Issuu

Friday, July 11 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 28

Indo American erican News

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Bahuda Yatra celebrations at the Houston Durgabari Society on Saturday, July 5.

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July 11, 2014

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

IACCGH “Mapping Your Future” Session by UH Dean Ramchand

The attendees with Dean Ramchand in a group picture before the men left and the session started.

HOUSTON: Dean Latha Ramchand of the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston conducted a follow up session for her talk “Mapping Your Future” originally delivered on November 13, 2013 at the Hess Club. The Chamber also opened it up to women who had missed the previous session and wanted to be part of this “ mentoring circle” event sponsored by Shell. The Dean’s talk centered on the topic of taking a strategic approach to planning your career. She emphasized the following points Follow your heart: While things change and plans must be flexible, we must start by allowing our strengths to inform our career choices. A personal SWOT analysis provides a good starting point. Our passions must ultimately speak to our ‘jobs’. The power of strategic networks: Networks are critical and

rather than letting the event in our life dictate our networks, we must cultivate networks based on our passions and goals. List your challenges: Finally we must be clear about our challenges and tackle them head on, whether they are personal habits we need to get rid of, or education and credentials we need to acquire so we achieve our goals. Track your progress: Like the way we depend on GPS systems anymore to track our destinations and road maps, we must think about career goals in an analytical manner and map out steps to get there, recognizing that there might be traffic jams not to mention ‘detour’ signs we may have to allow for. IACCGH President Sanjay Ramabhadran welcomed the guests and the men left the room before the session began. Board member Joya Shukla chaired the event and can be contacted at joya.shukla@

shell.com for more information on future events. The perspective of one of the attendees On June 18, 2014 I got the opportunity to attend a “IACCGH Women’s Leadership Series” event on the topic “Mapping your future” led by Dr. Latha Ramchand, Dean of the C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston. The event started with dinner followed by the session where Dr. Ramachand introduced us to the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis. She asked us to take few minutes and write a few points on our strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on our individual understanding. She emphasized that writing these down would help us to use our strengths and work on our weaknesses so that we can utilize the available opportunities without being threatened by our perceived

Photos: Bijay Dixit

threats. This led to small discussion where participants discussed and shared their personal stories. She also emphasized the fact that it is very important to know both our short and long term goals

and write them in such a way that they are visible to us every day and hence, help us to be on track. We may break them down into small goals on a daily basis which lead us towards reaching our long term goals. When we see those goals being achieved, our brain releases the hormone Dopamine which keeps up happy and more motivated about achieving our goals. She also suggested that one should ponder upon the tactics they need to use to develop expertise and attain their career goals. It may be through education, training, conferences and books. She stressed that one should strategize networking and must work towards creating/ expanding network that will help them towards reaching their professional/personal goals. Overall, it was a great workshop which pushed me to think about my goals and strategize them properly in order to achieve them. It familiarized me with various tactics that I can use to improve myself on a regular basis. I will look forward to attend more similar events in future. -Srimoyee Bhattacharya

IACCGH Board Member Joya Shukla (left) chaired the event, with Dean Ramchand.

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July 11, 2014

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

Rath Yatra and Bahuda Yatra Fast Becoming a Tradition at Durga Bari

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HOUSTON: With much pomp and ceremony, Rath Yatra was celebrated at Durgabari on June 29. Well attended by more than 1000 people, this year marks the 3rd year in a row and it’s fast becoming a tradition at Durga Bari. People flocked to the temple early morning that day and waited patiently as Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Bishnupada Goswami of Durga Bari, Sri Srikiran Narayanam from India Cultural Center and Temple, Memphis and Dr. Amrit Achari from Durga Bari conducted the Puja. After the Puja, Pahandi Bije started, in which the deities were brought from the temple on to the Rath. This was completed with the help of several eager devotees who were delighted having the chance to hold the deities. After all the deities including Nrushingha and Lord Ganesh were situated properly on the Rath, a ceremonial King Indradyumna, Dr. Raghu Dass performed the Chhera Panhara(brooming) ceremony to cleanse the path of progress for the Rath. Kirtan, led by Sripad BV Tirtha Maharaj from Sri Govindji Gaudiya Matha, Chants of Maha Mantra and Jai Jagannatha filled the air as devotees started pulling the Rath. With great enthusiasm, the devotees pulled the Rath three times within the temple premises to symbolize the journey of Lord

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra to their aunt’s house (Gundicha Temple). Once the Rath pulling was complete, devotees made a bee line to climb onto the Rath to see their beloved Lord and have a chance to touch them and do pradakshina around the singhasana of the deities. After that it was time for the devotees to get to Kala Bhavan to get lunch Prasadam, which was prepared so lovingly by Durga Bari volunteers. Then on July 5, Bahuda Yatra or Return Rath Yatra was celebrated. Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from their Aunt’s house to the main temple. It is significant in the sense that it completes Rath Yatra. This is the only day in the year when Rasgulla is offered to the Lord. As per the rituals in Puri, Rasgulla is offered by Lord Jagannatha to Goddess Laxmi to enter into the temple. Char Dham Hindu temple and Houston Durga Bari Society are truly grateful to all the devotees and volunteers for participating in the festivities and making it a grand success. For further information visit, www.greaterhoustonrathyatra. org or www.skaifoundation.org

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July 11, 2014

Storybook Indian Wedding Captivates Salt Lake City with Pomp, Revelry, Opulence BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SALT LAKE CITY: The pristine, cool morning air reverberated with the deafening sounds of the two dholuks that played in dueling cadence under the porte cochere of the Grand America Hotel entrance. The baratis (groom’s side) of the wedding party took their positions behind the heavily decorated white steed which snorted and strained at the unaccustomed noise that played out so close by; its master gripping the reins tightly and whispering calming commands. The baratis stepped out in their dazzling, colorful Indian finery, the men with red turbans with long tails, achcans (tight pants) and embroidered sherwanis (long top jackets), the women in heavy, embroidered silk and brocaded saris with intricate pallas (end pieces), dazzling jewelry and henna laden hands. Down the curved driveway, the procession of 200 or more baratis slipped onto South Main Street as intrigued passersby gaped and stared in bewilderment while the guests of the Little America Hotel across the street came out to stare appreciatively and take pictures on their camera phones. Passengers on the electric trolley line that plied down the middle of the road looked excitedly out of the windows at the procession that turned south towards 900 South Street where two policemen stopped and redirected traffic around the wedding party that turned eastwards the side entrance driveway of the hotel. The DJ blasted out dance music – mostly fast paced Punjabi bhangra – from the back of an electric golf cart which rode at the front, shouting encouragement to egg on the revelers to dance – and they did with a half two-step, arms in the air, hands gesticulating, hips swinging, faces grimacing and prodding on others with raised eyebrows and keen, wild stares - as they made their way to the side entrance. The groom sat on the white mare, his face partly hidden by a veil of strung white flowers and held onto his three year-old nephew – in the finest of Punjabi traditions - and was led behind the baratis. They entered the southern porte cochere and for the next 20 minutes, the baratis – led by the young men, then family and close friends who joined in – danced in a tight circle of aggressive moves, in front of the family of the bride which awaited them at the entrance doors. As the dancing ended, the bride’s family received the groom’s family and the rest of the baratis with tradition bound pomp and pageantry. It was a wedding the likes of which this almost mile-high city with clean streets, a small town friendliness and mountain ranges on three sides had never seen before, attested to by the huge front page news story coverage in the local newspaper, The Salt Lake Tribune on two consecutive days. Nestled in the bowl of the Salt Lake valley – the Great Basin - created by the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges on the eastern and south eastern borders and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest, this city of 200,000 in a valley where nearly half of the Utah’s almost 3 million people live is home to only 5,000 Indians, according to unofficial local estimates. And many of them have done exceedingly well, like Sim Gill, a Sikh-American who is the Utah Attorney General and Dinesh

Top; The newlyweds Abhishek Dhingra and Avni Patel with their parents, Ashok and Vijay Dhingra of Houston on the left and Dinesh and Kalpana Patel of Salt Lake City on the right. Bottom: The groom Abhishek arriving at the mandap in courtyard of the Grand America escorted by his parents. Photos: Nadia D. Photography

Patel, the father of the bride, who is a pharmaceutical industry entrepreneur, turned financial fund manager, venture capitalist and philanthropist who, along with his wife Kalpana, is well known in Salt Lake City societal circles. Many work in the growing technology industry in the region and a Hindu temple to Ganesh and a Gurudwara have started in the valley and rumblings of an India Culture Center have generated fund raising drives. It is the city – and later the state – that the Mormons founded after settling here from the Midwest sates of Indiana and Illinois where they were being persecuted and legally tracked down and killed. Sensing they had found the Holy Land in the West, Brigham Young, Issac Morley, George Washington Bradley and other Mormons founded the city in 1847 and built the Gothic inspired Mormon Temple and its surrounding structures. On Saturday, June 21, 2014, 111 Mormon couples were married in a ceremony at Temple, as the following two months were closed off due to Temple activities. It was also the day of the Hindu wedding of Abhishek Dhingra of Houston (his parents are Ashok and Vijay Dhingra, wellknown figures in Houston society) and Avni Patel of SLC in an opulent, colorful series of events heavy with traditional rituals that started three days earlier in the evening of Wednesday, June 19 with a puja held at the Ganesh Temple, attended mostly by close family and some friends who had started to arrive in the city. The next day brought in a trickle more friends from both sides and the morning began with a Ganesh puja followed by a Grah Shanti puja at the Patel residence built at the highest point on the side of a hill in the Holladay suburb and the last home at

the end of the street. All day long, shuttle buses ferried guests from the Grand America and Little America hotels 12 miles east across the freeway to the 30,000 sf, three-story Patel house, the grassy, landscaped terraced backyard of which gave way to a stunning view of the city in the valley below and a brilliantly colorful sunset. By evening time, it had been transformed into an outdoor mushayra setting for the menhdi ceremony. Under a centerpiece white tent, the group Jashn from Atlanta, provided the Indian musical interlude with songs, while the women got henna designs at two tables and the bride hand elaborate designs drawn on her hands and feet. Guests milled around over

an outdoor Mexican buffet vegetarian dinner, capped off with a game of bingo played to identifying Indian song titles. The following day gave the entire wedding party invitees a morning and afternoon to visit the city and its environs for a first-hand look at what has made Salt Lake City such a hot tourist destination ever since it was “discovered” by the rest of the world, of course for the Mormon Temple complex and its world famous Tabernacle Choir but also for its natural beauty, scenic mountain settlements, like the modern Park City, site of the annual Sundance Film Festival, the immensely deep

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July 11, 2014

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

Aani Thirumanjanam Celebrated at Sri Meenakshi Temple

Devotees carrying Lord Nataraja Utsava Murthy in a procession at Sri Meenakshi temple during Aani Thirumanjanam.

