Friday, October 2, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 40
Indo American News
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October 2, 2020
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One of Our Own’s Covid-19 Jouney from Ventilator
Babri Masjid Acquital
P2 ‘Serious Men’ on Netflix
Susham “Rita” Singh. Photo: Courtesy Silky Singh Pahlajani in The Houston Chronicle. She was infected with Covid-19 during a return trip from India and spent seven weeks on a ventilator, but is now recovering at home.
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INDIA
October 2, 2020
Babri Masjid: CBI Judge Acquits LK Advani, Joshi and 32 Others By Asad Rehman
then Congress government to defame saints and office bearers of BJP, VHP and other organisations. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on the other hand, called it a sad day for democracy. “Today is a sad day in the history of Indian judiciary. Now, the court says there was no conspiracy. Please enlighten me, how many days of months of preparations are required to disqualify an action from being spontaneous?” he asked. The Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992 by ‘kar sevaks’ who claimed that it was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple. The demolition had triggered riots in
many parts of the country that left nearly 2,000 dead. Following this, two cases were filed in Ayodhya: one related to the conspiracy of the demolition, and another about instigation of the crowd. The remaining cases were merged with the conspiracy FIR. The CBI had filed a chargesheet against 49 people in the case, of whom 17 died during trial. The court recorded statements of 351 prosecution witnesses. In 2001, a trial court had dropped proceedings against 21 of the accused. The verdict was upheld by the High Court. However, on April
GEOR
Y ILL
Lucknow: Almost 28 years after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, a special CBI court on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused, including BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti, in the criminal conspiracy case, holding that there was no conclusive proof against them. CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav said the demolition of the 500year old Babri Masjid was not preplanned and the accused were being acquitted due to lack of evidence. “They have been acquitted for lack In this file photo, senior BJP leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi and Uma Continued on Page 3 of evidence,” said defence lawyer Bharti in Raebareli. (PTI) KK Mishra. Twenty-six out of the 32 accused were present in the special court when the judgment was pronounced while Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti, Satish Pradhan, Nritya Gopal Das and Kalyan Singh excused themselves on grounds of health and age. Outside the court, there was heavy police deployment and barricading. Media persons were not alPRACTICING IMMIGRATION LAW SINCE 1985 lowed to enter the court premises in Qaiserbagh area of Lucknow. INTEGRITY KNOWLEDGE SOLUTIONS AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said they would appeal against the verdict in the High Court. “The judgment pronounced by the special CBI court is wrong. We will appeal in the High Court,” said Jilani, who was also part of the Babri Action Committee. ATTORNEYS Babri verdict reactions, LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi, Political reactions on Babri masjid judgement, India news, Indian express In this file photo, senior BJP leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi and Uma Bharti in Raebareli. (PTI) Advani said the judgement vindicated his personal and BJP’s belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement while Murli Manohar Joshi called it a “historic decision” by the court. “This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandir’s construction,” Joshi said. The Congress said the verdict runs counter to the 2019 Supreme Court judgment as also the “ConstiROGER PIPER PAULINE APPELBAUM JUDGE JIMMIE BENTON THOMAS P. FISCHER THOMAS R. HUTSON tutional spirit”. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala FORMER DISTRICT FORMER USCIS FORMER IMMIGRATION FORMER DISTRICT FORMER CONSUL ASSOCIATE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF JUDGE DIRECTOR OF GENERAL said said the “entire country (had) witnessed a deepCOUNSEL IMMIGRATION IMMIGRATION rooted political conspiracy by BJP-RSS and its leaders” to destroy the country’s “communal amity and R. W brotherhood for usurping power at any cost”. GE ANDHRA MIRCHI HUM FM MASALA RADIO RADIO MIRCHI 107.5 FM - HD-3 106.1 FM 1050 AM 98.7 FM “The then BJP Government of Uttar Pradesh was a TUESDAYS THURSDAYS EVERY 2ND SUNDAY TUESDAYS co-conspirator in the designed attack on India’s Con4:00 - 4:20 PM 4:00 - 4:30 PM 3:10 - 3:40 PM 1:00- 1:30 PM stitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong Affidavit on oath. It is CENTRAL TIME only after detailed examination of all these aspects, LIVE facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the Former District Director of Immigration Thomas Investment VISAS Fischer and Roger Piper and Former Consul General demolition of Masjid to be ‘an egregious violation of Thomas Hutson serve as Special advisors to the �rm Employment Based VISAS the rule of law’,” he said. FREE Former Immigration Judge Jimmie Benton is Prominent Sunni cleric and All India Muslim PerCONSULTATIONS �Of Counsel� to the �rm Family Based VISAS sonal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana KhaFormer USCIS Regional Counsel for Texas Pauline THURSDAYS lid Rasheed Firangi Mahali said everyone knows how Applebaum is �Of Counsel� to the �rm SUGAR LAND, TX Naturalization the “Babri masjid was demolished in full public view” Member of American Immigration Lawyer Association MONDAYS and the “law of the land was shredded to pieces”. (AILA) since 1989 Deportation ATLANTA, GA “The Muslims if this country have always respected Providing representation for