E newspaper06172016

Friday, June 17 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 25

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Indo American erican News

Movie Review

www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX

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P23

Sunil Takes CNN’s New CG Ray Anthony Bourdain Organizations Embrace

P9 & 28

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to Little India

Consul General Anupam Ray with his wife Amit Goldberg

2016

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June 17, 2016

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COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

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MPower, Launched at Women’s Business Expo 2016

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN

SUGAR

LAND: Sugar Land witnessed a sharp surge of entrepreneurial wave, a phenomenon that has swept the world, at the recently concluded ‘Women Business Expo 2016’ at Hilton Garden Inn on June 11. Conceived and conceptualised by Mythily Kakani Varanasi, a doctor by profession, the business expo turned out to be a resounding success with more than 150 people including entrepreneurs and participants that gathered to network and learn the nuances of the entrepreneurial spirit.

The networking event kick-started with Mythily explaining the vision of MPower. ‘By the women, of the women, for the women’ – that was the underlying theme of this first of its kind business expo held in Sugar Land. It was but an opportune time for Mythily to launch her maiden entrepreneurial venture – ‘MPower’ – a platform that will nurture women entrepreneurs to succeed in their domain of choice. The expo was primarily focused on Health, Fashion, Beauty and Home Decor segments.

The second address was by Estella on hormonal replacement therapy – its benefits and effects on the women who underwent it.

Wellness was advocated strongly in this half day networking forum.

Participants got done free skin analysis and make-up & hair-do at specially designed stations at the expo. The free flowing savouries and drinks kept the high tempo of the participants who revelled in the glitz of the fashionable apparels, costume jewelry and home decor articles that were on display.

Next speaker Dr. Manjula Ragathu stressed on the importance of maintaining a fit and healthy body, a dire necessity for modern day women who spend most of their time multitasking between personal and professional space.

To aid her talk on ground, there were counters for free Body Composition Analysis and weight loss and detox programme tips.

While the afternoon was about networking and growing together, Mythily also saw that she supported a cause under her banner ‘MPower’. Thus, Rashmi Sharma from AADA (Asians against Domestic Abuse) was invited to the expo to speak on the developmental work for women done by her

Mythily and Upen Varanasi

mission.

While Mythily launched her pet project, women at the expo had a gala time exploring the various services. Hillton Garden Inn was indeed bustling with energy.

You may reach out to Mythily through email at mythily. kakani@gmail.com. For further details visit MPowerbiz.net or like their Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/mpowerbiz

Mie Kim (left) & Shamanth Shankar, Riversand Technologies Photos: Jasleen Kaur

organization.

This networking event would not have been possible had Mythily not put her mind to it. Hailing from India, her formative years were influenced by two sectors primarily – Medical and Entrepreneurial. Having finished her medical education and worked in the field for few years, she left the profession to tend to the needs of the family. But soon the entrepreneurial bug bit her while she saw that her entire clan was in business including her dad, brother and husband. The idea to support women entrepreneurship by providing mentorship, marketing and technology support and customer connectivity thus germinated and ‘MPower’ was conceived.

“I am thrilled to launch my com-

pany MPower. MPower Women will provide the right tools and platform for Women Entrepreneurs to reach and connect with their market. Women’s Business Expo 2016 is hosted by us to officially kick-start MPower. It is overwhelming to witness such a large turnout of more than 150 plus attendees at a short notice of two weeks. I have nothing but gratitude for those who believed in this event and became a part of it.

Riversand Technologies were our prime sponsors for the event and I thank them immensely for the support’’ said Mythily in an exclusive interaction with IAN. She added a special vote of thanks for her encouraging husband Upen Varanasi, and appealed to the upcoming entrepreneurs to come join her

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June 17, 2016

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COMMUNITY

BY MANU SHAH

HOUSTON: A soaking

Houston officially welcomed the new Consul General Anupam Ray, his wife Amit Goldberg and family to the Bayou City at a community wide reception hosted by 22 Indo American organizations. Held on June 12, at India House, the CG met with leaders and key members of the organizations, delivered a brilliant address and in the words of IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia “bowled everyone over” with his demeanor.

Founding Trustee of India House Dr. Durga Agrawal introduced the CG highlighting his illustrious career and knowledge of the scriptures as well as referred to his work with the Ramakrishna Mission and the revival of the famed Nalanda University in Bihar. As Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, CG Ray played a key role in getting it off the ground in 2014 with 15 students. Dr. Agrawal also enjoined the CG to help bring PM Modi to Houston.

“A man of action with a democratic purpose, very inclusive, focused and likes to get things done” were some of the descriptions that were used by IAPAC President Karun Sreerama in his remarks.

Consul General Anupam Ray’s address to the community members was, simply put, rocking. Peppered with slokas from the Gita, lines by Tagore and laced with humor, he brought the gathering to their feet in a standing ovation.

Some of the highlights of his speech are given here: CG Ray described India as “a country that is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic economies of the world; a country that is at the high table of International diplomacy; a country that is certain to acquire great power status and its imprimatur - a permanent seat on the UN Security Council; a country that is a beacon for liberty and freedom; a country that inspite of great challenges never deviated from the arduous path of representative democracy; a country that faces many problems; but never ducks them; never attempts to su-

June 17, 2016

5

You are not Paraya Dhan for us Says New CG

garcoat them; and never backs down. Whatever the odds, we said to ourselves… – Never despair” “The famous Indian intellectual K. Subramaniam spoke to us during our training. He exhorted us never to accede to nuclear apartheid…We stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the African National Congress when it fought apartheid in South Africa. We will fight apartheid when it comes to international arrangements.

Whether it comes to the nuclear non-proliferation order; whether it comes to World Trade negotiations; whether it comes to climate change talks; we will do what we think is right. We will not break the law. But we will not accept a law that we see as unfair. Even if we are alone.

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com.

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That is the way we are.”

“Openness, honesty, a proven track record – these make India a

reliable partner. That is why there is recognition across the United States, across all shades of the po-

Jagdip Ahluwalia

Dr. Durga Agrawal

Karun Sreerama

Swapan Dhairyawan

Photos: Bijay Dixit

litical spectrum, across all barriers and fault lines, that the relationship between India and the US will be what President Obama described 6 years ago as the “most defining partnership of the 21st century.”

“I look forward during my stay here to build and strengthen the bridge that connects our two countries. The bridge did not appear.

It was built brick by brick. Sometimes, painfully. Sometimes, joyfully. Through political understandings. Through business deals…

Through yoga. Through Hollywood and Bollywood. Through Christmas and Diwali…Through grieving together when terrorists strike; through celebrating when Mangalyaan reaches Mars and when the latest model of the iPhone emerges.”

“All of you contributed. And I know that you will continue to contribute to strengthen this mighty bridge between two great nations, separated by the oceans but joined in mind and values.”

“Engagement with the diaspora is now one of the fundamentals of our foreign policy. When I began my diplomatic career, the only term that

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

CONTINUED ON PAGE

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June 17, 2016

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COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

Reflections on the Campaign

BY HARISH JAJOO

SUGAR LAND: My campaign to be-

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come Mayor of Sugar Land – city I have come to cherish – ended last week.

While I was not elected, to say the campaign was not a success overlooks the important milestones reached, both for me personally and for the Indo-American community as a whole. As a person, and as a citizen, taking part in a municipal election enlarged my sense of both civic pride and Americanism.

As a person of Indian ancestry, it was clear to me that I would be viewed as a window into our community, its culture, its place in American society, and its aspirations. Though India is a place of many faith traditions, scores of dialects, and a rich and complex network of social groups, it was inevitable that many voters would draw conclusions about Indian community as a whole from what they saw in the campaign.

