E newspaper06292018

Friday, June 29, 2018 | Vol. 37, No. 25

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COMMUNITY

June 29, 2018

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Puneet Khurana Draws Devoted Worshipers to Mata Di Chowki at HWS

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: Two years ago when

he came to perform at the Mata di Chowki, the main hall at the Hindu Worship Society’s Temple was filled to capacity to see the first ever visit to Houston by the popular religious singer Puneet Khurana. This past Sunday evening, June 24, despite being the day before the workweek started, the devote worshippers kept coming in till past 9pm to once again hear Khurana sing and participate in the concluding aarti.

The occasion was the Mata di Chowki performance by New Delhi-based religious artist Puneet Khurana who held the audience spell-bound by his high-volume delivery just in front of the deities at the temple complex on Wirtcrest Road. Khurana’s backup musicians were seated on a dais just off to the side while the faithful were seated on the floor in full view of the deities.

Puneet Khurana is a well-known religious singer who has shot to fame with his vibrant delivery and performances and has three best-

selling CDs – Maa Mere Bhi Ghar Aana, Jai Ganga Maiya Ki and Sai Ji Meri Jholi Bhardo. Khurana. He and his group are on their annual 20-city tour of eleven states in the US and concluded it at the HWS Houston with the Sunday evening performance.

In North India Mata di Chowki poojas are usually offered anytime towards invoking the strength of the Maa Durga. These are among the highest attended religious functions, and apart from temples, many people may hold them to receive blessings of the Goddess for special projects or functions they are going forward with.

The Chowki has been performed twice a year for over 20 years at the HWS, with local community members leading the bhajans. When Rajinder Soni, one of the HWS volunteers, had seen Khurana performing in Delhi, the artist told him he was going on his annual tour of the US. Soni mentioned it to the HWS Board and they agreed to have him perform in August 2016 and now again this year.

Many of the nearly 400 people who attended this past Sunday’s

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The main hall was packed with worshippers who came to see Puneet Khurana perform

Khurana gave a rousing 90-minute performance at the HWS Mata di Chowki on Sunday, June 24.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Mata di Chowki were ecstatic about Khurana’s performance and said they looked forward to next year’s event and this encouraged the many sponsors of the program.

Among them was Narendra Sehgal, the owner of Bombay Brasserie restaurant who always – twice a year - donates the catered dinner held after each chowki. This Sunday, volunteers served food under a white tent in the parking lot and worshippers sat on the spread out white chairs.

The Hindu Worship Society was formally established in 1980 by the oldest Hindu families, mostly Punjabis from North India, then in Houston. The present worship hall, adjoining facilities and house for the priest on Wirtcrest Road blends into the area north of I-10 and close to the center of the city.

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BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA

STAFFORD: The Khan of come-

dy, Zakir Khan had Houstonians in splits with his first ever Live Comedy Show in the USA on Friday, June 22 at Stafford Civic Center.

The show was presented by Paani Poori Productions. Paani Poori Productions started the stand up comedy trend in Houston last year when it hosted its first Live Show

by Humorist and Stand up comedian Amit Tandon. Envisioning this year’s show also to be a mega hit at the hand of Zakir’s fame, this show was also declared sold out, a day before the show.

Zakir Khan also known for his punchline Sakht Launda is one of the brightest Indian stand-up comedian, writer and presenter. His relatable jokes and simple style of speaking is splendid. Some of the most renowned comedians too are all praises for Zakir. AIB founder Tanmay Bhat describes Zakir’s show as “The biggest stand-up comedy act in India. Period”. Zakir is known for his hard-to-resist mega hit shows which make him one of the most popular Stand-up comedians in India . He attained visibility when he won India’s Best Stand Up Comedian competition organized by Comedy Central in 2012. Zakir’s Amazon Prime special show Haq Se Single, is arguably one of the best stand up specials so far. A pioneer of storytelling in Indian comedy, Zakir can engage all genres of audiences – be it family members, a corporate crowd or a room full of men.

Zakir comes from a humble yet strong musical and cultural background. His grandfather Ustad Moinuddin Khan, a PadmaShri awardee, was a notable vocalist and performer of classical music under the Jaipur Gharana. He credits his father Ismail Khan, also an eminent musician, with being supportive of his talent. Besides being passionate about Comedy, Zakir also has a fondness towards reciting Urdu and Hindi poetry.

The overly zealous audiences

Zakir Khan Cracks Up Houstonians

snickered at the opening performance by Vinod Chhaproo, a New York based clean stand-up comic and writer. Vinod, a runner-up at America’s Stand-up Championship 2017, is one of the most sought after comedians in tristate area. Some of his witty and silly jokes on Sindhis, married vs. bachelors were much lauded.

Then walked in the star of the

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night, Zakir and the audiences were gung ho about his much awaited act. The overjoyed audience kept clapping and imitating his previous acts, such that he jokingly interrupted saying, “Tumhe hi karna tha to mujhe kyu bulaya” (if you had to do then why invite me here). As soon as his number commenced, he connected well with the audiences through his abusive jokes, humorous real life experiences while growing up, with his family, his Facebook stalking experiences with girls and his college life. Wanting to have more of him, people tried making videos which he wisecracked saying “For

Photos: Biyani Photography

a change I am outside your phone so be happy seeing me face to face and not on a video on phone”. He was so buoyed up by Houston audience, that he extended his performance by 30 mins.

Zakir’s commitment and love for his fans made sure he could reach Houston well in time for the show.

Having his passport with the Canadian embassy for Visa stamping made it difficult for him to fly into Houston. But with the assistance of the national promoter, Karl Kalra, Zakir reached Houston 4 hours before the showtime.

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The show ended with a humble expression of gratitude by Harpreet Chawla-Suji of Paani Poori Productions as she thanked sponsors and supporters. She said, “We are very happy and grateful to the Houston community for the response and to all our Sponsors and partners for their support in making this show such a grand success. We had people who traveled from as far as Louisiana and Austin for the show. Our special thanks to Karl Kalra for his efforts in getting Zakir to Houston and to our team of volunteers who helped make sure that check-in and seating went smoothly.”

The grand show was sponsored

by Amir Dodhiya of New York Life (Presenting sponsor) ; Powered by Discount Power (Malik Jamal), driven by Sterling McCall Toyota (Shahid Usmani) and Smile Profile Family Dental (Dr. Khallon and Dr. Langha). Bronze sponsors : Cell Pay, DeveshPathak CPA, Sameeta Beauty Lounge, Nirmanz Food Boutique, and Media Partners: Radio Dabang, Indo-American News, Dil Ki Baat and Masala Radio. Delicious food sales by Nirmanz Food Boutique added more spice to the event.

For further information call 832-443-7350 or email paanipooriproductions@gmail.com

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COMMUNITY

Deva-Snana Purnima: Celebrating Shri Jagannatha’s Birthday

Gajanana Besha on Snana Purnima at Shri Jagannatha Mandira, Houston

Snana Purnima at Snana Mandapa, Puri, Odisha

H

OUSTON: Deva Snana Purnima is celebrated on the full-moon day (Purnima) of the month of Jyestha month of the Indian calendar. Odias, the people from the eastern coastal state of Odisha in India, mark this day as the birthday of Shri Jagannatha and observe the day with pomp and gaiety. Snana Purnima, also known as Snana Jatra is one of the annual occasions when the deities, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha leave their abode, the garba-griha or the sanctum sanctorum of the Shri Jagannatha Temple and come out for a ceremonial bath, snana means bath. The bathing and ablution are carried out with water from the well within the precincts of the Shri Mandira in Puri.

