Friday, July 28, 2017 | Vol. 36, No. 30
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Indo American erican News
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COMMUNITY
July 28, 2017
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Sadhvi Ritambhara Devi Offers Passionate Presentation of Her Works, Hindu Vision BY MANU SHAH
HOUSTON: Sadhvi Ritambhara
Devi’s oratory skills are legendary and a packed room of prominent Hindu leaders in Houston were witness to the full force of that power on Saturday, July 22 at Keshav Smruti. Using equal measures of humor and gravity, Ritambhara Devi spoke about spirituality, her work with destitute children and women, and her vision to build a museum to showcase Hinduism— a first of its kind in the world. Construction is already underway on a 12-acre plot and will utilize state-of-the art, high-tech innovations to exhibit and explain the tenets of Hinduism. Hindu philanthropist Brahm Aggarwal of Florida announced a donation of approximately $1.8 million for this unique project in Vrindavan, whose opening is scheduled for 2020. The museum will also feature the contributions of women through the four Yugs or ages—the Sat, Treta, Dwapara and the Kali Yug. Women like Draupadi and Janaki are well known, but Hindu scriptures are equally replete with examples of powerful scholars like Lopamudra, who was a philosopher and the principal of an important Gurukul during the Sat Yug. Other exhibits will include explanations about Hindu deities and their mode of worship and the story of the Purus Avatars. Lifelike sets and the use of special effects will depict the Hindu ancient civilization and the different jugs or ages. Most people know of Sadhvi Ritambhara Devi as a fearless Hindu leader who made headlines with her fiery speeches during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. At that juncture, she could have easily opted for a successful political life but veered away to become Didi Maa to thousands of poor children and destitute women. As a child, Nisha as she was named, was reflective and displayed a detachment from worldly things. During her second year of college, she went to an ashram in Haridwar to seek some of life’s answers. Three months later, she met her Guru—Mahamandaleshwar Swami Parmanand Guruji Maharaj and was given the name Sadhvi Ritambhara Devi.
Organizers of Didi Ma event in Houston.
India today. Vatsalya Gram has an English medium school based on the CBSE pattern. Good values and morals are taught along with yoga and meditation. Today, they are graduates, post graduates and working in good jobs. The team effort of emcee Gitesh Desai, Event Coordinator Achalesh Amar, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Houston President Subhash Gupta, President of PSPA Shekar Reddy, Hindus of Greater Houston Vijay Pallod, VHPA Texas Chapter President Girish Naik, Rajni Jain director of Param Shakti Peeth America Youth Coordinator Vitec Sharda and many other volunteers was displayed in a smoothly organized event. From left: Rohini Gupta, Didi Ma, Braham Aggarwal, and Krishna Aggarwal.
Didi Maa runs a Vatsalya Gram or a Village of Maternal Love under the Param Shakti Peeth Trust in Vrindavan. The birth of this village began when a day old baby was abandoned on the front steps of the ashram she was staying. She
started with 22 children in two rooms and gradually expanded to include widows, abandoned women and the aged. The structure is based on a unique concept of making a Vatsalya family where five girls, two boys, a mother, aunt
and a grandmother live like a family in an independent house. There are several such families housed there, which in essence, becomes a children’s home, a women’s shelter and an old-age home all in one. There are seven Vatsalya Grams in
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COMMUNITY
HOUSTON: The Bayou City is
a melting pot of cultures and traditions from all over the world, and the cultural artforms of India play a significant role in shaping this city. One such artform is Odissi, one of the eight ancient classical dances that originated in India. The origins of Odissi in particular, are believed to come from Natya Shastra, a Hindu Sanskrit text of performance arts that was first compiled in 200 BC, and from the highly detailed sculptures on the Hindu temples of Odisha, a state in eastern India. Art and dance lovers in Houston witnessed a splendid Odissi performance by Meha Mohapatra on Sunday, July 9, at the auditorium in the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center. Meha has been a student of the Kalaangan School of Odissi Dance in Sugar Land, learning Odissi from her Guru Supradipta Datta, the school’s Executive Director, for the last thirteen years. On Sunday, Meha completed her Rangapravesh, which is a contraction of Ranga meaning “stage” and Pravesha meaning “to enter”. It’s the event during which a Guru launches a student and declares her as fit for stage performances. In a Rangapravesh, the student performs for two to three hours, proving that she is capable of keeping an audience engaged for that duration. The audience was guided through the performance by a descriptive narration of the meanings of each dance by Dr. Upali Nanda (fondly known to all as Upali), a Odissi dancer and choreographer herself, who delivered her comments with great stage presence and encouraged the audience to show their appreciation towards Meha’s mastery of dance and the requisite facial and eye expressions. Meha mesmerized an audience of about three hundred with her mastery of several Odissi dances with many complicated movements. She began with a Mangalacharan which is a dance of in-
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Odissi Dance Debut by Meha Chopra Mohapatra Adding color to the cultural mosaic of Houston
Meha Mohapatra gave her Odissi debut performance on Sunday, July 9 at the auditorium in the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center. Photos: Navin Mediwala
vocation through which the dancer offers her devotion to the gods and salutes the Mother Earth, her Guru and the audience. Then, she proceeded to perform two Pallavis or pure dance pieces - Ragshree and Khamaj - followed by a soulcalling song “Re Atman” choreographed in Odissi. Next, Meha presented two Abhinayas or the art of expression, in which she conveyed folk tales or stories through her facial expressions and body movements. With Upali explaining the stances, Meha gave examples of what each movement meant and then she started off into the two Abhinayas. The concluding composition of Meha’s Odissi repertoire, Mokshya Mangalam, represented the spiritual culmination for the dancer: reintegration with the Absolute including a prayer for the well-being of all. Meha was presented with the
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certificate of completion by her guru Supradipta Datta onstage to a standing ovation. Several of her friends from high school and dance class, her sister Dhara, mom Reva and dad Gopal, and teachers spoke about their experience and association with her. Meha concluded the event by thanking every person who had influenced her and helped her in learning the complicated Odissi classical dance over the years. She also displayed the sense of humor that her friends and family referred to all evening long. The event concluded with a buffet dinner catered by Bhojan Restaurant in the large banquet hall of the Center. Meha now heads to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts to pursue a degree in engineering. She is the older daughter of Gopal and Reva Mohapatra who have lived in Houston for more than twenty five years.
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Meha Mohapatra after her Odissi debut performance with her guru Supradipta Datta who handed her the certificate of completion.
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COMMUNITY
July 28, 2017
ASIE Monthly Seminar Covers Entrepreneurship, Professional Conduct for Young Engineers HOUSTON: American Society of Indian Engineers and Architects (ASIE), a Houston based organization for engineers, architects, designers, and engineering technicians, held its monthly luncheon seminar at Mayuri Restaurant in Houston. The seminar was a complementary offering by ASIE for all its members. Almost 100 members, including majority young professionals, attended. The seminar was coordinated by ASIE young professional team under the leadership of ASIE Program Chair Archana Sharma and assisted by Chaitanya Gampa, Sirish Madichetti, and Tej Kour. The seminar was introduced in two parts. The topic of the first part was “Entrepreneur Business Plan for Young Engineers and Architects”, presented by two speakers. Tej Kour introduced Arun Singhal, a retired engineer from Bechtel Corporation. He is the author of a well-known published book 9 Habits of Project Leaders. Singhal talked about entrepreneurship and how to put technical thoughts into action for the creative business of engineering and architecture. He expanded his presentation with various topics concerning starting and running your own business. He introduced SCORE, a volunteer organization and a resource partner with the US Small Business Administration. The second speaker was Raj Mashruwala, a chemical engineer and ex-Director of Corporate Strategic planning for ARCO Oil & Gas Company. He is a certified CFA and a SCORE (SBA) Mentor. Mashruwala conducted a well-received Q&A session on
ASIE speakers with ASIE Board of Directors – VP Chetan Vyas (left), President Dinesh Shah, Tej Kour, Speakers Arun Singhal, Raj Mashruwala, and Dr. Sulekh Jain with Sirish Madichetti, Archana Sharma, Secretary Gaju Patel and Chaitanya Gampa. Photo: Navin Mediwala
entrepreneurship topic. The topic of the second part of the seminar was “Proud to be an Engineer and Architect.” It was presented by Dr. Sulekh Jain, a former Executive with GE Combustion Engineering and Wyman–Golden Company, and has many years of engineering and management experience. He congratulated the young engineers and architects for choosing one of the noblest professions. Jain touched upon the creations we see, practice or enjoy in our daily life owing to engineers and architects. Then he warned that some-
times engineers can do tremendous damage and kill hundreds of people due to the negligence and expanded his point with a “Code of Conduct” and “Few Must” presentations on professional conduct. As a token of gratitude, a Certificate of Appreciation and ASIE Mug were presented to all three speakers by young professionals Jigar Desai, Nathan Seshadri, and Reddy Edulukunta. After the vote of thanks by Sirish Madichetti, the two-hour program was concluded with appreciation by young and senior professionals. A Senior Engineer
Chandrakant (Chad) Patel said, “The seminar about SCORE was very informative for not only those who want to be entrepreneurs but also for those who have been there and done that.” The young Engineer Jigar Desai also expressed that “It is really nice to see ASIE attracting a number of young and experienced professionals to each of its events and contributing not only to the professional development of participants, but also in the development of the engineering community. I am proud to be a member of ASIE.”
