Friday, February 14, 2020 • Vol. 39, No. 07February 14, 2020
Indo American News
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February 14, 2020
Indo-American News • Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
Friday, February 14, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 07
Indo American News
$1
February 14, 2020
Published weekly from Houston, TX
www.indoamerican-news.com
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Ashiana Restaurant Celebrates 22nd Anniversary -- Masala Style Page 5
Indo-American News • Friday, February 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
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COMMUNITY
February 14, 2020
“Kem Chho, Trump” Event for Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: US President Donald Trump, during his India visit, would participate in a grand roadshow in Ahmedabad and also tour the Sabarmati Ashram and inaugurate a newly-built cricket stadium here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said. He is likely to visit Ahmedabad on February 24, they said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he is “extremely delighted” that Trump and his wife Melania will visit India later this month and added that they will be accorded a memorable welcome. “Our nations are cooperating extensively on a wide range of issues. Robust friendship between our nations augurs well not only for our citizens but also for the entire world,” he tweeted. PM Modi said the visit is a very special one and will go a long way in further cementing the India-US friendship. During his visit to Modi’s home state Gujarat, Trump along with the Indian Prime Minister would participate in a grand roadshow, planned along a 10-km deckedup stretch from the Ahmedabad airport to the Sabarmati Ashram, they said. The US president would then visit the Sabarmati Ashram, which served as epicentre of the country’s freedom struggle during Mahatma Gandhi stay there. Trump and PM Modi would later inaugurate the newly- constructed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium
in the city’s Motera area and address a gathering, likely to be attended by over one lakh people, the sources said. The mega event at the stadium will be similar to the “Howdy, Modi!” event held in the US last year, they said. PM Modi and Trump shared the stage at the “Howdy Modi!” gala event in Houston in September last year and addressed a record crowd of 50,000 Indian-Americans. Citizens here have dubbed the upcoming visit of the US president at the Sardar Patel Stadium as “Kem Chho, Trump!” (Howdy Trump) event, the sources said. The stadium at Motera has a seating capacity of 1.10 lakh, more than the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, an official earlier said. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has issued an order assigning duties to its officers for the
roadshow preparations, the sources said. The civic officials have been asked to arrange transportation and parking for those invited for the Motera stadium inauguration, they said. The White House on Monday announced that Trump will visit India from February 24 to 25. Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu were accorded a grand welcome in Ahmedabad during their visits between 2014 and 2018. The three leaders had also visited the Sabarmati Ashram with Modi and paid respects to Mahatma Gandhi. In view of the US president’s upcoming visit to Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government on Tuesday rescheduled tabling of the state budget in the assembly to February 26.
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COMMUNITY
February 14, 2020
Ashiana Celebrates 22nd Anniversary with Masala Style
Houston: Ashiana Restaurant is still recovering from the smashing success of its 22nd Anniversary Masala Style Celebration on Sunday February 9th. A Houston fine dining stalwart, Ashiana has maintained its authentic North Indian cuisine standards and excellent customer service in a quiet tucked corner of Briar Forest and Dairy Ashford. Having gone through several progressive owners, they expanded to one of the largest Fine Dining Indian Restaurants in Houston, with an expansive banquet hall. New Investors in 2020 plan to modernize their favorite restaurant, kicking off the renovations with the 22nd Anniversary Buy One Get One Free Buffet Fest featuring Masala Radio Jockeys, DJ Nish rocking music, golden décor, Rickshaw Rides, and a bit of belly-dancing. Clearly the restaurant was not expecting the nearly 500 strong crowd, with long lines and refills running slightly behind. Still, old and new customers unanimously agreed it was one of the most freshest and most varied of buffets. “Ashiana” means home. Once someone enters, they immediately are welcomed and seated with a warmth that reminds one of the hospitalities of grand palaces in India. The Fine Dining cuisine also is reminiscent of the best restaurants back home. “Dal Ashiana is one of my favorite dishes at Ashiana,” said long time loyal customer Deepika Agrawal. “It reminds me of Delhi’s
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Bukhara Dal, except the richness comes from hours of slow cooking, and not excessive cream.” Shilpi Sharma, one of Masala Radio’s newest Radio Jockeys, led a lot of the spontaneous dancing, exclaiming “Masala just brings out the party mood in everyone.” “And yes, I loved the Saffron Tomato soup, even tried to get the recipe, but its apparently a trade secret. I’m sure it has some carrot and celery, they hinted at six vegetables, and it was simply fabulous.” Ashiana has huge plans for 2020. For Valentine’s Day this coming Friday February 14th, they plan an entire weekend of Romantic 3- course dinners, featuring equally enticing Veg and Non-Veg Menus. The Non-Veg Menus will include their specialty Lamb Chops. Renovations will include modernizing and moving the bar closer to the front, and adding Happy Hour drink and small bites menus to attract the growing hip office crowds. Ashiana already has several private dining rooms, but owners agree everything needs a refresh, especially the banquet hall which can easily seat 200. Stay tuned for Ashiana updates and events on Masala Radio. While the website ashianarestaurant. net is being revamped, for private room reservations and catering, call Ashiana at 281-679-5555. Ashiana is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner at 12610 Briar Forest Drive.
