E newspaper07202018

Friday, July 20, 2018 • Vol. 37, No. 28

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COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

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“Life After : Loss of a Spouse” Helps Families Prepare for the Inevitable

HOUSTON: Losing a spouse can

be one of the most difficult times in one’s life. To make this transition a bit easier, it is helpful to know what needs to be done in advance and to understand the process for moving forward. With this goal in mind, India House, Share Our Secrets (SOS), Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACCGH) hosted a panel session “Life After: Loss of a Spouse” on Sunday, July 8, 2018, at India House, with a record audience of over 200 people.

Due to popular demand, this was the second time that the four organizations conducted a program on this topic, and it was just as successful as the first seminar conducted in October 2017. India House and SOS have now entered into a strategic relationship to bring more such educational seminars to the community in collaboration with subject matter experts and other community organizations.

The two-hour program was full of practical tips and steps for spouses to take before the passing of a spouse, right after the death of a spouse, and also on how to transition to a new lifestyle. The program hosted a panel of speakers from different backgrounds and was emceed by Dr. Anu Rao, ex-member IACAN Board.

First, Kumari Susarla, former president of IACAN, spoke on her experience after losing her husband. She was appreciative of the steps her husband took before his

death such as preparing a spreadsheet to monitor financial status, setting up automatic bill pay and becoming familiar with logging into various bank accounts and investment accounts. Next, Andrew Hardwick from the Social Security Administration informed the audience of Social Security spousal and survivor benefits.

Tupil Narasiman, CPA and member of IACCGH, followed Mr. Hardwick and laid out the steps people can take yesterday, today, and tomorrow to prepare financially for this major life event, e.g., having proper estate planning documents, listing out all assets and liabilities.

In conclusion, Biki Mohindra, SOS founder, advised the group on practical steps in six areas: daily routine, financial matters, governmental issues (taxes), insurance, emotional issues, and health issues. As Mr. Mohindra mentioned from seeing his mother’s experience, losing a spouse can be very difficult, but it is possible to make a healthy adjustment, if one has a positive outlook. The program ended with a lively Q&A session and introduction of upcoming programs.

Given the success of such programs, SOS is working with other community organizations to organize additional educational events specifically for seniors similar to the “Loss of a Spouse” event, on various aspects of “Life After” major events. Many of these issues are not taught at a university

Panelists at the “Life After: Loss of a Spouse) included Ranvir “Biki” Mohindra (SOS), Kumari Susarla (IACAN), Tupil Narasiman (IACCGH) and Andrew Hardwick (Social Security Administration).

The “Life After: Loss of a Spouse” seminar attracted a record audience at India House. Additional seminars on such educational topics are in the pipeline at India House.

or through a college curriculum.

For example, seminar topics could include financial literacy (social security, investing, and estate planning), health issues (planning for long-term care, medicare, etc.), and other topics important to seniors (staying connected with the next generation, charity and volunteer-

ing, etc). SOS is also planning to create new and thoughtful structures and groups for widows and widowers to help them to lead a full and fruitful life after the loss of a spouse.

SOS hopes to play the role of a catalyst and educational agency for future such events with India

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

House as the focal point.

Organizations and community members interested in providing input on possible topics, and participating or helping with planning/organizing these efforts are encouraged to contact Atma Ram (atma.ram1@gmail.com) or Mani Subramanian kohur@aol.com.

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COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

In Houston Suburbs, Kulkarni Outraises 5-term Incumbent Pete Olson for the Second Quarter

HOUSTON:

Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in TX-22, Sri Preston Kulkarni, outraised 5-term incumbent Pete Olson (R-TX) for the quarter beginning April 1 and ending on June 30, bringing in over $234,000 over that period. Despite having only begun his campaign in December, Kulkarni has also already outraised the incumbent in individual contributions for the entire campaign cycle, with $376,000

in individual contributions, compared to $359,000 for Olson. Kulkarni has outraised all previous Democratic challengers in District 22 for the past eight years combined in this district, which covers the Greater Houston suburbs (Katy, Sugar Land, Richmond, Missouri City, Pearland, Friendswood).

