Friday, June 12 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 24
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Indo American erican News
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New Leader to Follow in the Footsteps, but Chart Out a Path for Greater Growth BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON: Even as the clock ticks away the moments towards the end of his tenure, the perfectionist in him won’t let him rest till the crowning task of his career at Interfaith Ministries is completed. “I have my work cut out for me as I make sure that the new Conference Center is finished,” said Elliot Gershenson, referring to the new building that will be opening soon. A man with a short stature but a powerful determination to leave an indelible mark on his adopted city, Gershenson, 65, will step down as CEO and President of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston in early July, paving the path for his successor, Martin Cominsky, to take over the helm of the venerable 60-year-old institution that has come to symbolize the harmony of different faiths in tackling hunger, isolation and rehabilitation in the Bayou City. During his tenure, Gershenson made many inroads to people of other faiths, reaching out to the leadership in their respective communities, and to integrate their ideas into the goals outlined for IM. Flexibility and change has been the organization’s key to longevity and renown in the city, as it transformed itself from the Protestant-based Houston Council of Churches Church Welfare Bureau to include Jewish groups; emerge as the Houston Metropolitan Ministries in 1969 and be renamed the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston in 1992. Gershenson took over the reins in 2003 and immediately fanned out to include even more faiths over the years; bringing in from the South Asian community Fatima Mawji, Ajit Giani, Shaukat Zakaria, Nizar Charania, Swatantra Jain, Sushma Mahajan, Jasmeeta Singh and Shahnaz Waliany, all of whom are still on the Board of Directors. “It has been a tremendous blessing being with IM,” reflected Gershenson as he took a Friday afternoon off. “It has been a wonderful journey meeting people of different faiths. I had worked in my Jewish world and was happy in my bubble. IM has broadened my ideas and I have learnt how much faiths have in common.” This backdrop has provided
Outgoing CEO & President Elliot Gershenson.
Cominsky with some ideas for further outreach in service, and will likely further broaden IM’s Board. Like Gershenson, he has a long history of involvement in building tolerance in the city. A native Houstonian, he has been the Regional Director for the Southwest with the Anti-Defamation League in Houston for the past 16 years and created its “No Place for Hate” school program which is operation in 450 Texas schools. Cominsky, 57, has worked with law enforcement tracking the activities of extremist groups and helped stop defamation of Jewish people and crimes against them. He started his career as an Assistant to the Chancellor at the University of Houston, moving on to become the National Director for the Business Volunteers for the Arts and later founding the Serve Houston Youth Corps, an after-school program of AmeriCorps in low-income neighborhoods. Cominsky is excited about his transition from advocacy to helping people and has short-terms goals to expand the IM’s Meals on Wheels program to 10,000 meals daily from the current 4,000 and promote the use of the soon-to-
open 200-seat Convention Center to further foster interfaith dialogues. His exposure to the South Asian community has been limited to his neighbors, attending an occasional function like the International Festival featuring India and giving the Civil Rights Hero award to UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator in November 2014. An impressionable memory was learning that his father had met Mahatma Gandhi around 1944 in India while he stationed in the US Army there, yet Cominsky himself has never been to India. “I want to lead with the precepts of Gandhi and make sure the community is well-served,” Cominsky said of his new role. I hope to get Indians involved in iLead, a Youth Leadership program of the IM.” For the next 18 months, Cominsky will have assistance from Gershenson who will be President-Emeritus, though not full-time. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” shared Gershenson who was previously the philanthropy director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the executive director of the Dallas Con-
New CEO & President Martin Cominsky
gregation Shearith Israel before joining IM. His grandfather was from Russia and Gershenson is fascinated by the experience of first generation immigrants as they go through the same integration process other communities have experienced.
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He has plans to become a consultant to non-profits, but first wants to take time to be with his wife of 43 years, Alyson, two children and 5 grandchildren. “I want to be busy,” he quipped, “but just busy enough.”
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IACAN Presents Symptom Pain and Sleep Management
Photos: Bijay Dixit
HOUSTON: One of the major goals of IACAN is to bring cancer awareness and prevention to the public through educational seminars. One such seminar titled “Symptom management, Pain and Sleep Management” was presented on Sunday, June 7, at India House. Dr. V.K. Dorai, President of IACAN, welcomed everyone. He briefly talked about various services, such as patient navigation, organizing survivor network to promote fellowship and support, and bone marrow registrations, to name a few that are provided by IACAN. Alpa Shah, Treasurer of Indo American Charity Foundation, presented their annual support check to IACAN. Alpa mentioned that IACF is proud to support IACAN and its services that benefit the Indian American community. Kumari Susarla, Vice president of IACAN, was the moderator and introduced each of the speakers. Dr. Sandra Gomez, System Director of Supportive Medicine at Memorial Hermann Physician Network presented first. Dr. Gomez gave an informative talk on Symptom Management. A patient may present one or more symptoms such as pain, nausea,
a very interesting and educational talk about sleep management. He informed that our body has a circadian rhythm that guides us in our sleep and waking cycle. To have a good night sleep it is essential not to use our iPads, iPods or computers before we go to sleep, since the blue green light affects the production of certain chemicals in our brain that signals our body to fall asleep. Soothing meditation music, yoga and exercise helps us to fall asleep and stay asleep. He emphasized that we should go to bed at a fixed time each night and wake up at a fixed time each morning. The presentations were followed by a question and answer session. The audience had many questions for all the speakers. Meena Agrawal, Treasurer of IACAN, gave the vote of thanks. Each speaker was presented a token of appreciation. For further details contact iacannetwork@gmail.com or visit www.iacannetwork.org or call 713-370-3489.
shortness of breath, sleep, depression, etc. which may affect the outcomes of treatment. The Supportive Medicine specialists have the expertise to communicate clearly and compassionately with the patient and treat one or more of the symptoms in in-patient or in outpatient setting. They make house call too. Most insurance plans cover Supportive Medicine services. Dr. Gomez mentioned that the Supportive Medicine team should be involved from the beginning in developing a patient’s treatment. Dr. Dhanalakshmi Koyyalagunta, Professor of Pain Medicine at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, mentioned that there are many sources of pain and degrees of pain. In cancer patients, surgery, chemo therapy and radiation therapy cause pain. Some of the medications have severe side effects that need to be addressed as well. She emphasized that the treatment of pain needs to be personalized, and the medication given needs to be custom fit to each patient’s needs. Dr. Diwakar Balachandran, MD, DABSM, Associate Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, and Medical Director at Sleep Center, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center presented
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MISSOURI CITY: Four masked gunmen broke into a home on 4500 Parkview Court in Lakes of Olympia in Missouri City around 2 am Monday, June 8 and tied up the five people inside. They then ransacked the place and left with cash and jewelry. The home apparently belongs to a Malayalee family and the head of the house came down to investigate a noise he heard. He was pistol-whipped and knocked unconscious and his wife and three young children were locked in a bathroom. When he came to he was bleeding pro-
fusely and banged on the door of his neighbor Elias Chaluparambil around 3 am, asking to borrow a phone to call police. He was later trsnported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The same type of home invasion occurred ten days ago also in Riverstone when a family was held up at gunpoint early in the morning, leading some to believe the South Asian community has been targeted. Police are working to verify if the two incidents are connected. Both victims are local business owners.
