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Friday, August 10 2012 | Vol. 31, No. 32

Indo American erican News

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

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COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

IACCGH Seminar

If Your Head’s in the Cloud, You May Be Onto Something

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Almost without really knowing it, as we have gotten used to what our Smartphones can do for us, we have taken the leap into the realm of Cloud computing. The ubiquitous Smartphone has become more of an everyday Swiss Army knife of downloaded apps that can guide your daily life, find the places and bits of information that can help you decide not only what to do, but when and how much it will cost. There is virtually as much power available as your finger tips slide over the small screens as there is in most laptops, and often the apps behind the power are available for far less or even free from the mighty Computing Cloud that now hovers over us. This can mean a lot to a small business, helping it get off the ground quickly and cheaply, allowing them greater chances of success. That was the message that a panel of five who specialize in information technology gave to those who attended the “What does Clod mean to business?” seminar held by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston this past Friday, August 3 at the Westin Galleria Hotel. Moderated by Pankaj Dhume of BMC Software, the panel discussed the ways in which the business world is being transformed, such as through Integrated Voice Retrieval, a method to send callers to the right telephone connections, storing large files on an external server and using Cloud services like Dropbox or You Send It to exchange large files between professionals working on one project but physically separated by huge distances, say coast-to-coast. The panelists - Amod Bavare of Accenture; Gaurav Khandelwal of Chai One; Pinakin Dinesh of Fommy.com and Shashidhar Thakur of Google – shared their own experiences as developers and users of

Panel from left: Guarv Khandelwal (Chai One), Pinakin Dinesh (Fommy. com), Amod Bavare (Accenture) , Shashidhar Thakur (Google) and (speaking) Moderator Pankaj Dhume, (BMC Software).

Cloud computing. “There are some apps that can tell you what the traffic is like while driving and give you alternate routes,” said Thakur. “Or like video conferencing with multiple people which would be impossible if the Cloud did not compress information from different streams and merge them into one device.” But the experts also had words of caution for those planning to go onto the Cloud. Check the core activities that cost you the most, like accounting, and migrate to the cloud where it could save you money and add to your bottomline profit. Look at what is not mission critical and rent it off the cloud. Check the Service Level Agreements, even if, being a small business, you don’t have the clout to modify them. Keep backups of what you store on the Cloud in case your data gets hacked. And

consider buying an insurance policy for data in the Cloud. Even as Cloud computing is growing worldwide, for those new to it, the panel suggested taking baby steps, getting a fresh start and having a plan for a companywide Cloud rather than letting employees start their own. The panel agreed that the Cloud is here to stay, but to be careful not to store personal information in it as it could get hacked. “The cost of IT today is in the labor,” cautioned Thakur, “its not in the hardware.” After the session, the panelists fielded questions from those worried how Cloud computing could hurt them, like the lawyer who was afraid that accessing files from his client’s server might allow them to access his data too instead. Never download from someone else’s server, was the advice.

A Solidarity and Prayer Meeting

IACCGH President Ajit Thakur (left) listened to the high tech discussions. Photos: Bijay Dixit

Community Vigil in Solidarity at City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 9 Candlelight Vigil for the victims of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Shooting Thursday, August 9, at 6:45pm Steps of City Hall by the Reﬂection Pool 900 Smith For more information, call 832.393.1010 or email oic@houstontx.gov

For the victims of the hate crime at Sikh Gurudwara in Oak Creek, WI HOUSTON: The Indian American Community of Greater Houston will be holding a Solidarity and Interfaith Prayer Meeting on Sunday, August 12 from 5 to 6:30 pm at India House in remembrance of the victims and their families who were gunned down in a hate crime at Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Col. Raj Bhalla who is coordinating the meeting said “This barbaric attack within two weeks of a similar senseless shooting in Aurora Colorado clearly shows that gun violence is on the increase. We need stricter and tougher gun laws to avoid such deadly attacks. Our prayers are with the families of those who became victims of this gruesome crime and lost their lives”. The Indian American Community commend the valor of police officer Lt. Brian Murphy who was shot nine times protecting the victims. The Indian American Community plans to send a joint statement to President Barrack Obama requesting him to take necessary steps in minimizing the pain of the victims and their families and to bring any accomplices involved in this crime to immediate justice. The Community stands behind Governmental authorities and support their efforts in combating horrific crime of this nature. For more information call 281-265-4650 or 281-217-7330

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Sikh Temple Gunman Was Ex-Soldier Linked to Racist Group

BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN & JAMES B KELLEHER OAK CREEK, WI (Reuters): The gunman who killed six worshipers at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin was identified as a 40-year-old U.S. Army veteran and authorities said they were investigating possible links to white supremacist groups and his membership in skinhead rock bands. The assailant, shot dead by police at the scene on Sunday, was identified as Wade Michael Page. He served as a soldier in the Army from 1992 to 1998, said police chief John Edwards in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek where the 400-member temple is located. Survivors described women and children hiding in the pantry of the temple’s community kitchen as the gunman stormed through the building. “Everyone was falling on top of one another,” said Parminder Toor, 54, speaking in Punjabi as her daughter-in-law, Jaskiran Kaur, translated. “It was dark and we were all crammed in.” One of the women who made it into the pantry had been shot in the hand, and there was “blood everywhere,” said Toor. Federal authorities said they were treating the attack as a possible act of domestic terrorism. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, Page was a member of two racist bands named End Apathy and Definite Hate, “a band whose album ‘Violent Victory’ featured a gruesome drawing of a disembodied white arm punching a black man in the face.” A MySpace page for a band that appears to be one of those identified by the SPLC, End Apathy, includes songs with titles such as “Self Destruct,” “Submission” and “Insignificant,” as well as pictures of three heavily tattooed band members. “The music is a sad commentary on our sick society and the problems that prevent true progress,” the band’s profile says. Band T-shirts advertized on the page include one with the Roman numeral 14 -- a number the SPLC said was a reference to the 14-word white supremacist slogan “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” A YouTube video posted in 2009 of a song by Definite Hate, which appears to have been another Page band, shows a scroll of the lyrics that includes: “Wake Up, White

Alleged gunman Wade Michael Page is seen in this undated handout from the FBI, released at the Oak Creek Police Department on August 6, 2012.

man, For Your Race, And your land,” and “Wake Up People Or Your Gonna Die!” The SPLC pointed to a 2010 interview with white supremacist website Label 56 in which Page said he had played in various bands since 2000, when he left his native Colorado on a motorcycle. Two years earlier, in 1998, Page had been discharged from the Army for “patterns of misconduct,” according to military sources. Page had served in the military for six years but was never posted overseas. He was a psychological operations specialist and missile repairman who was last stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the sources said. In June 1998 he was disciplined for being drunk on duty and had his rank reduced to specialist from sergeant. He was not eligible to re-enlist. In recent months, Page moved to a suburb of Milwaukee called Cudahy. Peter Hoyt, who lives nearby, said he would often see Page sitting on his porch or walking the neighborhood. Page talked about an ex-girlfriend who had broken up with him or, sometimes, the Green Bay Packers. “He was friendly with me,” Hoyt said. “When I found out it was him, I was astounded.” David Brown, a 62-year-old veteran who wears a Navy hat, recalled only perfunctory

greetings with Page, who lived in an apartment below him in South Milwaukee with a woman and her five-year-old son before he moved to Cudahy. He said Page was a delivery driver and drove a plain white van. He also saw him on several occasions with a guitar case. “He was very inside himself. He didn’t talk much,” said Brown. “I would say ‘Hi’ to him and all I would get would be a ‘Hi’ back. I tolerated him and he tolerated me.” LONE GUNMAN FBI special agent Teresa Carlson said authorities were interviewing Page’s family and associates searching for a motive behind the shooting that killed six people and seriously wounded three, including a police officer, at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. A fourth person was wounded less seriously. The dead were five men and one woman, aged between 39 and 84. Members of the Sikh community said the president of the congregation and a priest were among the victims. American Sikhs around the country added security to temples, with some saying they have been singled out for harassment since the September 11, 2001, attacks because they are mistaken as Muslims due to their colorful turbans and beards. Describing how the events unfolded, Chief Edwards told reporters the first officer on the scene found a victim in the temple parking lot and went to render assistance. The officer was then shot eight or nine times at very close range with a handgun, Edwards said. The gunman then fired on a police car, ignoring officers’ commands to drop his weapon, and was shot and killed by police. The wounded officer was identified as Brian Murphy, 51, a 21-year veteran of the force. Even though he had been hit, Murphy had waved away other officers coming to his aid, urging them to go into the temple to help others, Edwards said. Edwards said they were confident Page was a “lone gunman. The FBI had said it

was searching for a person of interest in the case, but a law enforcement official said the person had been located and cleared. Officials said the weapon Page used was a 9mm handgun that had been legally purchased. Page emptied several magazines and several more unused magazines were found on the scene. Wisconsin has some of the most permissive gun laws in the country. It passed a law in 2011 allowing citizens to carry a concealed weapon. President Barack Obama said Americans need to do more “soul searching” to find ways to reduce violence. “All of us recognize that these kinds of terrible, tragic events are happening with too much regularity,” Obama said at a White House bill-signing ceremony when asked whether further gun control measures were needed. The shooting came just over two weeks after a gunman killed 12 people at a theater in Aurora, Colorado, where they were watching a screening of the new Batman movie. There are 500,000 or more Sikhs in the United States. The Sikh faith is the fifthlargest in the world, with more than 30 million followers. It includes belief in one God and that life’s goal is to lead an exemplary existence. Sikh leaders say the number of incidents of violence against their community in the United States is growing. At a news conference on Monday, Amardeep Kaleka said his father, Satwant Singh Kaleka, the temple president who was killed, represented the American Dream. “He came over with $100 in his pocket,” the son said. “He worked his behind off, 18 hours a day in some of the worst neighborhoods ... He became a very successful businessman.” Amardeep Singh, program director of the Sikh Coalition, said Sikhs had become “collateral damage” in a 24-hour news machine that uses dark-skinned, bearded, turbaned men as visual shorthand for terrorists.

Read more on page 22

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Sanjana Jhaveri: A Passion for Dance

and Muthukumar (flute), the program promises to be a visual and audio treat. It is said that those that excel in one field are usually very good at others too, perhaps because they do not like being second best at anything. Not only artistically, but academically also, Sanjana is a high achiever. A straight ‘A’s’ student at Clements High School (she will be a junior this year), Sanjana is a born leader. She is Director of Public Relations and Programs for the Jain Fellowship of Houston, was class President of her school’s Student Council in the ninth and tenth grades, and recently won at a national level and qualified for the International DECA competitions in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is a teenager of many parts. An excellent piano player, she also plays the flute with equal felicity, has been studying Odissi for the past three years, loves photography and traveling, and has a huge circle of adoring family and friends. Sanjana’s goal is to major in Business and Finance, and once you meet this young lady, you will know that she will pursue her dreams on her own terms, with no compromises. Photos: Mahesh Mahbubani

HOUSTON: In 2003, a willowy girl with the body of a ballet dancer, was taken to the Anjali Center to start her training in Bharatanatyam with Mrs. Rathna Kumar, its Director. Sanjana’s mother Shefali, herself a dancer at one time, was very keen on her daughter pursuing the classical art form dear to her heart and fulfilling the dream that she had had for herself. And Sanjana has more than fulfilled that dream. On Saturday, August 11, after nine years of rigorous and continuous training, Sanjana will present her Bharatanatyam Arangetram (solo debut performance) at the Ridgepoint High School in Missouri City (in Sienna Plantation), at 4.00 PM. Sanjana has been blessed with a natural grace, a keen sense of rhythm, and a musicality which helps her ‘connect’ with her dances. This is not surprising, since Sanjana’s father, Chetan Jhaveri, is a Hindustani classical singer and a student of Pandit Suman Ghosh. So, inheriting her love for dance

HSS Celebrates Raksha Bandhan

from one parent and her musicality from the other, Sanjana has blossomed into a very talented, and, more than that, a focused and dedicated dancer with a great potential. Sanjana has participated in numerous group performances all over the city, at a variety of events and venues, including the Houston International Festival, the City Hall, the International Jaina Convention in Houston, and a host of others. Especially for Sanjana’s Arangetram, her Guru, Rathna Kumar, has choreographed some off-thebeaten-track dances that have not been attempted before, 0612-35_TexasDMA_IndoAm_10x7.pdf 1 7/5/12 2:25 PM and with excellent musical support from Srikanth (vocal), Kesavan (percussions)

HOUSTON: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA Inc. (HSS), Houston chapter celebrated the traditional Raksha Bandhan festival by tying rakhi to Congressman Pete Olson and his staff on August 6 in his Sugar Land office. Uniquely interpreting the festival as “Universal Oneness Day,” HSS observed Raksha Bandhan by reaching out to Hon. Congressman Pete Olson by tying the traditional rakhi, and extending greetings ,highlighting the Hindu belief of the oneness to all humanity. HSS has celebrated Raksha Bandhan as Universal Oneness Day since 2004, broadening the scope of the traditional holiday from the family to the community with the simple idea that each person should love and protect all others. Along with Universal Oneness Day, HSS has developed other unique outreach efforts such as the Surya Namaskar Yogathon during Makar Sankranti and the Guru Vandana teacher appreciation event. For more information about HSS, visit www.hssus.org

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YLDP Selects 40 Youngsters for Fall Start of Youth Development Program

Members of the Board of Directors of the YLDP at the recent evaluation of new prospective students at India Hous this past Saturday. Photo: Jawahar Malhotra

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BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It wasn’t just another college-entrance or job interview that drove nearly 38 young high-schoolers to dress in their best outfits and seek a chance to meet with the four screening teams. With bright-eyed enthusiasm, nervous energy and clutching on to their school awards and certificates, the group of aspirants to the next session of the Youth Leadership Development Program sat in the hallways of the India House this past Saturday, August 4, awaiting their turn to be interviewed. “Fifty-five kids applied for the program and we will select 40,” explained YLDP President Sushma Bhan. A follow-up screening session is scheduled for Monday, August 13. The waiting was the hardest part for them, as the teams of screeners (of which this reporter was a participant) met with each ap-

plicant for at least ten minutes to see what their level of skills were, both interpersonal and knowledge of the world and what they expected the YLDP to do for them. The process showed how the teenagers saw themselves in the world – some were born leaders, some needed some nudging – and how involved they were in current affairs (it turned out that most weren’t!). Each YLDP starts in late September, and includes eight sessions over eight months, followed by a summer internship and graduation in August. “This year our main speaker is Dr. Dinesh Thakur,” said Bhan, who runs the program with 10 other Board members. YLDP started in 2008, but spun off last year into a 501(c) organization and this year’s program will be its foray as an independent group. The fourth year’s graduation is slated for Friday, August 17 at India House.

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Upakar Foundation Unveils 2012 Scholars

DETROIT: Upakar Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2012 scholarship awards. This year’s four awardees: Fazila Vhora of Harvey, Illinois; Reema Patel of Spring Hill, Florida; Anup Chandora of Lilburn, Georgia; and Krystle Thomas of Germantown, Wisconsin. The class of 2016 joins twelve other high-achieving students who will be renewed as Upakar scholars in 2012-13. “We are delighted to welcome these outstanding students into the Upakar family,” Vice- President Nirupma Rohatgi said. “The class of 2016 stacks up with any other in our history. Upakar will enjoy the opportunity to support these students over the next four years and beyond.” Upakar was created in 1997 to combat the “model minority” stereotype that every Indian-American can afford a college education. Around twelve percent of IndianAmericans live below the poverty line, according to recent census data. The organization’s mission is to help Indian-American students realize their educational goals, providing annual scholarships that acknowledge academic excellence and consider financial need. The scholarship program has now supported 118 students from 30 states

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across the country. “Fifteen years and counting for Upakar,” Treasurer Nithya Nagarajan said. “Our core support remains strong, but costs are rising, and the need is growing. With the community’s support, we can help the next generation of exemplary professionals.” Upakar awards scholarships to students born in India or who have at least one Indianborn parent. The scholar must be a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder. Financial need is determined by family adjusted gross income (AGI). Scholars must have attained a raw high school grade point average above 3.6. Finally, as long as a scholar’s grades exceed 3.3, Upakar will renew the scholarship for four years. “As students’ needs evolve, so does Upakar,” President Jyotsna Gupta Jalil said. “Our new community college scholarships will allow Upakar to reach a new audience. We expect more applications from a broader diversity of students in 2013 and beyond.”

Applications for 2013-14, including the new community college scholarships, will be available in January 2013. The submission deadline for all scholarships will be May 1. Visit Upakar website: www.upakarfoundation.org for more info.

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(281) 564-9500 Alumni and mentors gathered recently to welcome the incoming 2012-13 class of SOS, a new organization founded by Biki Mohindra to mentor business and social skills to all age groups. The open house was hosted by Wheatstone Resource Group’s A.J. John (standing far left).

HOUSTON: SOS (Share Our Secrets) is a unique life-skills development program based on the simple principle of looking at people from their point of view instead of our own. It is designed to give young professionals a platform for change. “Too often we get mired in our daily grind, held down by selfinflicted boundaries and we don’t take the time or make the effort to assess ourselves, our goals, and our desires,” explained Farida Hasanali, President Emeritus of SOS. “Through the SOS program ,individuals are provided an opportunity to break through the mediocrity of everyday life and to propel themselves forward personally and professionally at warp speed.” The educational component of SOS consists of 10-12 classes held on Saturday mornings twice a month. Saturday sessions end during lunch where students get to hear from, learn from and meet an accomplished successful mentor who shares his/her life story with

them. This gives students an opportunity to ask personal questions in a small group setting. Many students believe the speaker sessions are the best part of the day because they get an opportunity to see some of the SOS principles in action. The Circle of Influence (COI) Group, formed by invitation only, has a uniquely different goal under the SOS umbrella. Consisting of people who are a little more established than the students, this group is focused on building a strong network of individuals who can help them grow professionally and personally. The COI is invited to speaker sessions and other networking events where they get a chance to get to know the students and may even become future mentors for them. The SOS Program boasts many accomplished speakers such as Mark Ostrofsky, entrepreneur and author of “Click it Rich,” Shawn Wharton, CIO, BP NAGP; Amit Bhandari, CEO of BioUrja Trading; Felix Fraga, Houston City Council member, Somesh Singh,

VP Engineering and GM India Development Center at NetIQ, Dr. Johnella Bradford, Dean - Houston Community College Southeast and many more. During the networking event, founder Biki Mohindra said SOS is part of his attempt to “pay it forward.” “When I first came to Houston, I had little knowledge of how to get ahead in life and move up the corporate ladder. A couple of University of Houston business professors took me under their wings and taught me these skills. When I asked them how I could pay them back, they said, pay it forward.” Alumni of the SOS classes were full of praise for the skills they acquired. Kevin Kalra, a student of the second class, cited the SOS sessions in providing the skills and confidence in gaining admission to a graduate program at Harvard University. For more information on how you can get involved, contact SOS President, Archana Laxmisan at archana.laxmisan@gmail.com.

Jagdip Ahluwalia Chairs Houston Mayor’s International Trade Council-South Asia to Promote Trade and Tourism

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HOUSTON: Jagdip Ahluwalia, new Chairman, City of Houston’s “Mayor’s International Trade Development Council-South Asia” conducted his first meeting a Chair on July 27, 2012 at City Hall outlining his general goals for his term. Ahluwalia was joined by his Executive committee Chair Elect Attorney George Willey, Secretary Nishan Khan and members of the council. Presentations were made by officials from the Houston Airport System, Port of Houston and the Greater Houston Partnership. Under the leadership of Mayor

Jagdip Ahluwalia

Annise Parker, the Mayor’s International Trade and Development Council has refocused its mission

on identifying and expanding business opportunities for Houston. The Council is subdivided into seven regional sub-Councils, each representing a geographic region: Africa, the Americas, Asia & Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, and South Asia. The Overarching goal of the MITDCs has been to expand the constructive dialogue between Houston’s international business community and the City government, and to jointly identify opportunities to promote the city of Houston globally – economically, educationally and in tourism.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

Maharaja Bhog: A Unique Thali Experience

HOUSTON: Indias First Thali Restuarant in Mall Culture Since 2004 has now launched its premium brand as “Maharaja Bhog”. The Brand Maharaja Bhog serving A Premium Vegeterain Thali is owned and promoted by Maheshwari Foods & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. After having developed an expertise in the hospitality and restaurant business and successfully running premium locations in India and Dubai, the grand owner Ashish Maheshwari has now opened another outlet in Houston. Under the excellent and experienced management team, Maharaja Bhog offers a delectable Indian cuisine that blends foods from all parts of the Indian subcontinent. The group is committed to serve authentic and hygienic food along with good service. At Maharaja Bhog, the thali is unlimited all you can eat as much

as one wishes too. It consists of steamed and fried farsan ( Appetizer ) along with one special dish of the day ( served in evening and weekend ), Four Different type of Vegetables , Two types of tra-

Pradeep Sulhan, P.C.

ditional Indian breads , Four types of Lentils , Two types of Rice and Khichdi , Two types of sweet dishes , poppadums , pickles , the food is washed down with Maharaja Bhog special herb Butter milk ( Chass ) . Maharaja Bhog serves 30 menu items in a Thali on one day with 30 days rotating menu, one menu for each day of the month, which is a total of 900 dishes per month. The menu keeps on changing from time to time and season to season. The food is served in traditional home style and is fresh and natural. No artificial, frozen or canned food is used in the preparation. The Brand Maharaja Bhog Stands for vegetarian food and is healthy for us and for the Global Plane. Maharaja Bhog is located at 8338 SW Freeway, Houston, TX 77074. For more information call 713-771-BHOG (2464).

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12 August 10, 2012

Deepak Chopra

COMMUNITY

Houston Chapter Of Akshaya Patra Foundation to Present a Lecture by Deepak Chopra During Fall

HOUSTON: The Houston chapter of The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA will present An Intimate Evening with Deepak Chopra on Sunday, September 9, 2012 at the Westin Galleria in support of the foundation’s mission to address two of the most immediate challenges facing India today: hunger and education. Dr. Deepak Chopra is known worldwide for his views and books on physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellness. In addition to being a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine and cofounder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, he is also an Advisory Board Member of the

Akshaya Patra Foundation USA. Time magazine included Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the last century, crediting him as “the poetprophet of alternative medicine.” He has served as a presenter and keynote speaker at an impressive array of events involving countless global leaders throughout his long and distinguished career. Chairing this fall’s An Intimate Evening with Deepak Chopra are Philamena and Arthur Baird, Anuradha and Mani Subramanian, Nidhika and Pershant Mehta and Leena and Ash Shah on behalf of the Houston chapter of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to efficiently feeding millions of underprivileged children of India every day. The event

is an opportunity to support the pioneering efforts of Akshaya Patra in helping not only India, but with the potential for the program to be replicated globally. The Akshaya Patra Foundation debuted over ten years ago to address India’s most pressing challenges of hunger and education. Today, Akshaya Patra serves over 200 million meals each year to schoolchildren from its 21 highly efficient kitchens. At the cost of only 13 cents per meal, every dollar raised by Akshaya Patra provides meals for 8 children. Sadly, millions of children of India work every day, in lieu of attending school, simply to be able to feed themselves each day. By providing these daily meals to the children at no cost to them, the Akshaya Patra Foundation helps further the youth education, providing for them a crucial incentive to stay in school rather than quitting to work just to earn enough to eat. For more information on The Akshaya Patra Foundation and/or this upcoming event, visit www.foodforeducation.org or call 713850-2116.

Anushka Oak Wins Three Gold Medals at Houston AAU Junior Olympic Games HOUSTON: Houston hosted the 2012 AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Junior Olympic Games from July 24 to August 4. Twelve year old Anushka Oak, a resident of Sugar Land, won 3 gold medals - Girls under 14 singles, Girls under 14 doubles and Girls under 14 team partnering with Anna Subonj also from Sugar Land. She also won her division singles. Anushka was also awarded the Joel Ferrell memorial award for outstanding performance, the most prestigious award in the AAU games for each sport. Anushka plays at the Houston Table Tennis Association. Anushka Oak, Anna Subonj and Sophia Huang also won a silver medal at the 2012 US Open Table Tennis Tournament held at Grand Rapids, MI from June 30 - July 4. in the junior girls (under 18) team event. Anushka is a student at The Honor Roll School Sugar Land. She is coached by Wang Huijing and Miao WeiXu of Houston Table Tennis Association.

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August 10, 2012

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COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

At American Kerala Medical Convention, Dr. Freemu Varghese Assumes Presidency

DETROIT: The Association of Kerela Medical Graduates held its annual convention this year in Detroit to many of their members who attended the three-day event from July 12 through 14. The 33 year-old association of physicians of Kerala origin was organized as a cohesive measure to provide a forum across North America, for scientific, educational, cultural and social interaction among ts members. Each year, the group and their families meet to encourage a sense of professional alliance in the annual convention. AKMG is open not only to physicians and dentists who are alumni of medical and dental schools of Kerala, but also to any physician or dentist of Kerala heritage practicing in the United States or Canada and has an estimated 3,000 members. The convention in Detroit began with a cruise dinner along the Detroit River, with entertainment from Detroit’s own ‘Persuasion’ music ensemble performing Motown classics. On Friday, July 13, entertainment was by Satish Menon, a talented IndoAmerican singer . The Banquet was held on Saturday and featured Dr. K.J. Yesudas celebrating the 50th year of his musical career. At the banquet, the national Presidency of the AKMG was passed on from Dr. K.C. Joseph to Dr. Freemu Varghese of Houston with a ceremonial passing on the gavel. Dr. Freemu Varghese specializes in nephrology in Houston with over 32 years of experience. He completed his post graduate work in Christian Medical College, Ludhiana then completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center and a fellowship at UT Houston. His

Dr. K.C. Joseph (left), past president of Kerala Medical Graduates, handling the gavel to Dr. Freemu Varghese.

wife Rachel appears in a TV series in India. His daughter Serena is in medical school in Cochin and will have a lead role in the movie “2-Gentlemen”, while his son Aaron is studying at Baylor University. Varghese is also president of Houston-based Freedia Entertainment which has produced several Malaylam stage shows in the US and Canada. Freedia is the distributor of the upcoming Malayalam mega movie ‘Simhasanam’ releasing in 150 theatres in India and the producer of a new movie titled ‘2 Gentlemen’, a comedy thriller which may be redone in Hindi later. A third movie to be shot in New York with Malyalli megastars is in initial stages. Freedia will present ‘Soorya Festival’ for the first time across the US during April and May 2013 and bring the renowned playback singers M. G. Sreekumar and Chitra show in August-September 2013. Next year, AKMG’s convention will be held in Houston in August, during the time of Onam, at the Hilton of the Americas. M. G. Sreekumar and Chitra, along with a live orchestra, will be the featured attraction of the banquet night

स�यमेव जयते

Kusum Sharma’s

Houston’s

Same

Shri Natraj School Of Dance

Original Ram Leela same cast (Ram, Sita, Laxman, Ravan) as 2010 & 2011

In Association with

I.A.C.H.F Presents

Ram Leela 2012: Journey of Lord Rama

Director (Kusum Sharma) Venue (Cullen Performance Hall) 2010 & 2011

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Grand Sponsor Jugal and Raj Malani

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For sponsorships and booths Sachin Sharma (832) 330-0642 Sukhi Kohli (832) 526-0407 Kusum Sharma (832) 423-2039

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6:00PM Cullen Performance Hall

Gold Sponsors Shri Radha Krishna Temple KP and Manju Wadhwani Aling’s Hakka Chinese Exclusive Radio Partner

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Silver Sponsors Hindus of Greater Houston Jiten and Shalu Agarwal Dhanvanti Gupta and Raj Sharma Udipi Café Restaurant Ruchi Passi (A.G.L.A) Dr. Rachna Bhalla MD P.A

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COMMUNITY

A Chance Meeting and Opportune Exchange with the President of Ghana

BY ATUL VIR HOUSTON: I was fortunate enough to meet with Vice-President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana during his recent visit to Houston. He was on a tour of the US to meet with investors interested in his country, as well as to promote his book, “My first Coup d’Etat and other true stories from the lost decades of Africa”. Ghana (formerly known as Gold Coast) is located in West Africa and was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to get independence from Britain in 1957. Kwame Nkrumah was the first President and a contemporary of Jawaharlal Nehru in ideology. Unfortunately Nkrumah was overthrown by army officers a few years later and this was followed by successive violent regime changes for many decades. Mahama’s father was a Minister in Nkrumah’s government and was arrested along with other members of the government at the time of the coup. Mahama talked about these years and vividly described the effect of this on his family and also the greater effect it had on the country. In the early 90s, Ghana emerged once again as a multi-party democracy, with successive governments getting elected, and the military standing by. Until recently Ghana was known for its gold, cocoa, coffee and timber. Oil was discovered just a few years ago and it has been a hot-spot for investment. With its vast and as yet fully untapped natural resources, Africa is becoming the next frontier for investment from the US, China and India. I told Mahama that I felt a kinship with

I was in the 6th grade and my housemaster read “King Solomon’s Mines” to the dorm before “lights out” at 9 pm. I later got an opportunity to work in Africa and spent 8 years there, travelling to Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. I met my wife Arti while I was in Africa and convinced her to quit her job as an environmental scientist with the New York Attorney General’s office (then located on the 47thfloor of the World Trade Center). She recalls friends and family asking her, “You Houston businessman Atul Vir with the new President of Amrita (left), Atul and Aarti Vir in native are moving to…AfGhana Dramani Mahama during his visit to Houston last Togoan attire at the Fela tribute concert rica…?” month to promote his book. this June. The first coup d’etat I experienced was a few Mahama is a product of the elite Achim- days after my arrival in Lagos, Nigeria in him due to the many years I spent in Africa including Ghana, the fact that we are only ota School of Accra, formerly the Prince of December 1983. The company guest house two weeks apart in age, our common in- Wales School, started by the British in co- was in Ikoyi close to Dodan Barracks, the terest in Osibisa (a British Afro-pop band, lonial times to educate future African lead- Army Headquarters. The silence of the night founded in London in 1969) and the revo- ers. On my part, I did my schooling at the was punctured with the staccato of gunfire lutionary music of Fela (a Nigerian multi- renowned Lawrence School, Lovedale, in and the rumbling of tanks on the street. A instrumentalist musician and composer, Tamil Nadu started by Sir Henry Lawrence bullet pierced my bedroom window. The pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights ac- in 1855 to educate children of British sol- next morning there was only martial music tivist and political maverick), as well as our diers”. playing on TV and the radio. My fascination with Africa started when shared experiences in boarding school. CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

August 10, 2012

Jism 2

Sunny Leone Pulls Off Tricky Act BY SRIJANA MITRA DAS Story: Porn star Izna uses her jism to take revenge on cop-turned-criminal Kabir - but can Izna trust intelligence officer Ayaan? Movie Review: Jism-2 is a sexy movie - but it’s not as dirty a picture as you might expect. Surprisingly, Jism-2 hovers over sex, like a butterfly gliding across one of the many water pools the movie features. The few times the film does jump in, it lands in the shallow end. That’s despite a hot start featuring amply-endowed Izna (Leone), all red lingerie, glistening high heels, tight suspenders and generous cleavage, riding intelligence bureau (IB) officer Ayaan (Singh) on a hotel room bed. The film’s first make-out scene thus firmly embedded in its first three minutes, Izna wakes to a hangover and an offer. Ayaan and superior officer Guru Saldanah (Zakaria) will give her ten crores to take revenge on Kabir (Hooda), her former lover who went from honest cop to political assassin - while also going insane. “Isi bahane tum mulk ki madad bhi kar logi,” Ayaan tells Izna, who agrees. Why? Because Kabir left her one fine night - and vanished. Hence, pretending to be engaged to Ayaan, Izna moves next door to Kabir, hiding out as a musician in Galle, Sri Lanka. She walks about wearing tiny shorts, clingy tops and a wounded air, even chucking a rock at Kabir who still finds her jism and attitude irresistible. Seeking his secret data, Izna fakes leaving Ayaan to marry Kabir. But there’s a problem - Ayaan’s in love with Izna. And Kabir’s got doubts.

Jism-2 offers several surprises, foremost being Leone’s performance. As the dazzling, yet dazed Izna, Leone pulls off a tricky act that showcases both her eyes and bust in equal measure. At times, you forget Leone’s physical assets, especially when she seals the ﬁlm with a dynamite closing line. Sunny may be honeytrap - but despite spending most of the movie in plunging night-wear, she conveys delicacy and grace. Hooda’s act is jerkier - at times, he gazes at Izna with tenderness you can touch. At others,

his head-holding anguish makes you wince. The direction is shaky - in one sequence, Kabir’s practically killing a cello with his song, hacking the instrument to the screechy Ishq bhi kiya - but then, according to the IB, he is going insane. Still, Jism-2’s second surprise is the quality of Hooda’s voice, almost Naseer-like at times, warm, caressing, with perfect diction. This, despite the ridiculous lines the actors mouth, like “Us jaanwar ko apne dil mein paala tha usne, she

knowshimbest.”Zakaria’s saddled with the worst. Describing his work, he says, “I’m like a mukhiya without the moustache”, looking uncomfortable throughout his badly-ﬁtting role. As does Singh, who sulkily pouts his way through, telling Izna to read their fake love story in a novel - “Especially pages 16 to 30 - aur padhne ke baad jala dena.” Which, being busy, she doesn’t, leaving interesting reading for Kabir to ﬁnd. Without such plot absurdities, Jism-2 could have been tighter. Slicker. And hotter. Instead, with unexplained turns (how does Izna go from good girl to porn star?) and over-acting, it’s often limp, salvaged by its last 20 minutes of suspense when Izna learns new facts about the IB. Still, Jism-2 offers one more surprise, earning it a couple more points. It’s pleasingly aesthetic, all its sensuousness clad in spa-like serenity, its lighting - golden gossamer, dusty hazes, cool, pale moonlight - actually its sexiest asset. Thank heavens for foreplay. TOI

Katrina Kaif Bags 7-Crore Ad Deal Katrina Kaif will surely give her contemporaries a run for money. She is not only the highest paid actress in Bollywood but the diva is also quoting high for endorsement. She has been approached by a paint company to feature in their ad and guess what the actress is demanding. Pushing Kareena Kapoor far behind, Katrina is demanding a whopping of 7 crore. Bebo had earlier set a record by endorsing cola brand at Rs 5 crore. A source says, “Katrina is in her peak period with three big films in her kitty. She also has a major fan following among the youth of the country. Now she has 12 brand endorsements too. The same brand is also being endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan. The deal has come through at the right time since her first big film of the year is releasing this Eid. Kat’s film with SRK will also release soon after.” With three films of Yash Raj banner in her kitty, Katrina Kaif is over the moon. Her next release is ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ opposite Salman Khan and for the film success the actress headed to Ajmer Shariff despite ban to seek the blessings of God. - Bollywoodmantra

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 10, 2012

Don’t Make Light of It

EDITORIAL

Understanding the Sikhs

This has been a season of shocks. In every sense of the word. The BY PAUL BRANDEIS RAUSHENBUSH In the immediate aftermath of severe power blackouts last Monday and Tuesday left 680 million people in the dark even as we were sweltering in the mid-summer the horrific shooting at the Sikh heat. The northern grid collapsed in a domino sequence with no Gurdwara (that’s the name of a Sikh House of Worship, not temone sure of when it would hum to life again. It did eventually, but ple, not church), the media began the losses in productivity, in human suffering, in infrastructure to emphasize the difficulty many breakdown have still to be calculated. Americans have distinguishing bePower blackouts aren’t really the right calling card for any tween Sikhs and Muslims. As Jian Ghomeshi tweeted: “It’s aspiring global economic superpower. Bangalore, TibetansIndia’s and airBhutanese Buddhists have written to the company, Icon both interesting and disturbing that conditioned city, had factored in the value of power many moons feeling for the promoting need to Shoes, to express CNN theirkeeps disgust a range of shoes with the ago. India’s software industry learnt quite early that uninterrupted point out that Sikhs are not MusLord Buddha's power formed the foundations of an efficient global back-office.images. lims.” (Photo courtesy: Icon Shoes) Even some Sikh commentaIt is better to set up your own captive units to keep the workstations running to fuel aspirations for jobs and prosperity among the tors found a need to make it clear middle classes. Likewise, up north, large generators are wheeling that that they are peaceful people, which had a disturbing undertone out power to keep the lights on and ACs running in plush buildings of differentiating themselves from to beat the blistering heat. the bad, warring Muslims. And come to think of it, truant rains played a big part in it. Scanty This is a good learning moment for the American people of all summer rains, already running 15% below normal, has spiked religions, and especially for the power demand. Worse, many power stations in India have just American media. Yes, Sikhs are about a week’s coal left to keep their furnaces burning to produce not Muslims and Sikhs are not electricity, critical to keep the growth engine chugging along in Hindus, but jumping to clarify “Sikhs are not interested in being identified as Asia’s third largest economy. difference leaves the unfortunate, “not Muslim.” American Sikhs would rather India’s infrastructure deficit is obvious to the first-time visi- if unintentional, perception that their tradition be understood for what it is, tor as well as to those well acquainted with the country. From there is something wrong with those “others.” rather than what it is not.” overstretched airports to heavily congested roads, power cuts I am reminded of the run up to and strained capacity at ports, India’s creaky infrastructure is in the election four years ago when marked contrast to the rest of Asia. the Obama campaign kept on emTime and cost overruns have been a major bane for India’s phasizing that the candidate was Religious Life Council from Princ- by the Sikh community in Barinfrastructure projects. The government’s own data shows how in- not a Muslim. Only Colin Powell eton University over to Barcelona celona has stayed with me as I alongside the Sikhs during adequate capital, environmental concerns, equipment shortages, had the guts to stand up and say to present at the Parliament of the worked my remaining years at Princeton. the obvious: The fact that Obama World’s Religions. bad weather and delays in procedural clearances have resulted in isn’t a Muslim should not be the We saw in the program that the These young people likewise have major slippages in large projects. As on September 2011, there focus of the campaign, rather we Sikh community had decided that provided wonderful hospitality were 72 projects worth more than Rs. 1,000 crore that have been should all remind ourselves that it they would provide langar, which and good will across the Univershouldn’t matter if Obama were a is a meal, for the entire parliament sity campus by working and learnhit by delays, which in some cases, ranged up to 16 years! ing side by side with Hindus, Mus-- every day, for the whole week. Such data and avoidable mishaps like the power failures will Muslim. lims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists My first thought was that they Sikhs from all walks of life only fill up the sceptics’ quiver of arrows to run down the India have clarified to me over the last must be mistaken, that only a few and the entire wider Princeton growth story. The cynicism is not just about highways, power 24 hours that the most important from thousands at the Parliament community. stations, ports and airports, but more about India’s willingness outcome from this horrible trag- would be invited to attend. But no, The horrific tragedy in Wisconto sustain high rates of growth and investment. From a foreign edy would be for Americans to be- all comers from every religious sin was allegedly perpetrated by a investors’ darling to a slowing economy prone to risky policy flip- come more familiar with the Sikh background, and from around the man who was mired in the pit of supremacy. He never had a flops, the plunge of India’s image has been as rapid as the sizzling faith and to understand that they world, filed in and were seated in white are a beautiful part of the fabric of rows while gracious members of chance to know the kindness and growth it had once peaked at during 2004-08. the Sikh community dished out love the Sikh community and all American spiritual practice. It is critical that the government gets the basics right: improve Sikhs are not interested in be- wonderful food to all who were of our communities have to offer. That was his and all of our loss. governance, liberalise financial markets, ease procedural delays ing identified as “not Muslim.” hungry. While our Sikh hosts were pre- Let us get to know our Sikh sisters and implement strict punitive measures. That will not happen American Sikhs would rather their unless it creates a regulatory mechanism that enjoys the powers tradition be understood for what it paring and serving the food, I no- and brothers, as well as all of the ticed that their lips were moving. “others” in our neighborhoods so to crack down on offenders, including errant state governments is, rather than what it is not. I want to offer a personal anec- When I asked about this, it was ex- that we might grow stronger as one overdrawing electricity from central networks. We can only hope dote about my first major inter- plained to me that they were pray- nation, and as one global commuthat at the end of this tunnel, we do not find another tunnel, casting action with the Sikh tradition. In ing, as hospitality is a sacred act. nity. Huffington Post a dark shadow on India’s growth story. Hindustan Times The act of generosity displayed 2004 I brought students from the

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COMMUNITY

Tibetan and Buddhist Communities Outraged at Buddha’s Images on Shoes

WASHINGTON): The Tibetan Shoe. I want you to tender unqualified and the Buddhist community are “I came across shoes with image of apology posted on your website,” outraged at a California-based com- Lord Buddha on it, manufactured by Tashi demanded. pany for promoting a range of shoes your company. I was totally shocked Based out of Palm Desert, Califorwith the images of nia, ICON was launched Lord Buddha. in 1999 by a Hollywood Tibetans and filmmaker and art colBhutanese Budlector. dhists have written “Icon is for the art lover to the company, and the woman who loves Icon Shoes, to exshoes and handbags. We press their disgust. support artists by paying They have flooded royalty for the use of their the company’s Faart,” the company says on cebook page with its Facebook page. protest notes. “I really think you There was no imshould stop manufacturmediate reaction ing the shoes with Budfrom Icon Shoes. dha’s imprint... it is totally “Unfortunately, against Buddhist sentiit is a basic Budment,” wrote one Tshdhist tradition to Tibetans and Bhutanese Buddhists have written to the ewant Gyeltshen on the treat images of company, Icon Shoes, to express their disgust for promoting company’s Facebook a range of shoes with the Lord Buddha’s images. (Photo Buddhist deities courtesy: Icon Shoes) page. with reverence. “I am Buddhist. Your Having the images idea of putting Lord on shoes is disrespect to the Bud- and dismayed at being so insensi- Buddha’s image on footwear is undhists,” wrote Bhuchung Tsering tive,” wrote Namgyal. ethical,” said one Yoezer Gempo. form International Campaign for “Lord Buddha is worshiped by “Why do they have to put Lord Tibet. millions of people around the world Buddha’s image on shoes? Among “Could you kindly consider this including the writer of this letter... Buddhist we don’t even let our shadand withdraw the shoes from your Therefore, I would like to strongly ow fall on His image. It cannot be catalogue,” the Tibetan leader de- urge your company to recall every ignorance since they had the guts manded. merchandise sold with Buddha’s im- to run a company and even call the The North American member of age and stop not only selling such pattern ‘Thangka of the Buddha’,” the Tibetan Parliament, Tashi Nam- merchandises but manufacture of wrote an angry Passang Tshering on gyal, wrote a protest letter to Icon such products. Above all, his blog.

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August 10, 2012

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COMMUNITY 20

TECHNOLOGY

August 10, 2012

Let the Games Begin

LEARN TO DRIVE TODAY!

BY SUDHISH KAMATH Playgrounds may be fast disappearing from the city, kids maybe growing up faster than before and people may really be spending more time with their phones and computers than with each other. So what’s happened to the good old fun and games with friends? Thanks to social networks, smart phones and touch-screen tablets, you can now play with a friend anywhere in the world, anytime during the day or night. WithgamessuchasScrabble,Words with Friends (similar to Scrabble), Scramble (that requires you to pick out as many words as you can from

with you given all those friends you have added on Facebook but have rarely got a chance to know. If some are rediscovering the joys of drawing for Pictionary using Draw Something, many are happy playing brain-teasing word games. And in the process, reclaiming a part of their childhood and reconnecting with old friends. “And family too,” says Aditi Sahasranamam, a marketing executive who is based in Dubai. “It’s like a long distance connection. Who says you can’t have family fun if you’re living away from each other. I also play to socialise,” she says. That’s how it always starts and be-

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a jumble against a ticking clock) and Draw Something gaining popularity and the apps being available on both Apple and Android platforms free of cost, social networking is no more about just letting people know what you are up to but is also about spending time together. None of these games require you to make your move immediately. You can play at the end of the day, whenever you get a break or anytime during the week. No pressure whatsoever, no points reduced and there’s always someone or the other waiting to play

fore you know it, you are shelling out money to make the apps ad-free and are tempted to buy extra features. Like Rajkiran Marella, a management consultant from Hyderabad,

who now lives in South Africa. “I mostly play Words With Friends because I get to connect with my family and friends and also meet interesting people from across the world, who share my love for words. I play all the time. I am addicted to it,” he says. Rajkiran spent $13 to remove ads and buy credits for ‘Word O Meter’ and ‘Tile Pile’. “I only play with competitive players,” he adds. Samantha Iyer, freelance writer, moved to the U.S. but does not miss her friends much because she’s playing with them round the clock. “I am a word game addict. I wake up, play all pending games and then start my day. I play with a lot of random people too. I started a few games with friends I wasn’t in touch with very often. It’s a great way to reconnect and even better way to stay in touch,” she says. Janardhan H. is wired to his friends through his mobile phone. “I play Words With Friends, Temple Run and Subway Surfers whenever I ﬁnd time at work and home, on the way to work, during ads on TV, in the elevator, during movie intervals and even when I am on boring conference calls at work. I play Words with Friends with friends, colleagues in India and the U.S., even my boss and a friend from school who I met on Facebook after 17 years. It’s a fun way to kill time, beat stress, improve my vocabulary, and there’s a kick in beating peers. I used to miss playing Scrabble as a kid. Not anymore,” says Janardhan. With all the games providing an option to message each other, there’s plenty of scope for trash talk, catching up and sharing a laugh. Just like old times when you used to do all this over the table. Hindu

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COMMUNITY

A Chance Meeting with Ghana President CONTINUED FROM PAGE

This was followed by the announcement by a junior army officer that there was a change in the government and military would be taking over. The current President was placed under house-arrest. Life returned to normal in a few days. I went though about 6 or 7 such incidences. The biggest changes were in government policy, ministers and top bureaucrats and currency devaluations. A few days after I met with Mahama, the democratically elected President of Ghana, John Mills, passed away after an illness. The world held its breath. Traditionally this has been a time of tension and an opportunity for the army to exert its influence in its choice of candidate, or even step in. However, the Ghana parliament met swiftly and Mahama was sworn in within 3 hours as the new President. This was a watershed moment, one that could not have been better scripted by Mahama even in his most optimistic view in favor of the democratic system. Vir is an international serialentrepreneur engaged with Africa and is a member of the US Africa Bilateral Chamber of Commerce. Vir has shared his enthusiasm for Africa with his family. His daughter Amrita is currently in Ghana on a volunteer assignment in microfinance.

August 10, 2012

IACCGH Welcomes Consul General P. Harish to Houston

HOUSTON: IACCGH President Ajit Thakur and Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia called upon the recently arrived Consul General of India in Houston, Parvaatheni Harish and welcomed him to the city. They briefed him about the chambers activity an invited him to the IACCGH 2012 Annual Gala and Awards Banquet on August 25, 2012. The Consul General accepted the Chambers invitation to serve as an Advisor and offered the continued support of the Consulate in all areas of mutual interest. The Consul General is very committed to enhancing Trade and commerce between our region and our Motherland and the Chamber looks forward to working together for the economic empowerment of our region. Parvathaneni Harish assumed charge as the Consul General of India, Houston on July 30, 2012. Since joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1990, he has learnt Arabic at the American University of Cairo and passed the examination with distinction. He has served in Indian Missions in Cairo and Riyadh and headed the Post as Indian Representative to the Palestinian Authority stationed in Gaza city. He was on secondment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the

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Near East (UNRWA) as the Chief of the Policy Analysis Unit at UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza. He thereafter worked in the East Asia and External Publicity Div sions in the Ministry of External Affairs. For a period of ﬁve years since 2007, Harish was the Joint Secretary and Ofﬁcer on Special Duty to the Hon’ble Vice President of India and Chairman of the Council of States of the Indian Parliament, M. Hamid Ansari. Parvathaneni Harish is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Osrnania University College of Engineering, Hyderabad. He is married to Parvathaneni Nandita and has two daughters, Ayushi and Amani.

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COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

Community, Political Leaders Condemn Sikh Temple Shooting

Leaders across the country have expressed outrage at the shooting that left seven people dead, including the gunman, in Wisconsin.

adopt a lifestyle based on truth. His message was simple with universal appeal. He asked people to adopt (3) three tenets no matter what religion they were. If you ever had the good fortune of reading his Preaching, you will have love for all living beings and dedication to serve without prejudice. Below are the three tenets the Sikhs follow: 1st Tenet: Earn an honest living: He who does not contribute to the society has no right to claim beneﬁts from it. 2nd Tenet: Meditate on the Creator.: His hymns are found in the Sikh Holy Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib which has been translated in many languages of the world. 3rd Tenet: Share ones honest living with those in need without any discrimination based on religion, color or creed. It is shocking when ignorance leads one to have so much hatred. These are the very people who have made the state of Panjab, the food basket of India. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister is a Sikh, who has bolstered the economy of India and put it on the map of the world as the fastest growing economy. Sikhs have been in United States for the last hundred years. They contributed to the railways in the earlier times. They are farmers, doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs all over the world and in the United States. All Sikh Temples (Gurdwara’s) in the world serve community food where anybody can go and eat. - Harjit Singh Galhotra, Gen. Secretary, Sikh National Center, Houston

This a very unfortunate time for of Sikhs in the United States all over again since the attack on The World Trade Center on Sep. 11, 2001, blamed on Muslim extremists when Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot dead in a gas station, he owned, in AZ., four days after the attack in a case of misidentify because he wore a turban and had beard. There has been a rash of hate crimes against Sikhs. At this time our hearts and prayers are with the families of the victims. This is a senseless act of lunatic racists person who is ignorant of the facts and killed innocent people in the place of their worship. Sikhs are the people who pray for betterment of whole humanity in their daily prayers. The ninth Guru of Sikhs Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib gave his life for freedom of religion. Sikhs respect all the religions. They think if God was On the Top of the Hill, the different religions are the different routes people will take to get to the same goal. The hatred is a creation of Mankind. No religion teaches hatred. Sikhs, literally means student of truth. and they are followers of Guru Nanak who was born in 1469 in Panjab, India. He travelled for 27 years around the world meeting people of different religions, color and creed. His mission was never to convert anyone but to inspire everyone to

Gunman in Sikh Shootings Committed Suicide: FBI

BY DOUGLAS STANGLIN (USAToday) The FBI says Wade Michael Page, the gunman who killed six people in a rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin on Sunday, died of a self-inflicted gun wound after being hit in the stomach by police. FBI special agent Teresa Carlson tells reporters today that investiga) tors have not yet ) “clearly defined a motive” for the killings in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek. ) comfort with... Carlson says the gunman ) shot himself in the head after the second ) police officer )responding) to the

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We are deeply saddened by the attack on the Sikh temple in Milwaukee onAugust 5 and the senseless death of six innocent devotees and wounding of the brave responding police ofﬁcer who answered the call of duty. Our prayers and condolences to the families impacted, to the Sikh community of Milwaukee and to the Sikh community all over the country as they cope with such loss and tragedy. We express our full support to the Sikh community, and stand shoulder to shoulder with them in this difﬁcult time, to combat these acts of violence. - Rajiv Bhavsar, President, Indi Culture Center

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the shooting that tragically took so many lives in Wisconsin. At this difﬁcult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded. My Administration will provide whatever support is necessary to the ofﬁcials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward with an investigation. As we mourn this loss which took place at a house of worship, we are reminded how much our country has been enriched by Sikhs, who are a part of our broader American family. - US President Barack Obama

Charlottesville Mayor Receives ‘Hate Email’ after Wis. Shooting

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Our prayers, condolences and sympathy to the Sikh community. “We are saddened that our Sikh friends suffered at the hands of this senseless act,” said Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, National Vice President of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, USA. “This incident demonstrates more attention needs to be paid to religious education in order to foster a more tolerant and peaceful society.” - Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA

The news of Sunday’s shootings at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin came as a terrible shock to our nation, and I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the victims of the attacks and to their families during this difﬁcult time. The Sikh community is a valued part of our country and, closer to home, of Texas’ 22nd Congressional District. This event was a tragedy, but Americans are known for coming together in the face of evil for the common good. Now, it is especially important to support our friends in the Sikh community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May God bless everyone affected and the entire Sikh community as they work through this horriﬁc tragedy. - Congressman Pete Olson

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The World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), expresses its deepest anguish at the tragic violence leading to the cold blooded murder of seven devotees and critical injury to many others, at the Gurudwara. The Gurudwara has been located at Oak Creek for more than ﬁve years, and had faced hate-crime incidences in the past. In the last year alone, two Sikh men in Sacramento were killed, a Sikh temple in Michigan was vandalized and a Sikh man was beaten in New York. Much of the slander and hate in the past, was directed under the misapprehension that Sikhs follow

the religion of Islam. We condemn this brutal act of terror and assure all possible support to the members of Oak Tree Gurudwara, in ensuring the safety and support to the community. -The World Hindu Council of America

BY CHRIS STOVER “I have a strong record of public Charlottesville Mayor Satyendra service to my community,” Huja Huja is considered one of the ﬁrst said. “So do many other people.” scene shot him in the stomach. Sikh mayors in the country and calls Huja said he’s made his mark on She says she can’t say if the Sunday’s shooting at a Sikh temple Charlottesville as the man credited police bullet, which came a very in Wisconsin tragic. with building the foundation of the short time before he turned his gun “It is really sad and shocking to Downtown Mall. Still, he takes on himself, would have been fatal. see something like that happen to pride in the foundation of American “I’ve seen the video,” Carlson says. anybody, especially in a place of philosophy. “It’s an amazing shot.” Lt. Brian worship,” Huja said. “One of the nice things about our Murphy, who was among three For Huja, though, there’s another country is we respect independence people wounded in the attack, is Charlottesville Mayor concern. He said he received a hate of our religion,” Huja said. “You up and walking, says Police Chief Satyendra Huja email Monday morning “telling me can follow any religion you wish John Edwards. Police in South things which I should be doing or his peers on city council earlier this to follow.” Milwaukee haveExplore arrested Page’s Explore the world theinworld comfort in comfort with... with... not doing,” he said. “It is sad that year came to the United States from Charlottesville Police said the ex-girlfriend, Misty Cook, on an ! "#$%&'$%(&) people*)+ feel #,&#$-.'/#(&)0#()'$$)1'2#() they need to do that.” India at the age of 19. He became mayor has not ﬁled a formal comunrelated weapons charge, but say ) ! "#$%&'$%(&) *)+ Huja#,&#$-.'/#(&)0#()'$$)1'2#() desrcibed the email as mis- a naturalized citizen in 1987 and plaint and there is no investigation they do not believe she was linked guided. The man elected mayor by worked for decades as a city planner. into the emails. '-($-,%& ) to the attack on the Sikh temple. ) Explore the world in comfort with...

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Our condolences to the victims and families of the attack at the Sikh Temple of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and to our friends in the Sikh community in the USA and around the world. We are deeply saddened and shocked by the horrible violence committed against the Sikh community. We join our Sikh brothers and sisters in this day of mourning for those who died or were wounded. We commend those who sacriﬁced their own safety and lives to protect the innocent victims. It is with great sadness that we see the level of violence escalating in the world against religious communities and other innocent persons. We deplore these acts of violence against anyone, regardless of their faith, nationality, ethnicity or other identity. Our prayers go out to all our Sikh friends. -The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

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OPINION INDIA

August 10, 2012

Wisconsin Shooting Victim Leaves Grieving Indian Family ing — but leaning against a sofa, exhausted by her grief. According to police, the gunman was a failed soldier who played in white supremacist heavy metal bands, but his motive remained a mystery. With their turbans and beards, Sikhs are often mistaken for Muslims or Arabs, and have been targeted in post-Sept. 11 bias attacks in the U.S. The New York-based Sikh Coalition reported more than 700 incidents in the U.S. since 2001. UDIP

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ndian Lokinder Kaur, center, mourns with her daughters Jasbir Kaur, 24, left, and Jaspreet Kaur, 21, right, as a picture of her husband Ranjeet Singh, who was killed in the shooting attack at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, at the family home in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. Singh, one of killed in a shooting attack on the temple, never came home even once in 16 years, working at a grocery store during the week and volunteering at the Sikh gurdwara on weekends. He promised his family he was doing what had to be done to get a green card so they could come join him. Photo: Kevin Frayer / AP

for just six months. “My husband had only one dream. To see his children settled abroad,” Kaur said as she sat surrounded by grieving family and friends in her modest two-story home in a Delhi neighborhood. To chase that dream, he kept renewing his visa, ﬁnally applying for a green card a few years ago.

“Every six months, he would tell me he would be home soon.” His daughters got married while he was away. His son grew up knowing him only as the voice on the phone, the image in the photographs. “I just don’t understand what happened over there. Why did they die,” Kaur asked, sitting on the ﬂoor — a tradition in an Indian house of mourn-

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A short distance away from Lokinder’s home, similar scenes of mourning cloud the home of her slain brother-in-law Sita Singh, who traveled back and forth routinely from India to the United States. His wife, Surinder Kaur, ﬁrst got word that something had happened in a 1:30 a.m. phone call from a relative, who said the brothers had been shot. Three hours later they were dead. “It’s just us women left all alone to look after our children,” Surinder Kaur said.

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NEW DELHI (Houston Chronicle): For 16 years, Lokinder Kaur waited patiently for the day her husband would be reunited with her and their children. That dream died with him in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. Ranjit Singh, one of six killed in a shooting attack at the temple, never came home even once in all those years, working at a grocery store during the week and volunteering at the Sikh gurdwara on weekends. He promised his family he was doing what had to be done to get a green card so they could come join him. He called every few days, even as the months dragged into years. Kaur said she spoke to Singh just the day before a gunman entered the temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and shot worshippers as they prepared for services on Sunday. Singh sang devotional songs at the temple and took care of worshipers, serving them meals. His brother, who died in the attack as well, often sang with him. All Kaur was left with is a recent photograph of Singh, dressed sharply in a crisp shirt and tie and smiling conﬁdently into the camera. “My children keep asking me, ‘What did papa look like?” she said, sobbing at her faded memory of her husband’s face. “I have no answers.” When Singh ﬁrst left for the United States his son was just 7 months old, his daughters 4 and 6. He had a visa

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COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

Aetna CEO to Pay 30-Year-Old Student’s Staggering Cancer Bills

BY SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES PHOENIX (Yahoo): Arijit Guha, an Arizona State University graduate student, returned from a trip to India with a stomach ache and only one month later learned he had Stage IV colon cancer. As tough as his diagnosis was at the age of 30, learning that his insurance company would place restrictions on paying for his cancer treatments was almost as gut-wrenching. Guha had a policy under the university’s health plan for which he paid $400 a month out of pocket, but its carrier, Aetna, had an annual ceiling on pay-outs. After surgery and chemotherapy, he had exhausted the lifetime $300,000 limit.

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The Affordable Healthcare Act has eliminated lifetime limits, but until Aug. 1 that did not include student health plans, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Outraged, Guha turned to Twitter and other social media to make his case, one that affects millions of Americans who face staggering medical bills. But last week, Aetna CEO Mark T. Bertolini, a former paramedic who has had his own share of medical crises, tweeted directly with Guha and agreed to pay “every last penny” of his bills. “The system is broken, and I am committed to fixing it,” said Bertolini on his Twitter account, according to the Arizona Republic, which first covered the story. “I am glad we connected today and got this issue solved. I appreciate the dialogue no matter how pointed. I’ve got it and own it!” Guha, now 31, told ABCNews. com, “I am incredibly pleased and in shell shock and trying to figure out what just happened. It’s a huge relief.” It turns out Bertolini and Guha have much in common. In 2001, Bertolini’s then 16-yearold son son, Eric, was diagnosed with a rare and deadly lymphoma, according to a profile in the Hartford Courant. And in 2004, when he was president of Cigna, Bertolini was disabled after being nearly killed in a ski accident. He also eventually donated a kidney to help save his son. Bertoliniadmittedthecurrenthealth-

care system was “broke” and tweeted, “There is a lot to do to make it right.” Meanwhile, Guha had raised $120,000 through T-shirt sales in his edgy campaign “Poop Strong,” which riffs on cancer survivor Lance Armstrong’s “Live Strong.” And now that Aetna has stepped in, Guha said he will donate all of it to three cancer charities in Arizona. Guha continues to fund raise for cancer support and research on his blog, “Stage IV Hope.” Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2008, the last year for which there are statistics, 142,950 Americans were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 52,857 Americans died from the disease. Surprisingly, colorectal cancer is not that uncommon among younger people like Guha, especially those who have a family history of earlyonset disease. “It’s not shocking at all,” said Dr. Joel Levine, founding director of the Colon Cancer Prevention Program at the University of Connecticut. There are three risk zones for the disease, according to Levine. About 70 percent of all cases are sporadic; 20 percent come from a familial risk; and 2 to 3 percent result from a gene mutation that passes from generation to generation. Doctors should take a detailed three-generation family history so that risk for a young person isn’t “underestimated,” he said. Genetic studies can reveal speciﬁc inherited syndromes that can cause colon cancer, allowing other family members to more closely monitor their health. “If we get all the details correct, picking up the histories for inheritable risk, we can reduce the probability of developing colon cancer,” said

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Symptoms can include rectal bleeding or anemia, abdominal pain or occult blood in the stool. Such was the case with Guha, who was diagnosed in February 2011. He had settled in Phoenix with his wife and was getting a doctorate in environmental sustainability. The couple returned from a trip to India to visit his relatives and Guha developed abdominal pain. “It seemed like the standard sort of bug issue when I get back from India,” he said. “But it continued and got different, to the point where I was doubled up on the floor, and I was having trouble eating.” Because of his age, doctors never suspected cancer and looked at every other possibility, “including the plague,” said Guha. A battery of tests were negative, but eventually a colonoscopy revealed a 6 cm.-wide tumor in the sigmoid colon. When he saw a report that suggested it was malignant, Guha said, “I was in denial ? I thought surely there was another explanation.” MRIs and surgery revealed that the cancer had proliferated into his entire abdominal cavity -- a stage 4 diagnosis. “It was pretty dire,” he said. “But one of the things that makes it so deadly, is you have these metastases to distant organs like the liver, lung and brain and people usually die from organ failure.” But in Guha’s case, the spread of cancer was confined to the abdominal cavity, a rare progression that doctors told him made the disease more treatable. He had a colostomy, conventional chemotherapy, the removal of his gall bladder and a heated chemo bath of the lining of his stomach -- as the medical bills mounted. By the time Guha had exhausted his insurance benefits, he had about $118,000 in medical bills. But now, future treatments will be covered under his student insurance plan. “I take it day by day,” said Guha, who was on a road trip to Idaho to serve as officiant at a friend’s wedding. “It’s quite likely that I’ll have chemo again if [the cancer] pops up again. But I feel really good and I’m CONTINUED ON PAGE

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COMMUNITY

August 10, 2012

‘Poop Strong’ Campaign Got Arijit Guha’s Medical Bills Paid

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

looking good.” So far, doctors say tests to determine if his early-onset cancer was genetic are all negative. These cases of early-onset colon cancer that occur only in an individual and not in a family are a “rare event, not quite a black swan,” said cancer expert Levine. Guha is reassured that other family members may not suffer the same fate and also that his unusual case is hopeful. “In the midst of what seems pretty scary, this is all working in my favor,” he said. “I am younger and can handle the treatment better. The average age of a colon cancer patient is 71.4. My guess is most of those people are probably overweight and have comorbidities.” Just recently, doctors found one tiny spot of cancer on his liver, but a minimally invasive procedure called radio frequency ablation was able to kill it. “It’s not as if I think about the worst case scenarios all the time or I have the specter of death looming over me,” he said. “I could never get through life like that or be a productive member of

society,” said Guha. “I have always dedicated my life to doing something useful.” These days, he has dedicated himself to fundraising for more support for cancer patients and their families, especially Arizona’s undocumented, who have no insurance. Aetna spokesman Cynthia B. Michener said the insurance company would cover Guha’s costs through the end of the plan year. His school’s student plan just raised its annual limit to $1 million, and the new Affordable Health Care Act has eliminated lifetime limits, she said. “While we are pleased to have found a solution for our member, we recognize that there is much more work to be done to ﬁx the problems in our health care system,” said Michener in a prepared statement. “We are committed to reforms that make the system work better for everyone.” Those who would like to learn more about Guha’s charities can go to the University of Arizona Cancer Center’s Patient Assistance Fund, the Colon Cancer Alliance or Wellness Community Arizona.

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mation from distinguished speakers. At the college workshops, this year, McDonald’s is bringing two new activities which integrate achievement moments and messages to inspire success. The all new McDonald’s Education Maze Daze, an interactive game, offers participants a fun experience to accomplish six important criteria to reach their dream school by navigating through the exciting maze within a time limit. The six criteria are grades/test scores, strength of curriculum, class rank, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest. In addition, McDonald’s also provides visitors the opportunity to be

featured on virtual magazines highlighting their favorite guest speaker’s success tip. The customized magazine cover can be downloaded and shared with friends and family. This serves as a positive reminder to participants to stay focus through hard work, diligence and persistence. McDonald’s recognizes that every student has talent and encourages them to pursue their passion and strive for success. McDonald’s will also ampling McCafe Real Fruit Mango Pineapple Smoothie at the event. Speaking about the importance of this event to the community, Southern News Group Chairman Wea H. Lee said that, “We feel that partnering with McDonald’s in this effort will be very important to the young people in the Houston area who will be able to attend this series of special education events and be able to make the choices and decisions that can impact the rest of their lives.” Drawing for New iPad and free scholarships will be done on the spot provided by Southern News Group. The workshop will take place on August 18 from 9am to 4pm at Fort Bend Community Church, 7707 Highway 6 South, Missouri City, TX 77459. To preregister, email angela@scdaily.com or call 281-983-8160.

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STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

FM Chidambaram Vows Economic Action to Restore Investor Confidence BY RAJESH KUMAR SINGH & MANOJ KUMAR NEW DELHI (Reuters): India’s new finance minister sought to allay investor worries about an economy growing at its weakest pace in almost a decade by pledging to address their concerns over taxes, public finances and interest rates. In his first comments since becoming finance minister on July 31, Palaniappan Chidambaram said it was important to restore investor confidence and in a message that appeared partly aimed at the central bank acknowledged the need to bring government finances under control. Domestic financial markets offered cautious support – bond yields fell 5 basis points after his remarks on interest rates – but tired of repeated promises from New Delhi, market players said they wanted action to follow the minister’s words. “Everybody has sounded off. Now is show-me time,” said Surjit Bhalla, chairman of Oxus Investments, a Delhi-based consultancy. Growth in Asia’s third-largest economy has faltered to a nine-year low of just 5.3 per cent with corporate investors deterred by high interest rates, strained government finances, and unpredictable policymaking that has stalled economic reforms seen by many as critical to fuel future economic expansion. “Since investment is an act of faith, we must remove any apprehension or distrust in the minds of investors,” Chidambaram told reporters as he begins his third term as finance minister. Capital investment dropped to 32 per cent of GDP in the fiscal year that ended in March, 2012. Chidambaram said he wants a return to the 38 per cent level clocked in the year that ended in March, 2008, when he was finance minister the last time

Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram at a press conference in New Delhi. File photo

around. Chidambaram’s return to the finance ministry last week was cheered by financial markets because of his deft handling of the economy during the global financial crisis in 2008. During his four-year tenure from 2004, India’s economic growth averaged around 9 per cent, cementing its place in the top ranks of emerging economies such as China. Now though the fiscal conservative faces a tough task to rein in the federal fiscal deficit. Tax revenues are under pressure from the economic slowdown, spending on subsidies is on the rise and the government has struggled for support from within the ruling coalition to raise diesel prices or carry out some economic reforms. “Yields fell on (the) Finance Minister’s statement that interest rates are high, but unless words start translating into actions, things will go back to square one,” said Debendra Dash, a fixed income dealer with Development Credit Bank in Mumbai. The government aims to narrow its fiscal gap to 5.1 per cent of GDP in the current fiscal year from 5.76 per cent last year, a target seen by many

analysts as optimistic. Indeed, a summer drought is making it politically harder for the government to raise fuel prices to reduce its subsidy spending as farmers will need to run generators to irrigate their fields. “Everybody has said this. Now, the question is: when Chidambaram raises diesel prices. That is the beginning and end of it,” said Bhalla of Oxus Investments. Chidambaram said the government had set up a panel to map out a plan to rein in the fiscal shortfall. The deficit for the first quarter of the current fiscal year that began in April has already reached 37.1 per cent of the full-year target. Besides fast-tracking investment proposals, Chidambaram promised to look into corporate complaints about interest rates that are among the highest in large economies. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) left interest rates steady last week at 8 per cent for the second straight review, in contrast to many central banks around the world, which are easing credit conditions to counter the global slowdown and the impact

of the euro zone debt crisis. The central bank has made a point of calling on the government to do its bit to revive the fortunes of the economy as it held rates steady. “We are conscious that current interest rates are high,” said Chidambaram, who met RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao earlier in the day. “High interest rates inhibit the investor and are a burden on every class of borrowers,” he said. “Sometimes it is necessary to take carefully calibrated risks in order to stimulate investment and to ease the burden on consumers. We will take appropriate steps in this regard,” Chidambaram said. The minister also promised to provide a stable, clear and fair tax regime and said he had asked for a review of tax rules with retrospective provisions and would take corrective

measures wherever necessary. His predecessor, Pranab Mukherjee, who left his post to become India’s president, amended tax rules earlier this year with retrospective effect and proposed to implement rules to target firms and investors routing investments through tax havens. A proposed retrospective tax measure had widely been seen as targeted at British mobile phone giant Vodafone after the government lost a legal battle to claim about $2-billion in tax from the company related to its acquisition of Indian mobile phone assets in 2007. “Uppermost in my mind is the duty to regain the confidence of all stakeholders. Obviously, where necessary, our policies have to be modified or fine-tuned in order to meet the expectations of different stakeholders,” he said.

Indian Rupee Rises to 1-Week High MUMBAI: The rupee rose to near a one-week high on Monday, catching up to a global risk rally following improving U.S. jobs data, while a promise from the finance minister to unveil fiscal consolidation steps sparked cautious hope. While the rupee will continue to take cues from global risk sentiment, investors will closely watch how the government tackles needed fiscal measures such as raising diesel prices or attracting foreign investment. Recently-appointed Finance Minister P.Chidambaram sparked a bit of optimism after saying he would shortly unveil a path of fiscal consolidation, while undertaking a review of tax provisions. The government’s move this year to retroactively tax foreign investors had drawn widespread flak, leading the country to water down some provisions and postpone its implementa-

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

tion by a year. “The market has taken a positive note of Chidambaram’s statement. The government has no choice now but to act as it is facing credibility issues,” said Subramanian Sharma, director at Greenback Forex. The partially convertible rupee closed at 55.52/53 per dollar as per the SBI closing rate versus its previous close of 55.75/76. That was its biggest daily percentage rise since July 26. The rupee initially tracked a rally in global risk assets that sent the currency to a session high of 55.23 against the dollar after betterthan-expected U.S. jobs data eased concerns about global growth. However, the rupee lost some of its momentum on sustained dollar demand from oil refiners, while the euro zone’s debt woes remains a key thorn, leading the euro to retreat from its previous session’s gains.

August 10, 2012

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 10, 2012

As Power is Restored, the ‘Blame Game’ Over Blackouts Heats Up

BY GARDINER HARRIS & VIKAS BAJAJ NEW DELHI (NYT): As electric power was restored across northern India on Wednesday, political jockeying over who was to blame for the widespread blackouts intensified. The nation’s new power minister distanced himself from assertions by his predecessor that state officials were responsible for Monday and Tuesday’s blackouts by drawing more power for their regions than they were allotted. But the former power minister, who was promoted in a cabinet reshuffle, kept right on making those claims. “I don’t think one can have a blame game between the state and the center,” said the new minister, Veerappa Moily. Hours later, Moily’s predecessor, Sushil Kumar Shinde, again blasted the state governments. “The grid failed because of the overloading of the power,” he said, contending that “many states” try to take more power than scheduled. Shinde was promoted to home minister on Tuesday. Despite presiding over two of the biggest blackouts in human history, Shinde declared himself to have been an “excellent” power minister. Rather than focus on the loss of power, people should appreciate that power was restored across India within a matter of hours, Shinde said. His statements were mocked by a number of political observers and became grist for severe criticism from opposition lawmakers. Prakash Javadekar, a spokesman for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, said that the government was merely trying to divert attention from its own incompetence. “The unprecedented grid failure is a result of negligence, incompetence and complete abdication of duty on the part of the central government,” Javadekar said. Roughly half of India’s population lost electricity on Tuesday after a cascading series of problems in three of the nation’s interrelated power grids shut down power in an area stretching 2,000 miles, from Imphal in the east to Jaisalmer in the west, and from Leh in the north to Bhubaneswar in the middle of the country. The blackout affected an area encompassing about 670 million people, or roughly 10 percent of the world’s population, though tens of millions of those people were already living without access to a regular supply of electricity. It temporarily trapped coal miners, stranded train passengers and caused huge traffic jams in the nation’s capital. There were no reports of deaths directly linked to the blackout. Moily said Wednesday at a news conference that the power supply was restored by 3 p.m. on Tuesday for emergency services like railways and airports, and that by the evening the power situation was “normal.” “I can reassure the entire nation,” Moily said. “That kind of situation will never repeat in the national scene.” India’s basic power problem is that the country’s rapid development has led demand to far outstrip supply. That means power officials

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Cables and exposed wires splayed out of an electricity substation in New Delhi. Power was restored across India on Wednesday after a two days of a blackout that affected about 670 million people. Photo: Kevin Frayer

must manage the grid by shutting down power to small sections of the country on a rotating basis. But doing so requires quick action from government officials who are often loath to shut off power to important constituencies. India’s problem generating enough power has been one of the biggest handicaps to its prospects for sustaining rapid economic growth, analysts say. The shortage of electricity is a major reason the country has not been able to establish the kind of manufacturing base it needs to pull hundreds of millions out of subsistence farming, as its neighbor China has done. “The Indian power sector needs major reform,” said Rajendra K. Pachauri, the director general of the Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi. Part of the reason that India’s electrical grid is under particular stress at the moment may be that low rainfall has restricted the amount of power delivered by hydroelectric dams, which India relies on for a significant share of its power needs. A related cause may be that farmers are using more power than expected to run water pumps to irrigate their crops. But Ajit Sharan, the power secretary for Haryana, said that the central government was supposed to warn states if they were drawing excessive power from the system, but that no warnings were issued on Tuesday or Monday. Whatever the ultimate cause turns out to be, the scale of the blackout caused India acute embarrassment on the international stage. Indians track world opinion closely, not only for reasons of national pride but because foreign investments and remittances are crucial parts of the economy. “The image of it looks very bad,” said Naresh Chandra, a former ambassador to the United States and former electricity regulator in New Delhi. But Chandra said that the problems were fixable and that international investors should not lose heart. “India is on a learning curve and hasn’t managed its technology as it should. But it will.” Some experts are more hopeful than in the past because a number of Indian officials have

made politically difficult decisions in recent months to raise electricity prices. State governments in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Punjab have moved to stem losses at public utilities that had been selling power for far less than it costs them to buy it. Besides providing more money to invest in additional supply, the higher prices for consumers and businesses should also help lower demand for power. “I think everybody has realized that there are no free lunches,” said Chandan Roy, a former director at India’s largest state-owned power producer, the National Thermal Power Corporation.

Frequent blackouts have forced many businesses, including India’s vaunted software industry, to rely extensively on diesel generators, which typically cost two to three times as much to produce power as does electricity from the grid. Comparisons are difficult, though, since the government partly subsidizes both methods of generating electricity. What is more, about 300 million people in India have no access to power at all, and 300 million more have only sporadic access. Another of the nation’s basic problems is that supplies of coal, largely controlled by the government, have not been enough to meet demand even among power plants that have the capacity to generate more electricity. Shailendra Tshwant, an environmental activist and energy consultant, said that relying on more coal and further centralizing the nation’s energy infrastructure would be a mistake. “Decentralized renewable energy sources like wind, solar and microhydropower plants are the answers here,” Tshwant said. If India’s power grid becomes ever more unreliable, experts said, private power alternatives will further proliferate, despite their relative inefficiency. And while the breakdowns may have been caused by a technical fault, it is clear that they reflect India’s larger problems with its power supply. “Though it looks like an accident,” said Suresh Prabhu, who ran India’s power ministry in the early 2000s, “it was an accident that was waiting to happen.”

RIL Lines up Close to $1 Billion Plan for Major Entry in Aerospace Sector NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is expected to invest close to $1 billion over the next few years and hire around 1,500 people in its new aerospace division. Details of RIL’s plans were confirmed to ET by executives close to the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Early this month, the Mukesh Ambani-led company applied for an industrial licence with the department of industrial policy and Promotion to “design, develop, manufacture, equipment and components, including airframe, engine, radars, avionics and accessories for military and civilian aircraft, helicopters, unmanned airborne vehicles and aerostats”. This decision by RIL comes after the creation of two new entities: Reliance Aerospace Technologies Pvt Ltd and Reliance Security Solutions Ltd. The creation of these new businesses was set in motion more than a year ago when RIL created an entity called “new business” and hired the then Boeing India chief, Vivek Lall, for launching its aerospace and homeland security divisions. The application with DIPP further discloses that “the company will also undertake research and produce new

aerospace technologies, materials, components and equipment and test and carry out their certiﬁcation”. RIL will also join hands with global players to bring in sophisticated civil and military aerospace technologies into the country, executives close to the matter said. It will also prioritise research and development and testing and certiﬁcation of new aerospace technologies, materials, components and equipment. In its application to DIPP, RIL has indicated Nashik as the headquarters for its aerospace division - the town is expected to be the centre of the proposed manufacturing hub. The company, executives said, will gradually set up more manufacturing units across the country with the aim of making India a global hub in aerospace manufacturing. RIL also intends to align with smaller players and train them to produce high-quality products for the airline industry. RIL is looking at creating synergies to begin with, until it develops technologies - and aircraft - on its own. It is in advanced talks with global aircraft majors for JVs and strategic collaborations, executives close to the matter said.

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August 10, 2012

Mary Kom Ensures Record Olympic Haul for India

LONDON (IANS): India recorded their highest medal haul at the Olympic Games, with five-time women’s world champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom ensuring a fourth metal for the country at the Games by romping into the semi-final in style here Monday. The 29-year-old Manipuri, a mother of twins, thrashed her Tunisian rival Maroua Rahali 15-6 in a one-sided quarter-final at the ExCel Arena. With Mary Kom’s exploits, India has surpassed its previous best of three medals (one gold and two bronze) at the Beijing Games four years ago. Pistol shooter Vijay Kumar has bagged a silver, and rifleman Gagan Narang and women’s shuttler Saina Nehwal a bronze apiece from the Games so far. In track and field, male discus thrower Vikas Gowda, considered the country’s best bet for a medal from the discipline, qualified for the final by hurling the metallic disc to a distance of 65.20 metres in his second attempt to make the cut. The US-based Indian has a best throw of 66.28m.

Mary Kom is assured of a bronze even if she loses in the semi-final against Nicola Adams of Britain. Both losing semifinalists are awarded bronze in the competition. Fighting a calculated bout, the Indian opened up a marginal 2-1 lead in the opening round where she sized up her opponent before going for the kill in the subsequent rounds. She was ahead 3-2 in the second, before letting loose a flurry of punches to win the third round 6-1 and completed the formalities with a 4-2 scoreline in the fourth and ultimate round. Mary Kom’s success, which made her the third Indian woman after weightlifter Karnam Malleswari at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Saina here to ensure a podium finish, triggered celebrations across the nation and especially in her home state Manipur. Mary Kom herself was jubilant though she has her eyes fixed on the Olympic gold. “It feels great to win an Olympic medal for the country. But I want to carry on the momentum or a bigger

medal,” she said. Asked about her chances in the semis against home favourite Adams, Mary Kom said: “She is a good boxer. I lost to her in the World Championship quarter-final by just two points. Boxing is a very tough sport and winning or losing is a part of the game. But I will give my best.” It was also curtains on India’s shooting campaign at the Olympics with rifle shooters Narang and Sanjeev Rajput and trap exponent Manavjit Singh Sandhu failing to qualify for the final rounds of their respective events here at the Royal Artillery Barracks. Narang, who won the bronze in men’s 10-metre air rifle, and Rajput finished 20th and 26th, respectively, in the 50m three-position event. For Sandhu, a former World Champion, it was disappointment again for the third time as he finished 16th in the qualifiers and missed the final cut. In 50m rifle three-position, Narang shot 1,164 while Rajput ended with 1,161. The Olympic medallist shot 398 in prone, 377 standing and 389 while kneeling.

Rajput had 395 in prone, 378 in standing and 388 while kneeling. Italy’s Niccolo Campriani created an Olympic record scoring a total of 1,180. Meanwhile, Sandhu got a total score of 119. His best performance came in the fourth round where he had a perfect score of 25. However, it was a little late as he scored a low 22 in the previous round. Going into the second day of qualification, Sandhu had slim chances of qualifying as he was 25th in a field of 34 on the first day. But it has been a highly successful campaign for Indian shooters. Besides Narang and Kumar, another rifle shooter, Joydeep Karmakar finished fourth and missed the bronze only by a whisker. The Koms, the tribe to which ace pugilist MC Mary Kom belongs, is one of the smallest communities in Manipur. But Mary’s Olympic feat - storming into the semi-finals in the Olympics, assuring herself a medal - has put this tiny tribe of 20,000 in focus. It has also made 29-year-old Mary, a mother of two, the brightest star in her community, which is basking in the glory of her success. “With her Olympic win, Mary has put the Koms on the global map. We are really proud of her. Her victory has inspired us to groom more champions like her from among budding Komrem youths,” said Achon Kom, a resident of Koirenthak Khuman, a Kom village in Churchandpur district. In Mary’s village, Kangathei, 40 km from Imphal in Churachanpur, there’s a carnival of sorts on with everyone joining in the celebrations for her Monday win. “She is a five-time world champion and has won many medals. But winning an Olympic medal is an altogether different story. She has done Manipur, especially Kangathei, proud. Until now were just a lesser-known tribe, but her win has catapulted us to fame. When she returns back from London with a medal, we will celebrate her victory in a befitting manner. We hope she comes back with the gold,” said S Kom, a resident of Kangathei.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

SPORTS

India Scores T20 Win

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (ESPN Cricinfo): ndia 155 for 3 (Kohli 68, Raina 34*, Eranga 2-30) beat Sri Lanka 116 (Mathews 31, Dinda 4-19, Irfan 3-27) by 39 runs.

Irfan Pathan picked up three wickets in Sri Lanka’s chase to help India win by 39 runs in Pallekele.

Virat Kohli continued to be imperious, and Irfan Pathan impressed once again, as India completed a successful limitedovers campaign in Sri Lanka with a comfortable win in the only T20 international on the tour. Kohli was in complete command, picking gaps at will, finding boundaries with minimum effort, even off the occasional mistimed shot, and helped take India to 155. Irfan, who found considerable swing, undermined a Sri Lankan ﬁghtback with the ball in the death overs by dismissing three senior Sri Lanka batsmen and was backed up by a containing effort by the rest. The game began brightly for Sri Lanka, with Shaminda Eranga completing a unique achievement; his wicket off Gautam Gambhir meant he’s now picked up a wicket in the ﬁrst over of his debuts in Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals Seven down and with 54 needed off 28, Sri Lanka had to attack and their efforts to do so hastened their end. They’ll now look to the Sri Lanka Premier League while India await New Zealand before they return for the World T20.

August 10, 2012 2012 Annual Gala

United in Excellence DATE

TIME

8.25.12

ADDRESS

6:30 pm

Hilton Americas Houston 1600 Lamar | Houston, TX

CHIEF GUEST

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ambassador Arun K. Singh Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington

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Women at the Wheel

Why Do They Drive Us Mad? BY JAYALAKSHMI RAJESH (The Hindu) Women climbing Mount Everest, or going into space or becoming President have all been gracefully accepted by the people. But a woman driving a car? Immediately, a strange camaraderie builds up among the general public and eyebrows are raised and knowing glances exchanged even among strangers. My means of transport was limited to bus to school and I graduated to a Scooty when I joined college. It ferried me through my under-and-postgraduate days with all the turbulences and joys that came with those days. Even as I write about my Scooty, my heart warms up to the good old vehicle and my chest swells with pride. I never thought twice before riding it as it was not only easily manoeuvrable but also light in weight and easy to handle. I never doubted my ability to use it. But good things seldom last long, and in came the car. The reason the car scored over my beloved vehicle was that it was more respectable (to be seen in it), gave protection from the sun (this was before the government ban on sun films), catered for more numbers as I was no longer alone, provided plenty of space, meaning more room for daily provisions, schoolbags, lunch bags and all the necessities which see me and my family through day-to-day life. The winning reason was that the EMIs plus fuel cost me less than the monthly autorickshaw fares. And, lo and behold, with so many benefits being offered on a platter, no one could see why I was hesitant to become IN-dependent. Now I could handle all the chores alone! Read—(nobody needs to lend me a helping hand.) Now as I course through the day driving to and from school, my workplace and the market place, clutching and clinging to the steering wheel, trying to ignore the cacophony of horns around, I cannot help thinking why? The moment any motorist realises that the person behind the wheel is a woman he starts honking furiously. Why? Even a cyclist takes offence, if a woman driving a car overtakes him. He starts pedalling vigorously right in front of the car, making my heart skip

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Angry ﬁsts are shaken and glaring faces confront you for reasons that are hard to comprehend many a beat and I finally not only slow down but give him headway lest I overtake him again and start a repeat of the sequences. And beware, if a state transport bus driver finds out that a woman is driving the car, that too ahead of him, he will scare her out of his way as if she is a menace to society.

Angry fists are shaken and glaring faces confront you for reasons that are hard to comprehend! Let me guess, being in the way though there is no place to budge up, not being fast enough, or, maybe, not being able to make myself disappear miraculously into thin air in the middle of a traffic jam. And, I find myself thinking wistfully of those wonderful days when I would breeze through the city streets on my Scooty, when no one ever gave a second look! Only to be jolted awake from my daydream by another cacophony of horns. Hindu

Name Change

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JAI SRIMANNARAYANA!

Sri Ashtalakashmi Temple, JET USA Houston Chapter invites you to the Grand Celebrations of Deepavali, Acharya Thirunakshatram, Sri Rama Kratuvu, and Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam from October 26th to October 31st, 2011. Please join us in celebrating this Historic 6-day Event in the Divine presence of His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

INDIA

August 10, 2012

Vilasrao Deshmukh’s Condition Stable

CHENNAI (DNA): The condition of Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, undergoing treatment at a hospital here for serious liver ailment, is “stable”, a top hospital executive in Chennai said on Wednesday. “Yes, he is stable,” K Ravindranath, Chairman and Managing Director of Global Hospitals told reporters in a brief comment on the condition of 67-year-old Deshmukh who was admitted to the hospital on Monday. Asked whether Deshmukh would be required to undergo a liver transplant, he said “First he has to improve, then we will think about it.” This is the first time that the hospital authorities had made any public statement on the condition of the former Maharashtra Chief minister and senior Congress leader. Hospital authorities have all along remained tight-lipped, maintaining that Deshmukh’s family had requested them to respect their privacy and that they would inform the public about his condition through social media. Hospital sources had earlier in the day said the condition of Deshmukh, the Science and Technology Minister, was “still critical” while his family members were quoted as saying that he had shown improvement since his admission. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and several other ministers visited the hospital and enquired about Deshmukh’s condition with his family members. Chavan declined to talk to the waiting mediapersons, but minister Pandurang Kadam and Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar said the family members informed them that Deshmukh was improving. “What we know is that he is improving and his condition is better than what it was when he was in Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai (from where he was flown in an air ambulance here),” Muttemwar said. Kadam, quoting family members of Deshmukh, said the former Maharashtra chief minister was improving. A team doctors of several specialities, including noted liver transplant surgeon Dr Mohamed Rela, are treating Deshmukh, who is on life-support systems. Meanwhile, Deshmukh’s family members offered prayers at the famous 11th century Sri Marundheeswarar (Lord Shiva) temple here last night for his speedy recovery, temple sources said.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 10, 2012

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美南報業

Free seminar, free admission and refreshments for Middle, High-school students and parents Date: Saturday, August 18, 2012 Time: 9:00am to 4:00pm Place: Fort Bend Community Church 7707 Highway 6 South, Missouri City, TX 77459 Keynote speaker: Dr. Paul Ching-Wu Chu

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Seminar Highlights: -Breaking in to competitive colleges -Scholarship and college application -Financial aid -SAT preparation -Financing your education and money management -Admissions, College essay and marketing yourself -The role of parents in college selection process -Helping Children make a right choice of college major and career path -advice and information from professionals in dental, engineering……

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August 10, 2012

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36 August 10, 2012

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