Friday, December 11, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 50
Indo American News
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December 11, 2020
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Ekal Gala: $6.5 M for Rural Education
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Sikh Protest in Houston
P6 Oscar Entry: Jallikattu
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2 December 11, 2020 COMMUNITY Ekal Foundation’s Unprecedented $6.5 Million Magnificent Gala
Chairman Bajrang Bagra
$1 M donors Sukhwinder and Ajay Keshap with Vivek Oberoi.
Gala Co-chair Mohan Wanchoo
Gala Co-chair Kamlesh Shah
On Saturday, December 5, “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF)” hosted a magnificent Star-studded Gala, called ‘Future of India’. This Gala-2020 raised record-setting $6.5 Million in pledges & donations for the special projects. The highlight of this virtual event was not only the participation of a galaxy of outstanding personalities, but also, the way they expressed their vote of confidence in ‘Ekal’ movement (as “EVF” is popularly known). The celebrities that lent their whole hearted support were iconic cricketer Kapil Dev, Movie star Vivek Oberoi, Hon. Minister Piyush Goyal, leading entrepreneur Ajay Piramal, Bollywood singer Sanjeevani Bhelande and numerous entrepreneurs. The Gala was chaired by Mohan Wanchu, Chairman & CEO of EC Info Systems who, like all previous Galas, had ushered the concept in the first place. The main objective of the evening was, not only, to raise funds, but also, to acknowledge gratitude to loyal philanthropists who had consistently supported ‘Ekal’ through the years. Earlier in the year, after successfully controlling ‘Covid-19 pandemic in 102,000 rural & tribal villages of India, ‘Ekal’ had raised funds through 10 regional mid-year virtual concerts for its conventional activities even in the current covid-19 pandemic. Despite a snow storm and tornado that created some technical problems in transmission, the delayed start for the evening could not dampen the spirit of generous philanthropists to support their favorite projects at Ekal. There was overwhelming support for ‘Integrated Village Development’ (IVD), E-Shiksha, Tailoring Center, Telemedicine, ‘Arogya Initiative’, Ekal-on-wheels’, ‘Gramotthan Research Ctr’ (GRC), Computer Center etc. Among the high net-worth donors, 15 pledged $250,000 or more while Ajay Keshap confirmed donation of cool $1,000,000. Mohan Wanchu, welcoming the virtual audience opened up the evening with an anecdote about a ‘Rikshaw-puller’ and how a ‘Lok-kathakars’ (a cadre of cultural story-teller) from an Ekal village transformed his life for better. Kamlesh Shah, co-chair of Gala started the pledge-drive by
contributing $580,000 and ap- August 15 speech whereby all vil- push hard is that of ‘E-Shiksha’ it is quite apparent that Ekal is on pealing donors to raise the bar lages would be interconnected by or digital education. It wants to the way to achieve its ambitious of Gala-2020 to unprecedented digital broadband in next 1,000 spread it from current 1,200 vil- goals. For more information to level. Ranjani Saigal, Executive days. In addition, the most ambi- lages to 100,000 villages. join this organization or to support Director of “EVF” gave a brief tious project that Ekal wants to With the success of Gala-2020, it, kindly tap into www.ekal.org. outline of all Ekal special projects, which was followed by former ZEETHOUGHT LEADERSHIP TV CEO & Chairperson The Thought Leadership initiative invites of Ekal-Global, Dr SubAt IACCGH, we are hash Chandra giving an eminent speakers who are highly accomplished overview of what Ekal is in their field of work to share their insights. committed to our partners, all about. Guest speakers sponsors and community The person that stole • Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu the show was the movie • U.S. Senator John Cornyn to work together in these star, philanthropist Vivek • Congressman Pete Olson challenging times and • Congressman Kevin Brady Oberoi who also happens • Mayor Sylvester Turner to be the Ekal-brand Amprovide guidance, service • Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo bassador. He emphasized • Fort Bend County Judge K. P. George that “the donation to Ekal and assistance. iaccgh board • Commissioner Adrian Garcia wasn’t a subsidy for the • Former Congressman John Culberson needy, but a divine invest• Charles Foster ment in India’s future”. He further appealed to the youths of India to join SMALL BUSINESS NEXGEN INTERNATIONAL TRADE ‘inquisitive, creative and Our NEXGEN program is IACCGH has been an essential driver INITIATIVES passionate organization an effort to bring talented in fostering economic links between The small business outreach like Ekal’ to give purindividuals together, celebrate American and Indian businesses programs are aimed at providing pose to their life. Global business tycoon, Ajay their contributions, share their - both small and large sized entrepreneurs with access to Piramal said,” Ekal’s stories, inspire each other and corporations, as well as coordinating relevant knowledge to establish emphasis on dispensing foster ties amongst each other. efforts between facilitative and strengthen their business. quality education and priorganizations like sister chambers in mary healthcare in rural Guest speakers India and US. area is a game changer.” • Nehal Anand • Nasrullah Khan Guest speakers Sajjan Agarwal, not only Guest speakers • Swapan Dhairyawan • Mahesh Desai • Anasuya Kabad • Dr. Shama Rasheed donated $250,000 for • Consul General Aseem Mahajan • Rimple Mashruwala • Landi Spearman • Kirby Lammers ‘Arogya Sevika’ (Health• Dhruva Jaishankar • Richard Verma • Marsha E. Murray, Esq • Tanuj Girish • Devina Bhojwani care Assistant) in the vil• Aileen Nandi • Nyamusi Igambi • Amiralli Dodhiya • Imtiaz Munshi • Namrata Sirur lages, but also, appealed other donors to match his willingness to donate adWOMEN’S INITIATIVES HEALTHCARE ditional $250,000. This Women professionals, from a diverse IACCGH is committed to its focus on healthcare starting with challenge, in the very range of industries and backgrounds, the MD Anderson – Tata India initiative and has continued to next moment, was met by come together to share leadership engage and build on the strength of the Texas Medical Center Manubhai Shah. When it challenges, professional and personal leveraging Houston, the world’s largest medical center. comes to healthcare, it is imperative to know that journeys and provide inspirational Guest speakers the donation of $250,000 learning opportunities. • Dr. Vivek Kavadi • Dr. Paul Klotman • Dr. Peter Hotez benefits 7,500 people in • Dr. James McDeavitt • Dr. Ashok Balasubramanyam 150 villages. A new iniGuest speakers • Dr. Ashish Kamat • Dr. Jeffrey D. Cirillo • Dr. Andrew tiative, called ‘GRANE’ • Malisha Patel • Alyssa Parrish Dinadro • Dr. Paul K. Hegarty • Indira Vishnampet (Gramotthan Atma-Nirb• Cheryl Creuzot • Gita Chakrabarti • Dr. T. Douglas Lawson • Bradley Lembcke harata for Ekal), that is • Maryanne Maldonado • Nory Angel • Liz Youngblood Fache • Dr. Miral Patel going to change farmer’s life forever, was introTARUSH ANAND duced by Vivek Sharma. President, IACCGH It is aimed at bringing E-commerce activities to the villages so as to avail villagers with new profitable economic opportunities. Hon. Minister Piyush Goyal affirmed his INDO-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON own and his family’s long 1 Riverway, Suite 1700, Houston TX 77056 association with Ekal. He e: info@iaccgh.com | www.iaccgh.com lauded Hon PM Modi’s
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Indo-American News • Friday, december 11, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
3 Pan IIT USA’s 2020 Global Summit Features Eminent Speakers
COMMUNITY
Houston: PanIIT USA, a volunteer run organization, hosted its first ever virtual global summit on December 4-5, 2020 - IIT2020: with the theme “The Future is now”. This mega global summit, had an elite global audience of 17000 over the 2 days. 275+ distinguished speakers; 5 unicorn founders, 40+ Venture Capitalists, 4 CXO’s from billionaire-fortune 1000 companies, thought leaders, futurists, go-givers and more , graced the stage sharing their thoughts & vision and thus enriched the event. In addition, 35+ sponsors and 20 + supporting organizations enabled this event. IIT 2020 was the PanIIT USA’s attempt to tackle some of the significant challenges of today as well as tomorrow. We are fast approaching a population of 10 billion+ global citizens. How will we scale to provide food, health, and education to future generations? What will be the new global paradigm for living in this new normal? Sanjiv Goyal, Conference-
chair and Witty Bindra, Co-chair espoused that it is only through fostering innovation and entrepreneurship that we can build a better world and a better future for all mankind. Honorable Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi opened the summit, and he challenged all
December 11, 2020
participants to build a better world. He challenged the PanIIT USA to develop startup ecosystems, accord equal opportunities across the societal spectrum, and provide access to education for all. His mantra was beautifully summarized by him in three key words, Reform, Perform & Transform. The 2 day
summit included keynotes, fireside chats, talks, discussions with stalwarts of various global corporations, IIT Directors & prominent global dignitaries on 3 different subject tracks, as well as a Startups segment, a Global segment & a novel “Unconference” platform . It was a non-stop feast of engag-
Make a Plan Have a plan of where to go and what to do in the event that your home is affected by loss of electricity or flooding inside the home. Make sure each family member knows what to do and where to meet. Prepare an Emergency Kit Gather supplies, including non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and water for several days, in case you must leave immediately or if services are cut off in your area. Store at least 1 gallon of water per day for each person and each pet. Include medications, extra batteries, charging devices for phones and other equipment. Stay Tuned to Local Alerts Listen or watch for official updates from your city and county officials. Follow evacuation orders, flood warnings, and other official warnings. Know Your Fair Housing Rights Some communities, due to historic housing discrimination, are located in flood prone and environmentally hazardous areas and have fewer resources to prepare for and recover from extreme weather events. Having a plan and knowing your rights is the best way to protect yourself and your family. Learn more at www.thealliancetx.org/preparedness.
Indo-American News • Friday december 11, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
ing sessions starting Thursday early morning 4:00 am PST and ending on Saturday evening 4 pm PST. thus making it a continuous show for over 36+hours. We had close to 450 submissions in our Startups segment and a little over 40 global Venture Capitalists participated in these sessions. The innovative “Unconference” segment in itself had 11 Tracks and 55 speakers and ran for over 24 hours. The mega summit was a resounding success, truly projecting the IIT’s as a global brand. Pan IIT USA President Sundy Srinivasan emphasized that the all-volunteer team did a phenomenal job, not only designing the program, but raising sponsorships, spreading the word and giving attention to the minutest detail. In short, it was incredible team work that made this mega summit a reality.