It was gratifying, first, to see the IndoAmerican community not simply offer support, but to participate in larger numbers than usual in the Sugar Land Election.

While I was grateful for their support, it is important to note that some Indo- Americans felt confident enough in their place in American democracy to support my opponent. That is a healthy sign, one that speaks volumes about our assimilation into our home.

It was equally satisfying to know that, win or lose, I had visited with my fellow citizens of all backgrounds, heard their thoughts, and perhaps made myself and so many other “new” Americans, seem a bit less foreign.

I am here to say that America is fulfilling its promise to its immigrants. For all the turbulence and strife that surround our political system, the Indian-American community has a role to play in fulfilling the great experiment that is our new and wonderful land.

For that, we can all be both grateful and optimistic as we look toward the future and our place in it.

You are not Paraya Dhan for us Says New CG CONTINUED FROM PAGE

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was used to describe an overseas Indian was NRI. The NRI of yesterday has been joined by the PIO and the OCI, and now the OI. The multiplicity of choice, I know, infuriates and confuses some of you…We are working within the limitations of law and systems…The determination of the Government of India to retain the affections of Indians everywhere is evident. We are determined to not let you go. You are not paraya dhan for us.”

“Stressed and challenged as our Governmental systems are, we have been able to create a network within the Government that engages the diaspora globally….All of us diplomats in the field are tasked with engaging you and working with you. We

will continue to refine our thinking and improve on how we interact with you and include you in our national journey.”

The Consul General concluded his address by assuring the community that he will always be available to them, add to the responsiveness, further improve service delivery and engage them more intensively.

In his vote of thanks, ICC Trustee Swapan Dhairyawan thanked the attendees for their support and cooperation as well as all those who helped move the event smoothly.

The gathering also observed a one minute silence in memory of Ashok Dhingra, a key member of the community who passed away on June 3, and for the lost lives in the chilling Orlando massacre.

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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

9

Anthony Bourdain Interviews Sunil T at Lunch

BY IAN CORRESPONDENT

HOUSTON:

CNN Parts Unknown celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain interviewed Sunil Thakkar over an hour and half long lunch at Himalaya Restaurant in Little India last week. Bourdain, who typically spends a great part of his interviews munching on the flavorful cuisine, often sat mesmerized as Thakkar answered questions about his childhood in Mumbai, journey to America, family, and heading a unique business in Indian entertainment. After Thakkar animated his humble start with Masala Radio 23 years ago, dabbling in producing the feature film “Where’s the Party Yaar,” sailing over 40 Masala Cruises, and decades of rocking the Bollywood party scenes, Bourdian exclaimed, “How are you not doing this in a city like New York which has what like 5 times the Indian population?” Sunil countered, “India is the motherland but Houston is my home. You might be surprised but Houston is the most diverse city in USA. Houstonians are very accepting of my Indian culture.

At the last Houston Holi, we had 15000 people that attended and 40% were non-Indians. Houston is the best of both worlds - Little India inside Big USA. Masala Radio, Bollywood Parties, Holi,

Anthony Bourdain with Sunil Thakkar at Himalaya Restaurant

Diwali and even the Ganesh procession through the streets of Hillcroft – Houston has it all. Indians and Pakistanis living together in one peaceful homogenous community. No wonder Houston has

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Photos: Gaurav Thakkar

the largest flux of South Asians among any city in America. It is the best city to live Indian style.”

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10 June 17, 2016

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

11

June 17, 2016

In Aftermath of Orlando Massacre, Turner Calls for Unity at Sister Cities Iftar

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HOUSTON: The

loudest applause of the evening went to Congressman Al Green after he started a fiery and rousing speech – one of his finest - in that loud pulpit voice and drove home his points. “No one, no man who would bar 1.5 million Muslims from entering this country will be allowed to become President of the United States.”

He had ignited the audience of an estimated 1,500 people in the Bayou City Event Center. “I love Islam,” he continued. “We will not allow people to hijack Islam.

Stand up to show you care.” And they all stood up, clapping. “We must defend the LBGT community.” He was referring to the massacre that had occurred the night before in the gay Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

In the wake of the tragedy, the mood was somber with each speaker expressing outrage at the incident at the Annual Houston Iftar Ramadan Dinner with the Mayor of Houston this past Sunday, June 12. It was organized once again this year by the Abu Dhabi, Baku, Istanbul and Karachi Sister City Association along with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston and other collaborating Muslim groups across the Bayou City. Despite heavy rains earlier that afternoon, the large banquet hall was packed.

The long list of speakers spoke of the horror of the killings and how it tarnished the peaceful nature of everyday Muslims. The emcee of the evening, Mona Khalil, welcomed the guests and guided the 99 minute long program along – abbreviated by 29 minutes due to the late arrival of the chief guest and keynote speaker Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. The speeches and other proceedings had to end by precisely 8:24pm for the Adhan or Call to Prayers and Iftar or Breaking of Fast. After recitation of a verse from the Quran by Imam Nihat Yesil of the Blue Mosque of Houston, Khalil asked for a moment of silence for the victims of Orlando.

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the President of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston and Chairperson of the Event and a former three-term Houston City Councilman said he had a different speech prepared but had to change it due to the massacre. “What kind of society is this where homophobes and racists roam the streets?” he demanded. “We have to rise up and say ‘No more … it will not be tolerated in our society’.”

Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of the Sister City Association and Coordinator of the Event welcomed each of the long list of guests, elected officials, sponsors, Consular Corps and media. He was followed by Dr. Dogan Koc Executive Director of the Gulen Institute at the University of Houston who also departed from his prepared speech due to the killings. “Today the image of Islam is not very positive,” he said, “It is associated with terrorism which is the exact opposite of what it is. Not only in America but also in Europe.”

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett kept his remarks short, preferring to speak about how isolated the East Texas town he grew up in was “with no Muslims, Jews, Latinos or Asians” but his fascination with other cultures led him to read the Bible, English versions of the Gita and the Quran.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee followed with a call to “come together and shed off these discriminations.” She recalled the memorial service for boxing legend Mohammed Ali that she had just returned from and said “his love was overwhelming,” exclaiming she was

proud to say ‘We are Ali’ and “we are one, we are together, never to be divided.”

Then strode up Green and energized the crowd.

Both he and Lee also presented the organizers with proclamations and a group picture op on stage.

Imam Wazir Ali of Masjid Al Quran and Masjid W. D. Mohammad abbreviated his own speech only to say that, pointing to Emmett, in contrast he was a West Texas boy whose family was the only Muslim one in El Paso “and we spent the days of Ramadan helping others.”

Murad Ajani, the President of the Agha Khan Council introduced Mayor Turner by reading his short biography. “I had prepared a different speech for today. I just want to say that if any

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COMMUNITY

Harmonious Health & Safety Fair Rocked Sharpstown District

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN

HOUSTON: Parkway & Park-

green on Bellaire offers the finest quality of living on Bellaire Boulevard. Central location is the best part of their property. There is convenience of schools, restaurants, shopping and metro line in the vicinity. They take pride in being the only Bluestar certified property in China Town. Members will be spoilt for a choice with facilities such as multiple swimming pools, laundrettes, ample covered parking, balcony, walk-in closets, and many more. Not just that, the units are available in one, two or three bedroom categories.

Parkway & Parkgreen organized a Health & Safety Fair in Bellaire that was more like a full day fun event for the entire families, and more than five hundred families attended it. The event was held on Saturday, June 11, at 8000 Bellaire on Waldo St. It was a full day program from 10 in the morning up to 3 in the afternoon that made the weekend exciting for all the attendees.