Indo-American News • Friday, February 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
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February 14, 2020
COMMUNITY “Provocative Remarks Hurt”: Amit Shah
New Delhi: Breaking his silence on BJP’s lackluster performance in the Delhi Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday said the party’s performance might have suffered due to provocative statements made by its leaders. Speaking at the Times Now Summit in New Delhi, the Home Minister said statements like ‘goli maro’ and ‘Indo-Pak match’ should not have been made and underlined that the BJP has distanced itself from such remarks. On the nation-wide protests against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), Shah said: “Everyone has a right to protest peacefully. Anyone who wants to discuss issues related to CAA with me can seek time from my office; will allot time within three days.” On Tuesday, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stormed back to power after Delhi saw a bitter and vitriolic campaign. The party has won 62 seats in the 70-member House, while the BJP im-
proved its tally marginally by bagging 8 seats. The Congress, on the other hand, had to face the ignominy of having drawn a blank in the second consecutive assembly election in the capital. The AAP’s resounding victory comes nearly eight months after it suffered a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party drew a blank while the BJP won all the seven seats. After its stupendous victory in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Thursday claimed that within 24 hours of winning the Delhi Assembly elections, over one million people joined the party. Kejriwal will take oath as the chief minister for a third consecutive term at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on February 16. The oathtaking ceremony will be a “Delhi-specific” event where no chief minister or political leaders from other states will be invited, informed AAP leader Gopal Rai. The entire seven-member Cabinet will be sworn in together, said senior leader Manish Sisodia, who was Deputy CM in the previous term.
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Indo-American News • Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
COMMUNITY
February 14, 2020
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Sikh Alliance Lauds New Air Force Policy on Turbans, Beards & Hijabs Washington DC: The United States Air Force issued new guidance (AFI 36-2903) with regards to Sikh turbans, beards, and Muslim hijabs. This is a significant step forward for religious freedom. This will also help improve the overall strength and diversity of our nation’s Air Force. The Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA) has worked tirelessly for the past two years along with the ACLU to secure three historic religious accommodations for Sikh soldiers in the U.S. Air Force. Airman Jaspreet Singh who currently serves at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst was just recently granted his religious accommodation to serve with his articles of faith. SAVA applauds the Air Force’s new guidance for religious accommodations, but the process “needs streamlining” according to SAVA’s President, LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi, D.O. “This is a big step forward for our nation’s military and for the U.S. Air Force. I am thrilled that we continue to create momentum in gaining acceptance and appreciation for those who wish to serve our Armed Forces wearing their turbans, beards and hijabs. The United States Air Force has taken a significant step towards full inclusion. However, more can and should be done to improve these policies and processes. The Department of Defense should have a consistent and department wide policy on religious accommodation. Those who are committed and qualified to serve our country in uniform should be able to do so in a more streamlined and efficient
manner. Airman Jaspreet Singh’s religious accommodation process took over a year. That’s simply unacceptable. We can and should do better for our soldiers.” said LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi, D.O., USAR and President, Sikh American Veterans Alliance. “The Air Force just got more lethal today,” says former White House Commissioner and SAVA Associate Advisor, Ravi Chaudhary. It’s indescribable to see the release of the new AFI 362903, which spells out a clear path for broader accommodations. The new AFI represents a for- Front and profile views of US ward-thinking philoso- Air Force-approved turbans and phy that SAVA and many hijabs. folks within the Air Force have been working on for some time. The Air Force representative of our country’s I love and served in took a great diversity.” Brian Song and Sonny step today. Inclusive approaches Carpenter, Baker Hostetler. The are not just there to “do the right law firm of Baker Hostetler reprething.” They are part of our core sents SAVA as pro-bono counsel. readiness strategy. We need to up“If we want our battle formation end our traditional views and think to look more homogenous, well, more innovatively about the future that will just take us the way of personnel structure. This new AFI the redcoats, and we can’t afford starts that process, and more.” to do that.” The Asian American “Religious freedom is a core te- and Pacific Islander (AAPI) popunet of our democracy and society, lation in the U.S. has more than and we are proud to see it repre- doubled in the past two decades, sented in the US Air Force. This is and recruiting interest is soaring in an historic moment for our nation’s places such as California and New military and we are proud to be a Jersey. “Our AFI’s have to account part of this endeavor. It also un- for this demographic change, and derscores SAVA’s commitment to prevent us from locking out eligia stronger and inclusive military, ble candidates who want to serve
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their country.” says Chaudhary who has commanded the Washington DC recruiting squadron. “Tomorrow’s force requires more than Diversity and Inclusion. In a Democratic society, a force that is representative of its citizens is the most lethal—in fact, we should no longer call it D&I, we should call it our nation’s “Combat Edge.” Combat Edge upends our traditional view of D&I, and ties it to our military objective—to be the most lethal fighting force in the world, says Chaudhary who currently serves as SAVA’s Air Force policy advisor. “The Combat Edge philosophy is simple: there can be no greater dagger into the heart of our enemies than for them to see all the world’s cultures, visibly standing in one formation, unique and united. That’s who we are as nation, E’ Pluribus
Unum, and it is a precision weapon that is hard for our enemies to circumvent.” – LTC Ravi Chaudhary, USAF, retired. “Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims have a long history of serving in uniform. Over 80,000 Sikh soldiers died fighting alongside Allied forces in the trenches of the World Wars. The turban represents that commitment to service and sacrifice. It is part of an identity that has forged some of the fiercest warriors the world has ever known.” SAVA will continue to push for a Department of Defense wide policy for religious accommodation and will continue to advocate for diversity and religious freedom in our nation’s armed forces.” – LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi, D.O., USAR. “I am elated and grateful that the United States Air Force has granted my religious accommodation. I have always had a calling to serve this country, and with this accommodation, I can do so and simultaneously practice my faith freely. I feel that my country has embraced not only my commitment to serve but also my Sikh heritage” – Airman Jaspreet Singh on his recent religious accommodation in the USAF.
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Indo-American News • Friday, February 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
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PUZZLESBUSINESS / RECIPES
February 14, 2020
SUDOKU
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 before February 19, 2020. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).