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COMMUNITY
July 28, 2017
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Datta-Barua Seeks Vacant Humble ISD Board Position 6
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HUMBLE: After his failed at-
tempt to fill the open Position 5 on the Humble ISD Board in the May 6 election, Dr. Lohit Datta-Barua was disheartened by the experience, even though he came in second in the seven-person race. Barua had received 1,186 ballots or 23.63% of the vote to the winner Martina Dixon’s 2,368 or 47.18% of the total 5,019 ballots cast. “I made new friends, … but I also got a taste of the ugly side of politics,” said Barua shortly after the election. During the campaign, the dark-skinned and obviously Indian looking retired engineer complained about being called names, a baby killer and a Muslim. “It became a highly partisan race and the Harris County Republican Party even had a robocall stating that I was funded by out of state liberals.” Barua continued. “The fact is what little funds I had raised were strictly from my relatives and close friends.” For the past 35 years, the DattaBarua and wife Manju have made their home in the Kingwood/ Atascocita area where their two daughters Seebany and Indrany grew up and went to school. The Datta-Baruas worked in Houston – she at Reliant Energy and he in private E&C companies with projects all around the globe. They ex-
Dr. Lohit Datta-Barua speaks to his supporters at a breakfast meeting last Saturday, July 22 in Kingwood.
perienced first-hand the discrepancies in the Humble ISD where they lived and the differences between the schools in the district that encompasses Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Summerwood, Fallcreek and neighboring areas with an enrollment of over 40,000 students. Having volunteered at area schools for years and now with more time on his hands after retiring, Lohit decided to toss his hat into the ring and run for the vacant Position 5 on the HumbleISD Board.
Datta-Barua (in sunshades) next to his wife and with his supporters at the IHOP in Kingwood.
This past Saturday, July 22, Barua met with some of his loyal supporters at an IHOP in Kingwood and thanked them all for their support. It was then that he announced that another HumbleISD Board Trustee Heath Rushing had resigned and Position 6 would now be filled by an appointment by the Board. His supporters urged Barua to submit his application for consideration, and he did so just this week. The Board will interview all the candidates on August 1 and then make their selection. The Humble ISD has a demographic mix that is typical of Harris County with Asians making the
third largest ethnic group at 7.2%. However, the current Humble ISD Board does not adequately represent the diverse population of the area with no Asian among its members. Indo American News has reached out to the Humble ISD Board and the District Super-
intendent and urged them to appoint Datta-Barua and rectify this shortcoming. At press time, we heard back from Angela Conrad, the Board President, that DattaBarua would be considered for this opportunity.
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July 28, 2017
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Maulana Azad Medical College Alumni Association Celebrates 33 Years
OLUMBUS, OH: The Maulana Azad Medical College Alumni Association of North America (MAMCOAANA) held its 33rd annual convention in this city by the Scioto River at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris from July 13 to 16. One hundred alumni of MAMC and their families had a fun-filled weekend organized under the leadership of President Dr. Tarang Sharma. The meeting began with informal singing on the evening of July 13 followed by dinner and dance. Over the next two days, CME talks were given by eight speakers with Dr. Bharti Khurana from Harvard Medical School as the CME chair. On July 14 afternoon, the entire group took a trip to the National Museum of US Airforce in Dayton, Ohio. It was truly mesmerizing for everyone to see the only Northrop B2 Spirit long range bomber on display in the world. This Aircraft has the stealth technology that makes it virtually invisible even to the most advanced radar system. Also, actually seeing the historic aircraft Boeing B29 Bockscar that dropped the “Fat Man” atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945 and ended World War II was an emotional journey. In addition, it was quite memorable to tour the four Presidential Aircrafts including the SAM (Special Air Mission) 26000 which has been
President Dr. Tarang Sharma (center) with her husband Dr. Tony Sharma (left) receiving an Appreciation Award from the incoming President Dr. Vivek Mishra
used by eight US presidents including Kennedy, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. The evening concluded with a picnic with all young and old flying colorful kites in the clear Columbus skies while other competitive Maulanians played intense volleyball with several great rallies. The formal Gala took place on July 15 evening starting with the playing of the National Anthems of USA followed by that of India. After all the CME speakers were formally recognized. I was completely surprised by the announcement of a Special Honor Award
for my contributions to the organization. I was very humbled and extremely grateful to receive such an honor. Three physicians – Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Dr. Rajiv Malik and Dr. Kapila Bina – each received a standing ovation for having attended all 33 MAMCOAANA conventions since inception. Dr. Tarang thanked the entire MAMC family for making the event a great success. She introduced the incoming President Dr. Vivek Mishra who invited everyone to attend the meeting next year in Chicago from July 26 to 29, 2018.
Dr. Randeep Suneja receiving a Special Honor Award from Dr. Tony Sharma and President Dr. Tarang Sharma.
Dr. Gautam Samadder, President American Association of Indian Origin (AAPI) extended a warm invitation to all present to attend the next AAPI convention in Columbus from July 4 to 8, 2018. Following this, the entertainment began with amazing singing by father-daughter duet Dr. Indranil Chakraborty and Diya Chakraborty (who was a Top 7 finalist in the US Sa Re Ga Ma Pa TV show).
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To top it off, Dr. Praveen Khilani, who was visiting from New Delhi, and Dr. Sajiv Anand gave an unbelievable performance singing old melodies from the seventies. After the elaborate dinner, entertainment continued with energetic dancing to the Bollywood music played by the DJs well past midnight by all the Maulanians, reminiscing on memories of the decades gone by.
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COMMUNITY
Ik Onkaar and Japji Sahib: A Chinmaya Summer Meditative Yajna BY PADMASHREE RAO
HOUSTON:
In a city which cherishes the exploration into deep space, there will be an invaluable opportunity for contemplation into a deeper unifying Essence during the upcoming jnana yajna by Pujya Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda at Chinmaya Prabha, Houston. It will be a meditative venture launched on the evening of August 11, 2017 (Friday) and it promises to soar high on as well as delve deep into the One Indivisible Truth that underlies all existence and experience. The text that charts this journey is from the Sikh scriptures and is fueled by the higher essential theme behind the diverse cultural traditions of India. With inspiration drawn from the key invocatory mantra “Ik Onkaar” that opens the vistas of the meditations of Japji Sahib, the yajna will make time and space sacred from the evening of August 11th to the morning of August 16, 2017. This unique Upanishadic exposition on the opening verse and chapter of the holy Guru Granth Sahib will be presented by Pujya Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda, the global head of Chinmaya Mission. Having grown up in a home where religion and spirituality came alive through stories of saints and role models from the Indian epics and having been trained by the revered Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda and Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda since 1984, Mukhya
Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda, the global head of Chinmaya Mission.
Swamiji easily blends inspired worship and love for Truth in his discourses. It will be the privilege of Chinmaya Mission Houston to welcome and host Mukhya Swamiji who now spearheads the worldwide Chinmaya Mission alongside his roles as Chairman of the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth Trust (University for Sanskrit and Indic Traditions) and Director of the Chinmaya International Residential School in Coimbatore, South India. Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda has tirelessly carried the message of the Chinmaya Guru Parampara ever since his monastic initiation in 1992 after his studies at Sandeepany Mumbai that began in 1984. His ability to turn Vedantic wisdom into a practical tool for self-improvement has touched thousands of lives around the world. A versatile author, Swa-
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miji has brought out the timeless essence of important spiritual tenets in Ik Onkar, Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and Sankat Mochan besides writing on contemporary topics such as Simplicity and Meditation, Storm to Perform, Avatar, Managing the Manager, and Journey into Health. Also an eloquent speaker, Mukhya Swamiji has shared the ancient scriptural wisdom to make modern day management meaningful through his ‘wholistic management’ seminars for senior executives at corporate settings such as The Ford Motor Company, London Business School, and Harvard University. A self-development course he designed, Make It Happen, has been adopted to enhance human resource trainings in various corporate organizations in India and abroad. Beyond his titles and achievements, Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda is a compassionate and loving teacher who can inspire young and old, skeptic and the faithful, with his captivating words and clear logic. His discourses on “Ik Onkaar” are powerful and have moved audiences around the world. His guidance using the meditations of Japji Sahib will move the listeners to the worshipful realm of the Indescribable Absolute we call by different names. Jnana Yajna – Ik Onkaar & Japji Sahib By Pujya Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda @ Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land. TX – 77498 Discourses: August 11 to 15 – 7:00 to 8:30 pm Meditation: August 12 to 16 – 7:00 to 8:00 am For program details and more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston. org or call Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharart Sutaria 281-933-0233
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COMMUNITY
Didi Maa Shares Her Philosophy of Caring for Women, the Young and Old
SUGAR LAND: It was the experience of a
lifetime for their elderly mother – known to all as biji - that brought the entire Jain family together. While she was still in Chandigarh, India, 88 year-old Swaran Kanta Jain had seen the charismatic and articulate Didi Maa on television and was transfixed by her words. “Biji decided that she had to go and visit the Vatsalaya Gram and see for herself the work that goes on there,” recalled her youngest son, Umesh, who also goes by Mike. Jain and his older brother Ravinder who both live in the Houston area, acquiesced to their mother’s desire, but decided to accompany her to the Vatsalaya, which is located in Vrindavan, far away from the family home in Chandigarh, Punjab. The brothers helped to make their mother comfortable in the home of an ardent Didi Maa supporter, Brahm Ratan Agarwal, a friend who lives in Orlando, Florida, but maintains a house inside the Vatsalaya. Mike’s wife Rajni has also been on the Board of the Vatsalaya for the past year. Biji had originally planned to stay for two weeks, so Umesh lingered on with her while Ravinder returned after. “But then, she felt so comfortable that she decided to stay six months!” smiled Mike. “She had a maid with her 24/7 and the Vatsalaya had a clinic in case she needed any help.” In May this year, she returned back to live in the US with her son Mike. Didi Maa is a social worker, religious preacher and political activist who has risen to fame and prominence for her work in supporting Hindu causes. She was born in
Doraha in District Ludhiana, Punjab and attained nirvana after becoming a disciple of Swami Paramanand Giri and followed him to his ashram in Haridwar and on national tours. She became a Sadhvi (ascetic) and rose in the ranks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). In 1993, Didi Maa wanted to establish an ashram near Vrindavan and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh but the proposal fell through. In 2002 she was able to secure 17 hectares of land on lease for 99 years for an annual fee of one Rupee and started the Vrindavan Ashram for women which also gives training in karate, horse-riding, using air guns and pistols in order to make them confident and self-reliant. She also runs ashrams for unwanted infants, ladies and widows in In-
dore, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. Just coincidentally, Didi Maa was sched-
uled to go on a tour in the US to bring publicity to her work in India and also raise funds and it took her to Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, Orlando , and New Jersey, returning to India by way of London. While in Houston, Didi Maa, along with her entourage of three musicians, two assistants and a young Indian woman named Amy from England who has given up everything to become her disciple, stayed at the house of Mike and Rajni Jain. It was there that she was able to address about 35 supporters after dinner on Thursday, July 20 and give her philosophy on life and caring for others. According to Mike Jain, in Houston alone, over $100,000 were raised during the three days she was here, with a meeting the following day at another private residence and a public meeting at the Keshav Smruti near Star Pipes.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
July 28, 2017
2nd Annual Opportunity Fair for Women Your Own Business WOODFOREST National Bank - Financial Literacy Sessions by Licensed Professionals - Retirement & Investments, Credit Score Education, Real Estate & Mortgages Civic Engagement/Citizenship study material/Voting education League of Women Voters, NALEO Educational Fund, Equal Vote America, Fort Bend for ALL.