Snana Purnima showcases the coming together of spirituality and ritualistic details, where the Lord of the Universe, Jagannatha is depicted in a ‘humanized’ way, emphasizing a divinity that is easily approachable and relatable. But again the ablutions have a code of conduct as enshrined in “Niladri Mohadaya”, that are followed religiously, like exactly 108 pitchers of water are used for the ceremonial bathing. The ceremonial bathing and Besha is performed at Snana Mandapa.

This Mandapa is designed in such a way that even people outside the temple can enjoy the ceremony.

Akshaya Tritya, which was celebrated in the month of April, marked the beginning of the grand annual festival of Ratha Jatra, with the commencement of construction of the three majestic wooden Ratha – chariots. Snana Purnima is the final leg towards Ratha Jatra build-up. As following the ablutions, the three beloved deities, are dressed up in Gajanana or Ganesha Besha and for the subsequent period of 15 days, known as the ‘Anasara’, the deities have a temporary disappearance from the public domain. In local folklore, it is said that the deities are not keeping well. During this phase of 15-days following Snana Purnima, the bathed wooden idols are repainted and redecorated. At the end of this ‘Anasara’ period the deities emerge for public darshan just a day before the famous Ratha Jatra.

We in the Houston Odia community like our brethren worldwide have geared up the forth-coming Ratha-Jatra. At the serene environs of Shri Jagannatha Mandira - Houston, 3101 Fuqua St., Houston,TX Snana Purnima was observed on June 24. The resident Odia community celebrated this pious day with prayer and offerings to Shri Jagannatha. After the ceremonial bath, snana, the three deities were adorned with the traditional Gajanana Besha. This was followed by an Odia-style lunch-prasad.

The Houston Odia community led by Orissa Culture Center (OCC) in collaboration with Shri Sitaram Foundation will celebrate Houston’s eleventh Jagannatha Ratha-Jatra on July 14 at the India House, 8888 W Bellfort Blvd., Houston, TX. This daylong event is supported by a generous grant from City of Houston Art Alliance. Emphasizing the philosophy of Univeralism, 2018 Jagannatha Ratha-Jatra in Houston will proudly host a rich mix of dance forms including Mariachi, Latin American Folk Dance and Indian Classical Dance. We cordially solicit the participation of people and communities from all cultures, beliefs and walks of life to join us in this spiritual and devotional congregation.

For more information and interesting facts please check us at http://www.rathjatra.org/. We are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HoustonChariotFestival INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

June 29, 2018

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COMMUNITY

June 29, 2018

Over 500 Yoga Practitioners at the 4th International Day of Yoga

BY MANU SHAH

HOUSTON: The 4th International Day

of Yoga at Midtown Park on June 21, beat all expectations with over 500 yoga practitioners showing up in their yoga gear. NonIndians clearly outnumbered desis in the record turnout, proving that yoga has entered mainstream America.

The event was organized in partnership with the Consulate General of India, Houston, yoga studios, Indian organizations and major partner YOUniverSOUL. Key sponsors were well known industrialist and philanthropist Dr. Durga Agrawal and Bill Newman, Area President at A.J.Gallagher & Co. New additions to the program this year made it varied and interesting. A demonstration of the most difficult yoga poses

by Melissa Riedel, Reggie Ahmad, Austin Dunn and Nicklous Dutcher set the tone and displayed some impressive core strength, mental focus and flexibility. A message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also played.

Yoga coordinator for Houston, Sharad Amin was visibly delighted to see the crowds who filled up the entire park. He thanked the weather gods for bringing out the sun after a gloomy week and stated that the program “demonstrated universal oneness which can be achieved by Yoga, India’s gift to world.”

President and founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth USA and renowned yoga teacher, Shekhar Agrawal served as Emcee. Describing yoga as a great step to “awaken

the sleeping giant within us,” he invited the city’s top yoga teachers to take the gathering through some yoga asanas, relaxation techniques and meditation practices.

Director of SVYASA, Vishwarupa Nanjundappa and Olivia Keller, owner of the Black Swan Yoga School guided the group through several standing, sitting and supine postures. Roger Rippy led the group through some relaxation techniques to “see the truth of this moment” accompanied by soul soothing music that “resonates with the chakras”

by Saumil Manik. Robert Boustany, initiator of Pralay Yoga guided the pranayama (breathing) exercises and encouraged the gathering “to breathe in with love and gratitude for this life and breathe out and let go of whatever you no longer wish to hold.”

They were joined by ten yoga teachers on stage including Amit Khanna, a teacher of Indian culture sent by the Government of India at the Indian Consulate.

A beautiful Bharatnatyam dance of Shiva, the first Yogi, by the Anjali School of Performing Arts was highly appreciated for its graceful movements particularly by the non-Indians.

A concluding prayer was invoked to “channel our energies in the right direction” after which participants broke out in a lively exchange of powdered colors or Holi as it is known in India.

Speaking to a cross section of people gathered there about what drew them to yoga, responses ranged from a search for spiritual awakening to yoga as an “avenue to heighten and grow” in the spiritual journey. One young lady spoke of “leaving ev-

erything at the yoga studio door” for an hour of peace and calm and then leaving the studio inspired to do good.

Some came to raise the vibrational frequency of the planet, connect with themselves and their bodies on a deeper level or get a perfect workout for the body, mind and soul.

Common responses to how it helped in daily life included being happier, fewer mood swings, increased concentration and energy, heightened productivity and a dramatic lowering of stress levels.

Yoga teacher Regie Ahmad, whose gravity defying yoga poses astounded the crowds, described yoga as his primary physical and spiritual practice. Five years ago when he told people he practices yoga, they looked surprised but now, he says, “it’s such a normal and mainstream thing to get into.”

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

June 29, 2018

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Electrifying & Graceful Wedding Experiences by Houston-based Electric Karma

BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA

HOUSTON: Band, Baaja, Ba-

raat....and heaps of confusion, chaos and commotion behind-thescenes, and of course loads of planning. This is where Therese ColeHubbs, President and Creative Director, with her team at Electric Karma, takes the helm to ensure seamless and memorable wedding experiences. Electric Karma, has been the name behind planning the finest weddings for over 31 years, and have contributed and planned some of the best galas for various non profits in town like Save A Mother, India House, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Indian Doctors Association and the upcoming Ekal Gala.

The brainchild of Therese ColeHubbs, Electric Karma International, a wedding production company was formed in response to the high demand for a wedding producer who could merge cultural traditions with contemporary wedding elements. It is an end-to-end wedding production company that caters especially to the South Asian Community, to provide memorable wedding experiences with creatively thought perplexing and astounding ideas.

Therese along with her team of experienced professionals at Electric Karma, have produced over 660 Indian weddings since inception. With associate offices in New

Therese Cole-Hubbs York, Dallas, San Diego & Houston, Electric Karma provides their clients with the very best, in the form of unique ideas and innovative concepts with a blend of multicultural customs and traditions in Indian weddings while ensuring flawless execution.

‘Once Electric Karma, always Electric Karma’- has been the response from most of its clients planning another wedding within their families. And that is because of the amazing connect, the bond and trust with the existing clientele. Laying importance to the vision of the bride and the groom, Therese Cole-Hubbs and her experienced team of professionals add the element of elegance with a flawless merge of flamboyance

and tradition, to the vital elements of a wedding design: hospitality, food, beverage service, entertainment and the decor. Though Therese’s work has been praised world over, her most important and heartfelt moments come directly from the bride and groom’s amazed joy in seeing their vision come to life right before their very eyes and that is the ultimate goal of Electric Karma International and the sheer-joy they experience is truly heart-felt.

Therese Cole-Hubbs, having awarded Event Planner of the Year in 2017 at the Houston NACE awards dinner, said it was the most important award for her as it was for her contribution to the industry.

She recalled, “Over 30 years ago no one allowed Indian caterers in their venue. I started that trend and then consistently pushed for it to succeed”. Her passion and persuasion to make this a triumph were constantly seen at various national conferences, where she made it a point to bring this up. Thanks to her vision, today even hotels have accepted this phenomenon and that is really commendable. Another proud moment for her was while receiving an award for Best Wedding of the year, at the TSE Gala, for Khushbu and Kevin’s wedding. The joy and pride was not only for the win but also for the fact that one of the two Indian weddings that were nominated

Photo: J. Cogliandro Photography

Photo: Tomas Ramos Photographers

won this international award.

Amongst their multiple feathers in cap, Electric Karma has featured in The Times of India, Bengaluru and The Hindu, both in December 2017.

Therese Cole-Hubbs, is a passionate white woman with an Indian heart. She is originally from Ohio and moved to Houston in

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

1982. She has been a major contributor in putting Houston on the map for Indian wedding coordinators. Her true commitment and love towards Indian culture really shows in her smile, in her heart and in her actions, so much so that she wears Indian every single day CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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See article on page 11 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

June 29, 2018

A Bright Surya Namaskar at Int’l Yoga Day in The Woodlands

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THE

WOODLANDS: Three days after the Summer Solstice – Wednesday, June 21 – and the day declared in 2015 by the United Nations as the International Day of Yoga – the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands, in partnership with the Houston Consulate General of India, observed the event with yoga asanas (poses) for the early-morning risers of the Greater Houston area. This was the second IDY event this year, the first being on Wednesday itself in Levy Park in Houston (see page 05), which was cut short due to rain showers Most of the estimated 450 people who arrived at 7 in the morn-

ing on a cool Saturday, June 24 braved the clouds and the brief but heavy rainfall just before the event started. They came with their rubber yoga rolls and spread them out in rows on the slight incline of Town Greene Park, in the shadow of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, not letting the damp grass get in the way of their mental and physical exercises. By 8 am, the yoga mats covered half of the grassy lawn as the leotard and t-shirt clad yoga practitioners followed the calming, sonorous voice from the stage urging them to find the quiet space in their minds and focus on their asanas.

Encouraged by the response to this event over the past two years, the HTW went all out to bring the IDY 2017 event to The

For Photo Collage, see page 10

Woodlands community to share yoga’s promise of health and wellness and coordinated with yoga studios across Greater Houston. There were several booths from area businesses lining both sides of the park, which had a short, elevated stage at the colonnaded and bricked entrance.

The program opened with prayers and meditation by the Brahmakumaris, a worldwide spiritual movement, and The Art of Living Foundation of The Woodlands. Short yoga demonstrations followed – sun salutations, relaxation and pranayama – taught by several area yoga instructors, including some from HTW. Participants, ranging from small children to octogenarians, followed guided meditation and asnayas with rapt attention, and were transported into tranquility in the serene setting of Town Greene Park.

“Something about this venue and doing the yoga in unison really stirred us, and we would love to come back to this event again,” said Rainer and Aymara Lilienthal, of Spring, who enjoyed every aspect of the event, but most of all, were impressed with how it brought people together to learn about the body and mind wellness. Lauren Thompson, a purchasing agent CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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12 June 29, 2018 Celebrations @ SUBZERO Ice Cream in Sugar Land

COMMUNITY

Houston-based Electric Karma

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Photo: A&A Video & Photo

SUGAR LAND: What a cool

and sweet way to celebrate EID! In celebration of their 2nd Anniversary, Salim & Salima Gheewalla invited all - through 3 days of heavy Masala Radio promotions - to enjoy Buy One Get One Free SUBZERO ice cream at their Sugar Land location from 8PM – 12AM on Eid Friday, June 15.

Guests enjoyed hot Bollywood Music by DJ AJ, complimentary mehendi, and a choice of 40 base flavors, including Indian flavors of Mango, Falooda, and Pista.

This revolutionary concept in ice cream production allows guests to completely customize their ice cream.

Patrons could select their base cream, such as heavy custard, traditional, non-dairy sorbet, vegan “cream,” or sugar-free. Guests found the wait worth it once they further picked from 40 flavors, dozens of fruit, nut and candy bar mixings, and then witnessed their creations come to life. “Our ice creams are magically frozen right in front of you – its about as fresh as you can get!” beamed owner Salim Gheewalla. “Well ok its not magic, its simply blasted with -321 F Nitrogen to freeze instantaneously.” “As a Jain, its hard to find eggless ice cream choice, but here I could get any flavor in a vegan cream or sorbet, it took me

forever to settle on my Pina Colada creation,” said Sonali Mehta.

The store was packed with outthe-door lines for most of the 4 hours. Salim’s wife and school teacher Salima Gheewalla entertained those in line with some cool science experiments using SUBZERO liquid nitrogen; in one of them guests sampled a soft marshmallow that she froze instantly.

The Buy One Get One Free celebration was extended to Magnolia, Cypress, and Beaumont locations, to the delight of Masala Radio’s wide coverage area of listeners.

For details visit subzeroicecream.com

of her life and jokingly calls herself a reverse coconut.

She has successfully organized weddings in India in collaboration with local Indian partners. Having recently organized destination weddings in Mumbai and Mysore, she said she enjoys organizing wedding in India and building relationships with her partners there.

She believes Indian American marriages are getting too Americanized and hence to feel the taste of real Indian weddings everyone must plan it in India to avoid too much culture going away. Moreover, these days it’s about the same amount getting married in India. She also added that one can get abundance of flowers and amazing food and it’s also a way of everyone visiting home.

Wedding, being a 21 Billion dollar business, she contemplates

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

changing the entire wedding business scene and plans on sharing her knowledge by conducting various conferences and workshops and by letting people intern with her.

What sets her apart is her belief that the key to keep your clients happy is to never overpromise.

Keep the expectations very clear.

Give more than what they expect.

And always be nice to people. She expressed how she learned hospitality to be of utmost importance, from a wedding she did in Amritsar, India.

Pulling off Indian and Pakistani weddings with grace, her positivity and power of saying, “Yes” is the thing that got her in this business and keeps her going.

To showcase the unique Desi weddings coordinated by Electric Karma, Therese Cole-Hubbs released her publication Shaadi: A Journey Into Desi Weddings. The 200-page book contains more than 300 amazing photos as well as nearly 40 videos showcasing the artistry of Electric Karma. Besides, Electric Karma is also a proud segment of the “I Do” Good foundation, which focuses on helping dig wells in India to provide clean water to communities. Many of the brides and grooms choose to contribute to these organizations during the wedding process.

For further details call 281-7059929, email at therese@electrickarma.com or visit their website at www.Electric-Karma.com

June 29, 2018

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OBITUARY / COMMUNITY Dr. Satish Gopal Jhingran

W

hen he came to Houston in 1968, he was among a handful of Indian families which had settled in the area and bonded together for life. Many still fondly remember the Indian movie screenings they would hold at the Agnes Arnold Hall at the University of Houston.

And they went onto forge cultural and religious organizations that now tie them strongly with their Motherland. Another one of these pioneers, Dr. Satish Gopal Jhingran, 82, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 18, 2018, after a very courageous four month battle with respiratory issues.

Jhingran was born on December 2, 1935 in Kanpur, India, to the late Rajeshwari Devi and Vansh Gopal Jhingran. He was the eldest of their five children. He had his initial schooling in different schools in Indore and Benares and finished High School in Aligarh. He went to BNSD College in Kanpur and then joined King George’s Medical College in Lucknow, India, graduating with a MBBS degree in 1959 and also later an MD After working for a few years in the department of internal medicine in the College of Medical Sciences in the prestigious Benares Hindu University in India, he came to Houston in 1968 to further his medical education. He was a fellow in The University of Texas M, D. Anderson Cancer Center in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center where he spent two years.

In 1970 he joined the progressive Methodist Hospital also at the Texas Medical Center and

1935 – 2018

distinguished himself as a nuclear physician, becoming the head of the department. He was also a professor at Baylor College of Medicine where he enjoyed teaching and mentoring future generation of doctors until his retirement in 2001. Even after his retirement, he continued working on a part-time basis in the field that he had excelled.

In spite of the pressures of work, Dr. Jhingran always found time for both religious and cultural activities. Within the small Indian community in the early seventies, he was a strong force in founding the Hindu Worship Society along with other like-minded immigrants. He was also one of the founding member of the Indian Doctors Club of Houston where he helped mentor many young

Indian physicians. In addition he also took on a leadership role in 1974 in starting the India Culture Center which is still active in promoting Indo-American friendship.

This young doctor with boundless energy also found time in 1978 to become an active partner with five others in introducing fine Indian dining at Tandoor Restaurant located in Highland Village.

Jhingran was married to his devoted wife Manju in 1960 who was a big comfort and source of strength in the past 58 years of their married life. He is survived by his son, Shiv “Sonu” Gopal Jhingran who he loved with all his heart and never gave up hope, his daughter Anuj Jhingran who has followed in his footsteps in the medical world, son-in-law Naveen Jaggi, brother, Manoj Jhingran and sister Manjula Sharma. He is also survived by three wonderful grandchildren, Chandni Jaggi, Akshay Jaggi and Sachin Jaggi as well as many nephews and nieces.

His very affectionate nature and love of life drew countless friends and loved-ones to him throughout his life and he loved to have his family and friends around him.

Friends and family paid their respects at the funeral service on Thursday, June 21, 2018 from 10:30 to 12:00 PM at Sugar Land Mortuary, 1818 Eldridge Road in Sugar Land. In lieu of flowers, his family has suggested donations in Dr. Satish Gopal Jhingran’s name to Sri Meenakshi Temple, 17130 McLean Road, Pearland, Texas 77584 or a charity of your choice.

Int’l Yoga Day in The Woodlands CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 from downtown Houston, drove in early that morning along with friends. “I am really a very casual learner of yoga, but I attended the IDY event at Levy Park in Houston, earlier this week and loved it!

When I heard about the event in The Woodlands, I knew I wanted to experience the joy of this form and sense of community again, and made it a point to come today,” she said.

Though sandwiched between the rains just a few minutes before and heavy downpour right afterwards, the event was actually a festival and wholesome family outing with

live music, chanting, yoga studio booths and sale of yoga books as well as stalls of local vendors of organic groceries, health foods and hand-made jewelry. Several medical and charity organizations from the area held free medical checkups and information sessions.

A free Indian breakfast of biryani and vegetables was provided by the Hyderabad Biryani Place of The Woodlands. The local H-E-B, across the street from the park, generously donated water and bananas to everyone.

The event was coordinated by Dr. Neeta Shukla and brought together by the tireless efforts of countless adult and youth volun-

teers of the HTW, some of whom were at the venue at 4 am to set-up and the rains did not dampen their spirit. They meticulously planned the safety, security, parking, audio, photography and overall logistics over several weeks.

The HTW youth club even set up drones to project a live video feed of the event. Encouraged by the response, the HTW intends to bring more programs of this nature to The Woodlands and make the IDY an annual event.

For Photo Collage, see page 10

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TRAVEL COMMUNITY

June 29, 2018

17

Brave Women Brave the Weather for IACCGH Women Mean Business Event

BY MANU SHAH

HOUSTON:Apparently,ittakes

more than thunder, lightning, and heavy showers to deter women.

The IACCGH’s Women Mean Business saw over 60 incredible women beating the heavy showers to hear Keynote Speakers Vinita Gupta offer her perspective on running a multimillion dollar business and Sangeeta Pasrija who found her calling in volunteering for social and cultural causes.

The event, held on June 20, was sponsored by Shell and supported

by TiE – an organization that fosters entrepreneurship and creates economic growth. TiE President Arun Pasrija acknowledged the number of women entrepreneurs are “not quite what they should be” and expressed TiE’s support in empowering women owned businesses. TiE’s Ana Bastidas touched on the newly initiated TiE Young Entrepreneur Program and stated that Houston is one of the first Chapters to be talking to high school students about entrepreneurship.

IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan welcomed the gathering and highlighted the Chamber’s demographics which reflect its diversity and inclusiveness. He

also shed light on the Chamber’s work in helping Harvey affected businesses bounce back on their feet.

Coordinator and Program Chair of the series, Past President Joya Shukla spoke of the value in having dynamic women from different fields come out with their inspiring journeys and hoped the gathering could apply their “pearls of wisdom” when facing some of the same roadblocks.

Volunteering, for Sangeeta Pasrija, was a “continuous journey of self-discovery.” She is a volunteer in several non-profits such as Save a Mother, India Culture Center, International Hindi Organization, and the Youth Development Leadership Program. A huge motivating factor in volunteering was the idea of being able to make a difference and the satisfaction of knowing that her efforts have contributed to the betterment of society. Volunteering, in turn, helped her acquire competencies like public speaking, dedication, team leadership, decision-making and even “improving her ExcelSheet skills.” A gifted artist and poet, Sangeeta also put her talents to work in raising funds for her causes.

In a candid narrative, Vinita Gupta who cofounded Apex Resources, Inc., with her husband

IACCGH and TiE Board members with speakers. From left: Ram Shenoy, Dr. Arun Pasrija, Swapan Dhairyawan, Ana Bastidas, Sangeeta Pasrija, Vinita Gupta, Joya Shukla, Karen Francis, Rajiv Bhavsar, Jagdip Ahluwalia.

dwelt on the triumphs, pitfalls and challenges they faced as entrepreneurs. Apex sold commodity items and gradually diversified to value added providers. They had a great run until the recession hit and “everything fell apart.”

The founders rode out the crisis, developed commercial relationships in the Oil and Gas industry and started a manufacturing facility for guar. When the price of crude dropped and “the bottom fell again,” they were better pre-

pared this time round, she says, and repositioned themselves as technology providers.

Sharing lessons learned “from the school of hard knocks,” Vinita observed that an entrepreneur’s life requires traversing through unknown paths and sometimes “creating the path.” Her advice was never take anything for granted, be prepared and reposition yourself so you can come back stronger.

Executive Director JagdipAhlu-

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

walia encouraged the gathering to buy their tickets for the IACCGH Gala on August 11 at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston.

One of the biggest gatherings of elected officials, business leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and economic agencies, the Gala offers a unique opportunity to connect with those “who are in the business of business.”

Visit www.iaccgh.com for more information.

18 June 29, 2018

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Tit for Tat Trade War

US-made Harley Davidson is the most visible victim of the trade war between India and the United States.

With India announcing additional duties on 29 American goods to counter higher levies on steel and aluminium announced earlier by the US, the two countries are going through a tense phase in their trade relationship.