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NEPAL
December 11, 2020
Mount Everest Adjusted to Snow Height
Kathmandu: How tall is Mount Everest? Until now, it depended on whom you asked. China said it was 29,017 feet. Nepal said it was a little taller, at 29,028 feet. The countries have closed that 11-foot gap and reached an agreement. The world’s tallest peak this week will get a new, unified official height from the two nations it straddles. After yearslong surveys, China and Nepal will announce the peak’s stature Tuesday, Susheel Dangol, the man in charge of Nepal’s Everest-measurement project, said Sunday. “The challenge for us was to prove we could do it,” he said. Measuring Everest has always been a challenge, taxing the latest surveying technology since the 1800s. And it created a disagreement between the mountain’s two homelands. The difference was over rock versus snow. China’s official height for Chomolungma—its Tibetan name for Everest—was 29,017 feet, from a 2005 survey. China used “rock height,” estimating where the peak lay under the snow. Nepal has used a “snow height” of 29,028 feet for the peak it calls Sagarmatha, from a 1954 survey India did. That’s where people stand, atop the snow, and the measure is standard practice in most countries. One of the first official measure-
ments of Everest unveiled globally was in 1855 (29,002 feet). Until a 1975 official measurement by China (29,029 feet), the surveys were by foreigners. The measured heights of mountains aren’t fixed in stone. New technologies have made it possible to take more-precise estimates, and some mountains shrink: North America’s highest summit, Denali, previously known as Mount McKinley, lost 10 feet when remeasured using satellites in 2015. The peak’s new measure will come from a first-ever joint announcement by Nepal and China. Everest falls partly in China’s Tibet autonomous region. Chinese teams gauged the distance from gravity and sea level at the Yellow Sea. Nepal’s teams did the same going south to its border with India. “This is the cat’s whiskers, in terms of doing it right,” said Roger Bilham, professor of geology and Everest-history expert at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “Because it’s a Nepalese-Chinese venture, there were no impediments to access or technology.” The teams from China and Nepal used everything from old-fashioned trigonometry and surveying equipment such as the theodolite— an optical instrument on a tripod, the kind one sees used during road construction—to satellite positioning and gravity meters. Measuring the exact height in-
volves climbing to the top and using satellite signals that can locate any point within millimeters. Surveyors must first measure down to sea level, lugging height-measuring and gravity-measuring equipment to the water while taking thousands of measurements. Measuring Everest anew was a matter of pride for Nepal, which had never itself surveyed its Himalayan peaks before, said Mr. Dangol. Nepal started talking about an Everest survey in 2011. The 2015 earthquake there shook Kathmandu into action as scientists around the world wondered whether the shift in the mountains had changed its height. Snow height will be Everest’s new official summit, said Nepal’s Mr. Pandey. “The dispute over rock height and snow height,” he said, “will be a thing of the past.” -- Wall Street Journal
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COMMUNITY
December 11, 2020
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Hindus of Greater Houston 10th Annual Hindu Youth Awards 2020
Hindu Youth Award winners of 2018.
Houston. Their zeal and enthusiasm have been exemplary in motivating other Hindu youth and in
U YOUTH D N I H AW UAL 10 T H
VIRTUAL A NN
Pallod from the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp and Komal Luthra from Young Hindus of Greater
NIVERS N A SAT DEC
19
promoting leadership, community service, professional networking, social dialogue, and culture in young adults. While Namita Pallod will share the importance of developing the summer Hindu Heritage Youth Camp held in Houston for many years, Komal Luthra will share the activities of Young Hindus of Greater Houston. Bhawna Luthra, Secretary, Hindus of Greater Houston and Event Coordinator of this year’s Hindu Youth Awards commented “It is a great honor working with the youth awardees and witnessing their enthusiasm and dedication for their organizations. Hindu Youth Awards gives youth the opportunity to connect and exchange ideas to take the noble work of preserving Hindu values and Hindu unity forward.”
Hindus of Greater Houston
S 2020 ARD
in some of Chopra’s other great works, such as “Vishnupuran” where he played the role of Lord Maha Vishnu. The Annual Hindu Youth Awards will feature inspiring speeches by the youth as well as a cultural program. This year, two special awards will recognize community youth leaders, Namita
Bringing Hindus Together.....
Y AR
Houston: Like most other celebrations this year, the 10th Hindu Youth Awards will also be celebrated virtually on 19 December, from 8 pm to 9:30 pm. The celebrations will honor ten youth who were nominated by the Greater Houston area temples and organizations and will recognize them for their outstanding achievements and service to the community. (Watch on YouTube live https://tinyurl.com/ yyyl79nq and Facbook live https:// www.facebook.com/hinduofgreaterhouston/) Consul General of India, Shri. Aseem Mahajan will be the Chief Guest and will present the awards to the nominees as well as the “Akhil Chopra -Unsung Heroes Award” to Dr. Madan Gopal Luthra. Dr. Luthra is a retired doctor whose life goal is to serve humanity with total dedication. Apart from helping people who are in dire circumstances, he organizes plasma donations to help COVID patients. The Keynote speaker for the event is celebrated Indian television and film actor Nitish Bharadwaj, a well-known director, screenwriter, producer, veterinary doctor and former Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha. He is best known for his role as Lord Krishna in B. R. Chopra’s television series Mahabharat, as well as for his portrayal of the several avatars of Vishnu
8:00 pm - 9.30 pm (CST)
Fundraising Gala
H1-B
US Senate Passes Relief for Indian Professionals Washington DC: The United States India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) proudly celebrates the recent passage of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (S.386) in the United States Senate. Originally introduced in 2019 by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), this legislation amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country limitation for employment-based immigrants in the U.S. and increases the per-country limitation for family-sponsored immigrants. While it remains far from being a done deal that this legislation will officially become law, the Senate’s passage of the bill provided relief for hundredsof-thousands of Indian professionals working in the United States on H1-B work visas as at least one hurdle has been cleared. This legislation must now be reconciled with the House of Representatives legislation (H.R. 1044) which passed in 2019 but has significant differences. Congress will need to agree to a final, identical version of the bill for both houses to pass before sending it to the President’s desk. Should that legislation make it to the President, chances are high that it would be signed into law as Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris co-sponsored the legislation. “We still have a long road ahead to get this legislation on the President’s desk and signed into law, but having it pass the U.S. Senate is significant progress,” said USINPAC Chairman, Sanjay Puri. “I’d like to thank Sen. Mike Lee for introducing this legislation as well as a number of other U.S. Senators, including Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, for their support in passing this bill. For Indian nationals who cannot get through the heavily backlogged process of acquiring an H1-B work visa, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Chief Guest
SHRI. ASEEM R MAHAJAN Consul General of India Houston
Keynote Speaker
SHRI. NITISH BHARADWAJ
Actor (Known for his role as Lord Krishna)
PLEASE DONATE
Akhil Chopra community service award for Unsung Hero
DR. MADAN GOPAL LUTHRA
WWW.HINDUSOFHOUSTON.ORG
LIVE STREAM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hinduofgreaterhouston/
HGH YouTube Channel: https://tinyurl.com/yyyl79nq
For more information: www.hindusofhouston.org awards@hindusofhouston.org Thara Narasimhan: 281-389-6987 • president@hindusofhouston.org Bhawna Luthra: 281-773-3649 • secretary@hindusofhouston.org YHGH Coordinators: Gayathri Mullapudi and Arjun Luthra • yhgh@hindusofhouston.org
Indo-American News • Friday december 11, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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December 11, 2020
Sikhs Protest New Indian Agriculture Laws Outside the Indian Consulate in Houston
COMMUNITY
Vertical Upward Integration in Punjab’s Farming Sector
By Bhupinder Singh
People protest rules they say hurt Punjab farmers Monday in front of the Consulate General of India in Houston. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle.
