Issuu

Friday, August 23 2013 | Vol. 32, No. 34

Indo American erican News

www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Onward & Upward at Chamber Gala

Engineers Jointly Host Mayor

Eid Milan Brings Togetherness P5 IACCGH President Pankaj Dhume, Consul General Harish, BMC Software President Bob Beauchamp and Chamber Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia at the Chamber Gala.

P3 See Details on Pg24

From left: IMAGH President Latafath Hussain, Indian Consul General Harish, Attorney Charles Foster and IMAGH Chairman Abezir Tayebji

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August 23, 2013

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

IMAGH’s Eid Milan Program Reﬂects the Secular Face of India BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: “I thought I had been to all the banquet facilities in Houston, but this is a new one on me,” quipped Mayor Annise Parker as she stepped on stage in the Chateau Crystale on Gessner and Westheimer. “This has been the fourth South Asian function I have gone to in the past four days,” she continued as her audience of 400 celebrating Eid clapped in amusement and appreciation. Parker came for a short while, in between the many events that fill up her days now that her reelection campaign is in full swing. She had arrived while the Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston President Latafath Hussain was in mid-sentence of his welcome remarks to the guests and he quickly summed it up to go on with the two-hour long program before the evening prayers and dinner. Charles Foster, a partner in the FosterQuan legal firm specializing in immigration issues and a patron donor of the event, spoke with admiration about the IMAGH, especially the Club 65 program for Seniors. He acknowledged that the South Asian community was growing and that the melting pot of diversity that was Houston was how the rest of the country would look like in a few more decades. Foster explained his involvement in the Asia Society and the Inter Faith Ministries of Greater Houston and its Meals on Wheels program serving elders. “IM has a new facility in Midtown and there is a funding drive among the Muslim community right now to name the main conference room,” he explained. Foster spoke of his Scottish roots and those of his wife who is from Shanghai and jumped into the issue of immigration reform which he is deeply involved in. “We need to fix the system,” he said, “it is

The IMAGH Board, guests and speakers on the stage after the event. Photos: Mustansir Mandviwala

too lengthy and complex if you are applying for immigration based on employment.” He urged everyone to speak with their Congressmen to express their views on this, before introducing Mayor Parker. Parker recalled how she had grown up on a farm in Spring Branch not far from the Ballroom and has seen the city change dramatically and rise from being the 30th largest in the US to the fourth and from a mainly Anglo population to the most diverse city in the country. “Different cultures coexisting make magic happen,” she exclaimed, “and when it works together it truly is magic.” She said Houston attracted the best and brightest from around the world and they were all working for a bright future. The magic of the evening was in the mix of the guests and the size of the function, which is a testament to the tremendous outreach efforts of the IMAGH to not just hold larger events like the Fourth Annual Eid Milan program that

they were holding that evening, but also show how the organization had come of age and desires to be a player in community affairs in the Bayou City. In the last four years, a talented team of like-minded Directors like Latafath Hussain, Karim Maknojia, Dr. Moyeen Haque, Rafi Ansar, Dr. Maqbool Haq, Dr. Syed Jaffri, Dr. Zafar Taqvi, Fakhuddin Sabir and Irfana Hussain and many others have decided to integrate the IMAGH within the fabric of the Indian community. The results have been obvious as more non-Muslims become involved, as was evident at the Eid Milan program. There were many members of the current and past Boards of the India Culture Center, including President P.V. Patel; the Indo American Political Action Committee, including President Sujeeth Draksharam and his family and Roy Abraham; and from the Hindus of Greater Houston, including Subhash Gupta and Vijay Pallod. As Consul General Par-

vathaneni Harish said in the gist of his speech, the guests reflected the secular face of India. Just like Mayor Parker, Harish was also on a roll, having attended four functions in four days and spoken eloquently at each event about the Indian experience and as it blends into the immigrant’s lives. The arc of his thoughts over the past ten days of events melded well into the crux of his astute observations on secularism that evening as he spoke. “India is not a Muslim nation,” he began, “it has the greatest diversity of religions on the planet. After it became a sovereign state, inclusion prevailed over exclusion and it became a secular nation, but not of the European brand which hails a separation of State and Religion. Gandhi realized that everyone is very religious in India, so the State is equidistant from all religions. People can wear what religion means to them at all places and practice with full freedom”. He added that the mak-

ers of India’s Constitution wanted to protect the various identities of the country and purposely kept the circle of inclusion wide to ensure that it is a model for the rest of the world. Apart from all the speeches, Texas State Representative Gene Wu presented a proclamation from the State on Eid Milan Day and Sam Merchant presented one on behalf of US Congressman Al Green. Sarah Taqvi, daughter of one of the emcees, Dr. Zafar Taqvi (the other emcee was Dr. Zishan Samiuddin) and a journalism major at UT-Austin gave a PowerPoint presentation of Why We Celebrate Eid?. Two songs brought emotions high for the night: the first in the strong, resonant voice of Safiuddin Syed who is sight impaired and memorizes all his lines, about Devotion to the Prophet and the other in the high-intoned voice of Uma Mantravadi whose day job as an attorney hasn’t kept her from her passion in singing and music for the past 25 years. The showpiece of the IMAGH has been the newly formed Club 65 program and Fakhruddin Sabir gave a description of its activities since it began in April. Two of its oldest members Tayeb Shipchandler and my mother, Shakuntla Malhotra, who is the first honorary life member, gave their testimonials on fostering togetherness – which tugged at the heart strings of all - of Club 65’s need and viability. Dr. Moyeen Haque gave a spirited description of IMAGH’s other initiative, the Young Adults Project. Two Community Service Awards were presented: one to Col. Raj Bhalla dn the other to Latafath Hussain. After a buffet dinner which was catered by Tempura restaurant, the rising Austin-based group of

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August 23, 2013

THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS To all our members, sponsors, supporters, volunteers, partners and well-wishers for a successful 14th Annual Gala

Mayor of Houston ANNISE PARKER

Keynote Speaker ROBERT E. BEAUCHAMP Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, BMC Software

Chief Guest CONSUL GENERAL P. HARISH Consul General of India, Houston

Emcees TANYA & RICK PAL

Outstanding Contributions to IACCGH Since Its Inception JAGDIP AHLUWALIA

Int’l Business Person of the Year ASH SHAH

Educator of the Year DR. LATHA RAMCHAND

Businessperson of the Year DHIREN SHETHIA

Young Entrepreneur of the Year GAURAV KHANDELWAL

IACCGH BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

Chamber Gala Delivers on Bilateral Trade with First Ever Indian Firm Sponsor

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: After a quiet summer, the Gala season is in full bloom this time of year and every organization is trying to upstage the other with a different look, hotel, keynote speaker, number of guests and entertainment. There are the tried and tested permutations that have to be followed, and some standard fare is pretty much for granted (thou shalt have a sit down dinner; thou shalt have awards and speeches) but this year the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston decided to flip some of the rules on its head and came up with a way to keep all of its Gala program together. The only hiccup was that, if you weren’t paying attention when you entered the Hilton Americas Hotel last Saturday, August 7 around 6pm, you would have (as I and some other guests did) ended up almost going to the wedding of Malisha Pattanaik and Ramakanta Epili on the second floor! Said one woman as she made a u-turn to the escalator, “I mean, they were all so well attired in Indian saris and I thought this was it! What are the chances of two Indian events in the same hotel at the same time”? The foyer on the fourth level outside the Main Ballroom was crowded and agog with voices as many people milled around cocktails and hors d‘oeuvres for an early 5:30pm start of the event, early by most standards, waiting for the doors to open and allow them to their assigned tables. About 600 people were expected at the Chamber’s 14th Annual Gala, which had been broadcast as “Sold Out” for a couple of weeks before hand. The arrangements were sumptuous, as was to be expected, but not extravagant throughout the evening, with an eye kept on reducing superfluous expenses like table centerpieces and out of town entertainers, lighting or even high

