March 11 2011 1-24 by Indo American News

Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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Friday, March 11 2011 | Vol. 30, No. 10

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This Week Inside:

27th Annual mardi Gras Ball Honors India's cultural Heritage Enchantment of India to Benefit Ekal Vidyalaya

Bibi Magazine celebrates 10th Anniversary

By Kalyani Giri GALVESTON: The staccato beat of the dhol spilled zealously from the foyer into the streets surrounding The Tremont House. The energy was so infectious that it goaded arriving guests into dancing their way into the historic hotel. A diverse crowd of over 600 attended The Tremont House’s 27th Annual Mardi Gras Ball and Parade Viewing Party on March 5, 2011. This year the owner of The Tremont House and the host of the occasion, George Mitchel, chose to honor India’s rich cultural heritage with the theme Enchantment of India. Mitchel and his team of organizers have also pledged to

Pg 8

Fatakra Launched at India International Film Festival Pg 32

you have no control over, you hear voices that no one else hears. You’re paralyzed with a terror you cannot fathom...and you stumble, trying to shake loose those infernal voices in your head. Suddenly, in a rare moment of clarity, you glance around and see people averting their eyes or staring at you in naked disgust. And you cringe, unable to comprehend the rejection. If you’re a woman already rendered vulnerable by gender, a disease of the mind makes survival a harrowing hour-to-hour battle. continued on page

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Barsana dham Founder convicted of sexual molestation

The Banyan Fundraiser rakes in over $13,000

By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: Try to imagine the unimaginable plight of the mentally indisposed. Trapped in a mind

Geroge Mitchel (left), owner of the Tremont House Hotel and the host of the March 5th parade Photo: Krishna Giri

donate a portion of the proceeds amounting to over $10,000 to the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering education and village development in rural India. More than 600 guests attended and adhered strictly to the Indian ethnic dress code that saw women in ornate sarees and diaphanous fabrics, bindis and bangles, and men equally spiffy in kurthas and turbans. Hotel staff were also draped in Indian finery. For the one evening, the hotel was exotically transformed into a series of mini palaces swathed in flower garlands. Popular Bolly-

Prakashanand Saraswati was released on a $1 million cash bond but failed to show up in court for sentencing

HOUSTON (TOI): Absconding Indian godman Prakashanand Saraswati, also known as Shree Swamiji, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined USD 10,000 on each of 20 felony counts for groping girls who grew up on the ashram he founded and led in Central Texas. With the subject of their deliberations still missing and presumed to be on the run, a Hays County jury today sentenced the 82-yearold religious guru to 14 years in prison for each of 20 counts of molesting two girls in his Barsana Dham ashram in Driftwood during the 1990s. ( Read: Hindu guru convicted of molesting girls in US ) For Prakashanand, a religious leader who claims hundreds of thousands of followers worldwide, the lengthy prison sentence represented a dramatic reversal of fortune. The parent organization to which his Barsana Dham ashram belongs owns and operates temples and hospitals in India and other countries. For the women who said the guru kissed and fondled them in the mid-1990s while they were in their teens, the prison sentence represented a satisfying end to

Search continues for Shree Swamiji convicted of groping girls

a bitter battle against a man they were once told was a living saint and a religious group to which their parents still belong. Now 27 and 30 years old, the women brought charges against the guru three years ago. The jury of eight men and four women deliberated only a halfhour. Prakashanand didn’t show up for the punishment phase of his trial and is still at large. District Judge Charles Ramsay will decide later whether the guru’s prison sentences are to be served concurrently. Last week the jury found Prakashanand guilty of indecency

with a child by sexual contact, based on his repeated groping of two teenagers whose families lived at the ashram he founded southwest of Austin. “This defendant is not a good candidate for probation because he can’t even make it to the rest of the trial,” said Hays County assistant district attorney Kathy Compton. The guru’s defence attorneys told the court that their elderly client’s various ailments -- coronary disease, back pain and hypertension -- make him too infirm to be in prison. “To put him in a penitentiary setting at his age with these type of physical disabilities would be a death sentence for Swamiji,” said Jeff Kearney, his lead attorney. Spokesmen for the ashram say they don’t know where guru is. Peter Spiegel, a wealthy devotee who posted a USD 1 million cash bond for guru’s release, testified that he doesn’t know his whereabouts, either. The guru was released on a USD 1 million cash bond but failed to show up Monday in San Marcos for sentencing. The judge then ordered the bond revoked and issued the arrest warrant against guru.

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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Empowered to Survive

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The Banyan Fundraiser Rakes in Over $13,000 for India’s Mentally Indisposed

In India where there is a greater stigma attached to mental illness, activists in that country and in the USA are striving to garner support in helping those hapless women through a Chennai-based humanitarian organization, The Banyan. The non-profit group, formed in 1993, reaches out to women who have been thrust into the streets by their families and left to fend for themselves. “These women are the most marginalized faction of society, and if we do not extend a helping hand, then there is no hope of their survival and that is such a tragedy,” said local spokesperson and liaison for The Banyan, Latika Bathija. She visited the organization’s headquarters in Chennai last year and moved by compassion, decided to further The Banyan’s reach by creating awareness through fundraising endeavors. “I saw how well these women were being taken care of, and how much effort was being put into teaching them life skills and preparing them to be independent so they can assimilate back into society when they are ready,” added Bathija. The prolific young woman and former owner of Ashiana Indian Restaurant became actively involved in the organization about two years ago when she sold her

From left: Gopal Bathija, Latika Bathija and Balraj Vasudevan at The Banyan Brunch, a fundraising event

business. The Banyan fulfilled her philanthropic need to give back to her former hometown, Chennai. On Saturday, March 5, Bathija and her husband Gopal hosted The Banyan Brunch, a fundraising event, at their sumptuous Lakes of Parkway home. The soiree, that garnered over $13, 000 for the worthy cause, drew a distinguished and affluential gathering from the diverse communities of this city. Guests mingled over cocktails and relished the delectable buffet catered by Ashiana Restaurant, with desserts created

by Rumki Das Gupta, all aesthetically arranged by Bathija. A special guest visiting from Chennai was Balraj Vasudevan, a trustee at The Banyan and a long time friend of Bathija and her husband; Vasudevan was also present at the first fundraiser hosted by them at the Mumbai Spice Restaurant last year. Following brunch, guests were acquainted with The Banyan by Bathija and Vasudevan. The organization was formed sixteen years ago by two young social work students Vandana Gopiku-

mar and Vaishnavi Jayakumar, who were deeply concerned that there weren’t any core support facilities in place for mentally ill and homeless women. Recognizing the dire loophole in the system, they started The Banyan as an NGO and rented a three-bedroom building to run a care and rehabilitation center which they called Adaikalam, which means Refuge in the Tamil language. Since then the organization has mushroomed and has helped change the lives of over 5000 women. More than 1,500 women have been rescued from the streets, given medical attention, rehabilitated, taught job skills, and are leading productive lives in the community. The organization has three care centers in Chennai with full-time employees and part-time trained psychiatrists and psychologists; it also operates largely through the dedicated support of volunteers who tirelessly render crucial service. The Ban-

yan runs outreach programs that educate and teach lessons in sensitivity to the public about mental illness. The annual budget for The Banyan is $700, 000, an amount the organization often falls short of. “We make up the money by requesting donors from all over the world to fill in,” said Vasudevan. Elated that The Banyan is receiving a wider audience, and grateful to her guests who opened their hearts and pocketbooks to help, Bathija is even more convinced of the vital role she has in the endeavor. “It is evident in the care that the women are getting and in the enthusiasm of the volunteers that The Banyan is a worthy cause to support,” said Bathija. For more information on The Banyan visit http://www.thebanyan.org and http://www.fotb-usa. org. To donate funds, visit http:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . com/l/dabcdA8nMtsbNdVOhXeNbj7mTw/www.fotbusa.org.

Indo American News • Friday, MARCH 11 , 2011 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

From left: Hiru Mathur Latika Bathija Mandy Kao at The Banyan Brunch

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

mardi Gras Ball Honors India’s cultural Heritage continued from page

wood music ebbed and flowed and DJ,Yogi-G exhorted gatherees to join the spirited action on the dance floor, where lessons in the latest steps were being taught by a bevy of beauties. Long lines formed as guests waited patiently to get their faces painted in colors that matched their costumes. In the dining halls, an abundance of fragrant Indian food and desserts beckoned; water melons carved in the shapes of Hindu gods, and icons hearkening back to India were reflective of the immense research and thoughtful effort that went into fashioning an event that held true to the theme. “The perception of India went way beyond the ordinary. George Mitchel and his team outdid themselves in projecting India in an exemplary manner, “enthused Ramesh Shah, Chairman of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA. “They were also very knowledgeable about the work our organization is doing. We are very grateful to them for choosing to donate to Ekal,” added Shah. Ekal Vidyalaya was identified as a worthy cause by Dr. Ragini Miryal and Shubhra Rameneni, author of Entice with Spice. Later in the evening, guests stepped out into the street for a view of the floats. As vividlycolored confetti swirled from above and inundated the crowds like soft rain, the Momus Grand Night Parade began. The Fighting Texas Aggie Band marched past with sonorous brassy trumpets that glowed in the fading light. Extravagantly decorated floats sailed by, their occupants hurling bead necklaces into the crowd. “I’ve been attending the Mardi Gras here for nine years,” confided reveler Cheryl Proctor, who wore a black embellished saree. “This has been a great experience because in researching the proper attire for this evening, I learnt so much about India. Now I’m eager to visit the country,” Proctor added.

