India Herald 072518

India Herald

Web: www.india-herald.com • Editor@india-herald.com • Tel: 281-980-6746

20 Pages

VOL. 24 • NO. 30 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

Hindu Youth Council launched

By SESHDRI KUMAR Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH), a premier umbrella organization representing Hindu temples and institutions in the greater Houston area, announced the formation of the first-of-its-kind Hindu Youth Council.

HGH, with the motto of “Bringing Hindus together,” unveiled the organization on July 21 at its annual Hindu Leaders Meet.

Vijay Pallod, HGH board Director, while explaining the formation of the new organization stated that it will be different from the Hindu Students Councils and Hindu Students Associations in various universities. Those organizations could not be sustained as they lacked stability and continuity with students moving out of colleges after graduation.

HYC, he added, is likely to be the first city-based chapter in the U.S. The Hindu Youth Council, has been established by a group of interested Hindu youth and the credit for this vision goes to

Participants in the Hindu Leaders Meet hosted by the Hindus of Greater Houston at Keshav Smriti on July 21.

Komal Luthra, the first person to intern with the HGH. Luthra, founder and executive director of HYC, said the idea was first conceived by the chairman of the HGH board of Advisors Dev Mahajan and Vijay Pallod two years ago. At the start of the year, a group of like-minded Hindu youth began discussions, recruited initial members and after three monthly meetings concluded the mission and organizational structure. Raj Salhotra was named President.

HYC secretary Neha SrivasSee HYC, Page 3

Future business leaders

Are Indian Americans good givers?

The Indiaspora-Dalberg Community Engagement Survey, the first of its kind, has found that Indian Americans volunteer at nearly double the national average but give substantially less financially, ultimately leaving significant social impact on the table.

The community’s particularly keen engagement as philanthropic volunteers is encouraging but their lack of financial donations is disappointing,

especially given that Indian Americans are among the highest earning groups in the US and have tremendous influence here and abroad.

The study was designed and implemented by Dalberg Advisors with input from academic advisors Dr. Devesh Kapur (Johns Hopkins University) and Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan (University of California Riverside).

The survey serves as a tool

to understand the philanthropic behavior of the Indian American community at large.

Twenty-eight non-profit, community organizations helped Indiaspora disseminate the survey to their constituents.

The survey’s initial findings were discussed during the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The survey paints a rich picSee SURVEY, Page 8

Kirti Jewelers & K.V. Diamonds

Come see our large collection of gold, diamond, ruby, pearl and emerald jewelry in latest, attractive designs.

All of this in our spacious showroom 6655 Harwin Dr Ste A101 • Houston, TX 77036 713-789-GOLD (4653)

We have special low fares on Emirates

281-530-3000; 888-881-LESS; Emergency contact 281-236-8475

Call us for last minute fares! 12808 W Airport Blvd.,#252,Sugar Land, TX 77478

Wholesale consolidator for Qatar and Emirates Airlines; Consolidator for Turkish & Asiana Airlines.We Call us for confirmed do special seats at competitive prices packages to all major cities in India. & tours Cypress Woods High School students Govind Chada, right, and Aayush Gupta earned national recognition with a Top-10 finish at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, MD, recently. See Page 5.

WHOLESALER FOR MAJOR CARRIERS

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Emirates Gulf Airways Kingfisher Singapore Airways Jet Airways Sahara Airlines Indian Airlines Eva Airlines Qatar Airways PIA Air India Royal Jordanian China Airlines

CALL

Ramesh Cherivirala, MS, Ph.D, LUTCF Financial Adviser For all your insurance & financial services

AUTO • HOME • LIFE • BUSINESS • HEALTH

RONNIE PATEL, MBA, CPA, LUTCF CFP

TM

INSURANCE AGENCY Tel: 281-752-8000 12603 Southwest FreewayTX Ste 100 5901 Hillcroft Ste D4 • Houston, 77036 16126 SW Frwy 120 • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Fax: 281-752-8008 Stafford, TXSte77477

Life Insurance Long term care insurance Disability Insurance* 13135 Dairy Ashford Rd.,#550 Fixed# and Variable AnnuiƟes Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Health Insurance* Email: rcherivirala@ Managed Accounts # ft.newyorklife.com.

IRA, 401k, 403b, 529 plans## Bus: (281) 295-2726 Roll over of 401k, 403b, TRS, TSA Cell: (713) 875-4336 Dened Benet Plans

Planning Services: Estate Planning ReƟrement Planning EducaƟon Planning Life Insurance Planning Business Planning Investment Planning Net worth Analysis

# Financial Adviser offers advisory services through Eagle Strategies LLC, A Registered Investment Adviser; ## Registered representative offers securities through NYLIFE Securities, LLC (Member FINRA/SIPC);

Member 2005, 16 & 17 - Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT): Premier associaƟon of nancial professionals, recognized globally as the standard of excellence in life insurance sales performance in insurance and nancial services industry.

Visit his website at www.RCherryFinancial.com

A licensed insurance agency Agent, New York Life Insurance company, 3200 Southwest Freeway, # 1900 Houston, TX 77027; 713-961-4545. *Products offered through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life insurance company, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state and locality.

PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

Indian Music Society of Houston Presents

HIndustani Vocal by Smt. Manjiri Asnare Kelkar (Disciple of Pandit M.T. Mhaiskar and Pandit Madhusudan Kanetkar)

Manjiri Asnare Kelkar Suyog Kundalkar on Harmonium

Sanjay Deshpande on Tabla

DATE: Saturday, SEPTEMBER 8 TIME: 5 P.M. VENUE: Cullen Hall, University of St. Thomas, 3901 Yoakum Blvd., Houston

www.IMSHOUSTON.Net For Information, Call Govind Shetty @ 713-922-2501

Kirti Jewelers & K.V. Diamonds Exquisite Gold and Diamond Jewelry for all festive occasions Buy with confidence. Check out our superb collection of fine jewelry.

Custom-made diamond engagement and wedding rings Your Designs! Our Workmanship!!

Pamper yourself with the most well-crafted, traditional, modern or fashion jewelry in eye-catching designs...

A truly charmed collection that will enhance your personality!

6655 Harwin Drive Ste A101 • Houston, TX 77036

Tel: 713-789-GOLD (4653)

The largest and most pleasing selection of gold and diamond necklaces, rings, bangles, ear rings, bracelets and much, much more.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 3

NEWS HYC

From Page 1 astava and Historian Siddharth Prasad joined Luthra in the presentation about the HYC. The mission of HYC includes “Connect Houston’s Hindu youth and Promote leadership, community service, professional networking, social dialogue, and culture in young adults,” besides participating in major Hindu festivals like Janmashtami, Holi and Diwali. At a board retreat later this year, the council will decide on its future projects.

The long term goals of HYC include: Connect Houston’s Hindu youth and Promote leadership, community service, professional networking, social dialogue, and culture in young adults. The council membership is open to all Hindu youth between the ages of 18 and 35, irrespective of their affiliation with any temple or institution.

Another significant announcement was made by Sharad Amin, HGH board member, regarding the Hindu Youth Camp.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh of USA first started the Hindu Youth Camp in 1984-85 and it was supported actively by various organizations. The first camp began with 40 students. The camp has evolved significantly over

Neha Srivastava, left, (Secretary), Komal Luthra (Founder and Executive Chair), and Siddharth Prasad (Historian).

34 years of successful annual events and the responsibility for hosting the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp has now been passed on to the HGH. Amin appealed to the Hindu community to help establish a permanent campsite for the annual Hindu Heritage Camp.

Namita Pallod, and Vivek Shukla, directors of the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp 2018 revealed that within three hours of opening the registration, the camp attendance was full.

This year 200 students will attend the camp at Camp Lantern Creek, 4045 N FM 1486 Rd.,

Montgomery.

The Junior camp for children entering 3rd to 7th grades will be held from July 31st to Aug. 5th, 2018 and the senior camp from Aug. 7th to 12th, 2018 for children entering 8th to 12th grades.

Rishi Bhutada of the Hindu American Foundation stated that HAF will hold voter registration drives in Hindu temples. He also stated that “If our community members don’t vote, lawmakers won’t care about us.” Voter registration is a non-partisan activity and it is legal to have voter registration in religious organizations.

Padma Srinivasan, a volunteer active in voter registration, urged the temples to facilitate voter registration. It is a civic duty and those registering voters will not and should not disclose their political affiliation or for whom they are working, she said. It takes just two minutes to fill the form. They could be directly mailed or volunteers will submit them at the county election office.

Earlier, Tupil Narasiman, HGH board member, welcomed the members and said the Hindu leaders’ meet allowed a networking of various temples and religious organizations in the area. The event also provided a platform for reviewing the activities of HGH. HGH President Partha Krishnaswamy, gave a brief

history of HGH and its growth in the last 29 years. Besides the annual Janmashtami celebration, HGH has instituted the Hindu Youth Awards and is working to bring Hindu youths together. HGH also played a supporting role in organizing the International Day of Yoga.

This year, Janmashtami will be celebrated on Aug. 25 at the George R. Brown Convention center. Renowned Bollywood actor and Kashmiri Pandit Anupam Kher will be the star attraction at the event. Rangoli, which provided a picturesque welcome at Janmashtami will have a new theme of “Matki” this year.

Event chair Girish Naik stated that the goal is to attract a record number of people to the event.

Joseph Emmett, a recent addition to the HGH board of advisors, briefly highlighted the upcoming World Hindu Congress to be held in Chicago in September. This was his first meeting of HGH. After brief remarks by representatives of various temples and organizations, HGH board member Hemant Jadhav, who coordinated the meeting, proposed a vote of thanks. Jadhav emphasized that the Hindu leaders meet had become a great forum to share and network with other Hindu leaders.

Hari Venkatachalam Hindu Students Association, Board of Directors

PRESS RELEASE

April 6, 2017Get – AUSTIN, TX –your The Hindu Students rid of staffi ngAssociaproblems and spend more time on sales. tion (HSA) would like to regretfully announce that it will be Good = Good Decisions cancelling its annual Gateway Retreat for the 2017 Numbers year. HSA prides itself in building a strong network of young Hindu Americans, and it looks forward to organizing other events in the future that will link students from its various branches.

HSA has been reorienting itself in recent months to doing more grassroots work. “We have been focusing more on accomplishing work on the local and branch level,” said Mrinalini Vijalapuram, National President of the Hindu Students Association. “We have been doing this through many differMashruwala, ent CPA activities including interfaith events with other religious organizations, building community partnerships, and expanding into other campuses that don’t already have HSA branches.”

While the cancellation of Gateway may come as a disappointment for many prospective attendees, HSA hopes to get feedback from students on other projects and events that interest its branch members. Currently, several projects, including developing HSA’s podcast series and releasing monthly articles that highlight the accomplishments of members from the various campuses have been the focus of the organization’s efforts. HSA welcomes student and community members to get involved in these activities to help further the goals of the organization. “It is important that we meet the needs of the campuses and communities we serve,” reiterated Ms. Vijalapuram. “We want to make sure that we are putting our attention Just dump your Get on projects that will truly benefit them.”

We HAND read every single It all lands on our paper on to the -***Organized page, then name it, code it, secure servers

Succeed In Your Business Implement The “Three D” Principle Delegate • Dirty • Details

Rimple

Comprehensive Paperless Bookkeeping. How It Works:

fax or scanner

Now

MEADOWGLEN RICHMOND

S. GESSNER

BELTWAY 8

WESTHEIMER

A

index and store the page.

We provide Turn-key Services including: • Payroll • Accounts Payable • Accounts Receivable • Inventory • Job Costing • Financial Planning • Tax Preparation & Planning • Loan Packages • Traditional Bookkeeping

Visit us at www.comprehensivepaperless.com or c

PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS

Woman entrepreneur exhibits innovative marketing skills

By MANU SHAH As Marketing Head of Mantri Developers, one of the biggest property development companies in India, Snehal Mantri knows the importance of connecting with her customers and residents at every touchpoint. This lesson, coupled with product and industry knowledge, has made her one of the most visible and successful women in a largely male dominated field.

As Guest of Honor at the International Maheshwari Rajasthani Convention in Santa Clara, California, Snehal offered an inspiring account of her journey as a wife, homemaker, mother and business woman. She sourced her success and the reason she was “on the dais today” to three people – her father for her business acumen, her motherin-law for teaching her to balance home and office and husband, Sushil for challenging her to “soar higher.”

Snehal’s accomplishment becomes even more remarkable when you consider the traditional and conservative background she comes from.

Girls in her family, she says, had to be home by 6 pm, education was not a premium and working professionally was unthinkable.

But fate, it appears, had an entirely different blueprint for her. As a young girl, she would often sit with her father in his office playing chess to understand strategy and learn the workings of the stock market. The father-daughter duo made a happy discovery. She had a flair for the business and soaked up all the tips eagerly.

Despite her inclination to study further, Snehal’s father

fixed her marriage and would not budge from his decision.

Fortunately, her mother-in-law insisted she complete her graduation after marriage, making her the first girl in the family to graduate with Honors in Home Science.

Coincidentally, her father in-law was also in the stock market trade. Snehal became the first daughter-in-law in the family to join the family business and went to work “in a saree covering her head with the pallu”- a common sight in traditional Marwari families. She also became the first female stock market card holder in the family for the Hyderabad and Pune Stock exchanges, a rarity in a field that saw only 1% women.

In 1999, the family relocated to Bengaluru. Snehal’s husband, Sushil launched his real estate business - Mantri Developers with seven employees. About the same time, her father fell ill and Snehal flew down to Hyderabad to spend as much time as possible with him. After her father’s demise, she left the stock market completely and joined Sushil in his business.

Snehal recalls sitting in a small cubicle and learning the ins and outs of sales and the collection side of the business.

Neither has she forgotten the day she clinched her first sale and was ecstatic. Her next challenge was to sell 10 units.

When she met that goal, her husband put her in charge of handling the first phase of the complex and gradually the entire project. She believes that the ability to prioritize her time and take constructive criticism helped her learn the ropes of the business faster.

Sharma Tilal Senanayake, CPA Certified Public Accountant

Off: 713-984-4852 • Cell: 832-283-1677 • Fax: 713-278-1656

At the recdently held MMNA Concention, Snehal Mantri, left, Mantri Developers, India, Lisa Gillmor , Mayor of Santa Clara, CA, Vimal Sodhani, Recipient of MMNA ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, and Padma Bhushan Ved Nanda.

The thriving business necessitated a natural progression to Marketing Director where she oversaw sales, marketing and customer care. Her innate sense of business helped her grasp the pulse of the market and customer requirements.

She converted this knowledge into equipping her projects with unique concepts such as a Telemedicine room which housed a full time nurse and could connect a resident to any doctor through Video chat. A Concierge Service could, at the push of a button, pay bills or have something delivered from anywhere in the world. These were amenities that were a godsend to those new to the city.

In another astute move, she started Mantri Insignia – a program that allowed residents to cash out points for referrals. A Smart Lady Training Program

trained resident housewives to sell apartments on a commission basis. She also initiated a Go Green project where she encouraged recycling and kitchen gardens Before too long, Snehal was handed the Human Resources department. One of her first decisions was to introduce yoga, Zumba and meditation sessions at the office to increase employee productivity.

As a continuation of this holistic approach to living, she started an organic products company nine months ago under the brand name of Weefa Mantra. The program trains farmers to grow organic products, gives them better returns for their produce and in her words “helps people enhance their life with healthier options.”

She is the Trustee of an NGO billionBricks that builds

homes for the homeless and has built 150 toilets in a village adopted by her.

Her office is lined with awards and recognitions but two have pride of place – an award by FICCI Flow for women entrepreneurs and the Sustainability Award for Mantri Developers from the President of India Pranab Mukherjee himself.

In this hustle that she revels in, she does admit to missing her me-time occasionally. She loves travelling and discovered a sporty side to her during a vacation to New Zealand. Another favorite vacation spot that takes her breath away with its natural beauty is Finland. She jokes that if you can’t find her anywhere, try Finland!

Her daughter Priyanka is married and son Pratik who joined the business is soon to be married in December.

Email: Sharmasenanayake@yahoo.com

Email: sharma@sharma-cpa.com Web: Sharma-cpa.com Web: sharma-cpa.com

6200 Savoy Square Dr., #425 7100 Regency Blvd Ste 230-7 Houston, Texas • Houston, TX 7703677036

Sharma Tilal Senanayake CPA, MA, FCA

* Business & Personal Tax Preparation * Maintain Books of Accounts for Businesses * Project Evaluations and Feasibility Studies * Payroll, Payroll Taxes and Statutory Filing

,QGLD +HUDOG

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.

Snehal Mantri received the Confederation of Indian Industries Sustainability Award in 2013.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018• PAGE 5

NEWS

Raju Reddy named Vice Chair of the 2nd World Hindu Congress

By MANU SHAH Silicon Valley will make its presence felt at the 2nd World Hindu Congress (WHC) with 200 technocrats registering for the conference. One of their own, Angel Investor Raju Reddy is Vice Chair – an invitation he accepted because he’s come to believe that it takes “scale” to make an impact.

WHC is, after all, scale in its truest sense - a gigantic undertaking that will seek to impact Hindus around the globe. Over 2000 prominent Hindus and 250 thought leaders will gather in Chicago from 7th- 9th September, 2018 to spark dialogue and discussion on how Hindus can make a bigger societal impact globally.

Heads of States, media personalities, top tier corporate executives and national community leaders will share the dais to discuss how Hindus can make their presence felt in 7 key areas: education, economy, media, politics, greater visibility of Hindu Women and Youth and Hindu organizations.

Hindus, reflects Raju, are viewed as great doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs, as positive role models but they need to become “change makers.” This requires them to be organized. The release of a Diwali stamp by the US Postal service, corrections about Hinduism in California textbooks, the election of the first Hindu Congressman Ro Khanna are visible examples of the benefits of organization and would have been impossible “if Hindus had not organized themselves.”

America, he continues, is our “Karmabhoomi” and as proud Hindus and Indo Americans, we need to do more philanthropy in our local communities, be more active in public policy and more visible as peo-

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

SAT PSAT

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

ACT SAT Subject

GMAT GRE

PRIVATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

ISEE HSPT

ple making a positive d i ff e r e n c e .

WHC, according to him, is a perfect opportunity to elevate this goal.

Raju is from Nizamabad, Telangana.

His father, an active leader in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), enrolled him in the Sainik School in Korukonda. Studying in a school that trained people for the armed forces proved invaluable in teaching him discipline, integrity, team over self and loyalty – values that helped the entrepreneur in him.

He is a BITS, Pilani and Virginia Tech graduate, worked at Intel for 10 years, then took his mentor Kanwal Rekhi’s advice and started Sierra Atlantic – an IT solutions company in 1993.

It was a substantial company with 2500 people operating in 12 countries before it was bought by Hitachi in 2010.

Raju discovered a second calling with his newfound time – mentoring and philanthropy. He brings 25 startups from India to Stanford each year and invites senior executives from Silicon Valley to meet with them under the StartupBridgeIndia initiative.

His second big initiative is Kakatiya Sandbox – a nonprofit that focusses on creating better economic opportunities and positive role models at the grass root levels in rural Telangana, his home state. RSS volunteers in the villages and small towns, he says, were “truly selfless, patriotic people” who helped

LSAT TOEFL

PROF. ENGINEERING LICENSING

OLSAT

FE-CBT

PE

Higher Scores Guaranteed

Most Perfect Scorers and National Merits Annually!

Different Learning Options Available

Classroom

Online

1-on-1

K-12 Math through Calculus, English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Government and most AP Exams

281-276-7777

www.testmasters.com

facebook.com/testmasters youtube.com/testmasters @testmasters

him in this endeavor.

These initiatives require Raju to travel to India every two months but as he puts it, there’s no substitute for being there in person. He shares his optimism about India’s youth and its future and goes so far as to say that “India will produce global technology brands like Google or Facebook in the coming decade.”

He’s equally positive about the upcoming WHC conference and believes that every attendee will return infused with the confidence that they “can make a difference in their local communities.”

To learn about or participate in the 2018 World Hindu Congress, visit http:// whc.2018worldhinducongress. org

Area students earn national recognition Cypress Woods sophomores Govind Chada and Aayush Gupta were among the more than 9600 of America’s best and brightest students who traveled to Maryland to FBLA National Leadership Conference held June 28-July 1st. Govind and Aayush earned their berth at the national competition after winning first place at the Texas State Leadership Conference.

Govind and Aayush designed and developed a mobile application from the ground up to manage and distribute books in a library using technologies such as iOS, Google Firebase and Agile development methodologies. The competition judged the application quality using criteria such as ease of use, social media integration, graphics and robustness. The students were also judged on their ability to deliver a business presentation highlighting the value and impact of their solution. Competing with 70+ top teams in the nation, they made it to the final round after going through the elimination round. After an outstanding performance in the finals, Govind and Aayush were recognized with a 10th place award at the Awards of Excellence Program during the closing ceremony.

“Govind and Aayush have shown great passion and initiative throughout the year to develop a mobile application that solves a real business problem,” said Lori Andrade, Cypress Woods FBLA club adviser. “The project required hundreds of hours of effort and was many months in the making and it is rewarding to see them succeed at the highest levels.”

The award was part of a comprehensive national competitive events program sponsored by FBLA-Phi Beta Lambda that recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. For many students, the events are the capstone activity of their academic careers.

In addition to competitions, students immersed themselves in interactive workshops, visited an information-packed exhibit hall, and heard from motivational speakers on a broad range of business topics.

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS

Their father was a refugee in India; Now they’ve teamed up with the Trumps

By Steve Eder and Ben Protess CLEVELAND, Miss. — Dinesh Chawla has long run his family’s hotel business from a high-top table at a Hampton Inn on the edge of this outof-the-way Mississippi Delta town. It used to be the kind of work that usually involved friends and neighbors.

But in the year since Mr. Chawla and his brother signed a hotel deal with President Trump’s family business, he has been courted by strangers.

Goldman Sachs dispatched a wealth manager in hopes of signing him as a client. And on a recent afternoon, a businessman from Florida came to discuss hotel developments, including a potential location in the shadow of Universal Studios.

“I’m the same person, but people look at me in a different way,” said Mr. Chawla, whose corner office consists of a bar stool between the free coffee and the complimentary breakfast counter. “I never wanted the spotlight.”

Mr. Chawla is an immigrant from India and the son of a refugee. He treated his staff to celebratory pizza when President Barack Obama was first inaugurated. He and his family own the Hampton Inn and 16 other hotels in the Mississippi Delta, a Democratic and heavily African-American pocket of deeply Republican Mississippi.

And, he said, he has become so disillusioned with politics over the last decade that he doesn’t plan to vote at all in the 2020 presidential election — not for Mr. Trump, or anyone else.

Yet it is the Trumps who have turned his padded stool into one of the hottest business hubs in the Mississippi Delta, catapulting Mr. Chawla to relative fame — he appeared last summer on an episode of the HBO series “Vice News Tonight” — and, with some luck, fortune.

His business profile “went nuclear,” he said, after the president’s elder sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., announced last June that the Trump Organization had become partners with Mr. Chawla and his younger brother, Suresh, on four hotels in the Mississippi Delta.

“There are seven billion people on Earth, and next to maybe Jesus and Muhammad, this is probably the most talked about name there is,” he said of the Trumps, hastening to add that he meant no disrespect to Christians or Muslims.

The Chawlas are in an exclusive club of one: Since Mr. Trump was elected, his family business has not announced hotel deals with any other new partners. That realization had Suresh Chawla crowing — with the kind of hyperbole

aire media mogul on luxury resorts in Indonesia, and in the United Arab Emirates they are developing golf courses with another billionaire, nicknamed “the Donald of Dubai.”

The Chawlas got their start in Mississippi selling beer and fried chicken.

“They are amazing people,” Eric Trump said of the Chawlas at the ribbon-cutting in the Bronx. “They achieved the American dream.”

V. K. Chawla, their father, grew up in a refugee camp in Punjab, India, after much of Dinesh Chawla, whose family business is working with the his family was killed in reliTrump Organization on hotel projects in Mississippi, voted for gious violence. He went on to Barack Obama and works from a bar stool at a Hampton Inn. earn a Ph.D. in environmenCreditAndrea Morales for The New York Times tal sciences before moving to Canada. In the 1970s, he relobefitting the president — to the domestic ones to outside ethics cated his family to the MissisRepublican governor of Mis- vetting, shrinking the pool of sippi Delta, where he bought sissippi. potential partners. The Chaw- a convenience store and later “The future of the Trump las signed a deal to open three opened a fried chicken restauhotels company depends on budget-friendly properties un- rant. how they do with their four ho- der the Trump Organization’s An amateur gambler who tels in the Mississippi Delta,” new American Idea brand and had seen ups and downs, Mr. he wrote in a previously unre- one four-star hotel here in Chawla dreamed of owning ported email exchange with the Cleveland as a Scion, the com- a hotel, and in the 1980s he governor last year. “Unreal!!!” pany’s other new brand. phoned a famous mogul to The governor, Phil BryAt the construction site for seek a loan. It was Donald J. ant, cheered the Chawlas on the Scion, the only building on Trump. and extended an invitation the property was erected beMr. Trump, the family story to Trump hotel executives to fore the Trumps got involved. has it, returned the call and, visit the governor’s mansion, Trump hotel executives, although declining to extend emails obtained through a re- Dinesh Chawla said, have sec- a loan, offered advice and encords request show. In 2016, ond-guessed just about every- couragement. The Chawlas the governor had introduced thing about the project, even credit that exchange with proSuresh Chawla to Mr. Trump, the chosen furniture, which has pelling their family business then a presidential candidate, been relegated to storage trail- into 17 hotels that welcome during a campaign stop in Mis- ers. And while Mr. Chawla is an average of 250,000 guests a sissippi. careful not to point fingers, the year, Dinesh Chawla said.

The Chawlas, who arrived Chawlas are clearly no longer After their father’s death in in the United States as children the sole masters of their Delta 2015, Suresh Chawla recountand are naturalized citizens, universe. ed the story in a letter to the edshrugged off questions about “There are days when you itor published in several Mistheir politics, saying they play hang up the phone and say, sissippi newspapers. The letter by the rules and focus on proj- ‘Oh, goodness gracious,’” he caught the eye of the governor, ects that will uplift their eco- said of interactions with the Mr. Bryant, who had officially nomically depressed region. Trumps, “but you don’t let recognized V. K. Chawla for Dinesh Chawla said that their it overwhelm you.” And the his contributions to state tourcompany had had no contact upside, Mr. Chawla said, is ism and had attended groundwith Mr. Trump since he be- tapping into the Trumps’ re- breakings of Chawla hotels. came president — “I didn’t sources and reach. “I’m meet- The next summer, the goverthink he had a chance in hell of ing people who are designing nor invited Suresh Chawla to a winning,” he said — and that things in Bali,” he marveled.

Trump campaign event. their dealings with the presiA Fateful Phone Call The brothers decided that dent’s sons were largely limitOn a breezy morning meeting Mr. Trump could be ed to business and pleasantries. last month, Eric Trump and good for business, and Suresh “The ups and downs of Pres- Donald Trump Jr. opened a Chawla donated $27,700 to ident Trump are just theater,” 20,000-square-foot clubhouse support the campaign. (Dinesh said Dinesh Chawla, in his at their luxury golf course in Chawla, who supported both work attire of black slacks and the Bronx. They cut a ceremo- Bush presidencies, said he had a checked shirt unbuttoned at nial ribbon alongside Dustin not cast a ballot since 2008, the collar. “I have my family’s Johnson, one of the world’s when he voted for Mr. Obama. finances at stake here. I cannot top golfers, and Jack Nicklaus, He added that he would not worry about Twitter postings the legend whose company de- vote for any opponent of Mr. and investigations.” signed the course.

Trump, given how the presiFor the Trump Organization, The clubhouse, with a con- dent had helped his father.) the unconventional partnership struction budget of $10 milJust four months after Mr. with the Chawlas signals a lion, sells Trump chardonnay Trump’s election victory, the sharp turn from its heady days and assorted Trump-embossed Chawlas received an email of global expansion and five- trinkets. A Trump helicopter from Trump hotel executives star luxury; the nearest Trump delivered the golf luminaries expressing interest in teaming hotel to Mississippi is in a sky- to the event. up. By June 2017, the families scraper in Chicago, and room The Trumps have yet to pay reached a deal for four hotels; rates there can be multiples of a high-profile visit to their the Chawlas would own the what the Chawlas are likely to Mississippi Delta partners, and properties and pay the Trumps charge. when they do, it is unlikely to fees.

The company, which the involve many of the extravaThe Chawlas then headed to president still owns, has said gances associated with their New York for the announceit will not pursue new foreign brand and other partners. They ment. deals and will subject many are teaming up with a billionTheir introduction at Trump

Tower was “surreal,” Dinesh Chawla said, describing the experience in star-struck detail from his stool at the Hampton Inn. He expressed awe at riding the escalator — the one, he noted, that Mr. Trump had taken so many times before.

Soaked in nervous sweat, he recalled, he asked for water.

It was delivered in a martini glass. “The next thing I know,” he said, “I’m being called to the stage.”

‘Your Dad Would Be Very Proud’ Mr. Bryant, the Mississippi governor, was not in New York for the big announcement. But not for lack of trying by Suresh Chawla.

Weeks earlier, the governor had invited the Chawlas on a trade mission to India, prompting Suresh Chawla to extend an invitation of his own: The brothers had “blockbuster news!” he said in an email, and “would love for you to be front and center at the announcement.”

The email, obtained through a public records request, described a “hotel development that will not only get national attention, but worldwide attention, on the Mississippi Delta.”

Without revealing the name, Mr. Chawla hinted at a partnership with Mr. Trump, describing “someone very famous who has tremendous respect for you.”

Two days before the Trump Tower announcement, Mr. Chawla followed up with the governor, sending another email that revealed the Trumps as partners and requesting to talk by phone.

Mr. Bryant later congratulated Mr. Chawla on what “will be a wonderful addition to the Delta and your company,” adding “Your dad would be very proud.”

There is nothing improper about the governor and the Chawlas exchanging emails about the agreement with the Trumps, but it points to the blending of business and politics in a place desperate for economic development, with partners unaccustomed to the public scrutiny that follows polarizing players like the Trumps.

In February, The New York Times reported that a state agency had awarded the Chawlas a sales tax rebate worth up to $6 million, potentially offsetting nearly a third of their costs on the Scion hotel. The agency that approved the rebate reports to the governor.

A spokesman for Mr. Bryant said the Chawlas followed the same procedure as other applicants for the tax rebate, which is part of a broader effort to draw tourists to MissisSee HOTEL, Page 7

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 7

NEWS “Life After: Loss of a Spouse” helps families prepare for the inevitable

The “Life After: Loss of a Spouse” seminar attracted a record audience at India House. Additional seminars on such educational topics are in the pipeline at India House.

HOUSTON Losing a spouse can be one of the most difficult times in one’s life. To make this transition a bit easier, it is helpful to know what needs to be done in advance and to understand the process for moving forward.

With this goal in mind, India House, Share Our Secrets (SOS), Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACCGH) hosted a panel session “Life After: Loss of a Spouse” on Sunday, July 8, 2018, at India House, with a record audience of over 200 people.

Panelists at the “Life After: Loss of a Spouse) included Ranvir “Biki” Mohindra (SOS), Kumari Susarla Due to popular demand, this was the second time that the four (IACAN), Tupil Narasiman (IACCGH) and Andrew Hardwick (Social Security Administration). organizations conducted a program on this topic, and it was just as successful as the first seminar conducted in October 2017. Inwill duck hunt in the Delta this sions is underway in Clarks- dia House and SOS have now entered into a strategic relationdale, Miss., a predominantly ship to bring more such educational seminars to the community winter.”