Rajmohan Kuniyil who is the Community Supervisor organized the show with the assistance of Christine Harrigan and Carol Fullerton. Just like we think of doing out bit for the society, it was their noble gesture to return a little back

to the community. The participants included Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, Houston Library, Area Nutritionist, Area Pharmacist, Comcast, Iberia Bank and Area Dentists.

They even had Registered Nurses who were training and demon-

strating CPR on people. Then there were YMCA members who were giving tips on pool safety. It was a give and take interaction as there was so much of learning and teaching. The attendees took back a whole lot of knowledge from professionals and experts in their

respective fields.

A number of fun events ensured to keep the attendees excited and entertained. There was something for everybody. To keep the adrenaline rushing, there were activities such as face painting, push up competition, jump rope competition and many more. This kept the attendees enthusiastic and engaged. The sporty attendees participated in big numbers and there was amusement for one and all.

As if these fun activities were not enough, there was much more.

The icing on cake was delicious food being offered at the event.

There were pizzas and tamales along with a variety of other finger-licking foods at the event.

The stalls even offered popsicles that provided much needed respite from the heat.

It was indeed very kind of Parkway & Parkgreen on Bellaire to arrange this smashing event not just for their residents but for the entire Sharps Town district community. The Sharps Town District Administration itself was an active partner for this event. Parkway & Parkgreen on Bellaire look forward to organizing such events for the community at least bi-annually.

For more details contact R. Mohan at 832-878-7258.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Houston Iftar

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

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part of your body aches, your mind & brain does not work properly,” Turner began, adding, “Similarly if Islam is hurting, Christianity is hurting, Judaism is hurting and Humanity is hurting, how can the City of Houston function? We will all need to come together, and work for peace & harmony in ourselves, our societies, our world, and help heal everyone out of the pain.”

Turner also delivered his oft spoken comments on how the fourth largest city in the US was also the most diverse. Impressed by the crowd at his first ever Iftar as Mayor, he concluded that “in the years to come, we will need even bigger place for this growing event of significance.” Imam Shahid Rizvi of the Al Noor Society of Greater Houston led the Mughreb Prayers.

During dinner, a video message from Texas Governor Greg Abbot was shown in which he extended his best wishes to Muslims around Houston and the world.

A buffet dinner catered by Tempura Restaurant which has done so for the past several years, Turkish DNR Grill, and Greek salad was served. Young volunteers from the Ismaili Muslim Community, Helping Hand for Relief & Development and the City of Houston Office of Protocol & International Affairs helped with the arrangements.

COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

13

Anthony Bourdain Interviews Sunil T at Lunch

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Bourdain joked that Thakkar is the unofficial Indian Ambassador of Houston and they both laughed.

CNN Producers had selected Thakkar for a unique perspective of Indian culture, focusing on Little India on Hilcroft, for a segment on the diversity of cultures in Houston - Indians, Vietnamese, and Hispanics. 4 weeks before the shoot, Producer Josh and Director Toby walked Thakkar’s favorite restaurants – Alings Hakka for Indo Chinese, Udipe Café for South Indian, India’s for North Indian, Maharaja Bhog for its Rajasthani-Gujarati thali, and Himalaya for its IndoPakistan cuisine. Ramesh Anand who was present at the the shoot said “I want to congratulate Sunil for being featured on Anthony Bourdian’s Parts Unknown. His talent and years of hard work with his amazing Masala Radio team is now in national limelight. We are all so proud of him and everyone at Masala Radio” .

The producers decided on Himalaya after researching its mainstream popularity and food awards.

Bourdain asked Thakkar about his food habits then and now. “Does everyone in your family eat like you did in Mumbai?” Thakkar

laughed, “My Mom does, yes!

But my wife Sandhya prefers Carrabas, my son Sahil - Torchys and my daughter Simran – Sushi, but we all love Indian cuisine and eat it together family style three times a week” Thakkar talked about traveling all over the world, even Mumbai, but prefers the Houston restaurants. “We have the best tasting food in the world - the Veg American Chopsuey at Alings is better than what he used to eat when growing up in Mumbai, and Udipi is the only place in the USA you can get the south Indian thali served on a banana leaf. And you get fresh mangoes from India at Maharaja Bhog. Its all here in Houston” The producers had a tight schedule, and the shoot day was set for Wednesday June 8. In addition to the lunch interview, the show producers wanted to shoot Sunil hosting a Bollywood Party. Since that would be difficult to create on a Wednesday afternoon, Thakkar convinced the film crew that he could convert Keemat Grocers Hilcroft – the largest grocer in Little India - into a club! Warned not to publicly announce that Anthony Bourdain would be there, Thak-

kar promoted a “CNN TV Show” shooting from 5-8 PM at Keemat, with a Bollywood Dance Contest, Free Pani Puri and Deep Snacks and Juices, all to celebrate Masala Radio’s 23rd Anniversary. DJ Zee rocked as Infused Performing Arts, Rhythm India, Roarin’ Raas, and the Masala Cruise Dancers dazzled both audience and filming crews with the latest Bollywood hits. Umang Mehta of Deep foods offered free samplings of Deep juices and total bhel as well as Britannia cookies. Bourdain joined in just as Sunil conducted an exciting pani puri eating contest. After gulping one himself, Bourdain with a tear in his eye was wondering how anyone could take down twenty spicy pani puris in less than a minute. “This is probably one of the most colorful and stimulating interviews we have ever done. We are so blown away!”

The interview ended with Thakkar expressing that he couldn’t be happier living anywhere else but Houston, and Bourdain inviting Thakkar to India to do a segment on Mumbai and a retreat in his favorite vacation spot in India – Rajasthan.

Daya Inc. – Statement on Orlando Shooting The Board and Staff of Daya

resented the rich American mosaic that makes this country unique and desirable. We are saddened by their tragic end and extend our sympathies to the Orlando community.

We oppose the hate and fear that are behind any act of violence targeting a particular community or group. As Americans, every one of us should speak out against hate and violence if we want to continue to enjoy the freedom, opportu-

express our sorrow and outrage over the loss of 49 innocent lives in the mass shooting on 6-12-16 at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. As a domestic violence organization serving the South Asian community, Daya stands against all forms of violence, especially those based on gender, race and sexual orientation. The people who lost their lives in Orlando rep-

“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”

Stay tuned every Sunday,

HIREN JOSHI

nity and choices that this country offers to her citizens. Daya condemns the Orlando shooting not only for its horror and for the loss of precious lives but also for the way the tragedy has cut into the core of what America represents – inclusion and diversity. At this time of collective grief, Daya renews its resolve to promote a violence-free society by supporting women, children, minorities and marginalized groups in their quest to live their lives with dignity, respect and equality.

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Terms and •Sale Items are subject to availability •We reserve the right to limit the quantity of sale items •Vishala is not responsible for any kind of typographical error INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

June 17, 2016

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d Conditions: r in this advertisement •No refund, no exchange, no credit, no rain checks •Sale price valid till supply last •Sale items are not for any wholesalers or retailers INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

16 June 17, 2016 T.E.A. Talks: A Quarterly Initiative of the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center

COMMUNITY

Man Found Not Guilty After Crash That Killed Four People

H

OUSTON: On June 2, the Ismaili Jamat Khana and Center hosted its inaugural T.E.A. Talks event. T.E.A. Talks stands for Talk – Educate – Ask and aims to empower, provide access to industry trailblazers, promote networking and help build careers while focusing on a chosen charity at each event.

In this first tea talk secession, four powerful female voices of the Houston community provided their perspectives on finding your voice and empowering you to achieve your goals. The event also highlighted the great work of the Houston Area Women’s Center in improving the quality of women’s lives throughout our region. The first series featured Mandy Kao, Sahar Paz, Lisa Powers and Chau Nguyen.

With the pace and explosion of voices, ideas, and opinions in the digital ether, it’s easy to lose one’s voice and control of your priorities. Quarterly T.E.A. Talks are designed to help re-align your priorities to your personal values.

HOUSTON: The verdict in the The Ismaili Jamat Khana and centre Tea Talks planning team with the speakers, at the Ismaili Centre Houston. From left: Rizwan Ali, Sahira Sunesara, Sahar Paz, Munira Panjwani, Mandy Kao, Sneha Merchant and Chau Nguyen.

Photos: Quy Tran

case of a man charged with intoxication manslaughter left an entire family stunned.

“What do I tell my kids? The lesson that I learned that it’s okay to be drunk and drive and kill people,” said Dipali Patel, who lost both her parents in the crash .It was June 22, 2014 when five people were leaving their Hindu temple when they crashed. Devendraprasad Patel, Kokila Patel, Ansuya Patel and Jayantilal Bhatt all died. Bhanumati Bhatt was injured. The driver of the other vehicle, Million Zeghergis, was taken into custody and charged with intoxication manslaughter. (see IAN story dated June 28, 2014; http://www.indoamerican-news.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

com/?p=26346) Nearly two years later, he was found not guilty.

“We followed the law,” said Vishnu Bhatt, who lost his father in the crash. “We had trust in the law.”

Adrian Garcia was sheriff at the time of the crash. He has kept in touch with the family and says he’s never seen an acquittal like this. “For someone who has seen almost every type of offense, this one has me shocked,” Garcia said.

Zeghergis admits he drank the night of the crash.

For more on this story, visit: http://abc13.com/news/exclusiveman-found-not-guilty-in-crashthat-killed-four/1385884/ Credit: KTRK TV

COMMUNITY T

June 17, 2016

17

The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 3

he story thus far: Gandhi, having studied well and completed his law degree in England, returns to India. He misses England but is happy to be reunited with his family.

He begins practicing law in Rajkot.

Upon return to India, Gandhi started to practice law in Rajkot, but he was soon deeply disgusted at the greed and dishonesty of many of his fellow professionals. After some time, he got an offer to work in South Africa from Dada Abdulla & Co who owned big business concerns there. He was to be a legal adviser to the firm that had filed a lawsuit against another company seeking damages of 400,000 dollars. They hired Gandhi for his fluency in the English language and his knowledge of English law.

He was contracted for one year and was promised a substantial salary and first class passage to South Africa. The lure of seeing a different country and meeting new people piqued Gandhi’s interest. He accepted the offer, even though it was difficult to be apart from his wife and young son. In April 1893 he left Bombay for South Africa. He reached the port of Natal at the end of May 1893. In South Africa, he noticed that Indians were treated with little respect. They were called “coolies”, a derogatory term.

Within a week of his arrival, he visited the court with Abdulla Seth of Dada Abdulla & Co. No sooner had he sat down that the magistrate pointed his plump finger at him and said “You must remove your turban”.

Gandhi was surprised. He looked around. There were several Muslim and Parsi men wearing turbans. He could not understand why he was being singled out.

“I see no reason why I should remove my turban. I refuse to do so,” said Gandhi. When the magistrate insisted that he remove his turban, Gandhi walked out of the court. Abdulla Seth ran after him and caught him by the arm.

“You don’t understand,” said Seth.

“These white people consider Indians inferior and address them as coolie or sami. Parsis and Muslims are allowed to wear turbans as the turban is thought to have religious significance,” added Seth.

“The magistrate insulted me,” Gandhi said angrily. “Any such rule is an insult to a free man. I shall write at once to the Durban Press to protest such insulting rules.”

And Gandhi did write. The letter was published and it led to unexpected debate and discussion. At the same time, some other papers described Gandhi as a troublemaker and unwelcome visitor.

After a week in Durban, he left

for Pretoria to attend to the case for which he was engaged. With a first class ticket, he boarded the train. At the next stop, an Englishman got into the compartment. He was traveling to Pretoria too, in the first class compartment. He looked at Gandhi with contempt and called the conductor.

“Take this coolie out and put him in a lower class!” he ordered.

The conductor turned to Gandhi and said, “Hey Sami, come along with me to the next compartment.”

Insulted, Gandhi refused to move saying that he had purchased a first class seat and was entitled to be there.

The conductor called a policeman who pushed him off the train with his bag and baggage. The train left and Gandhi spent the night shivering in the cold.

This incident changed the whole

course of his life. He decided to fight all such injustices. He sent a note of protest to the general manager of the railways, but the official only supported the rail employees.

More trouble was in store for him. The next morning, he went to Charlestown by train. He had now to travel by a stagecoach to Johannesburg, but he was not allowed to sit inside the coach with white passengers. To avoid confrontation Gandhi sat outside on the coach-box behind the coachman. After some time the conductor asked him to sit on a dirty sack on the step below. Gandhi refused. The conductor began to pull him down and beat him. At this time, some of the passengers came to Gandhi’s rescue and he was allowed to sit with them.

Gandhi reached Johannesburg the next night, quite shaken by the experiences on the way. He had the address of a Muslim merchant’s house, where he spent the night. The next day he bought a first class ticket and continued his train journey to Pretoria. The only other passenger in the compartment was a well-dressed Englishman. A little later, a conductor entered and Gandhi quickly showed him the ticket. “Your ticket does not matter,” growled the conductor. “Go to the third class compartment at once!”

Before Gandhi could reply, the Englishman said, “Why are you harassing this gentleman? His ticket gives him a right to be here.”

And then turning to Gandhi, he told him to make himself comfortable. Thanking him warmly, Gandhi settled down with a book. It was late in the evening when the train pulled into Pretoria. He stayed at a hotel that night and moved into a lodge the next day. There he began to study the Abdulla lawsuit. Even while he was working on it, he found time to call a meeting of the Indians in Pretoria.

To be continued next week...

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For more information and registration visit www.gandhilibrary.org INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 June 17, 2016

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

The Language Itch

DMK chief M. Karunanidhi has warned of an anti-Sanskrit

agitation if the Centre tries to impose the language in the state. He has exhorted every Tamil to pick up a whip and chase the language away. At 92, Sanskrit seems to have given Karunanidhi visions of a second coming, wherein he will lead hordes of Tamil nationalists to exorcise another alien tongue. Half-a-century ago, Karunanidhi was part of the DMK leadership that led the anti-Hindi movement against the Congress government at the Centre. The momentum provided by the anti-Hindi agitation catapulted the party to power in Tamil Nadu in 1967. Perhaps the DMK patriarch senses an opportunity to energise his party cadres, still smarting from a second consecutive assembly election loss.

Karunanidhi’s outburst also indicates that language continues to be an emotive issue in many parts of India. Post-independence, it became a magnet for large mobilisations and, later, the basis of state reorganisation, reinforcing collective identities built around language. The central government often tends to ignore this historical memory and attempts to enforce its singular linguistic vision, centred mostly on Hindi and, now, Sanskrit as well, on people in the south and east.

Just as the HRD ministry has been discussing ways to force students to learn Sanskrit and schools to teach it, the Union ministry of personnel issued a press statement emphasising the importance of promoting Hindi among non-Hindi speakers, particularly in southern and eastern India. The response from parties like the DMK was immediate, and intense. The Centre, as always, went on the defensive and clarified there will not be imposition of any language.

