Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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Friday, March 25 2011 | Vol. 30, No. 12
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Huge HoLI crowds: Love new Venue, new Faces, new Flavors!
K22 Reopens
This Week Inside:
KeMaYa Dazzles at Holi 2011
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Daya’s 15th Annual Fundraiser
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By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON:nJust six weeks after a daring multimillion dollar heist depleted merchandize at Karat 22 Jewelers on Hillcroft, the store reopened this past weekend and was welcomed back to business by a steady flow of well-wishers and clients. Gleaming new jewelry lay pristine behind glass cases, and peppering the showroom were several exquisite handcrafted pieces by Lladro. “Everyone who knows what we went through are happy to see we’re up and running,” said Rachna Patel, whose father is a prominent local businessman and the owner of Karat 22, Aku Patel. “It’s so nice to see the lights on in the store. As we lost everything in the robbery, we had to reorder. Thankfully we have a very good manufacturing base so most of the stock has arrive,” added Rachna, who also custom designs jewelry for the store.
On the night of February 5, thieves cut a hole in the roof and entered the store; they disabled the alarm system, broke into the vault, and made off with millions-worth in jewelry. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. “When you’re not doing business, it’s like your life is shutdown,” said Anand Patel, Rachna’s brother. “It is awesome to be open again,” he added. The recently-arrived jewelry includes bridal sets, but there is a prevalence of light weight gold jewelry in stock too. There are gems studded sets, high-end designer watches, and something for everyone at the store. “With the gold prices being so high, we decided to cut down on bulky pieces. Our new designs are traditional yet trendy, wearable pieces of art for every day and every occasion,” said Rachna. Occupying center stage in the store was a resplendent hand-
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From left: Meena Patel, Aku Patel, Rachna Patel, Girija Patel, Anant Patel, Aarti Patel at Karat 22 reopening
crafted porcelain piece by Lladro depicting the Queen Nefertiti on a boat surrounded by musicians and dancing girls. One of one hundred of its exact design, it is the largest single piece ever created by Lladro and the only one of its kind to be
found in the US. It boasts a price tag of $165, 000. For more information about Karat 22 Jewelers, call 713-7830808 or visit the showroom at 5623 Hillcroft Avenue, Houston, TX 77036.
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 25, 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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Indo American News • Friday, MARCH 25 , 2011 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
Tanusree shankar Troupe delights elights Houston
HOUSTON: A performance by the internationally renowned Dance Group led by Tanusree Shankar, sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was organized jointly by Consulate General of India, Houston and University of Houston (UH) at the Cullen Performance Hall, University of Houston, on
Friday, 18th March, 2011 at 8 pm. The group was visiting the United States for ‘maximum INDIA’ Festival being held at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Dr. Renu Khator, Chancellor of the UH System and President of the UH, who is a member of Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians, was the Chief Guest. The Consulate appreciated the support of Chancellor and President Dr. Khator and her colleagues, and volunteers of the Graduate Indian Students Organization (GISO) at the UH in organizing this performance. ICCR is providing airfares, local hospitality and transport to the visiting Group through Consulate General of India, Houston. This performance would further enrich
the cultural diversity of the City of Houston and further strengthen India-US friendship. Comments from Audience Members: “It was an incredible experience to watch the performance of Tanusree Shankar & her troupe which performed at the Cullen Performance Hall. The choreog-
raphy was brilliant & the concept was amazing. The mix of traditional with the modern flavor was appreciated by the entire audience. We thank the Consulate General of India & University of Houston for bringing in an artistic delight to our city.” - Swapan Dhairyawan - Immediate Past President ICC Houston “The Tanusree dance recital was an interesting mixture of new and old, with the tempo ranging from slow, deliberate movements to
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high energy choreography. Dancing to Geetanjali poetry without the traditional musical accompaniments was an innovative approach. The lighting and the sets created the perfect ambience to depict the emotions expressed in the wordings of the poetry.... The dancers were supple, talented and well-synchronized. However,
Tanusree could have taken the presentation to a higher level by being the lead dancer in the opening dance depicting Nine deities and avoided too many repetitive movements. One of the highlights of the evening for me was the number depicting life of a fishing community - a superb/fantastic piece performed to an energetic beat with great composition” Sangeeta Pasrija Meera & Umesh Kapur said “I was looking forward to see Tanusree Shankar and her troupe perform as I still remember their last performance in Houston which I call ‘Indian Opera’, so called contemporary Indian dance. This time was no surprise, Tanusree and her troupe performed eloquently and continued on page
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Kemaya dazzles with Holi Hai Fashion
HOUSTON: In a vibrant display of fashion befitting the transition of Fall to Spring, some 40 models strutted and sashayed their way over an immense stage turning it into a sea of color. Under the auspices of the ever-popular Masala Radio and it’s increasingly successful annual Holi mela, the models – young men, women and a couple of nondesis too – showcased exclusive creations from KeMaYa owned by Mumtaz Panjvany and Shehnaz Madhani and designed by the talented Farida Amlani aka Choti from Mumbai. The two friends who hail from Mumbai and have been in the fashion business for more than a decade are now the proud owners of KeMaYa. In the eight months since it’s inauguration, KeMaYa has established itself as a leader in Houston’s high fashion. The kaleidoscopic feast for the eyes, aptly entitled KeMaYa Holi Fashion Show, was organized by NetIP Houston with coordination and choreography support from Arushi Garg and assistance by Nikki Dhokia. The nearly hour-long show was divided into four segments. “The first was colorful tunics modeled by teenagers: the second, salwar suits and churidars with a chic yet traditional look; the third, a collection of embellished sarees; and the fourth - a show-stopping bridal sequence with heavy crystal and stone work outfits,” explained Arushi. The show was a daring attempt of sorts as it offered an opportunity to students and young working professionals of Indian, American and Spanish origins a first time stage experience. The fabric choice of brocades, velvet, silk, tussar, chiffon, organza, net and lace was rich in taste.
With a color palette that is favored for wedding wear, the hues ranged from cobalt, burgundy, old rose, grey, lemon yellow, olive, fawn to blue and included an interesting blend of textures.
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Larry Kellner: Keynote s speaker at IAcc ccGH Lecture series s
HOUSTON: IACCGH Advisor LAWRENCE “LARRY” KELLNER, President, Emerald Creek Group and Chairman, Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) was the keynote speaker at the IACCGH Shell Distinguished lecture. IACCGH Advisor Dr. Renu Khator, Chancellor of University of Houston System introduced Lawrence “Larry” Kellner. IACCGH President Mona Parikh welcomed the guests to the 1st Thought Leadership series for 2011 and acknowledged the strong relationship between IACCGH and the GHP. Parikh also noted that it is rather commendable that the Greater Houston region, which was once mainly dependent on the upstream energy, having survived the oil and gas bust era and the earlier recessions, has strategically diversified into downstream energy as well as industries unrelated to the energy sector. On behalf of IACCGH and GHP, she submitted that Houston is uniquely situated to capitalize on its varied resources and be a Gateway to the Global Market. Kellner spoke about the advantages of Houston and its potential as a business hub. He stressed on several key points: • Houston is home to diverse ethnic people and cultures from all over the world and their entrepreneurial spirit; • Houston is a great place for business, actively supported and
• Houston has the largest medical center in the world which offers world class treatment and is a pioneer in advance medical research, besides generating employment opportunities; • Houston has a great Park System, Johnson Space Center/NASA and world class airports like Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airport. He also mentioned how under his stewardship, Continental Airlines spread its wing to Europe and Asia, particularly to India and China; • Houston also has a busy port that handles tremendous amount of business; • The recently completed Beltway 8 shows IACCGH Advisor Lawrence Kellner, the growing infrastrucPresident, Emerald Creek Group and ture planning and reChairman, Greater Houston Partnership sources of the City of (GHP) was the keynote speaker at the Houston; IACCGH Shell Distinguished lecture • On questions fielded encouraged by various chambers by the audience, he stressed the of commerce, representing various need for further development of cross sections of the society; infrastructure, public transporta• Houston has fabulous educa- tion and image of the city, and retional universities like Rice, TSU, marked that Houston needs “outHBU, University of St. Mary and side air conditioning” to handle its University of Houston with its sweltering summer heat. branches at Clear Lake and DownThe luncheon was attended by town; the Presidents /Executive Direc-
tors of 15 area Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development agencies, who also participated in an All Chambers meeting hosted by IACCGH prior to the luncheon. The IACCGH is a Houston based non-profit organization, founded in 1999, with the objectives of strengthening commercial ties between the United States and India, and promoting business within the Greater Houston area. As a result of the broad support from major corporations, business leaders, the Indian Consulate and various United States Federal and State Officials, the IACCGH has become an important resource for IACCGH President Mona Parikh companies conducting welcomed the guests to the 1st business or exploring trade Thought Leadership series for 2011 opportunities - both in the India) and United States and India. • Mentorship programs for young IACCGH plans for the year 2011 entrepreneurs and professionals. include the following: On April 6, 2011, IACCGH • Distinguished lecture series - guest speakers: dignitaries and Advisor Dan Wolterman will be speaking on Healthcare Reform business Leaders; • Focused educational programs and provide a high level summary and business development oppor- of the health reform legislation that tunities in diverse business sec- was put into law in March 2010. tors: Trade, Energy, Healthcare, For more information on joinFinance, Taxation, etc.; • Trade missions (Inbound and ing the Chamber and to register Outbound to Explore Trade Op- for the Healthcare Reception, visit portunities between the U.S. and www.iaccgh.com
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Tanusree Shankar Troupe Delights Houston
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kept the audience spell bound. The last perfomance “Chirantan” (The eternal) which is based on Rabindranath Tagore’s music was excellent and Amitabh Bachan’s voice added extra charm. The venue “UHCullen Performance Hall” was just right for this fabulous performance. We thank Counsul General Sanjiv Arora for hosting ‘Maximum India’ Festival in Houston.” “Last Friday, my friends and I had the opportunity to attend the stunningly visual and well- choreographed concert by Tanushree Shankar presented by Consul General of India and University of Houston. I would personally like to congratulate the Honorable CG Arora, his stafff and Dr. Khator for having put such a successful concert. The audience of all age groups enjoyed the dance musical by Tanushree Shankar troupe. Even my friend’s 6 year old watched the whole event. Being a free event, the organization was flawless. I don’t see the reason IAA cancelled such a beautiful event and letting the concertgoing patrons of such events miss out. I am
Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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looking forward to more of these cultural enriching concerts for all generations organized by the Consul General of India” - N. Patel, Sugar Land “I attended Dance and Musical show at University of Houston with my wife. The event was sponsored and funded by Indian Council for cultural relations. I understand the Government of India sponsors events like this for promoting Indian culture at no cost to the public. Being a varied, multicultural city, Houston is a right city to host these kind of events. The event was very good and actors performance was super. A few times the audience stood up and showed their excitement and cheered by clapping and encouraging the performers. One of my friends from Italy enjoyed the event. The stafff of Indian consulate general called local community leaders and encouraged them to attending this show with their friends. I hope we get these kind of shows quite often. My sincere thanks to Indian consulate general and staff for promoting this show personally.” - Anjaneyulu Koneru
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Spreading Our Wings
daya’s 15th Annual Fundraiser to cast s spotlight on s survivors of Abuse
By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: Survivors of abuse will get a chance to share their experiences in an empathetic environment, and benefactors will get a firsthand glimpse into the services that the non-profit humanitarian organization Daya provides for families in crisis when Daya holds it’s 15th Annual Fundraiser on April 3, 2011. The event, Spreading Our Wings, will be held at 5.00pm at Chateau Crystale in southwest Houston. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee will deliver the keynote address. The evening will feature a live performance by Moodafaruka, a music group that presents an alchemy of Flamenco, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Western styles of music. Other entertainment includes a dance presentation by local artistes. Funds raised will benefit the crucial needs of Daya and its clientele. The primary goals of Daya for 2011 includes the continuance and expansion of its three core ministrations; client services, community outreach and education, and the transitional home program. Other programs that Daya hopes to expand are volunteer development, legal initiatives, economic empowerment, educational workshops for clients, alliances with local and regional
organizations, health care, teen and young adult programs, and public policy research and advocacy. A major financial goal is to pay off the mortgage balance of $140,000 on the Transitional Home and replenish the $60,000 of operational funds used for the down payment and repairs for the Transitional Home. Daya, which means compassion in Sanskrit, was founded fifteen years ago as a helpline for South Asian women who were victims of domestic violence, an issue not widely acknowledged in the community. Since then, Daya’s services have expanded exponentially to include a new transitional home, legal clinic, job placement, counseling, and financial aid for victims. Additionally, Daya also promotes domestic violence awareness in the South Asian community through outreach and educational seminars and events. In 2010 alone, Daya responded to over 4,300 client calls. With an enthusiastic board backed by staff and volunteers, Daya is poised to help South Asian families find lasting solutions to family violence. Tickets to the event are $100, with Buy One Get One Free for Students with Valid ID. Registration is now online at www. dayahouston.org.
dandi march II in Houston
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HOUSTON: A group of NRIs, inspired by the historic Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi’s fight for freedom have organised a 240-mile walk in the US against corruption in India. Starting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, San Diego, California March 12, “Dandi March II” goes through Los Angeles and ends March 26 at Gandhi Statue, San Francisco. The dates coincide with the dates Gandhi did his historic march in 1930.A Corruption free India is what the organizers are aiming for. The main day of the event, March 26 is the big day with events taking place not only in the USA but also in Dubai, Berlin, London and Singapore, and in India including Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta and New Delhi. Conceived to fight those who seek to plunder and enslave their own country are to push the government to enact Jan Lokpal
bill and ratify UNCAC which are designed to free India from the clutches of corruption, and to bring back the hidden money from foreign banks, they said. “The recent scams involving unimaginably big amounts of money, such as the 2G scam, are well known. It is estimated that more than trillion dollars are stashed away in foreign havens, while 80 percent of Indians earn less than 2$ per day and every second child is malnourished,” the organisers said. “While this rampant corruption is a cause for serious concern, the good news is that movements against it have arisen all over the country. Dandi March II is the attempt by NRIs to bring together and escalate these movements into a powerful force.” Join us on March 26 at 10 am on 5601 Hillcroft. For more information, call Raghava Soliuram 781-367-9367
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 25 , 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
92% Indian s students tudents in U Us s ready r eady for Future Back in India
By Charu Sudan KaSturi NEW DELHI (HT): Nine in ten Indian students in the US who participated in the largest known and most comprehensive study yet of the community’s future plans are keen to return to India to pursue their
careers. As many as 84% of those planning to return to India are interested in jobs combining research and teaching, the study found, in findings with major implications for policy makers here grappling with a crippling faculty shortage. Most of them however said they would not accept a pure teaching job. The study, conducted by researchers from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University is the largest effort yet to look at diverse aspects of future plans of Indian students in the US and factors driving their decisions. The study was released in the US today.
“The high percentage of those open to returning and their interest in higher education careers presents a big opportunity for India,” TISS political science professor and study co-author Venkatesh Kumar told HT. Kumar’s co-author is David Finegold, Dean of the Rutgers School of Management and Labour Relations. The authors plan to make the study – the largest and most diverse they know of – an annual effort. Out of 998 respondents who agreed to participate in the study, 76% said they were planning to return to India, were in the process of returning or had just returned. Another 16% said they would go wherever they received the best job, regardless of the location. Only 8% student respondents said they would definitely prefer to stay back in the US. About half the respondents – 54% -said they are keen to return to India but after working for a few years in the US. “Another key finding was the high fraction of students who said they wanted to give something back to Indian higher education,” said Kumar, currently a Herbert Humphrey Fellow at Pennsylvania State University. The researchers used regression analysis to distinguish trends based on the qualification students were pursing, their academic stream, age, sex, marital status and presence of children.
exiled malaysian Hindu Human r rights ights Leader to Visit U Us s
FREMONT, CA: Malaysia’s exiled dissident and human rights leader, Waytha Moorthy, will visit the United States on a tour sponsored by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). Moorthy founded Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), which gained global attention with a mammoth rally of 50,000 Hindus and ethnic Indians in a peaceful protest against the Muslim government’s mistreatment and marginalization of ethnic Indians and Hindus. The rally was brutally attacked by Malaysian security forces, and the HINDRAF leadership was jailed or exiled. Moorthy, living in exile in London since the Malaysian government revoked his passport, continues to advocate against flagrant human rights abuses in his country that were also documented in HAF’s annual human rights report. Malaysian Indians are agitating against Malaysia’s “bhumiputara” policies that favor the Muslim Malay majority, demolitions of Hindu temples, and forced conversions of children to Islam even when the custodial parent disagrees. They contin-
ue to attract widespread condemnation of a country otherwise hailed as a model Islamic democracy. In sponsoring Moorthy’s tour to the U.S., HAF hopes to raise awareness about Malaysian rights abuses and support the Foundation’s broader advocacy efforts. “Waytha Moorthy, his family, and Malaysian Indians and Hindus have suffered from discrimination and brutality for decades, and their demands for equality and justice are not being met,” said Ramesh Rao, HAF’s Human Rights Coordinator. “It is an honor for the Hindu American Foundation to sponsor his first U.S. tour and to have the support of local and national Hindu, Indian, and Malaysian organizations across the country.” Moorthy will be speaking in Atlanta, San Jose, Houston, Washington DC, Tampa, Boston, and New Jersey. The events are free to the public. For information on the various events, please contact Mihir Meghani at 510-3962745 or mihir@hafsite.org, or visit http:// www.hafsite.org/Waytha_Moorthy_Tour.
Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 25, 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O
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H-Town c celebrates Festival of colors
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ROSENBERG, TX: Masala Radio, along with Gujarati Samaj of Houston, India Culture Center and Hindus of Greater Houston, were flooded with only positive vibes about the newly selected venue Seabourne Creek Nature Park in Rosenberg for AAPKA COLORS HOLI – the biggest HOLI in the US - on March 20. “The new park was just as advertised, bigger, beautiful, and very easy to park at,” said Jyoti Bhandari. The 4th Annual Festival of Colors attracted an estimated 12,000 guests, with many new faces, and more non-Indians than ever! The warm weather, and thousands revelling in colored powder, clearly marked the end of winter! “HOLI is one of the few festivals in Houston where I see everyone I possible know, and everyone is busy doing the thing they love!” said Bakula Dhurandar. “My 21 year old son was acting 10 spraying everyone with modern Pichkari’s” and I was happily fixed between food booths and stage!” Indian Satelite Channel AAPKA COLORS shot all aspects of Houston HOLI for a 30-minute episode featuring especially the spectacular HOLI entertainment. The Main Stage pulsed non-stop with Masala Entertainment and leading Dance School acts emceed by Masala Radio Host Sunil Thakkar (Great Indian Laughter Challenge comdien). Thakkar introduced the each Masala Radio Jockeys and HOLI Management Crew, and the entire team burst out with a “spontaneous” dance performance. Thakkar tickled the guests with his unusual antics beginning with a dhoti tying contest (yes even a woman dared to compete donning the loincloth). A little later he yanked the shirt of a audience-found Salman Khan look-alike, and introducing Houston first “Chindian” Gary Yan, the Hindi-speaking Chinaman from Pune, who just opened Ailing’s Hakka Chinese in Sugarland. Vibrant dance performances, some with as many as 45 participants at once, included Nupur Dance School, Payal School
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of Dance, Wanted, Anonymous, Hybrid Rhythms, Rhythm India, Nritya Pallavi School, Shivangini School, Vaisakhi 2011, Anjali Center for the Performing Arts, Infused Performing Arts, Sima Gupta, Abhinaya School, Vidhi Nayak, . Masala Entertainment highlight were the Kemaya Fashion Show, featuring nearly 40 models, most who were appearing at HOLI for the first time. Previous Fashion Show hosts were hesitant at showcasing expensing outfits lest they be marred with Holi colored-powder. Kemaya astonished the audience with their heaviest, glittering collections of Tunics (choreographed by Nikki Dhokia), and Sheraras, Saris, and Bridal fashions (choreographed by Arushi Garg of NETIP). The finale of the main stage was a Masala Ent created duet dance contest aptly titled ‘Masala Ne Bana De Jodi” featuring couples from some of Houston’s leading dance schools: Anjali Center’s Gaurav & Sneha, Shivangini’s Ashka and Mehran, and Hybrid Rhythms’s Sonali and Anand, and the only married couple Yogesh & Shital,. Kohinoor Diamonds Neelofar Ali awarded a diamond pendant to the winning couple, Ashka & Mehran, who captured the audience’s hearts imitating Radha-Krishna. Judges included representatives from Tara Energy, Kemaya Fashions, and the Village School. Masala Ent featured Arnie B singing live his “Master Blaster,” a tribute to cricket lengend Sachin Tendulkar, and enthusiast cricket fans raced to the stage to dance with cricket bats! Deep Cold and Kamla Punjabi dedicated a new song for HOLI, and then DJ Nish rocked the afterparty on the stage, while DJ Zee and DJ Rizz attracted their own party on the other side of the park. At random spots, Impromptu dhol players got everyone to stop what they were doing - even eating - and start throwing their hands up in the air, burning with Spring fever. Kids by the hundreds flocked to the free rides, with the brand
new Zorb Ball remaining the biggest hit. Pairs of had all four appendages tied down inside a giant, see-thru plastic ball, and then were pushed downhill! The weak of stomach stuck to the traditional giant slide, obstacle courses, and rock climbing walls. Masala Radio encourage everyone to come starving, and starving they came, to enjoy fare from an unprecedented variety of 15 food & drink food booths. HOLI food court featured South Indian cuisine by Madras Pavilion, Udipi Cafe Sugarland, and Princess Indian Cuisine, fine North Indian by Neeta’s Indian Cuisine, Great W’Kana Cafe, Mantra Sugar Land, and Mint Spice Bistro, quick chaat (street snacks) from Alpahar Foods, and refreshing cool drinks from Kool Korner Thandai (cool, spiced Indian milk) and sugar cane juice from Baloch Ice Cream and Juices, and for the first time at HOLI, the ever staple pizza from Kid Zone Pizza and Nachos and Sunil Masala pizza from Godfathers Pizza. The Hindu Festival of Holi originates around the Puranic story of ancient King Hirayakashipu who wanted all to bow to him instead of the Lord Vishnu (one of the Hindu Trinity). Only his son Prahlad refused to bow to him, and openly worshipped Lord Vishnu. Prahlad’s evil sister Holika had a boon of withstanding fire, so the King ordered her to carry Prahlad into a huge bonfire, but the boon failed her and Prahlad walked out unharmed, displaying the triumph of Good over Evil. Gujarati Samaj started the symbolic bonfire around 2PM, and guests offered coconuts for blessing. The audience just didn’t want to leave, even though they were tired from running aroung all day playing HOLI pranks and yelling“Bura na mano, Holi Hai!” (Don’t take offense, its Holi!). Rosenberg Police were in full form safely and efficiently guiding the traffic out (as they did in), making it one of the smoothest HOLI so far, and leaving everyone with a yearning for more.
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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 25 , 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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research Award for sovan r s s sarkar
An alumnus of Calcutta Boys’ School and Presidency College Kolkata has been given a prestigious award for his outstanding research which could pave the way for new treatments for a range of diseases. Dr Sovan Sarkar, currently a research scientist at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, is one of just four winners of the 2012 UK Biochemical Society Early Career Research Award. The award is given for outstanding research carried out by an early career scientist in the category of cell biology and relates to Dr Sarkar’s work at the University of Cambridge, UK. This focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind a cellular protein degradation pathway called autophagy, which has been implicated in many human physiological and pathological conditions, including development, immunity, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, liver diseases and longevity. Dr Sarkar says: “My work has generated a vast resource of small molecules regulating autophagy that has been widely employed by many research groups worldwide to show beneficial effects in various models of diseases, ranging from a number of neurodegenerative diseases, liver diseases to infectious diseases, where autophagy
acts as a protective pathway. This has provided important mechanistic insights into the regulation of mTOR-independent autophagy and has led to the discovery of a number of candidate drugs of potential biomedical relevance.” These findings have been published in over 30 peer-reviewed international journals, including twice in Nature Chemical Biology, generated a number of patents, and have attracted press releases from Sovan Sarkar the Wellcome Trust UK, including coverages in Nature arship in Department of Medical Reviews Drug Discovery, Science Genetics from Cambridge Institute Signaling, Cambridge University for Medical Research at the Uniand Channel 4 news highlighting versity of Cambridge in 2006. He was a student at Hughes Hall and ‘cells could eat brain disorders’. The award recognises the impact later a Research Fellow of the Colof research carried out by scien- lege. Prior to his graduate studies tists who have been awarded their at Cambridge, he did BSc PhysiPhD within the last five years. The ology from Presidency College Society says: “It is expected that Kolkata (1997-2000) and MSc successful candidates will have Biotechnology from Madurai Kaproduced international quality maraj University (2000-2002) in research outputs, and be able to India. Dr Sarkar says: “I hope to impact on the human demonstrate ambitions and aspirations consistent with the potential society through my research and contribute towards developing and to achieve world-leading status.” Dr Sarkar completed his PhD promoting Indian science at the inwith a Gates Cambridge Schol- ternational forum”.
reply to c r charges harges of Abetting 1984 AntiAnti-s sikh r sikh riots: iots: U Us s court “If the Congress party did not respond to the summons of the US Federal Court by April 1, 2011, SFJ will ask the court to enter a default against Congress (I),” SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said on Tuesday. The default judgement against Congress (I) will give the victims of November 1984 an opportunity to seek compensatory and punitive damages from Congress (I) for the party’s role in “genocidal attack” on Sikhs during November 1984, he said.
The default judgment against Congress (I) will also pave the way for filing criminal complaints against the party leadership under various international laws for violation of human rights, Pannun said. In US, criminal prosecution of Congress (I) leadership will be sought under the “Human Rights Enforcement Act of 2009” which specifically gives jurisdiction to the US Courts to prosecute foreign nationals who are suspected of committing crimes against humanity, he said.
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NEW YORK (HT): The Congress party has been asked to respond by April 1 to “summons” issued by a US court to answer charges of “conspiring, aiding, abetting and organizing” attacks on Sikhs in November 1984. The US District Court for the Southern District of New York issued the summons on March 1 in response to a c lass action law suit filed by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US based human rights group, along with several Sikh witnesses and survivors of the 1984 attacks.
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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, A mArcH 25, 2011 • Online editiOn: Ay, On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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Asia Society Texas Center
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Kemaya dazzles at Holi 2011 Photos: Hari Dutt
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The sarees in striking pink or green with touches of velvet and heavy zardozi and crystal work were the highlights of the show along with the grand lehengas from the bridal sequence. Each creation, crafted to perfection with imaginative construction and embellishments, bedazzled the audience, as did the retailed attention given to perfectly matched accessories.
The foot-tapping music of original Bollywood numbers with a twist of hip beats added a fourth dimension to the fashion extravaganza. KeMaYa is located on the stretch of Kensington (at Highway 6 and Southwest Freeway) that accommodates desi restaurants, grocers, social and recreational entities and even a temple has now become a popular hub for community activities. Mumtaz or Shehnaz may be contacted at 281-565-2922
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
Indian Talent Pool in US Waiting to be Tapped
WASHINGTON (ET) : Most Indian students in the US plan to return home with a desire to give back to the motherland, offering a vast pool of talent that would bring top-rate higher education to India’s young, a new study suggests. India needs to recruit at least one million new faculty members for its college and universities if it is to meet the government’s goal of making higher education available to 20 percent of young people by 2020. India thus may be able to recruit some of the academic talent it needs from the more than 100,000 Indians currently studying in the US, suggests the study by Rutgers University, Pennsylvania State University and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). The survey of nearly 1,000 Indians who are either pursuing or have completed graduate study in the US found that only eight percent strongly prefer to remain in the US. A majority, or 53 per cent, of them planned to return home from the United States after a few years of work, while 21 per cent said they were either in India already or were actively looking to return. The rest are undecided. India’s booming economy,
better chances to secure a good job, the promise of an affluent lifestyle and being closer to family were the factors fuelling the movement home, the survey said. The study finds the biggest factors deterring master’s, PhD students, and post docs from returning to India are red tape, corruption, and absence of research opportunities, it said. “The results are surprising and encouraging for Indian universities,” said David Finegold, dean of the Rutgers’ School of Management and Labour Relations, and one of the study’s authors. “We expected that more students would lean heavily toward remaining in the US. But our results suggest many young academics would be interested in pursuing a faculty career in India, if policymakers can address some of the key issues facing the Indian higher education system.” The study identified four key factors affecting the decision to return to India: Quality of life, career growth opportunities, hurdles like red tape and corruption, and a desire to give back to the motherland. Just one of these four factors - the desire to give back - is strongly associated with a desire to return to India, it said.
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traveling desi
Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
By Jawahar Malhotra ABU DHABI, March 2011: The humps of dual white tracks weave across the horizon like an undulating serpent, against the fast fading sunset. A carriage in the shape of two linked Ferrari race cars full of fun seekers races down one long slope to screams of glee that resound through the still and empty landscape for miles around, and starts the climb back up the twisting turns of the roller coaster. “It takes only two minutes, but I screamed all the way,” laughed one woman as she came off the ride named Formula Rossa that can replicate the G1 forces and braking forces of a Grand Prix race. The tracks begin and end inside a gigantic cavernous space that holds more rides and thrills, and is encapsulated by a sloping silhouette of red steel roof panels and metal webbing that looks like a long, three sided, six-point starfish with a huge funnel hole in the middle and a giant Ferrari shield logo on top. Welcome to Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi’s latest attraction and the only park of its type in the world built around the iconic Ferrari brand of racing cars and the thrill of speed, not to mention the world’s largest too. Open just four months since the beginning of November 2010, Ferrari Worlds aims to become a a Mecca dedicated to the racing enthusiast, a destination spot for families and the young at heart in the global amusement park scene, fitting neatly between EuroDisney in Paris to the west and Universal Studios Park in Singapore to the east. “Nothing else is planned for the immediate region, so that gives us a 3 to 5 year window to really establish our business,” said General Manager Claus Frimand (a veteran of EuroDisney who opened the park there too) as he walked some visitors through the site. It is an amusement park built at extravagant cost, on an extraordinary scale and is as much an architectural marvel with great feats
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of structural engineering as it is an interior designer’s dream. The starfish shell skin is held up with huge curving trusses forming huge funnels made of 2-inch thick exposed steel rebar that raise the roof from one hundred to two hundred feet above the floor where racing cars follow tracks into a tunnel ride through a pool; a Grand Prix circuit for kids and a circuit for a rolling helicopter ride for younger kids. Up one level, a racing car simulator puts a rider through the high pitched twists of a fast Grand Prix race at breakneck speed. These are but some of the over 20 attractions and thrill rides were designed by the renowned Jack Rouse Associates of Cincinatti. They fill up the inside of this 2,200,000 square foot amusement park built solely around the Ferrari brand down to its bright red, yellow and black colors and bucking stallion on racing gear, t-shirts, caps and other items that you usually find in souvenir shops. To really get a good feel for the rides and to browse the many actual Ferrari racing cars kept in eye-catching displays, you need easily a weekend, which is of course what the developers had in mind and get a chance to eat at the six restaurants there.
“We can easily accommodate 10,000 people a day,” noted Frimand, “Our limitation is the building code regulations, not our capability to handle the crowds.” With a staff of 650, Frimand has been able to manage the park’s largest attendance so far of 9,000 which was within two weeks of opening, when admission (normally AED225 or about $60 for adults and AED165 or about $45 for children) was free. Since then, the average attendance has been 8,000 and Frimand is already seeking to grow his staff to 900. “The staff is a mix of 37 nationalities that you can normally find in the UAE, and we find that this helps in employee morale by not favoring one nationality over the other,” explained Frimand, “as well as to cater to our guests.” Ferrari World is nestled in the vast expanse of the Yas Island development that the
Kingdom of Abu Dhabi has undertaken in an empty marshy site some 50km east of the city. The park is the centerpiece of a larger amusement, entertainment, hotel and marina complex built by Al Dar Properties at a reputed cost of nearly AED 10 billion (approximately $2.5bn). It is now owned by the government of Abu Dhabi and managed by a joint venture of Al Dar Properties and ProFun Management Group. The Ethihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a 5.5km circuit, is held nearby, this year on November 11 and entertainment venues featuring world
class performers like Tiesto, Eric Clapton and 30 Seconds to Mars are held at the Flash Forum or the open air Yas Arena, where Stevie Wonder gave a concert on March 18. A new expressway slices through Yas Island and merges into the highway that runs eastwards to Dubai and westwards back to the city. The government has taken pains to incorporate new technologies, such as LED streetlights and security cameras at traffic intersections, with eye-catching urban designs, a hallmark of the wave of
Ferrari World Roller Coaster Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
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traveling desi
Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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.................Have Some Fun at Ferrari World!
construction that has changed Abu Dhabi over the past ten years. The street light poles are thin needles, slightly bent in the middle; the roadway sign pylons are rounded and the bus stops are intricately twisted metal tubes. Just a few blocks from Ferrari World, IKEA the Swedish home furnishings giant will open a new huge iconic Blue Box store later in March, and close its smaller location in the Marina Mall along the waterfront. The unusual shape and eye-catching interior design for the main buildings was the brainchild of Benoy Architects of London
and structural engineers Ramboll of Copenhagen Started over seven years ago, the designs gradually took form starting in November 2007 with the towering funnels and red-shell roof of the main park, a oval-shaped Skywalk over the main drive and a opening oyster-shell geodesic cover over the entrance pavilion that is attached to a huge-three-level car park. The interior design contemplated by Benoy relies on the red stripe that is embolic of racing courses to create strong bands that curve through the interior spaces, coupled with the yellow and black Ferrari colors, lighting, and sound, esFerrari World Entrance Pavillion Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
Claus Frimand, General Manager, Ferrari World
pecially the roar of speeding race cars as you enter the turnstiles, to recreate the experience of the Grand Prix. The racing mood is amplified by the way the classic Ferrari models from the past seven decades are displayed all over the park: some in roped off stalls suitable for the diehard enthusiast to stand in front of for a photo op, others stuck to a curving red stripe as if in motion, still others stuck to the vertical side of a wall. But for those who crave more, a hard-to-miss booking office operated by Flash Entertainment by the entrance books performances by the Yas Arena or the Flash Forum.
With the advent of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix two years ago through the streets of this sun-soaked island and the opening of Ferrari World, the UAE has put itself on the map for racing enthusiasts to make a the trek to the Persian Gulf region, even as the stunning grandeur of other phenomenal architectural masterpieces, like the Sheik Zayed Mosque or the Emirates Palace Hotel have become touristic landmarks in their own right. Many more landmarks, like the Abu Dhabi Louvre are planned and will become iconic symbols as Abu Dhabi hastens to become a cultural arts and entertainment center of the Middle East. But for now, the latest addition, Ferrari World, has made an awe inspiring entre not only as an amusement park, but as a touristic destination all of its own.
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society
Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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India’s Nuclear Neros
N-power isn’t the low-risk option the deceitful, inept DAE says it is
By Praful Bidwai (Outlook) The colossal hubris, ignorance and smugness of India’s nuclear czars take one’s breath away. The day Japan’s crisis took a decisive turn for the worse, with an explosion in a third Fukushima reactor and fresh radiation leaks, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) secretary Sreekumar Banerjee declared that the nuclear crisis “was purely a chemical reaction and not a nuclear emergency as described by some section(s) of media”. Nuclear Power Corporation chairman S.K. Jain went one better: “There is no nuclear accident or incident. It is a wellplanned emergency preparedness programme which the nuclear operators...are carrying out to contain the residual heat after...an automatic shutdown”. This is proof, if proof were at all needed, that our nuclear power programme is in the hands of men who are totally cut off from reality and have a default conviction in their own omniscience and infallibility. Their denials are as despicable as their pathetic parroting of the virtues of India’s nuclear installations and their safety. Let’s get this straight. The Fukushima crisis is the world’s worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986. The earlier (partial, largely contained) meltdown at Three Mile Island (1979) pales beside it. The
Fukushima reactors have spewed large amounts of radioactivity into the air. The vessel containing the core of Reactor 2, which fully lost water cover for hours, has been damaged. The fire in Reactor 4 released yet more radiotoxins. At the time of writing, only a miracle can prevent further radiation release. The Fukushima disaster is the world’s first multi-reactor crisis; controlling it is more difficult. It also poses three special problems.
Large quantities of spent fuel, containing extremely radioactive nuclear wastes, are stored in pools in the reactor building, following General Electric’s design. These are no longer being cooled. A spent fuel leak, spreading due to the flooding, could have unspeakably lethal effects. Second, Fukushima reactors’ primary containment—similar to India’s Tarapur reactors, also GEdesigned—has been found by a
US laboratory to be vulnerable to molten fuel burning through the reactor vessel, eventually breaking out. Third, Reactor 3 burns a mix of uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX). Researchers say mox generally increases the consequences of severe accidents with large radioactivity releases, resulting in a five-fold increase in latent cancer fatalities. Even if the Fukushima crisis doesn’t worsen further, it highlights the inherent hazards of nuclear power, in which small individual mishaps can precipitate a runaway crisis. The reactors were shut down by the earthquake; and their still-hot cores were no longer cooled. The diesel back-up came on, but went out in an hour. The loss of coolant led to the explosions and radioactivity releases. That this happened in industrially advanced Japan, with high nuclear safety standards, underscores the gravity of the generic problem with nuclear reactors. They are all vulnerable to a catastrophic accident irrespective of safety measures. Nuclear power generation is also bound up with radiation exposure, harmful in all doses, and radioactive waste streams, which remain hazardous for thousands of years. India’s nucleocrats have been in denial of these problems and suppressed their abysmal safety record. The list of failures is long: a serious fire at Narora, which moved from the
turbine to the reactor room amidst panic-driven abandonment of firefighting procedures; collapse of a containment-dome safety system at Kaiga; frequent radiation exposure of workers and lay public to doses above the permissible; and the spiking of drinking water with deadly tritium in Kaiga. India has the distinction of running two of the world’s most contaminated reactors. This necessitates a radical reform of the DAE, the government’s worst-performing department, which has never completed a project on time and within budget. We must have an independent, credible nuclear safety audit, with outside experts and civil society representatives. We must review our nuclear power policy for appropriateness, safety, costs, and public acceptance, based on a holistic view of the best ways of meeting our energy needs. If nuclear power emerges as the least desirable option, we should discard it. The environment ministry must also revoke all conditional clearances granted to nuclear projects, including Jaitapur. Nuclear power has subjugated our energy policy and budgets to an unaccountable, self-perpetuating, pampered technocracy, imposed unacceptable hazards upon unwilling populations, and degraded our democracy. The juggernaut must be halted.
Indo American News • Friday, MARCH 25 , 2011 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
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Grand Plans for the Ganga
The World Bank and the Government have developed an extensive program of redevelopment for the Ganga basin, but thus far the scheme remains devoid of people’s participation By Shripad dharmadhikary (IT) When the President of the World Bank Group Robert B Zoellick visited India in mid-January, one of the highlights of his visit was a meeting with Minister for Environment and State Jairam Ramesh, where an agreement was reached to “deepen cooperation on India’s green growth agenda.” Several areas were identified where the Bank would provide financial support over the next two years in addition to what it has already committed. By far the biggest of this is the National Ganga Project, with the Bank promising a sum of US $1 billion - close to Rs.4700 crores. The World Bank’s Ganga project is essentially a part-implementation of the highly ambitious program of the Government of India’s National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA). This body was set up in February 2009 with an objective to “to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach for comprehensive planning and management.” Given the length and catchment of the Ganga, its economic, social, religious and cultural importance, and its vast diversity from the high Himalayan mountains to the plains, the objective is massive in scope. The NGRBA is important for several reasons. First of all, the sheer size of the area and population that will be involved - the Ganga traverses 2500 kms in India and its basin accounts for 26 per cent of the country’s landmass, 30 per cent of water and 40 per cent of the population. Further, the NGRBA comes against the background of a similarly ambitious Ganga Action Plan (GAP) with a similar objective of cleaning the Ganga, that was launched in 1985. That effort is widely perceived to have failed to meet its objectives, even though it was extended to other rivers as GAP-II and also through the National River Conservation Plan. Naturally therefore, there are concerns about the new initiative meeting the same fate. Thirdly, the NGRBA has projected itself to be much more than a mere pollution control exercise, and has adopted the River Basin Planning ap-
The involvement of the World Bank increases apprehensions of the whole program becoming a technocratic-bureaucratic, consultant-driven project. Above: The sun rises over the Ganga at Varanasi proach as the central framework. This makes it all the more significant. Like the GAP, the NGRBA too is a top-down effort. This will no doubt be the determining factor in how effective it is. However, within the limitations of this structure, there are certain strengths to the initiative. First of all, its Apex Council packs a political punch, with the Prime Minster heading it, and members including several Union ministers like Finance, Environment, Power, Water resources, and Chief Ministers of the five states of Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It also includes highly respected civil society members like Sunita Narain, Rajendra Singh, Ravi Chopra and others. The NGRBA has also roped in seven IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) to help it develop the Ganga River Basin Management plan. The Memorandum of Agreement signed with a consortium of 7 IITs indicates at least an intention to consider a framework that goes beyond pollution. The Basin Management Plan to be prepared by the IITs will aim to provide for water and energy needs even while protecting the fundamental aspects of the river. These fundamental aspects have been specifically noted to include: * river must continuously flow (Aviral Dhaara), * river must not be seen as a carrier
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of waste loads (Nirmal Dhaara), * river must have longitudinal and lateral connectivity, * river must have adequate space for its various functions, * river must function as an ecological entity The NGBRA has also made a good beginning by deciding last year to scrap three hydropower projects on the Bhagirathi - the 381 MW Bhaironghati, the 480 MW Pala Maneri and the under-construction 600 MW Loharinag Pala - and declaring a 135-km stretch of the river as ecosenstitive. However, these strengths themselves have another side that raises important concerns. These and other concerns outweigh and cast serious doubts about the efficacy of the initiative. The most critical aspect is the topdown structure. River basin planning in the real sense requires a bottom up approach with wide spread and deep rooted participation from the people, starting with at the sub-basin level. These sub-basin plans would then be integrated into a basin level plan. The objectives of the program themselves need to evolve from this process, as also the specific details of the program like what developmental activities can and need to be taken up, whose needs are to be prioritised and so on. Here, the whole logic is being turned upside down, with the plan-
ning being done from top down. In the case of the NGRBA, there seem to be little sign of this participatory process. While the IITs may bring in technical and technological competence to the planning process, there is no indication that they are planning on carrying out any bottomup process to develop the Basin Plan. Thus, the biggest concern is that the people of the basin may be delivered a ready-made Basin Plan, a contradiction in terms. The study website indicate that social, economic, cultural, ecological, policy, law and governance aspects will be included, but neither this nor “consultation” can be a replacement for a participatory planning process. Secondly, the early initiative of the NGRBA of scrapping three hydel projects may be a good signal, but only if it indicates a future approach to issues raised by such projects. However, the scrapping has come only under pressure from struggles and movements, and it is a limited gesture as other projects in the basin with similar impacts continue without any action. In other words, this action does not signal a consistent approach, but smacks of tokenism or responding only to pressure. The involvement of the World Bank is another factor that increases apprehensions of the whole program becoming a technocratic-bureaucratic, consultant-driven project. First of all, the major focus of the World Bank project is capital investments for sewage treatment and other infrastructure. Close to 80 per cent - about Rs.3800 crores - of the project loan is to go for this. Secondly, much of this infrastructure spending is to be routed through Public Private Partnerships or PPPs. These PPPs are nothing but privatisation by another name. The experience of such projects in India has thrown up many serious questions, including the dangers of profit maximisation taking precedence over other concerns and inability of such projects to meet social objectives. Such privatisation can also deter public participation, which is key to ensuring that the Ganga is not polluted. Moreover, much of the remaining money will go for institution devel-
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opment, capacity building and skill development of the implementing agencies and regulators. However, as the experience of GAP and other similar projects have shown, the per persistence of pollution is not really due to lack of technology or infrastructure or institutional capacity. While these are important, in the Indian scenario, the critical factors are the general ethos, the lack of accountability in regulatory and administrative agencies and the absence of political will in the Government and administration. Unless these are addressed, pouring in massive amounts of money, and privatisation may actually worsen the situation. The just-released Environmental and Social Analysis of the project prepared by TERI for the World Bank captures a crucial part of the problem when it points out that “It is an ambitious objective to maintain or restore all natural water bodies to a pristine level. Planning pollution control activities to attain such a goal is bound to be a deterrent to developmental activities and cost prohibitive.” This implies that developmental activities will cause pollution - not just contamination but also other adverse impacts on the environment. Thus, the first challenge for the NGRBA is to ensure that such development as causes pollution benefits the poor as a priority. Much of today’s development programs that lead to pollution tend to privilege the needs of the elite and powerful at the cost of the livelihoods of the poor. Hydropower dams that destroy fisheries are a good example. The second challenge is to shift the developmental activities to minimise pollution, so that the Ganga remains aviral and nirmal, if not pristine, even while continuing to maintain the poor as the first beneficiaries. The third challenge is infusing enthusiasm and mobilising the masses towards these goals, for without this, the program is bound to fail. This can happen only when the Ganga program evolves from and is run on a truly and widely participative basis. Given the current structure of the NGRBA, the last probably will be its biggest challenge and the toughest test of its performance.
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
We’re All in it Together
Midway through swotting for her geography exam, Ananya, my 15year-old looked at her watch and said, urgently: “9pm. It’s time to pray for Japan”. I frowned at this unwarranted interruption. We were locating India’s various nuclear power plants from Kaiga to Narora on the map. But this stop-pray-for- Japan had a powerful appeal that went beyond geographic borders. The thought of a world collectively empathising - at the same time - with a stricken nation was hard to resist. We stopped and prayed. On March 26, a few days from now, in another instance of simultaneous universal action, millions of people will switch off their lights to commemorate Earth Hour. This act has less to do with saving electricity and more to remind the world that it is possible to do with less. It’s a reminder, and a warning, of a potentially dark future. In the time of social media, it is easy for causes to go viral. The ‘pink chaddi’ campaign launched by the Consortium of Pub-Going, Loose and Forward Women after Sri Ram Sene thugs beat up women and men in a Mangalore pub in January 2009 collected 40,000 members within just one week. I don’t know how many panties were finally collected by the consortium or, for that matter, what the Ram Sene did with them. But not a peep has been heard from those fellows since. Earth Hour is not a one-off campaign nor is it a response to a one-time provocation. Born in 2007 and organised by the World Wildlife Fund, this is a relatively young commemoration. Yet 1.3 billion people in 128 countries are already involved, and this year such places as Kota Kanabalu and Swaziland will be joining the party. India signed up three years ago, and last year five million people reportedly switched off their lights. It is, according to the official website (www.earthhour.com) the ‘biggest environmental grassroots movement in history’. Next week, all over the world, those who are participating will switch off their lights between 8.30 and 9.30pm. So, what happens at 9.31pm when the lights come back on? What lifealtering meaning can 60 minutes contain? In India the idea of voluntary load shedding, over and above the power cuts we already endure, can be outright laughable. I have mixed feelings about commemorative and largely symbolic actions. I think Valentine’s Day is ridiculous for anybody over the age of 16. I think mothers and fathers need 365 days, not one day randomly picked out for sentimental cards and wilted roses. I totally draw the line at hug your dentist, adopt a goldfish - or is it the other way around? But some causes are larger than personal irritation. When you set aside a minute, a day, a week or a decade, you focus the world’s attention on the huge challenges that continue to confront us. You don’t have to be a girl in Djibouti to declare zero tolerance for female genital mutilation (February 6) and you don’t have to be disabled, autistic or diabetic to set aside a day (December 3, April 2 and November 14) to raise awareness around the world. Yet, commemorative moments go beyond awareness-building. The point surely is to stop everything, even if it is for a minute, to remember events in history (Hiroshima, the Holocaust) that are so horrible that they must never be forgotten lest history repeats itself. Or else, pause from a maddening schedule to remember a life well lived. Can a minute’s silence on January 30, lead us to question the relevance of Gandhi to contemporary India? Or has his life been reduced to cliched tributes delivered by khadi-clad politicians? But ultimately, simultaneous collective action - whether it’s a candle in the window or the simple act of switching off a light - links us to our collective humanity. It’s the symbolic equivalent of raising a fist and deciding what and who you stand for. On Saturday, March 26 at 8.30 pm, the lights will go out in my house. In doing so, I’ll be joining millions of fellow humans around the world to say: please, pause, thinkNamita Bhndare, HIndustan Times
editorial
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Don’t Shoot The Judge! By Sanjay Manjrekar Here’s an important statistic for you. The percentage of correct decisions by umpires in this World Cup until March 14, without the use of technology, was 92.13. With the application of technology, invoked by teams under the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) put in place for the Cup, this figure rose to 98.15 per cent. Now, that is an impressive record! But then, why is the Indian media still complaining about umpiring and umpire-related issues? I find it quite amazing as to how much umpiring errors get talked about and debated over in our media. It is safe to say that umpiring and umpire-related issues get more media space in our coverage of cricket than other, far more important issues in the game. Is it because this subject is simply good for the TRPs? Is it because the fans like nothing more than talking about umpiring fumbles? Are umpires the favourite whipping boys of cricket, because they, unlike players, have no way of getting back at the media? For instance, excessive criticism of any Indian cricketer can be quite hazardous for a media outlet. That could well mean the end of any favours to the outlet from the cricketer. No more will it get exclusive quotes and interviews from the star cricketer that media outlets thrive upon. The cricketer, therefore, has great powers to fight back when in trouble. By comparison, the poor umpire is powerless! No one wants a Billy Doctrove exclusive, right? It is almost sadistic what the Indian media does to an international umpire who is only trying to do his best—and that too in a very challenging environment. Mind you, I have not always been so sympathetic of umpires. There was a time in cricket when we as players thought that umpires had a great bargain for themselves. They came and stood like statues of authority in the match without a smile on their face. Talking to players, they thought, would diminish their status as ‘officials’. They were also very keen to exert their status and powers on the players on the field. These umpires were never held accountable for their
In the past, umpires were human, so were cricket lovers. A bad shot, and a batsman stood no chance with them. Then came TV, and changed everything performances, like we players were. In those times a senior umpire could keep making ‘howlers’, match after match, and carry on like nothing had happened. It was also the time when neutral umpires were not a part of international cricket as much as they are today. At times, players not only had to contend with incompetent umpires but also those who were extremely patriotic. Some countries in the cricketing world were especially infamous for this, and touring teams knew well before that they were playing against 13 players, not 11. When you get a chance, do watch the Sharjah classics that are often shown on Ten Sports. Watch the kind of lbw decisions that were given then. There would be riots if any umpire were to give such decisions today. A beautiful yorker from the great Wasim Akram raps the batsman on the pads, the batsman is on the floor and the umpire raises the finger. The crowd erupts! Great, classic action from Sharjah, but there was just one thing that was not quite classical in that—the ball was missing the stumps by more than a foot! Umpires were human then, and to an extent were cricket lovers too. If they saw a great ball and a bad shot from the batsman, he stood no chance with them! That finger of theirs was very happy to go skywards, it did not matter to them much where the ball was eventually headed to. Then came television in its full technological glory, rapidly changing everything in the game. Especially umpiring, which just got better and better. The TV camera lenses got bigger and, sitting at home, we were brought closer to the action than ever before. New, ultra slow motion cameras that captured pictures at
1,000 frames per second replayed the action so slowly that you could finish a cup of tea while they showed a cover drive. The game and the umpires came under intense scrutiny from the millions of visually empowered cricket fans and also from those connected with the game in some way. Considering the kind of scanner umpires are put under these days, I find it quite incredible that even without assistance from technology they are still able to have a 92 per cent success rate. Yet, somehow, we are still not satisfied. Technology was brought into cricket and allowed to go deeper into its very fabric, more than it had in any other sport. With that, inevitably, also came some issues that had all of us stumped for a while, but these are also getting addressed along the way. In spite of all this and the 98.15 per cent correct decisions with technology, all it takes is just one umpiring mistake and we are up in arms once again. For me, nothing is more ridiculous than the suggestion that an umpiring decision cost a team the match. We go on for days about how that one umpiring decision—for or against one batsman—cost us the game. You’d think that only one batsman bats in this game and not eleven. If we chose to focus on the right things, we will find that it was actually how the players played that decided the game. In any lost match, the players have made far more mistakes than an umpire has, but somehow the umpire seems to bear the brunt. India tied the game against England not so much because Billy Bowden made an important mistake, but because India did not bowl as well as they should have. That also reminds me, we do have a weak bowling attack, don’t we? Couldn’t that have been more the reason for not winning against England, and not Billy boy? I really feel that if we want to boast of being sports lovers, we need to be sports-minded ourselves. Show some of the sportsman’s spirit that players often show. Try raising the Billy Bowden issue with the Indian captain M.S. Dhoni today and he will brush it off as a non-issue. He has moved on; time for us to do the same.- Outlook
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
Reflections on Shortfalls and Investments of Fort Bend ISD
By Sonal Bhuchar HOUSTON: Amidst the discussions about financial crises and budget shortfalls shared by many states across our nation, and Texas in particular, some basic questions about our priorities emerge. Balancing fiscal conservatism with investing in our most precious resources, our children, becomes a very difficult choice. Yet it must reflect our belief in the mission that every child can and must learn. Learn not only to read and write, but to succeed as productive, contributing citizens in a world economy. The impending, unprecedented cuts that are expected to affect the public education system in Texas, in spite of the Governor’s commitment today to use a small portion of the Rainy Day fund to plug the hole from last year’s budget, promise to create a very different level of service, unlike anything we have seen or experienced before. Local school districts will be forced to reduce workforce at all levels, slash programs, even those essential to meeting the state accountability standards, like dropout recovery and the Student Success Initiative and possibly assess fees for extracur-
ricular program participation. Five years ago, Fort Bend ISD made a commitment through its five-year district strategic plan to narrow the achievement gap, have no “Unacceptable “or PEG campuses as rated by the state accountability system and have all its campuses achieve Adequate Yearly Progress as defined by federal standards of No Child Left Behind. Fort Bend ISD also made a commitment to becoming a district of choice for attracting and retaining highly qualified staff, creating and institutionalizing transparent processes in all its operations and provide all round cutting edge learning opportunities for all its students. The journey has been tenuous and difficult, but we stand proud today, being “Recognized” by the TEA, one of only two school district finalists in the nation as a “District of Character”, all campuses meeting AYP, 50 National Merit Scholars, and 5 of our high schools listed among the top 6 % of high schools in the nation to name just a few of our Points of Pride. The collective efforts of all our staff at every level were responsible for our success last year and we are cognizant and very appreciative of that. As we launch into our own bud-
get creating process, in the shadow of a statewide 27 billion dollar projected shortfall that translates into anywhere from a 30 to 74 million shortfall for Fort Bend ISD, based on a variety of scenarios that the state could adopt, our decisions will be those made between a rock and a really hard place. Even as they will be based on as much objective data as possible, with due diligence and consideration, they will require courageous leadership to reduce workforce, add responsibilities, require sacrifices of time and call upon every level of commitment possible from the community. We will continue to engage in dialogue and proactive outreach with our legislators to support public education during this session by certainly relaxing mandates, but also looking at other possible sources of revenue and creating structurally sound funding formulas. We ask each and every one of our stakeholders to join us in supporting the education and future of our children, because eventually, our main focus is of course, our students, and ensuring their educational success. We cannot fail them. We must invest in our future. Sonal Bhuchar is a Trustee , FB ISD
India’s First Female Photojournalist Showcased in Mumbai
By Hanna Ingber Win (NYT) An exhibition featuring the work of India’s first female photojournalist is showing at the National Gallery of Modern Art through April 11. The collection of about 150 photographs by Homai Vyarawalla includes images of the last days of the British Empire, the Indian Independence movement and the birth and subsequent struggles of a new nation. Vyarawalla, who is now 97, spent most of her career working for the British Information Services, which later became the British High Commission. Many of her photographs depict important political leaders and events in India’s modern history. These include the first flag-hoisting ceremony at Red Fort and the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition (Sir Cowasji Jehangir Public Hall, Mahatma Gandhi
Rd) also includes photographs of Indians enjoying leisure time at cultural events, social gatherings, school functions and private institutions, said Sabeena Gadihoke, a curator and the author of a biographical book on the photographer, “Camera Chronicles of Homai Vyarawalla.” “The idea behind the curation is to not just showcase the political work but also to showcase the photographs of everyday life,” Ms. Gadihoke said. The idea is to “try and tell the history of these times differently.” The retrospective includes 30 images of Mumbai taken between 1937 and 1942, being exhibited for the first time. Vyarawalla’s old cameras, photographic equipment and other memorabilia will also be on display. When Vyarawalla began her career, it was unheard of for a woman to be a photographer in India, and she had to publish her first photographs under
Homai Vyarawalla, commonly known by her pseudonym “Dalda 13,” is India’s first woman photojournalist
her husband’s name. “She was the first woman in her time to enter a profession that has been very inhospitable to women, even today,” Ms. Gadihoke said. “We still have very few women in press photography in India.”
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Woes and Risks of the Delhi Woman New Delhi is undoubtedly becoming more and more dangerous, especially for young women, both students and professionals
By r. r k. k raghavan (Hindu) The murder of Radhika Tanwar (20) in broad daylight and outside her college in Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi a few days ago comes as no surprise to those of us who know the city inside out. New Delhi is undoubtedly becoming more and more dangerous, especially for young women, both students and professionals. The Delhi Police may deny this. One should remember that in crime, what matters is not statistics but public perception. It is easy to dismiss Radhika’s murder as the characteristic aggression of a male stalker who had been spurned by a young girl who never believed that someone in the world could be so obsessive and deranged. These are early days of investigation. It is just possible that the case would be solved by the time this piece appears in print. The Delhi Police have produced a rough sketch of the assailant from nowhere, after their initial charge that no one who witnessed the crime had come forward to give a clue or two. Let us hope they succeed in hunting down the killer, just as they did a few months ago, when a girl was subjected to gang rape in a moving vehicle. The case was nearly blind but the police did a remarkable piece of job. There are many features of Radhika’s murder that stand out as typical of modern urban crime. The family members knew that Radhika was being stalked by someone for a few years. It is possible they also knew his identity, and have now shared the information with police. If they claim however that they are not aware who he was, that would be indeed strange. Even after learning that the girl was being harassed by a male, if they chose not to report the matter to the police, their omission borders on the culpable. This is of course typical of many Indian parents — both at home and abroad — who value family honour over the safety of their children. Matter of concern The Radhika killer used a firearm. This squares with the belief that homicides in India with the help of a gun are rising. This is of great concern. We were smug all these days that unlike the U.S., we had no gun problem. This is no longer tenable. If the murderer is ultimately traced, investigation should focus on from where he got the weapon. It is possible he himself was a licensee. If so, did he have reasonable cause — such as personal security — to possess a gun? We have a fairly tight licensing policy. But there are ways of circumventing it, especially if you are from an influential family and tout your wealth and business interests to show that your life is in danger from your rivals. Unlicensed country made weapons are also not a rarity these days and not difficult to procure, especially in States such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Importing guns into a sprawling metropolis is a relatively easy proposition. Murders like Radhika’s keep reminding us of the need to keep a
Bansi Tailoring Ladies & Gents
New Delhi is undoubtedly becoming more and more dangerous especially for young women, both students and professionals. Radhika Tanwar (20) was killed in broad daylight and outside her college in Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi
close eye on weapons that are floating around in many cities and towns. With elections in some States fast approaching, there is a ready market for firearms. The temptation to brandish them to intimidate your rivals is very high, and no region, including the normally peaceful south, is exempt from this alarming trend of firearms replacing traditional weapons. This is again an occasion to review the state of security for women. Without doubt, many of our urban centres are highly risky for young women. With the growth in female workforce — thanks to the burgeoning IT companies — there is a definite case for strengthening precautionary measures. Many private corporations have a commendable system that protects women employees working late into the night. This is good as long as such employees do not flout company-laid arrangements. Some of them ignore basic rules of prudence, and unfortunately pay a heavy price for their callousness. In such instances, the employer is blamed for what is obviously a lapse on the part of the employee. Parental control which has otherwise become lax can prevail at least here, so that women professionals are made to adhere strictly to the facility extended to them at their workplace. Employers can hardly fill this role. The police come under fire when incidents of the kind occur. This is natural, and police officers taking umbrage at citizen fury need to be trained to take criticism in the right spirit. Policing huge metropolises is tricky and complicated. Indian cities are chaotic not only from the point of view of traffic management. Crime control is least professional. Intelligence collection is almost negligible, something that many of my colleagues in the U.K. are greatly surprised about. Our intelligence work concentrates on the political rivals of the ruling party. There is no doubt a change in focus with the arrival of terrorism. But this has not ushered in a realisation that criminals with a known record and others who pose a danger to the average citizen also require to be documented and watched. Prevention, a low priority The police spring into action only after a sensational crime takes place. Otherwise, prevention of crime is of
low priority because of the unconscionable diversion of precious resources to dignitary protection and regulation of political demonstrations. This is of course no longer a purely Indian phenomenon. Streets of London and many European cities are now subjected to the stress arising from massive public protests. These however have not diluted police attention to conventional crime. One explanation could be the generous use of technology in the areas of crime prevention and detection. The police will have to live with politically-inspired public protests, as long as democratic dissent is permissible under law. My only complaint is that many Indian Police supervisors become complacent with mere deployment of manpower in trouble spots. Widespread police presence is no substitute for technology that is increasingly used by police forces the world over. The massive installation of CCTV cameras has worked wonders in a city like London. Not only has it introduced deterrence, it has also quickened detection, as it did after the bombing of the London Underground in July 2005. Indian cities are slow to resort to this simple but reliable technology. Private industry has used this most effectively. The alleged loss of privacy of individual citizens is no ground for postponing the introduction of cameras all over a city. The expense involved is something a State government can easily afford these days. The Delhi Police force is a complex organisation. It draws its recruits from different regions of the country. There is therefore no homogeneity, which alone can produce effective policing. In spite of the odds stacked against it, the force has given a satisfactory account of itself. It has no shortage of funds or equipment. The Union Home Ministry (MHA) extends generous assistance. This brings me to the fundamental issue raised by successive Chief Ministers of Delhi. Why does the Delhi Police still remain under the MHA control? Reasons are both legal and political. Is it not time for a debate on this contentious issue? Not that I believe things would improve, even under a dynamic Chief Minister. There is a case at least for enhancing the stakes for an elected government and denying it an alibi for non-performance.
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Give Yourself an ‘A’ Today! It Makes a Difference Rewarding other people – and yourself - in advance can indeed make a big difference.
By Prakash Iyer SOMETHING a seemingly ordinary event can hold valuable life lessons for us all. Like it happened at a lunch I had with a friend some years ago. As I recall it, the food was good, and the conversation delightful. But what made the lunch unforgettable was something else altogether. As we entered the restaurant and sat down at our table, my host reached for his wallet. He pulled out a hundred rupee note and handed it to the waiter – who accepted it with a big smile. Now it wasn’t the size of the tip that surprised me. It was the timing. For the first time, I saw someone tipping for service even before we had ordered our meal. Needless to say, we got treated like royalty that afternoon. The service was quick, the waiter seemed to be hovering around us, and the huge smile never left his face. And as we walked out after an enjoyable meal, I was left wondering: Why don’t we all tip before a meal? If you think about it, maybe there’s a lesson in that for all of us that goes beyond tipping. Rewarding other people – and yourself - in advance can indeed make a difference. A big difference. So what really happened at the
knew you were a bright kid – and expected you to do well. Youwouldwalk around knowing that someone really smart (your father!) thinks you are bright. And you’d do all you could to live up to his expectations. Would that ensure you come first in class? No, not quite. But would it make
restaurant that day? By paying the tip upfront, my friend was telling the waiter, “I know you’ll do a terrific job of looking after us!” And the waiter was probably telling himself “Wow! He trusts me to look after him well. I must do all I can to live up to his expectations.” And throughout the afternoon, we expected great service – and got it! Unfortunately, most of us are brought up on a diet of conditional love and recognition. ‘If you come first in class then you’ll get a wrist watch.’ Since only one kid can come first, that leaves the rest of us feeling inferior, unsure about ourselves. And yes, having no idea what time it is! Now imagine what might have happened if your father gave you a watch at the start of the term – and said he
The students were anxious: Will I finish at the bottom of my class? Am I good enough? And the creative spark required for their musical talent to flower often went missing. So here’s what the college did. Every student was told upfront that he or she would get an ‘A’ at the end of the year. What the students had to do was write a letter – dated the following year – explaining why they had ‘earned’ the A grade. What they had learnt, what they had achieved, and how they had become better people. And bingo! Soon after, the students were going through college with less stress – and becoming far
better musicians. They were living up to their A grades! Here’s a good exercise to try: Award yourself ‘employee of the year’ or ‘student of the year’ today. Write down what the company CEO or college Principal would be saying about you at the end of the year. All the great things he’d be saying about you. Do that. And you’ll soon find yourself doing the things you’ve written down! Rest assured, you’ll have a terrific year! Musicians and waiters – and you and I - we are all just the same. Tip upfront. Give yourself an ‘A’ today. And let the magic begin!
you do your best and perform to your potential? You bet! And that’s really what life is all about. There’s a prestigious college of music in the UK that attracts the brightest talents from all over the world. The teachers faced a problem: although the students were all extremely gifted, several of them were becoming nervous after entering college.
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WEEKLY HOROSCOPE www.GaneshaSpeaks.com ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20:Your 20: Your prolonged lala bours will now come to fruition. It’s time to call in the payments, and Ganesha will be very bounteous to you now. Promotions, increments and other benefits are some of the awards that come your way. Other expected and unexpected gains could accrue to you from loans, deposits, taxes, trade and some agencies. These will be a cause of great joy at home. Travel abroad is also on the cards. Take care of your health. TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21: After some investigations, you are likely to learn astonishing facts about yourself. Some frugality will be sought from you not just at your home, but at your workplace too. You are very clever in monetary affairs, and you will plan out your course of action to tide over this lean period. You scrutinise your expenditure to see whether you can curtail them to desired levels. Changes at office could lead to stress. GEMINI May 22 - Jun 21: There is clar clarity in your vision and you work hard to make your dreams come true. You will also be drawn towards fashion and diet matters. This is a period of better health and better prospects. You have been working hard at achieving these prospects for a long time, and now at last they seem to be within grasp. Your affairs, both at home and at work, take a distinct upward curve. The only thing that is likely to worry you is unrelenting financial issues. CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 23: Despite the severe problems in your domestic life, you have continued to work hard, winning the appreciation of your peers and superiors. As your reputation soars, promotions and salary benefits follow. You deserve every bit of it. All this will give a boost to your self-confidence, but to your credit, you manage to keep your humility and gracious nature intact. You will be appreciated for your generous and caring nature. Since the vibes all around you are so positive, you will work hard and are singled out for success. LEO July 24 - Aug 23: Now that you realize you are exceptionally talented, you marshal all your strength to make the requisite sacrifices to achieve your ambitions. You give up the negative traits that are posing obstacles in your way. In this phase, you may even achieve international success, but it doesn’t come for free; you have to lose something to gain something, and you have the courage to do it. However, even your near and dear ones don’t realise this, but once they see you gaining success, they will start backing you. VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23: As you proceed in this phase to achieve your targets, the will and the energy come flooding in to assist you. You will not avoid the enormous amount of work in store. Don’t neglect your family, as it’s family that lends the solidity. You may get caught up in the flood of transformations, which could end abruptly. Work at achieving a balance between work and home, and learn to identify how far you can push yourself in any particular direction. LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23:The resoluteness of recent times persists, and as work proceeds smoothly, you begin to makes good advances. You can look forward to overall growth as you will make several good deals. Also to your benefit will be partnerships and travel opportunities. You are on
stable ground. Indulge in long-term planning. You have single-mindedness now, and sharp business sense, your chances of success greatly increase. Also rising is your zest for life and work, and your career prospects improve, instilling more happiness in your life. SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22: The burden of work rises even as more money flows in. Along with extraordinary opportunities that knock at your door, there will be travel and litigation to keep you busy. You will again face expenses, but you will find the resources to cope with it gracefully. You realise that life is not a bed of roses and that there will be thorns. You have the strength and grit to deal with them. Your patience will be tested. You will find the grace to deal with your situations. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22: You will make substantial moves towards improving the quality of your work. As you avoid the temptation of fun and frolic, old associates will come forward to assist you in the task of making a living. The Goats who are employed will look for better opportunities, and the ones who are self-employed will look for expansion and growth. You are on the right track and are bound to make progress the results of which, will be seen clearly in the long run. CAPRICORN Dec 23 - Jan 20: You are laying far too much emphasis on making more money by itself, not such a bad thing and the fringe benefits of it are recognition, power and security. But it can also prove to be detrimental in the long run. You will be under tremendous stress, take care of your health. Your kith and kin too are demanding your attention. It is a tense period for you in which you will have to find the answers to all your problems. You will have to exercise great caution in choosing your friends, as you cannot afford to go wrong here. AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19: The trend of the last few weeks continues as you work hard and make constant progress, and will see the definite results of it. You will probably start a new venture, may be in partnership. This is a phase of building on the foundations already laid, and some travel and increased expenses for the same. You will make rapid progress. Children will be a source of happiness as they do well in studies and sports. To take a break from the office grind, you will plan a family excursion or a holiday with them. The amicability of the week puts you in high spirits. PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20: You focus your attention keenly on your career, and the going will be so good that you will find yourself thrilled at the bloating bank balances. It gives you a sense of security and happiness and makes you crave for more money and power. What is lacking in this period is love and romance, but that is okay with you so long as you have your old friends and colleagues to spend time with. You are on a single track but not really unhappy, and if you like the feel of money, there is no need to feel something amiss. We update the Horoscope each week online by Friday. Visit us online: www.indoamerican-news.com TODAY
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Indo American News • Friday, March 25, 2011
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