Friday, July 24, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 30
Indo American News
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COMMUNITY
July 24, 2020
Fort Bend County Judge KP George Speaks Out against Racist Attacks By Claire Goodman
Fort Bend County Judge KP George with racist messages.
coming from a place of deeply misplaced fear- fear that immigrants are ‘taking their jobs,’ and they are ‘replacing real Americans’ or setting out to hurt our own communities somehow.” A f t e r George’s post, a broad spectrum of community leaders spoke out in defense of George and condemned the racist attacks against him. “Those types of comments and that type of behavior is unacceptable,” said Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable Wayne Thompson. “I have known Judge George for some time. I know his
added Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton. George called upon the community to speak out against racism. “As a fellow American, I ask you this: the next time you hear or see someone making an antiimmigrant or racist comment, call them out. Stand up for your neighbors, your coworkers and your children’s classmates. Stand up for Fort Bend, our nation’s most diverse county. In doing so, you’ll be standing up for a better future America, the land of the free and home of the brave.” -- Houston Chronicle
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Richmond: Fort Bend County Judge KP George has spoken out against hatred and racism he has encountered as county judge. George, who was born in India but is an American citizen, took to Twitter and Facebook to share some of the racist comments he’s received since taking office in January 2019. George posted a collage featuring some of the hate-filled comments he has received. Many of the posts contained profanity, and others attacked his origin of birth. He redacted the posters’ names but left the profanities and racial epithets unaltered. The Katy Rancher has redacted the profanities and racial slurs. One post said, “Texans… if KP George Tries to Take Away Our Freedom… It will NOT Be the First Time a Foreigner has Attempted to do so… KP George is NOT an American!!! How did Fort Bend County Let a Foreigner… An American Hater become so Powerful??? How did we let this happen??? KP George is from Kerala India… Remember the Alamo!!!” Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office deputy honored for life saving action In Facebook and Twitter posts on Saturday, George said that the comments have become more frequent and aggressive since the COVID-19 pandemic has made him the primary response authority in the county. “I’ve had to make a lot of decisions over the last few months to tackle the COVID crisis head-on,” George said. “When someone criticizes my decisions, that is their right as Americans. However, when people choose to hurl racist, anti-immigrant garbage at my family, colleagues and me -- that crosses a line.” George also criticized an overarching xenophobia behind the racially charged comments. “When I read some of these terrible comments online… I realize they are
character and his heart. He is a good man who cares for the community he serves.” Fort Bend County is the most racially diverse county in the U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, who has frequently praised the county for its diversity said, “These are not the values of Fort Bend County that I have been privileged to represent in the United States Congress for 12 years. Hate is not welcome here.” “Vile, hateful comments made to County Judge KP George are unacceptable. Probably written by bitter people who are unhappy with themselves lashing out at others,”
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COMMUNITY
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July 24, 2020
Sewa International Reports a Successful Year and a Leadership Change By Vidya Tontalapur Houston: Meeting virtually for their annual conference this year, in the context of COVID-19, and with the highest attendance of nearly 300 people, Sewa International reported a record fundraising effort – raising $8.3 million in 2019, as per initial estimates. It spent $128,032 in general and administrative expenses, and $168,354 in fundraising expenses. The general and administrative expenses amount to 1.5 percent of the total funds raised by Sewa International. “A charity of our size would, at a minimum, have 12 to 18 percent of such expenses. We are unique in that regard in the US, may be internationally,” said outgoing president, Prof. Sree Sreenath. The annual event, which this year was scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, in early May, had to be postponed and held virtually. “We have conducted successful national meetings around the country, but this has been a new experience, and it challenged us to learn how to use technology successfully in this virtual conference,” said Sewa’s Vice President for Technology, Anil Deshpande. Prof. Sree Sreenath, who served as President of Sewa International for eleven years, from 2009 to 2020, announced that Sewa’s Board of Directors had accepted his resignation and he was handing over the role and responsibilities to Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Arun Kankani, whom the Board had selected as the organization’s new president. “It is a bittersweet moment that I share with you all my resignation from the responsibility of President of Sewa International. The relationship with you all has been a long, fruitful, and intimate. Together we solved many problems, fought many battles, took up many intimidating challenges, and in the end, we came out victorious,” he said as he presented the 2019 Annual Report. “I have been asking to be relieved from Sewa President’s responsibility for the last five years so that new leadership can take Sewa to further heights. Arun Kankani will take my place effective immediately. He is a terrific organizer and a fabulous leader. His discipline
Prof. Sree Sreenath, outgoing Sewa International President; he has now taken on the role of President, Vivekananda Yoga University in Los Angeles, CA.
Arun Kankani, Director of Inventory Management, Star Pipe Products, Houston, TX, has been appointed as Sewa International’s new President.