But why must the state think of promoting Hindi or Sanskrit? Why must the Centre spend crores of rupees trying to promote a language when Bollywood has achieved far better results and met with the least opposition? The state must let languages be and allow people to choose. It must, instead, build liberal institutions where scholarship of these languages can flourish. Indian Express

Half-a-century ago, Karunanidhi was part of the DMK leadership that led the anti-Hindi movement against the Congress government at the Centre. (Source: PTI).

Assam at the Crossroads

BY HIREN SARMA

T

his is Part 3 of a 4 part series on the current situation in Assam. In Part 2, I discussed about rebuilding of Assamese Society. Part 3 continues with some concerns on this subject and introduces the dilemma with the future of Assamese language.

One other aspect that worries us most is the complete apathy of the youth in Assam regarding the current political and social changes.

According to them, these changes are an inevitable part of the historical evolution process.

While I may agree with this concept, our youth should realize that they can achieve their goals without sacrificing own identity and not jeopardizing the very existence of their mother land. It is true that over the decades, mismanagement and corrupt policies of the political parties and bureaucrats have brought us to such a situation where nothing can be accomplished in Assam without transaction of black money. Unfortunately, this has become a norm rather than an exception. With these corrupt leaders and parents at the helm of affairs, how can we expect our new generation to learn the values of character, hard work, morality and national pride?

It is, therefore, incumbent on us to engage ourselves with the new generation in bringing back these values to the society. Utpol Baruah wrote in his book; “if my ‘Hope’ gets converted into a ‘Nationalistic Hope’, the nation will rise again.

The only thing these eager people need is a worthy leader. By leadership, I mean a Social Leader. Although, I have criticized them time and again, I hope that the huge organizations like Asom Sahitya Sabha and All Assam Students Union can join hands together with the like minded nationalistic group of people and take charge of these challenges.” Although this is written in a much wider context of Nation building, it is very much true for the state as well.

Making easy money seems to

Assamese youth should realize that they can achieve their goals without sacrificing own identity.

have become a birth right of many Assamese youths. The “vote bank” policies of the State Government over many decades have exacerbated this situation. The lack of work ethic amongst some local youths has compelled many businesses to avoid hiring Assamese workers, allowing illegal immigrants to fill in the voids. The local youths need to take advantage of the current Skill Development measures, being implemented by the Center. However, the society needs to be vigilant so that the right people get the training and the local youths are brought into this market. Training has to be organized with specific emphasis on the learning of the work culture, i.e., sincerity, punctuality and honesty. At the same time, employers in Assam will have to make an extra effort to hire the Assamese technicians.

One other aspect that was noticeable over several years is the extravaganza displayed in all the festivals in Assam, be it some puja, bihu or any other festival throughout the year. Of course, one of the main attractions of these festivals is the follow up drink parties. Obviously, the question arises where the money for this extravaganza comes from? Going around anywhere in Assam during these extended festive days, it would look as if you were in a dreamland.

Many think that engaging the Assamese youths in such festivities throughout the year and keeping

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them away from the real situation in Assam is also a design by the external forces keen to gain control over the affairs of Assam. It is about time that the Assamese community realizes this situation.

Migration of people from one state to another within a country is inevitable and at times it helps in development of the state. Very often in the past, there had been news about Assam being hostile against such migration. However, the opposition is primarily against the illegal immigration, and not against any migrant Indians. There had been some points of differences with some of these communities, particularly when the local folks find that some of the new migrants try to undermine the local needs and the sentiments.

Assam had been absorbing these migrant communities over the years through an unprecedented assimilation process. There could not be a better example than Late Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, whose forefathers came to Assam from Rajasthan. Now, “Rupkonwar” Jyoti Prasad is the most revered person in Assam, who immortalized himself by writing, directing the first Assamese movie “Joymoti” in 1935. Through his social and cultural work, the legacy of Jyoti Prasad lives on across the entire fabric of Assamese society.

The author is a retired Oil & Gas Project Development Manager in Houston, and also a fiction writer in Assamese language.

COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

JVB Center Conducts Workshop on “How to Manage Dual Careers”

BY SEEMA JAIN

H

OUSTON: “You must make a choice to take a chance otherwise your life will never change.” - Pramod Bengani JVB Preksha center took a step forward towards its vision of serving the community by holding another session of one of its flagship event called iChoose for professionals on Sunday, June 5, inside its unique pyramid hall. The interesting theme of this session was “How to manage Dual Careers”. It was conducted by Pramod Bengani who is not only an active member of JVB Board of Directors but also a distinguished speaker with 30+ years of Industry Experience. He has served both professional and social organizations in excellent leadership roles. Over 40 people attended as well as participated in this informative and interactive workshop.

JVB President, Seema Jain welcomed the attendees and invited Bengani to share this thoughts and views with the audience. He opened up the session by saying that he is not here just to talk and tell what he thinks but to listen and learn at the same time. Audience shared interesting views on Why and what they think of Dual Careers. Financial Security, Leaving Legacy, Networking, Peer Pressure and Role model for Children were some of the most popular answers of the opening part of this session.

Bengani stated that for couples with two professional careers, juggling work and home responsibilities has never been easy. Exploratory conversations with few dual career attendees revealed numerous challenges that impact work, home and family as well as personal well being.

He explained the Do’s and Don’ts by adopting 3 C’s of life which are; Choices, Chances and Changes. You must make a choice to take a chance otherwise your life will never change.

The possible solutions were put forward in the form of being flexible and creative, setting priorities, time management and sharing Values because when Values are aligned, the conflicts are about tactics: the how and the what, not the why and the when. He also shared some of the important reads and Information about International Dual Career Network, IDCN, a global nonprofit association of Companies, NGOs and Academic Institutions. The session ended with an Interactive round of Q & A and Vote of Thanks by Seema Jain.

The JVB Preksha Meditation Center envisions a blissful and peaceful society through Yoga, Preksha Meditation and Education of Non-violence. It conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions under the auspicious guidance of Samanijis and runs special events and programs like I Choose, Meditation Camps and Gyanshala program for ages 4- 14 yrs. It is open to all and every session or event is free of charge to its attendees.

The upcoming events include an Informative workshop “ Navigating the High SchoolCourse selection & Beyond” by illustrious speaker Anuradha Nigam. The workshop will be held inside the unique pyramid hall of JVB center located at 14102 Schiller Rd. A must know and ideal for parents and kids in 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grades.

For more information, & upcoming events, please visit www.jvbhouston.org or Call them at 281-596-9642. You can also reach Seema Jain @ 281-575-0575.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

19

20 June 17, 2016 9th Chariot Festival, a Unique Spiritual and Cultural Event: Shree Jagannath Rath Yatra, 2016

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July 9 at India House on 8888 West Bellfort.

This year, OCC is proud to present several classical dances presented by eminent dance schools in Odisha and Houston. The classical dances will include Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak and Odissi from different schools in Houston and most notably, two by the Odissi dance troupes Adruta and Ananta from Odisha.

Adruta, a unit of the RAWA (Art for Service and Blessedness), has the sole objective of nurturing deserted and deprived children to gain excellence in the art of dance. Adruta has have achieved excellence under the tutelage of Guru Bharat Charan Giri and earned recognition in India for its performance of folk dances and the unique Odissi style as improvised by the late Guru Devaprasad Das. The core belief system that binds all humanity is rooted in the ancient Vedic philosophy of universal brotherhood which dates back to the dawn of human civilization and identifies every soul as the manifestation of the ultimate divine force that we call God. For over a thousand years, the rituals surrounding Lord Jagannath in Puri, Orissa, have influenced art, culture and spiritual evolution in the Indian subcontinent in many ways. Odissi dance has evolved from temple dance to one of the most popular Indian classical dances that we see today.

Jayadeva’s lyrical Geeta Govindam in praise of Lord Jagannath has influenced Indian literature and music, resulting in numerous immortal compositions.

Many saints and Vedic scholars have visited the shrine at Puri to seek spiritual uplift and have spread the philosophy of religious tolerance among masses. In the 8th century,Adi Sankara visited Puri and established the Govardhana Matha for propagation of Rigvedic Philosophy and established three other Vedic centers in West, North and South India. In the 14th century, Lord Chaitanya visited Puri and saw Lord Jagannath as the manifestation of Lord Krishna and propagated the Bhakti movement to other parts of India.

Celebration of this festival is possible by generous support and sponsorship by participating organizations, individuals and is partially funded by a grant from Houston City Arts Alliance.

For sponsorships and details, visit www.houstonrathyatra.org, or call 832-225-2376, or e-mail at info@ houstonrathyatra.org, or connect on https://www.facebook.com/ HoustonRathYatra.

COMMUNITY

International Day of Yoga

HOUSTON: June 21, 2015 marked the first International Day of Yoga (IDY), the result of a consensus resolution of the United Nations General Assembly. Millions of people around the world celebrate at more than 1,000 events.

Join the global celebration of the 2nd Annual International Day of Yoga with an evening of dancing and yoga! Discovery Green and the Consulate General of India invite you to a color dance party followed by yoga with Pralaya Yoga Creator, Robert Boustany, along with his student and Discovery Green teacher, Lindsey Law and Vishwarupa N, Director of Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (VYASA).

Skip rush hour and bring your family out for music, lawn activities like acroyoga with Discovery Green teachers Nosa Edebor, and local food and craft vendors. Hear from the new Consul General of India about the government’s commitment to furthering the global practice of yoga and Houston’s role in doing so. Practice with Robert Boustany and hear how Pralaya Yoga was created to prevent and address physical discomforts.

Wear white clothing that you don’t mind coloring; color powder will be available to you so the dance party pops! Bring your mat or purchase one at the event. Put Houston on the

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

global yoga stage by sharing your experience: #internationaldayofyogahouston #internationaldayofyoga Program Details Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Location: Discovery Green, Grace Lawn and Maconda’s Grove Capacity: 600-800 Schedule 5:30p Lawn Activities 6:00p Color Powder Dance Par ty 6:30p Opening Remarks featur ing the Consul General of India 6:45p Yoga with Pralaya Creator, Robert Boustany, student/RYT 500, Lindsey Law and Director of VYASA, Vishwarupa N 7:45p Close Vendor Information Vendors are invited to set up booths in Maconda’s Grove, directly adjacent to the Grace Lawn where the program will take place. Vendors are charged a one-time application fee of $100 as well as a $100 booth fee. To become a vendor at the event or for more information please visit http:// www.discoverygreen.com/vendorinformation

COMMUNITY

June 17, 2016

Honor Thy Father on His Special Day, Sunday, June 18

BY KRISHAN GUPTA

HOUSTON: About 4,000 years ago, a young

boy named Elmusu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life by carving a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay. This earliest record of Father’s Day found in the ruins of Babylon, shows that Father Day has been celebrated for centuries. No one knows what happened to Elmusu or his father, but the tradition of having a special day honoring fathers has continued through the years in countries across the world.

In more recent times, the idea for Father’s Day began in 1909 in Spokane, Washington when Sonora Smart Dodd thought of it while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. She was raised by her father Henry Jackson Smart after the death of her mother and wanted her father to know how special he was in her life. He was selfless, caring, courageous and loving man. He was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration on the 19th of June, 1910 as a token of love and gratitude for her beloved father.

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day and in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day. People honor their father and express gratitude for their love, strengthen the bond, and affection on Father’s Day and pay tribute to grandfathers, fathers-in-law, stepfathers, foster fathers, uncles or men who play a fatherly role in their lives.

Father’s Day celebration is also the latest concept in India, highly influenced by the US celebrations expressing gratitude for fathers and to instill noble values and principles in children to pay due respect to their elders and understand the importance of family at large.

The journey of fatherhood provides unique and lasting joys. Cradling a baby in his arms, a father experiences the miracle of life and an unbreakable bond between them. They play a unique and irreplaceable part in the lives of their children and pass along values that help children grow into responsible adults. By providing their children with a positive example, fathers give them the necessary foundation to make wise decisions throughout their lives.

The majority of us have grown up listening to our father’s “golden” advice. Though some of us did not like hearing it in our childhood, we find their value in later stages of life. Fathers, along with our mothers, are our first teachers,

coaches, role models, and advisors. They help us grow into adults, consoling us in times of need and that remain forever with the children to guide them at all junctures of life.

Here we are wishing all the wonderful fathers out there a perfect Father’s Day, who raised us, and thank them for their selfless dedication and love. May you be blessed with a life of contentment, peace and happiness forever! After all our life wouldn’t have a purpose to strive and excel without their support and secure guidance.

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PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Sirke de Piyaaz (Vinegar Pickled Onions)

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In Northern India, especially among Punjabis, it is almost considered sacrilegious not to offer piyaaz (onions) with a meal, akin to making a hamburger without onions or eating barbeque without onions and Dill pickles. You’d hear somebody quickly complain, “Kuon bhai, piyaaz khatam ho gaye sun?” (Oh brother, did you run out of onions?).

The truth is, the crispy crunch and pungent taste of onions adds to the enjoyment of Punjabi foods.

A little refinement to this has happened over the past decade or so in North India as more homes – and especially almost all restaurants and dhabas (roadside eating stalls) have gone beyond sliced onions and turned to small pickled onions. They have the same taste but you don’t have the bitter after-meal odor. People will start to eat them like a snack even before the waiter serves the meal.

In North India, the onions sold are usually the red variety and most often are quite small in comparison to the size of the onions sold in the US. It is fairly easy to find small red onions about 1 to 1.5 inches round, which are the ideal size for pickling, and have thick layers. In the US, the only small ones you can find are the pearl onions, which are often much smaller and don’t have the same crunchiness after being pickled, since they are thinner layered.

And although you can go to the local supermarket in the US and pick up a jar of pickled onions, more often than not, you can’t do the same in most of North India. You have to go to a pickle store and even then, most don’t have jars ready to be carried away: you order by the kilo from a large vat. Most people just pickle the onions at home, but not always properly; often they’ll just throw the onions in vinegar for a few days and serve them, which only make the onions slightly bitter but without the aroma of spices.

Ingredients: • 1 kg chotte piyaaz (small onions) – 1 to 1.5 inches round • 2 cups sirka (distilled white vinegar) • 2 tspn namak (salt) • Spices: 2 loung (cloves); 1 moti ilachi (large black cardomam); ½ tspn jeera (cumin seed)

Directions: 1. Peel the onions and rinse them.

Coat with salt and place them in a plastic bowl overnight.

2. In the morning, rinse the onions in water and leave them in a strainer to dry. When dry, place them in a jar with a tight lid.

3. Tear off a small piece of thin soft cloth; place the spices in it and tie off the top to make a pouch.

4. Pour the white vinegar in a small pot and place over medium heat. Put

the pouch of spices in the vinegar and bring it to a boil.

5. Turn off the heat and let the vinegar cool down. When it is cool to touch, take out the pouch and throw it away.

6. Now add the vinegar to the jar of onions and shake well. Let the jar sit in a cool place for at least a week, shaking occasionally. After it is ready, store the jar in the fridge.