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Clockwise from top left: Cheryl Proctor and a friend Howard Luckett from Chicago Raj Malani (behind) encourages a reveler to indulge in making Bollywood moves Photos: Krishna Giri

Visitors from Chicago, Howard and Joyce Luckett attended with sister-in-law Geraldine White; the three resembled Indian royalty in their finery. An urbane and turbaned Howard was delighted to be at the event. “The Indian people I’ve met here tonight have been so friendly and terrific,” said Howard. “The food’s great! This has been quite an experience getting to know another culture. And the women are beautiful,” he added with a smile. Joyce, he added was so excited about the Indian theme that she purchased all their garments online. Vijay Pallod, who attended with his wife Sushma, their young daughter Namita, and a host of friends, was overwhelmed by the artistry of the event. “There’s so many details that have been included, people have taken so much care, it’s just a wonderful evening,” said Pallod. As the night progressed, revelers danced to live music by New Orleans’ storied Dr. Micheal

White Jazz Quartet and Houston’s Eclipse Band. A sumptuous breakfast was served at midnight. The annual event originated in 1985 with the grand opening of The Tremont House and the revival of Galveston Island’s city-wide Mardi Gras celebrations. Hotel owner Mitchel is well known for his development of The Woodlands. For information about Ekal Vidyalaya, visit www.ekal.org

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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yLd yL LdP s students Learn Lessons of e entrepreneurship at Unique Industrial Products By Manzil Quadir, niKita K Kita zaMwar, arsh Quadir & nishil shah HOUSTON: On February 26, the fifth YLDP learning session was hosted by Unique Industrial Products of Sugar Land. The session highlighted the Business/ Entrepreneurship theme with speakers Pankaj Malani (President of Elite Components and Vice President of Unique Industrials) and Bikram(Bick) Singh (CEO of New Age Casting) both young, energetic entrepreneurs who enlightened YLDP students about the values and lessons from the business world. After the introduction and the speaker’s presentation, students, parents, and the board were given a tour of the facility. Both Malani and Singh were affable and interacted enthusiastically with the students. They cited learnings from experience that gave them the needed foresight to help run their business. After graduating from UT at Austin, Malani started his career working in advertising for a new tech start-up company in New York City and was able to use the skills he learned on that job to create and build the brand for his own company. The two entrepreneurs stressed the importance of building trust with their customers in creating their brand and compet-

shouldn’t prevent us as individuals to move forward to to achieve success. Competition should not suppress us but encourage us to overcome obstacles and to view each obstacle as a learning opportunity. Singh and Malani used their specialized talents and field experience in economics and advertising to evolve their companies. We also learned that keeping an open mind towards diverse experiences leads to a well-rounded future. With courage, risk taking, and dedication to hard work we all can reach our true goals in life whether it is the field of Business, Engineering or Medicine.

YLDP students at the learning session hosted by Unique Industrial Products of Sugar Land.

ing with similar companies in their industry. The two companies had to use attractive pricing and a higher level of service in order to break into the market. They also put a lot of emphasis on inspection and testing to ensure high quality of their products and to minimize their risk of liability. They believe that the best way to effectively break into new market is to develop the brand name and to provide the most durable and cost-effective products in the market. Risk taking and stepping out of one’s comfort zone are significant

attributes of a successful leader. Malani had experimented with several prior ventures before he joined Unique Industrial Products and started his own Elite Components brand. He traveled to Argentina, San Francisco, and New York to step out of his comfort zone (working at home for his father’s company), where he acquired new skills to succeed in a global market. By starting Elite Components Malani took a big risk but applying what he learned from his prior experience helped him to bring this successful new addition to the

company. Bick Singh, who started his career working with another company, took a big risk when he decided to start his own company, when that company got acquired by another. Leaving a well established company to start a new one from ground up was “getting out of his comfort zone”, however, his risk taking allowed him to grab a wonderful opportunity. Instead of being lead by someone he stepped out to lead his own venture. Today he is a successful leader and owns a flourishing company. We learned that disadvantages

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Freedia Entertainment Plans to go National

HOUSTON: Freedia Entertainment is a multi resource film production company. With an office here in Houston as well as one in Kerala, Freedia Entertainment plans to start with the national shows and then move on to other creative projects. From product development, production of ads, TV

The show will be headed to cities with major Indian-American population including Austin, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Boston, Miami, Tampa, Phoenix, San Jose, Los Angeles & Canada. A few words about the main stars of the

50 films and a state award to his credit, he has managed to find himself as the most popular comedy actor at this time. His distinctive voice has made him a household name. The young heartthrob, Bala, works between two Indian languages and captures

the audience’s attention as a great dancer and as an action hero. Along with him, the team includes some of the brightest talents of the industry. For more information, www.freediaentertainment.com or email us at freediaentertainment@gmail.com.

Freedia Entertainment team: (from left) Dr. Zachariah Thomas, Dr. Freemu Varghese, Rachel Varghese, Dias Damodharan and Alex Johnny Makkora.

serials, films, billboards, along with bringing shows to the US, Freedia Entertainment works with varied aspects of communication. The primary driving force of starting this business is the entire team’s great interest for music, dance and films of quality. Last year, Freedia Entertainment brought a large variety show from Kerala and it was extremely well-received across the US. This year, the plan was to bring a bigger show with a greater number of performers. It has taken months of planning to find the Kerala film industry’s top-billed stars, develop a good team, organize the overall theme of the show and work on the details that make an event successful. Numerous trips to India, hiring the best people to support the show and poring over every detail have been the overall mode. One of South India’s top choreographers, Sujatha Master is currently working on the dances. The script is being written by one of the main actors.

show: One of the most anticipated stage shows in the Malayalam film world, as it is Meera Jasmin’s first stage show. Films starring Meera Jasmin, the award winning Indian actress who delivers hits in four South Indian language movies can pull audiences to the theater, merely with the mention of her name, because of the varied, distinctive, controversial roles she chooses. Whether she is playing a loving but defiant daughter, a frantic wife pleading for the life of her husband, a cross-dressing carpenter, a married woman who falls in love with another man or others, Jasmin handles each role with ease. She is the lead star of her films, a feat unique in any world cinema. Suraj Venjaramood’s comic genius is that he slides in and out of character without pause. Venjaramood states the obvious with the change in dialects, distinctive body language and all the art of mimicry. With over

Indo American News • Friday, MARCH 11, 2011 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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Indian American Jewellers Found Guilty of movie-s ovie-style ovie-s style robbery r

NEW YORK: (HT) Two Indian-American jewellers have been found guilty of staging a fake heist straight out of the movie Snatch to get a $7 million insurance payout. The phony robbery was a “desperate gamble” by jewellers Atul Shah and Mahaveer Kankariyam that went wrong, a New York judge ruled Friday finding each man guilty on all seven counts, New York Daily News reAtul Shah, left, and Mahaveer Kankariya were found ported. Shah, 49, and Kankari- guilty on all counts ya, 44, face up to 15 years prison when sentenced in the New Year’s leaned forward and gripped each others’ hands. Farber said he determined both men Eve, 2008 heist. Prosecutors had said the pair paid guys worked together in the scheme. “It is clear to me that this was a conspiracy dressed as Hasidic Jews to barge into their store with fake guns, just like in the 2001 and could not have worked any other way,” he said. “This was the most difficult thing Guy Ritchie movie. “I find that this fraud was predicated on a I’ve done in my career. I find the defendants fake robbery,” said Judge Thomas Farber in guilty.” The jewellers’ insurance bid went the bench trial at Manhattan Criminal Court. sour after officials recovered surveillance “The emptying of the safe, to me, is suspi- video of Shah and Kankariya clearing out a safe two hours before the fake gunmen got cious.” Farber also called Shah’s testimony that there on Dec 31, 2008, Daily News said. The partners had attempted to destroy the he buzzed in the two Hasidic-dressed gunmen thinking they were Bombay couriers evidence, pouring Drano over the recording equipment in their offices, but the video was “frankly ridiculous.” As the judge read his verdict, both men in good enough shape for technicians to relooked straight ahead while their families pair it.

