Issuu

Friday, December 25 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 52

Indo Indo American Am erican News

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

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The organizers at the Second Annual Sankara Eye Foundation Gala on Sunday, December 20 at India House, from left: Raghavender Nednur, Shankar Perumalla, Murali Krishnamurthy, CEO (SEF),USA, Rajender Aparasu, and Drs. R.V. and Radha Ramani, founders of the Sankara Eye Care Institute in Coimbatore, India.

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December 25, 2015

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COMMUNITY

December 25, 2015

Indians Celebrate 8th Hamara Desi Christmas with fellow Indians who come from different walks of faith. He said to ‘Expect a greater and bigger event next year!’ Dr. Robello Samuel, integral member of HIF, said “Seeing the joy of Christmas on the faces of the audience gives me great satisfaction as that is the whole idea behind the celebration!” The sponsors for this event were Red Oaks Hospital, Annam Indian Cuisine, New York Life and other individuals. The University of Houston students along with other families and friends helped behind the scenes – all of which helped make this celebration a memo-

HOUSTON: Houston’s one and

only Indian Christmas celebration was hosted last Saturday, December 19, at the Stafford Civic Center. As always the auditorium was packed to an audience of an awe inspiring program by Houston Indian Fellowship. The Houston Indian Fellowship (HIF), a group of Indians from across the metropolitan Houston area, conducts an annual Christmas Celebration to share the joy and cheer of Christmas with Indians in Houston from different walks of faith in addition to other events such as cricket championships and painting competitions in order to bring the community together for a time of fun. They also provide free health care for the needy. The admission for the event was free and it was followed by complimentary dinner for all the attendees. The dinner was catered by the acclaimed Annam Indian Cuisine. HIF, by hosting this event and providing free health care to the needy, strives to bring Christmas cheer to people from different faiths and regions of India. US Congressman Steve Stockman graced the occasion as the

chief guest of the event. His simple speech with the underlying message of the true meaning of Christmas deeply moved the audience. This year’s celebration included an inspiring staged performance of the birth of Jesus with beautiful costumes, re-telling the story of the birth of Jesus 2,000 years ago in a little town called Bethlehem, skits, songs and Bollywood-style dances, and even a lesson on how to dance ‘Indian Style’. The stage was overflowing with vibrant colors as a variety of classical Indian songs telling of God’s Love were presented. The audience was clinging to the edges of their seats as HIF performed these programs. The message behind this performance was to show that the real meaning of is to share Love, Joy and Peace to all mankind as it was done by Christ. Christopher Deepak wrapped up the event with a succinct Christmas message that further emphasized Love, Joy and Peace are at the very core of having a true meaningful Christmas to the audience. Shirley Israel a member of the Houston Indian fellowship award-

ed the winners of the painting competition. Samsung tablets were given to the first prize winners in each category and the second prize winners were given a gift card. Finally everyone in the audience joined Santa and the HIF team to the dance number ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ in sharing Christmas joy and Cheer. The boisterous MC Sharon Samuel hosted this year’s event with elegance and grace. The audience was raving about the event. “Wow! This is the best

Desi event I have been to in the Houston area! Well organized and well catered event. The programs were crisp, clear and professional’. Reuben Joseph, the lead coordinator said ‘We come together and pool our talents to come up with an enjoyable event! This gives us a wonderful experience and we have a lot of fun doing it’. Deepak Israel, a member of HIF proudly stated, “This event brings an opportunity to celebrate the Christmas Season of joy and cheer

rable one. Houston Indian Fellowship would also like to invite anyone interested in performing or helping at the 9th annual Hamara Desi Christmas event scheduled for December 10, 2016 to please contact Dr. Robello Samuel at 832-275-8810 or Deepak Israel at 832-419-0967 or via email to info@hamaradesichristmas.org. You may also visit them at www. hamaradesichristmas.org

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 25, 2015

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COMMUNITY

December 25, 2015

This Festival Season, Give the Gift of Vision

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN

HOUSTON: On December 20,

Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) held their 2nd annual Gala at India House, Houston. Like last year, the event hit the right notes, with around 150 guests in attendance, creating awareness about the visually impaired and the importance of eyesight for living in today’s world. Dedicated volunteers that embodied warmth and humility coordinated this significant fundraising event. The eloquent Dr. Rajender Aparasu made every guest feel welcome and the Chief Guests for the event were honored with flower bouquets on stage. He announced the first music performance of the night on stage by the Swaramadhuri group. Young girls aged 8 to 13 sang the opening invocation ekdantaya vakratundaya beautifully and enthralled the audience. The program started with Dr. Nik Nikam. He provided an insightful talk on visually impaired people and the value of eyesight. He explained in simple ways how to describe an object to a visually impaired individual. He made his point to the audience about how important eyes are for living in this world, by stating that 70 percent of information comes through this gateway. After the well-received talk, he humbly urged everyone to donate for this noble cause, making sure that even a small donation of $30, can help sponsor a cataract surgery. Subsequently, the stage saw another imminent personality of the eye-care foundation, Murali Krishnamurthy, CEO (SEF), USA. An electronics engineer by profession and a lover of Carnatic music, he is the founder of the San Francisco Bay Area Indian light musical group “Pallavi”. The group has performed in numerous events across California for the past several years. He offered tribute to his uncle for empowering him to start the Eye-care Foundation and also thanked the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, which showed him the focus in his life. Both had an enormous effect on Krishnamurthy. He stated that SEF has carried out 1.3 million free surgeries and has become the largest eye-care provider in the world with a goal to achieve

Murali Krishnamurthy, CEO (SEF), USA

Drs. R.V. and Radha Ramani, founders of the Sankara Eye Care Institute in Coimbatore, India.

Dr. Nik Nikam

20/20 vision for the people of India by the year 2020. He thanked the dedicated volunteers and generous donors for these achievements. Before ending his speech, Krishnamurthy sang a soulful song, “Jyot se jyot jalate chalo” which stands for the main theme “give the gift of Vision”. The chief guests were then called on stage. The founders of Sankara Eye Foundation, Dr. R. V. Ramani (Founder and CEO), followed by his wife Dr. Radha Ramani (Founder and Hon. Director) spoke to the audience, subsequently. This power couple started their first clinic in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, which is now the Foundation’s main Headquarters. Dr. Ramani has won the Role Model of India Award in 2000 from the President of India, apart from several other awards. He described the many achievements of SEF and the multiple ways in which people can help be a part of the organization, by volunteering or by sponsoring. He further explained various challenges faced by people with curable blindness and the multitude of services San-

Houston organizers with the founders.

Photos: Roy Photography, Dr. Nik Nikam, Damodhar Jammili.

kara Eye Foundation offers to patients in rural India. The new and upcoming hospitals will greatly help to reach different parts of the country. In an exclusive interview with IAN, he urged the youth to come forward and take part in this noble cause.