and steadfastness are legendary. I am proud to pass the baton over to him,” he said as the nearly 300 attendees expressed their admiration of his leadership, and their love and support for him. “It has been a great eleven years serving Sewa working and working alongside with you. Our hard work paid off for Sewa. I feel fortunate for having journeyed together on this quest to serve humanity. I have learned many important lessons from all of you,” he told the Sewa volunteers, executive leadership, advisory board, and staff -- virtual attendees spread across the US, India, Colombia, and other parts of the world. “I am accepting the position of President of Vivekananda Yoga University, VaYU, Los Angeles, CA, but Sewa will still be my first love,” he said separately. VaYU is offering a unique Online 21-month MS (Yoga) program. Arun Kankani, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, who will now take charge as the new President of Sewa International, is no stranger to leading large teams and innovative ventures. Accepting his new role as President of Sewa International, he said, “We shall certainly miss the energy and enthusiasm of Prof. Sree Sreenath. He will continue to be part of the executive team as Ex-President and will continue the great tradition of Sewa International where former presidents will continue as members of the Board of Advisors”. In his day job, Arun Kankani is the Director of Inventory Management at Star Pipe Products in Houston, TX. He earned a master’s in computer applications from the University of Mumbai. Arun Kankani is one of the
founding members of Sewa International, which was formed in 2004. He has been involved in Sewa’s nationwide expansion as a prominent charitable organization involved in disaster relief and rehabilitation; family services; child, tribal, and refugee welfare; women’s empowerment; health and education; and promoting volunteerism. In 2012, Kankani discussed with a multitude of experts the problems faced by families, and the different support models that were available to them in times of crises and trouble. He was involved in formulating and implementing the Family Services program at Sewa that now supports and responds to various unexpected family situations such as death, hospitalization, mental health issues, and relationship issues. In 2013, he helped build the foundation for the ASPIRE program in Houston, where he resides. The ASPIRE program provides after-school educational support in collaboration with the local school system in underprivileged neighborhoods to help children learn well and the schools and school districts improve their success rates. Kankani was chosen to be the head of operations for the largest community reception in Houston for a visiting foreign dignitary – the “Howdy Modi” event in 2019. The event was attended by both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. As the Head of Operations for the “Howdy Modi” event, Arun Kankani led a team of over 1,200 volunteers who worked together to organize the event that attracted 50,000 people from around the country. He and his team had to
get the work done in three months, and for his successful effort he received a letter of gratitude from the Ambassador of India to the United States. Earlier in 2015, he was also invited by the Indian External Affairs Ministry to discuss the needs of overseas Indians. In his report to the attendees at the national conference, Prof. Sree Sreenath said that during his eleven-year tenure Sewa had seen annual revenues increase from $325,000 in 2009 to $8.3 million in 2019; the number of chapters increase from five to 43; the number of national team members increase from two to 62; the number of volunteers increase from less than a hundred to 3,000; and the number
of volunteer hours recorded per year rise from 100s to 180,000. He said that he and his team were able to show that an untested brand such as a “Hindu faith-based nonprofit organization” can be successful and thrive, and not just survive. “We have also shown that the entire middle and upper management can be volunteers – from Chapter Coordinators, Chapter Presidents, National Directors, Vice Presidents, Executive-VP to the President. We have no designated headquarters. We have made a name for Sewa in ‘Disaster Recovery’, and we helped start Sewa Nepal, Sewa Pakistan & Sewa Bangladesh,” he recounted with pride.
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July 24, 2020
New Mural Unites Community around Census
Houston: Houston and Harris County’s local census drive, “Yes! to Census 2020,” will debut its final original census mural at the historic S.H.A.P.E Community Center, 3815 Live Oak Street in Houston, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. The mural, created by artist Israel McCloud, depicts a picture-perfect snapshot portrait of the diversity of residents in the Third Ward with the local Census 2020 campaign hashtag #YEStotheCensus. The location of the fifth and final Yes! to Census 2020 mural is no accident. Founded over 50 years ago and born out of the need for Houston’s early Civil Rights supporters to have a culturally safe space, the S.H.A.P.E Community Center has vastly improved the quality of life for South Central Houston residents by providing access to programs and resources that bring people together and empower them to become vital, productive citizens. The “Yes! to the Census
2020” campaign aligns with the values of S.H.A.P.E. in wanting communities to have funding and resources they deserve. “The road to change includes many different vehicles, as everyone is unique and has different strengths and levels of consciousness,” states Brother Deloyd T. Parker Jr., Co-Founder and Executive Director of the S.H.A.P.E Community Center. “While protest is one way to demand change, programs are the vehicles that bring those changes into effect. The census is a program that can be used to help get funding to our underserved communities. It is an important tool for ensuring that our voices are counted. We cannot afford to ignore opportunities to enrich our lives; we simply cannot.” “The census is vitally important, especially during this economic downturn created by the pandemic,” states Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz. “The city needs to
provide much-needed services and the money that is generated to get us back on course. Please take two minutes and take the census!” Houston-based UP Art Studio and owners EIia and Noah Quiles facilitated all of the Yes! to Census 2020 mural installations. The locations of the previously released murals are in Montrose, Gulfton, Alief and Aldine and, when combined with the fifth and final mural at the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center in South Central Houston, tell a story through art that the census is vitally important to the future of traditionally undercounted and culturally diverse communities. The goal of the Yes! to Census 2020 campaign is to educate all citizens of Houston and Harris County about how a 100% response rate makes a positive difference to their quality of life. A website with Census 2020 resources, information and events can be found at www.HarrisHoustonCounts.com.
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COMMUNITY
July 24, 2020
In Constrained Times, Pratham Gala Shows Limitless Learning
By Jawahar Malhotra Houston: Many charities around the world have been hard hit by the constraints forced the novel corona virus on participation by their members and supporters. While others have turned to the Zoom platform to reach out, it has severe limitations in size and the ability to hold the attention and dialogue of many of those who log in, let alone hundreds. But some nonprofits have put their innovative minds together and come up with ideas on how to make the best of this adverse situation. The Pratham Gala 2020 was one of the premier charities which went entirely online last Saturday, July 18 evening for an hour and the presentation was one that kept the audience’s attention with it’s message mixed with Bollywood style entertainment. Testimonials from donors, Nobel Prize winners, Pratham alumni since grown and working and yesteryear Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman kept the online audience engaged. The gala was entitled “Pratham Beyond: Make Learning Limitless” and was held through the Mobile Cause app which people had to register through at no cost. With all large gatherings in the US on hold, Pratham turned to its first ever virtual gala that allowed people from all 13 national chapters to participate. More than 1,100 people took part in Pratham’s first National Virtual Gala, many logging in from across the US and even India, UK and the Middle East. The gala raised $2 million to
The Pratham Gala featured noted Indian journalist From his home in Mumbai, Bollywood actor & Fareed Zakaria and Pratham CEO Dr. Rukhmini producer;Anil Kapoor, encouraged everyone to Banerji. The emcee was Sree Sreenivasan,;Advisor donate generously. to Pratham
From his studio in Mumbai, Singer, Lyricist and Bala Venkatachalam, Pratham USA, Executive Composer Shaan;performed several of his popular Director spoke about;the economic impact of COVID songs. on Pratham.
provide funding for remote learning for 600,000 children in India. The Virtual Gala was co-emceed by Sree Sreenivasan, Advisor to Pratham who introduced the featured speakers. Pratham CEO Dr. Rukhmini Banerji welcomed the
online audience to the event and explained Pratham vision for online learning. Guest speaker, noted Indian journalist Fareed Zakaria, a CNN host, Washington Post columnist and Pratham board member spoke about how the confi-
dence instilled through education was a huge force in life. Bollywood filmstar and producer Anil Kapoor reached out to the audience from his home in Mumbai and entreated them to start donating by gesturing to “press on that
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button” and even sang a spontaneously devised Hindi couplet to get people motivated. The donations started rolling in and could be seen on the side panel by name and amounts. Video clip testimonials from Nobel Laureate Ester Dufo added to Pratham’s unique approach to provide learning for every child. A longer clip entitled “Back on their feet - Pratham Alumni after the lock-down” showed Dr. Madhav Chavan, Pratham co-founder, speaking with five alumni from Pratham’s vocational training programs and the heartwarming stories of success in their career pursuits. Adding to the testimonials was an audiotaped phone conversation between veteran Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman, who is the Ambassador of Pratham, on her passion for videogames, music and quest for learning. The virtual Gala was made more entertaining by Bollywood singer, lyricist and composer Shaan who, in between, performed several of his popular songs from Mumbai. The gala came to an end with Pratham USA, Executive Director Bala Venkatachalam, who explained that COVID had affected Pratham not only by cancelling all in-person galas, but also reducing the year-round donations in the US which has led to a funding gap of $10 million. Before this virtual event, $5 million was raised through accelerated donations from leadership donors across the US. After the totals were tallied, the gala itself was able to raise another $2 million.
Oxford’s Covishield in India by ‘End of Year’; Pfizer Shot Shows Promise New Delhi: While the promising results showed by experimental Covid-19 vaccines being developed by University of Oxford and Moderna Inc in early human testing have grabbed the spotlight in the past week, raising hopes of early availability in the market, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said their first use cannot be expected until early 2021. Meanwhile, latest results from Oxford university and Moderna show that two doses of a vaccine may be better than one in getting protection from the novel coronavirus. Presently, there are more than 150 vaccine candidates that are in various stages of trials against the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisation. Out of them, about two dozen are undergoing human clinical trials. Results published this week of early human trials of the AZD1222 vaccine, based on a chimpanzee adenovirus called ChAdOx1, developed by the University of Oxford and drugmaker AstraZeneca showed that it produced a dual immune response in people aged between 18 and 55 years. The vaccine increased levels of
both protective neutralising antibodies and immune T-cells that target the virus, according to the study organisers. “Our hope is that we can actually start delivering a vaccine before the end of the year,” Bloomberg quoted AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot as saying. The Oxford shot is already undergoing a combined Phase II/III trials in the UK, Brazil and South Africa. The Serum Institute of India hopes to embark on phase III human clinical trials with the vaccine candidate by August and it may be launched as early as November. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, said the cost of the vaccine is estimated to be below Rs 1,000 and will be called Covishield in India. The experimental Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese firm CanSino Biologics Inc has showed promising results in a mid-stage clinical study. A report in The Lancet said the shot was shown to be safe and induced an immune re-
sponse. The study found that people with a high level of pre-existing immunity to the adenovirus tend to report less adverse effects but also demonstrate less ability to generate antibodies. However, no difference was observed among participants in their ability to stimulate T-cell response. CanSino’s experimental vaccine has completed the second of three stages of human testing, with the firm set to begin Phase III trials in Canada. Coronavirus (Covid-19) Vaccine Latest Update: In this handout photo released by the University of Oxford, samples from the coronavirus vaccine trials, from various parts of the country, are handled inside the Oxford Vaccine Group
laboratory in England. (AP) Earlier this week, German biotech firm BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer said human trials of their BNT162 Covid-19 vaccine candidate conducted in Germany on 60 healthy adults showed it was safe and induced an immune response in patients. The data also demonstrated an induction of high level of T-cell responses against the novel coronavirus. The trial showed that volunteers given two doses of the vaccine produced virus-neutralizing antibodies. According to a report, Pfizer is hoping to seek regulatory approval for the vaccine “as early as October” and have a vaccine on the market by year end. Recently, the Donald Trump administration, in one of the largest investments yet, announced a nearly $2 billion contract with Pfizer for 100 million doses by December as part of US’ Warp Speed project. Human trials of Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate —
Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 24, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
Covaxin — has already begun in most of the 12 sites selected for conducting the tests. AIIMS in Delhi expects to begin vaccinating its first set of volunteers by Saturday. “We have so far drawn samples from around 14 potential volunteers (to check whether they will be eligible for the trials). To start with, the facility will vaccine around 10 healthy participants,” aid Dr Sanjay Rai, the principal investigator in the trial. AIIMS Delhi has heard back from around 2,000 potential volunteers. The phase I and II clinical trials of Covaxin have been approved by the Indian drug regulator after pre-clinical studies demonstrated safety and immune response. Another vaccine candidate developed by Zydus Cadila — ZyCoV-D — is undergoing phase I/II trials in Ahmedabad. Panacea Biotec, Indian Immunologicals, Mynvax and Biological E are among the other domestic firms working on coronavirus vaccines in India. Moreover, Serum Institute of India is also developing a live attenuated vaccine with US-based biotech firm Codagenix, which is undergoing pre-clinical trials, PTI reported. -- IE
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INDIA
July 24, 2020
Karnataka Forest Officer Enters 100-ft-deep Dry Well to Rescue Leopard
The leopard was spotted inside the well later using camera traps, as it was hiding in a Range Forest Officer Siddaraju was lowered in a metal cage to rescure the leopard. The animal was immobilized with a chemical dart and then brought to surface. cave-like structure. (Source: Karnataka Forest Department)
By Shreya Das A forest officer in Karnataka is getting a lot of praise for volunteering to go inside a 100-ft-deep dry well to look for a leopard that villagers feared had fallen into it Photos of Antharasanthe Range Forest Officer (RFO) Siddaraju, sitting cross-legged inside a metal cage with his mobile phone and torch, garnered a lot of attention online after IFS officer Parveen Kaswan shared them on Twitter saying, “This is what commitment looks like.” The RFO swung into action after receiving complaints from villagers at HD Kote, Mysuru, on Saturday. He decided to go in as the forest officers on the spot couldn’t trace the animal with the help of cameras and sound devices. A team of officials, including Nagarahole Tiger Reserve director D Mahesh Kumar, along with the RFO, who rushed to assess the situation and rescue the animal, said the wild cat couldn’t be spotted in the well initially.
“We have been part of many such rescue operations before to help wild animals. This case was, however, unique as the officer decided to do it himself so that he could reassure villagers that the leopard wasn’t there as we had failed to catch any sound or visual proof of it inside the well,” D Mahesh Kumar told indianexpress.com over the telephone. As many praised the RFO for his brave act, there were some criticism as well on the internet where people commented that it was a risky move given that he went without proper safety gear. Kumar, however, begged to differ. “We had oxygen cylinders as back-up, and we were in communication with the RFO at all times. He was confident that if the animal could survive for a few days in the well, he could also manage for a few minutes and in case there were some problem, we would have pulled him out immediately. But nothing of that sorts happened.” However, the forest officials kept monitoring the well and, on
Day 3, spotted the leopard hidden inside a small cave-like structure in the well. “It only came out after midnight, so it was not possible to locate it. We saw it struggling to come out but it didn’t succeed.” Finally, on Monday, the team decided to rescue the animal by tranquilising it. “We tried to rescue it using baits and by lowering nets, hoping to pull out the animal but that didn’t happen. So, we sent another professional for the rescue mission, who chemically immobilised the animal using a darting gun,” Kumar added. “The professional went using in a similar cage with full safety gear and we performed an oxygen test on him before he was lowered into the well. After the animal was tranquilized he pulled the man and the animal out safely around 6 pm yesterday,” he added. The Karnataka Forest Department took the animal in and kept it under observation overnight after giving it necessary treatment. “The animal was inside the deep well for almost six days and went hungry.
He was extremely dehydrated, and was given electrolytes and water. Once it was fully conscious and recovered, we released it back into the wild today at around 10:30
am,” Kumar said Meanwhile RFO Siddaraju and the team have been earning plaudits online for going beyond their call of duty -- Indian Express
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COMMUNITY
July 24, 2020
Southwestern National Bank Presents 2020 Scholarship Awards Houston: On July 16, 2020, at 10 AM, Southwestern National Bank hosted an award ceremony at the Bank’s Headquarters to award the students the scholarships. On the morning of Thursday, July 16, 2020, Southwestern National Bank held its annual Scholarship Award for students from low-income families in a Zoom meeting format, in consideration of the coronavirus pandemic situation. Chairwomen Jody Lee, CEO Mark Simmons, President Mohammed Younus, Board of Directors, Chief Financial Officer Betsy Reese, Public Relations Ling Chuang of the bank together with four outstanding award-winning students and some of their relatives, friends, and parents participated in the online video conference meeting. The meeting was completed in a warm and successful atmosphere. The video Award Ceremony started with an introduction from Chief Financial Officer Betsy Reese. She said the pandemic has changed everyone’s daily lives and academic studies. However, it will not and should not delay and/ or stop the pursuit of learning and studies. Students can keep learning with the available technologies and the internet.
Bank CEO Mark Simmons communicated with each student in the online meeting and encouraged them to improve their future career planning without fear of difficulties and obstacles. Chairperson Jody Lee shared her past university experience from the perspective of a parent now and exchanged her views with each student regarding the major that they had chosen. At the same time, with regard to the severe pandemic situation, she encouraged everyone with her expertise in the medical field that she firmly believes that it will pass. The four outstanding scholarship winners also responded and shared their thoughts about the award and the university’s various measures and
changes in class after school due to the pandemic. The targeting purpose of Southwestern National Bank’s Student Scholarship Award Program is to reduce the financial burden for these students, encourage them to continue their efforts, and learn not to forget to give back to our community. This year the 15th Southwestern National Bank’s Annual Scholarship Award was affected timewise for the reasons that schools were temporarily closed and gathering the qualification evaluation was delayed. However, four outstanding scholarship winners have been approved by the scholarship selection committee. Each person will receive a scholarship of 1,000
dollars. The list of winners and their university information is as follows: 1. Karen Tseng: University of Texas Austin 2. Rachel Dalina: Texas A&M University 3. Aira Pasha: University of Houston 4. Zarmin Hussain: Texas Tech University
7
Moped Accident Kills TV Journalist in NYC
A local television journalist died over the weekend, the police said, after she fell from a scooter that had been rented from Revel, a moped-sharing company whose Vespa-style vehicles have become a familiar sight on the streets of Brooklyn and Queens. The accident, which a company spokeswoman said was believed to be the first fatality involving a Revel moped, happened about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Nina Kapur, 26, a reporter for CBS2 in New York, was a passenger on a scooter that was being operated by a 26-year-old man, Detective Denise Moroney, a police spokeswoman, said on Monday, adding that the moped was a “2020 Motorcycle-NIU (Revel)” model. Nina Kapur joined CBS2 in New York in 2019.
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ENTERTAINMENT
July 24, 2020
“Indian Matchmaking”: Misguided Gender Politics, Ultimately a Betrayal
By cherry-picking its clients and assorting stories it wants to tell, by ticking boxes of caste, religion and class as imperative for an arranged alliance, Indian Matchmaking panders to the West gaze with complying obedience. Back home for women like me in their late 20s, who relentlessly postpone conversations about marriage with parents and on vulnerable nights catch themselves considering that very idea as a cop-out from urban loneliness, Indian Matchmaking ends up being a cautionary tale. By pillorying the qualities we have nurtured with care and commending those we have fought too long to discard, the show demonstrates that if arranged marriage is a transaction, women stand to lose their very self in the bargain. -- IE
By Ishita Sengupta When Indian Matchmaking dropped on Netflix recently, I consumed it in a day, gaping in equal part investment and irreverence. After peddling reality TV shows and made-up rules to promote and examine intimacy in recent years, the streaming giant was finally dealing with a homegrown concept. Positioned as an outlet to familiarise the world with a practice peculiar to India and Indians; the documentary could have been a first-hand exploration about the evolving origin of a cultural custom and the multifarious ways people go about it. And for millennials back home, it could affirm our rejection of a practice we long recognise as outdated or be a vehicle to convince us of its efficiency in a language we comprehend better than our parents’ monologues. But Indian Matchmaking dilutes an age-old practice by blunting the pointed shards on which it has stood for years. The end result is an eight-episode betrayal for the audience in India and a cut-to-fit documentary about the country and its traditions for the West, confirming every suspicion they nurtured. Created by Smriti Mundhra, who previously co-directed A Suitable Girl in 2017, it follows Sima Taparia, one of India’s top matchmakers as she visits her clientele spread across India and abroad. At the very outset, Taparia (“from Mumbai”) insists, “Matches are made in heaven and God has given me the job of making them successful on earth,” thereby placing herself beyond reproach. But in her job of a self-declared messiah, she falls back on caste, class, complexion, height and sometimes breadth of smiles as plausible criteria for two people to give each other a shot at spending their lives together. In one of the instances, she convinces Nadia, an event planner in New Jersey, the viability of meeting a particular boy for both of them are half-Guyanese. As conversation runs dry with no spark whatsoever, their shared nationality hardly comes to the rescue. The innocuousness of this approach reveals its menacing underpinnings more intensely when a distressed mother is shown consulting Taparia regarding her younger son’s marriage. When the conversation manoeuvres towards enlisting her son’s preferences for his prospective bride, the girl in question is dehumanised down to adjectives “smart, outgoing, flexible” effacing and not just replacing her identity. At one point Taparia suggests, “height apne ko 5’3” chahiye” (we need height to be 5’3”) much to the agreement of the mother. For all you know they could be talking about a pole. Such misguided gender politics inform the entirety of the show. For a documentary on matchmak-
ing, the series unfolds as a matchmaker’s biopic with Taparia playing the titular character. She serves not just as the narrator but also as the voice of the show, revealing its intent or as the creators would like to believe a snapshot of reality where ambition and marriage exist as an either or choice for women. Take for instance the way the show deals with Ankita, a female entrepreneur living in Delhi. After being constantly told to compromise, which includes looking past the fact that the man she went out with hid that he was divorced, she changes her mind about marriage as her career takes off. This is to critique not what she did, but the depiction of the show which implicitly suggests a refusal to adjust to be a dead-end for arranged marriage when it comes to women. But it is Aparna Shewakaramani, the 34-year-old lawyer from Houston who reveals the problematic politics of the show by owning herself with rare candor. Ever since the show debuted, Aparna and her 55-minute dating rule, being skeptical of a man for not knowing Bolivia has salt flats, and flat denial to not be with funny men have become a staple of memes, indicative of being both accessible and aspirational. Undoubtedly the funnest member who deserves a spin off of her own, she is the only woman who knows what she wants and unhesitatingly relays it. Brought up by a single mother, she has been given both time and freedom to be her own person. But for Taparia, she is picky, rude and poses the most problem to be paired up with someone. Aparna then in the matchmaking universe is painted as the antagonist while the men get away by being indecisive and closed. On the contrary, look at the indulgent way the show presents Akshay, one of her clients from India when he expresses his wish to marry someone just like his mother and later states without a hint of irony that he would not want his wife to work. The problem with a show like this is not redundancy of representation but the inadequacy of it.
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KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX, has an opening for a Part Time Photojournalist in our News Department. Candidates should have a minimum three years experience in all facets of television news photography including lighting, audio and editing, and show exceptional knowledge and creativity in these areas. Applicants should have a good eye for news photography, be able to work in the field unsupervised or with various reporters and be able to work in deadline situations. Applicant must be able to work on a story from concept to completion for all platforms. The ideal candidate will have experience or be able to operate a microwave live truck and must be able to lift and carry 30 lbs. of equipment. All interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Reference Job ID: 763298BR on all materials submitted. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
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INDIA
July 24, 2020
A Long, Perilous Route Thousands of Sikhs Risk for Life in U.S. By Lauren Frayer
Chandigarh: Part 2 “Families are duped” Most of the agents arrested last year were small-time criminals who lured clients on social media and operated informally — out of tea stalls in the local market, for example — says V.K. Bhawra, a senior police official in Chandigarh. They play up their foreign contacts, he says. “Knowing someone abroad — that gives them some credibility, and they exploit it,” he explains. “People who are not very educated and want to send their children abroad, they generally fall prey to these people. Families are duped, and sometimes people sell their land.” The spike in the number of Punjabis risking the journey to the U.S.-Mexico border has coincided with a spike in land prices at home. According to a 2013 study by Sanjoy Chakravorty, a geography and urban studies professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, the average price of farmland in Punjab (about $7,000 per acre) exceeded the price at the time in all but one U.S. state and every European country except the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. If Punjabi farmers sell a small parcel of land, they can afford to pay smugglers to send them — or their sons and daughters — abroad. “So many people go there. Why can’t I go?” But the Trump administration is determined to stop illegal immigration. It has pressured Mexico to block migrants from reaching the U.S.-Mexico border. It has also beefed up patrols to apprehend undocumented migrants. It’s harder than ever to cross the U.S.-Mexico border undetected. To get into the U.S., migrants have to ask for asylum by expressing “credible fear” of torture or persecution if they were to return to their home coun-
Amandeep Singh, 19, at his family’s farm in rural Punjab, India. Singh paid a smuggler about $22,000 to help him cross the U.S.-Mexico border, but he was deported from Mexico in October. Lauren Frayer/NPR
try — but even that option is now on pause during the pandemic. Sevak Singh, 26, and of no relation to any of the other Singhs in this story, also paid a smuggler to take him from India to the United States. In October, he too was deported from Mexico. Like most Punjabis, he is Sikh, a member of a minority faith. Although he never had the chance, Singh says he’d decided that if U.S. border officials weren’t satisfied with his answers about why he wanted to be in the U.S., he would lie and claim he’d been persecuted as a Sikh. Human rights groups say hate crimes against minorities are on the rise in India, especially in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Last October, an Amnesty International report found that the most common victims of persecution in India are Muslims, lower-caste Hindus, tribal people, Christians and LGBTQ Indians. Of 902 alleged hate crimes documented by the group between September 2015 and June 2019, not one incident was against a Sikh. Still, Singh recalls how along the migration trail, fellow Sikhs would rehearse fake backstories about Sikh separatism and persecution.
The stories were untrue but were rooted in decades-old strife. The 1970s and 1980s saw a backlash against Sikhs in India, as a violent separatist movement asserted itself. In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. Thousands of Sikhs were killed in subsequent riots. Singh tells NPR that he has not been persecuted in India. He has just had a really tough life of poverty, he says. He felt confident that if only he could convince U.S. authorities of how tough he has had it, they would let him in. “I am from a poor family. You can see the condition we’re living in,” he told NPR in late January, in an interview at his family’s simple mud-brick house in rural Punjab. He perched on the edge of a bed with his mother beside him. “I dreamed about going to a foreign land and improving my family’s finances. I thought, ‘So many people go there. Why can’t I go?’ “ Evaluating persecution claims Some Indians in U.S. detention have gone on hunger strikes. They accuse U.S. officials of not taking their claims seriously. But U.S. and Indian officials say most Indians who are detained on the U.S.-Mexico border and subsequently claim persecution are economic migrants like Singh and
do not have strong cases for asylum. NPR spoke to four Indians recently deported from Mexico, including the two quoted in this story. All four called themselves economic migrants — not asylumseekers. With the uptick in the number of Indians detained on the U.S.Mexico border, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that evaluates “credible fear” claims of asylum-seekers, implemented new India-specific, anti-fraud training for its officers starting in April 2019. In the six months prior to that training, “credible fear” had been found in 89% of Indian nationals evaluated by USCIS officers. After the training, the rate dropped to 17% in the five months leading up to February 2020. The U.S. government concluded that a majority of the Indian migrants who had been claiming persecution prior to April 2019 were doing so fraudulently. Lying about persecution “definitely obscures and endangers the authentic asylum-seekers that are able to — by some miracle — make it to the U.S. and file applications for relief,” says Deepak Ahluwalia, a California-based immigration lawyer who has represented Indian asylum-seekers in U.S. immigration courts.
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Ahluwalia worries that amid the humanitarian crisis over migrants from many countries on the U.S.Mexico border, U.S. authorities are incorrectly or unfairly overlooking some with credible persecution claims, including Indian Sikhs. He has represented other asylum-seekers who say they’ve been persecuted in India for being gay, lower caste or Muslim. “I will try to go again” Back home in his mother’s kitchen in Punjab, Amandeep Singh, the 19-year-old deportee, spins tales for his little brother about his time walking through the jungles of Central America. It was the adventure of his life, he says. Singh is constantly texting with the smuggler he hired, trying to get his $22,000 back. But he hasn’t called the police for help and has no plans to do so. More than 900 alleged smugglers were arrested in Punjab last year, but very few have been prosecuted and the conviction rate is low, says Mann, the senior police intelligence official. “Because the clients and agents often make a deal: The person who has been cheated gets his money back, and in return, they request to police that the agent be let go,” Mann explains. “They compromise with each other.” It’s difficult to prove a crime when there’s no victim, he says. That’s the case for Singh. He refuses to tell NPR the name of his smuggler. He’s trying to cut a deal with the man so he can get a refund. And even while under lockdown because of the coronavirus, he’s holding out hope. “I realize America’s hard hit by the coronavirus. But I’m determined to get there,” he says. “I will try to go again.” To pass time, he’s working in the fields and searching for a better smuggler, he says — one who will really get him to the U.S. next time. NPR producer Sushmita Pathak contributed to this report.
Melting French Glacier Throws Up Decades-old Indian Newspapers Geneva: A melting glacier at Europe’s Mont Blanc mountain range recently disentombed Indian newspapers buried there for 54 years –- some of them carrying headlines such as “India’s First Woman Prime Minister”, referring to Indira Gandhi’s election win in 1966. The newspapers are among the remains of Air India Flight 101, a Boeing 707 plane that on January 24, 1966, crashed into Mont Blanc ending the lives of all 177 passengers and crew. Among the 177 dead was Homi Bhabha, the founding leader of India’s nuclear programme. Flight 101 is not the only Indian plane that met its end at Mont Blanc, Europe’s third-highest peak. Sixteen years before that, Air India Flight 245 had crashed at the same spot in November 1950, killing all 48 on board.
While the debris from the two catastrophes remained buried for decades in the high mountains, recent Alpine melting is causing the remains to surface; with many discoveries coming to the fore in the past decade. The first, Air India Flight 245 – also called the ‘Malabar Princess’ – was on a Bombay-Istanbul-Geneva-London route. On the morning of November 3, 1950, the Constellation aircraft, piloted by Alan Saint and YV Korgaokar, hit Mont Blanc’s Rocher de la Tour-
nette point at 15,344 feet. All 48 on board, including passengers and crew, died. Sixteen years after the first crash, Air India Flight 101, named ‘Kanchenjunga’ after the Himalayan peak, also met its end only 200 metres away from the previous crash site.
The flight, a Boeing 707, was flying from Bombay to London, with stops at Delhi, Beirut, and Geneva. On the morning of January 24, 1966, while flying from Beirut to Geneva, a miscommunication between Captain JT D’Souza and Geneva Air Traffic Control caused the plane to crash into Mont Blanc. This led to the loss of all 177 on board, including the top scientist Bhabha. After both the 1950 and 1966 crashes, severe weather conditions prevented immediate rescue ef-
Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 24, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
forts. The Mont Blanc area, which has lost a quarter of its glacial ice due to climate change, has in recent years exposed remains of frozen hikers missing for decades. Since 2012, many finds related to both the Air India crashes have emerged from the melting ice caps. In 2012, a bag of diplomatic mail, stamped ‘On Indian Government Service, Diplomatic Mail, Ministry of External Affairs’, was recovered, while a year later, a French climber found a metal box containing the Air India logo containing emeralds, sapphires and rubies worth between GBP 117,000 and GBP 230,000. In 2017, some human remains believed to be from the two flights were discovered. -- Indian Express
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July 24, 2020
Another Front: India, Bhutan & China For the third time since early June, China on Tuesday repeated its claim that Bhutan’s eastern boundary was a “disputed” area with Bhutan. Its first claim was at a UNDP-led Global Environment Facility conference on June 2-3, when the Chinese representative tried to stop funding for the Sakteng forest reserve in Bhutan’s eastern district of Trashigang, which abuts Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district. The claim was surprising for several reasons: China has not objected earlier to funding provided to the sanctuary at the GEF. Second, the Trashigang area does not share a boundary with China. Finally, whatever the origins of the claim, Chinese officials have not raised the eastern boundary in 24 rounds of talks with Bhutan, that began in 1984. Thus far, talks have been only about the Pasamlung and Jakarlung valleys in Bhutan’s north, and Doklam and other pasturelands to the west, that come up to the trijunction point with India. On Wednesday, China referred to a “package solution” for the dispute, that is believed to refer to an offer made in the 1990s to swap the northern and western areas, something Bhutan rejected given India’s concerns. Bhutan’s response at the start was to reject China’s claim at the GEF, and it was able to secure the funding. Subsequently the Bhutanese Embassy in Delhi served a démarche to the Chinese Embassy (Bhutan does not have diplomatic relations with China), but the Chinese MFA repeated the claim in early July, and then again this week. Bhutan has now appeared to take a sober view of China’s claims by saying that all disputes would be taken up in the next round of ChinaBhutan talks. Talks — the last round was in 2016 — have been put off due to the Doklam stand-off in 2017, elections in 2018, and the pandemic this year. Despite Beijing’s repeated statements on the boundary issue, both Thimphu and New Delhi have chosen not to react in a rash manner. For Bhutan, the Chinese claim may be seen as a pressure tactic: an attempt to hurry the scheduling of the next meeting, or to gain leverage in the boundary talks. For India, that is already dealing with Chinese aggression across the Line of Actual Control, the Sakteng claim could be a diversionary tactic, or one aimed at driving a wedge between India and Bhutan. More significantly, by claiming Bhutan’s eastern boundary, China is attempting to double down on its claims over Arunachal Pradesh, neither of which it has lien on or control of. The repetition of its “package” offer is worrying as it implies that Beijing is not giving up its push for the Doklam plateau, where it has consolidated its military infrastructure and would like to inch towards India’s Chumbi valley, a strategically sensitive location. No matter what Beijing’s designs are behind its new claims in Bhutan, New Delhi and Thimphu must stay the course, with the close cooperation and complete understanding they have shared for decades, in order to respond to them purposively..-- The Hindu
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Statues as Deeply Contested Heritage
By Rajeev Bhargava Across the globe, people in large numbers have been seen toppling statues that stood as icons of their past oppression and continuing humiliation. Once considered heritage, symbols of a past to be celebrated, they are now viewed as best erased from public memory. Not surprising, because heritage is almost always contested. It is not naturally given, but what humans imagine and construct. What we call ‘heritage’ is not everything we happen to inherit from our ancestors. It necessarily involves a selection of what we presently consider significant in this inheritance. Every society decides what is and isn’t heritage. Since every collective decision involves politics, the construction of heritage too is deeply political, a field of power not among ruling elites alone but all people whose concern it is. The past in the present Why care for heritage? Because it contributes to and enhances our collective self-understanding. Heritage affirms our collective identity, is a source of pride. It is important also because it is that part of history which is continuously brought to life by artefacts, integrated with our lived collective experience. It is a part of the past that we live and with which we live. And because it directly touches identity, it evokes strong feelings. Integral to the construction of heritage then is an assessment of what must be remembered and forgotten, what calls for respect and celebration and what is a ‘stain’ remembered only to be prevented in future, an object of recurring regret that it happened at all, mourned publicly. Heritage is a way of addressing and rectifying past wrongs. The Holocaust memorial in Berlin and Washington’s Vietnam memorial are both gestures towards reparation, monuments of public apology. Reactions in diverse societies In complex, stratified, and diverse societies, the part of history that is self-affirming to some can be a source of self-denial to others. The same thing which provides recognition and pride to some ignites misrecognition and shame in
others, be offensive, hurtful and disrespectful. Public display of the heritage of only a few is a source of profound estrangement and exclusion for others. Heritage is often linked to cultural domination that invites resistance. It follows that heritage is that which brings comfort or unease, to which people are either attracted or repulsed. Wherever symbolic power is unevenly distributed, artefacts that manifest this accumulated power provoke passionate disputation. Is it surprising then that a statue of a slave-owner or member of the imperial ruling elite provokes indignation among those who were formerly enslaved or colonised? Inescapably public For the rest, I confine myself to inescapably public statues — not hidden away, or installed in special parks and museums with restricted access, but installed in public squares, at crossroads, unavoidably open for all to see. Who then decides what will be on such public display and why? As differences are inevitable, as indeed are attempts to influence and pressure key decision makers, how should such collective judgments be reached? How must differences be prevented from turning into interminable disputes, even violence? To see statues of oppressors being torn down is understandable but why reach that tipping point? Why not decide what to do with them after collective deliberation among all stakeholders? Why leave heritage, a matter of long-lasting importance, solely to elected governments that come and go? While politics around heritage is unavoidable, is it not best to have dialogue, consultation, deliberation among people at large, including
Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www. indoamerican-news.com
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with artists, philosophers, historians, architects and alert guardians of cultural memory? Didn’t public discussion yield a fine decision in the 1960s to remove George V from under the Imperial canopy near India Gate but leave it empty, a gentle reminder that monarchs and dictators have no place in our republic? The Mahatma and Mohandas Take the example of Gandhi’s statues on account of their obvious global significance, complexity and, since they are surrounded by controversy, their current relevance. Some strongly feel that the Mahatma must be off the pedestal because of his alleged collusion with the Empire, more so for his racism. Assume the worst. Shall we then allow the violent removal of his statues? Now, Gandhi was neither born a Mahatma nor became one overnight. He began life as a very ordinary man, a child of his social milieu with straightforward middle-class aspirations. It is easy to imagine him inheriting caste prejudices in his childhood and, after arrival in London to study law, imbibing the prejudices of his colonial masters, to see himself as close to educated British elites than to Indian peasants or the ‘untouchables’, and when in Johannesburg, to the oppressed black community. The real question worth addressing is whether he continued living this way, consolidating his racist and casteist views or struggled to jettison these prejudices. Not just superficially, but by confronting his deepest self, the kind of bad person he had been and then transforming it into something altogether different. By all accounts, Gandhi struggled with his demons all his life and eventually became the Mahatma that he was — a global figure of immense ethical significance, admired by his adversaries, inspiring great men like Martin Luther King, even Nelson Mandela. The statues erected globally honour and celebrate the struggle embodied by this self-reflective Mahatma and not Mohandas Karamchand Gandh. -- The Hindu Rajeev Bhargava is Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi.
SUDOKU/RECIPE 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 July 29, 2020. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
Solution Next Week
Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution
Last Week’s SUDOKU Winners Sharmila Moharir
July 24, 2020
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
This has to be the most well-known Punjabi paranhta, and one that several readers have asked to reprint. Among older desis in the US, a hot, crispy Aaloo da Parantha is a comfort food that brings back memories of home. So here is a reprint of this popular recipe with some additional information and directions. Mama has even made a video of this recipe will soon be available on Youtube.
Aaloo da Parantha
(POTATO STUFFED CRISPY FLATBREAD)
Every cuisine in every corner of the world has its comfort food and if you ask a Punjabi, what their choice is, chances are pretty good that they’ll first say “paranthas (crispy flatbread)! Paranthas have become famous the world over and are found not just in Indian restaurants but also in the frozen food section of Indian grocery stores. Though the basic way to make paranthas is very similar but it’s the stuffing that differentiates them in the cooking methods and of course the taste … and even the way you eat them. So well is this idea ingrained in the minds of people that the art of cooking paranthas is celebrated in guidebooks like Michelin or Lonely Planet which lead tourists to a small busy restaurant in the old part of Delhi in Chandni Chowk to the Paranthe di Gulli (Parantha Alley) where there is usually a line to get in to eat 12 inch round paranthas of all types! A homemade Punjabi parantha is usually 8 to 10 inches round and nearly ¼ inch thick. It is made of twice-rolled dough, with a little dab of oil and then cooked on each side till there is a crispy, golden brown top layer, which can only happen when you coax the dough to actually puff up and NOT press down hard on it while cooking. Then the crispy side is coated with some butter or oil and served piping hot. The easiest – and most often made – stuffed parantha is the aaloo (potato) type probably because they are readily available everywhere and easy to cook and prepare. Many people make aloo paranthas that are limp and taste like soggy mashed potatoes which takes the joy out of them, while others use too much butter or oil which makes them too greasy. Made properly, they should be crispy and just firm enough to eat with plain yogurt. Ingredients: • 500gm kanak (gehon) ka atta (wheat flour) • 500gm aaloo (potatoes) – firm white, not Russet or baking kind • 2 tbsp tael (olive or vegetable oil) • 1 1/2 cups pani (water) • 1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) • ½ tsp lal mirch (red pepper) • 1 tsp amchoor (mango powder) • ½ tsp garam masala • ½ tsp ajwain (fenugreek) • Pinch of namak (salt) per parantha
Directions: 1. Combine the spice ingredients in a small bowl and set off to the side. 2. Knead the atta into dough with water and set aside for 30 minutes. 3. Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil. When they are soft but not mushy, turn the heat off and drain the water out. Let the potatoes cool off for 20 minutes. 4. Peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Smash them with a masher into small pieces. Add the spice mixture and mix thoroughly. 5. Pinch off a piece of dough and make into 1½ inch round padde (balls). Roll each padda out into a 4 inch disc. 6. Spread the dough into the middle of the disc and place three tablespoons of the smashed potatoes into it. Throw in a bit of salt and then gather off the ends off the dough with a pinch and then roll into a ball again. 7. Carefully roll out the ball into an 8 to 10 inch disc ¼ inches thick, trying not to spill the mixture in a tear of the dough.
8. Put a small dab of oil on a hot tava (hotplate or skillet) and place the flattened disc on. When it puffs a bit and turn color, turn the pancake over. Turn the heat to medium low. Put another dab of oil on the tava and then turn it over again till it is fully cooked. 9. These paranthas are best served hot with butter, plain yogurt or lassi (buttermilk).
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 THE DOS AND DO N ’T S OF MAKING GOOD PA R Making tasty and A N T H AS crispy aaloo para
nthas can be trick tips can make the y but a few end results a muc h better. The first put the salt into tip is not to the mashed potato es along with the spices. This only m rest ak cult to stuff and ro es the potatoes shed water and mak of the ll out the dough. Th es it diffien, it is important heat on high unde to turn the r the tava and wh en for the first time, turn the heat to m the first parantha is turned edium low. Next, oil on the tava ea place a little ch This will make it cr time before you place and flip the parantha. ispy. Finally, do no cooked parantha t press down hard but wait till both of the unsides are slightly try to make the pa cooked, then rantha fluff up.
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July 24, 2020
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