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Toshani Viswanathan performing Bharatanatyam dance in front of Lord Natarajar Sannadhi.

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PEARLAND: The word “Thirumanjanam” means Holy bath. Aani (Tamil month spanning mid June -mid July) Thirumanjanam is a special day (Uthiram Nakshtram) when an Abhishekam is performed for Lord Nataraja. At Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland Aani Thirumanjanam was celebrated on July 4, with the traditional Abhishekam which was witnessed by devotees on a slightly drizzling evening as the dusk setin at the Sannadhi of Lord Nataraja (Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer). The Lord’s form demonstrates his five-fold functions: creation (with a rattle – Udukkai in his right hand), preservation (raised right hand with open palm), destruction left hand holding fire), concealment (firmly placed foot) and salvation (his slightly lifted other

leg). Following the Abhishekam conducted by Sri Mannicka Sundaram Bhattar, the tradition is to offer the Prayers to Lord Nataraja, in the form of dance. At Meenakshi temple, one of VHS students, Toshani Viswanathan performed the beautiful classical Bharatanatyam dance in front of the deity, as the devotees offered their prayers. The evening concluded with Aarthi and Prasadam was distributed. The devotees were thankful to Religious Activities Committee, represented by its chair S. Narayanan for bringing this traditional Puja and celebration which is followed to this day in such exalted holy places (sthala) such as Chidambaram for the benefit of devotees right here in Houston.

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

NABC 2014: Prelude National Bengali Conference 2015 in Houston

BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: If NABC (North American Bengali Conference) 2014 was a snapshot of things to look forward to in 2015, we are in for a big treat in Houston in 2015. Orlndo, Florida held the NABC 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel with great gusto and enthusiasm from July 4-6. Bengalis from all over the world assembled in large numbers to celebrate the annual Bengali conference which has made it through 34 years successfully. The evening of July 4 started with the opening ceremony organized by renowned Bharatnatyam exponent Thanakamani Kutty from Kolkata. As registrants still tried to check into their hotel rooms and collect their registration badges, vendors ranging from jewelry, saris, clothing, books, music, DVDs, real estate, banks, TV stations, handicrafts etc. were setting up their stalls in anticipation. On the main stage Kanchan Mullick rocked the stage with his stand up comedy act. Bangla band Chandrabindoo who incidentally will be performing in Houston at the TSH program Barnali at Durgabari on July 18 ended the day’s

proceedings. The conference packed with business forums, movie screenings, university reunions, youth programs, dramas, music and dance programs had something to cater to every taste and Bengalis were excited to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances. The second day had artists from India, UK and the US performing on 2 different stages and went on into the early hours of the morning with classical music programs and dramas. The Govt. of West Bengal was represented by principal secretary, Rajiva Sinha, IAS and handicrafts by Bengal artisans were showcased in the Biswa Bangla booth. NABC 2015 Houston’s booth had opened in the meantime and was drawing large crowds with its display of the theme song, marketing video and cleverly arranged Karaoke singing. With ambitious, lofty plans of staging and setting the NABC 2015 apart from yesteryears, with its trailblazing ideas, Houston definitely wants to create an impact and make it a hard act to follow. In keeping with the theme of NABC 2015, “Celebrate our heritage and embrace the change”,

Photos: Srijeet Chaudhuri

the goals are set to be accomplished by working with various different organizations to highlight the grandeur, artists, crafts, culture and folklore of Bengal and also help with education, business entrepreneurship and rehabilitation of the Bauls (singing minstrels) of Bengal. In association with the Tagore Society of Houston (TSH), NABC 2015 expects to raise funds to give back to the local and Bengal community. With a strong supportive WB Govt., a Baul village can be set up in the Birbhum dis-

trict of WB and the Tagore Center for visual and performing arts can be built in the museum district of Houston. The last day of the conference was bittersweet with things wrapping up, leaving an emptiness in the heart and at the same time an immense anticipation for the next one. The baton was handed over to the Houston group. Sadhana Sargam, Bappi Lahiri and KK kept the audience going till way past midnight. Houston’s registration booth succeeded in getting a lot

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of attendees registered for NABC 2015. The website is now officially open to register online at www. nabc2015.org and Hilton of the Americas hotel rooms (connected to the convention center) can be reserved at a discounted rate after registration, while they last. Time is of the essence now. Let’s make NABC 2015 a resounding success in our beloved space city Houston from July 10-12 at the Houston George Brown Convention Center.

COMMUNITY

10 July 11, 2014

Storybook Indian Wedding Captivates Salt Lake City with Pomp, Revelry, Opulence 6

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copper mine and smelter owned by Rio Tinto Corp., and the Great Salt Lake just 10 miles east of the city and Bonneville Salt Flats beyond. Friday night started off the revelry in earnest when the Sangeet party occupied the Grand America Ballroom which was converted into a luxurious sitting area around the white dance floor and the settees for the betrothed couple and their families with the musical group on the opposite end. On either side of the hall filled with 600 people were arrayed stations serving Indian snack foods found along Chowpatty in Mumbai – pani puris, bhel puri, pau-bhaji, channa bhature, jal jeera and an assortment of deserts. The wedding couple was serenaded by dances from friends, roasted by witty jests of the couple’s friends, and the groom joined in for a Gujarati folk dance. A group of women from the bride’s side performed a Gujarati folk dance and then, not to be outdone, a group of Punjabi women - friends of the groom’s side who had come from Houston - commandeered the dance floor for a rustic giddha which slowly dissolved into a fullfledged bhangra with the menfolk joining in and the dholuk players contributing to the din for close to an hour. The bride’s Gujarati side

countered with a garba and dandiya garba that soon had everyone on the dance floor moving to the songs of the musical group. But of course the main extravaganza of the four day wedding was the marriage ceremony itself and the reception later that evening. After the bride’s family formally received the groom, his family and his wedding party at the South entrance, they moved into the central courtyard of the Grand America hotel, surrounded on all sides by the light grey granite blocks framing the walls and high bay windows, that come from the surrounding hills but were sent to France to be precisely cut for the façade. The landscape manicured courtyard with yellow flowers in the beds was lined with chairs, each bearing a paper Chinese umbrella to guard against the bright afternoon Sun. Entering through an archway of flowers and petals, the guests and wedding families went to sit and await the entrance of the groom, and then the bride, as they walked by the central fountain and sat under the mandap created under tall, flowing white veils trimmed with red flowers. The pandit went through the hour-long ceremony and as it concluded in the late afternoon, the newlyweds walked

towards the grassy lawn in the back, and, under the gaze of all assembled, took off into the blue sky in a multi-colored hot-air balloon, which was tethered, of course, to a stake in the ground. That picture made the next day’s edition of the Salt Lake Tribune. After lunch inside the ballroom and a short break of a couple of hours, the same courtyard – now sans chairs but strewn with small cocktail-serving bars, became the scene for the evening reception under the quickly cool evening air, as 800 people mingled, and some even had their caricatures made by two artists in the wings. The ringing of xylophone bars heralded the start of the formal reception inside the ballroom, now turned into an exciting night club with shades of light and dark blues and an acrobatic female maneuvering herself between two long, strong, wide ribbons of blue cloth into which she swung, rolled, climbed and hung perilously, sometimes by her wrapping her feet in the streamers. The immediate families sat at tables along the edge of the circular white dance floor, and after the parents and siblings and their families from both sides had been introduced, they did a little ditty as they danced to their sets. Avni’s

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brother Ashish and Abhishek’s brother-in-law Manav played both emcees and the two who roasted the newlyweds after they entered to a thundering applause and sat in the center of the circular table line up. Abhishek’s sister Annu and Nikki recollected their brother’s antics and welcomed Avni as their own sister; and Avni’s best friend Ashi shah recalled treasured moments from their relationship. Avni’s father Dinesh’s voice cracked with emotion as he declared he couldn’t deny his daughter anything she wanted in the wedding, which had been planned for 15 months, and thanked Grand America “for allowing us to do things that they had not done before. After explaining the importance of Indian food preparations, we got their permission to serve here. They probably never saw these many spices in their kitch-

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

ens!” Dinesh joked. Ashok Dhingra could not contain his appreciation for the superlative wedding, adding that “we will cherish these moments forever, thanks for all your graciousness.” After a buffet Punjabi dinner, the revelers broke into the music that started to rock the partiers well into the night. A video collage of the entire three days of rituals and ceremonies, all the way to the conclusion of the wedding at the hot air balloon that afternoon was presented on screens across the room, beginning and ending with Abhishek speeding away in a silver blue convertible sports car across the Bonneville Salt Flats to pick up Avni who holds a yellow scarf unfurling in the breeze of the blue sky. A fitting way for the Shek – as his friends call him – to ride away with his bride.

