Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
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Friday, April 02, 2010 | Vol. 29, No. 14
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In IAN this Week
WorldFest Fetes Diversity in Independent Film Making
Story on Pg 3
Asia Society Hosts Prof. Harbir Singh Story on Pg 5
Daya Gala Sows Seeds of Hope with Comedy
Story on Pg 13
Indo American Association Mainstreaming The Cultural Voices of India Story on Pg 25
See what the buzz is about! Story Pg 38 • Ad Pg 47
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Rehan Siddiqi’s Hum Tum City moves to a new station starting April 1, 2010
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Sunil Thakkar and the Crazy Masala Crew join in the weekday fun with Drive time Dhamaal Mon-Fri 5-8pm starting April 1, 2010
Sindwanis Bid Farewell to Friends…
Shared memories, kind tributes, laughter, hallmarks of emotional reception hosted by community
By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: A visionary in his own right Dr. K. L. Sindwani is undoubtedly a living legend. Admittedly brusque in manner, he is unpretentious to a fault, endearingly simple, scrupulously honest, and dedicated to Indo American News (IANews), a publication he founded nearly three decades ago with the loving support of his wife of 62 years, Dr. Mohini Sindwani. The staff, old and new, quickly recognized that with Dr. Sindwani, there was never a hidden agenda. From the moment he walked into the office in the morning, his mind was focused solely on this publication. It was his baby and he guarded it, nurtured it with hands-on devotion, and exemplary businessman that he is, made it his tour de force. So when he announced that he was resigning as Publisher Emeritus at IANews and that the couple were relocating to the Wichita Falls home of their only son, sadness pervaded the newspaper’s office where his staccato orders, frugality, and gruff manner were a daily source of amusement, and oftentimes, affectionate exasperation. This past month the office spun into rollercoaster mode with the partners Pramod Kulkarni, Jawahar Malhotra, and Krishna Giri (who technically replaced Dr. Sindwani as partner five years ago) scrambling to understand facts and figures that the venerable gentleman had stored only in his head. Staff got last minute instructions. What caught us, the Indo American News family off-guard, was the outpouring of affection from the local community for the Sindwanis who have become institutions larger than that of their own creation. There were private gatherings honoring the couple. And satellite parties to which the staff was also invited. Unprecedented and wonderfully warm was the farewell reception hosted by India Culture Center (ICC) and co-hosted by India House Inc. (IH), the Indo American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), Indo American Charity Foundation (IACF), and the
Gujarati Samaj of Greater Houston (GSGH). Spearheaded efficiently by ICC President Swapan Dhairyawan and his team, the event held at India House on March 25, drew wide representation from local organizations, the community, and media. The Sindwanis share a smile as they peruse Indo American News, It was an octhe publication they nurtured from infancy. Photo: Krishna Giri casion for their opinions. She is petite and President of India House Ashok shared memories, kind tributes, emotion, and frail with a gift of inner strength. Dhingra told of his 35 - year acDuring my interview I asked Moh- quaintance with the Sindwanis. lots of laughter. “Now after all these years, I feel ICC Trustee Shobana Muratee iniji if she had regrets about giving served as Mistress of Ceremo- up her own dreams to work with the vacuum because you’re leavnies; earlier in the week, she inter- her husband. Her answer was sim- ing. My home will always be open viewed the Sindwanis and created ple and sincere, he needed me,” to you,” Dhingra assured them. “ a powerpoint presentation with Muratee added. “It touched me so If not, there will be a bedroom for you at India House,” he joked. photographs of the couple as new- much to hear that.” Swapan Dhairyawan in his brief Notably, since inception the ly weds and as young parents. “Today we honor two visionar- tribute lauded Dr. Sindwani’s pas- newspaper has been consistent ies whose pioneering work has sion and persistence and his per- and never missed a single edition. touched us all and shaped this sonal approach to the community. Indo American News also served community,” said Muratee. “He is He read messages from other com- as a launching pad for two other a man of few words and yet he cre- munity leaders who were unable local publications, Voice of Asia, ated a medium for others to voice to attend. continued on page 23
Ashwini Bhide Concert Delights Lovers of Classical Music
Classical vocalist Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande (center) thrilled classical music lovers last Saturday afternoon at a concert hosted by the Indian Music Society of Houston. Bhide sang raag Jhinjoti and Maru Behar, a Sur Das bhajan and a Marathi abhang. She was accompanied by Vishwanath Shirodkar on the tabla and Seema Shirodkar on the harmonium. Photo by Dr. Virendra Mathur.
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WorldFest Fetes Diversity in Independent Film Making Houston’s 43rd Annual International Film Festival Showcases Cinematic Excellence
By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: Set vividly against the magical cityscape of Mumbai, filmmaker Saeed Mirza’s comedy Ek Tho Chance sparkles with audacious glee. This film that tells the tale of people riding the train to this vibrant city in the hope of realizing their dreams will make its US debut at the 43rd WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. Compelling and troubling, Bodhisattva, a psychological drama scripted, directed and starring young local Houston-based filmmakers San Banerje and Trisha Ray Sengupta, explores the darkness within the broken human mind and the tragic events that consequently unfold. Set in Calcutta, Boddhisattva will make its world premier at WorldFest. Also showing for the first time in the US at Worldfest is the comedy Saluun, a movie by Nikhil Bhat. Saluun is the story of Ashok, a small-town simpleton who inadvertently gets entangled in a thick web of corrupt government machinery when his road -side salon gets towed away by the local municipality. Sri Lankan Athula Liyanage’s drama Bambara Walalla, set in a rustic village in Sri Lanka is the story of an illiterate man jailed for killing his stepfather. The movie will also make its world premier at Worldfest. This year, WorldFest, one of the longest-running independent film
Right to Left: Founder of WorldFest Hunter Todd , and Artistic and Program Director Kathleen Haney, with Advisory Board Members Kalyani and Krishna Giri. Photo: Mahesh Sriramula
festivals in the world, will once again showcase the works of some of the most prodigious emerging cinematic talents from all over world. The festival will run April 9 – 18, 2010, at the AMC Studio 30 Dunvale. Founded by the charismatic award-winning producer/ director Hunter Todd nearly half a century ago to provide a quality forum for independent filmmakers, WorldFest is an annual tournament that publicly screens the winners selected by a panel of film industry judges. The festival offers so much more than film screenings. The entire movie making
process from casting, cinematography, distribution, directing, producing, and scripting is addressed in a series of world-class seminars conducted by experts in each field. All seminars will be held at the Renaissance Hotel. WorldFest is also about a calendar abundant in merrymaking and theatrics. On opening night, April 9 at the AMC Studio 30, a spirited mariachi band will serenade moviegoers while a troupe of tartan-clad bagpipers will evoke the robust Scottish highlands. The festival concludes with a glitzy Grand Awards Gala and Cocktail
Reception at the Renaissance Hotel on April 17, and a VIP NASA Space Center tour and Regatta/Barbecue at the Houston Yacht Club on April 18. The festival also promotes cultural tourism for Houston, and helps develop film production in the region to add to the rich cultural fabric of the city. WorldFest will present 55 indie films, 100 short films, and 6 film industry seminars by luminaries in their fields. Over 450 independent filmmakers from around the globe are expected to attend. Actor Benjamin Bratt (Law and Order, Ms. Congeniality, Traffic) will be present at the theater for the showing of his movie La Mission on April 13. The festival opens April 9 at 7.00pm with a dark comedy The Joneses starring Demi Moore, Lauren Hutton, and David Duchnovy. The Avati Brothers of Italy who made the movie will be in attendance opening night to receive the Remi Career Achievement Award. Jamil Dehlavi, the UKbased director of Godforsaken will also be in Houston for the duration of WorldFest. Noteworthy is it that WorldFest discovered and launched the careers of filmmaking luminaries such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lee Hancock, Ridley
Scott, Robert Rodriguez, Robert Townsend, The Coen Brothers, Brian de Palma, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, and David Lynch with their very first awards. Texas-based director Bruce Bryant will premier For The Sake Of The Song – The Story of Anderson Fair that tells of the legendary folk and acoustic music venue, Anderson Fair, which for 40 years, fostered some of the most revered performers and songwriters in the US. Point of Death by Houstonian director Corey Seymour will also debut at WorldFest this year. Other great movies to definitely consider watching are Maya (Israel), The Frost (Spain/Norway), and The Youngest Son (Italy). “We focus on a story well-told,” said WorldFest Artistic and Program Director Kathleen Haney.
