Friday, March 5, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 10
Indo American News
March 5, 2021
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Published weekly from Houston, TX
www.indoamerican-news.com
Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News
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How Do We Keep Lights On in the Next Freeze?
Aid: India House, Sewa
P2 ‘Drishyam 2’: Solid
P2 Photo Credit: Texas Tribune
Indo-American News • Friday, march 1, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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COMMUNITY
March 5, 2021
Deep Freeze Aftermath: Free Water and PPE Distribution at India House
Houston: In response to the boil water notice and busted pipes following the winter storm Uri, India House partnered with Houston City Council Member of District J, Edward Pollard to distribute water, PPE and hand sanitizer. Total 200 cases of water (24 bottles each case) were distributed. Council Member Pollard said, “India House has stepped up and partnered with the City of Houston to make sure we give clean water to the residents.” The families expressed their gratitude to India House and city of Houston for the distribution. India House’s Executive Director, Col. Vipin Kumar said, “These are difficult times. This water distribution was organized not only because people could not afford it, but also due to non-availability of water in the stores.” It may also be noted that on September 25, 2018, India House, in collaboration with Houston Food Bank, launched a free food distribution program where free groceries are distributed to families in need regardless of their race, social or economic status, citizenship, immigration status or religion. India House believes that no one
in our community should go hungry. The distribution is organized bi-monthly with the help of India House staff members and volunteers. Thus far, we have served more than 24,000 people. Considering the need of the hour, we extended our food distribution to three times in the month of March. India House’s ongoing food distribution will be held on March 10, March 17, and March 31 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The March event is sponsored by Sudhir and Asha Jain, and Agrawal Association of America, Houston. India House offers other myriad of free services to the community to keep them mentally and physically fit. Since, COVID-19 we have moved most of our service online. India House offers: Yoga classes, Meditation classes, Line classes for seniors, BollyX fitness classes, Relationship coaching, Telehealth services, Technology classes for seniors, Legal consultation on immigration and family law. In addition, India House will be starting soon Art classes and Soccer coaching for children of various age groups.
Packaged water bottles being unloaded at India House.
Staff and volunteers for the water and PPE distribution gather for a group photo
Commissioner Adrian Garcia Proposes Initiatives to Strengthen Grid Harris County: Commissioners Court discussed an item brought forth by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia to consider what county actions are available to respond to the widely acknowledged failures of the Public Utility Commission of Texas that led to dozens of lives being lost. According to the Houston Chronicle, the number of deaths from the freeze and widespread power outages that followed will surpass those attributed to Hurricane Harvey. After lengthy discussion and emotional testimony by victims, community advocates, and elected leaders, Commissioners Court voted to approve the following: Resolution calling for all members of all members of the Public Utility Commission including Chairwoman Walker to resign from office. Cooperation with the upcoming Federal Investigation by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the causes of the widespread blackouts. Authorizing the County Attorney’s Office to act in opportunities to strengthen connections with grids outside ERCOT. Support for bills to be filed in the Texas Legislature that would prevent another Texas grid failure and/or exploring the benefits and consequences of dismantling of the state’s go-it-alone approach Commissioner Adrian Garcia issued the following statement: “Texas state leaders have made a practice of keeping Texans in the dark – and two weeks ago, those actions turned deadly. When half of
Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia (center) with Harris County Judge Lena Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Photo credit: Houston Chronicle
Harris County was without power or heat for days at a time, Harris County families were forced to endure nightmarish conditions or huddle with neighbors to escape the deadly conditions. Similarly, during the freeze, our neighbors to both the north and east found themselves connected to a working grid, one that experienced far fewer problems. Asking questions and investigating whether we could do the same makes sense. After a career as a first responder, working to save lives is part of my DNA. This crisis has led us to conversations that are long overdue. I thank the hundreds of Harris County residents that reached out to my office, the dozens of industry leaders who called to offer help, and my fellow county officeholders for helping us devise innovative strategies to keep the lights on. Even when the state refuses to show leadership, local officials always take the lead on recovery.
broad resolution rebuking state leaders for failing to ensure the state’s main power grid could operate in cold weather. It also expressed support for any federal investigations into what happened. “What happened last week may have been unprecedented, but it wasn’t unanticipated,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. “The lack of action by the state will cost us billions in economic damage.” The resolution, proposed by Garcia, notes that a federal report on the 2011 Texas blackouts caused by a winter storm recommended the state winterize its energy infrastructure to prevent a repeat of that incident. Two key state regulators, the Texas Railroad Commission and Public Utility Commission, failed to do so, the resolution says. -- Addditional reporting from Zach Despart, Houston Chronicle.
If there are ways we can be proac- constituents had to endure. tive to keep people safe, we will The quintet could not, however, always have the courage to act on agree on who to blame for the them.” disaster. The dispute was settled The five members of Harris along familiar partisan lines, with County Commissioners Court on the three Democrats passing a Monday agreed o Life Insurance that February’s blackouts affecto Long-‐Term Care Insurance ing more than 1.4 o Variable+ and FiUed AnnuiVes million county o Disability Insurance* residents during sub-freezing o Health Insurance* temperatures For More InformaVon Contact Me should not have Services: Divyendu Singh, Ph.D. happened. • Life Insurance They agreed Financial Services Professional# and the deaths of • College funding Licensed Agent more than 40 • YeVrement Planning CA Insurance License # 0M30399 Houston-area New York Life Insurance Company • Estate Planning residents linked 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1900 • Planning for Business owners to outages could Houston TX 77027 #Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC have been preCell: 812-‐272-‐2911 (member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life Company. vented and took *Product available through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life Insurance Office: 7 12-‐ 4 99-‐ 7 638 turns expressing Company, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state or locality. dsingh06NO.newyorQlife.com anger over the +Securities products and services offered through NYLIFE Securities LLC SMRU 1759568 www.dsinghnyl.com suffering their
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COMMUNITY
March 5, 2021
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Sewa International Distributes 260,000 lbs of Food, Water in Houston Houston: Sewa International distributed over 260,000 pounds of food and more than 10,000 liters of bottled drinking water in Houston in six mega distribution drives held in February. Sewa volunteers served more than 7,500 families in food drives held at apartment complexes, senior citizen centers, places of worship, and a United Way distribution center. These events were conducted in various parts of the town including Sharpstown, Bellaire, Rosharon, Brookshire, Hillcroft, Alief, and Pearland. Partnering with Sewa International in these food drives were International Management District, Katy Youth Club, Southwest Management District, West Houston Assistance Ministries, American Red Cross, Brazoria Responds, St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, and Mosaic in Action. Sewa’s partnership with these organizations enabled volunteers to serve the communities where food and water were needed the most. Simultaneously, Sewa AmeriCorps members conducted Disaster Case Management training at these locations to help residents prepare for future disasters. Volunteers worked to load boxes containing food onto the truck and unload and stack them at event locations. One partner organization also conducted COVID-19 testing in an apartment complex where the food
Houston police o&cers joined hands with volunteers to distribute food at an event held on February 17.
drive was held. Sewa International’s Houston Chapter coordinator Nikhil Jain said hundreds of families took part in these food drives and several cars waited in line to receive a box of food and water. He said the recent winter storm in Texas aggravated the food crisis as families suffering job losses due to the pandemic had to deal with burst water pipes, flooding, and other issues caused by extremely frigid weather. Nikhil Jain thanked partner organizations for their help in conducting the food drives. After the event, West Houston Assistance Ministries stated “wow! We still can’t believe how many cars/families waited in line to receive a box of food and water from our special food fair”. Sabrina, a volunteer from United Way, summed up the feeling of most volunteers when she said, “We had a great turnout serving Waller County. It’s a beautiful feeling to serve the community you live in”!
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Jawahar Sewa Internaonal and Red Cross volunteers helped conduct a food drive held on February 28 in Waller County.