By Robert Downen Houston: Demonstrators, mostly from the Sikh community, gathered to protest against several farm laws that change India’s agricultural system. Sikhs in Houston are calling on the Indian government to end new agriculture laws that they say will cripple already meager profits for farmers in the country’s Punjab region. On Monday, a few hundred people gathered outside the Indian embassy near Buffalo Bayou to criticize the new rules, which the Indian government passed in September as part of a broader effort to deregulate the nation’s massive agriculture sector. But farmers — many of whom faced economic headwinds even before the Indian economy entered into a recession earlier this year — fear that the new policies will allow large companies to bully them into lower prices and, potentially, sales
of their farms. Particularly worrisome, demonstrators said, are changes to a minimum price point for the billions of dollars in products — namely rice and wheat — that the Indian government normally purchases from farmers each year. Several hundred people gather to protest in front of the Consulate General of India, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, in Houston. The demonstrators, many members of the Sikh community, gathered to protest against several farm laws that change India’s agricultural system. Similar protests are taking place in other cities. The Indian government has defended the changes as necessary for the country’s “one market, one nation” strategy, and say that the reforms will give farmers more market choice and power. “The bills are addressing deficiencies that the farmers have spoken about before,” said Aseem Mahajan, consul general for India in Houston. “They give the farmers the freedom to sell their produce to who they want.” Similar protests have occurred in multiple major American and Canadian cities in recent days and, in the Indian capital of New Delhi, demonstrators have been blocking major roads for the last 10 days. Talks between agricultural and government leaders are ongoing. Taj Kaur, a 24-year-old whose parents
First and foremost I would like to tell my farmers brothers/sisters that I understand and feel their concern regarding the agricultural reform bills that have been passed by the Indian Government. We can feel your anguish and understand what is fueling the protests. We hope that the outcome of ongoing discussions with the Government is fruitful and satisfactorily addresses your concerns. The government says the reforms, which opens the farming sector to private players, will not hurt farmers but have not satisfactorily addressed farmers’ concerns. So, if the Government agrees and makes concessions to the farmers this time, the issue will prop up again in future. Long term the policies may not be fully in farmers’ interest as other vested stakeholders will attempt to engineer something of this sort again. We need to think outside the box to come to a solution to this vexing issue. I think this can happen, when farmers take control of their produce and give value added end products to consumers directly. Let us take an example of wheat. At present farmers sell the wheat at say MSP to the government or private sector agencies. Instead if the farmers set up a co-operative, that buys their product at MSP, stores the grains in silos, convert them to end products consumed and then sells them through cooperative operated outlets. The co-operative could sell following wheat products: Atta (flour), Sooji, Maida, Chapatti/Phulkas, Paronthas (Aloo,
Methi, Saada), sliced bread, halwa etc. As the co-operatives generate money, the surplus cash could be reinvested in new products besides rewarding the shareholders. While proposing this idea, I have the success of Amul Dairy in my mind. Amul started out with milk then added butter, ghee, cheese, ice cream etc. and today there are a plethora of products marketed under that brand. The mention of word butter reminds of Land O’Lakes brand in USA, which is cooperative founded in 1921. They have 10,000 employees and $ 14.9 Billion revenue. There is also a USA cooperative of orange growers called Florida’s Natural brand founded in 1933 with revenue of $ 470 million. Recently, we have seen how Baba Ramdev has spawned a growth in Ayurvedic products in India using a similar model. I have just touched the tip of the iceberg but when a detailed study is carried out many more ideas using the model of farmerto-consumer direct can become a reality. Such a venture will not only make farmers less dependent on the government or even private sector but also make them masters of their produce and destiny. Through these efforts they can provide employment to many thousands and bring economic prosperity to themselves and the community. Wishing our farmers best of luck, financial security, and economic success. Let this new model become the second Green Revolution bringing prosperity to the farmers.
