Friday, September 25, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 39
Indo American News
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September 25, 2020
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September 25, 2020
Grand Celebration of Bhaja Govindam at Sri Meenakshi Temple By Vinod Kaila
cebook for those couldn’t make it in person. Anyone who missed it, can still watch the video of the event on Youtube. RAC’s Festivals Coordinator Mrs. Chitra Kumar along with two of her two event coordinators, Vasuki and Uma Yallampalii deserve a lot of the credit for the success of this event. They were the energy behind it all. MTS food coordinator Susheela Denduluri was incredible too. She was able to put together a team which included Rani Chilukuri to make over 300 boxed lunches. No puja is complete without prasadham followed a meal. The event was ably supported by the administrators,
Pearland: On Sunday September 20, 2020, Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrated ‘Bhaja Govindam’ (Sreenivasa Kalyanam) in a very grand manner. The Temple reopened to devotees last month on Ganesh Chathurthi day. Bhaja Govindam was the second major event. Happy to report that event was a grand success with more than 100 devotees in attendance. The event was held in the newly renovated Kalyana Mandapam (KM). Devotees were spaced out in compliance with CDC guidelines. And we are proud to report that every one of our devotees wore masks throughout. Site was very colourful and vibrant with lot of energy. Everyone was happy to be out and mingling about while maintaining safe distance. Mandapam was decorated with beautiful flower garlands made by volunteer Saraswathi’s team and mango leaf thoranams and garlands made by one of the devotees Taraka Bodagala. MTS priests, Sri Sridhar Raghavan, Sri Pavan Kumar, and Sri Sriman Narayana performed the puja. After the puja, attendees were treated to a delicious South Indian boxed lunch with Kesari desert. The event was also livestreamed on fa-
Hema, Venkat, and Vatsa Kumar who worked tirelessly providing logistical and administrative support. The beautiful decoration and setup arrangements would not have been possible but for the efforts of the shilpis: Ramanathan, Vishwanathan, and Praveen Kumar. The MTS Board expressed their gratitude to everyone who stepped up and sponsored the event. Kudos to the MTS Board led by Chairman D Kannan, Treasurer Bhargavi Golla, and Secretary Partha Krishnaswamy for executing this event flawlessly under the guidance of the Advisory Council.
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3 Reflections @ 50: Hinduism Has Profound Impact on the West
COMMUNITY
September 25, 2020
By Manu Shah Houston: The Hindu way of life and thinking, far from being a mystical eastern religion, has had a profound influence on the west, leading to successes on American soil, not in terms of material wealth, but in individual satisfaction with immense self- content. Four outstanding personalities from different walks of life bore testimony to realizing this principle in their lives and showcased their stories during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) . The keynote speakers set the “virtual” stage for “Reflections@50: Walking in Dharma” on Sept. 19 and 20 for an upcoming real life congregation and grand celebration next year to commemorate World Hindu Council of America’s 50 years of fostering the Hindu socio-cultural-spiritual movement. The four speakers, Vyomesh Joshi, CEO, 3D Systems; Vandana Tilak, CEO & Director, Akshaya Patra USA; Dr. Raj Vedam, scholar in Indian history and Benny Tillman, President, Vedic Friends Association, narrated their pioneering efforts and accomplishments, based on the ancient Hindu philosophy and how it paved the way for their fruitful journey. Vyomesh Joshi, one of the biggest names in the printing industry and an influential Indian American, presently helms 3D systems, a leading manufacturing solutions company, as President and CEO. Interweaving references from the Bhagavad Gita, Vyomesh spoke on “Authentic Leadership” and how Hindu scriptures guided him in leading global companies as well as dealing with triumphs and setbacks. Citing a Gallup poll, he noted that followers look for four attributes in a leader, namely – Trust, Compassion, Stability and Hope. Trust, he said, comes from
Panelists Vyomesh Joshi (left) Vandana Tilak, Ved Rajam and Benny Tillman.