Solution Next Week
Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Besan da Halwa
(GRAM FLOUR PUDDING) Besan da halwa (gram flour pudding) is as Punjabi as you can get as this is one of the favorite sweets eaten during the cold winter months and especially during the festivals. The aroma of chickpea flour roasting in ghee fills the whole house and this is an important indication that the chef knows what he or she are doing: if the besan is left undercooked, it will give a raw, gritty taste. Besan (roasted gram flour or garbanzo flour or chickpea flour) is a flour that is commonly used all over India to make pakoras or fried fritters, a common Indian comfort food. Besan is also used to make kadhi, boondi (besan fried drops), laddus (sweet balls), besan ki barfi (sweetened flat cake) or poode (salty pancakes). After wheat, besan is the second most often used flour in Indian cuisine, though it is used only in a few dishes which are made sweet. Besan is high in carbohydrates and somewhat high in protein and has no gluten, which makes it not suitable for those trying to lose weight (especially when it is fried). Besan is rich in folate, iron, magnesium and phosphorous as well as thiamin and vitamin B6. Besides these attributes, besan also makes an excellent scrub and mask for skin care and can also help in fighting seasonal allergies during the cold months. Both besan and sooji (semolina) need a lot more water than atta (wheat flour) when being prepared as the grains soak it up. This is why, if you prefer a thinner halwa, just increase the water by one cup. Ingredients: • 1 cup besan (coarse gram flour) • 1 cup peessi hui chinni (powdered sugar) • 1 cup tael (vegetable oil) or ghee (clarified butter) • 3 cup pani (water) • ½ tsp illachi (cardamom) powder • Mewah (dried fruit) to taste: 1 cup badam (almond) and piste (pistachios) pieces or blanched
Last Week’s SUDOKU Winners
Amita Kothwade
Directions: 1. To make the chasni (syrup), bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour in the sugar and illachi powder, stirring till they are completely dissolved. Keep the mixture to the side for later use.
split almonds
2. Pour the oil or ghee in a wok or kadai and warm for a few minutes over low heat. 3. Pour the besan in and stir continuously for about 10 minutes over medium heat so that it does not start to burn. 4. Add the almonds and pistachios, mix well and continue to stir over low heat to roast the mixture and it is turns slightly brown. 5. Slowly pour in the syrup into the besan, stirring continuously as you don’t want to have the besan to get too brown as it may give a burnt smell. Don’t brown over high heat as the besan. 6. When the oil or ghee starts to
add 4 cups of water instead of 3.
percolate up along the edges and to the top then turn the heat off. 7. When the halwa cools down it will thicken. If you want it thinner, 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 TO CALM YOUR N E R V E S, TRY SOME HOT SU A N F (F E NNEL) CHAI Dried saunf (fenn el seeds)
are often used as mouth freshener a digestive and Indian sweet dishafter a meal but are also often used es in cook g w he n mixed in the doug Fennel seeds have h of some puddinin m an y be gs. ne fits ranging from gestion and stom lieving conpowerful phytonutach gas to asthma and diabetes.reTh rients and antioxi ey contain dants especially an ethole. In addition, fennel se ed s ha ve a calming effect w a hot drink instea hen taken as which can stimuld of tea or coffee which contain lo at ts e yo ur bo dy your kidneys wor and, as a diuretic of caffeine , can make let the mixture sitk. Simply boil some fennel seeds in fo r a fe w m in utes before drinki water, then to add sugar or m ng it. No need ilk.
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COMMUNITY
February 14, 2020
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Eternal Gandhi Museum Hosts Shraddhanjali for Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi who spread the message of truth, nonviolence, and global peace, died on January 30, 1948. Eternal Gandhi Museum of Houston (EGMH) in collaboration with Unity Houston commemorated Shraddhanjali, a memorial service, on Saturday, February 8. Mahatma Gandhi said “I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.” He was never afraid of death. Currently, the world is encountering several challenges including intolerance, impatience, and terrorism. It is essential to follow the ideas and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, especially truth and nonviolence, not only to achieve international peace and prosperity, but to achieve the same within one’s own heart. EGMH and Unity Houston jointly observed Shraddhanajli, Memorial Service, in collaboration with Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, The Ismaili Jamatkhana Center on Saturday, February 8 at Unity Houston. It was the commemoration of the 72nd death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Eternal Gandhi Museum (formerly known as Mahatma Gandhi Library) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the universal values of truth, nonviolence, love and service. The
Arya Samaj children participated in the Shradhanjali (memorial service) for Mahatma Gandhi. Photo by Satyajit Verma.
organization was started almost 18 years ago by the vision and dedication of Atulbhai Kothari and today, with many dedicated volunteers, their worthy efforts continue. The Shraddhanjali program started at 3:00 pm with a gracious welcome by Rev Mindy Lawrence-Curtis, Associate Minister at Unity. Anusha Sathya was a brilliant Mistress of Ceremony for the program, which initiated with an Invocation and meditation from Dr. Alejandro Chaoul, founder and director of The Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute. The program started with a beautiful rendition of the bhajan Hamko Maan ki Shanti Dena and Jab Zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne by the ador-
able kids from Swar Swangam School of Music, directed by Ms. Smriti Srivastava. Honorable Consul General Aseem Mahajan, newly arrived in Houston in January 2020, gave a welcoming speech and the profound Universal significance of Gandhiji. Kamal Haji then conducted the Zikr Band in their beautiful rendition of “Allah” and “Lab Pe Aati Hai” bringing tears of joy in the eyes of many in the audience. 1st place i-tribute winner, Vir Sehgal, then introduced his winning entry on LEED and Climate Change as the audience was educated on this 3 minute clip. Eighth grader Esha Nair, 2nd
place winner of the annual EGMH speech contest, delighted the audience with her winning speech, “Eternal Gandhi Museum: What I’d like to see.” Steps for Dancing school, Choreographed by Ms. Dolly Goyal, with children from River Oaks Elementary School gave an outstanding dance performance titled “Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong “followed by a freelance performance by Dolly Goyal and her dancing partner Shilpa Thacker. Alma Rosha Zamir recited a beautiful poem accompanied in the background by her sister, Anisa, playing the violin. The keynote speaker for the program was Mr. Ajit Giani, from Austin Bahai Community serving as the secretary and a member of the executive committee of the Interfaith Action of Central Texas. He enthusiastically addressed the crowd explaining “from Mohandas to
Mahatma.” Fort Bend County Judge KP George paid a rousing tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. Manish Wani, Board of trustee member of EGMH, gave an informative update of the museum and their recent trip to India with members from the architecture and exhibit/design firms. The program continued with Swar Sangeet Symphony singing a beautiful medley of Vande Mataram, Saare Jahan se Accha Hindustan Hamara, and Nanha Munna Rahi Houn. The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Rajan Chawla, dedicated volunteer of EGMH. Swar Sangam School of Music, directed by Smriti Srivastava, then sang Raghupati Raghav Rajaram while all in the audience came up to the garlanded picture of Mahatma Gandhi to give their respect.
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10 February 14, 2020 ENTERTAINMENT Shikara: Vidhu Vinod Chopra Film Aims High, Falls Short By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Aadil Khan, Sadia, Faisal Simon, Priyanshu Chatterjee Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra Rating: 2.5 stars In his telling of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from their homeland, Vidhu Vinod Chopra uses a tender lens to create a romance between two individuals, which is wholly lovely and believable. You look at Shiv Kumar Dhar and his beloved, Shanti, and you sigh. And then you look around at the beauty depicted on screen, slowly being ground to dust, and ask why. Why did this happen? Why was a particular community and its people forced into leaving the valley at gun-point? Shikara takes vague jabs at setting the context. We get throwaway remarks about ‘not being able to gather because of Section 144’, ‘elections not being free and fair’, ‘India chale jao’. We see militancy being encouraged and supported from across the border (actual scenes of Benazir Bhutto raising slogans of ‘azaadi’ on black and white TV), but nothing goes deeper. That the Muslim residents are slyly eyeing Pandit homes and property finds repeat mention, but what has caused the rift stays strictly on the surface. It’s certainly not my case that a feature film has to bear the burden of examining every single aspect of a complex situation. In this instance, the special status of J&K, which stands abrogated, was the result of a multitude of reasons, and to unravel those strands would take a lifetime, and reams of material. But a film, which is specifically about the subject, needs to tell us a little more of what went on before 1990, when the trickle of Pandits leaving the valley became a flood. The meet-cute of Shiv (Khan) and Shanti (Sadia) during a film
shoot reminds you of a bygone era, in which Kashmir was used as a romantic short-cut in Hindi cinema. The floating shikaras on the Dal Lake, with the houseboats lining the backwaters, were, for years, the backdrop for movies featuring popular stars. Close your eyes and you will see Shammi and Sharmila dancing-romancing: Shiv and Shanti bring back memories of a more innocent time when things were calm, and the Hindu Shiv’s best friend could be a Muslim (Simon) who wanted to play cricket for the Indian team. This dousedin-nostalgia summer of love aspect is the film’s best part, as well as the fact that the lead players all look and feel authentic. They look like they belong, not playing at fancy dress in their pherans and overflowing silver ornaments. Almost all through the ’90s, when J&K was amongst the most dangerous places on earth, we barely caught a glimpse of it in the movies. It’s only in the past few years that we have sporadically been allowed access to the ‘paradise on earth’ both on and off screen. But the state has never left the headlines, because something as complicated and vitiated doesn’t lend itself to an easy solution. Part of the Kashmir ‘problem’, the word used to blunt all complexity, has been the unaddressed
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wounds of the Pandits, who had to take refuge in make-shift camps in Jammu, and have scattered all over in order to recreate a life. But the hope of going back is never forgotten, and that runs like a crying ache through the film, which stands to reason because it is personal to the director. The credits tell us that Chopra’s mother (also called Shanti) left the valley in the late ’80s, and could never return. We see the long line of cars, trucks and buses laden with humans and their belongings crawling across the hillside as they leave: we see it as a panorama, and more than once, and the weight of that leaving is considerable. But there is no mention of the decades of human rights violations by the army, or the security personnel, or the collateral damage that has taken
place on the ‘other side’? Shiv and Shanti hark back to a time when Hindi movie lovers had the power to make you smile: they take their time to reach optimum intimacy, and you get a tad impatient, but the pay-off is worth it — this is a couple who’ve lived together for a life-time, digging into their reserves of resilience, and we can see and feel that strong connection. It shows us how presentday Bollywood has forgotten how to do romances. A sequence which has the couple return for a short, painful reason, sees them making a quick stop at the home they had to flee. They walk up the steps, see the changes, and the family of the man they
trusted huddled in a room. And there it is, staring at us, the shame of the interloper, the betrayal and loss. It’s near-wordless, and for that, powerful. You see this part and you are moved, and then you are back into questioning mode: why this narrow-casting of such a thin slice? A more nuanced sense of history would have made this film much more complete, even if you were to put aside the enormous irony of watching a film about a place which has been in lockdown for the past six months: when will the people in the valley be able to watch Shikara, and tell us what they think? -- Indian Express -- Indian Express
Indo-American News • Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
DIASPORA
February 14, 2020
11
Murthy’s Son-in-law is Rishi Sunak is UK’s New Finance Minister New Delhi:(PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday appointed Indian-origin politician and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law Rishi Sunak as the new finance minister in his cabinet. “The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the appointment of Rt Hon Rishi Sunak as Chancellor of the Exchequer,” Downing Street said in an official press release. Sunak is the second person to join Johnson’s cabinet, the first being Priti Patel, the Home secretary. The 39-year-old is set to move into No. 11 Downing Street, next door to the Prime Minister’s Office. In his first public comment, Sunak said that there was “a lot to get on with”. Earlier in the day, in an unprecedented move, Pakistaniorigin Sajid Javid resigned as the Chancellor. Sunak previously served as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the
second in command to the finance minister. He was elected to the parliament in 2015. Born in 1980, he attended the Winchester College before going on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University. Before entering politics, the UKborn son of a pharmacist mother and a National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner (GP) father worked for investment bank Goldman Sachs. A Conservative party MP for Richmond (Yorkshire), Sunak was appointed the parliamentary undersecretary of state in the ministry of housing, communities and local government as part of a new year reshuffle last year in Theresa May government. Five years ago Britain’s new finance minister Rishi Sunak wasn’t even a member of parliament, now he is running the world’s fifth largest economy. Five years ago Britain’s new finance minister Rishi
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“Delighted to be appointed, lots to get on with, thanks very much,” he told reporters before bounding up the steps into Britain’s finance ministry. Sunak, who became a member of parliament for the governing Conservative Party in 2015, had been tipped for promotion on Thursday after a rapid ascent through the ranks of government. The 39-year-old former Goldman Sachs banker was appointed in dramatic fashion on Thursday when
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Sunak wasn’t even a member of parliament, now he is running the world’s fifth largest economy. The 39-year-old former Goldman Sachs banker was appointed in dramatic fashion on Thursday when incumbent Sajid Javid unexpectedly quit - in a row over advisers - during what Downing Street had cast as a routine ministerial reshuffle. As Johnson moves to increase control of the finance ministry, one of the youngest chancellors in history will face a prime minister who wants to increase spending on everything from infrastructure and police to health and education.
