Friday, July 3, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 27
Indo American News
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July 03, 2020
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Published weekly from Houston, TX
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Club 24 Plus Leads Covid-19 Relief via Houston Food Bank
Dharavi vs. Covid
P5 Anushka’s “Bulbbul”
P2 Representatives from the Consulate General of India at Houston, Houston Food Bank, and Club 24 Plus at the check presentation.
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Club 24 Plus Leads Covid-19 Relief by Donating to the Houston Food Bank By Khyati Mehta
Consul General of India in Houston, Aseem Mahajan (left), HFB President & CEO Brian Greene and Club 24 Plus President Alpa Shah with the donation check.
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ton Food Bank is one of the most credible organizations in Houston, making a significant difference in fighting hunger. Club 24 Plus is proud to support Houston Food Bank’s mission and lead efforts in providing relief in this pandemic. In the past, we’ve supported many causes, like Meals on Wheels, Daya, CRY, Pratham, Ekal Vidyalaya and more. We are grateful and proud of the generosity of our members, many of whom are frontline medical professionals themselves, selflessly serving others,” said Alpa Shah, President of Club 24 Plus. Local community groups play an important role in the fabric of society and Club 24 Plus brings
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Houston: Club 24 Plus has become one of the first Indo-American social groups in Houston to lead the Covid-19 relief efforts by donating $5,000 to Houston Food Bank. The donation check, which will provide 15,000 meals to the needy, was presented on behalf of Club 24 Plus by Consul General of India, Honorable Aseem Mahajan to Brian Greene, President and CEO of Houston Food Bank at its main office. As part of its core mission, Club 24 Plus has contributed to the local community of Houston through various philanthropy initiatives since past fifteen years; and is now leading community relief efforts in wake of the recent Covid-19 pandemic. “There has been a drastic increase in the need for food assistance as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Brian Greene, President and CEO of Houston Food Bank. “This gift from Club 24 Plus will help Houston Food Bank continue to get food out into our communities, and will make a difference in the lives of many. We could not help our neighbors in need without the support of organizations like Club 24 Plus.” Joining Mr. Greene and Mr. Mahajan at the special check presentation, was Jim Guilfoyle, Board Member at Houston Food Bank, Alpa Shah, President of Club 24 Plus, and Ashok Garg, the founding member of the Club. Consul (Administration) Ashok Kumar and Yasmeen Arya from the Consulate General of India were also present; while Club 24 Plus members who attended the event included Manisha Gandhi (Past President), Chandradev Mehta, Harish Katharani and Venu Rao. The Consul General appreciated the generosity of Club 24 Plus members. Club 24 Plus is a social group and network of Indian-American influencers in Houston, to foster and promote meaningful social interactions within the community and society at large. It’s mission is to provide support and resources to its members who wish to further their social causes and thereby contribute to the betterment of the local community. “Today more than ever, our community needs support. Hous-
together Indian-Americans of Houston to advance their personal or professional goals; as well as to contribute to the local community. In this unprecedented time, when the health of people and businesses around us are struggling, Club 24 Plus hopes that this donation is the beginning to lead efforts in bringing the South Asian community together for a common cause and supporting the generosity of those who would like to contribute in any way. For further information or any questions, please email club24plus@gmail.com.
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COMMUNITY
July 03, 2020
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Washington Leadership Program 2020: 8 Indian American Students Selected Washington DC: Eight meritorious India-origin students are all set for summer internship in Congressional offices and various departments of the US government in Washington DC. These talented undergraduate students from South Asian communities in the United States have recently been inducted into the Washington Leadership Program 2020 for a first-hand exposure to the dynamics of various federal government agencies and their public service operations. They are Vignesh Iyer, Ananya Kachru, Rucha Modi, Tarun Ramesh, Krithika Shamanna, Hillary Shah, Vishwa Padigepati, and Shreya Pabbaraju. The Washington Leadership Program (WLP) is a national nonprofit initiative that is exclusively aimed at developing and nurturing the next-gen American leadership from South Asian communities. Instituted in 1995, WLP handpicks interns from among the most promising South Asian undergraduate students, who are US citizens or legal permanent residents. Among the WLP scholars in 2020, Vignesh Iyer from California will be interning in Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s office. An undergraduate at the University of California, he is equally passionate about politics and public service. While serving on the Student Association’s Board of Directors at the university, Vignesh Iyer happened to work with Governor Gavin Newsom and the Mayor of San Francisco on such critical campaigns as racial justice, homelessness, and students’ financial aid. He has worked as a legislative intern in the office of Mayor London Breed. Since he came to the United States in 2014, he has been an active community member. Ananya Kachru in Pramila Jayapal’s Office Placed as an intern in Pramila Jayapal’s office, Ananya Kachru
Picture Credit: TheWLP.com (Vignesh Iyer, Ananya Kachru, Rucha Modi, Tarun Ramesh from left to right)
ment of Health & Human Services, Indian American Tarun Ramesh is majoring in economics and genetics at the University of Georgia. His in-depth work on opioid use disorder, sudden closure of rural hospitals, and impact of addictioninduced epidemics on vulnerable sections of society have been published by the Center for American Progress, the Undergraduate Economic Review, the Roosevelt Institute, and the Georgia Political Review. Krithika Shamanna in Department of Commerce Among the Indian American WLP scholars of 2020, Krithika Shamanna is majoring in political science at Rice University, Houston. Her focus is the study of women, gender and sexuality. Alongside pursuing a certificate course in Civic Leadership, Krithika leads a chapter of nonprofit ‘Deeds Not Words’. She aims at studying the intersection of law, women’s rights and public policy in the future. Being a law aspirant, she is focused on protecting the rights of women and economically disadvantaged communities by means of law. She will be interning in the Department of Comseeking another person for its IT Dept merce. Hillary Shah Position is responsible for all IT related hardware, in Department software and process related control systems of Commerce – Computer Science degree required w/2 yrs. experience Office of Civil Rights Great pay w/ benefits. EOE/AAP One of the Wa s h i n g t o n Send resume to apply@chemicalsinc.com Leadership Prois one of the Indian-origin scholars of the Washington Leadership Program 2020. A pride of the Indian community in Houston, Ananya is majoring in global affairs at Yale University. She has proved to be a leader on several occasions, including the 2020 South Asian Youth Initiative, a platform for South Asian students in America, Rucha Modi in US Agency for International Development One of the most versatile WLP scholars 2020, Rucha Modi is minoring in public affairs and majoring in global studies at the University of California. Born to an immigrant couple from Gujarat, Rucha is currently busy making a documentary on California’s public higher education system, alongside working on other projects including media rhetoric and LGBTQ nondiscrimination. She aspires to mobilize young Americans of South Asian origin against exclusionary politics and systematic iniquities in India and the United States. Tarun Ramesh in Department of Health and Human Services All set to intern in the Depart-
gram 2020 interns, Hillary Shah is placed in the Department of Commerce, Office of Civil Rights. She is majoring in political science and economics at the University of North Texas while minoring in legal studies. She is inclined towards rekindling the American Dream and pooling down divi-
sive politics as well as ostracizing social structures that prevent marginalized communities from realizing their potential. Vishwa Padigepati in Department of Commerce All set to be interning in the Department of Commerce, Vishwa Padigepati is majoring in Cognitive Science and Political Science at Yale University. Genocide prevention is one of the things that she is very passionate about. Born in India and schooled in France, she calls California home now. In her spare time, she volunteers as a youth leader for Plan International USA. Shreya Pabbaraju in US Agency for International Department Of all the eight Indian-origin WLP scholars in 2020, Shreya Pabbaraju will be interning in the US Agency for International Department. She is majoring in Political Science, English Literature and creative writing. A fourthyear student at Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Shreya Pabbaraju is a lead coder and research assistant. -- Indian Eagle
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July 3, 2020
In Memory of Anil Akolkar
Houston: With great sadness, we announce the passing of a wonderful man, Anil Akolkar. Anil was a friend to all. With a warm smile, he welcomed everyone into his life, and always cared about others more than himself. He will be remembered and celebrated for his kindness, caring for others, and his overall enjoyment of life. Born November 10, 1944 in Wadala Mumbai, Anil was the oldest of 3 bothers. He attended Wilson College and VJTI in India before travelling to America in 1969. He graduated from Texas A&M University, worked as an Electrical Engineer for his entire career in Houston, and retired in 2016. He is survived by his wife: Geeta, his brother: Shashi, his son: Raj, daughter-in-law: Lauren, and grandchildren: Riley, Avery, and
Alice. Anil believed it was his responsibility to make sure everyone around him was comfortable and
happy. It was a joy to be around him, because he approached everyday with joy. It was always clear that he valued friends and family over everything else. Anil was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He and Geeta both shared a great appreciation for creative ideas, experiences, and art. His son Raj admires his father for prioritizing happiness and meaningful achievement throughout his childhood. His grandchildren loved him because he played with them as a friend, instead of an adult. It was very important to him to pursue creative ideas in his free time. Working in his garden, reading, painting, and creative projects around the house were his favorite hobbies. We honor the memory of Anil Akolkar, and we are all very thankful for his impact on our lives.