He ended the email with African-American city known in collaboration with subject matter experts and other community From Page 6 a familiar Trump theme: for its deep blues history. The organizations.

“Thanks for making the Delta Chawlas closed a Rodeway Inn The two-hour program was full of practical tips and steps for there and expect to reopen it spouses to take before the passing of a spouse, right after the death Dinesh Chawla said that po- great again.”

Weddings Near the Strip this year as the first American of a spouse, and also on how to transition to a new lifestyle. The litical influence had played no Idea. program hosted a panel of speakers from different backgrounds role in securing the rebate, and Mall The hotel is tucked behind a and was emceed by Dr. Anu Rao, ex-member IACAN Board.

When Dinesh Chawla scans that “we were extra careful not First, Kumari Susarla, former president of IACAN, spoke on to play the ‘Trump card.’” Mr. the site of the future Scion Mexican restaurant and up the Chawla also said the family’s hotel, he envisions crowds ar- street from a Kroger that re- her experience after losing her husband. She was appreciative of partnership with the Trumps riving after football games at cently shuttered. It is adjacent the steps her husband took before his death such as preparing a “has not resulted in more con- nearby Delta State University, to a strip mall that includes an spreadsheet to monitor financial status, setting up automatic bill musical acts performing at a auto title lender and a dollar pay and becoming familiar with logging into various bank acnection” with Mr. Bryant. concert venue and couples ex- store. counts and investment accounts. Next, Andrew Hardwick from Image While the location might not the Social Security Administration informed the audience of SoMr. Bryant, in a statement, changing wedding vows near a exude Trumpian largess, lo- cial Security spousal and survivor benefits. said the Chawla family had tree-lined pond.

“People might like to get cal leaders see this project and Tupil Narasiman, CPA and member of IACCGH, followed Mr. “made our state stronger, particularly in the Mississippi married,” he mused. “Who Mr. Chawla’s other ventures as Hardwick and laid out the steps people can take yesterday, today, engines for economic devel- and tomorrow to prepare financially for this major life event, e.g., Delta, where investment is knows?”

It was about a dozen years opment. Mr. Chawla recently having proper estate planning documents, listing out all assets badly needed.”

Suresh Chawla, who did not ago that the Chawlas began visited Silicon Valley for dis- and liabilities.

In conclusion, Biki Mohindra, SOS founder, advised the group respond to requests for com- dreaming of a hotel and enter- cussions about a technology ment, had also sought to intro- tainment complex on this plot center that could bring jobs to on practical steps in six areas: daily routine, financial matters, governmental issues (taxes), insurance, emotional issues, and duce the governor to the head of more than 17 acres at a stop- Clarksdale.

Judson Thigpen, executive health issues. As Mr. Mohindra mentioned from seeing his mothof the Trump Organization’s light near a strip mall, a Preshotel division, Eric Danziger. byterian church and a storage director of the Cleveland-Boli- er’s experience, losing a spouse can be very difficult, but it is posvar County Chamber of Com- sible to make a healthy adjustment, if one has a positive outlook.

“The president hired him him- complex.

Dinesh Chawla’s refrain is merce, said the Scion in partic- The program ended with a lively Q&A session and introduction self two years ago,” Mr. Chawla told Mr. Bryant in a June that the project sits “at the in- ular would fill a need for hotel of upcoming programs. tersection between entrepre- space close to Delta State and Given the success of such programs, SOS is working with oth2017 email. the nearby Grammy Museum. er community organizations to organize additional educational The governor jumped at the neurship and creativity.”

For the Chawlas, these en- events specifically for seniors similar to the “Loss of a Spouse” But when the Trumps got inrequest, saying “I would love to meet him,” and offering to volved last year, visible prog- deavors are tied up in the event, on various aspects of “Life After” major events. Many of “host y’all” at the governor’s ress on the $20 million venture memories of their father, who these issues are not taught at a university or through a college stalled. A sign outside the de- died before the Trump partner- curriculum. mansion.

For example, seminar topics could include financial literacy Mr. Danziger politely de- velopment had advertised that ship was even a consideration. ferred the offer in an email to it would open in fall 2017; the When Dinesh Chawla travels (social security, investing, and estate planning), health issues the governor. He later told The sign is gone, and Mr. Chawla to New York, he carries his fa- (planning for long-term care, medicare, etc.), and other topics important to seniors (staying connected with the next generation, Times he had done so because no longer makes predictions ther’s briefcase.

Back at the Hampton Inn, charity and volunteering, etc). he had concluded that it would about the timing.

One thing is certain, he said: Mr. Chawla is at home seated SOS is also planning to create new and thoughtful structures not be appropriate for him, as a representative of the busi- The furniture purchased for at the high table with a bottle and groups for widows and widowers to help them to lead a full ness, to “engage in the politi- the project — but rejected by of water, his staff within ear- and fruitful life after the loss of a spouse. the Trumps — will not go to shot.

SOS hopes to play the role of a catalyst and educational agency cal arena.”

“I love sitting right here,” for future such events with India House as the focal point.

Still, in an email to Mr. Dan- waste. It will be repurposed Organizations and community members interested in providing ziger, Mr. Bryant expressed for use at the Chawla-owned he said. “I don’t feel like I’m enthusiasm about the Trump hotels being converted to the claustrophobic in some little input on possible topics, and participating or helping with planning/organizing these efforts are encouraged to contact Atma Ram brands’ coming to Mississippi, Trumps’ more affordable new box.” (atma.ram1@gmail.com) or Mani Subramanian kohur@aol.com. and asked him to “say hello to brand, American Idea.

—www.nytimes.com The first of those converDon Jr. for me and tell him we

Hotel

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS Survey From Page 1

ture of the motivations and self-reported giving behavior of the Indian American donor community.

Indiaspora Founder, MR Rangaswami, said “Today, we are discussing what lies next for Indiaspora in our role as a philanthropic catalyst, which is one of the core pillars of our mission. We are in the early stages of strategically planning what we should do to move the needle – which is to say, increase the amount of Indian American philanthropic giving in America and to India, and make it more effective.”

Dalberg Advisors’ Regional Director for the Americas, Joe Dougherty, said, “At over $3 billion dollars annually, the giving potential of Indian Americans is enormous. To put it into context, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation distributes $4-$5 billion across the entire globe every year. Imagine the kind of impact the diaspora could create if they met their giving potential. We hope that the results of this study help galvanize philanthropic efforts among this important— and influential—community.”

The survey finds that the community is passionate about social impact, has a diversity of interests, are careful screeners and prolific volunteers.

An Indian American donor typically volunteers 220 hours each year, far exceeding the U.S. national average of ~130 hours annually.

However, the community

must not get complacent – the Indian Diaspora has a long way to go before we can call ourselves good givers.

There exists a large “giving gap” in the realm of at least $2-3 billion. Further, we find a “passion-donation gap”, which means that the community does not necessarily give to those causes which it collectively claims to be most passionate about.

Moreover, women and men do not always rank the same causes in the same order of importance.

For example, 59% of women listed gender equality as an area they are passionate about (tied with education as their top passion area) whereas only 26% of men said the same (only 6th on their list of passion areas).

Finally, the community tends to view its business and investment activities as being almost entirely independent of their philanthropic engagements.

The survey found credible evidence buttressing the pervasive notion that Indian Diaspora donors often lack trust in the philanthropic organizations they might wish to give to. In other words, donors harbor a “trust deficit”.

Excerpts from the executive summary of the survey report: This ongoing survey explores the diaspora’s attitudes toward, motivations for and barriers to giving, as well as their actual philanthropic behavior. To date, we have received over 800 responses from across the US.

Over 90% of our respondents are donors. While the survey results are therefore not representative of the broader Indian American diaspora (and should not be treated as such!), the survey begins to paint a rich picture of motivations and self- reported behavior of the donor community. The donor bias in the survey comes from two sources.

First, we disseminated the survey through the distribution lists of 28 partner organizations working across philanthropy, media and community advocacy with deep reach into the Indian American community.

The distribution lists of these organizations likely already have a high number of donors.

Second, the survey was taken at will by respondents, so it’s no surprise that the sample would be skewed toward those more interested in social philanthropy in the first place. The results therefore allow us to explore the self-reported patterns amongst the donor community in detail and identify opportunities to strengthen the philanthropic behaviur of donors.

Moreover, understanding the donor population can also help us start understanding broader trends at play: e.g., what might motivate other segments, what barriers are likely to hold true more broadly, etc. Overall, our hypothesis—based on the demographic traits of the respondents—suggests our data represent a best-case scenario in terms of the giving patterns of patterns of the Indian diaspora.

The two most prominent studies include a Bill and Me-

linda Gates Foundation/Dalberg study that explored the gap in and opportunities to catalyze philanthropic giving to India by high net worth individuals in the Indian diaspora across the US, the UAE, Singapore and the UK (results are not-public) and a 2015 study

by The Bridgespan Group, Giving Back to India, which studied the potential of Indian Americans to give back specifically to India.

The findings in this document are based on the selfreported data from this survey and therefore may not fully capture actual behavior of individuals.

The good news is that the donor community is passionate about social impact: we have a diversity of interests, are careful screeners and—most notably—are prolific volunteers.

Diversity of passions: We asked respondents to choose the top 3 issues that they were most passionate about. Unsurprisingly, there is a large concentration of passion for big social impact areas such as Education (cited by 61% of respondents) and Healthcare (46%). Perhaps what is more interesting is that there was meaningful interest in less “traditional” sectors: Financial Inclusion (24%), Access to Technology (24%) and LGBTQIA rights (13%). One surprise is that—at 13%—our respondents seem to give significantly less to religious causes than we expected.

Giving USA4 puts the religious figure for the average American at 31% (2017), the

highest of any category and double second place (education, with 14%).

There could be many reasons for this divergence; while we can’t confirm with certainty, it is possible that the demographic composition of our sample may not be representative of the broader Indian American population with regard to religious giving.

Passion for impact manifests in high volunteering activities as survey respondents averaged 19 volunteer hours a month, or 220 hours per year, nearly twice that of the US annual average of 124 hours amongst volunteers. The top volunteer activities were in-person activities, such as helping in soupkitchens and park-cleanings (62%) and serving on boards of non-profits (59%), while mentoring was the least common activity (47%).

There is a positive correlation between amount donated and monthly hours volunteered - the highest Indian American donors are more likely to be actively engaged with social work in the field and can hence serve as philanthropic role models to educate and galvanize their communities towards collective social impact, particularly the large segments of non-volunteering low donors.

Conversely, the lowest donors are most likely to be totally disengaged from volunteering.

Respondents demonstrated a clear, consistent methodology in screening beneficiary organizations.

“44 Years Years “48 Visit www. India-herald.com.

and Counting, Providing Services Email: 1970-2018 1970 - 2014 To Generations editor@india-herald.com of Businesses and Professionals Around The World”

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 9

 .. SHOP BEST PRICES ONLINE !

PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS

Woodlands Char Dham Hindu Temple hosts Rath Yatra

Priests bring the deities to the chariot.

Left, Festival organizers, Dr. Surya Sahoo and his wife Kabita, of SKAI Foundation, in front.

Lord Jagannath works in His own mysterious ways. It was hot and humid all day but just before the Rath Yatra, it began to rain. According to ISKCON’s Saranga Thakura Das. “It’s an auspicious sign for it to rain before or during Rath Yatra. Lord Jagannath made sure that the streets are cleaned before His chariot is pulled.”

It was indeed a miracle that after raining heavily for over an hour, the rain clouds disappeared for the rest of the evening and paved the way for devotees to pull the chariots inside Char Dham Temple grounds in much cooler temperatures.

Rath Yatra is the celebration of Lord Jagannath’s annual visit to Gundicha Mandir, his aunt’s place. It’s the only time in the year, when Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra come out of the temple to give darshan to the devotees who can see their beloved God and participate in the chariot pulling. It is said that pulling the chariots once in your lifetime washes away all your sins. In Puri, millions congregate every year to witness Rath Yatra and three decorated chariots are pulled in Bada Danda by thousands of devotees.

In keeping with this tradition, three beautifully decorated chariots were pulled around the Char Dham temple grounds with throngs of humble devotees singing and dancing in slow majestic rhythm to kirtans by the Kirtan team from ISKCON. Priests doled out Prasad (blessed whole fruits and specially made sweets of Khaja and Laddoos) to devotees.

Throngs of believers seeking Lord Jagannath’s blessings vied for the divine opportunity to pull the ropes of the chariots along in the procession.

The special Puja and Archana of the Lord took place in the morning followed by Chappan Bhog (56 different items were presented before the Lord). The afternoon celebrations started at 5pm with a cultural program where many groups from the Woodlands and around the Greater Houston area participated.

While the cultural program was coming to an end, priests started the Sandhya Arati and the kirtan team from ISKCON started the kirtan inside the Jagannath temple. The Pahandi took place around 7:15 pm, where devotees brought the deities out from the main temple to the chariots via the flight of stairs containing 22 steps.

Priests from the Char Dham Temple climbed atop the chariots and did the Puja for a smooth Rath Yatra. Keeping with the Puri tradition, Dwarkanath Prabhu Ji from ISKCON was the ceremonial king who swept in front of the chariots to clear their path. Enthusiastic devotees pulled the chariots around the temple grounds thrice, after which the chariots were pulled back in front of the Jagannath temple. Priests in three chariots started the Maha Arati simultaneously which was a spectacle to behold. This was followed

by Prasad where devotees got a chance to taste the Chappan Bhog.

SKAI Foundation is thankful to Saranga Thakura Das Prabhu Ji and Shyam Sunder Das Prabhu Ji for leading the devotional aspects of the event, Dwarkanath Prabhu Ji for his duties as the ceremonial king and Guru Bhakti Mata Ji and other ISKCON devotees for their overall support. This event would not have been possible without the tireless work by countless Char Dham volunteers, who worked day and night to make the event successful.

It was Dr. Surya Sahoo vision to bring this festival to Houston few years back when he and his wife, Kabita, experienced a miracle. Kabita suffered from paralysis on her right side after a stroke, but was determined to visit the original ancient Rath Yatra in Puri, India. As they approached the chariots in the procession, Kabita was miraculously able to climb one of the chariots by herself and felt the feeling return to her right side.

“We wanted to recreate the festival here in Houston and offer everyone a chance to experience the Lord of the Universe’s

Chariots ready for the procession. divine blessing,” said Kabita.

Char Dham temple opened in March, 2018 making it possible for devotees to make a more convenient, shortened pilgrimage to the Char Dham Temples – the four sacred wor-

ship sites originally found at the four corners of India – Badrinath in the north, Dwarkanath in the west, Rameswaram in the south and Jagannath in the east.

The Bahuda Yatra (Return

Rath Yatra) was celebrated at the Char Dham Temple on Sunday, July 22nd. For more event photos and videos, visit greaterhoustonrathyatra.org or skaifoundation.org.

IMMIGRATION LAW OFFICES OF

DAKSHINI R. SEN, P.C. Attorneys at Law Texas Location: 6200 Savoy Dr, Ste. #270 Houston, TX 77036 Tel: 713-278-1677 / Fax: 713-278-1656 New York Location: 1123 Broadway, Ste. #909 New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212-242-1677 / Fax: 212-

Dakshini R. Senanayake, B.S., LL.M. Licensed by the Supreme Court of New York

242-1688

H-1B, L1, P3, TN, O1, R1, E1/E2 and other nonimmigrant visas Employment & Family based Green Cards, PERM / I-140, I-130/I-485 & Citizenship

Web: www.dakshinisen.com

Email: dakshini@dakshinisen.com

NEWS Thiruvalluvar statue installed at Kannappan Arts Museum in Pearland

A life size statue of Tamil poet and savant Thiruvalluvar who gave the famous couplets ‘Thirukkural’ was unveiled recently at the Kannappan Art Museum in Pearland Alliance for Arts & culture building, 2341 N. Galveston Avenue, Pearland.