powered emcees. The emcees were Rick and Tanya Pal, local residents of Sugar Land and the entertainment was by students from Naach Houston, also of Sugar Land, and choreographed by its artistic director Mahesh Mahbubani. A fashion show featuring men’s and women’s Indian apparel from Sari Sapne on Hillcroft glided down the stage, set to some racy music, just as dinner was served. The target of the Gala was to focus on achievements and connections that the Chamber had made for its members under the current Presidency of Pankaj Dhume, who “along with his wife Asha, worked really hard to pull all this together,” said Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia. After the national anthems: of the US by Kijana Wiseman, a self described Digital Diva with a high-soaring voice who sang the anthem with a flair and unusually high ending note; and Uma Mantravadi, who sang the Indian anthem with her characteristic high notes, and added a slight variation to match Wiseman’s. Contrary to normal routines, the Gala opened up with speeches from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee who predicted a passage of the Immigration Reform Act; Congressman Al Green who wished everyone a happy 67th Independence Day and Congressman Pete Olson who came with

his wife Nancy in silk Indian garb (and the brocaded shawl he was presented by Consul General Harish on Thursday; see story on page 10) who spoke about his support for exporting natural gas to India and vowed he would visit India before the year is over. Ahluwalia then opened the event adding that the Chamber was all about the community: understanding what its needs were and addressing them. He welcomed the Presidents of the Indian Chambers from Tampa, Jacksonville and Dallas who had flown in for this gala. Chamber President Dhume appreciated the sold out attendance which “showed the trust you have in us” and gave a State of the Chamber speech in which he enumerated the achievements made in the past year. “The Chamber has achieved recognition and respect”, he stated through the programs it had hosted that fostered increased trade between the US and India in the fields of energy and education. He described the Chamber’s networking meetings on healthcare, cloud computing, first media conference with the Pune branch of the Chamber and the Women Mean Business series. “We’re really proud that we have our first Indian company – Panchshil Realty – as our Gala Underwriter,” he said to loud applause. A video clip on the company was shown later in the program. “This shows that the Chamber is credible for business between our two countries”. Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish (who has been on a tear to all events this week, see related stories

in this issue) spoke about his relationship with the Chamber since he joined the Houston mission a year ago. He focused on the number of Indian students who came here to finish college, stayed on and contributed to life in the US, and the thousands more who come every year. “This exemplifies that Indo-US relations have grown as knowledge-based societies”, he said, adding that knowledge sharing was a major component of the President Obama-PM Manmohan Singh memorandum of understanding. Harish stressed that immigration reform was essential for the growth of the US economy, illustrating it with statistics that showed that international students were a source of talent, 70 percent in electrical engineering, 60 percent in industrial engineering and 65 percent in computer engineering. These students then went on to become business owners and venture capitalists, and the statistics showed that 40 percent of immigrants entered as students, another 40 percent were employer backed and only 13 percent came under family reunification. “We must ensure lower barriers to Indian companies,” he concluded. Harish spoke about the Indo-US Nuclear Initiative, the natural gas exports and the need to encourage investments in India, noting that Indian companies had invested $15 billion in the US over the last two years. The keynote speech was delivered by Robert Beauchamp, Chairman of the Board and President & CEO of BMC Software, the same

Photo: Bijay Dixit

company that Dhume works for as VP of Global Affairs. Beauchamp lauded the efforts of the Chamber which had shown BMC Software a strategy to enter the Indian market and shown him that it was not about cheap labor “but about innovation. And they were absolutely right”, he added. BMC now has 1,700 people in Pune and office in Bangalore and other cities. He was delighted that one of BMC’s major initiatives – MY IT – which changes the way an enterprise IT will operate, was developed in India and now every major department in BMC has an employee in India. He explained how these employees made some of the best managed facilities in India, led innovation, worked on accessibility for the blind which led to new software development and channeled energy savings into helping local villages. At the tailend of the event, Mayor Annise Parker dropped in briefly after her debate/forum with Ben Hall and said a few words about the Chamber. She was able to spend some time mingling with guests before she left again. Concluding the Gala were presentation of awards for the year 2013. International Businessman of the Year went to Ash Shah; Educator of the Year went to Lata Ramchand; Business Person of the Year to Dhiren Shethia of Enaxis Consulting and Entrepreneur of the Year to Guarav Khandelwal. The event closed with some parting words from incoming Chamber President Sanjay Ram.

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

Construction Begins at the Sikh National Center

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HOUSTON: Sikh National Center, Inc. (SNC) of Houston held special Ardaas (Sikh Prayer) on Friday, August 2 at 3:15 p.m., as Turner’s Construction’s crane erected the 1st member of structural steel on its previously constructed foundation and slab. About 100 Sikhs participated in the ceremony which was held on a hot Friday afternoon. SNC had awarded a $2.3 million contract to complete the dry phase of its two story, 38,000 square feet Phase I Building (Gurdwara and Langar Hall). The first step for this unique religious project was to prepare the hundreds of steel fabrication drawings and then custom cut hundreds of steel members. All the members were marked to fit in their places in the big puzzle on site, as designed by SNC’s structural engineers. Once hundreds of these unique pieces were hauled by truck to SNC’s site, Turner was ready to erect them all, one by one, as it did the first one on August 2. As the above photo shows, about 25% of

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the structural steel has already been erected and the remaining 75% will be erected over the next several weeks. After much time and money was invested by SNC on the building, the necessary infrastructure projects, which were largely invisible, has now entered the highly visible stage of construction. Three big truck loads of joists and decking metal are being delivered to SNC in August. By the end of August 2013, quite a bit of the horizontal 2nd floor and roof joists and decking will be installed. In September, concrete will be poured on the top of the decking to build the 2nd floor and the roof on top of the building. God willing, the dry in phase of the Phase I project will be finished before the end of 2013. As you travel on North Beltway 8 near Fairbanks North Houston, see Houston’s new landmark grow each week! You are always welcome to take a quick exit and watch this construction up close.

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

Alliance of Asian and Indian Engineers Delivers a Show of Unity

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The commonly held view is that engineers and architects are too busy designing projects to look around and see what the rest of the world is up to. That notion got a good knocking down this past Thursday, August 15 when two different professional organizations, but with closely linked Asian pedigrees, put their heads together to prove an old adage: together we stand stronger. The American Society of Indian Engineers, a Houston-based organization formed in 1994 has steadily been making its presence felt through periodic meetings and seminars in the past. But only in the past year has the group been making major strides to make itself more visible through programs like the Awards ceremony in June in which elder Indian engineers were recognized for their contributions. Likewise, the Asian American Engineers and Architects, another Houston-based organization formed in 1986, has held functions in the past but has recently been less active, instead focusing in on smaller meetings between members. Both organizations have received a quick shot in their arms due to the energetic and dedicated involvement of their current Presidents: Vishal Merchant for ASIE and Andrea Ranft of the AAEA. Both reached out across their respective Boards and though some had reservations about protecting their turf, they decided that it may the right time to hold a first joint function and have a good cross section of their Asian and Indian members, their companies and colleagues attend. “It was a lot of cajoling, planning and coordina-

Members of the Boards of the American Society of Indian Engineers and Asian American Engineers and Architects pose with Houston Mayor Annise Parker after the luncheon held on Thursday, August 15. Photos: Jawahar Malhotra

tion,” said Merchant, “but in the end we were able to pull it off.” He was referring to the luncheon that the two groups on August 15 at The Wynden, a private banquet hall on 1025 South Post Oak Lane north of San Felipe at which about 200 members of both organizations and their guests came to network and hear from the chief guest, Houston Mayor Annise Parker. The luncheon showed the strength of the Asian engineers, who number a few thousand in the Metroplex and hold some powerful positions on projects across the region. Ranft made the welcoming remarks and Merchant introduced his Board and then the Mayor to the stage. Hosting the Mayor

on August 15 was a first for the ASIE, as Merchant proclaimed “Happy Independence Day” to all the guests. Parker echoed the sentiment to the Indians in the room when she came to the podium. She has

been on a surge of meetings with different groups across the city as her re-election campaign gathers up more steam. Parker’s message wherever she goes is pretty consistent: Houston is a vibrant international city, with a strong economy

and the most diverse population base in the country. She proudly quotes a recent Forbes survey that calls Houston “the coolest city in the US” and then adds other cool facts like a great place to start a career and stretch your paycheck. Parker went on to enumerate the other strong points of the local economy: energy, medicine, number one exporting port, aerospace, expanding international air connections. But mindful of her audience which has helped to design and build many elements of the city, Parker spoke about the projects that City has undertaken, like building assessments, and managing the new building boom with a leaner – 20,000 employees versus 23,000 when she first took office four years ago – government. “We have 16,000 miles of streets and 6,000 miles of water lines,” she added and praised the drainage fee that was passed in the last election “in the middle of a recession” as support for the Houston Rebuild program that the City can “no longer build it and ignore it. We cannot let our facilities run down; we must maintain and upgrade them,” she added. “Government is not a business, but it should be run with strong business principles.”