In the end, a short film was shown to showcase the patient care in Sankara Eye Hospitals across India. This was a true testament of high-quality and free eye care services with real people sharing their experiences in the Sankara eye-care centers. The audience

was moved. The food was a lip-smacking Hyderabadi banquet, provided by the popular Mayuri Restaurant. Nayak Productions, LLC, sponsored the audio-visual. DJ Rishabh

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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COMMUNITY

December 25, 2015

JVB Preksha Meditation Center Participates in Diwali Food Drive Initiated By Hindus of Greater Houston

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BY SEEMA JAIN

HOUSTON:

Beautiful things happen when communities come together to take hunger off of the Houston area map. Under the auspicious guidance of Samani Parimal Pragyaji and Samani Maryada Pragyaji, JVB Preksha Meditation Center participated in the 30-day Diwali Food Drive from Nov.6 - Dec.6. This was a great example of community working together to shine a light on the issue of hunger and what is being done to solve it. It also highlighted a sense of sharing our blessings and a little of our abundance with the less fortunate ones. The donations from the communitywide Food Drive of Hindus of greater Houston made this the largest Diwali food drive the South Asian Indian Community has ever had. Sometimes People who need food are not those who we traditionally think of as the poor. Today, most people in need of assistance are formerly working, middle class families who lost their jobs or are underemployed. This Diwali food drive was a huge effort on the part of fellow organizations such as Arya Samaj, Sewa International, VPSS Haveli, Guruvauyurappan Temple, Ashtalakshmi Temple, Meenakshi Temple and many other Greater Houston Area South Asian Indian Organizations to work in unison to make a real difference in their lives. Several Indian Grocery Stores also participated in the drive this year too. These efforts certainly wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of JVB's Gyanshala families & kindhearted Patrons. I am especially very proud of our three young Gyanshala students, Adi Bora, Tanvi Jain & Siddhi Jain, who went door to door with a handmade poster to raise the awareness of sharing hopes in the form of a meal and successfully raised a significant amount of Vegetarian food Items and cash donation from this drive. Thanks to a very successful food drive and many helping hands, the food boxes are ready to be delivered to the doorsteps of the Food Bank where the final amount

of food and cash donations will be tabulated. On behalf of JVB Preksha Center, I would like to convey my special thanks to Anshuman Desai, President of HGH for his generous and thoughtful efforts to bring the South Asian Indian communities together for a great cause. We are proud of our Preksha Meditation Center, it's beautiful surroundings, a unique pyramid shape meditation hall, and a very peaceful ambiance. It is located at 14102 Schiller Rd, Houston, TX 77082. On the first and third Sunday of each month there are pravachans by Samani Ji. The theme of the pravachans this year has been: Guide yourself in choosing the path- Detailed meaning of 18 Paap. Apart from the regular activities mentioned above Samani Ji’s also offer individual or one on one counseling confidentially to those who are in need of such help. Apart from the offsite camps, or fund raising events like plays etc., most of our programs are offered free of charge. To cover the costs of running the center on a day to day basis, we accept donations. As a charitable 501c corporation, the donations are tax deductible. Please take advantage of this beautiful facility by joining us in the programs we offer. Our center is open to all irrespective of their religious beliefs. Upcoming events include Special New Year Jaap & Jainism Quiz from 10AM-12PM on January 3rd,2016. For more information about the Center and the current programs visit www.JVBHouston.org or call 281-596-9642.

For advertising contact: Vanshika Vipin at 713.789.6397

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 25, 2015 9 COMMUNITY It’s a New Age for Cast Iron Plumbing Pipes, Fittings

Bikram Singh in front of the entrance to his ﬁrm, NewAge Casting in Sugar Land

Mitan Kaur, Singh’s mother-in-law dropped by to say hello

Bikram Singh along with his staff and friend Pankaj Malani (extreme right)

was a celebration of ten years in the business which he started from a small 1,500 sf leased facility and has now grown to 40 employees in this site off West Airport Blvd. in Sugar Land. He has another 140,000 sf of warehouse space in the firm’s own locations or through arrangements with his distributors in multiple locations across the country. The

increase this year to about $20 million in revenues at an average rate of 30% yearly growth has been both encouraging and challenging. It’s a far cry for Singh, 36, who came to the US from Delhi when he was 4 years-old and got his degree in economics from the University of Texas in Austin in 2002. “I had an offer for an economics position in Washington, DC but received an offer in Houston to get into the piping business,” he recalled, “and liked it enough to become the Purchasing Manager.” That firm, Unique Industrial Products is co-owned by Jugal Malani, a well-known entrepreneur in town, whose son Pankaj is a childhood friend of Singh’s and now runs the business conglomerate. When UIP’s piping business was sold to a national firm, Charlotte Pipe, Singh decided to venture out on his own. Now, apart from Charlotte, the other main competitor is Tyler Pipe, both firms being in business for 150 years. “We’re the new kids on the block,” Singh quipped, “but we go all out to get market share.” And kids were very much on Singh’s mind when he spoke over the phone, eleven days later, on the shortest day of the year. “I’m working out of the house today,” he explained, his voice a little pensive. “My wife, Kanchan, and I are expecting triplets today – two girls and a boy – in fact any minute now!”

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Singh inside the tent where the lunch catered from Pappas Barbeque was being served

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

SUGAR LAND: Bikram Singh was

walking guests around through his office space and the huge 60,000sf warehouse area adjoining it, giving them a tour of the black cast iron pipes and fitting that were stored on pallets and boxes in 30-foot tall vertical shelves. He pointed out to a box and told them about the full-line of no-hub pipe and fittings that his company, NewAge Casting manufactures in China, imports into the US and then distributes through a network of

representatives across the US. In the parking lot, under a white tent, the crew from Pappas Barbeque was putting the final touches for the buffet line to cater to the stream of guests that were invited to the company’s Holiday Party. The DJ pumped out some Bollywood dance music, mixed with regular pop, hip-hop and contemporary rock as the guests took their plates of food and drinks to tables laid out under the tent, in the shade from the afternoon sun on Friday, December 11. For Bikram Singh – Bik to most of his friends – the party

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10 December 25, 2015

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COMMUNITY

December 25, 2015

IITAGH Partners with HCC to Host Another CodeFest

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Ravi Brahmbhatt and Anand Chauhan

HOUSTON: High School Stu-

dents. Houston Community College Students. Small Business Owners. They all came to the /C@deFest// 1.2 event hosted jointly by IIT Alumni of Greater Houston (IITAGH) and the Houston Community College (HCC). “In partnering with the Houston Community College, we are taking this event to the next level,” said Anand Chauhan, an IIT Madras graduate who taught the workshop. “This event was jointly hosted by HCC’s Center of Excellence for Digitaland Information Technologies, Excellence for Engineering, and Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives, along with IIT Alumni of Greater Houston.

With close to 100 participants at the event, we hit our goal and look forward to our continued partnership with IITAGH to host this event again in the coming months,” commented Ravi Brahmbhatt, Director of Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the HCC. The participants got the opportunity to create their own websites and publish it live on the web. They learned the basics of HTML coding syntax and JavaScript. One of the participants commented, “It was neat to be able to create our own websites and see our changes on the internet. I enjoyed the day.” “We are proud to have IITAGH involved not only with middle and high schools, but also with the Houston Community College with our /C@deFest// events,” said Prat-

ish Kanani, President of the IIT Alumni of Greater Houston. The next /C@ deFest// event will be held at the HCC Alief Hayes Campus on Saturday April 2, 2016. Anyone interested in attending can contact ravi.brahmbhatt@hccs.edu for more details. We will be working with HCC Trustee Neeta Sane to host this event. IITAGH is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We help our members connect, develop, and give back to the local community. For more information, please visit www. iitagh.org. For more information on the IITAGH /C@ deFest// please visit http://codefest.org.

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12 December 25, 2015

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December 25, 2015 13 COMMUNITY How to Incorporate Learning into the Holiday Season

Once the holidays roll around, it is easy

for children to have a more relaxed attitude toward their studies. Backpacks may be stuffed away in the closet filled with folders and books that won’t get touched – proving that learning simply loses its coveted spot as your student’s priority once break begins. However, there are plenty of ways to incorporate educational fun into your kid’s life during this festive time without being overbearing. Here are a few ways to keep their minds fresh during the holidays: Teaching Math and Measurements While Wrapping Gifts Receiving gifts is fun, but spending hours wrapping said gifts can be exhausting. To help pass the time, have your kids help out with wrapping presents by teaching basic math skills during the process. Take a ruler and measure out the exact dimensions of each gift and the exact amount of giftwrap you will need. This is a great exercise for mastering measurements.

options to ensure your students are equipped with the tools they need this school year. For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www. bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1.888.683.8108. Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 more units in 2016. The state of Texas has been identified as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.