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Asia Society Hosts Wharton School’s Luminary Professor Harbir Singh By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) and sponsor Wells Fargo hosted the luminary business management specialistProProf. Harbir Singh is a William fessor Harbir and Phyllis Mack Singh as part of the SpeakProfessor of Management, and er Series on Co-Director of South Asia the Mack Center at the Jufor Technological nior League Innovation at the of Houston Wharton School March 24. of the University Prof. Singh of Pennsylvania. talked to a capacity audience about The India Way: How India’s Top Business Leaders Are Revolutionizing Management, a newly released book that he co-authored. The book explores the innovative new approaches to managing business and motivating employees emerging in India. Prof. Singh is a William and Phyllis Mack Professor of Management, and Co-Director of
“We asked R. Gopalakrishna, Executive Director of Tata & Sons, the secret of his company’s success, and he said Think in English, Act Indian! The intellectual tradition is Anglo American but the action vector is in the Indian ethos,” Prof. Singh said. Indians have a willingness to risk all and the ability to compete in turbulent environments and be very flexible, added Prof Singh. The people who transformed India were individual entrepreneurs. The
Prof. Harbir Singh addressing the audience at the Asia Society luncheon. Photo: Jeff Fantich Photography
storied Wharton School lecturer told gatherees about Operation Shakthi that gave women in India the opportunity to be entrepreneurs. “It was good thinking because women overall have more impact on society than men. They have more influence on their surroundings and are therefore more effective,” said Prof. Singh. For more information about Asia Society and upcoming events, visit www.asiasociety.org.
43rd World Fest Houston International Film Festival continued from page 3
the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His main areas of research are on strategic alliance and network formation, alliance management, corporate acquisitions, management buy-outs, and corporate restructuring. “When I first came to the United States in 1980, I saw management as a western model that would illuminate the rest of the world,” said
Prof. Singh. “It was based on the Japanese management model.” Today India’s rapid growth environment with five or six decades of development condensed into about two decades tells him differently, he confided. The India Way is based on the results of interviews conducted with 150 leaders of the largest companies in India. Each was asked 12 questions and the 2500 pages of transcripts constitute their thoughts.
“In the ten days of WorldFest we can do no more than 60 films a year. We feel that it is impossible to properly emphasize individual films when the festival screening schedule is too large. We try to keep high standards and concentrate only on the very best new American and foreign independent films and honor those. The short film, Amblin that Steven Spielberg submitted and won for in 1972 would probably not make ‘the cut’ into the festival at this point in time since Indie filmmakers continually hone their craft and are all
Indo American News • Friday, april 02 , 2010 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
the more astute than ever before. I truly believe each year, the caliber of the films presented gets better and better.” Haney added. Ek Tho Chance - Wed. 4/14 @ 9.00pm & Thurs. 4/15 @ 9.00pm Saluun - Sat. 4/17@ 7.00pm & Sun 4/18 @ 5.00pm Bodhisattva - Sat. 4/17@ 7.00pm Bambara Walalla - Fri. 4/16 @ 9.00pm & Sat. 4/17 @ 9.00pm For more information about WorldFest and for a detailed calendar of events and showtimes, visit www.worldfest.org.
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Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
SOCIETY
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Telugu Cultural Association Holds Ugadi Celebrations
By Praveena Lakshmanan HOUSTON: Wearing broad smiles, dressed in glittering traditional attire- men, women and children stepped out from the Meenakshi Temple Auditorium greeting each other Vikruthinama Ugadi year usher in prosperity, peace and happiness. Ugadi marks commencement of the Hindu Lunar calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. The name Ugadi is derived from two words Yuga, represents a part of the time and Adi, means the beginning. It is on this particular day before the onset of the scorching summer that celebrates the spring. There is a lot more to Ugadi than being just a festival. This was clearly evident at the grand Ugadi celebrations hosted by the Telugu Cultural Association (TCA) of Houston on March 20. The celebrations re-
flected the faith of the people from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh; a belief in their legendary past, religion and power of worship. More than 900 individuals from different parts of Houston attended the TCA celebrations to rejoice the regalities of Ugadi. Under the leadership of TCA’s new executive committee the program left an imprint that natives will never forget. The celebration was very colorful and in full vigor. The event began with the lighting of the traditional lamp, followed by Panchangashravanam - predictions for the year by Sriman Narayanacharyulu and the classical dance Ganapathi Vandanam performance. The program included Dance -Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, games, music, fun contests, skit, mono action and
Emcees Sridhar Dadi and Sarada Akunuri entertained the audience with their strong sense of humor and tied them with emotional conversations throughout the evening.
much more, that had the audience – young and old - captivated for 7 hours. One could witness the chorus from the deeply immersed audience through out the program
for musical hits of the past and present. The ambience of the auditorium was prearranged with traditional decorations. The hall was well decorated and adorned with traditional Telugu toranalu, mango leaves leaving the audience with a distinct impression of celebrating Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh. Emcees Sridhar Dadi and Sarada Akunuri entertained the audience with their strong sense of humor and tied them with emotional conversations throughout the evening. In an opening speech TCA President Raghavender Nednur said, “We all are one family, we need to help each other. TCA will provide the platform required for each and
Indo American News • Friday, april 02 , 2010 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
everyone to progress in their personal, professional and social life. TCA will extend assistance to one and all and serve as the binding force in the community.” He also informed the audience that TCA would focus in bringing more academically oriented programs so as to encourage future generations to possess a rich educational knowledge on various social and cultural aspects. Subsequently, the current executive committee members were introduced - Raghavender Nednur – President, Karunakar Chowdavarapu – General Secretary, Raghava Reddy Solipuram – Special Projects Coordinator, continued on page
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Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
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Shantha Susarla – Treasurer, Sridhar Dadi - Cultural Secretary, Sarada Akunuri – Cultural Secretary, Sai Rachakonda – Literary Coordinator and Rama Pakala – Web In-Charge The Ugadi Patchadi competition was the highlight of the evening. The Ugadi Patchadi is a concoction of sweet and sour that is the symbolic to the ups and downs in life. It signifies the philosophy that life is a mixture of varied emotions like joy and sorrow. Numerous women participated in the event and won fabulous prices. The other delightful aspect of the
Ugadi celebrations was definitely the food and the feast. Mayuri Indian Restaurant treated the taste buds to great Ugadi delicacies. The traditional Ugadi celebration was really unique and a pleasant one indeed! The TCA has been keeping the cultural traditions alive here in the city of Houston for 33 years. TCA celebrates Sankranti, Ugadhi and conducts Telugu Literary competitions every year. In addition, TCA also hosts Vaagesyakarotsvam - an exclusive Classical Dance festival to promote Indian culture. Furthermore, in the recent years Telugu Badi – Telugu School has
been started to teach the language of Telugu to the community. Various other programs such as the launch of Madhuravani – a magazine that encourages upcoming writers, Nela Nela Venneala – a literary program by Sahithi Lokam, the literary wing of TCA and also Swaramadhuri - a musical program have been initiated. For more updates and information visit www. teluguhouston.org
Zesty Holi Celebration at UT Austin By Kokilapriya Muthukumar
AUSTIN: Hindu Students Council hosted Holi at the University of Texas at Austin on March 27th to commemorate the beginning of spring. Crowds swarmed the rang tables with hopes of holding color in their hands - color that would soon be unleashed in clouds of pink, green, red, purple, and orange chaos over the campus. First time Holi attendee, Johnathan C. Chang, exclaimed, “Holi was fantastic! I came for the first time just to see what the event was about and ended up staying the whole time. The rang, the samosas, the music - all of it was just an amazing experience. HSC did a great job with this one!” “The bright colors, loud Indian music and overall wackiness of the event created a state of euphoria and fun rarely found in any other event,” said Junior Jose Carlos Gonzales. Hindu Student Council core officer, Abhijith Ravinutala, was overwhelmed with the crowd’s intensity during the event. “I have never had so many diverse people blending
into one crowd frantically looking for that last packet of rang1. This is definitely the best Holi I have ever attended because of the sheer numbers.” Ryan Vik said “Holi was a great opportunity to meet up with people, experience a different culture, and add a little bit of color to campus life.” Holi co-chairs Bharat Pallod and Saagar Grover were enthralled about the turnout this year. “We have gotten to see a large and consistent growth in attendance for many years now,” said Bharat Pallod. “We probably had around 1100 attendees this year, from 700 a year ago, and there is still room for growth. Its really gratifying to see such success after we put in months of work to raise $4,000 from the University to put on our event.” The event started with an opening prayer, Sahana Vavatu, and ended with the Lakshmi Aarathi. This year there was over 225 lbs of rang, 2,500 water balloons distributed. The event was a success for HSC and all who attended. Robert Huynh said “I was completely shocked by the chaos and
emotions that ran rampant with the event. Partaking and simply being at the event evoked a colorful experience that would not have been possible without HSC.” Apoorva Murthy, HSC President was happy to see so many people walk away from her event with a greater appreciation for Hindu culture. “It sounds corny, but everyone comes to Holi looking different, but by the end, we all look the same”.
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21st Century Not China’s but India’s: Senator John Cornyn at India House
HOUSTON: Regretting what he called a “strategic drift” in Washington, a powerful US Senator has said that India is America’s not only regional but global partner. “President (George W) Bush saw India as a partner on many issues that reached far beyond South Asia - never made a mistake of considering India as a regional partner,” Senator John Cornyn told gathering at the India House’s fifth annual gala. Despite the chilly breeze and teeth-biting cold, hundreds of Indian Americans gathered in full enthusiasm and glamour to witness a part of their identity being unfold at the Indian House opening ceremony, a landmark project, which has been a cherished dream for nearly three decades. India House, considered as the realisation of the dream of over 120,000 Indian Americans in Houston, held a sold out fund-raising gala and the official opening ceremony of the O P Jindal Center, Phase I over the weekend. Considered a monument to the community’s united efforts, the fund-raising event marked the
completion of Phase one of India House, named after O P Jindal. Senator Cornyn performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting formalities to officially inaugurate the O P Jindal Center in the presence of various dignitaries that include, Consul General of India Sanjiv Arora, Congressman Pete Olso, Harris Couty Judge Ed Emmett and Prithviraj Jindal. “India House represents an achievement of the Indo-American community - and a gift to all the people of Greater Houston, where young people can learn about the wonders of Ancient India - and the promise of modern India,” said Cornyn, Co-founder of the India Caucus in the US Senate. “As the Indo-American community has grown, the ties between Greater Houston and India have deepened as well. In total trade between Houston and India was valued at more than USD 2.6 billion, while over 350 Houston companies do business in India,” he said. “The United States and India are natural partners and shared common values. Our nations have only scratched the surface of our
potential for partnership. We condemn extremism, terrorism and all the ideologies of hatred - and we choose to work together to create a more stable and hopeful world,” he said. “What America should not do is encourage the view that there’s some sort of contest between India and China. The truth is, there is no contest - because India is on the rise, and China is on the bubble,” he said. He said India, like the United States, is a much younger society for we recognise that our children are the greatest natural resource of any nation. I don’t see the 21st Century being the China Century. It’s the first India Century. It’s the next American Century’. And it can be both - at the same time - if together we work together to make it ‘The Freedom Century’, he said. President of India House Ashok Dhingra welcomed the attendees and recognised major donors, the Jindal family of India and Chowdary Yalamachili, who had each committed a million dollars for the project.- ET
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Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
Ram Navami Mela at Govindaji Gaudiya Matha HOUSTON: This past Saturday, the 27th March 2010 between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm, a momentous occasion took place in the northwest section of Houston near the intersection of Highway 6 and Keith Harrow. The location was 16628 Kieth Harrow, the site where a temple is about to start construction. The site had three large tents which were decorated with streamers and balloons to give the festive look of a Mela, giving people the impression of being transported to the site of a Mela in
lodious recitation of Sunderkand in the morning at 9:00 a.m. followed by an auspicious Yagna at 11:00 a.m. This was followed by Ram Abhishek and Ram Janam celebrations at 12:00 noon. A high school band, arranged by Rashmi Sharma added to the joyous occasion by playing along . This event was followed by a presentation about the Matha (temple) . The Matha in Houston is being established to provide spiritual and cultural inspiration for all Houstonians. It shall have separate altars for the worship of Sri Radha
India. The first tent (Pandal) had an altar where miniature forms of the three deities that shall reside at the temple were depicted along with the photograph of the current Guru of Gaudiya Matha, Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Narayan Maharaj . In the center were the deities of Lord Ram, Laxman , Sita ji and Hanuman. The main tent also had a three dimensional model of the proposed temple along with the drawings of the elevation and the plan of the temple. The proposed temple shall have the identical architecture as a beautiful temple in Govardhan, India near Vrindavan. It is expected that the temple in Houston shall be completed by next year. The day started with a beautiful spiritual Kirtan lead by Jhanvi who flew down from Los Angles for the occasion, followed by me-
Govinda ji, Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri Sita Ram, Lakshman, & Hanumanji. This would be the first Vedic temple and cultural center to be constructed in the West from the ground up. In Webster’s dictionary,the word “culture”is defined as “the customary beliefs,social forms and traits of a racial ,religious,or social group.”The word” Veda” literally means” knowledge” and refers to the most ancient and comprehensive teachings both material and spiritual known to mankind. In Chapter 15 of the great epic, Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna tells His friend and disciple Arjuna,”I am the compiler of the Vedas.”So factually, true”Vedic culture” refers to the teachings presented by Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself for the guidance and upliftment of human race. This is substantiated as
well in the holy scripture of Ramayan in the ‘Uttarkand’. Everyone present was inspired not only by the festive atmosphere, but by the proposed vision to establish a pure Vedic cultural and educational center in Houston. When fully developed the site will not only have the temple but also be an education and cultural center, have an ashram, vedic museum , art gallary etc. Our Indian culture steeped as it is in spiritual values offers the most wonderful and attractive lifestyle in terms of its art, theater and social customs, which this Matha shall be striving for to present and promote. It is expected that this Center shall in time become the main center of the Gaudiya Sampradaya in the Americas, spreading the Vedic Knowledge , love for each other and for God. It is the wish of the congregation of the Matha, that people of all backgrounds can come together in a spirit of harmony and extended family to create a wonderful institution that will provide shelter, inspiration and guidance for all; especially our children who are surrounded by Western culture, in USA. Many people attending the festival expressed their appreciation at the construction of an institution that will counter the influences of non-vedic culture that we all live in. Much support was pledged and a spirit of hope and goodwill was generated for reclaiming our cultural wealth in our own lives and preserving it for our children and future generations. One of the most auspicious moments of the festival came when a number of devotees present at the site, sponsored bricks ($1,008.00) to help in the construction of the temple. It was a breathtaking sight to see a long line of the devotees each carrying a brick appropriately decorated , writing the name of Lord Ram on it and placing it at the bottom of the specially dug pit exactly where the altar shall be built. While a Sanyasi ( Avadhoot Maharaj) recited the Mantras , several brahamcharis (Prangovinda Prabhu, Ahbiram Prabhu and Brajendranandan Prabhu) and Board members assisted the percontinued on page
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sons sponsoring the bricks as each of them placed their brick on the ground in the pit . At the end of the ceremony, a time capsule containing the names of all the sponsoring devotees and their family members was placed beside the bricks by the Board members of the Matha ( Dr. & Mrs.Arun Verma, Dr. & Mrs.Tanmoy Chakravorty, Dr. & Mrs. Vishnu Budhiraja, Dr. & Mrs. Umesh Bhatia, Mr. & Mrs. Sushil Aggarwal, Mr. & Mrs. Babu Patel , before the pit was finally covered up. The life of the sealed capsule is expected to exceed 500 years. The Mela festivities really got started after the spiritual program in the morning. A second tent at the site housed various food vendors ( Udipi, Bhojan and a host of other vendors) where delicious eatables were for sale. A third tent had a number of booths where a number of games were set up for children and adults to play and enjoy. Beautiful spiritual art paintings were also on display and sale, in the afternoon. These pieces of art had been prepared by Shyamarani Dasi, a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Narayan Maharaj . These paintings are a true work of art with minute details and dripping with the feelings of spirituality. The temple grounds also had a number of ponies ( arranged by Poonam Dewan) which entertained children with pony rides throughout the day. The children enjoyed so much that they were still seen to be riding them well
Photos by Bijay Dixit
beyond the closing time of 6:00 p.m. During the entire 9 hours of the Mela, the Hummer of Music Masala was parked on the grounds with a DJ providing entertainment and music to the crowds. Sunil T also came in the afternoon to entertain the crowds along with the finalists of Music Ka Maha Mukabla, who sang beautiful songs . In the afternoon, a dance drama was presented on Ram Lila by the children of Sri Natraj school of dance ( Mrs. Kusum Sharma) , which moved the audience to tears and kept them captivated by the spiritual message delivered by the dance by children dressed up as various characters in the epic holy granth ; Ramayana. Several more dances were also presented by students from Supradipta Datta’s dance school , ‘ Kalaangan’. The audience was captivated by the dresses and the art
form presented by these dances Another momentous occasion was at 4:30p.m. in the afternoon when children dressed up as Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman were taken on a “Ram Shobha Yatra” ,where a decorated open vehicle was taken around the grounds with the crowd following behind doing kirtan and Jai Jai Kar of Lord Shri
Ram. During the entire day more than 2,000 people attended and enjoyed various components of the Mela. Several people including Dr. Virendra Mathur ( the eminent cardiologist in Houston) , members representing Hindus of Greater Houston, Art of living and people all over Houston attending the Mela , commented that they had never seen Ram Navami Mela being celebrated at such a large scale and attended by so many people in Houston. The event was supported by all religious organizations in Houston and the Gaudiya Matha Organizers want to thank all these organizations and several individuals for their support. The Organizers also want to sincerely thank the radio stations operated by Meena Dutt, Sunil T, Shobha Joshi, Dr. Khambhatti, Jai Narayan and others for their assistance in spreading the word. Several people requested the Matha to make this an annual event of the Gaudiya Matha. Dr. Verma responded by saying that with Lord Ram’s grace the next year’s Ram Navami will indeed be celebrated in the newly constructed temple.
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‘World’s Fastest Indian’s Nascar Debut
Karthikeyan finishes 13th at Martinsville Speedway in the Kroger 250 Martinsville, VA: (March 28, 2010) History was made on Saturday as Narain Karthikeyan became the first ever Indian-born driver to compete in a NASCAR Series. Karthikeyan debuted in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on March 27 in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Virginia, USA) Speedway. Driving the No. 60 SafeAuto Chevrolet Silverado, Karthikeyan finished in 13th place after staring in the 11th spot. “This kind of racing is completely Narain Karthikeyan different from what I am used to, a lot of shoving and tained minimal damage and was banging, but once I started running able to continually press forward it felt good. My goal today was to gain track position. “The biggest thing I saw with to stay out of trouble, finish the race and do the best that I could. Narain today was his composure” I am very happy to have finished said Crew Chief, Chad Kendrick. the race in the 13th spot,” said “Through all of the hits and spinouts, he never waivered, never lost Karthikeyan following the race. At the conclusion of the race, his temper, never got flustered. He Starbeast Motorsports Team Own- just stayed focused. He is deterer, Miguel Abaroa, said, “We are mined to do well and you could very proud of him and the result he tell throughout the day. This being got today. To finish 13th out of 36 his first time at Martinsville and in trucks at Martinsville in his first a stock car race, this is an unbeever NASCAR race is incredible! lievable finish.” Veteran NASCAR driver, Stacy We threw him to the wolves by starting him here and he responded Compton of Wyler Racing, served very well. We couldn’t be more ex- as Narain’s spotter during the race cited to have Narain representing and was pleased with the outcome Starbeast and we see a very bright of the race, as well as Karthikeyan’s ability to adapt quickly to future for him in NASCAR.” At only half a miles in length, driving in a stock car in such a Martinsville Speedway is thought tough environment. “He was patient when he needto be one of the toughest tracks on the circuit. The race track known ed to be today and did a good job as “The Paperclip” delivered its of racing this race track. Certainly share of bumps and bruises to this was a very impressive run for the NASCAR Rookie. In Lap him,” said Compton. Karthikeyan will race in at least 114, Karthikeyan got caught up in a wreck but managed to avoid nine more NASCAR truck races major damage. Lap 152 saw him this season with his next race bescrap the inside of the backstretch ing on May 2 at Kansas Speedway. wall while his truck got loose and The Kansas race will be shown in was turned backward in Lap 200. India on NEO Sports and in the Through it all, Karthikeyan sus- USA on Speed Channel.
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society
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Seetha-Rama Kalyanam Celebrated at Meenakshi Temple
By Vivek Natarajan PEARLAND: The Hindu religion is unique in its tradition of celebrating divine weddings. Why do we celebrate celestial weddings? This is a very pertinent question. We do so for the love of God; it serves as a reminder to us of the eternal message of love and the union of the soul (jeevatma) with the divine (paramatma). Of all the divine weddings, the most celebrated one is Shri Seetha- Rama kalyanam- the celestial wedding of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu with Seetha Devi-an incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Although, this wedding took place ages ago, it is remembered fondly even today and songs (for example, Sita Kalyana Vaibhogame) extolling this wedding are sung even to this day and age during Hindu wedding ceremonies. The tradition of celebration of Shri Seetha-Rama Kalyanam was started by Shri Bhadrachala Ramadas at the Bhadrachalam Shri Rama temple. It was in this spirit that Sri Meenakshi Temple Society conducted the Shri Seetha-Rama Kalyanam on the 27th March, Saturday, 2010. The event began with the traditional seeru varisai- a procession of fruits, flowers, sweets, new clothes, and gifts for the groom from the Ganesha temple. It was led by the son-father duo of Shyam Murali and Bala Murali from Dallas on the Saxophone and Thavil
tion of the lineages for the three generations of both the groom and the bride. They then moved to tie the Raksha Sutram- a wristband Seeru varisai- a procession of gifts for the of sorts wedding. that attests to the Rajeshwari Bhat led by their teacher along with resolve of the sponsoring devothe students of the MTS tees to perform the holy wedding. Rama & Seetha as bride and groom on Vedic Heritage class led by This was followed by the ritual of the Silver Chariot the their assembly teacher, Kanyadaanam. According to the Smt. Vyjayanthi Vivek, priest Shri Narayanacharyalu, the (an Indian percussion instrument) were on stage to recite the Nama tradition of giving one’s daughrespectively. Shyam, a student at Ramayanam-a compilation of the ter in marriage (Kanyadaanam) Vanderbilt University, received his entire story of the Shrimad Rama- is one that confers great merits, initial training in carnatic music yana in 108 names brilliantly au- and if one is performing the cefrom Late. Mrs. Indu Krishnamur- thored by Pandit Lakshmanachar. lestial wedding, the merits cannot thy-a longtime resident of Houston This is set to mellifluous music and be even described. At this time, and he did his teacher proud with was popularized by Late Smt. M.S. a group of singers led by Mrs. his good choice of songs with the Subbulakshmi- the great carnatic Anuradha Subramaniam and acright tempo and was ably supported singer. The kids did full justice to companied by Mr. Mahesh Iyer on by his father. Once the procession this musical with their soulful and the violin were on stage to render reached the Kalyana Mandapam enthusiastic singing and stole the the traditional Utsava Sampracomplex, it was eagerly received hearts of all the assembled devo- daya krithis- a set of devotional and the events commenced there tees who joined them. The teach- compositions composed by Saint with a Vishwaksena Pooja to ward ers need to be complimented for Tyagaraja. This classical rendition off all obstacles to this ritualistic such good training and hopefully, suffused the atmosphere with deevent and Punyahavachanam to we can look forward to many more votional music and enhanced the purify the ritual space. ambience of the event. The high participation by the kids. At this time, a group of kids The priests then did the point was the mangalya dharancomprising of students of Smt. Choornikai/Pravaram, a recita- am- the tying of the holy thread
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by Shri Rama to Seetha Devi. The priests then followed it up with the homam- holy fire ceremony, akstharaponam- sprinkling of holy rice, and mangalaharathi. The deities were then taken around the MTS temple complex in the silver chariot- ratham pulled by eager devotes to the cries of Jai Shri Ram- Victory to Lord Rama. As always, the celestial wedding concluded with a sumptuous repast of Kalyana Sapadu- wedding feast, planned by the MTS Food committee led by Malar Narayanan, complete with various dishes and desserts prepared and served by MTS staff and volunteers. Repetition of the name of Shri Rama itself puts one on the path to salvation. Here, we had the fortune of seeing Lord Rama as a groom and going around in the chariot as Rajarama- the emperor of hearts on the Ratham and finally, partaking of his wedding feast. I am counting my blessings as are others I am sure. The MTS Pooja Committee, especially Smt. Bala Chavali and Smt. Ranjana Narasiman and the priests Doraiswamy Bhattar, Narayanacharyalu, and Santhana Bhattar, staff members Jagdish, Ponnraj, Palani and Kumaravel deserve our gratitude for planning and organizing this event with the support of the board, the administrators and the volunteers. These events really enrich our lives and nourish our souls.
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society
Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
Daya Sowing Seeds of Hope
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$80,000 raised at Daya’s annual fund raiser gala featuring stand-up comedian Paul Verghese By Kalyani Giri HOUSTON: Distinguished, essential, and empowering, Daya has come of age. And cognizant of the non-profit humanitarian organization’s superlative relevance in turning lives around, the generous in their glamorous finery gathered at the Chateau Crystale Ballroom on March 28 and conspired to help make Daya’s 14th anniversary elegant and unforgettable. In support of the organization’s zerotolerance stance against domestic violence, the funds raised at the annual event Seeds of Hope, about $80,000, will help further Daya’s noble mission to promote healthy family relationships to women and children whose lives are impacted by family violence and sexual assault. Gala co-chairs this year were Renu Sood and Purvi Patel. During the social hour preceding the event, guests perused and bid on items of artwork, collectables, and airline tickets at the silent auction set up in the foyer, a first for Daya. Mistress of Ceremonies was Samia Adil who welcomed gatherees. The program began with a documentary about Daya’s crucial role in the community; onscreen, founding member Lakshmy Parameswaran gave gatherees insights into the various services offered to clients of the organization. Also interviewed for the documentary were actual clients
Gala co-chairs Renu Sood and Purvi Patel along with Daya staff member Amber Riaz (center)
Daya, recognized dignitaries present. They included the Consul General of Pakistan Mohammad Aqil Nadeem, Chayya Arora (wife of Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India), city officials, leaders of various organizations, and corporate sponsor representatives. “People ask if domestic violence is really such a problem in our community. Who are our clients? They are educated professionals
Stand-up comedian Paul Varghese
of Daya who approached the organization for help and now live abuse-free. “Daya became my extended family. What Daya did for me I shall never forget - maybe someday I can help change someone’s life the way they did for me,” confided an unnamed woman tearfully, whose husband beat and isolated her. Nighat R. Ahmed, President of
and homemakers, they may be newly weds. Domestic violence is an equal opportunity problem,” said Ahmed. “Daya does not influence clients to leave their homes. We offer marital counseling and only as a last resort do we offer women alternatives for their own safety,” she clarified. In 2009 Daya received a total of 6,922 calls from clients and through outreach programs. Last year Daya’s legal clinic helped
118 women with immigration and family law issues. Last year, a fire destroyed much of the Daya offices; the organization is operating out of temporary premises. A primary goal is to relocate to a larger office where Daya staff and volunteers can resume ESL and computer classes and job skills lessons to clients. Co-treasurer of Daya, Sesh Bala explained to gatherees the concept
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FBI Arrests Chicago Cab Driver of Pakistan Origin Daya Sowing Seeds of Hope Raja Lahrasib Khan, 56, for Links to Al-Qaeda dress. Her office has helped womCHICAGO (Outlook): A Chicago taxi driver of Pakistani origin, who claims to have known Al-Qaeda-linked HuJI chief Ilyas Kashmiri for 15 years, was arrested here by the FBI on charges of providing material support and funds to the terror outfit of Osama bin Laden. Raja Lahrasib Khan, 56, was arrested from downtown Chicago as he was waiting in his cab for customers. Later in the day, he was produced before US Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown for his initial court appearance at US District court here. Half-bald, with a short white beard, Khan, attired in blue track pants, a check shirt and blue jacket, was seen talking to staff attorney Daniel Mclaughlin, who was appointed for him under the Federal Defender’s programme. The judge asked Khan - against whom a 35-page complaint affidavit was filed - to state his name and age and informed him of his rights. He told the judge that he is a US citizen and “does not have a dual Pakistani citizenship”. Federal prosecutors then read out the charges against Khan, who said “yes” he understood them. The court granted the prosecutors’ request to “detain Khan pending trial in the case” as he could be a “danger to the community”. Khan, a resident of the city’s
Raja Lahrasib Khan has been arrested in Chicago for alleged links to Al-Qaeda.
north side, was charged with two counts of providing material support to terrorism in a criminal complaint that was filed on Friday in US District Court and unsealed yesterday following his arrest. Each count of providing material support to a foreign terror group carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a USD 250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Khan, who became a naturalised US citizen in 1988, also allegedly discussed attacking
a stadium in the US this summer, officials said. Khan is being held at the federal lock-up Metropolitan Correctional Centre where 26/11 plotter David Coleman Headley and co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana are also detained. His arrest came five months after Headley and Rana were held. A US Attorney’s office spokesman said Khan works for a “small cab company that runs a couple of taxis. Khan drives one of the cabs”. The US Attorney’s office said investigation leading to Khan’s arrest is unrelated to the terrorism charges against Rana and Headley in connection with the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai and a plot to attack targets in Denmark. “While there was no imminent danger in the Chicago area or elsewhere, these charges, once again, affirm that law enforcement must remain constantly vigilant to guard against domestic support of foreign terrorist organisations,” US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald said. FBI’s Special Agent-in-Charge in Chicago Robert Grant said over the past six months, FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country have “disrupted plots, charged and apprehended a number of individuals and secured significant intelligence, which has been of benefit here and to our allies overseas”.
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of a transitional home. “It is a secure place where a woman rests safely as she rebuilds her life. Her basic needs are met, she receives counseling, job skills training,” said Bala. He added that Daya had rented a place dubbed Harmony House from 2007 to 2009 and had 12 clients live there over a period of 1487 (overlap) days over two years. The pilot project worked well, said Bala, but the facility had to be closed in September 2009 due to some setbacks that the organization endured. Daya is looking to purchase a 3 – 5 bedroom house that could accommodate 8 to 10 women at the same time. The organization will be able to spend about $150,000 to $250,000 for the house that Daya hopes to own completely within one year. IACF has already pledged $20,000 for the capital campaign kick-off for the transitional home. Additionally some of Daya’s board members and advisory board made pledges for a total of $30,000. Second generation supporters Ashok Parameswaran of New York and Charu Verma of Houston each pledged $5000. Bala requested that the community help by donating funds toward the transitional home project. Keynote speaker for the evening Jennifer B. Varela, Director of Family Violence Services at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, delivered the keynote ad-
Indo American News • Friday, april 02 , 2010 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
en from over 70 countries, she confided. She lauded Daya’s strong and determined voice against domestic violence. “All want the most basic and fundamental right to be safe in their homes,” said Varela. “We can all make a difference just by being here. We can do great things in a small way, person to person, but we must start somewhere,” she added. Past President of Daya Dr. Padmini Nathan recognized the founders of Daya and the current board of directors. She also welcomed to the stage, Daya staff members Meghna Goswami (Client Services Coordinator), Nusrat Ameen (Client Advocate and Transitional Home Coordinator), and Amber Riaz (Community Development Coordinator) and commended them for their dedication to Daya’s cause. Entertainment for the evening featured stand-up comedian Paul Varghese whose witty observations about being Indian introduced levity to the program. His spiel, suitably toned down to fit the occasion, was well received. Colorfully dressed, the Houston International Folk Dancers presented ethnic dances from all over the world. Dinner was provided by Mumbai Spice Restaurant. For more information about Daya, visit www.dayahouston.org or call (713) 981 7645.
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SOCIETY
Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
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Pearland’s Aditya Chemudupaty Wins Houston PBS Spelling Bee with ‘Verism’ PEARLAND: By spelling the word verism, Aditya Chemudupaty from Pearland, an eighth grader at Nolan Ryan Junior High School in Alvin ISD, won the 2010 HoustonPBS Spelling Bee over the weekend. Chemudupaty, who also won last year’s HoustonPBS Spelling Bee, was one of 56 spellers from 42 counties competing in the bee which was televised live on HoustonPBS/Channel 8 on Saturday, March 27. He advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where last year he finished in the top 12 in the Aditya Chemudupaty with his trophy. country. The Scripps The HoustonPBS Spelling Bee is the National Spelling Bee is the nation’s third largest Bee in the country with highest-profile academic event. 1,049 schools participating. This is By winning the HoustonPBS the second year the station has served Spelling Bee Chemudupaty won as sponsor. an all-expenses-paid trip for two to “We feel the Spelling Bee fits perWashington, D.C. to represent Hous- fectly with our educational mission ton at the Scripps National Spelling to empower, engage and enrich the Bee during Bee Week, which runs lives of the people in Southeast Texas. from June 1-4. He will compete We want to wish Aditya the best of against 274 fellow spellers from all luck as he heads to Washington for over the country for over $35,000 in Bee Week,” said John Hesse, General cash and prizes. Manager at HoustonPBS.
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Nuclear Summer After more than nine months of tedious wrangling and patient negotiation, India and the US have finally reached an agreement granting India the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. It caps the groundbreaking Indo-US civil nuclear agreement that gave us access to nuclear fuel and technology. The deal was intended to inaugurate billions of dollars worth of nuclear commerce between the two countries, but had been stuck so far because of India’s discomfort with American oversight (there will be none, India will only answer to the IAEA in Vienna) and US concerns about proliferation. For India, a concrete arrangement on reprocessing terms was vital before buying reactors, to avoid another Tarapore — where we bought American nuclear reactors but US policy did not allow us to reprocess or return the fuel. This arrangement lays down some safeguards to address concerns that the fuel could be diverted towards a weapons programme. India has also bargained and won the right to more than one reprocessing plant, given the risk of transporting nuclear material. Pushing these through has been a wrenching affair in the US, and now the burden shifts to India, which must complete the process and enact a nuclear liability bill to begin brisk nuclear business between the two countries. Such a law is necessary to lay the foundations of nuclear industry, to create an insurance sector, and allow for private participation. While it has been unfairly cast as a favour to American business interests, it is patently in our own interests to get nuclear business going. Even as we can now transact with Russia and France, it is worth underscoring the fact that this exchange would not have materialised without American heavy-lifting in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The US ambassador greeted the news as part of the “great, win-win narrative of the US-India global partnership” — and indeed, in swatting down its own non-proliferation chorus, and offering India a model that has only been held out to Europe and Japan so far, the US has clearly signalled its investment in the relationship. India would do well to stand by its friends. Times of India
India’s Amazing Census
Come April, when enumerators land up at President Pratibha Patil’s with an exhaustive questionnaire, this country’s decennial exercise in profiling itself would have begun. The scope of the exercise is mind-boggling enough to bear a recap each decade. So, for Census 2011 there shall be more than 21 lakh enumerators spanning across 5,716 tehsils, 7,742 towns and 60,876 villages. Together, their efforts will once again pixellate the combined profile of 1.20 billion people.
e d ito r i a l
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Amitabh Bachchan Speaks Out By Amitabh Bachchan Yes, I have been invited through formal government procedure by the Chief Minister of Gujarat to promote tourism in the State of Gujarat. Yes I have accepted it. And yes I shall go ahead and do it. I am promoting tourism for Gujarat. I am not promoting the politics or the governance of Mr Narendra Modi the Chief Minister, or Mr Narendra Modi the individual. Gujarat does not belong to Mr Modi. It belongs to India and I as a proud citizen of my country have every constitutional right to promote a part of my country. Mr Modi is a democratically elected and constitutionally appointed head of the State, if people have a problem with him, why did you elect him ? If he has done some wrong conduct a legal enquiry and let the law of the land take its normal course. We will honor and have faith in the law of the land. But if you are going to abuse and attack me for associating myself with Gujarat because you find fault in Mr Modi its Chief Minister, then please also abuse and attack all others that associate themselves with Gujarat. If you question the appointment of Mr Modi as the democratically elected constitutional head of a State, then please question every democratically elected honorable member of the legislative Assembly and Parliament. I am an apolitical person. I was in politics but resigned from it, and have accepted my failure. Ever since leaving politics I have never partaken in any political activity, never made any political statement or shown public allegiance to any political outfit. As a citizen of this country I have a confidential right in not divulging publically my political allegiance, that is if I have any. Gujarat was there before Mr Modi and shall remain even after him. The divine temple of Somnath in Gujarat was not built personally by Mr Modi, nor did he construct the ancient civilizations of Haraapa, nor did he have a hand in the existence of the lost city of Dwarka, or the beauteous white soils of the Rann of Kutch, and neither did he order the construction of the largest number of heritage sites in the State.
I shall follow what my individual right as a human describes for me. I shall follow the law of the land and I shall conduct myself within those constitutional boundaries. I shall follow my conscience and my conscience says that I am doing no wrong !
These are all vital important and exquisite jewels in the crown of the majestic State of Gujarat, in the most beautiful country of the World, India, and I want to see .. who is going to stop me from glorifying them !! ATTACK ME, ABUSE ME, CRUCIFY ME … DO WHAT YOU CAN AND WILL … I SHALL NOT STOP. I AM GOING TO DO IT !! Stop distorting the meaning of the word ‘Brand Ambassador’. It is an ambiguous English language word that does not carry the sentiment with which I commit myself. It has been used in formal communication for ease of reference. I do not give any value to the title or to its meaning. I give value to the job and work that has been assigned to me. Every single citizen of this country is its Brand Ambassador and those that challenge this claim are the disgustful reprehensive traitors of the nation, not those that are ‘mischievously and callously insinuated’. If I do wrong, if my conduct is not within legal dictat, punish me. But, if you shall pass extra constitutional judgment on me, I am not prepared to respect it or give it ear. As an individual of a free nation you will have the right to express it, but I will not be obliged to accept it. I shall follow what my individual right as a human describes for me. I shall follow the law of the land and I shall conduct myself within those constitutional boundaries. I shall follow my conscience and my conscience says
IndoAmerican News Publisher Emeritus: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Business Manager: Jawahar Malhotra Marketing Manager: Krishna Giri Community Reporter: Kalyani Giri Community Editor: Manasi Gokhale Administrative Manager: Vanshika Vipin Marketing & Food Correspondent: Jacob David Production Manager: Hussain Mandviwala correspondents Chicago: Nand Kapoor Ottawa: Avinash Gavai ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com
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that I am doing no wrong !! I do not do any wrong in accepting a formal government invitation from the concerned minister of the State of Kerala, to become a spokesperson for the enhancement of tourism in ‘god’s own country’. I shall talk and make promotional films for the State enumerating the beauty of this wonderful destination. Just as I will for the State of Gujarat. If the political governance of the State feels, albeit wrongly, that by my doing this it is tantamount to associating with Mr Modi’s personal acts or his political allegiances, then that is a very immature and myopic assumption. Even so, if this is what the Government of Kerala or its ruling political party feels, I shall respect their decision. I have given my acceptance without any personal consideration in return. There are no financial dealings that I demand. I do all these acts for love of country and state. It is the same for Gujarat and all the other states that I have worked for. It is not my job to inform the public what I do or do not do for the State of Maharashtra or for the city of Mumbai. If others are unaware of it, they must improve their homework. Charity needs to be done not talked about. However, if there are issues raised which in the eyes of the others, have been seen as derogatory in any manner, I have not hesitated to apologize and seek forgiveness. I or any member of my family has never been responsible for such act, deliberately or with ulterior intent. If some think that we have, point it out to me, I shall study merit and make amends willfully. But if you are going out to fish for such deeds, read more than what is expressed, there will be a hundred incidents that could be exploited and reacted to. Give me any act of any one, and I shall find fault in it. It is the easiest weapon that language and act impinges upon us humans. I am a civil person and will expect civility. Individual acclaim comes to me from my audiences, from my fans, from my Extended Family on this blog, but its recognition has always been for fraternity and country. Am I doing some wrong ? Big Adda
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ADVICE
Indo American News • Friday, April 02 , 2010
Ignore Tax Implications at Your Own Peril
By Jay Kabad, CFP Recently, my client called me to say he wanted to withdraw $ 25,000 from his accounts. He had invested $300,000 each in two accounts, one a fixed annuity which had given a fixed interest of 3.5% over the last 4 years and the other a portfolio of stocks and bonds. The client needed the money right away and was not concerned about the tax implications. Secondly, as he had entrusted the money to me, he expected me to help him make the best decision. Since the fixed annuity had generated interest over the last 4 years, the entire withdrawal would be taxable (last in first out rules for nonqualified annuities), but as the market value of the portfolio of stocks and bonds had just gone below the initial investment amount due to market conditions, any withdrawal would not be taxable. Very simply, the client had no idea about tax consequences and was only interested in getting the money right away, it made sense to withdraw the money from the portfolio of stocks and bonds. By selecting the right account from which to withdraw the amount, the client being in a 28% tax bracket had saved or at least deferred taxes of $7000! The above example is a simple illustration of why one should pay particular attention to his or her taxes. The tax code after all is thousands of pages long and growing! It is superfluous to say that the tax code is confusing. It is reported that even the employees of the Internal Revenue Service will not be able to give guidance or advice with regard to a plethora of tax issues. One of the most ignored or overlooked tax issues that I see is in the investment area. A typical example is someone who has a number of non qualified accounts with stocks and bonds. I ask these people if they or their advisors have done any ‘gain-loss offset’ or ‘loss harvesting” during or at the end of the year. Generally, the answer to this question is they ‘look’ at their taxes or the CPA manages the taxes and files the return. This is simply not enough. As an example, a client had a nonqualified taxable account with a particular stock that he had purchased in the ‘90s and had done remarkably well. But then he had other stocks that had gone down in value in 2008 and had an “unrealized loss” situation of about $ 15,000. The logic to sell the stock (that had done well) and offset the ensuing gain of about $
15,000 by selling other investments and realizing a loss was compelling. Therefore, capital gains taxes on the sale of the stock that had performed well were saved. In addition, one could buy the stock (which had done well) back immediately to raise the “basis’ for that particular stock. (It should be noted that wash sale rules do not prevent this particular stock being bought immediately as it had a gain, these rules however apply to sale and buy back of investments that involve a loss) We are talking about pro-actively trying to manage taxes in the investment accounts as well as the total financial situation and not reactively after the fact. While the examples above may seem almost too simple to understand, there are many tax traps in the tax codes. I list a few that one may want to consider in his or her planning. The list is by no means complete or comprehensive of the tax planning issues that are out there: 1. The tax rates change every few years. One’s own income may also vary over the years. Therefore tax planning is a dynamic process that is very time sensitive. What may apply by a certain date each year may not apply beyond that date or beyond the year. 2. Many of the tax rules will “sunset”at the end of this year. This is with particular regard to the taxation of dividends, income and estate taxes. Most people expect the tax rates to go up in 2011. It is very important to do some advance planning for the tax changes that will occur in 2011. 3. Roth conversion opportunity starts this year, without regard to income limitations. Taxes will generally apply. 4. If one is in a potential ‘estatetax’ situation, pay attention to gifting opportunities (gift exclusions), which are available on an annual basis and expire at the end of each year. Many people in a potential ‘estate tax’ situation ignore these gifting opportunities. 5. Determine the ‘basis’ of all your Investments in accounts with aftertax money (non qualified), so one can plan for tax planning opportunities in the account. Many people are not aware of the tax planning opportunities available to them as they have ignored the cost basis of their accounts 6. Be aware of life insurance policies where ‘policy loans’ of the cash
value have been made and then let to expire for non-payment of premiums. One may be hit with ‘an ‘imputed interest’ tax liability. 7. Non-qualified or non –IRA annuities present some tax issues that one needs to be careful particularly with respect to withdrawals and transfers . 8. For retirement income distributions, location of the assets whether they be non-qualified accounts (and its composition) or IRA accounts is a particularly important consideration As the tax laws are complex and the nuances are many, it makes sense to consult a qualified tax or financial advisor. Lastly, it is important to evaluate one’s own situation with regard to taxes and make appropriate decisions. Ignoring the impact of taxes may be perilous to your fiscal health ! Note: The examples used in this article are for illustrative purposes only. Your results will vary. Fixed Annuities are long-term investment vehicles designed for retirement purposes. Gains from tax-deferred investments are taxable as ordinary income upon withdrawal. Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing company. Withdrawals made prior to age 59 ½ are subject to 10% IRS penalty and surrender charges may apply. Stock investing involves risk including loss of principal. Bonds are subject to market and interest rate risk if sold prior to maturity. Bond values will decline as interest rates rise and are subject to availability and change in price. Jay Kabad, CFP®, is President of Jaykay Wealth Advisors, Inc, a Houstonbased wealth management firm. He received his Graduate degree from IIT Madras and an MBA from University of Pittsburgh, PA in 1980 and has been in business for 27 years. He is a Financial Advisor with LPL Financial and can be contacted at 713-780-4575. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only
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canada
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Canada to Dig Deep in India’s Mining Industry Canada is the dominant super power when it comes to mining. And this isn’t the kind of primitive, highly unsafe mining that most people visualize through watching movies and television. Canada succeeds where even other industrialised nations such as the United States fall short; with the latest know-how and technology in mining research, execution and safety techniques. More than 60 percent of the world’s mining companies are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. However, in recent times Canadian
giants. Earlier this month, the 78th Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference took place, the largest in history with an estimated 22,000 delegates from more than 100 countries. Along with China, the undoubted star of the conference was India, which has now started to punch above its weight, by virtue of its increasing appetite for minerals. “India provides the best opportunity and ideal conditions for foreign investors to invest in the country
strength in this field has often translated into an incredibly aggressive approach to the acquisition of mining rights across the world, especially in Central and South America where its has often fallen foul of social activists and environmentalists. These groups claim that large scale mining for precious metals and other economically valuable resources has threatened to tear down the delicate social and natural fabric of areas affected by drilling and extraction. And now, as this industry undergoes a dramatic recovery from last year’s recession, India has been thrust into the mining rabbit hole, especially in terms of the interest it has garnered from Canadian mining
at minimum risk,” said Ministry of Mines special secretary S Vijay Kumar at the convention which was held in Toronto. The all important province of Ontario also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India to exploit its vast and some say untapped mineral wealth. Speaking at the conference, Ontario Mining Minister Gavelle was highly enthusiastic about the prospects of finding a new vast market for Canadian enterprise. “Canada is the mining capital of the world. We will sign a MoU with India, the world’s fastest growing economy. We know its importance for us,” he said while addressing the gathering.
According to the Economic Times, an Indian business newspaper, the Canadian industry has only been waiting for India’s notoriously bureaucratic and often investor unfriendly policies to unravel. ““India is refining its mining laws, and I am very pleased about that. It has a bigger job, but it is doing its job,” said Jon Baird, president of the organisers Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) and who claims to have been to India about 30 times. However, as Canada’s mining operations in Central and South America have recently demonstrated, the potential to stir up considerable social unrest is extremely high, and India would not be an exception to this rule. In India’s impoverished but mineral-rich state of Orissa, hundreds of indigenous tribal people are battling to stop Londonlisted Vedanta Resources Plc from extracting bauxite from what they say is their sacred mountain. And back in 2006, a judicial commission reported on human rights and environment violations related to a bauxite mining project proposed by Utkal Alumina International, Ltd. (UAIL) in another district in Orissa, which had a 45% ownership stake by Alcan, incidentally a Canadian company. Concern has already begun to arise in many individuals working for non-profit agencies in Canada, who feel that the social and environmental costs of extensive mining operations outweigh the financial gains that are obtained. “With all this increased commercial interest being shown by (Canadian) companies in India, there is a danger that greed will supplant corporate responsibility, said Jason Keenan, an analyst with Mining Watch Canada, an NGO that oversees and analyses major mining projects all over the world..
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Maharashtrians Support Pratham’s ‘Music for Literacy’ Program Presented by Three N. American Prodigies HOUSTON: On March 20, 2010, Houston Maharashtrian community attended the “Music for Literacy” program presented by three teenagers born and brought up in North America. Ravi Datar from Toronto sang Marathi and Hindi songs to tabla accompaniment of Nitish Kulkarni of Houston and harmonium and keyboard accompaniment of Rohan Prabhudesai from New Jersey. The audience was in awe of the talent and dedication to music of these youngsters. The audience was inspired to donate to Pratham programs in Maharasthra. Pratham is India’s largest non-profit organization in the area of primary education. Established in 1994 in the slums of Mumbai city, Pratham today provides underprivileged children across urban and rural India with access to a range of quality educational resources. Pratham’s urban programs reach over one million children every year. Its flagship program Read India works with governments and com-
munities to improve the reading and arithmetic skills of children in rural areas. Read India has reached over 34 million children since its launch in 2007. Pratham also facilitates the Annual Status of Education Report, a nationwide survey of children’s learning levels. The Pratham team comprises of educationists, corporates, workers, activists and professionals who bring their experiences and perspectives to the organization and are unified by the common vision of improving the future of India’s children. In 2010, Pratham will execute educational programs in 15 rural districts inMaharashtraincludingSindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane, Satara, Solapur, Beed, Latur, Ahmadnagar, Aurangabad, Nandurbar, Nashik, Nagpur, Amarawati, Pune and Gadchiroli. Pratham additionally conducts education programs in 11 cities in the state including Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Alibaug-Raigad, Ralegao, Pimapari-Chinchwad and Mulshi.
As part of the Read India program, Pratham is training teachers and volunteers, providing teaching and learning materials and monitoring children’s progress via pre and post tests. Pratham’s groundbreaking work has been recognized widely for its impact. Recently, it won the 2010 Henry R. Kravis Prize which recognizes extraordinary leadership in the non-profit sector. Pratham was also named the 2009 CNN-IBN “Indian of the Year” in Public Service for its contributions in the field of literacy and education. Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, presented the Pratham team with the award at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai on December 21, 2010. Dr. Singh commended Pratham for drawing on “the expertise and experience of educationists, corporates, workers, activists and professionals and uniting them in the common vision of a better life for all our children.”
Masala Chai Hour with Rathna Kumar Saturdays 10-11am on 1480AM, Masala Radio, 281-277-6874
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Sindwanis Bid Farewell to Friends...
publications, Voice of Asia, and India Herald. Both publishers Koshy Thomas and Rajeev Gadgil were previously associated with Indo American News before starting their own newspapers. “I have only the greatest respect for Dr. Sindwani. He is a very wise man. His legacy is not only Indo American News but all those whose lives he touched,” said Thomas. India Herald’s Rajeev Gadgil told gatherees that he deemed the Sindwanis a “remarkable” couple. Sindwanis with IAN Team. From left: Hussain Mandviwala, Vanshika Vipin, Pramod Kulkarni, Krishna “I had the pleasure of Giri, Kalyani Giri and Manasi Gokhale. Traveling in India: Jawahar Malhotra. working with them for nine years and I admired their focus. They don’t gossip, they never bad mouth anyone, and they do not bear grudges,” said Gadgil. India House President of Operations Dr. Virendra Mathur spoke of Dr. Sindwani’s initial affiliation to ICC where he served as president for two terms, and his later commitment to India House. “He made a substantial personal donation for the purchase of furniture for India House,” said Dr. Mathur. In acknowledgement
of their service to the community, the Sindwanis received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Al Green. City Council Member Jolanda Jones sent in a Certificate of Recognition and County Judge Ed Emmett sent a Proclamation. IACF President Bobby Singh and Gujarati Samaj’s Prakash Desai presented tokens of appreciation to the Sindwanis. IAPAC President Ramesh Anand spoke from the heart. “It has been such a privilege to have known you,” said Anand. Addressing Dr. Mohini Sindwani, Anand said, “I truly commend you for putting your goals aside and helping your husband realize his.” Community activist Vijay Pallod described his conversations with Dr. Sindwani. “I sometimes delayed payment to IANews just to get a call from Dr. Sindwani! He is very good at collecting what is owed to the newspaper,” said Pallod, drawing laughter from attendees. IANews partners Pramod Kulkarni, Krishna Giri – (Jawahar Malhotra was out of the country) – and staff Vanshika Vipin, Manasi Gokhale, Hussain Mandviwala, and Jacob David gathered to share their thoughts of a very special couple. “Dr. Sindwani and Mohini ji have been the heart and spiritual soul of so many organizations in Houston,” said Kulkarni. “Their devotion to the newspaper has been exemplary. Dr. Sindwani is a financial genius, flawless at numbers.” Giri, who has long been associated
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with IANews in various capacities, told gatherees of his admiration for Dr. Sindwani. “There is so much to say about him. You can tell his story in three words: simple, sincere, and straightforward. His passion and persistence are commendable. How did he even think that there was a need for a publication like this all those years ago?” said Giri. Vanshika, Manasi, and Jacob told affectionately of how much the couple will be missed. Hussain spoke with great poignancy of being inspired by Dr. Sindwani. “He taught me that when you do something, do it with passion. Dr. Sindwani is a great teacher, a wonderful boss, and a good friend,” said Hussain. “Remember, you have a son in Houston too.” Visibly moved by the tributes paid to them, Dr. Sindwani thanked gatherees for their many kindnesses to the couple over the years. “We have very good friends here and we are going to miss you. But while our health is still good, we want to spend some time with our son. He and our daughter-in-law want us with them,” confided Dr. Sindwani. I know I shall miss them very much. I have no formal training in journalism, yet nearly two decades ago, this publication gave me the opportunity and encouragement to write and to get to know this community better. For that, I owe an incalculable debt of gratitude to Dr. Sindwani. I know I shall miss his calls saying “Kalyani ji, good story!” It meant so much to me.
Sitting, from left, IAPAC President Ramesh Anand; Mohini Sindwani; Dr. K.L. Sindwani; ICC President Swapan Dhairyawan; and Vice President of India House, Dr. Virendra Mathur Standing, from left, IACF President Bobby Singh; IACCGH President Madhukar Prasad; and GSH President Prakash Desai
SACC’s Next Chai Exchange on Education HOUSTON: The South Asian Chamber of Commerce (SACC) invites families to come to its next Chai Exchange on Wednesday, April 21st at 5.30pm at Westin Oaks Galleria to help navigate educational opportunities for all ages. SACC will have senior officials from Higher Education institutions such as Rice University, University of Houston, and the University of Texas Medical School to private schools such as Awty, St. Johns, and Kinkaid. We’ll also have senior HISD officials who can talk about the right Magnate and Gifted/Talented programs you should know about for your kids.” ‘The topic to be discussed is the Competitive Edges that can help get your child into Ivy League Undergraduate, Top Tier Law and Medical School. For details call 832- 660-2952 or email Jeffrey Wallace, Executive Director SACC at jeff@sacchouston.com
Siddha Healing and Shiv Yog
‘Shiv’ means infinite and ‘Yog’ means Union, “Shivyog” means union with the infinite. Each one of us has infinite potential and ‘Shivyog” is the process of unfolding the infinite potential; It is the process of transcending all limitations to achieve the abundance of health, prosperity and success.
AVDHOOT BABA SHIVANAND Tel: 281-565-6186 • www.shivyog.com Avdhoot Baba Watch Bhakti Sutra on Zee TV Shiv Anand INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 02 , 2010• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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