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manvel mayor to commemorate namadwaar Anniversary Amid cultural c extravaganza Manvel, TX: Honorable Mayor Delores Martin of Manvel city will commemorate the first anniversary of Houston Namadwaar, a prayer house powered by the Divine Names, on March 19. The prayer house

versal peace and harmony through individual transformation by chanting the Divine Names of God. The Namadwaar is open to all, transcending the boundaries of denominations, per-

is located at 3642 Bailey Ave, Manvel, TX 77578 in the Pearland area. The highlight of the day will be the special cultural performances that will be on display in the afternoon (2:30 pm onwards), including a professional string puppet show by The Dancing Peacock Puppet Company, a musical concert on universal peace and unity, classical Bharatanatyam performances by young artists and a drama presentation by children of Gopa Kuteeram cultural enrichment program. A food and clothes drive benefiting the local Pearland/Manvel community will also be held as part of the event, in the morning between 10 am and Noon. At 2 pm, the Mayor will plant commemorative trees and be the guest of honor at the anniversary celebrations which will include the cultural performances. Lunch and dinner will be served to all the attendees. The event is free and open to the public. Established by Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.), the Houston Namadwaar is the first prayer house of its kind in the United States, where the Divine Names are continuously chanted. It is part of G.O.D.’s worldwide initiative to strive towards uni-

sonal philosophies, religion, creed or nationality. Meditation and chanting sessions to strengthen and energize the mind are held every week. Written prayer requests are collected in a request box placed in the Namadwaar. Prayer requests can also be sent online and via e-mail. Prayers are performed for these requests every day. Prayer sessions are also conducted at residences and hospitals, as a free service, on invitation. Other activities that are conducted regularly at Namadwaar include children’s value-based enrichment programs (Gopa Kuteeram), toddler/preschool storytimes and study groups based on Srimad Bhagavatam, the crown jewel among the Puranas. Spiritual discourses, workshops and children’s summer camps are also conducted periodically. Food and clothes drives and health camps are conducted annually. To participate in the food and clothes drives or for more information about the anniversary program call Jeevan Nair at 281-573-8087 or Sriram Ramanujam at 832-515-1251. To send prayer requests or learn more about Namadwaar, visit houstonnamadwaar.godivinity.org or email houston. god@godivinity.org.

HI c HIsd celebrates Lunar year y

HOUSTON: ICC Houston was invited by the Asian Advisory Committee of the Houston Independent School District to participate in their Annual Lunar Year celebrations on February 24 at Downtown Houston. This invitation & engaging with the Mainstream community was accepted by President Col Raj Bhalla and delegated the task to Director Yamuna Srinidhi to assist the Asian Committee from the Indian angle. At the event; ICC booth attracted more than 22 ladies in the Sari wrapping round and over 12 ladies in the Mehendi Palm decorating. The ICC

booth was very colorful with ladies & teenagers trying on Bindis & Bangles and taking pictures in Indian poise. Pallavi Dhairyawan assisted the Mehendi application and in a very short span the cultural interaction was visible. This was an ongoing effort of ICC and as in the past year the community engagement of ICC was well appreciated by the HISD Advisory Committee. The key members on this Advisory Committee include Gordon Quan, Rogene Calvert, Sabrina Nguyen & Viet Hoang.

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 11, 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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BiBi magazine c celebrates 10th Anniversary

By Kalyani Giri gone places nationwide, gathered emotional speech thanked guests HOUSTON: It’s almost as if together a small band of friends, for supporting their vision. The Ayesha Hakki took a pen to paper well-wishers, and media pals, to magazine which left print media ten years ago and listed her inter- celebrate BiBi’s 10th anniversary for an online option for the past ests and abilities. She loved wed- on March 2. The party, held at the several years, will once more be dings and all the accoutrements elegant Villa Rinata in the Galle- published in hard copy annually as that went with those magical oc- ria district, saw Haqqi, Zooni and of this year, said Haqqi. The BiBi casions. She adored fashion, a BiBi staff Zeb Mamsa welcoming team has collaborated with many fact well-documented through the guests with their signature warmth. new vendors and the magazine veritable parade of shoes that she Shabana Haq Rahman, who lives promises to be better than ever, hoards and wears with flair, and astute woman that she is, knew that she possessed a keen mind for business. Add to that oodles of charm, a bubbly personality, and the ability to sell an idea. Then with alacrity, she nabbed two of her best friends, Shabana Haq Past and present Bibi members: from left, Sonal Patel, Shena Cherian, Zooni, Rick Rahman and Mapes, Zeb Mamsa, Ayesha Hakki, Munir Ibrahim and Mariam Issa Zooni, and Photo: David Postma made them an offer they couldn’t refuse; the in New York, recently had a baby added Haqqi. She also thanked Mariam Issa and Munir Ibrahim, chance to be the go-to mavens and was unable to attend. In the softly glowing ambiance longtime supporters and Board of on all things bright and beautiful. And, eureka, BiBi Magazine, an created by Décor One, gatherees Directors at BiBi for helping her authoritative treatise on fashion sipped wine and snacked on finger further her business goals. foods provided by Daawat Caterand style was born. For more information on BiBi Ten years later the publication, ing while listening to music by visit http://www. that was birthed in this city and Club 803 featuring Daraja Hak- Magazine, has since settled in New Jersey but izimana. Haqqi and Zooni in an bibimagazine.com.

APAHA and IFmH: mH: Faith and c m culture Bus Tour

HOUSTON: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) along with Interfaith Ministries of Houston (IFMH) have organized a unique bus tour to various places of worship and a tour of China Town on Saturday March 12. Responding to inquiries from various people, APAHA has collaborated with Interfaith Ministries to bring this opportunity which allows sightseeing guided tour of parts of Mahatma Gandhi

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faith and the diversity of religion practiced by the Asian & Pacific Americans of Houston including a visit to the famous China Town of Houston. An ideal Saturday outing for individuals of every age The cost of the guided tour including lunch is $25. Interested individuals can register at www. ingh.org/events.

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District, China town along with visit to the following places of worship: Asian Baptist Church. BAPS Hindu Temple, Maryam Masjid and Vietnamese Buddhist Temple. Boxed lunch will be served during the tour. The tour will commence at 9am and should end around 3pm at Hillcroft. The organizers are excited that the bus will provide so many exposures in one short visit and provide the participants with a macro perspective of the uniqueness of each

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

Black ahal Brings its Punjabi-Funk to Austin Blackm On March 15, BlackMahal helps usher in Soul Around The World at Momo’s

AUSTIN: San Francisco’s funky Punjabi hip-hop incarnation, BlackMahal, is planning to shake up Austin at the highly anticipated 2011 SXSW Music festival. After acclaimed performances from the bay area to Canada, the group will take part in a World Soul Showcase at Momos Club on March 15th. Hot on the heels of their viral hit and NFL fight song “Black, Gold, and Silver”, the group will be performing exciting new material from their upcoming debut album, Music + Love + Dancing. The band’s pre-release singles have been making waves across international radio and featured on stations in Boston, San Francisco and the UK’s BBC-Radio 1, garnering the attention of international press including buzz in the San Francisco Chronicle, Rolling Stone, Ego

Trip, Wired and MTV Desi. The Soul Around The World event showcases a glance into what’s currently happening in this genre from kwassa kwassa to cumbia. Bemba Entertainment & Fusicology.com will be presenting five distinct globe spanning acts in addition to BlackMahal including Bamako Airlines, Gina Chavez, New Berlin, Kiko y La Banda, DJ Professor Groove. To RSVP, visit http:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / e v e n t . php?eid=155006411222167 BlackMahal Bio: Based in San Francisco, BlackMahal brings funk, hip-hop, and traditional Punjabi sounds together for an explosive dance beat that is all at once as energetic as a supernova and as chill as a chocolate martini. Their immediate awe-

someness is due in part to the lead vocalist and the ‘Godfather’ of the dhol drum, Ustad Lal Singh Bhatti, who is a music icon in both India and America. The band formed serendipitously when Vijay Chattha, an active hip-hop DJ at the time, met Lal Singh at a wedding in the East Bay 5 years ago. The two began discussing music, and started toying with the idea of a project that spanned their respective tastes and experiences. Shortly after, BlackMahal was born. BlackMahal now features Ustad Lal Singh Bhatti (percussion/vocals), Vijay Chattha (vocals), DJ Jay Slim, (turntables), Jon Cook (drums), Tim Chang (electric bass), Satish Pillai (keyboards), Pangfua Her (vocals), Sandeep Bhatt (sax) and David Wood (trumpet).

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

DiNiNG out

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A Personal Love Affair Toward dining - A corporate outlook By JacoB DaviD SUGARLAND:Everyone knows that opening and running a successful restaurant business requires insurmountable effort and dedication. Meena Agrawal and her family, the owners of Udipi Cafe Sugar Land, knew exactly what they were getting into when they jumped into the business and bought the restaurant in September 2009. Meena (the primary owner) decided to take it one step further and added Mumbai Chaat to the famous North and South Indian Udipi cuisine menu. Hailing from a line of entrepreneurs and restaurant owners, Meena feels proud that her grandparents pioneered the first railway tea stalls and restaurants back home in Mumbai. It is still an ongoing successful family business today, owned and operated by her brothers and uncles.