Canadian Immigration through our a�liate in Canada court decisions. In the final judgment of the Babri Boarder Assistance Over 1� Languages spo�en by the �rm�s sta� masjid case, the court had clearly said Muslims had been wrongly deprived of a mosque that had been Asylum constructed well over 450 years ago. Then the SuTHURSDAY MONDAY FREE CONSULTATION Litigation preme Court also said that it was an unlawful destruction. However, if there was a criminal conspiracy, it SHIVANTI T. WILLY Canadian Immigration had to be decided by the court. Now, Muslim organi(404)937-6868 ATLANTA MANAGER (281)265-2522 | (888)529-5990 sations will sit together and decide whether it (today’s swilly@grwpc.com immigration@grwpc.com judgment) has to be appealed or not,” he said. There were also several reactions from within the BJP, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who Willy, Nanayakkara and Associates remains in full operation during this global health event. Attorneys, legal assistants said that the verdict proved that justice prevailed how- and support staff will be available via phone and / or video conferencing between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM CST. Thursday free ever late it may be. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi consultations can also be scheduled by phone and video. Please contact us at (281)265-2522 or visit our website at www.grwpc. Adityanath alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by com for more information. Indo-American News • Friday, OCTOBER 2, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
3 Review of Reflections @ 50: Legacy of Hindus in North America
COMMUNITY
October 2, 2020
By Thara Narasimhan REFLECTIONS@50: WALKING IN DHARMA held on Sept. 20th, 2020 included the # 6 Panel discussion on Hindu American Vanaprasti Network (HAVAN) with a chosen topic “ The Legacy of the Hindus in North America.” The panelists consisted of diverse background of professionals to share their views about the contribution of Hindus in America in the past five decades and their legacy to the younger generation. The overall coordinators were Kumar Dave and Vinod Gupta from World Hindu Council-VHPA. Kumar informed that there are about 100,000 retirees since the past 10 years and another100,000 expected to retire in the next 10 years. The Moderator Dr. Yash Lakra described the theme of the panel and introduced the four Panelists,Dr. Prasad Jayanti, Thara Narasimhan, Dr. Jai Bansal and Dr. Rewati Teeparti. Dr. Yash Lakra, in his opening remarks quoted the verse” Na Saa Sabhaa Yatra Na Santi Vriddhaa” Meaning: It is not an Assembly or Conference, where wise old men are not included. He said that the older generation should not be considered as a dispensable generation as their wealth of knowledge is a treasure for all. The panel was very well planned to present each Panelist in the order they were preassigned and discussion on topics addressed to each Panelist. Dr. Prasad Jayanthi, Professor of computer science at Dartmouth College favorite interest of synthesizing spiritual (not religious) education and secular or mainstream education. He highlighted that essentially “Jnana”, Spiritual Knowledge and Vijnana, Scientific Knowledge is Vijnana. From the 1960s onwards Indian Americans were the most highly educated immigrants in the United States. He shared that Dartmouth College is the first and only University in the
USA to have Saraswati Mandir inside the College campus. “Shanti,” Tucker’s Hindu student organization, was founded in 2002 by student and community members in the Dartmouth area interested in practicing, learning about, and representing the Hindu faith. Mrs. Thara Narasimhan, President of Hindus of Greater Houston hosts a weekly radio program on Sanatan Dharma and related subjects. Her talk included, “Prachar” on the Radio and “Prasar “Reaching out to the community. She made America her home for 40 yrs. and her husband arrived in 53 years ago. They have now retired and enjoying their “Vanaprasti Status”. Prachar- On Broadcast
Media,”On Air” was started by Padmakant Khambhati, the Voice of Sanatan Hindusim Radio program nearly 30 years ago. His idea was to share the Sanatan Vedic Dharma that emphasizes on many aspects of its core principles and publicize special announcements. “Prasar,” reaching out to the Community she referred to Raj Syal, another visionary who started the Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH), bringing together “Unity among Hindus”, a concept made possible in Houston for last 30 years. When responding to question about negative press in Western Media, she said we need to check for credible facts, and to push the positives rather than being defensive. As
CBI Court’s Acquital in Babri Masjid Case Continued from Page 2
19, 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered restoration of the conspiracy charges and ordered daily hearing in the case, with trial to be concluded in two years. The charges of conspiracy are in addition to the existing charges against the accused of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, for which they are also facing trial. The accused are also facing charges of having made assertions “prejudicial to national integration and injuring or defiling a place of worship”. The CBI argued that the accused had conspired and instigated kar sevaks to demolish the mosque. The accused have pleaded innocence saying they were implicated by the then Congress government at the
Centre as political vendetta. Last year, the Supreme Court had allotted the disputed site in Ayodhya for construction of a Ram temple, while calling the demolition of the mosque a violation of the law. An alternative five-acre site was marked in the city for building a mosque. Defence lawyer Manish Kumar Tripathi speaks to reporters after the judgment (Express photo) On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the
