Austin South Asian - November 2015 by Austin South Asian

Monthly Community Paper | www.austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 7 No. 11

Pratham Austin Gala 2014

By Mamata Misra Pratham Austin Gala, a festive Austin-style Bollywood Dance

Off event, held on September 27th at the AT&T Conference Center was a grand success, attracting over 600 supporters and raising over $150,000

toward

Pratham

programs.

Vijay Goradia, co-founder of Pratham USA, gave an inspiring keynote address on the spirit and culture of giving. Madhav Chavan, co-founder of Pratham Education Foundation, India, talked about the importance of Austin in the history of Pratham USA and how Pratham measures the impact of its many programs. (Continued On Page 17)

Diwali Celebrations

By Sunita Lal Amazing fireworks, captivating rangoli’s, beautifully adorning

lamps sparkling up the temple grounds, mouth-watering delicacies and raas garba dancing

until midnight - Diwali at Radha Madhav Dham was buzzing with energy and activity until late into

the night on Oct 18, 2014. (Continued On Page 19)

City Council Candidates

By Dr. Sumit DasGupta Mayor: Steve Adler Justification: “... changing to the

portunity for new leadership and a fresh perspective. Steve Adler will bring the effective leadership style he’s demonstrated through his community service.

inside

November 2014

Action to Fight the Flu 03 Republic Day Of India.04 Modi In US.................05 HC4A.........................05 Make A Difference......05 Islamic Human Rights Adler is Commission................06 skilled at finding com- Sahil Doshi Won.........06 mon ground 5 Indian American Reand develop- searchers...................09

new 10-1 system of council representation brings a historic op-

ing solutions that address the interests of diverse stakeholders. (continued On Page 16)

AARC Celebrates Anniversary

By Yvonne Lim Wilson To mark its one year anniversary, the Asian American Resource

Center, located at 8401 Cameron Road, Austin, TX 78754, highlighted its major programs that are underway and growing. • The RICE (Recreational and Intergenerational Community Education) Program, established

in June 2014, offers intergenerational activities, meals, senior wellness and life skills classes that reflect Asianspecific needs and cultural preferences. • The RICE Senior Lunch Social began in June 2014 and now has 206 registered participants. Since June, the program has served more than 1,100 meals. The Asianstyle hot lunches are brought onsite every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. All are nutritious, balanced meals with vegetarian options. (Continued On Page 04)

November 2014

Food Special

512-828-6709 First Hindu Priest........10 Usha Akella................11 Nobel Peace Prize..13,15 Predictions.................18 Chess Strategy Game..19 Community Calendar...20 Diwali GivingFest........21 Manage Cholesterol....22 Newest Employees At Lowe’s Hardware Store: Robots.......................22 Poems by Arun...........23 15 Amazing Scientific Reasons Behind..........24 Entertainment........25,26

Austin South Asian | November 2014

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

Maryland State Legislator Applauds New Executive Order Recognizing Diwali

OCTOBER 22, 2014 (Annapolis, MD)

Diwali – the annual “festival of lights” that originated in India and is celebrated by more than a billion people throughout South Asia and the U.S., cutting across religious and ethnic lines -- is officially recognized by the White House, the U.S. State Department, and Congress. It is also recognized at state and local levels, and will soon have an official endorsement from the Governor of Maryland, where Indian-Americans constitute the largest sub-group of the state’s Asian population. Diwali is typically a five-day festival whose starting date changes according to the moon, and this year begins on October 23.

The victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance is typically marked with the

traditional lighting of “diyas”, or lanterns. Governor Martin O’Malley is expected to sign an Executive Order commemorating Diwali during this year’s observance. Executive Orders, as opposed to

proclamations, are distributed to Governor’s staff, Cabinet members and other state offices, are

published in the Maryland Register, and as generally considered permanent, are compiled in the Code of Maryland Regulations. Delegate Aruna Miller (D-Montgomery County) of Maryland State Legislative District 15, was born in Hyderabad in the

Williamson County and Cities Health District Calls For Action to Fight the Flu Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) urges the public to protect themselves from the flu this season. Seasonal influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is caused by influenza viruses, which infect the respiratory tract (i.e., the nose, throat, lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. In 2013, Williamson County saw a peak in flu cases at the end of December. While it is impossible to predict when the flu will hit this year, residents should take action now to protect themselves from the flu. WCCHD Clinical Preventive Services Director Marjie Riggio says, “October is the best time of year to get a flu vaccine and getting immunized every year gives you the best protection from the flu. This is especially important if you are pregnant or if you or your loved ones have respiratory problems like asthma or chronic lung disease.” To help in the local fight against influenza, the Williamson County and Cities Health District is offering the following flu vaccinations by appointment only: • Flu Shot: $25 • Flu Mist: $30 (Only healthy patients age 2-49. Age 50+ or under 2 years, and pregnant women or those with chronic health conditions are not eligible.) • Flu Shot High Dose: $45 (only over age 65 – trivalent vaccine) • Vaccinations are payable by cash or check only – no credit cards or large bills accepted. Flu shots are offered at a variety of locations including local clinics, or from your local health department, pharmacy, or employer. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get the flu vaccine at no cost. Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. To learn more about WCCHD immunization clinic hours and locations, visit your public health department website at www.wcchd.org or call 512-248-3252.

southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and is the first IndianAmerican woman to be elected to the Maryland General Assembly. She worked closely with House Majority Leader Kumar Barve (D-Montgomery County), the first Indian-American elected to any state legislature in the U.S., Maryland Secretary of State John P. McDonough, and members of the Indian-American community, to advocate for the Order.

dian-Americans who call Maryland their home.”

“As a lawmaker, I represent all the people in my district, and draft and vote on legislation that will affect all Marylanders,” Miller noted. “I am very pleased that the Governor is signing this Order, which will inform all state departments and agencies of this day of peace and reflection so valued and observed by tens of thousands of In-

In 2011 she accompanied Governor O’Malley on his historic economic mission to India. Since then, she has been instrumental in establishing a “sister city” relationship between Montgomery County and Hyderabad, and is participating in the business and sister city delegation led by County Executive Leggett next month (November 11-22, 2014).

Miller recently attended events in New York and Washington, D.C. in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S.; and will be attending Diwali observances held by the Indian Ambassador to the U.S., U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett.

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

The Asian American Resource Center Celebrates One Year Anniversary

(Continued From Page 01)

• Senior transportation is available to RICE Senior Lunch Social participants. A City of Austin passenger van provides transportation to Austin seniors before and after the Senior Lunch Social.

their comments about the programs and events at the AARC.

“I’m glad there is Asian Resource center for seniors. I thank you and your colleagues taking time organizing senior meals.

together to celebrate their culture, which is a unique combination of their culture of origin and the one experienced in the community where they live. It is wonderful to see the buzz

• A new Community Exhibits Program launches in October and will showcase Asian-themed works from eight different Austin artists. Works will range from sculpture, calligraphy, photography and painting. Each quarterly exhibit will feature an opening reception open to the public. • The AARC Community Garden launched on Sept. 27, as part of “Be the Change Austin” national day of volunteer service. Volunteers from across Austin will come to the AARC for a kickoff breakfast and keynote, and help establish the new AARC Community Garden. Community

members

offered

immigrants and encourages civic engagement. I am there so many days of the week that I feel I am practically living there. I hope to see this grow further with transport options to reach there and have satellite locations to be a true resource for not only the Asian-American community but all of Central Texas,” said Shubhada Saxena, SAIVA Founder & President, Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission member.

“I feel so proud that this is MY center. I live near here and watched it being built.

Not only the food is nutritious, but also tastes great,” said Alice Lee, RICE Senior Lunch Social participant. “I am very happy that the Asian American community has a physical space where they can come

of activity in the center with seniors on weekdays, many cultural events on weekends, as well as important city meetings being held in a space welcoming minority cultural groups. It helps validate the social identity of this relatively new group of

I came and saw the free Chinese dancers, then I came for the coffee and then I saw the lunch. I feel very much at home here. I love the multicultural thing – we’re all part of this big world. I walk in, and it feels good,” said Krista Brenner, northeast Austin resident. Additional programs are planned

through 2015, including a bilingual story time, children’s musical workshop, the Planet Music free concert series, film series, culinary workshops and the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration. “In the upcoming year, we will build upon our core programming for youth, adults and seniors. We will also seek more partner relationships with communitybased organizations in order to expand upon critical social services for the community.” said AARC Manager Taja Beekley. “There is so much to be thankful for with the passage of our first anniversary and more programs and innovations to look forward to in the future,” said Beekley. For more information about the Asian American Resource Center and its programs, please contact Yvonne Lim Wilson at 512974-1693, e-mail her at Yvonne. Wilson@austintexas.gov or visit www.austintexas.gov/aarc.

IACT -Celebration Of Republic Day Of India The Indian Tradition With Nine Consecutive By Ashwin Ghatalia On 24th of January Indian American Coalition of Texas - IACT will organize celebration of India’s republic day.

many features of American constitution in Indian constitution. While Indian system adopted Parliamentary system the president unlike the British monarch retains much power and in emergency situation presidential powers could wield enormous punch. It is true that in early days after India’s independence the two countries did not see eye to eye as far as the world politics was concerned but the shared value system was never in doubt.

Of course the occasion always begs the celebration of the twin democracies - the oldest and the largest. Great Dr. Ambedkar wove in

on world politics. It is in this light that the celebration of republic day will commence. This is also an occasion to connect with State and local official and to let the community-at- large know that Indian-American community is continuously deepening its commitment to civic engagement, striving to work for the betterment of the entire matrix in which we live.

For many who migrated to this country from India the environment did not seem unfamiliar.

In fact this is the emphasis and we would like to have entire South Asian and Asian community to partake in this celebration. The event venue is our wonderful Asian American Resource Center -AARC.

Ultimately it is the shared value system that has brought both the countries to a common platform

IACT board is working on the details of the program and we will keep you informed of the details.

Nights Of Dandiya Raas Dance

By Annapurni Indian ladies at the community met every night at one of the houses driveway during the Indian Navratri f e s t i val and played the traditional dandiya raas dance. The sess i o n w o u l d c o m mence with Ganesh vandana followed by the traditional Dandiya and garba dancing and ending with Maa Durga aarti. We have working moms and stay at home moms in the community, but all joined in enthusiastically for an hour every night for 9 sessions. It is an inspiration to our kids and to other Indian communities in keeping up with our tradition.

HINDU CHARITIES OF AMERICA By Harish Kotecha Hindu Charities for America Recognized by the Board of Trustees, Manor Independent School District (ISD). On October 20th 2014, The Board of Trustees of Manor Independent

School District (ISD) recognized Hindu Charities For America with an Excellence Award for their dedicated charitable support in educating economically disadvantaged students of Manor ISD. In 2011 Hindu Charities for America, working with Texas Homeless Education Office, determined that Manor ISD kids needed help!

Therefore over the past three years, Hindu Charities for America and The Jewish Federation of Greater Austin have been jointly supporting Manor ISD with annual donation of school supplies. In 2014, they donated a total of 800 of 1600 school supplies kits that Manor ISD distributed. In 2013, Hindu Charities for America launched a Memorial Vocational Training Tuition Scholarship program. Scholarships totaling $20,000 were awarded to students in Austin ISD. 15 Manor ISD students each received $500 scholarships, a total of $7500. Hindu Charities For America will continue with their charity work hoping to expand Nationally in the near future!

Make A Difference - The Smart Phone Or The Smart User?

By Vidya Kumar

I always get annoyed that when I am texting my phone tries to catch up with what my thoughts are and hence, gives suggestions of the words. I get a doubt whether the name smart phone means - we need to be smart or the phone is smart. The case in point: If we are not smart then the word it thinks is correct will be typed unless we click on the cross mark. This means we need to make one more stroke to cross off the suggested word and that is really annoying. Once I wanted to text my daughter - “I am trying to reach you” - and it sent the message as “I am trying to teach you”. Naturally, which kid will not get upset when they see a message

and that too from mom saying that she wants to teach figuratively speaking a lesson? Even though the phone was responsible for this misunderstanding with my daughter it took smart money (credit card) to console her as I had to bribe her and get her in good mood. When I try to raise the phone to my ear the moment I press the call bar - then “Siri” takes over and is not able to complete the call. The smart “Siri” feature overtakes the calling feature I suppose. So now smartly I have learnt to wait until the ringing starts for me to raise it to my ear. At least as the use of the phone increases I am happy that I am becoming smarter by the day. Maybe, that’s the reason we are paying so much money - to feel ourselves smarter!!