Being Mumbaiites, Meena and her husband Suresh have cherished growing up in Mumbai and love the flavors India has to offer. Devout vegetarians, they take special pride in ensuring that every item on their entire menu is strictly vegetarian. Meena has put her heart and soul in creating new healthy recipes with less oil. The menu also features many vegan and gluten free dishes for those with special dietary restrictions. Meena earned her degree in Chemistry and Computer Science from Universities in Chicago and New Jersey while her husband, Suresh Agrawal, has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Meena has worked as an IT consultant for last 18 years. Both Meena and her husband have applied their academic training and corporate knowledge gained, to pursue a lifelong dream

of owning and operating a restaurant. Apart from hiring the right people to make the food and cater to every customer’s needs, they also strive to constantly improve by measuring results in terms of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty to find new marketable trends to increase frequency of dining in a slow economy. Meena believes that Quality is our business but service is our passion. They designed a customer feedback form that feeds tables to summarize customers’ input regarding the food quality, service and overall dining experience. They have collected responses from Udipi diners since the opening of this restaurant in September 2009, yielding nothing but positive feedback, showing that 96% of their 1600+ customers rated their establishment with an aggregated 4.6

stars out of 5 on quality, service and over-all dining experience. These results not only show the overall customer recognition of Udipi Café Sugar Land as their most favorite and preferred dining place but their constructive comments also inform Meena and Suresh the areas they need to improve upon. They meet and exceed custom-

er expectations using this method. They also use the customers’ database to draw a lucky winner each month to give a gift certificate for a dinner for two at the restaurant. Meena and her team take pride in personalized customer attention and care. Their eldest daughter Komal Balakrishnan, founder and CEO of VK Designs, is the marketing genius and designer behind many of their innovative campaigns, such as the Never-Ending-Dosa™, fourteen varieties of Pongal and their new Meena Agrawal holds the Never Ending menu which has gotten Dosa ™ Menu that launches this upcomPhoto: Jacob David numerous accolades and ing week of 2011 rave reviews. Komal recognize this profound effort. As also designed and maintains the impressive as 19 Dosa’s are, the restaurant website (www. record was beaten by another cusudipicafesugarland.com), tomer who ate 21 Dosa’s. Based unique, for its innovative on corporate strategy, the NED™ and creative design. Their campaign ran for a limited time youngest daughter Sheetal of 3 months. Craving the taste Agrawal, a Senior Finan- and popularity, many diners have cial Analyst, built a finan- been asking them to re-introduce cial model, conducive to the Never Ending Dosa™ menu the needs of the restaurant and per their persistence, Meena for ease of daily financial has decided to heed her customers’ reporting and analysis on requests and bring it back in midtop to bottom line trends March, 2011. (ranging from customer Udipi Café Sugar Land’s food behavior to expense re- is prepared with rich flavors. duction) in efforts to re- The North Indian dish, such as vise operating strategies Baingan Bartha, a medium spicy for the restaurant and ob- eggplant dish that is a fine puree tain optimal margins with minimal of eggplant, tomatoes, sautee’d impact to customers. Their son-in- onions, and chopped cilantro is a law Vasanth, a security and com- great hot meal after a long day at munication engineer, oversees the work and makes a fine side dish restaurant’s computing and secu- to the soft Upmaa. The idli (round rity issues. steamed rice cake) is soft and goes In 2010, the Never Ending well with the South Indian vegDosa™ (NED) became an instant etable stew (Sambar) served hot success. Serving 20 delicious vari- everyday. The Gobi Manchurian, eties, it brought numerous curious an Indo-Chinese dish, is deep fried and eager to taste customers to the cauliflower that has been dipped doors of Udipi Café Sugar Land. in a corn flour batter then subOne example is the exotic Kash- merged into a specially made chili miri Mriganayani Dosa - a thin sauce (with red chili flakes to give rice crepe filled with ground mixed it more flavor and zest) and garnuts and royal spices. The Never nished with bell peppers and ciEnding Dosa™ created some fa- lantro. The cauliflower pieces are vorites that found their permanent crispy and crunchy and the warm spots on the regular menu. sauce that covers them is like a A boy, age 12, set a record by glove to a hand and blends in a eating 19 NED’s, earning a spot on synchronized melody that takes the display wall with his picture at you to another world. This is a hot the restaurant for all customers to item on their menu, enjoyed by

The decked up Banquet Hall at Sugar Land Udipi Cafe Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 11 , 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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DINING OuT

Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

A Personal Love Affair - A Corporate Outlook continued from page

their numerous customers. The food can be better savored, when well paired with the handpicked selection of beer and wine on their list. The wines are paired with dishes to help offset the spicy

banquet hall seats 100. Monthly parties are held by families to celebrate Baby Showers, Anniversaries, Wedding receptions, and Birthday Parties. The hall sees a whirl of activities and Meena also provides customized decorations

The Interior of Udipi Cafe, Sugar Land

combinations of certain dishes and intensify the different flavors. Udipi also caters to individuals who don’t consume alcohol, offering an assortment of sodas, juices and lassi’s (a yogurt based drink). Aligning with Meena’s mission and vision for the restaurant which is to provide a safe, enjoyable and accommodating atmosphere by all customers to enjoy a warm meal, Meena has trained her staff to accommodate all customers and their preferences, allowing them to order their food mild, medium and spicy the way they desire it. The restaurant seats 120 and the

for banquet hall parties per an event specific theme. Her creative and innovative ideas have been highly praised by all her customers, making their events not only enjoyable, but also unique with her personal touches. For catering, and to have on-site Dosa’s and Chaats catered for your next event, you can call Meena Agrawal at 832.512.7451. Located: 3551 Highway 6 South, Sugar Land, TX, 281.313.2700. www. udipicafesugarland.com. Photos: Krishna Giri & Komal Balakrishnan, VK Designs.

Indo American News • Friday, MARCH 11, 2011 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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Gruha sangeetam - Innovative concert rendition by swaralayam By thara narasiMhan HOUSTON: Swaralayam Arts forum introduced “Gruha Sangeetam”, an innovative concept of concert rendition on Jan. 29th 2006. It is a brainchild of Swaralayam Arts Forum’s music faculty head Smt. Rajarajeshwary Bhat. The basic idea is to provide enormous opportunity to the student of Carnatic music and build self- confidence, motivation and enthusiasm to perform in front of

select audience. Dozens of the students of Swaralayam Arts Forum have benefited from this excellent platform for performance. The students have won accolades in various music competitions and have presented concerts in USA and in India. The Swaralayam Arts Forum presented Austin High School Freshman, Kruthi Bhat in concert at Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir, Houston on Saturday February 26th 2011. What one saw as tender

little bud in the Gruha Sangeetam inaugural five years ago, exhibited that she has blossomed into a full bloom of musical brilliance!!!! Starting the concert with traditional Varnam in Bhairavi Ragam“Viribhoni”, Kruthi’s artistic propensity was evident right from the beginning. The Varnam was not only rendered in varying speeds and tempos but she tactfully interchanged into Chaturshra Tishram in the Charanam and delighted the audience. This was followed by Begada Raga piece “Vallabha Nayaka” that was rendered ef effectively with precise swaras. The Dhanyasi Ragam kriti “Sangeetha Gnanamu Bhaktivina” was rendered with bhavam and bhakti. Next in succession was Muthuswami Dikshitar Kriti “Sharavana Bhava Guru Guham Bhajeham”

in Raga Revagupti that was suf suffused with sweetness and mellifluous fluidity of rendering. The Kaapi Ragam alapana incorporated delicate touches and effectively heralded the sublime composition of Swati Thirunal “Vihara Manasa Rame Satchitananda Gana Shyame” and was delightfully presented with neraval. The vocalist erudition and style was evident in the soulful rendition of “Entha Ni Vinna”, composition of Pallavi Seshayyar in Raga Urmika which is an eka raga kriti. Melody was predominant in the song “Devi

Paavani” yet another Swathi Tirunal composition, Kruthi covered every aspect of rendition with full complement of raga alapana, neraval and kalpana swaras. In succession came the Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi. The chosen song was “ Sharadhe Veena Vadhana “ in Devagandhari Raga, composition of Papanasam Sivam, fostering sublime lyrics, with swarakalpana featuring smooth transitions and elevated the audience to contemplative heights. In this Raga alapana one could witness superfluity of talent from beginning to end. Elaborating the Raga Bhava in its purity, with voice that fervently produced the gamakas and modulation with brighas in Tanam, ragamalika and swarakalpana, she emphatically brought out the rhythm, symmetry and harmony. Kruthi Bhat transported the music admirers present in the hall to the world of ecstasy by her impressive rendition of Abhang “Pandari Che Bhootha Mothe”in raga Chandrakauns. The concluding bhajan was dedicated to Shirdi Sai Baba in the Raga Vasanti that was rendered with sublime reverberation. Deepa Ramachandran provided excellent violin accompaniment and it was the teamwork, which transported the listeners to serene harmony. Deepa Ramachandran has carved a niche in the hearts of Houston music lovers by lending her meticulous and diligent support in many concerts. The percussion rendered by Mayavaram Shiva was soft and soothing combined with touch of finesse. In all it was a memorable performance with all three performers combined and blended in presenting an impressive concert. Keerthana Bhat accompanied her sister on the Tampura. Kruthi Bhat, daughter of Harish and Rajarajeshwary Bhat hails from an illustrious family of musicians and musical connoisseurs. Her grandmother Smt. K. Krishnaveni, her maternal uncle, the distinguished Violinist Vittal Ramamurthy and her mother and Guru Smt. Rajarajeswary Bhat are renowned musicians. This Gruha Sangeetam concert is but a stepping- stone to see her progress and pursue music work with greater commitment and dedication.

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Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 11, 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

Indo American News • Friday, March 11, 2011

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 11 , 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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Indo American News • Friday, March 04, 2011

How Not to Tackle the Black Economy in India Technically, we know how to check the black economy but the problem is political. More studies or committees and treaties with foreign governments are only to stall action. By Arun Kumar (Hindu) Another Joint Parliamentary Committee has been announced. The government has been trying to create an impression of being proactive with regard to tackling the black economy. The President’s address and the speech by Sonia Gandhi in January mentioned the need to curb it. The Prime Minister at various fora, while expressing helplessness, has emphasised action. The Supreme Court has been applying pressure to tackle black savings spirited out of the country and for unearthing wrongdoings in cases of corruption like the 2G spectrum allocation case. Home Minister P. Chidambaram admitted in Davos that in road construction, 50 per cent of the funds are misappropriated. He has stated that there is deficit in governance and ethical functioning of government and the Prime Minister has endorsed this. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has announced studies into different aspects of the black economy and a Group of Ministers has been set up to tackle the problem. Talks are on for Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAA) with various countries — supposedly to unearth wealth kept abroad by Indians. Is the government finally serious about bringing back the black funds stashed away abroad, variously estimated to be between $ 462 billion and several trillions of dollars? These figures seem credible when one considers the scale of the current scams (tens of billions of dollars) and the case of Hasan Ali where the tax demand runs into billions of dollars. The CD containing names of Indians with bank accounts in the LTG bank which the Indian government accepted in March 2009, a year-anda-half after it was offered by the German government, has added to the pressure on the government. There are 77 tax havens where illegal funds are stashed away; Switzerland is only the biggest and best known. The government’s actions seem to be in direct proportion to the public pressure on it as exposes come in thick and fast. The problem is not new, so what explains the earlier inaction? Consider Bofors or the 2G spectrum case. Initially there has been denial and then minimal action, allowing the culprits time to escape (as in Hasan Ali’s case where the money has disappeared). Rs.35 lakh crore in black income is generated annually and about 10 per cent of it goes abroad. The capital lost through this route is greater than annual net foreign investment, yet action is minimal. The government pleads that tax havens do not reveal names unless criminality is established and that the Swiss government does not treat tax evasion as a crime. The moot point is why did the Swiss government announce the immediate freezing of Hosni Mubarak’s assets without the Egyptian government giving any evidence of criminality? Further, why did UBS agree first to give the names of 250 U.S. citizens and then another 4,500 names to the U.S. tax authorities in 2007-08 without any criminality being individually established? In the Hasan Ali case, the Swiss government has said that it has not been given the information required. Similarly, in Ottavio Quattrocchi’s case, the Indian government has twice lost in foreign courts because the case has not been properly established. In 1992, Madhavsinh Solanki, then Minister of External Affairs, passed on a chit to a

A cartoon that appeared in The Hindu recently. Serious investigation and prosecution in the country that will also expose the money siphoned off abroad, is the immediate need, say economists.

Swiss Minister apparently to slow down the Bofors case but the Narasimha Rao government quietly buried the embarrassment by accepting his resignation. The few cases of corruption initiated against the high and mighty are apparently spoilt or not pursued. Given this history, will there be seriousness this time or will the government wait out the storm? In the last 60 years, dozens of committees have studied various aspects of the black economy and given thousands of suggestions. Hundreds of these suggestions have been implemented but the size of the black economy has grown exponentially. The Wanchoo Committee report bulges with suggestions. Since 1971, when the highest tax rate was 97.5 per cent, tax rates have fallen but the black economy has grown from 7 per cent to 50 per cent of GDP. Controls and regulations have been drastically eliminated after 1991 but the size of black economy continues to rise. The causes of black income generation lie elsewhere. The recent rise in corporate tax collection is a reflection of rising disparity and not better compliance. Plugging loopholes has only made the laws more complex, as in the case of taxation. The ingenuity of the corrupt thwarts the enforcement agencies by either devising newer ways of circumventing the law or simply bribing the officials. In India, laws on paper and in practice differ because of the ‘Triad’ of the corrupt business class, the political class, and the executive (see the article “Honesty is indivisible,” The Hindu, January 29, 2011) who bend rules to their advantage. The philosophy is: if I am in power, I can bend rules for the favoured. In brief, technically we know what needs to be done to check the black economy — but the problem is political. The top echelons of the leadership are the prime drivers of the black economy. They do not wish to forgo the massive illegal profits they generate. So how can the political will be generated? A voluntary disclosure scheme to bring back black savings stashed away abroad for ‘development’ is being considered. Wasn’t the Mauritius route created to allow round tripping of funds? It has accelerated black income generation by facilitating it. A National Security Adviser alerted the nation

to terror funds entering the stock markets to destabilise the financial markets. The Wanchoo Committee argued that this kind of scheme makes honest people dishonest. A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on the 1997 voluntary disclosure scheme pointed out that the same people who declared their black incomes earlier took advantage of the 1997 scheme — becoming habitual tax offenders. Some argue that elections underlie black income generation and corruption. Presently, when a Lok Sabha constituency sees the expenditure of crores of rupees per serious candidate, state funding will make little difference. At best, it can be to the tune of the allowed election expenditure of Rs.25 lakh — just a few per cent of the actual expenditure by most candidates. Further, what is spent on the national elections officially and unofficially is not even 1 per cent of GDP for that year; so this cannot be the cause of black incomes. It is the black economy that works to subvert the elections. Our present day legislators are largely the representatives of the monied and the powerful and not of the people; so they need to keep the public confused to win elections. They resort to vote bank politics and bribing voters and that is what makes elections costly. Genuine democracy would not be expensive. Today, we

have formal democracy with weak content. In this background, it is clear that the government’s actions against corruption will be in proportion to the public outrage and that too the minimum necessary. It is likely that there will be pretence while the real culprits go scot-free. Setting up a committee is to buy time and to stall questions on the subject since the government can claim it is waiting for the report. Later, it can buy time by pretending to look into the recommendations or bury an inconvenient report (like the Vora Committee report). The Supreme Court is going after the names of those spiriting away money abroad but not after the generation of the funds. The black incomes generated in the country are ten times the size of what is siphoned out. In the liberalised environment, those with black money stashed away abroad can turn into non-residents overnight and escape prosecution in India. This is perhaps the reason the Indian government is unable to proceed against the eight entities named in the Liechtenstein disc. For the rest, little money may be left in their accounts, given the inordinate delays. Taxation treaties being entered into by the government with other governments are all about legal incomes traceable to known individuals. But black incomes are typically parked via shell companies and in benami accounts. What is needed is serious investigation and prosecution in the country that will also expose the money siphoned off abroad. The government functionaries generating black incomes personally indulge in various illegalities such as using hawala. So, in principle, there is private knowledge but not public information to stop these activities. The help of foreign governments is hardly needed in this matter. Intelligence agencies provide the leadership with information through tapping and so on, which can be mined instead of being used for political blackmail. The prosecution agencies deliberately spoil cases for political reasons. If prosecution is not possible in India, how can the case be made in foreign lands for booking the culprits? In brief, the policy pronouncements are delaying and diversionary tactics to allow those generating black incomes to escape via shell companies and benami accounts. There were limited gains from earlier JPCs but will this time be different? It will be only if there is political will and action — and not more studies or treaties with foreign governments.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 04 , 2011• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Indo American News • Friday, March 04, 2011

I Got My Visa I needed to get a tourist visa for India at short notice. Through Travisa, the outsourcing agency working with the Indian Consulate in Houston, I got the visa for myself and my wife without any hassles. Any delays that occurred were due to my own ineptitude. Initially, I thought I would use a third-party service since I needed a rapid turnaround. As I was entering the online forms and saw the document requirements for former Indian citizens were quite complicated, I thought there was no time for back-and-forth courier service, I decided to submit the forms personally. As a result, I had to re-enter all the forms. It was easy to enter the information and review it for accuracy. Subsequently, it was easy to to get an appointment via on the online form. When I got to the Travisa office, I was pleasantly surprised that there were only four or five people in the line. Since it was necessary for us to renunciate our Indian passports, I had to bring our 30-year-old Indian passports and dig out copies of our naturalization certificates. The one thing I had forgotten to get were the $20 money orders. So, it was necessary to run to the US Post Office nearby and return before the office closed for the day. I had submitted the paperwork on Wednesday afternoon and our processor promised the stamped visas would be ready by Friday. In fact, I received an email and instant message at 5:50 pm on Thursday afternoon. I was able to pick up the passports with the visa stamps without any difficulties on Friday afternoon. I don’t have experience with obtaining an OCI or PIO card, which I understand requires longer time, but the local visa processing is now quite reasonable. Pramod Kulkarni

A Changing World Demographers predict that 2008 will be the dawn of the urban millennium, when, for the first time in human history, a majority of the world’s people will live in cities and towns. By 2030, Earth’s population, now 6.6 billion, will grow by about 1.5 billion people, nearly all from cities. On our planet of 7 billion people, the most typical human is a 28-year-old Han Chinese male. By 2030, China will lose its top population status and the most typical human face will be Indian. Of the total population today, 19% are Chinese, 17% Indian and 4% American. In terms of religion, 33% are Christian, 21% Muslim and 13% Hindu. National Geographic

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The Churmur ........

Finally, it’s the fabled grime that gives street food its defining sharpness By Nilanjana S Roy Where I grew up, the dividing line between heroin and bhelpuri was very thin. Both substances were seen as illicit, terminally dangerous, addictive, and fell into the ranks of the strictly verboten. I never did chase the dragon, because I found bhelpuri first. Like many middle-class Indian children, I’d grown up with dire warnings about street food. It would give you jaundice, cholera, typhoid and worse—incurable acne. The hawkers whose carts displayed tempting chuskis—virulently coloured fruit syrups, piles of ice shavings—and nimbu sodas in those bottles with the marble in the necks secretly added drugs to their wares, just to hook innocent children on the stuff for life. Anything with ice was easily disposed of—according to urban legend, kulfis, chuskis and any ice cream not from a Kwality cart was made of ice sourced from the morgue. Bhelpuri, golgappas, aaloo tikkis, paranthas, chaat were made with contaminated ingredients—and, people hinted, all sorts of bodily fluids made their way into those innocuous leaf plates. Momos and kababs peddled on the streets? They were made of dog meat, we were told, and this conjured up visions of insane momo makers armed with cleavers, sneaking up on poor Tommy or Raja. With that sort of advertising, who could resist? My first experiment with “street food” involved those hideous ice creams, the ones that used to come in plastic tubes and that left sticky orange marks all over your uniform. I waited to die, and when I unaccountably survived without so much as an upset tummy, I became more daring. Jhal muri—puffed rice spiked with fiery mustard oil—on the streets of Calcutta; the sweet-sour riches of golgappas in the markets of Delhi; vada pav from hawkers’ stands in Bombay; kakori kababs in Lucknow’s Chowk. It was the most innocent and most sensuously satisfying of teenage rebellions—and yes, I do mean that. Sometimes the perfect momo really is better than sex. As you graduate from being a consumer to becoming, much to your surprise, a foodie, street food be-

What we in cities ate as a delightful snack, a break from monotony, was meant to be cheap, nutritious meals for workers on the run. comes the most complex of puzzles. Who was the first person to think of frying little discs of suji, stuffing them with potatoes and chana, and dunking them in three kinds of chutneys? How did the dosa remain by and large savoury, rarely moving towards the sweetness of a French crepe? (You can get chocolate dosas, I believe, but most of us sensibly stick with the glories of the paper, the masala and the Mysore masala.) When did chowmein become a dish as Indian as chhola bhatura or fruit chaat? Why did we embrace the hamburger and its variant, the McAloo burger, but not the hot dog? Is the inexorable spread of popcorn (butter, caramel, plain) going to kill off chana jor garam? I spent more time than any reasonable human being should trying to puzzle out these questions, and to this day, I have very few answers. But it was not a fruitless quest: I have, like most Indians, a wealth of taste memories, carefully and jealously hoarded. It was only when I began travelling around the country that the real truth of street food dawned on me: what we in the metros ate as a delightful snack, a break from the monotonous routine of daal-chaawal cooking, was actually meant to be cheap, nutritious meals for the worker on the run, the migrant labourer, those who couldn’t afford a McDonald’s burger or a Domino’s pizza. On the roads of Bihar, we queued up along with labourers for sattu mixed in water, and discovered it was excellent fuel—that combination of dalia and baked gram provided enough energy for a hard day. I never took to churpi-yak cheese—in Sikkim or Ladakh (it tasted like used, hardened chewing gum to me) but fell in love with ema dashi (chillies

with yak cheese) and a jellied chestnut preparation the local teenage girls were inordinately fond of. Travelling in Andhra Pradesh fostered an addiction for bajjis and pakoras; the argument over whether the Andhra version of ‘jhal muri’ was superior or inferior to its Bengali counterpart sustained us all the way into Tamil Nadu, where I gorged on tender set dosas and miniature idlis. Could Bade Miyan’s baida rotis in Bombay compare with the kababs of Old Delhi? And which was better, anyway, the delicate flavours of Lakhnawi kababs, or the more robust but intricate tastes of the Hyderabadi versions? From Goa’s fried mussels on the beach to the mind-blowing shrikhand and dhoklas in Ahmedabad, I’m learning that every corner of this country can be taken on the tongue. Many years after that first, astonishing bhelpuri—the crisp puffed rice, that explosion of tamarind, the slow taunting bite of the chillies, the soothing blandness of potatoes—I come across a description that sounds very familiar, on the menu of a fivestar hotel restaurant: “An inspired melange of puffed rice and tender dices of potato, draped in a velvety date-tamarind sauce, lightly graced with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and fresh green chillies—or for the health-conscious, try our version with sprouts.” This was just wrong on so many levels. (Anyone who would put sprouts into a helpless, inoffensive bhelpuri deserves to be flogged to death with celery sticks.) And though we’re used to eating chaat at weddings and even formal dinners, there is something jarring about eating street food—any kind of street food—in a five-star hotel. I have the same reaction to eating street food that has unaccountably merged with fast food, in a bad marriage where no one checked the horoscopes. Maggi Noodle chaat, sold at different locations in Delhi, is a bastard freak, true to neither the fun of the original Maggi Noodles, nor to the delicate inventiveness of chaat. In a parallel development, chow-

IndoAmerican News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Business Manager: Jawahar Malhotra Marketing Manager: Krishna Giri Community Reporter: Kalyani Giri Community Editor: Manasi Gokhale Administrative Manager: Vanshika Vipin Marketing & Food Reporter: Jacob David correspondents Chicago: Nand Kapoor ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com

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continued on page 17

society

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Indo American News • Friday, March 04, 2011

....... At The Tip Of My Tongue

continued from page 16

mein has become the scourge of our generation, the poor man’s nutritiondeficient fast food. Genuine streetfood chowmein was tasty and filled with vegetables; the impostor being sold to labourers across the country is msg held together with flour and soy sauce.And the epidemic of boiled American corn, with a few Indian spices chucked on top to make it palatable, is the ultimate swizzle: you could be eating Styrofoam pellets with chaat masala, not know the difference, and have the same, dubious nutritional benefits. Beware of street food mutants: they occupy the no man’s land between fast and street food, and have nothing to contribute to our lives except their empty calories. It’s like this. I have good memories of street food (the adequate vadas, the reasonably good chhola-bhatura), and then I have great memories of street food. I’ve had some good eating experiences in specialty restaurants, food courts, even five-star hotels. But the great memories come from the “street” in “street food”. It’s the way the Bombay crowds

Brekka on the fly ‘I am learning that every corner of this country can be taken on the tongue’ Photo: Saibal Das

will open up and eddy past you if you’re eating vada-pav, making just enough space for you to eat with your elbows out. It’s the rain on the beaches of Goa contrasting with the heat from freshly caught and fried clams. It’s the grime that settles over the city of Ahmedabad and lightly coats everything, even the softies. It’s the hint of dirt under the fingernails of the phuchka-wala behind Calcutta’s

Loreto College, the way the vendor of a simple yam chaat will taste a bit before offering you the plate, the casual way in which the rumali roti man will flip the roti with his sweaty but clean fingers. Take the germs, street food says, take the dirt, the sweat, the pollution from passing cars, because what we do with the dust and grime of everyday life is to make it palatable, irresistible, unforgettable.

Jigar Mehta to Make a Film on Egyptian Revolution

The team will find the clips via search, they said. “Once we have

a collection of the media, we are going to use the community around #18DaysinEgypt to help curate the material for the final documentary.” The just launched first part of the project involves collection: getting the population who took video/photos/tweeted to tag or upload their media. The second part involves distribution of the inter interactive component to tell the story using footage shot by thousands.

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(TOI) An Indian-American filmmaker and journalist is leading a project to create a “crowd-sourced interactive documentary” to tell the story of the Egyptian revolution with the same tools that brought it to the world in real time. A three-person team led by Jigar Mehta, a Knight Fellow at Stanford and for former New York Times video journalist, is asking people to tell what they know of the events in Egypt from Jan 25 to Feb 11 for their “18DaysInEgypt” documentary. Others on the team are Yasmin Elayat, a New York based interaction designer and software developer, who studied Computer Science at the American University in Cairo andAlaa Dajani, a documentary filmmaker born and raised in Egypt. The team is asking people to tag their media on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter with the tag ‘18DaysinEgypt’ and the day it happened plus any additional information they can provided about the media.

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advertorial

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Good Decisions Now can Save your Heirs both Money and Stress with an Estate Plan

By Jimmy Abraham HOUSTON: A well-designed estate plan can help provide your family financial security – and give you peace of mind right now. The goal of estate planning is to help you accumulate, manage and conserve capital and income – taking into account your resources, goals and tax considerations – and preserve those assets for your heirs. It can also help you manage property in an efficient, profitable way during your lifetime. Every case is unique, but some of the key estate-planning challenges include the following. Estate taxes Estate taxes can be a major concern for those with significant net worth. Without an effective plan in place, estate taxes can force heirs to sell real estate and other assets to raise cash to pay the taxes. However, planning can help reduce estate taxes by making lifetime transfers to heirs and providing a source of money to pay taxes, such as a life insurance trust.