farmed in India before immigrating to Houston, called the rules a “violation to human rights and the democracy of India.” “Democracy is a government of the people, not a government of private corporations,” she said, adding that many farmers have long felt ignored by the Indian government despite helping sustain the country’s food supply as its population boomed past 1.3 billion people. Some in the Monday crowd wore patches or held signs noting a wave of anti-Sikh violence that killed thousands in the Punjab region in 1984. “This time we won’t be silent,” she said. “We will make sure the people of Punjab are heard in every part of the world.” America is home to roughly a half-million Sikhs, whose faith is centered on justice and “love-inspired service,” and an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 live in the Houston area, according to the Sikh National Center. Many protested Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s trip to Houston last year amid his administrations violent crackdowns on Muslim rights in o Life Insurance Kashmir. o Long-‐Term Care Insurance Those protesto Variable+ and FiUed AnnuiVes ing on Monday said they were o Disability Insurance* doing so to proo Health Insurance* tect the rights of For More InformaVon Contact Me all Indians, reServices: gardless of their Divyendu Singh, Ph.D. faith. • Life Insurance Financial Services Professional# and “This is not • College funding Licensed Agent about a Sikh • YeVrement Planning CA Insurance License # 0M30399 agenda,” said Gurpreet Singh, New York Life Insurance Company • Estate Planning a member of the 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1900 • Planning for Business owners Sikh Coalition, Houston TX 77027 #Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC which organized Cell: 812-‐272-‐2911 (member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life Company. the rally. “This is *Product available through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life Insurance Office: 712-‐499-‐7638 Company, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state or locality. about Punjab and dsingh06NO.newyorQlife.com +Securities products and services offered through NYLIFE Securities LLC farmers.” -- HousSMRU 1759568 www.dsinghnyl.com ton Chronicle
Indo-American News • Friday, december 11, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
7 Serene Singh is Crowned 2020-2021 National All-American Miss
COMMUNITY
Orlando: Serene Singh, 23years-old, has won the coveted National American Miss pageant held in Orlando, Florida at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Singh represented her home state of Colorado competing in the world’s largest pageant with this year’s numbers totaling over 700 women from across the country. “I woke up realizing my dream of many years is now my reality. I have so many exciting plans and goals for this year to work on behalf of girls and women across the country amidst a global pandemic and I am 100% prepared to dedicate my whole self to lending my voice to causes that matter most to me. I am immensely grateful to all those in my community who helped me reach this point in life – it truly takes a village, and I am lucky beyond words for mine,� says Singh. As part of the National American Miss national pageant competition, contestants are judged on evening wear presentation, interview, per-
December 11, 2020
sonal introduction, community involvement, and their resume. Singh is taking home to Colorado with her the official national award package for winning the crown but also the National Casual Wear Model award title, Golden Achievement for her volunteer work with at-risk women through her nonprofit, Academic Achievement, Heart of Service, Top 3 in Talent in the country, among a few others. She is not just about pageantry and modeling. She states, “being multidisciplined has always been important to me. So often girls are told to pick one thing to be good at when really, I think this world needs to see all of our many talents and gifts for the
Serene Singh of Colorado is the pageant winner.
next generation to grow up seeing themselves as nothing less than unstoppable. That is a very special message I always share to girls I work with – be fearless with who you are and how you show up, always.� The 23-year-old is also a prestigious Rhodes Scholar, Truman Scholar, and Fulbright Recipient who is a University of Colorado alumnus and a current Doctoral Candidate at the University of Oxford. Just weeks before the national pageant, Singh graduated as the youngest student in Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government’s Master in Public Policy degree with students from 100+ countries. As the very first Victoria Secret GRL PWR
campaign winner, former intern for Mrs. Obama’s Global Girls Alliance as well as the Founder of The Serenity Project, a nonprofit that works with at-risk women across the U.S. to help them build confidence, self-love, and gain influential women mentors, Singh is deeply passionate about bringing awareness to women’s issues as well as advocating for women’s rights. As a former America’s Junior Miss as well as Miss Colorado Teen, Singh’s focus this year is on “self-esteem of girls and women, girls’ education, diversity and representation, and women’s rights.� Throughout the next 365 days, Singh is under contract with the National American Miss pageant and can be booked for appearances, keynotes, sponsorships, etc. through her social media platforms or website. At the conclusion of her year as a titleholder, Singh will return to Florida next year to crown her new successor.
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MOVIE REVIEW
December 11, 2020
India’s Oscar Entry ‘Jallikattu’: About Seething Brutality of Everyday Life By Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta During a period of COVIDinduced self-isolation this year, I watched Malayalam movies. They were like a balm. The backwaters are beautiful; the people are engagingly real. The stories are intensely local, set on the blurred boundaries between rural and urban that is so peculiar to Kerala. These are ensemble stories, perhaps because Kerala is in some ways more egalitarian than many other places; also because that’s how communities live. There are awkward brothers, inquisitive grandmothers, and a teenager who plays football, cooks dinner and yearns for his mum. I love that a person called Baby can be a woman or a man, diminutive or large in size, Hindu or Muslim or Christian by faith. A character can drive an auto, be a friend, and have a hobby, all at once. Identity doesn’t feel rigidly fixed. People can change. Can it be that people are complex? The characters resist easy categorisation. A photographer learns from his elderly father how to see. Three people find themselves in a Rashomon-like plot set inside a police station. After the death of a Tamil man at a roadside ironing stand, his Malayali employer silently befriends his employee’s widow. It is just that: Friendship. Indeed, one of the best things about Malayalam cinema is how it depicts friendship between people of different backgrounds not just