7. Serve with any food you enjoy: they go well with roti, daal and vegetables.

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 (since renamed Faisalbad), 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 WE EK BEAT YOGURT W ELL BEFORE A

DDING TO DISH ES Apart from being ea ten plain or as raita , dahin (yogurt) is an dient that is used in ingremany Indian recip es or used in a mar meats to enhance th inade for e taste. Full fat dahi n has 12% calcium high in protein, suga and r cultures that can pr and carbohydrates. Yogurt by itself ha is event antibiotic-ass s live ociated diarrhea.

One common mist ake that many unex perienced cooks do scoop the yogurt out of the contain is to er straight out of and put it in the pa the fridge n or pot in which the dish is being pr This requires that epar the it adds white specs yogurt be immediately stirred in, bu ed. t often of curdled yogurt on to It is best to first tak e the yogurt out of the item being cooked. the for 30 minutes, then beat it so it is easie container into a bowl r to pour in and mix the rest of the dish . with

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TE3N Movie Review

BY MEENA IYER

The unusual suspects

Suspense thrillers have mandates:

meticulously disarranged jigsaw pieces, competitively suspicious suspects and a gradual reveal that manipulates just when one is able to join the dots. Based on the 2013 Korean suspense thriller, Montage, this one ticks most, failing only in maintaining pace, which could’ve resulted in a more gripping watch.

That the derelict streets of old Kolkata furnish a delicious environment for mystery was established in Kahaani. This one lacks the brisk chaos of the Sujoy Ghosh thriller but is plausible till the end and keeps one second guessing while turning over the facts presented.

John Biswas (Amitabh Bachchan) is a distraught grandpa. Yet to recover from his granddaughter, Angela’s abduction and subsequent death eight years ago, Biswas’ days pan out in the police station where he hopes for an update. He also dutifully visits the church, not for celestial healing, but to meet Father Martin Das (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who took to priesthood as a means of redemption from his past — when he was the investigating officer on the Angela case. When a curiously similar kidnapping of a pre-teen takes place in the city, Inspector Sarita Sarkar (Vidya Balan) calls upon Father Martin for a minute

examination of the facts and to check if they bore resemblance to his last unsolved case.

The film inches forward as Father Martin and Biswas progress with their parallel investigations, latching on to every piece of evidence, constructing theories and hoping to establish motive. The film has a single-minded focus and lacks the necessary distraction of a subplot, which could’ve momentarily thrown the audience off. But the film’s leisurely pace allows one to piece it together

and arrive at multiple possibilities, which are eliminated one at a time, as new information surfaces. The title, if you’re curious, refers to the three parties affected by the crime — the perpetrator, the investigator and the one who survives the devastating event.

This is Amitabh Bachchan’s most compelling performance till date.

23

June 17, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS Big B internalizes his character’s state of mind to such an extent that one is able to experience his sufferings and anxieties in every frame.

In the climax, where his eyes well up and he takes off his glasses to wipe them before placing them back over his face, he wordlessly conveys his character’s muddled emotions.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui spells confidence; from his body language to his cursory glances, everything suggests his decided control over his character’s projection. But his warped accent is ocassionally off-putting.

When he says, “Sab God pe chod do,” he pronounces ‘God’ as ‘gode’ and one wonders if he’s referring to someone’s lap. Vidya Balan is like an adorable aunty-next-door. When questioning a suspect, she’s more like a matron, shuffling between good cop and bad, and while poking at Father Martin, like a playful ex hoping to reconcile. Sabyasachi Chakrabarty — Kolkata’s answer to Om Puri — furnishes a distinct vulnerability in his character — a sharp contrast to his determined personality.

From the soundtrack, the Amitabh Bachchan-crooned ‘Kyun Re’ is more like a narration with casual acoustic strumming and the soulful ‘Haq Hai’ sung by composer Clinton Cerejo evokes a suitable mood.

Cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray impresses with frames that intrigue and deceive. His establishing shots seem strategic, even when they don’t contribute to the storytelling. For example, in the shot when Nawazuddin’s character arrives at a ramshackle

house on a bike, his reflection on a shattered dusty windowpane momentarily renders the illusion of a presence.

Director Ribhu Dasgupta’s job was a sticky one. Retelling a Korean story with local flourishes can be daunting. A strand out of place or a faint lapse in reason, and the whole film comes crumbling down. But Dasgupta is committed in manipulating precisely what the audience notices, assumes and predicts from what plays out on the screen.

Like any thriller, the money here is on figuring out the perpetrator, hopefully before those hunting the person in the film can.

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24 June 17, 2016 ‘17 Season of Plenty: Watershed for Indian Cricket

BY SHARDA UGRA MUMBAI (ESPN Cricinfo); May be this is what hyperventilating commentators mean when they say, “It doesn’t get any bigger than this!”

The BCCI has unveiled the opposition and venues for its 201617 home season more than three months in advance. And told us India are to play 13 home Tests over seven months, the most crowded season in 37 years. With it came the news that there is to be a fiveTest series at home for the first time in two decades. The last time those two happenings happened, I was in middle school and then in junior college. Eons ago.

These are landmark announcements by the BCCI: a calendar filled with so much Test-match love, it could be considered antiquarian, and the announcement made so far in advance of the season that the work of good-natured impostors could be suspected.

Usually India’s fixtures are capsules of mystery and suspense, released not long before the visitors pass through immigration at an unspecified Indian airport.

Yes, but what are the specific dates of the series? Where do fans buy tickets? Does the BCCI care about the fans? Patience, people.

It is being said that the complete itineraries will be released within two weeks. In the face of such abundant pre-season information, let’s be charitable and give the BCCI four. It will still leave well over a month to spare before the first match against New Zealand.

It may be too much to hope that the eternal shenanigans to do with ticketing will also be sorted out by then, but there is already much to look forward to.

The country that gave cricket its ultimate T20 pyjama party in the IPL is going to stage the biggest home season in 37 years. The mind boggles.

The 13 Tests against New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia are also meant to be the first step in the entrenchment of a clear, regular Indian home season - with Test cricket at its core. Until

2016-17: 13 Tests, 8 ODIs, 3 T20s now, India’s home Test calendar has been, at best, capricious. It has oscillated between a moderate diet and scarcity.

Since September 2005, India have had 46 home Tests; the 201213 season had eight home Tests, the next one had two, and 2014-15 had none. The 13 scheduled for 2016-17 is only one fewer than the total of the previous four home seasons put together. This lopsidedness has led to colourful diversionary stats: India have played only four Tests at home since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar.

(Yes, the nation wept, but still…)

The BCCI’s home season has, for the second time, been named ‘India Cricket’, a branding exercise first undertaken in October 2015. “Every country has focused on its domestic season,” Anurag Thakur, then the BCCI secretary, said to Hindustan Times. “We all get to know when England and Australia play the Ashes or New Zealand travel to Australia. India is the powerhouse of world cricket, but our season does not have such status.

The ‘India Cricket’ campaign is to promote the start of the season, both domestic and international, in India.” The first sighting of this new brand was when the words ‘India Cricket’, all in capitals, and not the BCCI logo, were spotted on commentators’ shirts. The

2015-16 season of India Cricket offered only four Tests, though.

It is reasonable to assume that this 13-Test season is not expected to be a rigid template for the future but a rough guide. It indicates that the BCCI is going to hunker down on a certain number of months for cricket at home. Maybe around the Diwali festival, much like South Africa’s and Australia’s home seasons are centred around Christmas and the New Year. Every summer, England unfailingly play seven home Tests and Australia around six. For India, eight home Tests a season seems a manageable number.

This does not mean that India will never play a Boxing Day Test in Melbourne or a New Year’s Test in Cape Town. They often return from their southern hemisphere tours in January and can host home series in February and March. The Season of Plenty could ensure that India’s touring itineraries will be arranged around their home season in, and not the other way around.

The 2016-17 season - with its emphasis on Tests (13) as opposed to limited-overs fixtures (eight ODIs and three T20Is) - was arrived at by the BCCI’s tour and fixtures committee after examining operational issues at three ends: first the curators, for a best assessment of ground conditions at the many international venues;

then the broadcasters, for logistical convenience of moving equipment from one venue to the next; and finally the three rotation ladders for venue allocation for Tests, ODIs and T20Is. India’s climate allows for cricket in different parts of the country between September and March - the IPL occupies the previously unused summer months and world-class grounds at various venues have empowered the BCCI to take advantage of such a large window.

Two questions remain. What of the day-night Test? And when exactly will Bangladesh finally play a Test in India, more than 15 years after their debut in the format? The Hyderabad fixture against Bangladesh is expected to take place after England leave and before Australia arrive; the BCCI’s hospitality somewhat limited despite Bangladesh’s long wait but fortunately no more delayed.

The day-night Test is not a given as yet. It will depend on how the pink ball behaves during the remodelled Duleep Trophy in September, when India’s Test batsmen are expected to participate in six first-class matches under lights.

They will provide feedback on the pink ball and the dew factor, and then will a decision be taken on the possibility of a day-night Test.

The coming season will be an adventure and an experiment for cricket in India. The crowd response at six new Test venues against first-rate opposition - will tell us whether it is feasible to take the longest format of the game to new places, or whether it is best played at traditional centres. We will also know if the focus on Tests will translate into better financial remuneration for long-form players, as has been promised.

This new season gives the Indian fan much to savour. And if the fans in the stands finally get their due, in terms of the ease of buying tickets and in-stadium comforts over long and warm days, the BCCI will have earned itself a mighty standing ovation.

Sharda Ugra is senior editor at ESPNcricinfo

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

SPORTS

Saina Beats China’s Yu to Win Second Aussie Open SYDNEY: A day after coach Vimal Kumar termed her performance ‘perfect’, Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal dished out a similar show against Sun Yu to defeat the Chinese 11-21, 21-14, 21-19 in a 72minute thriller and win the Australian Open Super Series women’s title on Sunday at the Sydney Sports Centre. This is her second Australian Open win and with this, the World No. 8 has managed to claim her maiden title this season.

Two years after she first lifted the title, Saina became the first shuttler to win the Australian Open for a second time. This was Saina’s first final after she lost to Li Xuerui in China last November.

The win also rapidly improves her chances of a second consecutive podium finish at the Rio Olympics 2016. Saina had an impressive 5-1 record prior to the final, with their last encounter taking place in China last year. On Sunday, the Indian only took the lead further with a clinical display in the second and third game.

Her return to form also comes at the right time. With the Olympics slated to get underway a little over a month from now, Saina regaining the Australian Open title is just the tonic she needed.

Summer Music Workshop HOUSTON: Mangala Sane’s Sargam School of Music is holding a Summer Workshop from June to August in Hindustani classical vocal, light music, harmonium and keyboard in English for adults and children. For additional information, call (281) 498 6126

June 17, 2016

25

$505 Billion Black Money Outflow from India Dr. Reddy’s to Buy 8 Products from Teva for $350 Million ‘Heavily Exaggerated’ Sources said the actual amount of black money outflow, through trade-based money laundering, could be far less than mentioned in the report.

The estimate of USD 505 bn

black money outflow from India by a US-based think tank is “heavily exaggerated”, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has informed the Supreme Court-appointed SIT looking into cases of tainted money.

Global Financial Integrity, a nonprofit research and advisory organisation operating from Washington, had in its report “Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries 2004–2013” estimated that black money outflow from India for the

lion)– which is trade misinvoicing from India during 2004-2013 — is heavily exaggerated, official sources said on Sunday.

They said the DRI report has been shared with the SIT, which is considering sending the agency’s officials to select countries abroad, including the US and Switzerland, to assess the actual amount of illicit money.

The sources said the actual amount of black money outflow — through trade-based money laundering — could be far less than mentioned in the report.

Monetary Fund. All our country estimates are derived from data provided by governments to the IMF. “What we did not know at the time of publication is that for several decades Switzerland did not report its exports of gold. It was due to this omission of data from official Swiss government statistics that caused the issue now being researched by DRI,” said Tom Cardamone, Managing Director of Global Financial Integrity in an email response.

He said Switzerland has recently begun reporting past gold exports to

Dr. Reddy’s said it will buy the portfolio on a cash free, debt free basis and expects to finance the transaction using a combination of cash on hand and available borrowings under existing credit facilities

BY VISWANATH PILLA & RAVINDRA SONAVANE

MUMBAI: Dr. Reddy’s Laborato-

period was to the tune of USD 505 bn (about Rs 34 lakh crore, as per current exchange rate).

The report had created quite a stir in the country following which the SIT, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice M B Shah, had in February this year asked the DRI to ascertain the veracity of the findings.

The DRI then sought relevant details from the Global Financial Integrity (GFI). According to the DRI’s findings, the amount of USD 505,555 million (or USD 505 bil-

“The exact assessment would be possible only when a team of officers go out and analyse all details. But it will be far less than USD 505 billion,” a source said.

The GFI, however, in its response to a PTI query on the issue said the figures were consistent with the data provided by the governments of India and Switzerland to the International Monetary Fund.

“GFI’s illicit flows figures for India were consistent with the data provided by the governments of India and Switzerland to the International

the IMF and we will incorporate that new trade data into our forthcoming annual update.

The SIT, in its second report, has observed that since reports like those of Global Financial Integrity, which calculate illicit financial flows from various countries, are widely used in academic circles and it is very crucial to ascertain the veracity of such reports, as per the Finance Ministry release issued in February in which it announced that the DRI has been asked to look into the matter.

- indian express.com

ries Ltd, India’s second-largest drug maker, on Saturday said that it will acquire a portfolio of eight abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA) in the US from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and an affiliate of Allergan plc for $350 million.

The company said it will buy this portfolio on a cash free, debt free basis and expects to finance the transaction using a combination of cash on hand and available borrowings under existing credit facilities.

“This transaction will add strength to our product portfolio, help us be more relevant in our US market and also create new opportunities for growth”, said G. V. Prasad co-chairman and chief executive officer of the company.

The acquired portfolio includes products that divested by Teva as a precondition to its closing of the acquisition of Allergan’s generics business, subject to final approval by the US federal trade commission, the

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

company said in a notice to BSE. The product includes a mix of filed ANDAs pending approval and an approved ANDA and comprised of complex generic products across diverse dosage forms.

“Dr Reddy’s has a strong track record in the US market with over 79 filed ANDAs pending approval of which we believe 18 have first to file status.

The acquisition of theses attractive ANDAs from Teva will enhance our short to midterm aspirations and is consistent with our growth initiatives to identify inorganic opportunities to expand our base business”, Alok Sonig executive vice president and head of north America said.

According to IMS Health data, the annual US sales for above products are approximately $3.5 billion.

On Friday, Dr Reddy’s ended at Rs.3064.60 on BSE, down 0.22% from previous close while India’s benchmark Sensex Index fell 0.48% to close at 26635.75 points.

26 June 17, 2016

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