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East Meets West:
Yoga as a Metaphor for Western Life
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HOUSTON: On 21 June, the new International Day of Yoga– Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, hopes the world will join in the biggest single yoga session ever held, with up to 45,000 people running through a 35-minute routine. The grass near India Gate will be transformed into the venue to lead the masses into a day of yoga. “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between man and nature, a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. It is not about exercise but discovering the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature,” said Modi. North America has become a metaphor for yoga. The word yoga has had various meanings over the ages, and people still debate in scholarly circles, “What is yoga?” Does yoga mean to yoke? Is it a chariot? Does it completely signify unity? People have emigrated from nearly every country in the world to live in the USA. We have always been fascinated by the philosophies shared by the early yogis who visited here. We have made them into celebrities and we have an exponential number of stars still rising. In the United States, yoga has indeed become a commodity. Statistics show that there is a growing 16 million Americans practicing yoga every year. Yoga entrepreneurs have branded their own styles of practice, from Baptiste to Bikram’s “hot” yoga. For most people, practicing yoga means going to a westernized yoga studio. They have their yoga mats, yoga clothes, and yoga accessories from the hottest and best retailers. They practice in large groups under the guidance of a yoga teacher or trainer. It has become a social trend if not social status. Yoga is mainstream and has morphed into a mass culture phenomenon. And quite frankly, I do not think yoga is every going away. I’ve seen the community change a lot over the past decade. There were once very few
studios, many of which no longer exist for various reasons. The trend, especially with current real estate prices, is to franchise or diversify. It’s beneficial to practice yoga. I have not found relevant evidence to prove contrary to the health benefit claims. Breathing and stretching, mindfulness, and stress reductive practices increase total wellbeing. Yoga is in the schools, prisons, military, and medical centers. In Houston, we have birthed the Texas Yoga Conference and now the initiative of the Consul General of India’s International Day of Yoga, a free event to be held this month all day Sunday, June 21, 2015 at the George R Brown Convention Center. Register or become a vendor at iyogadayhouston.org Houston is now a mecca for yoga in the USA where east truly meets west. “Presence is the way we experience true connection with ourselves, with each other and with the power that holds us all – Love,” said Rath, “I think that the International Day of Yoga is evidence of this and will also contribute to its growth. It is a breath of fresh air.” We hope to see our community support and join in the metaphor representing diversity and union, letting Yoga become a part of each of our lives as we unite in one common goal – to bring awareness to the world about yoga’s rich offerings handed down to us from thousands of years ago by the great saints and rishis of our time. Namaste’. For more information visit iyogadayhouston. org Jennifer Buergermeister, MA, C Ht, RYT, DD - is a writer for various blog sites and magazines, a consultant to HISD for the Sonima Foundation, and the CEO and Founder of Breathe the Cure, Inc. which facilitates programs for children and adults incorporating wellness such as Jennyoga and the Texas Yoga Conference. Leadership. She teaches three undergraduate courses at Rice University and two online courses in Neurobiology and Biomechanics for design graduate students at Boston Architectural College.
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Another Successful Hindu Sanghatan Diwas Organized by HSS
BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: The Houston chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS) held its tenth annual Hindu Sangathan Divas conference on Saturday, May 30, at the Sri Govindaji Goudiya Matha. Representatives of about 50 Hindu organizations from the Houston area attended the conference. Hindu Sangathan Divas provided a platform for representatives of Houston area Hindu organizations the opportunity to network with each other under one roof, learn from each other’s experiences and challenges, while at the same time
maintaining their autonomy. After an introduction session, representatives attended one of three parallel breakout sessions, covering “Community Outreach through International Yoga Day (IYD),” “Synergizing Sewa Activities in Houston Hindu Organizations,” and “Creating Second Generation Hindu Youth Leadership.” Each breakout session included a presentation from an experienced panel followed by discussion. The first group concentrated on making the IYD to be held at the George Brown Convention Center on Saturday, June 21 a huge suc-
cess. The panelists discussed ways of promoting the event through mass outreach via media, email, social network sites and word of mouth. They all agreed that it needed to be made attractive to all segments of society and make it a vehicle to propagate the benefits of Yoga as a primary tool of health. The second group concurred that sewa related activities can be dpne on an individual level and the importance of being environment friendly by “Going green” was emphasized. On a community level, sewa activities can be done by helping the poor, engage the youth, and help in disaster situations like
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Photos: Madhukar Adi
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Deva Snana Puja to be Celebrated at the ISKCON Temple
HOUSTON: As part of the “2015 Greater Houston Rath Yatra” celebrations, “Deva Snana Puja” will be held at the ISKCON temple on June 14 (Sunday) from 4pm to 7:30pm. “Deva Snana” Puja is the "Bathing Ceremony" of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. This is the first occasion in the year when the deities are brought out from the sanctum sanctorum and taken in a procession to Snana Mandap (bathing altar), where they are ceremonially bathed with 108 pitchers of water from a well inside the Jagannath Temple. Out of the 108 pitch-
ers of water, 35 pitchers of water are used for Lord Jagannath, 33 pitchers for Lord Balabhadra, 22 pitchers for Devi Subhadra and 18 pitchers for Sudarshan. After the bathing rituals, the deities are decorated in Gaja Vesha (elephant headgear). Traditionally, after the bathing, the Gods fall ill and are kept in Anasara, where the devotees can't see them until they appear in Naba Jauban Vesha (new look) on the day of the Rath Yatra. In keeping with this tradition, deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Sudarshan, specially built and brought from Puri will be bathed with 108 pitchers of water at the ISKCON temple on Sunday, June 14. After the bath-
ing ceremony, the deities will be dressed in Gaja Vesha, followed by Maha Arati, Pravachan by H.H. Bhakti Rasamrita Swami, and Prasadam. Then the deities will be kept in Anasara and will appear on July 11 for the 3rd Annual Rath Yatra or Festival of Chariots at Discovery Green from 6pm to 10pm. This event is being organized jointly by Char Dham Hindu Temple, SKAI Foundation, ISKCON Houston and Masala Radio and is being supported by various organizations including Hindus of Greater Houston, India Culture Center and the Gujrati Samaj of Houston. The organizers are anticipating and preparing for a big crowd packing the Discovery Green and surrounding streets to see and seek blessings from Lord Jagannath, Lord of the Universe. Festivities will include procession of 3 chariots in Jagannath Puri style, Cultural entertainment featuring a highflying drum and dance spectacular by the World famous Mayapuris, Indian bazaar, Food booths, Maha Arati and Open air Dandiya Raas. Admission is completely free and devotees will get free Prasad. For further information, visit http://greaterhoustonrathyatra. org/. To volunteer, sponsor or participate, e-mail events@masalaradio.com.