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Malala Asks Obama To Send Books, Not Guns

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, the joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, speaks at Birmingham library in Birmingham, central England, October 10, 2014.

Pakistani teenager Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for advocating girls’ right to education, and Indian campaigner against child trafficking and labour Kailash Satyarthi won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai asked President Barack Obama during a private meeting to send books and teachers instead of guns and weapons to other countries, it was revealed earlier this week. “My message was very simple,”

17-year-old Yousafzai said of her talk with Obama. “I said instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending weapons, send teachers.” US Official Reveals Talks to Free Over 200 Kidnapped Schoolgirls, But Nigerian Elders Question Boko Haram Ceasefire

tion, being awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize earlier in October. Obama congratulated the Pakistani teenager in a statement from the White House, and said that the distinction she was awarded “is a victory for all who strive to uphold the dignity of every human being.”

In an interview with MSNBC posted on Thursday, the Pakistani human rights activist said that Obama’s response to her request was “pretty political” in nature. Yousafzai was targeted by the Taliban for her advocacy work promoting women’s education while living in Pakistan, and in a 2012 attack she was hit in the head by a bullet, but survived.

“In recognizing Malala and Kailash, the Nobel Committee reminds us of the urgency of their work to protect the rights and freedoms of all our young people and to ensure they have the chance to fulfill their God-given potential, regardless of their background, or gender, or station in life,” Obama wrote, referring to human rights activist Kailash Satyarthi who was also given the Nobel Peace Prize.

She has since spoken at a number of U.N. events and has become a global icon for women’s educa-

(Continued on page 11)

President Obama Extends Warmest Wishes For Diwali

In 2009, President Obama became the first U.S. president to celebrate the festival of lights, a time of rejoicing for many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and across the world.

other up, then together, we will continue moving closer to that brighter future we all seek.

the wonderful time we had celebrating Diwali in Mumbai with food, dancing, and the company of friends.

Below is the transcript of the President’s video message: I want to wish a Happy Diwali to all those who are celebrating the festival of lights here in the United States and around the world. For Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, lighting the lamp—the diya—is a chance to remember, even in the midst of darkness, that light will ultimately prevail. Knowledge will defeat ignorance, and compassion will triumph over despair. Diwali is also a reminder that we must each do our part to achieve that victory, by dedicating ourselves to service to others. If we affirm our commitments to one another and strive to lift each

America is a great and diverse nation, strengthened by the contributions of all our people. I was proud to host the first Diwali celebration at the White House back in 2009. S ince then, we’ve continued to mark this holiday to honor the rich traditions that define the American family. And I know Michelle and I will never forget

So, to all the families gathering together this Diwali to reflect on all the blessings of the past year, I wish you a joyous celebration and Saal Mubarak. Kiran Ahuja is Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Ashley Allison is Associate Director at the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Islamic Human Rights Commission

Press release: Couple deported despite court injunction

IHRC strongly condemns the British government’s deportation of a Pakistani couple who have been subjected to death threats despite a court injunction preventing their removal. Syed Mohsan Matloob and Gullshan Batool were taken to Islamabad airport earlier this week on a charter flight carrying scores of other Pakistani deportees. Both hail from and are campaigners for the Shia community which has been systematically targeted in sectarian attacks by Taliban extremists. That the pair are at risk is not in any doubt. Syed Mohsan has received death threats against his person and has already been the victim of a failed assassination attempt. The couple’s legal team are currently working to have them returned to the UK.

A protest and campaign on Tuesday against the government’s decision to deport another Pakistani minority rights campaigner resulted in Liaquat Ali Hazara not being deported. But fears remain that he could be sent back to Pakistan at any moment.

Despite persistent death threats from Taliban militants to his person and his family in Pakistan, the UK government has determined it is safe for him to return to the violence-wrought country. The decision is in line with current government policy of deporting foreign nationals from the UK, regardless of the impact on their safety and security. Liaquat Ali Hazara is a campaigner for a Shia minority group, the Hazaras. More than 500 Hazaras have been killed in his home province of Balochistan since 2008, in bombings and shootings. Only today unidentified men opened fire on a bus in the outskirts of Quetta, Balochistan, killing eight people — said to

Indian-Origin Sahil Doshi Won 2014 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge Sahil Doshi, an Indian-American student on 22 October 2014 won the 2014 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. He was awarded for his innovative design of an eco-friendly battery that could help lower harmful greenhouse gases.

The 2014 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge prize also included 25000 US dollar and a student adventure trip to a destination such as Costa Rica. 14-year-old, Sahil Doshi, a ninth grader from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania competed alongside nine other finalists to be declared winner of 2014 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Some other finalist students were • Katherine Wu – placed at the second place for her innovation that proactively prevents dangerous drowsy driving

His prototype named PolluCell is capable of converting Carbon Dioxide into electricity, ingeniously helping to reduce our carbon footprint while offering power for household uses and developing nations.

• Jai Kumar – placed at third place for his innovative, window-mounted air purification system that prevents harmful pollutants from entering the home • Christopher Isozaki – placed at fourth place for his innovative computer cooling system.

belong to the Hazara community — and injuring one. The UK government has reasoned that Hazara’s deportation on the grounds that he would be safe in other parts of the country. But they still plan to fly him to Quetta, the Balochistan capital and his hometown, where threatening letters have been handdelivered to the house where his wife and parents live. He worries he may not even make to his front door. A spokesman for IHRC said: “Both these cases are just the tip of an iceberg made up of hundreds of foreign nationals who are being deported as a matter of policy back to regions where their lives and property are in danger. It is disgusting that in many cases the government is fast-tracking the removal of people in defiance of judges, suggesting that they have no regard whatsoever for the sanctity of human life and the rule of law.”

Austin South Asian Editor: Bala Kumar Reporter: Shazieh Shah| Reporter: Sahar Bawkher Marketing: Jayachitra Vijay - 512-828-6709 Production: Jyothi Mariswaran Publisher: Vidya Kumar Distribution: Vasooda Kumar ©All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof be published without the wirtten consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertisement and article is 20th of every month. Tel: 512-828-6709 Email: info@austinsouthasian.com www.austinsouthasian.com

AISD Asks Community For Input On Direction For Next Five Years

AUSTIN Austin ISD is holding three community meetings this fall to gather community input to develop its 2015-20 Strategic Plan. Strategic planning will help AISD focus its energy, ensuring that we the district and its community partners are working toward a unified goal. The plan will also ensure the district continues to assess and adjust its direction as needed. The 2015-20 Strategic Plan will help guide the district from where it is now to where the community wants and needs it to be by 2020. The AISD Board of Trustees has developed a framework for a new strategic plan, including the district’s vision, mission, core beliefs and strategic goals. During the next two weeks, all AISD stakeholders are invited to participate in community discussions to expand on this foundation and to identify the priorities of the district. Community meetings will be held: 10 a.m.-noon, Oct. 30 at Delco Center, 4601 Pecan Brook Drive 6-8 p.m. Nov. 5 at Baker Center Cafeteria, 3908 Ave. B 6-8 p.m. Nov. 6 at Ann Richards School Cafeteria, 2206 Prather Lane Light refreshments, childcare and simultaneous Spanish-language interpretation will be provided. For more information, please visit www. austinisd.org/powerofus.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Did Art Of ‘Jugaad’ Make India’s Low-Cost Mars Mission Possible?

By Karine Schomer, Ph.D

provisation.

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission successfully entered orbit around Mars, two days after NASA’s MAVEN reached the Red Planet. India became the first Asian nation to join the global space elite of the U.S., Europe and Russia, and accomplished its Mars mission on the first attempt.

There are myriad examples of ‘jugaad’ in action in India at the level of everyday work style as well as fundamental attitude and belief.

JPL’s Alok Chatterjee, “’Jugaad’ is the Indian approach of getting the maximum out of spending the least amount of resources, including time. And while ‘jugaad’ cannot defy the laws of

What made this possible? What fundamental strength of the Indian way of getting things done and approach to innovation accounts for this technological feat on a shoestring?

Right now, in the afterglow of India’s space age triumph on a frugal budget, the strengths of the ‘jugaad’ philosophy seem vindicated.

A few months earlier, I had been invited to brief a project team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., working on a joint mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization to design and launch a satellite with advanced radar imaging to observe the natural processes of the changing earth. The purpose of the briefing was to create awareness of cultural differences in thinking, communication, ways of working and management style that can affect IndiaU.S. collaborations.

What each reveals is that, in the Indian environment, flexibility and “playing it by ear” is not only habitual, and often a matter of necessity, but is considered a strength rather than a weakness.

At JPL, I met Alok Chatterjee, the Indian American Mission interface manager and main architect of this joint project with India.

Historically, under feudalism, colonialism and — later on — the “bureaucracy raj” of the first 40 years of independent India, the ability to work around the system, to improvise (and to circumvent the rules!) was often required for any kind of success. Of course, ‘jugaad’ is a two-edged sword.

We discussed at length the differences in how projects are planned and carried out in India and the U.S., and how to make such project collaborations successful. The parallel development and launching of the India and U.S. Mars orbiters provided us with a high-profile case in point for a fundamental aspect of the Indian mindset that needs to be understood, appreciated and negotiated on a daily basis by all who work with Indian partners and counterparts. This approach and way of thinking is superbly captured by the colloquial Hindi term ‘jugaad’ – India’s art of ingenious im-

They limited the number of ground tests. They used components and building blocks from earlier and concurrent missions. They also circumvented the lack of a rocket powerful enough to launch the satellite directly out of the earth’s gravitational pull by having the satellite orbit the earth for a month to build up enough speed to break free from the earth’s gravitational pull.

Most astonishing of all was the fact that India’s MOM had cost $74 million to NASA’s $671 million for the MAVEN project.

A veteran of both ISRO and NASA/JPL, he had also helped set up JPL support for ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission.

ISRO built the final model of the orbiter from the start instead of building a series of iterative models, as NASA does.

Social commentators and management theorists in India line up on opposite sides of an ongoing and heated national debate about the pros and cons of the ‘jugaad’ approach. For some, it’s “an Indian commodity ripe for export,” while for others it’s an attitude that can mean choosing expediency over long-term effectiveness. It’s not surprising, then, to see Indian commentary on the Mars Orbiter Mission phrased in terms of the ongoing national debate about ‘jugaad’. “No Room for Jugaad on Mars” is the title of a Times of India op-ed piece. But for

physics in getting a complex space mission like MOM accomplished, it is definitely a time-tested approach that has proved applicable to processes for achieving the mission’s accelerated goals.” India’s “space venture on a shoestring” was thus made possible not only by less expensive engineering talent willing to work around the clock, but also by using ingenious improvisation to cope successfully with resource constraints and exceptionally tight timelines.

But had the Mars Orbiter Mission story ended differently, in failure, as have 30 out of the 51 attempts the world has made to reach Mars, the talk in India today would be far different from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hailing of the mission as “a shining symbol of what we are capable of as a nation.” There would be questioning of whether the national genius for low-cost improvised innovation and ingenious workaround solutions – ‘jugaad’ — is indeed the key to a successful future. (Karine Schomer, Ph.D., is president of CMCT and leads The CMCT India Practice. She is a South Asia expert and advisor to project teams that work with India. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.)

Austin South Asian Invites Contributions From Readers And Community

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Indian Americans View Obama, Democrats Most Favorably: Poll

Indian American registered voters view President Barack Obama more favorably than do other Asian American groups, and they rate his job performance more positively than does the country as a whole, according to a new poll. Conducted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Asian Pacific Islander American Vote and released Oct. 7, the poll found that 70% of Asian Indians give the president a “favorable” rating, while just 16% accorded him an “unfavorable” tag. About 14% have “no opinion.”

Vietnamese, 34% (See Table 5). Only 15% of the Asian Indians polled said they viewed Democrats unfavorably, while the negative rating for Democrats among the other Asian groups was 23% for Chinese, 27% for Japanese, 31% for Filipinos, 39% for Koreans and 42% for Vietnamese. The poll found that the Repub-

Asians. About 40% said they view Obama favorably, while 45% gave him an unfavorable rating. Just 41% of Vietnamese approve of Obama’s job performance, while 42% disapprove of it.

Asian Americans and U.S.-born Asian Americans had identical 54% favorable opinions of Obama, the negative opinion was far more emphatic for U.S.-born Asians at 40%, while just 31% of foreign-born viewed the president unfavorably.