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Booths - Vein Clinics of America, Daya – Houston, IACAN, Child Advocates, Body & Brain, Yoga, and much more. Memorial-Herman Southwest has graciously offered its venue for free for the 2nd annual Opportunity Fair for Women. Women’s Voice for Better America is glad to welcome women from all walks of life. To join the network or to sponsor, please contact Neeta Sane at 832-279-8601. More information about this initiative is on www. NeetaSane.com/OpportunityFair
Back row: from left: Gayatri Kapoor, Shefali Patel, Shaheen Vora, Neeta Sane, To Nhu, Nargis Ahmed, Mary Figures, Rubina Khan, Rahat Sultana Kelle. Middle row: from left: Tamara White, Tramaine Chatman-Rose, Ling Luo, Paru McGuire, Tee Ajay Front row: from left: Anhlan Nguyen, Tonya Bias, Mahtab Moradi.
HOUSTON:
Women’s Voice for Better America, a network of diverse women, is thrilled to open the doors of opportunities for women to become self-sufficient and empowered. Women’s Voice for Better America will host its 2nd annual Opportunity Fair for Women on Saturday, August 12, 2017 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Memorial Hermann - Southwest, 7737 Southwest Freeway, Medical Plaza 2, Houston, TX 77074.
It is a free admission event with free parking, refreshments, raffles and resourceful information for women. The 2nd annual Opportunity Fair for Women is designed to support and help women with equitable options in Healthcare, Job search, Business start-up, Retirement investments and Civic engagement. Various free sessions and variety of resourceful information with be provided. Below are the details:
MD Anderson – Cancer Prevention and Remedies ‘Too Cool to Smoke’ show for youth Memorial Hermann - Access to Healthcare IBN Sina Community Medical Center - On-site medical checkup Screening for skin cancer Workshop by Workforce Solutions - Resumes, Cover Letters, Applications, Interviewing, Making Connections SCORE Houston - Starting
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Nisha.Smith@themintbank.com INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
14 July 28, 2017
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
July 28, 2017
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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16 July 28, 2017
COMMUNITY
Zee Making the World a Better Place, Says FCC’s Ajit Pai C
APITOL HILL, WASHINGTON D.C: Zee entertainment launched an annual program to identify and honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the media & entertainment sector. Chairman Ajit Pai, was conferred with the inaugural “Zee Entertainment National Leadership Awards” at a special event on Capitol Hill this past week. He is the first Indian American to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US. Zee Entertainment is the biggest multicultural programmer in the United States with 35 networks in 14 languages. Amit Goenka, CEO International Broadcast Business said, “The selection of our inaugural honoree was not a difficult choice as he demonstrated a great commitment to promoting and protecting consumer interests particularly in our case in the areas of healthy living, wellness, news and entertainment.” The exclusive, by invite-only event saw more than 200 people in attendance from Washington DC’s power corridors which included nearly 25 congressmen and other very notable dignitaries. The 44-year old Republican attorney, Ajit Pai came across as very affable, conscious of his humble beginnings and deeply appreciative of his meteoric rise to the top of the federal agency. At the event, Pai acknowledged Dr. Subhash Chandra’s incredible achievement in creating a company like Zee, quite literally from nothing into the multimedia conglomerate that entertains about a billion people worldwide, despite the many roadblocks. Where people did not have the option to watch Bolly-
wood movies at home in the US, Zee pioneered and changed the way people had access to content from India accessible to the Indian diaspora across the world 20 years ago In continuation with Zee’s ethos; “Vasudhaiya Kutumbakam” (The World is my Family), Zee speaks not only to the Indians here but also to millions of Americans via Z Living which is a Health & Wellness network. It is America’s fastest growing network and stands firm behind its mantra “Prevention is better than cure”. Zee also speaks to the millions of Latino audiences in the country through its unique Bollywood in Spanish channel; Zee Mundo. An extension to this core belief in Health and Wellness, Zee has a one of its kind Natural Wellness Center, YO1 which stands for Yoga and Oneness. The idea behind this Wellness Center which is spread over 1300 acres in upstate NY is to focus on bringing our mind, body and soul as one. Along with Entertainment, Zee strongly believes in giving back to the community with its initiatives like Sarthi, ZEE is Green, Ekal Vidyalaya and the DSC founda-
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
tion which just donated 1 Billion dollars for social entrepreneurship causes. The Zee is Green initiative was conferred a special Excellence award at IAA Olive Crown Awards 2016 for its leadership in various environmental projects. Also, Ekal Vidyalaya popularly known as A People’s Movement has been educating 1.5 million students across 54,000 free schools in India. Since Zee Entertainment has become synonymous with the Indian culture and Indians globally, it was a natural choice for the republican party to engage and partner with Zee Network to engage the Indian diaspora during the Trump Presidential campaign, Zee not only effectively planned and executed a 360 degree campaign, but it also coined the winning phrase; Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar (This time, A Trump Government). The Republicans were smart enough to understand Indian Americans influence on the larger canvas, said Sameer Targe. Efforts included a Bollywood gala in NJ which had Donald Trump as the keynote speaker and Zee’s own SRGMP singers who were the real crowd pullers.
IMMIGRATION
July 28, 2017
17
US Resumes Fast Processing of Some H1B Visa Applications
W
ASHINGTON: The US has announced resuming faster processing of H1B work visas, popular with Indian IT professionals, for high-skilled foreign professionals in categories exempt from Congress-mandated limit, which are mostly for higher education and scientific research in-
Job Posting:
there is an annual “master’s cap” of cessing resumed on 26 June for H1B it will make additional announce20,000 petitions filed for beneficiaries petitions filed on behalf of physicians ments with specific details related to with a US master’s degree or higher. under the Conrad 30 waiver pro- when it will begin accepting premium According to the USCIS, premium gramme as well as interested govern- processing for those petitions. Until processing will resume for petitions ment agency waivers. then, premium processing remains The federal agency also plans to temporarily suspended for all other that may be exempt from the cap if the H1B petitioner is an institution of resume premium processing of other H1B petitions. higher education, a non-profit related H1B petitions as workloads permit. -livemint.com In a statement, the USCIS said to or affiliated with an institution of higher education, or a non-profit re- Satish Rao’s ndo can IIn search or governAmeri News mental research Diwigahlits NS organisation. CONGRATULATIOAM DIA Del TE IN LD R RA. Onse E WO “Premium proBreak ON TOP OF TH Barriers cessing will also resume for peti2011 ALI HAPPY DIW elers Jew tions that may Infodat Maharaja CUP also be exempt if the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution, organisation or entity,” We cover your world! the USCIS said. It has previously announced that premium proName: ____________________________________
PART TIME WEB PRODUCER
KTRK-TV is looking for a part time digital producer who can do it all to be part of the team leading the charge to take our digital efforts to the next level. The ideal candidate will have three years’ experience working in major market television or print news internet operation, the ability to shoot and edit video and working experience of Photoshop. Additionally have proven social media expertise and must be flexible with work schedule which may vary depending on station needs and projects. Candidate must be able to handle many projects simultaneously. Candidate must be a self-starter and have a ‘Do It Now’ mentality to excel in our fast-paced environment. We are a 24/7 news operation, so digital producers must be willing to work any day or shift, as needed. To be considered interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please reference Job Requisition # 473782BR. . No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Job Posting:
PART TIME ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
If writing is your passion – here’s your chance to work for a station that has taken producing to a higher level. KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time Associate Producer. The person hired for this position will write and edit stories for our broadcasts and produce news cut-ins. You will also produce content for our digital platforms and social media. If you can write in active voice, understand how detail can add color to a story, and have the ability to sift through information to find the most interesting lead – we want to hear from you. Strong writing, video editing and social media skills a must. Applicants must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays. To be considered applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, reference job #475364BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please mail writing samples to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005.