The statue was unveiled by Dr. G. Viswanathan, Chancellor, Vellore Institute of Technology, who was on a visit to Texas to attend a Tamil convention.

After reading about the unveiling of Thiruvalluvar statue in Queens, New York by Dr. V.G. Santhosam, prominent industrialist of Chennai and President of World Tamil Association, Houstonian Sam Kannappan approached Santhosam for a similar statue.

The bronze statue is donated

by VGP World Tamil Sangam headed by Chairman of VGP Group of Companies and VGP

Golden Beech Resorts in Chennai Dr VG Santosam. So far he has installed 36th statues of Thiruvalluvar in India and in different countries such as Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, France, Sri Lanka.

Thiruvalluvar was a Tamil poet-saint known as the author of the Tirukkural (Sacred Couplets) - a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economical matters and love, considered a masterpiece of human thought. —SESHADRI KUMAR

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 11

STATUE UNVEILED. Vivek Raja, rear, Sam Kannappan, left, Ravirajan, Perumal Annamalai, Pearland Mayor Tom Reid, Dr. G. Vishwanathan, chancellor, VIT University, Karthik Rangarajan and Sathish Rajamani .

Gandhi Sesquicentennial celebration kick off Sept. 30 Mahatma Gandhi, apostle of peace and non-violence, demonstrated to the world the effectiveness of non-violent means for bringing about profound social changes and lasting peace.

Mahatma Gandhi Library is pleased to announce the Kick-off event of the yearlong celebration of Gandhi Sesquicentennial(150th birthday) which falls on October 2, 2019.

See the details below: Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 Time: 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM Place: Asia Society of Texas, 1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM Screening of two episodes of documentary A Force More Powerful 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM Panel discussion. Panel will include film’s director Steve York and producer Miriam Zimmerman 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Reception Tickets to the event are $ 5 per person.

To buy tickets: Visit https://asiasociety.org/ texas/events/celebrating-gandhis-legacy-nonviolence.

Click on Buy Tickets https:// asiasocietytx.secure.force. com/ticket/#sections_a0F1Y00000upHJnUAM Choose the number of tickets in the non-member section (unless they are a member of Asia Society); Click on Add to Cart; Enter the discount code GANDHI (lowercase or uppercase) and click apply -> click checkout and enter the card information to process the tickets.

Please visit www.gandhi150. us

All discourses will be in English. Swami Mukundananda is founder of unique Yogic system JKYog, also known as Yoga for the Body, Mind and Soul. He received His degrees in Engineering & Management from IIT (Delhi) and IIM (Kolkata). For last 3 decades, He has inspired people on path of Spirituality, holistic health, yoga, meditation, service to society & God-realization. He has been invited to speak at various Fortune 500 companies like Google, Oracle etc. For youth, has conducted programs at prestigious universities such as Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Kellogg School of Management and Duke University. Registration recommended at jkyog.org/events

PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

RELIGION

Dushyanth Sridhar, storyteller extraordinaire

Dushyanth Sridhar at Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland in a lighter moment during a discourse.

By SESHADRI KUMAR scribed the significance of the One may have heard the Narasimha avatar, a human torstory of the ten incarnations of so with a lion’s head. The avaLord Vishnu several times over tar is referenced by Rama and the years or read about them in later by Rukmini in a letter to our ancient scriptures or epics. Lord Krishna.

The stories have little eleLord Vishnu took the inment of surprise or suspense carnation of Varaha (boar) to and it is sometimes difficult to save the earth from the demon sit for two hours and listen to Hiranyaksha, and killed him. a rehash about the story of Pra- Hiranyaksha’s elder brother, halada.

Hiranyakashipu sought revenge Not with storyteller extraor- on Lord Vishnu and wanted to dinaire, Dushyanth Sridhar. become the master of all three Billed as a religious discourse, worlds. He performed severe his talk at Sri Meenakshi tem- penance for many years and ple broke barriers, traveled earned a boon from Brahma, across space and time, with seeking immortality. He sought scholarship, knowledge, and a boon that he should not be felicity of expression. Modern killed by man or beast, nor science, technology and biol- devil, his death may not occur ogy mingled smoothly with by day or by night, with steel or history, geography, mathemat- stone or wood, indoors or outics, and poetry in the narration doors, or earth or in sky. With of a divine story. the boon, he became a dictaThe discourse was organized tor and ordered that only he be as a fundraiser for the temple’s worshipped as God in his kingKalyanamandam renovation dom. project. The discourse was in Hiranyakashipu’s son, PraEnglish and hence appealed to halada had heard about the dia wider audience. vine grace of Lord Vishnu from Dushyanth Sridhar’s pre- Sage Narada’s recitations while sentation was not a visual treat he was in his mother’s womb. but more than made up in the Hiranyakashipu, angry and content of his speech. He kept upset at his son’s devotion to listeners glued to their seats and Vishnu tried to kill him, but in without preaching conveyed the vain. When son Prahalada statmessage with wit and humor. ed that Vishnu is present everydevesh pathak cpa OL AD 11-2-15.pdf 4 11/2/15 12:07 PM Dushyanth, 34, vividly de- where, Hiranyakashipu pointed

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

to a nearby pillar and asked if ‘his Vishnu’ was in it.

Prahalada replied yes and Hiranyakashipu hit the pillar with a mace. The pillar cracked with a thundering sound and Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha. One half of his body was of a lion and the other half of a man. Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu by placing him on the lap (no land or sky), sitting on the doorstep, at a time when it was neither day nor night, with nails (neither animate nor inanimate.)

Dushyanth Sridhar narrated the story with numerous substories, anecdotes and examples making it even more engrossing.

To the question as to how a pillar could give birth to Narasimha, it may be possible just like a scorpion incubates the eggs on its back and delivering the babies by breaking the skin on its back under heat, so also the pillar gave birth to Narasimha. Here the logic that animate objects alone can give rise to animate objects and inanimate objects are made out of inanimate objects is broken as the supreme being can give

birth to both animate and inanimate objects.

While the Narasimha avatara could be superficially described as the triumph of good over evil, it also conveys a deeper philosophy that nobody can escape death. Hiranykashipu was not merely killed but was taken

by God to a better place.

The message here, according to Dushyanth Sridhar, was that human beings should begin the quest for the Omnipresent and not rely on ritualistic penances to satisfy the divine and get desired benefits. He added that one must not expect results or blackmail the divine for material benefits. God blesses all, including the non-believer.

Dushyanth Sridhar also made a brief reference to Sri Vedanta Desika whose 750th birth anniversary is being celebrated this year.

Sri Vedanta Desika is one of the greatest names of Sri Vaishnava philosophy and a shining jewel in Indian spiritual tradition. Rightly called the Lion of poetry and logic, his mastery and genius enriched multiple disciplines ranging from philosophy, literary treatises,

HARDIK VYAS

mathematics and even the practical disciplines of sciences and arts. Desika re-established the teachings of Ramanuja on a firm footing with his teachings, writings and instructions.

Dushyanth Sridhar also offered an interesting instance of the mathematical genius of Sri Vedanta Desika.

It was in the early 18th century that the great mathematician, Leonhard Euler was working on how the Knight could tour the entire chess board without repetition. This had been solved by Vedanta Desika, with intricate poetry and philosophy back in 13th century. In the 30th chapter of his composition, the Paduka Sahasram, Vedanta Desika used several types of poetic imagery. Chaturango Turanga Bandhom was one such imagery through which the knight’s tour problem had already been solved 500 years before Euler.

Dushyanth Sridhar has released a free App called “Desika Daya” which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or the Playstore. It has audio and video recordings of all his lectures.

Youngest Astrologer in North America Vaastu & Gem Stone Consultant; Hindu Priest for all Pujas & Marriages Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Gujarati & Marathi Astrologer Hardik Vyas, a famous young face in Vedic Astrology from India is in Houston. Call for guidance on Health, Wealth, Education, Career, Business, Property, Love & Passion, Marriage & Compatibility, Horoscope-Making, Child Problem, Luck & Fortune, Peace & Prosperity, Karma & Economic success.

Vaastu Shastra is an ancient science. Fix an appointment for personal visit to your home, plot, business/office, shop, factory, or hotel. Gain peace of mind and prosperity by doing little changes as per Vaastu Shastra. Simple, Easy, Scientific & Affordable solutions/remedies to overcome problems in your Horoscope and Vaastu.

Astrology & Vaastu Shastra are Science of Nature, and are not related with any religion, caste, or community. It is an Occult Science and gift of nature for the welfare of the people.

Listen to Hardik Vyas live on 1320 AM Shoba Joshi’s Geetanajali Radio

E-mail: askfuture@hotmail.com Ph: 832-298-9950 www.toaskfuture.com

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 13

NEWS

It’s time for a great South Asian Song Lecture demo by Violinist Delhi Sunder Rajan book: Nirupama Rao Vidwan Delhi Sri P. Sunder

Bengaluru: Walking in to a music shop in Europe or the United States is a revelation for the novice: books of sheet music exist for every song written, from the classical composers to the great show tunes and the icons of contemporary music.

India, on the other hand, is known and appreciated the world over for her rich, musical heritage but very little of this, especially in the case of Bollywood, makes into archives where it can be studied and re-interpreted. “It’s time for a Great Indian Songbook, don’t you think?

A South-Asian Songbook, even!” laughs former Ambassador Nirupama Rao, the evening before her new Trust, the South Asian Symphony Foundation, is launched in the city.

This will give the region its first major platform for international and regional collaboration, using music as a means to form alliances of empathy and peace.

The event will be flagged off with a concert, one that includes a curated list of songs, from compositions by Rabindranath Tagore (Anandaloke) to Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns and the Ella Fitzgerald classic Cry Me A River. One of the high-

Nirupama Rao lights of the evening, however, is Peace is My Dream, written

by Ambassador Rao herself.

The formation of the South Asian Symphony Foundation is special for two reasons: One, it encourages cultural integration within the region and second, music happens to be a long-time love for former Ambassador Nirupama Rao and her husband Sudhakar.

The inspiration, Ms Rao writes, comes from her “years in diplomacy” and a growing need for providing a platform to promote more dialogue, cultural synergy and friendly understanding among the youth of eight countries in South Asia.

“This is our way of attempting to forge empathy in regions

that have not always been at peace. War and misunderstanding will always continue, we have to remember that striking relationships of peace can happen alongside. We’re choosing Western Classical music at the moment, in part because it is so well documented and also because much of it is written specifically for orchestras. That is absent in Bollywood music, unfortunately, even though their creations are so very beautiful.

There is a misconception, really that the genre is ‘Christian’, but they sing of war and peace and loss and gain too. Much of it is secular and it is our heritage to preserve too,” she says. Documenting Indian compositions and expanding the symphony’s scope to indigenous music are part of the long-term agenda too.

Ms Rao’s tryst with music goes back many decades and her passion for performance has resurfaced over the last few years. In December 2017, she released her first album, Peace is My Dream, produced by the Peninsula Studios in New Delhi.

The South Asian Symphony Foundation will be launched this afternoon along with a concert, Songs of Peace, Songs Sung True.

Rajan, the founder of Maarga, will be presenting a lecture demonstration on Concert Appreciation on July 27, Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Several recordings of yesteryear musicians will be played, and it is meant to be interactive so come with questions and ready to discuss. Entry: $10/individual, $30/family (4+) Please RSVP at the Facebook page: Do not miss this opportuhttps://www.facebook.com/ nity to interact with a great events/223051154999400/ musician and guru.

U.S. offers India armed version of Guardian Drone FARNBOROUGH, England The United States has offered India the armed version of Guardian drones that were originally authorized for sale as unarmed for surveillance purposes, a senior U.S. official and an industry source told Reuters.

If the deal comes to fruition, it would be the first time Washington has sold a large armed drone to a country outside the NATO alliance.

It would also be the first high-tech unmanned aircraft in the region, where tensions between India and Pakistan run high.

In April, President Donald Trump’s administration rolled out a long-awaited overhaul of U.S. arms export policy aimed at expanding sales to allies, saying it would bolster the American defense industry and create jobs at home.

The plan included a new drone export policy that allowed lethal drones that can fire missiles, and surveillance drones of all sizes, to be more widely available to allies.

One administrative hurdle to the deal is that Washington is requiring India to sign up to a communications framework that some in New Delhi worry might be too intrusive, the U.S. official said.

The drones were on the agenda at a canceled meeting between Indian and the U.S. ministers of state and defense that was set for July, the sources said. The top level meeting is now expected to take place in September.

Last June, General Atomics said the U.S. government had approved the sale of a naval variant of the drone. India has been in talks to buy 22 of the unarmed surveillance aircraft, MQ-9B Guardian, worth more than $2 billion to keep watch over the Indian Ocean.

Besides potentially including the armed version of the drone, the sources said the number of aircraft had also changed.

An Indian defense source said the military wanted a drone not just for surveillance but also to be able to hunt down targets at land and sea. The military had argued the costs of acquisition did not justify buying an unarmed drone.

The cost and integration of the weapons system are still issues, as well as Indian assent to the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) which Washington insists on as a condition for operating advanced defense systems.

India, the defense source said, has shed its opposition to the agreement after an assurance from the United States it would apply largely to U.S-procured weapons systems such as fighter planes and drones and not to the large Russian-origin equipment with the Indian military.

U.S. drone manufacturers, facing growing competition overseas, especially from Chinese and Israeli rivals which often sell under lighter restrictions, have lobbied hard for the changes in U.S export rules.

Among the changes will be a more lenient application by the U.S. government of an arms export principle known as “presumption of denial.” This has impeded many drone deals by automatically denying approval unless a compelling security reason is given together with strict buyer agreements to use the weapons in accordance with international law.

A second U.S. official said the new policy would “change our calculus” by easing those restrictions on whether to allow any given sale. The MTCR – a 1987 missile-control pact signed by the United States and 34 other countries – will still require strict export controls on Predator-type drones, which it classifies as Category 1, those with a payload of over 1,100 pounds (500 kg).

However, the Trump administration is seeking to renegotiate the MTCR accord to eventually make it easier to export the larger armed drones. The head of Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) told Reuters at the Farnborough Airshow that he was unable to comment on any pending deals that had not been notified to Congress.

PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS

Rotary Club in Hyderabad embarks on ‘Mission Green Ganesha’

School children learn to make Ganesha idols with clay.

Rotary Club of Greater Hyderabad has embarked on a project to promote “Clay Ganesha” in place of the palstic idols.

This year the club plans to motivate more than 7,50,000 families to use Clay Ganesha by avoiding harmful POP idols and to avoid toxic colors.

All Rotary clubs in Dist.

3150 and all of our Rotarians, Rotaract and interact club members will be involved personally and will organie motivational camps at their places.

The clubs will conduct several distribution points at their places and to be distributed Clay Ganesha on cost to cost by providing rural empowerment.

Motivational programs:

Will Send frequent emails, Bulk SMS, Whats App messages as well by using social media ie in Face book...etc.

Will be distributed more than 1,00,000 handy pom-plates and 10,000 posters in societies, associations and in residential complexes.

Suggested to the devotees to place the orders in advance / procure the required idols from their nearby potter man and to empower them.

Will be provided moulds {cost to cost} to several residential colonies, schools as permanent solution.

Will arrange more than 1,00,000 clay Ganesha t ,having sizes from 6 inches to 6 feet.

Will organise Green Ga-

nesha workshops in several schools, residential complexes, gated communities..etc for motivating the future generation ie students as well as residents.

Will advertise on more than 1,000 sharing Auto’s for motivating the common public in slums too.

Will request all Ganesha Devotees to do Eco Nimajjan ie in a bucket of water / Flower pot / swimming pool / GHMC Visarjan Ghat and to save our water resources.

Motivational camps will be conducted to use their own cloth / jute / paper bags as well as own water steel / copper bottles, Steel / Tupper wear boxes by avoiding Polythene / PP / Non-woven poly bags and to save our environment.

Clay Ganesha workshop in progress.

Dada JP Vaswani Dada JP Vaswani, the spiritual head at the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, passed away on Thursday at the age of 99.

The spiritual leader would have celebrated his 100th birthday on 2 August. The mission was planning a centenary celebration from July 31 to August 2 in 2018.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission announced the news of his demise on Thursday through Dada Vaswani’s official twitter handle.

“0901hrs IST July 12 2018, on sacred Guruvaar day, our Beloved Revered Dada J.P. Vaswani passes on, from the seen to the unseen. Everloving, ever-giving, may he continue to bless us from the beyond – Sadhu Vaswani Mission,” read the tweet posted on Dada Vaswani’s Twitter handle.

Dada Vaswani, who was born in the year 1918 in a Sindhi family at Hyderabad-Sind, was a universally acclaimed humanitarian, philosopher, educator, writer and orator. A proponent of non-violence, he was also known for his work in the field of promoting vegetarianism and animal rights.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission was founded by Dada Vaswani’s guru, Sadhu TL Vaswani. The mission is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.

Dada Vaswani’s 99th birthday was celebrated as a mega five-day event in Pune.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had wished the spiritual leader on the occasion via a video-conference. Addressing

the crowd during the event, the PM had said, “We are fortunate to receive the blessings of Dada Vaswani on his birthday.”

The message was broadcast at the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, as part the spiritual leader’s birthday celebrations.

“Just like his followers, I have also experienced Dada’s calm smile and simplicity. I have had the opportunity of discussing several issues of paramount importance, such as nation building and social responsibilities, with Dada at a religious conference in United Nations. In Delhi, too, we held talks regarding several topics, such as education and health,” Modi had said.

In his speech during the celebrations last year, Dada Vaswani had said, “To be able to make the right choice, you must quieten the mind, calm your senses, open your heart.

You must practise the presence of God. Every experience in life teaches us either to be bitter or better, it is up to us.”

Tolanis condole death of Dada Vaswani Prince Organization CEO Sunil Tolani has condoled the demise of spiritual leader Dada J P Vaswani, saying he was an ambassador of peace and goodwill. Vaswani, head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, died in Pune due to old age-related ailments.

He was 99. Tolani said he had the privilege of meeting Vaswani.

Vaswani epitomized the values of universal brotherhood, peace and compassion and through his discourses, writings and public service, he encouraged millions of people in India and abroad to lead a meaningful life, Tolani said.

Through the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, he brought happiness and hope in lives of the poor and the under- privileged. Dada Vaswani also championed the cause of compassion and love for animals, he said.

“In his demise, India has lost an ambassador of world peace and goodwill, his discourses on brotherhood and peace inspired many. The works done by him through the Vaswani Mission are of great importance and the books written by him will inspire the young generation for years to come,” he said.

“He will always be with us through his messages and thoughts,” Mrs. Neelam Tolani said. “Dada dedicated his life to the betterment of humanity, promoting simple living, high thinking and girls education.”

Growing up in Mumbai and visiting Pune, I had the good fortune of personally meeting DADA, many times, I used to go to the Mira girls school, Dada had blessed me. He used to tell my Uncle and Aunt “Sunil, one day will be in the top global Sindhi houses in prestige and reputation-----his blessings and prophecy came true, is so true. Tolani recalled fondly.

NEWS

India to host U.S. for 2+2 talks

India will host the inaugural round of the two-plus-two dialogue with the United States on September 6. The ministeriallevel meeting will cover bilateral, regional and global issues, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

The dialogue will be led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from the Indian side and the Secretary of State Mike R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis from the U.S. “This new dialogue format is in pursuit of agreement reached between India and the U.S. during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington D.C. on June 25-26 2017. The 2+2 meeting will cover a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues of shared interest, with a view to strengthening strategic and security ties between the two countries,” said the Ministry of External Affairs announcing the dialogue.

The announcement of the meeting which was postponed twice before comes in the midst of growing concern that anti-Iran sanctions from the U.S. might impact the energy scenario of India.

The dialogue which was scheduled for July 6 was postponed after Mr. Pompeo called up Ms. Swaraj seeking a “mutually convenient time.”

The talks were cancelled earlier in March due to uncertainties that prevailed over Mr. Pompeo’s confirmation in his post.

The context for the September 6 talks will be set by the sanctions against Iran some of which are likely to be activated on August 6.

“Persons engaging in activity undertaken pursuant to the U.S. sanctions relief provided for in the JCPOA should take the steps necessary to wind down those activities by either August 6, 2018, or November 4, 2018, as applicable, to avoid exposure to sanctions or an enforcement action under U.S. law,” the U.S. Treasury has declared in its official documents.

This will also be the first round of high-level interaction between the two sides following the elections in Pakistan that will conclude in the last week of July.

HC steps in for PIO denied entry

The Delhi High Court has held that the fundamental right to equality and life should not be violated in the government’s decision to deny entry to foreign nationals.

In his judgement of July 20, Justice Rajiv Shakhdher observed that though the State can deny entry to a foreigner, the decision should pass the test of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

This should be enforced especially in the case where the “foreigner is a person of Indian origin”, and is given certain rights like the right to have a lifelong visa, unless cancelled in accordance with the law.

The judgment came on a petition filed by Mohammad Abdul Moyeed, a Canadian citizen of Indian origin with an Overseas Citizen of India card.

Mr. Moyeed had travelled to India in December 2015 to visit his 20-year-old differently-abled son who is ill. However, he was stopped by authorities at the Hyderabad airport and sent back.

He learnt that he had been blacklisted at the behest of the Mewat Police Chief in Haryana, for his involvement in Tabligh activities.

Justice Shakhdher said the “assertions” made were “nebulous and based on surmises, at least, at this stage”.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 15

“In U.S.’ zeal to mount assault on Iran, India has become an inadvertent casualty”

Ashley Tellis The idea of an Indian “strategic shift” worries many in Washington, says Ashley Tellis, Senior Fellow of the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former diplomat.

Among the other difficult issues Indian and U.S. ministers will tackle during the 2+2 in September are Washington’s sanctions over India and Russia, as well as New Delhi’s outreach to Beijing and Moscow in recent months.

On January 15, President Donald Trump signed the CAATSA [Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act] for sanctions on those dealing with Russia and Iran, and then reimposed other sanctions on Iran after walking out of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action].

Why did the U.S. not consider the impact on India more carefully, given the close ties we supposedly share?

If you look at the history of India-U.S. ties, including non-proliferation in the 1970s, India often became a casualty of policies directed against others. The Iran problem today is an echo of that older problem.

This administration has, in my view, an unfortunate obsession with Iran. And it is firing on all cylinders to constrict Iran. Now Iranian behaviour, especially to its west, has been deeply problematic. But in Washington’s zeal to mount a frontal assault on Iran, India has become an inadvertent casualty.

To me, the question of prioritizing India will be answered

by whether the U.S. provides the necessary waivers to India on oil purchases from Iran. The Trump administration now has to consider its other equities with India, and I hope that it can see the importance of India in the light of the larger U.S. strategy towards Asia — and make the decision on waivers in that context.

Yet no waivers were introduced in CAATSA for defence trade with Russia, and the language of visiting U.S. officials, including Nikki Haley, was that there is no flexibility on Iran either. What gives you hope that waivers or carveouts will happen?

The administration has not yet come to the point when it has had to make hard choices.

I’m not surprised by the tough language, because it is the natural consequence of the administration’s standing policy.

But when it comes to full implementation of that policy, it will have to make some difficult decisions, including some pertaining to our treaty allies.

Or else, it risks losing India on other issues of graver importance.

On Russia, India has made it clear it will go ahead with the S-400 missile deal regardless of CAATSA. Is India closer to being sanctioned over Russian trade?

The S-400 issue is harder, both for India and the U.S. In the U.S. today, Russia has become a deeply polarising issue, also creating a tussle between Congress and the executive branch. The insistence by both that the S-400 purchase will be treated as a significant new acquisition under CAATSA makes it the most difficult bilateral problem we have now.

The complications caused by the recent Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki won’t make things any easier.

Since January, India is also treading a divergent path from the U.S.: special summits between PM Modi, and President Xi and President Putin. How is India’s outreach to Russia and China being seen in Washing-

ton?

I think these Indian actions have unsettled many in Washington because they are viewed as a conscious Indian effort at recalibrating ties with the U.S. My personal reading is somewhat different. I see these as a tactical adjustment, partly in the context of India’s own electoral calendar. Going into what looks like a tough election, Mr. Modi cannot afford new crises on his frontiers. Furthermore, India has a traditional relationship with Russia that it cannot jettison in a hurry. Nor can it afford to have a deeply confrontational relationship with China either.

Do you think India has made a strategic shift?

I don’t think India has made any fundamental strategic shift against the U.S. Polygamous strategic partnerships have been the norm since the Cold War and will be the norm going forward. Not even China with its assertive behaviour has managed to catalyse a unified military alliance against itself.

But other states are pursuing diverse means of balancing China: India is looking to Japan and to the U.S. (and vice versa) for specific purposes and succeeding in that. The IndiaU.S. 2+2 talks now slated for September this year will only corroborate this proposition further.

How important is it for Modi and Trump to meet to take ties out of this difficult place?

I think it is extremely important, especially with a leader like Mr. Trump. He is not an abstract theorist with a geopolitical strategy in the way that Bush or Obama were comfortable with geopolitics. With Trump, everything is personalised. So I hope there are opportunities for Mr. Modi and Mr.Trump to meet. If news reports that India has invited President Trump for the Republic Day parade next January are true, it is a splendid gesture from India. India can certainly charm anyone with pageantry and hospitality!

—The Hindu

SC refuses to stay HC order against book on Ramdev The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay an interim order passed by the Delhi High Court stopping the publication and sale of a book allegedly defamatory to yoga guru Ramdev.

A Bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra did not grant any interim relief to the publisher Juggernaut Books, rather it asked the Delhi High Court to decide the petition by September-end.

The petition by the publisher challenged the trial court order banning the publication and sale of the book, ‘Godman To Tycoon’.

The publisher had knocked the doors of the apex court after the High Court, in its interim order, had refused to lift the ban on sale and publication of the book imposed by the trial court.

“This court requests the Delhi High Court to decide the main petition by the end of September,” the Bench, which comprised Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, said.

It also directed the parties to complete the pleadings by August 7 and disposed of the petition.

Visit Google Playstore or Apple store and download the free India Herald App today.

PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

NEWS Over 20 Indian-origin persons sentenced in massive call center scam in U.S. Over 20 Indian-origin persons have been sentenced up to 20 years in prison in the U.S. for their involvement in a multimillion-dollar Indiabased call center scam which defrauded thousands of American citizens of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The prison sentences for the 21 people convicted this week ranges from 4 to 20 years.

“The stiff sentences imposed represent the culmination of the first-ever large scale, multijurisdiction prosecution targeting the India call center scam industry,” U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

Several of the convicted will be deported to India after the completion of their sentence.

“This case represents one of the most significant victories to date in our continuing efforts to combat elder fraud and the victimisation of the most vulnerable members of the U.S. public.

“The transnational criminal ring of fraudsters and money launderers who conspired to bilk older Americans, legal immigrants and many others out of their life savings through their lies, threats and financial schemes must recognise that all resources at the Department’s disposal will be deployed to shut down these telefraud schemes, put those responsible

in jail, and bring a measure of justice to the victims,” Mr. Sessions said.

According to U.S. officials, the call center scam defrauded thousands of U.S. residents of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Prosecutors said the Indian call centers used various telephone fraud schemes to defraud mainly vulnerable Americans, including the elderly and legal immigrants.

According to various admissions made in connection with the guilty pleas, between 2012 and 2016, the defendants and their conspirators perpetrated a complex fraud and money laundering scheme in which individuals from call centers located in Ahmedabad frequently impersonated officials from the Internal Revenue Service or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in a ruse designed to defraud victims located throughout America.

Using information obtained from data brokers and other sources, call center operators targeted U.S. victims who were threatened with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay the alleged money owed to the government.

Victims who agreed to pay the scammers were instructed how to make a payment, including by purchasing stored

value cards or wiring money.

Once the payment was done, the call centers turned to a network of runners based in the U.S. to liquidate and launder the extorted funds as quickly as possible by purchasing reloadable cards or retrieving wire transfers, the Justice Department said.

In a typical scenario, call centers directed runners to purchase these stored value reloadable cards and transmit the unique card number to India-based co-conspirators who registered the cards using the misappropriated personal identifying information of the U.S. citizens.

The India-based co-conspirators then loaded these cards with scam funds obtained from the victims.

The runners used the stored value cards to purchase money orders that they deposited into the bank account of another person.

The indictment for the case also charged 32 India-based conspirators and five Indiabased call centeres with general conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. These defendants have not yet been arraigned.

Earlier, three other Indians were sentenced for their involvement in the same fraud and money laundering scheme.

Action against NRIs who ditched their wives, Ministry cancels their passports

Passports of eight non-resident Indians (NRIs) who abandoned their wives and absconded have been cancelled, a senior official of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) said on Thursday. An inter-ministerial agency of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a committee to look into the cases involving NRI offenders, who abscond after abandoning their wives.

“The committee has received 70 complaints in the last two months. Acting on these complaints, the passports of the eight NRI men have been cancelled and lookout notices have been issued against them,” the official said.

Personal health data of PM among 1.5 million, Singaporeans hacked In the worst ever breach of personal data in Singapore, hackers have stolen information of 1.5 million patients, including that of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, by infiltrating the computers of the country’s largest health group, the authorities said on Friday.

The hackers infiltrated SingHealth and stole the health records, including the outpatient prescriptions of 160,000 people, from the period between May 1, 2015 and July 4, 2018, they said.

The data theft happened between June 27 and July 4. However, the hackers did not amend or delete the records, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Communications and Information said in a joint statement. The SingHealth Patients’ medical records, including past diagnosis, doctors’ notes and health scans, were not affected, the release added. The hackers “specifically and repeatedly” targeted PM Loong’s particulars, it said.

The data stolen included the patients’ names, National Registration Identity Card numbers, address, gender, race and date of birth, the Ministries said, adding that they have not found evidence of a similar breach in other public healthcare IT systems.

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong apologised to the affected patients, while Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran vowed to get to the bottom of the breach.

Calling the attack “unprecedented”, Gan said, “We must learn from this and emerge stronger and more resilient from this incident.” Investigations by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the Integrated Health Information System (IHIS) confirmed that the attack was a “deliberate, targeted and well-planned cyberattack” and was not the work of casual hackers.

When asked which country might have been involved in the cyberattack, CSA chief executive David Koh refused to divulge any information due to “operational security reasons”.

Unusual activity was first detected on one of SingHealth’s IT databases on July 4. On July 10, the Health Ministry, higher officials of SingHealth and CSA were informed about the cyberattack.

SingHealth lodged a police complaint on July 12, the release said.

No further data has been stolen since July 4, it said, adding that there was no disruption of healthcare services during the period of the cyberattack and patient care has not been compromised.

Meanwhile, the Minister-in-charge of Cybersecurity, S Iswaran, today convened a Committee of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident.

A hug that launched a thousand memes

Springing a surprise: Congress president Rahul Gandhi hugging PM Narendra Modi after his speech during the debate on the no-trust motion in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Almost immediately, the social media platform Twitter exploded with hashtags such as #Pappujikihappi and #Hugplomacy with political leaders joining in with comments.

The sting in Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s speech of over an hour was in its tail. Just before he caught everyone by surprise by walking over to the Treasury benches and hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Gandhi raised the derisive nicknames that BJP leaders often used when talking of him.

“You may hate me. You have anger against me. For you, I may be a Pappu; you can abuse me but I have no anger, no hatred against you. I am Congress and they are all Congress. It is with this feeling that the Congress has built the nation,” Mr. Gandhi said, before wrapping up his speech.

And then, to everyone’s surprise, he walked across the well of the Lok Sabha to the Prime Minister’s seat and hugged Mr. Modi. It took the startled Prime Minister a few moments before he responded and shook hands with Mr. Gandhi.

As the entire Opposition got up and cheered loudly, Speaker Mahajan, however, reminded the Congress chief that there was a “certain decorum [and] rules to be followed in the House”.

Almost immediately, the social media platform Twitter exploded with hashtags such as #Pappujikihappi and #Hugplomacy with political leaders joining in with comments. The Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “ I think Rahul Gandhiji has joined the real school of politics. The way he gave a magical hug to PM Modi, it wasn’t a hug but a jolt.”

Actor-turned BJP MP Kirron Kher mocked the Congress chief, and said he was headed to Bollywood.

A photo of Mr. Gandhi later winking also went viral, with Twitter users drawing a parallel between the Congress president and Malayalam actor Priya Prakash Varrier, who became an Internet sensation with her wink from a film song. “Rahul Gandhi’s Priya Varrier moment after ‘The Hug’ #ModiTrustVote,” Vipin Vijayan tweeted.

In his speech, that last close to an hour and punctuated by a brief interruption, Mr. Gandhi attacked the PM over the Rafale deal, Doklam, demonetization, unemployment, attacks on Dalits and minorities and women safety.

He also said that the Prime Minister and the party chief “fear losing power as other processes will take over.”

A wink after the hug.

Sewa International Family Services Hot Line 832-900-9354

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 17

NEWS How Tamil Nadu is gearing up to bid plastic adieu

Come January 2019 and Tamil Nadu will begin its journey to going plastic-free.

The government proposes to ban plastic carrybags, plates, cups, flags and sachets used for packaging water, among other items. Exceptions will be made for disposable plastic used for packaging milk, curd, oil and medical items. With the ban less than six months away, various sectors in the State have begun to come up with solutions. A look at some of the initiatives, by no means exhaustive, that are afoot in the State In Kancheepuram, the district administration has decided to step in long before January. It has declared that anyone who dispenses one-time useand-throw plastic products in the district will attract penal action from August 16. It will also actively encourage people and business communities to use bio-degradable products as an alternative to use-and-throw products, through awarenessbuilding measures.

The Salem Corporation has gone a step ahead, enforcing a ban on single-use plastic from August 1 in three bus termini in the city. It has also reportedly directed Central and State government officials, government hospitals and urban primary health centres, and educational institutions functioning in city limits not to use plastic bags and other unnecessary plastic articles from July 1.

According to R. Sadheesh, Corporation Commissioner, the civic body has already conducted a demonstration of bags made of tapioca starch, which disintegrate on their own within 90 days.

Everyday, over 600 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic is

used as fuel by four cement plants in the State. The process is called ‘co-processing’ and was suggested nearly 10 years ago. At that time, a few cement plants tried it out for a few months and then stopped.

Now, some cement companies have tied up with nearby municipalities for collecting the waste, which helps reduce use of coal in their kilns. Since such non-recyclable non-reusable municipal waste is burnt at high temperatures, no toxins are released. In the last four months, the plants have reportedly used 10,000 tonnes of plastic as fuel.

The Coimbatore Corporation, through its Smart City arm, Coimbatore Smart City Limited, has taken up several initiatives to promote alternatives to plastics. “It started with the ‘My Shopping, My Bag’ campaign more than a year ago, where the civic body in association with NGOs approached commercial establishments to switch over to paper or cloth bags. The campaign also encouraged people to carry their own bags while shopping,” said Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan.

The Corporation approached hoteliers asking them to choose eco-friendly alternatives, and two big Coimbatore establishments – one, a popular chain of sweet shops and, second, a chain of restaurants – immediately complied, using alternative packing materials. The civic body also joined hands with a women’s collective, ‘Wonder Women’, in promoting use of cloth bags, and followed it up by setting up a kiosk in the town hall to promote alternatives to plastic. The kiosk now sells paper straws, bamboo toothbrushes,

cloth bags and a few more items.

The Forest Department in Coimbatore has rolled out a ban on disposable plastic products at eco-tourism spots. At Kovai Courtallam, a popular tourist spot near Siruvani, visitors are not allowed to carry plastic carrybags and disposable water bottles. Pooluvampatti Forest Range Officer C. Palaniraja said that a special cleaning drive is conducted every Monday to keep areas around the waterfall clear of plastic. Similarly, a plastic ban is strictly enforced at the ecotourism centre at Mulli near Karamadai. T. Saravanan, Forest Range Officer of Karamadai forest range, said that use of disposable plastic products is almost zero at the tourist spot. “We use plates made of areca palm leaf to serve food,” he said.

-Organisations in the international township of Auroville near Puducherry have been working to provide costeffective alternatives to plastic carrybags. Small Steps, an initiative funded by the Upasana Design Studio, is one such unit which has been persuading locals to switch from disposable plastic bags to reusable shopping bags. The Small Steps project was launched on Earth Day, April 22, 2007. “It is not only about replacing plastic bags. It is also about changing ourselves, learning new values, taking responsibility, loving our mother earth, thus making for a better world. It is our love in action,” said Vidhi Bhargav, coordinator of Small Steps. Atmasanga, a non-profit organisation that also operates within Auroville Trust, has also taken up the task of reducing plastic bag pollution. Realising the need to make available a viable alternative to plastic, Atmasanga started supplying

cotton bags to retail shops. The initiative started four-and-ahalf years ago.

In Madurai, the district administration has already begun large-scale production of cloth bags, in association with women’s self-help groups. The Collector says that the plastic ban will be a great means to encourage small businesses making sustainable products.

“If manufacturers are interested, they can get in touch with the administration. We can help them tie up with different schemes and provide subsidies, creating mutual growth and environmental equity,” he adds.

Jackfruit fibre plates developed by the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology in Thanjavur, a national-level research institution, offers an edible alternative to the plastic cups and plates for serving dessert. The institute recently unveiled its offerings of edible cutlery that have the consistency and rigidity to hold salads, dessert and chocolates. “The plate may not be strong enough to hold heavy food items, but is ideal for serving dessert. It is environment friendly as it can be consumed along with the dessert,” says C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director of the institute. The institute has developed the plates and also cones from jackfruit byproducts that have high dietary fibre. The cutlery and cones were developed using flour made of jackfruit bulbs andseeds. The institute is set to transfer the technology soon for commercial production.

The problem with plastic is not its use but its disposal, says R. Vasudevan, Dean, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, whose team has come up with sustainable solutions for safe disposal of plastic waste. One such is a patented technology to facilitate in situ use of plastic waste

in road construction. Aggregate is coated with plastic before mixing it with bitumen while constructing a road. This has enhanced durability of the road and reduced cost. Women’s self-help groups are involved in collection of waste plastic and shredding it for use in road construction. This technology has been applied in road construction across the country, especially in rural areas.

The other major invention, named plastone, is a sturdy material created with plastic and other materials like debris, ceramic and granite waste, and can be used for lining waterways, rail sleepers, portable speed breakers and bricks, and in construction of pathways and walls. Plastone is now used in the construction of walls for low-cost toilets. Plastone slabs can be made according to the desired shape and colour.

Thousands of kilometres of roads constructed with this technology have lasted longer than normal roads. Fifty tonnes of waste plastic is used for laying one kilometre of road. In the case of plastone, which is called synthetic granite, 1.5 kg of waste plastic (15 PET bottles) goes into the making a tile measuring one squarefoot, with a thickness of one inch.

Many pubs in Chennai have already migrated to innovative options. Boats in Beasant Nagar and Thirsty Crow at Nungambakkam have replaced plastic straws with paper straws. Arasu Dennis, Managing Director of AD Associates, the company behind several pubs in Chennai, said, “Except for the straws we hardly use any other plastic in pubs (its all glass). In one of the pubs – Off the Record’-- we are using stainless steel straws.

We sterilise the straw and use it,” he said.

—The Hindu

Great time to buy a NEW HOME or take CASH out of your house!

For all your mortgage needs call today!

CALL KRISH at 713-859-5024 E-Mail – krishnan@sutherlandmortgage.com visit us at www.sutherlandmortgage.com Sutherland Mortgage Services Inc. – NMLS # 9891 Krishnan Swaminathan NMLS #20770 5959 Corporate Dr, Suite 3000 Houston, TX 77036

      

We offer Purchase, Rate & Term and Cash out Loans Conventional, FHA, VA and Jumbo Loans Licensed in 50 states, PR & DC High balance nationwide No escrow waiver fee 5/5 ARM programs No MI programs

WINNER OF BBB’s PINNACLE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

Visit Google Playstore or Apple store and download the free India Herald App today.

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 PAGE 18 INDIAHERALD HERALD• •WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,MARCH JULY 25, 8 • •INDIA 30,2018 2016

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

Art Museum forSatsang Happiness & Fulfillment at InArya Samaj Sri Meenakshi Temple Brahma Kumaris Weekly Havan Satsang every fromat 10 a.m.

12 noon.

Kannappan Art Museum will be Sunday dia House 8888 W to Bellfort Ave,

Weekly Havan Satsang every 10 a.m. to noon.

8Apr FriSchool 7:00 p.m Brahma Kumaris is 12pleased DAV Sanskriti Sundays a.m. tofrom 12TX noon.

- Havan, Hindi open for public Tuesday 5.30UgaPM10Sunday Houston, 77031 from August DAV Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Havan, Hindi dhi Telugu and Kannada New to announce a new location in and Naitik Shiksha classes.

DAV Montessori School for ages 2 7 to 7.30 PM, Saturday 10AM to 4th(Sat) –10th(Fri). August to4th and Naitik Shiksha classes.

DAV Montessori School for ages 2 to Year Houston at 14333 Pavilion Point years.

Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286.

Free Yoga classes on Sat. 2 PM, Sunday 12 noon to 4 PM. (Sat) & 5th (Sun): Yoga & Medita-7 years.

Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286.

FreeAtYoga classes on Rd. Sat. 14- Apr Thu p.m Tamil (77083)(near Beechnut and Sanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue.tion 6-8 from p.m.

Schiller Address: 2341 N.7:00 Galveston Ave, 4:3014375 pm – 5:45 pm,Hwy DisSanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue. 6-8 p.m.

At 14375 Schiller Rd. New year 6).

Daily Raja Yoga Meditation (bet Westpark & Bellaire off Hwy 6).

281-752-0100.

Pearland, TX 77581. course from 5:45 p.m to 7:30 pm., (bet Bellaire Hwy 6).

281-752-0100.

14-Westpark Apr Thu&8:30 a.m off Vishu classes are offered to the comAugust 6th (Mon) – 9th (Thu): Kani munity of charge.

Mission SriDarshanam MeenakshiChinmaya Temple Yoga & free Meditation from Visit 6 p.mthe to 15Apr Fri 7:00 p.m Sri center for a tour every SaturChinmaya Mission Sunday satsangs for adults, youth, and children.

There are no weekly 7:15 p.m, Discourse from 7:15 pm 3-Aug Fri 7PM Rama Navami day or Sunday anytime between Sunday satsangsand for Sunday adults, youth, and9for children.

There are (Fri): no weekly Balavihar classes satsang children during the sump.m.

August 10th DisBhagavathi Seva Fri 6:00 pm to 15-Apr 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.

The Balavihar classes andclasses Sundaywill satsang forfrom children thecenter summer.

Regular weekly resume on Sept.

13.

Located at course 7 p.mduring – 9p.m.

10-Aug Fri 7PM Dwajarohanam, Mahotsavam is open 7on days a TX week.

Contact mer. Regular weekly classes will resume Sept.

13.77498.

Located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, New Ram Katha Rahasya from Au1st day us between atSugar (832) 379-8888, houston@ Aadi Sukravara Ashtalakshmi Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott desk Road, Land, TX 77498.

New members may visit the welcome 8 a.m.

-(Fri) 8:45 or gust 11th (Sat)-17th ata.m.

Hindu 16-Apr Satvisit 6:00 p.m Poo desk bktexas.com, bktexas.com to members welcome between 8 or a.m.

- 8:45 a.m. or Deepa Pujamay 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m.the Visit www.chin mayahouston.org or callWirtcrest Bharati Worship Society, 2223 Pallakku, Meenakshi Pattasign-up for classes and tours.

All 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Visit www.chin mayahouston.org or call Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233.

13-Aug Mon 6:30PM Lane, Houston, TX 77055.

August bbhishekam Raja (Sat) Yoga& 12th Meditation teachers Sutaria 281.933.0233.

11th (Sun): Discourse Aadi Pooram, Sun Meenakshi and Ma- at the Houston center each have 24-Apr 9:30 a.m from 5 pm to 7:30 pm. August 13th Vedanta Society Andal Abhishekam hotsavan final day, Meenakshi 15+ years of teaching experience.

Vedanta Society (Mon) – August (Fri): DisVedanta SocietyThu-Sun of Greater Houston, 14809 Lindita17th Drive (77083) 16-Aug to 19-Aug Chinmaya Mission Kalyanam course from 6:30 pm to 9 pm.

Free Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, 14809 Lindita (77083) has classes every Sunday 10:30Sunday a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Drive on of satsangs forGospel adults, 30-Apr Sat Maha 9:00 a.mfrom Sita Sri Nava Chandi Homam Admission & Prasadam served on hasRamakrishna, classes every Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Gospel of Sri 1st & 3rdfrom Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Sunday; on youth, and children.

Located at Rama Kalyanam 24-Aug Fri 7PM all days after program.

Visit http:// Sri Ramakrishna, 1st & 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Sunday; on works of Swami Vivekananda, 4thChinmaya Sunday; Holy Mother Sarada’s Prabha, 10353 Synott Varalakshmi Vratham or Sarada’s call 281works of5thSwami Vivekananda, 4thwww.jkyog.org/events Sunday; Holy Mother Gospel, Sunday.

Swamis of Ramakrishna Order visit TX to conduct Road, Sugar Land, 77498.

630-5982/832-377-6070/281-782Sri Radha Krishna 25-Aug Sat 10AM Onam Gospel,and 5th lectures.

Sunday.

Swamis of Ramakrishna Order tovisit conduct retreats www.houstonvedanta. org or visit 281-584-0488.

New members may the 7345 or email: houstonjkyog@ retreats andTemple lectures. www.houstonvedanta. org orbetween 281-584-0488.

26-Aug Sun 7AM welcome desk 8 a.m.

On Yajur the auspicious occasion Bari of gmail.com.

Rig Upakarma Durga Aavani - Temple 8:45Arya a.m. Samaj or 10:15 a.m.-11:30 Satsang Nav Ratri, the Temple will have Durga Bari Durga Bari temple is open from 9a.m. toTemple 11Visit a.m.www.chin and 4 to 7 p.m.

Mon. mayahousAvi`am Weekly Havan Satsang everyMon. SunMata JiDurga Ki Chauki & Akhand Bari temple isatopen to 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. thruDurga Sat. Sandhya aarti 6:30from p.m.9ton.org Temple closes at4Bharati 7top.m.

Sunday or call Sutaria Bari Temple day from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

DAV Ramayan Path.

Ki Chauthru Sat. Sandhya aarti at7 6:30 Temple closes at 7 p.m.

Sunday special from 9 Mata a.m. to p.m.

Puja services - Priest Bishnupada 281.933.0233.

Durga Bari temple is Ji open fromp.m.

Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. ki by Mahant Ravi Shanker Puri. Puja special from 7 p.m. services - Priest Bishnupada 281-597-8100 Temple is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (off Vedanta Society 9Goswami to 11 a.m. and9 4a.m. to 7 to p.m.

Mon. to 12 noon.

Havan, Hindi and on Friday April 08,aarti startGoswami 281-597-8100 Temple located at 13944 Rd (off Hwy 6 bet.Sandhya Bellaire &2016 Westpark).

Ganesh Mandal at 713-797Vedanta Society ofSchiller Greater Housthru Sat. at 6:30 isCall Naitik Shiksha classes.

DAV Moning onwards.

Akhand Hwy07:30PM bet. Bellaire Westpark).

GaneshLindita Mandal at 713-7979057 /6832-423-8541. ton, 14809 Drive p.m.

Temple closes at & 7 p.m.

Sun- Call tessori School for ages 2 to(77083) 7 years.

Ramayan Path starting Saturday 9057 / 832-423-8541. has classes every Sunday from day special from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286.

April 09, 2016 atat 5:00PM on- 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Temple is located 13944 SchilShiv Mandir Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit wards untilHwy Sunday AprilShakti 10, Gospel of Sriclasses Ramakrishna, 1st ler Rd (off 6 bet.

Bellaire & & Shiv Shakti Mandir Upanishad Tue. 6-8 p.m.

Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640&Harwin.

Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 2016 7:00 PM. Prasad Will 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, Westpark).

Call Ganesh Mandal at 14375 Schiller Rd. 7(bet WestSanatan Shiv Shakti Path.

Mandir, Harwin.

Open daily a.m. to 8 p.m.

Allafter major festivals, as well as At birthdays, naam karan, served Ramayan For6640 2nd Sunday; on off works ofengageSwami 713-797-9057 / 832-423-8541. park & Bellaire Hwy 6).

281p.m.

All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement andinformation other ceremonies.

Pandit Virat Mehta4th 713-278-9099 or further pleaseCall call Vivekananda, Sunday; Holy 7ment Divine Laws for Happiness & Pandit 752-0100. and other ceremonies.

Call Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies. temple at 281-933-8100 or visit Mother Brahma Sarada’s Gospel, 5th Fulfillment and Kumaris Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 or other ceremonies. www.SRKT.Org. Temple by is for lo-puja Sunday.

Swamis of Ramakrishna Ram Katha Rahasya TheWithin’ Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga ‘The Universe cated 11625 Beechnut Street.

Order visitCenter to conduct Pujya Swami Mukundananda Meditation is open 7retreats days a Universe Within’ Sahaj Nirankari Marg is a ‘The natural simpleand system of heart-centered mediMission lectures. www.houstonveSSant wami Mukundananda, a and worldweek.

The center offers free Raja Sahaj is a practice natural and simple system meditation andMarg spiritual thatits helpsdanta. one realize the utimate potential Sant Nirankari Mission holds orgoforheart-centered 281-584-0488. renowned teacher of spiritualYoga Meditation classes: Montation and spiritual helps one realize the utimate potential within oneself.

Thepractice meditation is available to anyone who wishes to weekly spiritual congregation Durga Bari Temple ity, Yoga and Meditation willthat have Fri held @ 6:00-6:45am andwishes 7-8 pm, within oneself.

The meditation is available to anyone who to practice.

Weekly meditation sessions throughout the Houston on every Sunday at India House Durga Bari temple is open from Free program on 7 Divine Laws Sat-Sun @ 7:00-8:30am, 10 am-2 practice.

Weekly meditation sessions held throughout the Houston area. www.sahajmarg.org Email: meditate_ houston@yahoo.com.

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. fol9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Mon. area. www.sahajmarg.org Email: lowed by community meals.

All meditate_ thru Sat.houston@yahoo.com.

Sandhya aarti at 6:30 BUY For further are welcome. inforOLD SELL p.m.

Temple at 7 p.m.

Heritage Classes closesNEW mation, call Raj BhalaHeritage at (281) Sunday special from 9 a.m. to Classes Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes & in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for7 980-2825.

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL p.m.

Puja services Priest BishAshirwad’s Heritage Classes in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for Arya Samaj Satsang nupada Goswami 281-597-8100 Phone Weekly Havan every TempleCell SANJEEV Satsang KUMAR is located at 13944 Schil832-689-1819 Sunday 10 a.m. to 12 noon. ler Rd (off Hwy 6 bet. Bellaire & Your from realtor for life.

Email: sksrealtor@hotmail.com DAV Sanskriti School Sundays Westpark). Call Ganesh Mandal 10 a.m. to noon.

Havan, at 713-797-9057 / 832-423-8541.

LotDEAL for12Sale off- of Kalyani Hwy in Sodhpur, WE IN WE DEAL IN Houses, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha classes.

Shiv Shakti Mandir Lot for Sale off of Kalyani Hwy in Sodhpur, West Bengal.

1Motels bhiga or 20Sanatan KathasShiv with 2300 Sq. DAV Montessori School for ages Houses, Gas Shakti Mandir, Gas Stations, West Bengal.

1 bhiga or 20 Kathas with 2300 Sq. ft. bungalow built.6640 Architectural plans 2 to 7 years.

Call Artihalf Khanna Harwin. Open daily 7 Stations, Motels and Farm & Ranch. ft. bungalow half built.

Architectural 281-759-3286.

Freeavailable.

Yoga classes a.m. to 8713-722-8870 p.m. All plans major festiOffice: 281-497-7000 Rs. 90 lakhs.

Farm Ranch Apartment Complex on and Sat. Sanskrit & & Upanishad vals, as well as birthdays, naam available.

Rs. 90 lakhs.

Fax: 713-779-4656 281-497-7007 Please contact Saha at classes Tue. 6-8 p.m.

At 14375 Shilpi properties Available!!

Call Now karan, engagement and other cerPlease contact Shilpi Saha at Shilpi@yourblvd.com or 832-647-9433 Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bel- emonies.

Call Pandit Virat Mehta Shilpi@yourblvd.com or 832-647-9433 laire off Hwy 6). 281-752-0100.

713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval

Property Property for for Sale Sale

Open Forum Radio Program Open Forum Radio Program Where Your Opinion Counts Where Your Opinion Counts

KGOL 1480 AM • Saturdays 4 to 6 p.m.

Listen to Open Forum on 106.1 KGOL 1480 AMprograms • Saturdays to FM 6 p.m.

Informative with4 doctors, in Houston.with doctors, Informative programs lawyers, politicians and other Every Saturday 4.00 PMand to 6.00 PM. lawyers, politicians other newsmakers.

Studio line 800-444-1061 newsmakers.

Call 713-784-1480 Call 713-784-1480 Hosts: Dinkar Chheda, Jagat Kamdar & Subodh Bhuchar

Hosts: Dinkar Chheda, Jagat Kamdar & Subodh Bhuchar

Chandra & David Courtney Chandra & David Courtney Tabla and Vocal Tabla and Vocal

Classes Classes now ongoing now ongoing

Visit www.chandrakantha.com Visit www.chandrakantha.com

or call for info. or call for info.

(713) 665-4665 (713) 665-4665

Classes in Houston, Classes in Houston, Mission Bend, Mission & Sugar Bend, Land & Sugar Land

Book on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Hare Krishna Maha-mantra 9:30am-11:30am, Samaniji has pm. hours arescriptures, Sat-Sun @ Rama kids Visiting 4 tostories 18 yrs -from meditation, Yoga, slokas, erycontinuously Sunday aton 5810 Almeda Ge- 10 Book Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw 361-243-6539 for puja or other Telugu Fellowship Friday, July @ 6:30 p.m. is chanted.

Weekpravachan for all adults interested 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact us at (832) slokas, stories from scriptures, Vishnu Sahasranam, bhajans, com- noa Rd. Sunday School atWeek9:15 ceremonies.

Telugu Christian Fellowship Friday, July 10 @ 6:30 p.m. ends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, in learning about Jainism.

Every 379-8888, houston@bktexas.com, Zoroastrian Association of9:30 Houston will every third Saturday Vishnu Sahasranam, bhajans,Adult com- a.m. petitions and fun activities.

Malayalam service at meets of days: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly Wednesday there is Swadhyay or bktexas.com to sign-upAdult for Heartfulness Meditation Association of Houston will Brigadier Behram and his petitions andclasses. fun activities. meditation Register at present a.m.Zoroastrian onKuteeram” 1st & 3rd Sunday.Panthaki Adult the month at Triumph Church, “Gopa children’s hericlass from 7-8pm and meditation classes.

Allclasses.

Raja Yoga MeditaHeartfulness Meditation is or aat wife present Brigadier Behram Panthaki and his Zenobia Panthaki, of the10555 much meditation Register www.ashirwada-blessing.org Bible class atand 9:30 a.m.authors English W. Airport Blvd., Staftage classes Srimad Bhagafrom 8-9pm.

Every Thursday from tion teachers at the Houston center practical technique of tuning inwife Zenobia Panthaki, authors of the much acclaimed book: “Field Marshal Sam www.ashirwada-blessing.org or service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & ford TX Sri Ravula 281-995-0930.

77477 at 6:30 p.m.

Join vatam classes.

Call 281-402-6585; 9:30-11am there is special Yoga are samarpit and have 15+ of Manekshaw: wards to experience our years higher acclaimed book: “Field Marshal Sam The 713-991-1557 Man and His Times”, Sri Ravula 281-995-0930.

4th Sunday.

Call us for a time of praise, worship visit www.godivinity.org (Global class for Ladies only.

Every SatHare Krishna Dham teachingMeditation experience.with someone at selves.

Manekshaw: The Heritage Man andand HisCultural Times”, the Zoroastrian or 281-261-4603. and fellowship.

Worship is in Hare Krishna Dham Organization for Divinity). urday, there is Yoga Class from Chinmaya Mission -yogic Center, who has theoriginal capacity of temple, Houston’s Vedic at the Zoroastrian Heritage and Cultural 8787 W Airport Blvd., Houston, TX Call Chris Gantela 281English.

Sri Guruvayurappan Saumyakasi Sivalaya 9-10am and Meditation from 10Summer Houston’s original Vedic temple, transmission canschedule help exISKCON of Houston.

Atyou 1320 W 77071.

Center,Starts 8787 W Blvd., Houston, TX at Airport 6:30 with social hour.

344-0707,Ist & or 3rd Sundays, Rev. V. Gurrala Temple Saumyakasi isIndia’s located 10.30am. there Both BalaVihar and adult classes ISKCON of Houston.

AtDarshan 1320 W Sri plore the(77018).

Heartfulness practice 34th St. Daily 77071.

Starts atSivalaya 6:30was with socialfirst hour.

Sam Manekshaw Field 281-997-0757.

Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synis Gyanshala Classes for will remain closed from May 27th Marshal 34th St. (77018).

Daily Darshan more deeply.

There are no charg& Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, Sam Manekshaw was India’s first Field and a distinguished war hero.

HisGaudiya Math Kids and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478. ages 4-14yrs. from 10-12:15pm to September 8th. re& for Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, es this, and weClasses invite will you to courage, 8.30am, 12noon, 4.30pm, 7pm, Marshal and a distinguished wardedication hero. His his character, and the Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha ends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon Temple timings: Monday to Frifollowed sume on 12noon, Sunday, September 9th.

8.30am, 4.30pm, 7pm, experience theFestival: unique benefits of 9pm.

Sunday 5.30 pm to to courage, his character, andare thelegendary. dedication by Lunch. Visit www. his troops and country at 16628 Kieth Harrow and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhaday: 9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and jvbhouston.org or send Blvd., email New member registration forpm Bala 9pm.

Sunday Festival: 5.30 this transmission.

Workshops onto to 7.30 pm.

Weekly Gita classes for country are legendary.

Thehis lifetroops of thisand distinguished soldier is portrayed by two distinguished Houston 77084.

Satsang Sundays jans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; 5:30 PM 8:00 PM. Saturday and at info@jvbhouston.org for more Vihar will berelaxation conducted in medChin7.30 pm.

Weekly Gita classes for Heartfulness and adults; call 281-433-1635 or authors The lifewho of this distinguished soldier isto portrayed by twoof distinguished worked closely with him and shared many the historic 5 7 pm.

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

Special Sunday: 9:00 AM 2:00 PM and details. maya Smrti Hall on@gmail.com SUNDAY, Auadults; 281-433-1635 or events itation arecall held weekly throughharekrishnadham authorsthat who workedthe closely with him and shared many of theThrough historic changed geo-political landscape of the region.

Sanatan Dharma classes. poojas PM(weekends - 8:00 PM.and Forholidays) more in- kirtan, Patanjali Yogpeeth gust 12th from 2 PM toSaturdays 5 PM and 5:00 harekrishnadham @gmail.com out Houston, including events that changed geo-political landscape of the region.

Through anecdotes related bythe Behram and Zenobia Panthaki we get a unique VedicYoga Education andevery HindiSat/Sun classChoroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Contact by 281-568-1690 Free Classes August from House.

9:30 AM Web: to 12 formation at 11 am19th at India anecdotes Behram Zenobia Panthaki we get a unique insight intorelated the man’s ideals, hisand military acumen, his mannerisms, and Houston Namadwaar es for kids.

Gita classes noon Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, or Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059 at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 Noon. Detailed information will his www.heartfulness.org; Email: 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 or visit www.saumyakasi.org a.m.

Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For be provided at the time of registra- hisBrigadier houston.heartfulness@gmail. sense of Panthaki humor. himself boastsand a distinguished 30-yearon military A prayer house where the Hare 11620 Ramcharit Tue. Rama Hare Krishna Maha-manOrmandy St. (77035) Tel: Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple other free classes,Manas call Indra 281tion.

No registrations will be done com.

Cell: 713-929-0040 Brigadier Panthaki himself boasts a distinguished 30-year military career that earned him 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@ Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal prodfor BalaPrakash Vihar during (Ragini MiryalaSeptember MD) career that earned him 12 military Panthaki accompanied her husband on his postingshonors. to 281-499-3347. manyZenobia small cantonment towntra is Heritage continuously chanted.

Weekor ends: 8-11 AM &information: 4-7 PM, Weekguruvayur.us All major festivals aspostings well ucts, call small Shekhar 281-242-5000.

2018.

For more Visit daily.

Classes panied her husband on his to many cantonment townships all over India and became involved with running welfare proends:7-8 8-11 AM 4-7PM. PM,Weekly Weekdays: AM &&6-7 Hindu Temple of Preksha Meditation birthdays, naam karan, engagewww.pyptusa.org; www.Divyawww.chinmayahouston.org or call Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in as ships all over India and became involved with running welfare programs for soldiers’ wives and children; she has run the Army School, days: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heri- ment New facilities of JVB Preksha and other ceremonies.

Call Products.com.

Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233 the Woodlands Katy, Cypress and 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 heri- Pandit tage classes and Srimad Meditation Center.

Classes for for7601 Pradip 832-466Hindu Temple Society S.reviews.

Forest Gate Dr,of in“From for kidsKuteeram” 4Vedanta to 18 yrs - meditation, and worked forPandya 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 guid9868 for puja and other ceremoThe Woodlands Vedanta Society of Greater Hous- beginning The Woodlands, TX 77382 Yoga, slokas, stories from scripThe book has received over 60 positive reviews.

To quote: “From to end this delightful narrative simply races along, providing Bhagavatam classes.

281- nies.

402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org ance by jisthis and discoursAt Samani 5645end Hillcroft Ste 701,narrative 7601 S. Forest Gatealong, Dr, providing ton, 14809 Lindita DriveCall (77083) Temple tures, Vishnu Sahasranam, bhabeginning races an intimate,towitty anddelightful scintillating storysimply ofHours a superhero “ Sam’s hu402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity). es.

At 14102 Schiller Road (off Houston, TX 77036.

The Woodlands, TX 77382 has classes everyand Sunday from manism, Weekdays: jans, competitions fun activian intimate, witty and scintillating story of a superhero “ Sam’s huhis notations on official files, his colorful language and his (Global Organization for Divinity).

6Veerashaiva bethis Bellaire and Westpark Samaja Temple 10:30 a.m. to meditation 12:30 p.m. on Gos- Hwy 7:30 his AMHours, - 9:30Weekdays: AM ties.

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

- doodling”.

77082).Houston Tel 281-596-9642. is a group of 7:30 9:30 pel of Sri atRamakrishna, 1st & VSNA 5:30 AM PMis-dedicated 8.30 AM PM to the men in Register www.ashirwadaSaumyakasi Sivalaya This book, with over 200 photographs, Patanjali Yogpeeth families who believe in Veeras5:30 PM 8.30 PM 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Aarti @ 7:30 PM Saumyakasi Sivalaya blessing.org or Sri Ravula 281This book, withlaid over 200 their photographs, is dedicated to the men in Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo- uniform who have down lives defending their country and to Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun dharma (Basava dharma).

Aarti @ 7:30 Sunday; on works of Swami10353 ViveSaturday andPM Sunday 995-0930.

SriatSaumyakasi Sivalaya is lo- haiva uniform who have laid down their lives defending their country to cated Chinmaya Prabha, their widows who have also sacrificed so much.

The book will and be on attheir Aryawidows Samaj fromhave 8program amalso to 9:30 Monthly Mahamane for Saturday and Sunday kananda, 4th Sunday; Holy Moth8:30autographed - 1:30 PM Hare Krishna Dham cated atRoad, Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 who soAM much.

The will be on Synott Sugar Land, TX sale at the discounted price ofsacrificed $35, and bybook the authors.

A a.m.

Anil 281-579-9433. prayer and on Vachana 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM PM the authors. A er Sarada’s Gospel, 5th Sunday.

Aarti at 12:00 Houston’s original Vedic temple, Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX sale atCall the discussion discounted of $35, and autographed 77478.

Temple timings: Monday to major portion of the price royalty will be donated to thebyWar Wounded For other free classes, call Indra Sahitya followed by Prasada.

ConAarti at 12:00 PM Swamis of AM Ramakrishna Order 5:30 PM -Welfare 8:30 PMAssn.

ISKCON Houston.

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

281-537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal vsnahousof ton@gmail.com PM - Welfare 8:30PM; PMAssn. of India. visit to conduct andSunlecAarti @ 7:30 34th (77018).

Daily Darshan Friday: 9:00 AM -retreats 12:00 Noon and tact: Foundation India and theorWar5:30 Widows 5:00 -St. 8:00 PM Saturday and products, call Shekhar 281-242- Aarti Halyal 832-744-4166. @ 7:30 PM; tures. or Jagadeesh Contact 832-585--0001 & Arati Times: 4.30 7-org a.m, 5:00 -www.houstonvedanta.

8:00 PMPM Saturday and Sunday: 8:30-2:00 anda.m, 5:00 8:00 families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma). Monthly 5000.

Web: www.pyptusa.org Mar Thoma Church Contact 832-585--0001 281-584-0488. 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 dharma (Basava dharma). prayer and on Vachana Monthly Sahitya and www.DivyaProducts.com.

Mar Thoma Church every orSwaminarayan temple@myhtw.net Jain Society p.m, 9 Jay p.m.

Sunday Festival: Temple PM. Call Bharti Sutaria832-541281-568- Trinity 1690 or Deshmukh Mahamane programContact: for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Sathya SaiAlmeda centers at 5810 Genoa Hindu Sathya Jain Houston (JSH) lo- Sunday 5.30 pm to of 7.30 p.m.

Weekly SatsangSai at centers Shree Swami1690Society oror Jay Deshmukh 832-5410059 visit www.saum followed

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

Sunday program held twoa.m. lo- Sunday Sunday School at at9:15 at twounder locacated at or 3905for Arc Street Houston Gita adults; call 281- Rd. narayanprogram Hindu held Temple, 0059classes visit www.saum yakasi.org.

Halyal 832-744-4166. cations (North Houston: 12127 Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. tions (North Houston: 12127 MalTexas 77063 is open M-F from 433-1635 or harekrishnadham @ Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kayakasi.org.

Mar Church Louetta Rd,Sunday.

Houston; South 1st & 3rd AdultThoma Bible comson Road,daily Houston; 7:30 Gandhi AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 on gmail.com lupur.

Opens from 7South a.m.

Library Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Dr, class at 9:30 a.m.

English service Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Drive, PM, and Sat, and Sun from 8 AM Houston Namadwaar to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m.

Gandhi Library Gandhi Library Book at Trinity Mar Church every Sunday atfrom 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd.10:30 Sunday School 9:15 a.m. service at 3:00 9:30 a.m. onpm) 1st Land, from toMalayalam a.m. onThoma 2ndat3:00 & 4thpm SunSugar to 5:30 to Mahatma 6 PM. Jain Society Houston A prayer house whereofthe Hare Suga to 8:30Land) p.m.

Daily aarti at 7on a.m.

Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m.

1st & 3rd Sunday.

Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m.

English service at 10:30 5:30 pm.

Sai Spiritual Education day.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) invites Jain scholars all yearMaharound.

Rama Hare Krishna and 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. on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281-261-4603. classes for children; study circle 261-4603. classes for children; Study Circle Please call Urvashi Jain chanted.

713 789 mantra is continuously 5p.m to 7 p.m. followed by aarti month;Visit 12:30 PM13475 at Arya Samaj a.m.

Greater Houston, Schiller on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

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

Service programs Telugu Christian Fellowship for adults &orMaha-Prasad Devotional singing 2338. www.jainsocietyhousWeekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, for at 7 p.m. and (free Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Rd. Join the discussion of the great food distribution & food drives; Telugu Christian Fellowship for all.

Service programs - food ton.org for more information.

Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. dinner).

Website www.issotx.

Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Rd. Join the discussion of the great man’s autobiography – The Story meets Hours: Mon Fri 6 a.m. a.m. distribution, and 5:00 p.m.canned to 8:30food p.m. drives, Weekhome tutoring every thirdtovisits, Saturday of-8the Shakti Mandir WeeklyShiv “Gopa 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 month at Triumph Church, 10555 nursing home visits, tutoring at Sanatanheritage Shiv Shakti Mandir, dren’s classes and 6640 SriSanatan Dharm of 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 W. Airport Blvd., Stafford TX schools, etc.

Contact Venkat Rao Harwin.

Open dailyclasses.

7 a.m. Call to 8 mad Bhagavatam Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Maha Sabha Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m.

1 a.m.

Special (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Sondip (South) 832-215atMathur 6:30 p.m.

Join us for a (North) - to602-503-2249 or poojas Ranji p.m.

All major festivals, as well 77477 281-402-6585; visit 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. time of praise, worship and felRaghavan (South) 281-451-8238. asGauri birthdays, naam karan, engageSiddhivinayak 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 lowship.

Worship is in English.

Visit www.sairegion10.org Gauri Siddhivinayak ment and other ceremonies. Call Sadhu Vaswani Center for Divinity).

Branch # 377guruvayur.us is located Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ information call Chris Pandit ViratTemple Mehta Sivalaya 713-278-9099 For Sadhu Vaswani Center ofGantela Hous- Sabha Saumyakasi Temple at 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Preksha Meditation 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay GurSadhu Vaswani Center or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for ton holds regular Satsang on 3rd Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo77494.

Durga Mata Pooja held Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Preksha Meditation daily.

All major festivals as well rala 281-997-0757.

Sadhu Vaswani Center puja or ceremonies.

New facilities of JVBand Preksha Yoga of the month daily Meditation Center. ClassesofforisHouscated at other Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Thursday every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 daily.

All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engageton holds regular Satsang on 3rd facilities ofCall JVB Preksha Center.

ClassesAt for14102 Yoga Heartfulness Meditation andNew Meditation under guidance

by Meditation Samani jis and discourses. at 7.30 p.m.

281-463Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX Arti pm.

Contact Ram Sharma @ as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies.

Call Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Thursday of the month and daily and Meditation under guidance Samani jis and discourses.

At 14102 Heartfulness Meditation is a 0379 Schiller Road ramolaj@aol.com (off Hwy 6 bet by Bellaire and Westpark - 77082).

Tel or e.mail 77478.

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

Call Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-466Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m.

Arti at 7.30 p.m.

Call 281-463Schiller Road (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark - 77082). Tel practical tuning to Friday:technique 9 a.m.- 12ofNoon andin5 281-596-9642.

Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-4669868 puja and other ceremo5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Week- 0379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com 281-596-9642. wards experience our higher p.m.

-for 8to p.m.

Saturday and Sun- and 9868 for puja and other ceremonies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, ends & Holidays: 6 Patanjali a.m. to noon Yogpeeth selves. with day: 8:30Meditation a.m.-2 p.m. andsomeone 5 p.m.

Summer Camp nies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Exciting Bha- Yogpeeth Gaudiya Math hasCall theBharti capacity of yogic -who 8 p.m.

Sutaria 281Free Yoga ClassesPatanjali every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 Houston, TX 77036.

Saturdays 7 p.m. every to 8 p.m.; Shri Govindji Gaudiya Matha transmission can help you explore 568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832- jans Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from am to 9:30 a.m.Free CallYoga AnilClasses 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call8Indra 281Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special Veerashaiva Samaja is a Hindu Vaishnava temple of the Heartfulness more 537-0018.

541-0059 or visitpractice www.saum a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call Indra 281For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. Web: Veerashaiva Samaja poojas (weekends and holidays) Sanatan Dharam and worshipping deeply. are no VSNAThere Houston is acharges group for of www.pyptusa.org 537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. Web: and www.DivyaProducts.com. yakasi.org.

(Annaprasam) for kids, place of Shri Shri Radha Krishna, this, and we invite you experiVSNA Houston is atogroup of Choroon www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com.

Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Ni- Shri Gaur Nitai & Shri Ram Darence the unique benefits of this Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

WANT TO HOST YOURbar.SUMMER CAMP? Mandir is open daily from rapara.

Temple is located at 11620 transmission.

Workshops on daily.

All major festivals as well PARTNER WITH US & HOST YOUR SUMMER CAMP AT INDIA HOUSE 5.30 AM until 8.30 PM. We urge Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: 713Heartfulness relaxation and medias birthdays, naam karan, enyou to make a special effort to 729-8994 email: temple@ gurutation are held weekly throughout Instructors or agencies looking for an amazing space gagement and other ceremonies.

These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games will be closing soon: join our Sunday services regularly vayur.us Houston, including Saturdays at 11 Call Pandit 832to conduct their summer camp activities These TexasPandya Lottery Commission Scratch-Off gameswith willyour be closing soon: The family &may friends. am at India Pradip House.

Web: www.

Official Close End Validations 466-9868 for puja and other cerGame # Game Name / Odds $ collaborate with us to provide fun, safe and services are held from 5.30PM Preksha Meditation heartfulness.org; Email: houston. of Game Date Official Close End Validations emonies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste Game # Game Name / Odds $ to 7.30PM followed by deliJVB Preksha Meditation Center heartfulness@gmail.com. Cell: enriching experienceoffor Gamethe kids. Date 701, Houston, TX 77036.

1651 Ultimate Crossword Overall Odds are 1 in 3.27 $10 7/12/15 1/8/16 cious prashad.

Daily Aarti times conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga 713-929-0040.

1651 Crossword - and Overall Odds are 1sessions in 3.27 inside$10 7/12/15 Aarti- 5:30 1/8/16 Veerashaiva Samaja am. Bhog Swadhyay its : Mangala Hare Krishna Ultimate Dham 1690 Cash Frenzy of - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.09 $5 7/30/15 1/26/16 VSNA Houston is a group Aarti 12:30 pm.

Evening Aarti unique Pyramid hall under the Houston’s original Vedic temple, INSTRUCTOR? 1690 Cash Frenzy - Overall Odds are 1 ARE in 4.09YOU A TALENTED $5 7/30/15 1/26/16 families who believe in Veeras7:00 pm.

Enroll your child in Sri auspicious guidance of Samani 1701of Houston.Blackjack Overall Odds are 1JOIN in 4.75 8/26/15 2/22/16 ISKCON At 1320-W INDIA HOUSE AS$1 A SUMMER CAMP COORDINATOR haiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Govindaji Vedic School.

We offer Kanchan Pragyaji and Samani 1701 Blackjack Overall Odds are 1 in 4.75 $1 8/26/15 2/22/16 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Monthly program for - Overall 1646Mahamane areare 1 inwho 4.29 8/26/15 2/22/16 Hindi classes for all PranavOdds Pragyaji are stationed We looking for$2talented instructors, inages. art, Sri GoArati Times: 4.30 Hot a.m,‘N 7Spicy a.m,Tripler 8.30 prayer and discussion on Vacha1646 Hot ‘N Spicy Tripler - at Overall Odds areCenter 1 in 4.29this year.$2It vindaji 8/26/15 2/22/16is located Gaudiya Matha Houston a.m, 12 noon, 4.30Red p.m, 7 Tripler p.m, 9- Overall Odds craft, theater, 8/26/15 henna, language arts, 1657 are 1dance, in 4.14 music, $2 2/22/16 na Sahitya followed byChili Prasada. in Northwest Houston at 16628 also runs special events and prop.m.

Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to cooking, baking, robotics or any other activities 1657 vsnahousRed Chili Tripler - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.14 $2 8/26/15 2/22/16 Contact: ton@gmail.

TM Kieth Harrow Blvd Houston TX grams like I-Choose, Meditation 7.30 p.m.

1648 Weekly Gita Loteriaclasses - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.98 $3 8/26/15 2/22/16 that interest the kids. com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832TM 77084.

For more information, call Camps and Gyanshala program 1648 call 281-433-1635 Loteria - or Overall Odds are 1 in 3.98 $3 8/26/15 2/22/16 for adults; 744-4166. for children ages 4-14 yrs. JVB at 832-464-4686 or visit our webharekrishnadham @gmail.com 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 site: http://sggm.org. located atCommission.

14102|AllVipin@indiahouseinc.org Schiller Houston Namadwaar ticket.

The Texas Lottery supports Texas education and veterans.is © 2015 Texas Lottery rights reserved. Rd. 713-929-1900 For detailed oddsThoma and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-375-6886. Must be 18 or older to purchase a Trinity Mar Church evHouston 77082.

Every Tuesday, ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texasthe education and veterans. © 2015 Texas Lottery Commission.

All rights reserved.

8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77031 A prayer house where Hare

OPPORTUNITIES!

LEGAL LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 19

PAGE 24 20 • INDIA HERALD HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 25,30, 2018 PAGE 2016 PAGE 24•• INDIA INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH JULY 1, 2015

Spring Branch Family Dentistry,P.A. 1111, Gessner, Suite B Houston, Texas 77055 (713) 461-8050 (713) 461-4747 WeWe Speak English, Hindi & Gujarati speak English & Gujarati CONVENIENT HOURS Monday: 9 am – 6 pm Tuesday: 9 am – 7 pm Wednesday: 9 am – 6 pm Thursday: 9 am – 7 pm Friday: 9 am – 4 pm Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm (Closed one Saturday a month) '

%

$ !# $

#/6/7 385 $+( '-+

::: 645/2-(5'2).*+27/675; )31

'

+1(+5 3,

('+-%, ,$(' !(* * +

"

% & ! $ " ! ! ! # " FLUORIDE TREATMENT (A $125 VALUE)

& # #

! !

$85 $ 65

65

$

!$ ! %&# ' ! $+ 39+ ./0*5+2 361+7/) $./7+2/2- !337. 3035+* /00/2-6 5'0 85-+5; +2785+6 '57/'06 32 685-/)'0 85-/)'0 75+'71+27 3, 81 /6+'6+ 5+9+27/9+ +27/675; 337 '2'0 53)+*85+ 3rd Molar (Wisdom Teeth) Extraction

$+ "6+ '8-./2- '6

Sanjeev Khosla, D.D.S

$ ! "

Exp. 09/30/2011 Exp. 09/30/2015 %

AUGUST 30,2018 ([S Exp. May 31, 2016

35 2+: 4'7/+276 320; 384326 237 -33* :/7. '2; 37.+5 3,,+5 35 40'26

Darshani Patel, D.D.S

$ ! "

Exp. May09/30/2015 31,30, 2016 Exp. 09/30/2011 Exp. Exp. AUGUST 2018 ([S %

35 2+: 4'7/+276 320; 384326 237 -33* :/7. '2; 37.+5 3,,+5 35 40'26

% % % %

! ! # ! ! ! " ! ! !$ $ ! ! $

Exp. AUGUST 2018 Exp. March 31,30, 2016 Exp. 09/30/2015 Exp. 09/30/2011 ([S $ ! " & %

35 2+: 4'7/+276 320; 384326 237 -33* :/7. '2; 37.+5 3,,+5 35 40'26