Filipinos gave Obama the second lowest mark in positive job approval at 45%, while 39% disap-

Regarding job results, 49% of foreign-born Asians approve of Obama’s performance, while

About 16% said they didn’t know and 1% refused to answer the question.

Based on telephone interviews from Aug. 14 to Sept. 11, the poll surveyed 1,337 registered voters who identified as Asian Americans, including 230 Asian Indians. Interviews were conducted in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese, with 45% in an Asian language. A McClatchy-Marist poll in August reported that 40% of voters nationwide approved of Obama’s job performance and 52% disapproved, with the rest undecided. The AAAJ/APIA survey also found that the favorability rating of the Democratic Party was highest in the Indian American community among all Asian American groups at 68%, followed by Japanese, 61%; Chinese, 60%; Korean, 56%; Filipino, 50%; and

In the likely voter turnout for the November general election, about 79% of Asian Indians surveyed said they are “fairly certain” they will vote — in the middle of the pack in the Asian American community. Rates of those fairly certain to vote ranged from lows of 64% and 68% for Chinese and Koreans, respectively, to highs of 90% and 89% for Japanese and Vietnamese. “The Asian American electorate is growing rapidly and is already a significant presence in many states and Congressional districts,” Karthick Ramakrishnan, director of AAPI Data and lead researcher on the survey, said in a press release.

Regarding job performance, 63% of Asian Indians surveyed approved of Obama’s record, while just 20% disapproved.

The AAAJ/APIA Vote survey found that 54% of Asian Americans overall have a favorable view of Obama and 34% have an unfavorable opinion, while 50% of Asian Americans approve of his job performance and 36% disapprove.

while 40% of the U.S.-born disapprove.

lican Party’s favorability was lowest for Japanese and Indian Americans, at 29% and 30%, respectively, and highest for Korean and Vietnamese Americans at 52% and 45% (See Table 4). The unfavorable rating for the GOP for Japanese and Indian Americans was 50% and 47%, respectively, while the negative rating for the GOP by Vietnamese and Filipinos was the lowest at 27% and 34%, respectively. Japanese Americans are second to Indian Americans among Asian groups with a favorable view of the Obama at 60%, with 32% viewing him unfavorably and 8% with no opinion. Japanese also gave him the second-highest positive job rating among Asian groups at 58% and a low disapproval rate of 31%. Vietnamese had the most negative opinion of Obama among

prove. However, 51% of Filipinos view Obama himself favorably, while just 35% see him unfavorably.

52% of the U.S.-born approve. About 34% of foreign-born said they don’t like his performance,

“In-language polling of Asian Americans is now getting to be critical, in order for us to have a more accurate picture of what voters care about and how they will vote.”

Korean Americans were the most opinionated of all the Asians groups. About 48% approved of Obama’s job performance and 41% disapproved, with just 10% not having an opinion. About 56% of Koreans view Obama favorably and 42% unfavorably with just 1% with no opinion and 1% saying they never heard of him. Filipino and Chinese Americans had 51% and 50% positive ratings and 35% and 36% negative ratings of Obama, respectively, and 45% and 49% approval and identical 39% disapproval rates of his job performance. Interestingly, while foreign-born

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

5 Indian American Researchers Receive New Innovator Awards

Five Indian American researchers were recently named recipients of the National Institutes of Health’s Director’s New Innovator Awards for 2014. The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award is designed specifically to support unusually creative investigators with highly innovative research ideas at an early stage of their career.

researcher at the GRUCancerCenter. Arora will receive a $1.5 million grant towards studying the impact of environmental toxins and stress on fetal development. This is the first time that the Na-

to develop a new methodology to study how fetal development may be changed by environmental toxins, as well as the associated risks of long-term health disorders. Borad has been serving on the NCI Hepatobiliary Task Force since 2011. His research and clin-

The award seeks to support exceptionally creative new scientists whose research complements ongoing efforts by NIH. This year’s awards went to Dr. Manish Arora, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Dr. Mitesh J. Borad, assistant professor of medicine and director of Phase I Drug Development at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona; and Sriram Kosuri, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCLA. Also receiving the award were Dr. Mala Murthy, assistant professor of molecular biology at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute; and Dr. Satyanarayana Ande, a

on discovery of novel drug targets and their subsequent implementation in the clinic with the long range goal of providing precision medicine to patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Kosuri received his award for his project developing new biological system technologies to solve outstanding problems in gene regulation. Kosuri is developing next-generation DNA synthesis technologies for use in bioengineering. He and his collaborators have created new processes that are faster, more accurate, and significantly less expensive than current methods for synthesizing genes.

tional Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the 27 research centers that comprise the NIH, has presented a Young Innovator Award. Arora and his team have proposed

ical interests are in development of novel treatments for patients with biliary and liver cancers. His team has been engaged in whole genome analysis efforts in cholangiocarcinoma with focus

How the brain converts sensory stimuli into meaningful representations, and how these representations drive behavioral responses informs Murthy’s research. To solve these questions, she focuses primarily on the acoustic communication system of Drosophila. Similar to other animals, flies produce and process patterned sounds during their mating ritual: typically males generate court-

ship songs via wing vibration, while females arbitrate mating decisions. Sensory processing plays a role not only in detecting and responding to species-specific songs, but also in generating these dynamic acoustic signals. Drosophila, with its relatively simple nervous system, robust and complex mating behaviors, amenability forin vivo electrophysiology, and large genetic and molecular toolkit offers an ideal system in which to examine questions about sensory coding and behavior. Ande was awarded for his research into methodologies for treating obesity. His work focuses on the depletion of fat deposits in white adipose tissues and the exploitation of energy expended by brown fat. The award of $2.3 million over five years and is one of only 33 awarded nationwide. The goal is to produce tangible research results leading to preclinical trials.

Indian American Teen Wins Barron Prize For Tackling Food Wastage

Sixteen-year-old Kiran Sridhar of the San Francisco Bay Area has been announced as one of the 25 winners of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, an award that celebrates inspiring, public-spirited youth from across America, for his food redistribution project to tackle food wastage and hunger.

to pre-approved charities who in turn, claim it and pick it up. In four years, Waste No Food has redistributed food to serve

As one of the top 15 winners, Sridhar will receive a $5,000 prize to support his higher education or service work.

Sridhar is the creator of Waste No Food, a free, Web-based service that links food donors with charities that feed the hungry. Through the Web site, the Indian American teen has devised a simple system to redistribute food by encouraging food donors and charities to sign up. Donors can post available food

Each year, the Barron Prize honors outstanding young leaders aged eight to 18 who have made a significant, positive difference to people and the planet.

100,000 meals and has kept thousands of pounds of food out of landfills.

Sridhar, who is also the executive director, president and secretary of the organization he founded, came up with the idea for Waste for No Food as a seventh grader while volunteering at San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church, which serves three meals daily to the needy. Through his research into the global hunger problem, he dis-

covered that human beings produce six times the amount of food needed to feed everyone on the planet. Sridhar realized the problem stems mainly from food distribution, with one-third of all food in California being wasted. Sridhar, who is currently in his senior year at a Bay Area high school, views the problem as both a humanitarian and environmental one, with wasted food having an effect on landfills and methane emissions. He sought the help of 140 students at his high school to sign up food donors and set the Waste No Food system in motion.

Seeing its success, other schools and community colleges are keen to adopt it. Sridhar has spent the past year developing a Waste No Food cell phone app, which he plans to launch soon.

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

Georgetown University Appoints First Hindu Priest

Pratima Dharm, who recently retired as the first Hindu chaplain in the U.S. Army, has been appointed as the first Hindu chaplain at the Georgetown University. The Georgetown University has appointed its first Hindu priest —a woman — to serve the religious needs of its Hindu students, whose number has increased in recent years.

ber 1, 2014, the university said in a media statement. Previously she served on Army bases and hospitals around the world, including a yearlong deployment in Iraq.

“War can dehumanise you and I was watching the dehumanisation of my soldiers, so I was fighting to give them a sense of family,” says Ms. Dharm, who began her stint with the Army in 2006.

Ms. Dharm began her new assignment at Georgetown on Octo-

She would also look at programmes that could better Hindu education on campus and work closely with other religious groups on campus. She said, “For these students, it means a lot to be able to practice their faith away from home, and many of them have travelled from far away to attend this great university.”

Pratima Dharm, who recently retired as the first Hindu chaplain in the U.S. Army, has been appointed as the first Hindu chaplain at the Georgetown University, a move welcomed by the Hindu students of this top private research university. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Jesuit and Catholic university in the U.S.

Hindu pujas or prayer services, now attended by about 100 students.

A native of Mumbai, she came to the United States in March 2001, only months before the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Army Ministry has touched me so deeply and it has made me a better chaplain and a better human being,” said Ms. Dharm. Ms. Dharm will lead the weekly

“The addition of Chaplain Dharm to the Campus Ministry staff is a big achievement for Georgetown and it will truly aid the university in fulfilling its mission of cura personalis by providing an outlet for students to deepen their understanding of Hinduism and to explore their personal faith connection,” said Smiti Mohan, president of the university’s Hindu

Students Association. Ms. Dharm earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey University in Mumbai. She also holds a master’s degree in psychology from Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, and a master’s degree in theology from Ashland Seminary, a Christian seminary in Ohio and Michigan. “The creation of a Hindu chaplaincy is another significant moment in this history,” said Rev. Kevin O’Brien, the vice-president of mission and ministry and others at the university. Georgetown was the first Catholic university to hire a rabbi to serve as a chaplain in 1968. Three decades later, it became the first American university to hire a Muslim cleric to serve as a fulltime chaplain.

The 2014 WISE Awards Winners Announced The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a leading international initiative driving innovation and collaboration in education, has announced the six 2014 WISE Awards winning projects.

ing and working on the streets of Cairo by providing child-friendly education and life skills. Me & MyCity – Finland – A hands-on learning environment offering pupils positive experi-

empowerment. We Love Reading – Jordan – Encouraging children to read for pleasure through a cost-efficient, grassroots approach.

leaders, chaired by H.E. Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Chairman of WISE, selected the winning projects from a shortlist of 15 finalists, chosen from hundreds of applications.

and society.”

H.E. Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali AlThani remarked: “These initiatives demonstrate how transformative educational programs not only bring real change to the classroom, but can also have a wider influence in communities

in Doha, Qatar.

The six 2014 WISE Awards winning projects will be celebrated at a Gala Dinner during the sixth World Innovation Summit for Education, November 4-6, 2014,

Since 2009 the WISE Awards have identified and promoted some of the most effective practices in tackling urgent global education challenges. The six 2014 WISE Awards winning projects address an array of education challenges linked to employment, creativity, access and literacy: The Song Room – Australia – Providing arts-based programs enhancing the education, personal development and community involvement of the country’s disadvantaged children. Street Children: Reintegration through Education – Egypt – Reducing the number of children liv-

ences of entrepreneurship, the economy and society. Educate Girls – India – Improving girls’ enrolment, retention and academic performance in government schools through community

Alternate Education for Rural Development in Peru – Peru/Spain – Promoting integration of rural work and school life to improve students’ employment prospects. A Jury comprised of education

For further information about WISE and the WISE Awards, please go to www.wise-qatar.org or http://www.wise-qatar.org/ wise-awards

Austin South Asian | November 2014

A very critical Election South Asian Poet/Writer Appointed Austin’s Creative Ambassador Year In Texas

This is in a way a landmark year when every public official from Governor down to city and county officials are up for election.

While the state and the City both enjoy a boom in growth due to major oil and gas finds and relocation or establishment of businesses, many issues come to the fore in the areas of education, water resources and management - whether one looks at fracking or city water supply, transportation and mobility, affordable housing, education and poverty alleviation. Then there are issues such as voter identity requirement that may affect minorities even more adversely. Many of these issues will get accentuated unless the citizens not only assert their voices and show some readiness to make sacrifices for the betterment of all to guarantee better quality of life. For South Asian community, as the demographics change health issues will have to be addressed, more detailed and differentiated data needs to be obtained and strategies to address identified issues need to be worked on and for that the state, county and city resources will need to be available.

Well and good but they cannot escape the pressures from their respective area, so greater vigilance and vision on part of the citizens is a must but the process begins with your considered vote.

Please vote on Nov 4th 2014. Early elections have already started from 20th of October and will end on 31st October. Those who miss early voting will have a chance to vote on November 4th.