MADRAS PAVILION AT & DAAW G CATERIN
Indo-American News
During his election campaign, US President Donald Trump had promised to increase oversight of H1B and L1 visa programmes.
stitutions. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. During his campaign, US President Donald Trump had promised to increase oversight of H1B and L1 visa programmes. He had signed an executive order in April to tighten the rules of the programme to stop visa abuses. Trump had said that his administration is going to enforce ‘Hire American’ rules that are designed to protect jobs and wages of workers in the US. “US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume premium processing for certain capexempt H-1B petitions effective immediately,” an official statement said on Monday. The H1B visa cap is of 65,000 visas for each fiscal year. Additionally,
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PART TIME MULTIMEDIA CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR
Are you a news junkie who scans the headlines before getting out bed? Are you tied to your twitter feed throughout the day? KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time content contributor for both broadcast and digital. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to advance their career as a multimedia journalist. This is a combined position involving news photography and assignment desk duties, along with contributions to digital platforms. Must be willing to work overnights, weekends, and holidays. The ideal candidate has news photography experience and experience gathering information and writing news stories - along with a good understanding of social media trends and apps. College degree preferred. To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job # 475365BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. No telephone calls please.
No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 July 28, 2017 Four Years to Go
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Dancing on the Edge
BY BHANU PRATAP MEHTA
In all likelihood, there is not going to
I
t would be patronising to declare that Indians are content with the women’s cricket team having made it to the finals of the Women’s World Cup. This they had done already in 2005 with an equally dedicated set of players and a quarter of these facilities. It would be a pegging down of expectations from a proud, skilled set of cricketers if the team is offered consolatory platitudes about having done well enough to reach the threshold of the world title. It will be plain disrespect to an outstanding effort from the team if the country doesn’t nurse the regret of a missed opportunity for a week or two, and then vow to settle for nothing but the Cup in New Zealand four years later. The mainstreaming of women’s cricket as a professional sport lies not in being satisfied that the Indian team won many hearts — any Indian team owns the country’s hearts and doesn’t need to win any affection — but in heated discussions of a series of what-ifs after a valiant but second-best effort. What if Mithali Raj hadn’t set off on that doomed single. What if Poonam Raut had taken the review sooner. What if Veda Krishnamurthy had practised some caution in shot selection. What if Deepti Sharma had batted higher up. Comparisons with the men’s game are frowned upon, but cricketing folklore ought to build up antagonists like Miandad and Shrubsole who broke Indian hearts, for the eventual triumphs to taste that much sweeter. India inherits an exciting team of from Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami — who received unparalleled love and loyalty from Indians back home at the fag end of their career. But the biggest homecoming for this glorious team is not to “well done, proud of you” placards, but to a systematic plan for the next four years to get the Cup that was nine runs away, after an honest cricketing postmortem of a lost final. -indianexpress.com
be an easy resolution to the standoff between India and China at Doklam. You don’t have to be a strategic genius to recognise that any resolution would require a narrative that allowed both sides to claim that they did not blink first. But the public positions of both parties make such an outcome harder to achieve. China’s position is that India must withdraw for meaningful talks to begin; India’s position is that both sides must withdraw. In effect, the structure of this situation is, as Shashank Joshi has argued, that both sides withdrawing would seem a victory of sorts for India. It is hard to imagine, after its strong public pronouncements, China easily walking away. Even assuming neither side wants to risk a major escalation, in the best case scenario, we could be in the position of a protracted period of tension. The geographic and legal aspects of the standoff have been subject to much analysis. This standoff is considered a departure for two reasons. First, because it involves a third country, Bhutan. It will be important for India to keep Bhutan on its side both for legal and strategic reasons. It is very likely that one of the intended by-products of this standoff is to signal to smaller countries that potentially the costs of siding with India are high. Without Bhutan’s whole-hearted concurrence, the legitimacy of Indian actions will be in question. But this will require the ability to demonstrate that India can indeed stand up, and in ways that do not cause collateral damage to states friendly to it. Second, it has been argued that India has taken the unprecedented step of arguing that its own security concerns, not legality, technical details or, potentially, regard for sovereignty, will guide its position. The MEA’s formulation was a bit hasty and has given grist to China’s rhetorical mill, and also to the government’s critics in India. But this criticism is an over-reading of what the MEA’s position implies. But India is not seeking security concerns as a carte blanche justification for its position
or finding a pretext. In this instance, security concerns has a very specific meaning. A better lawyerly formulation of India’s position might go as follows: “India has acted on its security considerations, as they arise from unilateral attempts to alter the existing understanding of relevant treaties, conventions and political agreements and facts on the ground as they might bear on the interpretation of these agreements.” Of course, many claims are disputed on all three sides. But pending resolution of these disputes, maintaining status quo is the nonthreatening option: Radical departure from the status quo can be construed as a security threat. Incidentally, the Chinese would not demur from this proposition; they are accusing India of trying to alter the status quo. In the political debate over this impasse, two things are noticeable. India probably did not have a choice but to respond to Chinese actions. The fair criticism of government, at least up to this point, is not that it has chosen to respond. The fairer criticism might be that in the events leading up to the impasse, the government has probably consistently misread China. Early on, it ended up believing too much in the prime minister’s charm offensive. Now, the Modi-Xi relationship is at an embarrassing low. We later invested too much for relatively small gains like the NSG membership. India did take on China on OBOR. Given the ideological and symbolic importance of OBOR, it was highly likely that China would see India’s position as a slight to its status, and it should have anticipated deterioration in relations. India has also banked on the US being a player, but the rise of Trump has left the field
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
entirely clear for China. So a lot of the angst over the Indian position seems to stem less from the actual standoff itself, but more from the prior framing of the India-China relationship. But to be fair, this government is not alone in misreading China. China’s definition of its core security interests is expanding as it footprint grows. And the opacity of how domestic concerns might shape China’s foreign policy makes a reading of its intentions difficult. There is also a curious irony in Indian public discourse. It is fair to say that the level of public rhetoric against China was probably higher when the tension was less. It has, by Indian standards, been more muted as tensions have increased. For China, the public rhetoric has increased in tandem with its actions on the ground. This is not surprising because the blunt truth is that even if we assume China does not want a wider conflict, it, at the moment, holds many more cards than India. India’s ability to stand up to China may have increased since 1962, but the fact is that India is much more vulnerable than China. Which is why when conflict might be more imminent, our rhetoric goes down. One of the interesting things about the China-Pakistan axis is that it will also get mobilised more on China’s cues than Pakistan’s. India’s internal situation, from Gorkhaland to Kashmir, has become more fragile than it has been in a decade. The Chinese might think it is easier to put an Indian government on the back foot, and in part that seems to be the intention. India has to find that sweet spot where it can signal that it cannot be pushed around easily. -indianexpress.com
THE STORY OF GANDHI
July 28, 2017
19
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 9
Gandhi invites untouchable family to ashram
T
he story thus far….Gandhi went to Rajkot and Porbandar to meet his relatives and then went on to Shantiniketan. There Gandhi met poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore for the first time, as well as C. F. Andrews. Andrews, who came to India as an Anglican priest in 1904, was one of the very few people respected both within Indian nationalist circles and official British ones. A close friend of Gandhi, Tagore and other eminent Indians of the time, Andrews never ceased to champion the Indian cause for independence and, in a broader sense, the cause of all the downtrodden. During his short stay at Santiniketan Gandhi heard the sad news that Gokhale had passed away. He immediately left for Poona, with C. F. Andrews accompanying him up to Burdwan. Andrews asked Gandhi whether India would ever experience satyagraha, and when. “It is difficult to say,” replied Gandhi. “For one year I am to do nothing. Gokhale made me promise that I would travel in India for one year to gain experience, and that I would express no opinion until I had finished this period of probation. So I do not think there will be any occasion for satyagraha for five years.” After attending the shraddha ceremonies for Gokhale, Gandhi met the leaders of the Servants of India Society. Out of respect for Gokhale he would have joined the Society, but there was opposition from some members. Gandhi visited Rangoon, in Burma, for a short period and on his return he went to Hardwar during the time of the Kumbha Mela. About 1.7 million people attended the festival. Volunteer corps from different organizations had gone to Hardwar to be of service to the big crowds that thronged the riverbanks. Gandhi was invited to join the Phoenix party to help the volunteers. Gandhi was deeply disappointed at the many happenings and shortcomings at the great religious fair. There was corruption, cheating and many other unsocial activities. Scant care was taken about sanitary arrangements. All this saddened Gandhi. He thought a great deal about the problem of how to improve the Indian character. In May 1915 an ashram was established in a village near Ahmedabad. The city was an ancient centre of handloom weaving and Gandhi thought the place was suited for the revival of the cottage industry of hand- weaving. Gandhi named the new institution Satyagraha Ashram. “Our creed is devotion to truth, and our business is the search for and insist on truth,” he said. A simple uniform style of clothing was worn by all who worked together in a common kitchen as all strove to live as one family. “If you want to serve the people, it is essential to observe the vows of truth, ahimsa, celibacy, non-stealing, non-possession, and control of the palate,” Gandhi told inhabitants of the ashram.
