Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
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Friday, July 02 2010 | Vol. 29, No. 27
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Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty • July 10, 2010 • Aaye Na Balam at Wortham Center Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan & Ayaan Ali Khan • July 16, 2010 • Parampara at Cullen Hall UH
1,200 Young Adults Attend Spiritual Quotient Seminar
Story on Pg 5
An International Conference on Thanjavur Houston Launches International Press Club Story on Pg 10
Story on Pg 13
Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Bricklaying Ceremony
Over 1,200 youths from across North America participated in the 3-day National Convention hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha on June 17, 2010 in Chicago, IL.
CHICAGO: Purvi Desai has been working as a physician for four years now. Is she satisfied with where she is in life? “Well, is anyone?” says Desai. The chuckle on her face gives way to a Socratic look, “Growing up, I was always told to work on developing my IQ. I took organizational behavior management courses that emphasized the importance of the EQ-the Emotional Quotient. It wasn’t until I registered for this seminar that I learned about the Spiritual Quotient.” Desai says the last couple of days helped her realize that this
quotient was at least as important as the other two. On June 17, 2010, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) hosted a National Convention in Chicago, Illinois for Indian American youth living in North America. Organized by volunteers from across the country, the seminar saw more than 1,200 young adults participating in sessions that focused on how our career-oriented generation can better channel their time and resources into developing a spiritual quotient. Continued on Page 3
Sunny Sharma: First IndoAmerican Rotary District Governor Story on Pg 17
Sonal Bhuchar re-elected as Fort Bend FBISD President
The Power of Tolerence Unveiled Through Meditation Story on Pg 20
ICC Holds 4th Leaders Conference Story on Pg 21
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HOUSTON: Rotary District Governor Sunny Sharma was appointed as the first Indo-American Rotary District Governor in the State of Texas on June 11, 2010. This event was Sunny and Rashmi Sharma held at Safari Texas Ballroom on the evening of DG Sunny Sharma. PRID Don June 11, 2010. Over 450 guests Mebus also installed Rotary Disattended this historical event. Past trict 5890 Officers, Assistant GovRotary International Director Don ernors, Club Presidents as well as Mebus conducted installation for Rotaract and Interact Officers.
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Swami Ramdev Charms Packed India House with Wisdom and Wit
By Yatindra Bhatnagar HOUSTON: He came, he spoke and he charmed the large gathering at India House on June 28, with a talk that was full of wit and wisdom, inspiration and appeal to make the family, community, nation and the entire humanity a better place to live. Swami Ramdev, the world renowned Yoga guru respectfully called Yogrishi, in his nearly 50 minute talk – he did not want it to be taken as a lecture – exhorted his audience to work for unity, cooperation, coordination, universal love, positive thinking and creativity. He said he conveys only what he has lived. Swamiji gave four mantras to better personal lives and community wellbeing: total energetic dedication in work, humility in dealing with people, patience in personal behavior, and consistency in rendering service to others. Babaji, as he is also reverently called, asked his audience to take pride in the glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India. He said in a few years people will see a revolutionary change in India’s spiritual, economic, social and political life. India will regain its past glory and people will be proud to call themselves Indians. For this goal, he urged the people to bury their differences, work in close cooperation and strengthen their Motherland. He said that Bharat Swabhiman Andolan (Self Respect Movement) has been launched with the goal to eradicate corruption from India’s social and political life, and make the nation healthy and compassionate. He said our aim is to create heaven on this earth. Babaji spoke in his intimate style with witty remarks that drew peels of laughter from the audience. He asked them to realize that as various parts of human body work in close cooperation with one another for smooth functioning, similar cooperation/coordination is essential for a family, community, nation and the entire humanity. He also spoke about his tirade against corruption and said that trillions of dollars of India’s money stashed in Swiss and other for-
eign banks has to return to India. He said when the king (leaders) leads an austere life, his people are happy and prosperous. When the king lives in luxury, his people suffer. This, he said, is the universal truth as enunciated in India’s ancient philosophy. Babaji warned his audience that caste system is being resurrected for the forthcoming census in India. He said caste was never a part of Vedic social and cultural systems, it was based only on the type of jobs one was doing. It was never by birth, but by profession. He deplored the move as it would further divide the people to the detriment of the nation.
He explained that the basic similarities in people are 99 percent, and dissimilarities only 1 percent. It is unfair and wrong to harp on the differences, and not on similarity, as it retards progress. Earlier, President of India House, Jugal Malani, welcomed Swami Ramdev and said that we are honored by his presence and look forward to get his blessings. He said India House and several community organizations are represented this evening to welcome Swamiji. Babaji in his address also spoke about Malani and commended his service to the community. He said Malani was ‘selected’ and not ‘elected’ as elections sometimes create other problems. He said wherever needed Malani will always be there with dedication and vigor and hoped that he will con-
Continued on Page 3
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1,200 Young Adults Attend Spiritual Quotient Seminar
Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
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Swami Ramdev at India House
Continued from Page 1
Faith, positive thinking, and pride in your culture cultivated through daily satsang, seva, and efforts to lead a pure life were all avenues discussed in the 3-day seminar. By concentrating on these efforts in our daily lives, it will lead to a spotless character and thus increase our spiritual quotient. Manisha Patel, a mother of two, found it refreshing. “You get caught up in your daily routine. I start with prepping the kids for school and end up working from home three to five days a week. By the time I am done with my day, I am too exhausted to think about progress, stability, and spiritual satisfaction,” she says. “This seminar helped me realize that I need to make time for myself and introspect.” The seminar involved an array of interactive workshops, lectures, and lighthearted recreation. The format of the seminar resonated particularly well with many participants, including Dilip Tank. “I have attended a number of conferences, seminars, and keynotes, but most of them lack relativity. You can tell people what they have to do, but that doesn’t really hit home. This seminar helped me realize that developing a spiritual quotient is an individual task, but demands a group effort and a nurturing environment.” The seminar was attended by a senior sadhu from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, Pujya Swayamprakash Swami (Doctor Swami). Pujya Doctor Swami, a medical doctor by education, is one
From left: Swami Ramdev is welcomed by India House President Jugal Malani and Board members Col. Raj Bhalla and Devesh Pathak. Photos: Krishna Giri Pujya Swayamprakash Swami (Doctor Swami), a senior sadhu of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, provided motivation and guidance for youths to increase their Spiritual Quotient.
of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s senior sadhus (monks). He was initiated into the sadhu fold 45 years ago, and has traveled around the world helping society find a pragmatic form of spirituality based on the tenets and theological foundations of Hinduism. Nita Purohit, a teacher from Cleveland, Ohio, won’t be the last one to comment on his powerful and motivating spiritual wisdom. “Five minutes into his speech, I realized that he wasn’t lecturing us. He was walking along with us on the path of spiritual progress, leading the way. His tried and tested wisdom was far from lofty – it sounded achievable. It made me want to start changing right away.” Blended into the spiritual theme of the convention were a set of teambuilding and recreational activities that not only provided re-
freshing breaks, but also fostered better understanding of the concepts taught during the morning sessions. Led by sadhus and youth coordinators from more than 67 BAPS mandirs across North America, the convention successfully delved into the importance of assimilating spiritual qualities into daily activities. BAPS provided a wide range of logistical support ranging from travel and accommodation arrangements to childcare services. Narayan Khanna best described the wholesome experience of the seminar when he thanked BAPS for serving up such a delightful cultural and spiritual parfait. For more information on future BAPS Youth Seminars, visit wwwww.baps.org or call 732-7771414.