Calculate the Costs of Gifts Using Simple Math Calculating and creating a budget for shopping is a surefire way to teach math and spend within your means. Sit down with your kids and write out a list of people you need to buy gifts for. Help them understand a budgeting process by designating an amount for each person. As you shop, keep a running list of the prices of your purchases and do simple subtraction with your original budget. This can be a great, simple activity that reinforces their curriculum from school. Stimulate the Brain by Reading a Book or Listening to an Audiobook A long drive could result in one of the best ways to educate kids. When preparing for a trip, choose a few books for the kids to read during the car ride. Even if you can’t get your hands on the hottest children’s book, try looking for an audio book to purchase online. This can be a fun way to keep the whole family entertained during downtimes and help keep young minds active. Celebrate the Arts with a Trip to a Museum or Play During the holiday season, there can be a number of activities that will entice your child’s cultural side. Research free museum days in your area; they can usually be found on weekdays, which is perfect for break! Also look into holiday plays, musicals, and dance performances in your area. An afternoon at a show is always a treat for the young and old, alike. Learn English Skills by Writing Holiday Cards Most families send holiday cards and/or thank you notes for gifts, which presents the perfect opportunity to enhance reading, writing, and grammar skills. Instead of going with a pre-written card, try finding a blank one that you and your child can collaborate on. It doesn’t have to be an award-winning novel, but writing a simple note will help teach your kids skills that are often-times overlooked. Even the gesture of sending a handwritten note is a special touch, and will be appreciated by the recipient. To help your student exceed his or her academics goals, a local resource, Best in Class, offers a variety of customized, supplemental enrichment courses and tutoring INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

14 December 25, 2015

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December 25, 2015

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16 December 25, 2015

COMMUNITY Houston Police Academy Cadets Visit India House

HOUSTON: Holi is not just a spray of

vibrant colors and Diwali is not lighting Diyas. Eid is beyond sharing a delicious meal and Sikhs have a passionate story of sacrifice. Christmas celebrations are marked by the midnight mass attended by many. This is the wonderful message about Indian diversity shared by India House General Manger Vipin Kumar with the visiting Houston Police Academy cadets last week on Thursday

December 17. Under Houston Police Department's Cultural Diversity Bus Tour, the Cadets arrived at India House in the afternoon for an introduction to the Indian culture. India House General Manager Vipin Kumar greeted the cadets with a welcoming Namaste and showcased a presentation filled with vibrant Indian colors explaining customs, traditions, religious beliefs, festivals and their

meanings. He explained how values and

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traditions are of high esteem among Indians supporting this with examples like touching elder’s feet when seeking blessings, entering the Gurdwara with heads covered as a mark of respect and removing shoes outside before entering places of worship. India, with its grand geographical location, each state is different with its language, fashion, cuisines and religion, but is united together through values and migration. Just like Houston, where many diverse cultures come together. Vipin also shared many Do’s & Don’ts with the cadets. Respect for elders and women. No out-of-line talking with women. He showed images of places of worship and a variety of dresses Indians wear, like saree, salwar kameez, pagri, bindi, chura and their significance. Another scholar gave insight to the Islamic ways of everyday life to the audience. The cadets visited other community centers as well and were presented with a brief overview of other cultures. Managing and respecting diversity brings faith in our legal system. With the cadets leaving the room filled with an empowered mind!

This Festival Season, Give the Gift of Vision

Nayak created an incredible yet subtle environment for sound for singers and speakers. Generous Houstonians helped SEF raise close to 20 thousand dollars in donations and more are coming in daily, for both Hyderabad and Indore hospitals. There is a million dollar matching challenge by an anonymous donor for each of these hospitals. Raghavender Nednur gave the vote of thanks. He thanked the dedicated and capable volunteers who did a tremendous job in helping

put the event together in three weeks, and he also thanked the Houston media for their support. Some events that SEF Houston plans for future are, Raas-Garba, Dandiya and a superstar celebrity musical concert. It will definitely be worth the wait, as Houstonians have always come forward with their generous hearts to support the right causes. Become a part, make a difference, and reach Sankara Eye Foundation at www. giftofvision.org

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 25, 2015

MTS Honors the Founders

BY AAKASH SRIKANTH

PEARLAND:

MTS (Meenakshi Temple Society) held a founders formal on December 19, in order to thank and honor the founders. This event has been a tradition at MTS for over 4 years to honor all those who have served the Board. What started as a small establishment in 1977 grew into a large religious organization that serves over 15,000 registered devotees in the Greater Houston Area. Many younger generation kids kicked off the night with a speech about how the temple had impacted their life. They felt that the temple was their second home and emphasized the services that it had provided for the Indian community, speciﬁcally to children. It was also highlighted that the temple

has not only affected them religiously, but it has also provided a platform to display their cultural talents. An hour of delightful performances, organized by Mala Gopal and Srikanth Venugopalan, kept the audience engaged. Chairman P. Vaduganathan expressed his gratitude by stating, “Twenty kids came one by one on to the stage and asserted that they are proud to be part of MTS and is their second home.” He went on to thank all the volunteers who helped assemble the mega-event that was the Kumbabishekam by hosting an appreciation dinner. To end the night, MTS and its devotees contributed to the Chennai Flood Relief by donating $10,000. The check was presented to the Tamil Nadu Foundation Houston Chapter President Dr. Ram Sivaraman by Padma Golla.

HOUSTON:

Beloved veda pandit Bramha sri Udayakumar Gullapalli, passed away on Monday December 23, 2015 at around 8:30AM (VAIKUNTA EKADASI). He was admitted to hospital on Thursday December 17, 2015 at around 7:30 AM due to cardiac arrest. A public viewing service on Wednesday December 23, between 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM was held at the Garden Oaks Funeral Home and the funeral services will be performed on Thursday December 24, 2015 between 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 December 25, 2015 Moving Past Nostalgia vs. Russia Nostalgia is a very powerful emotion. Jawaharlal Nehru’s

visit to the erstwhile Soviet Union accompanied by his daughter Indira Gandhi for 16 days in June 1955 has long been an enduring part of dog-eared foreign policy scrapbooks. Russia stood by India in the 1962 war against communist China, in two wars with Pakistan thereafter and refused to join sanctions imposed against New Delhi after it conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. It remained a steady supplier of arms to India and helped the country on the path of industrialization. Nostalgia, by its very nature, lingers on. Nearly six decades after Nehru’s visit to Russia and amid many sepia-tinted images of friendships in the intervening period, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Vladimir Putin in Brazil in July 2014. “If you ask anyone among the more than one billion people living in India, who is our country’s best friend, every person, every child knows that it is Russia,” Modi told Putin. It was another triumphant moment for nostalgia. But it also neatly summed up how India values its most trusted veto-empowered friend in the United Nations Security Council. Modi will be in Russia for the annual India-Russia summit from December 23 to 24. Now it’s time to look hard at the relationship, and not through dewy eyes. Russia is unique in many ways, and so is the partnership. Those who rattle off trade figures to underline the strength of bilateral ties should not forget Russia, unlike the U.K. in the 19th century or the U.S. in the 20th century, became a superpower on different terms. The Soviet Union was never a global economic power before it became a global superpower, unlike the U.S. or the U.K. The USSR became a global superpower on the strength of its military prowess. Russia still remains the only challenger to the U.S. as a military power. So, the meagre $9 billion annual trade, though pathetic, should be seen differently. The prospect of investing in Russia needs to be demystified, and various barriers need to be removed including those linked to language and legal investment protection frameworks. Japan is the only country other than Russia that India has an annual summit with. The way the public-private partnership on investments is shaping with Japan could be an ideal template to work with in the case of Russia too. Russia, as PM Modi said, can be an important partner in the Make in India flagship scheme in the defence sector. But the two sides need to recognise that India will expand its search for military equipments beyond Russia, and that the way Russia sees India will also change. Modi can find a great partner in Russian in the global fight against terrorism. For long, the West has been fighting a selective war on terror; and with President Barack Obama in retreat mode on the global stage, Russia has now become the key player. Hindustan Times