New Delhi has said that the new rates will kick in from August 4, leaving room for negotiations with Washington.

It’s just as well that assistant US trade representative Mark Linscott is visiting to work on possible solutions. An all-out trade tussle between the two countries will benefit neither and negatively impact their growing strategic partnership.

As a bargaining chip for negotiations, India has reportedly offered to order nearly 1,000 civilian aircraft over the next seven to eight years and step up oil and gas purchases from the US. Additionally, India is looking to buy 12 more P8i naval surveillance aircraft from the Americans. The two sides are also working on the next foundational agreement – the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement – necessary for the two countries’ Indo-Pacific strategy. The US should not miss the woods for the trees.

While US President Donald Trump’s decision to adopt trade countermeasures against China is understandable given Beijing’s track record on intellectual property and non-tariff barriers – China has been gaming world trade for decades – it would be a serious mistake to place a struggling and pacific India in the same category as a hyper aggressive China that works counter to US interests.

As the world’s largest and oldest democracies, India and the US share common values and a world view underpinned by liberty and a rules-based order. Trump may well be sticking to his ‘America First’ political framework but he should also know that he can’t have a strategic partnership with India and simultaneously engage in a trade war with it.

-- Times of India

Aftermath of Maharashtra’s Plastics Ban Maharashtra’s ban on several consumer articles made of plastic, introduced after a three-month notice period to industry and users, is an extreme measure. It is naturally disruptive, and Mumbai, famed for its resilience in the face of urban challenges, is trying to adapt quickly.

Today, stemming the plastic tide is a national imperative. India hosted this year’s World Environment Day and Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a high-profile pledge, to international acclaim, that it would do away with all single-use plastics by 2022.

This goal is not yet backed by an action plan so that State governments and local bodies can be in sync.

Worldwide, the problem has got out of hand, with only 9% of about nine billion tonnes of plastic produced getting recycled. India has an uninspiring record when it comes to handling waste. It has patchy data on volumes, and even less on what it recycles. This lackadaisical approach is at odds with its ambitious goals.

Quite simply, if the Centre and the States had got down to dealing with the existing regulations on plastic waste management and municipal solid waste, a ban would not even have become necessary. Specifications for the recycling of different types of plastics were issued two decades ago by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

To address the global concern that the bulk of India’s plastic waste — estimated officially at 26,000 tonnes a day — is being dumped in the oceans, there has to be an effort on a war footing to segregate it at source The Urban Development Secretary in each State, who heads the monitoring committee under the rules, should be mandated to produce a monthly report on how much plastic waste is collected, including details of the types of chemicals involved, and the disposal methods.

Such compulsory disclosure norms will maintain public pressure on the authorities, including the State Pollution Control Boards. But segregation at source has not taken off, as there is little awareness, official support or infrastructure. Even bulk generators such as shopping malls, hotels and offices do not abide by the law. Prior-

Maharashtra has already banned production and distribution of plastic carry bags thinner than 50 microns and smaller than 8x12 inches. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

ity, therefore, should be given to stop the generation of mixed waste, which prevents recovery of plastics.

Companies covered by extended producer responsibility provisions must be required to take back their waste. In parallel, incentives to reduce the use of plastic carry bags, singleuse cups, plates and cutlery must be in place. Retailers must be required to switch to paper bags. Potentially, carry bag production using cloth can

create more jobs than machines using plastic pellets.

What needs to be underscored is that plastics became popular because they are inexpensive, can be easily produced and offer great convenience. But, as the UN Environment Programme notes, their wild popularity has turned them into a scourge.

Consumers will be ready to make the switch, but they need good alternatives. -- The Hindu

McD, BK Fined for Plastics Violation MUMBAI: Burger King, McDonald’s and Starbucks are among dozens of companies fined for violating a new ban on single-use plastics in India’s commercial capital Mumbai, an official said Tuesday.

The rules, in force since Saturday, prohibit the use of disposable plastic items such as bags, cutlery, cups and bottles under a certain size.

Businesses and residents face fines of between Rs 5,000 ($73) for a firsttime offence to Rs 25,000 ($367) or even three months in jail for repeat offending.

Some 250 officials, wearing blue uniforms and dubbed Mumbai’s “anti-plastic squad”, have been deployed to carry out inspections of restaurants and shops across the teeming coastal city of 20 million.

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Nidhi Choudhari, a deputy municipal commissioner in charge of enforcing the ban, said Rs 6,60,000 ($9,684) in fines had been collected during the first three days.

She said 132 premises had been issued with penalties including outlets of Burger King, McDonald’s and Starbucks.

A branch of Godrej Nature’s Basket, a high-end Indian supermarket, had also been penalised, Choudhari added.

“All were fined for using banned plastic straws and disposable cutlery etc,” she told AFP. A spokesperson for Starbucks in India said the company complies with local laws in all of its markets and was committed to “environmental sustainability”.

LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI

June 29, 2018

19

The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 3

T

Gandhi in South Africa

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...

Mahatma Gandhi Library, Inc. Essay

CITY-WIDE CONTESTS

Poster

Coloring

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The contest are open to all children in the greater Houston Area. The winners of these contests will be recognized at the 1000 Lights for Peace, a celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, on Sunday, October 14, 2017.

For more information and registration visit www.gandhilibrary.org

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20 June 29, 2018

COMMUNITY

Joyalukkas Launches Summer Collection with Shimmering Offer

HOUSTON: Summer 2018 just got

more exciting for the USA with the launch of a limited edition Summer collection from the world’s favorite jeweler. Featuring stunning handpicked designs inspired by the season, Summer collection a must-have for every jewelry lover.

The collection comprises stunning

rings, pendants and earrings that can be mixed and matched or purchased as a set. Boasting the purest gold and certified diamonds, each piece in the collection is a masterpiece to be enjoyed long after summer is over.

Also heating up summer is a 0% deduction offer on old gold exchange.

“Summer collection is an excep-

tional collection we are proud to present to all jewelry lovers,” said Joy Alukkas, Chairman & MD, Joyalukkas Group. “And at irresistible prices as well as a special offer in store, we are sure our loyal patrons simply can’t resist this dazzling new collection.”

The Joyalukkas Shimmering Summer Collection is now available for a limited time across Joyalukkas showrooms in Houston, New Jersey and Chicago.

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Southwestern National Bank’s Scholarship Awards Ceremony

HOUSTON: On June 21, South-

western National Bank hosted its 13th Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony. Recipients, Kelly Tseng, Charlie Zong, Laura Li and Bowen Mei, were each presented with a $1,000 scholarship by Chairman C.K. Lee and CEO Gary Owens, who

congratulated them and wished them all a bright and successful future.

Dallas Regional President, Mohammed Younus, also presented recipient, Michelle Wen, with a $1,000 scholarship on June 18, 2018 at the Dallas Regional Office.

(Member FDIC)

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

June 29, 2018

T

he Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

From 1776 to the present day, July 4th

has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

The Birth of Independence Day When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical.

By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.

On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence.

Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man

committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a nearunanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson.

Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Early Fourth of July Celebrations In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing

21

two major political parties—Federalists and Democratic-Republicans—that had arisen began holding separate Fourth of July celebrations in many large cities.

Fourth of July Becomes a National Holiday The tradition of patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which theUnitedStatesagain faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees.

Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.

of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III, as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty.

Festivities including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was still occupied with the ongoing war.

George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781, several months before the key American victory at Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday.

After the Revolutionary War, Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the

-history.com

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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.

Send us the correct answer before July 03, 2018.