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February 14, 2020
Battle of the Bulge: Sania Mirza Loses Weight, Kangana Gains
Hyderabad: Sania Mirza, who gave birth to her son on 30, October 2018, recently shared her weight loss journey on social media. She took to Instagram to reveal that she had lost almost 26 kg in four months — from 89 kg to 63 kg. The tennis player, who welcomed baby boy Izhaan with cricketer Shoaib Malik, revealed she had to go a “long way” to shed her postpartum weight. And the secret to that is her fitness regimen. The mother shared workout videos on Instagram from time to time — acing cardio to weight training — to show how it helped her lose weight and stay fit. Sharing a workout video on Instagram a few months ago, Sania revealed that she had put on 23 kg during pregnancy. “Believe me that one hour or 2 hours a day to yourself will do wonders to you physically, but so much mentally as well,” she wrote. With sleepless nights and fatigue after the birth of her baby, there were days when her body wanted
to “give up and accept that it may never respond to exercise the same way as before,” but Sania continued. “It was my mind that kept me going… my jumps could get higher, my technique could get better, my stamina could get better…but it doesn’t happen over night! It is a process and once we accept that nothing can hold us back,” she said.
Meanwhile, In a recent interview with indianexpress.com, director Vijay revealed that Kangana Ranaut has gained nearly 10 kilograms to play Jayalalithaa, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, in Thalaivi. Filmmaker Vijay, who has helmed Madrasapattinam, Deiva Thirumagal and the Devi franchise, says, “Kangana ma’am is a sincere
actor and an inspiring personality. I am amazed by her dedication. It’s rare to find a top Bollywood star like her gaining 10 kilos for a role. On the sets, she shows utmost involvement in everything she does. For example, we got her trained in classical dance for the film. She has aced those portions.” Vijay adds Kangana Ranaut is a thinking actor. “She doesn’t go to
the caravan at all. Since Kangana ma’am is a director herself, she asks relevant questions and comes up with suggestions.” “Madam Jayalalithaa became a force to reckon with in Indian politics. Thalaivi will be a tribute to her achievements, both in cinema and politics,” says Vijay. Thalaivi also stars Arvind Swami in the role of MGR.
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SPORTS
February 14, 2020
13
India Lose Series, But Gain KL Rahul, a Long-term Fix at No. 5
By Alagappan Muthu Hamilton: (ESPN Cricinfo): The ball flew to the boundary, and all it took was a roll of the wrists. Martin Guptill is a master of making batting look absurdly simple. On occasion, he doesn’t even look up after hitting his shot. There really is nothing cooler than opening the batting in modern-day limited-overs cricket. You have pace on the ball. There are only two fielders on the boundary when you start your innings. And, you don’t really face that much movement, either in the air or off the pitch. It seems - actually, it is - opportunistic but Guptill, who got to a fifty with a strike rate of 172 facing only India’s quicks, fell to his ninth delivery of spin. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled him with a legbreak that had been bewitched. But the fact remains that once pace is taken off, the game changes. The ball doesn’t ping off the bat. Worse, it starts to grip and move sideways. So imagine being a specialist opener. Imagine having all the shots. The scoops. The ramps. The inside-out drive. The reverse sweep. And then being told the only way you can get in the XI is by remaking yourself into a middle-order batsman. For a measure of how hard that is, in all the history of ODI cricket, only 15 players, having originally looked like they would be specialists in the top order (min 20 innings), became good enough to last 15 or more innings at No. 5 and lower. In other words, to meet the changes you’ll face - no pace on the ball and limited opportuni-
ties for quick runs - and overcome them to score big and score freely, you have to be as good as, oh I dunno, AB de Villiers. KL Rahul is definitely not there yet. It is hard to imagine anyone can get there, actually. But it should present a measure of how hard he has to work. At least, the early signs are positive. The 27-year-old made his first century in this new role in a match where the top three contributed less than 20% of their total (296). There was a calmness to his entire knock. It began in the 13th over and continued all the way through to the 47th and never once did he look in danger of stagnating. Part of that is because of pure ability. Rahul is one of the few Indian batsmen who has a 360-degree game. Look through his knock in Mount Maunganui. You’ll see that he gets off the mark with a punch through point every bit as classy as Kane Williamson’s. Then a crisp on-drive reminiscent of Virat Kohli. A sweep shot that contained no premeditation. A fully upright scoop for six against the 6’8” Kyle
Jamieson, who had no trouble hitting the splice of the other batsmen. India have seen his talent blossom for years now. He emerged as a player very much in the orthodox mold, who once expressed frustration that he got tired around the 120-mark in first-class cricket. It didn’t take long for him to fix that and start scoring triple hundreds. T20 cricket was next. Having been a bit-part player primarily because he didn’t have a power game he rose to claim the fastest fifty in the IPL. And that tournament’s been around for 12 years. Rahul, quite apart from how good he looks at the crease, has shown something far more special throughout his still-young career: the ability to rise to a challenge. Again and again and again. That is why Kohli and his team management believes he is their best man for the No. 5 spot. Other teams have attempted this. New
