14 minute read
Home Upgrade Entertainment.........26,27
25 Austin South Asian | August 2022 Surprising Home Upgrade Ideas
Not all great things come in big packages, and home upgrades are an example of the truth in this wisdom. Unexpected, smaller spaces may not get the same attention as high-traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms and living areas, but their impact can be just as powerful.Get inspired to make improvements to the lesser-used areas of your home with these tips from the home decorating experts at Wellborn Cabinet, Inc.:
Entryway It’s the impression that welcomes guests into your home, so even if the space is small, your entryway warrants some TLC. Focus on making it open and inviting by removing any unnecessary furnishings. Some functional storage, like a bench with integrated coat hooks, can serve a practical purpose, and if you have the space, some built-in cabinetry with an eye-catching countertop can incorporate stylish storage.
Laundry Room Getting motivated to do chores like laundry is easy when you have a beautiful setting for getting to work. Introducing pops of color in nontraditional places, like the cabinetry, adds a high-end elegance. Water-inspired and earthy hues like Midtown Matte Tidewater or Arcadia Chiffon Cypress are perfect for the laundry space. Both are options in Wellborn Cabinet, Inc.’s Aspire Series, which features concealed hinges with selfclose functionality and matching interiors
for a high-class look, even when the doors are open for business.
Closet A cluttered closet may not be the first thing a guest notices, but it’s a space you visit daily. Improving the organizational features can streamline your morning routine and put you in a more positive frame of mind to start each day. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to closet design, but using cabinetry in place of open shelving and rods lends a more luxurious feel. Plan for adequate hanging and closed storage, and if space allows, be sure to plan for shoes and accessories since these items can easily contribute to a closet’s disarray.
Mini Bar If you fear you don’t have room for a mini bar, you may be surprised. Reimagining a larder cabinet, like the ones Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. offers in 30-, 33-, 36- and 42-inch widths, can create an instant bar out of just about any wall space where you can fit a cabinet. Install it as a coffee bar or traditional bar, or add the optional Appliance Pullout shelf for more versatility.
Pantry Guests may not find themselves in your pantry very often, but you likely use this space every day. Transform your pantry for heightened utility in simple ways like using clear plastic bins for small boxed foods or stylish wicker baskets to hide away snacks. For a more permanent solution, take advantage of unused space on the back of the pantry door
University Of Houston Professor Kaushik Rajashekara Named Global Energy Prize Laureate
(Continued From Page 20)
“When I received the e-mail about my selection, I could not believe it for a moment. This award definitely shows the importance of energy efficiency improvement and reducing emissions, particularly in the area of transportation, which is responsible for a significant portion of global emissions,” Raja said.
His awards are many. He has published more than 250 articles in international journals and conference proceedings, co-authored one book with IEEE Press, and has written six monographs and individual chapters for eight books.
He was elected a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2012, the Indian National Academy of Engineering in 2013 and the China National Academy of Engineering in 2021 for his contribution to development of the power conversion systems in transportation. ronmental and Safety Technologies (2021), the Richard Kaufman Award (2013) and several other prestigious awards.
“The Global Energy Prize is reserved for the best of the best in energy, and Professor Rajashekara is certainly that,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, UH chief energy officer. “Since joining the University of Houston in 2016, Raja’s vast knowledge and incredible research output has been instrumental in strengthening the intellectual base at UH and our strategic partnerships with the energy industry.”
Amazing Journey
Rajashekara’s history of becoming a giant in his field is even more impressive than his innumerable accolades. As a little boy growing up in a village in India with his parents and two brothers, he lived in a one room lean-to that he said was smaller than the office he now occupies at UH. He read by kerosene lamplight and though neither of his parents were educated, his mother was determined that her children would do better and be the best at whatever they pursued.
High school came to his village in time for him to attend. He cobbled together scraps of paper, gluing them to do his homework.
His biggest challenge was money. In today’s dollars, the salary his father made per month would equal about $1.75. But his circumstance held neither he nor his siblings back. One, like him, is an engineer and the other is a doctor. An innate and unrelenting will to achieve was borne in the Rajashekara family.
Coming from such humble beginnings, Rajashekara says he is proud of his role in convincing a skeptical society that electric cars could become reality.
But he says he’s proudest of his ability to help students, colleagues and friends succeed. “To help them succeed in their lives and professions is what I want to see,” he said. with thin shelves for items like seasoning packets and smaller canned goods.
Guest Bathroom Swapping out a tired vanity and countertop is a relatively affordable upgrade that can completely change the style of a secondary bathroom. Be sure to also update the fixtures for a more contemporary look and, if budget allows, replace the flooring. Finish the project with a fresh coat of paint in a light, airy shade and add new textiles and a few decorative touches to complete the job.
Find more ideas for updating unexpected spaces in your home at Wellborn.com.
Hideaway Storage Spaces One feature that enhances virtually any space is more storage. Having convenient places to tuck away all your stuff makes rooms feel more open and inviting. Hidden storage solutions are often better because you can enjoy the functionality they add to the space without interrupting your design aesthetic.
Here are some clever ideas for keeping necessary items tucked out of sight but within easy reach:
Built-in Step Stool: If you love the look of tall cabinets but struggle to reach the top shelves, a practical addition is a hidden step ladder in a pullout caddy. Specially designed ladders that fold down extra narrow and feature nonslip rubber treads make this a handy addition you’ll reach for again and again.
Paper Towel Pullout: Keep paper towels hidden but close by hiding them in a pullout cabinet such as Wellborn Cabinet Inc.’s 12-inch-wide model, which features a builtin paper towel holder and bottom shelf ideal for organizing cleaning products. There’s also a space behind the paper towels that’s perfect for storing sponges and other kitchen supplies.
Drawer Dividers: While you can find many after-market options to organize the insides of your drawers and cabinets, choosing organizers designed to work seamlessly with your cabinetry creates a more polished look (and saves the headaches of measuring and guesstimating the fit). Tray dividers are useful for sorting cookie sheets and baking pans, while you can find dividers in a variety of heights to match drawers below the oven or where you store your cutlery. Another option that serves a similar purpose is pegs, which keep fragile items from shifting when drawers are opened or closed. (Family Features)
26 Austin South Asian | August 2022 Sharmila Tagore Relives Her Memorable Moments With Rajesh Khanna
“Pushpa, I Hate Tears” and so true for late superstar Rajesh Khanna, he hated tears till his death.
He may have gone but this iconic dialogue from his 1972 movie ‘Amar Prem’ always remained with his fans.
Moreover, who can forget the beautiful chemistry of late superstar and Sharmila Tagore in the 1969 movie ‘Aradhana’.
And there are many such movies in which the powerful chemistry between the two was loved by fans. They have worked together in over 10 films.
On Rajesh Khanna’s 10th death anniversary, Sharmila shares her personal experiences and insights about the legend in the audiobook ‘Rajesh Khanna: Ek Tanha Sitara’. He died on July 18, 2012. Rajesh Khanna made his debut in 1966 with ‘Aakhri Khat’.
He later worked in movies such as ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’, ‘Mehboob more.
Sharmila mentions that women came out in droves to see him. She says: “There was a long queue of women from nine to ninety outside
Ki Mehendi’, ‘Anand’ and many the studio where we worked. The hysteria was unprecedented.
Sharmila also mentions: “He (Rajesh Khanna) probably didn’t have the attributes that are normally associated with a hero, what he had was a disarming smile, youthful energy and an innate sense of drama and a well-modulated voice which he used to his fullest advantage.”
She shares what she always remembers about the late actor and adds: “One thing that affected me the most about Kaka (Rajesh Khanna) was him coming late for the shoots. For a 9 am shift, Kaka never reached before 12 pm.”
She further adds why she took the decision to work with other actors:
“That’s why I decided to work with other actors even after knowing that our on-screen pairing was quite successful and loved by audiences.”
The 77-year-old actress further talks about Rajesh Khanna as a person and says that he was full of “contradictions and complexities”.
“Rajesh Khanna was a man full of contradictions and complexities, I have seen him be very generous with his co actors, colleagues and friends showering them with expensive gifts.
Sometimes he even bought them a house but in return, it seems Kaka had great expectations of them, which eventually strained his relations,” she concludes.
‘Rajesh Khanna: Ek Tanha Sitara’ is available on Audible. (Courtesy: https://ahmedabadmirror.com/)
Singer Bhupinder Singh Passes Away At 82
Dil dhoondhta hai phir wohi, fursat ke raat din; baithe rahe tasavvur-ejaana kiye huye
(Once again, the heart’s trying to recover those leisurely days and nights/ Just sitting, thinking and dreaming of the beloved) One of Gulzar’s most memorable love songs owes a great deal to Mirza Ghalib, whose couplet forms
the first line of the song. Gulzar replaced the word ‘Jee’ with ‘Dil’ and expanded the couplet with lyrical dexterity, while Madan Mohan composed it in the honeyed Raag Keervani. Within this near-perfect combination of poetry and melody was Bhupinder Singh’s slightly sluggish, languid voice that moves just a couple of seconds behind the thought.
It was a unique expression, not the kind one had heard from male playback singers of the time.
Singh, who moved millions with this famed ditty, among many others, died of a cardiac arrest on Monday evening. He was 82 and had been in hospital for the last 10 days. Dr Deepak Namjoshi, director, Criticare Asia Hospital, said, “His condition worsened on Monday morning and we had to put him on a ventilator. He got a cardiac arrest and died at 7.45 pm.’’
Born in Amritsar, Singh grew up in Delhi’s West Patel Nagar.