Mayor of Stafford, Longest-serving in US, Dies at 79 Stafford: Leonard Scarcella, the mayor of Stafford, died around 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon, according to the Fort Bend Democratic Party. He was 79. Scarcella made history as the longest-serving mayor in the United States. He was voted into office at the age of 29. Last year, Scarcella celebrated 50 years of service with the city of Stafford. Scarcella passed away just nine days after his birthday after a brief illness. Since 1969, Scarcella has amassed notable achievements including leading the charge to create the Stafford Municipal School District, the only municipal school district in the state of Texas. Scarcella was known to lead
with the sound and disciplined fiscal approach. In 1995, the city eliminated property tax making Stafford, the largest city in Texas to abolish city property taxes.
He also facilitated a $100 million partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad to improve the U.S. 90A Corridor. Scarcella facilitated the development of the Stafford Centre, a 1,100-seat performing arts theatre and 25,000 square-foot convention center space on 43 acres of land. He also fought to finance and construct the Science and Technology Center for Houston Community College, the first such authorized city/college educational facility in the state. Scarcella was a life-long resident of Stafford. He attended grade school in Missouri City and graduated from Missouri City High School. -- Click2Houston
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COVID-19
July 03, 2020
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‘Chasing the Virus’: How India’s Largest Slum Beat Back a Pandemic By Ammu Kannapalli, Vishal Manve Mumbai: When coronavirus claimed its first victim in India’s largest slum in April, many feared the disease would turn its narrow, congested streets into a graveyard, with social distancing or contact tracing all but impossible. But three months on, Mumbai’s Dharavi offers a rare glimmer of hope with new infections shrinking, thanks to an aggressive strategy that focused on “chasing the virus, instead of waiting for disaster”, according to city official Kiran Dighavkar. The sprawling slum has long been a byword for the financial capital’s bitter income disparities -- with Dharavi’s estimated one million people scraping a living as factory workers or maids and chauffeurs to Mumbai’s wellheeled residents. With a dozen people typically sleeping in a single room, and hundreds using the same public toilet, authorities realised early that standard practices would be of little use. “Social distancing was never a possibility, home isolation was never an option, and contact tracing was a huge problem with so many people using the same toilet,” Dighavkar told AFP. An initial plan to conduct doorto-door screenings was abandoned after Mumbai’s searing heat and humidity left medical workers feeling suffocated under layers
of protective equipment as they combed the area’s cramped alleys for cases. But, with infections rising fast and fewer than 50,000 people checked for symptoms, officials needed to move quickly and get creative. What they came up with was coined “Mission Dharavi”. Each day, medical workers set up a “fever camp” in a different part of the slum, so residents could be screened for symptoms and tested for coronavirus if needed. Schools, wedding halls and sports complexes were repurposed as quarantine facilities that offered free meals, vitamins and “laughter yoga” sessions. Strict containment measures were deployed in virus hotspots
that were home to 125,000 people, including the use of drones to monitor their movements and alert police, while a huge army of volunteers swung into action, distributing rations so they didn’t go hungry. Bollywood stars and business tycoons paid for medical equipment as construction workers built a 200-bed field hospital at breakneck speed in a park inside Dharavi. By late June, more than half the slum’s population had been screened for symptoms and around 12,000 tested for coronavirus. So far Dharavi has reported just 82 deaths -- a fraction of Mumbai’s more than 4,500 fatalities. - ‘Brink of victory’ “We are on the brink of victory,
I feel very proud,” said Abhay Taware, a doctor who saw around 100 patients daily in his tiny clinic at the height of the crisis. The 44-year-old father-of-two also had to fight his own battle against coronavirus when he contracted the disease in April, but told AFP he had “no doubts” about returning to work. “I thought I could show my patients that a positive diagnosis does not mean the end,” he said. Although doctors like Taware worked to reassure worried residents, the stigma persists. After an isolating 25-day spell in hospital and a fortnight in quarantine, Sushil -- not his real name -- said he now feared discrimination if people found out about his diagnosis.