as possible, but also light, natural and valuable. It shows what brings people together. But film is also a powerful way to explore what divides people, such as misogyny, toxic masculinity, and lasting enmities between people in a society that continues to be riven with feudal and hierarchical elements. And that is the theme of Lijo Jose Pellissery’s cinema. His Angamaly Diaries (2017) shows that man’s inclination for violence runs deep. Ee Ma Yau (2018) shows that it runs deeper than the depth of a grave. In the first film, a religious procession becomes the site of a fight; in the other, a man’s grave itself becomes an embattled space. The most powerful depiction of toxic masculinity and violence is in Pellissery’s latest work, Jallikattu (2019) — selected as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards. Jallikattu is based on a short story by the Malayalam writer S Hareesh. Like the landscape of Kerala, S Hareesh’s writing contains breathtakingly beautiful sentences. They are dense and textured, with rich detail — the dip and swirl of birds
against the bright green fields, the movement of long-oars gliding through the canal, the flitting of pied paddy skimmers over the pond — when suddenly, one word can stop us short, such as: Hunger. I think of the opening scene of Hareesh’s award-winning novel, Moustache (Meesha in Malayalam). Paviyan, who lives on the embankment of the Chozhiyappara fields, is walking home one night in the month of Karkitakam. After going to “those with overfilled grain chests and stores of paddy” seeking a bit of rice, he is returning empty-handed. On the way home, he sees an eenampechi, or pangolin. “He picked it up thinking it would amuse his children, make them forget their hunger for a while.” Even in God’s own country, just beneath the surface, one encoun-
ters hunger, inequality and deep fissures that are never quite forgotten. A starving child. A boy digging the earth for roots. The ghost of a man who has starved to death, still asking for kanji water. A scrawny migrant worker; a well-fed priest. “Caste is still the primary signifier of worth, dignity, and position of people in Kerala,” writes Hareesh in the foreword to Moustache. About Hareesh’s fiction, I have to say this: There are sentences in his prose that, when they end, I have to go back and read them again from start to finish, because
they are so magically crafted. It is the same with Pellissery’s film sequences. Such as the opening moments of Jallikattu: Before dawn, a clock ticking, and people’s eyes snapping open, one by one. Among the first words spoken in the film: “Hold the rope tight.” A knife being sharpened; a sudden lunge; and blood spreading darkly on the ground. While the men gather into a mob, the women continue to cook tapioca, check the salt, pet the dog, and wash the clothes. Jallikattu is about an ancient violence, one that is deeply linked to land and jungle. “This land was all a dense forest,” says one character. “My dad usurped it and gave it to the church.” The film is about conflict between man and beast; man and man; and man and woman. It is about the seething brutality that lies just beneath the surface of everyday life. -- Indian Express
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SPORTS
December 11, 2020
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TCC Taped Ball Spring 2020 Premier: JCC Winners, SLCC Runners Up
Runners up: SLCC
Winning team: JCC
Houston: JCC were crowned as the champions of TCC Taped Ball Spring 2020 Premier on August 29th 2020 defeating SLCC by 26 runs and thereby claiming their first TCC Taped Ball premier Tournament title which is a once in a year championship for Divn. I teams. This is about being the best in the best!! This was the first final for JCC and for SLCC, this was the 9th final of which they have been champions for 3 times. It was a highly competitive tournament played between 11 teams. JCC won the toss on a beautiful Saturday morning and had no hesitation in electing to bat first. SLCC opening bowlers gave a great start with a wicket each in the very first over of Ramesh and Thusitha and the score was 5/2 after 2 overs. With Nirav’s loss in the 6th over, the score was 26/3 after 6 overs.
Kishan and Tapan steadied the innings before Gihan got 2 in the 10th over including that of Tapan for 17. At the end of 10 overs, the score was 42/5. After the break, Gihan got Kishan for 16. Hiren and Ronak put together a quick fire 25 before Hiren was run out for a 15 balls 21 with 2 sixers. Ronak then built partnership with Alok and played a very crucial and sensible knock of 23 of 28 to take the score to 106/9 at the end of 20 overs. SLCC bowlers did what they do routinely to teams to restrict JCC to 106. Gihan led the bowlers with 3 wickets of 9 runs and was well supported by Ramesh with 2 wickets. Nalith and Thusitha got 1 each. Chasing 107, SLCC got a flying start from Gihan and Thilan before Gihan got out for 12 of 7 balls in the third over at a score
of 18. Thilan and Kushal had a useful partnership of 30 runs in 4 overs before Abhinav got the important breakthrough of Thilan in the 7th over for 24 of 25 with 2 fours. At the end of 10 overs, the score was 56/3. SLCC were comfortably placed to chase the remaining 51 in 10 overs with 7 wickets in hand. It was an inspired bowling performance by JCC after the break which resulted in at least 1 wicket in every over. The JCC bowlers spun a web of magic around the very reliable and strong batting lineup of SLCC and were supported by excellent fielding of JCC. Cricket was its unpredictable best with SLCC collapsing to 80 all out in 15.3 overs. The entire JCC team was ecstatic with the win and their first championship in TCC Taped Ball. The final was a continuation of the fighting spirt
of JCC in the playoff games which were against teams ranked higher than them. Rajesh finished with 4 for 22 and was supported by Kishan (2/18), Nirav (2/12) and Abhinav (1/12). Brilliant fielding meant one run out. The game was followed by wellorganized presentation ceremony hosted and facilitated by Jagadish Biradar of TCC. Dinesh from Gladiators was thanked for his voluntary contribution in scheduling the tournament. Umpires Cameron and Goutham were presented umpiring medals. Nirav Ginwala, captain of JCC was awarded the championship trophy and Thusitha W, captain of SLCC was awarded the runners up trophy. Rajesh from JCC was awarded the man of the match for a match winning 4 wickets for 22 runs. Tournament awards were also
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presented during the presentation ceremony. Hiren Patel from JCC won the award for the MVP of the tournament. Ashwin from Cougars was the best batsman for 150 runs, Saravanan from Cougars was the best bowler with 8 wickets, Shiva from HCCC was the best All-rounder with 109 runs and 5 wickets and Swaroop from Cougars was the best wicketkeeper 10 catches. Ashwin from Cougars and Gaurav from BHCC were given special awards for centuries. Gaurav also got a special award for a hat-trick. The link to the score card is https://www.cricclubs. com/3T/fullScorecard. do?matchId=474&clubId=8675 and the youtube link is https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tcJwvECGyjU
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OPINION
December 11, 2020