Bangladesh Wins First U19 World Cup Potchefstroom, South Africa: Bangladesh have won the Under-19 World Cup for the first time after beating defending champions India in Sunday’s final in Potchefstroom. The Tigers chased down their rain-reduced target of 170 to win by three wickets on DLS and end India’s hopes of taking the title for a record-extending fifth time. India - champions in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018 - made 177 from 47.2 overs after collapsing Captain Akbar Ali got Bangladesh from 103-1 and losing their last over the line. seven wickets for 21 runs, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (88) the run for Bangladesh, whose previous best finish was when they only batsman to pass 38. Bangladesh, though, slumped came third on home soil in 2016 from 50-0 to 102-6 in the chase after losing to West Indies in the with India leg-spinner Ravi Bish- semi-finals. After the match, players from noi removing four of the top five both teams were seen to be inat JB Marks Oval. However, captain Akbar Ali volved in an exchange of words struck a composed unbeaten 43 with some pushing and shoving and even though opener Parvez on the field. Three Bangladesh Emon (47) was dismissed towards players and two from India were the death, Bangladesh held on for charged by the ICC. The Bangladesh players who were punished a famous triumph. Akbar fittingly hit the winning were Towhid Hridoy, Shamim
Hossain and Rakibul Hasan, who struck the winning run. They were all handed six demerit points and found guilty of a level three breach of the ICC code of conduct. Indians Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi were also given five demerit points for the postmatch incidents. Bishnoi, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, was handed a further two demerit points for using “language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter” after dismissing Avishek Das.
Zealand, for example, found a gem in Tom Latham because of his skill in tackling spin bowling. But he is an outlier. Over the last five years, only he, Moeen Ali and Sikandar Raza have been tried as potential openers (20 innings) first before settling into a permanent role in the middle-order (ten or more innings at No. 5 or lower). Compare that with success stories of middle-order batsmen who went on to become very good openers. Rohit Sharma. Virender Sehwag. Shane Watson. More recently, Marcus Stoinis became the BBL’s leading run-getter after jumping up the order. Jos Buttler is set to be trialled up there
by England. The transition from bottom to top is a lot more common because it is relatively easier in limited-overs crcicket. India’s middle-order has been a problem for a little while. It may well have cost them a World Cup. But now, away from the glare of a 50-over ICC event, they have the freedom to invest in players even if it comes at the cost of losing a few matches and that has helped in the discovery of talent which could be around for a long time. Shreyas Iyer looks a nailed-on No. 4. He has crossed fifty in each of his last three ODI innings and turned one of them into three-figures as well. Hardik Pandya should walk back into this team when he gets fit. Rishabh Pant’s story has to have a few more chapters in it. There will be dismay among the fans that India have been whitewashed, but there have been gains. There have been significant gains.
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February 14, 2020
Editorial
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Mind and Consciousness
Mapping Life
By Dr. Maharaj Tomar
The Genome India Project, a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of Science and some IITs, will enable new efficiencies in medicine, agriculture and the life sciences. The first obvious use would be in personalised medicine, anticipating diseases and modulating treatment according to the genome of patients. Several diseases develop through metabolic polymorphisms — the interplay of the environment with multiple genes, which differ across populations. For instance, one group may develop cancers and another may not, depending on the genetically-determined pathways by which they metabolise carcinogens. Cardiovascular disease generally leads to heart attacks in South Asians, but to strokes in most parts of Africa. If such propensities to disease can be mapped to variations across genomes, it is believed public health interventions can be targeted better, and diseases anticipated before they develop. Similar benefits would come to agriculture if there is a better understanding of the genetic basis of susceptibility to blights, rusts and pests. It may become possible to deter them genetically, and reduce dependence on chemicals. Global science would also benefit from a mapping project in one of the world’s most diverse gene pools, which would provide data useful for the mapping of the spread and migration of a range of life forms in the Old World, from plants to humans. Traversing from the world’s tallest mountain range to warm seas through multiple bio-zones demarcated by climate and terrain, India could provide much information on the interplay of species and genetic groups within them. Eventually, a deeper understanding of ecology could emerge from the material thrown up. However, some caution must be exercised in the field of human genetics, because the life sciences sometimes stray into unscientific terrain and heighten political bias. The mapping of brain regions to mental functions spun off the utterly unscientific and racist field of phrenology. The work on cranial volume measurements of the physician Samuel Morton — regarded in America as the father of scientific racism— justified slavery before the US Civil War. In India, a nation riven by identity politics and obsessed with the myths of pristine origins and authenticity, scientific work in mapping genetic groups may become grist to the political mill of the unscientific notion of race. Projects in genetics generally extend over long periods of time, which should be used by makers of scientific policy to ensure that the data which emerges is not interpreted for political ends -- Indian Express
Human race has experienced different historical conflicts and miseries. Empathy does not just mean to feel sorry for people with problems, but the ability to understand the needs of a diverse group of people. Friendship is the ability to learn from each other, which played a central role in interactive process, each step reinforcing the next across national boundaries. Stoics suggest that what is most important in order to lead a good life is internal rather than external and get the head straight i.e. developing the right character and right mind set. Existentialism is a philosophical approach which begins with the living experiences of individual human subjects – thoughts, feelings, and actions. Psychology deals with behavior objectively and neuroscience deals with brain objectively. Intellect is the accumulated memory and intelligence is the imagination of the past. What is consciousness and why does it exist? Is it fundamental or universal and what are the laws of consciousness? If individual power is replaced by robot, could robot be aware of its individuality? Could consciousness and physical world be integrated as suggested by Steven Hawkins? These questions have no clear answer. However, cognitive science suggests that brain does not make us think but mind does, and neuroscience suggests that the consciousness has not been measured so far, so it cannot be a physical entity. Therefore, consciousness is subjective. Metaphysics emphasizes that the
only reality is primordial energy or pure consciousness that pervades the entire Universe and any physical form is its outer manifestation at different energy vibrations, and the true essence of any sentient being in the Universe is consciousness or soul which only is free. So, one’s reality is free sentient consciousness and body is its vehicle. Individual mind has the faculty of discrimination, feelings, reason, and ego. But it also has three inherent defects: malice, flickering, and ignorance. As a result, mind operates in wisdom, passion, or delusion mode at a time. Activity of the body, mind, and speech is called karma (actions) and actions have consequences When ego is challenged, it takes shelter in reason (logic). Although, reason may provide enthusiasm, reason alone cannot touch the consciousness, because imperfect reason cannot understand its fundamental basis. The only way to study the mind and consciousness is to go to the facts and draw the conclusions. To be unaware of the consciousness is ignorance and its nature is covering the mind to create delu-
sion. Five senses connect the body with the external world. Since consciousness is not a physical entity, it cannot be known by reason, senses, and science. Then how to perceive consciousness? The answer is by removing ignorance with right knowledge. Consciousness is the witness of ego even in deep sleep. The golden rule, ‘treat others the way you wish to be treated’ helps. Discipline and service without ulterior motives is well tested technique to clean the mind, and consciousness can be perceived by discriminative or emotional faculty of untainted mind i.e. by pure knowledge or devotion. Just half hour contemplation daily with calm mind invokes wisdom and happiness, and one feels satisfaction in daily work. People are usually busy with different commitments and do not pay much attention to the inner core. But they have choice to know consciousness by untainted mind.
Seattle Passes Resolution against CAA, NRC Seattle: The City Council has unanimously passed a resolution condemning India’s recently-enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Introduced by Indian-American City Council member Kshama Sawant, the resolution urges the Parliament of India to uphold the Indian Constitution by repealing the CAA, and to stop the National
Register of Citizens, and take steps towards helping refugees. Thenmozhi Soundararajan of Equality Labs, which organized the community in support of resolution, welcomed its passage. “We are proud of the Seattle City Council for standing on the right side of history today. Seattle is leading the moral consensus in the global outcry against the CAA,” she said. Soundararajan said that thou-
sands of organizers across the country have called, e-mailed, and visited Seattle City Council members to amplify this resolution, “At a time when members of the Indian ruling party sided Trump, the Muslim ban, and his war on immigrants as justification fortargeting hundreds of millions of minorities, Americans have a unique responsibility to stand up and speak about this human rights crisis.”
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
Indo-American News • Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
TRAVEL
February 14, 2020
15
India Off the Beaten Track
South Konkan -- Coast Story By Shashishekhar Gavai South Konkan correponds geographically to the area covered by the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra bordering Goa. The town of Vengurla is just north of Goa, a 2.5-hour drive from Dabolim airport. As you leave Goa and enter Konkan, the traffic thins out and the vegetation thickens. Your drive takes you through swaying coconut palms, crossing densely wooded backwaters, sparsely populated villages and sleepy towns. On the serpentine hilly road a little further, the Arabian Sea reveals itself in bursts through afforested undulations. And invisible from the road are a string of unspoilt, uncrowded beaches stretching all along the Konkan coast. Vengurla is an old harbor with a lighthouse on a hillock above its entrance. The area around the jetties becomes an impromptu fish market as the fishing boats dock with their catch. I am staying in a village a short distance from the town. It’s a cottage on the side of a hill, directly above a secluded beach. On a clear day with the help of a pair of binoculars, you may spot dolphins engaged in their daily round of acrobatics. During high tide, the beach provides an inlet to the waters of the sea into a lovely lagoon ringed with coconut palms and wooded hills at one end. And the sunset is just spectacular. India is an intensely religious country and a polytheistic one. Indians celebrate their country’s wonderful diversity by not confining themselves to a single object of devotion – hence the 33 crore gods. Come to Konkan to understand how this works. Every village here has its own special deity to which its main temple is dedicated (Vengurla being a town has as many as eight gods ). I walk to the temple of the deity Khavaneshwar not far from my cottage. The idol appears to be an ancient one, probably a Buddha statue discovered in the vicinity. The priest is from the village and is dressed in shorts and a shirt – not the priestly attire you expect to see in temples. He offers his prayers to the deity in the language of the people of the village, not in an abstruse tongue unintelligible to the village folk. All of this makes eminent sense to me. I am headed towards the fort of Vijaydurg about a 100 km from where I am staying. En route, I cross Malvan, a town popular with the tourist for its beaches, resorts, several homestays and countless eateries. “Malvani” is now also the generic term for the delicious but underrated Konkani cuisine. Konkan is mango, cashew, coconut and seafood country – all of which are abundant here. A few kilometres short of Vijaydurg is Devgad. The area around here produces the king of fruits, the best quality Alphonso or Hapus mangoes. The
A secluded beach and lagoon.
Devgad Hapus is mainly exported and commands the highest price. Its still January, the mango season is a couple of months away and regrettably, I will miss out on this delectable fruit in its home. Vijaydurg is the oldest sea fort in India. Built around 1200 CE by King Bhoj of the Shilahara dynasty, Gheria fort as it was then known, was captured by the great Maratha king Shivaji in 1653 from Adil Shah of Bijapur. Shivaji restructured and extended the fort substantially, renaming it Vijaydurg. It became a major base for Maratha ships. The fort was virtually unconquerable and I can see why as I walk its ramparts. The 17-acre fort was earlier surrounded by the sea on all sides and its massive walls rise vertically from the sea. At regular intervals are strategically angled loopholes to greet the wall – scaling invader with arrows, fire and brimstone. With the decline in power of Shivaji’s successors. the Marathas became a confederacy owing nominal allegiance to the king in Satara. Its de facto ruler was the Peshwa, the king’s prime minister, with considerable autonomy enjoyed by local chieftains and warlords. One of the latter, Kanhoji Angre, adventurer and brilliant sailor, established his dominance over the Konkan coast. He gained control over several sea forts and the position of admiral of the Maratha navy or Sarkhel following an agreement with the king in Satara and the Peshwa in Pune. Earlier, the relationship had been marked by suspicion, even hostility. It was a marriage of convenience. The Marathas were vulnerable on the coast – confronted by the Portuguese on their southern flank in Goa, and further north by the Siddi of Janjira, an ally of the Mughals and the growing power of the East India Company with their base in Bombay. They needed a powerful maritime force which Angre provided, while Angre gained legiti-
Vijaydurg fort.
macy through the supreme naval ternoon sun with a photo album the picturesque Moti Lake. The title which the Maratha king be- approaches. Abhay Parab B Sc ( palace has a museum and an outstowed upon him. The Marathas name changed) is promoting his let for local handicrafts which are couldn’t have done better. Kanhoji wife’s restaurant close to the fort open to visitors. Colorful handAngre during his long career at sea and which I have noticed on the made wooden toys are a speciality of Sawantwadi and are worth holds the unique distinction of hav- way in. Apart from mouth watering pho- a look. ing won every single battle of the Then there is Bhalekar Khamany he fought with the enemy – tographs of food, the album also be it English, Portuguese, Dutch or has one of Mr and Mrs Parab in naval, a wildly popular eating the Siddi of Janjira. Three of these the kitchen. The latter is seen as place offering a range of seafood battles were fought at Vijaydurg. a large, formidable woman hold- delicacies. I try the whole fried It is therefore hardly surprising ing a rolling pin somewhat threat- crab. Consuming this crustacean is that Admiral Kanhoji Angre is the eningly – or so it appears to me. messy business but at Bhalekar’s it Indian Navy’s principal icon – its The husband urges me to visit his is well worth the effort. Goa is of course on everyone’s western headquarters in Mumbai restaurant with the guarantee that there will be no charge if I do not radar, a well worn destination for is named after him. the domestic a well as the forAngre’s sons , legitimate and il- approve of the food. It’s lunchtime so I stop at the eign tourist. Its beaches are nice if legitimate, succeeded him after his death in 1729. Some of them were restaurant and order a vegetarian somewhat overcrowded. Its food competent but none possessed the thali. I pay for the meal. The food is interesting if a tad overhyped . father’s genius and they steadily is good but even if it weren’t, the (There is of course no quarrel with lost power, possessions, prestige image of the tough-looking lady its plentiful and cheap booze). and the patronage of the Peshwa. proprietor with her rolling pin So, if you feel a bit jaded by the In 1756, a large British naval force is incentive enough to cough up overfamiliar charms of Goa and its assisted by the Peshwa’s troops at- rather than invoking her husband’s hordes of tourists, consider heading just a bit up north – to South tacked Vijaydurg, by now the only guarantee . My final destination is the epon- Konkan. fort in the possession of Tulaji, A retired Indian Foreign Service Kanhoji Angre’s illegitimate son. ymous capital of the erstwhile Tulaji’s ships were destroyed and princely state of Sawantwadi. Officer, Shashishekhar Gavai’s caVijaydurg fell to the English. This This minor Maratha principality reer has included serving as the marked the end of Maratha naval was ruled by the Sawant Bhosale Consul General of India in Houspower and Britannia now ruled dynasty until its accession to the ton and India’s High Commissionthe waves. Ironically, the Peshwa Indian Republic. Sawantwadi is a er for Canada. For a full version had actively helped in achieving small, quaint town with the palace of this and other travelogs, visit the transition. Interestingly also, a of its former rulers overlooking indiaoffthebeatentrack.home.blog. young officer Lieutenant Colonel Clive commanded a contingent of East India Company Competitive compensation, benefits and mutual support. To apply, contact: troops during Lalit Jallan, CLTC, LUTCF the battle of Sales Manager Vijaydurg – 713-545-9269 the very same LalitJallan@financialguide.com Robert Clive www.advisors.massmutual.com/lalit-jallan who subsequently laid the foundations of the British empire in India. Insurance Representative of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111As I exit 0001, and its affiliated US Insurance companies. Local firms are sales offices of MassMutual, and are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. Insurance products issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company the fort a man (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111, and its affiliated US insurance companies. Securities and investment advisory services offered through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC and a MassMutual subsidiary. Supervisory Office: 3 Greenway standing in Plaza, Suite 1800, Houston, TX 77046. 713-402-3800. Financial Services Representatives are independent contractors and are not employees of MassMutual, its subsidiaries, or of General Agents with whom they contract. CRN202106-232418 the strong af-
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Indo-American News • Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com