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March 5, 2021
FB Aide Taral Patel Joins Biden Administration Richmond: The Indian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) of Greater Houston is a nonpartisan organization and one of its missions is to promote and encourage political involvement and increase political awareness in the Indian American community residing in the Greater Houston area. IAPAC would like to congratulate Taral Patel on his appointment to work with the Biden Administration on Domestic Policy Issues in Washington DC Taral grew up in Greater Houston studying at Cinco Ranch High School and subsequently graduating from UT Austin. Patel was the youngest Chief of Staff to serve for the Fort Bend County’s Judge’s office and previously held positions on many campaigns including Mayor Bill White, Senator Rodney Ellis and Chief of Staff Taral Patel (right) with his mentor Fort Bend County Judge Wendy Davis. KP George during a Christmas event before the Covid pandemic. With his various experimulticultural, immigrant-rich com- largest, are making their mark in ences and accomplishments, government. we have no doubt Taral Patel will munities in the nation. Helping George almost every In Fort Bend County, that continue to thrive and be a formidable force to watch in the politi- step of the way in becoming Fort means being responsible for aidBend’s top chief was Taral Patel, ing 760,000 residents and roughly cal arena. For more information, contact his 25-year-old, data-focused chief 3,000 county employees in a county with an annual budget of $370 Ramesh Anand, President IAPAC of staff. Patel, a Katy native became million. at C: 832-731-6133 or email: presGeorge’s chief of staff after workPatel told The Signal George’s ident@iapacgh.org. ing as a strategist during his camhistoric election wouldn’t have When KP George was elected as paign in the 2018 midterms. When been possible without the help of Fort Bend County judge last year, it was a historic election by all ac- George was sworn in this past Jan- the Asian-American community counts. Not only did he manage to uary, Patel became the first Hindu who helped elect him to both the flip the judgeship from red to blue and youngest chief for a county- judgeship and his previous elected after it was held by the same Re- wide official in Fort Bend history. office as a representative in the It’s the latest example of how the Fort Bend ISD school board bepublican incumbent for 15 years, millennial generation, soon to sur- tween 2014 and 2018. -- With conGeorge also ushered in some much pass baby boomers as America’s tribution from The Texas Signal. needed diversity in one of the most
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COMMUNITY
March 5, 2021
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Dr. Jaya Raman Publishes an Autobiography Sonal Shah: Fellow at U of Chicago Houston: Dr. Jay K, Raman has published an autobiography describing his early life in Kerala and his subsequent life and career in Houston. The book also covers his personal philosophy of life, religion and spirituality The title of this book, From the Land of Spice to the Land of Oil, aptly describes the book. It is an immigrant physician’s tale of his life and times. More than just a biography, it is a story of his times. He was born in 1945 at the end of Second World War. Kerala, his birthplace in India, is well-known for its spices and ancient martial arts. He was witness to great historic events like the end of the Second World War, the independence and partition of India, the Cold War, the collapse of communism, global warming, and finally the Covind-19 pandemic. He has described these events as he saw
them, both as a physician and as a keen student of history. He served in the Indian Army and also in the army of the Sultan of Oman. He has many inter-
esting stories to tell, both professional and personal. After immigrating to the USA, he had extensive experience of medical practice in this country. He describes in detail the varied professional and personal challenges he had to face. He also gives his frank opinion about medical practice and the profound changes he was a witness to. He describes the great historical events he has passed through based on his own observations on geopolitics and international issues. An important issue, life after retirement, is also given due consideration. Toward the end, he concentrates on spiritual issues, religion, and ultimately death. The book is available on Amazon. A kindle version is also available. All the proceeds from the sale of the book will be given to charity. The author, Jay K Raman MD FACS FRCS(C), is a long time resident of Houston Texas
Chicago: On March 1, 2021, the University of Chicago Center for Effective Government (CEG), based at the the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, welcomed its first cohort of four Senior Practitioner Fellows—Liza Goitein, Jennifer Horn, Natalie Y. Moore, and Sonal Shah (AB’90)—who will advance the work of reform as part of the Center’s newly-launched annual fellowship program. The Senior Practitioner Fellowship program brings together a diverse set of leaders—elected leaders, former government officials, policymakers, advocates, nonprofit leaders, and journalists—for in-depth analyses and stewardship of institutional reforms. Each Fellow leverages the expertise from
A Houston native, Sonal Shah was a Professor at Georgetown University before joining UC.
her field and brings passion for a particular area of government effectiveness to a community of students, faculty, and practitioners with similar passions and the resources to effect change. at the University of Chicago. “
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CRICKET
March 5, 2021
India vs. England: In Gujarat, Left is Right, including Axar, Mahatma By Sandeep G.
Ahmedabad: After left-arm spinner Axar Patel, a like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, helped India nose ahead in this tense series against England, Virat Kohli seemed amused by a certain coincidence. The Indian skipper was intrigued by the Gujarat churning out left-arm spinners in abundance. Axar, born in Nadiad, plays for Gujarat. As for Jadeja, he turns up for Saurashtra and has roots in Jamnagar. “I don’t know what it is with Gujarat and producing so many left-arm spinners. Jadeja goes and there comes Axar,” Kohli said, in a semi-amused, halfserious tone. Inadvertently, the Indian captain dusted up an old, forgotten cricketing legacy — left-arm spinners of Gujarat (the state and not the cricketing entity) and Indian cricket. A chapter unto itself. A book unto itself. From arguably the first poster-boy of Indian cricket, undoubtedly the first Indian cricketer who had the world in awe, Vinoo Mankad, to the latest inheritor of the lineage, Axar, seven left-arm spinners from the region have accounted for 637 Test wickets. A stretch of 300 kilometres from Jamnagar to Rajkot and Nadiad. Erstwhile princely states, but more everyman in their cricketing achievements, literally and figuratively inhabiting a corner of the
domestic field. In the post-independence era, Gujarat waited for 60 years to hold aloft its maiden Ranji Trophy title. Saurashtra had to won their first three years later. But only Karnataka could claim of a particular breed of spinners accumulating more Test wickets than them (legspinners Anil Kumble and BS Chandrasekhar alone have snaffled a combined haul of 861 Test scalps). It’s a bigger coincidence that their birthplaces —Jamnagar to Rajkot to Nadiad – come within 300km. Like a parish in Kingston producing a crew of world-class sprinters. Or a lane in Cuba throwing up boxers. Or twinkle-toed forwards popping up from a decrepit favela in Rio de Janeiro. There is left-handedness peeping from every column of a scoresheet of games involving Gujarat and Saurashtra. Ravindra Jadeja missed most of the Saurashtra’s ascent to the Ranji peak last year, but another left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja filled the void. If Axar is not around for Gujarat, there is Siddharth Desai, who has picked 71 wickets in 17 games. In most games, Gujarat accommodated both. “Any first-class game involving Gujarat or Saurashtra, you see at least one left-arm spinner, often two. Often, the first person a coach picks in the team is a left-arm spinner,” says veteran Saurashtra Cricket Association
Axar Patel celebrates during the third Test against England (Source: BCCI).
administrator Niranjan Shah, who in his first-class playing days batted left-handed and occasionally bowled, what else – left-arm spin. Not just in the spin department. Two of Saurashtra’s regular seamers are left-armers — Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya. Gujarat had two left-arm seamers sharing the new ball, Arzan Nagaswalla and Rush Kalaria. The reason often offered is that there are more left-handers in Gujarat than any other state, that it’s less stigmatic to left-handedness than most parts of the country, though it’s an anecdotal than sci-
entific rationale, more theory than data. But southpaws have streamed into every other realm as well. “I think it’s part of the DNA, a lot of Gujaratis are left-handed. I am a left-hander, my father was one, and so is my son,” says former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi. His son Nayan, though born in Nottingham, continued the family tradition and played for Derbyshire, Surrey and even Saurashtra. The most famous Gujarati — Mahatma Gandhi — too was lefthanded, and if he indeed played cricket, chances are that he would have bowled left-arm spin, with his thin frame and large digits.. On such historical quirks hinge legacies. Sometimes, on chance too. The flamboyant Durani could have ended up as an off-break bowler had not Mankad saw him bowl when he was just nine. “I could bowl with both hands. Once Vinoobhai saw me and told my father that I should stick to the left hand. My father would make me bowl from a stationary position. With the right hand tied, I had to bowl with my left hand. That really made my left hand more powerful,” he once told this paper. Intense competition could be another reason behind the production line. “At any level, be it school, college or club, there always used to be some four-five good left-arm spinners. So only the best went on
KNOW PREDICT PREVENT
Offic e of Di s t r ict At tor n e y h a r r i s c o un t y, T X
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H a r r i s Co u n t y DA . COM Indo-American News • Friday, march 1, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com
to play first-class cricket. That’s why they are so competitive,” says Shah. One needn’t go further than the narrative arc of Ravindra Jadeja and Patel. Both were primarily stamped as white-ball cricketers who made their red-ball opportunities count, a testament to their survival instincts. Doshi, thus, has no doubts that Durani would have been a more successful cricketer in this day and age, as opposed to the more carefree 1960s and 70s. Or maybe, it was Gujarat’s pragmatic way of countering the right-handedness of most batting line-ups. Leg-spinners tend to be expensive, off-spinners had few variations (though they produced one of the finest, Jasu Patel), and left-arm wrist spinners were rare. So left-arm spin struck the balance between economy and efficiency. If the pitch is turning, they are lethal. If it’s not, they are still lethal, as the left-arm-around angle gives the bowler a chance to beat batsmen on the inside as well as the outside edge. Besides, manoeuvring the crease comes naturally to them, they need not make any discernible change in their action or release. They could bowl long spells, tirelessly and dauntingly. No other stream of bowling embodies the fabled Gujarati business mind than left-arm spin bowling. Cunning, calculative and uncanny. -- Indian Express
COMMUNITY
March 5, 2021
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Nasir Abbasi: 1st FB Captain from South Asia
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Richmond: History was made Tuesday morning as the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office swore in its new captain. Captain Nasir Abbasi is the first South Asian to rank as captain in the sheriff’s office. “We are all here. We see the true reflection of Fort Bend County,” said Captain Abbasi. Sheriff Eric Fagan, the first Black sheriff in the county in more than 150 years, said part of his mission is to have a staff that reflects the diversity of the county. “Children need to see people in power that look like them, not just on patrol, but command staff,” Fagan said. Before working in Fort Bend County, Abbasi was a sheriff’s deputy in Harris County, where he and Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal were close friends. Dhaliwal was killed in the line of duty in 2019. His
father, Pyara, was at Tuesday’s ceremony. He says his late son’s legacy will live on, here. “I see Sandeep in Captain Abbasi. I hope he will take his legacy and bring it here to Fort Bend County and serve the community like he did regardless of religion, color, ethnicity and nationality,” said Dhaliwal’s father. Deputy Dhaliwal was known in the community for his distinctive turban and was also the first Sikh deputy in Harris County. As part of Fort Bend County’s commemoration of Black History Month, county officials unveiled a portrait of Walter Moses Burton, the first African American to hold the position of county sheriff in the U.S. County Judge KP George said the portrait will be displayed in one of the hallways inside the old county courthouse in Richmond. -- TJ Parker for ABC 13.
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ENTERTAINMENT
March 5, 2021
“Drishyam 2”: Mohanlal’s Malyalam Film is a Solid, Satisfying Sequel By Shubhra Gupta
Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Murali Gopi, Saikumar, Asha Sarath Director: Jeethu Joseph Rating: Three stars Where’s the body? No body, no case. That was the point where we bade farewell to prime suspect Georgekutty (Mohanlal) in ‘Drishyam’, Jeethu Joseph’s smash-hit 2013 murder mystery. In the sequel, which opens six years later, we reunite with Georgekutty, now the prosperous owner of a cinema theatre, his wife Rani (Meena), and daughters Anju (Ansiba Hassan) and Anu (Esther Anil). There are visible changes in their lifestyle. Georgekutty drives a fancy car, the younger daughter goes to an expensive school, and they all look a little sleeker. But the residue of that death lingers over them, like miasma, lifting and settling, but never going away entirely. Can you kill someone and get away with it? Does your moral centre shift? How do you live with yourself if you have blood on your hands? Those unsettling unanswered questions imbue this follow-up, and make it more than just a police procedural. As viewers, we know right from the outset where the body is, because we were made witnesses in the original film. And we see that the family hasn’t really been able to put that incident behind them. The person most impacted is the elder daughter Anju,
who suffers from epileptic fits, and who starts shaking whenever she catches sight of cops. Rani spends all her time watching over
Anju like a hawk, when she’s not holding up the spirits of her new neighbor, who has an abusive husband.
Things start speeding up when the case is re-opened, and a bunch of characters, both familiar from the first film and freshly added to
Ajay Devgn and Tabu to Return for Hindi Drishyam 2 On February 19, 2021, Malayalam thriller Drishyam 2 starring Mohanlal was released online and a Telugu version of the film has already been announced. Well, now, here’s some news for the Bollywood peeps, as the latest we hear is that the Hindi version of Drishyam 2 will see Ajay Devgn and Tabu. As per a report in the Times of India, if all things go well, then the two actors will be seen in a single frame once again. For the unaware, Ajay and Tabu
were a part of the Drishyam along with Shriya Saran. “Ajay and Tabu have agreed in principle to play the leads. The balance cast however is yet to be decided. The paperwork of buying the rights from the original’s producer is almost done, ” a source told the portal. The report further mentions that shooting locales and budget, are fast being worked out. Reportedly, Drishyam 2 Hindi will be made along the lines of the Malayalam flick but will have
a few modifications. It’s also said that the second part of the film will go on floors in the third quarter of 2021, as the makers are looking for a 2022 release. Drishyam Hindi which released in 2015 was a huge hit and fans have been eagerly waiting for an update. Talking about the Malayalam Drishyam 2, it’s garnering mixed reviews and is currently steaming on Amazon Prime Video. Stay tuned!
the plot, stir up trouble. The parents of the dead boy, especially the enraged mother (Asha Sarath), a former cop herself, are demanding closure-cum-retribution. An eyewitness from six years back, conveniently having gone missing all these years, pops up. Is this the end for Georgekutty, who has been busy trying to produce a film and giving ideas to a scriptwriter? Mohanlal is spot-on as the man who is in a spot. Georgekutty’s past as a movie lover (he used to run a cable TV service and spent all his spare time watching thrillers) has led him to be where he is. We get some amusing throwaway remarks about him waiting to release ‘Mammootty films’ in his theatre. And the idea that real life can imitate reel life is still a pivot this time around. Mohanlal holds the film together, never letting his easy, relaxed mien sag into a frown, never letting down his watchful guard, even when his co-actors sink occasionally into loudness and obviousness. Yes, the noose is getting tighter, but Georgekutty is always going to be one step ahead of the law. It’s not easy to craft murdermystery sequels. ‘Drishyam 2’ jumps over the familiarity hurdle by broadening its ambit on crime and punishment. If the victim was not a ‘good’ person, does the killing carry as much weight? Equally, can terminating a life, even if accidental, ever be justified? ‘Drishyam 2’ is a solid, satisfying sequel. -- Indian Express
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March 5, 2021
After giving an insight into the ‘arranged marriage’ set up with Indian Matchmaking, Netflix is all set to celebrate the big fat Indian wedding with The Big Day. The series will take a deep dive into the multibillion-dollar wedding industry, and gives the audience a chance to be a part of the most unique and lavish modern weddings. The trailer of the first season of The Big Day was released on Monday. The video is nothing short of a live Pinterest board on dream weddings for millennials. From lavish settings, designer clothes to some exciting themes, the series showcases it all. The show will also have couples talk about crafting their happily ever after. The makers have chosen six different stories, and each of these couples do not believe in toeing the line. From planning a truly sustainable wedding, which is the need of the hour, to a bride that does not believe in following traditions blindly, the stories would definitely touch a chord. Celebrity makeup artist Daniel Baeur, who got married to partner Tyrone Braganza in 2019, also features in this special wedding series. Produced by Conde Nast India, The Big Day will have couples navigating their way through an eye-opening list of shenanigans and soul-stirring moments that go into creating spectacular Indian weddings. There would also be a dash of family drama, unique personal struggles, triumphs and much more. The Big Day will start streaming on Netflix from February 14.
Indo-American News • Friday, march 1, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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10
OPINION
March 5, 2021
Pawri: Bindi to Cricket Last week, a brilliant scientist who was the lead guidance navigation and control subsystem engineer for the Perseverance Rover landing on Mars made waves. It was Dr Swati Mohan, born in Bengaluru and now a proud American working at NASA, who broke the news of the landing to the watching world. All eyes and ears were on Mohan that day. And what drew the maximum attention when she was on screen for the dramatic announcement was a tiny detail on her forehead — the bindi! “I am Indian as much as I am American,’’ she said, adding quickly that she is not the only Indian on the team at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) where “everyone is respectful of each other.” The big deal surrounding her bindi, was casually put into context, when she stated, “The bindi is a part of who I am…I wasn’t making a special statement.” One tiny little dot that says so much! So, does size matter? Well, clearly it does to those who believe it is important to dazzle the world with something gargantuan like the world’s biggest cricket stadium. Most appropriate, don’t you think? PM Modi is larger than life. He understands scale and upgrades. He loves all things grand and imposing like the Central Vista project. His personal taste may be humble and simple, but his vision is big. Why settle for modest when grandiose is possible, huh? The cost of the newly christened stadium is approximately Rs 800 crore, it is spread over 63 acres, with a total area of 2.4 lakh square metres. Not bad, huh? We are so fortunate to have leaders who refuse to compromise when it comes to grandeur. It’s a question of India’s image — hai, na? People will feel so impressed when they know what a sports-loving nation we are and how much we care about cricket — all things big-big that make a nation’s chest expand and exceed fifty-six inches. You want India to be seen as a market leader or not? We must get India’s branding and positioning right, if we want to show China. Does Beijing have such a huge cricket stadium? No, na? Why spoil everything by pointing out chhotamota stuff like the Chinese don’t play cricket. If they decide to play cricket in the future, we have to be ready to beat them, right? That too, in our stadium. See, our PM has great foresight that way. We can all sing, “Yeh hum hai, yeh hamara stadium hai, yeh hamari pawri ho rahi hai.” Currently, our PM seems focused on being the biggest in several departments. India is wowing the world with its vaccination drive (biggest in the world). Now we have this huge cricket stadium. It’s bound to generate jealousy. Especially amongst our neighbours, and Pakistan in particular. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, who once sported the captain’s cap for his country, must be burning with envy that he doesn’t have such a magnificent cricket stadium named after him in Lahore! Sigh, in the battle of the tiny little bindi making a gigantic global impact, versus a monstrously large stadium leaving desi citizens bewildered, it’s okay, I guess. Whichever way you look at both, one thing cannot be denied: #pawrihoraihai, mitron! Ek NASA mein, aur ek Ahmedabad mein.. -- Shobhaa De in Times of India
Anatomy of a Sri Lankan Reconciliation By George Willy Part 1. Adapted from a speech made before the Association Professional Sri Lankans (APSL) in the UK. Thank you for inviting me to inaugurate your APSL We Sri Lanka Webinar Series. I am sure you will be hearing from far more prominent speakers in your future webinars, but I am certainly honored to be speaking to you today. Don Jayasinghe, a member of your executive committee, initiated this invitation and I noticed how English he had become. He was polite and yet firm, respectful yet careful of giving ground, all this with a fine English accent. I have learned that this group is made up of high achievers even as high as a knighthood! I suppose I will have to mind my Ps and Qs. I chose to speak to you today on reconciliation. Thus, I styled my speech: ‘An Anatomy of a Sri-Lankan reconciliation’. That APSL would make its inaugural address for this webinar series a conversation on reconciliation, speaks not only of its deep commitment to Sri-Lankan progress, but also to the urgency of a reconciliation. I want to register my deep appreciation for APSL’s search for peace and for keeping this issue alive. The moment one steps up to talk about reconciliation, he is hoisted on 2 ropes and hung over a pit of fire. Pulling either rope too hard could drop him into the pit. Which means I must be careful how I frame the issue. Yet I cannot allow the fear of being barbecued, to render a meaningless insipid speech. So, wish me luck as I begin my tight rope walk over River Thames, with only the pole of reason to aid me. Hegel the German Philosopher of history famously said, “ What we learn from history is that we do not learn from history”. History is also a treacherous teacher especially when her lessons are based on stories far back in time and often unverifiable. We have more urgent matters to deal with. In the most recent survey of SriLanka the World Bank said: “A development success story in many ways, Sri Lanka still faces critical
challenges as it strives to become an upper middle-income country. The World Bank Group supports Sri Lanka’s transition to a more competitive, inclusive, and resilient upper-middle income country.” Our focus therefore must be on the here and now and not on the past. We can change the lives of the living, and therefore our efforts are better spent on them. Sri Lanka is attempting to rise from a lower middle-income country to an upper - middle income country. Covid-19 has disrupted this ascent as it has of the entire globe. Sri-Lanka will need a lot of assistance and a lot of help. Organizations such as APSL can and want to help. The resources such organizations can marshal, and deliver are substantial. Sri-Lankan expatriates around the world have always wanted to share what they have acquired abroad with their motherland. Besides many of us have political access to our new host countries. When our own resources are bundled with resources available in these countries as aid or investments, they can become formidable sources of assistance. More importantly we can direct these resources in ways that can advance social goals. One such goal can be reconciliation. Each project, each venture, each program must have a reconciliation component. APSL and other similar organizations such as Propel Lanka here in Houston led by Dr. Bandula Wijay, should form a robust, well informed and a passionate committee perhaps called the reconciliation committee. Every project planned or initi-
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ated by these groups on their own or in collaboration with the others or governments must be reviewed by this committee to identify reconciliation opportunities. If there are such opportunities, the project must include these recommendations as conditions precedent to funding. Let me give you some examples of what some of these reconciliation opportunities might be. An engineering project for instance will get priority if there are partners from each of the ethnic communities undertaking the project. Agricultural projects will be rewarded if there is a north south collaboration. Projects that have a rehabilitation component directed at helping people that have suffered mental or physical injury during the war will be given priority. In general, those efforts that can encourage collaboration between the various ethnic groups will be favored and funded. A dedicated and focused group must design these opportunities. Such an effort can be global. Further I believe the Sri Lankan leadership, probably will welcome this effort because it veers away from politics and rests solely on economics. Some of you may be disappointed that I did not propose a political solution. Final road to reconciliation will have to be political. However, it is the most difficult. The moment the issue of reconciliation is raised, the political fabric of the country begins to get torn in several pieces. Those in power then must deal with competing interests and competing passions. When the economy is weak and political power fragile, it is difficult for the leadership to drag the splintered voices to the table. To be ontinued next week George R. Willy is an eminent Houston-based lawyer, who served as an advisor to the Clinton and Obama administrations on immigration law and South Asia. He hosts the TV show “The Other Side”, where he interviews prominent public figures, and “Minds that Matter”, radio show that features people with extraordinary abilities in various fields of endavor.
SUDOKU/RECREATION SUDOKU/COMMUNITY Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.
Send us the correct answer before March 10, 2021. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com and send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
Solution Next Week
March 5, 2021
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IACCGH Webinar: Funding Your Retirement By Manu Shah
Boston: On 27 January, the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston hosted an engaging virtual seminar on “Funding your Retirement Lifestyle.” The event, which was presented by chamber member Amiralli Dodhiya, was primarily aimed at business owners and in particular retail owners who wish to maintain their current lifestyle in their retirement years. This category of the population, according to the speaker, rarely had a retirement plan for themselves. Amiralli is an MAP Certified Financial Professional with over 17 years of experience in the field of Wealth Preservation Strategies. He is a New York Life Insurance Agent and the recipient of one of the industry’s top honors – the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors- National Quality Award for nine years in a row from 2011-2019. The presentation noted that most business owners consider “their business”, their retirement plan and consequently plow their profits back into the business to build their assets. The fallout of this traditional assumption is that when they retire, 90% of their assets are tied up in the business itself. Despite having a retirement plan for their employees, they personally do not contribute for two reasons:
Certified Financial Planner Amiralli Dodhiya.
either they don’t see any benefit in it or do not have the cash flow. The latter is one of the biggest issues for business owners as they need to reinvest the money earned. It was also pointed out that business owners who are relatively young and intend to retire from the sale of the business must factor in the fact that things could change drastically when they are set to retire. A current healthy bottom line could hold future potential risks such as not getting the expected value, a right buyer or an unexpected competitor that could drop the value of the business. Amiralli emphasized the importance of repositioning assets in various retirement plans to help assure a steady income in the
golden years. Some money, he advised, must be set aside annually in a retirement fund from an early age or even when the business is getting off the ground to safeguard retirement plans. The importance of diversification was also dealt with, not only from the assets’ perspective but also from the cash perspective. Saving for themselves is as important as reinvesting money in business. Investing in retirement plans can be also be tax advantageous and the reason being that if the earnings are going to be taxable when you retire, the tax bracket that you are in currently will also remain the same. Additionally, three things can affect a retirement lifestyle: longevity, inflation, and the risk that all your money is tied up in the business. Statistics reveal that more than 60% of the income of those who are 75 and above is spent on health care and nursing homes because not everything is picked up by Medicare. Clearly, the last thing you need is for your money to run out just when you need it most. The hour long seminar lent a great deal of clarity on the importance of a well thought out retirement plan versus looking at the business as a retirement strategy. Visit www.iaccgh.com to learn about the chamber and upcoming events.
Campaign for School Named after Sonal Bhuchar Last Week’s Solution
Sugar Land: A social media campaign is underway for a Fort Bend School to be named after Sonal Bhuchar. After her long association with the Fort Bend Education Foundation, Bhuchar was elected to the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees and she served as the board president as well before her untimely passing in 2019. Fort Bend ISD is seeking community suggestions for the naming of a new elementary campus, to be located in the Riverstone community, and a new high school, to be located on the southeast side of
the District on FM 521. The deadline to submit names is March 10, 2021. Those who wish to make a nomination must submit a written one or two paragraph statement (no longer than 250 words) containing biographical information or historical data, and reasons justifying the suggested name. Names nominated shall generally be names of people or places. If a person, the individual should have attained prominence locally or nationally, and have made a significant contribution to society. If a place, the name should include
Indo-American News • Friday, march 1, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com
historical relevance. Once the deadline for nominations has closed, a naming committee will be formed to consider the nominations prior to a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Former Dist.22 Congressman Pete Olson had appeared before the FBISD Board last year to add his voice in strong support for the 12th high school off FM521 to be named in honor of Sonal. To submit your nomination, please visit the FB ISD site: survey.k12insight.com
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March 5, 2021
Indo-American News • Friday, march 1, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com