President Biden & Kashmir As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take charge of America on January 20, Pakistan hopes to reset bilateral relations with the US and draw Washington into the Kashmir dispute with India. Mobilising America on Kashmir has always been a major preoccupation for Pakistan. It has become an obsession after India altered the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir last year. Pakistan’s Kashmir strategy over the last three decades and more is a familiar one. It is about triggering violence in Kashmir and intensifying the military confrontation at the Line of Control. It then appeals to Washington to defuse the crisis that could escalate to the nuclear level and compel India to talk Kashmir with Pakistan. This script has played out frequently since the late 1980s and the US has inevitably stepped in. The degree of American intervention has, however, varied from crisis to crisis. Meanwhile, India has learnt to adapt. In the past, India was hesitant to escalate hostilities because of the nuclear factor and the fear of third-party mediation in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, is unafraid to escalate. Delhi has recognised that the threat of escalation cuts both ways and it is possible to turn the nuclear dimension and external intervention to India’s advantage. How might it all play out in Biden’s America? Biden is more familiar with the history of US-Pakistan relations than his recent predecessors at the White House. As a long term Senator and Vice-President, Biden has been engaged with Pakistan-related issues for many years. Pakistan honoured Biden in 2008 with the second highest civilian honour, Hilal-e-Pakistan. Biden was the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at that time. While its relative weight in the US has declined vis-a-vis India, Pakistan has longstanding friends in Washington and an expanding diaspora. Some of that was seen in Pakistan’s successful mobilisation of political support during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Washington in the summer of 2019. Trump was eager to enlist Pakistan in getting the Taliban to the table and brokering a peace settlement in Afghanistan. Pakistan did facilitate the US talks with the Taliban, but there is no real settlement yet; nor a major reward to Islamabad from Washington. Could that change? Biden has said little about US’s Afghan policy during the campaign; he has certainly echoed Trump’s sentiment on ending America’s endless wars. It is unlikely that Biden will ramp up the war in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Afghan leverage in Washington dramatically rose after the 9/11 attacks and peaked in the early 2010s, when President Barack Obama’s military surge peaked to about 1,40,000 troops. An America that is headed to the exits in Afghanistan — there are barely 4,500 US soldiers left there—is far less dependent on Pakistan. Biden is unlikely to have much bandwidth left for Kashmir as he copes with a range of domestic and foreign policy challenges. The website set up last week on Biden’s transition plans lists four urgent priorities — the Covid crisis, racial inequality, economic security and climate change. -- C. Raja Mohan in Indian Express
Farmers’ Stir: With Anger and a Song By Pramod Kumar The farmers’ agitation is unique in many ways. One, it is a coming together of 31 ideologically competing organisations. Two, it has successfully purged itself of the influence and interference of the established political parties as reflected in the popular song, “Kithe kithe paye aa vande, kedi party de kede jhande, O vota paake khaave dande, O bholeya jatta samajh agende (We are divided under different party flags, you vote only to get beaten up; All you innocent people, arise and understand their real agendas)”. Three, the movement goes beyond the kisans, as there is a broad-based engagement of the arhtiyas, small shopkeepers, landless labourers and social and cultural activists. The support lent by families and women is striking. In my interactions with the families of the agitators in the Malwa region of Punjab, the women, particularly, were expressive. For a Punjabi, land is not only an economic asset, but a lifeline and status symbol. Many women exhorted their men, “Go and fight; we will look after the house and the land till you come back victorious.” This sentiment is also reflected in song — “Khet tere eh khon nu firde; Jo tu paddre kite anter naal (These corporate are eyeing your land, which you have cultivated with hard labor).” Anger against the central government was visible amongst the farmers, arhtiyas and their families. The extent of the anti-Centre feeling revived echoes of the time of the Emergency in the 1970s. This is expressed in another song: “Khichla jatta, khich tyaari, pecha pai gaya Centre naal (Pull up your socks, as we have locked horns with the Centre)”. Even the traders and the arhtiyas, who have been staunch supporters of the BJP, have expressed their anguish against the new farm laws. Social activists, youth and the local singers and artists in the region have been actively involved in the current mobilisation: “Oh akla waleo chak lo kalma; Maar len na riflan saanu (Pick up your pens, before the men with rifles act)” — a call to the intelligentsia
to use their pen as a weapon and shield for the farmers. Several writers, artists, singers and others have come forward and returned their state honours in protest. Punjab has been the food bowl of India. It has largely showcased a seller’s market. All these years, Punjab has contributed the largest amount of foodgrain in the central pool. However, in 2020, Madhya Pradesh contributed 129 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), while Punjab’s share was 127 LMT of wheat; Punjab lagged behind Madhya Pradesh. The Punjab farmers see this as the outcome of an unlevel field. They point out that the Punjab farmers are being asked to diversify their cropping patterns whereas other states like Madhya Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh are encouraged to produce grains. Why are the farmers in these states not being supported to diversify to commercial crops, they ask. Punjab and Haryana receive more than Rs 80,000 crore in Minimum Support Price (MSP) every year. Not only is the livelihood of the kisans and their families, but also that of the traders, shopkeepers and other beneficiaries dependent on this. According to data, only 6 per cent of the farmers in India are fully covered by the MSP, and 84 per cent are located in the states of Punjab and Haryana. Therefore, the possible withdrawal of the protective cover of the MSP is seen as an act of betrayal here. The argument also is that Punjab was initially used to fight hunger in the nation and the farmers of this state worked hard to do so against all odds while other states were taking advantage of the industrial and information technology revolution. As a result, Punjab lagged behind and has remained an agricultural state. In other words, the farmers of Punjab feel that from a sellers’ market they are now being pushed into the buyers’ market. And it would obviously be left to the discretion of the Central government to decide on the quantum of procurement on the declared MSP. Also, taking agriculture out of the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act will not only legalise,
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but legitimise, the private players’ procurement of foodgrain at prices lower than the fixed MSP. In other words, nearly 86 per cent of farmers, who are small and marginal, would be left at the mercy of the corporates, with reduced collective bargaining capacity. The Central government’s argument is that these Acts are intended to empower the farmers and ensure doubling of their incomes. Farmers’ organisations are critical of these laws as they believe that they will lead to the privatisation of agriculture, reduce agriculture to a subsidiary activity, make way for removing the protective cover of government-led procurement, MSP, Agriculture Produce Market Committee and other safety nets. The reality is that the free market does not have the solutions to improve the well-being of people living on the margins. The assumption that the market shall protect and multiply farmers’ income is misleading. The new farm laws have direct implications for the livelihood and survival of the people engaged in or dependent on agriculture, food security of the poor and food sovereignty of the country. No doubt, with these laws, agricultural operations may become more efficient, but they threaten to lead to the marginalisation of the farmers. In other words, agriculture may flourish, but agriculturists could perish. Being a surplus agrarian state, Punjab needs to sustain high levels of farm incomes with effective market support to sustain the livelihoods of 50 per cent of its population that is dependent on agriculture. If the government wants to procure less, let the farmer be compensated under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) compatible blue box. Outsourcing agricultural operations to the big corporates and legitimising contract farming amounts to a virtual abandonment of the Prime Minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat project. The market works for those whose signals it can hear, but the voices of the poor farmers remain inaudible. It is pointless to hope that the market will accomplish what it was never cut out to do. -- Indian Express
SUDOKU/RECREATION SUDOKU/COMMUNITY 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 December 15, 2020. 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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December 11, 2020
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FIS Third Heritage Day Celebrates Cuisine By Nish Bhan
Houston: Nothing represents India’s diverse history and cultures better than its food. Indian cuisine is known throughout the globe for its variety, bold spices, and exciting flavors. From delicious dosas in the South to Kashmiri yakhni in the North, no two parts of Indian cuisine are the same. And, each cuisine in India--varied and diverse as it is--tells a unique story of the people and history it comes from. Few people know this better than Chef Mayank Istwal, the executive chef of Musaafer, Houston’s newest foray into highend Indian cooking. A world traveler and expert on Indian cuisine, history and spices, Chef Istwal journeyed across India to seek understanding of the different stories and cultures represented in India’s food. Seeking to explore the connection between Indian heritage and its unique cuisine, Chef Istwal has been invited by Foundation for India Studies, a 501c(3) registered non-profit organization, to provide a fun, exciting and free online presentation for FIS’s Third Indo-American Heritage Day. The presentation, “Indian Heritage Through Cuisine, Culture, and Spices” will link India’s diverse heritage to the history of its world-famous food and spices and will be an engaging and exciting capstone to FIS’s landmark,
fifteenth year. Chef Istwal’s presentation is the latest in a series of exciting events by Foundation for India Studies celebrating Indo-American heritage. Prior Indo-American Heritage Day events have featured engaging and prominent speakers including Sunita Williams, an astronaut of Indo-American descent. FIS’s Indo-American Heritage Day is a unique opportunity to celebrate Indian culture, achievements and contributions in America. In prior years, event-goers have had the opportunity to learn about Indian arts, culture, religion and history. This year, FIS’s theme for the event focuses on the unique role of Indian food and history in Indo-American heritage. Chef Istwal is right at home among the distinguished guests who have
headlined the event in the past. Chef Istwal is a graduate of the Institute of Hotel Management of Guwahati, India, and as a student he won the chef competition conducted by NCHMCT New Delhi. His career has spanned all across India and the Globe, from the Devigarh Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel in Udaipur,to years at sea as a chef at world-class fine dining restaurant Salt Grill aboard the P&O cruise line, to working as a chef at The Lalit hotel in Udaipur and Bangalore. In addition, Chef Istwal is a student of history and Ayurveda, and has invented ‘healthy spice blends’ combining the knowledge of Ayurveda and spices to best convey the story, flavor, and spirituality of Indian cuisine. To draw inspiration for his latest project, Musaafer, the Chef embarked on a 100-day journey around the 29 states of India, discovering hundreds of new recipes to highlight the authenticity and passion of Indian cuisine to Houston. Chef Istwal’s presentation will include an interactive Q&A with the community and one-of-a-kind recipe demonstration. Registration for this unique event is free at https://foundationforindiastudies. org/istwal
OBITUARY
Eminent Gemeticist Krishna Dronamraju, 83
Last Week’s Winners Sanchali Basu
Houston: Dronamraju Krishna Rao (14 January 1937 - 3 December 2020) was an Indian-born geneticist and president of the Foundation for Genetic Research in Houston, Texas. He was born in Pithapuram, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. One focus of his work has been the research of his mentor J. B. S. Haldane. He died in Houston at age 83. Dronamraju went to M.R. College in Vizianagaram, Andhra University to study botany and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1955. He received a master’s degree from Agra University in 1957; he studied plant breeding and genetics. When J.B.S. Haldane moved to India in 1957, Dronamraju wrote to Haldane for an opportunity to pursue a research career under his direction at the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta. Early in his research career, he discovered the first case of a gene on the human Y chromosome and published a paper in 1960. It was also part of his PhD thesis at the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta. Dronamraju’s research with
Haldane at the Indian Statistical Institute included many areas. Dronamraju’s research covered the visits of several species of lepidoptera to different colored flowers of Lantana camara reported the discovery of a species-specific pattern of color preference behavior by pollinating insects. He did research in human genetics in India. In 1966, Dronamraju completed his PhD from the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta. He studied under J. B. S. Haldane. The topic of his doctoral thesis was “Genetic Studies of the Andhra Pradesh population”. Dronam-
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raju’s early research in human genetics (and the independent work of L.D. Saghvi at the Tata Cancer Center in Mumbai) eventually led to the foundation of the Indian Society of Human Genetics. Dronamraju received advanced training at University College, London and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in genetics at the University of Alberta.[4] After he moved to the US, he continued research on inbreeding in human populations such as the Amish population in Pennsylvania in collaboration with Victor A. McKusick at Johns Hopkins. He also studied the Seneca Indians in New York State and other populations in the US and Canada. He studied the relationship between fetal mortality and the occurrence of oral cleft defects in families.In recent years, Dronamraju’s research focused on the history of genetics and human/medical genetics. He published several books, especially with reference to the contributions of his mentor J. B. S. Haldane.
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December 11, 2020
Indo-American News • Friday, december 11, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com