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Fifth Column: No Boom, Just Gloom BY TAVLEEN SINGH

Not a week has gone by in recent

months when shrieks of “resign, resign, resign” have not risen from our opposition parties. When Parliament is in session, the shrieks get more frenetic and bizarre. Last week we heard in the Rajya Sabha that there was an “undeclared state of Emergency” in the country. And outside Parliament, the Chief Minister of Delhi called the Prime Minister a “psychopath”. He added the charge that a bureaucrat in his office was being investigated only because he had files proving that the Finance Minister presided over corrupt practices in Delhi’s cricketing board. More cries of “resign, resign, resign” rent Delhi’s polluted air. By the time you read this, if the Gandhis succeed in rallying the troops, there will be further hysterics to accompany their appearance in court. The Modi government must prepare for an endless non-cooperation movement. And get on with the task of governance. There is much that needs urgent attention, of which rebuilding the economy is the most urgent of all. Unless it becomes genuinely easier to do business, there is no chance of domestic investment picking up, and unless this happens, there is no chance of one million new jobs being created every month. Instead of confronting this grim truth, the Prime Minister appears to have lulled himself into a sense of false security. It’s great that Japan is going to help build a bullet train and terrific that India is supposedly growing faster than any other country, but as someone who remembers the atmosphere of the last boom, I can confirm that there is no boom happening yet. There is gloom. And mixed signals from the government do not help. You cannot ask Indian investors to take risks and begin investing if you announce that anyone spending more than Rs 2 lakh in a shop needs to produce a PAN card. You cannot entrust your search for ‘black money’ to tax officials

The Modi government must prepare for an endless noncooperation movement. And get on with the task of governance. There is much that needs urgent attention, of which rebuilding the economy is the most urgent of all. Unless it becomes genuinely easier to do business, there is no chance of domestic investment picking up, and unless this happens, there is no chance of one million new jobs being created every month. who are famously corrupt. Ironical the only Indians with real black money are politicians. Almost everyone else is only guilty of evading taxes on hard-earned money. Only politicians and government employees get mysteriously rich without showing how their wealth was earned. My point is that it is time that the Prime Minister called his economic ministers to a private meeting and read them a tough sermon. He needs to ask many questions. Where are the jobs being created? How many stalled projects have started working again? How much infrastructure has been built since he became Prime Minister? How much have the Railways improved? And finally, if taxpayers are losing Rs 52 crore a day because of losses made by 53 companies, then why are we not talking of privatisation yet? Figures reported in The Times of India last week indicate that Air India and

BSNL are bleeding most. For a Prime Minister who campaigned on the slogan that it was not “the government’s business to do business”, why has he not yet considered selling at least Air India? As for making the investment climate better, let him consult just his own loyal supporter Baba Ramdev, who now heads a rapidly growing business empire. In a recent interview, this yoga guru said if the government cannot help entrepreneurs like him, let it at least learn to not obstruct them. All kinds of obstruction continue, which is why no more than a handful of jobs have been created in the private sector since Modi took charge. As a Gujarati who likes to say “I have money running in my veins”, he needs to start getting very worried about the economic failures he has presided over. Land laws and GST are far from being the only reforms needed. Huge improvements in basic governance need to be made, and if we want jobs to be created in the services sector, then major improvements will need to be made in school education and healthcare. These are state subjects, but can BJP chief ministers not be guided towards better policies? The point I am making is that if the economy and governance had really improved, then no amount of hysteria from the Opposition parties would make the smallest difference. It is because there is a general sense of economic gloom instead of the hoped for economic boom that there is enough resonance for people to be seriously worried. Every time I write about economic issues in this column, I get trolls on social media telling me that I have no idea about such things and should just shut up. But the truth is that the biggest political problem at the moment in India is the economy, so as someone who thinks of myself as a responsible political columnist, I would fail in my duty if I did not point out that there are gloomy days ahead. Indian Express

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

HEALTH

December 25, 2015

Top 15 Types of Doctors You Should Know 10: Radiologists A doctor who specialises in use of X-rays or other imaging technologies in order to diagnose various illnesses. 11: Pulmonologist A pulmonologist is a physician who specialises in treating diseases of the lungs. If you are suffering with any type of lung disorder or lung cancer, you will be advised to see a pulmonologist.

ave you come across a situation where you are staring hard at a doctor's board to decipher what are the specialties? Dr. K.M. Sunesara - General Physician from Mumbai tries to simplify your doctor's specialties for you.

ies in these three regions to treat problems.

1: Cardiologist A cardiologist is certiﬁed specialist to treat problems related to heart and blood vessels. There can be interventional cardiologist, who uses guided imaging to diagnose and treat those diseases; and a cardiac electrophysiologist who specialises in treating irregular heart rhythms caused by electrical problems in the heart.

6: Orthopaedic surgeon For all your bone issues like arthritis and osteoporosis, an orthopaedic surgeon should be consulted. They are the surgeons who help in diagnosing and treating broken bones and weak bones.

2: Audiologist An audiologist is a doctor who specialises in dealing problems about hearing. These doctors also help hearing impaired children learn to communicate. 3: Dentist A dentist a common type of surgeon is one who ﬁxes dental problems from tooth decay and other tooth or gum ailments. He also handles dentures and retainers. 4: ENT specialist ENT specialist is one who treats problems about ear, nose and throat. An ENT surgeon carries out surger-

5: Gynaecologist Any problems with the female reproductive system is referred to and treated by a gynaecologist.

7: Paediatrician Do you have a small toddler, who is falling ill every now and then? Take him to a paediatrician to avoid making the illness worse. Paediatrician is a doctor who treats children for any illness from birth to adolescent. 8: Psychiatrists These doctors specialise in mental illnesses and will study, diagnoses and counsel and treat mental illnesses such as Bipolar, dementia, depression, Alzheimer's etc. 9: Veterinarian The veterinarians are responsible for the treatment of sick animals. They can treat all types of animals and all of their sicknesses.

12: Endocrinologist Anendocrinologistisaspeciallytrained doctor who treats disorders like low thyroid hormone production or hypothyroidism,asitonlydealsonlywithanendocrine organ. The diseases, which are specific to endocrine, an endocrinologist alone, may detect, diagnose and manage such patients. 13: Oncologist An oncologist is a medical doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Some oncologists treat patients withallformsofcancer,andothersspecialise in only one type of cancer. The three main types of oncologist are Medical oncologists, Radiation oncologists and Surgical oncologists. 14: Neurologist A neurologist is a physician who specialises in human nervous system - brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, and is trainedtoinvestigate,ordiagnoseandtreat neurological disorders. 15: Cardiothoracic surgeon A cardiothoracic surgeon, specialises to the heart and chest. Cardiothoracic surgeon treats problems occurring in the area of the heart and chest or both. A cardiothoracic surgeon is qualified to operate on the heart, areas of the chest and in some cases, the lungs. -Indiatimes.com

“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”

6 Calcium Sources Other than Milk

We have grown up believing that

milk is the only legit source of calcium. This gets even more complicated if we go by the logic that an average Indian needs three servings of calcium (dairy) a day. If you love milk, you won't mind, else you are in for trouble. Is it? Not really. First and foremost, you don't need three servings of dairy to meet your calcium requirement. Secondly, milk is not the only source of calcium. There are other nutrient-rich foods that give you stellar amounts of calcium for your body. Read on: 1 Roasted sesame seeds: It is believed that 1 ounce of these seeds give you 277 mg of calcium. 2 Sprouted soybean: Have half a cup of these and you get 230 mg of calcium. 3 Salmon: The good old salmon

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20 December 25, 2015

HEALTHY COOKING

9 Indian Spices You Should Use in Your Cooking ing, indigestion and an acid stomach. A popular addition to spiced Indian tea, this fragrant spice is often prescribed for digestion problems such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal gas. Commonly chewed after a meal, it is also used to eradicate bad breath. 4. DALCHINI (Cinnamon) Cinnamon is known for its role in the reduction of total and bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase in good cholesterol (HDL). It also helps improve insulin resistance, thereby making it useful in diabetes management.