Continued from Page 1
tinue to ‘earn’ and ‘give.’ Swamiji was given standing ovation when he came and as he ended his address. He started with Vedic mantras and ended with India’s National Song, Vande Mataram, joined by the audience. This was the first big event at India House after the new team, headed by the well known community leader and philanthropist Jugal Malani took over. It was organized in cooperation with Hindus of Greater Houston. Vijay Pallod announced that together they will organize more events and Hindu festivals. He urged community workers to post information about their major events on Hindusofhouston.org. He also sought the blessings of Swamiji for Hindus of Greater Houston so that they can successfully unite Hindus and better serve the community. India House secretary Col Raj Bhalla thanked Swamiji for his address and the audience for at-
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Indo American News • Friday, JUly 02 , 2010 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
tending in such a large number. He said as desired by Babaji, only healthy snacks (sponsored by Hindus of Greater Houston organization) were served and there was Chhachh instead of Coke or other soft drinks. The program was by invitation only to community workers; over 400 people attended the program. MC of the evening Ravi Raghavan introduced the Chief Guest while Hari Bhai beautifully rendered some bhajans and made the audience also join him in singing. Indo-American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly on every Friday (for a subscription price of $30 per year) by Indo-American News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036, Tel: 713-789-6397, Fax: 713-789-6399, Email: indoamericannews@ yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo-American News, 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036.
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
An International Conference on Thanjavur
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Flowering of literature, performance, and visual arts under the Maratha Kings By Dr. Rathna Kumar In 2001, Samskriti created history by organizing the first international conference in the United States, on Indian Dance in the Diaspora. This was followed by another first – the first international conference on Kuchipudi Dance in the Diaspora. Later came two conferences on visual art – Indian Paintings: Lesser known traditions, and Miracle in the mountains: The Paintings of the Ajanta Caves. Today Samskriti proudly holds the record for conducting the most number of informational and educational conferences in North America, on different aspects of Indian art and culture. Our latest artistic venture, Art and Literature at the Thanjavur Maratha Court: A Confluence of Cultures 1674- 1855, brings together both art and literature, as they flourished during the historical reign of the Maratha kings in southern India, and of their far-reaching influence in the twenty-first century. The Maratha Kings of Thanjavur were not only good administrators but learned scholars and great patrons of the arts. Literature, music, dance and architecture flourished during their reign. In her book Thanjavur, reputed dancer-scholar-writer Lakshmi Viswanathan says: “Thanjavur, the capital, extended its influence over the whole of South India. The legacy of art and architecture, nurtured by these dynasties, defined the character of South India. In and around
Raja Bhonsle, a direct descendant of the Maratha kings of Thanjavur, is an additional feather in Samskriti’s cap. B.M. Sundaram is one of the most respected scholars of Indian music, dance and literature, not only in India, but around the world, and Dr. Davesh Soneji, though young in years, is a formidable treasure-house of knowledge in the field of Asian Studies, particularly the music and dance traditions of South India. With such erudite presenters gracing our conference, we are sure that the conference will unfold many hitherto unknown facts about a great period in the cultural history of India. Capping off the conference is a delightful Bharata Natyam performance by Photos: Vatsa Kumar
the great temples grew every kind of intellectual and artistic activity”. Samskriti is fortunate, and privileged, to bring together great scholars to cast light on the greatness of a vibrant era in Indian history. The fact that the renowned scholar, writer and musician, Professor Indira Peterson of Mount Holyoake College is curating the conference is ample evidence of the importance of the event. The presence of Babaji
Hari Krishnan and Dr. Srividya Natarajan of Canada, both of whom represent the traditional dance style that evolved so beautifully under the patronage of the Maratha rulers. Appropriately titled The King’s Salon, the performance will transport us back in time to a golden era of art and culture. Samskriti is profoundly grateful to the Museum of Fine Arts, particularly Margaret Mims, for continued support for all our artistic endeavours, and to Martha Blackwelder and the Asia Society Texas Centre, Dr. John Antel, Provost, University of Houston, Mr. Joe Wilson, Grants Director of Houston Arts Alliance and the City of Houston for coming forward, year after year, to help us achieve success in our conferences. But for an excellent team of board members and volunteers, Samskriti’s artistic goals could never be reached, and, as in the case of every success story, if there is one individual who has made a difference to the organization, it is our tireless Executive Director, Vatsa Kumar, whose passionate love of the arts almost, but not quite, exceeds mine! We sincerely hope that you will enjoy this conference and that it will give you a better understanding of the artistic vision of Samskriti. Conference date is July 10, 2010. For more information visit www.samskritihouston.org, www.samskritihouston.org or call Rathna/Anil Kumar at 281- 265-2787.
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
SOCIETY
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TSH Gearing Up for a Year Long Celebration HOUSTON: After a very memorable kick-off of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebration (May 8, 2010), Tagore Society of Houston (TSH) is now gearing up for a year-long celebration of Gurudev’s sesquicentennial birthday
Pandit Ajay Chakraborty
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story “Laboratory”, directed by Raja Sen, and starred by well known artists, including Raveena Tandon. Tagore Society of Houston (TSH), a nonprofit organization established in 1974, is the foremost US-based organization dedicated to the promotion of Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore’s multi-faceted talents/accomplishments in art, culture, philosophy, & spiritualism. Tagore has remained the greatest ambassador of Indian culture to the rest of the globe, was the proponent of borderless global mind that thrives on seamless exchange of global cultural excellence, and is titled as “global cultural icon” by the scholars of the modern century. A direct evidence of that comes out of the fact that his sesquicentennial is celebrated globally (both by governments and organizations), as well as UNESCO during the year 2010-2011. Locally, TSH has been instrumental in propagating Tagore’s legacy through education and various forms of entertainment in different multimedia format. In the recent past (2006), TSH was the organizer of a major global cultural con-
celebration. While the kick-off was by the honorable CGI Sanjeev Arora and attended by local leaders, the future events will have exponents from all over the globe. The well-attended kick-off was marked by a montage of dance-music-recitationskit by the local talents of Indian and Bangladeshi origin, and has even made its headline in newspapers in India. This year, TSH has dedicated its Annual Summer Fest to Tagore, and is presenting Houstonians with three nights of musical extravaganza. On July, Pandit Ustad Amjad Ali Khan 2010, Pandit Ajay Chakraborty will present an evening of melodious semi-classical music at the Wortham ference in Houston (NABC) to rejuvenate Center at 8:00P.M. July 16, will be an eve- Tagore Society’s activities and outreach ning of phenomenal performance by sarod endeavors. The society’s Annual Summer maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his two Festival “Barnali” has been drawing wellsons, Ayyan and Aman Ali Khan, at the known artists from across America, Europe Cullen Performance Hall, at 8:00P.M. TSH and the Indian sub-continent for last several and IAA are jointly organizing the two pro- years. This year, amongst other things, TSH grams. The event continues the following has formalized Annual Tagore Passport day at Houston Durga Bari Society’s Sur Scholarship fund of a total $15000.00 for Auditorium to become a veritable melting 3 years (jointly with University of Houspot of music and art expressions, with artists ton). The society hosts a Tagore Annual Esfrom India, Belgium and U.S.A. In addition, say Contest funds ($2000.00 annually, for our second-generation local talents will High School Seniors) to spread Tagore’s present a dazzling variety of modern songs, philosophy. The details on TSH’s activities classical and contemporary dances. Future are available on the society’s website- http:// events include World Premier of Tagore’s www.tagoresociety.org.