One day Gandhi informed the ashram dwellers that he had received a request from an ‘untouchable’ family to move in. He said he had responded favorably. This created quite a stir. Even Kasturbai had her misgivings. Gandhi’s mind was made up, however, and there could be no objection from anyone in the ashram. But the patrons of the ashram did not like the idea and they stopped funding the ashram. The ashram was suddenly faced with an acute financial crisis, but help came from an unexpected source. A rich man came to the ashram and gave Gandhi Rs. 13,000 and urged him to continue running the ashram. In February 1916, Gandhi was invited to speak at the laying of the foundation-stone of the Banaras Hindu University. The Viceroy and many of the most important people of India were there. Gandhi, clad in a Kathiawadi long coat and a turban, rose to speak. The police arrangements, and also the pomp and luxury around him, hurt him deeply. Turning to the audience he said, “I want to think audibly and speak without reservation.” His first words froze the audience. “It is a matter of deep humiliation and shame for us,” he said, “that I am compelled this evening under the shadow of this great college, in this sacred city, to address my countrymen in a language that is foreign to me.” It was a bombshell. Nobody had ever dared to speak against the English language. The British officers, then friends, and the important Indians who had gathered there were furious.
But Gandhi went on, “His Highness the Maharaja who presided yesterday over our deliberations spoke about the poverty of India. But what did we witness? A most gorgeous show, an exhibition of jewelry...” Gandhi gave a long speech that covered many topics. His was outspoken in his criticism. Annie Besant, who was one of the organizers of the function, was horrified and urged Gandhi to sit down. But Gandhi went on. Some people went red with rage, but others listened to Gandhi with great interest. “Here at last is a man telling the truth,” they thought. “He is the man to raise India from the mire.” They applauded him and shouted joyfully. Gandhi turned to them and said, “No amount of speeches will ever make us fit for self-government. It is only our conduct that will make us deserve it.” Gandhi told them that they take up the work of self-government. Finally, Gandhi, the man who had supported the British in their war efforts, said, “If I found it necessary for the salvation of India that the English should retire, that they should be driven out, I would not hesitate to declare that they would have to go, and I hope I would be prepared to die in defense of that belief.” The people were amazed at Gandhi’s frankness. It was Gandhi’s first great political speech in India. Years later, Jawaharlal Nehru described what the coming of Gandhi meant to the Indian people. “We seemed to be helpless in the grip of some all powerful monster; our limbs were paralysed, our minds deadened. What could we do? How could we pull India out of this quagmire of poverty and defeatism which sucked her in... And then Gandhi came. He was like a powerful current of fresh air that made us stretch ourselves and take deep breaths, like a beam of light that pierced the darkness and removed the scales from our eyes, like a whirlwind that upset many things, but most of all the working of people’s minds,” said Nehru. Several conferences demanding home rule were held in India during the latter half of 1916. They marked a new wave of political life under the leadership of Tilak, Mrs. Besant, and Jinnah. — To be Continued next week
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The contest are open to all children in the greater Houston Area. The winners of these contests will be recognized at the 1000 Lights for Peace, a celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, on Sunday, October 1, 2017. For more information and registration visit www.gandhilibrary.org INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 July 28, 2017
COMMUNITY
Managing the Stresses of Complicated Interfaith Relationships
HOUSTON: There is often a large
gap between the expectations of parents and their children about the child’s choice of a life partner. In the Western world, young adults can easily date people from other faiths during their college years. So, it should come as no surprise that this young generation of Indo-American Dharmics (Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs) marry Abrahamics (Christians, Jews and Muslims). This interfaith trend started with the first generation of immigrants and has continued to accelerate over the years and will only grow in the future. We need to recognize that interfaith marriages are a matter of chance, regardless of the religious training given in childhood. Parents of interfaith married couples also need to learn to live with a new reality of life and deal with many vexing issues, like: 1. What will be the religion of children born of the couple be? 2. For Dharmics, is there any expectation of a religious “label” to be placed on the children by BBS (Baptism (Christian), Bris (Jewish)
or Sunat (Islamic))? 3. For Abrahamics, will they have to be a part of the Hindu worship practice of puja and the display of Hindu Ishvara icons in the home? 4. Will there be religious conversion of the groom/bride before marriage? 5. Will there be restrictions on the names of children? 6. Will there be circumcision for religious reason? 7. Which religion will be followed for the funeral rites of the spouse and the children? Of course, not all interfaith spouses try to impose their religious beliefs or practices on their counterpart in marriage, but it is critical to find out the facts sooner rather than later. It is also important to recognize that despite all the potential marital pitfalls, a successful and fulfilling inter-religious marriage is possible. One effective way to achieve this is by not impos-
ing one’s religious beliefs on the other partner. Both should make sure prenuptial agreement is signed and documented as a part of interfaith marriage to protect rights for both parties involved in relationship. How do we do that? Is such an agreement available? The answer is NO. There is no institutional mechanism where families can get help. Whatever little help is available is in the mainstream secular context, which may not address factors like culture and religion. So there is a need to provide an
American Hindu-specific program of education and social services because American Hindus, by and large, are very liberal in their social outlook. In matters of relationships and matrimony, they take a very soft approach with the intention of looking for happiness for their children’s lives. In most cases, parents readily agree to interfaith relationships or matrimony for their children and will go out of their way to win the trust and appreciation of the nonHindus joining their families. The married children may even leave their Hindu circles and cease to be part of the Hindu community. This can lead their parents to have guilty feelings of their kids losing their Hindu heritage and ceasing to be part of Hindu society. Empirical observations as well as structured studies have established that Hindus lose out of their heritage. This is all because of the parents wanting unqualified happiness for their kids, their willingness
to compromise, and the nature of their spiritual and cultural practices that enable their attitude. The solution to the problem seems to be the construction of a structured discipline that consists of three distinct phases: awareness, counseling, and rehabilitation. American Hindu Social Services attempts to address the needs and requirements of interfaith relationships, through the unflinching support of community leaders in general, and specifically those who run temples and Hindu organizations as well as a professional counseling program staffed by paid counselors, a social welfare fund and a pool of social services volunteers, which can provide assistance to those who are affected by adverse circumstances. Dr. Dilip Amin, author and Hindu community activist will hold a workshop on Interfaith Marriages from 2 to 5 pm on Saturday, July 29 at the International Trade Center, 11110 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072. For information call Gopi Mistry at 713-876-6450. -An American Hindu Social Service Press Release
your mind, Live a life of inspiration and purpose, Forge your destiny with every thought, Let go of the past and live in the present, Learn the secret to stress-free living, Acquire knowledge to leap forward in life, Utilize the power of habits to transform yourself. On the concluding day, Swamiji is conducting 2 workshops to learn the art of inner transformation! These two wonderful interactive workshops are uniquely designed by Swami Mukundananda, keeping in view the challenges an individual faces to balance the physical, mental and spiritual health in today’s rapidly changing
Digital World. In the workshop, you will learn powerful & practical techniques for managing your mind and achieving wellness.