Trustworthiness which in turn comes from competence and character. Humility is equally important and there’s no room for ego. Stability is the third attribute in an authentic leader. Referring to the Second Chapter in the Gita, Verse 54, Arjuna asks for help in understanding “Sthita prajna” or a stable intellect to control the senses, mind and desires. Stability is about the present but what is needed for the future is Hope – the fourth attribute of an authentic leader: Arjuna did not want to fight but Bhagwan Krishna explains that only the body perishes, the atma or the soul never dies. Every leader must offer hope in difficult times. Vandana Tilak, CEO of Akshaya Patra USA, called “children who have to go hungry an injustice.” In her keynote address on “Seva – the First and Last Frontier,” she dwelt on her philosophy of looking beyond oneself and her service through a leading non-profit organization - Akshaya Patra. Akshaya Patra serves 1.8 million vegetarian meals in 19,500 government schools in India in 15 states every single day. It has also served 8.2 million meals to date to stranded migrant workers since the lockdown on March 26. Seva, for Vandana, is an unconditional exchange of love, thoughts, words and action. Whether it is a person, animal or this planet – each one is a living
breathing organism and they all “deserve the respect and dignity of seva.” We are just mechanisms and the universe conspires to do good through us, the “divinity in each of us is fulfilling the destiny of those we meet,” according to Vandana Tilak. Continuing in the same vein, she noted that the Universe ensures that 1.8 million children are fed every day through Akshaya Patra. This one single thought connects her to what she does. This is an opportunity for us, she said, not the beneficiaries. More importantly, seva doesn’t tolerate an ego. The minute you put yourself on a pedestal, the Universe will find a way to bring you down to earth, she said. A student of Ayurveda, she said one of the first things that is taught is the nature of hunger. “When we are hungry, we eat healthy food and exercise. This is Prakriti or the natural flow. When we are not hungry and overeat, it’s vikrutti. But when you keep a little bit aside knowing that someone else needs it and both of you are happy and fed, that is sanskriti.” Dr. Raj Vedam , an acclaimed scholar and co-founder of a Think tank, Indian History Awareness & Research, based in Houston, highlighted how Hindu identity has steadily come to be defined not by Hindus but by others, subverting Hindu identity. Vedam traced the roots of modern sciences, mathematics and
technology and his findings contradicted western narratives that the Indian civilization’s knowledge of mathematics and science came from outside India. One of the consequences of the “identity crisis” is growing attacks on Hindu identity by organized groups with huge funding from abroad and within the country. The media and universities have also turned into “hotbeds of Hinduphobia.” Hindu student groups face enormous backlash and anti-Hindu pressure by hate based organizations, Vedam said. The western narrative peddled the view that Aryans invaded India, brought in the caste system, imposed a Vedic religion and drove the original inhabitants towards the southern part of the country. One of the direct consequences of the introduction of English in India was the discontinuation of publications of books in Sanskrit and funds were instead used for the propagation of English.This distancing from Sanskrit meant that Indians could no longer connect to their roots, Vedam said. One way to reclaim the Hindu
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identity, he said, is by becoming ambassadors to exemplify Dharma as a logical, rational, responsible system with solutions for global problems, living a dharmic lifestyle, learning about Hinduism, celebrating festivals, visiting temples, supporting scholars, institutions and organizing outreach talks and conferences. Benny Tillman aka Balabhadra Bhattacarya Dasa is a direct disciple of his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He serves as the first African American President of the Vedic Friends Association dedicated to the preservation, promotion and application of Vedic culture and philosophy. Society, he pointed out, is confused about the real purpose of life, which according to Vedic teachings should focus on selfrealization as well as material development. While living in this world, we must learn to connect these two and that’s yoga. Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not just a form of exercise, it is much deeper than that, he said.
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September 25, 2020
Richard Dawkins to Honor Javed Akhtar for Secularism
London: Their work has inspired and enlightened millions of people around the world and across generations. Their passionate advocacy for reason and their unapologetic questioning of religion and superstition have broken taboos and changed the cultural landscape. On October 24, these two champions of science and secularism will come together for the first time, as evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins presents writer, poet, and lyricist Javed Akhtar with the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award. In a virtual ceremony hosted by Richard Dawkins from the UK and streamed live over Zoom, Javed Akhtar will formally accept the Richard Dawkins Award for 2020, followed by an extended, unscripted conversation between the two. This 90-minute live event will take place on October 24, 2020 at 11am US Eastern Time (EDT), 4pm London (BST), and 8:30pm Mumbai (IST). Registration for this livestreamed event is $5.00(US), with tickets available at bit.ly/DawkinsAward2020. Online audience capacity will be limited. “We are excited to honor such a distinguished luminary for his work challenging religion and promoting critical thinking, but this event
means something even more,” said Robyn Blumner, president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry. “It’s an opportunity to bring the wisdom and insight of both of these remarkable individuals to new audiences. Viewers in India will get to hear directly from Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most famous and respected scientists and a leading voice for atheism, and western viewers will be introduced to the eloquence and courage of Javed Akhtar.” Javed Akhtar has written some of India’s most popular and acclaimed films, earning multiple awards for screenplays and lyrics. As a poet and social commentator, Akhtar has advocated for education and equal rights for all, and called for the rejection of religious fundamentalism and superstition. He has been honored by his country with the prestigious Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for “distinguished service of a high order,” and nominated to the Rajya Sabha of India’s Parliament. WHAT: Presentation of the Richard Dawkins Award to Javed Akhtar, followed by a conversation between the honoree and Richard Dawkins. WHEN: October 24 at 11:00 am US Eastern Time (EDT), 4:00 pm London (BST), and 8:30 pm Mumbai (IST).
WHERE: Live on Zoom. Tickets at bit.ly/DawkinsAward2020. The Richard Dawkins Award is presented annually by the Center for Inquiry, home to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, and given to a distinguished individual from the worlds of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism, upholding scientific truth wherever it may lead. Previous winners include philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett, Cosmos co-creator Ann Druyan, and actor and writer Stephen Fry. In 2019 the award was given to comedian and actor Ricky Gervais. The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a nonprofit educational, advocacy, and research organization headquartered in Amherst, New York, with executive offices in Washington, D.C. It is also home to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and the Council for Secular Humanism. The Center for Inquiry strives to foster a secular society based on reason, science, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values. Visit CFI on the web at www.centerforinquiry. org.
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September 25, 2020
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September 25, 2020
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Reflections @ 50: Impact of Hinduism on West
Continued from Page 3
Benny concluded his address with the: one word that “encapsulates the entire Vedic culture” – Namaste. It is a recognition of the divine within each one of us and respecting the spiritual existence within us. We need to lift the word “Namaste” and teach people all over the world to use this to develop a better sense of love and respect for each other. Among the highlights of the two day-webinar were eight enlightening panel discussions with wellknown speakers - entrepreneurs, heads of organizations, religious leaders, academicians, dignitaries, and youth leaders. Engaging youth in community service has been a cornerstone of the VHPA’s mission. Two panels: “Hindu Youth – Being the Change Today for Better Tomorrow” and “Evolving Nature of Seva (service) in North America” were dedicated to youth and volunteerism to focusing on their current relevance. Other topics like, “The Hindu Woman as Sustainer of our Timeless Tradition,” “Influence of Hindu Heritage on Life Choices and Decisions” and on early teaching, “Learning Through play,” “The Role of Dharmic Houses of Worship - Challenges and Opportunities,” “The Power of Dharma in Action” and “The Legacy of the Hindus in North America,” were discussed. World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) had earlier planned Swarna Jayanti gala event to mark its jubilee milestone, however, the occasion had to be moved to September 2021 due to
“2020 is a landmark year for Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. Established in 1970, we have completed 50 years of leading and serving the Hindu community,” - Dr. AbhayaAsthana, President, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America the Covid-19 crisis. The virtual community conference served as a glimpse into the jubilee event planned next year About 3,200 people registered and participated in the virtual conference. “2020 is a landmark year for Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. Established in 1970, we have completed 50 years of leading and serving the Hindu community,” Dr. Abhaya Asthana, President, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America said. “That humble initiative of 1970 has blossomed into a formidable movement over five decades, with many Hindu organizations joining in partnership along the way. Every aspect of Hindu American life, for four genera-
tions, has been positively touched by VHPA through its visionary and transformational programs. As we stand at this crossroad, and behold the future, filled with aspirations and hope, we must also turn our gaze back on the amazing journey of 50 years, walking with Dharma in this land of America,” Asthana said. “As a community, how far have we travelled on this four-laned highway of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha? Where are we? Where do we want to be? And, what do we have to do, to get there,” he asked? Dr. Siddhesh Shevade, National Executive Director of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, congratulated all VHPA karyakartas for a very inspiring 50 years of tireless efforts. “In this reflection conference, we learned about many new dimensions of Hindu unity and realized the needs of Hindu Society in modern times. As Hindu Americans, let us achieve those by our own efforts ‘Swayamev Mrugendrata’ in the near future, he said. “Reflections@50: Walking in Dharma” represented a confluence of prominent Hindu thought leaders to do a “manthan” of the history of Hindu Americans in the last half century, and chart its course for the next half century and beyond, according to Dr. Jai Bansal , Conference convener. Visit Impressions-50.org for more information.
OBITUARY
Baldev Jallan, Local Businessman, 78
Houston: Another member of the early settlers of the local Indian community passed away five weeks ago after a foot injury had sidelined him in a rehab hospital. He suffered a fatal heart attack when he returned home and died in his sleep on Saturday, August 15. Jallan was from a large family who all owned their own businesses. His son Lalit (wife Jai) owns a Mass Mutual Insurance agency and his brother Gulshan (wife Parveen) owns Richmond Liquors on Richmond Ave between Fondren and S. Gessner. He is also survived by his wife Nirmal; daughter Parvin (husband Sajid) who lives with her family in Dallas; other brother Krishan (wife Prem) and
sisters Sitaradas and Tara (husband Charanjit) and five grandchildren. Baldev Jallan was born in Multan, in 1942 and in the Partition of 1947 came to India with his family, settling in Newasaher, Punjab. At 16, he lost his father and began working in order to help support his family. In March 1980, he moved to Houston and began working in small businesses. His funeral was held on Tuesday, August 25 at the Garden Oaks Funeral Home in Houston, with a service held by Zoom, due to the Coronavirus. Bhog and antim ardas were held later that day at the Gurudwara Sahib of Southwest Houston.
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September 25, 2020
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Youth Hindus of Greater Houston Present “How Can I Be A Better Ally?” By Gayathri Mullapudi
Houston: The Young Hindus of Greater Houston kicked off their 2020- 2021 year with an empowering panel discussion, “How can I be a Better Ally?” This discussion focused on the injustices affecting the African American community, and how the Hindu community can come together to support one another and become better allies The event, which was conducted on Zoom, attracted about 30 members within the Hindu community as well as fellow friends from other backgrounds. Three panelists were invited to both speak about their personal experiences and answer questions about how we can all come together to take this movement forward and to bring change and justice for African Americans. The discussion started off with a brief introduction of each of the panelists by Komal Luthra, the Founder and Executive Director of YHGH. The first panelist was Benny J. Tillman, who is the current President of the Vedic Friends Association. He is a direct disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhu Pada. He joined the Hare Krishna Movement in 1973 in the city of Atlanta. The second guest speaker was Shameitra Green, a Psychotherapist and the Founder of Nexus Therapy located in Houston. The third panelist was Gillian Perkins, a Harvard Kennedy School Public
Policy student that her Santa and a Teach Claus was Affor America rican AmeriAlumna. can and how After Santa used the introducto come to tions, each of everybody’s the panelists house dressed shared some up as the ethof their pernicity of the sonal expehousehold, riences and whether it their contri- Panelists Benny J. Tillman, Shameitra Green and Gillian Perkins. was a Asian butions so far household towards this went and recited the entire 700 or a African movement. It started off with Ben- verses of the Bhagavad Gita to household. ny raising a simple, yet thoughtful a Black Community. They were She embraced her upbringing question about whether we were all amused and excited about this and the background that she was referring to the lives, in living and new culture that they had not ex- born into. She mentioned that what surviving or about Black Lives. perienced before. One of the main we were fighting for was more of He clarified that it was about goals as a propagator of the Vedic a lifestyle, rather than just a movethe lives of persons in the com- Culture of Hinduism was to take it ment. It was not about Black lives munity and how it was about the forward and help today’s people matter only, but that Black lives livelihoods of Black Communities understand the essence of it. matter as well. which mattered. He discussed how Followed by Benny was Echoing everything that the prethe Vedic Friends Association has Shameitra, who spoke about her vious panelists has discussed, the contributed to the African Ameri- childhood experience being an third panelist Gillian shared her can neighborhoods of Atlanta. The African American woman amidst experience as a student. She voiced primary goal of their organization a mostly White space. She said that it was not only about the physwas to focus on communities and that this movement is about com- ical lives of African Americans to first listen to their needs, rather munities coming together to help that were being taken, but it was than just assuming them. The or- one another and to bring about a also economically. She shared an ganization searches for compas- Cultural Awakening. example as a graduate from Rice sionate and cultural hearts. The Black Lives Matter move- about how current students and He explained how important it is ment is a lived experience; it is alumni advocated for the statue of to not hold back on your heritage about educating oneself by read- William Marsh Rice being taken and cultural roots and embrace it ing and becoming a student first down from the center of the cambefore you can share it with oth- before asking any questions. She pus, and how important it was for ers. He shared an incident which shared a memory of when she was Black students. occurred a few years back on Gita younger, and about how she used Nevertheless, this was not the Jayanthi where his organization to proudly tell her White friends top priority, as there were more
Indo-American News • Friday SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
important things that had to be done such as opening more doors for opportunities and in general showing more support for Black students. She ended with an important message about how crucial it was for her in her life to not only move her way up but also to create more space for herself and for her identity. After this thoughtful discussion, the stage was opened up for a Q&A session from audience members. There were a variety of questions that were asked from how folks can help and how they can be better allies or advocates to whether there were any particular philosophies of Hinduism, which resonated with the Black Lives Matter movement. An important answer was the fact that allyship is about giving commitment for the long term and demonstrating that we care. It’s okay to stop and rest, but you have to keep going in allyship. A crucial part of allyship is building relationships with one another Overall, this was a strong event for the Young Hindus of Greater Houston organization. It opened up new perspectives for a lot of people on what the Black Lives Matter movement is, and our life-long commitment to helping our African American family. As a community, it is our social responsibility to help one another and constantly ask the question “How can I be a better ally?”
