Friday, September 4, 2026 | Vol. 45, No. 36
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September 4, 2026
Indo American News
Published weekly from Houston, TX
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After the Flood’s Fury, Rescue & Recovery Underway
P2 Rooted in Strength: Daya at 30
Universal Oneness: A Message of One Humanity
P7 P6
Indo-American News • Friday, september 4, 2026, 2026 • www.indoamerican-news
2 September 4, 2026 COMMUNITY Sewa USA Launches Nepal Flood Relief, Missing-Person Helpdesk
Sewa Volunteers handling supplies for distribution to the needy in Nepal. Houston: Sewa International USA has released $100,000 for Nepal Flood Relief, while volunteers work on the ground to rescue stranded people and provide emergency assistance. Sewa International Nepal volunteers are supporting relief efforts in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading. “Sewa has started a fundraiser, ‘Nepal Flash Flood Relief,’ and raised over $55,000 in the last 24 hours,” said Srikanth Gundavarapu, President of Sewa International USA. “Flash floods have devastated parts of Nepal, killing hundreds and sweeping away many devotees gathered for the Kailash Yatra. It is heart-wrenching to see the suffering and grief of people.” Sewa is appealing to support the fundraiser and is establish-
ing a dedicated helpdesk to collect and share information about Americans reported missing or stranded in Nepal and coordinate with concerned families and community members https://sewausa. org/NepalRescue. Devastating Floods On August 26, catastrophic flash floods struck northern Nepal following a glacier collapse, avalanche, and landslide. At the time of writing this article, the death toll has risen to 626, with at least 2,478 people missing, including 777 foreign nationals. An estimated 93,000 people have been severely affected, and more than 3,700 have been rescued. Floodwaters carried mud, rocks, and debris through Himalayan river valleys, destroying homes,
Sewa volunteers distributed emergency relief supplies to communities affected by devastating floods in Nepal
roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, water systems, and communication networks and making rescue and relief efforts challenging. A few of our Sewa International USA volunteers who were at the Nepal-Tibet border at the time of this tragedy are still missing. “Sewa Nepal volunteers are actively supporting the ground response by transporting relief materials to affected communities and assisting with local distribution and relief coordination,” Gundavarapu said. “Sewa stands with the people of Nepal and is committed to continuing relief work and taking up recovery and rebuilding efforts.” Lost Homes, Stranded People “Sewa’s immediate priority is to help families who have lost their
homes, are stranded, and face hunger, cold, and health emergencies,” said Vinayak Astekar, Sewa’s Associate Director for Disaster Response. “We are working with Sewa International Bharat (India), sister organizations, and community partners to mobilize essential supplies, daily necessities, and volunteers.” Within 48 hours, Sewa mobilized shelter, protective, food, medical, and rescue-support supplies, including 300 heavy-duty 12-by-15 -foot tarpaulins, foam mattresses, raincoats, ponchos, floating foam, water bottles, ration kits, cookies, and volunteer jackets. Medical supplies include paracetamol and approximately 5,000 packets of oral rehydration solution.
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Partnering with Community Sewa is collaborating with the San Antonio Nepali Association (SANA), Nepali community partners in North Carolina, Aum Ashram San Antonio, Hindus of Greater Houston and its broader network. Sewa has formed a missing-person tracking group, with about 75 people registered to locate loved ones. The group plans to publish daily updates. Sewa is coordinating with teams on the ground to assess evolving needs and mobilize additional supplies and resources for emergency relief, recovery, and rebuilding. Donors can support Sewa’s Nepal Flash Flood Relief efforts at: https://sewausa.org/NepalFlashFloodRelief.
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Transformative AI Bootcamp by IIT Alumni at Proposed Outreach Center By Shashikant Sarada
Houston: Driven by a collective desire to give back to the state that has provided so many opportunities, members of the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) community launched the AI for Engineers & Scientists (AI4ES) Immersive Bootcamp in Houston on August 22 and 23. The event was the inaugural program of the proposed Outreach Center in Houston, a Texas-centered initiative dedicated to workforce upskilling, lifelong learning, and expanding educational opportunity through industry-led programs, mentorship, and community engagement. Unlike traditional training programs built around lectures and text-book case studies, AI4ES challenged participants to work directly on real problems from their own industries. Participants began applying AI tools to their professional work almost immediately, focusing on practical outcomes rather than theoretical concepts. The bootcamp covered AI foundations, prompt engineering, automation of calculations and reports, research support, design exploration, knowledge management, agentic AI, and the responsible application of AI in engineering and scientific environments. By the end of the program, participants left with personalized AI play-
Group photo of organizers, instructors and students.
books containing reusable workflows, prompts, templates, and implementation strategies tailored to their specific needs. The learning experience was intentionally immersive, intensive, and highly interactive. Over more than fifteen hours of instruction, participants continuously built, tested, refined, and shared solutions while learning from both instructors and peers. Real engineering calculations, technical reports, project documentation, and research workflows replaced textbook exercises. The objective was not merely to introduce AI tools but to help professionals develop practical capability they could apply immedi-
ately in the workplace. As emphasized throughout the program, AI does not replace engineers and scientists; it amplifies human expertise, judgment, accountability, and professional responsibility. The launch of AI bootcamp inaugural event reflects years of dedication from community leaders who have worked to create a foundation for educational and professional development initiatives in Houston. Special recognition is due to Dr. Asoke Deysarkar, President of the IIT Kharagpur Foundation, and Ruma Acharya, whose vision and leadership in founding the Tagore Center Foundation and developing the supporting infrastructure made it possible
to host programs of this nature. K Das, Partha Chatterjee, Debjyoti Banerjee, Sanjoy Paul, Raja Roy, and other IIT Kharagpur Alumni, along with community volunteers, led the Outreach Center initiative and made the Houston event possible. The AI4ES represents the broader vision of the Outreach Center and reflects a shared sense of gratitude among many IIT alumni and other professionals who have built successful careers, businesses, and families in Texas. It seeks to transform that gratitude into meaningful service through education, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. The bootcamp was led by Shashikant Sarada as Principal In-
Indo-American News • Friday, september 4, 2026 • www.indoamerican-news
structor, with Anupam Gupta and Trusha Chandak serving as Co-Instructors, licensed professional engineers and software developer with extensive industry experience. Their practitioner-focused approach ensured that every concept was connected directly to real-world applications, enabling participants to understand not only the capabilities of AI but also the importance of validation, verification, and professional judgment in its deployment. Professor Debjyoti, the proposed Director of the Outreach Cente, worked tirelessly with the IIT Kharagpur administration and the Dean of Outreach to align the IITKGP Certification Requirement for formal recognition of the AI Bootcamp as 15-credit hours of continued education. Through initiatives such as AI4ES, organizers hope to contribute, in their own small way, to strengthen Texas’ workforce, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity. The bootcamp demonstrated that when professionals come together with a spirit of service, collaboration, and lifelong learning, education becomes more than training. It becomes an investment in the future of the community and the future of Texas. The Outreach Center plans to offer similar programs across key fields, including medical technology, energy, and leadership.
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Photo Collage on P6-P7 Indo-American News • Friday, september 4, 2026, 2026 • www.indoamerican-news
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Daya co-founders
By Tasneem Rajan Executive Director, Daya
Houston: Thirty years ago, seven first-generation South Asian women in Houston had the courage to name something our community rarely spoke about: abuse was happening in our homes. Survivors were living with violence surrounded by expectations about marriage, family, and reputation. And when they sought help, there were few places they could be understood. They believed our community could do better, so they created a volunteer helpline and called it Daya - meaning compassion. Over three decades, it grew into a staffrun organization and trusted source
Rooted in Strength: Daya at 30
Daya Board and leadership
of culturally responsive, survivorcentered care in Houston. Today, Daya is there for survivors during some of the most uncertain moments of their lives. A call to our helpline may lead to safety planning, an advocate helping secure housing, legal support in court, a counselor helping them heal, or economic assistance as they rebuild independence. Our services include crisis intervention, safety planning, licensed counseling, legal advocacy, housing and financial assistance, economic empowerment, and specialized case management for survivors of both domestic and sexual violence. Our South Asian roots remain an essential part of who we are.
They teach us that effective interventions must understand the entire person - their language, culture, family, faith, experiences, and community. But abuse has no single face, culture, or gender. Today, our culturally responsive services welcome survivors from every walk of life. In 2025, 45% of those we served were from outside the South Asian community, with services provided in 23 languages. Last year, 683 survivors and families turned to Daya – over twice the 286 we served in 2016. Supporting survivors is one side of Daya’s mission. The other is preventing violence before it happens. Through outreach and education, we bring conversations about domestic and sexual violence into
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community spaces, train professionals to respond to abuse, and challenge the stigma and silence that allow it to remain hidden. In 2025, Daya engaged 38,620 people across 110 events. The generosity of our community makes it possible for Daya to respond. A donated dollar can become safe housing, counseling, legal advocacy, transportation, and groceries. Your dollars are also an investment in the people who make this work possible - highly trained, trauma-informed professionals providing specialized services during some of the most difficult moments of a survivor’s life. On September 18, we will celebrate this remarkable legacy at Daya’s 30th Anniversary Gala at the
Sugar Land Marriott, featuring our special guest internationally bestselling author Alka Joshi. It will be a celebration of our founders, survivors, and every staff member, volunteer, donor, partner and community member who helped transform a volunteer helpline into the organization Daya is today. Thirty years ago, seven women planted roots because they believed survivors deserved more. Today, every survivor who finds support, and every community conversation that challenges silence and stigma, moves us closer to breaking the cycle of abuse. We invite you to join the 30-year celebrations and learn more at dayahouston.org.
