E-Newspaper 04202018

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Vol. 37, No. 15

Indo American News

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Houston’s Got Bollywood, The Great Indian Wedding P4&5

7th Annual Bollywood Pageant

Daya’s Bloom: Gala of Giving

P16

P6&7

Daya Board Members with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Daya’s annual gala held on Saturday, April 7 at the Westside Omni Hotel.

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“Chalo Bulawa Aaya Hai...

Mata Ne Bulaya Hai...”

HINDU WORSHIP SOCIETY INVITES YOU ALL TO

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Rita & Bal Sareen Family Diana & Narin Sehgal Family Aarti Soni

Grand Sponsors & Sponsors Kirti & Devki Agarwal Family Saroj & Vishwa Bahl Family Vanita & Vijay Bhagi Family Meera & Suresh Chopra Family Aruna & Ravi Goel Family Sudesh & Bhisham Gupta Family Radha & Ram Gupta Family Surita & Satish Malhotra Family Manju & Madan Mangal Family Rama & Navin Patni Family Shakum Parti Family Vijay & Suresh Sachdev Family Dipi & Raj Sethi Family Bimla & Pramod Sharma Family Neelu & Ashok Sharma Family Jaya & Prabhat Sharma Family Meera & Rajinder Soni Family

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COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

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The Bollywood Closet Introduces Sabyasachi’s ‘Endless Summer’ Collection to Houston Fashionistas

HOUSTON:

Indian couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s clothing is synonymous all over the world with style, grace and sophistication.

Over the weekend, Atlanta-based The Bollywood Closet (TBC), Sabyasachi’s official retailer in North America, introduced the designer’s ENDLESS SUMMER collection to Houston fashionistas at a private, two-day trunk show hosted

by Shamim and Arif Memon at their home in Richmond, Texas.

Invited guests appreciated the curated, visual treat of one-of-a-kind

sarees, lehengas and gowns by the internationally-acclaimed designer, who recently launched a home decor collection at Pottery Barn and collaborated on a shoes & handbag line with French fashion designer Christian Louboutin. The Bollywood Closet has been carrying the designer’s clothing since 2012.

“Sabyasachi is a childhood friend,” said Barkha Jayaswal, owner of The Bollywood Closet. “It is such a privilege to give women and men in North America access to Sabya’s seasonal collections through our

Atlanta showroom and the many trunk shows we do around the country, as so many of his customers are not able to travel to India to visit his stores in person.”

TBC prides itself on being the go-to destination for brides and grooms in North America. The company offers bridal consultations and helps couples select their perfect wedding outfits, without leaving the country. Additional services include wedding and special events planning as well as couture styling packages, all keeping with the ethereal aesthetic of the Sabyasachi brand.

“It was a treat to collaborate with The Bollywood Closet,” said Shamim Memon, native Hous-

tonian and hostess of the trunk show. “Our invited friends and network of acquaintances thoroughly enjoyed being the FIRST people in America to see Sabyasachi’s latest collection, ENDLESS SUMMER. What an honor for us Houston fashion lovers!”

For the past six years, TBC’s inhouse stylists have worked closely with high-net-worth clients in Beverly Hills, New York, Dallas and Chicago. Trunk shows have taken place in Los Angeles, Houston, Austin, New York, Chicago and Dallas.

For further details visit https:// www.facebook.com/thebollywoodcloset/

Houston Embraces a Vibrant Jamboree of Fine Arts & Culture

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA

HOUSTON:

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. This famous quote

by Thomas Merton is apt as art has the power to mesmerize. Houston’s colorful personality was felicitated by a captivating MFAH Mixed Media event on Friday, April 6.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) embraced this vibrant

jamboree, an event full of fun, frolic and knowledge. The Mixed Media party was a one-night event, hosted by the MFAH that celebrated Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India exhibition.

Around 1,300 enthusiastic guests attended the event, which made the hall lively and energetic. It was not only the positivity of the crowd that walked in, but also the amazing range of activities that were being held. Guests were able

to participate in artmaking projects, which included creating their own bangles with wooden bracelets and thread, and spinning paper pinwheels. The house was bought down by the su-

Photos: Cameron Bertuzzi

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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April 20, 2018

See article on page 5 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

BY STAFF REPORTER

HOUSTON: A show bookended

by two iconic songs Swag Se Swagat and Ghoomar has to be iconic, inspirational and full of grandeur.

This year, Moksh Community Arts produced Houston’s Got Bollywood – The Great Indian Wedding, conceived and directed by Mahesh Mahbubani and performed by the talented team of Naach Houston.

After the spectacular debut of “Houston’s Got Bollywood” franchise at Miller Outdoor theater last year, the team at Naach took it a notch above par with the ‘Great Indian Wedding’. Saturday, April 14, started off with stormy clouds and rain but by afternoon, the skies cleared up for a crisp cool evening and the line at the Miller Box Office snaked around the revered theater as fans came in throngs to pick up tickets early. The hill at Miller showed signs of life as the audience picnicked from 4 pm onwards with kites and frisbees enjoying a glorious afternoon that soon turned into a truly entertaining evening.

Dr. Manish Rungta, the President of Moksh Community Art opened the show by introducing Moksh to the audience and highlighting the activities undertaken by this nonprofit followed by Malay Vyas, the Vice President who thanked the sponsors as well as welcomed the attendees to “The Great Indian Wedding”. The curtain opened to Swag Se Swaagat followed by Jaanu Meri Jaan instantly warming up the audience against the cool evening breeze.

Houston’s got Bollywood, was a crisp and seamless 90 minute show comprising of four acts leading to one of the most interesting aspects of Indian Culture – the Great Indian Wedding.

Act 1 Titled On The Radio – featuring songs from yesteryears, originals and remixed often-heard on radio rather than seen on television. Songs from varied genres flowed such as Tamma (disco), Udi Udi Jaaye (folk), Oonchi Hai Building (Bollywood) and Mercy

April 20, 2018

(hiphop) to bring Act 1 to a foot tapping closure.

Act 2 Titled “Around the World”, dedicated to the passionate fans of Bollywood who are spread all over the globe. Starting with yesteryear’s classic Shola Jo Bhadke in the inimitable style of actor Bhagwanji, followed by feet taping hip hop number Swalla and getting the beat up higher with Bom Diggy and circling back to Afghan Jalebi and Dedi to bring in a Middle Eastern flavor to the global tour, concluding with the fun filled Galti se Mistake.

The shows produced by Moksh Community Arts and Directed by the Naach team have always been strong on the contemporary dance form. Act 3, titled Sufiana expressed itself through exquisite Choreography to songs like Subhan-Allah, Chaar Kadam, Baarish and maestro Mahesh Mahbubani himself featuring in & as the Jogi.

The Finale, Act 4 was dedicated to the centerpiece of the show – the Great Indian Wedding opening with the Mehendi Ceremony using theatre and dance to communicate the ritual of mehendi at the bride’s house. The act opened to reveal a magnificent set decor often found in grand Indian Weddings, with Shahrukh Khan’s classic Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le jayenge, Other songs in this section included Ghani Baawri, Hawa Hawaaii and Love Letter.

The fun of a Sangeet night post Mehendi, as it does typically in an Indian Wedding , created a mood of fun, friendship and celebration, as the tempo of songs picked up, with the all boy super hit song Sexy baliye, Piya More, Mere Piya Gaye England and Hawa Hawa from Mubarakaan.

Concluding with the Wedding itself Kehna Hi Kya featuring the Bride’s introduction and Baari Barsi bringing the groom on stage, leading to The wedding ceremony, including the 7 pheras’ around the fire complete with varmaalaa and a priest, through mesmerizing choreography to the song Sajdaa.

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Houston’s Ghoomar has a Swag

As the audience took in the grand atmosphere of an Indian Wedding, they were then treated to arguably the most colorful Bollywood song ever performed at Miller. While the dancers on the floor were dressed in colorful traditional ghaghraas (long skirts with detailed embroidery including mirrors), umbrellas of similar decor lowered from the top of the stage creating virtual reflection as the dancers twirled, so did the umbrella. Lighting Director Arif Memon added luminous splendor to the entire production

with his creative use of lighting.

The curtain call on Sweety Tera Drama with infectious energy with the whole team rocking the Miller stage was an amazing way to end the night.

Moksh Community Arts introduced the choreographers of the show, thanked the Miller Outdoor Theater Crew. The photography was by Navin Mediwala and Videography by Shivendra Singh.

A show of such magnificence wouldn’t have been possible without the support of sponsors such

BOOK KEEPING | PAYROLL | INCOME TAX Incorporations: C and S Corporations, LLC’s Sales Tax and Franchise Tax Returns Income Tax and Sales Tax Representation Payroll and Payroll Tax Returns

Cell: 832-877-9625 | Fax: 713-977-2221 | Email: acct77036@yahoo.com | web: www.asu2020.com 6666 Harwin Dr, Suite 335, Houston, TX 77036 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Photos: Navin Mediwala

as The Rungta Foundation, Baylor – St Luke’s Medical Group, Ajay & Larissa Sharma, Alnoor & Shelina Mallick, Coldwel Bankers – United Realtors, Bombay Pizza Express, Indo-American News, NTV and Decor One. For more information visit mokshcommunityarts.com

For Photo Collage, see page 4

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April 20, 2018

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COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

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Daya 2018 Gala Raises Record $300,000 for South Asian Victims of Domestic Violence HOUSTON: Despite the recent rise in women’s empowerment and the emergence of the #MeToo movement, South Asian women in Houston remain vulnerable as victims of domestic violence. Now in 22nd year, Daya empowers South Asian survivors who are trying to break the cycle of domestic and sexual violence and reclaim their lives. Daya empowers these survivors by offering counseling and advocacy, and promoting community awareness.

Daya’s annual gala was held last Saturday, April 7 at the Westside Omni hotel under the theme, Bloom: Gala of Giving. Co-chaired

by Daya President-Elect, Fatima Mohiuddin and Board Member, Annu Naik, the gala raised a record $300,000. As a result of increased outreach by Honorary Event Chairs Aparna Asthana, Tehmina Masud and Vanitha Pothuri, this year’s gala welcomed over 650 diverse community members, the largest in Daya’s history.

Over 65 tables filled the room, topped with floral centerpieces

by Curtis Matheaus. Against this enchanting floral backdrop, the program was kicked off by the emcee, KTRK TV’s Pooja Lodhia.

The gala featured keynote speaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, an activist filmmaker with two Academy awards to her credit.

Daya Board President Sheela

Daya staff and volunteers greet attendees as they arrive.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, keynote speaker, an activist filmmaker with two Academy awards to her credit.

Rao took the stage to welcome the audience and acknowledged the outstanding efforts of the staff, board members, advisory board members, and volunteers that make up the Daya family.

Rao gave special thanks to Daya’s shelter, legal, and law enforcement partners. Rao then welcomed Houston Mayor Pro Temp, Ellen Cohen, to the stage, who read an official proclamation from the Mayor’s Office, naming April 7 as

“Daya Day” in Houston.

Executive Director, Rachna Khare then spoke of Daya’s tremendous growth in 2017. “This year alone, Khare said, “Daya supported 394 clients of domestic and sexual violence with confidential, culturally sensitive, services including mental health care, case management, legal assistance, employment coaching, housing, and childcare.”

Khare applauded the work of

Daya Board President Sheela Rao with Houston Mayor Pro Temp, Ellen Cohen

Photos: Jibreel Photography

the community in addressing the stigmas of domestic violence, but challenged the audience to create a more supportive space for survivors. She then introduced a Daya client, who spoke honestly and passionately about her abusive marriage and how she relied on Daya for safety, emotional support, education, legal assistance, and counseling. Met by a standing ovation, the client ended her emotional speech by extending her gratitude to Daya for bringing

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

safety to her and her young son’s life.

President Elect, Fatima Mohiuddin then took the stage to illustrate how community donations impact the life of a survivor. “For $500, donors can provide a Start Up Kit that gives families essential CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

For Photo Collage, see page 6

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April 20, 2018

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COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

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Puranava Culture Fest Showcases India - from Ancient to the Modern

PEARLAND: At a time when

most people identify modern India with Bollywood and ancient India with complicated religious practices, the Puranava Children’s Indian Culture Fest brought a fresh experience of both ancient and modern India -- the real India with her essentially philosophical underlying way of life coupled with the bright, colorful diversity of her widely different regional cultures.

The event was organized by Global Organization for Divinity, Houston chapter, and was held on April 7 at Rogers Middle School, Pearland. This project was supported by City of Pearland Cultural Arts Grant program from the City of Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The event featured educative, fun, India-themed Quiz and Art competitions; regional exhibits showcasing cultures from northern, southern, eastern and western India; a musical play on the life of Sant Jnaneshwar by children; dance performances featuring the classical dance forms Odissi and Bharatanatyam; an Indian folk Puppet Show by the Dancing Peacock Puppet Company; booths with henna, Indian vegetable and plant saplings and Indian children’s books; Try-a-Sari and photo booths; vendor booths selling Indian saris, jewelry, toys, etc.; raffle door prizes sponsored

Mayors of Pearland and Manvel with winners of the ElementaryLevel Quiz Competition.

Bharatanatyam dance performance

by numerous local businesses and restaurants; kids art and craft activities, a scavenger hunt, and much more.

Special guests at the event were Mayor Tom Reid of Pearland, Honorable Mayor Debra Davison

Chief guests with Storytelling competition winners

Raghuram Ravishankar, Bertina Sarkar; Color Pencils - Shreshta Pendurti, Issa Sam, Shourya Tehlan; Water Colors - Smithi Gopalakrishnan, Madhura Sriram, Shruthi GoArt competition participants palakrishnan; of Manvel, Ranjana Narasimhan Doodling - Kishori Prakash; and Tupil Narasimhan. All of Digital Art - Shelly Fu and Puthem addressed the audience and rush Ram immensely appreciated G.O.D.’s Storytelling: Ananya Hariharacommunity and cultural service. sudhan and Aashita Anand They also gave away prizes to Quiz: the competition winners. Ranjana Grades K-4: Amudhan MadhanNarasimhan delivered the keynote kumar & Vasundhara Ravishanand spoke encouraging words to kar, Ananya Hariharasudhan & the young generation.

Nilay Arangil The Puranava competition winGrades 5-8: Madhura Sriram & ners were Pavithra Chandrasekar; Krishna Art: Coloring - Shwetha Iyer, Ram & Tapanjyoth Paunarkar

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) aims to promote peace, harmony and universal love amid cultural diversity through inner transformation. It is a worldwide organization with chapters in several major US cities, and globally in several countries. G.O.D. frequently organizes cultural arts events that encompass performing and visual arts, as well as cultural arts education including year-round children’s/youth cultural and arts events, classes and camps.

G.O.D.’s fun Gopa Kuteeram summer camps with creative workshops will be held on June 4-8 (ages 6-9) - “Vibrant India” and June 11-15 “Fun with Mindfulness”.

For more information about the camps and other activities, please call 281-402-6585, email houston.god@godivinity.org or visit www.godivinity.org.

10 April 20, 2018

COMMUNITY

Kruthi Bhat of Texas, Youngest Recipient of the “Kala Rathna” Title

BY DR. LAKSHMI SRIVATHS

HOUSTON : Kruthi Bhat was conferred

this title at the 41st Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana held in Cleveland, Ohio from March 28 to April 8 celebration. The Kala rathna award is given by the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana to artists under the age of 35, as an appreciation and recognition for their tireless contributions to the field of Carnatic music. “Stalwarts like Sikkil Gurucharan and Akkarai Subhalakshmi have received this award”, mentioned Sri V V Sundaram, co-founder of the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana festival. Sri V V Sundaram went on to say that “the youngest and perhaps the youngest ever to receive the Kalaratna award is Kruthi Bhat of Houston, Texas. When a candidate is chosen for the award, age is immaterial, it is their musical accomplishment that elevates them for the honor!” He stated that Kruthi’s name was recommended to the Aradhana board by the doyens in the field of Carnatic music and was unanimously approved by the Aradhana board. Kruthi Bhat was honored with the award on March 31, during the award ceremony at the festival. The award ceremony was attended by a houseful audience.

A testament to her accomplishments and the Kalaratna award was the concert by Kruthi Bhat at the Cleveland Aradhana on April 1. With the mellifluous Dharmavathi in Parandamavathi Jayathi, elaborate manodharmam and intricate Saveri in Dhurusuga followed by the poignant Choodare. Sri V V Sundaram stated that if one can handle Saveri ragam effectively, that in itself is a proof for their musical prowess and Kruthi Bhat proved yet again that she is on the way to becoming a Carnatic Star by deftly handling Saveri, exploring the nuances of the difficult ragam with such ease and grace!

Daya 2018 Gala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 items as they rebuild their lives. A donation of $1,000 provides six months of traumabased professional counseling, $2,500 gives a legal retainer for immigration and family law cases, and $10,000 provides an year of rental assistance.”

After dinner, Obaid-Chinoy took the stage.

Through a video montage created by Daya’s Event Specialist, Anand Ramaswamy, the audience was given an introduction into Obaid-Chinoy’s life’s work in giving voice to vulnerable populations around the world.

Her Oscar-winning documentaries are Saving Face, a story of the victim’s acid attacks, and A Girl in River: The Price of Forgiveness, explains how a woman in Pakistan sentenced to death for falling in love becomes a rare survivor of the harsh judicial system.

Obaid-Chinoy spoke passionately about standing up against injustices, the power of film, and the need for men to help end violence against women. She described stories about the support she received from her father and how his influence made her the activist she is today. Obaid-Chinoy ended her inspirational speech of courage and social justice by urging the audience to help Daya meet its goal of $300,000 and was met by resounding applause.

For Photo Collage, see page 6 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

Seniors Learn It’s Never Too Late for Financial Literacy

11

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The seminar organizers (backrow center), from left Anasuya Kabad, Jay Kabad, Biki Mohindra and Pramod Kulkarni with the seniors who came to attend the first of a series of financial education seminars held at India House on Monday, April 16.

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON:

Befittingly, the first financial literacy seminar was held on Monday, April 16, just the day before the 2017 income tax returns were due. All sorts of money questions were on the minds of the nearly 30 seniors who came to attend the seminar at India House in the morning, and no doubt many of the ideas shared must have rumbled through their minds later that day.

This seminar was an outgrowth of the practical guidance and emotional support seminar that the Indo American Cancer Awareness Network held in the same venue last November. Then, many heard the heart wrenching stories of those who had lost a spouse and the road they took back to emotional well-being and financial literacy. Many admitted that they were clueless when it came to handling the financial obligations as their now-deceased spouse – most times the husband – had tackled all those issues.

At the November seminar, of the four panelists, one was Biki Mohindra, a serial idea entrepreneur who has helped germinate several organizations which have taken root in the local Indo American community, like Youth Leadership Development Program and Club 24. A retired executive from Raviana Foods, Mohindra and his wife Prita (a retired radiologist), saw the need to share valuable insights based on their real life experiences and those of many of their other friends and colleagues.

Biki (as most people know him) has parlayed that into the group Share Our Secrets which he founded and has held classes for the past few years and graduated several batches of professionals, young and old. Building up on

this concept, Mohindra and several of his other financially savvy friends – Pramod Kulkarni (a partner at Indo-American News) and Mani Subramanian to name two – decided to form a group to help educate seniors who may find themselves in financial logger jam.

To that end, and in partnership with India House, JayKay Wealth Advisors and Jugal Malani, Mohindra’s team organized the first of a series of seminars. Jay Kabad founder of JKWA and his daughter Anasuya (who recently joined the firm) started the presentation off with basic information about how to view finances. They helped to annunciate what goals each individual may have and then begin with 6 steps to achieve them: take control of cash flow, protect what you have, manage your taxes, save for retirement, invest wisely and leave a legacy.

The better part of the two-hour long presentation dealt with cash flow and Anasuya went over what might be included in income and expenses, discretionary and nonessential. The objective of this exercise was to help people understand what percentage of their incomes or savings they could allocate for various purposes and how long this would last them over the remainder of their lifetimes.

Wrapping up this session in the last 20 minutes was Mohindra, who, with his sharp analytical mind and inquisitive nature, has been able to distill the essentials of financial budgeting through his own informal survey of friends and colleagues. “I can offer you three shortcut formulas to estimate your wealth which work only in the US and only for Indians who earn between $100K to $800K.” “In the first, imagine that your wealth is a hand,” he said as he

drew a crude sketch on the whiteboard. “Take the little finger as taxes and the thumb as savings at 20 per cent each. The remaining fingers are 60 per cent: 20 each for House, Monthly Expenses and Annual Expenses.” In his formula, Mohindra says he can predict how much a person will save over a lifetime (about 20 per cent times 2.5), and for engineers, for example, that would be about $2 million.

Mohindra’s second rule of thumb was “whatever your stable income was at age 50, multiply that by 10 or 12 and that’s what your assets will be when you retire.”

And his third rule was, “take the value of your house, and multiply it by 5 to 6 to get your assets at retirement.”

Amazingly, these rules seemed to work for many people at the seminar.

The next in the series of these seminars will be held on April 18, 23 and 25 from 10am to 12 at India House. The cost to register and participate is $25 per person/per couple and this includes light snacks.

For more information, contact Mani Subramanian at 281-6914777 or kohur@ aol.com.

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COMMUNITY

Houston Embraces CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

DJ Sun

DJ Yogi-G

per cool DJ- Yogi-G, who rocked with the latest club dance hits, coupled with Bhangra and some old Bollywood music. He was followed later by the DJ & recording artist- DJ Sun. The next one in row was a electrifying performance by Karsh Kale, who elegantly

blended the distinct worlds of electronica, Indian classical music, rock, jazz fusion and hip hop. The audience went berserk and was thoroughly delighted by this magnificent performance.

Guests were provided with an exclusive “after-hours” access to the exhibition Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India. The exhibition was debuted at the MFAH in March 2018, and will be on view until August 19, 2018. The contents of this exhibition are really something that

needs to be experienced. Right from some groundbreaking exhibits of centuries old royal treasures from Jodhpur, India, brought into the U.S. for the first time, to nearly four centuries of artistic creations from the Kingdom of Marwar-Jodhpur, in the north-

Karsh Kale

western state of Rajasthan, this spell-binding demonstration of art is truly lavish and larger than life. The marvelous exhibition is organized by the MFAH in partnership with the Mehrangarh Museum Trust of Jodhpur and it truly represents one of the flavors of the rich country.

Established in 1900, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is among the top ten art museums in the United States, with a historic encyclopedic collection of more than 65,000 works, that date from antiquity to the present era. Mehrangarh Museum Trust is India’s leading cultural institution and center of excellence, established in 1972 by the 36th Custodian of Marwar-Jodhpur, H. H. Maharaja Gaj Singh II, to make the Fort gates open to welcome visitors. The stunning exhibition features around 250 objects from the royal collection housed in the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, India, that have been preserved, restored, and now shared with the North American audiences for the first time ever. Some of the pieces on display are regal ceremonial objects, finely crafted arms and armor, sumptuous jewels, intricately carved furnishings and a monumental 17th-th century court tent, that indeed outline the dynamic history of the Marwar-Jodhpur region and the Rathore dynasty that ruled it for more than 700 years.

One of the most visited zones was where an interesting masterpiece was on display. This special object of interest was Maharajah Gaj Singh’s silver Rolls Royce and his personal 1944 L-5 Sentinel aircraft. It was interesting to note that most of the objects have never traveled outside of the Palace walls prior to this. The exhibition shares the story of the Rathore dynasty, and how the kingdom acquired and commissioned objects over nearly four centuries.

The exhibition is on view at 1001 Bissonnet Street. To know further details please visit www.mfah.org/peacock.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

13 Sur Sang: One of the Multi-faceted Offerings by CICMH

COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

spite being a renowned performing artist, appearing on some of the most coveted stages in India himself, manages the near impossible

HOUSTON: This Sunday April

22, Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston (CICMH) presents another concert in its SUR SANG series. The concert will feature, for the first time ever in Houston, the Living Legend of Sitar, Ustad Shahid Parvez and the world-renowned Flautist Maestro Shashank together on the same stage – playing both solo and duets.

They will be accompanied by two brilliant rhythm artists – Shri Hindole Majumdar on Tabla and Shri Parupalli Phalgun on Mridangam.

A rare opportunity indeed to experience the epitome of Indian Classical Music - a confluence of Hindustani and Carnatic styles.

Sur Sang is one of many musical

offerings brought to the Space City

by CICMH, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization whose unique mission is to present the many facets of Indian Classical Music in the most holistic manner.

Saadhana Pariwar, the celebrated Gurukul of CICMH has completed 15 years of its glorious journey, providing initiation and imparting taalim to three generations of the Indian diaspora. With technology to bridge physical distances, aspiring learners from different parts of the world pursue their musical dreams online at this Gurukul while experiencing the richest possible level of hands-on training from a Guru of world repute.

CICMH stages world-renowned

performers in a gorgeous ambiance, while it presents the budding musicians under its wings in different innovative platforms, the most unique of which, is perhaps Saadhana Samvid - a series where each member of the Gurukul, get an opportunity to perform solo in a meticulously organized concert set up. Also notable is Saadhana Unmesh, a grand evening presenting all the disciples of the Gurukul.

For the more serious learners is the Ganda-bhandhan, a formal acceptance by the Guru, followed by Manch Pravesh, the formal stage appearance.

These multifarious events bear testimony to the fact that, CICMH Founder Pandit Suman Ghosh, de-

task of carving out time to conceptualize plan and stage such events to propagate Hindustani music in the purest form.

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14 April 20, 2018

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

April 20, 2018

Kaushalya Devi Reflections from Her Eldest Son – Vijay Pallod

HOUSTON: I have the deepest respect,

her caring daughters-in-law Sushma and Anju; and her grandchildren Kavita, Bharat, Namita, Radhika, and Kunjas as well as daughter Urmila’s three children.

A valuable lesson about not compromising on principles was also taught to me on a road journey from Hyderabad to Zaheerabad. Since we were running late, I asked my mother to forgo stopping at the Hanuman Temple to save time. She would not agree. The only other time I argued with my mother was at my son Bharat’s wedding in Hyderabad. Special arrangements had to be

made for her meals, as she would not eat the meals made by non-marwari caterers.

“Bahut yaad aate hai Vijay ki.” “Meri har baat manata hai.” My mother admitted this and it’s true that she and I shared a very close bond. It has been one of my biggest regrets that I was not able to spend more time with her as an adult. As I sometimes told her “Kismet nahi hai ma ki seva karna.”

My father who described her as very “dharmic and himmatwali” offers an instance of her courage. She traveled to the

15

United States on her own with a slip of paper saying “SHE DOES NOT KNOW ENGLISH. PLEASE HELP HER.” She made it safely for the deliveries of our children Bharat and Radhika.

At 75 and with several health issues my mother Kaushalya Devi became physically weak but still able to walk using a walker until a week ago. But she remained mentally strong. Her father, still living and in his mid90’s, found it hard to see his daughter near her final passage. Family members of all generations will miss Kaushalya Devi greatly, but her values will live on in her children, grandchildren, and extended family members who respect and love her greatly.

Article contribution by Manu Shah & Beth Kulkarni

gratitude, and love for my mother Kaushalya Devi for whom I performed last rites this week, appreciative that I had arrived in time.

My mother was the most influential person in my life. She shaped my character, instilling in me and my siblings the virtues of simplicity, healthy habits, and seva bhav, or service, towards our families, elders, and the community.

Kaushalya Devi was born in the small town of Sedam, Karnataka. As their first grandchild, Kaushalya Devi was brought up with great love and affection by her paternal grandfather Seth Tulsi Ram, a well-known philanthropist, and grandmother Narmada Bai. She silently absorbed the values of duty and seva bhav from them and later passed them on to her children Vijay, Kamal, and Urmila.

Kaushalya Devi studied in a Hindi medium school until the age of 12 when she married 16-year-old Brij Gopal Pallod and moved to Zaheerabad, a small town near Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. If asked whether she wasn’t too young to get married, her reply was always matter-of-fact “woh zamana aisa tha.” As the third daughter-in-law of the family, she easily assimilated into the joint family setup of five brothers and their families, considering the joint family system an asset.

A very spiritual person, Kaushalya Devi rose at 4:30 am every morning and was immersed in her daily prayers till mid-morning.

Her unshakeable faith in the Devatas gave her immense courage. Among her blessings she counted her children’s well-settled lives;

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16 April 20, 2018

COMMUNITY

New Teen, Miss & Mrs Bollywood International 2018 Crowned!

Contestants from all Over USA Participated!

STAFFORD: Bollywood Shake

hosted its 7th Annual Bollywood Pageant International 2018 at the Stafford Civic Center on Sunday, April 8. This year’s show under the direction of Pageant Director, Ruchika Dias, Pageant Choreographer, Priti Islam and Pageant Coordinator, Bindhya Babu was extremely glamorous, entertaining and inspiring! Contestants from all over the United States participated to compete for the coveted titles of Teen, Miss, Mr. and Mrs. Bollywood International 2018!

Bollywood Shake conducted its auditions and extensive search for the last one year all over the US to find the best contestants to compete for this year’s crown! This year’s competition featured contestants from California, Chicago, Michigan, Austin, Arizona, Florida and Houston. The contestants spent 3 days in Houston preparing

and practicing for their big day!

Our judges had their work cut out for them! This year’s judging panel included Former Miss India & Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta, Founder & CEO of HumFM Rehan Siddiqi, Omar Saeed Khan of Northwestern Mutual, Realtor Shaneel Mitha, Actor and Producer Pavan Grover, Lawyer Zainab Rizvi, Miss Pakistan USA 2017 Hirra Khan and Mrs. Bollywood USA 2015 Shruthi Bekal.

The emcees of the show, Rocko Stedy Narvios and Niharika Nag (who is also the Pageant Coach), conducted the show beautifully and flawlessly. The show started with a spectacular opening dance choreographed by Priti Islam to the songs Pallu Latke, Hawa Hawaii and Swag se Swagat. After this, the girls came back in beautiful evening gown attire for the introduction round. Then came the Photos: Jasleen Kaur Photography

talent round where we got to see some outstanding talents including Bollywood dances, singing, a Salsa dance performance and even an aerial acrodance act. This was followed by the Ethnic Wear round where the contestants donned gorgeous, colorful and vibrant ethnic attire. The finalists were then chosen who went through the judges Question and Answer round.

Judge Tanushree Dutta asked a finalist “You are a mother, a wife and a career woman. What is the most important priority for you in life?” The contestants did a great job answering some tough questions but some stood out more for the judges than others. Finally, the winners were crowned by Tanushree Dutta and the past title holders – Miss Teen Bollywood USA 2017, Manjari Parikh, Miss Bollywood USA 2017, Pooja Gohil and Mrs. Bollywood USA 2017, Nadia Neubert.

The event was sponsored

by Omar Saeed Khan of North-

western Mutual, Realtor Shaneel Mitha and Universal Bakery and Snacks. Special shout out to Zainab Kayani Rizvi and Pavan Grover for their support! Special thanks to Aslam Jivani and Abdul Khiyani of DECO ART for the gorgeous stage and set. The decor was beautiful and classy with the Fire & Ice theme and made the contestants look even more gorgeous!

DJ Tariq Ali did a great job on the sound and lights and DJ TAMIM, the DJ and Dholi for the night kept the crowd entertained. Arzoo Khan’s Vida Salon & Spa provided professional hair and makeup services for the contestants. Sonny and Jennifer Chohan of Houston Live TV Network captured the event professionally and the show was broadcast live on Facebook and Youtube. Jasleen Kaur Photography and Reflection Media Inc. USA were the official photographers for the evening.

In addition to running a very successful Bollywood dance school,

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Bollywood Shake has always promoted local talent through its events. The Bollywood Pageant has featured renowned Bollywood celebrity guests in the past including Preity Zinta, Raveena Tandon, Neha Dhupia, Meenakshi Seshadri and Pooja Batra. Bollywood Shake has also hosted events like fashion shows, dance competitions and New Year’s Eve Galas.

Ruchika Dias, Founder & CEO of Bollywood Shake, has successfully organized the Bollywood Pageants for the past 7 years. Ruchika’s vision has always been to bring Bollywood to mainstream America. The Bollywood Pageant has been featured on ABC 13, Fox 26, TV-Asia and B4U TV. Special thanks to Esha Shah and Abha Jain for being a part of this year’s team.

Winners: Miss Bollywood International 2018 - Michelle Adamjee (Houston) Miss Teen Bollywood International 2018 - Gursheen Kaur (California) Mrs. Bollywood International 2018 - Malin Pathak (Austin) Mr. Bollywood International 2018 - Nitish Singh (Arizona) Miss Bollywood International 2018 1st Runner Up- Jasmin Sheth (Austin) Miss Bollywood International 2018 2nd Runner Up- Tavishi Saxena (Michigan) Miss Teen Bollywood International 2018 1st Runner Up- Siya Nair Mrs. Bollywood International 2018 1st Runner Up- Mayuri Rana (Houston) Mrs. Bollywood International 2018 2nd Runner Up- Sharan Budwal (Florida)

April 20, 2018

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

17

18 April 20, 2018 Currency Manipulation ... India?

The Indian government reported last week that the trade

deficit with the rest of the world nearly doubled in the financial year ended 31 March. The US Treasury Department said a few hours later that it would be adding India to the list of countries that it considers as potential currency manipulators.

All this comes against the backdrop of growing global trade tensions. It is important to recognize that India has been put on a watch list rather than being actually accused of manipulating its exchange rate to hurt US interests. However, the mere fact that India is on the watch list now could restrict the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the foreign exchange operations it needs to pursue to protect financial stability, especially when global capital flows threaten to overwhelm domestic monetary policy.

India is now giving company to China, Japan, Germany, South Korea and Switzerland. A country such as India with a widening external deficit is an unlikely candidate for being described as a currency manipulator. The Indian rupee has actually appreciated against the US dollar in real terms in recent quarters, which is calculated after taking into account the rise in domestic prices. India does try to manage the exchange rate through sterilized intervention, but is by no stretch of imagination a currency manipulator. “Given that Indian foreign exchange standards are ample by common metrics, and that India maintains some controls on both inbound and outbound flows of private capital, further reserve accumulation does not seem necessary,” the US Treasury has said in its report. The Indian central bank added $56 billion to its foreign exchange reserves in 2017.

How are countries accused of currency manipulation by the US Treasury actually identified? There are three parameters that are used, sometimes unthinkingly. First, a country has to run a significant trade surplus of over $20 billion with the US. Second, it is judged not by the amount of currency intervention but whether such an operation is a one-sided attempt to keep the exchange rate down, measured in terms of additional foreign exchange reserves as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). Third, a country should have a large current account surplus with the rest of the world. How does India fare on these three fronts?

India does have a $23 billion trade surplus with the US, though that is dwarfed by the $375 billion trade surplus that China runs with the US. Mexico, Japan and Germany have far bigger bilateral trade surpluses. The net foreign exchange purchases by the RBI in 2017 amounted to 2.2% of GDP, which is close to what Thailand, Taiwan and Switzerland have done. And India is the only one of the countries on the US Treasury list that has a current account deficit with the rest of the world. Countries such as Thailand or Mexico were considered far more likely than India to be identified as potential currency manipulators.

-Live Mint

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Who Do You Think You Are?

BY PRATAP BHANU MEHTA

In the film, The Party, there is a

line ascribed to the Indian character Bakshi played by Peter Sellers. In response to a taunt, “Who do you think you are?” Bakshi responds: “In India we don’t think who we are, we know who we are.” For those of us, who are never quite sure what it means to know who we are, such confidence is a great source of envy. But it is sometimes alarming, when we not only seem to know who we are, but also seem to know who everyone else is. We easily ascribe identities to others, nest those identities in a set of expectations, and confidently proclaim the obligations that follow from those identities.

Collective identities matter to people. They may give a sense of belonging. They can sometimes produce solidarity. Sometimes they are premised on a sense of superiority and domination. Sometimes they are a defensive reaction against oppressive constructions that target people for being who they are. Collective identities are produced through complex social, psychological and historical mechanisms. Sometimes identities precede political action, sometimes they are constructed through it. But in our public discourse there is something deeply suffocating and inimical about the use of collective nouns and pronouns to capture identities.Almost all words that designate any collective identity — “Hindus”, “Muslims”, “Dalits”, “Indian”, or even categories of gender — are almost casually used to imprison people than recognize them. This is not the occasion for theoretical exercises in notions of identity. But the utter lack of selfawareness, and false confidence with which these terms are invoked should make us pause.

While it is a truism that identities matter, it is also a truism that when they are carelessly ascribed, they become inimical to freedom.

What does it mean to invoke the term “Indian Muslim”? What does it mean to say, “I am Hindu” or I am “Jain or “Tamil?” These words have contextual uses, and can be aspects of people’s self-definition. But they easily become tyrannical when the common sense pitfalls of any collec-

tive noun or pronoun are ignored.

The pitfalls that make the easy ascription of collective identities fraught are obvious. But they bear repeating.

In invoking a collective identity, are we too easily ascribing a unity of purpose, meaning, experience and capability to members of large group that they cannot possibly have? In ascribing that unity, or measuring that identity against a benchmark, we abstract away the different textures, struggles, individual engagement through which that identity becomes a hard won achievement, or the diverse forms in which it is imagined.

To confidently name an identity is, in some ways, to freeze it; it is to impose a stable set of expectations that circumscribe our possibility of action. We become manifestations of that larger collective identity rather than agents who shape it.

Identities almost always seem to trap us in binaries, what Bhikhu Parekh in a lecture once evocatively called “the false antinomies between closed wholes”. Identities are often maintained by policing boundaries, if you are one thing, you cannot be another. Or worse, the truism that the solidarity behind collective identities is often sustained by identifying a threat or an enemy. One of the paradoxes of India is that at the level of vernacular practice, our identities can be a lot more permeable. It is when we put the pressure on naming them (Is “X” practice Sikh or Hindu?) that identities go from being open fields that we freely inhabit to closed fortresses that we zealously guard. Public invocations of identity are insidiously colonising and easily displace reason and argument. Which collective identity you can be slotted under is then assumed to give you authority over some subjects and not others, define your moral responsibilities, and even be a predictor of what you might say. If an argument takes the form, “Speaking as ‘X’ I make the following claim,” it is the speaking as X that is supposed to give you authority not the validity of your claim.

India, of course, has the most nauseating history of imposing compulsory identities on people, through caste.

But other casual invocations of public identity also extract huge moral costs.

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Just as nationalism is a form of collective aggrandisement and narcissism, so do most collective identities run the same risk. Collective identities efface individuality. The emphasis in describing everyone first by the collective noun into which they can be slotted often completely forecloses any space of interiority, no space for inwardness, or psychological complexity. Aurobindo was right in thinking that at some point rigidified external social identities made India something akin to a charnel house of rotted interiorities. If you wanted to explore the depths of being and the complexities of existence, you had to escape society; society always had its scripts ready for you. Our constant inability to think of individuals outside of the collective noun under which we slot them has a similar effect. And by subsuming people under abstractions, collective identities do away with ordinary human sympathies.

Collective identities are also becoming scripts others control. They take away possibilities of self-definition. When we use terms like Hindu, Muslim, Women, Dalit, what do they actually mean? What expectations are associated with them? Are the listeners associating the same meaning with that collective noun as the speaker? Do the listeners burden those who inhabit these identities with different stereotypes than those who invoke them? Indian public discourse is so suffocating because these collective nouns are the medium through which we misrecognize each other.

These categories are perhaps inescapable. But we can be more selfaware about their imprisoning logic.

Contrary to the character Bakshi’s confidence, we don’t know who we are. We get that confident certainty that we know who we are, or who other are by slotting them into boxes.

By naming them, putting them under a collective noun, we avoid the laboor and hard work of having to know who we are and who others are. Perhaps we will be more liberated not if we have the illusory confidence that we know who we are, but if we replied like Bulleh Shah: “Bulla ki jana main kaun?” For it is the tyranny of naming that destroys our freedom, and makes us presumptuous enough to define others as well.

-Indian Express

TRAVEL

April 20, 2018

19

Traces of South Asian Heritage in Way Up North in Scotland

The Dundee mosque located in the old jute mills area Shaheen Kabab House on Nethergate Road across from St. Mary’s Church

Jehangir restaurant on Hawkhill Road

Dundee University, ranked among the top 300 universities in the world

Rishi restaurant across from Jehangir

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

DUNDEE,

SCOTLAND: My first contact with a desi in Scotland was the taxi driver in Dundee who dropped me off around 10 pm to my hotel (Malmaison) in the center of the city. He was an inquisitive type who struck up a conversation and I was only too glad to know more about the city I had arrived in that morning.

And I had guessed right that he was from Bangladesh (and he was wrong as he thought I was Italian or Greek!) and then lamented how he had wasted his youth there for 30 years after coming as a young child from Bangladesh with his parents. “I did some things that took me nowhere,” he said sadly, as you would reveal only to a stranger you may never meet again.

The next day, Asif a long bearded Pakistani with a local Scottish accent picked us up from the hotel in his taxi.

I took one look at him and spoke in Urdu and from his accent, I took a chance and switched to Punjabi and he was equally surprised and responded back in kind! It turned out he was born and raised in Dundee (he was in his forties), was on his second wife and owned not only his own taxi (his dad had started the business) but was in technical school to learn to become a plumber! In his mid-forties, he had never been to Pakistan, but learned to speak Urdu and Punjabi at home. Asif made over $120 that night on three trips with us alone!

The next day, Iqbal picked me up to go to the wedding venue, Fingask

“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”

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HIREN JOSHI

to from 2.30pm to 3.30pm

The Dundee Mosque on a Friday afternoon

Castle, about 30 minutes from the hotel. It turned out that his dispatch service (he owned his taxi) did not take credit cards, and as I did not have any local currency, I had to get some from the hotel which was also short on cash! Iqbal said it would be about $28, which was exactly what the cheery and helpful hotel receptionist Zahra Suleiman (a second generation Anglo-Pakistani who spoke no Urdu) had in her register. Though the meter read $33 at the end, Iqbal was a man of his word and only took $28!

Iqbal was an ambitious young 38 year-old Bangladeshi with a long beard who had come to Dundee only 20 years earlier to work in a restaurant and rose to become a manager.

“There are 15,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, He said as he looked at me in the rearview mirror, “and 75% are owned and managed by Bangladeshis.” He got tired of working 18hour shifts and decided to drive a taxi while studying to get a diploma in IT and write code. With another year to go, he, his wife (who did not work) and his 6 year-old daughter lived in a flat and he made ends meet.

Curious about all the Indian influ-

832-646-2116

Sign leading to the Dundee mosque.

ence in Dundee, I walked around and found four Indian restaurants, two fast-food kebab types of them owned

by Bangladeshis; and the plush Jehangir owned by a Pakistani and the modern Rishi owned by south Indians from Edinburgh - both across the street from the University of Dundee.

Fed up with the bland English food, I dropped in for lunch at Rishi - which was not cheap at $13 for a very tasty and spicy lamb vindaloo and one naan - but the decor is appealing with broad windows opening up to the main road.

And almost behind Jehangir, in the area where the jute mills once lined each street, was the plain looking Dundee Masjid with four stubby minarets, still not busy on a Friday afternoon. As I walked back around 4pm, a few bearded men in salwars and heavy pullovers walked towards it from the city center, only a few blocks away.

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20 April 20, 2018

COMMUNITY

30 Years of Hindi at Bellaire High School, Holika Celebration a Huge Success

BY ISHANI SHETHIA, CASSANDRA MARTINEZ & SATYA DAS

HOUSTON: First high school

Hindi program of the nation celebrated 30 years of the program on Saturday, March 24 at the Bellaire High School’s auditorium. Almost house full of audience of over 700 guests, parents, and students were entertained with 21 beautiful performances by Bellaire high school Hindi students, school’s e-motion dance team, Spanish department students, classical dances by students of Upasana kaladendra and several University groups of students who competed. Akh mastani and Houston di shaan won first and second place awards. Audience also enjoyed the singing of Houston’s young talent Miss Mallika Ghei. Everyone loved the beautiful rangoli artwork created

by Janaki Pathak on the floor in front of the auditorium. Guests were served snacks at the end of the show.

Bellaire’s Hindi program is the largest in the nation and has 7 levels of Hindi that includes 4 levels of International Baccalaureate (IB) Hindi taught by well-known Hindi teacher Arun Prakash, who started the program and has the credit of starting Hindi programs at Rice University and University of Houston too. Bellaire High School has Yoga

club, Hindu students’ council, South Asian students’ association and Hindi national honor society. Officers and members of all four clubs work very hard to celebrate Diwali, Hindu festival of lights and Holi, Hindu festival of colors that are the largest teenage students organized programs in the nation for the past 30 years.

Other than that students also celebrate other festivals, practice yoga every week under the supervision of certified yoga instructor Rupi Prasad.

Hindi students have Indian food and Henna tattoo days at school and club members participate in various volunteer activities such as Ram Leela and Thanksgiving at the George R. Brown convention center.

Chief guest was Houston’s renowned Cancer research scientist at the MD Anderson Center Dr. Sen Pathak. He told students never to lose hope and surrender to setback, dedicated hard work is the key to success.

All this needs a lot of support from the community shared Arun Prakash. He said, “we are thankful to Dr. Durga Agrawal, Subhash Gupta, Brij Agrawal, Suresh Agrawal, Dr. Urmil Shukla, Dr. Ajay Aggarwal, Raj Seghal, Meera Gidwani, Vivek Israni of Test masters, Dr. Ajit Vyas, Dr. Tushar Sharma, Suresh Shenoy of Kirti Jewelers and many more affluent members of the Indian community for their continued support

over the years. Gaurav Sood from Boss and Hughes printed full color program brochure for free. I am very proud of my Hindi students and all the members and officers of the 4 clubs that I sponsor.” He also added, “I want the community leaders to petition area school district to start Hindi in elementary, junior and senior high schools since Hindi is a critical need language in America and there is shortage of Hindi speaking bilinguals.

Hindi is the third largest spoken language in the world and India is the fastest growing economy with lot of American companies investing”.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ADVICE

April 20, 2018

7 Things that Most Interesting People Have in Common neric things, generic things are less likely to come out of your mouth.

This doesn’t need to be expensive or difficult. Hang out more often with the most interesting people you know.

The best and most reliable way to appear interesting is to live an interesting life.

And to pursue that ends up being far more rewarding than merely making a good impression on others.

-time.com

21

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BY ERIC BARKER

It depends on you: 1) First, Don’t Be Boring

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

Look at it like the Hippocratic Oath of conversations: Do no harm.

We’re all terrible at realizing when we bore others because, well, we all think we’re just fascinating.

2) The Most Captivating People Are Often Good Listeners Impressing people can be great but it can also devolve into status jockeying, one-upmanship and envy.

People love to talk about themselves and there are a dearth of good listeners.

Let the other person talk.

3) Talk About The Other Person’s Interests This is straight from Dale Carnegie and if you’re not that socially adept, this is as straightforward as it gets.

Why struggle to guess what most people might find generically interesting?

Ask people what they’ve been up to or what their hobbies are. Then talk about that. You’re now 80% of the way there.

4) Have Three Good Stories Comedians don’t just talk about anything when they’re onstage. They have their act rehearsed.

You don’t just trot into a job interview and say whatever’s on your mind.

Always have three good stories on hand that reliably entertain, inform or engage.

5) Don’t Forget Charisma It’s not all about the words. Some people are engaging but if what they said was transcribed, it would be unimpressive.

When you’re speaking emotionally, the words only account for 7% of what get conveyed.

Seven percent.

Voice tone and body language are far more important.

6) Be Somewhere Interesting Got a say in where you’ll be at, as with a date or meeting?

Pick someplace stimulating. Context matters.

In general, we’re lousy about realizing where our feelings are coming from.

Research shows excitement from any source is often associated with the person you’re with — even if they’re not the cause of it.

7) And Most Importantly: Live An Interesting Life Remember the theme of Don Quixote: If you want to be a knight, act like a knight.

If you don’t read, watch and think about geINDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

22 April 20, 2018

SUDOKU Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Soyabean di Wadiyan te Mutter di Turri (Soyabean Dumpling & Peas Curry)

Send us the correct answer before April 25, 2018.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036.

Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

Talk to a Punjabi about wadiyan

L��� W���’� SUDOKU S�������

L��� W���’� SUDOKU W������ 1) M Desai 2) Aarti Kalamangalam 3) Deepika Somani

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(dried dumplings) and he will probably start to have a mental image of a sun-dried lentil dumpling that is full of spices. But a lot has changed in making the traditional wadiyan and along with it, new types of dishes have been developed.

About 25 years ago, small, oneinch cylindrical soyabean wadiyan (dumplings) made of soya powder began showing up in the spice and grocery stores in North India and since then they have become available everywhere. They have become popular because of their reasonable price, spongy texture that absorbs the curry and their health benefits.

Now people are more aware of the protein benefits of soyabean and use these wadiyan in cooking vegetarian dishes.

Soyabean is recognized for its ability to lower cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, but it does increase HDL. It is also considered beneficial as an antioxidant, minimizing diabetes and reducing inflammation as well as its protein value. Soyabean oil is high in beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid.

But ultimately, while the traditional Punjabi lentil wadiyan impart their spiciness into the curry in which they simmer, the soyabean wadiyan do the exact opposite: they plump up by soaking up the flavor of the curry.

The result is a soft spongy texture that gives a mouthful of juicy flavor with each bite. So, it is important to concentrate on making the curry correctly and not too watery.

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Ingredients: • 2 cups soyabean wadiyan (soyabean lentil dumpling) • 11/2 cups mutter (peas) – frozen or fresh • 2 medium pyaaz (onion) – peeled and finely chopped • 2 medium tamater (tomato) – soft ones are best, chopped • 5 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and finely chopped • 1 tbsp adrak (ginger) – peeled and finely chopped • 2 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil • 2 cups of pani (water) • Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), haldi (turmeric), dhania (coriander), garam masala Directions: 1. Place the wadiyan in a small pot of water and bring it to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Test a waddi to see if it is soft to chew. If it is, drain the hot water and then immerse the boiled wadiyan in cold water to cool them down.

3. Drain the cold water, then press the wadiyan in your palms to squeeze

out the soya smell and all the water.

4. In a medium saucepan prepare the masala in a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, then add the onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Stir well to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

When the mixture is slightly brown, add the namak, mirch, haldi and dhania and stir well.

5. Pour in the wadiyan into the masala, add the peas and stir for 2 minutes.

6. Add the two cups of water, cover the pot and let the water come to a boil.

Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for five more minutes to let the flavor soak into the wadiyan.

7. Uncover the pot and check that the wadiyan have become plump and the curry is not too thin and sprinkle with the garam masala. The dish is ready to eat, usually with roti, rice or any variety of bread.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi vegetarian recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK

USE OVERCOOK ED DAALS OR CU RRIES TO MAKE TASTY PA R A N TH A S Occ

asionally you m cooked and ends up ay make a daal or vegetable curry that gets overtu eat. After all, you sh rning into a thick stew that is not too tempting to ould be able to disti ng you eat, especially if it is with roti or br uish the morsels of food that ead!

Rather than be tem pt to the side and mix ed to throw the overcooked dish away , ke into some wheat flou r to make dough. Th ep it off some experience to is requires figure out the best m when done right, yo u can make tasty pa ixture of fluid and flour but ranthas.

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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Dan (Varun Dhawan), a stu-

dent of hotel management is an intern at a top hotel in Delhi along with his batch mates.

An incident occurs at the hotel where one of his colleagues Shiuli (Banita Sandhu), lands up at the hospital. This affects Dan far deeply than he ever imagined, and thereon, he embarks on an emotional journey where he seeks answers and love in the strangest of circumstances October Review: Shoojit Sircar’s ‘October’ says a lot, without saying too much. Yes, it is a film about love, seen from Dan’s pure and simple worldview and Shuili’s silent, stoic stares. It’s not a story crafted with heavy doses of dialogues, romantic ballads or bombastic tropes common to the genre.

The beauty lies in the simplicity of it all. Dan is a 21-year-old who still has a lot of growing up to do; he’s clumsy and careless at work, a tad cocky too, but not with an air of arrogance.

He doesn’t speak volumes, but he’s blunt and straightforward.

Dan expresses himself with a rare innocence that makes him

October: Less is More in this Story About Love

lovable. As colleagues, Shiuli and he share nothing more than a few glances and some casual conversation. After the untoward episode, as she lies in bed, Dan is drawn to her agonizing and motionless world. And something flows and flourishes between them. Something called love, maybe?

Here’s Why Priyanka Chopra will not Be a Part of Salman Khan Starrer ‘Bharat’

Priyanka Chopra recently paid two

visits to her homeland, India a few days back. Now she is back in Ireland to resume her shooting for the third season of her American TV show ‘Quantico’. While her Bollywood projects still pose a question in the media’s and the fans’ minds, it was recently reported that she will be a part of Salman Khan starrer ‘Bharat’ which is being headlined by Ali Abbas Zafar. However, as per latest reports in a media portal, PeeCee will apparently not be roped in for ‘Bharat’because of Salman Khan.

Conjectures suggest that years ago Salman Khan had reportedly vowed to never collaborate with Priyanka.

The reason behind this speculation is still a mystery. Though she is ex-

23

April 20, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

tremely close to Arpita and Alvira and always makes it a point to catch up with Salman’s sisters when she is in town. A source close to the ‘Race 3’ actor revealed that no matter how hard Priyanka tries to mend ways with Salman, it is still not going to change his mind. Emphasising that Priyanka being a part of ‘Bharat’ is a rumour, the source said that they are being floated by someone’s publicity machinery in the hope that they would influence the choice of leading lady in the film. Since the film is out an out a Salman movie, the makers are looking to cast a new face opposite him.

-timesofindia.com

Shoojit Sircar breathes life in to every scene with his nuanced direction. The film unfolds at a leisurely pace, but never lacks spirit. He gives you a glimpse into the lives of his characters, and artfully takes you into his fold. At times, you forget that you are watching a movie; instead, you become a spectator to

the lives of real people, with real, uncorrupted emotions. The scene at the hospital between Dan and Shiuli, where they acknowledge their relationship in their own indescribable way, is skilfully written and enacted. It throbs with emotion and makes you break into a smile. The film is not devoid of light humour, it is slipped into the narrative so seamlessly that it will leave you surprised. The lyrical screenplay, story and dialogues by Juhi Chaturvedi excel in every scene, never losing sight of what the film sets out to achieve. Every emotion in this song-less film is not spelt out; the most overwhelming scenes are laced with lightweight dialogues and silences that leave space for interpretation. Avik Mukhopadhyay (cinematography) sets the frames with poetic beauty and a charm that is inescapable. The background score by Shantanu Moitra softly blends in, adding mood to the drama. Varun Dhawan drops the Bollywood hero’s garb in the most understated and finest performance of his career. Shoojit bril-

Rishi Kapoor to Make his Singing Debut with ‘102 Not Out’

liantly moulds Varun into Dan, making you forget that you ever saw him grooving shirtless on screen before. Debutante Banita uses her beautiful eyes to express emotions, or lack of it.

It’s an arduous task, as that’s the only ammo she has at hand.

Gitanjali as Shiuli’s mother is a class act. ‘October’ is not bound

by Indian sensibility alone; it is a humane story that will possibly enjoy a much wider appeal across international audiences.

For a Bollywood fan seeking escapist cinema, the laid-back pace might be a deterrent. But it is evident that the director wanted this story about love to find its own life cycle of blossom.

In love and relationships, a lot remains unsaid and undefined.

What can’t find it’s way into words, will find a way to flow out. Let it. The fragrant memory of Shiuli (the Bengali name for Night Jasmine) and Dan’s unconditional story will linger long after. Go, take it all in.

-timesofindia.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Sachin Tendulkar April 24, 1973

R

ishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s upcoming film ‘102 Not Out’ has created a lot of amount of buzz among the audience. It is a known fact that Big B has crooned two songs for the film and now latest reports suggest that Rishi Kapoor will also lend his voice for one of the songs in the film.

According to reports Rishi and Big B will be singing the song titled ‘Badumbaaa’ in the film. A source close to the film revealed that during the last day of the shoot the team came up with the idea of having a song featuring both the stars in the film. Big B quickly agreed to do the so and even said that he would compose the song. When director Umesh Shukla approached Rishi Kapoor for the same he hesitated at first but later agreed to the same.

Amitabh will be seen playing a 102-year-old father to a 75-year-old character played by Rishi Kapoor in the film, and the film is set to hit the screens on May 4.

-timesofindia.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Varun Dhawan April 24, 1987

Arijit Singh April 25, 1987

24 April 20, 2018

SPORTS

IPL 2018: Sanju Samson Outguns RCB’s Batting Might

BY DEIVARAYAN MUTHU

B

ENGALURU (ESPN Crickinfo): Rajasthan Royals 217 for 4 (Samson 92, Rahane 36, Chahal 2-22) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 198 for 6 (Kohli 57, Mandeep 47*, Gopal 2-22) by 19 runs play Sanju Samson’s breath-taking 92 not out off 45 balls formed the centerpiece of Rajasthan Royals’ 217 for 4, a score that proved too much for Royal Challengers Bangalore’s formidable batting order even though Virat Kohli smashed his fastest IPL fifty.

Notably, it was also the first time a team had successfully defended a total in 10 full games this season.

Royals had done it once previously as well, in a rain-shortened game against Delhi Daredevils.

On a familiar hit-through-the line Chinnaswamy pitch, Royals pillaged 88 runs in the last five overs of their innings - the joint second highest in the IPL. Samson’s contributed 58 to that tally.

Kohli then matched Samson’s range in the chase, but a rapidly rising asking-rate caused him, Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock, and AB de Villiers to hole out in the deep.

There were questions over Ajinkya Rahane’s role as an opener for Royals, and he answered them in emphatic fashion, hammering 36 off 20 balls at 180 - his second best strike-rate in the Powerplay in the IPL. That the ball came on to the bat nicely in Bengaluru made life easier for Rahane.

He regularly manufactured swinging room outside leg and swatted the ball over the leg side.All told, he scored 33 of his 36 runs on the leg side.

After Royals sprinted to 52 for the loss of Rahane in the Powerplay, Yuzvendra Chahal set them back by bowling legbreaks wide of off stump.

The legspinner got one to drift away from D’Arcy Short and found the toe end in his second over, the seventh of the match. He then forced Ben Stokes to drag a wide delivery on to the stumps and became the leading wicket-taker for RCB with 73 wickets. Chahal finished with 2 for 22 in four overs, including 12 dots, when four of his team-mates conceded

Sanju Samson was in the runs again, Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2018, Bengaluru, April 15, 2018.

more than 11 runs an over.

At 15 overs, Royals were 129 for 3. The acceleration that followed was a volcanic eruption. The next five overs read: 13, 15, 16, 17, and 27.

Samson’s innings wasn’t about slogging, but sublime timing. He lined up the length balls from Woakes, Umesh Yadav, and Kulwant Khejroliya, and struck five sixes in the ‘V’. The one that stood out was a lofted drive off an offcutter from Woakes in the 19th over. In all, Samson hit 10 sixes and two fours.

Bengaluru boy K Gowtham struck in the first over of the chase to dismiss RCB’s McCullum, but Kohli and de Kock shaved 64 runs off the target in the first six overs. Kohli set the tone with three fours in four balls off Dhawal Kulkarni. He then greeted Stokes with a rasping pull and a sliced drive for four. De Kock, meanwhile, contributed 26 to a 77-run stand that came at 10.50 runs an over.

De Kock had been dropped on 23 by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler but he added only three runs before pulling

a half-tracker from Short to deep square leg. The England wicketkeeper then reprieved AB de Villiers on 2 and 3 when he missed a stumping and a run-out.

Those blunders did not cost Royals much. When Kohli pulled a long-hop from Shreyas Gopal to deep square leg, RCB needed 117 off 58 balls.

Two overs later, de Villiers holed out off a similar ball. Game over for RCB. The late blows from Mandeep Singh and Washington Sundar only reduced the margin of defeat.

Raj’s Record Half-Century Hands India Series Win NAGPUR (ESPN Cricinfo): after struggling to make the

India 202 for 2 (Raj 74*, Deepti non-striker’s end. The rest of 54*, Shrubsole 2-37) beat Engthe line-up faltered, as India land 201 for 9 (Jones 94, Gayakspinners Deepti, Rajeshwari wad 2-32) by eight wickets.

Gayakwad and Poonam Yadav India captain Mithali Raj picked two apiece to reduce the broke the record for most visitors to 201 for 9 in 50 overs.

50-plus scores in women’s Smriti Mandhana continODIs to clinch the series 2-1 ued her fine form with her against England. Raj (74 off 11th ODI half-century as she 124 balls) brought up her 56th powered India to 99 for 2 beODI half-century and put up fore retiring hurt. Deepti then a 103-run third-wicket stand joined Raj at the crease with with Deepti Sharma (54 off Mithali Raj launches the ball down the India needing 103 from 26 61) to take India to an eight- ground BCCI. overs.The duo motored on till wicket victory in Nagpur. the 46th over, when Deepti posted a 119-ball 94 to consoliAfter losing their openers hit a six to take the hosts home. to Jhulan Goswami within sev- date England’s position. Jones en overs, England’s Amy Jones was however denied a century

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Srikanth Takes Silver as India Wins 65th Medal GOLD COAST: NEW DELHI: World No 1 Kidambi Srikanth’s bid to become the second Indian badminton player to win an individual Commonwealth Gold has been squashed in utterly dominating manner by three-time Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei on Sunday at Gold Coast, Australia.

Ten years his elder, the World No 7 Chong Wei marked his final appearance at the CWG by coming back from defeat in the first game to beat Srikanth 19-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the finals of the men’s singles at the Carrara Sports Arena 2. Crucial to this was forcing the decider with a dominant second game in which he repeatedly left his opponent struggling to retrieve the shuttle and looking bereft of ideas.

Srikanth still took home a silver, his first individual medal at the CWG, which extended to 65 India’s tally at the Gold Coast Games to beat the mark of 64 set four years ago at Glasgow. This is India’s most successful CWG ever, following the 101 medals won in Delhi in 2010.

Srikanth narrowly took the opening game, with Chong Wei keeping himself in the hunt with his vault of experience.

In the second game, however, Chong Wei’s longevity was to the fore as surged ahead of Srikanth 1713 and then closed it out 21-14. In the decider, Chong Wei upped his game in bullish manner to take a 7-1 lead and rarely let Srikanth settle.

Having beaten Chong Wei for the first time in his career during the mixed team event earlier this week, Srikanth was left frustrated by the Malaysian badminton legend’s exceptional court play in the last game.

Srikanth still took home a silver, his first individual medal at CWG, which extended to 65 India’s medal tally.

April 20, 2018

25

Bank and Axis Bank: $5.6 Billion Indian Exports May Be Hit as US Weighs Tight Policy ICICI Cracks in India’s Banking US dairy industry and medical device MUMBAI: To say that India’s NEW DELHI: Indian exports up industry alleging Indian trade barriers public sector banks have had a rough

to $5.6 billion could be hit as the US pressures India for greater market access by declaring a review of the generalized system of preferences (GSP) through which Indian exporters get preferential market access to the US. The GSP program allows duty-free entry of 3,500 products from India, which benefits exporters of textiles, engineering, gems and jewellery and chemical products. The total US imports under GSP in 2017 was $21.2 billion, of which India was the biggest beneficiary with $5.6 billion, followed by Thailand ($4.2 billion) and Brazil ($2.5 billion).

The Trump administration has been accusing India of unfair trade practices and has challenged most of its export subsidies at the World Trade Organization (WTO). It has also not granted India an exemption on unilateral hike in steel and

aluminium tariffs, unlike to its other strategic allies. On Friday, the US treasury department added India to the currency practices watch list saying New Delhi increased its purchase of foreign exchange by $56 billion in 2017 which does not appear necessary given its already robust foreign exchange reserves.

The US Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday announced that it is reviewing the GSP eligibility of India, along with Indonesia and Kazakhstan, based on concerns about the countries’ compliance with the programme.

For India, the GSP country eligibility review is based on concerns by the

affecting US exports in those sectors.

India has very high import duties on dairy products to protect its domestic industry. It has also recently put price controls on medical devices like cardiovascular stents, drawing ire from big US pharma companies.

“India has implemented a wide array of trade barriers that create serious negative effects on US commerce.

The acceptance of these petitions and the GSP self-initiated review will result in one overall review of India’s compliance with the GSP market access criterion,” USTR said.

A commerce ministry official speaking under condition of anonymity said though India is worried about the move, it hopes a majority of US industries which get cheaper intermediate products from India due to GSP benefits will support continuation of the program.

-Live Mint

Airbus Offers Production Hub for Panther Helicopter

NEW DELHI: Eyeing India’s

lucrative military modernisation programme, aerospace giant Airbus has offered to set up a global manufacturing hub for its Panther helicopter in the country if the company gets a multi-billion-dollar contract to supply a fleet of 111 naval multi-utility choppers to the Navy.

Pierre de Bausset, president and managing director of the Airbus Group in India, said the company was ready to transfer critical technology to India for the helicopter programme and discussions were underway on it with the Defence Ministry and other stakeholders.

“In the case of Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH), we will be manufacturing (it) in India not only for the Indian market but for the world as well. For customers worldwide who are interested in that model (AS565 Panther), they would get it from India,” de Bausset told PTI

in an interview.

He said Airbus has offered its H225M helicopter in response to the Indian Navy’s initial tender for 123 Naval Multi Role Helicopters (NMRH) The Indian Navy in August last had issued a global request for information (RFI) or an initial tender for the procurement of 111 naval utility helicopters and 123 multi-role choppers under the strategic partnership

model.

On India’s Make in India initiative in the defence sector, de Bausset, who was here to attend the Defence Expo, said India must focus on areas where it has strong expertise so as to ensure proper utilization of the country’s resources.

“You are in a country which has limited resources and budgets. You have to do a lot... Self reliance does not mean that you have got to do

everything,” he said.

He said almost all leading global defence majors concentrate on investing in areas where they are confident of doing their best.

“There are a number of fields where you have achieved excellence...You have the best engineers... This is where you should put your money and be complementary to other people to do other things much better,” he said.

The Defence Ministry last month had come out with a draft policy which envisages achieving a turnover of Rs 1,70,000 crore in military goods and services by 2025 by promoting the domestic defence industry.

The focus of the four-day-long Defence Expo, which ended yesterday, was to project India as a major country in military manufacturing.

The Panther helicopter is currently in service in 42 countries.

-Times of India

run in the past two years would be an understatement. A ballooning pile of bad loans, precarious capital positions and massive frauds are but only a slice of their problems. Little wonder that there has been a cacophony of voices clamouring for privatization of the state-run banks.

But in the past two weeks, an unprecedented set of events has turned that argument on its head. The developments have highlighted issues related to corporate governance at ICICI Bank Ltd, India’s second largest private bank, and performance issues at Axis Bank Ltd, the country’s third largest, exposing, as some say, the darker underbelly of the private banking business in India.

For Axis Bank’s managing director Shikha Sharma, matters came to a head when the banking regulator, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asked the lender’s board to re-consider the decision to give Shikha Sharma a fourth term, citing concerns over rising NPAs under her watch.

The allegations against Chanda Kochhar, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Bank, are of a more serious nature.

These relate to the controversy surrounding loans made by ICICI Bank to the Videocon group, whose controlling shareholders have business links with Chanda Kochhar’s husband.

Later, allegations also surfaced that Kochhar’s brother-in-law was involved in restructuring foreign currency debt given by this bank family had links with Videocon group since at least 2001.

-Live Mint

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar (left) and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma.

26 April 20, 2018

NATURE

Be-ing in Nature: Tips for Achieving Mindfulness in Nature

BY SUSAN CZYZO

T

he days of soaking up the beauty of a natural landmark in solitude are limited. Crowds of people jockeying for the same photo op make it difficult to attain a truly mindful connection with the outdoors. Adding to the challenge is the motivation behind our visits to these places.

Too many of us, within seconds of arriving at a lookout, snap a few photos, hop straight back into the car, and speed off to the next lookout. But with a few simple strategies, we can tweak our behaviour in ways that can help us achieve mindfulness in nature.

Reflection Being mindful involves an awareness of what’s going on around us and within us in the present moment.

To achieve mindfulness in nature, it’s worth first reflecting on our current behaviours. Consider your last nature outing.

Did you take notice of the sounds and smells around you?

Was your mind focused on the present, the past, or the future?

Was your phone a source of distraction?

Avoiding the crowds Steer clear of the biggest crowds by heading out for sunrise. Save for a few hardcore nature lovers, you’re not likely to find too many people out at this time of day. Not only is it wonderful to watch the world awaken, but it’s also often a better time to spot wildlife.

Don’t do it for the ’gram The benefits of spending time in nature aren’t only found at the most Instagram-worthy spots. Find peace and quiet outdoors by finding your own, never-before-Instagrammed location. When posting an image to social media, take a moment to consider why you’re posting it. Consider sharing an image of a blissful moment where you were fully present and appreciative.

Look first, snap later Before taking your lens cap off or your phone out of your pocket, be still for a few minutes, taking in your surroundings lens-free. Slow your photography down further by considering the intention of each shot. Could there be a story to tell or a different perspective to capture?

What is forest bathing?

Forest bathing (or shinrin-yoku) is the Japanese practice of spending time in nature with the intention of making a mindful connection.

A typical session involves a slow, contemplative walk while absorbing nature with all the senses. The purpose is not physical exertion, such as on a hike.

When a forest is not close by, parks, gardens, and wilderness areas are also great places to forest bathe.

Trained guides can help you tune in to your surroundings, encouraging the opening of your senses and bringing your awareness to the present.

Venture solo Being in nature doesn’t automatically equate to being mindful, and the same applies to spending time alone. When we put the two together, however, there’s great mindfulness potential. But keep in mind that it takes practice to become good at quieting your mind. When travelling with a group, find moments to explore on your own, or to sit quietly and reflect—whichever brings you peace of mind.

Plan an outdoor adventure On holidays, we’re often guilty of trying to cram too much into a short period of time. A great way to slow ourselves down is to skip the checklists and schedule longer-duration activities. By committing to a longer activity, especially one we find physically or mentally challenging, we’re forced to pay close attention from moment to moment, limiting our mind from wandering to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Prepare less For your next outdoor adventure,

play with leaving parts of your trip unplanned. Consider how arriving with fewer expectations can stimulate your natural curiosity for exploration, leading to a more conscious experience.

Job Posting:

The exception? Always familiarize yourself with directions and any pertinent safety issues before you depart. That way, you can also limit the amount of plugged-in time once you’re at your destination.

Bring a pen and paper Journalling can be a valuable tool for achieving mindfulness. Take along a notebook the next time you head out. Pause for a few minutes every so often to reflect on what you’re seeing or feeling in that moment. Feel free to throw punctuation and grammar down the mountain, and don’t be afraid to use pictures instead of words.

Look, listen, and feel Listen to the sound of your footsteps, or the strength of the wind.

Observe the movement of the clouds.

Notice the quality of light around you.

Touch the smooth surface of a rock, or the soft blades of grass with your feet.

Feel the moisture of the earth, or the thickness of the air.

Smell the pine-filled forest, or the saltiness of the ocean.

-alive.com

Part Time Associate Producer

If writing is your passion and you have a take-charge attitude – here’s your chance to work for a station that is taking producing to a higher level.

KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time Associate Producer. The person hired for this position will write and edit stories for our broadcasts and produce news cut-ins. You will also produce content for our digital platforms and social media. We are interested in people who love to write, love breaking news and love to find the stories everyone will be talking about. Applicants must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays.

To be considered applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, reference job #546527BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references.

In addition, please mail writing samples to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005.

No Telephone Calls Please.

KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

April 20, 2018

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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April 20, 2018

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