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MOVIE REVIEW
September 25, 2020
“Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare� Daring Sunject of Female Desire By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Konkona Sen Sharma, Bhumi Pednekar, Aamir Bashir, Vikram Massey, Amol Parasher, Kubbra Sait, Karan Kundra, Neelima Azim Director: Alankrita Shrivastava Rating: Three and a half stars Female desire is one of those thorny issues that mainstream Hindi cinema has always had difficulty touching upon: when touch per se is so hard to show on screen without all kinds of self-righteous moral stakeholders making a noise, anything that involves grown men and women and the thing between them becomes a toughie. Alankrita Shrivastava’s Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare blows off, with a great deal of flair, feeling and courage, the layers of repression and hypocrisy that surrounds us. You can draw a broad thematic connection between the director’s previous film Lipstick Under My Burkha and this one, which can be seen both as a worthy follow-up, and a terrific companion piece. Dolly (Sen Sharma) lives with her husband Amit (Bashir) and two children in Greater Noida, part of the National Capital Region (NCR). They could well stand in for the Aspirational Nuclear Family In New India: paying instalments for a flat in one of those faceless under-construction high-rises that have sprung up in the area, surrounded by malls, call centres, gyms, all markers of
Kitty leaves an inadequate sexual encounter to actively seek one better. An older woman (Azim) steps past the guilt-trip for having abandoned her family, saying it wasn’t a life she wanted. And there are actual honest up-front conversations between women about what they want, and how they want it, and more importantly, what they don’t want. This is the kind of film which opens up spaces and dialogue around difficult topics, and raises the feminist bar while doing so: give it many ‘chamakte sitare’ already. -- Indian Express Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare is streaming on Netflix. Dolly and Kitty, in a revelatory matrix of ambition, frustration and desire: this is a solidly-written film, and growth is part of the arc
urban progress. From the outside, Dolly’s life appears perfect, but when her cousin Kitty aka Kajal (Pedenkar) from small-town Bihar comes to live with them, the cracks begin to appear. There’s a lot going on in this busy film, and some of those elements appear to have been lifted straight from the headlines. Saffronclad goondas targeting courting couples, and liberal, progressive ideas. Call-centres masquerading as phone sex providers. Dodgy clinics combining unwanted babies and childless couples. The air
of faint desperation exuding from those involved in unskilled jobs with no security is captured beautifully: both Dolly and Kitty work, but both stare at dead-ends. Other characters show up. Apart from Bashir who plays the myway-or-highway entitled spouse, there is Usman (Parasher) as a smart-mouthed delivery boy. Pradeep (Massey) as a two-faced night attendant. D J Johnny (Kundra) as a buff ‘best deejay in Greater Noida’, and his girl-friend (Sait), with her eye on the main chance. We see them interact with
of each character. A few lines are too explanatory, some situations are too on-thenose, and a climactic twist feels a bit too convenient. But those are minor quibbles in a film, so well performed across the board, which says it like it is. We live in a society where illicit carnal connections men make are fine because boyswill-be-boys, but a little boy who likes dolls is not a boy, and women expressing passion are invariably harlots. Dolly is given a chance to realise that her non-existent sex life is not down to her, hallelujah;
KNOW PREDICT PREVENT Â Â? Â? Â Â? Â? Â?
Offi c e of Di s t r i c t At tor n e y h a r r i s c o un t y, T X
Kim Ogg
H a r r i s Co u n t y D A . C O M Indo-American News • Friday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
“Draupadi Unleashed�
Set in 1930’s India, “Draupadi Unleashed� centers on 16-year-old Indira who finds herself torn between true love, her duty to follow through with an arranged marriage and the powerful allure of a mysterious guru. Through her heartbreaking journey to self-discovery, secrets are brought to light and Indira discovers the strength to break free. In a story that mixes magical realism and gorgeous surroundings with the harsh realities of a patriarchal society, this beautifully told tale of a young woman at a crossroads in her life offers a rare look at aristocratic Indian society in the early part of the 20th Century - one that will resonate with audiences today. The movie will screened at First Colony 24 theater from Sept. 24.
CHARITY & CULTURE
September 25, 2020
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Bhallas’ Act of Charitable Giving Sets Iconic Example for Others to Follow By Jawahar Malhotra Sugar Land: Theirs has been a long journey and life has been mostly kind to them as they pursued challenges and passed through its various stages. Along the way, they have met people - the nasty and the good – which helped shape their worldly view and perspective of human nature. And though they left their ancestral land of India decades ago to come to the US, both Dr Raj and Kanwal Bhalla never forgot the Indian values that they so dearly treasured - of love for family and friends, discipline to forge an identity, culture, food, religion and most of all, to help their fellow men and women. Dr. Rajinder Pal Singh Bhalla, a veterinarian in the Indian Army, came to the US in 1960 for a year of study and then went back to India. After Raj retired from the Army, the couple came back to settle with their two young boys in Long Island, New York. Raj went to work at Charles River Labs in Port Washington, Long Island while Kanwal owned and operated an Indian restaurant called Paul’s Mughlai for ten years. Seventeen years ago, Raj was transferred to Houston and they later retired in
the Sugar Land area. Inducted as a Freemason from an early age, like his father and brothers, Raj became a Master Mason in June 1964, and soon after moving to the area, found a Masonic Lodge in Richmond where he has been honored for his acts of service, generosity and brotherhood. He also found kindred spirits and organizations within the Indian community with whom he worked on many projects and has been an indispensible part of the fabric of the community. This year, realizing that the co-
rona virus had badly damaged many organizations and depleted many of their resources, the Bhallas decided that the time was right to share their good fortune with those around them. This August, they decided to donate a million dollars to many of their favorite charities, in the hopes that it would encourage others to do so too. “We decided to do so not to seek any publicity, but in order to encourage and to stimulate the spirit of giving amongst others”, explained Raj Bhalla after they had made the disbursements. “We are
Houston Symphony Features Indo-American Composer Houston: The Houston Symphony’s second concert of the season features works entirely by women composers, and in particular, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail, whose music straddles and unites the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. A brass quintet of Houston Symphony musicians are performing Reena Esmail’s Khirkhiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet. Meaning “Windows” in Hindi, Khirkhiyaan provides three windows into Esmail’s work, each movement a reimagining for brass quintet of a previous Esmail work. The movements are titled Jog, Joota, and Tuttarana, and the whole work is on the Houston Symphony program Saturday, September 19, 2020, which is being livestreamed, as is every Saturday night concert in the Houston Symphony’s subscription season. Indian-American composer Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music, and brings communities together through the creation of equitable musical spaces. About her composition. Reena says, “So much of my work with brass instruments has come into being because of incredible and intrepid brass players who have shown me new windows into my own music. Hence the title: khirkiyaan means ‘windows’ in Hindi, and this brass quintet is made up of three ‘windows’ into my work. Each movement is a transformation of another piece of mine for
Indo-American composer Reena Esmail.
another instrumentation, reimagined for brass quintet.” Esmail’s work has been commissioned by ensembles including the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Kronos Quartet, Imani Winds, Richmond Symphony, Town Music Seattle, Albany Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Girls Chorus, The Elora Festival, Juilliard415, and Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Upcoming seasons include new work for Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Amherst College Choir and Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and Conspirare. Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2023 Swan Family Artist in Residence, and Seattle Symphony’s 2020-21 Composerin-Residence. Previously, she was
named a 2019 United States Artist Fellow in Music, and the 2019 Grand Prize Winner of the S & R Foundation’s Washington Award. Esmail was also a 2017-18 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow. She was the 2012 Walter Hinrichsen Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (and subsequent publication of a work by C.F. Peters) Esmail holds degrees in composition from The Juilliard School (BM’05) and the Yale School of Music (MM’11, MMA’14, DMA’18). Her primary teachers have included Susan Botti, Aaron Jay Kernis, Christopher Theofanidis and Martin Bresnick, Christopher Rouse and Samuel Adler. She received a FulbrightNehru grant to study Hindustani music in India. Her Hindustani music teachers include Srimati Lakshmi Shankar and Gaurav Mazundar, and she currently studies and collaborates with Saili Oak. Her doctoral thesis, entitled Finding Common Ground: Uniting Practices in Hindustani and Western Art Musicians explores the methods and challenges of the collaborative process between Hindustani musicians and Western composers. Esmail was Composer-in-Residence for Street Symphony (201618) and is currently an Artistic Director of Shastra, a non-profit organization that promotes crossculterual music connecting music traditions of India and the West. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
not rich by any means but we believe in helping others with whatever we can”. In doing so, they have joined a list of other luminaries who made the same decision – Bill Gates, Ted Turner, William Buffett and Charles Fenney who recently gave away the last of his $8 billion fortune. Chief among the charities the Bhallas donated to was $500,000 to the Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation who were completely taken aback by this unexpected gift from a total stranger. Others who received gifts were
Sugar Land Legacy Foundation: $100,000; India Culture Center Houston: $100,000; Morton Hall Preservation Society: $100,000; Hearts Fur Paws:$10,000; Kidney Cancer Coalition Inc: $10,000; Ekal Vidyalaya: $5,000; YLDP: $5,000, Indian Senior Citizens Association: $5,000; Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston: $7,500; Fort Bend Charities: $2,500; Bihar Association of North America: $2,500; Punjabi Culture Center: $5,000; Foundation For Children Cancer Research & Support: $2,500; Arya Samaj of Greater Houston: $10,000; Indian Film Festival of Houston: $5,000; Shri Sita Ram Foundation: $2,500; Baptist General Convention of Texas: $5,000; Indian Performing Arts Samskriti: $5,000; Houston Food Bank: $5,000; Sewa International: $10,000; Hindus of Greater Houston: $5,000; New York Public Radio: $10,000; JDRF: $5,000; Foundation for India Studies: $5,000; Zoroastrian Association of Houston: $5,000; Kennett Education Foundation: $25,000; Gurdwara Sahib of Southwest Houston: $15,000; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: $15,000; Daya: $5,000 and Indian Doctors Club Charitable Foundation: $12,500.
New Rap Music Video from Badshah
Mumbai: Unlimited swag, relatable lyrics and groovy tunes, these are some of the words synonymous with Badboy Badshah. Not only has he given us some of the most memorable tunes of the decade, but he has constantly grabbed our attention with the mind-blowing rap that he writes. Much to the joy of all his fans, the star rapper has penned an anthem for MX Player’s short format video app – MX TakaTak, asking all the aspiring influencers to ‘Kar TakaTak, Bann TakaTak’. Starring Badshah himself, the crisp 1-minute video encourages content creators to showcase their talents and express their emotions without fear . MX TakaTak has shown exponential growth and has emerged as the preferred choice of platform not only for Badshah but also for its large community of 1Mn+ influencers. The brand has a vision to empower content creators, nurture their talent and provide them
Indo-American News • Friday SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
with a platform to generate their own success stories. This anthem is yet another step in that direction and who better than Badshah to inspire them to scale new heights like he has - he’s innovative, creative and is an icon of pop culture in India today. Badshah who recently joined the MX Takatak family said, “This time at home has brought out unimaginable talent in people – some are cooking, others have found solace in fitness or dance, and many have picked up new hobbies. This led me to think about how every Indian today can now be an influencer – all they need is a stage to showcase their art and MX TakaTak provides them a world class platform to do the same. ‘Kar TakaTak, Bann TakaTak’ is an ode to all these performers who are trying to bring out an unexplored side of themselves, want to be known for their passion and encourages them to be unafraid of putting it out there for the world to see.”
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September 25, 2020
India’s Aggro-Culture
Say you are a shirtmaker, you make a living tailoring and selling shirts. Then along comes the government and tells you that you can’t sell your shirts to anyone you want to because that person is offering you the best price for your shirts, but you have to sell your shirts in a government controlled mandi run by middlemen who are in cahoots with local politicians. These middlemen form a cartel which forces you to sell your shirts at a price much lower than what you would get in a free and fair market. The middlemen in turn sell the shirts to retailers at a huge profit, who then sell to customers at an even huger profit. The result is that you, the maker of the shirts, and the customer who buys your shirts at an inflated price, both lose out, and the ones who gain are the mandi middlemen and the retailers. Replace shirts with agricultural produce, like food grains and veggies. Thanks to the government’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) – a direct descendant of a 1860s British regulation which kept Indian cotton prices low to benefit the spinning mills of Britain – farmers are not allowed to sell directly to the general public, to you and me, but have to sell what they grow to mandis which then sell to the shopkeepers from whom you and I buy our daal-chawal and sabzi. This explains why a farmer can end up getting no more than, say, Rs 2 for a kilo of tomatoes, while you and I could end up paying Rs 40 for the same tomatoes, while the middlemen make an enormous profit. This is what has turned our agriculture into aggro-culture, something causing aggro, or anger. The BJP-led Union government has sought to correct this by relaxing regulations so that agricultural produce can be sold in an open market, benefitting both farmers and consumers. But the opposition parties, and even a BJP ally, are against these reforms saying that they are ‘anti-farmer’, which is like saying that a cure for Covid-19 is ‘anti-patient’. The resistance to agricultural reforms seeks to perpetuate the monopoly of politically controlled mandis, at the expense of farmers and consumers. It’s enough to make you lose your shirt – whether you’re a farmer or a shirtmaker. -- Jug Suraiya in Times of India
COMMUNITY/COMMENTARY Biden Holds Lead among Indo-Americans
San Francisco: Sixty-six percent of Indian Americans currently favour Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential election as compared to 28 per cent who prefer President Donald Trump, according to a survey released Tuesday. Indiaspora, a nonprofit member organisation of global Indian diaspora leaders, and Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Data on Tuesday released their joint report on Indian American voters’ attitudes in the upcoming 2020 US presidential election. “66 percent of Indian Americans currently favor Vice President Biden, 28 percent favor President Donald Trump, and 6 percent were undecided. In the 2016 presidential election, 77 per cent voted for Secretary Hillary Clinton, and 16 percent voted for President Trump. If the remaining undecided voters broke in the same pattern as those who have madeup their mind, Biden would secure 70 percent of the vote, when compared to 30 percent for Trump,” the report read. Election experts project that Democrats should be worried about Indian American voters attrition considering the overall percentage number may have dropped down for the Democrats from the 84 percent that supported Obama in 2012 and the 77 percent who supported Hillary Clinton 2016 as compared to the 66 percent supporting former Vice President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, President Trump’s vote share has gone up from 16 percent in 2016 to 28 percent. Lies that Harris was not born American (she was) and is therefore not eligible for the vice presidency spiked last month in the week after Joe Biden announced her as his running mate, according to Zignal Labs, a media insights company. “I think Democrats absolutely should be concerned about making sure that they conduct sufficient outreach to Indian Americans that they conduct sufficient outreach to the different groups that comprise bases and Indian Americans because every vote is going to count especially in those battleground
states,” said Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat congressman. An Indian American himself and a representative from the state of Illinois, Krishnamoorthi further said that the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and North Carolina could be a part of the tipping factor this election. “And because of that I think the Biden campaign has to be especially attentive,” Krishnamoorthi further asserted. The survey report also documents the strengthening political power of the Indian American electorate in the US due to factors such as their rapidly growing population and increased political participation. “With increased attention being paid to the Indian American vote given our growing numbers, increasing political contributions and overall political engagement, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the issues that really matter to Indian American voters,” said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora. The report, which has survey results of 260 Asian Indian registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, found that some of the issues at the top of the list for Indian Americans in this election included education, jobs and economy, health care, and the environment. The report also chronicles the rise of the Indian American electorate as one of the fastest-growing minority groups in the US, with significant numbers in “battleground” states. “Indian Americans are positioned to make a difference in several swing states that may be close in this election, such as Florida (87,000), Pennsylvania (61,000), Georgia (57,000), Michigan (45,000), and North Carolina (36,000), and perhaps even Texas, which has 160,000 Indian-Ameri-
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Indo-American News • Friday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
can voters,” said Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside, and founder of AAPI Data. “Given Senator Kamala Harris’s historic vice presidential nomination, as well as highly publicized rallies that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held together, high turnout could make a huge difference in this election.” Currently, there are 1.8 million Indian Americans in the US who are eligible voters. About 310,000 Indian green cardholders remain in a backlog for citizenship as of 2019, and another 310,000 Indian residents in the US are in a backlog to obtain their green cards. In addition, Indian American political engagement extended to several areas, with a fifth of Indian American registered voters saying they contacted their representative or government official in the US this year, 74 per cent had discussed politics with family and friends, and a quarter of those surveyed had donated to a candidate, political party or campaign this year. By the end of June 2020, Indian Americans had donated at least $3 million to 2020 presidential campaigns. Both Democratic and Republican parties have conducted outreach to Indian Americans in this election, with 56 percent of Indian American registered voters surveyed saying they had been contacted by the Democratic party in the past year, and 48 percent saying they had been contacted by the Republican party. This is a marked increase from 2016, when only 31 percent of Indian Americans said they had been contacted by a political party, compared to 44 percent of White voters and 42 percent of Black voters. “Given the Indian diaspora’s increasing political importance in the US, it’s no surprise they are being courted by both sides of the aisle,” said MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora. “It’s great that both major political parties have begun to realize just how critical it is to reach out to Indian Americans - our impact is only going to increase over time.” -- India Times
SUDOKU/BUSINESS SUDOKU/RECREATION 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.
September 25, 2020 11
Al Rabba’s Masala Style Grand Opening
Send us the correct answer before September 24, 2020. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
Solution Next Week
Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution
Houston: Al Rabba – 61,000 sf grocery store & Chat Hut restaurant, put on a dhamakedaar Masala Grand Opening event on one of the prettiest days of the season last Saturday September 19th from 10AM – 2PM. Against backdrops of wedding style décor and balloons, owner Amir Patel celebrated the “official” opening by giving away 100 silver coins to the first 100 customers, next 200 received Idli Makers, and free Laxmi Brands and Ramdev Snacks, free Deep Food’s New Frozen Dal. Bindi Mehta said “I was in line for a long time, but when I finally got in, the mood Masala Radio created, I couldn’t help dancing to Bollywood and Garba songs and the store is soo huge!” Indeed the Masala Crew got so many customers to dance, led by Belly Dancer Mariam and with hit after hit by DJ Nish. Sunil T said “Amir Patel wanted something big for his big store and he wanted the thank the people of Houston who welcomes Al Rabba with open arms” RJ Shruti added live vocals to DJ Nish’s tracks. One of the highlight comedy events was the Pani Puri eating contest, where the winner cleared 12 pani puris in just 11 seconds by eating 2 at a time! Amir Patel said, “Sunil T has done 2 grand openings for me in the past but this event that Masala Radio put together was the best of the best. I knew Masala Radio brings in a big
crowd but this time we had 1000 people in line before 10am. I couldn’t believe it. I had six lanes open non stop all day. Because of the super success, I am continuing the grand opening sale till Oct 11” Al Rabba actually opened in the beginning of April, but could not do their planned Grand Opening due to COVID. The store had plenty of time to stock 61,square feet of a huge variety of Indian, Pakistani, Middle Eastern, and even African groceries. Prices were dropped to incredibly low levels, like 40 limes for a $1, onions for 19 cents a pound; so low that even with a cartful, customers were finding it difficult to reach $150 to get the free prize of 3-tray Serving Set. CHAT HUT, the Indian vegetarian fast food restaurant inside served over 2000 plates of freshly made Samosa Chat within 4 hours. Kalpesh Dave, Prachee Dave and the entire family srved customers with hot samosas and cold ice cream. The checkout lanes were all backed up with shoppers buying by the cartful! Fort Bend Sheriff Troy Nehls, currently running for Congress, officiated the Grand Opening along with Fort Bend County Sherriff candidate Trevor Nehls, South Asian for the Republican Party Bangar Reddy, Precint 4 Constable Candidiate Nabil Shike. Later Fort Bend Country Judge KP George
offered congratulations and commendations for one store serving so many sub-communities within the most diverse county of Texas. Highness Collection presented its latest jewelry designs, adding some excitement for the upcoming Festival Season. Highstar Medical Diag did drive through COVID tests all day in the parking lot at no charge to the customers. Their clean state of the art booths will be present every day outside AL Rabba for anyone that wants to get the nasal swab COVID test. Dr Singh said “Many countries are COVID tests for travel. HighStar has 3 locations in Houston and we do these tests at no charge to you.” Amir Patel bought out the old Randalls property and converted it to Al Rabba. He has years of experience with his Manpasand superstores in Austin and San Antonio, and this would be the third venture in Houston after opening 2 Manpasand in Southwest Houston already. Asked if he was done in Houston, AmirAli just smiled and said “Three more big stores in Houston are coming soon” Take some time out to survey the unique varieties and rate brands at Al Rabba at 5800 New Territory Blvd. Open 7 days a week 9AM to 9PM. Sale continues till Oct 11. Alrabbaworldfood. com (281) 277-0138. All Photo by Gaurav Hariyani Studios.
Last Week’s SUDOKU Winners Sharmila Mohrir
Long line of customers waiting to enter the festivities (left) followed by the ribbon cutting. Indo-American News • Friday SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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September 25, 2020
Indo-American News • Friday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com