Swami Mukundananda to Visit Houston: ‘7 Mindsets for Success in Life and Beyond’
HOUSTON:
The quest for Mind Management is a practical necessity, not a lofty ideal, says Swami Mukundananda who is on a 30 City Tour this summer in the USA. He will be addressing the audience in this enthralling Seven day series from August 19– August 25, at India House, 8888 W Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX 77031 on “7 Mindsets for Success in Life and beyond”. Swami Mukundananda, received his degrees in Engineering and Management from two world famous institutes in India- Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) respectively. However, the call of God was so strong that a short while after landing a top corporate job, he renounced his professional career to take Sanyas, at age 23 in quest for God-realization. Since the last two decades, Swamiji has been travelling to various states of USA, India, Nepal and Singapore awakening thousands of seekers He is the senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and founder of JKYog. JKYog is a non-profit organization dedi-
cated to the spiritual, mental and physical wellness of Humankind, through true Yoga and Spirituality. Swamiji 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 children, he has established a special personality development program, called “Bal-Mukund”. It includes character building, yog, meditation and devotional singing. Swami Mukundananda will have a week-long program in Houston. The first hour of each day focuses on Yoga & Meditation followed by spiritual discourse and devotional chanting. In his programs, Swamiji chants the sweetest bhajans that inspire devotional love and transport the consciousness to subliminal heights. Swamiji’s enlightening discourses clarify the deepest concepts of the Vedic scriptures, with wit, and perfect logic. He has inspired people all over the world on the path of spirituality, holistic health, yoga, meditation, service to society and God realization. Admission to program is Free and Prasadam will be served after discourses. Free Registration is requested. During the first six days Swami Ji will be teaching techniques to Discover the limitless potential of
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Venue: India House, 8888 W Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX 77031. Dates & timings: Saturday-Sunday (08/19 - 08/20) 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM; MondayThursday (08/21 to 08/24) 6 PM – 9 PM; Workshop with Swamiji on Friday (08/25) 6 PM – 9 PM. Contact 281-630-5982, 832-377-6070, Email: houstonjkyog@gmail.com, Free Registration at www.jkyog.org/events/
contact:
713-789-6397
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
July 28, 2017 21 ADVICE 6 Unexpected Sun Facts: Stay Safe Out There
BY VANESSA ANNAND
FYI, you probably don’t know as
much about sun protection as you think. Americans are covering up less and seeking the sun more—even though UV radiation is the major risk factor for skin cancer. Sun exposure may also be to blame for as much as 90 percent of skin’s visible aging. That means more wrinkles and pigmentation for many sun worshippers. So why do fewer than 10 percent of us apply sunscreen every day? This needs to change. Here are six things you might not know about sun safety—and six things you should be doing to protect your precious skin. 14-year-olds may be up to 70 percent less likely to wear sunscreen compared to when they were 11
years old. Not surprisingly, researchers suggest that older kids are more likely to crave a sun-kissed (and skin-damaging) glow. Considering that just one severe sunburn sustained in childhood or adolescence can more than double one’s chance of developing melanoma, that’s pretty alarming. What to do: If you’re a parent, carry extra hats and sunscreen with you to ensure the kids and teens in your life protect themselves. 5 to 15 minutes in midday sun a few times a week may be adequate for some people to get sun-synthesized vitamin D, but remember: There’s no level of UV exposure that’s guaranteed as safe. It’s a catch-22: Our bodies manufacture vitamin D when we’re exposed to the same rays that cause skin damage. Fortunately, we
can largely get adequate vitamin D through supplements. What to do: To ensure you’re getting enough vitamin D, take a daily supplement with at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D year-round. 0.1 to 1% concentrations of a certain type of vitamin A called retinol in sunscreen can increase sun sensitivity. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) warns that vitamin A on sunlight-exposed skin may speed the development of skin cancer. Although many cancer agencies dispute this, it’s best to avoid the ingredient in sunscreen. What to do: Avoid sunscreens that contain retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate, retinoic acid or retinol. 2 basic types of sunscreen exist: chemical and physical. Physical zinc- and titanium-based mineral sunscreens don’t penetrate the skin and do a good job ensuring UV rays don’t, either. What to do: Check out the EWG’s annual sunscreen guide for a list of the best-rated natural sunscreens: ewg. org/sunscreen. 97 percent of sunburn-causing rays are blocked by SPF30 sunscreen. What you might not realize is that sunscreens with higher SPFs block little, if any, more UVB radiation than that. Sun protection factor (SPF) ratings, which are a measure of sunscreen’s ability to screen out UVB rays, can be confusing. The EWG warns that
extremely high SPFs can lead you to believe you’re better protected than you really are and that you can stay out longer in the sun, thus increasing damaging UV exposure. What to do: Generously apply broad spectrum (protecting from both UVA and UVB rays) SPF30; avoid higher SPF products. #1 spot where non-melanoma skin cancer appears is the face. In a recent
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
study, the ears were the third most common spot for at least one type of skin cancer to appear. Men were more likely to develop skin cancer of the ear, possibly because their shorter haircuts leave ears more exposed. What to do: Really protect the ears and face (that means getting every groove and ridge with sunscreen and sporting a hat). -Alive.com
22 July 28, 2017
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Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before August 2, 2017. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).
PUZZLES / RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Tofu te Mutter di Sabzi (Sauteed Tofu & Peas)
Solution Next Week
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soya bean wadiyan (dumplings) are now commonly available in grocery stores in North India, tofu, which is also derived from soya beans, is not a widely known product in India. But Indians overseas, especially where there is a large Oriental population, are quite accustomed to tofu, yet many don’t use it in their diets and are not aware of its benefits. Still others do not use tofu in cooking Punjabi dishes. Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food made by coagulating soy bean milk and then pressing the resulting curds blocks to drain the fluid and into white which can be soft, firm, or extra firm. Tofu is low in calories but relatively high in protein, iron, and depending on the coagulants used in manufacturing it, can have a high calcium or magnesium content. It is also a good source of copper, zinc and vitamin B1. Tofu offers many of the same benefits as the soya bean that it is derived from. It can lower cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, but does not increase HDL. It is also considered beneficial as an antioxidant, minimizing diabetes and reducing inflammation since it is high in beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and alphalinoleic acid. Tofu has a subtle flavor and is often cooked seasoned or marinated with other vegetables and meats. Because tofu has a neutral taste and arrange of consistency, it can be used with almost all types of foods and flavors. Tofu can be found in bulk or in small packages which are refrigerated, and once opened, should be rinsed and kept in water in the fridge. Unopened tofu can be frozen for upto 5 months. Tofu can often be used in place of paneer (fresh milk semi-soft cheese) in many dishes and does not have the high calories. This recipe is similar to the one made with paneer, but can be
made quickly and with less preparation, yet have lots of flavor. It’s a quick and simple dish that most enjoy! Ingredients: • 14oz pkt tofu (firm or extra firm) • 200 gm mutter (green peas) – frozen or fresh • 2 medium tamater (tomato) – soft ones are best, chopped • 1 small pyaaz (onion) – peeled and finely chopped • ½ teaspoon of lasan (garlic) powder (if desired) • 1 small piece of adrak (ginger) – peeled and finely chopped • 3 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil • Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), haldi (turmeric), fresh dhania (coriander), garam masala Directions: 1. Open the packet of tofu and press down on the cubes to drain the water. Let it sit till most of the water is drained. 2. With a sharp knife, cut the tofu into small ½ inch square cubes. 3. Place a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and warm it up on medium heat.
4. Place the cubes of tofu in the frying pan and brown both sides slightly and make sure the water is dried off. Take off the heat and place on a plate to cool down. 5. Prepare the masala in a medium saucepan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, then add the onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Stir well to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. When the mixture is slightly brown, add the salt, pepper and haldi and stir well. 6. Throw in the peas and stir well to coat and cook for a few minutes. If frozen, then let the peas thaw out first before using and cook for 5 minutes. If fresh, then let the peas cook a little longer in the saucepan. 7. Throw in the browned tofu cubes; stir to coat well and let it cook for 2 minutes. 8. Turn the heat off, cover the saucepan and let it sit for five minutes. 9. Before serving, garnish the dish with garam masala and the shredded fresh dhania. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur (since renamed Faisalabad), 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
WEEK TO AVOID BURN ING, USE A HEA VY BOTTOM POT WHEN M A K IN G D E S Many Indian swee ERTS ts are made usin
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
July 28, 2017
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
Munna (Tiger) is an orphan brought up by an ageing chorus dancer Michael (Ronit) in a Mumbai chawl. The boy grows up idolising Michael Jackson. To realise his dream of grooving like the King of Pop, he even agrees to tutor a hoodlum, Mahindar Fauji(Nawazuddin).
minutes, there is a--song, fight, song, fight and some more blah. Tiger has in the past made films like Heropanti, Baaghi work at the boxoffice with just his agility and sincerity. So director Sabbir Khan, whose third outing this is with the star-cub, continues providing formula for the
Munna Michael Movie Review Their bromance turns ugly when both end up falling in love with Deepika aka Dolly (Nidhhi). With Tiger around, filmmakers normally do not bother finding a script. Instead they just coast along joining the dots of a routine story with neatlychoreographed songs and fights at regular intervals. You can almost record screen proceedings with your stopwatch because after every 15
intellectually challenged. But Tiger fans will have a field day with his breakdancing. In what seems like an encore of his previous work, Tiger dances like a dream and breaks bones with the grace of a ballerina. You can only tell that this is a different film only because he mouths a different dialogue here. It goes, “Munna jhagda nahi karta, munna sirf pithta hai.”
How cleverly original that is! But, grant it to this star-son. He continuously pulls out weapons from his arsenal--back-flip, midair Van Dammesplit and kick, glide, moonwalk or a just bare-body shot—forcing his audience into submission, even though there’s no semblance of anything
coherent showing on screen. When the fidgeting reaches a frustrating point, you’re introduced to the land-grabbing, gun-toting goon, Mahindar, who hires Tiger to teach him some mean moves on the floor. Furthermore, this Don with a Rajasthani dialect explains that the reason
on a vacay in New York has started prepping up for his upcoming film ‘Chanda Mama Door Ke’, which is being helmed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, at the aeronautics and aerospace research centre NASA. Looks like the ‘Raabta’ actor seems to be enjoying each and every moment of his training at NASA as he has been sharing his excitement on his Instagram account. In the latest post by the 31-year old actor, we can see him posing for a picture dressed in an
astronaut’s uniform which he captioned “DREAMS do come true !!” Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur too joined in Sushant’s excitement and the two had a witty exchange on Twitter wherein Sushant spoke about spacesuits, neutral buoyancy, centrifuge, zero gravity, moon walking and ISS operations and much more. The film also stars R. Madhavan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in pivotal roles and is scheduled to release on January 26, 2018. -Times of India
he needs to correct his two left-feet condition is because he’s madlyin-love with Dolly, a dream-dancer from Meerut. Debutant Nidhhi, who is the bone of contention here, is overconfident and underwhelming by turn. She wears a neat shape on her but then again, it is Tiger’s chiseled frame that draws more whistles than the newbie’s. Nawaz continues to be a revelation in each film. Here he adds a new dimension to his terribly mean, horribly funny routine, making you chuckle. Well, if you’re in the mood to get rid of the monsoon blues with the foottapping ding dang, ding dang ditty, you should get introduced to Munna Michael; he’s not making breaking any new ground, but his moves are certainly infectious. -Times of India
Happy Birthday
Sushant Singh Rajput Enjoying Training at NASA for his New Upcoming Movie
Sushant Singh Rajput who was
23
Sanjay Dutt
July 29, 1959
Sonu Nigam
July 30, 1973
Sonu Sood
July 30, 1973
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Sunil Grover
August 3, 1977
24 July 28, 2017 India vs SL 1st Test: Dhawan, Pujara Tons Put India in Control at 393/3 BY KARTHIK KRISHNASWAMY
Seldom have Indian Test teams
gone on tour and enjoyed a first day this dominant. Batting first at one of the most bat-first grounds in the world, they cruised along at more than four an over while losing only three wickets, one in each session, going to stumps one short of 400. Shikhar Dhawan, back at the top of the order after missing India’s last 11 Tests, scored a century in a session for the second time in his career, rekindling memories of his blazing 187 on debut. Having surpassed that score, he fell three minutes from tea, failing to clear mid-off when he was ten short of a maiden double-hundred. Cheteshwar Pujara, who walked in in the eighth over of the morning, was still batting at stumps, on a serene 144 that was not only chanceless but almost without blemish. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball scorers, he was “not in control” only once while facing 247 deliveries. That statistic reflected how good a grassier-than-normal Galle pitch was to bat on, and how good Sri Lanka’s attack was to bat against, but also how impervious Pujara was to distraction of any kind. Also unbeaten at stumps was Ajinkya Rahane, who added an un-
T
Run barrage from Choteshwar Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan put India in control against Sri Lanka on the first day of the first test.