The 24-year-old also struck a note of caution, warning of a potential resurgence in infections. “People need to take as many precautions as possible. The numbers might have come down but they can swiftly rise again”, he told AFP. - ‘No escape next time’ With Mumbai and Delhi struggling to accommodate coronavirus patients as India’s cases surge past half a million officials are also wary of celebrating too soon. “It’s a war. Everything is dynamic,” said Dighavkar. “Right now, we feel like we are on top of the situation,” he said. “The challenge will be when factories reopen,” he added, referring to the billion-dollar leather and recycling industries run out of Dharavi’s cramped tenements. And some in the slum fear their community might not be as lucky next time. On a blazing morning, as car salesman Vinod Kamble lined up to have his temperature taken, he recalled his terror when the virus landed in Mumbai. “I felt like Dharavi would be destroyed, and nothing would be left,” he told AFP, describing the near impossibility of avoiding infection in the slum. “We need better infrastructure,” the 32-year-old said. “Otherwise the next time a disease like this emerges, I don’t think Dharavi will be able to escape.” -- AFP
FIIDS Study Released about Covid-19 Impact on Indo-American Community By Khaderao Washington DC: Foundation of India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) released the results of an extensive survey conducted in a three week period to measure the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Indian-American community. The survey revealed that 1 in 6 knew someone from the community tested positive by Covid-19, 1 in 4 are feeling hopeless in the situation and 2 out of 5 are worried about financial stability. 98% of Indo American’s changed their lifestyles to stay safe and eat healthy. The survey results were released in a virtual session conducted on Saturday, June 28 that also featured leaders from the Healthcare, Travel, Finance, Technology, Social Service, and Legal fields. Each of the distinguished speakers shared the impacts that COVID-19 has had on their industry. Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the United States, gave the opening address for the virtual seminar. Ambassador Sandhu gave an excellent overview of the steps that the Indian government has taken in India to contain the virus as well as commended the Indian American community in America for their
resilience in handling the difficulties from this crisis and contributing positively to the American society. “The COVID-19 Pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge across the world. India has been testing over 215,000 samples every day, and more than 1000 labs across India are involved in this exercise. In the United States, I have been speaking to Congressmen from both parties, and they are highly appreciative of the efforts of the Indian Americans.” Dr. Suresh Reddy from the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) mentioned that Indian origin medical professionals are in the forefront of the fight against
Covid-19. Dr. Sampath Shivangi spoke about mental health issues as a result from the prolonged periods of isolation. Mr. Kalpesh Joshi from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association mentioned that the travel industry is highly impacted and still helping Indo-American community and students by hosting them. Mr. Navneet Chugh from the Chugh Firm spoke about a high impact of tech professionals and industry due to the changes inimmigration rules as well as the recent executive order stopping the new high tech visas. Mr. Venktesh Shukla, Former Chairman of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) mentioned about a recovery in the venture
funding after an initial knee-jerk reaction in March. Mr. Vishal Khera mentioned efforts made to provide help in the Virginia-DC area.. Mr. Romesh Japra from Festival of Globes (FOG) covered the resiliency of Hindu community. Mr. Sree Sreenath from Sewa International informed that about 3000 volunteers raised over 1million, distributed 63K food and 625K masks. Dr. Mandar Pattekar informed that Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) volunteers served 4300 meals and touched about 150,000 people including stranded tourists, and isolated seniors with accommodations, groceries and prescriptions. Ms. Amruta Houde informed that, with the help of 80 volunteers and
Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 03, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
a helpline, Hindu Yuva helped 400 college students with groceries, accommodations and help on legal, medical and travel issues. Across the speakers, the message was similar: the COVID-19 virus pandemic has affected each of the industries in a tremendous way but Indo-American community helped communities across the nation not only the Indian-American communities but also the American communities as a whole. Padma Bhushan Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda, President of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, gave the keynote speech for the event in which he summarized the impacts succinctly. “The Coronavirus doesn’t discriminate, and it is not making any distinctions. All of us are equally vulnerable to it. And it has been mentioned in different kinds of ways that this is uncharted territory. It will have an impact on us for some time to come. We have heard the impact on travel, on IT folks, and also the festivals that we used to have that are no longer there.” He also appealed Indo-American students to venture into humanity studies. The results of the survey and the full video of this seminar can be found on the FIIDS website: http://www.fiids-usa.org.