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Memorial Service for Guru Held at JVB Houston HOUSTON: JVB Preksha Meditation Center, Houston organized a memorial services - ‘A Tribute to Acharya Mahapragya’ on June 13 at its premises in the presence of Samani Akshay Pragya Ji and Samani Vinay Pragya Ji. The event was attended by many from the Houston area, which also included many religious and local community leaders. JVB President Pramod Bengani, led the recount of memories and individual personal experiences that many attendees had with Acharya Mahapragya. Many people from Houston have had the opportunity to meet and get the blessings from Acharya Mahapragya. Sharing his experience Mr. Sampat Rampuria said, ‘every time when we went to India we had to see him. His pious aura made us feel peaceful. His death is a great loss for entire humanity.” Ila Patel with the feeling of great void said,’ I wandered at many temples in search of a true Guru. When I met Acharya Mahapragya, my quest was quenched.’ Raman Patel was greatly impressed by the Preksha Meditation which helps develop the purity of the soul. Jugal Kishore Malani expressed his privilege for getting blessings of Acharya at Jaipur and the few minutes of meeting made a deep and everlasting impression. The priest of Arya Samaj Acharya Shridhar Ji articulated that Acharya Mahapragya Ji devoted his entire life for non-violence, peace and harmony. Mr. Hasmukh Doshi told that because of Late Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya Ji Jain religion has been known at international level. Ashish Bhandari, the president of JCH showed his gratitude towards the work of Acharya. Hasmukh Patel expressed how he felt in the powerful aura of Acharya Mahapragya., Dr. Suresh Moonat and Dr. Sunita Moonat paid the tribute in terms of carrying His thoughts and missions forward. Mr. Surendra Trehan talked about the guidance he got to develop an ethical value based curriculum for the schools running in India. Alka Sankhla and Bal Sharma, also shared their experiences. They felt the compassion, unconditional love, and affection. Acharya Mahapragya
was remembered as a saint who always worked towards religious unity, and recollection of his recent Ahimsa Yatra was among the highlights of the event. Samani Akshay Pragya led attendees through a presentation of various achievements of Acharya Mahapragya. She said that Acharya Mahapragya was such a personality who devoted his entire life for the well-being of humanity. He introduced the technique of Preksha Meditation for peaceful and stress-free life and the course of Jeevan Vigyan (science of living) to build the spiritual and ethical foundation. Acharya Mahapragya was the living example of Non-violence, the ocean of compassion, the infinite treasure of knowledge and in spite of being a head of Jain he was the saint of the world. He has enriched the Indian and Jain literature by writing more than 300 thought-provoking books on various subjects. At the end, she introduced the 11th Acharya of Jain Shwetambar Terapanth - Acharya Mahashraman, who is a visionary, enlightened and spiritual soul. A short documentary of AhimsaYatra (non-violence march), which was done by Acharya Mahapragya for 9 years, was also publicized. It showed the tremendous and tireless work in the field of non-violence. JVB Chairman, Swatantra Jain suggested that the best homage to Acharya Mahapragya will be to follow his teachings to our best abilities and to further his cause of Non-Violence and religious unity. Mourned by millions across the world, the great Acharya Mahapragya’s soul will definitely be close to its destination. As the leading light of the principles Dharma & and founder of Preksha Meditation his mortal body has merged with the five elements of nature but will ever remain alive in the memory of the people due to his shining deeds. The true homage towards such a great soul who himself led a pious life & led innumerable people on the right path would be to adopt at least one of his preaching in our life. His life of a hermit with simplicity, & staunch follower Non–Violence & complete humanitarian approach would bring light in the world. With these sentiments - hundreds and hundreds of salutations to him.
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Story of Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi Returns Home, Meets Tilak, Gokhale
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The Indians now realized what was at stake; but they were unable to decide what to do. They requested Gandhi to postpone his departure and help them. He agreed to stay on for another month and organize resistance to the new bill. Late that night the Indians held a meeting ill Abdulla Seth’s house under the presidentship of Seth Haji Muhammad, the most influential Indian merchant there. They resolved to oppose the Franchise Bill with all their strength. Telegrams were sent to the Speaker of the Assembly and the Premier of Natal requesting them to postpone further discussion on the bill. The Speaker promptly replied that the discussion would be put off for two days. The Natal Indians then drew up a petition to the Legislative Assembly pleading against the bill. This was followed up by another petition to Lord Ripon, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies. This was signed by more than ten thousand Indians. Copies of the petition were circulated in South Africa, England, and India. There was much sympathy for the Natal Indians’ plight, but the campaign had started too late to stop the bill becoming law. However, the campaign did do some good. ,For the first time, the people of India came to know of the conditions in Natal. An evenmore important result was the new spirit that now awakened the Indians in South Africa. The Natal Indians pressed Gandhi to remain and guide them for a little longer. Gandhi told them that he was prepared to stay on if the Indian community would provide him with sufficient legal work. They gladly agreed to do this. Twenty merchants turned over all their legal business to him. When Gandhi applied for enrolment as an attorney to argue cases in court, the entire bar, composed of white lawyers, strongly opposed him. The Supreme Court of Natal overruled the objection, however, and he was allowed to practise. Soon Gandhi became one of the busiest lawyers in Durban; but to him law was a subordinate occupation. His main interest was his public work. He felt that merely sending in petitions and protests would not help the Indians much. A sustained agitation was necessary. So he proposed the formation of a permanent organization to safeguard the interests of Indians. A meeting was called to discuss this matter. The spacious hall in Dada Abdulla’s house was packed to the full. It was there, on that occasion, that the Natal Indian Congress was formed. In 1894 the Natal Government sought to impose an annual polltax
on the indentured Indians. These were laborers who had been recruited from India on a five-year contract, but on starvation wages. Under the contract they could not leave their employer. They were treated practically as slaves. These men had been taken to South Africa to help the white colonizers in agricultural work. The Indians did more than had been expected of them. They worked hard, purchased land, and started cultivating their own fields. Their enterprise did not end there. They soon built houses and raised themselves far above the status of laborers. The white people did not like this. They wanted the Indian workers to return to India at the end of the contract period. To make things much harder for them, the Government now imposed an annual poll-tax of £25. The Natal Indian Congress started a strong agitation against this. Later, at the intervention of Lord
When Gandhi applied for enrolment as an attorney to argue cases in court, the entire bar, composed of white lawyers, strongly opposed him. The Supreme Court of Natal overruled the objection, however, and he was allowed to practise. Elgin, then Viceroy of India, the tax was reduced to £3. Still Gandhi considered it an atrocious tax, unknown anywhere else in the world. The Natal Indian Congress continued its agitation, but it was 20 years before the poll-tax was finally withdrawn. In three years in South Africa, Gandhi had become a well-known figure. And his practice was well established. He realized that he was in for a long stay. He knew that the people there wanted him with them, so in 1896 he asked their permission to go home and bring his wife and children to South Africa. Besides, a visit to India would be useful in gaining more support for the Indians in South Africa. He had arranged his work so well that he could look forward to six months’ leave. In the middle of 1896 Gandhi sailed for India, and after twentyfour days landed at Calcutta. From there he went to Rajkot. It was a happy family reunion when Kasturbai welcomed him with their two sons. But the plight of the Indians in
Indo American News • Friday, JUly 02 , 2010 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
South Africa was so much on his mind that he could not be content to enjoy domestic bliss in peace. He therefore launched a campaign to acquaint the people of India with the real condition of the Indians in South Africa. He met the editors of influential newspapers and important Indian leaders, including Lokamanya B. G. Tilak, the hero of Maharashtra, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale who, like Gandhi, was already famous at the age of 27. Wherever Gandhi went, he tried to make the people aware of the lot of their compatriots in South Africa. Many newspapers published his views and strongly supported his case. Summaries of these newspaper reports and comments reached South Africa long before Gandhi returned there. Meanwhile, plague broke out in Bombay and threatened to spread to neighboring areas. In Rajkot Gandhi volunteered to join a group who tried to educate the people about the need for sanitation and other measures to prevent the spread of the disease. At the end of November, however, Gandhi received an urgent message from Natal asking him to return immediately. There were some developments which required his presence there. So Gandhi set sail for South Africa once more, taking with him Kasturbai and their two sons and also the only son of his widowed sister. However, a message reached Gandhi advising him not to land with the others but to wait until evening, as there was an angry mob of whites at the dock. Kasturbai and the children were sent to the house of Gandhi’s Parsee friend, Rustomji. Later, accompanied byJason Laughton, the legal adviser of Dada, Abdulla & Co., Gandhi went ashore. The scene looked peaceful, but some youths recognized him and shouted, “Look, there goes Gandhi.” Soon there was a rush and much shouting. As Gandhi and his friends proceeded, the crowd began to swell until it was impossible to go any further. Suddenly Laughton was pushed aside and the mob set upon Gandhi. They pelted him with stones, sticks, bricks, and rotten eggs. Someone snatched away his turban, others kicked him until the frail figure collapsed. He clung to the railing of a house. The fury of the white mob was unabated and they continued to beat him and kick him. “Stop, you cowards,” cried a feminine voice. “Stop attacking the poor man.” It was the wife of the Superintendent of police. She came up and opened her parasol and held it between Gandhi and the crowd. This checked the mob. Soon the police arrived and dispersed the crowd. — To be continued
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
Spandana Super Singer - USA 2010 Sing a Song and Support a Student
Beautiful music is thought to bring down rains, start fires, or tame wild animals. Spandana Foundation aims to use the medium of music to support poor and meritorious students, homeless, a n d provide medical assistance to the needy and unfortunate of the society. You must think that it is incredulous, impossible and must be wondering the link between Music and Society. Spandana Foundation, which is established by NRIs with the sole objective of undertaking socially responsible projects in India, aims to make this impossible link between Music and Society possible! Spandana Foundation announces the event with the slogan “Sing a Song and Support a Student”. Spandana Super Singer USA 2010 event is a Music Summer Camp followed by a contest for NRI kids of all age groups from June 24 to August 2, 2010. Music has no boundaries is a known fact. Spandana Super Singer 2010 is a summer camp teaching. Indian Music and Culture for NRI kids speaking Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi etc. languages. However there is no language barrier for auditions tests. Accom-
plished and eminent play-back singers & musicians of the Indian cine field, Sri Parthasarathi, Sri Mallikarjun and many more provide training to amateur and aspiring singers among the NRI community to compete and win. Span-
dana Super Singer 2010 will be organized in all major cities of USA and the top performers from each city will be awarded with “Spandana Super Singer, regional title” and selected to perform at a national level Mega Finale competition for the “Spandana Super Singer, USA-2010” title and an exciting chance to sing in a music album specially created for Spandana. Since 2005, Spandana Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt Charitable organization has grown to over 3500 members. Spandana has supported over 10,000
students in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Maharashtra, improved infrastructure for over 10 schools, conducted health camps benefiting over 15,000 villagers, saved 20 lives by supporting for expensive surgeries, constructed 170 homes for flood victims and adopted 23 orphans. E v e r y year, Spandana comes up with innovative, exciting and entertaining ways to engage member volunteers in raising funds to implement the various activities under the Pratibha project. Through this Spandana Super Singer – 2010 event, Spandana intends to raise funds to support over 4,000 poor and meritorious students under the Pratibha project with an additional goal of increasing awareness about the plight of less fortunate. We request the support of all NRIs to make the Spandana Super Singer USA 2010 event a grand success and strengthen our efforts in providing opportunities to the underprivileged in India.
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Houston Launches International Press Club HOUSTON: Wea H. Lee, Chairman of Southern News Group, Houston, Texas, and John Robbins, Director of the International Press Club, hosted a luncheon gathering of the International Press Club at the Southern News Group offices on Thursday, June 24. Present at the meeting were members of the international press representing the diverse cultures of the community including Asian, IndoAmerican, Japanese, African, Hispanic as well as community leaders from the Alief and surrounding area. At the meeting were working press professionals from newspapers, magazine, radio, television and internet media sources in the Houston area.
In his remarks at the meeting, Lee emphasized that the “time is right” for the members of the international press in Houston to come together as a group to not only share in professional journalistic discussions, but also to share business, political and cultural news and events that directly affect the various international communities. The featured guest of the meeting was David Curtin, CEO of TV Max Television, the leading cable tv service to several hundred apartment and condominium complexes throughout Houston. Curtin expressed his willingness to work with members of the international press in the development
of the international programming on TV Max, in cooperation with Wea Lee and ITV International Television. The International Press Club joins the International Trade Center and ITV International Television, Digital Channel 55.5 in Houston as another effort on the part of Southern News Group leadership to connect Texas and the local and state economies to world markets. The organization is a non-profit, fraternal organization dedicated to connecting members of the international press in Texas and also welcomes non-media individuals and businesses, with an interest in global news developments that af-
Members of International Press Club at the meeting held at the Southern News Group offices on Thursday, June 24
fect the economy of Texas and local communities of Texas. Southern News Group has published the Southern Chinese Daily News in southwest Houston for over 30 years, and over the years
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has expanded to 11 other major U.S. cities, and now comprises a diverse media business with an international presence that includes print, internet and television services.
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500 People Attend Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Bricklaying Ceremony By Beth Kulkarni WOODLANDS: Over 500 Hindus gathered in the Woodlands, a northern suburb of Greater Houston, to perform an Isthaka Sthapana puja, dedicating bricks to five Deities to be enshrined in the newest temple. During the puja, invoking the presence of Ganesh, Venkateshwara, Shiva, Lakshmi,
Bhajans by talented local artists and groups were coordinated by Pranita Suraiya. Dance performances also added to the enjoyment of the attendees. At the completion of the puja, a delicious catered lunch, coordinated by Daksha Shah, was served. The temple was established in 2005 after local Hindus holding a festival at a rented facility decided the community needed their own place for cultural and religious events. The land was purchased in the same year. (Personal note from writer: I remember that the first meeting held after the land purchase was my first time going outside the house after open-heart surgery. My physicians had suggested that I should “get back to work quickly” and this REMAINS my work and for Priests performing an Isthaka Sthapana puja at the hindu others.”) temple of woodlands The temple is located in the western part of The and Radha-Krishna, five local priests chant- Woodlands at the intersection of Woodlands ed Sanskrit mantras and performed tradi- Parkway and S. Forestgate. Because of tional rituals. its wooded location adjacent to Forestgate Thanks to Gopal Reddy, the project con- Park, one of Woodland’s one hundred parks, tractor, and S. R. Pinnapureddy, HTW Con- it will be great for an enjoyable day-trip. struction Committee Chairperson, and their The temple will have Ganesha, Balaji, Shiteams, the event was held on the “temple va, Lakshmi, and Radha Krishna enshrined. foot print”. The Ganesha murthi is a gift from Swami This was a major milestone for the Hindu Bodhinath-ji of Hinduism Today. The temTemple of The Woodlands. Construction ple will also have yagna has progressed with the foundation nearly facilities, classroom and complete, utility connections in progress library space, a large and much of the steel framework in place. lobby and a kitchen. After the puja coordinated by Lakshmi The temple has an acSingh, additional pujas were performed for tive educational program the families who had sponsored one or more with classes for adults bricks. The blessings with the pundit with and language classes an angvastram added to the experience. for children. With many It takes many people, their time and en- professionals in the area, ergy to organize such a large event. They community service in INDIVIDUAL & worked together, as overall coordinator areas such as health and GROUP Salil Gopinath stated. Anand Basi, a busy education is also a part TERM & physican, who had been a part of the Bhumi of the temple’s mission. WHOLE LIFE Puja team, worked closely with Salil, as About $350,000 still did a number of volunteers. Anil Adoni and remains to be raised. DENTAL Hema Pillutla spent many hours in organiz- Anyone who would DISABILITY ing the event even though they were out of like to donate can do so LONG TERM town. Mahesh Krishnan, Dev Talwalker, online at www.woodCARE and Suveena Guglani helped to get the web- landshindutemple.org or site updated in time for the Ishtaka Sthapana mail a check to HTW, puja and fundraising. Nimish Dhuldoya, PO Box 130307, Spring, Sashi Bellur, Urmil Shukla and other board TX 77393-0307. As the Sam Merchant and executive committee members super- temple is a 501(c)(3) vised the details of the event. non-profit organization, Reliance Business Solutions 3300 S.Gessner Rd, Ste 176, Houston, TX-77063 Decorations were elegant, done under the donations are tax-exempt www.gorelianceusa.com leadership of Pinku Bhuyan. with a receipt provided.
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Vijay Pallod, President of the Hindus of Greater Houston organization welcomes Swami Ramdev to India House on Monday, June 28. Photo: Krishna Giri
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SOCIETY
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Indian-Origin Girl Child on US Terror List!
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WASHINGTON: In a puzzling incident, a six-year-old Indian-origin girl’s name figures on the US terror watch list and the Homeland Security Department has refused to make any changes in her status. Alyssa Thomas was barred from flying in the United States after her 6-year-old Ohio girl, Alyssa Thomas, placed on Homeland Security’s terror watch list name popped up on Homeland Security Department’s eled to Mexico in February and there terror watch list when the Ohio-based were no issues at that time.” Howfamily tried to board a flight from ever, when the family tried to clear Cleveland to Minneapolis recently. up the issue with Homeland Security, “We were, like, puzzled,” Alyssa they received a letter notifying them Thomas’s father, Dr. Santhosh Thom- that it could not be changed. as, said in a statement. “I’m like, well, “She may have threatened her sisshe’s kinda six-years-old and this is ter,” Thomas told CNN in a sarcastic not something that should be typical.” remark. “But I don’t think that constiThe Transportation Security Admin- tutes Homeland Security triggers.” istration stated that Alyssa never had The TSA did say that the Thomas any problems before because the family will be able to fly, but the “Secure Flight Program” just went check-in process will take much loninto effect in June for all domestic ger. flights. “The watch lists are an important “She’s been flying since she was layer of security to prevent individutwo-months old, so that has not been als with known or suspected ties to an issue,” Dr. Santhosh Thomas said terrorism from flying,” a TSAspokesin a statement. “In fact, we had trav- man said in a statement.-Agencies
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To the Rhythm of Life Life along the rim of the Indian Ocean skipped a beat in December 2004. The tsunami wreaked devastation at a scale not known in living memory — tens of thousands died and millions of homes were flattened. But out of this rare calamity was born a thing of rare beauty — the Laya Project. It started out as a mission to record some traditional and contemporary music from habitations dotting the ocean’s rim. After six months of research and two years of recording in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the project resulted in a brilliant 68-minute film. Though it went on to win awards at film festivals and was mothered by EarthSync, a Chennai-based production house, the film and its fantastic range of music remained mostly unknown to the Indian audience. Blame it on our obsession with film and devotional music. Or the fact that the price of Rs 1,299 (for a DVD and a CD) wasn’t friendly enough for mass circulation. But now the excuses are gone. A smaller DVD pack (Rs 800) is on the shelves. Last month EarthSync remixed and re-released the songs on the internet (at layaproject. com, for $0.89 a song or $12 for the whole album). And next month it will release a double-CD pack of the remixes, titled ‘A New Day’. Laya does to the region’s music what Latcho Drom, the 1993 film by Tony Gatlif, did to gypsy music. By avoiding pre-eminent sessions musicians, both films bring freshness to their chosen fields. The visuals stay on the edgier side of the lush and the mushy. The sound recordings, often done under the sky on location, are impeccable. And by keeping the spoken word to the minimum, both the films reach out first with the universal language of music. If Latcho Drom draws a line of musical familiarity from Rajasthan to Spain, Laya casts a wide net around the polyphonic traditions of the Indian Ocean region. Among the 23 songs of the main film and the DVD extras, there’s Didong, a mix of vocals and body percussion from
Indonesia, Buddhist chanting from Myanmar, and Bandiyaa Jehun, in which the beat is kept on pots, from the Maldives. Unsurprisingly, you would have heard the basic melody of each of these diverse songs somewhere around India. The clear and sure voice of ShaheemafromtheMaldivescutsthrough the soul like a sharp icicle through soft butter. The tune she sings is the same as that of ‘Ehsaan mere dilpe tumhara hai dosto’, the Shankar-Jaikishan song sung by Mohammad Rafi for the 1966 film Gaban. We do not know whether the melody travelled from Bihar to the Maldives, or from Male to Mumbai. Some of the recordings can be called acts of resurrection. ‘Hai la sa’, an oarsman’s song from Nagapattinam, the Tamil Nadu district that was hit the hardest by the tsunami, is not sung anymore because the motorboats have overtaken the traditional dinghies. But it gets a new life in the studio when mixed with Paul Jacob’s electric bass and K.V. ‘Balu’ Balakrishnan’s drums. From Perca village in the Andaman & Nicobar we have a traditional Nicobari song that the island’s young people laugh at because their ears are attuned to more “Indianised” fares. Among the straight servings are ‘Ya Allah’ sung by Abdul Ghani and friends, Sufis from the Nagore shrine, and ‘Tapatam’, a frenzy of drums threaded together with nadheswaram, the horn. It’s not that everything sounds close to our ears. The farthest it gets is a tune stutteringly strummed by a General of the Myanmarese junta on the saung, a bow-shaped harp that’s the earliest known instrument from the country. With so much music, you tend to forget the sadness that inspired the project. There’s hardly any talk of the Big Wave. We mostly see small waves softly lapping the shores where life has overtaken grief. The Deep Blue forms the larger backdrop. In the foreground, small fleets of loosely moored boats sway gently in the waves. Hindustan Times
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India’s Blank Spaces
By Samar Halarnkar ‘Beggar type.’ Like most of us, Smita Jacob had never come across that pithy official phrase before. It’s a classification in the records of the police of New Delhi, India’s richest city, used to describe a dead homeless person whose death is too insignificant to investigate. The police are as sensitive as you and I to the cripple on the pavement, the child at the car window. They mean no insult by the category ‘beggar type’. It is a reflection of the invisible people who inhabit modern, urban India’s widening blank spaces people and situations we see but do not want to know or accept. Jacob and a colleague, Asghar Sharif both of whom work for the commissioners to the Supreme Court in a seminal nine-year-long case that seeks for food to become a fundamental right painstakingly uncovered statistics that should (but unfortunately may not) shock Delhi: at least 10 homeless people are dying on the streets of the nation’s capital everyday, 94 per cent of them are working men in their early 40s not, as we might imagine, old people or junkies. These figures suggest that thousands on the streets of urban India are slipping all too easily between the cracks of flawed social security and urban-planning systems. The ‘beggar type’ nomenclature suggests the government cannot explain why this tragedy is unfolding. A nation that aspires to greatness cannot say it does not know why and how men in the prime of their working years are dying in urban India. The suspicion: many are dying of malnutrition and the myriad types of susceptibilities it causes in the human body. In January this year, the commissioners in the right-to-food case observed in a letter to the Supreme Court: “Any death occurring on the streets and any unclaimed body, not resulting from an accident, must be treated as a possible starvation death unless proved otherwise.” This will not easily happen. Malnutrition and its cousin, starvation, are words Indian officials deeply
hesitate to use. To acknowledge such failings in India’s capital city would be anathema. It is clearly time for the UPA to launch a great, urban reformation: to recognise the blank spaces occupied by the growing ranks of India’s urban poor, and to urgently recreate programmes meant to provide them with a basic standard of living at a
time when the fundamental nature of Indian society and so poverty is changing from rural to urban. By 2030, nearly 600 million Indians will live in cities, predicts a report from the McKinsey Global Institute. That’s twice the population of the United States. Sixty-eight cities will hold more than 1 million people, up from 42 cities today. To avoid further decay and collapse, India will require a 300 per cent increase in its gross domestic product (GDP) allocations on urban infrastructure. Our cities are already crumbling from inadequate investment and a failure to recognise that more people are entering the blank spaces. About a quarter of the poor more than 80 million now live in crumbling towns and cities. Within 20 years, half the poor may live in urban India. Inequality, as the economist Himanshu (he uses only one name) pointed out in March, is growing twice as fast in urban areas as in rural areas. And inequality, as many global experts indicate, slows growth. The degrading life and death our cities offer cannot be allowed to worsen. “Addressing life in India’s cities is clearly not an elitist endeavour but rather a central pillar of inclusive growth,” said the McKinsey report, noting that 75 per
IndoAmerican News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Business Manager: Jawahar Malhotra Marketing Manager: Krishna Giri Community Reporter: Kalyani Giri Community Editor: Manasi Gokhale Administrative Manager: Vanshika Vipin Marketing & Food Reporter: Jacob David Production Manager: Hussain Mandviwala correspondents Chicago: Nand Kapoor ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com
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cent of urban citizens are poor, living on about Rs 80 per day. Two days ago, the prime minister confirmed what most now see as inevitable: a direct transfer of subsidies to the poor once the world’s biggest national unique identity (UID) programme kicks off later this year. This is a great opportunity, but it will require a Herculean reform effort. An as-yet-unreleased study of four urban areas (Delhi, Cuttack, Jaipur and Anantpur) points out that India’s social security programmes are failing the urban poor. Titled ‘Darkness under lamps’ a term derived from the Hindi proverb ‘diya tale andhera’ the study reveals that the worst failures are in Delhi, ruled by the Congress, whose leader Sonia Gandhi has made ‘inclusive growth’ the cornerstone of this government. But how do you include someone whose existence you do not recognise? “The reach and quality of implementation of these programmes are often the most feeble and insufficient in areas that are physically the most proximate to centres of public policy and formulation, namely cities and towns,” says the study, co-authored by one of India’s most prominent hunger experts, Harsh Mander, and his colleague Manikandam, the lead researcher. These programmes are mainly tailored for rural areas. Yet, administrative will can eliminate the blank spaces. The authors found subsidised food, childcare centres, maternity benefits and mid-day meals reaching the poor in Anantpur, an Andhra Pradesh town of a quartermillion people and a drought-prone hinterland. I see hope because the corridors of power accept, albeit reluctantly, advice from people like Mander. One of the Supreme Court’s commissioners in the right-to-food case, Mander is a former bureaucrat who resigned after the 2002 Gujarat riots. He works silently with Delhi’s homeless and inspires and leads a band of young men and women. It is they who reveal to India’s courts and civil society the ‘beggar-type’ deaths we do not know, those blank spaces we do not see. Hindustan Times
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Sonal Bhuchar Re-elected as FBISD Board President
compensation. They are elected to tinue proactive outreach efforts to By Dinesh Shah SUGAR LAND - Sonal Bhuchar three-year terms on a rotating ba- the community, students and staff. has been re-elected to serve as Fort sis. The board elects the President FBISD’s High School Leadership Bend ISD Board President. She for a one year term during May af- program, also established two years ago, has also grown into a brings her experience and leader- ter the election. Bhuchar’s notable contribution full fledged program, giving stuship to the position that she held a year ago. Currently serving her is when she introduced Hindi dents an opportunity to learn and second term on the FBISD Board, as a language at the Global Lan- grow in many different walks of she is also actively engaged in the guage Academy at Clements High life, and earn scholarships through community service,” she contincommunity serving on various School. Bhuchar said, “We are at a critical ued. boards, including the Texas AsShe is a long time resident of sociation of School Boards, the juncture for the future of public education in this country. FBISD has Sugar Land, is a physical therapist Child Advocates Council, the Sugar Land Exchange Club, the Parks made tremendous gains in narrow- in private practice in Sugar Land, Youth Ranch and the Fort Bend ing the achievement gap, improv- and was elected to the Board in Education Foundation, where she ing overall academic achievement 2006 in Position Two. Her comchaired the district wide Interna- and increasing the opportunities mitment to the FBISD schools for our students to learn and ex- began almost 16 years ago when tional Festival for three years. she served on various The Fort Bend PTOs and PTAs and Independent district level commitSchool District, tees, including the adFBISD was revisory committees for cently listed GT Parents, School with high staHealth and Commutus of five high nity Relations and schools among Partnerships. She also 1622 schools served on the District in the nation by Accountability Task News Week in Force, Audit and Fithe 2010 list of nance Committee, America’s Best and the Discipline High Schools. Management ComThe report repmittee. Since 2002, resents only six she has served on the percent of all Sonal Bhuchar honoring Board of Directors of American pubthe Indo American Charity Foundation scholarship the Fort Bend Educalic high schools, award winners at City of Houston city hall tion Foundation. She and rankings also served on Sugar were determined by a combination of the number of Advanced Place- cel.” She added, “While it has been Land Exchange Club Board. She ment, International Baccalaureate a difficult year in terms of budget chaired the International Festival or Cambridge tests given at the issues at the school district, in the for the Fort Bend Education Founschools, compared to the number wake of an inadequate funding dation for the past three years as formula established by our State well as other city-wide events. of graduating seniors. The Fort Bend ISD, Sugar Land, Legislature, we have worked hard Over the years she has been extenin Texas administers 71 schools to establish a balanced budget of sively involved in the community that serve about 70,000 students in $488 million for the coming year. in other volunteer and leadership grades PK through 12. The district The process of a reduction in force roles, including her presidency of spans 170 square miles covering was a difficult and painful one, the Indo-American Charity Founmost of the city of Sugar Land and but it is very heartening to say that dation. Sonal Bhuchar and her husband other cities. It is the seventh largest many have been rehired, as posiDr. Subodh Bhuchar, a practicing public school system in the state of tions have come open.” “As I take over as Board Presi- physician in Sugar Land, live in Texas and third largest within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown dent this coming school year, it is Sugar Land and have three chilMetropolitan Area. The district is my goal to pursue an active Legis- dren, all of whom have attended the largest employer in Fort Bend lative advocacy agenda to support FBISD schools. She hopes to use County with more than 9,000 dis- public education and funding for her varied experiences gained to the same. She helped establish the her position as FBISD Board Prestrict employees. The Superintendent is the head of agenda two years ago and hopes to ident by making a positive impact the 9000 district employees, who continue to reach out to our legis- on the community of Fort Bend, works under the direction Board lators and civic officials to explain and said, “The county continues of Trustee. The seven members and testify about the urgent need to to attract growth and new famirepresent all local citizens and fund education, for that is the only lies, based on its excellent school provide an important public ser- thing that will define our tomor- district and we look forward to its vice as a Board of Trustee without row. Bhuchar said she will con- continued success.”
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Sunny Sharma: First Indo-American Rotary District Governor in the State of Texas
and said that DG Sunny Sharma is let us lead with our hearts manage The event was attended by spe- someone “who cares deeply about with our heads, and give with our cial guests and dignitaries. Coun- our community, cares deeply about hands.” He emphasized family of sel General of India, Sanjiv Arora our fellow man, and the person Rotary and suggested partnering and his wife Chaya were among that embodies and epitomizes the with other charitable organizations because “when we partner the special guests to join DG Sun- Rotary 4-way test. together, miracles ny Sharma at the happen.” DG head table. Judge Sunny Sharma and Ed Emmett, HarFirst Lady Rashmi ris County Judge celebrated the eveand his wife ning with family Gwen attended and friends. and presented The mission of RoDG Sunny Shartary International is ma with Procto provide service to lamations from others, promote inthe city of Houstegrity, and advance ton and Harris world understandCounty. Coming, goodwill, and missioner James peace through its felPatterson prelowship of business, sented DG Sunny professional, and Sharma the Proclamation for Fort Judge Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge congratulates Sunny Sharma community leaders. on his appointment as First Rotary Club Governor Rotary International Bend County Photo: Howard Gerber has over 1.2 million and Sugar Land members worldMayor Pro-Tem During Sunny Sharma’s accep- wide. District 5890 covers the Tom Abraham presented Sugar Land Proclamation. June 11, 2010 tance speech he challenged all Greater Houston area and includes was named Sunny Sharma Day in club President’s to build their clubs 63 clubs and over 3000 members. For more information visit www. Harris County, Fort Bend County, bigger better, and bolder in all avHouston and Sugar Land. David enues of service this year. In clos- rotary5890.org contact ksmith@ Wallace was master of ceremonies ing, he said “As you leave tonight, sunbeltmedical.com continued from page 1
Alliance Honors Refugee Students as Stars Among Us Scholarship Winners
HOUSTON: The Alliance for Multicultural Community Services awarded $17,000 in scholarships to twenty outstanding refugee students on June 25. The Stars Among Us scholarships were presented to children from refugee families in middle school, high school and college in a ceremony at the Alliance’s office on Hillcroft.
The student winners represent ten countries. The scholarships are designed to encourage refugee and immigrant children to continue their education and to help families pay for school uniforms and supplies, extracurricular school activities and post-secondary education. The selection criteria includes both academic achievement and community service.
Each of the five middle school graduates received a $400 scholarship. The five high school graduates and ten college students each received a $1,000 scholarship. The public school winners are from the Alief and Houston Independent School Districts. Each student also received special commendations from Congressman Al Green and County Judge Ed
Emmett. The recipients included Middle School graduates BhimAdhikari, Indra Chuwan, Ashika Pradhan, Lucky Sherpa from Nepal and High School Graduate Chem Dahal from Bhutan. Since 2001, the Alliance has awarded more than $128,000 to 147 students from refugee families from 17 countries.
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The Power of Tolerance Unveiled Through Meditation The Jain Vishwa Bharati Preksha Meditation Center on Schiller Road in far west Houston consists of a two-story administration and classroom building connected to the pyramid shaped mediation center in the back by an open breezeway. Mediaition classes are conducted by volunteers and Swamiji.
By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: Tucked away in far west Houston, off Highway 6 on a bit of a leftover pastures that used to line Schiller Lane and now has a massive reservoir lake in a park made by the county are houses of worship, almost one after the other. It is a peaceful setting, especially early in the morning with the morning Sun glistening on the dew and the faithful make their way along the narrow lane to offer the first prayers. Just before the lane deadends, a pyramid with an orange cap catches the eye, and the two story building to which it is connected by a short
breezeway, which houses the administration and activities of the Jain Vishwa Bharati in the Bayou City . Built on 2 acres and only over a year old, the 11,000sf JVB Preksha Center and the pyramid which is the 3,600sf Preksha Dhyan Hall are the focal points of the efforts to teach tolerance and non-violence which are the heart of the Jain religion. The JVB is an organization established under the guidance of Guru Ganahipati Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya to integrate modern science and the ancient wisdom of spiritual practitioners and visionary seers. “Our function here is not to
impart religious discourses on Jainism,” explained Swantantra Jain, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Houston Center as he sat in the multipurpose room on one side of the lobby this past Saturday. “It is really to impart the knowledge that has been distilled and passed down to us. We want to teach the power of tolerance.” Jain sees the biggest problem with society, whether desi or the mainstream, as being divorce and the chief reason as having too much economic power and not enough tolerance. Himself an ardent practitioner of yoga and meditation, Jain
has taught classes in pranayama, a breathing technique that balances the vital forces inside the body. As he contemplates retiring from his business, Jain sees his role growing in promoting the way the Preksha Center can teach tolerance to the larger community. He described how minute changes on a molecular level would affect the way a cell functions and then manifests itself by modifying sensations and the awareness of the world around us. “Without meditation,” he stressed, “you cannot control sensation. And once you start the process, then Life will be much happier for
you.” Meditation can then be considered as a purification process of the cells of the body. Jain would like to spread the knowledge and create awareness of the Center’s work and the mentoring that Swamiji can impart at the Center. He sees its use in anger management, conflict resolution and a much more contented view of Life and would like to meet with others who could help spread this message. The JVB Preksha Center is located at 14102 Schiller Rd , Houston , TX 77082 , 281-596-YOGA (9642), www.jvbhouston.org
CRY Walk 2010 – Walk in the ‘Right(s)’ Direction!
Join hundreds of people who will be walking in support of children’s rights across 20 US cities
The CRY Walk for Child Rights series launches on June 5, 2010 at Hartford, CT. For millions of children, basic rights to live, learn, play and grow remain a distant dream - due to poverty, caste, gender discrimination and lack of access to schools. But you can change this situation and ensure a better world for children by joining hundreds of others walking in support of children’s rights across 20 cities across the USA. CRY Walk for Child Rights is an initiative organized annually by the 501c3 non-profit Child Rights and You America Inc. (CRY America)
as a means to raise awareness and funds in support of underprivileged children, especially in India. CRY America is driven by its vision of a just world in all children develop to their full potential and realize their dreams. CRY Walk for Child Rights, in its seventh year is being organized by 20 Volunteer Chapters of CRY America. The CRY Walk series will kick off on June 5, 2010 at Hartford, CT. Walk events in July include Denver, Alabama, Minneapolis, Bay Area. August events include Detroit, Boston, Frankfort (KY). September events include NY, Chicago and Pittsburgh. Zee
TV is the official media sponsor for CRY Walk 2010. A variety of skill levels are invited to participate in this years CRY Walk event, including a non -com-
petitive walk for families across all 20 cities, a 5k competitive Run for sports enthusiasts in some cities, children’s fun activities in some cities and snacks and refreshing drinks for all participants! All participants will receive an attractive CRY T-shirt and top finishers of the run will receive special recognition. Participants are encouraged to register in teams of 10 and each team’s logo will be printed on the Walk T-shirts!
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUly 02 , 2010 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Shefali Sunderlal, President, CRY America, emphasized the need for people to come together through such events to change the situation of underprivileged children. She said, “Illiteracy, child labor, malnutrition, and preventable diseases are injustices faced by millions of children on a daily basis. But not for long we hope. Because no matter how long or difficult the journey - if each one of us believes in doing what’s right, then all children will have their right to live, learn, grow and play!” Visit www.america.cry.org fo more information about CRY USA.
online edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
S ociety
ICC Holds 4th Leaders Conference
STAFFORD:The4thAnnualLeaders Conference, a signature event of the India Culture Center (ICC), was held on Saturday, June 26 at the Techniplex Conference Center in Stafford. The theme of this year’s event was Personal Empowerment- An Immigrant Perspective. The Chief Guest for the event was Digvijaya Singh, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and General Secretary for AICC. He spoke about the migration of people and communities; the
effectiveness in which communities can work together to consolidate a strong country. The Keynote Speaker for the event Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale of Gallery Furniture spoke about work ethics and attitude. The conference panel comprising of Gordon Quan, Ravi Kathuria, Gary Owens and Vikas Jhingran discussed several topics including confidence, integrity, inclusiveness, accountability and mentoring in the work place. The interactive Q&Ases-
sion was well participated by the 72 delegates from various organizations that attended the conference. This event was chaired by ICC Director Manisha Mehta along with Sanjay Ram. In his address, the President of ICC Swapan Dhairyawan, stressed the importance of such events; the synergy effect there of; and the advantages derived from combined efforts. He spoke about the various matters that evolved from the conference, namely the calendar of events, the community directory, organizational slides, inter-organizational volunteering and the joint hosting of events of significant interest. The event was sponsored by MD&Associates LLP. For further information about ICC visit www.icchouston.org
Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
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Radio Masti Set to Kick Off New Hours and Program
Radio Masti acknowledges team work. From left: Shyamal Bhattacharya, Isha Bose, Pashupati Kailasam, Jimit Patel. Seated: Samrat Bhattacharya.
HOUSTON: Along with its celebration of completing 3 months, Radio Masti is expanding to two hours. On public demand, starting Saturday, July 3rd, Radio Masti will airing from 10 AM until 12 PM. Along with the new hours, Radio Masti will also be introducing a new Bengali segment. No need to change station dials, because the newest and coolest South Asian radio program in town will stay on 1480 AM. Radio Masti, in its little time, has become a very popular and fast expanding program that provides a new touch to entertainment on the radio dials. Samrat, the cool and youngest South Asian on-air host, and Isha, the cute and vibrant voice, can be heard for a half an hour longer! They like to say that it’s “More music. More talk. Bole toh…more MASTI!” Only this time, you can sleep in a little. Along with the new hours, Radio Masti is bringing on a Bengali segment from 11:30 AM until noon. That means sounds from the eastern region can fill your car, home, or office every weekend. New additions Jaya and Saswati will be bringing a fresh touch to Radio Masti to balance out the flavor from Bollywood that precedes the soothing music of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Join the Masti Group, every Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM until 12 Noon, only on 1480 KLVL. Call the studio at 281 983 9550 or visit www. radiomastihouston.com for more information. Some music. Some talk. Bole toh…MASTI!
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUly 02 , 2010• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
online edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUly 02 , 2010 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
online edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
india
Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
‘PEACELESS’ STREET: Kashmiri protestors attack a policeman in Srinagar. Security forces today fired warning shots and lobbed tear gas shells in Sopore town as protestors carrying the body of a youth, who was killed in firing by CRPF personnel, defied curfew and staged a march in the town.
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India in Pictures
DRUNK WITH BEAUTY: Butterflies mud-puddling at the Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park in Visakhapatnam.
NEW TALENT: Indian cricketer Saurabh Tiwari during an ad film shoot for a local builder in Ranchi.
STRIKING LEGEND: A man dressed as Goddess Kali sits with demonstrators as they display their unique cultural heritage demanding a separate State of Cooch Behar be carved out of the northern part of West Bengal, in New Delhi.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUly 02 , 2010• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
MEMORY REMAINS: Members of the Pancham’s Fan Club perform to celebrate R.D. Burman’s birthday in New Delhi.
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Indo American News • Friday, July 02 , 2010
online edition: www.indoamerican-news.com
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUly 02 , 2010 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM