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Friday, February 07 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 06

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ICC Board members at the Republic Day Celebration.

Indian Diplomatic Fete

Puzzles / Recipe

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From left: Ambassador Jaishankar felicitating Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardee Dr. Renu Khator, Suresh Khator, and Consul General P. Harish.

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February 07, 2014

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

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Republic Day Reception by Indian Consulate Introduces New Ambassador

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The Indian Consulate General pulled off a little bit of a coup this past Sunday, February 2, as they were able to draw in a houseful of guests to the annual Indian Republic Day (the actual anniversary is on January 26) reception at the Hilton Post Oak, which has become a tradition over the past four years, despite the event’s conflict with the major news story of the day, Super Bowl XLVIII that was going on at the same time.

Many people were glued to their Smartphones trying to keep up with the score, and of course, the game was over by the time dinner was being served. Hors d’ouerves and dinner for the evening were catered by Udippi Café.

Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish acknowledged the conflict, but revealed the reason for the one-week delayed celebration by introducing the newly installed Indian Ambassador Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (see related story and brief background on the Ambassador, page 6) who was making his first tour outside of Washington DC since he arrived six weeks ago to visit with industry leaders in the highly important oil and gas field. “We are honored that Ambassador Jaishankar has chosen Houston for his first visit”, said Harish as he introduced him to the standing room audience.

After arriving on Saturday, Jaishankar met privately with Congressman Randy Weber and later had dinner at Harish’s home with US Representatives Pete Olson, Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee. He paid a brief visit to the James Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Sunday morning, Jaishankar visited the Meenakshi Temple in Pearland and met with members of the Indo American Political Action Committee later that afternoon before attending the

From left: Ambassador Jaishankar with Padma Shri Award winner Dr. Ashok Kumar Mago and his wife, and Consul General P. Harish.

Consul General’s reception in the evening.

Jaishankar told the audience that he had arrived in the US six weeks earlier and chose Houston for his first visit out of Washington, DC because “we have a great CG here and thought to be with him”, he quipped, “the weather was better than DC and mostly because of the great Indo American community here”. He applauded the local Indian community for doing so well here; reshaping America’s thinking of India and helping build better relations with the US in the 30 years since he was last in the country as a First Secretary at the Embassy.

He added that the three reasons that India and the US are closer and think alike is because trade has quadrupled, bilateral investments are very strong and the values and ideals are similar. “Houston has a special relationship as its trade with India is about $8 billion, more than some countries”, he said, adding that “Texas is an exceptional state of the US”.

The Ambassador went on to recognize two individuals who have just been awarded the Pad-

ma Bhushan, the highest civilian award of the Republic of India – Ashok K. Mago of Dallas for his involvement in forging the nuclear deal between the US and India and Dr. Renu Khator, President and Chancellor of the University of Houston for her contribution to education initiatives between the two countries.

Both were at hand to accept the public recognition and said a few words of appreciation. Mago spoke of the call in the middle of the night to inform him he had been honored and how his wife reminded him to stay grounded in his daily life. Khator was introduced as “Houston’s Rockstar Lady in Red” for the red skirt and coat she is known to wear to represent UH. She actually came on stage wearing the 22 karat gold medal, saying “I accepted this medal in the names of Houston, Texas and the city’s Indian Americans because your stories and success bring me my success”.

The program included many local elected officials who made short statements at the podium after the Ambassador spoke. Harris County Commissioner’s Court

From left: Rep. Al Green (D-TX 9th District), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX 18th District), Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar, Consul General P. Harish and Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX 22nd District) after dinner at the Harish residence on February 1.

UH President Dr. Renu Khator with some of the older members of the audience (seated from left) Maniahs Mehta’s mother, Maji Thakkar from the Shridi Sai Baba Temple, Shakuntla Malhotra, who writes recipes for IAN. Standing besides Dr. Khator are Sangeeta Dua and Jyoti Thakkar, Maji’s daughter.

Judge Ed Emmett extended his best wishes and echoed the “rich ties between the two countries.

The Super Bowl is just a game, but India is an enduring legacy that will go on forever”. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, as always,

tried to speak a few Hindi phrases of welcome and thanks, and stated that his department had added two Sikhs, Deputy Sandeep Dhariwal and a new communications offi-

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February 07, 2014

India House Gala “Our Mission. Our Journey. Our Health.”

Saturday, February 15, 2014 6:30pm to 11:00pm Hilton Post Oak Galleria Gala Chairpersons Mr. & Mrs. Vik (Chrisha) Agrawal Keynote Speaker Honorable Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina Contact India House to sponsor the Gala Event: Fax: 713-772-9015 Phone: 713-929-1905 email: yolanda@indiahouseinc.org Sponsor India House Today Sponsors Platinum

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Durga and Sushila Agrawal

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Virendra and Nalini Mathur

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Sewa and Kuldip Legha

Amit and Aprita Bhandari

Devi Prasad and Saroj Rungta

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Chowdary and Angela Yalamanchili

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

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Republic Day Festivities Renew their Luster as ICC Revamps

Photo: Vijay Pallod

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: As the noon hour rolled by, even the organizers were anxious to see what the turnout would be after the dismal showing at last year’s Republic Day celebrations at the Bayou City Event Center near the Astrodome. As the parade rolled out around 12:30 and did the traditional round of the parking lot behind a pickup truck blaring patriotic desi songs from yesteryear, the main hall virtually emptied out, save the vendors at their booths, They were still a little jittery after they returned to the starting point, following the dholukwala, pumping their fists into the air led by a mostly middle aged crowd of first genners shouting “Bharat mata ki jai”. But as they filed back in and the day continued, it seemed like

the crowd started trickling in, rolling through the event until it ended around 6 pm, much to the relief of all the organizers who had spent many hours pulling this year’s event together.

Though light – some estimate about 1,200 people attended the event – by comparison to the mega events of Makar Sankranti, Holi, Diwali and Dussehra that others have organized, the second of the India Culture Center’s yearly flagship programs revved up to the popularity of past years in one of the community’s first major event of the new year. The fact that it came back to the more conveniently located Stafford Civic Center drew in more of the crowds from the densely desi enclaves of the Southwest suburbs.

The food and boutique vendors

did a steady stream of business and the services groups, which made up the majority of the booths, spread their messages to an inquisitive crowd of people (see pictures in collage on pages 14-15).

The program was decidedly a little less heavy of speech making and the politicos than in years past and most of the entertainment was by amateurs from the community, including several dances by young kids, old patriotic songs by the adults and then lively music and dance, ending with songs by local professionals Sharda Akunuri and Davinder Kaur, (an artist who has performed in India and is also Jasmeeta Singh’s mother). The cultural program was choreographed by two ICC Directors: Falguni Gandhi as chair, supported by Jasmeeta Singh now much recovered

from her ailing back that sidelined her last year.

The event, organized by Prasad Kalva, marked the formal handing over of the baton from outgoing ICC President P. V. Patel and his Board to incoming 2014 President Charlie Patel and his newly elected Board. There is much hope built around Charlie Patel, who has been instrumental, as a volunteer, in bringing together all the booth vendors for the past few years, to re-energize the oldest desi organization in the Southwest with a younger style and newer ideas and concepts. “I fully intend to build on that spirit”, said Charlie, as he surveyed the event.

One new item that was unveiled in the event souvenir was the imminent building of a 10 foot long by 3 foot high monument sign at

the corner of US 59 and Hillcroft proclaiming the area as the “Mahatma Gandhi District”, a distinction that is already declared below the street signs in the area. “It was a major achievement to get this approved by the Greater Sharpstown Management District”, said Board Director Mahesh Wadhwa, an architect who spearheaded the campaign to bring attention to the businesses in the area also fondly known as Little India.

SEE PHOTO COLLAGE ON PG 14-15

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

New Indian Amb. Jaishankar Makes Houston His First National Stop

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It was a heady few days for the new Indian envoy to the US, Ambassador Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as he visited the Bayou City and met with business leaders from the oil and gas industry, healthcare and education areas which he hopes to focus on during his tenure for the next three years. By the time he came to the reception arranged between the Consulate and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce, the polished, demure, slightly built, 59 year-old Jaishankar with a clipped beard and glasses which give him the look of a visiting professor, had taken on a little of the local vernacular to praise the Texan optimism and Houston’s healthy economy.

The event was held in the evening on Monday, February 3 at the top floor banquet room of the Westin Oaks Hotel in the Galleria with a little over 120 invited guests and media to hear the Ambassador speak about his mission in the US and his first impressions of the local Indo American commu-

nity. During his four day visit, he met many of them at a private reception at the Consul General’s house, at the traditional Republic Day reception that the Indian Consulate throws each year (see page 3) and this reception for the business community. Apart from a pasta island catered by the hotel, the Indian hors d’ouerves was catered by Madras Pavilion.

Jagdip Ahluwalia, the Executive Director of the Chamber greeted the guests with a short discourse of the organization’s history and highlighted four of its major accomplishments over its existence: the MOU between Tata Cancer Center in Bombay and M.D. Anderson Hospital for Cancer research; the direct flights between Houston and New Delhi by then Continental Airlines; encouraging BMC Software’s CEO Bob Beauchamp to set up and expand in India and the relocation of Mahendra & Mahendra’s US operations to Houston. He introduced the IACCGH Board of Directors and the President-elects for 2015 Ashok

IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia and President Sanjay Ramabhadran present a Texas shaped plaque to Indian Ambassador Jaishankar as Consul General P. Harish looks on.

Photos: Bijay Dixit

Garg and for 2016 Joya Shukla.

The newly installed 2014 President Sanjay Ramabhadran extended a Texas sized welcome to the Ambassador, noting that Houstonians were honored that it was the first city he chose to visit since assuming office on December 23, 2013. He acknowledged that the Chamber’s focus was on energy, healthcare and education, echoing the Ambassador’s own agenda. He asked Consul General Parvathaneni Harish to introduce the Ambassador, which he did briefly while heaping praise on the efforts of the Chamber in helping the Indian delegation in its objectives. “The Chamber has been an important partner in helping us”, he said. “Houston is an important overall component in our stra-

tegic thinking”.

Before taking on this assignment, Jaishankar has previously the Ambassador to the Czech Republic; High Commissioner to Singapore; then the Ambassador to China, where he took over from Nirupama Rao. It is perhaps no coincidence that he has once again followed to replace her to assume another high-profile posting in Washington, DC after her term expired. He was born in New Delhi, graduated from St. Stephen’s College at the University of Delhi and received a PhD in International Relations from Jawahar Lal Nehru University, specializing in nuclear diplomacy. He was previously at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC as first secretary from 1985 to 1988.

Indian Ambassador S. Jaishankar presents an award to University of Houston President Renu Khator as Consul General P. Harish applauds.

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

Dance-Drama ‘Khidki’ – An Exquisite Treat for Connoisseurs of the Fine Arts

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BY NANDITA SHARMA HOUSTON: There is an old saying that children end up being, thinking, and doing things just as their parents and teachers did.

While we rarely appreciate the advice of our parents and teachers, it is amazing how much their thoughts resonate in our minds and directly influence our decisions and choices.

As a parent of a young girl, seeking a teacher for her child, I felt that to teach an intelligent child may not be very difficult if given enough number of years and practice.

Maybe my views stemmed from the fact that I didn’t learn and pursue any Indian classical dance as a child, and by-and-large they all seemed similar to me. Hailing from South India, I had never seen nor known anyone who had learnt Kathak. Our journey really began when I started visiting teachers of various vocations: piano, swimming, vocal, classical, ballet, gymnastics, and karate.

I spent a lot of time to conduct my own due diligence by visiting with the teachers and watching their classes.

When I met Shiva Mathur, intuitively I knew that I had found the teacher, rather the positive influence and guiding light that I wanted for our daughter. The humility and respect with which she interacts with the other person speaks volumes about her upbringing. She carries not just herself but everything that her parents, grandparents and all the Gurus who entered her life during the different stages of her training with her, both in spirit and word. She had the humility to remember, thank and praise them right at the very beginning. She explained to me

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how her work was her way of worshiping the Lord and how her dance originated and flowed through a spiritual direction.

She mentioned that she chose music that spoke of divine love and beauty.

Honestly, while I did not fully understand these concepts, I realized she was explaining something good and pure, which I wanted our child to be exposed to and have the opportunity to learn about.

Shiva ji comes from a family where the arts are greatly respected and appreciated.

Where a finer understanding is not taught to the members, it’s a part of the fabric of their souls and they are secure in it because they know that their hearts have known those sounds and steps, even in the womb. Her own maternal grandmother, Shanthi Sahai is an acclaimed writer, poetess, radio artist, dance teacher and a renowned literary figure in Lucknow. Shiva ji’s gurus include professionals at the Bhatkhande Institute in Lucknow.

On Sunday, February 16, Shiva Mathur has a very special treat for connoisseurs of the fine arts. The performance at the Stafford Civic Center promises to be truly spectacular, in a league with those that grace Houston’s famed theatre district. The show, titled “Khidki” (the window) is themed like an opera. The story revolves around the intense desire of two poor sisters to learn Kathak, and how they succeed by secretly watching the guru teach her regular students.

The poignant tale serves to highlight social issues, particularly the eternal divide between the rich and poor through the behavior of some students, but essentially highlights the triumphant achievement of one’s dreams through burning desire, dedication, and determination over adversity and seemingly insurmountable odds. It will be a sold out event, I hope you get to see it and not just read about it.

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Republic Day Reception by Indian Consulate Introduces New Ambassador

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cer. Jay Guerrero stood in for Sen. John Cronyn and Sam Merchant for Rep. Al Green, as did a spokesman for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. The evening concluded with a entertainment coordinated by Nandita Harish, the CG’s wife, and included a dance performance by students – Rachna, Ravali, Riya, Amani, Swara and Milinda

- of Rathna Kumar followed by a table performance by eleven male students of Pt. Shantilal Shah, all playing in unison. It concluded with a marvelous vocal performance of Hindustani music by Pt. Suman Ghosh accompanied by Sucheta Roy, Sowmita Narayanan, Amiya, Apurva, Bhavi, Prasun and Reet.

February 07, 2014

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New Indian Amb. Jaishankar Makes Houston His First National Stop 6

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And his diplomatic skills were very much on display as he reflected on how the relationship between the US and India had changed the ensuing years since his first posting in 1981. Today, the US is a country with 3.5 million Indo Americans in the country and another 2 million on other visas and with the new LNG exporting terminal at Sabine Pass being built, the US is poised to become a major supplier of energy to India. Bilateral trade between the two countries is around $100 billion and Jaishankar would like to see that grow by fivefold by focusing on three areas of cooperation: business, defense aviation and knowledge through education partnerships between universities.

Jaishankar acknowledged that the growth rates in India had slowed down but pointed out that there were two big changes in its economy: 300 infrastructure projects worth $100 billion were recently cleared for implementation and the message that India is sensitive to its problems and is open to business. He added that he was working closely with all five consulates in the US and is open to

working with other organizations too in pursuit of his goals. “We are all going through tough times right now”, he concluded, “but I feel a sense of optimism in Texas”.