BY AASHMITA NAYAR

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ery Indian curries a miss for salads, here's something to consider -aside from giving food it's heady, exotic flavors, desi spices have a bunch of healthy tricks up their sleeves. Turmeric for instance, has gained popularity over the ages in Indian and Chinese medicine for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory powers. Cinnamon on the other hand fights bad cholesterol. Though we do not ask you to say no to salads, here's why you should also add a pinch of one of these nine savoury spices to your everyday meals to keep you healthy. Advantages Of These 9 Super Indian Spices 1. HALDI (Turmeric) This golden spice is known for its anti-oxidant and antiinflammatory powers.Several scientific studies MADRAS N PAVILIO & DAAWAT G CATERIN

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2. LONG (Clove) Cloves are known for their heating, anti-fungal and expectorant properties. Kahdha (herbal drink), which is known to cure cold and cough has a mix of spices including cinnamon, cloves, black pep per, ginger, desi ghee and basil.While clove oil remains a popular remedy to relieve toothache, this strong spice itself has other beneﬁts when taken in limited quantities. It also prevents bad breath and relieves any stomachrelated problems.

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have documented the effect of curcumin (found in turmeric) in decreasing blood cholesterol levels. Antioxidant properties of curcumin may also help to prevent cardiovascular complications among diabetics.

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5. AMCHUR (Dried MangoPowder) Mostly used in chutneys and curries, Amchur or dried mango powder boasts high Vitamin A and Vitamin C content. It is popularly recommended to pregnant women due to its high iron content and it also reduces acidity-related issues. 6. HING (Asafoetida) Its infamous lingering odour has given it many names including devil's dung, and stinking gum.Asafoetida, warm in nature helps to increase digestive enzymes and boost the assimilation of nutrients. It is a popular addition to Indian cuisine as it imparts a pleasant flavour and helps in curing acne, relieving menstrual pain as well as soothing bee stings. 7. AJWAIN (CAROM) These little seeds are excellent indigestion relievers. They have been used over generations in Indian households to help colicky babies, ward off pregnancy constipation, and even cure hiccups. Carom seeds are also claimed to work well as a natural aphrodisiac. Traditional spice mix, the saunf paani including fennel, cumin, carom seeds help to ease digestion. 8. TEJ PATTA (Bay Leaf) Used commonly to prepare biryani and korma, Bay leaves are also added to the quintessential Indian spice mix garam masala.Bay leaves help strengthen immunity , and ward off urinary tract infec tions. An infusion of tej patta also makes a great dandruff antidote. Aside from this, bay leaves are an excellent and nonpoisonous method to protect packed clothes from hungry bugs. 9. KAALI MIRCH (Black PepperCorns) Several scientific studies, provide evidence that black pepper has cholesterol lowering properties and may help in cardiac function recovery after heart attacks. Piperine, a major active component in both black and white pepper, can strengthen or modify the effects of numerous other medicines, particularly blood thinning agents. Therefore, it is important to seek advice from a qualified professional before using it in therapeutic doses.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

-TimesofIndia

December 25, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

22 December 25, 2015

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

FESTIVAL

25th

December is observed by the Christians a s "Christmas", the birthday of Jesus Christ. They greet their friends and relatives with 'Merry Christmas'. On the day, they dress well, eat good food, and offer gifts to their near and dear ones. They pass the day with a gay spirit. The Christians decorate their house with the 'Christmas Tree' which is an artiﬁcial evergreen tree, illuminated by small electric bulbs and dazzling paper stars. The children sing the carol, a Christmas hymn, in chorus in memory of Christ's birth. They eagerly await the arrival of Father Christmas, the 'Santa Claus' who is supposed to bring with him many beautiful gifts for the children. Santa Claus is dressed in red and white with long white beard. He carries a bagful of attractive gifts such as toys, toffees and sweetmeats. However, churches and public places are illuminated with glamour and grandeur of the festive mood. It is a great day also for the children, who sing the carol, which is a Christmas hymn in chorus in memory of Christ’s birth. They fervently look for Santa Claus or the Father Christmas who is supposed to appear to distribute attractive gifts to the children on the day. Santa Claus dresses himself in red and white, wears white and long false beard, and carry a bag full of presents for the children. Theshops,hotels,churches,schools, colleges-all are decorated with various types of colored paper ﬂowers or other designs, balloons and lamps on the Christmas day. The festival is now-a-days found to be enjoyed and celebrated also by other communities not as a religious belief, but as a festive occasion.

December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas

Significance Of Christmas The Significance of Christmas isknown to men, all over the world. Though it is true that Christmas is celebrated as the day of the Birth of Christ into this world, yet it also symbolizes a very deeply signiﬁcant truth of the spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the very personiﬁcation of Divinity. He was born at a time when ignorance, superstition, greed, hatred and hypocrisy prevailed upon the land. Purity was forgotten and morality was neglected. In the midst of these conditions, Christ was born and He worked a transformation in the lives of people. He gave a new and a spiritual turn to the lives of man. There came a change upon the land. People started upon a new way of life. Thus a new era dawned for the world. In that period the seeker has no thought of God or higher spiritual life. He lives a life of lust, anger, greed, deluded attachment, pride a n d jealousy. If the seeker

Christmas Recipe: Chocolate-Pecan Chess Pie

must enter into a new life of spiritual aspiration, purity and devotion, then the Christ-spirit must take its birth within his heart. That is the real Christmas when the Divine element begins to express itself in the heart of the man. From then onward, light begins to shine where darkness was before. A very small, but very beautiful, point of deep significance is attached to Christmas. It is the time and the manner of the birth of the Lord upon the holy Christmas day. Jesus Christ was not born in a grand palace. He was not born to very wealthy or learned parents. Jesus Christ was born in a simple lowly place, a corner of a stable. He was born to humble and poor parents, who had nothing to boast about, except their own spotless character and holiness. The above point of deep significance tells that the spiritual awakening comes to the seeker, who is perfectly humble and "meek" and "poor in spirit." The quality of true humility is one of the indispensable fundamentals. Then we find simplicity, holiness and the renunciation of all desire for worldly wealth and pride of learning. Thirdly, even as Christ was born unknown to the world and in the obscurity of darkness, even so, the advent of the Christ-spirit takes place in the inwardness of man when there is total selfeffacement self-abnegation. -christmas-day. org

Ingredients 1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts 1/2 cup butter campaignIcon Cheesy Recipes 2 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares 1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk (2/3 cup) 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 2 tablespoons all-purpose ﬂour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups pecan halves and pieces 2/3 cup ﬁrmly packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Roll piecrust into a 13-inch circle on a lightly ﬂoured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. 2. Microwave butter and chocolate squares in a large microwavesafe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in evaporated milk, eggs, and 1 tsp. vanilla. 3. Stir together granulated sugar and next 3 ingredients. Add sugar mixture to chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust. 4. Bake pie at 350° for 40 minutes. Stir together pecans, next 2 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla; sprinkle over pie. Bake 10 more minutes or until set. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour). -myrecipes.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 December 25, 2015

PUZZLES/RECIPES

SUDOKU

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Rajma Di Turri (Red Kidney Bean Curry)

Send us the correct answer before December 30, 2015. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036.