broken 113 with Pujara to shut the door on Sri Lanka after two wickets either side of tea had given them the most fleeting glimmer of hope. One of those wickets was of Dhawan. The other was of Virat Kohli, India’s captain, who was out to the short ball - as he was a couple of times in the ODIs in the West Indies that preceded this tour - tickling an attempted hook to the keeper. Nuwan Pradeep, who returned from the hamstring injury that had kept him out of the Test against Zimbabwe earlier this month, was Sri
Lanka’s only wicket-taker. He was no less patchy with his lines and lengths than the rest of Sri Lanka’s attack, but he produced two genuinely wicket-taking deliveries, the bouncer to Kohli and, in the eighth over of the morning, a good-length ball from around the wicket that straightened in the corridor outside off stump. Abhinav Mukund’s front foot hardly come out of his crease, and had just landed on its heel when he jabbed uncertainly in defence and edged behind. Six overs later, Sri Lanka let Dhawan off when he was on 31. Pitching
one up outside off, Lahiru Kumara induced Dhawan’s only loose drive of the morning session. Diving to his left from second slip, Asela Gunaratne got both hands to the ball but failed to hold on. Then he went off the field, holding on gingerly to an already heavily strapped left hand. It later emerged that the ball had fractured Gunaratne’s left thumb, and that he was unlikely to play any further part in the match. Insult followed injury. Dhawan made no other mistakes, moving to 64 by lunch. He had only hit eight fours in the first session, while still cruising at a strike rate in the 70s thanks to a proactive pursuit of quick singles, but exploded thereafter, hitting 23 fours, all around the dial, in the second session. Between lunch and his dismissal, Dhawan scored 126 off 90 balls, breaking Polly Umrigar’s India record of 110 in the post-lunch session, made during his innings of 172* in Port-of-Spain in April 1962. Virender Sehwag, who scored 133 in the post-tea session against Sri Lanka at the Brabourne Stadium in 2009, is the only Indian batsman to score more runs in a session. Dhawan stepped out 29 times, scoring 36 runs including seven fours, and Pujara danced down 50 times, scoring 39 runs including three fours. -espn.com
ICC Women’s World’s Cup: Mithali Raj’s Heroic Run Comes Up Short
here is no way to explain 1986, they played in two Mithali Raj at the crease. Test series. They won their She’s grace. She’s grit. second Test in 2002. She’s the reason eyes were India did not play in the invented. Time stands still, first World Cup in 1973, but not to let her play her shot they hosted the second in perfectly, which she will, 1978. They won their first but best we get to enjoy game in the following World every single last millisecCup when they defeated a ond of it. Lord’s was probteam called International XI ably built in the hope that (a team made up of the best one day she would turn up players who weren’t picked England’s reaction after Mithali Raj’s run-out tells to honour it. She’s scored the whole story of the World Cup final. for their nations). In 1988 more one-day runs than they didn’t play again. any woman alive. It shouldn’t matter, but in the end, It is not a good history. It’s And now all she has to do is get to it does. In 1973 the Women’s Cricket the history of an unloved child, occathe other end. Association of India was formed. sionally being let out of the basement, Punam Raut drops the ball on the When India made the 2005 World trying to please, and then disappearleg side and calls for a single to her Cup final they were still playing under ing again for years at a time. India hero. This single is nothing special, that body and not the BCCI. has regularly been called a country it’s not important in a game situation It wasn’t until 1976 that India obsessed with cricket, but almost exas India are on top, Raut is not strug- played their first Test, a series against clusively that cricket had to be played gling, and there is no huge reason to West Indies, where they won a Test with the correct chromosomes. get Raj back on strike. after a few draws. From 1977 until Mithali Raj is a great player who
has played 10 Tests. India made the 2005 World Cup final, primarily because Raj made 91* in the semi-final as India made 204. A few days later the final was played, India lost, but alongside Raj was Jhulan Goswami who took one wicket. These two women have been together for a very long time; they are Indian cricket. Or as Raj puts it: “She’s a player India should celebrate”. Goswami only went for nine runs off her first five overs; she was good, frugal, but not as damaging as she had been at other times this tournament. When she was brought back on for her second spell England were 133 for 3, Nat Sciver and Sarah Taylor were well on top and if India were going to win they needed wickets. Goswami’s first over back had a ball that went for three wides, it was a terrible ball and a keeping error. India looked gone. -espn.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
SPORTS
India’s Hockey League to Return Fresh in 2019
Owners of Delhi Waveriders, Jaypee Punjab Warriors and Ranchi Rays have expressed their inability to continue in the Hockey India League.
NEW DELHI: The future of Hock-
ey India League (HIL) looks jeopardised after only five seasons with the organisers postponing the next edition of the cash-rich tournament to 2019. Hockey India claimed that the move to not hold the HIL next year was taken to review the five seasons of the league. But sources aware of the development said the decision was taken after some cash-strapped franchises decided to withdraw from the event. According to sources present during HI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), at least three franchises were unhappy with the organizers and expressed their inability to be a part of the league any further due to financial issues. “We don’t know what is in store for the future. But some franchises were unhappy with the organizers, which has assured to bail them out. There are two franchises, which have serious financial issues and one more franchise has also threatened to discontinue participation if there isn’t a relaxation,” a HI official, who can’t come on record told PTI on Tuesday. “HI said that the league will return in 2019 but the future looks bleak,” he added. HI, however, claimed that tournament will return in 2019 with a fresh outlook. A statement from the organisers said that the tournament’s Governing Committee, comprising representatives of HI and other stakeholders, have unanimously decided to schedule the next edition of HIL in 2019 instead of 2018 January and February. “After five years of successfully organising the Hockey India League, we felt that it is time to review the league, evaluate its success and comeback with a fresh outlook that will benefit the development of the sport,” HIL chairman Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad said. -TimesofIndia
July 28, 2017
Nifty Closes above 10,000, Sensex Sets New Record on Capital Inflows valuations. “Better first quarter results and short covering ahead of F&O expiry took the market to new heights... On the global front, rising consensus expectations for status quo on US key interest rate is providing support to the market,” said Vinod Nair, BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty close at record Head of Research, Geojit highs on Wednesday. Financial Services. After hitting a fresh inUMBAI: Making record a habit tra-day life high of 10,025.95, the of sorts, the Nifty on Wednesday 50-share NSE index ended at a new closed above 10,000 in a first and the peak of 10,020.65, up 56.10 points, Sensex set a fresh life high, powered or 0.56%, surpassing its last closby unabated capital inflows amid ing record of 9,966.40 hit on July 24. Metal stocks contributed big, quarterly earnings optimism. Speculators covered their short po- tracking a rally in global commodity sitions ahead of the July derivatives prices— particularly base metals on expiry on Thursday, building up the expectations of rising demand from China and a weak dollar. momentum. Vedanta rallied 2.33% at a three FII inflows ensured there is enough liquidity to support the stocks despite year high after the company’s conlingering concerns over stretched solidated profit after tax doubled for
M
the June quarter. Tata Steel, Jindal Steel and Power and Hindustan Zinc went higher by up to 8.37%. The 30-share Sensex rallied to an all-time high of 32,413.63 too, before ending up 154.19 points, or 0.48%, at a new record 32,382.46. It broke previous closing high of 32,245.87 reached on July 24. The gauge has lost 17.60 points yesterday. A firming trend in Asia and a better opening in Europe kept the pitch conducive to more gains, with all eyes on the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate move. Renewed hopes of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at its policy meet early next month as the inflation dipped to record low accelerated the buying pace, traders said. Investors were also optimistic that more blue-chip companies might post encouraging earnings numbers in coming days. Risk appetite remained strong on the back of a slew of positive factors, including brightening prospects of
the economy, expectations of more reforms, monsoon progress so far and weakness in the dollar, the traders added. In the Sensex bag, Sun Pharma, ICICI Bank, M&M, HUL, Cipla and NTPC rose by up to 2.12%. Two-wheeler market leader, Hero MotoCorp firmed up 0.21% after the company yesterday posted a 3.5% growth in profit after tax for April-June. Private lender Yes Bank climbed 6.10% to close at an all-time high after the company’s net profit rose 32% for the first quarter ended June. Shares of Axis Bank, however, fell by 2.90% after a drop in net profit. Sector-wise, the BSE metal index came out on the top with a gain of 1.74% followed by capital goods, healthcare and banking. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 270.77 crore on Tuesday, as per provisional data. Domestic institutions net sold shares worth Rs 209.50 crore -livemint.com
RBI Stops Printing Rs 2000 Notes, Focus on New Rs 200 Notes
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) stopped printing Rs 2000 notes about five months ago and is unlikely to print more in the current financial year, said people aware of the development. The central bank, however, has stepped up the printing of other denominations, including new Rs 200 notes, the people added on condition of anonymity. About 3.7 billion Rs 2000 notes amounting to Rs 7.4 trillion have been printed, said one of the people cited above. That more than compensates for the 6.3 billion Rs 1000 notes that were withdrawn after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move on 8 November 2016. “Most of the printing that’s being done, about 90% is only Rs 500 notes. Nearly 14 billion pieces of new Rs 500 notes have been printed so far,” this person said. That is also
close to the 15.7 billion of old Rs 500 notes (amounting to Rs 7.85 trillion) withdrawn from circulation after 8 November. RBI data shows that currency in circulation stood at Rs 15.22 trillion as on 14 July, eight months after demonetization. This is about 86% of the Rs 17.7 trillion that was in circulation on 4 November. Separately, RBI’s printing press in Mysuru has also started printing the new Rs 200 notes, which are likely to come into circulation next month, according to a second person. “Initially, around a billion Rs 200 notes are expected to hit the market,” this person added. The central bank did not respond to an email seeking comment. The new batches of Rs 500 notes are expected to ease the shortage of Rs 2000 notes in circulation that is being reported in certain
parts of the country. The Economic Times first reported this shortage on 20 July. “The cash crunch which existed till two months ago has now eased with RBI increasing supply of Rs 500 notes over the last 40 days,” said Neeraj Vyas, deputy managing director, State Bank of India (SBI). “But we have also seen a sharp drop in the supply of Rs 2000 notes during this period.” RBI is possibly keeping the supply of Rs 2000 bank notes low because the central bank wants to get
the right mix, according to SBI chief economist Soumya Kanti Ghosh. In the initial days of remonetisation, RBI had focused on Rs 2000 notes to quickly increase currency in circulation. A 19 July report from SBI’s economic research wing showed that cash on hand with banks is high at 5.4% of currency in circulation comparedwith3.8%pre-demonetisation. This shows that there is excess cash lying in ATMs or bank branches, most of which could mostly be Rs 2000 notes, concluded the report. “Although we haven’t see any drop in supply of Rs 2000 notes, we expect it to be moved out of ATMs once Rs 200 notes hit the market,” said Radha Rama Dorai, country head, ATM and allied services, at ATM service provider FIS. -livemint.com
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Ola, Others Approach States to Launch E-taxis
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EW DELHI: Taxi aggregators, auto makers and component companies are betting big on India’s electric vehicle market, with ambitious plans to fit battery-powered systems in taxis, auto-rickshaws and buses with attractive funding options. A consortium of Ola, Mahindra Electric, TVS, Kinetic Safar, Acme Group and some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) has approached various state governments with innovative business models to electrically power taxis and autorickshaws. Industry insiders said other national and local vehicle aggregators are also working closely on the electric vehicle mission led by Indian Institute of Technology professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala. Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Bajaj Auto are among those eyeing the space, they said. Electric vehicles have created a buzz in the industry that is drawing up ambitious plans without waiting for a formal policy and incentives from the government, which wants batteries to replace liquid fuels as the predominant source of automotive power by 2030. For Kerala, the consortium has offered a plan to retrofit registered threewheelers with battery-operated systems at a nominal cost of Rs 100 per day or easy instalments of Rs 3,000 a month to recover the conversion cost of Rs 40,000 - 50,000, industry and government sources said. The exercise is cost-effective, quick and involves no regulatory hurdles, they said. -TimesofIndia
26 July 28, 2017 Ram Nath Kovind is Country’s 14th President, Talks of Building ‘India of Our Dreams’ in Inaugural Address
NEW DELHI: Ram Nath Kovind
took oath as the 14th President of India in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday. Chief Justice JS Khehar administered the oath of office to Kovind who swore to “preserve, protect and defend the constitution and law.” Former President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present at the ceremony. “I am accepting this position with all humility and I am grateful for this responsibility,” said Kovind in his inaugural address. He said he comes from a very simple background and feels privileged to walk on the same path as Dr.Radhakrishnan, Dr. Abdul Kalam and his predecessor, Pranab Mukherjee. “I bow to the 125 crore citizens of this great nation and promise to stay
true to the trust they have bestowed on me,” he added. He pegged India’s diversity as the key to the nation’s success. “Our diversity is the core that makes us so unique,” he said. He talked about combining tradition and technology, the “wisdom of an age-old Bharat and the science of a contemporary India” for the development of the nation. Calling each citizen a nation-builder, he said, “Nations are not built by governments alone. Nation building requires national pride. Each one of us is a custodian of India’s well-being and of the legacy that we will pass on to coming generations.” His speech highlighted the role played by various people like farmers, doctors, nurses, scientists, teachers, armed forces, public servant, tribals, women and ordinary citizen in the nation-building process. “Young person who founds a start-up and
becomes a job creator is a nation builder,” he said. “India’s voice counts in today’s world. (…) We have achieved a lot as a nation, but the effort to do more, to do better and to do faster is relentless,” he added. Kovind expressed the need to build a robust economy with a high growth. He also expressed hope for an educated, shared community and an egalitarian society. “This is the India of our dreams, an India that will provide equality of opportunities.” The newly-elected President Kovind then took the first salute at Rashtrapati Bhawan and accompanied former President Pranab Mukherjee to the latter’s house at 10, Rajaji Marg.
A lawyer by training, Kovind has previously served as the Governor of Bihar and is the second Dalit President of the country after KR
PM Modi Conducts Aerial Survey, Takes Stock of Situation in Flood-hit Gujarat
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Narayanan. He is also the first BJP leader to be elected to the country’s highest post. -indianexpress.com
several parts of these districts are Narendra Modi on Tuesday took flooded, he said. stock of the situation in the floodThree Indian Air Force (IAF) affected Banaskantha and Patan helicopters have been deployed in districts in north Gujarat, where Banskantha to airlift the stranded thousands of people are stranded locals as well as to distribute food due to incessant rains.+ packets. One column of Indian After landing in Ahmedabad in Army was also pressed in to resthe afternoon, PM Modi conducted cue people using boats. an aerial survey of the flooded “The rescue operations are goareas in the state. ing on in full swing as we are He then chaired a high level taking the help of Army, IAF, meeting attended by Gujarat chief BSF, NDRF and local police. minister Vijay Rupani, deputy CM Prime Minister Narenrda Modi undertakes Today, we have rescued around Nitin Patel and other state officials aerial survey in flood-affected parts of 400 people in Banaskantha with to discuss the floods in parts of the Gujarat. the help of three helicopters of state, even as rescue operations by the Air Force,” said state health the Indian Air Force (IAF), Army and minister at Parliament House Tues- minister Shanker Chaudhary, who the National Disaster Response Force day morning and apprised him of the is stationed at Deesa to oversee the (NDRF) were in full swing. situation arising out of the heavy rains rescue operations. At the meeting, a detailed presenta- and flood in Gujarat. Since morning, 113 people stranded tion on the heavy rain situation was The Army, IAF, NDRF and local in Shihori village of the district have shared. PM Modi also reviewed the teams have intensified rescue and been rescued and shifted to safer locaprogress of flood relief work. relief operations as several parts of tions by the Indian Army personnel, “I have taken stock of the situation Banaskantha and Patan districts+ who have been conducting the rescue due to floods. Officers from the gov- were inundated with flood water. operation using boats, said a release ernment of India will assist in short During the last 24 hours, at least 12 by the Defence PRO. term and long term measures... While talukas of Banaskantha, Patan and “One MI-17V5 took off from reviewing the situation, I could see Sabarkantha districts received over Deesa this morning and proceeded the government of Gujarat responded 200 mm of rainfall, a release issued to Totana village and winched up to the flood situation quite swiftly,” by the State Emergency Operations 14 people stuck in the mist of raging PM Modi said at a press briefing. Centre (SEOC). flood water to safety,” Defence PRO He added that every possible help Dantiwada in Banaskantha re- Abhishek Matiman said. will be extended to farmers, while mained the worst-hit with a whopping “Over 300 kgs of food packets were also promising Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to 463 mm rainfall, followed by Palan- air dropped at Gugal, Jenal Varan the families of those who lost their pur (380 mm), Vadgam(357 mm), and neighbouring villages to aid the lives in the floods and Rs 50,000 to the Amirgadh(337 mm) and Lakhani people marooned since yesterday,” wounded. He also announced an im- (305 mm). he added. mediate additional assistance of 500 At least 400 people were rescued in The other places which received crore rupees under the State Disaster Banaskantha district this morning. A very heavy rainfall during the last 24 Response Fund (SDRF). large number of locals were stranded hours include Patan taluka in Patan The Prime Minister said insurance in the floods after torrential rains district (295 mm), Deodar in Banascompanies including those dealing wrecked havoc in northern Gujarat kantha (284 mm), Idar in Sabarkantha with crop insurance may be advised for the last three days. (282 mm), Dhanera in Banaskantha to organise assessment of damage As the rains took a break this morn- (275 mm), Himmatnagar in Sabarto assets, crops etc quickly, and take ing, rescue operations in Banaskan- kantha(230), Saraswati in Patan (217 steps for early settlement of claims, tha and Patan districts gained mo- mm) and Deesa in Banaskantha (210 so as to provide immediate relief to mentum, an official said. mm). affected people. Hundreds of people are still wait-Times of India CM Rupani had called on the prime ing to be shifted to safer places+ , as
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