in jewelry making. She then explained the various steps involved in making of the jewelry items. She brought in a variety of beads and accessories to attenuate the beauty of the beaded necklaces. One of the tools of jewelry making is the beading tray that is used to place the beads and/or stones and other pieces to accentuate a necklace and visualize the necklaces before it is strung in a wire. This tray helps to measure the length of the string wire needed, design, patterning and a lot more. This is truly a multipurpose tray. The participants had a great time choosing
the colored beads of their choice and to design it with a variety of accents. Kamini was at hand to give suggestions and guide us in the design of a simple but elegant necklace from the beads selected by us. The room was filled with laughter, enthusiasm and of course, artistic energy with everyone busy making their own creations. There was a lot of going back and forth between the participants in getting ideas and opinions. Everyone felt a positive stress that keep us vital and lively. This therapeutic hobby gave us the “Eustress” that we need in our lives and helps us view life’s threats as challenges that we can overcome. This also revitalizes our energy like recharging our batteries without in any way overwhelming us. Kamini had a great way to show the participants how to finish a necklace. Everyone was focusing on the new terms like crump beads, clasps and thin nosed flyers. This activity helped to divert the minds from the life’s curve balls and focus on more pleasant, enjoyable
ones. At the end, we all got to wear what we created and there was pride and joy in every one’s face. Of course, the good evening became a great evening with a sumptuous dinner. Thanks to IACAN Board Members, we had a wonderful home cooked meal with delicious subjis, healthy salad, and wonderful pilaf. Fruits and cake were served for desert. It is always a pleasure to share a meal with friends. Dr. V.K. Dorai, the President of IACAN thanked Kamini for her time and willingness to help us in this wonderful hobby. Dr. Dorai thanked everyone for being such enthusiastic participants and all those who brought in a potluck item. Kudos to the great cooks! Everyone expressed their interest to participate in many more such activities. IACAN is definitely planning to have such therapeutic hobbies in the future. We look forward having more such fun activities like this one!
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May 08, 2015
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May 08, 2015
“Finding the Perfect Job in difficult Times” Hits it right with the Audience
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HOUSTON: Over 80 professionals attended the IIT Alumni of Greater Houston (IITAGH) panel discussion on, “Finding the Perfect Job in Difficult Times,” on Thursday, April 30. Many showed up early and got to network with their peers while enjoying the appetizer selection of fish tacos, chicken satay, quesadillas, hummus, spinach & artichoke dip, and beer and wine. The event was kicked off by Pratish Kanani, the President of IITAGH, who welcomed everyone, provided an overview of IITAGH, highlighted a sampling of upcoming events, and asked them to sign up at the website. He then introduced the moderator for the evening, Sundy Srinivasan. Sundy introduced each of the panelists and gave them 5 minutes for their prepared remarks before opening up the session and collecting the questions to ask the panelists. The panelists included Pradeep Anand, President of Seeta Resources, Marie Bergeron, Director of Career Development at the Rice University Jones School of Business, and Ramesh Anand, President of American Personnel Resources LLC. Pradeep started with
defining a perfect job, and then talked about networking and its importance in finding the perfect job. A summary of his notes are here. Marie focused on what it takes for students to find a job and shared the importance of clearly articulating their story and understanding their transferable skills. Ramesh talked about the role that headhunters play, and how to best utilize headhunters in the job search process. After an hour and 15 minutes, the formal event came to an end, but the crowds remained for at least another hour asking 1-on1 questions, and further networking with the group. “This was an absolutely outstanding event and I really enjoyed listening to the panelists,” shared one of the attendees who had recently moved to Houston. She further shared, “I am really looking forward to more of these kinds of events.” IIT Alumni of Greater Houston (IITAGH) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We help our members connect, develop, and give back to the local community. For more information, please visit www.iitagh.org
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, mAy 08, 2015 • Online editiOn: www.indOamerican-news.cOm
COMMUNITY
May 08, 2015
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Houston’s Bollywood Foam Party
HOUSTON: Sunny Taj of ABCD Houston is not only known for hosting celebrity DJ’s such as Bally Sagoo, DJ Aqeel, DJ Suketu, DJ Kamya and DJ Notorious to name a few, but also putting together events with a theme. On Saturday, April 25, he took the party scene to another level by throwing the longest party (9hrs) and the first ever Bollywood Foam Party in Houston “SOAK!!! The Ultimate Foam Party” sponsored by Anand & Dr. Ashima Chauhan and supported by University Of Houston Finance Association Team. Capitol Bar in midtown opened their doors at 5pm with DJ Manu on the decks followed by DJ Masti and DJ Ramping. As the crowd started to flock the dance floor, 2 Cannons filled the entire dance floor with foam throughout the night and the black lights made
Photos: Meedu’s fotografy
the floor look like purple clouds. The reaction and excitement of the guests was a sight to see as some of them experienced the madness for the first time. When speaking with Sunny Taj, he mentioned “The foam party was a challenge to put together…risky too considering people have mixed
opinions about it, but I still took the challenge and managed to bring in 600+ attendees who had the time of their lives. Watching the crowd go crazy in the foam was an amazing feeling. It seemed like we had brought the clouds down for them and they
made Capitol Bar their own little world for the night like there was no tomorrow. The pictures taken by Meedu say it all.” He added “Thank you all for your unconditional support throughout the years in making events like these so successful… stay tuned for more” .
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, mAy 08, 2015 • Online editiOn: www.indOamerican-news.cOm
COMMUNITY
10 May 08, 2015
COMMUNITY
ImAGH Honors mothers; Forms Advisory Board
The IMAGH Exectuve Committee and Board of Directors for 2015 at the monthly meeting with President Latafath Hussain (center in blue shirt).
IMAGH’s newly formed Advisory Board (from left) Rajneesh Chaudhary, Paru McGuire Rahul Pakal (Vice Chair), Jawahar Malhotra and Abeezar Tyebji (Chair). Other members Raj Bhalla, Swapan Dhairayawan and Angeli Arjumani were not present.
Club 65’s first and oldest lifetime member, my mother Shakuntala Malhotra was asked to give blessings at the start of the program and remarked that “In India, every day is Mother’s Day, we don’t need a special day.” Children of volunteers sang a couple of numbers, then Fateh Ali Chatur showed his humorous wit as did another elderly gentleman who drew IMAGH Secretary Ismet Warsi (left) and out many chuckles and volunteer Roja Pakal with Club 65’s first and laughs. Gary Iyer from oldest member, Shakuntala Malhotra at its Morgan Stanley Wealth Mother’s Day celebration Management accompanied his colleague Karl Kuenning By Jawahar Malhotra from Nationwide Insurance to give a presentation on Long term Care HOUSTON: Although they hold and also sponsored the pizza, lasatheir monthly meetings at the gna and salad lunch for the gatherBayland Community Center the ing. first Saturday of each month, this In an accompanying room, the particular occasion had a special Indian Muslims Association of meaning as Club 65 gave all the Greater Houston President Latafath ladies an early Mother’s Day cel- Hussain convened a meeting of ebration. the Board and unveiled the newly About 70 people came to the formed Advisory Board, introduclunch event which featured a ing its members. The roundtable melodious opening song by new- discussion of their professions and comer to Houston, Dr. Parvin passion for community mindedness Saiyed with organizer and emcee made it clear that it drew them all Rahat Kalle gamily standing by. together for a common cause.
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, mAy 08, 2015 • Online editiOn: www.indOamerican-news.cOm
COMMUNITY
May 08, 2015
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music explored Beyond Listening and Learning
By Uma Ranganathan
HOUSTON: The weekend of April 25, was made memorable by the enlightening, as well as enchanting Spring Festival in its 38th year, hosted by the Classical Arts Society of Houston. The theme for this year’s festival was ‘Music and Wellness’. Following a short welcome address by founders Smt. Prabha Bala and Smt. Nalini Mukhopadhyay, Dr. R. Visweswaran, Founder/ CEO of the Viswa Group, and long time patron of Classical Arts Society, inaugurated the Festival. Then followed a panel discussion, facilitated by Dr. Arun Mukhopadhyay that brought together various facets of the theme, ranging from music wellness in our Ancient scriptures, to modern research findings. A special highlight was the speech by Dr. Richard Lee about Music Therapy at M.D. Anderson, which very well complimented and brought together the talks by other panelists. This was followed by a musical ensemble coordinated by Violinist Smt. Manjula Rao.
It was indeed a relaxing hour with the seamless harmony of various instruments. And then, the highlight of the evening surfaced with the concert by the renowned Carnatic Vocalist Vidwan Sanjay Subrahmanyan, who was accompanied by Vidwan S.Varadarajan on the violin and Vidwan Neyveli Venkatesh on the mridangam. What started off as a cool evening rendition with a Varnam in Malavi ragam, reached the pinnacle of its warmth during the Shankarabharanam Ragam and Swaram, and further delightful was the Ragam Tanam Pallavi, which employed not just a Raga variation, but also had a philosophical twist to it. As always, there was a sense of novelty and a heavy dose of creativity and enthusiasm in the presentation. The second day of the festival gave a visual shape to the theme, in the form of dance performances by Dr. Madhuri Vasudevan, Dr. Surabi Veeraraghavan, Ms. Lavanya Prabhu and Ms. Sneha Raju, guided by Guru Rathna Kumar and Guru Padmini, who led the Nattuvangam and Emcee respectively. While their first segment encompassed more of the Nritta aspect of dance, the latter half contained pieces brought out differ-
ent emotions such as a mother’s love for her child. The second half was even more special with the presence of a live musical accompaniment; Dr. Rajni Natesan as vocalist, Mr. Mahesh Iyer as violinist and Master Ajay Subramanian on the mridangam. This was followed by the finale segment of the festival; group renditions by three music groups. The first one was by the disciples of Vidhushi Rajarajeshwary Bhat, whereby they presented musical pieces based on Ragas which have a positive physical effect. This was followed by the second group of musicians coordinated by Ms. Chitra Dharmarajan who rendered compositions that elaborate on the Deities for good health. Finally, Vidushi Anuradha Subramanian and her disciples presented 24 out of the 72 Melakartha ragas, each of which is said to be connected to nerves in the human body. The Festival concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Partha Krishnamurthy, board member of the Classical Arts Society. The cancelled grand finale concert by the Malladi Brothers group due to airline problems was disappointing but mitigated by the high caliber festival performances of Houston’s own local artists!. In conclusion the themed festival "Music and Wellness", at the Meenakshi Temple, Pearland was memorable for the fine music and intellectually engaging discussions. Thanks and well deserved appreciation to the coordinated efforts of all the Board members and volunteers of the Classical Arts Society of Houston.
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sri meenakshi –sundareswarar Thirukalyana Utsavam concludes the chittirai mahotsavam
Seer Varisai from Ganesh temple to welcome the Devine bride and groom at MTS Photos by Srini Sundarajan
The beautifully decorated podium at MTS is ready for the celestial wedding
By NaChal SEthUraMaN PEARLAND: Chithirai Mahotsavam at Sri Meenakshi Temple came to a conclusion, with a grand finale of Meenakshi Thirukalyanam on Sunday, May 3. The Thirukalyanam is the celestial marriage ceremony of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Shiva. It was held at the Temple Kalyanamandapam, which included all details and rituals of a divine royal wedding. The ceremony started with the Seervarisai procession, with devotees carrying the Seervarisai for the wedding from Ganesh Temple to Kalyanamandapam. An Oonjal Seva ceremony (beautifully decorated swing carrying the heavenly bride Sri Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar) progressed in front of kalyana mandapam; this was followed sequentially with the Sankalpam, Vighneshwara Puja, punyahavachanam, Rakshabandanam, Kanyadhanam, Agnipradakshinam, Mangalya Dharanam, Lajaa homam and Purnahuthi. The ceremony concluded with Mangala Aarthi. The Nadhaswaram, played during the ceremony by Sri Chitravel, infused the wedding celebration mood to the guests who participated in the divine event. According to Agama Shastras, periodic Kalyanotsavams spread and instill the message of dharmic values. Each step in the wedding ceremony reinforces our commitment to the society in which we live. Enactment of celestial weddings enforces divinity to the family structure. Following the ceremony, there was Rathotsavam, with procession of all utsava murthis placed in their respective vahanams for a Pradhakshinam around the temple. Weddings are complete only with a sumptuous feast. The feast consisted of several delicious dishes prepared in the temple kitchen. Many devotees volunteered to cut vegetables and serve the lunch on banana leaves to about 1200 devotees, with enthusiastic volunteers under the coordination of Jeyam Thiagarajan. There was food for the mind as well with the grand finale of the cultural program with a rising star in Shilpa Sadagopan followed with the feature concert by Padmavathi Saranathan and Manjula Rao; Mala Gopal need to be commended for coordinating cultural programs for the ten days of Mahotsavam. The efficient team under the coordination of RAC chair Narayanan with event coordinator Dhani Kannan and many sincere volunteers, Priests led by Sri Manicka Sundaram Bhattar and Sri Kalyana Sundara Gurukal, temple administrators, staff had ensured this divine celebration proceeded in a smooth manner befitting the Grandeur in both magnitude and festivity of the occasion; all this right in Houston for all devotees to enjoy!
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May 08, 2015
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16 May 08, 2015 sAm Gala is short, entertaining and raises money in a Hurry INDIA Rao’s Satish CA FE UDIPI
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The event was labeled the “Black & White Gala Honoring Mothers” and true to its name, the portrait pictures taken before the start were all printed in black and white and delivered to people walking out by a hard working Bijay Dixit of Unique Photo Images. Darshak and Mona Thakkar of Krishna Sounds managed the sound system and DJ Prank (Pranav Kothari) pumped up the volume on dance music. The table designations were all based on old Bollywood black and white movies like Barsaat, Kohinoor and Devdas and the Board members were ditto in B&W saris and suits. Rupa Iyer gave a crash course in the statistics behind SAM’s program and its growth and impact in India, using a powerpoint presentation. Ganju lauded Houston’s support as the largest donor among SAM’s national chapters. He explained that 50 percent of SAM’s donations now come from India, with support from the Deshpande Foundation and others and was proud of the minimal overhead expenses that the organization had. But what the Gala apart from the many others were two key fea-
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tures which set the guests abuzz. 2011 Emcee Preity BhagiaCUintroduced P the entertainers for the evening: Keka Kar who is well known for her fantastic range and high octave delivery and the Raag Rang Music Group which includes singers Poulomi Basu Thakar, Susmita Basu and Payel Mitra. Backup musicians were Keka’s son (who flew in from Colorado) Abhijit Kar on keyboards, Amir Parvez; a musician who has worked with Bollywood stars on rhythm; and three budding musicians from Taylor High School - Tommy Seol on percussion, James McDonald on lead guitar and Matthew Bantha on bass guitar. They performed a medley of Bollywood Hindi songs in two segments to much appreciation. The other feature was a quick pledge drive, or more aptly, a speed pledge challenge, which was spearheaded by Priti Singh. She challenged the crowd to raise $15,000 in 15 minutes, and since there’s nothing like a challenge to rev people up, they responded by raising $27,000 instead! The delighted organizers were thrilled that, all told, the no-frills, entertaining and go-for-the-heart gala raised $66,000 for Save A Mother. SWAPAN YAWAN DHAIR ingCIATES
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COMMUNITY
May 08, 2015
17
Tagore Society Picnic in Bear Creek Park
HOUSTON:The Tagore Society of Houston HDBS held annual picnic held at the Bear Creek Park Pavilion 5 on Sunday, May 3 and about 40 people attended. It started with fresh
omelets and jhaal moori. Lunch was barbecued chicken, fresh roasted corn, hot dogs, beguni, pakoras, potato salad, corn casserole, labanga latikas and mishti shingara. Men's
and women's musical chairs were super hits. Prizes were awarded. Kids played badminton while adults enjoyed adda with their friends and even pets made it to the picnic.
Young Leaders ask the Critical Question: Is there Enough Regulation in Society?
“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”
Stay tuned every Sunday, BY KAUSHIKI TEWARY HOUSTON: On an early Saturday morning, YLDP students from the 2014-2015 program, which instills leadership qualities within youth, gathered at India House to gain insightfrom a truly inspiring leader in the Indian community. Dr. Hardeep Singh is a nationallyrecognized leader in research, policy and clinical practice initiatives, and is part of the Health Policy, Quality & Informatics program at the Houston Veterans Affairs Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety. With over two decades of experience in America, he shared with students his life story, struggles, and a pathway to success despite adversities. As a part of the student group, I was struck by how Dr. Singh was able to overcome the challenges of being a minority in this country, and how he stayed true to his Indian roots and beliefs.
Students were asked to split up into teams and reflect on the talk given by Dr. Singh, and my team was tasked with discussing if more policy and regulation was necessary in today’s society. While we argued on some points, we were able to say, like Dr. Singh, that policy and regulation are necessary in keeping an ethical and moral standard in society. Whether it be in the education system, in the food industry, or even the justice system — our society is plagued by questions of right and wrong. Take for example the multitude of cop shootings last year in cases like Ferguson and the Trayvon Martin case. Had there been more regulation to enact communication between the suspects and police officers, perhaps the killings could have been ultimately avoided. However, because there was a lack of regulation in part of the police officers, unarmed citizens were killed and serious questions of ethics and
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moral were asked. Ultimately, students came to see the truth behind the seriousness of regulation, whether it be in society as a whole, or even in our health systems today. With Dr. Singh’s guidance, students were exposed to a whole new industry of work, and encouraged to question the reliability of the smallest facets of their lives
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18 May 08, 2015 Britain Ki Baat
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
Over the Barrel: A New Energy Plan BY VIKRAM S MEHTA
With just a day to go for Britain’s general election, it is clear that India’s diaspora will play kingmaker like never before. With opinion polls showing Conservatives and Labour neck and neck in the race for Westminster, the 6.2 lakh strong British Indian vote bank could be a crucial game changer in as many as 99 constituencies. In 45 seats, it will be a deciding factor. In an increasingly diverse and non-white Britain, it is increasingly impossible to win an election without what was once a minority immigrant vote. So, much like leaders closer home, both David Cameron and Ed Miliband have made it a point in recent days to visit Indian places of worship and the manifesto of each party makes big promises for the Indian community. There was a time when the South Asian vote was essentially a vote for Labour. Even in 2010, 68% of black and minority ethnic voters supported Labour. With PM Cameron going all out to woo India, visiting the country thrice and inaugurating Gandhi’s statue in London’s parliament square, this trend has changed. It has been accelerated by the fact that regional parties have grown rapidly in England, eating into the two party system. This means that smaller voting populations now matter much more. Even as Indian voting clout has increased, this has a peculiar local dynamic of its own. At a time when the Scottish National Party has expanded by leaps and bounds, following the Scottish referendum last year, it may also end up as a beneficiary of the Indian vote. SNP smartly announced it would reintroduce post-study work visas for Indian students allowing them to work for two years after gaining a degree in Scotland. This promise reaches right to the heart of immigrant desires at a time when SNP seems set for historic gains, along with the UK Independence Party that advocates breaking away from the European Union. Whatever the result on May 7 one thing is clear. British politics has changed irrevocably. From being unwanted immigrants who did low end jobs a few decades ago, South Asians are now not only at the centre of British cultural life, they have become crucial to its political future as well as the UK seems set to enter a new era of coalition politics. Times of India
A year ago, I was requested to make recommendations on a 100-day action plan on energy for the new government. In response, I offered the following suggestions, which I hoped might define the roadmap for the following year. Steps should be taken to institutionalise the formulation of an integrated energy policy. The roadblocks constraining the production of oil, gas and coal should be removed; prices should be aligned to the market and the distortionary implications of subsidies should be addressed; competition should be reinvigorated by levelling the playing field between the public and private sectors; tax administration should be simplified and the anomalies of a cascading tax structure corrected by bringing petroleum within the ambit of the GST; the public-private partnership model should be reconfigured to attract private capital into gas pipelines, power transmission and distribution systems, railways and other essential logistic infrastructure; and finally, the PM should place his weight behind the transition towards a low-carbon growth path. I stressed that given the capital and technology intensive nature of energy and the fact that it is subject to inherently volatile geopolitics, the policy should be seen through lenses that enable medium- to long-term reflection and flexibility. Ayear on, I ask, has the government moved along the suggested pathway? What has the government achieved, and where are the shortfalls? On balance, in my view, the results are impressive. The most notable positive has been the decision to roll together the ministries of power, coal and renewables under the charge of one minister. Earlier, it was handled by three separate cabinet ministers. The decision is notable not so much because it has had much of an impact but because it confirms that the PM wants energy policy to be viewed through an integrated prism. Ideally, the PM should have created a supra “ministry of energy” that in-
cluded petroleum with a senior cabinet appointee and several ministers of state (and respective secretaries), a la the ministries of finance, defence and external affairs. This would have reinforced the integrationist trend and in particular perforated the vertically structured conduit that currently directs the movement of files and the formalities of official interaction. But that would have been a stretch too far and to not welcome a good first step simply because it falls short of the best would be churlish, to say the least. A second positive has been the unclogging of the coal industry. It remains to be seen whether the companies that have secured coal mining leases will be able to raise the finance or offload their output on remunerative terms. Many of them are highly leveraged; some will face huge transportation costs, and given that coal is a tradable, all will be price-constrained by the competitive pressures of imports. This said, there is no denying that the ministry of coal has breathed fresh life into the sector. Coal production has, in the first month of the 2015-16 financial year, posted a double-digit growth rate. Athird positive is the rationalisation of prices and reduction in subsidies. The government did no doubt receive a major fillip from the collapse in oil prices. However, it leveraged this bonanza well and deregulated the prices of transportation fuels and implemented the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme. Today, the prices of diesel and petrol are aligned to the market and the cash drain on the exchequer on account of petroleum subsidies has dropped from Rs 96,800 crore in 2012-13 to a budgeted Rs 30,000 crore for 2015-16. The DBT scheme has further enabled the government to weed out “benami” beneficiaries. It is reported there are 150 million LPG connections. Of these, only 126 million have actually enrolled for the DBT. The rest (20-30 million) must be ghost entries, duplicate connections and voluntary opt-outs. A final positive is the push given to clean energy. The PM called for a “saffron [solar] revolution” a month into his new role and since then, the
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government has jacked up its target for solar and wind energy. It is now committed to increasing solar energy capacity from the current 2.5 gigawatt (GW) to over 100 GW by 2022, and wind energy from the current 26 GW to 50 GW by 2030. These are ambitious targets. Until now, the government has added, on average, 1-1.5 GW of renewable energy per annum (mostly wind). Now it is pushing to add 19 GW of solar and 6 GW of wind annually. And that too in the face of an inadequate grid that will have difficulty absorbing such a massive influx of intermittent and variable electrons, and an estimated investment requirement of $100 billion plus. The targets are prima facie unattainable, but I am positive because it confirms that clean energy is high on the government’s policy agenda. But the record is not without blemish. One is still waiting to see the contours of the New Exploration Licensing Policy. Oil and gas production has not picked up; the exploration intensity of our sedimentary basins is still amongst the lowest in the world and there is lack of clarity on fiscal, pricing, operational and regulatory issues, which have stalled the conversion of discoveries into actual production. Judging from what one reads, I get the sense that bureaucrats in the ministry of petroleum are still reluctant to take decisions because of the “Reliance factor”. I use the latter phrase to reflect official reluctance to take decisions involving the private sector that might, at some later date, attract the attention of the CBI/ CVC/ CAG. A second concern surrounds the clashing objectives of trebling coal production on the one hand and controlling air pollution on the other. The latter is now of “deathly” importance and yet there is scant discussion on issues like carbon taxes, enforcement of emission standards and decarbonisation technology. In the run-up to the Paris climate change summit, the government must prepare a blueprint on how it plans to solve this conundrum. IE The writer is senior fellow, the Brookings Institution, and executive chairman, Brookings India.
May 08, 2015
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 08 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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20 May 08, 2015
COMMUNITY
IACCGH: Trade Delegation to India
The Signing of the MOU in Delhi, India From left: Atul Vyas (IACC India ), Ranjana Khanna (Secretary General, IACC India), Jensen Shen ( Director, Asia, Australia & Oceania - Greater Houston Partnership), Dillan Banerjee (US Embassy, New Delhi), Dean E. Corgey (Commissioner - Port of Houston Authority), Theldon R. Branch, III (Commissioner Port of Houston Authority) , Sanjay Ramabhadran (Past President, IACCGH ) , Jagdip Ahluwalia ( Executive Director, IACCGH,), Paul Frost (US Embassy, New Delhi) , S.K Tayal (Ambassador of India, Rtd.) Sitting, from left: Bob Pertierra (Senior VP & Chief Economic Development Officer - Greater Houston Partnership), Asoke Laha (IACC India), Ashok Garg (President, IACCGH).
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HOUSTON: The Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) played a key role in facilitating a trade delegation to India in April. The 30 member delegation led by Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Bob Pertierra of GHP also included IACCGH President Ashok Garg, Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia, Past President Sanjay Ramabhadran, Karun Sreerama of Asset Management Consultants, Bobby Singh of Isani Consultants L.P, business leaders and representatives from the Port of Houston Authority and the Houston Airport System. Apart from several positive outcomes, the week-long mission to Mumbai and Delhi resulted in an MOU between IACCGH, GHP and IACC, India, to facilitate the exchange of information and promote partnerships between Houston and India. An inbound IACC, India delegation is expected to visit Houston in the first week of June, 2015. Other highlights included a briefing by the U.S. Consul General, meetings with the Mayor of Mumbai and key business leaders in energy and engineering. The delegates also showcased investment opportunities in Houston to members of the IACC,
Asia Society and World Trade Center in Mumbai. The visit to New Delhi was marked by meetings with several high-level Government officials including ministers of Civil Aviation, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Commerce and HRD. An “Invest in Houston” seminar garnered a great deal of attention and interest. Several discussions ranging from opportunities in energy and medical to engineering and construction were held. Members of the delegation also had an hour long meeting with the US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma and apprised him of the rich investment possibilities that exist between Houston and India. An invitation was extended to him to visit Houston by IACCGH President Ashok Garg and his office is working on possible dates for his visit. Since its inception in 1999, IACCGH has been working with the GHP and the Mayor’s office to foster bilateral trade between India and Houston to impact economic growth, investments and job creation in Houston. It has hosted several inbound and outbound delegations, one of which resulted in Mahindra USA, the third largest tractor company in the world, expanding their facility in Harris County. According to Bob Pertierra, Senior
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VP of Economic Development, GHP, “The timing of a Houston business delegation to India aligns well with the country’s efforts to open trade and investment opportunities with the U.S. and to establish greater economic ties between the two nations.” IACCGH President Ashok Garg observed that “Recent estimates indicate the Indian GDP will grow at a rate of 8-9% in the coming years. This makes it an ideal place for businesses to grow, especially those that already have operations in India. Mayor Parker acknowledged IACCGH and GHP for helping put the trade mission in place and believed that Houston “will continue to reap the benefits of their hard work well into the future as the relationships initiated this week develop further.” She also stated that this delegation “accomplished our goal of strengthening the already strong ties that exist between Houston and India.” IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia expressed his thanks to the Consul General of India to Houston, P. Harish for helping coordinate meetings with high ranking Indian officials for the delegation. A highlight for the IACCGH leadership was reconnecting with former Consul Generals of India in Houston. They met with Ambassador S.M. Gavai in Mumbai, Ambassador Rinzing Wangdi in Delhi and Ambassador Skand Tayal who was present at the signing of the MOU in Delhi. Houston and India are bound by extensive business, trade and cultural ties. It is home to over 100,000 Indo Americans and has more than 700 companies that do business with India. Trade between Houston and India totaled $4.7 billion in 2014. The Houston/Galveston Customs District ranks as India’s third largest U.S. gateway for international trade by value. India is sixth among Houston’s Asian trading partners and 16th among Houston’s trading partners worldwide.
May 08, 2015
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 08 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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22 May 08, 2015 Job Posting:
Digital Account Manager
KTRK-TV, the ABC/Walt Disney Company owned station has an opening for a Digital Account Manager. The ideal candidate will be passionate about technology, excel in a team environment and have a history of delivering on and exceeding revenue goals in the digital space. Responsible for prospecting, selling, developing, and expanding the digital client base for KTRK. Drives new and incremental revenue and regularly meets pre-established activity and results quotas. Monitors and evaluates competitive media spending for sales categories. Works with moderate guidance in own area of knowledge. Core Responsibilities Create / implement own sales pipeline to prospect and create leads, outbound activity, prioritization and metrics for measurement of progress. Continuously develop and strengthen an extensive set of relationships at the agency level, client level, VP and Director-levels across companies and across industry categories. Create and execute deal metrics while managing communication of contract summaries for key stakeholders. Seek to understand and analyze prospective accounts’ advertising and marketing needs while consultatively recommending appropriate advertising solutions; consult, quote rates and schedule online advertising. Create and Maintain complete records on active and historic advertiser activity within our CRM. Stay ahead of industry changes and trends as they pertain to accounts and digital products. Understand the current marketplace as well as competitive strengths/weaknesses to monetize opportunity. Prospecting, developing and selling KTRK’s suite of digital media products to clients direct and through digital agencies. Work closely with internal support teams. Coordinates implementation of interactive programs with sales, marketing/promotions and creative services. Completes required documentation and reporting for the proper processing of contracts, advertising schedules and client invoicing. Sales travel is involved when needed. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Impeccable time management and organizational skills. Excellent knowledge of digital solutions and understanding of consumer behavior across multiple media channels. Assembly, delivery and interpretation of monthly customer reports and campaign optimization. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Job Specifications Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent. Generally requires 2-4 years related digital sales experience for a digital publisher, network, DSP or digital agency preferred . High level of sales maturity with emphasis on digital, social media and solution selling. Strong understanding of the entire digital media ecosystem from publisher to advertiser. Comprehensive knowledge of online advertising, creative units/executions and current competitive landscape. Working knowledge of standard 3rd party industry measurement Demonstrated record of success for new business development. Works well within a team and individually. Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. A clear understanding of digital media advertising processes and industry terms including campaign metrics. Ability to provide strategic and creative direction across all digital platforms (desktop, mobile, social, search listings, and programmatic buying) for client. Proficient with Microsoft Office and CRM tools; Google Analytics experience a plus IAB Digital Media Sales Certification preferred To be considered all interested candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Reference Job ID: 268122BR. No Telephone Calls KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability
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KTRK-TV, and ABC owned station in Houston, TX has an opening for a part time Non-Linear News Editor. Candidates should have experience in editing on nonlinear systems as well as knowledge of the Digital Newsroom and understanding of the digital workflow for broadcast news, in a deadline intensive environment. Serious candidates should also have a working knowledge of a server based digital media workflow. Candidates should be able to edit in deadline situations, be creative, precise and be able to work fast. You must be able to take direction, and be a “Team Player” who is not afraid of an intense news environment. Hours will vary depending on the needs of the department, so flexibility to work a varied schedule is required. Candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Interested applicants should also send video tape sample of your work to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 268732BR on all materials submitted. No Telephone Calls KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 08 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
May 08, 2015
Ashirwad’s Happy Day 2015
HOUSTON: Ashirwad A Blessing Temple celebrated Happy:) Day 7 on Sunday April 26, in Durgabari Temple, Houston. Happy:) Day is Ashirwad's end of the year graduation & appreciation program. Highlights of the evening were Chief Teacher's Commitment Award, Sloka-Thon & $loka-Bet, VEDIC FAIR 2015 Appreciation, "Yoga Showcase", Annual Sloka Recital & Student Graduation Ceremony. Ashirwad's chief teacher Geetha Ravula-Ji, every year recognizes one Ashirwad Family for their consistent commitment to heritage. This year’s Chief Teacher's commitment award of 2015 was presented to Ananya Bhonsley and her parents Bindu Rao (Mother), Vivek Bhonsley (Father). Signature event of the evening that parents and students look forward fervently is SlokaThon. Ashirwad students compete to recite as many slokas as they can in 3 minutes and recite any sloka by number from lot assigned to them from Sri Vishnusahasra Namam or Bhagwad Githa. Sloka Chanting has many benefits. Chanter doesn’t necessarily have to be aware of meaning of verses to enjoy these benefits. Sanskrit language has tremendous spectrum of energy, its phonetics require the complexity of tongue placements that stimulate pituitary gland located just millimeters away from the roof of the palate. Since chanting naturally requires cycles of deep respiration, it also amounts to release of emotional toxicity and unwanted psychic residue. Chanters have reported to have experienced more mental clarity and memory increase. Keeping Sloka chanting benefits for growing kids in mind, Ashirwad’s curriculum emphasizes sloka chanting as of one of the main teachings along with yoga, meditation, stories from scriptures, bhajans, stage shows, presentations, sports and other live activities. On Happy:) Day, Top 3 sloka-thon finalists compete live on stage to recite slokas precisely from memory. Rhea Bhat is crowned SlokaThon 2015 champion for reciting 34 Slokas from Bhagwad Githa and slokas by number from Sri Vishnusahasranama Sthotram asked by Judges. 1st runner up is Srinidhi Srikalyani & 2nd runner up is Aishani Sakalbhaktula. Ashirwad recognized VEDIC FAIR 2015, INDIA Exhibit Presentations Competition, champion Bhavana Gollapudi for presenting “Indian Scientific Heritage”, Ayushi Sapru runner up for presenting “Lord Ganesh”. In below 10 years category Ananya Bhonsley was the champion for her presentation on “Navagraha - the nine planetary dieties”, Annika Ahuja the runner up for her presentation on “Vrindavan”. Winner Renu Ahuja & runner up Manisha Mohta for cooking competition {Sathwik} CONTINUED ON PAGE
Ashirwad Team with Chief Teacher Geetha Ravula, (Sitting in the Center)
29
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24 May 08, 2015
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PUZZLES/RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Puri Aloo (Puffed Small Fried Bread & Curried Potatoes)
There are several types of fried breads in Punjabi cuisine that are very satisfying but not made at home everyday, like kulche or bature or puris. They have the same fluffy texture but are eaten with different types of dishes to complement their flavor, like channe with bature. Among them, puris are a favorite of many as it can be eaten with sweet halva or with salty foods like channe, but most often with slighty smashed, curried aloo (potatoes). Puri aloo is best eaten as a meal by itself with garnishes like raw onions, achaar (pickles) and with long, spicy green Indian mirchen (chilli peppers). It is a favorite for a heavy breakfast by young and old, but it is equally comforting when eaten in the middle of the afternoon as a snack. The word “puri” comes from the Sanskrit purika or filled. It is either made of atta (whole wheat flour) or maida (refined wheat flour) and when the dough is put in the hot oil, it fluffs up with one side (the one considered the top) that is softer than the other and turns a golden brown. Potatoes are consumed universally all over India, but the ones used for this dish should be the Idaho russet variety which can be easily smashed to make it easy to dab into and eat as well as to allow the flavor of the spices to permeate through the dish. You can add other spices to the curry, as you want. portion of protein that other flours. Mixed with water, it can be used as a facial exfoliant or scrub or to replace eggs in vegan cooking. In the heat of the Punjab, this is the bread that can easily be eaten with a dollop of homemade butter or just plain yogurt or with a cool glass of lassi (buttermilk) sitting under the shade of a tree on a charpai (jute string cot). Ingredients: 6 medium aloo (potatoes) 4 cups atta (unbleached wheat flour). Makes 24 puris 2 cups pani (water) – boiling, to add to the potatoes 4 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp amchoor (dry green mango powder) 1 tsp jeera (cumin seed) 1 tsp garam masala Spices (to taste): haldi (turmeric), namak (salt), mirch (red pepper)
use a velna (rolling pin) to roll the ball into a nice round, flat pancake, about 1/8 inch thick and 4 inches round. If the dough is too soft, then you can make the pancakes with your hands and fingertips.
Directions: 1. Wash the potatoes well and then them place them in a large pot of boiling water. 2. After they are tender, drain the water and peel two of them, letting the 4 others to cool off. Mash the two peeled potatoes and set aside in a bowl. 3. Heat the oil in a medium sized pot and throw in the jeera, turmeric, pepper and salt and stir till they are brown. 4. Add the whole and the mashed potatoes to the masala to make a thicker curry and stir well for 2 minutes, adding the 2 cups of boiling water. 5. Leave on the heat for 5 minutes. Add the amchoor and garam masala to bring in the authentic medium brown color and spicy tanginess. Cut the whole potatoes into 1 inch cubes and throw into the curry to let the flavor seep in. Mix the ingredients well and then remove from the heat. 6. Pour the flour in a bowl and slowly pour 2 cups of water in while kneading the dough till it becomes a nice, tender but firm ball. Dab the surface of the ball with a little water to keep it moist, cover the bowl and set aside. 7. Coat your hands with a little oil then pinch off a portion of the dough and make into a 1 inch round ball. 8. Pour a little dry flour on the counter and roll the ball in it to coat it. Now
9.Heat the oil in a karahi (wok). Throw in a small dab of dough to make sure the oil is very hot. Release a rolled pancake into the hot oil, if there is space, then release another pancake or two into the oil. 10.When one side is slightly brown and fluffs up, turn it over using a sieved spatula and turn over 2 or 3 times to make sure both sides are cooked. Be careful that they do not become dark brown. The puris should fluff up. Take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. 11.Now repeat the process till the rest of the puris are made and the dough is finished. 12.Serve the aloo in a bowl with hot puris and the garnishes on the side.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 08 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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.
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT Movie Review: Gabbar Is Back BY SRIJANA MITRA DAS Gabbar is back - and so is Akshay Kumar, with a big-screen bang. Professor Aditya (Akshay) has a secret life as vigilante Gabbar who terrorizes government officials. Gabbar and his gang kidnap tehsildars, collectors and cops, hanging the most corrupt in public. As the police search frantically for this rebel with a cause, Gabbar decides corrupt builder Patil (Suman) ko bhi sazaa milegi, barabar milegi - does Gabbar succeed? Legend says Amjad Khan as Sholay’s dreaded iconic villain Gabbar Singh was so explosive, cassettes featuring just Gabbar’s dialogues sold for years. Gabbar Is Back picks up that high-voltage pulse, remixing it cleverly with the biggest concern of contemporary times - corruption. This Gabbar also terrorizes - but only targets the corrupt. For aam citizens, Gabbar’s an inspiring figure - one who makes you cheer for the ‘bad’ guy. Akshay Kumar has a blast playing Gabbar who, with dark, wavy hair and bristly beard, has never looked hotter. With twinkling eyes and deadpan face, Akshay delivers dynamite dialogues - ‘Naam se villain, kaam se hero’, flawless bone-breaking action, redefining PWD (‘power-wala danda’), switching from loose-limbed vulnerability to jaw-clenched inten-
sity in a flash. The story powers him with its novel concept (a moral universe where Gabbar is hero and Thakur, a smug cop, snapping at bright constable Sadhuram, played by straight-faced Sunil Grover) and contrasts. Doctors pretending to treat a dead man, nervous officials returning bribes via
money orders, tickle you with dark comedy. But you wince as Aditya hears mocking ‘apologies’ by babus, bribed to pass a faulty building that collapses - with many lives. With gritty reality, Gabbar has glamour too - Shruti charms with her soft, pretty appeal while a cameo by Kareena adds sheen but doesn’t divert. The second half’s blood pressure doesn’t fully match the first (Patil’s insistent ‘I am a brand!’ gets repetitive while CBI officer Pahwa looks clueless without Sadhuram’s ‘axellent’ work) - but the climax pushes up the adrenaline again. While the music’s pleasantly seamless, the editing is razor-sharp, evoking Manmohan Desai, rushing you from one entertaining scene to the next, without time to figure things out - but just enough to feel. Now, Gabbar Is Back - and you’ll feel his return rocks. Just don’t angry him. -Timesof India
May 08, 2015
Hollywood Films is a Challenge I’d Love to Take: Deepika Padukone
BY JIGAR SHAH Deepika Padukone, whose Bollywood career has been going great, says that she is excited by the prospect of taking on Hollywood films. Ask the 29-year-old about narrowly missing out on a role in Furious 7, and she jokingly beats the table with her fist, saying, “And it goes on to become the biggest Hollywood hit in the country!” Would she be open to Hollywood in the future, then? “Yes, it does excite me. It’s fascinating to set foot in a world that is completely different. The kind of films they make is differ-
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ent, and I’m sure their work culture is different, too. It would be like starting all over again, the way I began my Bollywood career seven years ago. It would be challenging, but I don’t mind,” says the actor. Meanwhile, she also shoots down rumours that she made Priyanka Chopra wait for two hours on the set of the film: “One day, while a shot was being prepared, Sanjay (Gupta, filmmaker) sir was wondering why there was so much silence, and then he spotted the two of us talking and giggling in a corner. It was an unusual sight.”W, it Meanwhile, she also shoots down rumours that she made Priyanka Chopra wait for two hours on the set of the film: “One day, while a shot was being prepared, Sanjay (Gupta, filmmaker) sir was wondering why there was so much silence, and then he spotted the two of us talking and giggling in a corner. It was an unusual sight.” -HindustanTimes
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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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Weak Monsoon to Hit Consumer Packaged Goods Sector
Prospects of a weak monsoon when rural demand is tepid will likely dent hopes of a recovery in the consumer packaged goods sector in 2015 BY SAPNA AGARWAL MUMBAI: Prospects of a weak monsoon at a time when rural demand is tepid will likely dent hopes of a recovery in the consumer packaged goods sector in 2015. Growth in the sector declined to 7% in 2014, the worst in five years. In a November report, insights provider Nielsen had predicted that growth in the consumer packaged goods sector would revive to 10% in 2015 and 12% in 2016 as consumer sentiment and economic conditions improve. Growth in 2013 was 12%. However, untimely rains in February and forecasts of a weak monsoon now could prevent that recovery. “Rural spends will be impacted this year and this will cause the overall rate of the sector to come down this year,” said Piyush Mathur, president, India, Nielsen. The firm is yet to give out revised growth rates for the sector. Unlike in the past couple of years,
when urban demand pulled down growth, the slowdown in fiscal 2015 was due to weak rural demand. This could continue for the next six to 12 months, said experts. “If rains are poor... the impact on rural demand and growth could be more substantial,” said a 23 April report by HSBC Global Research, explaining that the cycle of low minimum support prices and rural wage growth, combined with soft global commodity prices is impacting rural spending. Rural sales account for more than 40% of Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s revenues, and 35-40% for Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd; for Dabur India Ltd, Nestle Ltd and Britannia Industries Ltd, rural sales account for 30-35% of overall sales, said a 24 February report by Ambit Capital. At the end of fiscal 2014, rural revenue growth rates for many firms were two to three times higher than urban growth rates. However, rural demand has seen a substantial moderation over the
last nine to 12 months, resulting in the narrowing of the ratio between rural and urban growth rates to one to two times, said the Ambit report. The gap may narrow further this year and growth rates in urban and rural markets may be comparable, said Nielsen’s Mathur. “The rural consumer is more cautious than the urban consumer and when there is any uncertainty they tend to become more conservative with their spends,” said George Angelo, vice-president, sales (consumer care division), Dabur India, who felt the impact will be far worse for the consumer durables sector and for big-ticket purchases. Rahul Gyanchandani, joint managing director, RSPL Ltd, the maker of Ghari detergent, agreed. “The Indian economy is agriculture-based and, hence, the untimely rains will have an impact on the economy as the discretionary spends will be impacted,” he said, adding that categories such as consumer durables will be affected
Growth in the packaged goods sector declined to 7% in 2014, Growth in the packaged goods sector declined to 7% in 2014, the worst in five years. the worst in five years.
far more. Apart from uncertainty over rural spending, the broader tepid outlook for consumer spending is also persisting. “The outlook is not looking very positive. We are seeing a slight uptake, but not to the extent that we like,” said Chandru Kalro, managing director, TTK Prestige. Even so, there are signs of a marginal improvement. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, one of the first consumer firms to report earnings
this season, on Tuesday posted better second-half sales, compared to the first half of fiscal 2015, and said it expects fiscal 2016 to be better than 2015. “Directionally, every quarter from quarter one to quarter four, the numbers are looking up... It will not be a stellar year next year... but we still feel quite hopeful,” managing director Vivek Gambhir said over the phone after the firm’s earnings announcement. -livemint.com
Tata Motors Turns to GenX Nano to Shed Cheapest Car Tag The GenX Nano is expected to hit the markets in 6-7 weeks time
PUNE: To revive the fortunes of what Ratan Tata called ‘People’s Car’, Tata Motors is all set to unveil its new avatar, GenX Nano, positioning it as an aspirational vehicle. In a bid to lure first time buyers and bury the ‘cheapest car’ tag that has been associated with the Nano, which drew the world’s attention when launched in 2009, the company is making a “critical intervention” offering, with a host of new features. It will have automatic manual trans-
mission, openable boot and bluetooth phone sync audio system, among other features. The GenX Nano is expected to hit the markets in 6-7 weeks time, following which the existing range of Nano will be phased out except for the CNG version. Putting to rest theories about the company killing the brand, Tata Motors senior vice-president (programme, planning & project management, passenger vehicles) Girish Wagh told PTI that the Nano “is
an extremely critical product” for Tata Motors. “Never did we have discussion about killing the brand... Our discussion has been how to reenergise the brand. We see there is a tremendous emotional connect with the brand and at the same time emotional hurdles too.” “What we are trying to do is to address at the emotional level through brand building and at the product level by making it a complete hatch,” Wagh said.
Admitting the company’s mistake of Nano not addressing the “societal status” need of a two-wheeler rider while upgrading to a car, he said Tata Motors was correcting that. The company is doing so by offering all the functional needs like power steering, openable boot, automatic transmission for city driving and also providing a bigger fuel tank of 24 litres as compared to just 15 looters in the previous version. “We had to add these features so
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as to make it a smart city car. It is a very very critical intervention for the Nano... We have made significant changes and improvement in the perceived quality of the car,” said Wagh, the engineer who led the development of Nano. The company had refreshed the Nano in 2012 and last year with Nano Twist, he said, adding “after that in terms of content this is the biggest intervention we have made”. -livemint.com
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IPL 2015: All-Round Mumbai Continues to Surge BY ARUN VENUGOPAL
Mumbai Indians 153 for 5 (Rayudu 49*, Rohit 46) beat Delhi Daredevils 152 for 6 (Yuvraj 57) by 5 wickets Mumbai Indians alternated between brilliance and brain-freeze, and despite inexplicably fiddling with their batting order again, trumped Delhi Daredevils by five wickets and three balls to spare. A large chunk of the credit for their fourth win in a row ought to go to Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu, who raised a 60-run stand to resurrect the innings after Daredevils had made a competitive, if not imposing, 152. When Rohit was bowled by Amit Mishra’s wrong one for 46 off 37 balls, Mumbai still needed 53 off 28 balls. But, Kieron Pollard biffed an unbeaten 26 off 14, while Rayudu, shifting gears in the end, remained a rock-solid presence, staying unbeaten for 40 balls. Mumbai had to contend with the opponents’ weighty bowling line-up as well as two rain interruptions, even as their own bizarre batting line-up almost did them in. But, after Rohit and Rayudu had turned around a dire situation into one where they had a realistic shout, they closed out the game with ease. Like Daredevils, Mumbai, too, were a man down by the time the first legal delivery was sent down. Zaheer Khan continued with his good showing, prising out Lendl Simmons in a manner that was reminiscent of his bowling in the early 2000s, a length ball swinging back into the right-handed batsman to pin him in front. Mumbai countered by sending in Hardik Pandya at No. 3, in sync with their revolving-door batting order this season. With Nathan Coulter-Nile being a bristling presence at the other end, Daredevils captain JP Duminy sniffed the possibility of a few more wickets, and deployed a short-leg for Pandya. The attacking mindset worked as Pandya perished soon, topedging a pull, and he was joined in the dug-out by Parthiv Patel.
where he was reprieved after J Suchith and Pandya nearly collided with each other. But after adding 43 runs in five overs, Iyer and Duminy were dismissed in successive overs, denting Daredevils’ surge. Yuvraj scratched around for a while, more eking out runs than plundering them. He was also constrained in equal parts by the lack of a stable partner at the other end and Harbhajan’s niggardly bowling, which was punctuated with 16 dot balls. Having rode out the tougher phases, Yuvraj indulged his strengths, lashing Malinga for three fours in one over and smoking back-toback sixes off McClenaghan in the next. The second of those sixes, a wristy whip condemned to the stands beyond square leg, brought up his fifty, which he celebrated with a flying kiss. Saurabh Tiwary kept Yuvraj company as they ransacked 41 runs in 20 balls, while Daredevils scored 57 runs in their last five overs. Arun Venugopal is a senior subeditor at ESPNcricinfo
Chennai Wins Low Game vs. Bangalore Ambati Rayudu played a crucial hand of 49 not outDaredevils, IPL 2015, Mumbai, May 5, 2015
Mumbai continued to surprise, promoting Harbhajan Singh ahead of Rayudu, and he played one onto the stumps after carting the previous ball over Coulter-Nile’s head. Mumbai had slumped to 40 for 4 by the sixth over, and the players had to head back to the change rooms due to rain only minutes after they had first gone off the field after lightning pierced through the Mumbai sky. As play resumed not long after, Rohit had to keep one eye on the Duckworth-Lewis scores, and he was duly armed with sheets of paper in his pocket. There was a similarly calculative approach to Rohit and Rayudu’s partnership, as they looked to take the match deep. Mumbai required 92 to win at the half-way mark, but they continued trading in bunts and
whippety drives off Mishra and Imran Tahir, knowing their time would come. Eventually, as they got themselves closer, Rohit brought into play his preferred straight hits more frequently, and after his dismissal, Rayudu and Pollard launched a series of crunchy strikes to damage the bowlers’ confidence irreversibly. Daredevils had a disruptive rhythm to their innings themselves, losing Mayank Agarwal to a lazy poke off the first ball after opting to bat. Duminy began by pulling Lasith Malinga for a four and then took a liking for Vinay Kumar’s gentle pace, clobbering the ball over midwicket and back over the bowler’s head. Shreyas Iyer took three fours off a Mitchell McClenaghan over
BANGALORE: After suffering two losses on the road, Chennai Super Kings returned to the MA Chidambaram Stadium and extended their undefeated run at home this season to five games by winning a choppy contest against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The 24-run victory took Super Kings to 14 points, level with table-toppers Rajasthan Royals with a game in hand. Royal Challengers were left in third place on nine points, with four teams not more than a point behind them. Batsmen from both sides struggled on a sweltering day in Chennai but when Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik were at the crease, with Royal Challengers needing 52 off 37 balls with seven wickets in hand, the visitors were favourites. They had added 63 and were cruising, when Dwayne Bravo turned the match with a stunning display of reflexes.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 08 , 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
SPORTS Canada Undoes USA in ICC Americas T20 BY PETER DELLA PENNA INDIANAPOLIS (ESPN Cricinfo): USA’s strong first innings platform was undone by five wickets in the space of eight balls thanks to an outstanding display from Cecil Pervez to set up a six-wicket win for Canada at Indianapolis World Sports Park on Tuesday. USA elected to bat on a hot and sunny morning but never really found their footing against a disciplined Canada bowling unit. The hosts offered four chances inside the Powerplay but fast bowler Pervez and legspinner Junaid Siddiqui were let down by the fielding. It allowed Fahad Babar and Steven Taylor to produce a 51-run opening stand that was finally broken when Babar yanked Jimmy Hansra’s offspin to Satsimranjit Dhindsa at deep square leg for 31 in the ninth over. Taylor ground his way to a top score of 46 off 50 balls before falling in the 17th over to offspinner Nikhil Dutta edging an attempted cut to the keeper Hamza Tariq. Still USA were well placed after 17 overs with the score at 108 for 3 but their innings unraveled soon after. Bhatti was run-out attempting a second run chancing the arm of Dutta from long-on to start the 18th while Barrington Bartley tried slogging Siddiqui through a stiff breeze blowing across the ground and was caught at extra cover by Rizwan Cheema for 1 with two balls to go in the 19th to make it 123 for 5.
Ruvindu Gunasekera plays a shot off the back of his bat, United States of America v Canada, ICC Americas Regional T20.
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Good Samaritan Knocked into Brazos River by Drunken Driver
ISKCON of Houston: One Year Anniversary for Deity Installation
Have you ever been to the ISKCON of Houston temple? That marble clad monolith that sits on the corner of spiritual strength and community values, or in layman’s terms 34th and Golf Dr. Well if you haven’t, your opportunity is swiftly approaching! Sunday May 17 - big things are happening in honor of the smallest deities on the altar! There will be a grand 1-year anniversary celebration of the installation of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari. This also marks the grand opening of our lovely temple. The celebration will include live music (Kirtan), a philosophical discourse that is sure to get your gears turning, a special bathing of the deities (Abhishekh), as well as a Jhu-
lan (Swing for the deities). The whole evening wouldn’t be complete without delicious vegetarian feast!!! This free event is family friendly so feel free to bring everyone - from the children to the grandparents! We would love to have the honor of inviting you into our temple with open arms! The doors will open at 5 PM Sunday, May 17. We look forward to seeing you there! For more information on the temple and the Sunday Feasts, Goswami Academy, Sunday school and other various programs, please visit www.iskconhouston. org or come see us: ISKCON of Houston | 1320 W 34th St., Houston TX 77018 | 713.686.GITA
Puneet Nehra, 43, stopped to help people involved in a crash on the Brazos River bridge of the northbound Grand Parkway Sunday night when, about 9 p.m., a suspected drunk driver crashed into the scene. Nehra is missing. Police suspect he was knocked into the river, where crews have been searching by boat and helicopter.
SUGAR LAND:A Sugar Land man who stopped to help at the scene of a car crash Sunday night is still missing after a suspected drunken driver crashed into that first accident and potentially knocked him into the Brazos River. Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Maj. Chad Norvell is asking for the public to call with any information about the crash or if they have seen the missing man, 43-yearold Puneet Nehra. On his way home from picking up dinner for his family, Nehra and another driver stopped to help people involved in a crash on the Brazos River bridge of the northbound Grand Parkway, Norvell said. Before deputies could respond to that first accident, another car operated by a suspected drunken driver crashed
Veteran Mumbai Investor Parag Parikh Killed in Car Crash
into the scene about 9 p.m. Police suspect that Nehra was knocked over the railing into the river. “Nobody saw him get knocked into the water. They didn’t realize that was what happened until they had more vehicles than they had drivers,” Norvell said. “They went to his residence nearby to make sure he didn’t just walk home.” His family told deputies he had not yet returned home. Norvell said that’s when officers pieced it together that Nehra likely was knocked off the bridge and into the river. Gregory Kure, 30 of Needville, has been arrested and charged with DWI in the incident, although Norvell said those charges might change if Nehra is not found alive. The Houston Chronicle
Ashirwad’s Happy Day 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE
Investment analyst and adviser Parag Parikh was killed in a car crash in Omaha. Nebraska on Sunday, May 3.
OMAHA, NB: Long time Indian investor and financial advisor Parag Parikh, 61, was killed in a car accident this past Sunday, May 3, returning from the annual general body meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the company controlled by legendary investment guru Warren Buffet. He was on his way to the airport in Omaha when the car he was travelling in was struck by a pickup truck. Parikh had visited Houston eight years ago and his friend, Jawahar Malhotra, the publisher of Indo-American News, had arranged for an investment seminar for the well-known investment guru. Parikh also wrote weekly articles for Indo-American News for two years, giving investment advice. “This is a huge tragedy,” said Malho-
The Parikhs were rear-seat passengers travelling in a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta on their way to the airport when their car was broadsided by the pickup truck which ran into a utility pole. The Jetta crashed into a tree.
tra, “I am stunned by the news.” According to the Omaha WorldHerald (http://www.omaha.com), the crash happened before 7 am. Sunday in midtown Omaha as the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Parikh was in was struck by a 2011 Chevrolet pickup. Omaha Police said Parikh of Mumbai, died at the Nebraska Medical Center. His wife, 59-year-old Geeta Parikh was in critical condition with head and chest injuries. Both were in the rear passenger seat. Two others in the Volkswagen — 42-year-old Rajeev Thakkar of Mumbai and 29-year-old Raunak Onkar of Maharastra — sustained non-life threatening injuries. The
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truck’s 63-year-old driver was treated for a shoulder injury at a different hospital and released. Police Sgt. Chuck Casey said Thakkar was driving the Volkswagen at the time of the crash. He paused at a stop sign before pulling forward into the path of the pickup truck. Police say Thakkar might face charges related to the crash. Shailesh Shah of Mumbai said his brother-in-law Parag Parikh was a well-known stockbroker and financial planner in India and had his own private wealth management firm. He said that all four were in Omaha to attend Berkshire’s shareholder meeting and Thakkar and Onkar both worked
for Parikh’s investment firm. “Parag was a very nice gentleman, very successful,” Shah said. “It still has not sunk into me about the death of my brother-in-law. It is very sad.” The Parikhs have two sons, Shah was scheduled to go to Beijing but on hearing the news, changed his plans to fly directly to Omaha and had still not been able to arrive till Tuesday, May 5. His cousin Darshana from Boston and other family friends from the East Coast were already with Gita in the hospital. She has several fractured ribs, a head injury and two broken vertebrae which will be operated upon Tuesday afternoon.
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were recognized and awarded. Ashirwad Divine students presented highlight of the evening "Yoga Showcase". Students showcased various asanas learned in the class such as Bhujangasan, Uttita Parsva Konasan, Virabadrasan, Trikonasan, Chakrasan, Halasan, Danurasan and more. Happy Day concluded on a happy note, all students delightfully received their graduation trophy. Ashirwad class of 2015-2016 will commence on Saturday, September 12 2015. Enrollments are now open for kids over 4 year to 18 years. Teen Yoga, Meditation classes and summer adult classes for yoga, meditation and Bhagwad Githa are held every month in Katy, TX. For more information email ashirwadablessing@gmail. com or visit ashirwadablessing.org
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