The Ambassador opened up the floor to questions, of which there were several from the audience, mostly dealing with the energy sector. He answered the question by a female guest on India’s response to violence against women by saying that public sentiment demanded strict action and the government was taking appropriate steps. On the question of water

and pollution control in India and if that technology was a goal of his to tackle, he responded that it was.

After the Ambassador spoke, University of Houston President and Chancellor Renu Khator was given a chance to address the audience about the education initiatives that she has worked on in India, and she added the vast improvements that have been made to the city’s largest Tier One accredited university. She invited the Ambassador to visit the university when he next comes to Houston.

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10 February 07, 2014 Khidki The story of two sisters in a slum with dreams of a better life, and how a window changes their destiny

A Dance ncce-drama p presentation showcasingg the he exquisite xq xq classical dance form f Kathak ak accompanied p with th Dholak akk

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

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Indian Ambassador Visits Sri Meenakshi Temple

In front of the majestic Ratham, Indian Ambassador Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Consul General Parvathaneni Harish, and visitors with MTS executive board and Sam Kannappan.

PEARLAND: Indian Ambassador to the USA, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Houston’s own Sri Meenakshi Temple on Sunday, February 2. He is the fourth Indian Ambassador to visit Meenakshi temple adding to the list of its distinguished visitors in its thirty seven year history. The heavens opened at about 8 am and the continuous steady drizzle of rain did not deter the enthusiasm of the MTS board members and devotees gathered near the Rajagopuram entrance. As the cavalcade of vehicles pulled up with the distinguished visitor, several children and ladies welcomed the group with roses in their hands.

The priests greeted the guests with the traditional Poorna Kumbam when they entered through the Raja Gopuram. The Ambassador was accompanied by Consul General Parvathaneni Harish, Pearland Mayor Tom Reid and Eminent physicist Dr. E.C. G. Sudharshan.

The distinguished visitors entered the main temple as the priests

led them with the vedic chant. The Ambassador and his party after witnessing the aarthi and having a dharshan of the deities in the main temple were taken on a short tour of the temple by MTS chairman Dr. Vaduganathan. The temple tour included visits to the New Ganesh Temple, the Ratham and Visitor center. The Ambassador was thoroughly engaged during the tour and asked lots of questions about the MTS history.

A group of children, who are students of Vidushi Smt. Rajarajeshwari Bhat, sang an invocatory prayer song and rendered beautifully both the Indian & American national anthems. The Ambassador and the guests were felicitated with Ponnadai (silk shawl), a copy of book by Dr. Bala N Iyer and other small temple gifts. The Ambassador stated that the trip to Houston is his first official visit outside Washington and remarked on the fact that he was happy and considered it as an auspicious start to have visited the Meenakshi tem-

ple as his first stop prior to other engagements in this city. He also acknowledged Sam Kannappan for facilitating the visit. He noted the importance of the Indian community in America as a key linkage to strengthen the ties between India and the USA. He thanked the hosts and promised that he will visit again. The MTS chairman Dr.Vaduganathan thanked the board and council members and all the temple staff for pulling together to make this visit of the Indian Ambassador a very memorable one.

Even the rain had stopped for a while when the Ambassador was in the temple. It was indeed an amazing day at MTS.

Students of Vidushi Smt.Rajarajeshwari Bhat with the Indian Ambassador and Consul General of India after their musical performance at the MTS Kalyana Mandapam.

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Maha Shivratri Celebration at Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir of Houston The First Jyotir Lingam, a Replica of GOD Somnath & Maa Shri Ambaji, in Houston.

Thursday, February 27, 2014 Please Come with your family and Friends and pray at Our New Temple.

Mahapuja at 5:00 PM. Arati 7:00 pm.

Four-Praharpooja will continue till 6:00 a.m. on Feb 28 List your name for Pooja with the Priest.

Mrutyunjaya Japa Yajna will continue for the whole day.

For Mahapooja, a donation of $201.00 is appreciated; For Abhishek during daytime a donation of $21.00 is appreciated, and Milk for Abhishek & Prasad is welcome.

New Temple is located at: 6640 Harwin Drive • Houston, TX 77036 For more information or to participate as Yajman, call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-784-5500 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 Temple Tel: 713-278-9099

Maha Pooja – 5:00 pm To 7:00 pm First Prahar pooja – 9:00 To 12:00 am Second Prahar pooja – 12:00 To 2:00 am Third Prahar pooja – 2:30 To 4:00 am Fourth Prahar Maha Arati - 4:30 to 6:30 am

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BY CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN PEARLAND: In the 37th annual Tyagaraja Aradhana held last weekend (Jan 25-26), hundreds of Carnatic musicians of Greater Houston trained at various levels gathered at Sri Meenakshi Temple Kalyana mandapam. This event has been an inspiring festival since 1977 and is influential in turning Greater Houston into a culturally-enriched belt.

The sanctity of Sri Meenakshi Temple has the perfect ambiance to pay homage to the saint. At Tiruvaiyaru (in Tamil Nadu) where the saint lived (1767- 1857) and sang hundreds of his compositions until he attained Samadhi, it is a tradition to have a grand commemorative music festival in which Carnatic musicians of all levels offer their respect by singing Tyagaraja krithis. This festival is held on the day he attained Samadhi. This year the Houston festival followed the Tiruvaiyaru format. Part 2 of this event will be conducted as a two-day spring festival (on April 11 at MTS and on April 12 at Asia Society Texas Center) with world class performers.

The traditional group rendition of Tyagaraja’s Pancharatna Krithis was beautifully led by Vidushi Rajarajeswary Bhat that included dozens of excellent musicians. Dr. Vivek Natarajan performed Sri Rama abhishekam as a reminiscence of the dedicated routine of the saint in the worship of his deity. The two-day event gave opportunities for more than two hundred individuals of varying degrees of training to pay tribute to Saint Tyagaraja by singing one of his compositions. Attendance that exceeded 400 people was very impressive and indicated the community support.

Several excellent short concerts presented brought in varieties of styles and trends, both traditional and innovative. A few short

COMMUNITY

Classical Arts Society’s Inspirational Tyagaraja Aradhana Attracts Hundreds to MTS concerts stand out prominently well.

The masterly concert presented by Sridevi Josyula was steeped with tradition. She had a noticeable clarity in every phrase she narrated. The raga alapana of her mini concert was pleasant that brought out each raga’s nuances.

Padma Saranathan, a disciple of Smt. Suguna Varadachari rendered an aesthetically and technically sound concert. Her spontaneous inclusion of manodharma in almost all the krithis added her own seal within the permitted periphery. It was an enjoyable concert.

Maha Krishnan selectively included popular compositions of Saint Tyagaraja in her concert. Being an accomplished musician, composer, and playback singer, Maha seemed to understand exactly all the factors necessary to make a concert enjoyable.

Chitra Dharmarajan, Neela Chakravarthy and Usha Easwaran enlightened the audience with rare and Sanskrit compositions of Saint Tyagaraja.

Tara Rengarajan, a disciple of Sri O.S. Tyagarajan was very methodical and enriched with bhava in each raga she sang.

The instrumentalists Deepa Ramachandran, Mahesh Iyer (violin), Prof V. N. Shivakumar, Karun Salvady (mridangam) and Ganesh Balasubramanian (kanchira) supported multitudes of concerts. Their superb talent, knowledge and performance added vitality to the entire festival.

Chitra Dharmarajan deserves great appreciation for coordinating this event. Many enthusiastic volunteers made this event pos-

Group Rendition of Sri Thyagaraja’s Pancharatna Krithis

Violin Duet, from left : Karun Salvady, Deepa Ramachandran, Mahesh Iyer, Ganesh Balasubramanian.

sible :- teachers who prepared their students for participation, parents who encouraged their children, stage decoration, front desk management, stage management, sound system control and more (special thanks to

Sesh Bala, Prabha Bala and Ganesh Balasubramanian for their invaluable involvement). For further information: http:// www.classicalartshouston.org/

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

February 07, 2014

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17

18 February 07, 2014 Public Health First

Drug regulation needs an overhaul. Start with more investment in human resources, infrastructure.

After the fourth unit of Ranbaxy Laboratories was banned from shipping to the US, its Food and Drug Administration commissioner is set to visit India to resolve several of these persistent contentions with the health ministry. Other Indian pharmaceutical companies, like Wockhardt and RPG Life Sciences, have also received notices from the US regulator about their shoddy manufacturing practices.

When the Ranbaxy scandal first broke, the commerce ministry’s first reflex was denial, or to see this in nationalist terms alone, as a Big Pharma plot to undermine India’s plucky and successful businesses. While India does have economic interests in the success of this $15 billion export industry, it needs solid regulation to ensure this success is sustainable.

In response to the FDA’s monitoring of Indian firms, the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) fought for the right to check manufacturing facilities abroad, apparently to make sure that drugs coming into India meet quality standards. This claim would be taken more seriously if the CDSCO had not been such a visible failure — a parliamentary standing committee on health in May last year laid out the remarkable chaos in domestic drug regulation, even in terms of granting licences.

Manufacturing laxity aside, it found that many drugs were being marketed before being put through the required clinical trials and drugs banned in other markets were available here. Regulatory dossiers were missing for several drugs, and in many cases, approvals were granted by non-technical staff. Expert testimonials were suspiciously similar in many cases. State issued licences operated in their own orbit, and these authorisations were not sent back to the central regulator.

The Centre has moved a new drugs and cosmetics amendment bill, which conceives of a professionally managed Central Drugs Authority like the FDA, to swallow the existing CDSCO. But it will take more than surprise inspections to change this regulatory culture — it will involve breaking the collusion between certifiers and companies, and more than anything, it will require greater investment.

The US FDA has a strength of some 14,000 people, while the Indian regulator had 327 in 2012. While the pharma industry is exploding, and the CDSCO’s workload is growing by 20 per cent every year, it lacks the staff and infrastructure, advisors and independent testing labs to do its job. That needs to change first, if the government is serious about a regulatory overhaul.

-Indian Express

EDITORIAL

Out of the Closet

BY SHAILAJA BAJPAI So there is this chat show, Sherbet with Salman, in the middle of the Star Guild Awards before the film frat, when the entire family makes an evening of it before the TV at home. Salman Khan’s guest is, guess who? Why, Karan Johar. Remember, the Bollywood superstar made his debut on Koffee with Karan in its first episode of the latest season.

Now, the exchange goes something like this (with a few hits and misses): Salman Khan (aggressive): Why have you not got married till now?

Karan Johar (unperturbed): I am also a virgin. (A sly reference to the actor’s claim on Koffee with Karan).

Khan asks another leading question; Johar parries, naughtynaughty: “I will tell you backstage.” He giggles and everyone in the audience roars with laughter, enjoying the sexual pun intended. Revital Salman Khan (he advertises the product) thrusts outs his bulging body-built frame: “Why are you breathless looking at me? I am happy but…” he trails off suggestively. Then it’s the rapid fire round: Do you like interviewing girls or boys? he demands and Johar blithely replies, “As a host I swing both ways.”

The audience cracks up and we all think Johar is a jolly good fella for being so witty and brazen.

Who said Indian television has a “U” rating, that it’s a family pastime with maybe three generations of potatoes perched companionably together on the same couch, watching their favourite TV show?

Would you sit by your grandmother listening to Khan and Johar?

On Koffee with Karan (Star World), five minutes do not pass without a reference to sex, to parts of the anatomy involved in acts of sex or to all kinds of sex. It’s not Johar’s fault entirely. As he declared last Sunday with guests Sonakshi Sinha and Shahid Kapoor, he tries “so hard” for the show not to be about sex — and fails. Kapoor was outrageous, revelling in risqué remarks through-

Open references to sexual matters and preferences have increased on Indian television. out, while Sonakshi tittered — whether in delight or embarrassment, it was never quite clear.

The open references to sexual matters, sexual preferences, to relations with one’s partner — irrespective of marital status or gender — seem to have increased. On Chivas Studio Gentleman’s Code (Star World), men and women’s attitudes to procreation or recreational sex has been discussed at some length.

Ever since the Supreme Court overturned a Delhi High Court ruling that decriminalised homosexuality and reiterated that opinion last week, new channels have been frankly discussing the issue. Writer Vikram Seth on NDTV 24×7 (The Buck Stops Here) was outspoken about his “criminal” status under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.

All of this is very refreshing and welcome. Is television out of the closet and the bedroom in India?

Well, advertising certainly is. Like the two girls in the Fastrack commercial (seen more on the internet) who emerge together from a closet after doing god knows what not. There are explicit ads for condoms: seen the one for chocolate condoms, or deodor-

ants and Old Spice with a young woman salivating over an ageing Milind Soman’s bare chest?

English language channels have offered viewers plenty of titillation for many years. Sex is central to popular shows such as Two and A Half Men, New Girl, Mom and Betrayal, to name a few, and the current Star World prime-time Boston Legal where the V word (referring to a particular part of the female anatomy) made a guest appearance this week — delicately censored out of course — and where office hanky-panky is habitual. Also, remember Mad Men? Hindi entertainment channels, meanwhile, still behave like, well, virgins. We’ve had a few bedroom scenes in shows like Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (Sony), even a semi-passionate kiss or two on the mouth but as in our films, TV soaps allow lead couples to implode with sexual tension and smouldering eyes, to wear suggestive clothing (Rang Rasiya, Colors), maybe even utter “I luuuv you”, but that’s it. Although married couples obviously do it, you’d never know it watching your favorite soaps. Comedy shows like Comedy Nights with Kapil (Colors) can be a wee bit naughty, but it never goes all the way.

Wonder if we should be more explicit about sex, sexual relationships and sexual politics given the levels of sexual repression in our society.

-Indian Express

Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN GRAPHIC DESIGN: AMITHA DEVIKRUPA CORRESPONDENTS

HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: RAJ KANWAR ®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 4 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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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

19

Unique Bharatanatyam Dance Ballet on Sri Radha Rani

PEARLAND : Global Organization for Divinity will present a Bharatanatyam classical dance ballet titled “Radhe…Radhe…--AStory of Love for the Supreme” on March 15, starting at 4:15 pm at the CA Nelson Auditorium located at 2337 N Galveston Ave, Pearland TX 77581.

The presentation will be in commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the organization’s prayer house, Namadwaar, located in the Pearland/ Manvel area.

The dance ballet will depict the divine love of Sri Radha Rani, who stands for the epitome of devotion to God, and whose love for Lord Krishna is held in high esteem even today by millions of devotees around the world.

The performance, which is choreographed by well-known Houston danseuse Surabi Veeragavan, will weave an English narrative with the beautiful musical compositions of His Holiness Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji to speak of Sri Radha Rani’s love. This is a unique opportunity to experience Sri Radha – the One who does not easily reveal Herself – visually, through the words and anubhava of a mahatma. The avatara and greatness of Sri Radha - the only One who is capable of bestowing Krishna prema bhakti - are portrayed in this

enchanting dance performance.

For the first time in Houston, both the choreography and music direction for this production have been put together entirely by young, blossominglocal artistes.

Surabi Ve e r a r a gavan, the choreography director, is a talented dancer with several performances to her credit.

She has learned Bharatanatyam under many accomplished teachers including the world-famous danseuse Chitra Vishveshvaran, and currently continues to evolve under distinguished Houston teacher, Padmini Chari.

Uma Ranganathan, the music director, is a wonderful vocalist who learned under Dr. K. Vageesh of India and is currently under the tutelage of the eminent Rajarajeshwary Bhat of Houston. Uma is an accomplished musician and also a dancer who, apart from lending her voice to the production, has also composed the entire background music and dance score for it.

The production also brings together several dancers not only from the Houston area but also from other parts of the USA. Dancers who will participate in this production include Surabi Veeraragavan, Anu Nagasimha, Maya Iyer, Shubha Soman,

Akila Raman, Nisha Gosar, Kavya Rajan, Roopa Nagarajan - all from the Houston area, Suwetha Kalyan from Dallas and Nrithi Subramanian from Minneapolis.

This unique dance ballet is sure to delight the audience with its spiritual, musical as well as visual grace and beauty. Tickets – $10 general and $25 preferred seating – can be purchased online at events.sulekha.com or by calling 281-303-5828 or 281-4026585. Sponsors are welcome. For further information, call the above numbers or email houston.god@ godivinity.org.

Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) is a worldwide organization that aims to promote peace, harmony and universal love amid cultural diversity. It is involved in several spiritual, cultural and social activities across the world and eral cities in the in sevUSA, including the Houston area.

The Namadwaar prayer

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house in Houston (Pearland/ Manvel area) is one of over 20 such Namadwaars around the world, and the only one in the USA, where the “Hare Rama…

Hare Krishna…” Mahamantra is continuously chanted.

For further information about G.O.D. or Houston Namadwaar, visit www.godivinity.org.

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COMMUNITY

February 07, 2014

21

A New Initiative to Impact Policies in India - IGAO

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HOUSTON: IIT Alumni rolled out a new advocacy initiative, IGAO, to impact developmental and other policies in India at the IIT2013 conference in Houston this past December. It gives opportunities to any concerned individual to draw attention to a problem, propose solutions and seek inputs from IGAO members to land on best options. The solutions may be developed in-house or drawn from other sources. The thrust of IGAO is to shine light on the burning issues facing India, and draw on the energies, expertise, passions and other resources of concerned and informed individuals to rally behind best solutions. These solutions will then be presented to appropriate agencies in private and public sectors, and government officials as recommended Policy Resolutions for action.

IGAO’s focus is on Right Policies for India, and not on the political landscape. IGAO currently has roots in both India and USA. It will expand depending on people’s will.

Visit www.igao-us.org to learn more. Please come to India House (8888 W Bellfort, Houston) on Sunday, Feb 9th from 3:00-4:30 pm for a meeting to understand why this initiative is needed, and see how you can impact policies in India. Most IGAO work for most participants will be web based requiring zero travel.

Please register for Feb 9th meeting at the IGAO website. IGAO membership and meetings are open to all who believe in this mission.

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INDIA

February 07, 2014

Unassuming Indian Author Roshen Dalal Assumes Iconic Stature

23

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BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT In a span of less than decade and a half, author Roshen Dalal has assumed an iconic stature, or nearly so, for her books on history and world religions. Her sixth title in this genre “The Puffin History of the World” (Vol I) has just been published and is now available in bookstores in India.

Right now, she is busy giving finishing touches to its Volume II that hopes to complete it by May this year. That will be her seventh title in this niche literary segment. Almost all of her books on history and religions should be of immense interest to the Indian Diaspora and their children in the US and other countries.

ROSHEN’S first book was the “The History of India for Children” that was later published in a new edition under the title “The Puffin History of India for Children”, Volume I. Exceeding all expectations, that title sold over 60,000 copies.

Later its Volume Two also did very well but could not match the high sales of the Volume One. Another of her books in this genre, “Religions of India: a Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths”, too received rave reviews. That was followed by yet another book on religion, “Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide”. “The Illustrated Timeline History of the World” published by Worth Press, UK; was also much commended.

In fact, “Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide” had received wide acclaim and glowing reviews. Arun Ganapathy had then devoted a full “The Speaking Tree” column to this book saying that “Dalal’s easy, storytelling manner animates what would otherwise be very boring facts, so you delve further into the book”. Reviews in some other papers and magazines are equally laudable.

The Vedas: her magnum opus Roshen’s magnum opus, however, is “THE VEDAS” that has already taken nearly four years in researching and writing. It is due to hit the book stalls in April this year. “The Vedas” has been the most challenging of all of my books. There are so many differing viewpoints and interpretations on these scriptures that made writing it fascinating,” says Roshen.

How did she get into this genre?

“Remember, I had done both my Master’s and doctorate in ancient history from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. My dissertation too was on “The Historical Geography of the Ganga Yamuna Doab up to AD 300”. “I also taught history and geography at the Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh and even wrote its history that is now a part of the school’s archives”, Roshen recalls. In fact, I was attracted to that school because of the philosophy of J. Krishnamurti that I greatly admired.

So both history and philosophy have been of much interest to me since my younger days,” says the author who

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But what made her take up writing books on history? “I first began by writing book reviews in the mid 1980s. Then I wrote my first book while I was still at the Rishi Valley since I felt there were no good books on history that the children there could read and understand by themselves”.

“How did her first book get published?” “Before starting it, I approached Penguin, and after asking me for an outline and sample chapters, they gave me a contract. A few years later, Penguin asked me to write the second volume, covering the period from 1947 to the present day.

The other books followed,” Roshen says with a degree of pride.

Roshen has been a full time writer since 2005. “The income from writing is variable but just enough for me”. Later she says, “Usually my working schedule and routine is that I read or write most of the day, from around 9 a.m. up to 5 or 6 p.m. in between there are several interruptions, routine chores, some cooking, etc”.

Roshen is the youngest of the three children of well known author Nergis Dalal and the Surveyor General Brig JAF Dalal. She has lived in Delhi for much of her professional career and moved to Dehra Dun only in May 2013 after her mother’s death; she now lives here in the company of two live-in cats. However, Dehra Dun is not new to her; she was born in Mussoorie, and began school in

Cambrian Hall.

Petite and charming in her own way, Roshen is a quiet person, not fond of socializing much. No wonder she loves reading and writing which don’t need any company. The only pastime she likes is chess and she still loves playing it. In fact, she had represented Delhi in Women’s Chess Nationals in 1974 and was Delhi Women’s champion in 1981.

“I did not continue with the tournament chess as it was not financially sustainable those days,” Roshen says with a sigh.

Raj Kanwar is a Dehra Dun-based author and freelance journalist.

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PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Bajre Gur Di Roti (Pearl Millet And Jaggery Bread) This recipe is made with a grain – bajra (pearl millet) – about which we used to sing a song in Jhungi Punjabi as young girls growing up in Lyallpur and Jhung.

Bajre de olle weh mennu banne we pewaa deh, (Oh, build a wall besides the mullet wheat bush) Main chiddiyan ouaindi thuk gaiyi hun (I’m tired of shooing away the birds that peck at it) Bajra is part of the Punjabi folklore, celebrated in songs associated with birds and their flights in the air. There is a well-known Punjabi folksong, Bajra da Sitta (the cobb of bajra) which was made famous in the 1940s

by Prakash Kaur and Surinder Kaur that went “Bajre da sitte ve assan talli te maroreya” (we scrapped the cobb of bajra between the palms).

Bajra gur di rotti is also a comfort food to ward off the cold of the winter months and give warmth and energy to do all the household chores. Since we grew up in Lyallpur, which was the District Center, but still a small town, we would get fresh grains by the jute bag full from our farmlands and also the deep brown bricks of gur (jaggery, an uncentrifuged concentrated sugar made from cane juice).

Bajra is a type of grass with a small seed grain, which has a short growing season under, dry, high temperature conditions. Bajra is high in protein and a good source of iron, vitamins B1, B2 and B3 and is gluten free. It has no saturated fat or cholesterol and the flour contains about 260 calories per half cup.

In the winter months, bajra roti provides warmth. You simply make the bajra atta (dough) and then you can make the pancakes between the hands (as they can be too tender to make with a rolling pin) and let them cook over low heat on a tava (iron flat skillet). This is a really tasty sweet roti that goes down well with hot milk and makes you feel warm during the winter cold.

Ingredients: • 2 cups bajre da atta (pearl millet flour) • ½ cup gur (jiggery) • ½ cup ghee (clarified butter)

• • •

1 tsp saunf (fennel) 1 cup pani (water). You can also use 1 cup of milk instead of water.

Vegetable or sunflower oil to grease the hands and tava

Directions: 1. Heat the water and add the gur. Stir till the gur is melted.

Let it cool down for 30 minutes.

2.

Pour the bajra atta in bowl and add the ghee. Mix thoroughly. Add the cool gur water mixture a little at a time and knead the flour till it is soft.

3. Grease your hands with a little oil and break away some dough and make a ball between the palms till it is about 4 to 6 inches in diameter.

4. Heat the tava on medium and then coat with a little bit of oil.

6.

Make the rotis out of the rest of the flour. Serve while hot with hot milk.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK BOILING MILK

If the milk in the fridge is getting close to the expiration date or has already gone over a day or two, place it in a pot and let it boil. This will kill any microbes and the milk will be good for another week to ten days.

When boiling milk, place a spoon of water in the saucepan to coat the insides. This way, the milk will not stick to the sides and burn when it boils. Always place the milk under low heat to let it boil gently, and when it does boil, pierce the top soft film with a knife in order to avoid the milk from bubbling over and spilling.

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5. Place the pancake on the tava. When it turns a little brown, flip it over. Wait for both sides to be browned but do not overcook else the roti will burn.

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INDIA

February 07, 2014

BY GOPAL SATHE “Comic Con is the biggest comics event to take place in India, where you can build relationships and do huge sales,” says Vivek Goel, the publisher and lead artist for Holy Cow Entertainment, one of the many Indian comic book publishers that has emerged and found success since the launch of Comic Con India in 2011.

Comic Con India founder Jatin Varma estimates that 50 or more new Indian comics will be launched next week at the Comic Con India 2014 in Delhi, which will be held at Thyagaraj Stadium from 7-9 February, with the chance of being seen by more than 50,000 fans.

Bigger than ever Varma says the various Comic Con events around the country last year saw a total of 200,000 visitors.

This year, he’s hoping for 300,000 visitors at least. “We’re going to add one more city to the list (probably Chennai or Kolkata, though the details are still to be finalized), and this year, Delhi is going to see the ‘real’ Comic Con. The three events we’ve done earlier were very small in comparison.”

“We will put on a much bigger show. There are going to be more international exhibitors, more speakers and guests, than before,” he says.

There will be more guests like Mark Waid, the prolific writer who has worked with both Marvel Comics and DC Comics on superstar titles like Batman, Superman and Captain America.

Preview Inside Comic Con

Talking on phone to Mint Lounge, Waid says he hasn’t read any of the works out of India, and plans to catch up with local content once he gets here for the Comic Con. He says, “Great comics are international and universal, and it’s always thrilling to find new voices.”

In November, legendary comic book creator Stan Lee premiered a new character, Raju Rai, the hero of a new series called Chakra—The Invincible. Bangalore’s Liquid Comics, the publisher of Chakra—aimed at an Indian audience, with only the character design coming from Lee—will be present at the Comic Con. “I’m incredibly excited to be collaborating with my friends at Liquid Comics and their best-in-class team of artists as we launch a great new, thrill-a-minute superhero saga named Chakra—The Invincible,” Lee says in an official statement.

Comics, cosplay, cinema While the inclusion of famous cre-

ators such as Waid, Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon or David Lloyd is a big draw for comic book fans, Varma is clear that Comic Con India has to have more on offer for a casual audience.

That means stalls to promote movies, and other stalls for merchandise like T-shirts and posters that fans want. It also means bringing in more guests, not necessarily from the comic book industry. Shows like The Big Bang Theory and Marvel’s movies are regular fixtures at the major Comic Con events; Varma admits that bringing these “A-listers”, as he terms them, to India is going to be difficult, but he’s clear that they need to start building up to it.

Not everyone is too pleased with this shift in direction though. One author, who has taken part in Comic Con India since the first one in 2011, but did not want to be named, says: “They have decided that the only reason people want to come is for celebrities.” He admits that Comic Con India events are still important for comic book creators in India, but says: “They’re too focused on making quick profits. The smallerscale shows

are good for interacting with fans and building a culture. When you’re bombarded by stalls from Marvel and movie studios, will you pay attention to the small Indian company?”

Officially though, most creators— and fans—seem to be happy with the direction things are taking. Varma points out that the number of visitors has been rising steadily. “Revenue doubled each year from 2011, from Rs.25 lakh to Rs.100 lakh in 2013.

Footfall has also grown steadily—we measured some 20,000 visitors in 2011, up to over 50,000 in 2013, and last year in our Bangalore event we saw 62,000.”

Delhi-based Ravi Sinha, a fan who is associated with the Manga fan club Nihon Bunkasai India, feels the same way. “There’s something for everyone, it’s not a perfect event, but they’ve been growing and adding things and steadily getting better. For manga and anime fans, it’s one of the best events in the year, with a lot of cosplay and prizes, though I’m really glad this year won’t be at Dilli Haat, where you really didn’t get space to breathe when it was fully packed!”

This will be the first Comic Con India Delhi 2014 in Thyagaraj Stadium—the stadium’s 50,000 sq. ft space will include an experience zone, where cosplay and talks will take place, an exhibitors’ hall where fans can buy comics and merchandise, and a food court.

The old and the new

While Varma talks about building mobile apps and bringing in more exclusive merchandise from around the world, Indian comics remain a priority.

Pran Kumar Sharma, known to most as Pran, the creator of Chacha Chaudhary, will be attending the event this year. The 75-year-old artist, who has created an astonishing number of characters and titles, will be getting a lifetime achievement award.

The fans, however, are just as interested in seeing the comics industry transition to a more modern era.

Gaurav Mishra, a fan who works as a mobile app developer, talks about the lack of a strong digital strategy from Indian publishers. “If I want to buy the issue of The Walking Dead, I just have to switch on my iPad and I can get it. Why don’t any of the Indian guys have good setups like that?”

David Lloyd, the co-creator of V for Vendetta, partly echoes this sentiment when talking to us about the way technology has changed his work. He says: “Technology is fundamental to my latest work—as a publisher of a digital comic art magazine which sends great comic art directly to the reader without the unnecessary expense of print publishing. And of course graphics apps can make art easier to produce in many ways, but I use it as a help to creativity rather than as the main platform for it. I still like the sculptural feel of brush on paper,” he says.

-Livemint

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Downgrade-hit India May Not be Able to start San Francisco Flight

BY TARUN SHUKLA NEW DELHI: Does Indian aviation have a San Francisco jinx?

There have been two failed attempts by Indian airlines to operate flights to the US West Coast city—including one from Bangalore that was hyped up as a connection between two Silicon Valleys. A third attempt, by Air India Ltd, which was to be finalized this week, had to be abandoned after the US aviation regulator downgraded India’s air safety ranking, which means that no Indian airline can start new flights to any destination in the US. There is no timeline on when the ratings can be restored.

Air India’s non-stop flight from New Delhi to San Francisco would have taken 17-18 hours. The airline already operates non-stop long haul services to New York and Chicago that take about 16 hours.

Most airlines have moved away from non-stop flights over long distances, and towards one-stop ones.

In 2013, SingaporeAirlines stopped its all-business class flight from New York to Singapore, citing high operating cost.

San Francisco has the second largest population of Indians in America but remains unconnected by any non-stop or one stop-service by In-

dian airlines such as Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd. “The Bangalore-San Francisco route continues to have a strong demand for business traffic, and is currently served by Air France, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Emirates, British Airways—all as one-stops via their respective hubs,” said Bangalorebased techie Nimish Gupta who works with Riversand Technologies Inc. and flies to the US every third month on work. “It’s puzzling why Indian carriers are unable to provide

a seamless one-stop option on this route. We can only hope they can offer a good alternative via an Indian hub like Delhi—thereby catering to traffic from all the technology hubs in India—including Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.”

Vijay Mallya’s now grounded Kingfisher Airlines Ltd wanted to fly the Bangalore-San Francisco route, and even ordered five long-haul Airbus A340s, but the plan never materialized and the aircraft were sold.

Jet Airways launched a flight from

Mumbai to San Francisco in 2008 but cancelled it soon after.

“This flight had a convenient Bangalore connection as well (I took the flight once, connecting from Bangalore),” says Rishikesha Krishnan, professor of Strategic Management and Director, at the Indian Institute of Management, Indore. “But the flight had to be withdrawn in less than a year because it was losing a lot of money. So, though the idea of linking Silicon Valley and India (or more particularly Bangalore) sounds

good, the economics of it needs further examination.”

A Jet spokesperson did not offer any immediate comment on the matter.

An executive at a foreign airline said it was tough to make money on a non-stop flight from India for various commercial reasons.

“San Francisco is a comparatively low-yield market—I say comparatively—in comparison to financial centres like JFK (New York), that have a big market for long haul nonstops,” this person said, asking not to be named.

“Long flights non-stop do not work from India, because one, Indian market is price and volume oriented, largely. Two, Air India’s network behind the non-stop, i.e., domestic feed to the non-stop is not large enough. If the US carriers have issues with their enormous networks of 200 plus cities in North America to make a non-stop viable, how can Air India even think of it? Three, You can’t carry cargo on these long hauls—that shaves off 10% revenue—that is very crucial for profitability. So, in general, there are just one to two markets where ultra long haul flights over 16 hours will work.”

-Livemint.vom

Hyderabad-born, Manipal-educated Satya Nadella named Microsoft CEO

BY CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA WASHINGTON: Microsoft’s board on Tuesday named Hyderabadborn Satya Nadella as chief executive of the legendary tech giant that has given the world products which have become household names like Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook Express. The announcement elevates Nadella, an offspring of the Indian system, to one of the highestprofile corporate jobs globally.

Nadella, 46, will be only the third

CEO of Microsoft after founder Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, the man he is succeeding.

The elevation of Nadella, a company insider for 22 years (he recently joked that he has also been married for 22 years), was expected once heavyweight outsiders like Ford’s Alan Mulally and Nokia’s Stephen Elop dropped out or were passed up. The names of Google’s Sundar Pichai and Motorola’s previous CEO Sanjay Jha also briefly made the rounds, serving

to highlight the intensity of PIOs breaking the glass ceiling, something that began some two decades ago, but has become more pronounced now.

In picking Nadella, Microsoft directors selected both a company insider and an engineer. It has often been noted that Microsoft was more successful under the leadership of Gates, a programmer and its first chief executive, than it was under Ballmer, who had a background in sales.

-Times of India

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

28 February 07, 2014 Sangakkara 319 Sets Bangladesh Big Test

BY ANDREW FIDEL FERNANDO CHITTAGONG (ESPN Crickinfo): Having sown 14 years of indefatiguable work ethic and uncompromising self-improvement into the game, Kumar Sangakkara harvested another crop of statistical triumphs in Chittagong, where he became the third Sri Lanka batsman to hit a triple-hundred. His 319 in a team total of 587 has almost put an upset, series-leveling victory beyond Bangladesh, spirited though the hosts have been in their innings so far. Bangladesh lost Tamim Iqbal for a duck, but wiped 86 off Sri Lanka’s lead by stumps, fortuitously having suffered no further loss.

En route to his triple, Sangakkara had become the fastest man to 11,000 Test runs, eclipsing Brian Lara’s previous record by five innings. In the morning session, he had also matched Lara’s double-hundred count of nine, to sit at second equal on the list, behind only Don Bradman. Already Bangladesh’s most brutal tormentor with the bat, Sangakkara’s score was also the highest ever against them, easily surpassing Ramnaresh Sarwan’s 261.

Shakib Al Hasan was Bangladesh’s best bowler of the day, completing an 11th career five-wicket haul.

But though his aggression brought rewards, he also gave away 148 runs at 4.35. Sohag Gazi may never want to look at the scorecard again, having been hit for 181 for his one wicket.

At 286, late in the second session, with a no. 11 at the other end, Sangakkara leapt beyond his own previous best, flew through the 290s and into the record books in three calculated, consecutive strikes. Shakib pitched the third ball of his 33rd over outside leg stump, which Sanga darted at, then powered it over midwicket for four. He ran at the next ball as well, launching it over long on. Almost unable to stop himself from charging a third time, Sangakkara picked Shakib’s leg-stump line early and walloped him again towards midwicket, this time all the way. His celebrations were muted, as they had been at each of the five milestones on his way.

He had pulled the spinners magnificently on the first day, but it was his driving that set him apart on day two. The Bangladesh slow-bowlers sought to flight the ball more on day

Kumar Sangakkara matched Lara’s double-hundred count of nine and is now only behind Don Bradman

two, and though this proved successful against other Sri Lanka batsmen, they could not impose themselves on Sangakkara, who flitted swiftly about in his crease with intractable confidence.

Often he skated forward to meet the ball, preferring to whip it through midwicket, which was routinely left vacant, perhaps in fear of yesterday’s pull. The unprotected boundaries at deep cover and long on did not evade his attention either. When he sought to hit the ball all the way, Sangakkara launched it in the arc between long off and midwicket. He had trouble with his sweep in the previous series against Pakistan, and save for the balls down the leg side that he paddled fine, the stroke was largely absent for his biggest innings.

Sangakkara has faced far more menacing attacks than this spinheavy Bangladesh unit, but the pitch on which he made his triple was hardly a batsman’s paradise. The ball stayed consistently low, with many pitching on a length and passing no higher than shin-height. No other

batsman hit a hundred and only Mahela Jayawardene crossed 50.

Sangakkara made his last 116 runs in the company of Nos.9, 10 and 11, after Sri Lanka lost their last recognised batsman midway through the first session. Not long into the day, Bangladesh effectively gave up hope on dismissing him, placing men in the deep when he was on strike, in order to tempt a single that would expose his partner. For the most part, Sangakkara resisted the easy runs, and deigned to advance through boundaries.

Ajantha Mendis provided stauncher support than anticipated, even as the senior batsman shielded him against Shakib. Strong square of the wicket, but also unafraid to use his feet and hit over the top, Mendis helped energise Sri Lanka as the opposition bowling worsened from stale to insipid. Mendis’ checked drive to send a Gazi delivery wide of mid off, all along the ground for four, illustrated the ease with which even he progressed. Of the 171 balls the pair faced in their 100-run stand,

Sangakkara faced 104, but Mendis had scored 47 at a strike rate exceeding 70 when he fell. He had survived an lbw shout that should perhaps have been given, when on 29.

Collectively, the attack bowled too many poor balls to build any semblance of pressure on Sangakkara, but they were also hampered by Abdul Razzak’s continued absence, after he had sustained a hamstring strain on the first day. Perhaps even more damaging was the injury to the little finger Mushfiqur Rahim’s left hand.

He had borne a blow there during the first day, and did not take his place behind the stumps on Wednesday. A lacklustre Shamsur Rahman took the gloves, and conceded 16 byes in addition to missing a stumping.

Stand-in captain Tamim Iqbal appeared shocked when Suranga Lakmal’s fourth delivery stayed low to clip his off stump, but given Sangakkara had faced no fewer than 60 such deliveries, surprise is a thin excuse for the high defensive shot he offered. After his departure, Shamsur Rahman batted with relative intelligence, investing time in which he could come to grips with the surface before venturing heftier blows. He was dropped by Jayawardene at slip on 28, when Dilruwan Perera drew an outside edge, but he was cautious and secure afterwards.

The same may not be said about Imrul Kayes, who upon his return to the XI, strove to advance mainly in risky boundaries. He attacked short balls from Nuwan Pradeep in particular, hitting two fours and a six behind square leg, and also skipped down the pitch to clobber Perera over mid on. An attempted repeat off Ajantha Mendis went high into the late evening sky, and was shelled by a disconsolate Pradeep, with around ten minutes remaining in the day’s play. He went to stumps on 36, while Shamsur had made 45.

In the morning, Kithuruwan Vithanage had been characteristically positive during a 90-run stand with Sangakkara, playing from the crease to pick off the bad balls. He should have been stumped on 20, but he should not have been given out on 35. The Nasir Hossain delivery that struck his pad had first taken a big deflection from his bat.

Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent.

SPORTS

Alastair Cook the Right Man to Lead England Alastair Cook should continue to captain England despite their recent run of hapless performances, batting coach Graham Gooch said on Wednesday.

As the fallout from England’s Ashes debacle rumbles on, with leading batsman Kevin Pietersen the latest casualty of a horrific tour, Cook’s position as captain has come under scrutiny.

But Gooch, who played 118 test matches for England and has been full-time batting coach for the national side since February 2012, said Cook was the man to help rebuild a new-look side.

“I sincerely believe he is (the right person to captain England),” Gooch said in an interview with Sky Sports.

“I don’t see any reason why he will not be a successful leader again in the future. Yes, he needs to make improvements. Yes, he needs to look at things himself, the way he goes about things.

“But that’s the same with any player, and any cricketer, throughout his career. They’re always looking to upgrade and make improvements to themselves and the way they go about their cricket.”

England travel to the West Indies for a one-day series at the end of February without Cook, who will take a break following the Ashes defeat, and Gooch is certain the 29-year-old will come back refreshed.

“I’m sure he’ll have a good rest,” said Gooch, who coached Cook through the ranks at Essex.

“I’m sure he’ll look forward to coming back here and playing for Essex at the start of the season.”

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

February 07, 2014

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Eye on Delhi, Jayalalithaa Ties up with CPI(M)

AIADMK had on Sunday announced its alliance with CPI for the Lok Sabha polls. (PTI)

BY GOPU MOHAN With the Lok Sabha elections set to be held soon, the AIADMK formalised its expected tie-up with the Left parties — a partnership that would offer numbers to the comrades in a state where they are insignificant, while providing a national platform to the regional party that is eyeing a major post-poll role in Delhi politics.

A day after the CPI and AIADMK announced their alliance, it was CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat’s turn to visit AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence here on Monday.

“We expect that this alliance will be very successful,” said Jaya, while announcing her party’s decision to enter into an alliance with the CPI(M) for the Lok Sabha elections.

Pointing out that the two parties were not new to each other — they contested the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together — Karat said: “We are confident that this alliance will ensure success in Tamil Nadu, and will also contribute to providing an alternative to the country.”

This was a much-expected alliance — the latest and strongest indicator came when Jaya backed CPI(M) candidate T K Rangarajan for the Rajya Sabha about a week back. Last year, she extended similar support to return CPI’s D Raja to the Rajya Sabha.

Despite being active in the state for decades, the comrades have a limited role in electoral politics in Tamil Nadu where caste and other identities play a major role. The workers’ unions affiliated to these two parties are strong in only a few constituencies

like North Chennai, Coimbatore and Tirupur, while they have roots in a handful of places like Madurai and Nagapattinam. This limited presence means the CPI(M) and CPI need the support of a strong regional party to win elections at all levels. For instance, in the 2009 general elections, the CPI’s vote share was 2.85 per cent while the CPI(M)’s was 2.20 per cent.

But they still managed to win a seat each as they contested along with the AIADMK, MDMK and PMK. Even in the Assembly elections, the CPI (1.97 pc) and CPI(M) (2.41 pc) were helped by the regional alliance leader to win nine and 10 seats respectively.

On the other hand, Jaya’s alliance with the Left is not an act of political philanthropy as the numbers may suggest. What they bring to the table in return for votes is a national platform for Jaya as an influential regional player, one who may even have a shot at being the next Prime Minister if the figures tally in such a way after the results are announced.

This makes the Left parties an important component, despite lacking the numbers that most other regional outfits have to offer.

“There are a large number of nonCongress, non-BJP parties which have substantial support and strength in this country. This will be reflected in the coming elections,” said Karat, adding that the issue of Prime Minister would be discussed after the elections.

CPI leader A B Bardhan was more forthcoming when he told the media on Sunday that the prospects of Jaya becoming the Prime Minister would

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open up if the alliance records a strong performance in the elections.

Perhaps aware that a premature projection of her name would not sit well with other regional parties whose leaders have similar ambitions of their own, Jaya underplayed the chances of her becoming the Prime Minister, maybe a touch too intensely, while intervening to answer a question posed to Karat in this regard.

“I want to make one thing clear to all the media: This is not the time for anyone to discuss and decide who the next Prime Minister would be.

It is pointless for any political party to enter into such discussions now.

The question on who the next Prime Minister would be will arise only after the results are out,” she said.

The announcement on Monday was brought about by a tactical reassessment by theAIADMK chief, who was counted as a potential NDA ally not so long ago due to her personal rapport with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. What changed in the past few months is the view that Tamil Nadu — and Jaya — may have a bigger than expected role to play in the event of a fractured result in the Hindi heartland. In effect, to her party cadre at least, this has made her a contender rather than a catalyst, a chance to become the queen instead of a kingmaker.

Over and above the significant number of Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu (39), it is the propensity of the state to elect one front en masse that makes it a crucial factor in the coming days. A case in point is the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, in which the DMKled front swept all the seats to form one of the important pillars on which UPA was built.

A decade later, if a series of “ifs” fall in place — if Jaya wins a majority of these seats, if the BJP falls way short of a reasonable number, and if the rest of the seats are divided among a host of regional parties — the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has as good a chance as her “friend” and Gujarat counterpart. When asked a direct question about her friendship with Modi in the context of prime ministerial ambitions, Jaya refused to comment and wound up the press conference.

However, it is too early to predict

whether she would remain steadfast in her commitment for a “secular, democratic alternative” at the Centre if the result does not meet her expectations.

While Karat was right in noting that the two parties have formed coalitions earlier, what he did not elaborate on was the nature of the relationship after the elections were over. In October 2011, for instance,

the Left parties were stunned by the AIADMK’s decision to face the local body polls on its own, as it came merely months after they successfully faced the Assembly elections in partnership. CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan, who had then charged her with betrayal, was present during Karat’s meeting with Jaya on Monday.

-Indian Express

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