The City of Austin has named Usha Akella, Poet and Writer, as the city’s Creative Ambassador for the 3rd quarter of 2014. The position is for a year. The Creative Ambassador Program is managed by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. This program is intended to open new avenues of dialogue and opportunity between Austin’s creative community and markets worldwide. The program designates local Creatives to represent the City

Ancient Engravings On Mars’ Surface Rekindle Alien Speculations

Astronomers recently observed ancient engravings on the surface of Mars, which once again sparked the speculations of possibilities of alien life on the “Red”

robotic rovers, Curiosity and Opportunity, News.com.au reported. The latest “xenoarchaeological” evidence is said to come from

Her work is receiving international attention and she has earned a name as one of India’s contemporary English poets. She has been invited to many reputed international poetry festivals. Her work has been translated in Macedonian, Slovenian, Turkish, Spanish etc. Most recently, she represented US/India at Struga Poetry Evenings in Macedonia. Struga Poetry Evenings is the oldest poetry festival in the world famous for the legendary ‘Bridges’ event. She is invited to the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2015. Among her many achievements, is the Wine poem award she won at Struga (the first Indian and woman to do so), the Nazim Hikmet award at the Siir festival, Turkey, and the winner of Egan Memorial Award. She has been interviewed on Houston’s

She has read for the Sahitya Academy. She is member of Austin International Poetry Festival’s board and actively supports local Art, Cultural and Social organizations. She enjoys interviewing artists, scholars and writers for noteworthy newspapers and journals. She launched the Poetry Caravan in Greenburgh/White Plains, NY that provides poetry readings and workshops to disadvantaged people in women’s shelters, hospitals, senior homes etc. The caravan continues as a collective after her exit from New York and is estimated to have offered well over 900 free readings. The Austin chapter of the Caravan was a young chapter and for a year children offered music and poetry in a spirit of community service. She teaches Creative writing from her home in the Great Hills area and can be contacted at usha.akella11@gmail. com.

(Continued from page 5)

In her interview, Yousafzai said that she attempts to live a normal life amid all the focus and attention she has received. She compared her life to the plot of a movie, where “at the end, the villain loses and the hero wins, and there is a happy ending.”

The city government -the council- has been reorganized with mayor at large appointed by the whole city and 10 single member districts electing respective council member.

The answer was that they would ardently look at the overall interests of the city.

Usha Akella is the first South Asian to hold the position. Usha Akella has authored three books of poetry and scripted and produced ‘Ek. An English Musical on the Life of Shirdi Baba.’

Public Radio. Her work has been included in major anthologies of Indian English poets, such as Harper Collins anthology edited by Sudeep Sen.

Malala Asks Obama To Send Books

Those who live within the boundaries of the city, will face new and unfamiliar challenge.

Many of us who met with the candidates asked how they will reconcile their individual district’s interest with that of the city?

while traveling in promotion of their own artistic endeavors.

planet. The “Mars Petroglyph” joins a string of “anomalous” objects like humanoid statue, ball-bearings, a MICROSCOPICgearwheel and a thighbone, found among the thousands of images being beamed back by NASA’s

an unusual rock caught in a PICTURE from NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover earlier in 2014. The shattered and heavily pixelated piece of rubble appears to be heavily marked with scratches and indentations.

While the war on terror group ISIS was not mentioned in the interview, the U.S. has been leading a broad coalition of countries who have carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, and have supplied arms and supplies to local Iraqi and Kurdish forces defending their cities. The war on ISIS was officially dubbed “Operation Inherent Resolve” last week, said to reflect “the unwavering resolve and deep commitment of the U.S. and partner nations” in combating jihadist groups. Obama has explained several times that the U.S. will do all it can to stop ISIS advancements through airstrikes, but will not send ground troops into the region.

Names Of 627 Suspected Black Money Holders Submitted To Court

The central government on submitted to the Supreme Court names of 627 people holding accounts in foreign banks, as revealed to it by the French government, heeding a court order. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi handed over two sealed envelopes to the apex court bench headed by

All the 627 accounts are at HSBC Bank in Geneva - the details of which India got from the French government. The data are believed to be stolen. When the Indian government approached the Swiss authorities for assistance, they refused to help, saying they don’t deal with stolen

Austin South Asian | November 2014

AUSTIN AISD Board Meeting Presentation of Austin ISD School Financial Integrity Rating for 2014 As part of the state’s Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), school districts are required to submit financial data, which is used to rate the district according to defined indicators. The ratings are: superior achievement; above standard achievement; standard achievement; substandard achievement; and suspended: data quality. For 2014, the Austin Independent School District received a superior achievement rating, and notably the district also received the highest possible score in all 20 indicators.

Chief Justice H.L. Dattu.

data.

Rohatgi said half of these account-holders are Indian residents and the other half are nonresident Indians.

However, HSBC Bank said if the Indian authorities get the consent of the account-holders, it would share the data.

These accounts pertain up to 2006. He said action has been initiated in the matter. Some of them have paid taxes while others are under investigation.

As a consequence, about 50-60 account-holders gave their consent. Rohatgi told the court the government of India has only one request: that care should be taken that nothing should impede further cooperation from countries.

Rohatgi also told the court the Income Tax Act has been amended to extend the limitation period up to March 31, 2015, for recovering taxes from these account-holders. Under the earlier provision, a limitation period for recovery of taxes was six years, which in these cases came to an end in 2012. The court directed that the sealed envelopes containing 627 names, including correspondence with the French government, be given to Special Investigation Team Chairman Justice M.B. Shah and Vice Chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat. The SIT was set up by the apex court July 4, 2011. The court said the SIT would move into the matter in accordance with the law.

Directing further hearing of the matter Dec. 3, the court said the SIT team would submit its status report on the steps taken by it in pursuance to the list of 627 account-holders. The central government was directed by the Supreme Court to furnish in a sealed envelope the list of all individuals and entities in its possession who have accounts in overseas banks, legitimate or otherwise. The directive to this effect came a day after the government gave the court the names of seven individuals and one company, alleging they had funds in bank accounts abroad over which proceedings had been initiated for tax evasion.

The 2014 rating is based on an analysis of financial data for the

2012-2013 school year. Superintendent Search Board President Torres reported that application deadline for candidates to apply for the position of permanent superintendent is Monday, October 20. In late October and early November, the search firm and board members will screen potential candidates. Finalists will be introduced to the community through forums and other venues. Throughout this process, the board will be guided by the candidate profile that the search firm developed based on input from the community. Public meetings are expected to be held in early December, with a

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Van De Putte Supports Supreme Court Decision On HB2 San Antonio, TX Senator Leticia Van de Putte released the following statement on today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that blocked HB 2 from going into effect: “We need to respect Texas women and their families. HB 2 limits access to health care and that is never the responsible answer. The ruling by the Supreme Court is an important preliminary step in the right direction. Today, we renew the fight to expand, rather than limit, access to women’s health care in Texas.”

final candidate possibly approved in January.. 2014-15 District Performance Goals Interim Superintendent Dr. Paul Cruz presented performance goals and identified targets in four key areas: For the Class of 2015, an increase in graduation rates to 88.3% (federal); 90.0% (state); a 15% reduction in the failure rate for STAAR/EOC performance; a 0.2 percentage point increase in attendance; and a 15% reduction in discretionary removals from the classroom. To reach these targets, the administration developed operational objectives in the following areas: Whole Child/Every Child; College-Ready Culture; Portfolio of Rich Options; Human Capital; and Systems. Approval of FY2015-16 Budget Approach and Process, Initial Budget Parameters and Budget Development Calendar The board approved budgetary parameters and a budget development calendar that will serve as a guide to developing the preliminary budget for FY2015-16. Appointments The board unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Dora Fabelo as executive director for human resources. Dr. Fabelo has worked for the district since 1987 as a Spanish and bilingual teacher, assistant principal, principal and, for the past three years, as Director of Recruiting and Staffing in Human Resources. She earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with concentrations in Bilingual Education and School Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008

Austin South Asian | November 2014

ARE YOU ELECTION READY? We’re counting on you to vote this year! Your VOTE will determine who is our next Senator or Representative, Governor, state and local officials. Make your plans today to vote. Your Vote is Your Voice Use it at the polls on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014 If you need help voting, call 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683). Bilingual assistance is available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi & Bengali. For specific voting information or ID requirements in your state visit: http://www.866ourvote.org/state or www.vote411.org

Malala Yousafzai And Kailash Satyarthi Win 2014 Nobel Peace Prize

Pakistani teenager and Indian children’s rights activist beat Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, the Pope and Vladimir Putin to the prestigious prize Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenage education campaigner shot on school bus in 2012 by a Taliban gunman, has won the 2014 Nobel peace prize. Malala won along with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian children’s rights activist. The two were named winner of the £690,000 (8m kronor or $1.11m) prize by the chairman of the Nobel committee - Norway’s former prime minister Thorbjoern Jagland. Speaking after finishing the school day at Edgbaston High School for Girls, in Birmingham, Malala said: “My message to children all around the world is that they should stand up for their rights.” She added: “I felt more powerful and more courageous because

this award is not just a piece of metal or a medal you wear or an award you keep in your room.

mittee called her “heroic struggle” for girls’ right to an education. She is the youngest ever

Barack Obama, being named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and last year publishing the memoir I am Malala.

Last month a gang of 10 Taliban fighters who tried to kill her were arrested, the Pakistan army claimed.

“This is encouragement for me to go forward.” Malala, now 17, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman two years ago in Pakistan after coming to prominence for her campaigning for education for girls. She won for what the Nobel com-

winner of the prize. After being shot she was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham, where she was treated for life-threatening injuries. She has since continued to campaign for girls’ education, speaking before the UN, meeting

In a statement, the Nobel committee said: “Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. “This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.” Malala explained how she completed the rest of her school day after learning she had won the prize. “When I found I had won the Nobel peace prize I decided I would

not leave my school, rather I would finish my school time,” she said. “I went to the physics lessons, I learned. I went to the English lesson. I considered it like a normal day. “I was really happy with the response of my teachers and my fellow students. They were all saying they were proud.” Satyarthi, the Nobel committee said, had maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests. “Showing great personal courage, Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Gandhi’s tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain,” the committee said. (Continued On Page 15)

Austin South Asian | November 2014

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

Malala Yousafzai And Kailash Satyarthi Win 2014 Nobel Peace Prize (Continued From Page 13) “He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children’s rights.” The Nobel committee said it “regards it as an important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism”. Satyarthi, 60, dedicated his prize to children in slavery, telling CNN-IBN: “It’s an honour to all those children who are still suffering in slavery, bonded labour and trafficking.” He founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan - or the Save the Childhood Movement - in 1980 and has acted to protect the rights of 80,000 children. “It’s an honour to all my fellow Indians. I am thankful to all those who have been supporting my striving for more than the last 30 years,” he said.

“A lot of credit goes to the Indians who fight to keep democracy so alive and so vibrant, where I was able to keep my fight on. “Something which was born in India has gone globally and now we have the global movement against child labour. After receiving this award I feel that people will give more attention to the cause of children in the world.” Yemeni Nobel peace laureate Tawakkol Karman said Malala and Satyarthi were worthy winners and that Satyarthi had taken part in an “outstanding and long struggle for the rights of the child”. There were a record 278 nominations this year, 19 more than ever before – including US whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and

Pope Francis. Also on the list of nominees was an anti-war clause in the Japanese constitution and the International Space Station Partnership. Previous choices include illustrious names such as Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Martin Luther King - and, controversially, Barack Obama in 2009. Last year’s choice of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in hindsight seems a similar act of wishful thinking. At the time the agency’s role in overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical arsenal offered a very slim chance of finding a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in that country. But the violence in Syria has only got worse, and there are continuing concerns that the Assad re-

gime has continued to conceal its stockpile of chemical weapons. The Nobel announcements have been going on all week, and will conclude with the prize for economics on Monday. On Thursday, the Nobel committee stunned the literary world by choosing little-known French author Patrick Modiano for the prize. On Wednesday, Stefan Hell of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, William Moerner of Stanford University in California, and Eric Betzig of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Virginia won the chemistry prize “for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy”. On Tuesday, Shuji Nakamura of the University of California, Santa Barbara, shared the physics prize with Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano of Japan for

“the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources”. And on Monday, British-US scientist John O’Keefe and married couple May-Britt and Edvard Moser from Norway won the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for discovering the brain’s “inner GPS”. Worth 8m kronor each, the Nobel prizes are always handed out on 10 December, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896. Besides the prize money, each laureate receives a diploma and a gold medal. Nobel, a wealthy Swedish industrialist who invented dynamite, provided few directions for how to select winners, except that the prize committees should reward those who “have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind”.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

City Council Candidates (Continued From Page 01) He has shown a strong interest in working with the Asian American community. As Austin grows into an international city, the NAAO PAC believes Adler will be a strong leader to help guide us through the complex challenges ahead.” District 1: DeWayne Lofton Justification: “... the NAAO PAC believes that DeWayne Lofton has the right skills, experience and expertise to best serve his

district while understanding the needs of the entire city. Mr. Lofton has extensive experience in city politics through leadership roles in the Bond Election Advisory Committee, City of Austin Human Rights Commission, and as president of the Pecan Springs-Springdale Hills Neighborhood Association.

He also serves as President of the Travis County Sheriff’s Reserve Officer Association.” District 2: Delia Garza Justification: “... The NAAO PAC endorses Delia Garza for election to the City Council from District 2. Ms. Garza brings a wealth of experience first as a Austin firefighter stationed in South Austin and serving on the executive board of Local 975 representing Battalion 4. She also served on the City’s 2012 Charter Revision Committee.Currently she is an Assistant Attorney General advocating for Texas families in the Child Support Division. Some of the issues on which she has worked and will continue to champion for her district and the city include: affordability, alleviating traffic congestion and improving access to public transit and recruiting businesses that provide living wages, good benefits and safety protections.” District 3: Fred McGhee Justification: “... Fred McGhee has been sensitive to the needs of minority groups, including the Asian American community.

His work on city and neighborhood issues, his military service in the U.S. Navy and his passion for sustainability make him qualified to serve on Austin’s city council. He has demonstrated a willingness to reach out and work with the Asian American community, and we look forward to working with Dr. McGhee should he be elected to city council.” District 4: Greg Casar

Justification: “... During Ann Kitchen’s longstanding community service, including her tenure as a state representative and a member of the Charter Revision Committee, she has been an advocate for the interests of the Asian American community. We look forward to supporting her candidacy for city council.” District 6: Jimmy Flannigan Justification:

“... The NAAO

Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Austin Chamber Transportation Committee and the Northwest Coalition, which he co-founded to support redistricting. Mr. Flannigan’s passion for core issues such as transportation, tax relief and affordability, and operational efficiency will be an asset on the city council for his district and the city at-large.” District 7: Jeb Boyt

Justification: “... Gregorio Casar has shown that he can bring opposing sides together to tackle tough issues and develop solutions that benefit the community. He has been an advocate for the safety of construction workers.

Justification: “... The NAAO PAC

His leadership and thoughtful approach to public policy, his experience on multiple commissions, and his championing of social equity issues make him our favored candidate for District 4.” District 5: Ann Kitchen PAC believes that Jimmy Flannigan best suits the needs of his district and the city. Mr. Flannigan brings a wealth of experience and expertise as a small business owner and through his involvement in organizations such as the

believes though that Jeb Boyt best combines the talents and experience required to serve on the new City Council. Jeb is an attorney and community activist who has spent the last 21 years working to raise the quality of life in Austin and Travis (Continued On Page 17)

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Pratham Austin Gala 2014, A Grand Success

(Continued From Page 01)

Pratham Austin leaders Vandana Kumar and Ashish Gupta gave information about Pratham pro-

grams and where funds raised by Austin are being used. Children’s books published by Pratham were on display in the cocktail lounge, available for purchase.

Participants also got the opportunity to meet and chat with Parveen Sayyed, who leads Pratham’s Urdu program of Pratham in India.

such as Ingrid Vanderveldt, CEO of Empowering a Billion Women by 2020; Bill Spelman, City Council Member and Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs; Pearl Paul, an avid entrepreneur; Judge George Thomas, the first Indian American judge in Travis County; Matt Curtis, Director of Worldwide Government relations at Home Away; Dr. Renu Chalasani Swartz, physician at the Austin Regional Clinic; and Sophia Beausoleil, reporter with KXAN news.

Dance Company who also dances with Mayur Dance, and Kirtana Banskota and Shiv Sheth of the Diya Project.

Each ‘star’ had voluntarily spent countless hours over the last three months learning a duet from and practicing with a volunteer teacher and dance partner.

Judge George Thomas & Divya Dinakar team won the first place and Dr. Renu Chalasani Swartz & Shiv Sheth team won the second place.

The real fun started after dinner. Everyone cheered and applauded to the creative and spectacular Bollywood style dance performances by prominent Austinites

The dance teachers were Prakash Mohandas and Divya Dinakar from Agni Dance; Rollei Shah from Monsoon Dance; Shruti Anand, the founder of Monsoon

According to the participants, the event was unique, enjoyable, inspiring, and worthwhile. “…. I attend many fund raising annual Galas each year. All have impor-

Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce and established the MultiEthnic Chamber Alliance.

District 9: Kathie Tovo

WBE Procurement Program.

Justification: “... Kathie Tovo’s contributions and support for the Asian American community have been formidable.

She has been a leader for our issues and has shown a deep and personal interest in the Asian American community. We look forward to her continued service on the city council.”

Each dance team received remarks from a panel of prominent Austinites serving as judges: City Council Member Mike Martinez, former Mayor Will Wynn, and Tanya Ortega of FOX 7 news. Using their smart phones, the engrossed audience voted to choose the winning teams.

tant purposes.

But yours was so absolutely fun and fascinating. You guys have taken Austin galas and giving, to a whole new level,” said Laura Fowler. “I was really impressed with Mr. Goradia’s speech and it was heartening to see leaders like that making a difference.… I was amazed at the effort put in by the contestants. That takes dedication and courage that many of us fail to muster,” said Akhtar Ali. The success of the gala would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the gala committee, headed by Swapna Reddy and Poonam Tripathy, and the support of the Austin Board and sponsors who have collectively contributed over $110k this year.

City Council Candidates

(Continued From Page 16) County-from protecting parks and open spaces to demanding affordable housing for all of our residents. He served on the City of Austin’s 2012 Citizens Bond Commission, the Austin Parks Board, the Downtown Commission, the Waller Creek Commission, and the Austin Metro Trails & Greenways Board. Jeb is currently a board member of Hill Country Conservancy and the Alliance for Public Transportation. Jeb is therefore best positioned to serve his district and the city at-large.” District 8: Eliza May Justification: “... As the CEO for the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for six years, Eliza May worked with the

This includes adding a much needed commercial kitchen to the AARC, the creation of the Asian

District 10: Mandy Dealey Justification: “... Mandy Dealey

She supports the full development of the AARC to enrich the greater community and strengthen the city’s international program for business development. Ms. May has had a good relationship with the Asian American community, and we look forward to assisting in her election.”

American Quality of Life Commission, appointing Asian Americans to boards and commissions, and expanding and enhancing requirements for third-party agreements in support of the MBE/

sues over a long period of time, serving on six city boards, commissions and task forces, including vice-chair of the City of Austin Planning Commission. As the chair of the Waterfront Overlay Task Force, she sought to protect the shoreline and waterfront along Lady Bird Lake for future generations to enjoy. She is a long-standing advocate for causes affecting the most vulnerable populations in Austin, including the Austin Area Mental Health Association. She has impressed us with her many years of dedicated community service and her compassion towards those in need.

has been very involved in city is-

District 10 has a high percentage of Asian American voters, and we look forward to helping elect her to the city council.”

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Predictions - November 2014 ARIES (March 21 to April 20): You will plan something adventurous with children. Mind will be at ease. You will be on the move and may have to spend most time outside office. Legal matters will keep taking positive shape and the final victory is not too far now. You will spend money on buying some unique gifts. An old friend will pay a surprise visit. TAURUS (April 21 to May 20): Efforts will not go in vein, rather you will make good use of the weak opportunity and turn it into a very profitable deal. Strong Sun in first will make you more popular in social circle. You would not mind showing off an expensive item you purchased recently to your friends. Things will keep getting more relaxed in career. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Strong Venus will improve things around suddenly and you will start to enjoy life more and will stay cheerful. Favorable planets bring financial relief in a big way. You will make final payments on

several bills, commitments made around November of last year. You will also receive valuable advice about career from a matured person. CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Hard work and patience shown in the past will pay off in big way and the investment will be lot less than anticipated. This could be a turning point in your career. You may suddenly develop taste for red meat or hot and spicy food. Planet in eleventh helps you make big chunk of money through stocks. Trip will be entertaining. LEO (July 23 to August 22): Lots of uncertainty will disappear from life and you will be able to plan things in better way with determination and confidence as well. You may have some money coming from insurance or in laws this month. You will meet few important people in connection with business who will immediately assure you of all help and cooperation. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22): There will be some changes in business partners you had been working with for quite

some time. New partners will be more far sighted and easy to deal with. Some of you will be getting ready to move to another place. There is an overseas business trip in the air. Planets looks very favorable from financial point of view. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22): Planets bring lots of relief in career. Some one who was a threat will move out of state. You will finally lay your hands on the money which was due long time ago. Children will help you plan an exciting trip. There will be overnight positive changes in health of an ailing family member. All attempts will hit bulls eye. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 22): There will be dramatic changes in life and suddenly you will be full of energy. Project started half heatedly will take off like a bullet and will become major thing soon. You will be helped by a person who is not only successful but have lots of good connections. You have

some money coming out of legal procedure also. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 to December 22): Health concerns bothering you for past several months will go away. Chance of addition in the family for prospective couples become strong suddenly. You will really enjoy the company of a new friend. Very favorable month for people looking for a change in career. Some of you will be getting ready for an upcoming move also. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19): Wait will be over and you will start hearing from other side. Negotiations will take some more time but will ultimately materialize. Pay attention to an health issue that flares up from time to time. You will make few useful friends at the gathering. Letters you write will get response quickly and in positive only. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18): Opportunities to make money will keep coming one after another. Soon a big

family reunion will take place and you will be slowly working towards it. Business trip will be fruitful and the results will be far bigger than anticipated. You may develop a taste for sweets. Idea of legal action to prove your point is not bad. PISCES (February 19 to March 20): You will be offered a dream opportunity but without too much financial gains. People in business will experience better sales and will be motivated to spend little more on advertising. Spouse will complain about aches and pains in joint and may need to rest more.

Pandit Parashar parashar@parashar.com www.parashar.com 925-833-7170

Austin ISD Board Election Nov. 4 AUSTIN, Texas--The Austin Independent School District board election will be Nov. 4. The full board consists of nine members; five trustee seats are up for election. Voters will elect single-member seats from geographic regions one, four, six, seven, and a districtwide trustee seat nine. Trustees serve four-year terms. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 20 and ends Friday, Oct. 31. Visit the Travis County Clerk to find the regular or mobile early voting locations around the county. Learn more about the AISD Board of Trustee candidates through presentations that can be viewed on AISD Webpage, AustinISD TV Blog and on Cable Channel 22. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees is composed of a group of unpaid, dedicated individuals, who guide the Austin Independent School District toward excellence. As the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elected leaders, trustees represent community expectations as they chart the direction of educational programs and services and establish the standard by which success is measured. Trustees establish policies for operating the district and ensuring its financial viability. The board also employs the superintendent, approves the budget and monitors expenditures, sets the tax rate, and may call for a bond or tax rate election.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Chess- Strategy Board Game

Siva Manikanteswaran rrchess@ outlook.com Welcome to game of Kings, Queens and the royal army.

With 64 squares 32 dark and 32 white 32 pieces and 32 spaces,16 white and 16 black pieces the Magic is inside the board and inside the chess player’s brains. Chess is often cited by psychologists as an effective way to improve memory function.

Also allowing the mind to solve complex problems and work through ideas, it is no wonder that chess is recommended in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

According to research, Test scores improved by 17.3% for students regularly engaged in chess classes, compared with only 4.6% for children participating in other forms of enriched activities. Universal Game

DIWALI AT RMD...(Continued From Page 01)

Over 6,000 people flocked into the temple premises. It was a perfect family event with something for everyone - face painting, games, arts and crafts booths for kids, a mela-style setup with vendors displaying and selling traditional Indian jewelry and clothes. People gathered around the numerous food stalls, enjoying the taste of delicacies like dosa, chana bhatura, pakora, samosa. And, everyone got a Diwali Goodie bag as their momento from the temple... “I forgot that night that I live in the U.S., this feels so much like being in India”, stated a first time visitor at the event. Inside the temple, the altar with deities of Radha and Krishna was mesmerizing, with rangoli of flowers and traditional patterns dressed up with sparkling lights and diyas lighting up the shrine and captivating the hearts of everyone that set eyes upon them. The Diwali program started with the singing of Ramayan Chaupais, describing the glories of Lord Ram followed a talk by Swami Nikhilanand Ji, explaining the significance of Diwali through the leelas of Shabri, the old and devout lady, whose only aim in life is to have Darshan of Shree Ram. Following the talk, the audience witnessed these stories performed live, through leela enactments by the devotee community of the temple. The single-minded devotion and love of Shabri and the sincere bhakti of Hanuman towards Lord Ram touched the hearts of everyone who witnessed the leelas. The cultural program ended with a mesmerizing jhanki (glimpse) of the Ram Darbaar - where Shree Ram, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman were seen in all their glory as classical performers danced to the stuti in praise of Lord Ram.