He began his career with All India Radio, Delhi, and Doordarshan. It was at a get-together in Delhi that Madan Mohan heard Singh and asked him to try his luck in the world of film music. He gave Singh his first break with Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey and Talat Mahmood in ‘Haqeeqat’. The song was ‘Hoke majboor mujhe’, which found quite some attention.
He followed it with others such as Do diwane shahar mein, Naam gum jayega, Karoge yaad to, Meethe bol bole, Kisi nazar ko tera intezaar aaj bhi, and Ek akela is shehar mein, Kisi ko mukammal, among others.
In his later years, he also turned to ghazals, performing often with wife and singer Mitali Singh. (Courtesy: https://indianexpress. com/)
Austin South Asian
Editor: Bala Kumar Marketing: Jayachitra Vijay -512-828-6709 Production: Jyothi Mariswaran Admin: Sharada Dayanidhi Publisher: Vidya Kumar Circulation: Vasooda Kumar info@austinsouthasian.com I ©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.
27 Austin South Asian | August 2022 Southern Films Sweep 68th National Film Awards; Suriya, Ajay Devgn Share Best Actor Title
Chennai, July 22 : Director Sudha Kongara’s ‘Soorarai Pottru’, which was partly inspired by events from the life of Captain G.R. Gopinath, founder of India’s first budget airline, swept five National Awards, including those for Best Feature Film, Best Actor and Best Actress at the 68th National Film Awards. The awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday.
Malayalam actress and playback singer Aparna Balamurali, who played the female lead in the film, was named Best Actress, and Suriya, who played the male lead, share the Best Actor honour with Ajay Devgn for Om Raut’s ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’.
‘Tanhaji’ also took home the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
But it was the day of ‘Soorarai Pottru’. It fetched music director and actor G.V. Prakash the Best Background Music award. The award for Best Music Direction (Songs) went to Thaman for the Allu Arjun superhit Telugu film ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramlo’.
‘Soorarai Pottru’, which is now being remade in Hindi, also won the award for Best Screenplay for Shalini Usha Nair and Sudha Kongara. Critically acclaimed Malayalam superhit film ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’ also scored handsomely at the awards, fetching the late Sachidanandan K.R. the Best Director Award. The film also won awards for Best Action Direction and Best Female Playback Singer.
Rajasekhar, Mafia Sasi and Supreme Sundar, who did the stunt direction for the film, will collect the action award. The Best Female Playback Singer award went to Nanchamma.
Biju Menon, who came up with a sterling performance in ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’, got the Best Supporting Actor award.
The Best Supporting Actress went to Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli for her fine performance in Vasanth’s Tamil film ‘Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum’. ‘Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum’ put up a stellar show as well, winning Best Editing, which went to Sreekar Prasad.
The film also won the award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil.
Sandhya Raju won the Award for Best Choreography for the Telugu film ‘Natyam’, which also took home the award for the Best Makeup Artist.
Director Sagar Puranik’s ‘Dollu’, produced by Wadeeyar Movies, got the Best Kannada Feature Film award. Jobin Jayan won the award for Best Location Sound Recordist under the Best Audiography Award for the same film.
The Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director went to Madonne Ashwin for the Tamil film ‘Mandela’. (IANS)
Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt’s ‘Kesariya’ Full Version Sparks A Meme Fest
The makers of the Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer ‘Brahmastra’ heard the pleas of music lovers and released the full version of the ‘ Kesariya’ song from the film recently.
Earlier, only a part of the song was released in April ahead of the wedding of Alia and Ranbir.
However, the song has caught the netizens’ attention for all the wrong reasons.
The listeners are perplexed at the use of the ‘love storiya’ phrase in the song, which sticks out like a sore thumb.
What compounds the audience’s odd listening experience is the fact that the lines have been penned by none other than Amitabh Bhattacharya, the man who is known for his knack of writing unusual lyrics, his songs like ‘Pardesi’, ‘Mast Magan’, ‘Babaji Ki Booti’, ‘Ullu Ka Pattha’, ‘Kalank Title Track and several others serve as testimony to his lyrical prowess and genius. But this time the audience isn’t too pleased with what Bhattacharya has doled out. the experience. ‘Brahmastra’ directed by Ayan Mukerji, is set to drop in theatres on September 9, 2022.
(Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)
To Advertise: 512-828-6709
As soon as the song hit the airwaves, it sparked a meme fest on Instagram and Twitter with many memers pointing out the visible difference before and after the mouthing of ‘love storiya’. tening to the song while the ‘love storiya’ part (Jason Momoa) sneaks up on them to spoil
south versions of ‘Kesariya’ more is because they don’t understand a single word of it. What if those versions of songs have cringe lyrics too?(sic).”
One user posted the famous picture of Jason Momoa sneaking up on Henry Cavill from the ‘Suicide Squad’ premier.
Austin South Asian Invites Contributions From Readers And Community