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Nepal earthquake relief. Current areas of focus are challenges faced by Hindu senior citizens and international students. The third group comprising mainly of young individuals considered several issues including the need for next generation leadership and the challenges that they are facing. Since there are cultural and communication differences between generations, a few simple and involved activities encompassing matching interests and talents to temple activities could bridge the gap. Public speaking among the youth should be encouraged. Organizations should
also consider sponsoring different programming tailored for different age groups to keep second-generation Hindus involved. Providing an anonymous forum for youth to ask questions would also help in getting some of the questions posed by the youngsters answered. Following the breakout sessions, attendees heard the keynote address delivered by Ved Nanda, professor of International Law and HSS USA president. He saluted the Houston Hindu organizations on coming together as a vibrant and dynamic community. He glorified the Hindu ideals of pluralism, inclusiveness, selfless service, spiritual way of life, devotion and kindness towards humanity
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and above all the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – viewing the world as one family. The hall was filled to capacity with very excited, enthusiastic members from all participating organizations. The facilities and hospitality offered by the youth volunteers and members of the Sri Goudiya Temple were remarkable. The day's activities ended with Arati and Prasad. The conference was executed like a well oiled machine due to the sincere efforts of all volunteers of HSS.
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Patel Brother’s 50th Grocery Store Opened in East Windsor, New Jersey
NEW JERSEY: Patel Brothers, undisputed king of the Indian Grocery business in the United States opened its record breaking historic 50th grocery store in East Windsor, New Jersey on Thursday, May 28. Honorable Mayor of the township of East Windsor, NJ Janice S. Mironov accompanied by her three distinguished councilmen Peter Yeager, Alan Rosenberg and John Zella as well as Mafat Bhai & Tulsi Bhai Patel, the successful founders of Patel Brothers Store since 1974, along with Mahendra Bhai Patel, Kaushik Patel, Rakesh and Deep Patel and other family members. Prominent persons from the community joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony performed by Honorable Mayor Janice S. Mironov. A large crowd applauded this grand opening and rushed in the store to take advantage of this unprecedented grand opening sale. Mafat Bhai Patel, founder and patriarch of this ever-expanding Patel grocery empire across America welcome the Mayor and other distinguished guests. Graduated
in Electrical Engineering Mafat Bhai started his first store of 900 square feet in Chicago, IL in 1974 and within 41 years Patel Brothers now have 50 stores in the U.S. and 4 Stores in Canada. The East Windsor, NJ store is about 23,000 square feet with state of the art technology, great illumination, ample parking and just minutes away to the new proposed BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple location in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Hon. Mayor Janice S. Mironov addressed the gathering by saying that she was delighted to have such an Industry giant in the Indian grocery business opted East Windsor for its history making 50th store. She expressed her hope that it will not only serve the vast and vibrant Indian community in this neighborhood but also will provide a great stimulus to other ethnic communities to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and other items at a very reasonable cost. Mayor Mironov accompanied by her councilmen took tour of this giant store. She was very much impressed by master planning, cleanliness and variety of grocery items. Rakesh Patel and Deep Patel, the young Patel Brothers clan had the honor and privilege to dream and materialize such stores. This store is located at 72 Princeton Hightstown Road, (In Target Shopping Center) East Windsor, NJ. For details please call 609-336-7744.
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Greater Houston Tamil School: Annual Day Celebrations
HOUSTON: Greater Houston Tamil School(HTS) is a non-profit organization in Houston, with a primary objective of teaching the Tamil language and culture to the younger generations of the community. HTS has five branches in the Greater Houston area with more than 350 students enrolled. HTS celebrates the Annual Day event every year in the month of May with this year’s Annual Day celebrations held at Westside High School, Houston auditorium from 2.00pm to 9.00pm on May 30. Around 300 students participated in this year’s Annual Day celebrations and displayed their diverse knowledge of Tamil culture and arts in the form of singing, drama, and dance. It was a wonderful feeling to watch the kids, from ages 4 to 14, perform these cultural programs on stage to an audience of around 500 parents and guests. The Annual Day celebrations started with the ‘Tamil Prayer Song’ which was sung by all the students who participated in the cultural programs. Next, president of HTS, Dr. Gopalakrishnan, delivered the welcome address. During his speech, he shared the news about the accreditation achieved last year by HTS schools through ‘AdvanaceED’. He also mentioned that HTS’s next goal is to work with the Houston area independent school districts to establish a relationship where by the students that study Tamil and completes the requirements at HTS can be awarded language credit at their respective schools. This news was surprising to the parents but was also well received. Dr.Gopalakrishnan also reiterated that, “as we grow as an organization, it also requires patience and cooperation to meet the growth of the organization”. Secretary Jagan Annamalai then released the annual report which was followed by the budget report presented by the treasurer Venkat. The Annual Day continued with multiple cultural programs by the students from all the five different schools which went on for several hours. Kids of all ages demonstrated their academic talent by reciting Thirukkural, Bharathiar songs, performing folk dances like “Kummi Aattam” all of which are integral parts of Tamil culture. Founders of the “Sastha Foundation, Dallas” Visalakshi Velu and Velu Raman proceeded over the event as chief guests and they delivered a wonderful and moving motivational speech to the students outlining the importance of culture and how to CONTINUED ON PAGE
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take steps in preserving it. At this point, the Administrators, Teachers and volunteers were called on to the stage by the joint-secretary Bala Subramanian, and they were all individually honored by the chief guest with an appreciation medal. This was followed by the trophy distribution to the students
for their accomplishments in academics and competitions. This year’s annual day celebration was organized by the Sugarland Tamil School and the efforts were led by Jeeva Velumani who delivered the vote of thanks. The celebration concluded with a wonderful traditional dinner.
HTS is a nonprofit organization run purely by dedicated volunteer members focusing on teaching Tamil language and culture to the younger generations in the community and to anyone who is interested in learning the Tamil language and culture. http://houstontamilschools.org/
COMMUNITY ICC Raises Funds for Nepal Earthquake Victims
HOUSTON: India Culture Center Houston (ICC), President Charlie Patel handed over the check to Kaushik Chatterjee of Sewa International towards the funds raised for Relief efforts for the Nepal Earthquake victims. The ICC Board of Directors and Trustees raised 2500$ for the Nepal Earthquake Relief and decided
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to give the same to Sewa International who has been doing incredible work in disaster prone areas. In the past ICC had also collaborated with Sewa International during the Haiti earthquake, Hurricane Katrina and Bastrop wildfire. For further information visit www.icchouston.org
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Gandhi’s Impact in South Africa
GreatSummerProjectForchildren! EnterMahatmaGandhiWeek2015 Essay,I-Tribute,PosterandSpeech contests. Visitgandhilibrary.orgfor registration and more information. All school going children can participate! These contests are being organized to create higher awareness of the inspiring life and work of Mahatma Gandhi to promote universal values of Truth, Non-Violence, Love and Service. The story thus far… Gandhi arrives in South Africa and is rudely made aware of the rampant racism in that country when has to visit Pretoria on work. He is unceremoniously thrown off a 1st class compartment on a train to Johannesburg. He manages to board another train where his white fellow traveler is quite willing to share the compartment. They travel harmoniously on to Pretoria. It was late in the evening when the train pulled into Pretoria. Gandhi, relieved to reach his destination stayed at a hotel that night and moved into a lodge the next day. There he began to study the Abdulla lawsuit. While he was working on it, he made the time to call a meeting of the Indians in Pretoria. This he did with the help of Tyeb Haji Khan Muhammad, an influential Indian merchant. Only a handful of Indians attended. It was the first time Gandhi had addressed a meeting. “There is too much division among us,” he said. “Why should we be kept apart by differences in birth, family, caste, and religion? Let us form a league, representing every group, and keep the Government informed of our difficulties and our needs.” The audience listened to him with great interest. It was decided to hold regular meetings of all the Indians in Pretoria. Involved in his work, Gandhi was entrusted with the task of translating into English all the correspondence between Dada, Abdulla & Co. and the rival party. After studying all the facts, he was convinced that his client’s claim was just and true. He knew, however, that if the case were taken to court it would drag on for a long time, so he called together representatives of both parties. “Why don’t you choose a good man, whom you both trust, to arbitrate between you?” he said. Both parties were astonished at this new idea. This young man was not the kind of lawyer they were familiar with; they appreciated his stand and agreed to his suggestion. An arbitrator was appointed, and he gave his award in favor of Gandhi’s clients. Although they had won, Gandhi persuaded his clients to be lenient with their opponent. They agreed not to demand the money due all at once, but in easy installments spread over a long period. Both parties were happy over the settlement. Gandhi’s first success as a lawyer
was not a crushing victory over an opponent, but the triumph of good sense and humanity. In the Orange Free State, Indians had been deprived of all their rights by a law enacted in 1888. They could stay there only if they did menial work. Traders were sent away with nominal compensation. Under a law passed in 1886, Indians who wanted to live in the Transvaal were forced to pay an annual poll-tax of £ 3 per head. There they were not allowed to own land except in certain locations. They had no freedom to move about. If they wanted to go out of their houses after 9 p.m., they had to carry a permit with them. They were not allowed to use certain highways at all. Gandhi felt personally humiliated at the way Indians were treated there. He thought it was his duty to defend their rights and remove their grievances. He often went out for an evening walk with an English friend, Mr. Coates, and he rarely reached home before 10 p.m. He had obtained a letter from the State Attorney allowing him to be out of doors at any time without police interference.
Gandhi was not just preoccupied with his law practice but also gave time to social issues, especially those relating to the way Indians were treated in South Africa. His first success as a lawyer was not a crushing victory over an opponent, but the triumph of good sense and humanity. Walking alone one evening, Gandhi was suddenly attacked and knocked down. He was injured. He struggled to his feet to face a police constable. “That will teach you to obey the law,” shouted the policeman. “No Indian has the right to walk past the President’s house. Didn’t you know that?” The policeman kicked him. “Gandhi, are you hurt?” asked a familiar, friendly voice. It was Mr. Coates. He happened to be passing that way when he saw Gandhi being attacked. Mr. Coates warned the policeman. “This man is my friend and a distinguished lawyer,” he said. “If he brings
a complaint against you, I shall be his witness.” Then he turned to his friend and said, “I am very sorry, Gandhi, that you have been so rudely assaulted.” “You need not be sorry,” said Gandhi. “How is the poor man to know? All colored people are the same to him. I have made it a rule not to go to court in respect of any personal grievance.” Coates turned again to the policeman and said, “You should tell an Indian politely what the regulations are - not knock him down.” “Never mind,” said Gandhi. “I have already forgiven him.” Now that the Abdulla case had been settled, Gandhi thought there was no need for him to stay on in South Africa. Towards the end of 1893 he went back to Durban to book his passage to India. Abdulla arranged a farewell party in his honor. While going through the newspapers that day, Gandhi was surprised to read that a bill was pending before the Natal Legislative Assembly that would deprive Indians of their right to elect members to the Assembly. He brought this to the notice of the people gathered there for the party. “What do we understand about such matters?” Abdulla Seth said. “We only understand things that affect our trade.” Gandhi responded that the bill, if it passed into law, would make it extremely difficult for Indians. “It is the first nail in our coffin. It strikes at the very root of our selfrespect,” said Gandhi. The Indians now realized what was at stake; but they were unable to decide what to do. They requested Gandhi to postpone his departure and help them. He agreed to stay on for another month and organize resistance to the new bill. Late that night the Indians held a meeting in Abdulla Seth’s house under the presidency of Seth Haji Muhammad, the most influential Indian merchant there. They resolved to oppose the Franchise Bill. Telegrams were sent to the Speaker of the Assembly and the Premier of Natal requesting postponement on further discussion of the bill. The Speaker promptly replied that the discussion would be put off for two days. The Natal Indians then drew up a petition to the Legislative Assembly pleading against the bill. This was followed up by another petition to Lord Ripon, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies. More than 10,000 Indians signed the petition. Copies were circulated in South Africa, England, and India. There was much sympathy for the Natal Indians’ plight, but the campaign had started too late to stop the bill becoming law. However, the campaign did do some good. For the first time, the people of India came to know of the conditions in Natal. An even more important result was the new spirit that now awakened the Indians in South Africa. — To be Continued
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18 June 12, 2015 Maggi: Bitter Taste in the Mouth
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
Inside, Outside Forces on the Economy BY ARVIND VIRMANI
The lead contamination and presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the popular Nestle product, Maggi, has led to an uproar in the country but the fact is that this revelation is part of a larger story. We should not lose sight of that even as we debate who should be held responsible for this mess. Should it be Nestle only or also the statutory regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is responsible for collecting and collating data regarding contaminants in food, identifying emerging risks and introducing a rapid alert system, among a host of other responsibilities? The key take-away from this incident is that it is about time we accepted that the Nestle incident is just the tip of the iceberg; in reality, India’s entire food chain is toxic and probably it may even be too late now to reverse the trend. Take, for example, milk. A survey by the FSSAI in 33 states found that 68.4% of 1,791 samples were contaminated. Among the substances found were milk powder, fat, glucose, water, bleach and fertilizer. In fact, in Punjab, there are villages which have become cancer hotspots as a direct result of contaminants. Every year, especially before Diwali, several cases of sweet shops selling adulterated products are reported. A lead-based, carcinogenic dye called metanil yellow is used to give sweets like laddu and some other food items like biryani their inviting color instead of the permitted tartrazine, which is more expensive. Metanil yellow is cancercausing and is known to affect the brain and kidney. A recent study by a group of doctors of the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition in Delhi has revealed that street food in Delhi has high levels of faecal matter. The study showed that food items like samosas, golgappas, burgers and momos, collected from west and central Delhi localities, contained extremely high amounts of E Coli bacteria, which can cause severe infections including typhoid and cholera. The only solution is strict enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act and strengthening of the food testing laboratory infrastructure and skills. It must be ensured that not only the regulator but also the consumer and manufacturer are made aware of the rules. Hindustan Times
The Economic Survey said that India has reached a sweet spot. It could finally be launched on a double-digit medium-term growth trajectory. It also stated that “in the short run, growth would receive a boost from lower oil prices”. India has benefited greatly from the recent changes in the global economic environment. Further, this is the major reason for the transformation of India’s external position and the dramatic decline in inflation. But this is only one side of the story. The other negative side effect of the external environment is the prolonged U-shaped bottom in the index of industrial production for manufacturing and the fluctuating fortunes of the corporate sector. The collapse of the prices of oil, related refined products as well as manufactured items based on them has had a positive effect on the current account deficit (CAD), inflation and the fiscal deficit. But the same global fundamentals that led to the collapse of commodity prices have had a deleterious effect on the world and Indian economies since 2008. The story starts with the worldtrade and GDP-growth boom of the 2000s. This boom, almost a bubble in some respects, went bust because of the global financial crisis, which left in its wake large excess capacities in the tradable sectors of the world economy. World GDP growth, which averaged 3.1-3.2 per cent during the 10-15 years ending 2008, collapsed to 2 per cent for the following seven years. The nature of the bubble is better captured by the growth of world imports, which accelerated from an average of 5.8 per cent per year in 1999-2003 to 7.8 per cent in 200408 and then collapsed to 3 per cent during 2009-13. World gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) grew at an average 5.4 per cent during 2003-07, more than double the 2.5 per cent of the previous five years. As in most recessions in the West, the globalised corporate sector tightened its belt and improved efficiency, preserving, and in some countries even increasing, profitability. The corrective worldwide fiscal
On balance, the effect of external factors on the Indian economy in 2014-15 has been positive on the current account, mildly positive on the fiscal account and negative on corporate growth. stimulus and monetary easing that followed led to a quick recovery in the developing economies. But it had some effects that weren’t necessarily beneficial for all countries because of the short-term focus and mistiming of policies. Many developed countries switched from a relaxed fiscal policy to a contractionary one in 2010, instead of correcting the weak demandexcess capacity problem in tradable goods and services. This put an extra burden on developed-country central banks at a time when monetary policy was already constrained by near-zero interest rates. The commodity boom/ bubble revived quickly after the temporary collapse at the end of 2008 and continued for several years, even after the slowdown in world GDP and trade growth. It was finally pricked in 2014 after a credible announcement of an end to the US Fed’s quantitative easing (QE) programme. Some large emerging economies compounded the global excess-capacity problem by continued investments through large, risky injections of policy-directed credit or expansionary fiscal policy. The negative effects of the global demand deficit and excess capacity have affected different countries to different degrees. The exportoriented economies of China, East and Southeast Asia have been most severely affected. India, an exportneutral economy, has been impacted less. But India is a dual economy and a substantial part of its corporate sector is globalised. A sub-index for this globalised sector, derived from
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the IIP for manufacturing, was in the last quarter of 2014 still below the level it was at in the first quarter of 2011. Its average growth rate during the last four years was minus 0.3 per cent, compared with 3.1 per cent for the non-globalised IIP sub-index and 6.7 per cent for the IIP for electricity. Part of the corporate sector and most of the non-corporate economy remains relatively isolated from global cross currents, as suggested by the robust growth of electricity supply. The vehicle sector, which is somewhat shielded from global pressures, shows signs of sustained recovery, despite the negative effect of rising real interest rates during 2014-15. One implication of the negative effect of the external environment on the corporate sector is the slower recovery in tax revenues. The corporate sector contributes tax revenues, not just directly as corporate income tax, but also through the income taxes paid by its employees and excise taxes. The external environment has, therefore, had both a positive and negative effect on the Indian economy. The negative effects of the global recession were felt immediately but were masked by the temporary bubble created in India in 2010-11 through directed credit to PPP infrastructure contractors. These negative effects were felt again after the pricking of the local Indian bubble. The positive effects of the recession on commodity prices were delayed because of the global monetary expansion but started to be felt in 2013-14, with the prospective end of the Fed’s QE. Further, the negative effects on the globalised sector have been magnified whenever the rupee appreciated in real effective exchange rate (REER) terms. Between September 2013 and April 2015, the REER appreciated by 11.4 per cent. On balance, the effect of external factors on the Indian economy in 2014-15 has been positive on the current account, mildly positive on the fiscal account and negative on corporate growth. The net overall effect is positive, but not as large as most analysts have assumed. IE The writer is mentor (public policy and economics), FICCI
COMMUNITY
June 12, 2015
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Manch Pravesh : Amiya and Apurva Make a Statement BY SUNANDA VASHISHT
HOUSTON: On May 29, all roads for music connoisseurs of Houston led to the Stafford Centre and the Manch Pravesh of Amiya and Apurva, disciples and daughters of leading luminary of the Mewati Gharana, Pandit Suman Ghosh. Honored and privileged to have blessings of their Grand Guru, the Living Legend and very face of Hindustani Classical Music, Sangeet Martand, Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji who was present in the audience, the debut performance of these artists turned out to be a phenomenal concert of seasoned musicians. This concert was yet another milestone in the accomplishments of the Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston (CICMH), an organization established by Pandit Suman Ghosh to spearhead the cause of Indian Classical Music. Organized impeccably with the characteristic attention to detail, the Stafford Centre Ballroom was tastefully decorated to create the right ambience. The emcee Namrata Sinha, presented the entire event seamlessly. Music has always been an integral part of Amiya and Apurva’s lives. They have undergone rigorous training in the traditional guru-shishya parampara from a very young age. The aesthetic depth, grace, confidence and poise, with which they sang, showed their years of hard work, single minded devotion, perseverance and sacrifice. Anuraag Shah, son and disciple of Tabla maestro Pandit Shantilal Shah, commendably accompanied the vocalists on the tabla. Amiya and Apurva displayed their strength
Photo: Navin Mediwala
as singers through their sincere portrayal of unusual and challenging Raags. Each composition was a creation of and an offering to their Guru and the Grand Gurus. They brought to
life the complex and melodious Raag Gorakh Kalyan through landmark compositions of their Grand Guru Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj-ji himself. Their portrayal of the rarely heard Raag
Nagadhwani Kanada, through a delicate and masterly composition by his legendary father, moved Panditji to tears. The performance of Raag Jaijaiwanti by Amiya and Raag Shankara by Apurva mesmerized the audience; while the fast & delightful extempore taans on a superb Tarana in Charukeshi, composed by Pandit Ghosh, set the gathering on fire and left the connoisseurs ecstatic. Soulful bhajans, accompanied superbly by Anuraag, left the audience immersed in divinity. The fulfillment and pride that the budding vocalists’ Guru felt was apparent to all. The who’s who of the South Asian community attended and blessed the young musicians. The Consul General of India, P. Harish himself felicitated the artists. The last word however, belonged to the doyen of Hindustani Classical music, Sangeet Martand, Pandit Jasraj-ji, who sprang to his feet as soon as the concert ended. Praising the sisters for the all-round technical and emotional maturity in their singing, Panditji proudly announced with palpable emotion “Mewati Gharana can go on at least for the next 40 to 50 years with these girls at the helm”. He was also full of praise for his disciple, Pandit Ghosh’s pathfinding leading role in taking Hindustani Classical Music to newer heights. He highlighted the role of Shashikala Ghosh, as Amiya and Apurva’s mother and first Guru, and also the Guruma of the entire student body of the Saadhana Pariwar. The music lovers and connoisseurs have a lot to look forward to, as these young artists have begun their musical journey with a statement.
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HEALTH
PRINCIPLES OF CANCER TREATMENT SERIES
Principles of Surgery: Gynecologic Oncology
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In the previous issue, I discussed the principles of radiation oncology. This month, we continue our series on the principles of cancer treatment as Dr. Terri B. Pustilnik explains the principles of one aspect of surgical oncology—gynecological oncology. Cancer surgery is often complex and requires sophisticated techniques. One major development over the last decade has been the further refinement in minimally invasive surgery with the use of robotic technology. This has enabled the surgeon to achieve the desired clinical result with less morbidity for the patient. -Vivek S. Kavadi, M.D. BY DR. TERRI B. PUSTILNIK Cancer treatments encompass four broad categories: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and antihormonal therapy. For patients with gynecologic cancers, one or a combination of these options may be used. Surgery often plays an important role both in initial treatment and in the recurrent setting. The specific modality or combination of treatments used depends not only on where the cancer originated, but also if it has spread beyond the original site, known as metastatic disease. A gynecologic oncologist is a subspecialist who treats patients with gynecological cancers, which include ovarian, cervical, uterine, and vulvar cancers. Gynecologic oncologists have a unique perspective because they have experience in treating women from birth throughout their lives. Not only have they completed
a four year residency in OB/GYN, but they also trained an additional four years in gynecologic oncology, which consists of performing radical cancer surgeries, administering chemotherapy, and aiding in the planning process of radiation therapy. Gynecologic oncology is the only remaining specialty which truly treats the whole person. During the initial visit with the gynecologic oncologist, an exam will be performed, and the patient’s medical history will be reviewed. After any appropriate radiographic studies have been ordered, the final treatment plan will be made. Most early stage cancers can be removed in a minimally invasive way, and patients go home either the same day or within 24 hours after the procedure. More advanced stage gynecologic cancers may still require an open surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove all the cancer that can be seen and felt. If metastatic disease is present, chemotherapy will likely be needed post-operatively. Sometimes radiation therapy may also be used. Many advances in gynecologic surgery have occurred over the past 10 to 20 years. These important improvements have made a big difference in women of all ages afflicted with gynecologic cancers. As our field advanced, we began to place a high priority on not only increasing survival and cure rates, but also on improving patients’ quality of life, preventing side effects and preserving fertility in women of child-bearing age. Specific advances include:
1.
Minimally invasive radical surgery (or key hole surgery), due to the improvements in surgical tools and computer-aided technology such as robotic surgery. 2. Ovarian preservation at the time of surgery, in younger women when appropriate 3. Egg harvesting prior to surgery. 4. Preserving cosmetics when possible by performing less disfiguring procedures 5. Preventing cancers by performing risk reduction surgery for patients with known genetic defects such as the BRCA 1 or 2 genes. Gynecologic cancers are most curable when detected early. We encourage all women to have regular gynecologic care and report to your physician any unusual symptoms such as a change in menstrual cycle, postmenopausal bleeding, or abdominal bloating. We also would like to eradicate cervical cancer and encourage the use of the HPV vaccine. Dr. Terri B. Pustilnik is a gynecologic oncologist at Texas Oncology—Deke Slayton Cancer Center, 501 Medical Center Blvd., Webster, Texas; Texas Oncology— Houston Medical Center, 7515 South Main St., Suite 740, Houston, Texas; and Texas Oncology–Sugar Land, 1350 First Colony Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas.
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Ghia te Wadiyan (Bottle Gourd Squash & Dumplings) Although there are many types of gourd or squash, there are usually only two types that are readily available in most Indian marketplaces. One is the long, smooth and stout, leaf green type which resemble a bottle (hence its English name), which Punjabis call ghia or kadoo and others call doodhi or lauki. The other type called tauri are short, thinner and dark green ones and are commonly called zucchini in the US. Both types of squash are made in India, with different ways because their taste and texture is so far apart. When cooked, both reduce in volume, but the ghia has a firmer, buttery taste while the tauri is softer, sweeter and slightly creamy. Although these can be made alone, for the Indian palate at least, they both require the proper type of spices to give them added flavor. There are two ways that Punjabis prefer to make ghia: either in kofte (deep-fried balls) marinated in a curry or by itself with a little gravy. Sautéed ghia with the right spices can be a satisfying dish if it has the right tenderness and is cut in strips. It is usually not served as the main dish, but a side dish to be relished with hot rotis. But for a true flavor that will reach the heart of any Punjabi, ghia made with some wadiyan (lentil dumplings) are incomparable. The spiciness and aroma of the wadiyan permeate through the dish and give an otherwise plain vegetable an added tanginess that makes the dish outstanding. Unfortunately for those who crave this type of food, it is not on the menu of any restaurant in India or the US that I have been to. Tender ghia cooks fast in its own vapor in a kadai (wok); just be careful it doesn’t get too mushy. Hard ghia with plenty of seeds should be cooked longer with a little water and over low heat in a saucepan to become tender. There is no need to add piyaaz (onions), adrak (ginger) or lasan (garlic) to this dish since the wadiyan bring out the taste. Ingredients: 1 medium ghia (squash) – choose ones tender in the middle 1 or 2 Punjabi wadiyan (lentil dumplings) – spiciness to taste 2 tbsp tael (olive oil or vegetable oil)
½ tsp haldi (turmeric powder) Spices to taste: 1 tsp namak (salt), 1 tsp mirch (red pepper)
Directions: 1. Cut off the top stalk, peel the ghia and then cut into ¼ inch thick wedges. Wash thoroughly and let them drip dry in a strainer. 2 .In a kadai, heat the oil and throw in the wadiyan and stir till they are slightly brown. Add ½ cup of water and cover over low heat for 5 minutes so that the wadiyan become soft. 3. Now add the cut ghia, sprinkle the salt, red pepper and turmeric, stir till it is coated. Cover and let it cook in its own steam for 5 minutes over medium heat. 4. Take the cover off and check if the ghia has let off enough vapor and
is tender. If the water is low, turn off heat and cover; if not then let it cook covered for 10 more minutes over low heat till the water is reduced. Stir gently to make sure it doesn’t stick. 5. For best taste, serve with hot rotis or crispy paranthas. 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 CHOOSE VEGETABLES CAREFULLY FOR EASY COOKING
The ease of cooking dishes and their taste depends a great deal on the condition of the vegetables. This requires some experience but in general it boils down to knowing whether the vegetable is hard or soft and what this means for its state inside. If it is too hard, filled up and stout, then chances are that it has ripened in the sun and has a lot of fiber and seeds. Cooking with ripened vegetables takes not only more effort to peel and cut, but also more time and care to cook. This is especially true of kerela (bitter gourd), ghia (bottle gourd squash), bhindi (okra) and baingan (eggplant). It is best to choose these vegetables long and tender which means they have few seeds, but if too shallow or soft in the middle it means that they make be hollow and not well formed. Bhindis should not be too large or have hard edges.