Chess originated in India as Shatranj and become popular in Persia (Iran) and from Arabs it spread to Europe. The word “Checkmate” in Chess comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is dead.” While Bobby Fischer(USA) , Viswanathan Anand (India) and Magnus Carlson (Norway) make the sport appear as a global sport for the past few decades this game has been dominated by Russians. The first chess game played between space and earth was on June 9, 1970 by the Soyez-9 Russian crew. The game ended in a draw. Women Rock chess While Women in chess is a rarity the Polgar Sisters are a classic example of how gender has nothing to do with this game. Susan Polgar was women’s world champion , Judith Polgar an International Master and Judith Polgar a Grand Master – all 3 sisters earning their place in history of chess.

How to get your kids started in playing tournaments 1. You need to visit USCF(US Chess Federation) website and get a USCF ID for your child/yourself. 2. Buy a tournament chess set 3. Buy a tournament approved clock 4. Algebric Notation book Positional vs. Tactical power Tactical play as knowing what to do when there’s something to be done and positional play as knowing what to do when there’s nothing to be done. Tactics require deep calculations while position requires deep understanding Tactics flow from good position and good positions rely on tactics. Setup your chess board and solve this Algebraic notation (1. Rf8+ Qg8 2. Qxg8#) is how chess games are recorded and replayed. It is simple to learn and it is re-

quired ‘language’ to explore the games and books of chess. Books “Pandolfini’s Ultimate Guide to Chess“ is considered a good book for beginners while “My 60 Memorable Games” by Bobby Fischer is considered a good book for really advanced players. Online Chess.com is a great website which allows you learn, practice and chess. Chesskid.com is safe for kids and allows kids to play against other kids for fun. Where can my kid practice chess in Austin area? Other than school chess clubs there are three popular places where your kids can safely practice chess - Spicewood library (Saturday afternoons), Cedar park library (Sundays afternoon) and George Town library (Wednesday evening).

Then came the spectacular fireworks show choreographed with the chants of Raaadddhhhhheeeeeyyy. People stood in rapt attention, eyes focused on the sky as the fireworks and chanting sounds filled the skies. Soon after, the live band started the traditional dance of Raas Garba in the Maharaas Mandal (outdoor shrine), and hundreds of people, young and old, came together to participate in the joyous dancing and togetherness. Meanwhile, inside the temple chanting continued with enthusiastic devotees, singing and dancing to the tunes of beautiful bhajans and naam sankirtan.

Bombay Express

Authenitic Indian Cafe 100% Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Tuesday - Sunday 11:00 am - 9:00 pm 1300 N IH35 Building #12, Unit # 216 Austin, Texas - 78753

512-491-5055

(Take-Away is possible on all items on the menu)

Austin South Asian | November 2014

November 2014 Community Calendar

We have compiled this event listing based on the information available on the web site (where ever possible) of the community/organization as of third Friday. Please check with the organizers to confirm its accuracy. We request all South Asian organizations to email us (info@austinsouthasian.com) their community calendar on or before 20th of every month, for the events happening next month. We will carry listing of all South Asian non-profit organizations in Austin. If the Name, Contact info is not correct or has changed email us (info@austinsouthasian.com) the changes you want to see. E&OE. SCHEDULE: November 01, Saturday, 10:00 AM - 02:00 PM, Taiwanese American National Celebration - Entertainment, history, music, stories and presentation celebrating the Taiwan National Holiday presented by the Austin Chapter of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. FREE. AARC Ballroom, Community Room 8. November 01, Saturday, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM, AARC Community Art Exhibit – Artists’ Reception - A special reception for the new AARC Community Art Exhibit including the exhibits: “Dream Image of My Asian Home: Taiwan” presented by the Austin Chapter of the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce with works by Peter Chung, Barbara Hsieh, Steven Ng and Thomas You; “Taiwan: From the Outside Looking In” featuring photographs by Kelly Zhu; and “A Viewing” featuring sculptures by Roger Foster. Refreshments provided. FREE. AARC Ballroom, Foyer, Conference Room and Hallways. November 01, Saturday, 04:00 PM, Diwali Fest by Austin Tamil Sangam is at C.D. Fulkes Middle School, 400 W Anderson Ave., Round Rock , TX 78681. November 01, Saturday, 05:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Austin Hindu Temple proudly presents “Karsh Kale - Live in concert” at Hyatt Regency, 208 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704. November 08, Saturday, 04:00 PM, Austin Marathi Mandal will be celebrating Diwali with Fun, Food and “Tak-DhinaDhin”, our unique Bollywood and Indian Dance Competition at CD Fulkes Middle School, 300 W. Anderson Ave, Round Rock, TX. More than 70 dancers from age 5 to 65 from all over Austin are ready to exhibit their dance skills, compete and have fun! Dancers will be performing all

dance styles and forms including Classical/Bharatnatyam/Kathak, Bollywood, Folk Dances and Fusion. Exciting part of this competition is that we have participation from various language groups and all diverse communities in Austin. Please purchase ‘event tickets’ through this link: http://events.sulekha.com/deepotsav2014-tak-dhina-dhin_event-in_roundrock-tx_296991 Please also note these RSVP discounted entry ticket rates are valid till Nov 2, 2014. After that rates will go up! For details visit: www.austinmarathimandal.org November 09, Sunday, 11:00 AM - 02:30 PM, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Divas Gurpurabh will be celebrated at Austin Gurudwara. There will be Sweets, snacks, Tea and Langhar sewa. The program will start with Keertan by Children then by Bhai Sahib Jatha. The Ardas and Karah Prasad follow the Keertan. Many classical Ragas Shabads and of course some popular tunes will be included. November 09, Sunday, 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM, Children’s Musical Workshop: Traditional Chinese Instruments - Kids of all ages invited to enjoy a short performance and then come up on stage! Featuring Guzheng, Pipa, Guqin, Hulusi, and the traditional Chinese drum. Audience members invited to participate in this uniquely Asian musical petting zoo. Featuring the Austin Chinese Chamber Orchestra, Austin Peking Opera Club and Winlanes Education. FREE. AARC Ballroom. November 14, Friday, 07:00 PM, Austin Children Give Back is at Marigold Austin, 2200 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704. A tradition started in 2013 by a young philanthropist, Aman is now being embraced by a few of his little friends, Jovan, Mahiti, Viveka and others who together have committed to raise over a thousand dollars for Easter Seals Central Texas. Easter Seals provides quality services to children and adults with disabilities. November 17, Monday,

06:00 PM - 09:30 PM, “Kano” film screening and Q&A with director Umin Boya - This film, which was a blockbuster success in Taiwan in 2014, depicts the multi-racial Kano baseball team from southern Taiwan overcoming extreme odds to represent the island in the 1931 Japanese High School Baseball Championship at Koshien Stadium when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. FREE. AARC Ballroom. November 15, Saturday, 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM, Master Shao Jing Qun Guzheng Studio Annual Concert - Classic and modern Guzheng music presented by Master Shao Jing Qun and her students – featured solo, duet, quartet and ensemble. The Guzheng, or “Oriental piano” is a treasured Chinese musical instrument. FREE. AARC Ballroom. Throughout November | Online enrollment open: Austin Community College English as a Second Language (ESL). Enroll now for FREE ESL classes. Information and Testing Sessions begin in December. Most classes begin the week of January 19, 2015. You must apply online at http://www.austincc.edu/abe/ to make an appointment for the next Information Session and Testing. Call ACC’s Adult Education Admissions Desk at 512.223.5123 for details and assistance. If you’re interested in taking classes at AARC remember to ask for the AARC during registration. November 22, Saturday, 06:00 PM, NetIP Austin Bollywood Trivia Night 2014 is at Claypit, 1601 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701. Celebrate the holidays with a night of awesome Bollywood quizzing, dinner, and music: it’s our annual Bollywood Trivia party. Trivia participants can form into teams of 3-5 either in advance or at the event. Our quiz will test your team’s Bollywood knowledge over a series of rounds. Tickets: $30 for paid members of NetIP Austin, $38 for non-members, $45 at the door, and $20 for kids. Your tickets will include dinner at Clay Pit.

Most South Asian Students who travel 20000 plus miles for studies in Austin feel home sick within the first 30 days of landing. They would love to go some place called home and talk to or spend time with a family.

ADOPT A STUDENT Families interested in creating a ‘Home Away Home’ for these students can email their contact info and we will post it on AustinSouthAsian.com. Interesrted students will contact you directly.

Email: info@Austinsouth Asian.com To Advertise In ASA

512-828-6709 / info@ austinsouthasian.com

Diwali GivingFest 2014

Austin South Asian | November 2014

By Harish Kotesha Hindu Charities for America is bases on two ideas:

ships. As a result of 2013 efforts, $20,000 was awarded to 35 students in Austin area.

• Selfless Giving • Helping those who in need in our communities, when we are enjoying the prosperity that these communities have provided us

Diwali GivingFest 2014, hosted by Manor Independent School District (Becky Lott) and spon-

Since its inception, Hindu Charities has donates school supplies to homeless and other economically disadvantaged children school supplies. Since 2012, both Indian and Jewish community is working together on this effort. While school supplies help, to provide an opportunity to these children to get skills will help then build better lives for themselves and their families, Hindu Charities launched a Memorial Tuition Scholarship program in 2013 where the eligible kids will get $500 to $1,000 scholar-

sored by General Agents Insurance Network (Varsha Grogan), Inchin’s Bamboo Restaurant (Prasad Challa), Skypass Travel (Willie Abraham) & Trinity Texas Realty (Sijo Vaddakan) is in its second year to help raise fund for scholarships. Additionally, this gave opportunity for people to

Family In Need Of Furniture/Household Items

A family is setting up house and is in need of couch(es), dining table and chairs, any kitchen items (pots, pans, utensils, plates, bowl. Please notify, Catherine Jones at Catherine.jones@casatravis. org of resources available.

donate winter coats/blankets to refugees. For the first time ever, Mayor of Manor, Rita Jonse, lit the traditional Diwali Diva. Kevin Brackmeyer, Superintendent of Manor ISD, kicked off the show with a warm welcome. TVAsia, national South Asian TV channel, covered the event, thanks to Seema Govil! Monsoon Dance sponsored American Sitara, a singing competition to bring out local Indian talent, was coordinated by Vaishali Tendolkar! The final round winners are: Group: 8-18: Harveen Kaur and Megan Varghese, Group: 19-39: Soujanya Murthy and final Group 40+: Balaji Tamirisa! Please congratulate this talent! Stage performances, organized by Shruti Anand, included Bollywood singing by Manali Matkar, Bharathanatyam by students of

Divyathrayam School of Dance (Divya Shankar), “Art of Giving” original Play by Pramod Patil, high energy dance by Monsoon Dance (Shruti Ananad), and Antariksha - Space Within

Including this fundraiser, we expect the total donation toward scholarships to be $25,000 to $30,000 this year - we are sure the recipients of scholarships will appreciate your generosity.

– Natyalya School of Dance (Vinitha Subramanian). Booths were also available to purchase Indian fashions and also show case some of the services provided by Indian entrepreneurs. Sandhay Alluri gave her time selflessly to do henna. Adam’s Canopy Service provided the stage, selflessly! For second year, Inchin’s Bamboo Restaurant had food for purchase. This included proceeds from Di-

We thank our media partners Bollywood Showtime, Austin South Asian, WOBEON, TODOAustin, Epoch Time and TVAsia to help us make the event more complete. Event pictures are found at Hindu Charities for America face book page. Photos by: Tiru Galleries, Ashea Photography & Trupti Samant Photography Harish Kotecha, Founder, Hindu Charities for America

New MRI Scan To Help Protect Speech Centres During Brain Surgeries A study that appeared in the brain function journal NeuroImage revealed a new approach used by researchers to identify brain areas

and production. Researchers at the Medical University of VIENNA revealed how

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resonance imaging (MRI) allows better diagnosis of these language centres in the brain compared to clinical MRI scanners. As reported by the Austria Press AGENCY, Roland Beisteiner from the Department of Neurology as said that the new MRI approach was extremely sensitive and was able to identify even very weak signals in the brain that would otherwise be missed by clinical MRI.

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This better diagnosis could be very crucial for future brain operations in that the language centres could be better-protected during invasive surgeries that could otherwise lead to loss of speech faculty, Xinhua reported.

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

8 Ways To Manage High Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a health problem that plagues many. There are common misconceptions with managing cholesterol that may surprise you, but there are also easy ways to manage it. Get your cholesterol back to normal with these tips: 1. High cholesterol in your blood is not the same thing as high cholesterol in your diet.

drinks and adding sugars to foods. An excess of empty calories can lead to all of the ailments that we know DIETS high in sugar and fat lead to, including high cholesterol. How do you avoid empty calories? Eat whole foods. A good way to

Contrary to popular belief cholesterol in the DIET, is not related to high cholesterol levels when you get your blood results back. More likely, excessive empty calories and excess amounts of fat and sugar in your DIET, are attributed to your high cholesterol. Eggs and red meat in moderation are okay, these types of foods in the DIET should not increase a person’s cholesterol unless eaten in excess. 2. Too much sugar is as bad as too much fat. We have known for a long time that too much sugar can lead to diseases such as obesity and DIABETES. But did you know that it can also lead to heart conditions, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels? Most excess calories in the diet, which often come from an excess of fats and sugars in the diet, turn into fat on the body. An excess of fat mass on the human body can lead to such conditions as high cholesterol. By limiting excess sugar in your diet you will reduce your chance for elevated cholesterol levels and lower your body fat.

easy to get too much of this fat. Likewise, polyunsaturated fat is found in oils and nuts.

a “low-carb” dietary guidelines would lower cholesterol related labs even further.

Too much polyunsaturated fat in the DIET can have inflammatory effects. Conversely, monounsaturated fats can have anti-inflammatory effects in the DIET.

7. Have regularly spaced, balanced meals.

For a healthy and balanced DIET, include all fats, but make sure to get the healthy monounsaturated fats from foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocado. 5. As always — make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.

make sure that you are doing this is by buying your own groceries and cooking your own food! If you are traveling, working and feel pressed for time, at the very least, pay attention to the foods that you are eating. A good rule is, how many steps of processing did that food item need to go through before it got to that deli counter? Can you tell that it used to once be a plant or animal? With most packaged foods y. When eating out it’s best to stick to meals CONTAINING meats, fruit and vegetables. The fewer ingredients the better. 4. Good Fats v. Bad Fats

3. Watch empty calories.

What’s the difference between a good fat and a bad fat? The truth is, we need some fat in our DIET. Saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats all have a place in our diets.

Empty calories come from foods that contain no nutrients other than fats and sugars. The words empty calories usually refer to processed foods like cookies, chips, ice cream, soda, sweet

However, it is possible to get too much of certain fats. Saturated fat is abundant in the average American diet because it is in a lot of our staple foods – meats, dairy products and baked goods. It is

This is a good rule of thumb even if you don’t have high cholesterol. People who eat diets high in fiber are less likely to develop high cholesterol. Why? Fiber acts as a binding agent in the intestines so that less cholesterol is absorbed through the digestive tract. Fiber keeps people full for longer periods of time because it does not get digested (fiber forms the bulk of our stools). This means that a diet high in fiber will lower cravings for other foods. Similarly, if one is eating a lot of fiber, they are likely eating fewer foods that are high in calories, such as processed foods. 6. Do not overdo the carbohydrates. This is another overabundance problem. With large farms, industrialization and processed foods, the availability of foods that are high in carbohydrates has increased over the last 100 years. The average American eats 23 servings of carbohydrates daily, which is well above the USDA recommendations of 9 – 11 servings per day. Some studies would suggest that going below the USDA recommendations to meet

Regularly spaced and balanced meals helps to regulate appetite and metabolism. What you may not know, is that having frequent meals is actually good for weight loss and maintaining regular blood sugar and cholesterol levels. When a person is skipping meals, their body will switch into “fasting mode.” In fasting mode, the human body more readily holds onto their fat stores, making it even tougher to LOSE WEIGHT and thus tougher to bring down an elevated cholesterol to normal levels. Eat small, frequent and balanced meals to get your metabolism working at it’s best.

8. Exercise! No healthy diet or healthy lifestyle is complete without exercise. Above all recommendations, exercise helps to maintain a healthy level of body fat. A sedentary lifestyle is more likely to increase fat stores because people who are not MOVING are not burning as many calories as those that are. Also, people with increased muscle mass burn more calories to maintain that muscle mass. A person who is more toned is already burning more calories than someone who is not as toned. Hit the gym to burn calories and increase your muscle tone! And most of all to manage and prevent any medical conditions, such as high cholesterol.

The Newest Employees At Lowe’s Hardware Store: Robots

The robots are coming. Lowe’s is testing whether new bots on wheels can improve its customer service, like helping a shopper find a match for something as simple as a nail. Four robots are being tested in an Orchard Supply Hardware store owned by Lowe’s Companies Inc. in San Jose, California. The robots, dubbed OSHbots, look like white columns with two large black screens on either side of them, and wheels to help them move. They are equipped with 3D cameras so they can scan and identify items. And customers can research items they want to buy on their screens. Then the robot can lead them to the aisle where an item is located. “They’re based on making a science fiction story a reality,” said

Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Lab. The robots also have a database of what inventory is in stock at the store, so they can let customers know if something is out of stock or not. “People can come in with a random screw and say, Mr. Robot, I need more of these, and if we do have it in the store, they can find it,” Nel said. The robots can speak in English and Spanish. Lowe’s started working with Fellow Robots, a technology company in Silicon Valley, in November to develop the robots. The cost of the project is undisclosed. Lowe’s has been working on infusing more technology into its customer service. It has also developed a “holoroom” that can let shoppers see what different pieces of furniture look like in different ROOMS in a virtual-reality environment.

Chimpanzees Plan Their Breakfast Time

Wild chimpanzees flexibly plan when and where they will have breakfast after weighing multiple factors, such as the time of day and the type of food to be eaten, research shows.

Chimpanzees even take dangerous RISKS to reach their breakfast sites as planned. They leave their nest earlier – and often in the dark when leopards are more likely to attack – for the

fruits in order to arrive before others, especially when the breakfast sites are far away, the researchers found. “It was thrilling to see chimpanzee mums and their young care-

fully treading the forest floor during twilight, behaving skittish and on guard while MOVING towards their early morning breakfast figs,” said Karline Janmaat from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in

Leipzig, Germany,

“One fifth of these mornings they left before sunrise and the rest of the forest seemed sound asleep,” Janmaat added. For the study, the researchers recorded when and where five adult female chimpanzees spent the night and acquired food for a total of 275 full days during three fruit-scarce periods in the westAfrican Taï National Park in Côte d’Ivoire. The results reveal a cognitive mechanism by which largebrained primates can buffer the effects of seasonal declines in food availability and increased inter-specific competition to facilitate first access to nutritious food. The study appeared in the JOURNAL Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

U.S. Government Sues At&T For Promising Unlimited Data But Slowing Speeds WASHINGTON (Reuters)

said.

The U.S. government filed a lawsuit against AT&T Inc, alleging the No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier sold consumers unlimited data plans but would slow their Internet down once they used a certain amount of data.

AT&T says on its support website that people who have legacy unlimited data plans can experience data slowdowns once they exceed certain limits.

The Federal Trade Commission, which filed the lawsuit, said that this “throttling” of Internet feeds was deceptive and said that in some cases the data speeds were slowed by nearly 90 percent. AT&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than 3.5 million customers had their Internet speeds slowed more than 25 million times because of AT&T’s practice, which began in October 2011, the FTC

Customers with a 3G smartphone will experience slowdowns after using 3 gigabytes of data in a month while those with 4G LTE smartphones can use 5 gigabytes before hitting potential slowdowns. Those who dislike the slower in-

ternet once they hit their limit are told that they can use Wi-Fi or switch to a different AT&T plan, AT&T says on its web site. AT&T shares fell briefly on the news but rebounded to be up about 0.4 percent in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange, trailing gains in the broader market. The case is in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is Federal Trade Commission v. AT&T Mobility, LLC.

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Austin South Asian | November 2014

Frindship and other Poems By Arun Sunderraj FRIENDSHIP Parents, siblings are pals greatest As kith and kin in fact For lineage continuity. Friendship is unknowingly evolved No status, no creed, no caste, with only the amity. The bond so strong to last for eternity. All needs a pal to share the joy in delight At times a shoulder to cry on and to comfort In this fraternity.

shine In bright sun shine praying for the rain. For our convenience we keep yearning for moderation And always expect an ideal situation But nature has its own calculation. Life is not long enough to waste Longing for what we have not But to love to live with all that We have in the allotted slot PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

More often than not one forgets to share the bliss With those who shared the sorrows when in distress In this life full of uncertainty.

Whether sweet or not Tears roll out from the memories past! Tears from the eyes? No, not! They are from the heart!!

But a friend will never mind And always available in need. Whether the life goes upward or downward And even if all sets you aside A true friend indeed is always beside.

Whether bright or not When you think of the future You will end up in fright Since what in store Is a closely guarded secret!!

WHY? If whispers can communicate Why to shout? (Shout not) If trust keeps one truthful Why to doubt? (Doubt not) If every moment is precious Why to waste? (Waste not) If death is inevitable Why to grieve? (Grieve not) If smile can spread happiness Why to frown? (Frown not) If life is to exist Why to slit? (Slit not) WASTE NOT In hot summer longing for cool winter In cool winter desiring for warm summer In rain craving for bright sun

But fritter not the present Being not certain of even the next moment!! Dream to make it a reality As if you live for eternity! THE MOTHER The epitome of love and sacrifice - the mother, One should not take her for granted nor ignore her ever. But most of us do it, only to repent later. Though it pains, silently she does endure. She continuously pours Affection and care. When something we lose, Only then we realize How much it was precious. Many things can be replaced by one thing or the other But never ever one’s mother.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

15 Amazing Scientific Reasons Behind Hindu Traditions

1. Joining Both Palms Together To Greet In Hindu culture, people greet each other by joining their palms – termed as “Namaskar.” The general reason behind this tradition is that greeting by joining both the palms means respect. However, scientifically speaking, joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which are denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time. And, no germs since we don’t make any physical contact!

2. Why Do Indian Women Wear Toe Ring Wearing toe rings is not just the significance of married women but there is science behind it. Normally toe rings are worn on the second toe. A particular nerve from the second toe connects the uterus and passes to heart. Wearing toe ring on this finger strengthens the uterus. It will keep it healthy by regulating the blood flow to it and menstrual cycle will be regularized. As Silver is a good conductor, it also absorbs polar energies from the earth and passes it to the body. 3. Throwing Coins Into A River The general reasoning given for this act is that it brings Good Luck. However, scientifically speaking, in the ancient times, most of the currency used was made of copper unlike the stainless steel coins of today. Copper is a vital metal very useful to the human body. Throwing coins in the river was one way our forefathers ensured we intake sufficient copper as part of the water as rivers were the only source of drinking water. Making it a custom ensured that all of us follow the practice. 4. Applying Tilak/KumKum On The Forehead On the forehead, between the two eyebrows, is a spot that is considered as a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. The Tilak is believed to prevent

the loss of “energy”, the red ‘kumkum’ between the eyebrows is said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. While applying kumkum the points on the mid-brow region and Adnyachakra are automatically pressed.

5. Why Do Temples Have Bells People who are visiting the temple should and will Ring the bell before entering the inner sanctum (Garbhagudi or Garbha Gruha or womb-chamber) where the main idol is placed. According to Agama Sastra, the bell is used to give sound for keeping evil forces away and the ring of the bell is pleasant to God. However, the scientific reason behind bells is that their ring clears our mind and helps us stay sharp and keep our full concentration on devotional purpose. These bells are made in such a way that when they produce a sound it creates a unity in the Left and Right parts of our brains. The moment we ring the bell, it produces a sharp and enduring sound which lasts for minimum of 7 seconds in echo mode. The duration of echo is good enough to activate all the seven healing centres in our body. This results in emptying our brain from all negative thoughts. 6. Why We Start With Spice & End With Sweet: Our ancestors have stressed on the fact that our meals should be started off with something spicy and sweet dishes should be taken towards the end. The significance of this eating practice is that while spicy things activate the digestive juices and acids and ensure that the digestion process goes on smoothly and efficiently, sweets or carbohydrates pulls down the digestive process. Hence, sweets were always recommended to be taken as a last item. 7. Why Do We Applying Mehendi On The Hand And Feet Besides lending color to the hands, mehndi is a very powerful medicinal herb. Weddings are stressful, and often, the stress causes headaches and fevers. As

the wedding day approaches, the excitement mixed with nervous anticipation can take its toll on the bride and groom. Application of mehndi can prevent too much stress because it cools the body and keeps the nerves from becoming tense. This is the reason why mehndi is applied on the hands and feet, which house nerve endings in the body.

power of thinking and decision making faculties. Talkativeness fritters away life energy. Ear piercing helps in speech-restraint. It helps to reduce impertinent behavior and the ear-channels become free from disorders. This idea appeals to the Western world as well, and so they are getting their ears pierced to wear fancy earrings as a mark of fashion.

8Sitting On The Floor & Eating This tradition is not just about sitting on floor and eating, it is regarding sitting in the “Sukhasan” position and then eating. Sukhasan is the position we normally use for Yoga asanas. When you sit on the floor, you usually sit cross legged – In sukhasana or a half padmasana (half lotus), which are poses that instantly bring a sense of calm and help in digestion, it is believed to automatically trigger the signals to your brain to prepare the stomach for digestion.

11. Surya Namaskar Hindus have a tradition of paying regards to Sun God early in the morning by their water offering ritual. It was mainly because looking at Sun rays through water or directly at that time of the day is good for eyes and also by waking up to follow this routine, we become prone to a morning lifestyle and mornings are proven to be the most effective part of the day. 12. Choti On The Male Head Sushrut rishi, the foremost surgeon of Ayurveda, describes the master sensitive spot on the head as Adhipati Marma, where there is a nexus of all nerves. The shikha protects this spot. Below, in the brain, occurs the Brahmarandhra, where the sushumnã (nerve) arrives from the lower part of the body. In Yog, Brahmarandhra is the highest, seventh chakra, with the thousand-petalled lotus. It is the centre of wisdom. The knotted shikhã helps boost this centre and conserve its subtle energy known as ojas. 13. Why Do We Fast The underlying principle behind fasting is to be found in Ayurveda. This ancient Indian medical system sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected. A complete fast is good for heath, and the occasional intake of warm lemon juice during the period of fasting prevents the flatulence. Since the human body, as explained by Ayurveda, is composed of 80% liquid and 20% solid, like the earth, the gravita-

9.Why You Should Not To Sleep With Your Head Towards North Myth is that it invites ghost or death but science says that it is because human body has its own magnetic field (Also known as hearts magnetic field, because the flow of blood) and Earth is a giant magnet. When we sleep with head towards north, our body’s magnetic field become completely asymmetrical to the Earth’s Magnetic field. That cause problems related to blood pressure and our heart needs to work harder in order to overcome this asymmetry of Magnetic fields. Apart from this another reason is that Our body have significant amount of iron in our blood. When we sleep in this position, iron from the whole body starts to congregate in brain. This can cause headache, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cognitive Decline, Parkinson disease and brain degeneration. 10. Why We Pierce Ear Piercing the ears has a great importance in Indian ethos. Indian physicians and philosophers believe that piercing the ears helps in the development of intellect,

tional force of the moon affects the fluid contents of the body. It causes emotional imbalances in the body, making some people tense, irritable and violent. Fasting acts as antidote, for it lowers the acid content in the body which helps people to retain their sanity. Research suggests there are major health benefits to caloric restriction like reduced risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, immune disorders etc. 14.The Scientific Explanation Of Touching Feet Usually, the person of whose feet you are touching is either old or pious. When they accept your respect which came from your reduced ego (and is called your shraddha) their hearts emit positive thoughts and energy (which is called their karuna) which reaches you through their hands and toes. In essence, the completed circuit enables flow of energy and increases cosmic energy, switching on a quick connect between two minds and hearts. To an extent, the same is achieved through handshakes and hugs. The nerves that start from our brain spread across all your body. These nerves or wires end in the fingertips of your hand and feet. When you join the fingertips of your hand to those of their opposite feet, a circuit is immediately formed and the energies of two bodies are connected. Your fingers and palms become the ‘receptor’ of energy and the feet of other person become the ‘giver’ of energy. 15. Why Married Women Apply Sindoor Or Vermillion It is interesting to note that that the application of sindoor by married women carries a physiological significance. This is so because Sindoor is prepared by mixing turmeric-lime and the metal mercury. Due to its intrinsic properties, mercury, besides controlling blood pressure also activates sexual drive. This also explains why Sindoor is prohibited for the widows. Mercury is also known for removing stress and strain.

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Akshay Kumar Talks Luck, Fate & Destiny

Akshay Explains How He Got His Big Film Break After Missing A Flight

the say, the rest is history. The star has credited fate for

It seems international superstar Akshay Kumar’s fate has always been written in the stars – Akshay has recently revealed that he got his big break in the film industry after missing a flight to a modelling assignment, after he thought the flight was at 6pm when it was in fact, at 6am.

Since then, he has supported thousands of people as a sign of his gratitude, including making charitable donations to the Tata Memorial Centre.

A distraught Akshay was walking past Nataraj Studios in tears after missing his flight and was quickly noticed by a make-up artist who saw some pictures Akshay was carrying of himself.

This year, he also launched and opened his Martial Arts Institute for women in Mumbai,

The make-up artist called him inside the studios, handed Akshay a cheque for five thousand rupees and exclaimed “Son. I want to make a film with you” – and as

Mom’s The Word For Lisa Haydon, Katrina Kaif Lisa Haydon uses her mother’s last name instead of her father’s family name Lisa Haydon, who is born to an

causing him to miss the flight and acknowledged that if it was not for this, he may have never got his first film opportunity.

allowed independent passports, I shared my mom’s passport. That’s how I got my mom’s last name. She is an Australian while dad is a South Indian and he goes

to enable them to learn the discipline of Martial Arts and ensure that they are well trained to defend themselves. Akshay Kumar will next be seen on our screens in the adventurecomedy film ‘The Shaukeens’. The film, out on November 7th 2014, is a remake of Basu Chatterjee’s 1982 comedy ‘Shaukeen’ and is directed by Abhishek Sharma of Tere Bin Laden fame. The adventure tale follows three middle-aged men, played by Annu Kapoor, Piyush Mishra and Anupam Kher, who venture on a trip to Bangkok, where they meet the sizzling hot Lisa Haydon. The ever-versatile Akshay Kumar makes a cameo appearance as himself in the feel-good film.

When Aamir Khan Changed 14 Costumes In The Two And Half Minute ‘PK’ Teaser!

Aamir Khan released the much awaited teaser for his film PK on October 23. While the teaser did not give away the plot of the film, it created an element of intrigue and mystery. But if you closely notice the trailer, another thing might surprise you. Aamir Khan has changed around 14 costumes in the entire trailer.

Amitabh Bachchan And Rajinikanth To Join Hands!

The two legends of Indian cinema are likely to join hands to honour another icon of Sandalwood. These two actors are expected to grace the inaugural ceremony of

mootty and Mohanlal from Malayalam cinema and Chiranjeevi from Tollywood, will grace this occasion. Also, yesteryear actress Saroja

Barring his nude shot in the end, the entire two minute something teaser video captures Aamir Khan and his myriad emotions along with his different costumes as well. From a policeman to a bandwaala, from a green kurta to a colourful SHIRT, Aamir Khan has worn it all.

Australian mother and South Indian father, recently let us in on a less-known fact. The sultry, lissome model-turnedactress says that soon after her birth, the family migrated to Australia. “Since infants are not

with the name Venkat,” she says. Katrina Kaif uses the name Turquotte in some official documents. This is her mother Suzanne’s family name. Sanjay Leela Bhansali prefers to use his mother’s name as his middle name.

Dr. Rajkumar’s memorial at Bangalore, on November 29.

Devi will also join the celebrations as a special guest.

The Karnataka government is said to have invited several biggies from the film industry like Amitabh Bachchan from Bollywood, Superstar Rajinikanth from the Tamil industry, Mam-

The inauguration of the memorial will be followed by a grand cultural event. Several Sandalwood celebrities are also expected to be a part of this grand event.

We guess the PK team have been instrumental in making sure Aamir and his appearance in the teaser precedes over the plot of the film, which still remains a mystery!

Austin South Asian | November 2014

Fastest Films To Cross Rs 100 Crore Hurdle Kaththi Nearing 100 Crore Mark

Washington: Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone starrer has made the biggest weekend opening ever with Rs. 108.86 crores (17.8 million dollars), beating the

high bear set by Aamir Khan’s

‘Dhoom 3,’ which had earned Rs. 107.61 crores (17.6 million dollars) in India. Globally, the Red Chillies En-

tertainment production, which

was helmed by Farah Khan, has taken$1.41 million dollars so far, which only covers the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, and doesn’t represent all screens, Deadline.com reported.

Having survived the alleged link up rumours and with the constant

focus on their personal lives, this couple prove that their marriage is rock solid. In spite of their different religious backgrounds or the pressure of stardom, their marriage has survived it all.

In fact, his one-woman man image and charisma makes him irresistible to women.

In spite of being one of the most successful actors of the Indian film industry and the second richest actor in the world, Shah Rukh Khan makes time for his family and is extremely protective about them. He is the loving and faithful husband who is always there when his wife needs him. He is also a doting father who makes sure that his children get all his love and attention and makes sure that they stay away from unnecessary media attention. In fact, in a recent interview to Hindustan Times, Gauri said that SRK is the perfect father and their youngest son AbRam is the centre

end. Having shown an amazing response from the audience and by collecting 71.05 crores totally, ‘Kaththi’ is expected to cross the 100 crore mark in a few days. Even though “Kaththi” has succeeded to overtake the collections of “Poojai” in key overseas markets like the UK, Australia and the US, the film could not beat the collections made by “Happy New Year”. In such centres, the Shah Rukh starrer is ruling in more number of screens, recording fantastic collections.In the Tamil cinema history, only three movies – “Sivaji”, “Enthiran” and “Thuppakki” have reached the mark and the big question now is whether Ilayathalapathy’s film will cross the mark.

The film, which was also released in North America, the UAE, the Netherlands, Kuwait and Pakistan, is yet to break the 3.43 million dollars opening record by ‘Dhoom 3,’ and to make it in the Top Ten, would have to beat Dracula Untold’s three-day estimate of 4.29 million dollars. The action comedy centers on group of six people, who plan to pull off a diamond heist, by fake participating in a dance competition.

centers is all set to cross 100 crore mark in worldwide collection in a few days from now.

of their universe.

A.R.Murugadoss Comes Up With An Interesting Idea For His Next Movie

What Makes Shah Rukh Khan-Gauri The Perfect Couple

Shahrukh Khan and Gauri’s love story often serves as an example to other B-town couples that marriages are truly made in heaven.

Chennai, Oct 30 (TruthDive): Vijay’s “Kaththi” showing a stupendous run at the box OFFICE

They are a very close knit family and SRK has family value imbibed in him since he was a child. He was always very close to both his parents. Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri have a simple yet beautiful love story. While SRK got enchanted by her beauty, Gauri fell for Shah Rukh’s wit, confidence and his good nature.

The action entertainer, featuring Vijay and Samantha in lead roles, has garnered 47.7 crore in India and 23.35 crore in overseas MARKET in the opening week-

After Kaththi’s huge success, ace director A.R.Murugadoss, is all set to commence his next film in Hindi with Sonakshi Sinha in the lead, from December onwards.

the lead.

Sonakshi can be expected to play the lead role made memorable by Arul in 2011. That’s an interesting thought indeed.

Though they were in love with each other and wanted to marry, SRK had a tough time in convincing her parents. Since they were both from different religious backgrounds- she was a Hindu Brahmin and SRK was a Muslim, they reportedly faced resistance from Gauri’s family. If religion was not the only challenge, SRK was young and not settled in life. Hence, they had to face several hurdles before they could get their parents blessings and tie the knot on October 25, 1991. They had a Hindu marriage ceremony. It was the love and commitment for each other that helped them to realise their dream.

We also hear that the necessary remake rights h a v e b e e n p r o cured.

It is said that this movie would be a remake of the noted Tamil thriller Mounaguru, directed by Santha Kumar with Arulnidhi in

mation in this regard.

N o w let’s wait for an official confir-

Austin South Asian | November 2014

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Austin South Asian | November 2014