rule of law,” the Supreme Court had said. “During the pendency of the suits, the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship. The Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a mosque which had been constructed well over 450 years ago,” it added. -- Indian Express
Hindu Parents and Grandparents we hold the torch to explain lofty ideals and values of our Eternal Dharma. Dr. Jai Bansal was a last-minute addition to the Panel as Panelist Dhiru Shah could not join due to health reasons. Dr. Bansal retired in 2014 as the Chief Scientific Officer and Global Technology Advisor from a global petrochemical company, after a 38-year long career in variety of leadership roles. Following his retirement, he is an active member World Hindu Council and
VHPA. He is also the convener of Reflections@50 conference. His talk centered around “Vanaprasti” definition and reflected how the Golden Years of the early immigrants can be a huge asset for the Hindu community. In the age of technological progress, he said “if 2 machines can talk, 2 generations can come together that will engage and benefit both generations. He suggested that “A Match Making” facility be provided between the young and the old, where the young seek expert advice on their relevant topics. Dr. Rewati Teeparti, is a Medical Practitioner and Hospitalist specializing in Geriatrics, a medical specialty of taking care of older population. She discussed the “Purusharthas,” the four aims of a human life and how it relates to health. Use of Turmeric for instance has become a global treatment to develop immunity. Yoga and Meditation have its roots from our Ancient Hindu practices is a gift given to the world that we can take pride of our accomplishment. She suggested to all the use of the “Grandmother Effect”, that has a huge impact when it comes to building a strong society, culture when they bond together. In conclusion Dr. Yash Lakra summed up the talks with quotes in both Hindi and Urdu. He said that not to ignore the invaluable assets built by the first-generation immigrants were the pioneers who lead the way to develop and nurture the greatness of Sanatan Dharma. Vinod Gupta thanked the Moderator, Panelists and all those who attended and sent feedback on this session. He concluded saying that our message is well served when all are inspired by the legacy of the pioneering generation of Hindu Americans.
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COMMUNITY
October 2, 2020
Community Honors Deputy Dhaliwal 1 Year after Death
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Houston: A year ago, Harris County deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal was killed in the line of duty. The community he served vowed never to forget the beloved officer. Many showed up for a processional near his memorial on Sunday, where they remembered his life and honored his legacy. People from all backgrounds came to pay tribute to a man who decided his life to serving others. “He’s my hero but when I look at my family and my house he left a very big empty space which nobody can fill,” said Dhaliwal’s sister, Herpreet Rair. “For him everyone is human. There’s no religion. Human is human. We don’t look the same. We
are the same,” Robert Munoz, a close family friend, said he thinks about Dhaliwal everyday. “It’s been really sad.” he said. “It’s so beautiful that I’m able to go into my house everyday and I take a moment and look at his picture, his poster and I pray for him and I pray for Mr. Dhaliwal and his family.” Francesca Garcia lives in the northwest Harris County neighborhood where Dhaliwal shot and killed during a routine traffic stop. “Deputy Dhaliwal has a family. But we too were his family when he worked for us and he worked seven days a week for our district,” she said. “I’ve realized we walked next
to an angel and we didn’t know it.” Dhaliwal is remembered as a good man, a loving husband and a father of three. “We continue to grieve his loss and we remember him as well. We made a pledge back then that he would never be forgotten and we hope to continue to honor that pledge,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Dhaliwal opened the doors for so many. In 2005, he made history as the first Texas law enforcement officer to be allowed to wear the article of his Sikh faith including a turban and beard, while in uniform.-- Click2Houston
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October 2, 2020
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October 2, 2020
Chinmaya e-Bala Vihar Zooms in a New Year of Online Vedic Learning
By Padmashree Rao In a pandemic-stricken : world, where life, work and relationships have been redefined, learning too has taken a new online face. To evolve through such a challenging time, technology has zoomed in through many platforms to replace empty hallways and classrooms of education with fully charged homes of learning, both secular and spiritual. Keeping with that trend, the new academic year 20-21 for Bala Vihar in Chinmaya Mission Houston (CMH) opened with e-Bala Vihar sessions on the connecting interface of the Zoom software platform. Since CMH Bala Vihar had transitioned and trained its teaching team since March 2020 when social distancing forced Chinmaya Prabha activities to go online, the start of e-Bala Vihar on September 13th was efficient and effective. The opening sessions across grades Pre-K to Grade 12 was marked with a happiness of reunion despite not being together in physical classrooms at Chinmaya Prabha. Eager teachers and energetic children were dressed in colorful Indian attire and bright smiles as they welcomed each other on their screens. When the Zoom sessions for each grade began punctually at 10 AM with the Vaidika and Chinmaya Arati, the Chinmaya Mission pledge, and
prayers, it was clear that a renewed and unified strength of purpose, true to Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s vision, will be the underlying theme of the online classes. Across grades, when Bala Vihar children shared their thoughts and participated in both joyful and thoughtful icebreakers, the spirit of Bala Vihar shone out clearly.
At the time of this writing, with three Sundays of Bala Vihar already completed, a new welcoming rhythm of spiritual learning has set in between Bala Vihar children and youth and their enthusiastic, sincere teachers across homes. A hard-working Bala Vihar team of teachers along with equally talented technology team collaborate to present the grand glory of Indian
scriptures to the 965+ presently enrolled children and youth. This year Chinmaya Mission welcomed a few families from the neighboring cities in Texas to join CMH Bala Vihar to overcome the lack of CM centers in their areas. Learning happens in a seamless disciplined manner using multiple zoom sessions. It is a large-scale weekly yajna carried out in 47 ses-
sions: 27 sessions of Bala Vihar to serve children in pre-K through 12th grades; 13 sessions for language classes; and, five sessions devoted to bhajana, orchestra, and Slokathon sessions. Included in the 47 offered sessions is an adult session to learn Sanskrit scriptural chanting and the main Satsanga for adults where Sevika Sneha Sandhane now gives her pravachans on Sri Rama Gita. Ancient sacred knowledge and Hindu culture has begun to ride the wings of technology to bring the wisdom of Vedanta to the maximum as envisioned by Pujya Gurudev, unafraid of a disruptive pandemic. Trained by the Acharyas of CMH, Sri Gaurang Nanavaty and Smt. Darshana Nanavaty, the disciplined dedication of all CMH volunteers and teachers flows online and welcomes those waiting to be part of this silent and sustained spiritual unfoldment. Bala Vihar registration is now open until October 15 as we have a few openings. Please be sure to let your family and friends know if they are interested in joining. Visit chinmayahouston.org for the registration link and other details. For more information call Bharati Sutaria - 281-933-0233 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059.
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COMMUNITY
October 2, 2020
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Arya Samaj Houston Reaches Out During the Pandemic for Covid Testing By Sanjay Jain
Houston: Covid-19 has thrown everyone into an uncertain phase and many have suffered a great deal. The pain is continuous in the form of health challenges, financial distress, isolation, and so on. But Arya Samaj Houston became proactive and walked an extra mile to deliver to the community It has been functioning online and indeed with a greater zeal since middle of March when the local authorities promulgated “Stay Home Work Safe” orders. Even its summer activities were significantly greater than what used to be in the ‘normal phase’. As local authorities began to instruct to open out in a gradual fashion, Arya Samaj Houston crafted a careful strategy to open out starting from Sunday, 27 September. However, it mixed the best of both the worlds - a limited number of attendees in the Sunday assembly maintaining the current protocols of face masks, distancing, sanitization of chairs, etc. along with the online version. What could be a better way to start the opening out than throwing the facilities open to the county and sheriff officials as a Covid-19 test facility. Management leads worked hard for several weeks from the beginning to the end to ensure that it met stringent requirements of the public health officers.
A team of 20 officers came early in the morning Saturday, 26th September. About 100 people had reserved online for the test and the entire process was to everyone’s satisfaction. The officers from the sheriff and county offices were full praise for our two senior coordinators in attendance, Acharya Suryananda ji who played host and generally for Arya Samaj Houston. Please write to us at info@aryasamajhouston.org or contact Sanjay Jain at 832-598-5246 any new ideas you may have that can be taken up by your Arya Samaj Houston. Also, be considerate to the fact that our expenditures have indeed increased in the trying times such as by adapting to the new protocols (for example, online platforms and its fees) whereas the usual Sunday donations have dried up. No donation is small, most welcome! Please visit aryasamajhouston. org to donate online. for Arya Samaj Houston. Please write to us at [xxxx] any new ideas you may have that can be taken up by your Arya Samaj Houston. Also, be considerate to the fact that our expenditures have indeed increased in the trying times such as by adapting to the new protocols (for example, online platforms and its fees) whereas the usual Sunday donations have dried up. No donation is small, most welcome!
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MOVIE REVIEW
October 2, 2020
“Serious Men”: A Bitingly Sharp, Satirical Look at Aspirational India By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nassar, Indira Tiwari, Aakshath Das, Shweta Basu Prasad, Sanjay Narvekar Director: Sudhir Mishra Rating: Three stars Based on Manu Joseph’s novel of the same name, Sudhir Mishra’s adaptation of Serious Men is a bitingly sharp, satirical look at Aspirational India. Ayyan Mani, a Tamil Dalit who lives in a Mumbai slum with his wife and son, represents a here-and-now Indian who wants a better life, and will do anything he can in order to achieve it, even if the things he does may not pass a strict moral or ethical metric. But when the chips were stacked against you generations before you were born, what is right, and what is wrong? The answers, in this thought-provoking film, lie somewhere in between. Ayyan (Nawaz) is a personal assistant to an overbearing astronomer Acharya (Nassar). The harder the former tries to please his Brahmin boss, the more obnoxious is the latter’s behaviour: to be called a moron and an idiot, in his hearing, is something Ayyan is used to, and he does what others would have in his position—swallow his
pride, smile unctuously, and scurry off to do the boss’s bidding. But there’s something else that Ayyan is doing, as we discover. Creating a weapon of destruction in the shape of his genius schoolgoing son Adi (Das), who slays rote-loving teachers and patronising principals with his astonishing math-solving skills. Good education can help create a well-rounded individual; it can also, if that individual is lucky enough to find an enabling environment, help break class and caste barriers. Ayyan brings an extra edge to this mix
because he knows that to play the victim card with the right degree of canny belligerence in the right place can take you far indeed. Will Adi’s astonishing skills, attracting the attention of the media in search of quick sensation (Slumchild! Poverty! Lower caste! Underprivileged! Prodigy!) and smart politicians building their Dalit base, take the family out of their contained-in-the-chawl life? It would appear that all is on course, till something happens, and the serious men begin dismantling the building blocks they had begun
handing out. Once the secret Ayyan has harboured all these years about Adi is out, he tries desperately to contain the damage. But he hasn’t taken into account the damage that’s been done to the young boy, who starts wilting under pressure. What’s noteworthy about Serious Men is that it refuses to salvage its characters, and their bundle of lies, whether it is Ayyan, or Acharya whose work on ‘alien microbes’ is based on exaggerations and falsehood. Nawaz is very good, channel-
ling Ayyan’s seething rage into something we can empathise with; the tender passion he exhibits with Tiwari rounds off his character. Das, as Adi, is perfect, and the real star of the movie. The most effective parts of the film are between these three; the rest, which include those in the research institute where Ayyan works, and in the party office of the politician father-and-daughter duo (Narvekar and Prasad) are somewhat woolly, even though the actors all fit their parts well. This is Mishra back in form. He is one of the few Hindi film directors who understands politics, and at his best, has been able to spin winning yarns around the politics of the day (Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi). His 1992 Dharavi, also set in the slums, and an automatic comparison, was more about a man eking out an existence. Serious Men allows its slumdweller the new-age quality of ambition, and gives him the wiles to see that if the goodies we take for granted are not his, then a snatchgrab is the only way out. Ayyan Mani is the real serious man of his tale. -- Indian Express Serious Men will begin streaming on Netflix from October 2.
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COMMUNITY
October 2, 2020
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One of Our Own’s Covid-19 Journey from Ventilator to Back Home By Lisa Grey Houston: In early March, Susham “Rita” Singh, then 65, took time off from selling appliances at the Galleria-area Home Depot. Her husband and her daughter — a doctor — yelled at her, warning her against flying to India for her annual visit with her mom. This new coronavirus was wreaking havoc in other countries, and airports and international flights seemed a bad idea. But Rita’s mom was 90, and really, how dangerous could the trip be? Rita flew back to Houston on March 21. On one of her flights, someone coughed a lot. Home Depot required her to quarantine after the international trip. She did it reluctantly: She loved her job, loved the store’s hubbub, loved talking to people. On March 24, she felt nausea and stomach pain. She thought her acid reflux was acting up: no big deal. As she grew sicker, her doctor daughter grew more alarmed. Silky Singh Pahlajani, a neurologist, lives in New York City, where COVID-19 was overwhelming hospitals. Silky, 38, didn’t feel sure that her mom’s problem was COVID-19 — gastrointestinal distress was only beginning to be recognized as a symptom — but whatever it was, Silky felt sure it was serious. On the phone, she urged her mom to see a doctor. Rita resisted. This was one of her regular tiffs with Silky: Other than basics such as annual checkups, the doctor’s mother avoided doctors. She preferred home remedies. And so far, that had worked fine: Rita was healthy and full of energy. In the 30-plus years she’d lived in the U.S., she’d never been hospitalized. She made it clear to her family that she didn’t intend to change, either. If she were ever severely ill, she’d told them, she didn’t want extreme measures taken to save her life. “She thinks she’s immortal,” Silky grumbled. But this time, Rita’s home remedies weren’t enough. After a few days she was so fatigued that she couldn’t stand. She submitted to a virtual doctor’s visit, and was commanded to go to an ER immediately for hydration. She was rolled into a small west Houston hospital in a wheelchair. Then she blacked out. Silky went into hyperdrive, constantly trying to talk with the doctors treating her mom. Furious that the small hospital was waiting for test results before treating her mom for COVID-19, Silky insisted Rita be transferred by ambulance to Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center. Being at the bigger hospital, Silky thinks, saved her mother’s life. Rita’s lungs were failing fast. A pulmonologist told Silky he’d never before seen a chest X-ray go completely white in 48 hours.
Covid patient Susham “Rita” Singh spent seven weeks on a ventilator. Photo: Courtesy Silky Singh Pahlajani
Silky knew that a ventilator was precisely the kind of extreme measure that her mother wouldn’t want. And as a doctor, she knew why ventilators are any doctor’s last resort. They leave a patient vulnerable to infection, lung damage and delirium. Many patients put on ventilators don’t survive, and the longer they’re on ventilators, the worse their chances. As a neurologist, Silky had seen the brain damage and strokes that a ventilator can cause — exactly the kind of impairment that her strongwilled mother would hate most. But Silky couldn’t let her mother die. Roughly 24 hours after Rita blacked out, she was intubated for a ventilator. The family, not allowed to visit Rita in the COVID ICU, talked to her unconscious body via an iPad. They hoped she heard them somehow. The weeks crawled by. Rita’s lungs improved, but COVID-19, Silky says, “is like a hurricane that blows through your body.” Complication after complication arose. Rita’s blood pressure dropped. Her liver was damaged. Her kidneys began failing, and she needed dialysis. Silky consulted frequently with Rita’s medical team, which she considered top-notch. And as different problems arose, Silky called almost every specialist she knew — friends from residency, from her various trainings, anyone she could think of — to pick their brains. At one point, during the weeks when Rita should have regained consciousness but didn’t, it seemed that she might have had a massive stroke — the kind of problem that Silky herself treats. But an MRI
showed no blood clot. Still, as the days ground on, Rita’s prospects grew dimmer. By April, the family was bracing themselves: There was an 80 to 90 percent chance that Rita would die. “Encephalopathy” is doctorspeak for “some kind of problem with the brain.” To treat it, Rita’s medical team tried steroids. After the first dose, she opened her eyes. She wasn’t responsive, but the family was thrilled. “We’ll take it!” Silky said.
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Rita improved. And at the end of April, she woke up. She remembers opening her eyes, not knowing where she was, and hearing a doctor she’d never seen before tell her that she was at Methodist Hospital. She didn’t understand what had happened. Her body was stuck full of tubes. She was in pain and confused. She planned to escape when the nurses weren’t in the room. From her bed, she considered various routes: the window, the hallway. But when she at last got her chance,
she found that she couldn’t move her hand to rip out the tubes. In fact, she couldn’t move at all. She couldn’t even call for help: Her voice was gone. Where, she wondered, was her family? Slowly she began to understand the nightmare she’d woken into. And at last her family members, thrilled, began to appear to her on the iPad. Rita beamed at her husband. And she beamed, too, at Silky’s sister, now seven weeks more pregnant than she’d been when Rita blacked out. But Rita glared at her doctor daughter. It was Silky’s fault, she thought, that she was here in this condition. Silky knew that she’d have preferred to die. But there she was, alive. In their video visits, to keep her spirits up, the family dangled the prospect of her first grandchild’s birth. She wanted to see that, didn’t she? On June 17, after an awful seven weeks on a ventilator, Rita was at last able to leave the hospital. The sunlight was beautiful. In the car she opened the window to feel the wind, to hear the birds. The next day Silky’s sister gave birth to a girl. In a photo taken a few weeks later, on the first day that Rita was strong enough to hold the baby, the new grandmother is beaming. With therapy she’s getting stronger, Rita says now. She’s anxious to return to work. And she has forgiven Silky for keeping her alive. In fact, she’s now grateful for the extreme measures. She tells Silky, “You are my angel.” And she warns her doctor daughter, sternly, to be careful not to catch COVID. -- Huoston Chronicle
PART-TIME METEOROLOGIST
KTRK-TV the ABC Owned station in Houston, TX is looking for a part-time meteorologist with a strong on-air presence and a commanding, authoritative delivery, who knows how to turn weather data into relevant information for viewers for our weekend morning newscasts. Candidates must have experience covering severe weather on live TV and you must have a meteorology degree and accredited weather seals. We want someone who strives to present an innovative weathercast on broadcast and digital platforms. You must be comfortable with the very latest in weather tools and technology. Candidates need to be willing to work any day, any shift in addition to their weekend shift as necessary. Be prepared to show examples of how you embrace new technologies and “new digital platforms”, including streaming and social media, to connect with and inform viewers. We want someone who wants to be involved in the community, is passionate about their work, and enjoys being part of a team. A minimum of 3 years in a medium or large TV market is a must. To be considered all interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, reference job # 767063BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
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October 2, 2020
Chronicle Endorses Sri Kulkarni
Changing demographics and a narrow escape in the 2018 elections helped persuade longtime Republican Congressman Pete Olson not to run for reelection in U.S. House District 22 this year. The six-term incumbent’s departure sets up a showdown that mirrors the presidential race with Sri Preston Kulkarni representing the moderate approach of Democrat Joe Biden and Fort Bend County sheriff Troy Nehls aligned with the positions of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The ballot also includes Libertarian Joseph LeBlanc who is running on the party’s platform of protecting individual rights and limiting government overreach. Kulkarni, 41, a former foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, made his mark two years ago by running within 5 points of Olson and establishing himself as a candidate with the intelligence and cooperative attitude necessary to build coalitions and bring people together for common goals. That makes Kulkarni our choice in this racially diverse district, which includes most of Fort Bend County, a section of Harris County and the cities of Friendswood, Missouri City, Needville, Rosenberg, and Sugar Land. According to census data, 64 percent of the district’s residents are white, 17 percent are Asian and 12 percent are Black. About 25 percent of people in the district identify as Hispanic or Latino. Texas 22 includes a large immigrant population from all around the world. Kulkarni, who notes he speaks six languages, told the editorial board that he would use his 14 years of experience of diplomacy to serve the diverse community as well as reach across the aisle to Republicans. “The key is to turn everything into a common challenge instead of a partisan issue,” he said while laying out a broad platform that includes pushing for rapid testing to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, helping small businesses to recover economically and constructing long-range plans for reducing the cost of health care. That approach contrasts with Nehls’ focus on clamping down on illegal immigration and a law-and-order record that includes overseeing a narcotics task force accused of egregious racial profiling. Despite repeated invitations, Nehls did not meet with the editorial board. Kulkarni is the clear choice for voters in Texas 22. -- The Houston Chronicle The Houston Chronicle Editorial Board is made up of opinion journalists with wide-ranging expertise whose consensus opinions and endorsements represent the voice of the institution – defined as the board members, their editor and the publisher. The board is separate from the newsroom and other sections of the paper.
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY The Indo-American Voter in 2020
By Safiya Ghori-Ahmad Fatima Salman In her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Senator Kamala Devi Harris (D-CA) put her Indian roots on full display. She spoke movingly about her Indian mother and gave a shout out to her “chittis” or, aunts in Tamil. Just a few days later at the Republican National Convention, former Ambassador Nikki Haley echoed Senator Harris, and invoked stories of overcoming racism as the daughter of Indian immigrants. Over the last few weeks, both Democrats and Republicans have painted a picture of the American dream through the experiences of Indian Americans in an attempt to court voters. The August 11 announcement of Senator Kamala Devi Harris as the first Black woman and first Asian American vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket made waves throughout the United States and abroad. Harris’s upbringing as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants has been a big part of her appeal since her bid to run for president early last year. As former Vice President Joe Biden tries to get out the vote among traditionally Democratic Black and Asian voters, one key question is whether Senator Harris can help drive voter turnout among these key groups. In the lead-up to the 2016 presidential elections, Indian Americans raised over $10 million towards the Democratic ticket, enthusiastically endorsing a bid for a Clinton presidency. However, as one of the most powerful and influential fundraising demographics for any given campaign in US politics, some Indian American donors have slowly leaned towards President Donald J. Trump. From serving as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opener during his September 2019 visit to Houston to a showy state visit to Modi’s hometown in Gujarat in February, President Trump has made unprecedented efforts to connect and reach the Indian American community. Over the course of the last four years, the blossoming of the Trump-Modi relationship has led
to significant advancements in the bilateral relationship, including expanding the two countries’ defense partnership and official visits by President Trump to Delhi and Prime Minister Modi to Wa s h i n g t o n — a l l against the backdrop of a simmering trade deal. In addition, since 2010, India has been the linchpin of the US Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China. Not only has India been seen as a useful tool for containing Chinese influence in the region but supporting India has also become good politics in the United States. The Asian American community has historically supported the Democratic Party in presidential elections—exit polls from 2016 indicate that four out of five (79 percent) Asian Americans voted for Hillary Clinton, while only 18 percent voted for Trump. And South Asians (most of whom are Indian-American) were among Clinton’s strongest supporters, with 90 percent voting for the Democratic candidate. The 2016 poll numbers came from a culmination of efforts made by the Obama-Biden administration to forge an otherwise unlikely friendship with the Modi government. In Modi’s first visit to Washington, DC, President Obama gave a personal fifteen-minute tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial; in 2016, Modi was invited to address Congress, delivering an ode to US-India relations. The Democrats were not only appealing to Indians halfway across the globe but were wooing a future electorate of wealthy and educated party donors who gradually played a decisive role in President Obama’s 2012 reelection. Until 2016, the majority of the roughly 4 million Indian American voters skewed towards the Democratic Party, much has changed since the Obama years, including the presence of the Republican Party’s efforts with this demographic. Beyond the symbolic bonhomie, the Democrats have continued to
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make critical remarks about the state of religious freedom in India and Kashmir more generally. Of course, the Indian American community is not a monolith and there are large swaths of the community that see themselves in Senator Harris’ story. Many have the same picture of sari-clad relatives as immigrants in America. And it is important to note that there is also a subset of Indian American voters that have been increasingly critical of the policies of the BJPled government, including sitting congressional members like Senator Harris and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). Harris has continuously stated that she supported strong ties between India and the United States, although she was critical of Modi’s revocation of Article 370, stripping the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir. Harris also stood by fellow Congresswoman Jayapal on human rights issues in India Will having an Indian American on the ticket be enough to keep Modi-supporting Indian Americans from defecting to Trump, or will Senator Harris help turn out Indian American voters for the Democratic ticket? Only time will tell. In the meantime, the BidenHarris campaign should prepare itself for a demographic leaning more across the political spectrum than in 2016—with some confirming that India and Indian-related policies figure significantly into their voting decisions. -- Atlantic Council. Safiya Ghori-Ahmad is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and serves as the South Asia Director at McLarty Associates. Fatima Salman is an associate director at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center.
SUDOKU/CUISINE SUDOKU/RECREATION Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before October 7, 2020. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
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October 2, 2020
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Hari Mirch De Pakore
(FRIED GREEN CHILLI FRITTERS) What could be more tempting for the typical Indian palate than fried food and hot, hot chilli pakoras? One thing is for sure, so many Indians love hot, spicy food that there are contests even for the hottest chilllies in the country. Chillies come in many colors – green, purple, yellow, orange - depending on the variety. When dried almost all will turn to red, and have more concentrated sugars and lose their fresh, grassy scent, especially the green ones. Chillies originated in the West Indies and quickly spread elsewhere. There are about 300 known species of chillies, and they all contain the active ingredient capsaicin which affects the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. Capsaicin causes the heat that stimulates the palate and increases blood circulation which makes the body sweat, which in turn has a cooling effect. This is why chillies are so dominant in tropical areas. The flavor and heat levels (indicating the concentration of capsaicin) of different types of chillies is addictive as endorphins are released to deal with the heat. Some chillies produce rapid, sharp sensations at the back of the throat while others ignite a lingering, low-intensity burning on the tongue and middle palate. Generally, the smaller the chilli or thinner the skin, the more intense it will probably be. The seeds and membranes contain the most capsaicin, a peppery compound produced by ripening chillies to ward off insects that attack the fruit and bush. Capsaicins can spread very easily through casual contact and can burn sensitive skin areas and damage your eyes, so gloves should be worn when cutting chillies. Drinking water will only intensify the burning sensation in your mouth; instead, breathe through your nose and take some salt, milk, yoghurt, cucumber or mint leaves. Chickpea flour is also called besan and come from dry roasted garbanzos (or chickpeas) which is then ground. Besan is high in carbohydrates, but contains no gluten and has a higher protein content than other flours. To most people, pakoras (or pakore) are an inexpensive fried snack that combines the flavor of a vegetable, fish or chicken with a spicy batter and is eaten with some chutney, and served mostly as an appetizer. In many Indian cities, it is eaten as a snack, often from a hawker stand on the street corner or from the
neighborhood halwai (pastry cook), coming hot, straight from the boiling cauldron, • Spices to taste: namak (salt), lal mirch (red pepper) Ingredients: • 1.5 cups besan (chickpea flour) • 1 1/2 cups pani (water), enough to make running paste • 1 dozen hari mirchi (green chillies) • 1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder • ½ tsp namak (salt) • ½ tsp lal mirch (red pepper) • 1 tsp amchoor (mango powder) Directions: 1. Wash the chillies and then towel dry them. You can leave the stems on. 2. Combine the spice ingredients in a small bowl. 3. Cut a sit lengthwise in each chilli and stuff a small amount of the spices in them and set aside. 4. Mix in namak and mirch into 1.5 cups of besan and water till it becomes a soft, running paste. 5. Heat the oil in a karahi (wok). Throw in a small dab of batter to make sure the oil is very hot.
Take a chilli, dip it into the batter to coat it then release it into the hot oil. Keep doing this till the surface of the oil is covered with battered pieces. 6. When one side is slightly brown, turn it over using a sieved spatula and turn over a few times to make sure both sides are cooked. Be careful that they do not become dark brown. Take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
WEEK DON’T MAKE PAK O R AS IN VERY HOT For most Indians OIL who were brou
ght up of the favorite activ ities on a damp, co in the Old Country, one ol rainy Monsoon have a cup of tea (some prefer mas ala chai) with strai day is to cauldron hot pako ght off the ra soon turns into a fu s and samosas. What starts out as a snack ll-fledged, stomac h over some delight ful conversation wi filling and satisfying meal th friends and fam But when making ily. of the oil in the ka the pakoras, be sure to moderate th dai (or wok). If yo u slide in the batte e heat etables in very ho red vegt oil, then the pa koras will immed dark brown and iately will sure the oil is mod lose their appeal. For best results turn erately hot by testi , ng with a few drop make ter before. s of bat-
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