Dhingra-Patel Wedding Team

KIS Cubed Events-Wedding Planner, Invitation Design, Concept Design, Favor Design Occasions by Shangrils- Event Design, Floral & Lighting Design & Technical Production S3 Catering- Caterer Bridal Elements by Nirjary Desa: Hair, Make-up & Henna Nadia D Photography: Photographer Paciﬁc Pictures: Cinematographer Gand America Hotel & Patel Residence: Venues Chef Mackie: Cake Dcs Dynasty: Djs Jashn: Band Punjab Di Awaaz: Dhol Players Sound & Lighting: Alliant Events & Technology Solutions Entertainment: Kruti Dance Academy, Utah Aerial Performing Arts, Harpist(Artamisha Frasworth)

Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir of Houston Inc. 6640 Harwin Dr, Houston, TX 77036

A Hearty Invitation to all Hindu Devotees to celebrate

Shraavan Maas — July 27 to August 25

Let us Celebrate Shraavan Maas

The First Jyotir Lingam, a Replica of Bhagvan Somnath & Maa Shri Umiyaji, in Houston. Please Come with your family and Friends and pray at Our New Temple.

||Om Namah Shivay||

• Mahapuja Every Monday at 5:00 PM. Arati 7:00 pm. • List your name for Pooja with the Priest. Abhishek will continue for the whole day. • For Mahapooja, a donation of $201.00 is appreciated, Abhishek during daytime a donation of $21.00 is appreciated. • Please bring Milk for Abhishek & Prasad is welcome. • Shravan Maas starts from Sunday, July, 27, 2014 and ends on Somvati Amavasya, Monday,August 25,.2014. • Full Prasad will be served after Arati Donate generously for the New Temple. No donation is big or small for the Temple.

On all Mondays of Shravan Maas that is July 28, August 4, 11, 18 & 25 there will be diﬀerent Shringar Darshan of Mahadevji. Yajman or Donation is welcome for Shringar Darshan & Mahaprasad Daily Pooja is open for everyone.

Devotees willing to sit in Havan & Pooja may give their names to our Priest Shri Hardik Raval Tel: 361-243-6539 or 713-278-9099

Sanatan Shiv Shakthi Mandir is located at 6640 Harwin Dr. Note: We do not have any other Temple at 5645 Hillcroft Ste: 701

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

Silver Jubilee Janmashtami Celebrations by the Hindus of Greater Houston

neighbors and colleagues to showcase our rich Hindu culture. HGH, who strives to bring all the Hindus together, has planned special programs for all ages to make this event a grand success. HGH has invited a very special guest, Saurabh Raj Jain, an extremely popular television actor of India, who plays the role of Lord Krishna in the TV serial Saurabh Jain as Krishna in New Mahabharat â€œMahabharathâ€?, HOUSTON: 2014 marks the one of the greatest epics on earth. 25th anniversary celebrations of It will be a lifetime opportunity to Janmashtami (birthday of Lord meet such a great personality Krishna) in Houston by the HinThe live garba / dandia singing dus of Greater Houston (HGH). group is specially being flown This community-wide event will in from India which includes the be held at the George R. Brown famous Sajda sisters, lead singer Convention Center on Saturday, Anita Pandit, who shot to fame August 23, 2014 in a bigger hall in the X Factor talent program on with 135000 square feet of space, Indian Television. To add to the which can accommodate over diversity, the well known Kirtan 10 thousand people. The event is (congregational chanting of sacred free and open to all; and presents mantras accompanied by music) a perfect opportunity to invite your singing group, â€œthe Mayapurisâ€?,

will also perform at the event. A traditional welcome will include breathtaking Rangoli (decoration) with ice depicting Lord Krishna, his beloved cow and a lotus flower. This will be a perfect picture spot for all friends and families to make the event memorable for years to come. HGH is also working on a few other specials for this event and will announce them as they are finalized. Other items such as childrenâ€™s costume contest, booths by various organizations, beautiful decorations, delicious and ample Indian snack foods, and more will make for a special evening. HGH will also release a special 25th anniversary souvenir with interesting articles about Houston Hindus. For advertisements and article submissions, contact Ravi Sharma at 303-589-0053. For further details visit www. hindusofhouston.org or contact Partha Krishnaswamy (713-9628523) for event details, Sharad Amin (713-854-0633) for sponsorship / donation opportunities, Richa Dixit (832-451-7206) for volunteer opportunities, Sheetal Rathi (281-597-8794) for costume contest, or Charlie Patel (832-4237979) for booth information and Vijay Pallod at 713-562-1920. See ad on Page 28

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12 July 11, 2014

COMMUNITY

Training Teachers for a Fulﬁlling Bala Vihar at Chinmaya Mission

BY PADMASHREE RAO HOUSTON: Chinmaya Bala Vihar teachers from several centers in North America assembled enthusiastically on the morning of June 28, at the Sarasvati Nilayam in Chinmaya Prabha, Houston. The occasion was the much- anticipated, comprehensive curriculum training program by Acarya Darshana Nanavaty of Chinmaya Mission Houston. After dedicating the day to Gurudev with a prayer, Acarya Darshanaben conducted an intensely thought-provoking training to a rapt audience for several hours. Over a hundred and fifty people – teachers with many years of experience, new entrants, and other volunteers interested in serving through

Photos: Jayesh Mistry

Bala Vihar, became eager students delighting in the expansive vision that unfolded in the presentation. The audience included teachers from other Hindu organizations, who came to learn about effective teaching methods. As she began, Acarya Darshanaben invited everyone to join her in thinking about the main focus of Bala Vihar. Just as every aspect of Nature finds fulfillment in a picturesque whole, so too will Bala Vihar be a path to fulfillment of both the teachers and the children, she explained. Drawing attention to the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual personalities embedded in each person, the Acarya emphasized, “Integrate your personality.” Through ‘mindful’ inte-

Acarya Darshanaben conducted an intensely thought-provoking training to a rapt audience for several hours. Over a hundred and ﬁfty people, teachers with many years of experience, new entrants, and other volunteers interested in serving through Bala Vihar.

gration, the whole would certainly exceed the mere sum of its parts. Acarya Darshanaben pointed out Bala Vihar as that special place where children learned through ‘integration.’ She called Bala Vihar as a “gym for the young minds.” It would be the happy responsibility of every teacher to help tone the muscles of the mind and intellect while connecting with each child through love and understanding. Decades of experience in designing the worldwide Bala Vihar curriculum and bringing out the teachers’ handbooks for all grades made Acarya Darshanaben’s training valuable to every listener. Reminding all about Gurudev’s vision to “Tell, Never Teach,” she outlined how to inspire children to reflect as they grow and make knowledge their own. Even as Acarya Darshanaben provided an insightful overview of the scripturesbased curriculum from kindergarten to 12th grade, she demonstrated some key instruction techniques to the audience using teachers from the Houston team. Entertaining and engaging with ideas for games and activities, she clarified how learning should be interactive and appealing to children of all grade levels. Throughout the training, Acarya Darshanaben described how the Bala Vihar books were structured around Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy, the theory of educational psychology used in schools country-

wide. Every aspect of each book aimed to make the children remember, understand, apply, and analyze all scriptural concepts as they grow. Finally, the children would evaluate how far they have imbibed the knowledge and create their own integrated, wholesome lives. Everyone who attended the training then toured the classrooms in Chinmaya Amrta Balamandira where the child-friendly board displays brought alive what Acarya Darshanaben talked about. The Acarya also addressed the challenges that Bala Vihar teachers had to overcome. She said that teachers should first be good students of the scriptures and worthy role models who lived what they taught. Only then would the Bala Vihar classes everywhere continue to grow in strength and spirit. The visiting teachers attended Bala Vihar in Houston on Sunday, June 29, after Acarya Darshanaben completed the final session of training on Sunday morning. Her main message was that every Bala Vihar teacher must aspire to “be His instrument,” with the conviction that each of them can pass the scriptural wisdom to eternity. When the teachers bowed in gratitude before Gurudev, they received a sweetly significant yajna prasada – a key ring holding together the sixteen steps of a puja (puja vidhi). It was a gentle reminder to invoke and worship Knowledge through every step of Bala Vihar seva. Then, Acarya Gaurangbhai Nanavaty reinforced the greatness of teacher in a satsanga where he spoke about Sage Vyasa. He led a meditation session to demonstrate the importance of memory and reflection for spiritual progress. The weekend of training in Houston was the culmination of deeply caring efforts that began many months before. Acarya Darshanaben acknowledged the help of many teachers who had been instrumental in assisting her with the acclaimed Bala Vihar books and the training preparations. She thanked everyone, from the room parents and the kitchen team who fed the attendees of the training to every volunteer who served Gurudev’s mission in Houston. Everyone who attended the weekend training was filled with gratitude for Acarya Darshana Nanavaty’s untiring and loving guidance. The lessons from this training will go far and beyond, to hold high Pujya Gurudeva Swami Chinmayananda’s vision for Chinmaya Bala Vihar. For further information on Chinmaya Mission Houston visit www.chinmayahouston.org or call Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

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COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