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ne of the great comfort foods for many Punjabis is a steaming plate of rajma (red kidney beans) and chawal (rice), served with a little bit of dahin (yogurt) and garnished with some achaar (pickle). Though there are other beans that are served with rice, like chole (chickpeas) and lobia (black-eyed peas), the flavor that rajma brings out is much different. Kidney beans come in several types: the red ones are the most common and popular; but there are the light speckled kind, the red speckled kind and the white ones. The red kidney beans are used in cuisines in many countries: in Texas, the South and Mexico they are used in chili or chili con carne; in Louisiana it is served in the Creole dish of red beans and rice; in Cuba and other parts of Latin America, it is made into a dish called mole. Part of the reason for the popularity of red kidney beans is that not only are they a good source of energy and cholesterol-lowering fiber, they are high in many minerals including potassium and folate (B9) which are good for the nerves, to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia. They have a low impact on blood sugar levels which makes them ideal for people with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia and can help prevent heart disease. They are a great source of protein for vegetarians. It is important to soak the red kidney beans and then boil them for at least 30 minutes at 100 degrees to kill the lectin toxin that is found in the raw beans. The secret to the great taste of rajma is the texture that they take on when cooked with masala and the flavor that they give to the curry when left to simmer after the dish is ready. Ingredients : 500gm rajma (red kidney beans) 1 large piyaaz (onion) – peeled and chopped 1 medium clump of adrak (ginger root) peeled and chopped 1 medium kernel of lasan (garlic) peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil Tomato paste to taste 5 cups of pani (water)

Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), garam masala, hing (asafetida - optional) Garnishes (to taste): dhania (coriander) chopped leaves Directions: 1. Wash the rajma well, then pour into a pot and let them soak overnight in warm water. In the morning, pour the rajma through a strainer and throw away the water. 2. Bring a half-full pot of water to a boil, then pour in the rajma into the water, add salt and ginger and let them boil for 30 minutes. 3. Pour the rajma through a strainer and save the water to make the curry. 4. Peel and ﬁnely chop the onions and garlic. Throw them in a saucepan and brown them in the oil. 5. Add half a tablespoon of tomato paste, to enhance the taste, texture and add red color and mirchi and stir in. Those who prefer can add hing (astafetida) which helps in digestion, but the smell may be too strong for some. 6. Throw in the boiled rajma and then mix well with the masala over medium heat for 5 minutes to roast them and let the masala seep in,

making sure that the rajma do not stick or burn. 7. Now pour in ¾ of the saved water and bring the rajma to a boil. The curry should be thick, but be careful that the rajma do not get mashed while cooking. Save the rest of the water in case you need to add more. Do not use cold water to the curry. 8. Turn the heat to low for 5 minutes to let the curry soak into the rajma. When it has cooled down a little, add the garam masala and dhania and mix well. 9. Turn the heat off, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. Eat with chawal but the rajma turri is just as good with roti or naan. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK KEEP BEANS AND DAALS FROM GETTING MASHED WHILE COOKING

Very often, you come across a dish of daals, chole or bean curry which is mashed or so overcooked that they have become like a thick soup. Punjabis will joke and grumble that this is a dish you just can’t eat with a roti or naan, instead it has to be poured over a scoop of rice to be tasted. The correct way to serve daals, chole or beans is when you can see and taste the individual kernels and savor the ﬂavor. To make sure that these dishes stay plump and easily recognizable, it is important not to overcook them in a pressure cooker or boiling water so that the kernels do not become very soft and mushy. The other thing to remember is not to use cold water when making the curry: only add warm water so that the cooking time is reduced.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 25, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

Bajirao Mastani

DILWALE

Deepika Overpowers Ranveer and Priyanka

NEW DELHI: Gone are the days

when local goons bullied Indians in central Europe. We now have our own mafia bosses in that part of the world. If Akshay Kumar cut them to size inside Romania in Singh Is Bliing, Shah Rukh Khan riddled them with a million more bullets than Kumar in Bulgaria. And yes, Khan has definitely blown more cars than his counterpart. Take that, Europeans! But, Dilwale is still a love story, a violent one though, for the audience. Veer (Varun Dhawan) is a sweetnatured flirt who lives with his saintly brother Raj (Naam toh suna hi hoga, sigh, Shah Rukh Khan) in Goa. He meets and falls for Ishita (Kriti Sanon) and expectedly gets assistance from Raj in his pursuit. Meanwhile, Veer invites the animosity of a trying-very-hard-to-befunny don King (Boman Irani), the latest version of Vasooli Bhai from the Golmaal franchise. That instigates something very violent in Raj which in turn makes everybody believe that he has a mysterious past. However, every single character in the film knows it already, except his little bro and some ill-fated extras. But, this is just one part of the story. Will Raj win Veer’s love all over again? What exactly happened in Raj’s earlier life? Just how precisely will he bend his arms? Is Meera (Kajol) the matured Simran?

BY SWETA KAUSHAL

NEW DELHI: “Duniya ka har

Which cars will catch Rohit Shetty’s fancy this time? Rohit Shetty continues his love for cars and blowing them up in his latest release, Dilwale. (RED CHILLIES ENTERTAINMENT) Did I tell you anything about Meera? No? Ok, she is Raj’s past, but will she become the present as well? That reminds me of a one-liner from the ﬁlm: “Gifts present hota hai ki present gift hota hai”. “Dil sab ke paas hota hai lekin

sab dilwale nahi hote”— this is the brief, theme and story of the ﬁlm. I so desperately want to add Mama Thakur after this line (remember Ajay Devgn’s Dilwale) but all the ’80s thakurs have turned up like suave dons in this one. But, bad karma still haunts them and thus they occasionally resort to dialogues like “Beta maine tere saath nainsaaﬁ toh nahi ki” and “Tu raat bhar bhukha kaise rahega”. -HindustanTimes

dharm mohabbat sikhata hai, Mohabbat ka koi dharm nahi hota. Mohabbat khud hi dharm hai” (All religions teach love, love has no religion and it is a religion in itself) - that is what Sanjay Leela Bhansali aims to preach with Bajirao Mastani that hits theatres on Friday. Bajirao Mastani explores the romantic side of 18th-century Maratha general Bajirao Ballal Bhat, who fought and won 40 battles against the Mughals with an aim to create a uniﬁed Hindu kingdom or Akhand Bharatvarsha (united Bharat). With Mastani’s scarcely recorded history, Bhansali had a beautiful premise of a love story that has never been explored onscreen. However, he makes it a tiring affair: Laden with the burden of self-indulgence and

dramatic “dialoguebaazi”, the film drags on at its own sweet and laidback pace. Deepika Padukone’s scintillating performance is balanced by Priyanka Chopra’s subtle acting as Bajirao’s first wife Kashibai. (Eros) Bajirao Mastani is a lengthy film that moves at a snail’s pace, in signature Bhansali style. The lyrical dialogues and literary brilliance of the dialogues bog the story down with overindulgence instead of striking the audience in awe of the grandeur at show. For example, one of Ranveer Singh’s dialogues has doobta sooraj, khilta chand, bewaqt ki baarish, dharm ki zanjeer and mohabbat ki aag in one single sentence! The dialogues seem more like an ensemble of Hindi words than boasting of the lyricism the filmmaker seems to have aimed for. -HindustanTimes

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Low Solar Tariffs in India Could Put Off Potential Investors BY SHAILAJA SHARMA