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Solution Next Week

PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

With summertime in full swing, it is the perfect season to make pickles especially, lemons – or limes – which are so plentiful and cheap now. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Nimbu aur Adrak da Achaar recipe.

A little of this pickle can add a zest in otherwise bland food.

It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.

Nimbu aur Adrak da Achaar (LEMON & GINGER PICKLES)

A

drak (ginger) is one of the main ingredients in Punjabi cooking, but it can also eaten by itself in pickle form or in the powdered form in spiced tea. Apart from its unique taste, ginger helps with the digestive process and reduces gas in the stomach. When used with black salt, ginger is used to help with nausea or to help cure the common cold.

Nimbu rus (lemon juice) is rich in vitamin C and is about 5% to 6% citric acid, with a pH of around 2.2, giving it a sour taste. Lemon juice contains slightly more citric acid than lime juice, nearly twice as much as in grapefruit juice, and about five times the amount of citric acid found in orange juice.

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In the old days, and even now in villages in India, ginger would be peeled and then dried in the sun so that it could be used later when it was not easily available.

Ginger is also peeled and made into a paste to use in the preparation of various meet dishes or to make some vegetarian dishes.

But generally, it is cut into small pieces and used when preparing the base masala of dishes.

This is another really simple way to make an achaar (pickle) but in this, due to the spicy taste of the ginger you do not use any haldi (turmeric) or lal mirch (red pepper).

When made with nimbus (lemons), it has a really summery feel.

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If you prefer, you can add long, hari mirchain (green chilies) too: just wash, towel dry, score them with a slit and place them in the jar. In Texas, you can improvise by using jalapenos, either sliced or whole with slits. You can reduce the salt as you want in this achar. This achaar does not need to be refrigerated and keeps for a long time as long as it is kept in a cool room and not in the sunlight.

Ingredients: • • • • •

1kg nimbu (lemons) 500 gm adrak (ginger root) 2 tablespoon namak (salt) 1 tablespoon of chinni (white sugar) 1 cup sirka (white vinegar) Directions:

1. Wash the lemons, then towel dry them. Cut the lemons into four quarters. If the lemons are small, then cut into halves.

2. Peel the ginger root, then wash and also towel dry them. Cut the roots lengthwise in thin 2 inch long sticks.

3. Throw the ginger sticks and lemon halves into a glass jar and then add the salt.

4. Close the jar and shake well.

Now add the vinegar and sugar, close the lid and shake well again.

5. Place the jar in the sun and shake the contents two or three

times a day for a week.

6. The pickles will be ready to eat in 7 days and they will become tastier the longer they stay in the marinade. Be sure to shake the contents from time to time.

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 recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK

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ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

23

Da-Bangg Reloaded : Salman Khan, Prabhudheva, Katrina Kaif

Rock the Stage at Chicago

Da-Bangg Reloaded: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez and Prabhudheva set the stage on fire in Chicago.

Salman Khan along with his Da-

Bangg team have set the hearts racing in America and Canada with their scintillating performances. After a blockbuster beginning of the DaBangg tour at Atlanta, Katrina Kaif,

Daisy Shah, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonakshi Sinha and Salman Khan entertained the audience in Chicago on Saturday. The Da-Banggg squad was joined by the dancing legend Prabhudheva and popular Punjabi

singer Guru Randhawa. While Prabhudheva took the stage by storm with his breathtaking moves, Guru Randhawa weaved the magic with his soulful voice.

While Salman Khan was certainly

the hero of the show, host Maniesh Paul did not lag behind in entertaining the audience with his perfect comic timings and dance performances. In the Chicago chapter of the Da-Bangg tour, Salman was seen shaking a leg with Sonakshi Sinha and also gave some powerpacked solo performances. He was also seen grooving on some popular romantic numbers with his Race 3 co-stars Jacqueline Fernandez, Daisy Shah as well as with Katrina Kaif.

As a part of Da-Bangg tour, the stars will be performing in different cities of America and Canada for the coming two weeks. Check out the latest pictures from the Da-Bangg tour performances in Chicago here. The stars have been performing on the hit numbers from

their respective films.

While Maniesh Paul opened the show in Chicago with a performance on the theme song of the Da-Babangg tour. Salman Khan charmed his way into the hearts of the audience by singing his popular song “Main Hu Hero Tera”. He also performed on his hit numbers like “Hangover”, “Tere Mast Mast Do Nain”, “Teri Meri Prem Kahani” among others. Jacqueline Fernandez, Daisy Shah, Katrina Kaif and Sonakshi Sinha performed on their popular songs.

The Da-Bangg Reloaded tour which started off on June 22, will have its final show on July 8 in Torontoperformances in Chicago here. ~Indianexpress.com

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas to Get Engaged in a Month!

Not that she’s ever off the headlines,

Priyanka and Nick at the MET Gala

but this time around the reason of Priyanka Chopra being the spotlight is different. Of late, the rumours of her dating singer Nick Jonas have been quite rife. Also, now that the ‘Baywatch’ actor is back to Mumbai, and not alone, Nick has accompanied her too. The two have been clicked walking hand in hand while Nick is being all protective of the desi girl, their blooming love is quite evident.

Interestingly, if the latest reports are to be believed, Priyanka is reportedly set to get engaged to Nick by the end of July or August this year. Well, 2018 is certainly coming across as a “let’s-tie-the-knot” year!

A magazine quoted a source stating about this very new thing in PeeCee’s life. As reported, Priyanka allegedly brought Nick to home to let her friends and family meet him and also decide on the engagement date during their trip.

It was back in 2017 MET Gala last year that the two walked in together at the event. And reportedly, the two have been in touch ever since then. Meanwhile, for the past two months, they have been spotted at several public events. In addition, what acted as fuel Priyanka and Nick at a lunch in Goa to their link-up rumours is when Priyanka accompanied Nick to his cousin’s wedding. Well, let’s hope for the best, we might just be greeted with an official confirmation of their rumoured relationship. ~TimesofIndia.Indiatimes.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Priyanka and Nick in Mumbai

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Neena Gupta July 4, 1959

24 June 29, 2018 India Ready for “Difficult” Cricket Series in England SIDHARTH MONGA MUMBAI (ESPN Cricinfo); India are ready to play “difficult” Test cricket.

That is the message their captain Virat Kohli has sent out on the eve of their departure for the 81-day long tour of the UK. Kohli has made it clear that what happened on the last tour in 2014, when India lost the Test series 3-1, will have no bearing on the fivematch Test series this summer. By the time the Test series starts in the peak of the English summer on August 1, India, according to Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, would be feeling at home, having been in the country for more than the month.

India’s tour will begin with two T20Is against Ireland from June 27, before heading to England for more T20Is, an ODI series, and then the Tests. Shastri said playing the shorter formats first will be “ideal” preparation for them, giving them a month to acclimatise to the conditions, and Kohli added that by the time they play the Tests, they will be “so comfortable that we won’t even feel like we’ll be playing an away series”.

“The last time we played [in England], we felt that collectively as a team we didn’t perform consistently in all three skills,” Kohli said in Delhi before departing for the tour. “Because of that, the batsmen feel the extra pressure, or the bowlers feel the pressure because they feel batsmen aren’t doing enough. But when both click together and whether it’s swinging or seaming, bounce or turn, if you have momentum, any conditions feel favourable and if you don’t have the momentum, flat pitches may also feel tough.ndia tour of Ireland and England.

“But yes, the conditions are going to be different, we will have to respect that. By the time the Tests come, we’ll be so comfortable that we won’t even feel like we’ll be playing an away series. So once you spend time there, you get comfortable and that’s the biggest factor. If you are at ease mentally, it will show in your performances.”