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ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review: Dil Dhadakne Do
Aarthi Agarwal Dies at 31, a Month After Liposuction Surgery
BY ANUPAMA CHOPRA NEW DELHI: The Mehras in Dil Dhadakne Do are dysfunctional in a uniquely Indian manner. So the parents are concerned about status, appearances and ‘log kya kahenge’. They are willing to use their son to rescue their sinking company, but refuse to recognise their daughter’s business acumen. The mother sagely advises her to abandon her career and focus on her family. And yet these people don’t come off as villains. This is testament to the talent of director and co-writer Zoya Akhtar, co-writer Reema Kagti, dialogue writer Farhan Akhtar and the brilliance of Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah, who play the Mehras. Dil Dhadakne Do soars because of their moments. The other standout character is Ayesha Mehra (Chopra). This is a woman who has spent her life thwarting her desires. She has the confidence to build a successful business but can’t summon the strength to stand up to her parents. Zoya gives you plenty to drool over — almost the entire film is set on a cruise ship sailing in the Mediterranean, so you can imagine the potential for eye-candy. There are soaring top shots of the ship, of gorgeous towns in Turkey and Greece, and of staggering fashions. Even the furniture is impeccably styled. Like Zoya’s coming-of-age film, Zindagi
Na Milegi Dobara, this is an aspirational travelogue designed to help you escape your own dull life, at least for a little while. What doesn’t work so well is the pacing in the first half. The set-up takes too long. A voiceover, amusing at first, starts to grate because it’s over-used. I also wished that the
depth in the writing had extended to the characters of Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. Both are charismatic, capable actors, but their parts are under-written. So be prepared to get restless in the first hour, but once Dil Dhadakne Do gathers momentum, it will force you to care about this frustrating, flawed family. -HindustanTimes
HYDERABAD: Actress Aarthi Agarwal, 31, who has acted in around 21 Telugu, Tamil and Hindi movies died after suffering a cardiac arrest due to respiratory complications at a hospital in the US on Saturday. Only on Friday, her latest film ‘Ranam 2′ in Telugu was released across theatres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Aarthi, who suffered from asthma for several years, had undergone a liposuction surgery about a month back but post-surgery she developed respiratory problems and is said to have suffered a cardiac arrest on Saturday while recuperating at a hospital in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Born and raised in New Jersey, Aarthi Agarwal made her acting debut in Hindi movie `Pagalpan’ when she was only 16. The film bombed in at the box office. She moved to Tollywood and made her Telugu debut in 2001 in the hit film `Nuvu Naaku Nachav’. She did two other Telugu films that year and soon after, was
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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regarded as the toast of Tollywood. Her career began to flourish. In 2002 she did four films, three in 2003 and four in 2004. She was one of the few non-Telugu speaking actresses to have worked with popular Tollywood stars like K Chiranjeevi, N Balakrishna, A Nagarjuna, D Venkatesh, G Mahesh Babu, Ravi Teja, and Jr NTR. In 2005, Aarthi Agarwal acted in five movies including a cameo appearance which may be marked as her career’s high. After acting in three other movies which did well, Aarthi’s career began to slump in 2007, this was around the time she married an America-based engineer which ended in divorce in 2 years. Sources in Tollywood say that like Aarthi, there are many young Telugu artistes who battle depression and obesity after hitting a rough patch in their acting careers. In fact, after four successive flops and a bitter end to an alleged romantic relationship with a Tollywood actor, Aarthi is believed to have attempted suicide in March, 2005 at her home in Hyderabad. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one official of the Movie Artists Association said, “From 2008 to 2015 she worked in only four films and was almost forgotten. I think she had put on weight and had decided to undergo surgery,’’ -The Indian Express
24 June 12, 2015 Improving Hosts Take On New-Look India
SPORTS
Buttler, Root Set Up Record England Win
BY MOHAMMED ISAM FATULLAH (ESPN Cricinfo): Bangladesh have taken on different challenges this year and, for the most part, have produced desired results. The World Cup quarterfinal was reached and Pakistan were soundly beaten at home. Now they take on India in a one-off Test, an opponent they have often said brings the best out in the team. India are making a fresh start as Virat Kohli begins his stint as full-time Test captain. The makeup of the team is similar to the one that was beaten 2-0 in Australia, but the two drawn games in that series was encouragement for a team finding its feet. In seven Tests in Bangladesh, India have won six and drawn one. And because of the lack of big-ticket appeal of touring Bangladesh, India have not visited since 2010. They might field an XI comprising five batsmen, a wicketkeeper and five bowlers, but given the conditions selecting a sixth batsman will not be a conservative choice. Bangladesh, on the other hand, have picked eight batsmen often in the last 12 months, with allrounder Shuvagata Hom playing a bits-and-pieces role at No 8. Bangladesh have less to lose from this series than India. If India lose to Bangladesh, they will drop to seventh in the ICC Test rankings, with 95 points. If the match is drawn, India will drop to 97 points but will stay above England and Pakistan. Victory will earn them one point and keep them at No. 3. Form guide Bangladesh LDWWW (last five matches, most recent first) India DDLLL In the spotlight Shakib Al Hasan did not bowl well against Pakistan but made two important contributions with the bat. He will once again be relied upon to lead a lop-sided bowling attack and to be the middle-order enforcer while batting. Cheteshwar Pujara averaged 52.44 in seven first-class matches for Saurashtra and Yorkshire this year with two hundreds and a fifty. It is a good set of
Shikhar Dhawan brought up his half-century in 47 balls, Bangladesh v India, only Test, Fatullah, 1st day, June 10, 2015.
numbers for someone who was dropped from India’s last Test and who missed the IPL after being released by Kings XI Punjab. Team news Bangladesh need to decide whether Mushfiqur Rahim, who was injured during the series against Pakistan, can keep wickets. If not, Litton Das will make his debut as a wicketkeeper. The other decision is whether to pick both seamers Mohammad Shahid and Rubel Hossain. If there is space for just one, then Rubel has the edge. They are also without Mahmudullah, who was injured in practice in the lead up to the Test. Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), 5 Litton Das (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Soumya Sarkar, 8 Shuvagata Hom/Mohammad Shahid, 9 Jubair Hossain, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara will replace KL Rahul, who is ill, and Suresh Raina
from the XI India fielded in Sydney in January. Seamers Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Varun Aaron are competing for one spot, as are spinners Karn Sharma and Harbhajan Singh. India (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Harbhajan Singh/Karn Sharma, 10 Ishant Sharma/Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Varun Aaron, 11 Umesh Yadav Pitch and conditions Fatullah hosted more than 120 matches in the 2014-15 domestic season but the pitch is unlikely to show wear and tear early in the game. It is bound by grass, which has surprised the Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha, but Mominul Haque said it was on the slower side. It has been hot and humid in Fatullah for the last couple of weeks and rain is forecast over the next few days. Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent.
EDGBASTON: England 389 (Root 98, Stokes 92, Boult 4-79, Henry 4-93) and 478 (Cook 162, Stokes 101, Root 84, Boult 5-85) beat New Zealand 523 (Williamson 132, Guptill 70) and 215 (Anderson 67, Watling 59, Stokes 3-38, Broad 3-50) by 124 runs Shortly before lunch on Saturday, New Zealand were 404 for 3, building a lead, and England’s new era was heading for a difficult start. At 6 pm on Monday, with less than 10 overs of a compelling Test match remaining, Trent Boult upper cut Stuart Broad towards third man where Moeen Ali, stationed there by Alastair Cook but not right on the boundary edge, took a superbly judged running catch to earn England a 124-run victory and complete a remarkable turnaround. Less than a year after falling one wicket short of beating Sri Lanka
on this ground England were just beginning to get twitchy as Boult and Matt Henry negotiated eight overs with the ball starting to fall short or wide of fielders. But Broad, from round the wicket, dug the ball in and Boult, who had blocked unconventionally, could not resist playing. That it was taken at a position that needed some astute captaincy was the perfect finish for Cook, who had been so central to England’s fightback with his 162. It was a combined effort to bowl New Zealand out for a second time; James Anderson and Stuart Broad firstly reducing them to 12 for 3 before lunch, but it was Ben Stokes who really lit up Lord’s for the second afternoon running in with an electrifying over in which he removed two of New Zealand’s lynchpins, Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum, in consecutive balls to leave them 61 for 5.
Hingis Crashes Out with Mirza, Paes PARIS: Indian ace Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis crashed out of the French Open after being upstaged in straight sets by Bethanie MattekSands and Lucie Safarova in their women’s doubles quarterfinal match on Wednesday. Top seeds and hot favourites, Sania and Martina went down to the seventh seeded American-Czech pair 5-7, 2-6 in the Clay Court Grand Slam. With this defeat, India’s campaign in the main draw of the French Open is over. It was a below par performance by Sania and Martina, managing to win just a total of 61 points as compared to 70 by their lower-
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ranked rivals. Although they fought hard in the opening set, the Indo-Swiss duo could not step up the momentum when needed and lost 5-7. In the second set, Sania and Martina turned out to be no match to their opponents. They lost their serve in the beginning of the set itself to fall behind 0-2. Leading 2-0, Mattek-Sands and Safarova tightened the noose and the top seeds were left to play only the catching up game, which they eventually lost. Indian tennis veteran Leander Paes and his Swiss partner Martina Hingis have crashed out of the French Open after losing in the mixed doubles pre-quarterfinals.
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Essel, Rajasthan Govt Ink Rs 4,000 Crore Pact for Solar Parks NEW DELHI: Diversified conglomerate Essel Group on Friday said it has formed a 50:50 joint venture (JV) with the Rajasthan government to set up solar parks in the state. The solar parks will be set up in Bikaner and Jaisalmer regions with an investment of Rs4,000 crore. “Essel Group has entered into a JV agreement with the Government of Rajasthan to set up solar parks in the state. The project will facilitate an investment of Rs 4,000 crore in the regions of Bikaner and Jaisalmer,” it said in a statement. Essel Group and Rajasthan government will hold a 50:50 stake in the JV
firm — Essel Saurya Urja Company of Rajasthan Limited (ESUCRL) — which will develop solar parks that would produce 5,000 MW of clean energy, it added. “According to the JV agreement, the land for the project will be provided by the Rajasthan government for solar park development, while Essel Group will implement the entire project which includes financing, technical support, operation and maintenance,” Essel Group said. Recently, the group has signed an MoU with a Chinese firm, JA Solar, for setting up a solar cell and module manufacturing company in India.
Reliance Power, Adani to Invest $5.5 Billion in Bangladesh Power Projects
BY ARUN DEVNATH DHAKA: Reliance Power Ltd. and Adani Power Ltd. signed separate deals on Saturday to potentially invest a combined $5.5 billion in Bangladesh to generate electricity. The agreements were announced as Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his two-day visit to Dhaka to “strengthen ties” with Bangladesh. Reliance plans to spend about $3
billion to set up a 3,000- megawatt power plant based on imported liquefied natural gas, the company said in a statement. Gujarat-based Adani Group plans to invest $2.5 billion building a 1,600 megawatts coal-fired power plant, Bangladesh Power Development Board chairman Shahinul Islam Khan said at an event in Dhaka. -Livemint.com
It is also developing one of India’s largest solar plants in Tamil Nadu, the firm added. “Solar Park Project in Rajasthan
will be India’s turnkey project in the renewable energy space which will aid the clean energy initiatives of the state government ,” Essel Infra and
Utilities CEO Ashok Agarwal said. Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra had participated in the world’s largest trade fair, Hannover Messe 2015, and had forged alliances with five German firms to develop green energy projects and smart cities in India, Essel Group said. “Essel Group has taken large strides in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of setting up 100 smart cities in India. It plans to invest over $2 billion over the next 3 years in transforming major cities across India,” it said. -livemint.com
Gold Slumps Below Rs 27,000 as Demand Falters
NEW DELHI: Continuing its slide for the third straight day, gold price in Delhi bullion market on Saturday slipped below the Rs27,000 mark to trade at Rs26,950 per 10 grams, an over 6-week low. It fell Rs50, tracking a weak trend overseas. Besides, weak demand from jew-
ellers at domestic spot markets due to off-season for wedding played spoilsport. Bullion traders attributed the weakness in gold to a sluggish global trend, where the yellow metal slumped to an 11-week low after the US economy added more jobs in May than forecast, bolstering the case for
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the US Fed to raise interest rates. Gold in New York, which normally sets the price trend on the domestic front, fell 0.6% to $1,168.10 an ounce and silver by 0.7% to $15.98 an ounce in yesterday's trade. In the national capital, gold of 99.9% and 99.5% purity slid Rs50 each to Rs26,950 and Rs26,800 per 10 grams, respectively, its weakest level since 17 April. The precious metal had lost Rs340 over the past two days. Sovereign fell Rs100 to Rs23,600 per piece of 8 grams. Following gold, silver ready eased Rs50 to Rs37,350 per kg and weeklybased delivery Rs70 to Rs37,010 per kg. On the other hand, silver coins of 100 pieces ruled steady at Rs54,000 for buying and Rs55,000 for selling. -Livemint.com
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