Expect the unexpected To understand the value of working with a professional, you only have to take a look at recent changes to the estate tax code. The federal estate tax was officially repealed as of January 1, 2010, but is slated to return in 2011 with an even lower exemption amount and a higher tax rate. During 2010, beneficiaries could still be exposed to capital-gains liability because of a limitation to something known as the “’step-up in basis’ for estate assets.” And additional changes to the estate tax structure are also possible before the tax returns in 2011. If you’re confused, you’re not alone. Business succession For many business owners, their single biggest asset is the business itself, and they often plan to pass that business on to children or others who are actively involved in it. This can leave other children or heirs splitting a smaller part of the estate – which might be further reduced by estate taxes. If providing equal inheritances to your heirs is a goal, one possible solution is life insurance, used either to pay the estate taxes or to equalize the values going to children who are not involved in the business. Gifts Gifts made during your lifetime can allow you to transfer assets that will significantly appreciate, and would drive up estate taxes if still in your name when you die. In order to reduce the size of the taxable estate, you

can transfer assets each year up to the level of the annual gift-tax exclusion. Another option could be a charitable remainder trust, which can allow you to direct income from certain appreciated properties to a designated charity, with possible tax advantages. Other options There are a number of more complex solutions that may be appropriate depending on your specific situation and goals. These include Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, private annuities, and installment sales. Estate tax issues are not impossible to solve. But to ensure you end up with the solution that addresses your situation most effectively, it makes sense to consult a trusted financial professional and your legal advisor. The information provided is not written or intended as specific tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. Individuals involved in the estate planning process should work with an estate planning team, including their own personal tax and legal counsel. Jimmy Abraham is a financial representative with Strategic Financial Group, LLP, a MassMutual agency who represents Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and other companies, courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) © 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life

Insurance Company. Annuity products are issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield, Massachusetts and its subsidiary, C.M. Life Insurance Company, Enfield, Connecticut. CRN201202-131211

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health

Indo American News • Friday, March 04, 2011

South Asian Diet, the Grandmother, and the Scientist: A Cautionary Tale on Prevention By AloK KAli AliA liA, m.D. South Asians have among the highest rates of diabetes and heart disease of any major ethnic group in the world. There is also evidence that our diet places us at increased risk for cancer. What has gone wrong, and what can we do about it? We, the South Asians claim our heritage from one of the world’s earliest agricultural societies. For five thousand years, we have had a mostly vegetarian diet with milk and milk products serving as the main source of animal proteins and animal fats. Those of us who ate meat did so in limited quantities. Our dietary practices today seem largely unchanged. But the similarity is deceiving; what we eat today has little resemblance to what we used to eat, and our changed food is not suited to our unchanged physiology. Let us use starch as an example. Starch from grains, vegetables, and fruits has always been a major source of calories in our diet. Starch is made of long chains of sugar or glucose particles. In fact, starch can correctly be called a “glucose necklace.” In natural food, starch is always mixed with fiber. This fiber slows the digestion of starch and thus the absorption of glucose into the body. This is critical, because the rate at which glucose enters the body determines its fate. If glucose comes in slowly, it is used for the body’s hourly energy needs;

if it comes in rapidly, any excess is turned into fat. We used to eat starch in its natural, fiber-mixed state. Now, of course, we remove as much of the fiber as possible because fiber-free starch tastes better! Compare the flour made by a hand-turned grindstone to modern all-purpose “enriched” flour. The former is coarsely ground with the bran still attached; the latter is a fine starch powder with the bran totally removed. If I eat chappatis made from stone-ground flour, the glucose will be absorbed slowly and used largely for energy production. But glucose from enriched flour chappatis will be absorbed rapidly, at a rate that exceeds the body’s hourly energy needs. Some of this glucose

will have to be stored as fat. Moral: Total calories are impor important, but so is the rate of entry of calories! Dr. Kalia will use this and other examples to take the audience on a guided tour through the body. Along the way, he will discuss the special problem of insulin resistance in South Asians, the “idli/triglyceride syndrome,” new evidence for car carbohydrate addiction, the effects of diet on cancer prevalence, and much

Dr. Alok Kalia more. He will conclude with suggestions for some simple and healthful dietary changes. Dr. Kalia has been named one of the Best Doctors in America. He is a national speaker on healthy eating for Vistage®, the Executive Development organization. As a specialist physician, Dr. Kalia edited medical textbooks, contributed chapters to 17 other medical books, and received numerous teaching awards. Dr. Kalia believes that good health starts with the right knowledge, and his presentations are designed to provide that knowledge. The Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) is committed to promote cancer awareness and prevention through education by organizing outreach educational events in the community. Dr. Alok Kalia will give a presentation on the South Asian diet and its health consequences at the India House on Sunday, March 13 at 3 pm This event is sponsored by the Indian American Cancer Network. for more information visit www.iacannetwork. org or call 713-370-3489.

Diet Soda May Cause Heart Attacks, Strokes LONDON (TOI) : Diet soda may be a wise choice for those who are keen to look after their health, but a new study has claimed that sugarfree fizzy drinks could actually raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The study of more than 2,500 people found that those who had diet drinks every day were 61 per cent more likely to get vascuvascu lar problems than those who did not have any carbonated drinks. “If our results are confirmed with future studies, then it would suggest that diet soda may not be the optimal substitute for sugarsweetened beverages for protection against vascular outcomes,” said researcher Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. For their study, Gardener and colleagues recruited about 2,560 participants who had to report

whether they drank diet fizzy drinks, regular fizzy drinks, a mixture of the two or none at all, the Daily Mail reported. The researchers, however, said the survey did not include data on the types of diet and regular drinks consumed, which could have given further information on how drinking different brands affected participants. Further studies would have to be carried out to explore how consuming diet drinks po-

tentially raised the risk of vascular problems, said Dr Gardener. Dr Sharlin Ahmed, from The Stroke Association, said: “According to this study, drinking diet fizzy drinks on a regular basis could pose the same or even higher risk for cardiovascular disease as standard fizzy drinks, providing a word of warning to those who often opt for diet versions in order to be ‘healthy’.” “Everyone can reduce their risk of stroke by consuming a balanced diet, low in saturated fat and salt, and exercising regularly,” Dr Ahmed added. The researchers presented their study at the American Stroke Association’s international stroke conference in Los Angeles.

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slum evictions

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Who is Illegal?

Residents in a Golibar slum find that they have very little recourse to the law to defend themselves from being forcibly displaced. The real violator is the builder, they say. Freny Manecksha reports. By Freny mAnec AnecKShA h hA MUMBAI (IT): On 8 February some 50 residents of the Ganesh Krupa Society in the Golibar slums, led by social activist Medha Patkar, stormed the controversial Adarsh building in south Mumbai. The slum-dwellers, whose homes had earlier been ruthlessly broken down in a demolition drive, demanded the same methods be employed with this posh building, which has flagrantly violated environmental and city planning norms. Denouncing the nexus between politicians, slum rehabilitation authorities and rogue developers, Patkar claimed that Adarsh is a symbol of the prevailing paradigm of development. The ongoing battle between these Golibar residents, who have refused to move out of the ruins of their homes, and the builder - Shivalik Ventures - epitomises the struggle of the urban poor to be recognised, with dignity, as a vital cog in the city’s economy. It is a demand for Mumbai’s elite to acknowledge the poor’s need for spaces in a city where, according to the Human Development Report compiled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the UNDP, one in every two residents of the city lives in a slum. Sitting amidst the rubble of partially demolished homes where tarpaulin, curtains and bits of cloth are stretched to cover the torn-out portions is Devasanandan Nair, a resident of Ganesh Krupa Society. Nair, who is a storyboard artist in the movie and advertisement industry, reflects the aspirations of people whose services keep this vibrant megapolis moving. He outlines the residents’ stand and epic fight. “At the very onset one must clarify that this is not a fight against development. It is a fight against corrupt builders and their connivance with those who use development as a ploy to treat us like dirt.” Nair says that despite attempts to demonise them, the residents have from the very beginning made an effort to be responsible citizens. The society was formed in 1994, declared a slum in 1996 and after an assessment was made the residents began paying property tax. In 2003, Madhu Constructions was given the go-ahead for redevelopment under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority by 322 residents. But not a single brick was laid, nor any kind of activity carried out between 2003 and 2008. In 2010 the residents were shocked to receive an eviction notice under section 33/38 by a new builder - Shivalik Ventures. Fraud and connivance They wondered how the builder had procured the necessary approval of 70 per cent of the residents. Through a Right to Information (RTI) petition they learnt that Shivalik Ventures had

