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Friday, August 09 2013 | Vol. 32, No. 32
Indo American erican News
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Shunya’s “Partition” explores genius egos
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August 09, 2013
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IACCGH Dialogue with Congressman Pete Olson
Congressman Pete Olson recently met with the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) for a luncheon on Friday, July 26 in Sugar Land. IACCGH had invited the leaders of business groups TiE and IIT Alumni association to join them at the meeting. Photos: Bijay Dixit
HOUSTON: IACCGH recognizes that business thrives when policies at the local, state, federal and international level are business friendly. The Chamber strives to provide access to those that influence and are responsible for policies that impact business. Congressman Pete Olson recently met with the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) for a luncheon on Friday, July 26 in Sugar Land. President Pankaj Dhume welcomed the Congressman who met each of the attendees to understand their concerns and see how he could address them. IACCGH had invited the leaders of business groups TiE and IIT Alumni association to join them at the meeting. Congressman Olson briefed the group on his work in Washington, specifically what he is engaged in on the Energy and Commerce Committee. With the recent boom
in hydrologic fracking and directional drilling, America is now in a position to harvest natural resources that were once thought impossible to extract, Congressman Olson is fighting to ensure that Washington establishes pro-energy policies that allows the private sector to create good, high paying jobs in the energy sector and put the United States on a path to energy independence. Congressman Olson is also working hard to ensure that the United States is able to export LNG to India. With the U.S.’s abundant and cheap supply of natural gas, it makes perfect sense to increase trade with India – an established ally – especially as India continues to grow and needs cheap reliable energy sources like LNG. Congressman Olson is also working on a trip to India in the latter portion on 2013. The Congressman was accompanied by Tyler Nelson.
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Shunya’s Mathematical Geniuses Play out a Witty, Engrossing, Sad Tale of Ego BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: Theatre lovers are in for a treat. Last Saturday, August 3, three mathematical geniuses, a helpful Indian Goddess and a Professor of the Classics came together on stage and will do so again for the next two weekends, in Ira Hauptman’s play “Partition”. The play presents the fascinating and famous collaboration between Srinivas Ramanujan, India’s self-taught mathematical genius and his mentor G.H. Hardy, a renowned mathematician at Cambridge. Produced by Sanjay Mediwala, “Partition” is presented by Shunya Theatre, the only South Asian stage company in the country. For the past 11 years, Shunya has made a concerted effort to give voice to a wide array of works ranging from Irish-American to New American to Indian plays. Past productions include “The Adventures of Hanuman”, The Prophet and the Poet”, “Everyone Loves a Good Tsunami” and “1-888 DIAL India”. Apart from explaining a mathematical concept developed by Ramanujan about the rank of a partition of a positive integer, “Partition” also explores the partitions or divides that spring up between people when faced with their insecurities. The two-hour play opens with a dejected Ramanujan being berated by an English policeman for attempting suicide. Ramanujan’s reason for taking this drastic step stems from the horror of consuming Ovaltine, a drink that contained traces of an animal product. We are thus introduced to the strict vegetarian Brahmin mathematical genius and “the first Indian to be inducted to the prestigious Fellow of the Royal Society in Cambridge.” The play continues to describe
From left: Jeff Dorman as Fermat, John Kaiser as Hardy, Taher Lokhandwala as Ramanujan, Bradley Winkler as Alfred Billington and Anjana Menon as Goddess Namagiri in Shunya Theatre’s play “Partition” directed by Sara Kumar. Photos: Navin Mediwala
his arrival at Cambridge to work with another great mathematician, G.H. Hardy who is left “speechless” at Ramanujan’s extensive mathematical work. It deals with a self-effacing Indian who has to grapple with an alien culture and climate, his frustration and inability to” prove” his theories and his intuitive insights into complex mathematical concepts which leads to the crux of the play – Hardy’s growing insecurity and the consequent partition that springs up between the two men as well as with Hardy’s colleague Alfred Billington who rebukes Hardy for treating Ramanujan so shabbily. The play shows an insecure Hardy challenging Ramanujan to prove an unfinished theorem by Pierre de Fermat – a famous 16th
century French mathematician who appears as a ghost in the play. In his quest, Ramanujan works himself to the bone, enlists the aid of his Goddess Namagiri who in turns requests Fermat himself to spill the beans but in vain. Fermat has forgotten the original proof! A disheartened and unwell Ramanujan returns to Madras and dies and Hardy is finally forced to face his insecurities, see himself for who he really is and acknowledge Ramanujan’s genius and contribution to mathematics. Abounding in mathematical concepts without being obscure and boring, the play is liberally laced with the dry humor the stiff upper lipped British are famous for. Several instances such as Ramanujan’s impassioned plea to Goddess
Namagiri to help him reach Cambridge, his earnest mathematical explanations to a Professor of Literature, the Goddess Namagiri’s
snappy dialogues with the flighty and flirty Fermat, the first face to face meeting between the two mathematicians provides plenty of laughter. Billington’s kindheartedness towards the simple Indian is most touching. Each one of the cast, whether the irascible Fermat with zat awesome French accent(Jeff Dorman), the self-absorbed Hardy(John Kaiser), the soft hearted Billington(Bradley Winkler), the winsome Namagiri(Anjana Menon) or a shy, God fearing Ramanujan(Taher Lokhandwala) are impressive in their roles and they are well directed by Sara Kumar. The veena and bansuri music composed by Sridharan Hariharan and Sameer Murali add to the charm of the play. The behind the scenes effort from every member of the crew - from the Stage Manager to Costume Designer - works well to give the play an overall appeal. “Partition” will run from August 2nd to August 18th, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm at 14 Pews, 800 Aurora St, Houston, TX 77009. For more information and tickets, visit www.ShunyaTheatre.org
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Alphabet Connection: A Bala Vihar Vedantika Spell
After learning the Alphabet Connection, the corners wear out and shapes change into a complete whole.
BY PADMASHREE RAO HOUSTON: A greater vision was the thematic hallmark of the Alphabet Connection, an exceptional Bala Vihar play which unfolded center stage at Stafford Center in Houston on July 6, 2013, in the presence of Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda and visiting Acaryas of other CM centers. Dedicated to the dream of a ‘Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan’ in North America, over 60 children of Bala Vihar Houston cast a delightful spell on a rapt audience bringing home the ancient Vedantika message in a language as elementary as the ABCs of an alphabet. The 90- minute musical was scripted by Acarya Darshana Nanavaty of CM Houston, directed by Jennifer Minor, theater director of Austin High School, and orchestrated by Jamuna Murali, choir director of Houston Bala Vihar. The flawless, spirited performance of the children made the dialogue thought-provoking, the presentation unique and creative, and the musical rhythm contemporary and catchy. The search for complete happiness is a natural journey of every human being and that was what made the Alphabet Connection appealing to the young and old, the carefree and the serious among the 1200strong audience. Happy-go-lucky, carefree Mr. IT, a piece of a pie is enjoying life with the motto “JUST CHILL … CHILL …”. His Conscience becomes his companion and a guide. However, he often ignores or tries to sidestep his Conscience in the rush for having it all. The persistent Ms. Conscience goes through its treasure chest and invites the letters of the alphabet to help him unearth his complete identity. The letter A infuses the “Ambition” to “Be Somebody” without arrogance, and the letter G guides Mr. IT to a “Goal” rich with hard work, God’s grace and a happy smile. Every other alphabet befriends the protagonist with a special value from brotherhood to courage, truthfulness, dedication and unconditional love. Sidetracked by the false glitter of fame and the restless expectations of relationships, Mr. IT is keen to find his missing piece “that will make him Complete”, He thinks. His attempts to meet and mingle with shapes of all kinds still leave him lonely and mismatched. Sharp negative emotions poke and prod the little piece of pie. Then, guided by the God’s Grace, he sees a wholesome round pie that rolled by happily all alone. He finds his Teacher who teaches him – “These sharp corners are your strong likes and dislikes. Learn to remove them and be complete. Remember – corners
Photos: Jayesh Mistry
The letter A infuses the “Ambition” to “Be Somebody” without arrogance, and the letter G guides Mr. IT to a “Goal”. Every other alphabet befriends the protagonist with a special value brotherhood to courage, truthfulness, dedication and unconditional love.
Pujya Guruji appreciated the show and the children’s talented performance as spectacular. With a reminder that the most important connection has to be with God, he also said that happiness of a lifetime lies in making others happy unconditionally. The Alphabet Connection was a memorable fundraiser to unveil the Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan at Chinmaya Prabha and commemorate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary in 2016. A meditation center and a building with multimedia presentations at Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan will keep the future ever connected to Gurudeva’s far-reaching vision. For further information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www. chinmayahouston.org or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233
For advertising contact:
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at 713.789.6397 Happy-go-lucky, carefree Mr. IT, a piece of a pie is enjoying life with the motto “JUST CHILL … CHILL …”.
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wear off and shapes change”. He finds his answer, and gains the wisdom of connecting with the Highest to become complete. Taking us through the path of re-shaping ourselves in order to achieve true happiness, the play was entertaining and enlightening. All the children who acted, no matter how small or big their role, spent months practicing with such enthusiasm that this play is truly their offering to the Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan. While Darshana Aunty, Ms. Minor, and a team of dedicated Bala Vihar teachers tirelessly planned and guided the rehearsals, many other teams of CMH helped set the stage for this massive production. Vibrant costumes and elaborate stage props created by a skillful art team added elegance to the show. The musical scores sung by the talented Bala Vihar children and the orchestra that provided the appropriate background mood made the whole production professional and heart-warming.
KTRK-TV, the ABC O&O located in Houston, TX, has an opening for a temporary News Photographer/Live Truck Operator. Candidates should have a minimum three years experience in all facets of television news photography including lighting, audio and editing, and show exceptional knowledge and creativity in these areas. Applicants should have a good eye for news photography, be able to work in the field unsupervised or with various reporters and be able to work in deadline situations. The ideal candidate will have experience or be able to operate a microwave live truck and must be able to lift and carry 30 lbs. of equipment. tion assistance provided.
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All interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Interested applicants should also send a resume tape sample of your news related work to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 126911BR on all materials submitted. No phone calls please, and no third parties. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.
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India House and Indo-American Organizations Present Check to Mayor Parker for Fallen Firefighters Fund
HOUSTON: Demonstrating that the Indo-American community is always at the forefront of giving, representatives of India House attended a check giving presentation on July 30 to Mayor Annise Parker at City Hall benefiting the 100 Club and the four fallen firefighters who tragically lost their lives on May 31. Beginning with a prayer and fundraising event on June 4 at India House, India House was eventually able to raise a total of $35,000 to help support the families of the fallen heroes. Executive board members of India House presented a check to Mayor Parker for $35,000, along with checks for $15,000 from Arya Samaj, $5,000 from the India Culture Center, and $2,600 from IndoAmerican Charity. Board members of India House hailed the firefighters for showing “extreme courage and risking their own lives in their duties to put out the fire and save lives at the Southwest Inn.” India House representatives present for the occasion were Durga Agrawal (Trustee), Jugal Malani
Presentation of check to Mayor Annise Parker at City Hall benefiting the 100 Club and the four
fallen firefighters who tragically lost their lives on May 31.
(President), Brij Agrawal and Jiten Agarwal (Executive Board Members). Dev Mahajan and Ashutosh Garg (Management committee members) from Arya Samaj of Greater Houston and P V Patel (President) from the India Culture Center were also in attendance. Mayor Annise Parker and several council members applauded India House’s contribution and reiterated their support to India House and the Indo-American community in general. To make a general donation or a Survivor’s Fund donation, please visit the 100 Club website at www. the100club.org. India House Houston is a 501(c) 3 organization located in Houston, Texas. India House is a non-religious, non-regional, non-political and non-profit organization. Its mission is to unite cultures, create bridges, and serve human needs by bringing resources, education, services and India’s culture to Houstonians. For further information, please visit www.indiahouseinc. org
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COMMUNITY
IITAGH Social Event - a MidSummer Rendezvous
BY PARTHA SARATHI CHATTERJEE HOUSTON: IITAGH (IIT Alumni of Greater Houston) organized a social event with alumni and family on Saturday, August 27 at India House. IITAGH is organizing the IIT 2013 Global Conference in Houston December 6-8, 2013 and the IIT leaders from PanIIT USA organization were present to share their views and feedback. Event started with a hearty welcome address from Witty Bindra, President IITAGH and Chair of IIT 2013 Global Conference. He was excited that so many alumni and their families gathered for the event. He thanked all the volunteers for their hard work and planning to make this a successful event. He also provided a brief update on the progress made for the IIT 2013 Global Conference. Next up was an exuberant group of kids for the talent show. The kids put up an exhilarating show that included piano, violin, dance, singing and a magic show. The audience enjoyed the show immensely and cheered loudly after each act. Show was followed by a sumptuous lunch catered by Madras Pavilion. The fare was appreciated by all present. Sid Chowdhary, the PanIIT USA President, addressed the
audience and extolled the members to be involved with the conference and gain from networking and counseling just like he did. Arjun Sen, the PanIIT USA Vice-President, recounted the pleasure of being active in the alumni organization and the joy of putting together such events. Both of them appreciated the tremendous strides already made by IITAGH in hosting the conference. Finally, Smita Bagla, PanIIT USA Chapter Liaison, talked about extending the network and getting registrants from other cities to attend and support the conference. The last event of the day was the “Tambola” where the alumni tried their luck in making the winning numbers. Everyone had a great time. Sundy Srinivasan, the MC for the event, was as eloquent and entertaining as ever. All the assembled alumni and their families had a fabulous time, enjoying each other’s company. Together, the conference team is confident to deliver the IIT 2013 Global conference – focused on “Inspiring Innovation for Tomorrow”. Judging by the social event and the feedback from PanIIT leaders, IITAGH will make Houston proud.
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David Raj Launches iEducate USA to Mentor School Kids
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BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It is a measure of a man that he can stand ready to help others despite the difficulties that he himself faces. David Raj is a man in that situation who, despite a grave terminal cancer that is steadily sapping away at his strength, has decided to move forward with a project that has been close to his heart for the past two years and one that will undoubtedly provide him with a lasting legacy. Raj has not let the disease slow him down; instead he has sown the seeds for his education project for young school kids. Raj stood at the podium this past Monday, August 5 to announce the formal launch of a new non-profit organization – iEducate USA – which will start by mentoring young elementary school students in their classrooms in math and science. Raj has had positive feedback on the feasibility of this support from a pilot program that he was involved with over the past 18 months. At the end of the semester, grades of the students in these two subjects jumped by two letters and a couple of students even received academic recognition for their performances. Raj made the announcement at the Crockett Elementary School near downtown in front of a small group of people which included two other founding directors and eight Board members of the new
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organization. These are Sanjay Rao, Witty Bindra, Dr. Rupa Iyer (Education Chair), Subba Viswanathan (Governance Director), Ranjana Narasimhan (Co-Chair Education), Jose Villarreal (Secretary), Imtiaz Munshi (Treasurer), Dharma Rajah (Vice President Marketing), Paras Choudhary (Vice-President Communications), Dr. Roopa Gir (Advisor) and Ramesh Anand (Advisor). Others who attended the event were several volunteers from the Indian Institute of Technology Alumni of Greater Houston which will partner with iEducate USA
and well wishers including Assistant Superintendent of HISD Sowmya Kumar, local community activist Ashok Garg and Asha Dhume. The next two days were spent in workshops with teachers and the school officials to get the program off to a start with the new semester which begins in two weeks. Some children and their parents were also present in the mutlitpurpose room of the inner-city school and they were mesmerized by the exhibits and video presentations made by Schlumberger and Lalita Sundaresan from NASA. Dr. Gir and a representative of the oil-services company Schlumberger gave away donated gifts and prizes, including a Kindle donated by Gir, to the kids and their parents.
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Balaram Purnima, Appearance Day of Lord Balaram HOUSTON: On the auspicious occasion of Balarama Purnima let us meditate upon the advent of Lord Baladeva, the first plenary expansion of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna! In the Nectar of Devotion (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu) by Srila Rupa Gosvami, the all-attractive beauty of Lord Balarama is described thus: “Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarāma, whose beauty is enhanced by the earrings touching His cheeks. His face is decorated with tilaka made from kastūrī [musk], and His broad chest is decorated with a garland of guñjā [small conchshells]. His complexion is as white as an autumn cloud, He wears garments of blue color, and His voice is very grave. His arms are very long, touching His thighs, and He has shown His
great strength by killing the Pralamba demon. Let me take shelter of this chivalrous Balarāma.” The Srimad Bhagavatam (10.1.24 ) states that, Being the origin of all incarnations within this material world, and previous to the appearance of Lord Krishna, this original Sankarsana will appear as Baladeva, just to please the Supreme Lord Krishna in His transcendental pastimes. Also known as (among His other names) Sankarsana (because He was transported from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini); Ananta (the Infinite One); Baladeva (the Powerful One); Nityananda (the Eternally Blissful One); Lakshmana (the One with auspicious signs); and Ramanuja (younger brother of Lord Rama), Lord Sri Balarama is one of the most magnificent ex-
pansions of the Supreme Lord Sri Hari. One thing to be noted is that the word “Bala” does not necessarily mean physical strength; in the context of the Lord Balarama it means spiritual strength. And, because “Rama” also means pleasure or bliss, Sri Balarama is also considered as the source of spiritual bliss. Their Lordships Krishna and Balarama were always inseparable and enjoyed some delightful pastimes together. Together they got rid of several demoniac personalities that had been plaguing the general populace. Especially remarkable was the display of strength by Lord Balarama (whose weapons of choice were a club – Sunanda, and a plow, which is why He is also called Haladhara) when He eliminated Dvivida, the monstrous gorilla who had the strength of 10,000 elephants. Lord Balarama was also instrumental in the killing of the demon Dhenukasura, who practically ruled over the Tala forest by spreading terror and distress amongst the people that lived there. Similarly the demons Pralambasura and Balvala also met their end at the hands of the Lord. Further to that, He also killed the blasphemous Rukmi after Rukmi had made fun of Him and Lord Krishna, and also had tried to cheat them at a game of chess, which actually Lord Balarama had won. Ignoring a divine voice that asserted that Lord Ananta had won, Rukmi continued to poke fun at the Lord and thus invited his own death. In order to deliver the worst of the worst sinners in this age of Kali, Lord Nityananda (the closest associate of Lord Chaitanya) appeared to help spread the mercy of Harinaam (the Holy Names) and to ensure our salvation. Let us express our eternal gratitude to Lord Nityananda for His infinite compassion! Typical celebrations surrounding this joyous occasion involve devotees fasting until noon; then abhisheka is performed on Their Lordships. Devotees may also participate in the breaking of a pot (filled with prasada and honey) with a stick while blindfolded! Balaram Purnima occurs eight days before Janmashtami, the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna. Hare Krishna Dham, ISKCON Houston will celebrate Janmashtami festival on Wed, Aug 28, 6:30PM to midnight, and cultural events on Sun, Sep 1, 5:30pm. Please join in the celebrations of the appearance day of Lord Krishna (Aug 28 & Sep 1)) and His elder brother Sri Balaram on Tuesday, Aug 20, 6:30pm. For further details visit Hare Krishna Dham at 1320 W 34th Street, Houston TX – 77018, www.iskconhouston.org , 713686-4482). See ad on Page 7.
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COMMUNITY
August 09, 2013
BITSAA Houston Chapter Launched on BITSians Day
BITSAA International, USA: Houston Chapter inaugurated by Consul General P. Harish (third from right).
HOUSTON: The BITSAAHouston Chapter was officially launched on August 2, the BITSIANs Day, in Rachana’s Sankalp Restaurant by the Consul General
of India, Parvathaneni Harish and his wife, Nandita. The event was attended by more than 80 proud BITsians that included some of the successful local entrepreneurs
such as Ramesh Bhutada of Star Pipes, Viswa Bahl of Ratnala-Bahl Engineering Co., Narendra Gosain of Walter P. Moore and Shailendra Sacheti of M.S.International, Inc. and several other prominent BITSIANs. Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, famously known as BITS-Pilani is a renowned institute of higher education of international standing. In addition to its flag ship location in Pilani, Rajasthan, it expanded its campuses to Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh and Goa. Further more, it is the only institution of higher learning in
India that has an off-shore campus as well, in Dubai. The institution is a dream come true for its founder, late G.D.Birla - an eminent industrialist, a participant in Indian freedom struggle and a close associate of the Father of India, Mahatma Gandhi. BITS symbolizes entrepreneurship and leadership, the institution has world renowned reputation of creating immensely talented technical and business leaders over decades. BITS Alumni Association (BITSAA) members estimated to be around 40,000 are spread over 80 countries all over the world and are strongly connected through BITSAA International which is a voluntary association that operates at a global level. BITSAA came into being after some Bitsians lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. As BITS celebrates its Golden Jubilee on January 2 and 3, 2014 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, the institute has for the first time in its history, declared every first Friday of August as BITSians day to connect the strong network of its students worldwide who have persistently defined its glory in the last five decades. Houston being the 5th largest city in US with a broad industrial base, has become home for over 300 BITSians, which led to an initiative to start a new chapter in this region. The BITSAA Houston chapter was ceremonially inaugurated on Aug 2, in tandem with the
From left: Gurunathan Ponnuchamy, Venkat Yadha, Kalyan Chakravarthy, Consul General of India, P. Harish, Krishna Vavilala, Sindhura Reddy.
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BITSian day celebrations all over the world and their families who relived their memorable BITSian days. Venkat Yadha, in his opening remarks described that the mission of the chapter is to connect BITsians in the region professionally and personally. The group will focus on initiatives which will connect students at BITS Pilani with other prestigious educational and professional institutions in the Houston region opening up opportunities of financial assistance and mentorship programs. Krishna Vavilala, BITS alumni from 1960 and a prominent Houstonian emphasized on the discipline inculcated by the Birla educational system in its students and their secret recipe of bringing talented brains from all over the nation and turning them into future leaders. Krishna Vavilala explained that the Houston group will focus on expanding BITSian presence by increasing ties with local educational institutions and industries. The Consul General of India, Parvathaneni Harish, who himself has studied engineering before he entered foreign service,lauded the Birla institute for its role in building professionals and a great pool of knowledge over the last five decades and extended his support to the group’s mission. The evening proceeded with bridging the BITSians of several generations sharing their nostalgic memories and funny tales from school days and a common pride of being a BITSian. Kalyan Chakravarthy, concluded the evening by extending warm thanks to Consul General P. Harish, his wife Nandita and their daughter Amani who made the evening more memorable by their participation and support, especially to all the BITSians and their families who were present for the historic launch of the Houston Chapter. For further information on BITSAA International visit http://www.bitsaa.org/. or call Krishna Vavilala @ 713-7955169, Venkat Yadha @ 860-2146135 or Kalyan Chakravarty @ 561-670-3384.
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18 August 09, 2013 Who is in Charge in Pakistan? In calling for ending the arms race between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may have his heart in the right place. But the very next day after Sharif’s invitation five Indian soldiers were killed in attacks across the Line of Control, in the Poonch sector. That raises the question how much Sharif is in control of Pakistani policy. We could very well be seeing a reprise of 199899, when Sharif’s overtures to India were followed by Kargil. Mere lip service to peace is no longer enough, especially when Pakistan’s home-grown Tehrik-e-Taliban brazenly carried out a jailbreak to free other terrorists who will now join thousands of violent extremists, placing Islamabad on red alert. Although Sharif has said Pakistan will not favor any group in Afghanistan over others, last week’s attack on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad has raised fears that Pakistan-based terror groups will step up attacks on Indian targets. Sharif has softened the tone on Kashmir and wants a resumption of the composite dialogue with India. But his words must be matched by credibly committing to stop infiltration attempts as well as shut down the terror camps that provide a steady supply of the manpower for such attempts. And if Sharif is not the man who decides such things, then it’s high time New Delhi broke diplomatic precedent and talked directly to the real power centre determining India policy—the Pakistan army. Keeping the terror camps humming and helping their graduates infiltrate the LoC may look tempting at first sight. But if one looks at the price paid by Pakistani society and indeed the Pakistani army for supporting a terror infrastructure, those costs are even higher than any cost imposed on India. Times of India After the incident of killing and mutilation at the LoC this January, the prime minister went so far as to say that “business-as-usual” was unsustainable. Instead of publicly articulating and explaining why it is necessary to protect and insulate the bilateral talks, the government tried to match a rising jingoistic clamour with its own fighting words. That sorry theatre was enacted again, after Sarabjit Singh’s killing in May. Manmohan Singh’s record with Pakistan has been hampered by his party’s reluctance to make a bold move, as well as hostility following the 26/11 attack. Indeed, the bilateral dialogue is burdened by constraints on both sides. India has asked for some headway on 26/11, it wants larger commitments on choking terrorist activity and improved trade relations. Pakistan wants India to understand that its civilian leadership is invested in reconciliation, but has little control over the security establishment and its offshoots. Only dialogue, a skilful and patient engagement, can extract anything meaningful from these fraught circumstances. As the US begins its withdrawal, and Pakistan’s terrorists turn their energies to the east, the space for bargain and negotiation must not be compromised. Indian Express
EDITORIAL
Creating Incentive for Oil & Gas Exploration BY VEERAPPA MOILY
The upstream oil and gas sector needs to be revived and activity encouraged to meet the ever-growing demand for energy to fuel growth. Energy is and will continue to be key to increasing the level of prosperity of millions of Indians. Clearly, there is a big economic, social and national imperative to produce as much oil, gas and coal as we can. Importing energy today requires an outflow of $160 billion, which worsens the trade deficit, weakens the currency and increases our dependence on foreign countries. Indian companies have invested or committed over $100 billion to develop and import oil and gas from overseas - monies which could have been invested in India. What is the logic in supporting other economies at the cost of our own fiscal health? Despite being under-explored and having good resource potential, India has not been able to attract large players or serious investments upstream. It is a matter of concern that of the 254 blocks awarded under NELP and 118 discoveries, only two blocks have begun production. A lack of trust between the regulator and exploration and production (E&P) companies, and resultant gridlock have severely impacted decisionmaking. They have changed the focus to protecting the likely government profit share while losing sight of the overarching objective of increasing exploration activities. Several issues are pending for a long time. They have not been resolved due to bureaucratic procedures or because of an extreme interpretation of issues. In several blocks, inter-ministerial issues have also led to denial of access or ability to conduct activities. This has led to a severe decrease in activity and, as a result, decline in production. This has increased our dependence on oil and gas imports. The mindset of fear needed correction, especially when there was a tendency to hide behind procedures and processes that left critical issues and decision points unresolved. The ministry is now working at a fast pace to address these issues and clear pending decisions that alone will result in expanding exploration activity. Cairn
Importing energy today requires an outflow of $160 billion, which worsens the trade deficit, weakens the currency and increases our dependence on foreign countries Energy, ONGC, GSPC, OIL and Reliance besides several smaller players have re-engaged to deepen E&P. Activities that arrested production are expected to be overcome by the end of next year and could bring in an additional 1.25 Tcf to the gas-starved markets. This gas flow to the fertiliser and power sectors will reduce LNG imports by $3 billion per annum. Overall, in the KG D6 block alone timely approvals and better cooperation could have resulted in investments of over $5 billion to produce around 3-4 Tcf of gas ($40-50 billion in value from avoided imports of LNG) and possibly over 40 mmscmd of new production by 2014-15. Similarly, over the last three years, defence ministry clearances and other issues led to sluggish exploration activity in these blocks. But with the restart of exploration activity in the Barmer, KG and Cauvery basins in 2013, there have been quick successes. In February 2013, petroleum ministry clarified the policy guidance for exploration in gas-producing areas or mining leases. This issue was pending for years despite the fact that any
exploration successes could bear fruit much quicker because of existing infrastructure. This decision resulted in two significant discoveries in a span of three months. Besides, recent initiatives, including defence ministry clearances and the transition to a market price for gas are intended to provide confidence to investors and encourage E&P. By allowing a closer market linkage of domestic production based on the Rangarajan committee formula, the government has created the framework for making new gas exploration and development economic. Like China and Brazil, which have also undertaken progressive gas price policy reforms, this will go a long way in unlocking our untapped oil and gas potential, thereby making the country energy secure in the future. With the current gas pricing framework, of the 10 Tcf gas resources of the ONGC, GSPC and RIL awaiting development, 5 Tcf is anticipated to become viable for development immediately. This will equate to 40 MMscmd of additional production at peak levels and about $65 billion of LNG import substitution. Since the approval has been recent, there will be incremental production starting 2016-17. Clearly, early approvals are key to ensuring early monetisation of domestic gas. It is also expected that with the right policy environment and a proactive administrative mindset, the rest of India’s hydrocarbon potential (100 Tcf by conservative estimates) can be realised, unlocking over $1 trillion in value and bringing us closer to the stated goal of attaining energy security. The mutual objective of the government and investors, as partners, is to maximise the value of India’s natural resources. In the US, the hydrocarbon sector has flourished because the government’s role is limited to being an enabling regulator. In the Indian context, the government is vested with policymaking and regulatory roles. But there is now a solid foundation to build and restore trust between the government and investors in the path to energy security. ToI The writer is Union minister for petroleum and natural gas.
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20 August 09, 2013 LEARN TO DRIVE TODAY!
COMMUNITY Rice Radio: Yuvraaj Parashar and Kapil Sharma Talk About their Controversial “Gay” Role in an Indian Film
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At Rice Cinema, from left: Yuvraaj Parashar, Samhita Sunya, Varsha Vakil and Kapil Sharma.
HOUSTON: India’s controversial gay film Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyon was acclaimed around the world and received mixed reaction among Indian audience. This film represented India at the recent Q Fest held at Rice Cinema in collaboration with Rice University’s Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts. Rice radio welcomed the film’s lead actors Yuvraaj Parashar and Kapil Sharma traveling from India. The lead actors Yuvraaj Parashar thanked Varsha for an awesome interview and Kapil Sharma praised her by stating “one of the best interviews” that was conducted. Varsha presented a friendly ambiance where both the actors felt at ease to share some of their personal turmoil during the making as well the release of this controversial film in India. Kapil Sharma in his meek style disclosed the kissing scene to be
one of the challenges since the director of the film Sanjay Sharma was his older brother. Kapil hails from an established family of film directors and producers; but what sets Kapil apart from others in his family is his talent as an actor and as a story writer. Both the actors traveled to several countries and also received awards for their performance in this film. These successes were necessary especially for Yuvraaj who was in dire need to prove to his family who disowned him for accepting a controversial role in this film. He desperately wanted to prove to them and to others who mocked him that as a talented artist his performance in a challenging role was important for this competitive career. Yuvraaj and Kapil both believe that Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyon may help Indian gay men to deal with the issues they face at different
levels. Kapil Sharma urges not only gay men but everybody to see the film not only to decipher the needs and embarrassment gay men face but to also be considerate to the social issues they encounter. KTRU’s Navrang show director Varsha Vakil is recognized among Houstonians as the champion of Indian arts; she conveys great respect for artists from South Asia and welcomes them on KTRU. Over the years Varsha has introduced many hidden gems of South Asian heritage through interviews on the Navrang show and artist profiles in Rice radio folio. Samhita Sunya, a graduate student from Rice University presented a brief overview on the Q Fest in Houston. Listen to KTRU on 90.1FM HD2; ktru.org; iheartradio; iphone and droid apps. Contact ktru@ktru.org for more information on the Navrang Show.
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August 09, 2013
SAADA’s First Days Project
PHILADELPHIA: In 1959, 18 year old Tariq Abbas departed from Lahore and arrived in New York City, en route to Dallas where he had been placed through the American Field Service foreign exchange program. Texas, he soon realized, wasn’t exactly the America he imagined: “I only knew of New York […] I had no idea, no concept of what to expect or what I was going.” In 1973, Mamata Misra left Mumbai for Maryland with her husband of six weeks, and came to her own conclusions about the country she had just adopted: “I realized that for days and months I would be meeting only strangers talking strange and it was up to me to make friends out of strangers and create familiarity out of the unfamiliar.” These two snapshots form a part of the “First Days Project,” a new initiative by the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) to collect and share stories from South Asians about their first day in the United States. An ambitious and interactive online exhibition, the First Days Project creates a platform for community members to upload and share the story of their first day in the U.S. As Abbas and Misra’s stories illustrate, the first day in a new country can be full of both excitement and anxiety, a sense of loss and gain, and a mixture of other emo-
tions. It was with that in mind that SAADA Executive Director Samip Mallick began to imagine the First Days Project. “As the South Asian American community is starting to see its second and third generation in the U.S., it is imperative to begin to document these stories and provide a way for generations to connect with each other,” Mallick explains, “Through interviewing my parents about their first days I learned something new about their experiences, hopes and dreams when first arriving in this country.” With the First Days Project, SAADA continues its longstanding effort to showcase stories that reflect the diversity of the South Asian diaspora. According to the 2010 census, there are more than 3.4 million Americans of South Asian heritage, a growth in 81% between 2000 and 2010. In other words, 1 in every 100 Americans traces their heritage to South Asia, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives. Yet there is also a critical danger in narratives of South Asian Americans being lost, particularly the ones left out of history books and not featured in the media. Stories like Tariq Abbas and Mamata Misra’s underscore just how diverse and complex the lives of South Asians in the U.S. have been. The First
Days Project reveals the intimate details of arrival that are often lost in the grand sweep of history. “Often, members of our community don’t feel as though they have a story to tell or that their story matters,” Mallick mentions. “The First Days Project demonstrates how individual stories come together to tell a community’s history. Each and every story adds to that tapestry.” First Day stories will be accepted through August 31, 2013 and can be submitted as video or audio (up to 3 minutes) or text (up to 300 words). Submit your own story or interview a family member or friend. No story is too big or too small. We want to hear from you! About SAADA: Based in Philadelphia, the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) is the only independent nonprofit organization in the nation working to document the rich histories of South Asians in the United States and ensuring that this community’s stories are protected and preserved for future generations. All of the materials and stories that SAADA collects are made freely accessible to the public through its website at http://www.saadigitalarchive.org Submit stories at : http://www. saadigitalarchive.org/firstdays or call Samip Mallick at 215-2598055.
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Sir Mark Tully
When Sir Mark Tully returned to India in 1965 as a young man of 30, he consciously felt that it was like a ‘home coming’. He was born in Calcutta in 1935 to a British chartered accountant with equity interests in a leading agency house. His upbringing was under a strict European nanny who ensured that he did not mix or play with the children of the natives. “My joining the British boarding school in Darjeeling at age five gave me plenty of freedom to do what I liked. I felt liberated and spent five eventful years there. My mother would regularly visit me in Darjeeling during the breaks and we used to have some fun time,” he now recalls wistfully of those days as a boarder. He had spent the preceding 20 years in the UK, studying theology and history; his other pastime then was visiting pubs with his friends and cronies. He was a connoisseur of beauty with somewhat of a roving eye that continued to rove. Yet, despite all of such predilection, he had aimed to become a priest in the Church of England, or, at least, he had hoped so. However, given his easy going life and his frequent visits to public houses, the young Mark decided that per-
haps the Church was not the right calling for him. What was possibly a loss to the Church was a sure gain for the world of journalism and news broadcasting. He then found a job with BBC, not as a journalist as is generally believed; to begin with, his was an administrative work of some sort in its human resource division. But his heart lay in journalism and he bode his time until he could find some sort of toehold in the news section in that British monolith of BBC. The glorious era of his stay in India began as BBC chief of bureau in New Delhi. Over the following few years, there were a string of historic tragedies that had rocked the country. Indira Gandhi’s Emergency was one of the darkest periods in the annals of Indian parliamentary democracy. The upright BBC journalist did not shy away from calling a spade a spade. Indira, as was her wont, took much umbrage, and there was a move to arrest him. Here is the story in Mark’s own words, “I heard it from Inder Gujral that a man named Mohd. Yunus in Indira Gandhi’s darbar wanted to ‘take my trousers down, give me a good beating and arrest me.’ I had subsequently recorded all this
in a book. The provocation was a canard that the BBC had reported the resignation of Jagjivan Ram, which in reality we had not. It was Gujral who thus saved me.” Mark was then deported to England. However, that did not stop him from reporting on the goings on in India during that dark period. “The result was that the whole of India tuned in, then and thereafter, to my radio’s broadcasts, ‘The Voice of India’, to hear what they thought was ‘accurate’ coverage of events,” Tully later wrote. On one occasion, Mark Tully even managed to sneak into India under an assumed name. Eventually, the deportation order was withdrawn. “When Rajiv Gandhi came to power, I first believed that he was sincerely trying to change the political system but gave up in the face of opposition by the old guard. I criticized him for his foolish adventure in Sri Lanka, though I felt very sad when he was blown to pieces later,” Sir Mark had said. Raj Kanwar is a Dehra Dun-based author and freelance journalist.
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Katti Bhindi (Sauteed Cut Okra) During the warm months, the bazaars and markets are overflowing with a huge variety of all sorts of vegetables. King among them are the two that together bring out the hearty taste and earthy smells of the Punjabi soil: karele (bittermelon gourd) and bhindis (okra). During these months, hawkers sell wicker baskets full of these two vegetables and many homes eat them regularly. If you have never seen the plants, while the karela plant is a vine with small leaves and the bhindi is a bush with large leaves, both have pretty yellow flowers. The large ones of the bhindi plant furl open and close everyday and have a black stalk in the middle. Just like karele, bhindi is also cooked either chopped up or slit and stuffed with spices and sautéed in a wok or kadai. Both share a common cooking style in that both have dark green coloration, with a firm outer skin that becomes tender when cooked, and both are made with small, whole onions. Okra is high in fiber, vitamin C, folate and antioxidants. It is also a good source of calcium and potassium. Greenish-yellow edible okra oil is pressed from okra seeds; it has a pleasant taste and odor, and is high in unsaturated fats such as oleic acid and linoleic acid. Though many people cook bhindis, the Punjabi style is to make them dry and not with the stickiness that comes when some water has been added to it. The secret to good bhindi sabzi (okra dish) is to make sure that the vegetable is completely dry before it is chopped and it is cooked uncovered so that the steam from the vegetable does not ooze into the dish and make it sticky. Ingredients: • 250 gm bhindi (medium thickness okra) • 2 medium pyaaz (onion)
peeled and cut into half inch slices • 2 tablespoon tael (vegetable or olive oil) • 1 teaspoon haldi (turmeric) • Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), dhania (ground coriander), garam masala, amchoor (mango powder) Directions: 1. Wash the okra and leave it to drain in a sieve. Spread out each pod on a soft cloth and pat dry. If you are in a hurry, then instead of washing the bhindi, clean each pod with a slightly damp soft cloth. 2. It is very important NOT to have any water enter the dish before chopping and while cooking otherwise the dish will come out soft, mushy and sticky. 3. Cut off the stems and the pointy bottoms (I like to say “sar aur poonch” or head and tail!) then cut the okra into half-inch long pieces. 4. In a kadai (wok) or skillet, heat the oil well, throw in the turmeric and the okra and stir well for five minutes over high heat till the okra is coated on all sides. Cover for five minutes, then remove and be careful to drain off the
5. Turn the heat to low and cook while stirring gently so that the okra is not smashed. When the okra is tender to the touch, throw in the onions and the rest of the spices and mix well but gently. Do NOT add the salt just yet otherwise the okra will release water and become mushy and sticky. 6. Reduce the heat to extreme low and stir occasionally for ten minutes then turn off the heat. Keep uncovered till the dish has cooled down. You can NOW add the salt and garam masala to taste. 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.
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ENTERTAINMENT Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Anshul Kataria, Priya Bathija, Paru Uma, Alok Chaturvedi, Chandrahas Tiwari, Jagat Rawat, Anurag Arora, Avtar Sahni, Director: K. Rajesh BY SUPARNA SHARMA Given the moroseness with which India began 2013, Bollywood has been desperately trying to humour us since. Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, Mere Dad Ki Maruti, Jolly LLB, Nautanki Saala, Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga..., Chashme Baddoor, Go Goa Gone, Gippi, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, Ghanchakkar, Fukrey, Bajate Raho... and now Chor Chor Super Chor. Some were screwball ideas that worked, some had a conscience chewing on a funny bone, and the others were, well, Bollywood’s offering to the box-office. But most had two things in common: Dilli and Punjabis. Not all of them had both, but each and every one had at least one. If not the people, then the place, and if not either, then its hearty flavour. I’m really tugging at this Dilli-Punjabi duvet to dress up my theory, but it’s true that Bollywood has come to Delhi — okay, NCR — and is shacking up with a Punjabi tabbar. And I’m not just talking comedies. There’s Aurangzeb, Special Chabbis and other worthies that dwell in Delhi or just across its border. Is this the aftermath of Delhi Belly and Vicky Donor? Is it because men who took off from Northern Railway platforms many moons ago have finally made it big in
August 09, 2013
Movie Review: Chor Chor Super Chor
Mumbai? Is it the visual appeal of Delhi Metro? Will it last? Or will Delhi become a dull, dead setting — mere scenery, no soul? P r o b a b l y, hopefully not. Howsoever it ends, it is sure to enrich Bollywood’s monochromatic palette. And, as long as it lasts, it is a welcome change from Mumbai. The warmth and robust culture, language, dialect, people, food, festivals, quirks, sho-sha that the north offers, the Deccan Plateau and the ghats flanking it don’t. North is clubby, showy, gaudy and crass. But its embrace is tight and it cooks a mean kukkad. Chor Chor Super Chor opens with a training session in a room full of suited-booted mannequins. Negotiating this maze of fibreglassplastic army of men and women is a trainee jeb-katra, Vava (Bramha Mishra), and his confirmed jeb-katra senior colleague, Munna (Alok Chaturvedi). Vava must flick a wallet, snip the shoulder sling of a handbag, steal a mobile phone. He does all this seamlessly till he
gets to a female mannequin. She’s pretty and he keeps getting distracted. This funny twist defines Chor Chor... The film is a light, cute comedy that keeps popping its collar every time it cracks a joke. Like Vava and Munna, Ronnie (Anshul Kataria), an enthusiastic, plucky chor keen to get up the chori ladder, and cool as a cucumber Paru (Paru Uma) also work for Shuklaji (Avtar Sahni), their guru-guardian. Satbir (Deepak Dobriyal) is also Shuklaji’s bachcha, but he hates chori-chakari and works for a property dealer, or walks around a Metro station dressed up as a samosa. Shuklaji’s boys and girls are very good and we get to see them in action, my favourite being the operation where a butt is squeezed and a batua vanishes.
It’s during one such quick operation that they flick Neena’s (Priya Bathija) purse, even as Satbir looks on from inside a samosa. He likes this girl and returns her purse the next day. That brings them so close that he takes her on a Delhi darshan of chori-chakari, revealing its stars and their MO. Shuklaji’s team is famous and has a fan club — there’s Inspector Chauhan (Anurag Arora), a true admirer of Shuklaji’s artistes, and Amol (Jagat Rawat), a rival chor leader often found begging Shuklaji for a launda so that he can make his mark in Delhi. Amol talks of thievery as a performing art that requires a bigger platform. Shuklaji is not impressed and won’t send his bachchas to this unethical chor. Satbir is hanging around with Neena and dreaming of a life together, Ronnie is meeting Amol and discussing a plan to kidnap Purushottam Das (Chandrahas Tiwari), a nondescript, miserly diamond merchant, and Neena
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is asking too many questions. Both stories take an unexpected turn and stumble. Shuklaji is miffed, Satbir is hurt. But he decides to act, to undo the damage. The rest of the film is how brilliantly he and Shuklaji’s team turn a self-goal into a grand slam while poking at news channels and their programming heads. It took paanch aadmi and their dus haath to write this 99-minutelong film. Director K. Rajesh, Ani Thomas, V. Radhakrishnan and Dhiraj Singh worked on the screenplay and Alok Chaturvedi wrote the dialogue which are assigned to a very talented ensemble of actors led by Deepak Dobriyal. Dobriyal is very good and makes the audience very happy. That’s why he has graduated from twobit roles in big films to being the hero of this small film. He does full justice to the faith the director and producers have put in him. Given the film’s plot, its pace is sometimes slack. It could have done with tighter editing in at least two places. But what the film lacks in pace, it more than makes up with its hysterical and quick con tricks and crisp, funny dialogue. Characters speak in delightful, dehati idioms, similes and mixed metaphors, most of them involving birds, bhootnis and bhainses. Lyricist Vibhu Puri adds a nice tadka, and Mangesh Dhakde provides cool beats when chor-log are at work. --Deccan Chronicle
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Why Everyone Wants the Poor to Remain Poor
BY ANIL PADMANABHAN The Planning Commission’s new poverty numbers showing a dramatic decline to a record low of 22% has had no takers in either the government or the Congress party, which leads the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Worse, some party members have openly disparaged the numbers. In contrast, the prospect of a whisker of an increase in the growth rate will see claimants lining up to make the announcement and taking credit. Even my SMS to a cabinet minister, who is otherwise always willing to voice his opinion, querying the silent treatment meted out to the new poverty numbers went unanswered. That’ s strange, I thought. After all, a regime that is clutching at straws in the home stretch of its highly forgettable second tenure in office should not be passing over on such a major achievement. Then, in a cynical moment, it came to me. It was the antipoverty industry. The business of fixing poverty runs into billions of dollars (the budget of the rural development ministry, which oversees most anti-poverty initiatives, is nearly Rs.100,000 crore) and there is obviously a lot at stake if poverty is no longer the country’s primary social and developmental challenge. The key stakeholders in this busi-
ness of fighting poverty are the government of the day and the political party behind it (the Congress, in particular has, for a long time, maybe since the late Indira Gandhi coined the Garibi Hatao, or remove poverty, slogan, championed and won political power on the cause of the poor); multilateral lending agencies such as the World Bank that have made the fight against poverty their calling card; the jholawallah activists who have often made a living and career out of fighting for the poor; and of course those of my ilk (particularly my western counterparts who, until recently appreciated only poverty in any journalistic piece on India), who have peddled the compelling narratives on India’s poor. The trajectory of the fall in poverty level suggests that the fight to reduce the number of poor will be all but won very soon; from a level of 37.2% in 2004-05, poverty has dropped to 22% in 201112. If this trend holds, then almost every stakeholder in the business of fighting poverty stands to lose, unless of course, they reinvent themselves to fight the new challenges, such as growing inequality. For example, in the case of the World Bank, India’s access to soft loans reserved for poorest nations has already been withdrawn and the volume of arguments against further lending will only grow as poverty levels plummet. The bank’s gigantic operations in India—today the country is a much sought-after posting, a change from the time it was considered a punishment posting—will obviously have to be scaled down. Similarly, the Congress party will face a major setback. The
Congress’ DNA is to fight for the poor. If there are no poor, who will it fight for? Something similar happened to the Left parties with the demise of industries such as textiles and jute mills—bereft of blue collar workers to rally around, the Left has floundered. If indeed this is the reason for the silence, then these fears are misplaced. The primary new challenge is indeed inequality—not just of income, but of opportunity. Inequality of opportunity in India is determined not just by the class, caste and religion one is born to, but also levels of literacy, health and so on. One should ignore the few right wing analysts who are disingenuously arguing using the latest consumption numbers that inequality is not a problem. Unlike the rest of the world, India does not measure income and, hence, any estimate based on consumption numbers understates the problem. To fix inequality, given the sheer size of India’s population, a holistic effort—one that educates, employs and keeps Indians healthy— will be required. The budgets for this are likely to be more than those that sufficed to fight poverty, not less. So, the stakeholders only need to diversify into the business of fighting inequality and political parties, including the Congress, will have to recalibrate their agenda to focus on creating jobs. If they win, as they did in the fight against poverty, India will be that much richer.
Rupee Bounces Back from Record-Low Close, up 22 Paise to 60.88 vs Dollar MUMBAI (Live Mint): The rupee recovered from all-time closing low to end 22 paise higher at 60.88 against the dollar amid fresh selling of the US currency by banks and exporters and inflows of foreign capital into stocks. The rupee resumed higher at 61 per dollar moved up to 60.72. However, the early gains were trimmed and the rupee ended at 60.88 per dollar, a gain of 22 paise, or 0.36 per cent, on some demand from banks and importers as the US currency strengthened overseas. The rupee had lost 70 paise, or 1.16 per cent, in the previous two sessions. This gain was the most since July 24, when the local currency added 63 paise to close at 59.13. The benchmark Sensex gained 18.24 points, or 0.1 per
cent, to 19,182.26. The rupee’s gains were capped as a survey showed India’s private sector activity contracted for the first time in over four years in July. The HSBC India Composite Output Index, which maps services and manufacturing activity, fell to 48.4 in July, down from 50.9 in June, indicating a contraction. “It was a mixed session for the rupee, which started the session on a slightly positive note but ended it on a weaker note,” said Abhishek Goenka, founder and CEO of India Forex Advisors. “India’s service PMI added to the weakness in rupee as the service activity fell into contraction territory.” In the global market, the US dollar edged higher in early trade, paring losses made in the wake of below-consensus job growth.
Anil Padmanabhan is deputy managing editor of Mint and writes every week on the intersection of politics and economics. -Livemint
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28 August 09, 2013 England Retain Ashes on Rainy Day
BY DANIEL BRETTIG England will keep the Ashes for the next five months at least after Manchester’s weather proved a far more impassable barrier to Australia’s bowlers than the hosts’ top order batting on a grey final day at Old Trafford. The retention of the urn arrived formally via the underwhelming circumstances of an announcement that play had been abandoned at 4.39pm local time, due to a solid belt of rain that could delay its arrival no further than three balls into the afternoon session. By that time England had lurched to 37 for 3, Ian Bell stung on the thumb by a prancing delivery from Peter Siddle that rather summed up the danger posed by a committed and skilful Australian attack, who have grown increasingly confident in their ability to snip the top off their opponents’ batting. Confounded by the rain in Manchester, they will look back ruefully on the failure of Australia’s batsmen to provide them with anything to bowl to at Trent Bridge and Lord’s, where England established their decisive advantage. This is not to say that Old Trafford will be a source of entirely happy memories for Alastair Cook’s men nor completely forlorn ones for Michael Clarke’s. Australia have broken a streak of six consecutive Test match defeats, and in the final two Investec Tests have the chance to press for parity in this series and
a platform from which to regain superiority at home in the southern summer. England by comparison have appeared to lose steam, their bowlers decreasing in threat while the batsmen grow increasingly dependent on the middle and lower orders to bail them out. A Test match at Durham in four days’ time will provide plenty of questions for both sides, not least whether the admirable Ryan Harris will be able to back up without the benefit of the break he had between Lord’s and Old Trafford. Harris and Siddle were the outstanding performers in the 20.3 overs of play that were possible, finding life in the air and off the pitch to dispose of Cook, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen before the showers set in. It might have been even worse for England, had Clarke held onto the sort of slips chance he would usually claim when Joe Root snicked Siddle. Pietersen looked distraught to be given out, though a noise at precisely the moment the ball passed the bat backed up Tony Hill’s call and that of the third umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Rain overnight and this morning left many pessimistic about the chances of any resumption at all, with England needing only a draw. However the skies cleared enough for a concerted cleaning and drying effort from the ground staff, starting at around 10am,
and following an inspection at 10.45 Hill and Marais Erasmus informed the captains Clarke and Cook of their plans to resume. Clarke immediately declared, and threw the ball to Harris when play began at 11.30. As he has done repeatedly when called on, Harris responded with a spell of heart and skill, picking up the two early wickets that his captain required. Cook was drawn across his crease by balls angled towards the slips and then pinned lbw by an inswinger. He referred even though the ball was curling in to hit middle stump, the loss of a review adding to the gravity of the blow. Trott has looked out of sorts in this match, and Harris worked him over in similar fashion, moving outswingers away then arrowing the odd ball back in. Harris’ first attempt at the plan resulted in an awfully close lbw shout declined by Hill. Australia’s referral was lost as the ball was hitting less than half of leg stump, but in Harris’ next over Trott again fell across his crease, this time glancing straight into Brad Haddin’s gloves. Pietersen announced his arrival with a pull shot that signalled Harris’ withdrawal. In Siddle’s first over replacing him, Root was squared up by a ball angled in and seaming away, but Clarke surprised everyone in attendance by dropping the chance. Australian heads were not to be bowed for long however, as Siddle appeared to extract a fine edge from Pietersen as he prodded forward. Hill’s finger was raised, an upset Pietersen referred, and Dharmasena upheld the on-field call after a sound could be heard at the moment ball passed bat. Pietersen walked off muttering, and minutes later Australia followed him with a spring in their step. They returned with hope as the afternoon began, but within three balls were shuffling back to the pavilion, where a few hours later England had cause for celebration, acknowledging the commitment of a small, soggy crowd from the Old Trafford balcony. Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
SPORTS
Dravid Wants Fixing to be Criminal Offence
A file photo of alleged suspects in the IPL spot-fixing case being produced in court. Rahul Dravid said that classifying fixing as a criminal offence could be an effective deterrent.
Rahul Dravid has called for match-fixing and spot-fixing to be made criminal offences, adding that the fear of the law would be a huge deterrent to potential fixers. Dravid also wanted more education of players in the junior levels about the problem of fixing. The latest episode of on-field cricket corruption surfaced in May when three of Dravid’s Rajasthan Royals’ team-mates were arrested for alleged spot-fixing. “My personal belief is that education and counselling at a junior level is really important,” Dravid said in an extensive interview to ESPNcricinfo. “I think we’ve got to start early, we’ve got to start young but … that part of it is already being done. I know that India has its own ACSU and even for Ranji Trophy teams this education is given.” Along with awareness problems, Dravid emphasised the need for stringent laws. “I don’t think only education can work, policing it and having the right laws and ensuring that people when they indulge in this kind of activities are actually punished. People must see that there are consequences to your actions. That will create fear for people.” Dravid referred to cycling, a sport that has seen many of its leading stars admit to taking performance-enhancing drugs in recent years, to highlight why aware-
ness programs alone were not sufficient. “Everyone knows it’s wrong, and it’s frightening, having read a little bit about it and the number of cyclists who were doing it. Surely all know it’s wrong. “So the only people those cyclists were scared of was not the testers, not the authority, they were scared of the police. You read all the articles, the only guys they were scared of was the police and going to jail. So the only way that people are going to get that fear is if they know the consequences to these actions and the law that will come into play. It’s got to be a criminal offence.” The three Royals players arrested on allegations of spot-fixing - Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila - have all been charged under the strict Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism. “The case is still on and I don’t want to make any judgement on whether people are guilty or not and I think everyone has a right to be innocent until he’s proven guilty and I’m glad the police is going ahead and doing what needs to be done and taking it to its logical conclusion.” -- ESPNcricinfo
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FESTIVAL - EID Eid-ul-Fitr: Celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan Eid, popularly known as Eid-ul-Fitr, is a festival observed by the Muslim community to celebrate the conclusion of the month of fasting. Eid-ul-Fitr literally means ‘festival of breaking the fast’. Like other festivals observed by the Muslim community, this festival symbolizes faith. The festival is celebrated based on an Islamic belief by following the form of social practice. Eid is celebrated on the first date of Shawwal, that is, the tenth month of the Hijra calendar.
August 09, 2013
During the festival, Muslims exchange gifts, greeting their neighbours as a mark of solidarity and brotherhood. According to the Islamic tradition, there are two festivals observed by Muslims every year - Eid-ul-Fitr just after Ramadan and Eid-ul-Zuha in the month of Haj. Ramadan, the month of fasting, symbolizes practices and beliefs of the community. It is not merely restraining oneself from having food but also to abstain from all kinds of evil and unlawful practices in Islam. Muslims, just before the celebrations of
Eid-ul-Fitr, keep a month long fast throughout the month of Ramadan. The practice of fasting is also known as ‘roza’ that starts from the break of dawn till dusk and during this whole day an individual has to refrain oneself from drinking, eating or any other physical needs. The term ‘roza’ is an Arabic word which means abstinence. This year Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in the USA on August 8 or 9 to mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Many Muslims believe that fasting reminds a sense of responsibility
Eid Recipe - Sheer Khurma • • •
Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons ghee • 100 g vermicelli (it’s known as ‘sevain’ in Hindi) • 2 tablespoons raisins • 1 cup water • 1 1/2 liters fresh milk • 100 g condensed milk • 1 teaspoon green carda-
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moms, powdered 2 tablespoons chironji 2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped
Directions: 1. Soak vermicelli in water and keep aside. 2. Heat milk on low flame, stirring frequently, and cook till the 1 1/2 ltrs milk reduces to only 1/2 ltr. 3. Heat ghee in a small wok. 4. Add drained vermicelli to the ghee. 5. You may break the vermicelli into smaller portions when adding with your
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
hands, or, better still, buy the small vermicelli from the market. It’s easier to work with that. Saute briefly. Add raisins and water. Cook on medium flame for 2 minutes. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Add the 1/2 ltr of milk. Mix well. Add the cardamom powder, chironji, pistachios and almonds. Mix well. Remove from stove. Pour into individual bowls. Serve immediately
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within themselves. The month long fasting ends with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr that symbolizes a reward for their fasting. Muslims on this day wear their best clothers and offer ‘namaz’ a congregational prayer at masjids or mosques. After offering their prayers they exchange good wishes of the festival with their neighbours and other people. They also donate alms to the poor on the auspicios occasion. The celebration of Eid-ulFitr not only has religious essence but also carries a social connotation. Like other festivals, Eidul-Fitr is also observed with great enthusiasm. Delicious food and drinks are an indispensable part of the festivity. People decoare their houses and prepare luscious traditional sweets and cuisines to celebrate the festival. The most common recipe
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in this festival is the delicious meethi seviyan or sheer khurma (Sweet Vermicelli) prepared from various healthy and mouth-watering ingredients. Moreover, ahead the festival, the markets are filled with fascinating items in the shopping list for Eid. Fancy and food items mostly dominate the festival and as the festival approaches excitement to celebrate gains momentum not only with Muslims but also with shopkeepers and traders doing a brisk business. The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr is no-doubt perks up the spirit inherent in all the festivity. The significance of this festival is also interpreted as a good time to bring people together in harmony and gratitude. -Times of India
--food.com
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