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July 3, 2020
India to Hold Human Trial of Covid-19 Vaccine
Hyderabad: Volunteers in India will be immunised with a new locally made coronavirus vaccine in July. An unspecified number of people will have the vaccine, as part of a trial by Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech. Tests in animals suggest the vaccine is safe and triggers an effective immune response. The trials are among many across the world - there are around 120 vaccine programmes under way. Half a dozen Indian firms are developing vaccines. This is the first India-made vaccine and developed from a strain of the virus that was isolated locally and weakened under laboratory conditions. India’s drug control authorities have allowed Bharat Biotech to hold Phase 1 and 2 of clinical human trials after “company submitted results generated from preclinical studies, demonstrating safety and immune response”, a statement issued by the firm added. The Drug Controller General of India - CDSCO, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare granted permission to initiate Phase I & II human clinical trials after the company submitted results generated from preclinical studies, demonstrating safety and immune response. Human clinical trials are scheduled to start across India in July 2020. The two trials are designed to test whether the vaccine is safe, rather than whether it is effective.
The locally obtained strain of the virus was instrumental in developing the vaccine quickly, the firm said. “The difference between the strains present globally is something still being researched,” a spokesperson for the vaccine maker told the BBC. The vaccine is called Covaxin and has been locally developed in collaboration with India’s National Institute of Virology and Indian Council of Medical Research, according to Dr Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech. The firm, which has delivered more than 4 billion doses of vaccines worldwide, has developed vaccines for H1N1 and rotavirus, among other diseases. Apart from Bharat Biotech, Zydus Cadilla is working on two vaccines, while Biological E, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax are developing a vaccine each. Another four or five home-grown vaccines are in early stages of de-
velopment. Pune-based Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker by number of doses produced and sold globally, has also partnered to mass produce a vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and backed by the UK government. India is among the largest manufacturer of generic drugs and vaccines in the world. It is home to half a dozen major vaccine makers and a host of smaller ones, making doses against polio, meningitis, pneumonia, rotavirus, BCG, measles, mumps and rubella, among other diseases. Correspondents say a vaccine would normally take years, if not decades, to develop. Most experts think a coronavirus vaccine is likely to become available by mid-2021, about 12-18 months after the new virus, known officially as Sars-CoV-2, first emerged. That would be a huge scientific feat. -- BBC
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July 03, 2020
Indo-American Researching One-Shot Cardio Cure Boston: In the first of its kind, experimental gene editing has paved the way to eliminate heart diseases. These genes are responsible for heart diseases, and eliminating them will reduce the risk of heart diseases. Moreover, these genes are also carried by human beings as well, which raises bars of hope to eliminate the disease in the future. However, we do not know how this might work as the study is in its initial stages, and we need to study a lot about its effects on monkeys. Given the history of gene-based treatments having mixed criticism, it will definitely take longer to get into our commercial market. The results were published in a virtual conference for stem cell research. The goal was set out to block two genes that regulate cholesterol metabolism on the liver. People who inherited naturally mutating versions that destroy these genes suffered less from heart disease. People with higher levels of LDL and triglycerides suffer from all heart diseases to stroke. Due to this importance, drug companies are already marketing gene inhibitors that lower LDL and triglyceride levels. But these inhibitors are expensive, and therefore scientists wanted to make it cost-effective and affordable. This is where Dr. Sekar Kathireasan at Verve Therapeutics comes into the picture. He decided to edit the genes instead of
Pool Tragedy in New Jersey East BrunsNJ: A mother and grandfather who drowned in their backyard pool in New Jersey a week ago were trying to rescue an 8-year-old girl who had fallen in, police said. Bharat Patel, 62, his daughterin-law Nisha Patel, 33, and her 8-year-old daughter were found unresponsive in the above-ground pool on the afternoon of June 22 by East Brunswick police responding to a 911 call from neighbors who heard screams. East Brunswick Lt. Frank Sutter said the young girl had fallen into the pool, and her grandfather and mother were trying to save her when they, too, began to drown, CBS New York reported. Middlesex County prosecutors and police said that while the above-ground pool was mostly shallow at 3 1/2 feet deep, a portion of the pool was 7 feet deep and “It wick,
Sekar Kathiresan, M.D.
injecting inhibitors regularly. They created an RNA editor that will effectively bind to cells and change the genetic sequence. This editor is injected in the form of tiny spheres to protect from degradation. Once they reach the target site of the liver, they bind to cells and change the genetic sequence. Once edited, they remarkably bring down the lipid levels as max as 59 percent. This worked on over 23 monkey models, which are very tough to get such results when compared to mice models. In addition, they also brought down the triglyceride levels up to 64 percent.
Although the editor is said to work on monkeys, we do not know the side effects of the editor till now. Sometimes these gene modifications can bring about deleterious effects in the host. Therefore, experts are slightly concern about this aspect. Fortunately, these monkeys do not show any adverse effects until now. In addition to this, the scientist also needs to evaluate the lasting effect of this editor. Experts hope this can be one time change and need not be done again. But we need clinical trials and research to prove it. If everything goes, Dr. Sekar hopes this technology might be available for humans to fight heart diseases. Also, this will help third world countries where people cannot afford expensive treatments on a regular basis. With higher hopes, this can this therapy can be groundbreaking to combat to treat deadly metabolic diseases? Further research will give us more answers.
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doesn’t appear that the victims knew how to swim.” C B S New York’s Chopper 2 showed images of an above-ground swimming pool in the backyard where the three people were found dead. CBS New York Real estate listings show that the pool was already installed when the Patel family purchased the home in April, NJ.com reported. Neighbors told CBS New York the family had just moved into the home about a month ago. “It’s painful. It’s painful,” neighbor Yamini Patel told the station. The county’s regional medical examiner determined the cause of death to be drowning and ruled the manner of death as accidental for all three victims. Police and prosecutors earlier said electricity played no part in their deaths.
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8 July 3, 2020 ENTERTAINMENT “Bulbbul�: There’s More to Bengali Mystery than Meets the Eye
By Renuka Vyavahare, Story: Set in 19th century Bengal, Bulbbul (Tripti Dimri) an aristocratic Thakuraeen (feudal title bestowed upon upper class, landowning caste in ancient India) with mysterious aura and condescending smile has a storm inside her head. On his return from London, Satya Thakur (Avinash Tiwary), the male lord of the family discovers Bulbbul’s secret liaisons and wonders what she has been hiding. Meanwhile, the village encounters a series of supernatural deaths, attributed to a daayan (witch). What’s lurking in the village and the Thakur haveli? Review: An amalgamation of
several genres, Anvita Dutt’s slow burn, period fantasy drama, oozes mystery. It’s predictable so do not expect this to be a jump scare thriller but formulaic, it isn’t. The storytelling draws references from folklore as it shuttles between past and present, good and bad, demon and God. Are they two faces of the same coin? Don’t go looking for an engaging thriller and you won’t be disappointed. At its heart, Bulbbul is a melancholic social tragedy. A metaphor for caged existence, broken dreams, lost childhood, unrequited love and veiled sexual and emotional abuse. A tragedy can make or break you. Can you draw strength from it instead? Bulbbul the film, reflects upon this thought
as it condemns the culture of silence that women are subjected to. It reminds you what you are truly capable of, once you decide to avenge injustice and seek redemption. Like its intriguing protagonist, there’s more to Bulbbul, than meets the eye. However, if watching people being tormented and traumatised, disturbs you, this one’s not for you. The film moves at a languid pace and struggles to hold your attention. The story also feels incomplete when it comes to exploring relationships. A lot is left unsaid and deserved a deeper understanding of characters. Excessive usage of red lighting in night scenes doesn’t quite work and feels amateurish. For a period drama,
the production design is a tad underwhelming. A tighter narrative could also have worked better. On the positive side, talented newcomers Tripti Dimri and her Laila Majnu co-star Avinash Tiwary reunite in this film and interestingly, their roles are reversed here. If Avinash pined for Tripti in the previous film, it’s the other way round here. Same goes for performances. Laila Majnu was an out and out Avinash Tiwary show and Bulbbul belongs to Tripti Dimri, who owns every frame with her striking good looks and mysterious charm. The actress displays immense growth as an actor and is bound to have a bright future ahead. Rahul Bose, Paoli Dam and Parambrata Chat-
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Kim Ogg
H a r r i s Co u n t y D A . C O M Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 03, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
topadhyay are as integral to the story as the lead pair and deliver compelling performances. Haunting music by Amit Trivedi and historical costumes by Veera Kapur deserve a special mention. Producers Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma deserve a pat on the back for backing content that’s intriguingly dark, layered and courageously different. Anvita Dutt’s film will vaguely remind you of Raj Kapoor’s iconic Prem Rog, which took against a misogynistic society that looks at women as a prop meant to be owned by men. If you think women’s fight for equality is overrated and uncalled for, this will make you rethink your opinion. -- TNN
July 03, 2020
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EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
July 3, 2020
Not Fair, but How Lovely
New Red Line
On Monday, the government banned 59 mobile applications with Chinese links such as TikTok, UC Browser, Shareit, and Cam Scanner. The decision, which comes amid continuing tensions between India and China, after the killing of 20 Indian soldiers on the Line of Actual Control, is the first clear message from New Delhi that it will review the rules of engagement. This is an interim order and firms have been given 48 hours to respond to questions on their compliance with data security and privacy, but this marks a decisive break from the past. It serves as a statement of intent while sending a clear signal to China that there will be costs for acts of aggression. How to manage and respond to China’s growing assertiveness in the face of a growing power imbalance is a challenge for India. There is an asymmetry in power, a visible economic disparity. The Chinese economy is roughly five times larger than India’s. While India accounts for only 3% of China’s exports, China (excluding Hong Kong) accounts for 14% of India’s imports, and 5% of exports. But the situation at the LAC demands a response. In this context, the ban on Chinese mobile apps may be construed as low hanging fruit and a relatively soft target, but it is, at the same time, a decision that makes the point without leading to a revenue loss for India or hurting it economically — for that same reason, calls for boycotting all imports from China in this moment are ill-judged. Those using these apps have other readily available alternatives, but Chinese firms stand to lose a fast-growing market. Given that India’s digital economy is tracked globally — it is one of the largest markets in the world for these apps — blocking access here does impact the valuations of the companies. Other retaliatory steps are being considered. E-commerce firms have been asked to explore the idea of listing the product’s country of origin amidst a growing clamor in some sections for boycott of Chinese products; there is talk of raising tariffs, curbs on contracts in some infrastructure projects. However, given how pervasive Made in China is, how sweeping its presence in the technology space in India — its investments in a long list of Indian unicorns — each step will come with its own set of consequences. New Delhi should prepare for these and calibrate its response, step by careful step. -- Indian Express
Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu
A fair-skin obsession in a country where the majority of people are brown is a lifelong training in selfloathing and discrimination.
By Amrita Dutta A little girl and her brother go to the market. They sniff purple flowers, post a letter in a red postbox, spy an orange cat peeking out from behind a basket of green bhindi, and watch their mother haggle with a fisherwoman in an ochre sari. These are images from a wordless picture book for children that artist-writer Manjula Padmanabhan made in 1986. What stands out in A Visit to The City Market (NBT) is the rich earth of the children’s skin, and the many shades of dark brown of other people, from coffee to chocolate to chestnut. For Padmanabhan, one of the most genrebending English writers in India, the book was a milestone. “Those children are dark,” she told me in an interview in 2015. “Till then, I had been using — not pink, but a soft brown colour. And I suddenly thought: Why don’t I use brown? The full undiluted brown. It was very liberating. But I also realised that many people found it ugly.” I came across the book years later, as an adult, long after I had stepped out of a childhood where the word for dark skin in Bengali — for my dark brown skin — was not just shamla, but moyla (dirty). The ads of Fair & Lovely, beaming in the message of “twacha ka nikhar” even in our unfamiliarwith-Hindi homes, therefore, did not need any translation. A fair-skin obsession in a country where the majority of people are brown is a lifelong training in self-loathing and discrimination. It is tangled with broader structures of inequality, from caste to gender and class privilege, securing them in place with its softer, more invisible power. It works insidiously against the vulnerable, by chipping away at their self-worth. For Hindustan Unilever, it has meant cold, hard profit — Fair & Lovely was made for Indian
markets in 1975, and is now a Rs 2,000-crore business. In 2020, comes the turnaround, prompted by the introspection in America of ways by which apparently neutral cultural ideals of success and beauty perpetuate systemic bias. “We recognise that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right,” the company has said, while announcing its decision to drop “fair” from the brand name, and assuring us — in the face of 45 years of evidence to the contrary — that it is committed to “a global, inclusive portfolio of skin care brands”. This is suspiciously less than a cosmetic change. More than black or brown lives, profit matters, which in an attention economy run by global social media algorithms, needs insincere social messaging to manage. Neither HUL nor other brands that reign over the Rs 4,000-crore whitening cream market has shown a desire to examine their role in the perpetuation of racist, casteist ideas of skin colour. Nor how deviously they have twisted ideas of women’s empowerment to sell unsubstantiated claims of melanin-suppressing “miracles”. In Fighting Poverty Together (2011), the writer Aneel Karnani, a professor of strategy at University of Michigan, cites HUL research that claimed “90 per cent of Indian women want to use whiteners, be-
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cause it is aspirational, like losing weight. A fair skin is, like education, regarded as a social and economic step up.” In recent years, Fair & Lovely ads have showed women turning into successful teachers, cricket commentators or a lawyer fighting for “women’s rights” by lightening their skin. In one advertisement, a young working professional proves her worth to her father, who wishes he had a son, by transforming herself into a fair woman. HUL and other brands are not the only ones guilty of colourist bias — from cinema to news television and advertising, there has been little challenge to the uppercaste, North Indian ideal of beauty and desirability. But, given the generations of dark women and men who have been made to feel unworthy because of the colour of their skin, it is not a burden they can shrug off. Exploitative ideas of skin colour do not define you forever. I remember flipping through Padmanabhan’s book, as I read it to my daughter, lingering over a little brown girl dressed in a bright yellow — a colour I was ashamed to wear as a child — and her statuesque mother, a darker shade of brown, also in a yellow sari, and feeling a warm glow of affection: This is us. Not fair, but how lovely. -- Indian Express
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July 03, 2020
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Soya Bean Te Khumban di Sabzi
(SOYA BEAN & SAUTEED MUSHROOMS) In the past two decades, mushrooms have become a more than a delicacy as farmers have developed ways to cultivate them in many countries in controlled environments.And this has brought the cost down and exposed many more people to the benefits of eating mushrooms. One popular variety is the small, round, pointy type called button mushrooms, usually sold in cans. But most mushrooms available in grocery stores are the white type (technical term: Agaricus bisporus), but other common varieties are crimini and the large capped portobello. Others with exciting textures and taste are shiitake, maitake or hen-of-thewoods, oyster and enoki. The small, one-inch cylindrical soyabean wadiyan (dumplings) are now available everywhere and are popular because of their reasonable price, spongy texture and health and protein benefits. Soyabean helps lower cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, and is also an antioxidant, minimizing diabetes and reducing inflammation. Soyabean oil is high in beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and alphalinolenic acid. Soyabean wadiyan plump up by soaking up the flavor of the curry and the result is a soft spongy texture that gives a mouthful of juicy flavor with each bite. So, it is important to concentrate on making the curry correctly and not too watery. Ingredients: • 250 gm khumban (mushrooms) • 2 cups soyabean wadiyan (soyabean lentil dumpling) • 2 medium pyaaz (onion) • 2 cups of pani (water) • 3 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil • 1 tsp tamater paste (tomato paste) • 1 tbsp adrak (ginger) – peeled and finely chopped • ½ teaspoon of lasan (garlic) powder (if desired) • Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), haldi (turmeric), dhania (coriander), garam masala Directions: 1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. If you prefer, you can quickly dip them in water and then make sure to dry the mushrooms off completely, leaving them on a towel for some time to air out. 2. Cut off the stems of the mushrooms and aside.
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3. Peel the onions, slice and keep to the side. 4. Place the wadiyan in a small pot of water and bring it to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes. 5. Test a waddi to see if it is soft to chew. If it is, drain the hot water and then immerse the boiled wadiyan in cold water to cool them down. 6. Drain the cold water, then press the wadiyan in your palms to squeeze out the soya smell and all the water. 7. In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, then add the onions and brown them, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom. When the slightly brown, add the tomato paste, salt, pepper and garlic and stir well. 8. Pour in the wadiyan into the masala, add ½ a cup of water, add the mushrooms and stir for 2 minutes. 9. Cover the pot and let the water come to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for five more
minutes to let the flavor soak into the wadiyan. 10. Uncover the pot and check that the wadiyan have become plump and the curry is not too thin. Turn the heat off, sprinkle with garam masala and the shredded fresh dhania and let it sit uncovered. monds, pistachios, raisins and fennel seeds. Place in the fridge to chill before serving. 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 FOR A FIRM DISH , CAREFULLY CL EAN MUSHROOMS WIT H O U T W A T E R Though white mus hr
ooms are widely have problems wh available, are tasty to bite in en cooking them so that they are most people high heat, shed th to. Often it is because they are ov stay firm and down in too much eir water and become limp and thercooked over en left to cool liq But there is anot uid. cooked and this her reason that mushrooms beco mushrooms, makestarts before they are cooked. Beme limp when they can hold a lo sure to clean them well by dippin fore cooking towel dry them wet of dirt in the top cap but then, sh g in water as as any extra wate ll and leave them to air dry. Thisake them and r will turn to steam is rooms. and will overcook necessary the mush-
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July 3, 2020
EMERGENCY FUNDS - HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
Celebrating 175 years of caring for our community.
Jesal Patel ARPC, CLTC, LUTCF
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