Houston Rath Yatra Brings Communities Together

BY CHETANA SAMAL HOUSTON: It was 10:30 pm on a Sunday night. The Lords, the devotees and the ambience were all in unison – no one seemed to be in a hurry. The seventh Houston Rathyatra, the annual journey by Lord Jagannath with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra, organized by Orissa Culture Center in association with Sita Ram Foundation was celebrated on June 29, with a Texas-size participation by Houstonians! The annual signature event of OCC is divided into two segments. The yatra and open air cultural presentation and Houstonians had a rare treat this year to listen to none other than Anuradha Paudwal, the queen of devotional music. Her closeness to her audience was beyond words and her affable, easy-to-reach aura made an indelible mark in our hearts. As the dusk approached and weather cooled down, thousands joined Lords on their annual yatra to their aunt’s house on a 24-feet high, newly built chariot, decorated with applique works on haldi and kumkum colored fabric. It’s amazing, how natives of Houston, could work for months to replicate the same experience as of historic town of Puri, thousands miles away. In the early morning, havan was led by Dr. Debananda Pati himself which followed traditional offering of ‘Chhapan Bhog’, the 56-varieties of food which is said to constitute Lords’ palate on any given day! It is believed that Lord Vishnu takes His bath at Rameswaram, meditates at Badrinath, dines at Puri and retires at Dwarika! Proactively OCC is promoting healthy living as part of giving back to community through organized Free Health Fair, the patients were checked for Blood pressure, BMI for obesity screening, blood sugar and cholesterol. Each patient received a limited physical examination and advice for healthy living by a physician. This year, the symbolic King, Dr. Shanti Bansal graced the occasion with poise and humility and related his experience in his words, “As the king of the Rath-yatra Festival, I had the honor of serving and praying tribute to Lord Jagannath by sweeping his chariot. Standing on the chariot, I was inspired to see the hundreds of attendees displaying their passion and devotion. I (am) looking forward to next year to be able to be part of the procession once again.” The incredible Emcee was none other than Kalasudha Devi Dasi. The dignified and simple ways of Kalasudhaji brings complex scriptures to common parlance – a very rare gift! Malina Maharana, a Memorial high school Senior and a student of Guru Smt. Supradipta Datta, performed ‘Durga Stuti’ to the thunderous clapping of audience. Anuradha Paudwal took the whole stage on her stride by melodious bhajans in many Indian languages. She participated in Pahandi Bije as well as led the devotees for Arati with Jai Jagadisha Hare…with nice breeze flowing, and with deities blessing from chariot, she continued her repertoire supported by her team of talented musicians including her son Aditya Paudwal on a decked up stage next to chariot. Prominent leaders and priests from various religious organizations joined together in the Maha- Arati. Samuhik prayer with all love and dedication, was sure a step forward in world peace. With all diyas lighted, the divine smell of incense, the sound of

Health fair by OCC.

cymbal, kirtans , bhajans and spontaneity of dancing by audience was sure a moment captured in history. See photo collage on page 14 Pahandi-carrying Lord Balabhadra to chariot.

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16 July 11, 2014 SAN ANTONIO: Continuing with the tradition of offering free medical services to the local population, where the annual Convention is being held every year, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) organized its annual Community Health Fair in San Antonio, TX on Sunday, June 29, even as the 32nd annual convention, attended by nearly 2,000 delegates from across the nation concluded here. Hundreds of homeless people lined up bright and early on Sunday morning to avail themselves of a unique opportunity for free medical checkup offered by Medical Missions and Community Service Committee of AAPI at their door steps. During the third annual Health Fair organized at “Haven for Hope,” a Homeless Shelter in San Antonio Downtown. Participants filled out the history questionnaire and signed the Liability Waiver before going for medical services provided by several dedicated AAPI members. “We offered vital signs measurement, Blood tests for total cholesterol, HDL, Sugar and Noninvasive Hemoglobin and consultation with primary care and various available specialists including internist, pediatrician, pulmonologist and critical care, urologist, obstetrician and gynecologist, anesthesiologist and pathologist,” Dr. Nitin Shah, an organizer of the Clinic here and a pioneering AAPI leader said. “Having more special-

COMMUNITY AAPI Organizes 3rd Annual Free Community Health Fair ists could have benefited several patients as there was a need for many more medical and surgical specialists like general surgeon, gastroenterologist, ophthalmologists,” he added. “Once again, these AAPI members have showed their dedication by conducting the free Community Health Fair, so well organized by the host city of San Antonio,” Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, President of AAPI, while praising the efforts of AAPI members in reaching out to the local community during the Convention, said. Describing them to “role models in selfless service for the younger AAPI generation,” Dr. Jahagirdar wished “them continued success.”. Lauding the initiative of the AAPI delegates, inspired by AAPI’s mission, Dr. Jayesh Shah, immediate past-President of AAPI, stated, “AAPI is built on Core Value of Service.” And he commended “Medical Student, Resident and Fellow Section and Community Service Committee for continuing this tradition of service by bringing health care to needy and poor and the homeless patients of San Antonio.” Dr. Nitin Shah praised the volunteers of Haven for Hope, led by Luke and Annette, who did a stellar job, coordinating all the arrangements. They also secured donation of Blankets, undergar-

ments, socks, muffins, and fruits etc. for the participants. “There was no charge for AAPI to use the facility. Their help was invaluable!” Dr. Shah said. Dr. Sudhir Gogu, Dr. Nick Shroff, Dr. Nitin Shah, his wife Kinna Gandhi and the Jagirdar family, including Dr. Jaishree Jagirdar, her husband Sudhir and daughter Sima were present for during the entire half day, helping at various stages of the Clinic. The AAPI delegates provided these services free of cost helping out at every level of the clinic. Dr. Nitin Shah and Dr. Nick Shroff even helped local volunteers with registration of participants as they needed help due to overwhelming response from the patients. Dr. Kinjal Shah, Dr. Rakesh Gupta,

Dr. Madhu Agarwal, Dr. Vijay Patel and Dr. Choudhary offered much required medical help to the patients, while Jaishreeben’s volunteer team, Hansa Venkatram, Hansa Bhulla and Rama Joolakuntula did a phenomenal job with the blood tests employing finger prick method. Dr. Sudhir Gogu commented next day “I feel so satisfied we could bring basic healthcare to the homeless and poor people at the healthfair”. “It was an amazing priceless experience to serve these many real needy people in a short period of time with limited resources and manpower,” Dr. Nick Shroff, chairman of AAPI’s Charitable Foundation said. “We heartily congratulate all those who could help, I am sure they all, like

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me and my wife, left the place very satisfied of doing a very noble humanitarian work,” Dr. Nitin Shah added. “We thank AAPI, MSRF of AAPI, AAPI Charitable Foundation and our other sponsors Dr. Jasvant and Dr. Mira Modi of Southern California, Dr. Krishan and Dr. Madhu Agarwal, and Mr. and Dr. Jagirdar for their financial support. The credit for the job extremely well done should go to Dr. Jaishree Jagirdar, she with her family served AAPI’s 3rd Annual Free Community Health Fair with “Tan, Man, and Dhan” Dr. Shah added. “We hope AAPI will choose to continue this tradition of helping underserved community in at least this small way in years to come!” Dr. Nitin Shah hopes. “We thank AAPI, MSRF of AAPI, AAPI Charitable Foundation and our other sponsors Dr. Jasvant and Dr. Mira Modi of Southern California, Dr. Krishan and Dr. Madhu Agarwal, and Mr. and Dr. Jagirdar for their financial support. The credit for the job extremely well done should go to Dr. Jaishree Jagirdar, she with her family served AAPI’s 3rd Annual Free Community Health Fair with “Tan, Man, and Dhan” DR. Shah added. “We hope AAPI will choose to continue this tradition of helping underserved community in at least this small way in years to come!” Dr. Nitin Shah hopes.

COMMUNITY

July 11, 2014

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Raising Record $5 Million

BY PRAKASH WAGHMARE When the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in his ﬁrst maiden speech to the Indian Parliament talked about ‘issue-centric focused activities like Education to eradicate poverty’, it was as if he was referring to “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation” (EVF) mission. For past 25 years, “Ekal-USA” has been dispensing Literacy, Health care, and Integral development in rural and tribal areas of India uplifting countless neglected isolated masses. “Ekal” recently concluded its annual fund-raising campaign through a series of concerts, all across USA. ‘Ekal’ hosted 69 concerts through its satellite Chapters, where its pool of over one thousand dedicated volunteers insured their grand success. Last year, Ekal had raised over $4.50 Million, most of it through concerts. This year according to ‘EVF’ President, Vinod Jhunjhunwala, it is on its way to raise at least $5 Million. Ekal is the largest grass-root NGO movement of its kind undertaken by Indians and NRIs, globally. This year ‘Ekal’ had

invited two groups of artistes to headline its events. One group of artistes was headed by renowned Kathak dancer Aditi Bhagwat and another was headed by Gujarat’s Nightingale “Vibhavari Yadav”. Both the artistes pulled record crowds this year wherever they performed.Aditi Bhagwat’s concert theme “Avartan” proved to be a mesmerizing composition of ‘Taal, Saaz Aur Awaaz through Kathak fusion Dances & Bollywood melodies’. It was a uniquely produced audiovideo music spectacle of ﬁve different disciplines such as Dance, Tabla, Vocal, Drums & Sarangi. Vibhavari Yadav’s concerts were devoted to old nostalgic Bollywood melodies which have eternally captivated our hearts. Each concert was coupled with a power-point and DVD presentations on Ekal’s activities, its ecliptic progress, and various innovative projects that empower the village masses. In the ‘Ekal’ movement, its youthwing has always played a key role. Students and young adults around the country are gravitating towards

the Ekal cause and coming up with creative fundraising and awareness events. Adeet Phanse, Ashwin Sethi and their friends in NJ raised funds for Ekal by entertaining the Senior Citizens in Nursing Homes and at Indian festivities. Sai Khisty at Rutgers University in NJ and Somil Sanghvi a high-schooler in MA organized basketball tournaments to beneﬁt ‘Ekal’. Sahana Srinivasan, a 11th grader at Lexington High School, Lexington, MA organized a fun-night called ‘Rangeela’, not only, to create awareness about ‘Ekal’, but also, to raise thousands of Dollars for it. On March 8, Nishka Ayyar in Campbell, CA made Ekal the center-piece of her ‘Arangetaram’ gifts. Three young men, Kunal, Vimal, and Amit who founded ‘Weekend Casual’ in CA, an outlet for Men’s fashion, have resolved to donate a part of their earnings to ‘Ekal’ and are also promoting Ekal-cause through their company’s website. In such individual efforts, Stephen Hinlick has proved to be the trail-blazer. A young entrepreneur from Tampa Bay area, Stephen has embarked on a solo walkathon from Tampa, FL to Seattle, WA to meet 100,000 people along the way to raise $100,000 for ‘Ekal’. This ‘WalkAcross-USA’ episode by a person who knew nothing about the country and the culture he desperately wanted to help reﬂects how Ekal has caught people’s imagination to eradicate illiteracy from the face of our developing nation. For further details about ‘Ekal’, visit www.ekal.org

iEducate USA Encourages Math and Science Education in Series of Summer Programs at Crockett Elementary

Students studying electrical circuits with Sneha Raju, a UT graduate during science lab.

HOUSTON: iEducateUSA, a nonproﬁt organization providing classroom tutors to support math and science programs in HISD elementary schools, celebrated its annual month of education at Crockett Elementary consisting of a 3-day science workshop and a 3-week summer camp that has just been completed. The two programs were designed to help elementary school students of all ages get excited about Science. The threeday Science workshop held June 2-4, focused on a different topic each day through in-class discussions with subject matter experts and hands-on activities. This year’s workshop and summer camp focused on Earth and Space Science, Physical Science and

Life Science in an effort to encourage students to pursue these subjects in school and in their future careers. The summer camp held on June 9-26 also included a brand new class on computer programming to enhance student’s skills in computer literacy. The students learned new software games and application through the Scratch programming language. The programs were supported by volunteers from the University of Houston Downtown, Schlumberger, Baylor College of Medicine, and NASA in addition to the dedicated teachers of Crockett Elementary. Schlumberger also exhibited their impressive science demo unit and donated books on “I want to be an

Engineer” to each of the participating students. On the last days of the programs the students participated in a poignant celebration, a computer workshop where students wrote letters to loved ones, and a presentation from students about what they had learned. From the Hubble Telescope to double helixes to kinetic energy, each student demonstrated a renewed interest in math and science. All of this is a continuation of iEducateUSA’s powerful work at Crockett over the past year. The program identiﬁes motivated undergraduate students to work alongside HISD teachers as in-class tutors providing one-on-one support to struggling students. With the assistance of iEducate USA’s dedicated tutors and volunteers, Crockett Elementary saw a dramatic improvement in both Math and Science test scores on standardized tests, including the widely scrutinized STAAR test. The school principal Chavez reported a dramatic increase in the number of students meeting standard on the math portion of the STAAR test, moving the needle from 64% the previous years in math to 94% in 2014. For further information visit www.ieducateusa.org

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18 July 11, 2014 Railway Budget: On Right Track Expectations were high that the NDA government’s first rail budget would offer a definitive statement on the way forward for the Indian Railways, given the overwhelming majority of the BJP in the Lok Sabha and with the railway portfolio in the charge of a member of the largest party of the ruling coalition, instead of an ally. Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda’s budget may not make the grade but it comes across as a pragmatic policy statement considering the deep financial mess the railways is in. Of course, the toughest decision — the 14 per cent hike in passenger fares and 7 per cent increase in freight rates — had been announced days ahead of the budget. A thrust on passenger amenities, including a much-needed 40 per cent increase in the outlay on cleanliness and sanitation, alongside steps to boost freight performance, deploy technology and improve operational efficiency, is welcome. Populist announcements of new route lines and trains have been restricted to a three-page annexure in Gowda’s budget, sharply lower than the 10 pages in Pawan Bansal’s budget and the 24 pages in Dinesh Trivedi’s rail budget. This is a welcome break from the past — of the 99 new line projects worth Rs 60,000 crore sanctioned in the last 10 years, only one project has been completed till date. The budget pins hopes on increased participation from private players in station modernisation and foreign direct investment in building rail infrastructure. But the most ambitious announcement is on inaugurating bullet trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector, and a plan to have highspeed rail connecting major metros, starting with nine trunk routes. What is missing is a plan to monetise the railways’ vast land parcels for revenue augmentation and a broad direction for the corporatisation of the Indian Railways. Incremental revenue mobilisation is crucial in light of the railways’ performance in the last financial year, which was dented by higher working expenses and lower passenger volumes, resulting in an operating ratio of 93.5 per cent for 2013-14 — a clear sign of deteriorating financial health. The operating ratio is expected to be marginally better at 9.5 per cent this fiscal. Overall, in its generally pragmatic bent, Gowda’s budget may have set the tone for the Union budget two days from now, which could also be expected to initiate the spadework for getting the economy back on track. Indian Express

EDITORIAL

McCain: We Want Modi to Succeed BY JOHN MCCAIN I want Prime Minister Modi to succeed because I want India to succeed. It is no secret that the past few years have been challenging ones for India — political gridlock, a flagging economy, financial difficulties, and more. It is not my place or that of any other American to tell India how to realise its full potential. That is for the Indians to decide. Our concern is simply that India does realise its full potential, for the United States has a stake in India’s success. It is also no secret that India and the US have not been reaching our full potential as strategic partners over the past few years, and there is plenty of blame to be shared on both sides. Too often recently we have slipped back into a transactional relationship. We need to lift our sights again. The real reason India and the US have resolved to develop the strategic partnership is because each country has determined independently that doing so is in its national interests. It is because we have been guided by our national interests that the progress of our partnership has consistently enjoyed bipartisan support in the US and in India. When it comes to the national interests of the US, the logic of a strategic partnership with India is powerful. India will soon become the world’s most populous nation. It has a young, increasingly skilled workforce that can lead India to become one of the world’s largest economies. It is a nuclear power and possesses the world’s second largest military. It shares strategic interests with us on issues as diverse and vital as defeating terrorism and extremism, strengthening a rules-based international order in Asia, securing global energy supplies, and sustaining global economic growth. We also share common values. It is because of these shared values we are confident that India’s continued rise as a democratic great power will be peaceful and thus can advance critical US national interests. That is why, contrary to the old dictates of realpolitik, we seek not to limit India’s rise but to bolster and catalyse it — economically, geopolitically,

and, yes, militarily. It is my hope that Prime Minister Modi and his government will recognise how a deeper strategic partnership with the US serves India’s national interests, especially in light of current economic and geopolitical challenges. For example, a top priority for India is the modernisation of its armed forces. This is an area where US defence capabilities, technologies, and cooperation can benefit India enormously. Similarly, greater bilateral trade and investment can be a key driver of economic growth in India. Put simply, I see three strategic interests that India and the US clearly share, and these should be the priorities of a reinvigorated partnership. First, to shape the development of South Asia as a region of sovereign democratic states that contribute to one another’s security and prosperity; second, to create a preponderance of power in the Asia-Pacific region that favours free societies, free markets, free trade, and free comments; and, finally, to strengthen a liberal international order and an open global economy. It is important for US leaders to reach out personally to Prime Minister Modi, especially in light of recent history. That is largely why I am travelling to India, and that is why I am pleased President Obama invited the prime minister to visit Washington. When the prime minister comes to Washington, I urge our congressional leaders to invite him to address a joint session of Congress. Yet we must be clear-eyed about those issues that could weaken our strategic partnership. One is Afghanistan. Before it was a safe haven for the terrorists who attacked America on September 11, 2001, Afghanistan was a base of terrorists that targeted

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HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: RAJ KANWAR ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com

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India. Our Indian friends remember this well, even if we do not. For this reason I am deeply concerned about the consequences of the president’s plan to pull all of our troops out of Afghanistan by 2016. If Afghanistan goes the way of Iraq in the absence of US forces, it would leave India with a clear and present danger on its periphery. It would constrain India’s rise and its ability to devote resources and attention to shared foreign policy challenges elsewhere. It would erode India’s perception of the credibility and capability of US power and America’s reliability as a strategic partner. The bottom line here is clear: India and the US have a shared interest in working together to end the scourge of extremism and terrorism that threatens stability, freedom, and prosperity across South Asia and beyond. I hope the president will be open to re-evaluating and revising his withdrawal plan in light of conditions on the ground. Another hurdle on which our partnership could stumble is our resolve to see it through amid domestic political concerns and short-term priorities. If India and the US are to build a truly strategic partnership, we must each commit to it and defend it in equal measure. We must build the public support needed to sustain our strategic priorities, and resist the domestic forces that would turn our strategic relationship into a transactional one. If the 21st century is deﬁned more by peace than war, more by prosperity than misery, and more by freedom than tyranny, I believe future historians will look back and point to the fact that a strategic partnership was consummated between the world’s two pre-eminent democratic powers: India and the United States. If we keep this vision of our relationship always uppermost in our minds, there is no dispute we cannot resolve, no investment in each other’s success we cannot make, and nothing we cannot accomplish together.. IE McCain is a senior Republican Senator. This article is excerpted from his speech last week in the US Senate.

HEALTH

July 11, 2014

The Healthy Dose: Vaccination Veriﬁed

BY PARTH DWIVEDI While dropping your children off to school you notice a small boy, their classmate. His eyes are red and rashes cover his skin. He has measles. This scenario should scare you and the solution is simple. Vaccinate your children. A small but signiﬁcant number of people actively choose to avoid vaccination. As a direct result, Measles outbreaks have increased seven-fold in the United States, especially in the states of New York, Oregon, and California. This does not mean Texas is risk-free, though. In August last year, 21 people linked to the same mega church that encouraged people not to vaccinate came down with Measles simultaneously. Immunizing, or vaccinating, people against disease is the basis of herd immunity. This means that when a large part of a group is immune to a disease, any rare occurrences of that disease do not spread far. When people stop immunizing themselves and their children herd immunity falls apart and disease outbreaks happen. Some anit-vaccinators deny the

very effectiveness of vaccination, while more are concerned with nonexistant side effects, like autism. Vaccinations are overwhelmingly safe barring some exceptional and rare cases, according to a recent review of 67 different American studies. Published just a few days ago in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most common vaccines were examined, namely for varicella (chickenpox and shingles), Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR), and rotavirus (stomach flu). This would also be a good chance to remind anyone out there who has not gotten their routine vaccinations to do just that! An Australian study published in May examined data from 1.2 million children to show no link between different forms of vaccination and autism. More specifically, components of vaccines as well as multiple vaccines—like MMR—do not cause autism. Vaccines have traditionally only been available for viral infections— like the flu—but vaccines for bacterial infections—like typhoid fever—

have recently become available, too, as Peter Shahinian of Novartis Pharmaceuticals pointed out. At this point it is fairly clear how vaccination can affect an entire community of people, but some still might not understand how it works. Your body’s immune system works by identifying what is causing a disease then destroying it. In the same way that police take fingerprints when arresting a suspect, your body remembers what caused trouble the first time. While mounting an immune response is a large task, this “memory” makes recovering quicker if the disease comes back a second time. Vaccines are just the fingerprints of a virus—the outer coat—without the part that causes trouble—the genetic material. They prepare your body to respond to the actual infection more efficiently. For another great read, check out a piece written by The Verge titled, “Vaccine deniers: inside the dumb, dangerous new fad.“ Tune in next week when we discuss Diabetes.

Parth Dwivedi has a B.A. in Neuroscience and an M.S. in Biomedical Sciences. He likes reading non-ﬁction and still watches I Love Lucy.

Indian-American Doctors to Help India Keep Healthy SAN ANTONIO/WASHINGTON: One of the largest ethnic organizations in the US, representing about 100,000 Indian doctors settled here, is working on a plan to help India improve its health services in a coordinated fashion. The outlines of the plan were discussed with India’s new health minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, at a strategic planning session during the annual convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in San Antonio, Texas last month. “What he wants us to do is to get a ﬁrm written commitment from AAPI members about what they can do in India,” Dr. Jayesh Shah, who handed over charge to the new AAPI President Dr Ravi Jahagirdar at the convention. “Whether they want to spend two days or one week a year in India or want to give money or go to a university to provide continuing medical education (CME) or want to do camps there, they should give a ﬁrm commitment.” Once AAP compiles that data,

Vardhan has promised to get “all these things done” through the “Swasth India Portal”, which was ofﬁcially launched by Vardhan during the convention, Shah said. Born in Bulsar, Gujarat, and raised in Vadodara, the Baroda Medical College alumnus, Shah considers bringing together the diverse group with varied opinions on many issues to get several projects done, a key achievement of his tenure. These included childhood obesity issues in the US and a partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA) to reduce stroke and heart attack in India and globally, he said. AAPI also has a partnership with the American College of Physicians (ACP) to develop education networks.

Another key achievement from advocacy stand point was winning support for J-1 exchange visa waiver programme that would allow international medical graduates from India to continue to stay in the US after completion of their studies. But “keeping a huge diverse group together, that’s always a challenge,” said Shah “because we are like India with different opinions on different issues.” For instance on the J-1 visa issue, “our members have kids in medical school here. They feel why are we supporting the J-1 visa programme, bringing physicians from India, when our own kids are not getting education,” he said. “AAPI also has different alumni from different specialities and so the president has to make sure everyone is together and diplomatically handle the differences,” Shah said. “I don’t see many other challenges besides this.” -Times of india

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20 July 11, 2014 LEARN TO DRIVE TODAY!

HEALTH

Superfoods to Cut Belly Fat BY SHILPI GUHA Battling stubborn belly fat? Try the following superfoods to Cut belly fat and inﬂammation.

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Green tea: This mild beverage is great for helping shrink your waistline as well as for decreasing inflammation. The flavonoids in this tea have natural anti-inflammatory properties. And the compound EGCG in green tea has been shown to help reduce body fat.

Mint: Add one tablespoon honey, a pinch of pepper, and some crushed mint leaves to a cup of hot water. Let it to steep for ﬁve minutes. Strain and drink the liquid to get a ﬂat tummy. Mint soothes the abdomen while honey and pepper dissolve the fat and boost metabolism.

Apple: Eating apple regularly can help in ﬁghting many diseases and it can also help in reducing the fat from your belly. Apple helps your stomach to feel full because it contains potassium and many vitamins. So, eat an apple in breakfast to get the desired tummy size.

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Foods rich in Omega-3: Research has shown that a diet with a high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids and a low percentage of omega-6 fatty acids has been linked with decreased inflammation. Food sources of omega3s include walnuts, flaxseed, and fish, such as wild Alaskan salmon.

Garlic: Consume garlic as a natural antibiotic and blood sugar regulator. By controlling blood sugar and insulin level, your body can maximize fat burning for energy, resulting in reduced belly fat. Garlic is also a thermogenic that boosts metabolism.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon works as a great fat burner. Take ½ tablespoon of cinnamon powder and steep it in water for ﬁve minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of honey after straining the cinnamon water. Drink this before breakfast and before going to bed.

Bananas: Like apples, bananas are also rich in potassium and contain multivitamins. They are ﬁlling and help you to resist the cravings for fast food. Moreover, banana boosts the metabolic rate, thereby melting the belly fat. -Times of India

Watermelon: Watermelon contains 82 per cent water, which helps your stomach not to crave for food. Watermelon is rich in vitamin C, which is beneﬁcial for health. It is one of the healthiest foods to have if you are planning to go on a healthy diet. It is also a good mid-day snack.

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ENTERTAINMENT

July 11, 2014

Movie Review: Bobby Jasoos

BY SWETA KAUSHAL The hype around Samar Shaikh’s directorial debut, Bobby Jasoos, which hits theatres on Friday, was no less than the expectations from Vidya Balan, especially post her stellar performance in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani. To be fair, it starts on a high note and the ingenuity of the opening scene is surprising. It shows a couple (Arjan Bajwa and Anupriya Goenka) passionately making out in an alley, only to be interrupted by a strange looking maulvi staring weirdly at the duo. That’s Bobby Jasoos! We are told she is jobless currently, but aspires to be a detective some time soon. In the meantime, she snoops on unsuspecting people, including her sister and her boyfriend, and other residents of Mohalla Moghalpura to earn petty money. And then she strikes gold: a

mysterious client gives her an equally mysterious assignment. The first half of Bobby Jasoos is totally entertaining and pacy, but drags to an agonising halt as soon as the assignment takes centrestage. Shot aesthetically in a set-up completely apt for the story, Vidya is nothing short of a typical Bollywood hero here: she runs across alleys in canvas shoes, fights with her dad, and has no qualms about it. She even has the epic face-off with the bad guy, threatening him “tereko malum nahi ki kis se panga liya hai, choregi nahi Bobby tereku”. Sadly, the film could have done very well if it didn’t waste too many frames on dealing with Bobby and her confrontation with her family. It looks forced and deliberate, a brazen attempt to reach a wider audience. Throughout the film, Rajendra Gupta (Bobby’s father) does not talk to her

because he does not approve of her ‘jasoosi’. But just ten minutes before the end, he changes and melts. Why? We don’t know. All that we know is that suddenly the father and the daughter have a scene where years of anger gives way to love and all misgivings are forgiven. Silly, to say the least. As for the performances, Vidya Balan looks at complete ease playing the bubbly, happy-go-lucky Bobby, or the many avatars she sports in the film. Ali Fazal looks every inch the character he plays: Bobby’s friend Tassavur, who cannot stand up to his father, and always in awe of the hero that Bobby is. He brings in a certain cute charm to the film. Supriya Pathak, Zarina Wahab, Kiran Kumar and Rajendra Gupta also suit their roles well. Samar, a debut director, has come out with a decent film. He would do well to choose his scripts wisely -ones that have a complete story. For all the fun that Vidya is, Bobby Jasoos ends up a bit too abrupt -- in the end, we don’t know if Bobby eventually became a professional jasoos. We also don’t know what happened to the Ali-Vidya love story. Watch Bobby Jasoos, if you must, for Vidya’s performance and the chemistry she shares with Ali. -Hindustan Times

AR Rahman to Become Film Producer MUMBAI: Oscar winning composer AR Rahman is all set to turn film producer later this year. He says he always took keen interest in filmmaking process, but has no plans to take up direction a la Vishal Bhardwaj. “Our first production is almost ready to roll. It`s in Hindi. I`d be there to oversee it. We`ve out together a wonderful team to take care of the film production,” said Rahman. “I know it sounds like a big responsibility, and it is! I think Vishal Bhardwaj made that successful transition from music to filmmaking before me. But let me tell you, I`ve no plans of directing films like Vishal. That would

Last week’s edition can be found online. Issue dated June 27,2014. Specializing in Small Continuing, free radicals Commercial are made in your Loans Business body as byproducts of natural processes, called 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 notReal whatEstate has made free radiCommercial Loans, Construction Loans,

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require my full attention, which I am in no position to give right now.” He sees film production as a natural progression in his life. “Music is most of the time a part of the visual medium. I`ve been taking a keen interest in the music videos for my songs. Other than that I`ve always been a curious student of cinema.” “Whether it was Mani Ratnam or Danny Boyle whom I worked with in my musical capacity, I was always asking them questions about filmmaking. It was just a matter of time before got seriously involved in the process of making films,” said Rahman. -www.zeenews.india.com

22 July 11, 2014

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Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before JULY 16, 2014. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your picture and we will publish it if you are a winner (for ﬁrst three entrees only).

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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Aaloo Di Bhurji (Chopped Potato & Onion Sautee) The lowly aaloo (potato) is probably one of the most commonly eaten vegetable in the world and is certainly one of the cheapest. It is found just about everywhere; there are stunted, small varieties found even among the sand soils of the desert in Rajasthan and West Africa where potatoes are especially pricey. Due to the loss of the potato crops to a disease in the Irish Famine between 1845 and 1852, there was a huge migration of people from Ireland to the US in the mid-1800s. Potatoes are generally very high in carbohydrates (about 26gm in a medium potato) predominantly in the form of starch, both of which can contribute to weight gain. A small but significant amount of starch is resistant to digestion by enzymes, and remains in the large inte stine intact as fiber which provides bulk and protects against colon cancer. Potatoes are classified as high glycemic and so are not suited to individuals on a low sugar diet. A medium size potato with the skin provides 27mg of vitamin C (45% of the Daily Value), 620mg of potassium (18% of DV), 0.2mg of vitamin B6 (10% of DV) and trace amounts of other minerals and vitamins. Indians love potatoes in one form or the other, and usually these are overcooked in curries which are eaten with other starchy items like rice or breads; or in fried foods which are saturated in oils and although these dishes are tasty, they are fattening. This recipe not only uses a small amount oil, it is also very fast to make. Ingredients: • • •

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2 large aaloo (potatoes) – red or plain, but not the baking kind 1 medium pyaaz (onion) – yellow or white 1 tbsp tael (olive oil or vegetable oil) Spices: ½ tsp haldi (turmeric), 2 tsp dhania (coriander powder), ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp lal mirch (red pepper) and salt to taste.

Directions: 1. Peel and chop the potatoes into ½ inch pieces, then wash them and let them soak in cold water in a bowl.

dhania, the taste will be much better. Cover the skillet and turn the heat off and let it sit for ﬁve minutes. This dish tastes best with warm roti.

2. Peel and chop the onions also into ½ inch pieces and place in a medium skillet with the oil over medium heat till they are slightly brown. Do not overcook as the onions will lose their taste. Add the haldi, lal mirch and salt and stir.

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.

3. Take the sliced potatoes out of the water and add to the skillet. Stir and cover the skillet over low heat for two minutes. Remove the cover and check if the potatoes are cooked; if not then cover for another minute. 4. Add the garam masala and dhania and stir. If you use fresh

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK HOW TO GET RID OF HALDI STAINS ON CLOTHES

When cooking or serving Indian food, one of the biggest concerns for hosts and restaurateurs is the curry stains that are left on tablecloths and napkins. The biggest culprit is haldi (turmeric) which leaves a yellow stain, the reddish tinge is usually from the tomatoes and red pepper in the food. There is a simple way to get rid of these stains, especially if these are fresh, but this method also works fairly well on older stains, even left overnight. First wash the cloth in regular water, then place the stained part of the cloth in bright sunshine for an hour or two and the stain will disappear!

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Make Requests that are Justiﬁed: Swiss Banks to India NEW DELHI/ZURICH::As India steps up pressure on Swiss authorities in its pursuit of alleged black money, banks in Switzerland say they follow strict rules and the requests from Indian authorities must be “properly justiﬁed”. The Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland, an over four-decade old grouping, is also of the view that a clear and transparent policy can help in dispelling “apprehensions” and the “conjectures” should not be allowed to dominate the public opinion. To bring back illicit money stashed away overseas, India has recently made a fresh request to Switzerland to seek bank details of such entities. “India should be aware that its reputation in Switzerland as a country with a proper legal system and func-

tioning rule of law has been seriously hampered as of late -– for reasons not related to ﬁnancial matters. But the mistrust spills over in other matters,” the Zurich-based association’s General Secretary Martin Maurer told PTI. Indian money in Swiss banks rose 43 per cent last year to close to 2.03 billion Swiss francs (Rs 14,000 crore), as per the latest data from Switzerland’s central banking authority Swiss National Bank (SNB). Incidentally, two ‘big banks’ in Switzerland -- UBS and Credit Suisse -- account for nearly two-third of such funds. When contacted, an UBS spokesperson said, “While we do not comment on speciﬁc cases, UBS applies the highest international standards

The banks in Switzerland apparently follow a code of conduct framed by, SBA (Swiss Bankers Association).

worldwide in the ﬁght against money laundering and corruption. “Over the years, UBS has further strengthened and enhanced its antimoney laundering policies, ensuring

it has one of the highest standards with respect to corroboration and veriﬁcation of sources of wealth.” A spokesperson for Credit Suisse also said, “We conduct our banking

business in strict compliance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations in the markets where we operate, and our employees receive ongoing training in this area.” The banks in Switzerland apparently also follow a code of conduct framed by another grouping, SBA (Swiss Bankers Association), with regard to due diligence process and measures required to check money laundering and other illegal activities. When contacted, an SBA spokesperson declined to give any speciﬁc details and said that “the Swiss Bankers Association has published a number of guidelines, to which its member- banks adhere and which amend to the Swiss jurisdiction”. -The Financial Express

Passport Delivery to become Hassle-free, No Police Veriﬁcation in Case of Renewal

The ministry is set to waive a second police veriﬁcation in case of passport renewal provided the previous police veriﬁcation was clear.

BYINDRANI BAGCHI & PRAFULLA MARPAKWAR MUMBAI/NEW DELHI:The passport delivery system could soon become hassle-free and quick. On the directions of the chief passport ofﬁcer in the ministry of external affairs, Mumbai may lead the way to do away with cumbersome processes

that currently delay the issuance of a passport. The ministry is set to waive a second police verification in case of passport renewal provided the previous police verification was clear. Fresh guidelines have been issued so that a renewed passport is delivered at the quickest possible time by no longer treating the application for renewal as a fresh one, as is the case till now. Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria and regional passport officer T D Sharma have put into action a plan that seeks to do away with police verification for other categories of applicants. “Minors, government servants and senior citizens can now go without verification,” Muktesh Pardeshi, chief passport officer in MEA, said. “I had a long meeting with passport officials on time-bound delivery of passport. We found that on occasions, the police department was blamed

for delay in submitting verification certificate. I have drafted a comprehensive action plan. The entire exercise of police verification will be completed within seven working days,” Maria told TOI. Maria said specific bottlenecks in the police verification process have been identified and stringent measures taken to ensure that the entire exercise is completed in a time-bound period. “It was bringing a bad name to Mumbai Police. In addition, there were charges of corruption too. I am sure, once the new system comes into force, passport delivery will be hassle-free,” Maria said. Pardeshi told TOI, “We have directed that there should be three categories for police verification in the passport issuance process. First, there is a pre-police verification, which is mandatory for first-time passports. Second, the post-police verification, where the verification can be done

after the passport is issued.” According to a senior official there was delay at several levels — from the newly set up passport seva kendra to the police station. “The delay was not deliberate, but there was lack of proper guidelines, as a result of which there was delay in submitting the police verification documents to the passport office. In the entire process, the special branch of the police station was blamed. We have worked out a comprehensive action plan, there will be no more delays and passport will be delivered within the stipulated period,” he said. Secondly, on the renewal of passports too, the ministry of external affairs has issued fresh guidelines to ensure that the passport is delivered in the shortest period. So far the convention was that if an application for renewal of passport is submitted, it was treated as a fresh application and there was police verification of residential

127

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address and all the documents. Now, it has been made clear that if the earlier police report is clear and the photograph of the applicant is attached in the original police report, there would be no need for fresh police verification. “The revised guidelines will help us in the expeditious delivery of passports, particularly those submitted for renewal,” he said. However, Pardeshi said the passport issuing officer had some discretionary powers. “If he/she feels police verification is necessary, it will be done.” -Times of India

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24 July 11, 2014 England vs. India: A Test for Two Rebuilding Teams BY ABHISHEK PUROHIT Just under three years ago, most of the talk was about milestones heading into India’s tour of England. The 2000th Test. The 100th Test between England and India. Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th international hundred. Duncan Fletcher’s 100th Test as coach. All of it at the traditional home of cricket. Cricket watchers besotted by statistics have driven themselves into frenzy over far less. To expect the quality of cricket to match the sense of occasion was fair, what with two of the world’s top sides vying for the No 1 ranking. Instead, Zaheer Khan limped out of the series on the first day, and India’s ageing band of legendary batsmen - Rahul Dravid apart followed him in spirit. MS Dhoni had entered the series having not lost a single one before. Four embarrassments later, two of them by an innings, he had presided over a winless overseas run that has extended to this day and has lasted 14 Tests. Fortunately for the Indians, only five of that squad are on this trip. Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha had no role on the field then, and Gautam Gambhir may not have a significant one this time. It is not in Dhoni’s nature to carry baggage - good or bad - around, and if Ishant Sharma can survive that bowling average after 55 Tests, he can survive anything. It has been said before, but it is worth repeating before the start of this series. This is not the India side that suffered the humiliation of 0-8 in England and Australia, it is the side that came close to winning a Test on each of its first two tours to South Africa and New Zealand. In 2011, India averaged 255 over eight innings in England. In its first seven overseas innings, this team already averages nearly 325. India may or may not have the ability to take 20 wickets, but they have the potential to put a decent score on the board, a total which it makes it difficult for the opposition to force a result. The previous Indian Test team achieved what it did partly because it had the batsmen who often made big runs under

Joe Root, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Ben Stokes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 James Anderson India had given indications that they could hand Stuart Binny a Test debut ahead of Rohit Sharma, which shows a rare intent to step out of their comfort zone in search for those elusive 20 wickets. This will, of course, make the batting thinner, with even more responsibility on Dhoni at No. 6. Bhuvneshwar Kumar could be playing his first overseas Test. India (possible): 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Alastair Cook and MS Dhoni with the series trophy before start of test at 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 MoTrent Bridge. pressure, but they failed to collec- gone 24 innings without a century. hammed Shami, 11 Ishant Sharma Pitch and conditions tively score in excess of 300 even He averages 55-plus against India, This may be James Anderson’s once in England 2011. The cur- though, and his highest score of rent lot cannot possibly do worse. 294 came against them in 2011. favourite venue but the Trent Given the way English pitches be- Friendly, familiar opposition could Bridge curator does not want teams bowled out for 180. There haved recently against Sri Lanka, be Cook’s ticket to safety. there is every chance they will do Amid apprehensions that the will be bounce as the surface is better. That in itself will make it a Indians could be blown away by hard but movement will depend on contest, unlike 2011. Dale Steyn and co, Virat Kohli how much grass - dry and brown As will the absence of several made a century so emphatic in is left on the pitch. The surface is big names on the English side his first innings in South Africa hard but without much moisture from last time - Kevin Pietersen, that Allan Donald was reminded beneath. As always in England, Jonathan Trott, Andrew Strauss of Sachin Tendulkar. He made 96 overhead conditions will play a and Graeme Swann. The first of in the second, and while he was key role. The first day is forecast those names started the series in dominating in Auckland, the Indi- to be cloudy, with some rain ex2011 with an unbeaten 202 and ans threatened to hunt down 400- pected over the next four days. Quotes ended with 175. England have plus. He went on to make another “I think playing a domestic game started on the path of rebuilding hundred in Wellington. With 25 as a warm-up is a very, very differafter the Ashes whitewash and international centuries, Kohli has have found there will be plenty of reached a stage where he is the ent thing to playing a Test match. heartburn along the way, as the se- team’s most prized wicket. If In- Certainly Duncan Fletcher always ries loss to Sri Lanka has shown. dia intend to make a statement at viewed them as warm-ups - that’s Just a fortnight later, five Tests in the start of the series, Kohli is the how we did it when he was coach - so I wouldn’t read too much into the next six weeks will test Eng- man to do it. what happened.” land’s character as severely as InTeams news England captain Alastair Cook is dia’s. Zero-eight eventually ended England had named Jos Buttler not lulled into a false sense of sea couple of big careers for India, as wicketkeeping cover for Matt and the loss at home to England Prior, who experienced “mild curity seeing how India’s bowlers in 2012 nudged a couple more to- tightness” in his right thigh two went in Derby and Leicester “If I compare between the first wards their exit. There won’t be days before the Test but Cook Test we played in South Africa too many surprises if this one also later said that Prior was “almost claims a scalp or two. certain” to play. They had earlier and the last Test we played in New Alastair Cook’s position as added allrounder Ben Stokes to the Zealand there has been considerEngland captain has never been squad, and he is likely to come in able improvement. You know, it’s under as much scrutiny. Cook, for Chris Jordan, who went wick- the right way of moving ahead.” India captain MS Dhoni and for that matter any batsman, etless in the second Test against thrives on runs, and there is a case Sri Lanka. Abhishek Purohit is a senior that runs will make the captaincy England (possible): 1 Alastair much more manageable. The runs Cook (capt), 2 Sam Robson, sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo have not been coming; Cook has 3 Gary Ballance, 4 Ian Bell, 5

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

SPORTS

Pak to Tour Sri Lanka ISLAMABAD: Mohammad Hafeez has been dropped from Pakistan’s Test squad for the forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka. The selectors have recalled Younis Khan to the ODI squad, while Umar Akmal, who last played Test in September 2011, has been called up for the longer format after nearly three years in place of Hafeez. Hafeez has been struggling in Test cricket and was dropped from the squad for the South Africa series in the UAE last year. However, he was recalled for the Tests against Sri Lanka and scored 113 runs in two games, including a fifty, after which he was dropped for the final Test of the series. In five Tests against South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2013, Hafeez had scored 102 in 10 innings. He fared poorly against the moving ball on Pakistan’s tour to South Africa and struggled against their pace attack. Younis, a regular in the Test team, last played an ODI for Pakistan in March 2013 and has been handed a chance in place of Asad Shafiq. Younis had recently stated that he wanted to revive his ODI career before the 2015 World Cup and aimed to retire on his own terms rather than be dropped for good by the selectors. With Mohammad Irfan out due to fitness issues, Pakistan’s fastbowling attack will be led by Junaid Khan. Umar Gul was ruled out after aggravating a knee injury recently. Pakistan will play two Tests in Galle and Colombo from August 6 and 14 respectively before the teams play a three-match ODI series between August 23 and 30. Test squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbahul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Mohammad Talha, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali, Wahab Riaz ODI squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Talha, Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar

July 11, 2014

Nearly 2,200 Indians Expatriates Expected Back From Iraq

Indian nurses who were trapped in territory captured by Islamic militants wait for the plane to begin their journey home at Erbil International Airport, Iraq.

NEW DELHI (HT:About 2,200 Indians in nonconﬂict zone in southern Iraq have expressed their desire to leave the for home and they will be in India in the next 36 to 48 hours even as 200 others reached New Delhi early on Sunday morning.

As the momentum of evacuation picked up, the facilitation process of transporting Indian nationals from Iraq is focused on the non conﬂict zone in southern Iraq, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters on Sunday.

Four mobile teams of six persons each have been placed in Najaf, Karbala and Basra apart from Baghdad which have collected details of those who would like to leave for home. “Our advice to them is to leave. But if they are facing problems or are staying back because of tickets, Government of India is ready to provide them. We are also ready to provide assistance in terms of contractual problems. Based on that our assessment is 2,200 Indian nationals have in some form or other expressed their desire to leave Iraq,” he said. Of these, Akbaruddin said 600 have been provided tickets by the government through the facilitation process of the Baghdad mission. 600 have been paid by their companies. Another 1,600 were being provided tickets by government for their return, he said adding that since developments in the last 48 hours, the government has calibrated its approach and the momentum of bringing back people has picked up.

On Saturday, 170 people were brought and this morning an Iraqi Airways special flight brought 200 people to Delhi. In addition Iraqi Airways is also flying normal flights from Baghdad. In the next 36 to 48 hours, two other special flights from Najaf and Basra will bring 200 and 280 people respectively to Delhi. In addition a group of 117 passengers will arrive early on Monday morning in Delhi by a commercial flight that will be diverted to Najaf to pick them up. Akbaruddin said the Indian mission was processing documents for facilitating the exit of 200 plus people. In the next 48 hours, all the 1,600 people who have expressed their desire to come back on tickets paid by government would have been transported. Most of the 600 people, whose tickets have been paid for by the government, were already back in the country. They are from Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai. The spokesman said that there were

ten commercial flights available from Baghdad to various points in the gulf and and the government was using all seats that were available on these flights. In addition, the government was commissioning special flights of Iraqi Airways from other areas. “With that we will be able to complete the process of bringing back all those who wanted to come back. We are also doing due diligence,” he said. Referring to the easing of the situation, Akbaruddin said that approximately 480 calls were received in control rooms in Delhi and Baghdad. He said it was a judgement of the individuals whether they want to come back. Now the calls have come down from 60 to 80 calls to 4 to 6 calls a day reflecting the considerable lowering of levels of anxiety and concern. On the problem of Indians in the conflict zone, he said he would not like to go into it now, though even one life is valuable to the government.

“Want to Win Your Hearts”, Modi Tells J&K on His First Visit BY ARUN SHARMA JAMMU/SRINAGAR (IE): On his ﬁrst visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his government’s intention was not to play politics but to win the hearts of the people of the state, and pushed for a common development model for all Himalayan states. “Our motive is never the politics of gain or loss, but winning the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said after inaugurating the 25-km Udhampur-Katra section in Jammu. “It is my priority to win the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and this has to be achieved through development and their welfare,” he said, adding that the legacy of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be carried forward. However, unlike Vajpayee, who

had addressed a public rally in Srinagar, Modi resisted from making any political speech in the Valley and kept himself confined to official functions in Srinagar and Uri. In Katra, Modi said Jammu and Kashmir needed both speed and energy in development and that every citizen of the country wanted it to prosper. While it has to be seen how the state is taken on the path of development, he said, “We all have a responsibility to see that the people of the state are happy and prosperous.” Proposing a common development model for all Himalayan states, he said these states have many common problems — and common opportunities as well. “A common model for development will benefit all the Himalayan states from Jammu and Kashmir to the Northeast. It will provide a clear vision to the Centre not

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only in matter of their development but also in understanding the expectations of those states,” he said. Accompanied by Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh, the prime minister avoided any political talk on the occasion. Rather he tried to strike an emotional chord with youth of the state, saying they needed new job opportunities. He also referred to his conversations with schoolchildren on board the passenger train ﬂagged off by him

During the one-day visit, Modi will make his ﬁrst stop in Jammu from where he will go to Katra to ﬂag off the inaugural train.

at the Katra railway station, regretting that 80 per cent of them had not seen trains earlier. “While it was a matter of joy for those children boarding the

train for the ﬁrst time, for us it was a matter to think about as to which way the development process has been taken so far,” he said.

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