Indo-American News: April 17, 2026

IMAGH Gala Celebrates Community Service & Impact

By Hina azam

Houston: The Indian Muslim Association of Greater Houston hosted its Annual Eid Gala at Marriott Westchase on Saturday April 11, bringing together nearly 500 guests - distinguished dignitaries, elected officials, community leaders, and members of diverse cultural and faith communities in a vibrant celebration of unity, service and shared values.

The event was honored by the Consul General of India, D.C. Manjunath, along with officers from the Consulates of India and Indonesia. Also in attendance were Texas State Representative Dr. Suleman Lalani, Islamic Society of Greater Houston President Emran Gazi, Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan, and Council Members Alice Chen and Edward Pollard, along with representatives from the offices of Commissioner Leslie Briones, Commissioner Andy Meyers, and Commissioner Adrian Garcia, patrons, sponsors, and representatives from partner organizations across the Greater Houston area like India Culture Center, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Dawoodi Bohra community, Ismaili Community, Bangladesh Association of Greater Houston, Islamic Society of Greater Houston, Bangladesh Association Houston, Rupani Foundation, IBN Sina Foundation and Amaanah Services.

The gala marked the joyous conclusion of Ramadan- a sacred time

of reflection, gratitude, and renewal - followed by the celebration of Eid. The evening highlighted IMAGH’s mission to foster amity across cultures, communities, and religions while strengthening bonds within IMAGH President Hina Azam emphasized the organization’s purpose, stating, “IMAGH is more than a community group—it is a platform for connection, resilience, and purposeful action.”

She highlighted the organization’s continued commitment to preserving cultural traditions while creating meaningful opportunities for engagement and growth.

Over the past year, IMAGH has demonstrated significant community impact. The organization contributed to disaster relief efforts for Kerrville flood victims in partnership with the Indian American Charity Foundation. Additional initiatives included a

turkey drive in collaboration with the American Caribbean Chamber of Commerce, a back-to-school program with Amaanah Services, and joint celebrations with the Consulate General of India, ICC, JVB, and India House for Republic Day, Independence Day, Mother’s Day Walk, and International Yoga Day.

IMAGH also served on the host committee for the Houston Mayor’s Iftar, reflecting its ongoing

commitment to civic engagement and interfaith collaboration.

The gala showcased several of IMAGH’s flagship programs and new initiatives. The Club65 senior citizens program continues to provide health education and social engagement opportunities for older adults, while the revived South Asian Youth Alliance (SAYA) is empowering youth through mentorship and leadership development and their group was featured on the Indo American News Radio quiz show.

New initiatives launched this year include scholarship programs that support students with potential and passion—not only those pursuing traditional and essential professions, but also those exploring diverse paths such as journalism, public service, and the social sciences.

In addition, we have introduced several meaningful initiatives: a women’s empowerment program focused on leadership development and personal growth; an AI and technology education program designed to help families confidently navigate the evolving digital landscape; and a mental health initiative dedicated to promoting emotional well-being within our community.

The evening’s program featured a Holy Quran recitation, the U.S. and Indian national anthems, and cultural performances by Nrityakalpana Dance School.

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Entertaining HAF Gala Explores the Hindu Future

Houston: It was all about time travel at the Hindu American Foundation’s “Back to the Hindu Future” Houston Gala at India House this past Saturday, April 11 held at India House. This year, HAF put a twist on the normal gala program, opting for a short film that humorously explored different moments in time that changed the history and perception of Hinduism globally. By interspersing the film with explanations of HAF’s work, the result was a highly engaging program that entertained and inspired the sold-out audience throughout the evening. Appetizers and dinner were served by Dawat Catering.

The evening got started with a beautiful invocation sung by youth volunteers Naina Mehra and Veda Kaushik and a lamp lighting by former Houston mayor Annise Parker who is running for Harris County Commissioners Court Judge in the upcoming May 26 runoff election; Sugar Land City Councilman Sanjay Singhal, and 240th District Court in Fort Bend County Judge Surendran Pattel who is running for re-election in November.

Then HAF gave out its Dharma Seva Award to Usha Mehra for her work with the Hindu Worship Society and the Texas Gaushala, and called upon noted philanthropist and businessman Ramesh Bhutada to present the award to her. Both of them spoke sincerely about the Gaushala and what it meant to the community.

Emcee Priya Pandit took over and presented the audience with the target of $650,000 for the evening, noting that that they were already over halfway there due to previously made pledges including a $300,000 pledge from the Bhutada Family Foundation. She then introduced HAF’s Managing Director Samir Kalra and Associate Director of Philanthropy Amy Parekh. Samir and Amy, with help

from the film, made a riveting presentation of HAF’s work and the need for HAF, noting that the Hindu community only had 10 organizations in the entire country with full-time staff, compared to thousands from other religious groups. This statistic, coupled with the recent finding from the Pew survey that 1 in 5 Hindus in America end up no longer identifying as Hindu, caught the audience’s attention.

HAF Fellow Suraj Pandit, who grew up in Houston, also came onto the stage, talking about his recent testimony in front of the Texas State Board of Education and how his fellowship at HAF benefited him in both learning about policy issues and sharpening his writing and speaking skills. Donations came in throughout the night, as audience members made contributions to support HAF’s Legal Justice Center and Education Center.

At the close of the event, HAF Board Member Rishi Bhutada made a strong appeal for donations to HAF, pointing out how right now, with the racism and bigotry being aimed at the Hindu American community both online and in real life in places such as Frisco, Texas, showed the need for the Hindu American community to have strong organizations that could ensure the future presence of the Hindu community in America. Gala attendees responded to the pledge drive, and HAF surpassed its fundraising target, making for a very successful gala. “We were very humbled and inspired by how the gala attendees really responded to our presentation and our materials, and thankful for the strong support shown by the Houston Hindu community,” said Bhutada. Attendees said they looked forward to next year’s event and to HAF’s continuing work.

India House Honored by Houston Business Journal for Community Impact

Houston: India House is proud to be recognized by the Houston Business Journal as an awardee of its inaugural Community Leadership Awards, honoring organizations making a meaningful impact across the Greater Houston region.

In addition, India House has been named one of the Top 3 Nonprofits in the Brays Oaks District, an honor based on strong community support through public voting.

Serving over 50,000 individuals annually, India House delivers inclusive programs focused on health, education, and community well-being across diverse populations. Key initiatives include distributing over 240,000 pounds of food annually in partnership with the Houston Food Bank, providing free and low-cost healthcare services through Virendra Mathur Community Clinic, offering pro

bono legal and citizenship assistance to thousands, supporting academic growth for underserved students, and promoting active, connected living for seniors. The organization also fosters civic engagement and multicultural understanding through community events and collaborations.

“These recognitions reflect the collective efforts of our Trustees, Board Members, Executive Committee, Volunteers, Partners & Staff, and reaffirm our commitment to serving the community with compassion and purpose”, said Col. Vipin Kumar, Executive Director of India House.

India House collaborates with over 20 partner organizations, further amplifying its reach and impact across Greater Houston. For more information, please visit: www.indiahouseinc.org

Chevron LPGA at Memorial Golf Course

Houston: Indo-American News was privileged to attend the Media Day ahead of the 2026 LPGA Chevron Championship that will take place April 23-26, 2026 at the Memorial Golf Course.

Chevron and Memorial officials explained some of the changes that will be made exclusively for the tournament, including a wading pond on the 18th hole (see poster on the right). It has become an LPGA tradition for the winner to take a victory jump in the pond. The winner will also receive golden boots and a teddy bear (shown near the podium).

The media event featured guest

The Chevron Championship is the first of five major championships on the 2026 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour schedule. Tickets are available for purchase with options starting at $40. The tournament will make a charity contribution to the Memorial Park Conservancy.

LPGA players of Indian origin include India-based Aditi Ashok and local star Gurleen Kaur, who played at Cy Woods High School in Houston and on Baylor University team.

IMAGH Gala Celebrates Service

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The event also included an address by Consul General D.C. Manjunath and a keynote speech by Dr. Akhtar Badshah focusing on living with purpose.

Community contributions were recognized through prestigious awards, with the Col. Raj Bhalla Community Service Award presented to Amaanah Services and the Latafath Hussain Community

Service Award awarded to Dr. Abdul Moosa. The event also acknowledged the contributions of guest organization, the Zoroastrian Association of Houston. The program concluded with a delicious dinner catered by Tempura. Through events like the Annual Eid Gala, IMAGH continues to strengthen connections, promote service, and build a more inclusive and compassionate community across Greater Houston.

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Nirvika Koduru, 14, Wins DCP Finals

augusta: At the Augusta National Golf Club last week, 14year-old Nirvika Koduru lived up to her name as she blitzed the field in the girls’ 14-15 age category and won the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in record fashion.

Nirvika, whose family hails Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and lives in Boca Raton, Florida, was second in driving and third in chipping, when the girls moved to the final part of the challenge – the pressure-packed cauldron that is the 18th green of Augusta National. She rammed in the first of her two putts from 30 feet, and then snuggled the ball close to the cup for the second.

Munir has strengthened ties with both Washington and regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, and has held high-level meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan said on Tuesday that tween the United States and Iran, ernment tries to capitalize on its standing with the leadership of

ored to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks

MTS Hosts Chess Tournament

PearLand: The Sri Meenakshi Temple HWP (VHS) Chess Tournament is a USCFrated event organized and directed by National Master and Coach Jeffrey Ashton, held on April 12, 2026.

Milind Patil coordinated the event, Sockalingam “Sam” Kannappan, Founder Secretary, gave trophies to the winners.

To ensure fair and competitive play, participants are grouped into sections based on their USCF ratings -- Section 100, Section 200, and so on. While these sections do not follow a strict rating range, they are structured to span from the least to the most experienced.

India Begins Its 16th National Census

new deLHi: The first phase of the next national Census—an exercise last conducted in 2011—will begin on Wednesday, marking the start of the world’s largest enumeration drive.

The exercise will be the country’s 16th Census and the eighth since Independence. It was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here are 10 things to know about Census 2027:

The first phase, known as the House Listing and Housing Census, will run for six months until September. During this period, data on the condition of houses, available household amenities, and assets owned by households will be collected.

The reference date for this leg is 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027 (October 1, 2026, for Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir; Uttarakhand’s and Himachal Pradesh).

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim will do the Houselisting Census from April 16 to May 15 along with a period of self-enumeration from April 1 to 15.

Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana will start Houselisting Census from May 1 to May 30 with a period of selfenumeration from April 16 to April 30.

In the second phase, population enumeration will be conducted during February 2027. However, in Ladakh, snowbound, non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, this leg will be held during September 2026.

During this phase, information on demographics, socio-economics, education, migration, fertility, etc. will be collected.

For the first time, the exercise will also involve caste enumeration, dates for which will be announced later.

In another first, the population count drive will be held digitally. Enumerators will collect and submit data directly through a mobile app. In addition, there will be an online provision for self-enumeration in both the phases.

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Na Jaane Kaun Aa Gaya’: Love, Loss & Lust

By ronaK KoteCHa

Story: When a man loses his wife, he comes across a dark truth about her past and decides to confront it head on. But will this confrontation bring him more pain, self-realisation or closure?

Review: Set in the picturesque hill station of Bhimtal in Nainital, Uttarakhand, Na Jaane Kaun Aa Gaya is a story of love, betrayal and self-realisation. Written and directed by Vikas Arora, the film revolves around three central characters — Kaushal (Jatin Sarna), Tina (Madhurima Roy) and Veer (Pranay Pachauri) — three distinct individuals whose paths collide and whose destinies become intertwined.

Told in a non-linear fashion, the narrative switches between the past and the present while following two parallel love stories. Director Vikas Arora and his co-writer Amal Singh’s story and direction handle the subject of an extra-marital affair with rare sensitivity and mature understanding that grows as the story progresses. The pacing is slow, but the way the screenplay unfolds — beginning with Kaushal’s chance discovery of his wife’s illicit relationship — gives the story an interesting edge.

From then on, the film unfolds in layers, slowly revealing the reasons leading up to the shared destiny of three people bound by love, lust and desire.Jatin Sarna plays Kaushal with some stiffness that could have been toned down to make his character feel more real. Despite being well written at times, his chemistry with his costar Madhurima Roy often feels out of place, and moments of vulnerability feel forced. However, he does look the part of a man searching for answers within himself and in the world around him.

Madhurima Roy is well cast as Tina and delivers a fairly convincing performance. Pranay Pachauri, with his understated charm, ultimately emerges as the quiet strength of the film. He portrays Veer’s internal conflict with ease

and quiet confidence.The film’s cinematography by Pappu Singh Rajput and Shanu Singh Rajput is refreshingly heartfelt. The breezy, sunlit locations of Nainital’s beautiful landscape give this slow-burn story the quiet reflection it needs. The music by Devendra Ahirwar, Prini Siddhant Madhav and Kartik Kush is not immediately memorable but fits well within the screen-

play.

Ultimately, Na Jaane Kaun Aa Gaya is a quiet love story with several relatable moments. While it deals with uncomfortable themes like extra-marital relationships and grief, it does so with maturity and understanding, eventually leading the story towards acceptance and closure.-- ToI

SWNB College Scholarship

Houston: Southwestern National Bank (Member FDIC) is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for the 2026 Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Program. This initiative supports exceptional high school seniors who are preparing to pursue higher education. The scholarship honors students who have demonstrated academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to making a positive impact through community involvement.

A total of $5,000 will be awarded to five selected scholars, with each recipient receiving a $1,000 scholarship. Eligibility Requirements, the Applicants must: Be a U.S. high school graduating

senior

Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted)

Demonstrate financial need for college tuition, books, supplies, and related expenses

Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited U.S. college for the 2026–2027 academic year

Application Deadline: All materials must be received by May 30, 2026.

Semi-finalists may be required to attend an interview. Scholarship recipients will be notified by mail in June 2026. For additional information or to request an application, please contact: Ling Chuang, Scholarship Coordinator Email: ling.chuang@swnbk.com

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Send us the correct answer before April 21, 2026. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

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