Shastri, on the other hand, said India were focusing more on the pitches and the conditions instead of the opposition. He went to the extent of saying they were not even looking at it as an away series.

Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli address a press conference, New Delhi, June 22, 2018

“When we were playing the Test series in South Africa, after a couple of Tests, people really thought we were outplayed. And then we won the third [Test] and won the series that followed,” Kohli said on Friday.

“Then people really understood how well we played in that series. We as a team knew internally we had played well and that led to the success in the ODIs and the T20s as well because we took the confidence into it. People on the outside might not be able to see the small things that happened when you’re playing a particular Test match of a series, but the point about teams not travelling well… I think we’re one of the teams who are looking forward to other countries and playing.

“I think that makes a massive difference and that showed with the mindset of someone like Jasprit Bumrah bowling 144kph in his last spell of the third Test. And that’s where fitness comes in. When you have people that are hungry, fit and ready, you’re not only competing but you’re winning.

That’s the difference between getting emotional and letting go of a policy and holding on to it and actually taking the hard calls and moving ahead with the system. I think all those things have come together really nice and as I said, we’re looking forward to playing difficult cricket. It can be anywhere, even in India, because that is the only way we feel we’ll be able to test ourselves as a team and judge ourselves as players and as a team. It’s a very exciting time for all of us.”

Kohli said he is back to peak fit-

ness having spent time off the field post IPL. A neck injury, which he picked up at the back end of the IPL campaign with Royal Challengers Bangalore, had denied Kohli a much anticipated county stint with Surrey, a deal which was done at the last minute.

Kohli admitted that playing for Surrey, even for just about a month, would have been ideal preparation for him to not just adapt to English conditions but also keep him mentally charged going into the Test series. The last time India played a Test series in England was in 2014, a tour Kohli will not spend too much time thinking about. In 10 innings in that series, Kohli scored 134 runs at an average of 13.40.

Kohli said the key thing for him was to enter the Test series fresh and not exhausted, and that not playing county cricket may have helped him in that regard. “In hindsight what has happened was the best thing for me because although, yes, I wanted to go and experience the conditions, that is a place we haven’t played so much.

There’s a big gap of four years and you sort of forget how the conditions were when you played the last time.

“So I wanted the more difficult phase of those conditions. Now we are going to enter the heatwave. I wanted the damp and the wet conditions, which Puji [Cheteshwar Pujara] played in, Ishant [Sharma] played in and I saw Varun [Aaron] play in as well.

“But in hindsight when I look at it now if I was 90% fit in my body

“From the preparation point of view, it is ideal [to start with T20s and ODIs,” Shastri said. “They will get to play T20s first, then ODIs, the Tests will come a month later. The first game against Ireland is on the 27th (June) and the first Test starts on the 1st (August). So there’s a lot of time to acclimatise.

“For us there is no away, every game is home game because we don’t play the opponent, we play the pitch.

Our job is to conquer the pitch. Wherever we go - it could be Bombay, it could be Delhi, it could be London, it could be Johannesburg. It is 22 yards that we have to try and conquer, and that is the endeavour. The boys know that they will be rated if they adapt to different conditions. So, if the other team has to adapt to those conditions, so do we. It’s not a question of where you’re playing, for us every game has to be a home game. You see those 22 yards, you say, ‘how am I going to take 20 wickets on those 22 yards, and how am I going to score 350-400.’

Keep it simple.”

India’s schedule in England is in stark contrast to their most recent tour to South Africa, when they arrived only five days before the first Test.

The players even chose to train on their own instead of playing warm-up matches. At the time, Kohli had said they were “very well prepared” but later Shastri admitted that 10 more days of preparation in South Africa would have made a difference. India lost the first two Tests, but won the third and then went on to dominate the ODI (5-1) and T20I (2-1) series.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

SPORTS

India , Iran in Dubai Kabaddi Masters ‘18

DUBAI: World champions India and runners-up Iran booked semifinal berths from their respective groups to continue their supremacy in the six-nation Kabaddi Masters at the Al Wasl Sports Complex in Dubai on Monday.

India once again put up a dominating show to prevail over Pakistan 41-17 for their second successive victory against their arch-rivals in their second and final leg group A exchange.

India had thrashed their bitter foes 36-20 in the opening game of the sixnation meet on June 22.

Substitute Emad Sedaghatnia put up a spectacular show in the final minute to help Iran seal a semi-final berth from group B after scraping past Korea 31-27 in a fiercely-contested opening battle of the day.

For India, the most expensive player Monu Goyat, who came in as a substitute in the second half topped the raid charts with seven points.

Captain Ajay Thakur and Rishank Devadiga scored six points each as they inflicted two all-outs en route to another convincing victory.

Rohit gave India a 6-1 lead inside five minutes with a super raid and a couple of minutes later, inflicted the first all-out.

Pakistan had no answers to the attacking and deceptive style of Rohit Kumar, Rishank Devadiga and skipper Thakur.

There was further setback for Pakistan when captain NasirAli was down with an injury in a 17th minute action, but fortunately for them he returned in the second half.

A splendid ankle hold from Ali sent Rohit back in the hut, but Ali got hurt in the process as India led 18-9 at half time.

India unleashed Goyat (Rs 1.51 crore Haryana Steelers) in place of Rohit in the second half to continue their assault.

India once again put up a dominating show to prevail over Pakistan 41-17 for their second successive victory against their arch-rivals.

June 29, 2018

ADNOC Joins Saudi Aramco, Buys Stake in Ratnagiri Refinery MUMBAI: Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) has signed an initial agreement to pick up a stake in the planned $44-billion Ratnagiri refinery in Maharashtra. ADNOC joins Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, in the project that is planned to come on stream by 2025.

“Saudi Aramco and ADNOC will together hold 50% stake. The terms are being discussed,” Aramco CEO Amin Nasser told reporters after inking the pact.

Originally, ADNOC was to sign the pact when oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month but the event got pushed back.

Saudi Aramco had in April signed an agreement to take up to 50% stake in the Ratnagiri refinery project. At the agreement signing event, Saudi Aramco had stated that it will at a later date dilute some of its 50% equity stake in the 60 million tonne-a-year refinery project in favour of another

strategic investor.

Now, the Saudi national oil company is diluting some of that stake to ADNOC. Nasser did not give the exact split of stake between Saudi Aramco and ADNOC. According to the April agreement, Aramco will supply half of the crude oil required for processing at the Ratnagiri refinery that will be commissioned by 2025. ADNOC will now supply some of the crude to be

processed at the unit.

State-owned refiners Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL) will own the remaining 50% stake.

Like other major producers, Saudi Aramco and ADNOC are looking to lock in customers in the world’s third-largest oil consumer through the investment. Kuwait too is looking to invest in projects in return for getting

an assured offtake of their crude oil.

Last year, Saudi Arabia invested in refinery projects in Indonesia and Malaysia that came with long-term crude oil supply deals. Saudi Arabia was the biggest oil supplier to India till 2016-17, but slipped behind Iraq last fiscal. It had supplied 39.5 million tonnes of crude oil to India in 201617, ahead of 37.5 million tonnes

by Iraq. But in the first 11 months of 2017-18 fiscal, Saudi supplies at 33.9 million tonnes lagged behind Iraqi exports of 42.4 million tonnes to India.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) supplies a small quantity of oil to India.

Saudi Aramco is also keen on venturing into fuel retailing in India.

India has a refining capacity of 232.066 MT, which exceeded the demand of 194.2 MT in 2016-17 fiscal. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), this demand is expected to reach 458 million tonnes by 2040. -- Live Mint

Ikea Bets Big on India, but Keeps Meatballs Off the Menu HYDERABAD: Furniture giant Ikea of Sweden AB is set to open its first store and restaurant in India after years of trying but arguably its most famous item is off the menu—Swedish meatballs.

Ikea, the world’s biggest furniture retailer, will next month cut the ribbon on a massive 37,000 square metre outlet in Hyderabad, complete with a 1,000-seater cafeteria.

The restaurant will be Ikea’s largest and will cater to local tastes, with religious sensitivities in India dictating that beef and pork, staples of Swedish meatballs, will not be served.

“There will be chicken meatballs and vegetarian balls,” Patrik Antoni, Ikea’s deputy country manager for India, told AFP during an interview in Mumbai.

“Fifty percent of the food will be Swedish inspired, salmon and shrimp dishes and so on. We’ll also have quite a few Indian dishes

Ikea store in Hyderabad will be inaugurated in July.

like dal makhani, biryani, samosas,” he added.

The Swedish multinational, which revolutionised household furnishings with its range of affordable ready-toassemble products, is betting big on India as it seeks new revenues away from its key Western markets.

Ikea plans to invest $1.5 billion in Asia’s third-largest economy as it seeks to lure price-sensitive Indians away from satisfying their furniture

needs at local, family-run shops.

Ikea has already spent close to $750 million procuring sites for four stores, including the Hyderabad one which will open in July on a date that is yet to be announced.

Outlets in Mumbai, Bangalore and the capital New Delhi will follow,Antoni said, without putting a timescale on them. He added that Ikea will then look at Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Kolkata.

“We are very bullish and excited about the Indian market. Normally, we would test a market by opening one store but in India, we are going all out and expanding,” said Antoni.

At 37,160 square metres the Hyderabad store will be comparable in size to an average Indian shopping mall. It will have 850 employees and is expected to attract several million visitors a year.

Alongside its popular Billy bookcases and Poang chairs, Ikea will also offer spice boxes and kitchen appliances to make traditional Indian staples such as idlis (rice cakes).

“We have done over a thousand home visits and interviewed people to try to understand their needs, dreams, aspirations and how they feel about their home,” explained Antoni. More than 1,000 products priced under Rs. 200 ($2.94) will be on sale. -- Live Mint

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

25

India Imposes Tariffs on US Steel, Agri Products NEW DELHI: With the Trump administration increasing import duties and initiating trade war with various countries including India, the Indian government has slapped higher duties on a number of items including apples, almonds, walnuts, diagnostic reagents and certain steel products.

A bulk of these products figure in a list of items imported from the US, alongside other countries.

India is the 21st largest agricultural export market for the US. Total American exports of agricultural products to India totaled $1.3 billion in 2016. Leading items in agricultural products category that are imported

by India from US include: tree nuts ($522 million), cotton ($250 million), pulses ($144 million), fresh fruit ($72 million), and planting seeds ($32 million).

The increased import duty includes a hike on Artemia — imported from the US – from 5 per cent to 15 per cent. Artemia is also known as “brine shrimp”. The import duty of “almonds in shell” has been increased from Rs 35 per kg to Rs 42 per kg.

Similarly, the import duty of “shelled almonds” has been increased from Rs 100 per kg to Rs 120 per kg.

The import duty of “walnuts in shell” has been increased from 30 per cent to 120 per cent. The import duty of apples has been increased from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. The import duty of phosphoric acid has been increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The import duty of boric acid has been increased from 10 per cent to 17.5 per cent.

Flat rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of 600 mm or more and of a thickness from 3 mm to 10 mm, saw a duty increase from 15 per cent to 22.5 per cent. Flat rolled products of other alloy steel (grain oriented), of a width of 600 mm or more, saw a duty increase from 15 per cent to 20 per cent.

Additionally, screws that are used in manufacturing of cellular mobile phones have been increased from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. -- Indian Express

26 June 29, 2018

COMMUNITY The 2018 South Asian Spelling Bee Kicks Off the Season with 4 Regionals N

EW JERSEY: Continuing its quest for the best speller in the community, the 2018 South Asian Spelling Bee (www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com) traveled to Illinois, California, Maryland, and North Carolina this past weekend with stops in Chicago, The Bay Area, Washington DC, and Charlotte.

With a huge turnout this year, the Bee attracted some top talent as well as young and new spellers that competed for the coveted prizes and titles.

In the Chicago Regional, Snehal Choudhury (13) of Massillon, Ohio was the regional champ and Maya Jadhav (9) of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was the first runner up.

In Bay Area, Rishik Gandhsri (12) of San Jose, California was the regional champ and Vayun Krishna (11) of Sunnyvale, California, was the first runner up.

In DC, Christopher Serrao (12) of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey

was the regional champ and Srivarun Hathwar (12) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was the first runner up.

In Charlotte, Vishal Madhudi (14) of Painted Post, New York was the regional champ and KyuCarlo Alegre (13) of Carrollton, Georgia, was the first runner up.

The event is open to children of South Asian descent up to 14 years of age. It will give South Asian children a chance to test their spelling skills in their core peer group.

Interested spellers need their parent or guardian to register them online at www.southasianspellingbee.com.

Organized by Touchdown Media Inc., the South Asian Spelling Bee is celebrating its 11th anniversary this year and with regionals being held in 6 locations across the United States.

Regional centers for this season include Washington, D.C. Metro, Charlotte, the Bay Area, Chicago, New Jersey, and Dallas. All events will be

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free to attend and open to the public.

An international regional in Accra, Ghana was conducted earlier this year, from where spellers of South Asian descent will qualify for the finals.

“For the past ten years, the Bee has consistently provided a firm platform for the community to come together and hone their craft. It’s become a family activity that contributes towards the overall development of the child.

We are proud to enter our eleventh consecutive year and look forward to engaging some of these wonderful spellers,” said Rahul Walia, founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee and CEO of Touchdown Media Inc. Within the past year the South Asian Spelling Bee has been exhaustively featured in “Breaking the Bee” and an exclusive story on VICE News that followed the journey of South Asian Spelling Bee spellers and the importance of the South Asian Spelling Bee platform being a vital step in their spelling journey.

The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August.

Champion’sgrandprizeof$3,000will be awarded to the winner at the finals.

This year, the Bee is proudly powered by Kawan- the world’s most popular Roti paratha brand returns as the powered by sponsor and as always, Sony Pictures Networks is the exclusive broadcast partner for the South Asian Spelling Bee and will be airing the series across 120 countries.

“Kawan is proud to return as a sponsor and we have tremendous faith in contributing towards crucial family time for the community. We look forward to getting to know the spellers and their families through this wonderful journey,” said Tim Tan, Managing Director Kawan Food.

“Year over year, the South Asian Spelling Bee has made for great programming that gels with our ethos of compete family entertainment. We

Charlotte: Vishal Madhudi (Regional Champion) and Kyu-Carlo Alegre (First Runner Up)

DC: Christopher Serrao (Regional Champion) and Srivarun Hathwar (First Runner Up).

are all about family values and encourage platforms such as these that highlight the talent of our community,” said Jaideep Janakiram, Head of Americas, Sony Pictures Networks.

For a complete schedule, registra-

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

tion and any other information, please visit: www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com. Find us on Facebook at South Asian Spelling Bee and you can follow us on our Twitter handle at Spell South Asian.

June 29, 2018

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