Amidst partially demolished homes in Guru Krupa Society, the residents are determined to stay on. Photo: Dilnaz Boga

connived with a former resident Shubhangi Parshuram Shinde to manufacture the necessary consent through a forged document of a general body meeting in February 2009 that had never taken place. “It was quite clearly forged and we could prove it because of several anamolies like the signature of a woman, Sulochana Pawar, who had actually died way back in 2005. The document also bears my signature although I was in Kerala at that time,” says Nair. A complaint was submitted to the CEO of the SRA, who refused to respond. Thereupon efforts were made with the Nirmal Nagar police station to file an FIR, but the police refused, saying it was a civil matter. Subsequently 180 members, who had decided not to bow down to the builder, went to court and on 15 September 2010 the court directed the police to file an FIR. However the residents’bid to stop the eviction notices in another civil suit was not successful, and the court passed an order confirming the evacuation of the premises on 3 September 2010. Demolitions were subsequently begun. A total of 48 homes were demolished in early February this year despite spirited protests by those resisting the evacuation move. “Our contention is that if the very foundation of the builders’ credentials are in doubt, if they are involved in a fraudulent case for which they are liable to be arrested, and if the letter of intent can then be cancelled by the SRA, then why should we be evicted?” says Nair. Shoddy resettlement, and shady deals The protesting residents have two other major

concerns. Balaram Kishanji Nalawade points out that while it is incumbent on the developer to accommodate the residents in a transit camp within 300 meters of the site, the present camp does not fulfil this criterion. “Moreover it is filthy, has hardly any water supply and the lifts don’t work.” A visit to one of the transit camps revealed that this “vertical slum” was indeed in shabby condition, with a huge open drain running through the compound and rust corroding the exteriors. Another fear expressed by the residents is that the building meant to rehabilitate them lies in disputed property, with the ministry of defence claiming rights on the land and having filed a case in the high court. Nalawade also points out that Shivalik Ventures, which has been given the rights to cluster development of the entire Golibar slum lands, has demolished 10,000 houses but has thus far only resettled 550 of them. “Why this unholy haste to break our homes?” asks Nalawade. Like the others he questions why the police

has to date not acted or made any arrests in the forgery case against Shivalik Ventures despite the court’s orders. Significantly Unitech, the real estate firm that is currently under the scanner for the 2G spectrum scam, holds some shares in Shivalik Ventures. The fight by the slumdwellers has led to a new revelation - that Maharashtra has been using Section 3(k) of the Slum Rehabilitation Act to grant development rights to private builders, whereby they get to develop huge tracts of land without competitive bidding. Media reports allege that by using this clause the state has virtually gifted large acres of land to private builders. It is the compounding of all these factors that has led activists of the Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao Andolan to allege that the implementation of rehabilitation projects is in effect over overriding the basic Constitutional rights of the citizens, and that there is a state-builder-mafia nexus to enable this. It has set up a People’s Commission to initiate an inquiry into all these issues and to examine what is happening in the name of SRA. Says Nair, “It is strange that we are portrayed as the goondas when we have done nothing illegal. And the builders are the white collared people against whom the police refuses to act despite court orders.” Through social networking sites and blogs the Golibar residents have asked Mumbaikars to visit their slum, interact with them and uncover the real truth. The fight continues even as many residents have lost their jobs while staying at home to protect themselves against demolitions. Children have fallen ill with malaria because the gaping holes in the walls are an open invitation to mosquitos. Nalawade and others point out that the vast tract of land in Golibar stretching between Santacruz and Khar stations are of great strategic value today in terms of real estate. “We came here when it was marshy land and when there were no amenities. We developed it. Today when the land value has appreciated they want to evict us.”

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advice

Indo American News • Friday, March 04, 2011

Change the Way you Look at the World, See the Difference! Story of a little boy who made others change the way to look at a problem

By Prakash Iyer Do you hate your job and feel that you get paid much less than you deserve? Is there a subject you totally despise and hate studying? Is there someone who’s being rude and nasty to you all the time? And have you been wondering why it’s all that way? Maybe you should hear the story of the evil monster and the little boy. The story goes that long, long ago there lived a monster in a tiny village. The villagers were all terrified of him, and felt their village was cursed to have such a creature living in their midst. Several men tried to fight the monster. One man attacked the monster with a sharp sword. The monster grabbed the sword and almost magically pulled out another sword, twice as large, twice as sharp and cut the man into half. Another time, a villager set off with a large wooden club to hit the monster. The monster responded by slamming the man with a wooden club, twice as large as the one that the villager had. On another occasion, a villager tried to set the monster on fire. But the monster opened his mouth and spewed huge flames – that roasted the poor man. Scared by these events the village folks gave up trying to fight the monster. They felt this was their lot, and they had to learn to live with it. And then one day a little boy said he would go and vanquish the monster. People were surprised, and despite their disbelief, went along to see the little boy take on the monster. As the boy looked up at the giant, the monster just flared his nostrils and glared back. The little boy then took out an apple

and offered it to the monster. The monster grabbed it, held it to his mouth, and then thrust his clenched fist in front of the boy. Bang! As the fist slowly opened, the people were astonished to see two delicious apples there. Twice as red and twice as large as the apple that the boy had offered.

The boy then took out a little earthen pot with some water and gave it to the monster. And the monster took that and responded by placing in front of the boy two urns made of gold, filled with delicious juice. The people were ecstatic. They suddenly realised that the monster was not a curse – but a boon to the village. The little boy smiled. And the giant just smiled back. While the story is centuries old, the monster is still around. In colleges, in the office, and in our lives. And it’s a good idea to remember the lessons from that story. Most of our problems appear that way because of the way we look at them. You get back what you give. Twice as much! Is someone being rude to you? Maybe you need to change the way you behave with them. And no, don’t wait for them to change; you need to change first! At work too, if you go in to work, hating every moment, it’s unlikely that you’ll do a great job.

If you don’t contribute, don’t expect to get paid a fat salary. You get what you give. Resolve today then to change. Love your job and give it everything you have. Be nice to the “Ms Nasty” in college. Look at Maths as a cool, fun subject. And you’ll discover that the evil monster is in fact a benevolent giant. It’s significant that it took a little child to discover the true colours of the monster. Children don’t have preconceived notions. They believe the world is a wonderful place. It’s only as they grow up that the optimism vanishes, and negative conditioning sets in. Go on. Let the child in you take over. Look at everything you dread with fresh eyes – be it rude friends, tough subjects or lousy jobs. Maybe the monster is really a nice guy. Change the way you look at him. And see the difference!

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India House Gala

O.P.Jindal Center

“Communities Coming Together”

Saturday, March 12, 2011 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

At Intercontinental Hotel Houston (near the Houston Galleria) Some Program Details for Entertainment..

DJ & Dance floor for your overall enjoyment ‘Rhythm Experience’ [Taal Anubhav] ‘Speed and Melody’ [Nritya Kala] Halla Gulla Dance

Gala Chair: Gopal Savjani Co-Chairs: Dr. Renu Khator and Dr. Suresh Khator Judge Ed Emmett and Gwen Emmett For up to date information! Visit our new website at:

Contact India House to sponsor the Gala Event:

http://www.indiahouseinc.org

Fax: 713-772-9015 Phone: 713-929-1905 email: gala@indiahouseinc.org

Sponsor India House Today Platinum Palladium Benefactor Grand Patron Patron Sponsor

Attendees Couples Individual

$50,000 $25,000 $10,000 $5,000 $2,500 $1,000

$500 $275

2 VIP center tables; VIP Reception; Advertisement 1 VIP center table; VIP Reception, Advertisement 1 VIP center table; VIP Reception, Advertisement VIP Seating for 6 VIP Seating for 4 VIP Seating for 2

Seating for 2 Seating for 1

*Complimentary valet parking to all sponsors & attendees

Thanks to all our early sponsors! Platinum Sponsors:

Brij & Sunita Agrawal Durga & Sushila Agrawal Jugal & Raj Malani Prithvi Raj & Arti Jindal Govind & Renu Agrawal

Palladium sponsors:

Anil & Mukta Aggarwal Rajendra & Sangeeta Agrawala Anand & Bela Jain Virendra & Nalini Mathur Manish & Manju Rungta Tilak & Manju Agarwal Jiten & Shalu Agarwal Vikie & Chrisha Agrawal Ricky Agrawal Gopal & Urvashi Savjani Bal & Rita Sareen Amit Goel Kewalram & Shanti Khetpal

Benefactor:

Paul & Stephanie Madan Rakesh & Shonali Agrawal Ajay & Ranju Aggarwal Hari & Anjali Agrawal

Grand Patron

Deviprasad & Saroj Rungta Sewa Singh & Kuldip Legha Nagraj & Shila Eleswarapu Kul Bhushan & Suman Uppal Swatantra & Bimla Jain Ramesh & Kiran Bhutada Beth Madison Naresh & Madhu Mittal Bobby & Jasmeeta Singh Prabhakar & Janaki Guniganti Arun Verma

Patron:

Raj & Kanwal Bhalla Ashok & Mohini Bhambhani Hari & Poonam Kewalramani Showri & Raju Nandagiri Devesh & Namrata Pathak Raj & Krishna Syal Lachhman & Lalita Das Hindus of Greater Houston [Vijay Pallod] Music Masala Madras Pavilion ( Mahesh Shah)

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 04 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM