India herald 102319

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India Herald

VOL. 25 • NO. 43 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

Diwali mela at Hindu Temple of The Woodlands

University of Houston is opening a new medical school next year. Is there a need for a medical school in Houston? How is this medical school different from others? Will it have any impact on healthcare locally or statewide? Stephen J. Spann, M.D., M.B.A., Founding Dean of the University of Houston’s College of Medicine answered these questions and made a strong case for the new medical school during an open house hosted by India House in Houston on Oct. 16. See Page 5.

Photo by BIJAY DIXIT.

Two Indian Americans enter Congressional race

Around five thousand people, including hundreds of non-Hindus, attended the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Diwali Mela on Saturday, October 19. In keeping with tradition, after dark there were sparklers for children and other fireworks for all to enjoy. On the religious side, there was a fantastic diya (lighted lamp) wall behind the deity, Goddess Lakshmi, just north of the temple.

Story on Page 7.

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By SESHADRI KUMAR Two Indian Americans have now joined the list of potential Republican candidates seeking the party’s nomination for the Congressional District 22 seat held by Pete Olson.

Dan Mathews of Stafford and Bangar Reddy of Sugar Land are the latest names being publicly discussed or “explored” at this time.

Mathews, a chemical engineer by profession, made his intentions to run for the Congressional seat at a candidates networking event hosted by Fort Bend Forum early this week. He plans to kick off his campaign on Sunday at the

Stafford Christian Center.

Mathews says with his candidacy he is bringing “diversity to the GOP.” His agenda is “Stop the radical left, stand with the President and Israel.”

Mathews says he is “a Christian and a true conservative; believes in the importance of family and community and a firm believer in interpreting the constitution as the founders have written them.”

Bangar Reddy has been active in the Indian American community in Houston for the last 25 years and is associated with several community organizations.

See RACE, Page 10

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 3

NEWS

Over $125,000 raised by charity through sports

L to R: Hari Rao , Vasu Parupudi , Kiran Manukonda, Amar Venkat, Jithender Reddy , Fort Bend County Sheriff’s representatives and County Judge KP George, second from right.

Walking the path of charity, Katy Premier League (KPL) successfully completed its annual Volleyball and Throw ball Tournament in a grand style.

The Biggest Charity event through Sports was conducted on October 11 and 12, 2019 at Houston Sportsplex with firm resolve and dedication.

KPL, started seven years ago with ‘Charity thru Sports’ as their motto to raise funds for local beneficiaries, has grown by leaps and bounds with the staunch support of the community. Over the years, KPL has raised and donated over 300 thousand dollars. In 2018, KPL donated over $100K to various beneficiaries. In 2019, KPL plans to donate over $125,000 to several beneficiaries including two individuals suffering from Brain cancer and GenYuva - an organization that rescues child beggars and several other local and international causes.

KPL is now the biggest IndoAmerican Charity Thru Sports Platform in USA with 58 teams,

60 corporate sponsors, and 600 players. On Oct 12th, the KPL Carnival included a family event with various vendor booths, Bollywood dance, music and multiple games for children and adults in a spectacular fashion. Over $125,000 was raised by “Charity thru Sports.”

While Men’s volleyball included various levels - Pro, Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner, Throwball included Women and Teen teams.

Throwball KPL 2019 Champions/Runners Teens - Cypress Rising Stars/ Asha-Jyothi Women’s Advanced - Telfair Stars/Shooting Stars Women’s Beginners - Telfair Risers/Memorial Warriors Men’s Volleyball Pro: Baltimore Cobras/Star Crushers Advanced: Austin Powers/ Houston Panthers A Intermediate: Katy Dragons/ Katy Whackers 2 Beginners: Katy Boyz 2/Riverstone Raptors

KPL is truly grateful to its sponsors who supported it and donated generously and to the players who participated with enthusiasm and competed for every point.

The cold weather didn’t hinder the spectacular opening ceremony that was attended by over 1,000 people, including Indian Film Actor Sudheer Babu and former NBA star Rafer Alston. Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers was among several other dignitaries and local community leaders. The games were witnessed by over 1,500 local community members and several community leaders, public officials and political aspirants.

The event provided a platform to network and bond with friends and family.

The Sporting Phase of KPL was finished on a grand scale showcasing the KPL grandeur.

The Charity phase and serving the community continues.

India Herald

Established in 1995

by Rajeev Gadgil, Seshadri Kumar & Salim Sindhi India Herald (USPS Periodical 017-699) is published every Wednesday by India Herald, Inc. for a subscription rate of $25 per year. Periodical postage paid at Houston and Sugar Land, Texas. POST MASTER: Send address changes to India Herald, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Texas 77487 Publisher & Editor: Seshadri Kumar www.india-herald.com; email:editor@india-herald.com India Herald assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on information included herein. ©India Herald. All rights reserved.

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

VIEWS

My American Diwali

By PREITY BHAGIA I am a proud first generation American. I have happily embraced uniquely American customs and cultural nuances including Baseball, Thanksgiving (especially Black Friday sales), love for hamburgers and self-service gas stations.

But there are a few things about India, the country of my birth, that I sorely miss. Diwali celebration is one of those things.

The first few years after I moved to the USA, Diwali made me acutely homesick. I missed the comfort and rhythm of my family’s Diwali traditions.

Back in India, Diwali means a 5 day (or longer) celebration and a break from work and school – very much like Christmas in the Western world. Homes are cleaned inside out so the goddess of prosperity, Laxmi, finds them

worth living in; special sweets are made; colorful rangolis, lamps and lights decorate homes; gifts are bought & exchanged. There is noise, light, laughter and tons of people all around.

My first Diwali in Houston was a bit of a shock, to put it mildly.

It was an uneventful Tuesday.

The world continued to rotate on its axis, everyone went to work, nothing felt or appeared different besides some really early Christmas merchandise in stores.

We did a small prayer ceremony at home with wax tealights and pocket-sized idols. Diwali came and went without a bang, no pun intended. I missed the festivities I was used to and I especially missed the flavor of the kachoris my mother made every Diwali.

Several years have passed since. I have a loving family, two beautiful children, a large ex-

Preity Bhagia tended family and many amazing friends to show for it. As I look back on the past Diwalis I realise how the meaning of the festival has evolved for me.

My husband’s family gets together for a loud and unruly Di-

wali Pooja that I look forward to every year. It can mean anywhere from 30 to 60 people together, celebrating the festival. They sing songs they learnt in school years ago or bhajans learnt from Bollywood movies. They eat, drink and make merry. They have a unique tradition of writing down the name and location of every family member in the same notebook every year. They have done this for over 40 years.

Reading through that notebook is a quick way to travel through time. I have come to love how the list of names grows every year and how exotic the locations of the clan members get.

I have also discovered that several groups in the Indian community come together and organize Diwali cultural events to keep the culture and tradition alive.

The Diwali melas and bazaars organized by these organizations give many children an opportu-

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nity to participate in cultural performances on stage and have a more engaging Diwali experience. My daughter, for example, looks forward to performing at the Bellaire Diwali, with her friends from the neighborhood, every year.

I have found that another way to make Diwali relevant for my children and their friends is to give their class at school some insight into its cultural importance. I have taught lessons about Diwali to my children’s classmates, along with easy to do crafts, and seen their little faces light up when it’s time for the sweet treat.

Every year, we also look for Diwali craft ideas we all can do together. After a whole lot of glitter glue and sequin mess, we usually end up with something that we can be proud of.

Over the years, as a family, we have made our own set of very flexible traditions. When we can’t buy precious metal on Dhanteras, we buy pots and pans on Amazon instead. If Indian traditional sweets are not readily available, we are not shy to use Hershey’s kisses as a substitute.

Diwali, I am learning, is not about rituals. It is about coming together as a family and as a community. Diwali becomes meaningful when we teach our children the reasons that we celebrate the festival, and not by the grandiosity of the celebrations. Diwali signifies the victory of good over evil, light over dark, love over all else. There are no geographical boundaries for these concepts.

I will never forget how I walked into my office one Diwali a few years ago. I was quite morose that I was working that day.

As I walked to my office and dumped by bag on the desk I realised that office had lit up candles all around. My allAmerican team had googled Diwali and decided to make it special for me. They decorated the office with tealights and put together a Diwali potluck complete with brisket and sausage.

I couldn’t care less that no one in their wildest dreams would serve brisket on Diwali.

It tasted every bit as good as my mother’s kachoris. My heart was filled with love and I realized I was home. My hybrid American Diwali was the best kind – unfettered with rituals and shining bright with light and love.

Preity is a successful entrepreneur and a commercial real estate developer. Preity was born and raised in Delhi, worked in Dubai and has now made a home in Houston, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is a board member for UNICEF USA Southwest regional board and SOS, an educational and leadership organization. She is also the founder of BIO, an organization committed to authentic living. She enjoys travel, performing arts and writing. Her work has appeared in the Huffington Post, Keep Calm and Stay Curious and Medium.com.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 5

COMMUNITY

UH College of Medicine will focus on primary care

By SESHADRI KUMAR University of Houston is opening new a medical school next year.

Is there a need for a medical school in Houston? How is this medical school different from others? Will it have any impact on healthcare locally or statewide?

Stephen J. Spann, M.D., M.B.A., Founding Dean of the University of Houston’s College of Medicine answered these questions and made a strong case for the new medical school during an open house hosted by India House in Houston on Oct. 16.

The medical school will focus on producing more primary care physicians. The first contingent of medical students will begin their course in August 2020. The inaugural class will have 30 students. An anonymous local donor has already given UH $3 million to cover the full tuition for the medical school’s inaugural class of students.

Texas has a low physicianto-population ratio compared to other states: 41st in active patient care physicians-topopulation and 47th in active primary care physiciansto-population, according to Spann.

Today, Texas has 71 physicians per 100,000 people – which ranks us an alarming 47th out of 50 states.

Strong primary care improves health outcomes and decreases health care costs, he added.

“Our distinctive focus on preparing primary care doctors with a better understanding of community health disparities will differentiate us from all other medical schools in Texas and from most institutions across the United States,” Spann said.

The last medical school in Houston was established 47 years ago by the University of Texas Health Science Center in 1972 when the greater Houston population was 2.2 million.

In 2016, when the new medical school was proposed the population tripled to 6.5 million.

The College of Medicine grew out of the University of Houston’s desire to play a greater role in improving the overall health and health care resources of this city and this state.

“We intend to accomplish this bold undertaking by establishing a medical school that will produce a diverse group of graduates with a deep understanding of the social determinants of health and a commitment to providing compassionate, high value care to underserved populations,” Spann said.

The College of Medicine mission statement says “The University of Houston College

of Medicine is accountable to society for improving the overall health and healthcare of the population of Greater Houston, Texas and beyond.”

It will be accomplished by “educating a diverse group of physicians who will provide compassionate, high value care to patients, families and communities, with a focus on primary care and other needed physician specialties; Conducting interdisciplinary research to find innovative solutions to problems in health and healthcare; Providing integrated, evidence-based, high value care delivered to patients by inter-professional teams, and Engaging, collaborating with, and empowering underserved patient populations and community partners to improve their health and healthcare.”

Spann said the college’s goal is to ensure at least 50% of graduates chose Primary Care Specialties and the admission process would favor applicants with characteristics predictive of primary care specialty choice.

The curriculum will have deep exposure to primary care. More significantly, the college offers scholarships and loan programs to decrease the debt of graduates at the end of the course.

The university is not planning a teaching hospital of its own to cater to the medical college.

The graduates will have the benefit of in-hospital teaching and training with HCA Houston hospital system, which has hospitals and clinics in Webster, Pasadena, Cypress, Kingwood and West Houston. These hospitals will also provide residency

slot for the graduates.

If more primary care physicians provide services to the local underserved communities, it will result in overall improvement in health care in the greater Houston area, according to Spann.

When medical graduates get their education and residency in Houston, their chances of staying and practicing medicine in the Houston area is very high.

Research by the Association of American Medical Colleges has found that 68 percent of all medical residents stay in the communities where they complete their graduate medical education. The program aims to have 389 resident positions by 2025. That means that Houston and the state of Texas can expect lot of new medical doctors.

The college will be built on a 43-acre tract of undeveloped land on campus, along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. across from MacGregor Park.

The university provides direct patient care in a clinic which opened in the main campus in April of this year. Currently, the clinic provides pediatric care, adult medicine, women’s health, behavioral health and psychiatry. The university is not planning a teaching hospital of its own to cater to the medical college. The graduates will have the benefit of in-hospital teaching and training with HCA Houston hospital system, which has hospitals and clinics in Webster, Pasadena, Cypress, Kingwood and West Houston. These hospitals will also provide residency slots for the graduates.

Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple

ee

5645 Hillcroft Ave. Suite 701, Houston TX 77036 Email :siddhivinayakhouston@gmail.com Website : www.siddhivinayakhouston.org For Ceremony Contact: Priest Pradip Pandya M.A. (Sanskrit) 832-466-9868

GANESH JI ANNAKUT MAHOTSAV DATE:- Sunday 27th, October 2019

10 a m to 11 a m : MAHA POOJA 11 a m to Noon : ANNAKUT MAHOTSAV Noon

: MAHA AARTI

Prasad will be served after MAHA AARTI DEVOTEES MAY BRING SAMAGRI-PRASAD FOR ANNAKUT BRING SAMAGRI-PRASAD BEFORE 10 AM

Devotees wishing to perform Pooja Contact: Priest Shri Pradip Pandya 832-466-9868 Available for Download www.facebook.com/GauriSiddhiVinayakTemple

The Gauri Siddhivinayak Mandir of Houston is a Non-profit 501(C) organization; All Donations are tax deductible.

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

COMMUNITY

Club 24 held its annual Diwali celebration on Oct. 5. Vinit and Vinita Gupta of Houston hosted the event at their residence. The event started with a minute’s silence in memory of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal who was killed in line of duty.

Followed by prayer by Dr. Aparna Kamath, Club 24 President Alpa Shah, welcomed the members. In her remarks she highlighted significance of the festival, namely “to light the lamp of knowledge within our hearts and, remove all the negativity.” Shah also reminded the audience that club’s mission was not confined to celebrating festivals, but contribute to the community through its charitable activities. To raise fund for charitable causes, the club holds a philanthropy night and out reach event every year.

A sumptuous dinner was served by Mahesh shah of Daawat Catering. The evening ended with the melodious songs by Intezar Ahmad who was accompanied on tabla by Jayendra Prabhukhot.

Hosts Vinita and Vinit Gupa, left, light the lamp as Dr. Aparna Kamath renders a prayer to mark Club 24’s Diwali celebration. At right, Club 24 president Alpa Shah.

Mahesh Shah, left, Dr. Vivek Kavadi, Swatantra Jain and Asheet Yagnik

Vidya Upadhyay, Asra Oberoi, Alpa Shah, Vinita Gupta, Mary Grace Landrum and Annu Naik

Vinita and Vinit Gupa, Club 24 founder Ashok Garg and Alpa Shah

Jugal and Raj Malani; Ash and Leena Shah.

—Photos JASLEEN KAUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Madhvi Kavadi , Sarah Abraham & Himanshu Upadhyay

COMMUNITY

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 7

The Woodlands Hindu Temple holds Diwali Mela

By Beth Kulkarni Diwali will be celebrated in the Houston area and world-wide in a few days. But residents of The Woodlands and others from the Greater Houston area have already done a lot of celebrating.

Around five thousand people, including hundreds of non-Hindus, attended the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands (HTW) Diwali Mela on Saturday, October 19.

From morning to late evening, they ate sumptuous Indian food, were enthralled by colorful and melodious songs and dances, bought new clothing and jewelry, learned about various products and services, and participated in fun and games organized by the HTW Youth Club for the younger children. In keeping with tradition, after dark there were sparklers for children and other fireworks for all to enjoy.

On the religious side, there was a fantastic diya (lighted lamp) wall behind the Utsava Murthy of Goddess Lakshmi just north of the temple. Devotees participated in Arthis and Archanas conducted by a temple priest from 5 pm onward.

Prayers were for all the types of wealth which the Goddess bestows on those who request it.

A unique aspect of the HTW Diwali Mela is that for several years all of the food was prepared and served by volunteers who worked unceasingly in the temple kitchen and on the temple’s premises. There were various types of food, both full

meals and snack items. Dosas (with sambhar and chutneys), samosas (with chutney or chat), chole bhatura, paani-puri, dahi-vada, pav-vada, and many more specialties kept the mela visitors coming back for more. Some of the food items used vegetables and herbs grown in the temple gardens by the children and adults who are part of the temple gardening committee.

Temple volunteers also made gulab-jamum, Mysore-pak, jalabi, and other sweets, including several types of ladoos, for those with a sweet tooth. Many took food home including boxed sweets to share with family and friends.

All proceeds from the temple’s booths, activities, and donations went to the temple’s funds, including funds for construction of a new wing to be added to the temple complex. Contributions to the temple’s wall project contributed in a major way to the temple’s expansion project which will include a commercial-sized kitchen, dining hall, performance hall, classrooms, and more.

One of the temple’s active volunteers commented after the mela, capturing sentiments felt by many, “Our temple is not just a place to worship, it is also a home for our community. This is where we meet and become family. It is our love and respect towards each other that keeps bringing us back and keeps motivating us to do our best and continue to do more.

It is our culture and values that motivates us to do Karma yoga without any expectation. And it is the bonds we create here as a family that keeps us together at the time of distress and need. I am very blessed to live in a community like this.”

Another community member said that there are “no words to thank the dedicated volunteers in every aspect of the mela!’

A local attendee said in his FaceBook post “we really enjoyed it. It was a fantastic atmosphere and the food was great! Also a big thanks to the volunteers that were ferrying people to and from the parking.”

Another active volunteer mentioned “What an incredible display of our rich culture, culinary variety, and selfless camaraderie!’

Two volunteers who formerly

lived in the area came to The Woodlands from Italy where they are now living to volunteer during the week before the Mela as well as during the Mela itself. They commented that “there can never be another community like the HTW.” The HTW Diwali Mela was once again a very successful event. With the interest shown by the local community and the full cooperation of the temple community, the 2019 Diwali Mela will likely be considered the most successful temple event to date.

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

Tickets Available @ East West International, 5810 Hillcroft Ph: 713-789-6611; Arena Theatre, Ph: 713 772-5900

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 9

COMMUNITY

Tamil play excels in theatre, exceeds expectation

Karnan learns that Kunti was his real mother. Dr. Saranathan acts as Karnan and Lalita Sundaresan as Kunti in the play “Maharathi.”

Lord Krishna seeks alms from Karnan in the Kurukeshetra war and Karnan has nothing but to donate other than “Dharma” which protects him. Chandramouli as Krishna and Dr. Saranathan as Karnan.

By SESHADRI KUMAR Houston Tamil community recently witnessed a Tamil play that stood out on several aspects from all previous shows and left a lasting impression on the discerning audience.

Maharathi, the tale of Karna, a valiant warrior, was the title of the play staged

by Meenakshi Theaters of Houston.

The complex character of Karna from the epic Mahabharat is well known in the Indian society. Karna is known as the ultimate icon and a legend for giving or charity.

That trait itself turns a bane, in his case, costing his life in the end.

The first challenge for the writer Chandramouli, a Houstonian, is to condense the

vast epic into a stage show of two hours, narrate the story that is already known, like packaging a vintage wine in a new bottle. Recreating the ancient history and mimicking the spoken language, custom, dress and ethos of that era in contemporary times amid the western culture is yet another challenge that has been ably executed and overcome by the Houston artists.

The costume convincingly conveyed the characters and their essential traits. Credit goes to Nirmala Saranathan, in charge of costumes and makeup.

The effective and skillful use of video and 3-D animation as the backdrop in place of the conventional scenic screens and stage settings brought to life the palaces and battlefields which would be next to

impossible to re-enact on stage.

After the curtains raise and lights are on, then the sole focus of the audience will be on the actors and their performance.

The artists of Meenakshi Theaters lived their characters literally and metaphorically.

Dr. Kas Saranthan who played the lead role of Karna also directed the play. Having staged 36 different plays and acting in numerous roles, Saranathan metamorphosed into Karna and fulfilled his long cherished dream of playing this role. To say that his acting exceeded expectations may be presumptuous for those seeing Saranathan’s acting for the first time and it could be an understatement for those who have seen the acting prowess of Saranathan.

Ganesh Raghu and Dr. Saranathan as Duriyodhanan and Karnan.

Credit goes to the director for one, a god-man depiction at its his near perfect casting as each best. one fitted their respective roles Even as Srimathi Gopalan as Duriyodhana’s wife, and admirably.

Somaskandan Ganesh Raghu as Duriyodhana, Govindan sort of anti-hero to Karna, in double action, acquitted Kannan Rangaswamy as their roles remarkably, Vishy Sahuni, Mani Vaitheeswaran Raman and Venkat Srinivasan, as Bhima, Lalita Sundaresan as provided excellent comic Kunti, Ramya Vijayaraghavn relief, where the writer deploys as Draupadi earned kudos for his artistic license to introduce their realistic portrayal of the fictional characters.

The rest of the actors, characters.

Chandra Subramanian alias Vedanth Sinivasan, Bharat Chandramouli, who wrote the Rajappa, Raja Anandharaman, Muthu screenplay and dialogues, also (Dhrutarashtra) Ravi Seshadri, donned the role of Krishna, Raman, See Page 15 fantasy and fancy, rolled in

PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

COMMUNITY Urgency to fund the Violence Against Women Act The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (VAWA), passed through the House of Representatives on April 4, 2019, H.R. 1585, and was subsequently placed on the Senate legislative calendar. To date, the Senate has yet to act on this bill, which remains on Senator Mitch McConnell’s desk. The undersigned member organizations release the following statement: Since first being established in 1994, The Violence Against Women Act has received bipartisan support for reauthorization numerous times. This critical and lifesaving legislation maintains the safety, resources, and protections that have been critical to all survivors, particularly those of color and from other marginalized communities.

VAWA has been instrumental in shifting the discourse of domestic violence to a public platform and changing the dialogue from intimate partner violence to genderbased violence, thus evolving into a more holistic purview. Without VAWA’s reauthorization, funding to many vital programs will cease.

The public health crisis related to domestic and sexual violence is not ending. The impact and aftermath of these crimes have direct and indirect consequences in our communities. For example, in 54% of mass shootings, the victims included the shooter’s current or former spouse or intimate partner, or another family member. Further, the intergenerational nature of violence creates a cycle of abuse.

When compared to children who grow up in non-abusive homes, children who witness violence are more likely to grow up to be abusers or be abused as adults. The lack of action in signing this urgent bill is furthering the belief that these

survivors are expendable and have no value.

Our organizations represent survivors of South Asian origin and similar immigrant communities throughout the United States.

We are deeply disappointed in the Senate’s delay in advancing this important bill forward. Interventions for survivors of domestic, dating, sexual violence and human trafficking are imperative to protect and preserve the basic human rights of survivors. “When abuse takes place, it negatively impacts all communities. Gender-based violence, abuse, oppression, and bigotry are interconnected, particularly at the intersections of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of oppression. This is especially true for marginalized communities, including South Asian and other immigrant communities,” says Rachna Khare, Executive Director of Daya, a nonprofit supporting South Asian survivors of abuse in Houston.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 would: ●Strengthen privacy protections ●Improve public safety among Native communities and ability to prosecute nonnative offenders for sexual assault, trafficking, stalking, and child abuse ●Fund population-specific programming, including programs designed to meet the needs of communities of color, LGBTQ people, older adults, rural communities, people with disabilities, young adults, ●Improve enforcement of current federal domestic violence-related firearms laws and close loopholes to reduce firearm-involved abuse and intimate partner homi-

CHECKUPS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH.

cide. ●Acknowledge the trauma of incarceration on women and their family members, especially their children, and improve health care services and trauma-informed responses to better prepare incarcerated women to return to their communities. ●Expand VAWA’s ability to respond to sexual harassment. ●Add new definitions including Abuse in Later Life; Alternative Justice Response; Digital Services; Forced Marriage; Economic Abuse; and Technological Abuse and update the definition of domestic violence. ●Improve the Criminal Justice Response grant program to implement alternative justice responses The impacts of gender-based abuse on survivors can be farreaching with the impact felt economically and psychologically for generations. But the protections under VAWA have been a lifeline for survivors over the past two decades. As organizations connecting South Asian American survivors with resources, we see an urgency in reauthorizing this act – VAWA. VAWA has always had bipartisan support as issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking impact all communities. It has been a vehicle for new improvements to strengthen the protections available to survivors. With each iteration, lawmakers have incorporated new provisions into VAWA that are informed by the latest research and best practices for addressing gender-based violence. The government must respond to these emerging issues and continue building upon the momentum of the past 25 years to further improve its comprehensive public health response

to gender-based violence.

Today, we stand firmly with survivors in all communities who face abuse. As the Senate considers its version of H.R. 1585, it must pass a bill that doesn’t choose between services for victims or training for law enforcement or prevention programs. ALL of it is requisite.

Victims and survivors should not live in the shadow of fear from their oppressors. The time is now to re-authorize this bill.

Action Items: ●Contact your Senator ●Volunteer or Donate to your local South Asian Women’s Organization and/or a local agenda addressing domestic violence or sexual assault. ●Become an advocate and share this message with your community. ●Organize in your community, campus, place of worship against

Race

From Page 1 Reddy was born in a village to a middle-class agricultural family in State of Telangana, India. He has earned dual Master’s Degree in Engineering.

He has over 20 years of experience as a professional in IT Industry serving in various capacities as a Consultant, Manager, Director, CEO and President. He served as CEO of INFODAT International Inc. and President of AMSYS International Inc. Reddy believes in Vedic principles inculcating conservative values and in hard work, less spending, family first and opportunities for all. Reddy was the president of India Culture Center of Houston and he is associated with Sri Ashta

gender-based violence Signatories Daya, Houston TX (www.dayahouston.org) Rasksha, Atlanta GA (www.raksha.org) Sakhi for South Asian Women, New York NY (www.sakhi.org) Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home), Chicago IL (www.apnaghar.org) Valley Crisis Center, Merced CA (www.valleycrisiscenter.org) South Asian Network, Artesia CA ( www.southasiannetwork.org) Manavi, New Brunswick NJ (www.manavi.org) Chetna, Dallas TX (http://www. chetna-dfw.org) Sewa-Aifw, Minneapolis, MN (www.sewa-aifw.org) Daya empowers South Asian survivors of domestic and sexual violence with culturally specific services and educates the community to end the cycle of violence.

Lakshmi Temple.

Reddy said he would file the papers with the Federal Election Commission this week, before formally announcing his campaign.

His main agenda is to run as a Republican candidate with conservative values and use politics for public service.

In 2008, in the Republican primary, there were a total of 10 candidates including Pete Olson and former Houston City Council member Shelly Shekula-Gibbs, who won the special election to CD 22 after Tom DeLay’s resignation. There were two mayors, a state representative, and a state board of education member.

This time too a dozen candidates may appear on the ballot, and the candidates’ credentials may not be as distinguishable or hardly distinct from one another.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 11

NEWS

Battleground India: The next frontier in online streaming

By Manoj Ladwa India presents the next frontier in online streaming, opening up multiple possibilities for global players, writes India Inc. Founder and CEO Manoj Ladwa.

Boris Johnson looks to be on the verge of pulling off his Herculean mission of passing the Brexit deal with the EU, but I am going to resist commenting on it just yet.

Instead, there is another Herculean transformation happening in India, which merits a closer look. Remember the early 2000s when mobile phones began gaining popularity in India. It began with a crawl to the first 10 million mobile phone subscribers followed by the painful walk to the 50 million figure. The sprint began sometime after the 50 million subscriber-mark; the numbers jumped exponentially, hitting 100 million, 200 million, 300 million every few months and years, before recently stabilising at around 900 million subscribers.

These were followed by the rising spread of the internet across India. Now, the next chapter of that story is unfolding before us – the start of the online streaming revolution in India.

India to be among Top 10 Video OTT markets by 2022 India has the second largest number of internet users in the world. A recent report by one of India’s industry bodies Assocham and PwC states that the video over the top (OTT) market in India is expected to be among the top 10 markets globally with a market size of $823 million by 2022.

This mainly comprises content streaming services by companies such as Hotstar, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

According to the study, while the Indian video OTT market is at a nascent stage, the global OTT market has entered the growth phase. However, with a CAGR of 22.6 per cent during 2017–2022, the Indian OTT market is poised to outperform the global OTT market; pegged to have a CAGR of 10.1 per cent during the same period.

Indian content comes of age Till recently, foreign compa-

nies such as Netflix and Amazon Prime were streaming only popular international shows and Hollywood movies. This limited the market to a sliver of English-speaking Indian audiences. To penetrate the Indian market further, these companies added large volumes of Bollywood and regional language movies. They have also tied up with leading Indian production houses to produce shows with Indian content and stories – much like how Rupert Murdoch’s Star TV became a household name in India by producing Indian television serials from the mid 1990s onwards.

Shows like ‘Sacred Games’, ‘Made in Heaven’, ‘The Family Man’ etc, made by leading Indian producers and directors, are being aired on Netflix and Amazon Prime. These shows have not only become wildly popular in India, they’ve even garnered audiences in non-Indian markets. ‘Sacred Games’ was also nominated for the Emmy Awards in the Drama category.

Internet, smartphone penetration key A report by IHS Markit, a Nasdaq-listed consultancy firm highlights the following: India has one of the fastgrowing online video subscription markets in the world.

OTT subscriptions in India reached 12.21 million by the end of 2018, more than double the 5.12 million subscriptions at the end of 2017.

Revenue growth is up from $1.46 million in 2015 to $44.6 million in 2018– a CAGR of 212.6 per cent.

Key initiators of growth in the Indian online video subscription market can be traced to two events in 2016: The entrance of Reliance Jio to India’s mobile broadband market, which led to a drop in the cost of accessing mobile broadband.

The demonetisation of highdenomination currency, which has driven many Indians to adopt online payments and to use credit cards.

The year 2016 was also when Amazon Prime Video and Netflix started their business in India. However, it is a local service, Hotstar, which

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was the market leader in the country by the end of 2018.

Netflix in India is trailing Amazon Prime Video given the e-retailer is less expensive and offers more varied content.

Local OTT services ALT Balaji, Eros Now and Zee5 joined Hotstar and global online video giants Amazon Prime Video and Netflix on the OTT leader board in 2018.

According to Assocham and PwC report, there are five fundamental drivers of this exponential growth.

Mobile devices becoming the primary source of content

consumption The need to move away from traditional revenue streams Value shifting from content creators to platforms Ability to provide a personalised offering to the consumer As I mentioned above, the rapid growth of smartphone penetration is driving this trend. India’s smartphone users are expected to reach 859 million by 2022, a CAGR of about 13 per cent. This coupled with the lowest data tariffs in the world, will ensure that the impressive growth in OTT services in India will continue

unabated.

Internet consumption is clearly on the rise in India. The important factor for the VoD industry is the availability of devices that are compatible with online video viewing, particularly smartphones which seem to the most popular devices to watch videos.

For entertainment moghuls worldwide, India then presents the next frontier.

(Manoj Ladwa is the Founder and CEO of India Inc. publishers of India Global Business magazine.)

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PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

VIEWS

Living Wave

By MAHARAJ TOMAR Everyone likes happiness and no one likes pain. Life is a living wave to know one’s reality and be creative.

Everything is in the mind and mind has the faculty of ego, discrimination, analysis, and feelings. Their proper or improper use depends only on us. Mind also has three defects: malice, oscillating, and ignorance of truth which are obstacles for happiness.

A well tested technique to clean the mind is helping others without ulterior motives, contemplation to calm the mind, and gain knowledge to eliminate the ignorance which may lead to wisdom.

Ethics, logic, and morality are embedded in wisdom.

Unawareness of reality is ignorance and the nature of ignorance is to cover the mind so that one does not distinguish right and wrong.

Ego manifests in the form of desire, anger, pride, greed, delusion, and envy. When the mind wanders in sense objects, desires appear, and intelligent people can also become victims of their desires. One may call it human weakness.

Power and lust are offsprings of desires, and greed is the ingredient of capitalism.

Character is repeated habits, and repeated counter habits reforms character. Abraham Lin-

coln said, “Most men can withstand adversity, if you want to test man’s character, give him power.”

Brain is one thing and mind another due to ego. But, we cannot escape the biology of the brain.

Research on brain imaging shows1 that experiencing envy (at other people’s success) activates pain related neural circuitry, whereas delight at someone’s misfortune (schadenfreude) activates reward related neuron circuitry.

This research suggests that the cognitive neuron circuitry of such behaviors has been identified but the mechanism of feelings (pain and pleasure) is unknown. Is there any remedy of envy?

Probably yes, but first we must acknowledge the meanness of our mind and then recapture our capacity2 for sharing the joys of others.

Activity of body, mind, and speech is called Karma (actions). Laws of Karma are the guiding force to know our reality. Work for living is essential but human duties are compassion, discipline, and ready to suffer for the right cause. But actions have consequences, which impacts everything we think, utter and do.

In fact, pains and pleasures are natural justice. Pain comes to awake us, but we panic.

Pleasure comes to humble us, but we indulge in distractions.

One desires for pleasure, curiosity to know, and is thirsty for truth.

Curiosity and thirst are natural, but insatiable desires are due to some mistake. One can only correct one’s mistake. If happiness of the fulfilled desire does not leave its mark on the mind, and one accepts the sadness of unfulfilled desires without anxiety, one attains peace.

Enlightened sages said, “The only reality is primordial energy/pure consciousness that pervades the entire Universe, and any physical form is just its outer manifestation at different levels of energy vibration. The true essence of every sentient being in the Universe is consciousness or soul.” Soul is subtle and ever conscious and does not follow the laws of physics and biology, but one may perceive it by logic based on direct observations.

Our thought process ceases or minimizes during deep sleep (sleep without dreams) because sense objects are absent, and the mind goes to the state of no activity – ignorance.

Why does one feel peaceful after waking from deep sleep, and who is the witness of mind and ego when all mental faculties are at rest?

One may call it soul. Profound peace after waking is merely a glimpse of the soul which was not perceived by

the mind in deep sleep due to ignorance. However, when the mind is trained for deep meditation, mental activity also minimizes while mind is awake. In this state, ego faces the soul and loses its grip on mind. Mind attains its original state like a stationary calm wave – equanimity, i.e. ignorance is removed as ego faces the soul. It is a real experience and not a belief.

The result is self-contentment and the lack of fear and anxiety - eternal peace. Since the observer cannot observe itself, ego cannot observe ego.

Which is why the soul is the witness of ego and mind, and the body is merely its vehicle.

Thus, soul is our reality/truth. Since everyone has a soul within, it also suggests the equality of all despite their race, color, and gender. Different behaviors are due to ego only but soul is its witness.

When the ego is challenged, it takes shelter in reason/intellect. Although, reason can provide enthusiasm, reason alone cannot touch the soul. First, because soul seeking is one’s own effort, and second, it is based on three pillars for its validity: self-experience, reason, and the lack of doubt. Knowing one’s reality by uncovering ignorance is one’s birthright and highest achievement in life, because life is a journey in search of happiness and truth while we are alive and well.

The practice of meditation

helps and anyone can perceive it by an untainted mind.

Looking at one’s own virtues and others’ faults leads to ego boosting and malice, and one continues living in ignorance with confusion, anxiety, and fear.

Sometimes people wake-up from ignorance by a natural shake-up and others don’t. After knowing one’s reality, one lives a productive life without anxiety and fear and serves society with joy and freedom, which actually is the aim of human life. Many social and mental health related problems could be avoided if one knows one’s reality.

One can believe anything, but faith based on right understanding of underlying beliefs leads to devotion and solace.

Trust in God and not hurting others is an option to avoid self-degradation. The collective ego is the living wave of the world which limits our freedom.

1) H. Takahashi, etal, “Why your gain is my pain, and your pain is my gain” Science (USA), Vol. 323, pp. 937-939 (2009) 2) M. Tomar, “Sunshine of Life”, Amrit Varta (India), Vol. XVll, pp. 31-33 (2013) (281) 799-9459 Maharaj S. Tomar, Katy, TX ( E m a i l : t o m a r. m a h a r a j s @ gmail.com)

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 13

NEWS

U.S. Congress needs to know what’s going on in Kashmir: ex-envoy Roemer

India needs to address the U.S. Congress and the government with some “depth and clarity” on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, a former U.S. envoy said. According to Timothy Roemer, who served in the U.S. Congress from 1991 to 2003 and was the Ambassador to India from 2009 to 2011, the American Congressmen who are expressing concern about human rights issues are addressing “shared values” between the two countries.

“I would recommend that the U.S. should hear more about what exactly is going on up [in Kashmir] and see some depth and clarity to it. Is the Internet off or on? Who is being detained and for what reason? Also how is India managing its controlled area compared to how Pakistan is managing its controlled area…. these are important issues which the Congress should engage with,” Mr. Roemer told The Hindu in an interview, when asked about the U.S. Congress subcommittee hearing in Washington on Tuesday, looking into human rights concerns in South Asia, which included the situation in Kashmir and the National Register of Citizens process in Assam.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had blamed the “English liberal media” in the West for distorting the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the government’s August 5 move to dilute Article 370, calling the media narrative the biggest ‘challenge’ in explaining the move to the U.S. government and lawmakers during his visit there last month.

Mr. Roemer said, however, the reason for the congressional measures, including the hearing, and language in the appropriation bill were that human rights were important for Americans and Indians.

“As diplomats, we respect India’s ability to resolve the issue of Kashmir bilaterally with Pakistan…but India also needs to recognise that members of Congress will express our common interests on human rights, just as India expresses its interests,” said Mr. Roemer, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night, while in Delhi to attend an event organised by the US India Strategic Partnership Forum that includes U.S. and Indian businessmen and diplomats.

On the Indo-U.S. trade impasse that continues to be negotiated a month after Mr. Modi’s visit to the U.S., Mr. Roemer said trade is the “defining issue” of the times, and a failure to finalise a trade deal would draw unfavourable comparisons with the U.S.-China trade war.

“China has become a bad word in the U.S. due to trade issues, and it’s one of the reasons that got Donald Trump elected. So let’s not create a problem for the U.S.-India relationship and learn from what has happened with China, where we are in a challenging situation. Wouldn’t it be ironic if we were to come to some trade agreement with China and not with India?” Mr. Roemer asked, adding that if India went ahead and signed onto the 16-nation ASEAN-led FTA agreement RCEP that includes China next week, the contrast between the two trade relationships would also be even more apparent.

Cautioning New Delhi, as other U.S. officials and lawmakers have, against including Chinese telecom major Huawei in India’s 5G trials, Mr. Roemer suggested that India could lose an opportunity to join intelligence sharing nations like Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. (called the “five eyes”) if India accepts Huawei.

“The U.S. resoundingly respects India’s sovereignty to make these decisions. But it’s one thing to have China on your border, and another to have it technologically at your back-door,” he added.

—SUHASINI HAIDER in The Hindu

Sewa International Family Services Hot Line 832-900-9354 To advertise in India Herald email editor@india-herald.com call 281-799-9459 (cell)

Jagmeet Singh emerges as ‘kingmaker’ in Canada

Indian-origin Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh, whose New Democratic Party (NDP) won 24 seats in the general election, is set to emerge as the “kingmaker” while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party lost majority.

The Liberal Party won 157 seats in the 338-member lower House, while the main opposition Conservatives secured 121 seats. Mr. Trudeau will now require at least 13 legislators from his left-leaning rival parties to reach the ‘magic number’ of 170 to form a Liberal Party-led minority government.

“The New Democratic Party is poised to play kingmaker in a minority Parliament after Jagmeet Singh spearheaded a turnaround on the federal campaign trail that may have saved his leadership and pulled his party from the brink of irrelevance,” the Toronto Star newspaper reported.

With 24 seats in its kitty, the NDP has lost nearly 50% of the seats it had won in 2015.

Despite the drop in seats, Mr. Singh, in a celebratory speech on Tuesday, said his party will now be “working hard” to deliver on the “priorities that Canadians have”.

“When we get back to Ot-

tawa, every single day we are in Parliament, New Democrats are going to be working to make sure Canadians’ lives are better,” he was quoted as saying by globalnews.ca. Mr. Singh said his party’s elected officials will now head to Ottawa to tackle a number of issues, including taking “real and urgent action” on climate change, making life more affordable for Canadians and making sure the “super wealthy pay their fair share”.

The first non-white leader of a federal political party in Canada, the 40-year-old Mr. Singh congratulated Mr. Trudeau, 47, on his win.

In the Liberal government elected in 2015, Indian-Canadians had notched up a record number of 19 seats. Of those 19, as many as 18 were of Punjabi origin. Mr. Trudeau’s outgoing Cabinet has four Sikhs — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan; Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains and Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger.

“I think a Liberal government supported by the NDP is likely going to lean farther left,” said John Manley, a former Liberal Finance Minister

who now works in the private sector. “It raises a series of issues about what are the demands that an NDP party would make. What’s the price of governing going to be? I think businesses are going to be reluctant to make any moves until they get some satisfaction around that.”

Minority governments in Canada rarely last more than two and a half years.

One senior Liberal noted that many legislators need to serve another two years to meet the six-year requirement for a Parliamentary pension. “That gives us a pretty free hand for that period,” said the Liberal, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.

The New Democrats struck deals to help keep Liberal minority governments in power from 1972-1974 and in 2005.

Mr. Trudeau visited Montreal’s subway, posing for selfies with commuters early on Tuesday, an echo of 2015 when he did the same thing.

This win was different. But Mr. Trudeau barely mentioned the loss of his majority when he spoke to supporters, saying he had “a clear mandate” for a progressive agenda and more action to combat global warming.

In Chidambaram case, SC sets the record straight on bail in economic offences

The Supreme Court judgment on Tuesday granting bail to former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram puts an emphatic stop to an attempt made by the authorities to alter the factors for granting/refusing bail in economic offence cases.

The October 18 hearing in the Chidambaram bail plea saw Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appears for the CBI and ED in the case, suggest in the court a new “triple test” for grant/refusal of bail.

Mr. Mehta suggested that bail should be ideally decided according to the gravity of the offence involved; the wherewithal of the accused person; and whether the accused seeking bail has sufficient infrastructure abroad to sustain him.

Mr. Mehta had argued before the Bench led by Justice R. Banumathi that economic offences are a blot on the country. They are serious crimes.

“We are in an era where persons guilty of financial crimes are fleeing the country. They were all responsible people.

They had reputation, standing in society. They had properties here. One was a parliamentarian, very rich. Is it enough to say he is responsible, reputed?

Country needs to go for zero tolerance policy against corruption,” Mr. Mehta had urged the court.

However, in her judgment in the Chidambaram bail plea, Justice Banumathi stuck to the court’s established precedents for grant of bail. The court had always upheld personal liberty.

Justice Krishna Iyer had quoted the “bail not jail” norm.

The court disagreed with Mr. Mehta’s sweeping contention that persons accused economic offences may invariably flee the country.

Justice Banumathi said there was no such “national phenomenon” that all economic offenders would fly away after getting bail.

One person cannot be made to suffer incarceration merely because of the conduct of other offenders in unconnected cases, the court reasoned.

No straightjacket formula

for all cases Each individual case of bail had to be weighed separately.

The circumstances of each had to be taken into consideration. They cannot be clubbed together. No straightjacket formula for grant/refusal of bail can be applied to all cases, Justice Banumathi wrote.

“Hence, in our view, such consideration including as to ‘flight risk’ is to be made on individual basis being uninfluenced by the unconnected cases, more so, when the personal liberty is involved,” the court quoted its own precedents and the established law on bail.

In short, the court agreed with the point of view stressed by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Mr. Chidambaram.

“The Solicitor has more than once used the term ‘nation’ here. Your Lordships do justice in individual cases and not in national cause. Each plea for bail made by an incarcerated individual is decided on its own merits,” Mr. Singhvi had argued.

PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

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COMMUNITY Karnan backdrops could be improvised From Page 9

Sriram Ramanujam (Yudhishtir), Ramalingam Mahadevan, Vijayaraghavan Iyengar, Suresh Balasubramaniam, Dhrithi Balaji, Ganesh Bala, Nalini Sadagopan, Ranga Santhanagopalan, Saisuraj Saravanan, Sathyam Bharadwaj, Bharat Rajappa and Nivriti Vijayaraghavan deserve recognition for their contribution to the success of the play.

Turning to the characterization of Karna, he had all the qualities of his five Pandava brothers combined and more, but suffered from the ignominy of a foundling, yet becomes a warrior of the utmost caliber. His loyalty to Duriyodhana and his friendship were unmatched as the villainous prince bestows dignity by making him a king.

Karna’s qualities do not just end there. All the virtues and protections of the indomitable hero are cunningly taken away from him, rendering him vulnerable to Arjuna’s arrow.

Lord Krishna himself had to seek the final piece of Karna’s protection as alms, and the scriptwriter cleverly extolls the character of Karna in this episode.

Karna asks Krishna to render the words of wisdom (Gita) he gave to Arjuna and Krishna says that Karna needs no advise as he was enlightened and more knowledgeable than Arjuna, who did not realize his duty.

All souls ultimately reached the Supreme Consciousness as the worldly relationships are temporal, not eternal, Krishna reminds Karna.

Since the story of Karna is known, the lack of mystery was a drag on the audience, but that missing element was substituted by the curiosity of the audience on the depiction of some of the episodes. One could wonder how the scene of disrobing Draupadi would be enacted. Or how could the war scenes and chariots be realistically depicted on stage?

The curiosity was “killed”, rather satisfied by clever and convincing enactment of the episodes.

Another scene that stole the show was the episode where Karna playing chess with Duriyodhana’s wife accidentally pulls the string of pearls and they spill all over the stage as Duriyodhana enters. The perfect delivery of the dialogues and the pun in the words provided a punch.

So was there nothing to critique in the entire show, one may ask. Yes, if one tries hard, one can find a thing or two.

During the change of scenes, the intermittent darkness with heavy lifting of furniture, was an inevitable distraction.

Perhaps a couple of static stage settings with different

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 15

to minimize the distraction.

In another instance, in the dialogue for example, when Kunti meets Karna and reveals she was his mother, even before the revelation Karna addresses her as mother. Probably, the scriptwriter used the word as generic and respectful way of addressing an elderly lady.

Or could the writer have deliberately made Karna call her mother to sound prophetic, if not poetic?

With this historic play, Meenakshi Theaters has raised the bar for itself and it is imperative that future performances should excel even more.

The Five Pandava brothers and Vidhura.

PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019

NEWS U.S. concerned over restrictions in Kashmir The Trump administration on Tuesday said while it supports India’s development agenda behind the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370, it was concerned over the current situation in the Valley.

It said it was closely monitoring the situation in the state following India’s August 5 decision.

The Indian government has argued that its decision on Article 370 was driven by a desire to increase economic development, reduce corruption and uniformly apply all national laws in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in regard to women and minorities, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells told Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“While we support these objectives, the US State Department remains concerned about the situation in the Kashmir Valley, where daily life for the nearly eight million residents has been severely impacted since August 5,” Wells said in a prepared statement submitted to the Congressional subcommittee on the eve of the hearing “Human Rights in South Asia: Views from the State Department and the Region“.

The U.S. State Department, she said, has closely monitored the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following India’s August 5 decision to abrogate Article 370 provisions of the Constitution and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.

‘Conditions in Jammu, Ladakh improved’ “While conditions in Jammu and Ladakh have improved, the Valley has not returned to normal,” Wells said, adding the State Department has raised concerns with the Indian

government regarding the detentions of local residents and political leaders, including three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have urged Indian authorities to respect human rights and restore full access to services, including internet and mobile networks,” she said.

Postpaid mobile service has been restored in the valley, but internet access remains intermittent, Wells said.

She said both foreign and local journalists have extensively covered developments in Kashmir, but many have faced challenges in access and reporting due to security restrictions.

“While exact figures are difficult to ascertain, we understand several thousand people have been detained over the past two months, although many have subsequently been released,” the top US diplomat said.

According to government sources, hundreds remain in detention — many without charges — under the Public Safety Act, which allows for administrative detention of up to two years, Wells said.

Welcoming actions by the Indian government to improve the situation and address local grievances, she said the Indian Home Ministry recently said the statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir following a period as a Union Territory, reaffirming what Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in his August 15 Independence Day speech.

The U.S., she said, also encourages the Indian government to follow through on its commitment to hold assembly elections in the state at the earliest opportunity.

Some local political leaders were released earlier this month, a trend Wells said she hopes will continue.

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Reflect statute values in Ayodhya order: Plea

Muslim parties to the Ayodhya dispute on Monday urged the Supreme Court to “mould” whatever relief it decided to give to the losing side in a way that reflected the “constitutional values this great nation espouses” and “our multi-religious and multicultural values”.

The written request, which came from the individual Muslim litigants not including the All India Sunni Wakf Board, also asked the apex court to “consider how future generations will view this verdict”.

On October 16, the apex court had reserved its verdict and sought suggestions from the parties how it might, depending on the nature of the verdict, fashion any relief to the (losing) litigants.

“The Muslim party contestants before this hon’ble court wish to state that the decision by this hon’ble court, whichever way it goes, will impact future generations. It will also have consequences for the polity of this country,” said the written submission from the Muslim claimants, which was drafted by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan.

“This court’s decision may impact the minds of millions who are citizens of this country and who believe in constitutional values embraced by all when India was declared a republic on January 26, 1950.

“Since the judgment of this court will have far-reaching implications, it is for the court to consider the consequences of its historic judgment by moulding the relief in a fashion that will reflect the constitutional values that this great nation espouses.

“We hope that the court, in moulding the relief, upholds our multi-religious and multicultural values in resolving the issues confronting it. Moulding the relief is the responsibility of this court, which itself is the sentinel of our Constitution. When moulding the relief, this court must also consider how future generations will view this verdict.”

The apex court has over 40 days heard a batch of petitions from Hindu and Muslim groups and individuals challenging a 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment that divided the disputed plot equally among two Hindu groups and a Muslim group.

The five-judge bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S.A. Bobde, D.Y. Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer is expected to pronounce the judgment on or before November 15. Chief Justice Gogoi retires on November 17, a Sunday.

The last day of the hearings witnessed drama, with Dhavan, representing Muslim claimants, tearing up a map of the purported birthplace of Ram and rumours swirling about the All India Sunni Wakf Board having withdrawn its claim.

Babri Masjid demolition case: Dangerous politics of delay

The Ayodhya dispute hearings are over at last, with the Supreme Court’s verdict expected by November 17. The difficult history of the multiple claims was enough to prolong the matter in court, especially in a system that is itself afflicted with delays. Yet the regularity with which the hearings were conducted in the Supreme Court once they began must be lauded. This stands out in stark contrast to the progress of the inquiry into the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. It may be useful to mention here that the Ayodhya dispute is at basis a title deed issue, with contesting claims on 2.77 acres of land. It is the value attributed to the land and the fact that the Babri Masjid was demolished there with the view to building a Ram Mandir that invests the title deed case with religious, cultural, constitutional and national importance. But the Babri Masjid demolition in itself is a matter of a very different sort. It is a recorded violation on many levels: a deliberate, unprovoked and coordinated destruction of an edifice, traditionally used for worship by more than one community as also a collective and provocative act of violence that would be expected to incite further violence. It would have been expected of any administration that this act would be speedily investigated and a chargesheet prepared so that the guilty could be brought to justice. In April 2017, the Supreme Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to complete hearings at the sessions court without interval within two years. Such an order would suggest that the delay in the case — the Liberhan Commission submitted its report 17 years after the event, but that, too, was in 2009 — was not acceptable even by the lackadaisical pace of court cases in India.

The messy course of the Babri Masjid demolition case displays a lack of political will to deliver justice. Although, as the Supreme Court pointed out, the core issue is one, the Uttar Pradesh government and the CBI seemed unwilling to merge the two initial first information reports, one against unknown kar sevaks for the actual destruction, and the other against named politicians, including L.K. Advani, for conspiracy. Convoluted courses for each case helped in the delay, while those named for conspiracy could be freed on bail. The tainting of justice by politics that the delay suggests is dangerous for the polity. Is the administration welcoming this danger?

—The Telegraph

Visit www. India-herald.com. email: editor@india-herald.com

NEWS

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019 • PAGE 17

Modi has an ‘excellent’ meeting with Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee on October 22, 2019.

Dr. Banerjee has been a vocal critic of several of the government’s economic decisions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Economics Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee on Tuesday, when they discussed various issues, including the former’s views on governance and how he was trying to reform the bureaucracy.

“Excellent meeting with Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee.

His passion towards human empowerment is clearly visible.

We had a healthy and extensive interaction on various subjects.

India is proud of his accomplishments. Wishing him the very best for his future endeavours,” Mr. Modi tweeted from his handle.

After the meeting, Dr. Banerjee said in a statement: “It was a privilege to have this meeting with the PM. The PM was kind enough to give me quite a lot of time and to talk about his way of thinking about India, which was quite unique because one hears about policies but one rarely hears about the thinking behind it.

“He talked about the way he sees governance in particular and why the mistrust of the people on the ground colours our governance and it therefore creates structures of elite control

over the governance process, not a responsive government.

“In that process, he also very nicely explained how he is trying to reform the bureaucracy to make it more responsive, to understand the ways in which people’s views need to be taken into account and expose them more to the realities on the ground.”

The Nobel laureate stated that he thought it was important for India to create a bureaucracy that actually lived on the ground and got its stimulus from how life was on the ground. “Without this, we get an unresponsive government”.

Dr. Banerjee has been a vocal critic of several of the government’s economic decisions, including demonetisation, the corporate tax rate cuts, moving items to lower GST rates slabs, to name a few. However, he said that the Prime Minister started his conversation with a joke about how the media was trying to trap him [Banerjee] into saying anti-Modi things.

The meeting with Mr Modi comes a few days after Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Dr. Banerjee’s views were totally left-leaning and there was no need for the government to agree with them.

“I congratulate Abhijit Banerjee was winning the Nobel Prize, but you all know about his thinking. His thinking is totally left-leaning. He supported

NYAY and praised NYAY but India’s people totally rejected his thinking. It is not necessary

for us to agree with his thinking, and especially when the people have rejected the idea, there is

no need for us to agree to it,” Mr. Goyal said on October 18.

—The Hindu

“49 “44Years Years Visit www. India-herald.com.

and Counting, Providing Services Email: 1970-2019 1970 - 2014 To Generations editor@india-herald.com of Businesses and Professionals Around The World”

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 PAGE INDIAHERALD HERALD• •WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,MARCH OCTOBER 23, 2019 PAGE 18 8 • •INDIA 30, 2016

COMMUNITY CALENDAR COMMUNITY CALENDAR COMMUNITY CALENDAR COMMUNITY CALENDAR COMMUNITY CALENDAR COMMUNITY CALENDAR kids 4 to 18 yrs - meditation, Yoga, Arya Samaj Satsang

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Sam Manekshaw Field 281-997-0757.

Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m.

11 am 12 pm, followed by Arati www.pyptusa.org; www.DivyaGauri Siddhivinayak Temple 34th St. (77018).

Daily more deeply.

There are noDarshan charg& Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, Marshal Sam Manekshaw was India’s first Field and a distinguished war hero.

HisGaudiya Math and 5:00 from p.m. & Bhagwad Gita you Class Products.com.

7 8:30 a.m.p.m. toand 8Weekp.m. & Prasad; Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, es for this, and we4.30pm, invite to Darshan 8.30am, 12noon, 7pm, Marshal and atodistinguished wardedication hero.

His courage, his character, the Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha ends Holidays: 6country a.m.and to noon on Tuesdays, pm -benefits 8:30pm pm; major asare well 8.30am, 12noon, 4.30pm, 7pm, experience the7:30 unique of 9pm.

Sunday Festival: 5.30 to daily. courage, his character, the dedication Hindu Temple of to his&All troops andfestivals legendary. at 16628 Harrow Blvd., and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bha-legendary. and Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna TheKieth Woodlands birthdays, naam karan, engage9pm.

Sunday Festival: 5.30 pmon this transmission.

Workshops onto as 7.30 pm.

Weekly Gita classes for to his and country are The lifetroops of this distinguished soldierHouston is portrayed by two distinguished 77084.

Satsang Sundays jans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 am 12 pm.

Rev. 7601 S. Forest Gate Dr, ment and other ceremonies.

Call 7.30 pm.call Weekly Gita classes for Heartfulness relaxation and medadults; 281-433-1635 or authors The lifewho of this distinguished soldier is portrayed by two distinguished worked closely with him and shared many of the historic 5 to 7 pm.

Mantra meditation, Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special Sw. Atmarupanandaji, the ResiThe Woodlands, TX 77382 Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-466adults;arecall itation held281-433-1635 weekly through-or events harekrishnadham @gmail.com authorsthat who workedthe closely with him and shared many of theThrough historic changed geo-political landscape of the region. kirtan, Sanatan Dharma classes. poojas (weekends and holidays) dent Monk, gives all classes, lec- 9868 Temple Hours, Weekdays: for puja and other ceremoharekrishnadham @gmail.com out Houston, including Saturdays events that changed the geo-political landscape of the region.

Through anecdotes related by Behram and Zenobia Panthakiand we Hindi get a unique VedicAM Education classChoroon (Annaprasam) for kids, tures Ramnaam 7:30 - 9:30 AM Atinto 5645 Ste 701, at 11 &amtalks. at India House. SankirWeb: nies. anecdotes related by ideals, Behram Zenobia Panthaki we get anoon unique insight theHillcroft man’s hisand military acumen, his mannerisms, and Houston Namadwaar es for kids.

Gita classes Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, tan is on 1st Saturdays 6 pm 7 5:30 PM 8.30 PM Houston, TX 77036. www.heartfulness.org; Email: his insight into the man’s ideals, his military acumen, his mannerisms, and sense of humor.

Houston Namadwaar 1:30 pm Wed. Hanuman Chalisa A prayer house where the Hare Nirapara.

Temple is located at pm.

Please visit www.houstonveAarti @ 7:30 PM Veerashaiva Samaja houston.heartfulness@gmail. hisBrigadier sense of Panthaki humor. himself boastsand a distinguished 30-yearon military A prayer house where the Hare VSNA Ramcharit Manas Tue. Rama Hare Krishna Maha-man11620 Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: danta.org or 713-929-0040 call 281988-7211.

Saturday and Sunday Houston ishim a himself group of com.

Cell: Brigadier Panthaki boasts a distinguished 30-year military career that earned 12 military honors.

Zenobia Panthaki accomRama Hare Krishna Maha-man7:30–8:30 p.m. info@sggm.org tra is continuously chanted.

Week713-729-8994 email: temple@ Jain Society 8:30 AM 1:30 PM families who believe in Veeras(Ragini Prakash Miryala MD) career that earned him 12 military Panthaki accom panied her husband on his postingshonors. to 281-499-3347. manyZenobia small cantonment towntra isSociety continuously chanted.

Weekor ends: 8-11 AM 4-7 PM,JSH, Weekguruvayur.us Jain of & Houston, is haiva Aarti at 12:00 PM dharma (Basava dharma).

Heritage Classes panied her husband on his postings to many small cantonment town ships all over India and became involved with running welfare proends:7-8 8-11 AM &6-7 4-7 PM,Weekly Weekdays: &Arc PM. Hindu Temple of Preksha Meditation located at AM 3905 Street Hous5:30 PM 8:30 PM Mahamane program for Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in Monthly ships all over India and became involved with running welfare pro grams for soldiers’ wives and children; she has run the Army School, days:Texas 7-8 AM &and 6-7 PM. Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heri- prayer New facilities of JVB Preksha ton 77063.

Key tenets Aarti @ 7:30 PM; and discussion on Vachathe Woodlands Katy, Cypress Sugar Land grams for soldiers’ wives and children; she has run the Army School and worked for the World Bank for 28 years until retirement in 2012.

“Gopa children’s heritage classes and Srimad Meditation Center.

Classes for forContact of Jainism Non-violence - na 832-585--0001 Sahitya followed by Prasada.

7601 S.reviews.

Forest Gate Dr, in“From for kidsKuteeram” 4 toare: 18 yrs - meditation, and worked for the World Bank 28 years until retirement 2012 The book has received over 60 positive To quote: tage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes.

Call 281Yoga and Meditation under guidAhimsa, Philanthropy with mulor temple@myhtw.net Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.

The Woodlands, TX 77382 Yoga, slokas, stories from scrip- beginning The book has received over 60 positive reviews.

To quote: “From to end this delightful narrative simply races along, providing Bhagavatam Call bha281402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org ance by and discoursticity inVishnu views –classes.

Anekantvad, No com Sathya Sai along, centers or Samani Jagadeesh Halyal 832-narrative Temple Hours tures, Sahasranam, beginning towitty endjisthis delightful races providing an intimate, and scintillating storysimply of a superhero “ Sam’s hu402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity). es.

At 14102 Schiller Road (off possessiveness Aparigrah, Right Sunday program held at two loca744-4166.

Weekdays: jans, competitions and fun activi- manism, an intimate, witty and scintillating story of a superhero “ Sam’s hu his notations on official files, his colorful language and his (Global Organization for Divinity).

6Mar bethis Bellaire and Westpark Knowledge --meditation Samyak Gyan, Hwy tions (North Houston: 12127 MalThoma Church 7:30 AM 9:30 AM ties.

Adult classes. manism, notations on official files, his colorful language and hi doodling”.

- doodling”.

77082).

Tel 281-596-9642.

Right Path at– Samyak Darshan, Trinity comson Road, Houston; South Mar Thoma Church every 5:30 PM 8.30 PM Register www.ashirwadaSaumyakasi Sivalaya This book, with over 200 photographs, is dedicated to the men in Patanjali Yogpeeth and Conduct – Samyak Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel at 5810 Almeda Genoa Aartidefending @is7:30 PM Saumyakasi Sivalaya blessing.org or SriSivalaya Ravula 281This book, with over 200 photographs, dedicated to theDrive, men in SriRight Saumyakasi is lo- Sunday uniform who have laid down their lives their country and to Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun Charitrya.

JSH has Jain Pathshala Sugar Land) from 3:00 to 5:30 Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday 995-0930.

Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is louniform who have laid down their lives defending their country and to cated at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 their widows who have also sacrificed so much. The book will be on attheir Aryawidows Samaj fromhave 8 am to a.m.

9:30 Classed for students of all ages pm) Sai Spiritual Education Malayalam service at 9:30 8:30 AM 1:30 PM Hare Krishna Dham cated at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 who also sacrificed so much.

The book will be on Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX sale at the discounted price of $35, and autographed by the authors. A a.m.

Anil 281-579-9433. each Sunday starting at temple, 10:15 (SSE) classes children; StudyA 1statCall &portion 3rddiscounted Sunday.

Bible Aarti at 12:00 PM Houston’s original Vedic Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX sale the price of $35, and autographed by the authors.

77478.

Temple timings: Monday to on major of theAdult royalty will be donated to for the War Wounded For other free classes, call Indra AM. The center is open M-F from Circle for adults & Devotional class at 9:30 a.m.

English service 5:30 PM -Welfare 8:30 PMAssn.

ISKCON of AM Houston.

AtMonday 1320and Wto Foundation 77478. 9:00 Temple timings: major portion the and royalty donated to the War Wounded Friday: - 12:00 Noon of of India the will Warbe Widows of India.

281-537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal 7:30 AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 singing for all.

Service programs at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th SunAarti @ 7:30 PM; 34th St. (77018).

Daily Darshan Friday: 9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and Foundation of India and the War Widows Welfare Assn. of India 5:00 - 8:00 PM Saturday and Sunproducts, call Shekhar 281-242PM, and Sat, and Sun from 8 AM food distribution, canned food day.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281Contact 832-585--0001 & Arati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, 5:00 8:00 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 - 8:00 families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma). Monthly 5000.

Web: www.pyptusa.org to 6 PM. Call Jain Center at 713 drives, nursing home visits, tutor261-4603. ordiscussion temple@myhtw.net 8.30 a.m,Bharti 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 Mahamane day:Call 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Sutaria 281-568families whoprogram believe infor Veerashaiva (Basava prayer anddharma on dharma).

Vachana Monthly Sahitya and www.DivyaProducts.com.

789 2338 or visit www.jainsoing at schools,on etc.Vachana Contact Venkat Telugu Christian Fellowship p.m, 9 p.m.

Sunday Festival: Swaminarayan Temple PM. Call Bharti Sutaria 281-5681690 or Jay Deshmukh 832-541- followed Mahamane programContact: for prayer and discussion Sahitya by Prasada. vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Sathya Sai centers cietyhouston.org for calendar of Rao (North) 602-503-2249 or Telugu Christian Fellowship 5.30 to Deshmukh 7.30 Weekly Halyal Hindu Satsang at Shree Swami1690pm oror Jay 832-5410059 visit p.m. www.saum followed

by Prasada. Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh 832-744-4166.

Sunday program held at two loevents .

Ranji Raghavan (South) 281-451meets every third Saturday of the Gita adults; call 281- Halyal 832-744-4166. narayan Hindu Temple, under 0059classes or for visit www.saum yakasi.org. cationsat(North 12127 8238.

ShivorShakti Mandir Visit www.sairegion10.org TriumphHouston: Church, 10555 433-1635 harekrishnadham @ month Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kayakasi.org.

Mar Thoma Church Louetta Rd, Houston; South Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Sadhu Vaswani Center W. Airport Blvd., Stafford TX gmail.com lupur.

Opens daily from 7 a.m.

Gandhi Library Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Dr, Harwin.

Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 Sadhu Vaswani Center of Hous77477 at 6:30 p.m.

Join us for a Houston Namadwaar to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m.

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on3rd 1st Suga Land, from 3:00 pm to p.m.

All major festivals, as well ton holds regular Satsang on time of praise, worship and felA prayer house where the Hare to 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m.

Mahatma Gandhi Library Club: Meetsnaam 2nd Sunday of Book each lowship.

Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday.

Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m.

English service at 10:30 5:30 pm.

Sai Spiritual Education as birthdays, karan, engageThursday of the month and daily Worship is in English.

Rama Hare Krishna Mahaand 7a.m. p.m.English Saturday sabha from Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj & 3rd Sunday.

Adult Bible class at 9:30 service at 10:30 a.m.information on for 2ndchildren; & 4thcall Sunday. orp.m.

281-261-4603. classes study circle ment andis other ceremonies.

Call For Arti Call 281-463Chris Call Gan-713-991-1557 mantra continuously chanted.

5p.matto7.30 7 p.m. followed by aarti month;Virat 12:30 PM13475 at Arya Samaj tela Greater Houston, Schiller a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281-261-4603. for adults.

Service programs Pandit Mehta 713-278-9099 0379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, at 7 p.m. and Maha-Prasad (free Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Sri &Guruvayurappan Temple Rd. Join the discussion of the great food distribution food drives; dinner). Gaudiya or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 Math 281-997-0757.

Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Gurrala Website www.issotx.

Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Rd.puja Join the discussion theStory great Sri man’s autobiography –of The Hours: Mon tovisits, Fri 6 Temple a.m.

-8 a.m.Shri and 5:00 p.m. toGaudiya 8:30 p.m. Matha Weekhome tutoring for or“Gopa other ceremonies.

Govindji Guruvayurappan Weekly Kuteeram” chil- nursing org, phone (281) 530-2565. man’s autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhajans at schools etc.

Contact Sanjay Heartfulness Meditation is a Hindu Vaishnava temple of Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. dren’s heritage classes and SriSanatan Dharm ofHeartfulness My Experiments with Truth.

Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979. ends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special poojas Gupta (North) 832-687-6766 or Meditation is a Sanatan Dharam and worshipand 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekmad Bhagavatam classes. Call Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Maha Sabha Saturdays 7 p.m.

8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1ofa.m.

Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) forRadha kids, Sondip (South) 832-215practical technique tuning in- ends ping place Shri Shri & Mathur Holidays: 6to a.m. to noon 281-402-6585; visitof www.godiWest Indian Religious Organiza(weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 8675 www.sairegion10.org. wards to experience our higher Krishna, Shri Gaur Nitai & Shri and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

BhaGauri Siddhivinayak vinity.org (Global Organization tion called Sanatan Dharm Maha Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us selves.

Meditation with someone Ram Darbar.

Mandir is open Gauri Siddhivinayak jans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sadhu Vaswani Center for Divinity).

Sabha Branch # 377 is located Temple Ormandy (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ who has the capacity of yogic Sundays from 5.30 AMguruvayur.us until 8.30 9 St a.m. to 1 a.m.

Sadhu Vaswani Center ofSpecial Hous- daily Saumyakasi Sivalaya Temple at 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Preksha Meditation transmission can help you explore PM. The services are held from poojas (weekends and holidays) Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo- ton holds regular Satsang on 3rd 77494.

Durga Mata Pooja is held Darshan fromfestivals 7practice a.m. toas 8more p.m. Choroon Preksha Meditation daily. major well the Heartfulness 5.30PM to 7.30PM followed by (Annaprasam) for kids, Meditation New facilities of JVB Preksha Center.

Classes for Yoga Thursday of the month and daily cated atAll Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 daily.

All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagedeeply.

There are no charges for prashad.

Daily Aarti times : ManNew facilities of JVB Preksha Meditation Center.

Classes for Yoga Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Niand Meditation under

by Samani jis and discourses. At 14102 at 7.30 p.m.

Callguidance 281-463Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX Arti pm. AartiContact Ram @ as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies.

Call rapara. this, and we invite you toMonday experigala 5:30 am.- Sharma Bhog Aarti and Meditation under guidance Samani jis and discourses.

At 14102 located at611620 Schiller Road isramolaj@aol.com (off Hwy bet by Bellaire and Westpark 77082).

Tel 0379 orTemple e.mail 77478.

Temple timings: 713-412-9985 ment and ceremonies.

Call Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-466ence the unique benefits ofand this - 12:30 pm.Westpark Evening- Aarti - 7:00 Schiller Road (off Hwy and 77082).

Tel St. (77035) Tel:6 bet 713-Bellaire 281-596-9642. to Friday: 9other a.m.12 Noon 5 Ormandy Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-4669868 for puja and other ceremotransmission.

Workshops on pm.

Enroll your child in Sri Go281-596-9642.

729-8994 email: temple@ gurup.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday and Sun98688:30 for5645 puja and other ceremonies.

At Hillcroft Ste 701, vayur.us Heartfulness relaxation and vindaji Vedic School. We offer day: a.m.-2 p.m. and 5medip.m.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Exciting Summer Camp nies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036. tation are held weekly throughout Hindi classes forfrom all ages.

GoPreksha Meditation - 8 p.m. Call Bharti Sutaria 281Free Yoga ClassesPatanjali every Sat/SunYogpeeth at Arya Samaj 8 amSri to 9:30 Houston, TX 77036.

Houston.

Web: www.heartfulness. vindaji Gaudiya Matha is located JVB Preksha Meditation Cen568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832- a.m.Free every Sat/Sun at Arya from am to2819:30 CallYoga AnilClasses 281-579-9433.

For other freeSamaj classes, call8Indra Veerashaiva org; Email: houston.heartfulness@ Northwest Houston at 16628 conducts Meditation, 541-0059 or visit Samaja www.saum ter a.m.

Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For in other free classes, call Indra 281537-0018.

Forweekly Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000.

Web: Veerashaiva gmail.com.

Cell: 713-929-0040. and Swadhyay sessions in- Kieth Harrow281-242-5000.

Blvd HoustonWeb: TX VSNA Houston isSamaja a group of Yoga 537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com. yakasi.org.

HareHouston KrishnaisDham 77084.

Call 832-464-4686. its unique Pyramid hall under VSNA a group of side www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com.

Gauri Siddhivinayak Houston’s original VedicTemple temple, the auspicious guidance of Samani visit our website: http://sggm.org.

Darshan from 7 a.m.Atto1320 8 p.m.

WANT TO YOUR SUMMER CAMP?Temple ISKCON of Houston.

W Kanchan Pragyaji Swaminarayan andHOST Samani daily.

All major festivals as well HOST YOUR SUMMER CAMP AT 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & PranavPARTNER Hindu Satsang atINDIA ShreeHOUSE SwaminaPragyajiWITH whoUS are& stationed as birthdays, naam karan, enArati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, 8.30 at Houston Center this year. It rayan Hindu Temple, under Shree or agencies looking amazing space gagement and otherp.m, ceremonies.

These Texas Lottery Scratch-Off willforbeanclosing soon: a.m, 12 noon, 4.30 7 p.m, Commission 9 also Instructors NarNarayan Dev Gadi kalupur. runs special events andgames proCall Pandit Pradip Pandya 832to conduct their summer camp activities may Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off gamesOpens willdaily be closing soon: p.m. These Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to from 7 a.m. to 12:30 grams like I-Choose, Meditation Official Close End Validations 466-9868 puja and other cerGame #for Game Name / Oddsand $ to provide collaborate us fun, safe and 7.30 p.m.

Weekly Gita classes p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Camps Gyanshalawith program of Game Date Official Close End Validations emonies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste Game #call 281-433-1635 Game / Odds $ for adults; or Name Daily aarti at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for children ages 4-14 yrs.experience JVB enriching for the kids. of Game Date 701, Houston, TX@gmail.com 77036.Crossword - is 1651 Ultimate Overall Odds at are 14102 1 in 3.27Schiller $10 7/12/15 sabha from 1/8/16 harekrishnadham 5 p.m to 7 located Rd. Saturday 1651 Ultimate Crossword -Houston Overall Odds are 1 inEvery 3.27 Tuesday, $10 7/12/15 1/8/16at 7 p.m.

Veerashaiva Samaja Houston Namadwaar p.m. followed by 1/26/16 aarti 1690 Cash Frenzy of - Overall Odds are77082.

1 in 4.09 $5 7/30/15 VSNA Houston is a group A prayer house where theFrenzy Hare- Overall Maha-Prasad 1/26/16 (free dinner).

9:30am-11:30am, Samaniji has and7/30/15 A TALENTED INSTRUCTOR? 1690 Cash Odds are 1 ARE in 4.09YOU $5 families who believe in VeerasRama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra www.issotx.org.

(281) pravachan for all adults interested 1701 Blackjack - Overall Odds are 1JOIN in 4.75 $1 8/26/15 2/22/16 INDIA HOUSE AS A SUMMER CAMP COORDINATOR530-2565. dharma (Basava dharma). ishaiva continuously chanted.

Week1701 Blackjack - Overall are 1 about in 4.75 Jainism. Every $1 8/26/15 Dharm 2/22/16 Sanatan Maha Sabha in Odds learning Monthly program for - Overall 1646Mahamane Spicy Tripler Odds arethere 1 in 4.29 8/26/15 2/22/16 ends: 8-11 AM & Hot 4-7‘N PM, WeekWe are looking for$2talented instructors, in art, West Indian Religious OrganizaWednesday is Swadhyay prayer7-8 and discussion Vacha1646 HotPM. ‘Non Spicy Tripler - class Overall from Odds are7-8pm 1 in 4.29and medita$2 8/26/15 2/22/16 days: AM & 6-7 Weekly tion called Sanatan Dharm craft, theater, 8/26/15 henna, language arts,Maha 1657 followed Redby Chili Tripler - Overall Odds are 1dance, in 4.14 music, $2 2/22/16 na Sahitya Prasada.

“Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heriSabha Branch # 377 is located tion from 8-9pm.

Every Thursday cooking, baking, robotics or8/26/15 any other activities 1657 vsnahousRed Chili Tripler - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.14 $2 2/22/16 Contact: ton@gmail.

TM tage classes and Srimad Bhagavaat 26100 Tina Lane, from 9:30-11am there is special 1648 Loteria - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.98 $3 8/26/15 2/22/16Katy, TX that interest the kids. com classes. or1648 Jagadeesh Halyal 832tam Call 281-402-6585; 77494.

Durga Mata Pooja is held Yoga Ladies only. Every LoteriaTM - Overall Oddsclass are 1 for in 3.98 $3 8/26/15 2/22/16 744-4166. visit www.godivinity.org (Global Saturday, there is Yoga Class from every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 For detailedThoma odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-375-6886. Must be 18 or older to purchase a Mar Church Organization for Divinity).

9-10am and Meditation from 10- pm. Contact Ram Sharma @ 713ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas education and veterans. © 2015 Texas Lottery Commission. rights reserved.

713-929-1900 |AllVipin@indiahouseinc.org For detailed oddsThoma and game information, visit txlottery.org call 1-800-375-6886. Must be 18 or older to purchase a Trinity Mar Church ev- or10.30am.

Saumyakasi Sivalaya 412-9985. there TX Ist & 3rd Sundays, ticket.

The Texas Lottery supports Texas education and veterans. © 2015 Texas Lottery Commission.

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8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, 77031 Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo- is Gyanshala Classes for Kids

OPPORTUNITIES!

LEGAL LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 • PAGE 19

MUSINGS by Gadfly

Peace is a local issue

At the end of World War II, as Great Britain’s colonial power faded, two new superpowers arose to vie for international power - America & Russia. In fact, it was Russia & its underlings together called Soviet Union. The two superpowers, America & Soviet Union, then divided the spoils from their joint victory in World War II (with England) into the Western Bloc (West Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the not-soGreat-anymore-Britain etc.) & the Eastern European (read Soviet) Bloc with Soviet Union controlling Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia (with its own underlings like Bosnia, Serbia). Thus began the cold war for sphere of influence billed as democracy versus communism.

As the world was being divided among the two new superpowers, the Sun was setting on the British Empire which was in a hurry to distribute freedom to anyone who asked.

After those ‘poor’ countries got freedom, the setting Sun rose in America. There was a big difference between this new Western boss (America) & the Eastern boss, the Soviet Union.

Those in the Western bloc under America had democracy, elections & all sorts of freedoms neatly categorized subsequently oversized. Those in the Eastern bloc under the Soviet Union had tanks guarding the freedom of every country under the Soviets.

In 1947, the departing British deftly divided India into India & Pakistan. Then, in the name of increasing their respective sphere of influence (the Cold War), Americans & Russians - later joined by the Chinese started military alliances with whoever they could lay their hands on. In some Communist countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, there were two hands Soviet & Chinese.

After Independence in August 1947, India & Pakistan went different ways, far, far different ways. America approached India to join its military alliance. “You give us military bases & we’ll give

you whatever arms & ammunitions you want.” India’s Premier Nehru said, “I don’t want military alliance with anyone.”

Stung by India, America turned to Pakistan with the same offer. Pakistan needed someone to help them fight India for whatever problem they could think of. At that time, it was the self-created Jammu & Kashmir ‘problem’.

That meant one-sided American support for Pakistan at United Nations & esp. its Security Council pushing India towards the Soviets for the veto needed in Security Council whenever Pakistan brings up the J&K issue. No Soviet forces in India but the Soviets got India’s covert political support at most international forums. And the balancing act still continues.

Cut a long story short…. the Republicans in America heavily supported Pakistan against India in every war & skirmish full with American & British weapons – Patton tanks, Sabre jets, F16 etc. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war of Bangla Desh independence, President Nixon even sent the Seventh Fleet as a threatening (India) gesture.

Republicans militantly (& militarily) supported Pakistan - a dictatorship even when there is no dictator, like now against India, always a democracy, always, even under Indira Gandhi. The Democrats have been good at ‘both-sidism’. Internationally, Democratic governments were more helpful to India’s needs, except when it came to Pakistan vis-a-vis Jammu & Kashmir or wars.

Pakistan has been America’s holy cow.

After 9/11, Pakistan’s duplicity was staring at America. Strategically helpless under Bush (Dubya) & Obama, America began its balancing act with Pakistani leaders.

Threats in private, mute support in public with ‘warnings’ to India about Jammu & Kashmir.

America’s disease with Pakistan was old. Yet their doctors were Pakistani Americans who also came with campaign contributions. Today both Indian & Pakistani pockets are flush

with campaign finance. But Pakistan still has the strategic advantage which India didn’t & doesn’t, yet. So American love for democracy & secularism took a backseat. Today, the strategic advantage feels like a disease with no cure.

Still America’s pro-Pak bias apropos J&K continues. Indian-American Democrats have now started feeling the pain of Pakistan’s strategic advantage despite their support for the Democratic party & its liberal democratic principles/candidates. Indians were & are in Democrats’ pockets. Pakistani Americans could never be.

Their votes & money come at a price – don’t you dare support India in J&K. Republicans have principles.

They also live by the Eleventh Commandment mistakenly attributed to President Reagan.

Thou shall not speak ill of any republican. Democrats cannibalize their own. So why would they support India in J&K? The governors of five US states - New Jersey, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware and Indiana, three Democratic & two Republican - are scheduled to visit India over the next few months to enhance economic ties between the countries.

None of them have said a word about India’s abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. But some Indian-American Congressmen & women have either spoken about or written joint letters expressing alarm over J&K. Democrats are being Democrats, self-destructive, as we are likely to see in 2020, year of the lesser of two evils.

Indian-Americans now sound ‘shocked, shocked’ by what they see as betrayal by Indian-American Congressmen/ women. American politicians have always criticized India about J&K. Now it’s our own Indian-Americans who are doing it, louder than all others.

Republicans kept quiet. So did Trump aside from his fake ‘mediation’. National security is their prime national interest. Terrorism is the biggest concern for both US & India.

Trump shows his fist to Paki-

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stan one day & winks at Pak Premier Imran the next.

If Indian-Americans didn’t know until now that they’ve been taken for granted by Democrats, it must be the world’s worst kept secret.

Democrats know that come hell or high water, IndianAmericans, majority of whom are liberal, will vote for them.

They’re not that sure about Pakistani Americans.

So, the Democrats’ pro-Pak tilt will continue. America’s liberal media takes its cue from India’s liberal media.

Mutual echo chambers. Indian American Congressmen & women will continue to make anti-India liberal noises. Honorable exception, Tulsi Gabbard, for now.

Before the 2020 elections, Indian-American voters have to decide what they want to do. One, they can continue to vote & contribute Democratic.

Two, they withhold the purse and also hold noses while voting Democratic. Three, they vote & contribute Republican.

Or four, they neither donate nor vote.

Trump & Modi are both smart politicians. Trump may have inserted himself in ‘Howdy Modi’ because he wanted to experience what it is like to be in front of 50,000 supporters.

He left probably thinking he bagged more Indian American votes than any Republican candidate before, esp. as the tide seems to be turning against him.

But Modi is savvy enough to know that Trump is unlike any other American President in history. It is also not surprising that once they were (stuck?) with each other, both of them made the most of it.

They’re both adept at playing to the gallery, Modi phrasing Trumps slogan as Ab Ki Baar, Trump Sarkar, and Trump joking about ‘Elvis’ presence. The difference is that only one of them has not been caught in a lie. Unlike Trump, Modi had national interest (not personal interest) at heart.

Newspapers wasted a lot of ink in guessing who got more, from whom, how & why. Modi may have (secretly) enjoyed showing off the crowds he attracts on Trump’s turf.

Meanwhile Hasan Minhaj complained that he was on a blacklist & was not allowed to attend the Howdy Modi rally.

The more things change, the more……Other fecularists – the Peabodys, the Bookers & the Nobels – were making the usual noises.

The youngest Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yusufzai, proved she is a true green Pakistani by a series of tweets alleging that a Kashmiri girl had complained she was unable to take her exam due to the lockdown on August 23, forgetting that it was a national holiday in India due to Eid-Ul-Adha.

An Indian officer tweeted in response, “Contradictory state-

ment. If there is communication blockade then how she is able to speak. She can filter twitter to get authentic info rather (than) parroting written script.” Parroting means handlers. Handler means agenda.

Yes, even a Nobel Prize winner cannot live without a handler if he/she is a Pakistani.

On a refreshingly positive note, Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston broke ranks & decided to become a Welcome Partner for the community reception to Prime Minister Modi. (Haider Kazim’s report – IH September 11, 2019).

A close friend in India, a Hindu, wrote, “In today’s Bombay Mirror, five lady reporters had visited J&K & expressed unhappiness at the situation there. Thousands of youths are still missing. The government must begin confidence boosting programs.

Time is running out. The world opinion should not go against India.”

Fact is the Western world’s opinion is already against India, at least, publicly. As for the five lady reporters, they’re from a Times of India publication, a secularism thumping, anti-BJP, anti-Hindu, Congress party supporter. The Times, Indian Express, The Hindu & their political cohorts in the media have been mourning the death of secularism via their writings ever since Modi’s victory in 2014. Modi & BJP managed to get a bigger majority in 2019 by ignoring them.

About building confidence boosting measures, whenever restrictions were lifted, violence & terrorism returned.

Seven decades of Article 370 & over four decades of terrorist habits & impulses from both sides of the border may not go away in four months.

Things are more likely to get back to a new normal (read development) in J&K sometime in 2020.

The anti-BJP cabal in India conveniently forgets the number of times various state governments in India, mostly Congress, declared Article 144 of Indian Penal Code wherever unrest broke out. In Mumbai, during the Samyunkta Maharashtra movement and later

by Shiv Sainiks, the Gujrat riots (2002), the New Delhi 1984 anti-Sikh riots, there was curfew for several days, withdrawn only for 2, 3 hours a day till peace returned.

The post-abrogation unrest in J&K tells us the same thing – no economic progress without peace. After being fed on decades of terrorism from across the border, it’s time for the J&K residents to experience continued peace for progress. That’s not going to come from Delhi. Peace is a local matter.

Send responses to gadfly7_7@yahoo.com;

PAGE 24 20 • INDIA HERALD HERALD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019 PAGE 2016 PAGE 24•• INDIA INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH JULY 1, 30, 2015

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