Masterji Turns 80 with a Bhajan Sandhya for Everyone !
By Girish Naik Jawahar Malhotra
Houston: Even though he lives away in Conroe, it’s hard to keep Masterji’s indomitable spirit from finding a way to navigate the distance, especially if it meant holding a Bhajan gathering, one of his favorite joys when he is in the Bayou City. For, despite his advancing years and legs that don’t move quite as lightly or fast, Masterji still gets around the world – he only just returned from a four month voyage to India, Singapore, Japan to foster goodwill and spread awareness of the benefits of the “Holy Basil” Tulsi plant, a fragrant, sacred medicinal herb native to India and Southeast Asia belonging to the mint family. Soon, this coming October, he will once again go on another four-month trip to India and other Asian countries. But “Masterji” (as he is affectionately known to one and all) Indravedan Trivedi truly loves an evening of devotional songs by various artist with whom he has been associated long and especially those who work with him on spreading word of the tulsi plant. This past Saturday, August 29, Masterji had arranged a Sanatan Bhajan Sandhya at the Shiv Shakti Mandir in Little India with bhajans sang by Dilip Nayak,
Masterji shares his 80th birthday cake with Gopal and Uma Aggarwal and the daughter of one of the devotees.
Prakesh Nayak, Nandani Sarkar, Devesh Parikh, Shailendra Vagela (“Bapu”) and Bindu Malhotra. Music was provided by Nadim on the keyboard and Kirti Modi on manchira. Andy Tridevi announced the upcoming trip that Masterji will be making to Japan on his Tulsi Abhiyan to make people aware of the benefits of tulsi in daily health and its environmental affect. Dr Nisha performed a Shiv dance to the bhajan Shivoham glorifying the name of Shiva as August is the month of Shravan. This was followed by cutting Masterji’s birthday cake (his 80th birthday was on August 5) and many well wishers.
Masterji presented Gopal Aggarwal with a certifcate of appreciation
The event was sponsored by Gopal and Uma Aggarwal, as they often do for many of Masterji’s initiatives. Vinni Verma also attended the event and wished Masterji the best. The program ended with a prasad made by Shiv Shakti Mandir volunteers.
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Gopal and Uma Aggarwal at bhajan sandhya in Shiv Shakti Mandir.
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Universal Oneness Brings >5,000 People for Message of One Humanity
By Priya Samant New York: On August 29, 2026, more than 5,000 people from 853 cities across 39 states, representing 250+ U.S.-based organizations, gathered at Madison Square Garden for the Universal Oneness Celebration—a landmark cultural and interfaith gathering centered on a powerful message: We can be different and still belong to one another. The celebration reflected the Hindu philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family. Hosted by AHEAD Forum (American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue), the event brought together people of diverse faiths, cultures and generations through music, dance, prayer, dialogue and reflection. Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Indigenous voices joined participants representing 18 faiths, 29 countries and four continents, celebrating diversity while affirming our shared human dignity and responsibility. The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, (RSS) which is celebrating 100 years of service along with Reverend Adrian Thorne, Senior Minister of Riverside Church in New York City; and Imam Dr. Talib M. Shareef, President and Imam of Masjid Muhammad in Washington, D.C and Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). There were four faith leaders on the dias representing four traditions, four distinct voices. Yet across their messages emerged a striking common ground: human dignity, compassion, responsibility and the possibility of choosing connection over division.
The “United in Rhythm” presentation brought together the sounds of dhol,and tasha while the Rudra Dance Academy presented an international dance mosaic celebrating movement across cultures and traditions. Hindu-American youth performed an a cappella medley celebrating harmony, equality and shared responsibility. Award-winning and internationally renowned singer Mahesh Kale led thousands in the collective chanting hymn called “Sangachhadhwam,” a Sanskrit call to move forward together in peace and harmony. Prayers and blessings from Native Elder, Elizabeth Araujo brought Indigenous spiritual wisdom into the gathering, reminding participants of humanity’s responsibility to one another, to nature and to generations yet to come. A highlight of the day was a collective Raksha Bandhan ceremony, where the traditional rakhi—a thread symbolizing love and protection—was transformed into a powerful symbol of our shared responsibility toward the wider human family. Our responsibility extends beyond family and faith. Participants united in this act, transforming an ancient tradition into a modern expression of shared human connection. The interfaith character of the gathering came alive through the voices of four speakers: Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ, reflected on the Jewish teaching that every human being is created in the image of God. He offered a profound reflection: faith is not only about humanity having faith in God, but about recognizing that God has faith in humanity, that human beings can choose
wisely, build relationships and care for one another. Reverend Adrian Thorne, Senior Minister of Riverside Church, spoke about the many paths people take through life and faith. Drawing on an experience from her early seminary years, she described people taking different paths up a mountain while ultimately discovering that they are moving toward the same summit. Her message transcended religious boundaries. In a world increasingly defined by division, she called on people to choose connection over isolation, compassion over condemnation and hope over hatred. Imam Dr. Talib M. Shareef, President and Imam of Masjid Muhammad, emphasized that diversity should not become a reason for separation. Differences can instead become windows, bridges and classrooms opportunities to discover and learn from people whose experiences and traditions may be different from our own. He reminded the audience that every child enters the world first as a human being, before society places labels of religion, race, nationality, ethnicity or politics upon them. Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, spoke about Oneness within diversity and the responsibility that comes with being human. His message emphasized that differences do not need to disappear for humanity to experience unity. Instead, people can honor their traditions, identities and cultures while recognizing the deeper connection that binds humanity together. He spoke about the unique capacity of human beings to think, distinguish right from wrong and recognize the suffering of others. With that capacity comes respon-
sibility to society, to nature and to the world. For Indian Americans, his message carried a particular resonance: heritage and service can reinforce one another. Those who have made America their home, he emphasized, should contribute to America, serve its people and fulfill their responsibilities as citizens, while also carrying forward the values and wisdom of their motherland. “Honor your heritage. Serve your homeland (US). Give back to (the American) society.” He challenged people to think beyond achievement and ask a larger question: What can I give back? The ultimate measure of a meaningful life, he suggested, is not simply what we accumulate, but what we contribute.
Indo-American News • Friday, september 4, 2026, 2026 • www.indoamerican-news
His Excellency Bawa Jain, Secretary General, World Council of Religious Leaders, presented an interfaith declaration to Dr. Bhagwat and other religious leaders and scholars at the Universal Oneness gathering. The declaration recognized the extraordinary power of religion to heal, reconcile and inspire, while calling on faith communities to reject hatred, humiliation, dehumanization and violence. “No one was asked to give up their identity or tradition. Instead, we were invited to bring our identities to the table and discover what connects us. That is what made this gathering so meaningful,” responded one of the attendees. “Attending the Universal Oneness event was an honor. The message beautifully reflects the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—the world is one family. In our divided world, embracing unity, compassion, and mutual respect is more vital than ever, and I am proud to support this movement,” said Dr. Avinash C. Gupta. Ultimately, the event turned labels into people and strangers into neighbors, proving that our shared humanity doesn’t require erasing differences. Universal Oneness is simply about expanding our circle of responsibility to one another.
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Awakening Intelligence in the Age of AI
Houston: As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the way people learn, work and communicate, an important question is emerging: What does it mean to awaken and develop human intelligence? Houston-area residents will have an opportunity to explore this question with Guruji Sri Chaitanya on Friday, October 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Arya Samaj of Greater Houston. The program, “Awakening Intelligence in the Age of AI,” will explore themes of consciousness, self-inquiry, meditation and the relationship between ancient wisdom and modern life. Guru Sri Chaitanya has devoted more than 36 years to the study and practice of spiritual traditions. His journey encompasses Sri Vidya, Advaita Vedanta, meditation and yoga, Tantra, Jyotisha, Sanskrit
and Kashmir Shaivism. His studies have also included Physics, Philosophy, Psychology and Mathematics, allowing him to approach ancient teachings through both traditional and contemporary perspectives. Sri Vidya, a profound spiritual tradition centered on the Divine Mother, integrates elements of Tantra, Yoga and Vedanta. Through his teachings, Guru Sri Chaitanya seeks to make these traditions accessible to sincere seekers while encouraging deeper inquiry into the nature of consciousness and the Self. The Houston event is part of his September–November 2026 U.S. journey, which includes talks, Satsangs, question-and-answer sessions, university engagements and community gatherings. The event is sponsored by PraKrisht LLC, a nonprofit dedicated to the upliftment of humanity, in collaboration with Arya Samaj of Greater Houston.
Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu
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September 4, 2026 11 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 September 8, 2026. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
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