UMBAI : Renewable energy firms have been quoting record low tariffs in government auctions to win solar projects in India. Such tariffs could prove to be unviable—disappointing investors looking for steady returns, say experts. Firms such as SunEdison Inc. and SB Energy Corp., a joint venture between SoftBank Group Corp., Bharti Enterprises Ltd and Foxconn Technology Co. Ltd, have been bidding aggressively in auctions after India raised its solar power capacity target five-fold to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Bidding in two separate reverse eauctions under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission saw US’s SunEdison, SB Energy and local firms like Yarrow Infrastructure Ltd, Reliance CleanGen Ltd and Azure Power India Pvt. Ltd bid lower than Rs.5 per kilowatt-hour (kWh),raising concerns about the long-term viability of these projects. In a reverse auction, the role of buyer and seller is reversed and a business bid is won by quoting prices downwards. SunEdison quoted Rs.4.63 per unit to win the 500 megawatt (MW) project in Andhra Pradesh in November, beating 27 other bidders, of which at least nine had offered tariffs below Rs.5. Bidders included SB Energy, which went on to win the second auction—a 350MW project inAndhra Pradesh— last week by quoting Rs.4.63 per unit. State-run NTPC Ltd, India’s biggest power producer, will buy power from both the projects that will be located within the government- developed solar parks. “I think the current bids are far too aggressive and competitive bidding

route, while reducing tariffs in the short term, is quickly leading to consternation that India despite, higher volume, is becoming an unattractive market from a returns point of view,” said Sumant Sinha, founder and chief executive at renewable energy firm ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd. ReNew Power, backed by Goldman Sachs SAand the Asian Development Bank, was also a bidder in both the auctions. In the first one, it bid at Rs.4.85 per unit but went with a higher bid of Rs.5.17 in the second auction. Low tariffs will result in bidders, or their vendors, either taking inordinate risks or cutting corners to squeeze out some returns, Sinha said. The main reason for aggressive bidding in both the auctions was because these were the first two projects to be bid under the government-provided solar parks, which means the developers get ready-to-use infrastructure, such as land and transmission facili-

ties, leading to low project risk and lower costs. Foreign firms, looking to make big bang announcements in India, see this as an attractive bet compared to state-level auctions, which would require them to acquire land and build infrastructure support. “The international developers are very concerned about the offtake risk, and NTPC offers a much better offtake risk profile in comparison to the state distribution companies,” said Vinay Rustagi, managing director at the Delhi-based consulting firm Bridge To India Pvt. Ltd. But there is still no walking away from the fact that these tariffs are very aggressive, taking into account a whole host of operating and policy risks in India, Rustagi said. “There is a fear that some of the developers looking at investing in India may be put off by the Indian market due to the unviable tariffs and returns.” Even as these solar tariffs are close

to achieving grid parity or becoming affordable, questions are being raised about the sustainability of such low rates— whether the firms would compromise on quality or returns, or flip the assets to another buyer in future. India is one of the few markets globally to go with a reverse auctionderived price. Some of the foreign firms may also come in with cheaper borrowings in dollars or Japanese yen and have an edge over their Indian counterparts, whose cost of borrowing may be higher by 4%-7%. According to Bridge to India, the competition is likely to ease once some of the aggressive and successful developers reach their investment appetite limit. But that will depend on how fast the government comes out with all the planned allocations. “Solar park and NTPC are a brilliant move by the government which pushes the risk in the project way lower and thus the bids are at lower tariff than some of the state bids,” said Pashupathy Gopalan, president (Asia Pacific) at SunEdison. The current tariff levels are “competitively discovered” prices,he said. ReNew’s Sinha said the current low tariffs do not augur well for the government’s target of achieving 100 GW in next seven years. “As we need many more players and many more investors to be entering the sector rather than shying away from it on account of low returns,” he said. SB Energy’s chief executive Raman Nanda declined to comment. India has seen a flurry of multi-billion-dollar investment commitments in recent months from global firms such as Italy’s Enel Green Power SpA, private equity (PE) investor The Abraaj Group, China’s Trina Solar, US-based First Solar Inc. and

Russia’s OAO Rosneft. SoftBank itself plans to invest $20 billion in Indian solar sector and set up 20 GW capacity over time. From 10MW in March 2010, solar power capacity in India rose to more than 3,000 MW in December 2014, according to Crisil Ratings. Still, solar power consumption, at present, is about 1% of the overall energy consumption. The share is likely to increase to about by 2030, though coal will continue to be India’s main source of power, Mint reported in November. This year, auctions under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission are likely to come up in several states including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana,Maharashtra and Gujarat. In addition to these, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Haryana are planning to host separate auctions in the coming months. Developers need to be wary of the risks they are undertaking while bidding for solar projects, given the sector is not mature enough to learn from risks of past projects, said Ashish Agarwal, director (infrastructure) at Equirus Capital Pvt. Ltd, an investment bank. India launched National Solar Mission in 2010 to add 20GW of gridconnected solar power to India’s energy mix by 2022 in three phases. Of the total current target of 100GW by 2022, 20GW will come from solar parks and 40GW each from roof-top and distributed generation projects. The government plans to set up 25 solar power parks. In the last ﬁnancial year, the average rate of electricity sold by NTPC’s coal-fuelled projects was Rs.3.25 per unit, while the tariff of power from its other projects ranged between Rs.2 and Rs.4.50 a unit. -Livemint.com

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28 December 25, 2015

Yuvraj, Nehra Included in T20 for Aussie Series

MUMBAI

(ESPN Cricinfo): Allrounder Yuvraj Singh and pacer Ashish Nehra have both returned to India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against Australia. Yuvraj has not played for India since the 2014 World T20 final, while Nehra’s last international game was in 2011. The selectors made six changes to the T20 squad that lost 2-0 to South Africa in October, including a maiden call-up for 22-year-old allrounder Hardik Pandya. There was no place in either the ODI or T20 team for Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny and Amit Mishra, while Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja were recalled to both squads. Shami made the cut after completing his recovery from a knee injury he suffered during the previous tour of Australia, in December 2014, while Jadeja’s rich vein of form in the Ranji Trophy and the recently-concluded South Africa Tests also earned him a spot in the 15-man squad. Harbhajan Singh, who made an international comeback during the South Africa series in October, kept his place in the T20 squad, but was dropped from the ODI team. Yuvraj, the Man of the Series during India’s World Cup win in 2011, was included on the back of strong performances in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he is currently the third-highest run-getter with 341 runs at an average of 85.25. “Yuvraj Singh will always remain special.” Sandeep Patil, the chairman of selectors, said. “The selectors are very happy, and the captain is also very happy to have him back. We cannot promise any player whether he will be part of the next tour or the World Cup. We want every player to perform and every player has a chance to come back in the team.” He said the selection of senior players like Yuvraj and Nehra was to give the selection committee an opportunity to assess them ahead of the World T20. “We have introduced and given many youngsters [opportunities], which we are very happy about,” Patil said. “This

Return on the veteran warriers. Indian selectors have included Ashish Nehra (left) and Yuvraj Singh in the T20 squad for Australia.

game is not only of youngsters, this game also needs to have experience. And we are looking at the World Cup T20 championship in India where we will certainly need experienced players.” Yuvraj was widely criticised for his performance in the 2014 World T20 final - a 21-ball 11 which sucked the momentum out of India’s innings, paving the way to a six-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka. He was subsequently left out of the international scene, but continued to attract big bucks in the IPL; he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 14 crore in 2014, before being signed by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 16 crore in 2015. His form, though, continued to be inconsistent, as he managed just 248 runs from 14 matches at an average of 19.07 in IPL 2015. Nehra, in stark contrast, was one of the best performers in the last IPL, picking up 22 wickets from 16 matches to help Chennai Super Kings into the final. Nehra has played just one match since then, but Patil felt the seamer’s experience would come in handy. “Keeping in mind World T20,

this is a chance for a lot of players to use as a platform. Those who have not been selected, they were all discussed. We have extended the pool. “Nehra is a consistent performer in the T20 format. He will be useful in the team. We will need experienced players in the World T20, and the Australia tour is perfect chance to give them a shot. The BCCI also confirmed that MS Dhoni would continue to captain both the ODI and T20I teams till the 2016 World T20, quelling speculations surrounding his future. “There were a lot of stories going around,” Patil said. “Selectors wanted to send a very clear cut message to all, to the media and the players - and I am not talking about India team players - but general players, that who is going to be our leader. “There is only three months time. I am happy that all selectors were of the same opinion that Dhoni should be the captain till the T20 World Cup. What happens after that we will let you know after the T20 World Cup.” T20I squad: MS Dhoni (capt),

Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Harbhajan Singh, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra. Yuvraj Singh has expressed delight at the prospect of wearing the India jersey again during the three Twenty20 Internationals in Australia, but felt there was a personal sense of disappointment for not making the cut for the ODIs. “A fresh start or a new beginning is the way I’d put it. I wouldn’t say my India career is going to start all over again. It began 15 years ago,” Yuvraj told The Telegraph. “To be honest, I’m a bit disappointed that I am back only in the T20I squad, not for the ODIs. However, there’s happiness that I’m back after quite a while. The disappointment is personal and I hope I’m not misunderstood and that nothing at all is taken out of context.” Yuvraj, who last played for India in the final of the 2014 World T20, said the time spent away from the team was extremely difficult, but the itch to regain his berth in the national team kept driving him. ESPN Cricinfo

SPORTS

Indian Football on Track, Says Former Player Pillai

MUMBAI: Former India cap-

tain Dhanraj Pillay responded to critical views that have popped up in the aftermath of India’s bronze medal success at the Hockey World League Final saying credit needs to be given where it is due. With the eight competing nations aware they were through to the quarterfinals even before the tournament began, some, like former World Cup winning captain Ajit Pal Singh, felt India did well to capitalise on the unusual format. Pillay, however, had a different take. “Overall, if you see, it was a good performance in the Hockey World League,” Pillay, said on Wednesday shortly after his Air India side had thumped CAG 5-1 in their opening match of the Dabang Mumbai - 50th All India Bombay Gold Cup, at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium. “We are preparing for the 2016 Olympics. The coach too said we would realize where we stand for Rio. And bronze is not bad at all. After a long time, we’ve won against Holland. Even when I was playing, we drew or we lost. In 10 years, I can’t remember the last time we won. We were winning at 5-3, but unfortunately we couldn’t hold on in the last four minutes. But a win in a penalty shootout as such is as good as winning the match,” Pillay added. Asked about India’s notoriety for conceding goals at the death, a reputation they didn’t exactly distance themselves from against the Dutch, Pillay again rose to the defence of Roelant Oltmans’ side. “Everyone talks of the same old habits, but anyone in a desperate situation would stop at nothing. In the final minutes, they knew they were losing by two goals, so they all went up. If their full team is in our half and ‘D’, the opponent is definitely going to feel the pressure,” said the 47-year-old.

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Ex Indian captain Pillai

December 25, 2015

JD(U) Calls for Anti-BJP Front

Ayodhya: VHP’s First Lot of Stones for Ram Temple Arrives, Police on Alert

Meanwhile, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das told reporters that there was a "signal" from the Modi government that the temple will be build "now".

AYODHYA: Almost six months

after VHP announced its nationwide drive to collect stones for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, two trucks of stones arrived in the temple city on Sunday, even as police said it was monitoring the situation. “Two trucks of stones have been unloaded at Ram Sewak Puram, a VHP property in Ayodhya, and ‘Shila Pujan’ (praying of the stones) has been performed by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of Ram Janam Bhumi Nyas,” VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said. Meanwhile, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das told reporters that there was a “signal” from the Modi government that the temple will be build “now”. “Now, the time has come for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Lot of stones arrived today in Ayodhya. And now the arrival of stones will continue. We have signals from Modi Government that Mandir construction would be done now,” he said. Reacting to the arrival of stones at VHP headquarters, Faizabad Senior Superintendent of Police Mohit Gupta said that the police was monitoring the situation. “We are monitoring all the developments minutely. Stones have arrived and being kept in a

private premises. Due to this development, if their was any breach in peace or communal harmony we will deﬁnitely take action,” he said. Asserting its resolve to build the Ram temple, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had in June announced a nationwide drive to collect stones for construction of the temple here and had also asked the Muslim community not to pose any hindrance. “About 2.25 lakhs cubic ft of stones are required for the construction of the Ram temple and about 1.25 lakh cubic ft of stones are ready at the VHP’s headquarter in Ayodhya. The rest one lakh cubic ft stones would be collected nationwide from Hindu devotees,” VHP leader Ashok Singhal, who died last month in Gurgaon, had said. The announcement had met with a quick reaction from the administration, which had said that it would oppose the move as the matter was sub judice. Principal Secretary (Home), Devashish Panda, had said that the Uttar Pradesh government would not allow arrival of stones in Ayodhya for Ram Mandir. “Since the matter is sub judice, the government will not allow starting of any new tradition regarding Ayodhya issue,” he had said. -IndianExpress

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BY SRISHTI GUPTA

EW DELHI: The Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) has decided to forge ties with other like-minded parties to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—just as it did successfully with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar—for upcoming assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Assam. The JD(U)’s leadership is meeting in New Delhi for the first time after its stunning victory in the Bihar assembly polls. On day one of the national executive meeting, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and legislators discussed the party’s strategy to expand its base. “We have decided to bring all political parties together to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party. The national executive committee has given Kumar and Yadav the duty

to talk to leaders of opposition in pollbound states about the same,” said JD(U) spokesman K.C. Tyagi. Tyagi said that the JD(U) will request the Congress, Asom Gana Parishad and United Democratic Front (in Kerala) to forge an alliance with the party in order to defeat the BJP. “We will fight elections in the five poll-bound states using the Bihar formula. We will try our best in Assam as that is the only state where the BJP has higher chances of winning,” he said. Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are slated to go to the polls in 2016, while the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in 2017. The party said that it is going to initiate an official process with the Election Commission to change its party symbol (arrow), which some leaders think is similar to that of the Shiv Sena and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. “Five of our contestants lost the

election this time due to confusion among voters over similar elections symbols. Yadav will talk to the election commission about changing the symbol as soon as possible,” Tyagi said. Analysts feel this is yet another afﬁrmation that the BJP is the new pole of Indian politics. “This attempt of JD(U) to unite opposition parties against the BJP is another declaration that the BJP is the new pole of Indian politics. I still believe that the opposition unity is based on wild imagination given its ideological incompatibility differences to cement upon a strong bond to ﬁght against the BJP,” said Bidyut Chakraborty, an analyst and professor of political science at Delhi University. However, analysts pointed out that while talking about an alliance with other political parties, including the Congress, the JD(U) has not yet spoken about another alliance with the RJD. “Not mentioning the RJD could mean that there is a competition going on between the two parties when it comes to establishing its roots in other states. (RJD chief) Lalu Prasad will obviously try to marginalize Kumar’s party and viceversa,” Chakraborty said. -Livemint.com

Chenab: Pakistan’s River of Love

often dream about long journeys that may bring my dreams to life; dreams of far-ﬂung lakes, of colours, of people, of scenic beauty and starrynights, which appear only at the end of a tiresome trail. These dreams have also often taken me on quests to seek answers. I like to view my life as multiple voyages: the ﬁrst is a physical one that requires me to walk the earth, the second is a journey from known to unknown. There is another journey that leaves one emotionally fatigued, and it is a need to form and nurture relationships.For me, the thought of new voyages is very refreshing. The North Wind holds you in thrall

at your ﬁrst visit (to the northern areas of Pakistan); subsequently, it keeps whispering in your ear to come back. You remember the blue sky of the day, the black cloak of the night embroidered with glittering stars, and the breeze dancing over the river in summertime; its scent can leave you intoxicated. From the end of October to the beginning of April, gales carry away the leaves; this is the windy season in the North. These fragrant winds have an effect of their own, but it is the North Wind that enthralls you and does unto you what it does unto trees: sometimes it leaves you blossoming with the colour and vitality of spring;

and at other times it brings to you the ashen sadness of autumn. In cities, at workplaces and houses, during meetings with relatives or friends, and in bazaars, we are always occupied saying something or hearing something, without allowing any real communication to take place. A humdrum routine begins from dawn, and chases us throughout the day, exhausting all our energies. We want to escape the pressures the need to ﬁnd resolutions, the need for dialogue, and to ﬁnd solitude in Mother Nature, which would rejuvenate us to cope up with friends, relations, and the stress of city life once again. -Dawn.com

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This Christmas, for all your shopping needs... Look Nowhere Else!

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