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COMMUNITY

A Scramble to Stand Inside at a Misty Morning Flag Hoisting BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Despite the rainy weather that mercifully dropped down to a light drizzle as guests still walked in, the Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish was able to hoist the Indian Tricolors to mark India’s 67th Independence Day in the small front lawn of his Memorial area home this past Thursday, August 15 morning in front of an estimated 80 guests and local politicians. They then all scrambled under the patio, into the foyer and into the living room that opens up with French doors and windows where a podium had been set to one corner for the reading of the President of India’s speech, traditionally delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Old Delhi. According to tradition, the speech was read by Harish, first in Hindi for the first few opening paragraphs as well as the two concluding ones, and in English for the middle paras, for a total of eighteen paras of the five and a half page long speech. The thirteenth President Pranab Mukherjee’s speech touched on all the topics dealing with Indian democracy and ended with a quote from the Bhagvad Gita “yatha icchasi tatha kuru” – “even as you choose, so you do. I do not wish to impose my views on you.” After Harish concluded, two local Congressmen, Pete Olson (R, Dist 22) representing Sugar Land and adjoining areas and Steve stockman (R, Dist 36) spoke briefly also. Olson spoke glowingly of the large South Asian population in his district. Stockman appreciated the “rain gods who have honored us in our drought”. Both men were draped by Harish with gold brocaded shawls, in the time-honored

The Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish read from the Indian President’s speech inside the living room as the rainy weather pushed everyone indoors.

tradition of respect. “I’ll be wearing this when I see you on the 25th,” quipped Olson referring to the shawl and the ICC’s Independence Day celebrations slated for Sunday, August 25 (he even wore it at the IACCGH Gala later on SatCongressmen Pete Olson (left) and Steve Stockman ﬂank Consul urday!). General Harish. Photos: Bijay Dixit A short set of

songs was presented by youngsters from area music schools: three teen aged girls and some younger children, all trained by Vidushi Raja Rajeshwary Bhat of the Krishna Sana Sudha Music Academy; the national anthem on the viola by Mohankrishna Bhandriraju and a Bengali song by his sister Shreya. A traditional Indian breakfast catered by Udippi Café concluded the 90-minute long ceremony.

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

India House Celebrates India’s 67th Independence Day with Hoisting of Flags

HOUSTON: India’s 67th Independence Day was celebrated with fanfare in a festive Flag Hoisting ceremony on the grounds of India House on August 15. Over 100 people attended the ceremony and a special representative from Senator Rodney Ellis’s office presented an official State of Texas Certificate of Recognition to mark the occasion. Independence Day is a day when Indian people pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for India’s freedom. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings and homes are illuminated with strings of tri-colored lights. Broadcast, print and online media may have special contests, programs, and articles to promote the day. The President delivers the “Address to the Nation” on the eve of Independence Day. India’s Prime Minister unfurls India’s flag and holds a speech at the Red Fort in Old Delhi as part of the celebration. Addressing the nation on the 67th Independence Day, President Pranab Mukherjee spoke on many topics, including government accountability and welfare needs. He stated, “At the dawn of our Independence, we lit the glowing lamp of modernity and equitable economic growth. To keep this

lamp aflame, our highest priority has to be the elimination of poverty. Though a declining trend in the poverty rate is clearly visible, our fight against this scourge is far from over. India has the talent, ability, and the resources to overcome this challenge”. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs are held in state capitals and often involve schools and organizations. Many people spend the day with family members or close friends. Kite flying is also a popular celebratory event. Independence Day is a gazetted holiday in India on August 15 each year. National, state, and local government office, along with post offices and banks are closed on this day. The struggle for India’s independence began in 1857

with the Sepoy Mutiny in Meerut. Later in the 20th century, the Indian National Congress and other political organizations under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, launched a countrywide independence movement. As a result, colonial powers were transferred to India on August 15, 1947. India House Houston is a 501(c) 3 organization located in Houston. 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 visit www.indiahouseinc. org or send email to britt@indiahouseinc.org.

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COMMUNITY

Alliance of Asian and Indian Engineers Delivers a Show of Unity

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the construction of Metro’s new North Train Line and Rogene Gee Calvert, who is currently running for City Council At-Large Position #3. She fielded questions about the Houston First Companies program and her plans for the future which include getting out of the jail business; substantial completion of the Hike and Bike Trails, maximizing bus routes, eliminating homelessness in the next two years and breaking ground on a new Police

Before her audience could ask any questions, Parker said she was going to anticipate some. “I have nothing to do with the Astrodome, but I hope they save it,” she quipped to chuckles. “The Early to Rise is a countywide initiative on the ballot, and not from the City. And finally, there is no comparison in the finances between Detroit and Houston.” Parker recognized several people in the audience, like Christopher Stiller who is managing

Mayor Parker reads a proclamation of making August 15, 2013 “ASIE & AAEA Day” as the organizations’ Presidents Vishal merchant and Andrea Ranft look on.

Complex. She recognized the frustration of homeowners to get better sidewalks and said these could be done through the Job Order Contracts for a fixed unit price that the homeowners could have more confidence with in using than dealing with private contractors. “Broken sidewalks and streets have irked me since I first came into office,” she remarked, “and I’ll fix it.”

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: With all the medical professionals of South Asian origin walking the hallways of the Texas Medical Center and all the other healthcare facilities in this Bayou City, it would seem obvious that the Indo-American community would be at the forefront of getting attention for matters close to their own needs. Ironically, it turns out that, while there are three charitable clinics (Indian Doctors Charity Clinic in Bellaire, the Indian Doctor’s Clinic in India House and the Ibn Sina Clinic on Wilcrest) and a few other nonprofits (notably Friends Helping Friends) which provide free or subsidized care to people – not just South Asians – we have been deficient in knowing just what the community’s health needs really are. It took a young organization that is still cutting its teeth to figure that out, with a non-healthcare professional at its helm. Kanchan Kabad, the President of the Indo American Cancer Network, alluded to the need for an assessment of needs in the last IACAN meeting held on June 30, and revealed the entire scope of what it would entail in the group’s community presentation held on the afternoon of Saturday, August 10 at India House. “Two years ago, then Indian Consul General Sanjeev Arora was present when we launched IACAN,” said Kabad. “We’re honored that the present CG, Parvathaneni Harish is with us as we

IACAN Wants You! For SAHNA Study, That Is !

IACAN Board with Consul General Harish and his wife Nandita.

launch the South Asian Health Needs Assessment study.” In its brief existence, IACAN has been busy in disseminating information on how patients can get assistance of all sorts on cancer - from government funding for home healthcare, supplies, prosthesis, wigs and social security; to diets that can help; to alternative therapies that can make the pain and discomfort more bearable. It’s April 28 alternate therapies event was attended by a huge crowd at the VPSS. With four oncologists

on its Board, ICAN has developed a Survivorship Network, given dietary advice on Indian cuisine, developed a recipe book and worked with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to add a Hindu deity (to be installed soon) in its Spirituality Room. “We want people to know that with IACAN, you are not alone in the fight against Cancer,” Kabad stated. IACAN offers information on nutrition guidelines, has an education outreach program, assists with getting a second opinion and

Photos: Bijay Dixit

runs a Bone Marrow Registry first conceived by Dr. Parmeswaran nearly 15 years ago. “Indians are a significant minority but haven’t gotten counted last year in health assessments,” explained Dr. Sewa Singh Legha, an extremely eminent and experienced oncologist who retired from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center but still practices in the US and India. “We were lumped in together as Asians, but as we all know, our disease profile, life spans, genetics and contributing factors are all

different.” SAHNA should allow researchers to mine significant relevant data on Indians, which so far has been of poor quality. The Bone Marrow registry is still small compared to the 20 million from the mainstream. Indians suffer from a triple threat of high carbohydrates, high sugar and high fats. As a consequence, many suffer from metabolic syndrome, unique lipid profiles, different risks of metabolic diseases and a different spectrum of cancers with poor outcomes. “We see many unique cancers in India that we don’t see here in the US,” said Legha. Dr. Mala Pande added that though Indians are a model minority, “we don’t have a lot of data to go by.” Pande has been in Houston for 10 years at the Dept. of Epidemiology and has collaborated with MDACC. She explained that a large population from the Houston area needed to be sampled to better gauge health behaviors, barriers to care and compare them against other minorities and the general population. Consul General Harish is wellregarded for his thoughtful insights and agreed that in India, “problems of diet and habit have accentuated cancers, primarily oral cancers. Over 40% of the population in India lives in cities and we now have to deal with lifestyle diseases.” He lamented the woefully short time doctors in India spend

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August 23, 2013

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August 23, 2013

IACAN Wants You! For SAHNA Study, That Is ! CONTINUED FROM PAGE

IACAN President Kanchan Kabad

Dr. Sewa Singh Legha

explaining ailments to patients and the lack of physicians in the rural areas, all of which contribute to a general lack of health education among the general population. He

Dr. Mala Pande

welcomed the SAHNA study, saying it was “better late than never.” Pane explained that the SAHNA survey needs a sample of 1,500 people; one member per household, at least 18 years old, preferably born in India and willing to take the survey on electronic tablet or hard copy. This general health survey is funded by the generous donation of an anonymous donor and uses no federal funding. The organizers hope to kick it off at the Indian Independence Day celebration organized by the ICC this coming Sunday, August 25 at the Stafford Civic Centre. A future survey will pare the data down to different categories. “The 3 month long survey will cover Houston and its four surrounding counties here,” said Legha.

IMAGH’s Eid Milan Program Reﬂects the Secular Face of India CONTINUED FROM PAGE

Emcee Dr. Zishan Samiuddin with the IMAGH Board and Col. Raj Bhalla who received a Community Service Award.

qawwals Riyaaz Dawwali came on the side stage and performed from their repertoire of songs that has made them such demand performers all across the nation, as well as from

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2013_PMA_Cricket Party_FP_AI_Print_Hou_IAN_Final.indd 1

7/26/13 4:22 PM

18 August 23, 2013 The Blame is Clear for the Bihar Train Tragedy

In 2012, a government report said 15,000 people are killed every year while crossing India’s rail tracks. While many die because of unmanned railway gates — there are still 12,582 of them in the country — a substantial number is killed because they refuse to adhere to safety norms. The 37 killed and 30 injured (at the time of going to Press) in the Bihar rail accident on Monday fall in the second category, if the initial reports are to be believed. According to Indian Railways, the passengers, mostly pilgrims (kanwariyas), alighted from a local train — on the non-platform side — at Dhamara Ghat station and were on their way to the nearby Katyayani temple at Saharsa for special prayers when they were hit by the Saharsa-Patna Rajya Rani Express. The Express, which was on a “signal movement”, meaning that it was not scheduled to stop at Dhamara Ghat, was hurtling down on the opposite track at 80 kilometre per hour. Though the driver of the Express applied emergency brakes, it was too late. The death toll is expected to rise as many of the injured are critical. An internal inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each for the families of the victims. As expected, the mishap led to mayhem at the station. Blaming the railway authorities, angry pilgrims and local residents set the Express and two other trains on ﬁre and pulled out the driver of the Express train and beat him up. They also attacked the railway station and held the staff hostage. Even at the cost of sounding insensitive, it must be said that the pilgrims had absolutely no business getting off on the wrong side of the train and jumping on to the rail track to take a short cut to their destination. Such incidents are not new in this country but there are many people — as we have seen once again — who refuse to learn from past accidents. In fact, pilgrims, especially kanwariyas, are known to ﬂout rules; every year during this time in north India there are several cases of kanwariyas clashing with motorists, residents and the police. A poll being run on Hindustantimes.com on the train tragedy shows that there are many who believe that the pilgrims were responsible for what happened in Dhamara Ghat. To the question, “Who is to blame for the Bihar train tragedy?” 94% of the respondents held the pilgrims crossing the railway tracks responsible for the mishap while only 3% blamed the driver of the Express train. After the accident, the Railway Board chairman said there would be a drive to sensitise people about the dangers of crossing tracks. While this is welcome, no amount of sensitisation would work, if passengers have so little value for their own safety and so little respect for basic civic behaviour. Hindustan Times

EDITORIAL

The Parivar in America BY CHRISTOPHE JAFFRELOT The controversy that has been raging about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s US visa suggests that for the BJP, the United States is particularly important and this is even truer for Gujarat. This is largely due to the upgrading of political, educational and economic bilateral relations over the last 10 years or so. But it also derives from the assertion of the Indian diaspora in the US. Not only has the number of Indian Americans doubled in less than two decades to cross the 3 million figure, but these NRIs also form the most wealthy community in the US as a result of their achievements as entrepreneurs, engineers and professionals. Their household income is almost twice the US national average. The rise of Indian Americans has naturally impacted society, as is evident from today’s patterns of consumption, which are far from being in tune with the “swadeshi” motto. It has also affected politics, a field in which money matters more and more, if we go by the price for a Rajya Sabha seat recently made public by a Congress MP. Not only have NRI deposits in India more than doubled in the decade between 2002 and 2012, but Indian politicians nowdays raise money among the diaspora. This is particularly true of Hindu nationalists. More than a decade ago, the Ayodhya movement had revealed the extent to which the Sangh Parivar relied on the support of NRIs when Ram Shilas arrived from the West. Later, money reached the Parivar through other channels, mainly the India Development and Relief Fund. The American connection of the Sangh Parivar runs deep indeed, and the Parivar is now well established in the US. But it did not develop there like it did in India. In India, the RSS has been the organisational crucible of the “family”. In the US, the VHP came first, and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh took shape later. This atypical modus operandum enabled the Hindutva forces to cash in on the

network of religious organisations that were sometimes very old. When VHP America (VHPA) saw the light of day in 1970, it could rely on some of the temples and followers of the (Gujarat-based) Swaminarayan Sampradaya, the Arya Samaj, the Ramakrishna Mission, the Divine Life Society and the Chinmaya Mission of Swami Chinmayananda.The VHP is especially successful in the US because it offers migrants a cultural milieu they’re missing. Besides, the VHPA also defends Hinduism in the public sphere. The American Hindu Anti-Defamation Coalition (AHADC) was founded in 1997, modelled after the Anti-Defamation League initially founded to combat anti-Semitism to monitor the iconography and vocabulary used in relation to Hinduism in advertisements and on TV in general. More importantly perhaps, in 2005, the VHPA sought to influence the rewriting of history textbooks in the state of California, giving rise to a debate among community representatives and India scholars opposed to the removal of the notion of the Aryan invasions in the name of historical accuracy. Indeed, what the VHP promotes in the US is its definition of Hinduism, in a context that lends itself to such a strategy. It is easier to transcend regional and sectarian differences in the US than in India, where particular identities and rivalries are more entrenched. This is exactly what the VHP’s standardised catechism does and what epitomises the “Hindu Unity” temple in Dallas, which houses 11 deities from around India, while the Shiva-Vishnu Temple in Livermore, California, displays a shikhara and a gopuram. The US matters to the Sangh not just because the VHPA has become part and parcel of the Hindutva project, or due to the political connections the BJP has cultivated for financial reasons. It also matters to Modi personally because of the role of the NRGs (non-resident Gujaratis). Gujaratis probably represent the largest group among

the Indian Americans with about 7,00,000 people. Modi’s biographers, M.V. Kamath and Kalindi Randeri, mention that in the 1990s, his predecessor, Keshubhai Patel, used to go to the US “to mobilise funds from NRIs for the development of Gujarat”. Modi had an even older American connection with NRGs dating back to the Emergency when, underground, he was in charge of mobilising support from Indians abroad in the name of democracy. When he was refused a visa in 2005, he had been invited to attend the Annual Convention and Trade Show of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association in Florida. He eventually addressed them via video and tried to circumvent the problem. US-based NRGs have become important partners for Modi’s Gujarat. So much so that in 2010, an NGO based in New Jersey, Friends of Gujarat, had organised an event called Swarnim Gujarat to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the state and to promote Modi as well as business relations between Gujarat and the NRGs. A similar event is likely to take place this month. It will aim to promote business ties and Modi, who might deliver 3D speeches in several American cities. The 40,000 guests expected will be asked to pay $100 each. It will not be the first time that Modi speaks to Indian Americans from a distance: he did it during the 2008 World Gujarati Conference when, according to nritoday.net “30,000 Gujaratis converged at the Raritan Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey to celebrate Gujarati language, culture, heritage, art, history, enterprise and people in all its grandeur”. He did it again in May 2012, mostly to attract investors, and in March and May this year. The intensification of this virtual connection is a clear indication of the importance of the NRIs and NRGs for the BJP in general and Modi in particular. Not to mention that the BJP (and India, for that matter) cannot afford to have a PM who is not allowed to visit the US. -The Indian Express

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gious organizations, art and social organizations bring value to the society with different programs. Kala Kunj, a non-profit or-

ganization promotes ‘Performing Arts’ and has decided to take it to the next generation. Kala Kunj, presented one social, comedy drama last Saturday in Stafford Civic Center in presence of more than 850 invited drama lovers, which was very well received by the attendees and ended with a standing ovation. People enjoyed the drama with cheers and applause. The drama started with lighting the lamp by Dr. Kamlesh Lulla, director of Research at NASA and Laxmiben Thakkar, a social worker. Rasesh Dalal, president of the organization said that KALA KUNJ is preparing on several different cultural programs such as SHERI GARBA and One act play. For further information email at kalakunj.usa@gmail.com

Community Leaders Meet to Discuss the Broken Immigration System

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HOUSTON: Diverse group of community leaders met with District 22 Congress Member Pete Olson at his Sugar Land office to discuss fixing our broken immigration system. Carlos Duarte, State Director of Mi Familia Vota.

Mustafaa Carrol, Executive Director Council on American Islamic Relations. Deborah Chen, Board Member of OCA- Greater Houston, Rahman Moton, President Myanmar American Chamber of Commerce, CEO Radio Hous-

ton and Carlos Ramirez, General Manager of a Local Company from the oil and gas industry. The group called on Congressman Olson to lead the Texas way, by being pragmatic and addressing the need for smart, effective and accountable border enforcement but also giving a big boost to the economy by supporting a path to eventual citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants that are an integral part of our communities. The group acknowledged the need for the undocumented to get to the back of the line, to pay fines and back taxes, learn English and civics and submit to background checks. The group also emphasized the need to keep the principle of family reunification in any immigration reform. Congressman Olson was appreciative of the visit and invited the group to continue engaging in conversation.

Cricket Club Helps Debut New Field at Wayne Gray Sports Complex BY ALBERT VILLEGAS BAYTOWN: Baytown now has a home for a new kind of cricket – not the wireless communications company or that pesky, noisy insect in your yard, but rather, the game that is not being introduced here. With an official grand opening celebration of a cricket park Saturday morning at the Wayne Sports Complex in Baytown, many of those who know the game, like Sanjay Pipalia, 46, welcomed the sport to this new Baytown home. “We are so appreciative of what Baytown has done because we know it’s not a common sport here but, as you can see, it is fun,” said

Pipalia, who was instrumental in bringing cricket to his hometown. “Other teams now know that we have this field here and they are certain to come and play here.” He is a part of a team that has long been part of competitive league throughout southeast Texas, including the Houston Premier League. If you didn’t know it, there has also been a club in the city for many years. The name of the sporting organization is called Baytown Cricket Club. Its male members more than 30 strong, raging in ages from 25-50 years. To showcase not only their talents but their pas-

sion for the game, the club partook in a “short” game for three hours, divided evenly into two teams. I’s reminiscent of what a sports fan would see in a football or baseball intra-squad game. However, once play begins, that’s when the comparison stop. It is wise to know what a wicketkeeper, a batsman, a bowler and perhaps an umpire are and positioned on the field. “This drives home to me how diverse culturally our city is; I never envisioned the need or the desire of our residents to have a

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COMMUNITY

August 23, 2013

Swami Mukundanada To Conduct Retreat in Chicago

BY NAND KAPOOR CHICAGO : Swami Mukundananda, a world-renowned teacher of Spirituality, Yoga, and Meditation is presently on his annual tour of the U.S.A. to promote the message of his Guru H.H. Jagadguru Swami Shri Kripaluji Maharaj, founder of J.K.YOG, a spiritual institution dedicated to promote and perpetuate the principles being enunciated by his Guru. In his mundane earlier he received his degrees in Engineering and Management from two world famous Institutes in India, IIT and IIM. He has in-

spired people all over the world, on the path of spirituality, holistic health, yoga, meditation, service to society, and God-realization. He has been invited to speak at various Fortune 500 companies like Google, Oracle, etc. For the youth, Swamiji has conducted programs at prestigious universities such as Princeton, Stanford, Kellogg, MIT, and Duke University. For the children, he has established a special personality development program, called “Bal-Mukund Character Building Program.” Swamiji’s enlightening discourses clarify the deepest concepts of the Vedic scriptures, with wit, humor, and perfect logic. Alongside with the discourses, in the “Wellness for Life” camps, he teaches the comprehensive system “Yoga for the Body, Mind and Soul.” The Spiritual Master Swami Mukundananda (Swamiji) has been teaching in Chicago Land area for the last 6 years every summer. He has been honored several times by Mayor and Village of Rolling Meadows for his efforts in teaching healthy mind and body life style to the society. Swamiji will be holding these classes in over 43 Cities in US this year. An erudite

scholar of Vedic literature he has also studied the Bible, Quran, and has studied great Western intellectuals, especially American English philosophers to provide comparative studies of the universal messages contained in their works. This year’s program starts from Sept 14 to Sept 18 in Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows. The theme of the program is “The Science of Devotion and Grace”. The event details and registration information can be found at: http://www.jkyog.org/2013events/rolling-meadows. For information on the JKYog organization, its missions, and humanitarian work, visit http://www.jkyog.org. Following is some information regarding the event, and the organization: Yoga, Meditation & Discourses Program - Sept 14-18, Meadows Club, Rolling Meadows, IL Yoga, Meditation and Divine discourses on the Science of Devotion and God’s Grace! For further details: Contact: Ajay @ 630-561-4807 or http://www.jkyog.org/2013events/rolling-meadows

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COMMUNITY

Convention to Attract Hindi Lovers from Across US

Gajendra Solanki

HOUSTON: Hindi lovers from all over the United States will gather in Houston on the Labor Day weekend to discuss ways to popularize Hindi, India’s national language, among younger generations in order to keep them closer to their cultural roots. Delegates from the East Coast and the West Coast have already registered for the 16th National Hindi Convention, hosted by the Houston Chapter of the International Hindi Association, on August 30-31 at VPSS Haveli. Moreover, a large number of people from Houston and other Texas cities are expected to attend the event. Besides several meaningful programs and workshops, the convention will offer a variety of entertainment to participants. The highlights are a musical performance by Rekha Surya, a wellknown singer from the Lucknow Gharana on August 30. A Hasya Kavi Sammelan will be held the next day in which several famous poets are taking part. These include Gajendra Solanki, Archa-

Rekha Surya

na Panda and Abhinav Shukla. Several dignitaries, including University of Houston Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator and her husband Dr. Suresh Khator, will attend the convention. The International Hindi Association or ‘Antarashtriya Hindi Samiti’ was established in 1980 in the United States for promotion of Hindi language and literature among Indian diaspora spread all over the world. The organization aims to foster Indian heritage among younger generations and wants to ensure that they not only read and speak Hindi but also understand its rich literary tradition. The nonreligious, non-political, and nonprofit lingo-cultural organization is run entirely by volunteers with the support and patronage from its

growing membership worldwide. The association organizes Hindi classes, youth camps, poetry recitals, literary symposiums and publications promote and inculcate human values inherent in the Indian culture. The annual and biennial IHA conventions have been instrumental in getting the message to public at large. The convention will begin on Friday, August 30, at VPSS Haveli, 11715 Bellfort Village Dr, at 6.30 pm with inauguration speeches by IHA President Sushila Mohanka and other dignitaries. The three-day convention programs include Hindi typing on computers, Khel khel mein Hindi, How to make Hindi popular?, Poetry writing in Hindi, Ram Ek- Naam anek , Influence of Bollywood on Hindi, Shabd Manjusha, Kaun Banega Bharat Gyani, Word Game and Antakshari. The IHA working committee for the convention comprises of Sangeeta Pasrija as the President and Swapan Dhairyawan as the Vice President, Rajiv Bhavsar is the Treasurer and Rafi Ansar and Sanjay Sohoni are Joint Secretaries. Other Committee members are Abha Dwivedi, Dinesh Singhal, Fatehali Chatur, Hari Kewalramani, Nisha Mirani, Saroj Gupta, KD Upadhyaya, Om Gupta, Meera Kapur, Vijay Pallod, Ashish Thapliyal, Nausha Asrar and Sangita Bhutada. For further information call Swapan 281-3820348 and Sanjay 281-9439758 or visit www.hindi.org See ad on page 12

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cricket facility” DonCarlos said following the grand opening. “You can see from the way they play how much they love the sport and how competitive it is. They tried to explain it to me and I had a hard time understanding how it is played but it looks fun.” Added Gray, “in the 1980s, we as city officials had in mind what sports would be played but never thought of cricket. We had to look it up and find out what the game was all about. thanks goodness for Google.” Gray said the Pipalia family and Councilman Scott Sheley began a very simple discussion of the sport possibly brining it here. As time went on, eventually the council approved plans for creation of park. Among the other officials to attend were Scott Johnson, director of Baytown’s Park and Recreation Department. He was standing alongside various officials and members of the club, taking in how the game is played and scored. “It’s remarkable what the city has done and one day this field is going to look like these others,” Johnson said, pointing to the adjacent softball fields that have been maintained for ears. Johnson said the city would begin maintaining the cricket park, too, to make it an outstanding place to play. Pipalia said he would soon be looking to bring other clubs from such places as Beaumont, Port Arthur and Katy.

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Bharvi Bhindi (Spice Stuffed Okra) While bhindi (okra) may be a favorite in the Punjab, the ever tasteloving Punjabis have found a way to make this vegetable even tastier, especially those pods that have become too big but still do not have the hard ridge stalks in them. This dish is different from the other cut bhindi one in that you actually put salt into the bhindi in order to give it a good taste but the rest of the spices should not overpower the taste of the vegetable. The preparation process does not allow the moisture produced by the salt to accumulate and so the bhindis remain dry. Many Punjabis actually prefer this style of bhindi as each pod has a nice, spicy taste as do the whole onions. Remember that the secret to good bhindi sabzi (okra dish) is to make sure that the vegetable is completely dry 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 tablespoon tael (veg etable or olive oil) • 5 small pyaaz (onion) – peeled and slit into fours • Spices for the masala: 1 tspn namak (salt), 1 tspn mirch (red pepper), 2 tspn dhania powder (ground coriander), 1 tspn amchoor (mango pow der), 1/2 tspn garam masala, 1/2 tspn haldi powder (ground turmeric)

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Directions: 1. Wash the bhindi 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. As with the cut bhindi dish, it is very important NOT to have any water enter the dish before cutting and while cooking otherwise the dish will come out soft, mushy and sticky.

stirring gently. If the bhindi and onions are still not tender, then halfway cover the kadai and cook for a few more minutes. Do NOT cover the kadai all the way as the steam must be allowed to escape.

3. Again as with the cut bhindi dish, cut off the stems and the pointy bottoms (the “sar aur poonch” or head and tail!) then cut a slit length wise into the pod. Be careful not to cut the bhindi all the way through. Place the slit pods to the side.

7. When the onions and bhindi are tender to the touch, turn the heat off and let the dish stay uncovered to let it cool down. This will reduce the chance of steamy water settling on the bhindi.

4. Now prepare the masala for the bhindi in a small bowl. Mix all the spices together well and then take a small pinch and stuff it into the slit of each of the pods one by one. Do the same with the onions. Keep the stuffed bhindi and onions to the side. (If small onions aren’t available, you can use sliced onions in their place)

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.

5. In a kadai (wok) or skillet, heat the oil well; throw in the bhindi and the onions. Stir well for five minutes over high heat. 6. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes while

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ENTERTAINMENT

August 23, 2013

Movie Review: Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara!

BY ANUPAMA CHOPRA Halfway into Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobaara! Akshay Kumar playing the allpowerful, Dawood-style, murderous mafia don Shoaib, declares: “Villain hoon main, villain.” He says it with such a menacing relish that I wanted to applaud. More than anything else in Milan Luthria’s He chews up the scenery with his dangerous frown, flaring nostrils, dark glasses, flicked cigarettes and thunderous dialogue. Shoaib is gleefully evil. As he says: “Mujhe accha banne ka koi shauk nahin hai.” But the beauty is that underneath the swagger, Akshay also locates the loneliness and heartache of a monster hobbled by love. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I

enjoyed watching him this much. The rest of the film works in fits and starts. Like Milan’s earlier pictures — Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and The Dirty Picture — Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobaara! is full-throttle masala. Situated some time in the 1980s, the film revels in blaring background music, old-school machismo, glaring loopholes in logic (starting with that strangely spelled Ay in the title) and, of course, reams of whistle-inducing dialogues by Rajat Aroraa, who also wrote those two earlier films. No one here just talks. Every dialogue is a declaration, saying or metaphor. At one point, Shoaib says something like “Jo doodh main nimbu daalta hai, paneer usi ka hai”. Some of the lines were so twisted that I couldn’t even de-

cipher the meaning behind the imagery. The pacing is bumpy too many songs unnecessarily stretch the film to 160 minutes. The screenplay is clunky and for much of the first half, Imran Khan, who plays Shoaib’s protégé Aslam, is plainly out of his depth. Imran has a naturally sweet, vulnerable presence but the role requires drama and flamboyance. He makes for an awkward, hesitant gangster but becomes more convincing as the love story takes hold. What’s interesting is that this is a Mumbai mafia story but what drives it is the love triangle between Shoaib, Aslam and an actress Jasmine played nicely by Sonakshi Sinha. Yes, the film is over-wrought, melodramatic and designed as pulp fiction. But it’s intermittently fun. One of my favourite scenes was Shoaib going voluntarily to the police station. The cops are so busy trying to set up roadblocks to catch him that they don’t even notice that he’s standing there. It’s absurdly comic. And a special mention here of Sonali Bendre Behl, who shines in the few scenes she has. Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobaara! had me cheering for the bad guy. Which, at least in the movies, is never a bad thing. The film gets one extra star for Akshay Kumar, who makes a stellar killer.

-Hindustantimes

Krrish 3 Smashes Avengers’ Record

NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH NEW DELHI: The official trailer of Hrithik Roshan’s upcoming film Krrish 3 has broken the record of being the most-viewed video on YouTube for a Bollywood film. Not only this, the trailer has also broken the record of upcoming Hollywood films Avengers 2 and Thor 2. Launched on August 5, Krrish 3 trailer got around 48 lakh views in the first 3 days and crossed 70 lakh views in 6 days. At the time of going to press the number of views was over 1 crore 33 lakh. While the views of Avengers 2 trailers were around 60 lakh and Thor 2 had been viewed by

over 32 lakh people. “I’m delighted with the response to the teaser. I am glad I can serve my audience with something to aspire for, something inspiring,” Hrithik says. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra, Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut, but while Priyanka has a blink-and-miss appearance in the trailer, Vivek has not been shown at all. Explaining the reason, director Rakesh Roshan says, “It’s a conscious decision. We want to keep the focus on the fact that Krrish is back. We’ll reveal other characters slowly and steadily.”

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-Hindustantimes

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Govt Bans Duty-free Flat Screen TV Import by Air Travellers

Rupee Hits New Low vs Dollar, Sensex Tanks Again; Investors Keep their Fingers Crossed

NEW DELHI: Shares continued to bleed under intense selling pressure and plunged to multimonth lows on Monday as worries mounted about deteriorating macro-economic concerns on the back of sliding rupee, which slumped to new low against the US dollar. Hammered by relentless selling pressure, the Bombay Stock Exchange’s benchmark 30-share Sensex index plunged 291 points to close at a four-month low of 18,307.52, down 1.56%. Similarly, the 50-issue NSE CNX Nifty also dipped by 93.10 points, or 1.69%, to end at 5,414.75 -- the lowest since September 2012. Investor confidence has taken a massive hit due to the recent measures announced to curb capital outflow to stem forex volatility and narrow down worsening current account deficit (CAD), sparking fears about downgrading India’s sovereign credit rating. Moreover, worries over foreign investors deserting India in the backdrop of worsening macroenvironment and improving US economy have further dampened

sentiments. Investors are keeping their fingers crossed about which way the Markets would go. With Rs. 1 lakh crore in investor wealth lost in a single day, experts are advocating a wait-and-watch policy. “The markets are in a freefall, so till consolidation begins, we advocate a wait-and-watch policy,” said Pankaj Pandey, research head, ICICIDirect.com. “Don’t invest too much in stocks.” However, if you are too keen to take the plunge, then go for defensive sectors such as pharma and information technology, advocate experts. Sun Pharma and Lupin have the potential to appreciate, added Pandey. HT conducted a web poll asking readers if they felt more insecure due to the fall of rupee and the slide in the Indian stock market. 82% of the respondents said yes, 15% said no, while remaining 3% had no opinion. (see graphics) The Indian rupee hit an all-time low of 63.30 on Monday losing 148 paise as the mayhem in money and equity markets continued from last week, broadly reflecting

the government’s and the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) inability to control a free-falling domestic currency despite a string of measures. In a latest move to stem the persistent dollar outflow the government on Monday banned duty free highend TV imports by air travelers. The government has decided to “disallow import of flat panel (LCD/LED/Plasma) television as part of free baggage allowance” with effect from August 26,” an official notification said. Air travellers currently can bring a flat screen television for personal use without paying any customs duty. This benefit will be done away with from August 26. The rupee recovered marginally but still ended the day at a record closing low of 63.13 to the dollar. The rupee is falling because foreign investors are selling the currency, preferring instead to plough into the US market, which is showing signs of resurgence. “Foreign fund outflows and genuine dollar demand has made the rupee weaker,” said Anubhuti Sahay, senior economist, Standard

Chartered Bank. “Any significant and sustained reversal in rupee crucially depends on an improvement in India’s growth story,” she said. The latest fall in currency and equity markets came days after RBI slapped new foreign exchange controls restricting the amount of dollars Indian companies and individuals can spend overseas, banned people from buying property in foreign countries and imposed fresh curbs on gold imports as part of a strategy to shore up the rupee. A falling rupee has also raised the spectre of a downgrade of India’s sovereign rating by international credit agencies who have unsparing in their criticism about India’s precarious public finances. Moody’s on Monday reiterated its stable outlook on India’s Baa3 sovereign rating, news agency Bloomberg cited analyst Atsi Sheth. Moody’s said that it will continue to assess the country’s foreign exchange reserves adequacy. A sliding rupee isn’t good news for India as it can fan inflation in an election year. High inflation means that the RBI will hesitate to cut interest rates, a step needed to boost the economy struggling to claw out of a decade-low growth. India’s policy makers are grappling for options to keep the current account deficit -- the difference between dollar inflows and outflows -- under control. This deficit may also limit the RBI’s ability to prop up the rupee by dipping into its foreign exchange reserves, which has fallen to $278 billion, enough to cover imports for seven months.

-- Hindustantimes

NEW DELHI: The government on banned the duty-free import of flat screen televisions by air travellers in a bid to prop up the rupee, which fell below the 63 level against US dollar. The government, according to a notification, decided to “disallow the import of flat panel (LCD/LED/Plasma) televisions as part of free baggage allowance” with effect from August 26. Air travellers currently can bring a flat screen television for personal use without paying any duty. This would mean air travellers bringing in TVs as part of their baggage from August 26 would have to pay customs duty. In order to contain the Current Account Deficit (CAD) and arrest rupee depriciation, government has raised the duty on gold, platinum and silver to 10%. Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that steps would be taken to compress import of non-essential goods. The value of rupee touched all-time low of 63.30 to a dollar in the afternoon trade.

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--Hindustantimes

28 August 23, 2013 Tests Matches are Cricket’s ‘Life Source’ - Dravid Rahul Dravid has made a spirited call for nurturing firstclass and Test cricket, saying the longer and more traditional formats provide players with the grounding needed to prosper in the newer, shorter versions. The steps Dravid suggested for bolstering Tests included a more serious consideration of day-night Tests, increasing pay for long-form specialists, a streamlined and regularised cricket calendar, and providing more context to matches through competitions like the Test championship. Perhaps the most radical idea Dravid proposed was for the less successful countries to find a way to involve some of their teams in the first-class structures of more robust cricketing nations, such as a Bangladesh side participating in the Indian domestic season. Dravid was speaking at the ESPNcricinfo for Cricket event held in London on Monday, part of a series of events held to celebrate the website’s 20th anniversary. While highlighting the primacy of Tests, he acknowledged the benefits provided by Twenty20s, not just financially but with the innovations in cricket it has spurred. “The fundamental core of every cricketer’s game is enriched by playing Dravid urged people to think four-and ﬁve-day cricket” beyond pat metaphors like “fast food v fine dining” when tained examination cricketers ever-increasing focus on T20, comparing the two formats, and, faced in the longer version helped Dravid sounded a note of caution putting forth a more nuanced ex- them, especially youngsters, better for the future. “We are, I believe, planation of the difference be- understand their basic game. “The maybe one generation away from tween them, said he believed they fundamental core of every crick- reaching the point where our encould exist alongside each other. eter’s game is enriched by play- tire youth structures could cater “Test cricket, an older, larger en- ing four- and five-day cricket,” he only to T20 without any emphasis tity is the trunk of a tree and the said. “By using those well-trained on the longer form of the game. shorter game - be it T20 or ODIs powers of adaptability, discipline, By not giving young players a - is its branches, its offshoots,” resilience and focus as a T20 chance to explore their versatility, he said. “Now to be fair, it is the cricketer, you will have double endurance or even improvisational branches that carry the fruit, earn the advantage than the player pos- skills, we will be selling ourthe benefits of the larger garden in sessed only of talent and timing. selves and our sport well short.” which they stand and so catch the “The skill of learning how to He then elaborated on measures eye. The trunk, though, is the old, think clearly under pressure is to prop up the long form. “If that massive, larger thing which took required in T20, but it is built means reworking how first-class a very long time to reach height through having to endure pres- and Test players can be out on and bulk. But it is actually a life sure for a session, two sessions, more lucrative contracts, let’s get source: chip away at the trunk or an entire day, a series of spells.” the accountants on this,” he said. cut it down and the branches will Most of the biggest stars today “If it means playing day-night fall off, the fruit will dry up.” honed their game over years of cricket, we must give it a try, keep Dravid elaborated that the sus- first-class cricket, but with the an open mind. The game’s tradi-

tions aren’t under threat if we play Test cricket under lights. I know there have been concerns about the durability of the pink ball, but I have had some experience of it having played for the MCC, and it seemed to hold up okay.” A regularised itinerary was another of Dravid’s ideas. “We can start by sorting out the scheduling around Test cricket, to ensure that teams can complete their home-and-away cycles against each other over a four-year period. This will mean balancing and creating context for all the three formats.” He argued that the Ashes didn’t lose its lustre over the years partly because of its fixed place in the calendar, allowing a sense of anticipation to build up. “If we can answer that question - what’s this for? - with something other than the words ‘television rights’ we will have done well.” One way to address the lack of context, he felt, was to have marquee tournaments like the Test championship and the Champions Trophy. The most important step was to shore up first-class structures, especially in the smaller cricketing countries. “Bangladesh is a good example of a country with a great passion for the game and they don’t lack in talent. But they are still struggling to find their feet, literally and figuratively, in Test cricket because of the lack of a strong first-class structure,” he said. “Test cricket is not the place to start trying to learn new skills.” He argued that more established nations should help out the lessresourced countries, by integrating overseas teams in their domestic competitions, suggesting pairs of “India for Bangladesh, South Africa for Zimbabwe, England for West Indies, Australia for New Zealand.” The way ahead was to put aside short-term profit and work collaboratively, he contended, since “we are a very small community and we can’t afford to lose the members of our family”. --ESPNcricinfo

SPORTS

Asif Shares Spotﬁxing Details with PCB

BY UMAR FAROOQ Mohammad Asif, the former Pakistan fast bowler, has had a meeting with the PCB’s vigilance and anti-corruption department to share information related to the spot-fixing saga. His first meeting with the PCB was the second major step towards his rehabilitation programme following his public confession last week to his part in spot-fixing during the Lords Test in 2010, vowing to make amends in order to revive his international career. “I had my first session and will do more,” Asif told reporters in Lahore after a two-and-half-hour meeting with the PCB. “Although it’s a beginning, I am following the ICC directives for rehabilitation and will work further with the PCB. I have already apologised in public and today had given a formal written apology too.” Asif, who was found guilty of bowling a deliberate no-ball, will be 33 by the time the minimum of five years from his ban are complete and will work through the final two years under suspension, on the condition that he commits no further breach of the Code of Conduct throughout that period and participates in an anticorruption education programme under the PCB. The apology is not expected to have any immediate implications but Asif will have to undergo rehabilitation and present the whole truth to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and PCB. “I am following the ICC programme and will share all sufficient informationwiththeICC,”Asifsaid. Asif was among three players involved in the spot-fixing scandal, along with the former captain Salman Butt and the fast bowler Mohammad Amir. Amir was given a five-year ban and Butt was slapped a 10-year (five year suspended) ban from any involvement in cricketing activities. The trio have apologised for their part with Amir having already completed his rehabilitation programme -ESPNcricinfo

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

INDIA

August 23, 2013

Need to Expand India-UK Business Ties, Says Lord Karan Bilimoria BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT

Lord Karan Bilimoria, one of the youngest Lords, believes that India is facing challenging times. As the Founding Chairman of the UK-India Business Council, he underscores the utmost necessity of further expanding India-UK business ties and relations. Here he lists out the several significant factors that have made ‘Great’ Britain a ‘Great’ country and wants India too strive for greater cooperation with the UK both in business and socio-cultural fields. He doesn’t approve of the recent move by the British government in introducing a bond of 3000 pounds for six-month visitors’ visa for some “very risky immigrants”. “Even by merely proposing this bond clause, we are sending negative signals; these impressions are further compounded by launching in the UK ‘Illegal Immigrants – Go Home’ advertising campaign. In another wide ranging interview this week with RAJ KANWAR, Lord Bilimoria discusses the UK’s latest immigration policy as also some other sensitive issues. EXCERPTS: How do you propose the UK government should tackle the problem of increasing illegal immigrants in the UK? Yes, the problem is acute but it needs to be sorted out with a degree of sensitivity; imposing a bond of 3000 pounds on 6-month visa even on “very risky immigrants” will only spread negative sentiments. As a first step, Britain should bring back the “exit controls” that had kept the records of the outgoing visitors which was abolished some time ago. Thus, we are now unable to keep a tab on those illegal immigrants who do not return to their home countries after the expiry of their visas and disappear in the UK with their compatriots. There was a cross-party consensus in the Parliament for excluding students from official immigration statistics and that there must not be any cap on their entry. Britain is certainly in dire need of educated, qualified and dedicated immigrants and as such they need to be encouraged. We must also keep in mind that a large number of ‘the top-of-the-class’ Indian students attend universities in our coun-

outright majority. Regional parties appear strong at the moment. I somewhat fear that coalition governments could possibly block, stall and derail economic reforms. That will be holding the country back. Yet, I sincerely believe that introduction of reforms combined with good governance could give India a 10% annual growth. It is my sincere belief that a lot of peoples outside the UK including in India are not really conscious of the various factors that still make Britain a great country. There is

of course a huge population mismatch – 60 million versus 1.2 billion; yet there should be enormous mutual respect between our two countries and we both must strive to further enlarge the scope of our bilateral trade and investments. Let me underscore that the UK sees India as a top priority and it is thus no wonder that its diplomatic mission in India is the second largest in the world. The UK has recently opened offices of deputy high commissioners in Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

Upcoming event : ISCA National Convention on Sept. 14 th and 15th, 2013 at Stafford Center, Stafford including Sing for Seniors Talent Hunt and Atul Brahmbhatt’s gazals program. Lord Karan Bilimoria (left) with Raj Kanwar in Dehra Dun.

try and they need to be given job opportunities for two years after graduation so that they could gain work experience, contribute to Britain’s economy, earn money to help pay for their expensive studies and build stronger generation long links between Britain and India. We thus must try to distinguish between the “very risky immigrants” and “very desirable ones”. Tell me what is so ‘Great’ about Great Britain? Remember that despite economic and financial crisis and unemployment that stalk Europe, the UK is still one of the ten largest economies in the world in absolute terms. It has always been and even today is the world’s # 1 financial centre. Its political stature in the comity of nations has not dimmed. It is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Additionally, it also occupies a position of importance in multi-nations international organizations such like G8, G20 and NATO. Interestingly, UK sits at the top of the table at the European Union even though it is not part of the Euro currency. Great Britain today boasts of some of the finest schools in the world. It has also produced some of the best law and accounting firms. Even in the field of insur-

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ance, Lloyds of London is the largest reinsurance entity in the world. There are so many other BESTS, the foremost being the Westminster – the mother of all Parliaments and of modern democracy – the British Library, the British Museum, The Royal Society and The Royal Academy. My Alma Mater Cambridge has produced more Nobel laureates than any other individual university. Do you suggest that India must appreciate Britain’s ‘greatness’ in numerous fields and go an extra mile in developing socio-cultural and economic relationship with the UK? Do you think India is facing a crisis? Yes, I do very much suggest that. I, however, believe that India is facing challenging times. But I am optimistic about India’s longterm perspective and growth momentum. I am a founding member of Prime Minister of India Global Advisory Council and have a huge respect for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an individual. There are also many talented people in the ministry such like Shashi Tharoor, Anand Sharma, Pallam Raju and Chidambaram. The outcome of the next parliamentary elections seems uncertain and it appears that no major political party will be able to attain an

Auditions for Talent on 13th Sept. at India House and semi-finals and finals at Stafford Centre, on 14th Sept. Meet 2nd and 4th Saturday (11:30am-3pm)

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