TX-22 is now one of seven Congressional districts in Texas where the Democratic nominee has outraised the Republican in-

cumbent.

Kulkarni attributes his success, like that of U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke, to the power of the grassroots. Two-thirds of Rep. Olson’s funds came from PAC contributions, while Kulkarni refuses to take any corporate contributions, with 94% of contributions coming from individual donors. “All across Texas, we have seen the power of the grassroots. When a first-time candidate out-

Sri Preston Kulkarni

raises a longtime incumbent, that’s a sign that the people of our district disappointed with their representation and are hungry for change. The 22nd district wants a candidate who represents them, not special interests.

We reject corporate contributions because our constituents want to know that votes in Congress won’t be bought.” said Kulkarni.

Kulkarni is also talking to a broader range of constituents than the incumbent, including those traditionally considered unlikely voters, as well as people who don’t strongly identify with either party. “This campaign is gaining momentum every day, by engaging all of its communities. Our team reflects the fact that our district is the most diverse in Texas and Fort Bend is the second most diverse county in the country. We have Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Jewish staff, and are gender inclusive. One in four of our volunteers is under 25. We’re reaching out to voters in 13 different languages. Olson has been silent or supportive as leaders of his party have pushed back on gender equality and encouraged religious and ethnic tension across the country. We have focused on universal values, such as keeping families and children healthy, educated, and safe. Outraising the incumbent is a clear sign that the people of this district want a candidate who cares more about building and unifying this district. That’s exactly what we plan to do.”

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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July 20, 2018

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7th Annual Greater Houston Rath Yatra Celebrated at Char Dham Hindu Temple THE WOODLANDS: Lord

Jagannath works in His own mysterious ways. While all day long, it was hot and humid, just before Rath Yatra it was pouring.

“Lord Jagannath made sure that the streets are cleaned before His chariot is pulled”, said ISKCON’s Saranga Thakura Das. It was indeed a miracle that after raining heavily for over an hour, the rain clouds disappeared for the rest of the evening. This paved the way for devotees to pull the chariots inside Char Dham Temple grounds in much cooler temperature.

Rath Yatra is the celebration of Lord Jagannath’s annual visit to Gundicha Mandir, his aunt’s place.

In Puri, millions congregate every year to witness Rath Yatra and three decorated chariots are pulled in Bada Danda by thousands of devotees. Keeping with this tradition, three beautifully decorated chariots were pulled around the Char Dham temple grounds with throngs of humble devotees singing and dancing in slow majestic rhythm to kirtans by the Kirtaniyas from ISKCON. Priests doled out Prasad (blessed whole fruits and specially made sweets of Khaja and Laddoos) to devotees.

Throngs of believers seeking Lord Jagannath’s blessings, vied for the divine opportunity to pull the ropes of the chariots along in the procession, devotional aspects of which was led by ISKCON. Special Puja and Archana of the Lord took place in the morning followed by Chappan Bhog (56 different items were presented before the Lord). The afternoon celebration started at 5pm with cultural program where many groups from the Woodlands and all around the Greater Houston area participated.

While the cultural program was coming to an end, priests started the Sandhya Arati and the Kirtaniyas from ISKCON started the kirtan inside the temple. The Pahandi took place around 7:15, whereby devotees brought the deities out from the main temple to the chari-

ots via the flight of stairs containing 22 steps. Priests from Char Dham Temple climbed atop the chariots and did Puja for a smooth Rath Yatra. Keeping with the Puri tradition, Dwarkanath Das from ISKCON was the ceremonial king who swept in front of the chariots to clear their path. Enthusi-

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astic devotees pulled the chariots around the temple grounds not once but three times, after which the chariots were pulled back in front of the Jagannath temple.

Priests in three chariots started the Maha Arati simultaneously, which was a spectacle to behold. This was followed by Prasad where

devotees got a chance to taste the Chappan Bhog.

Dr. Surya Sahoo had a vision to bring this festival to Houston few years back when he and his wife, Kabita, experienced a miracle.

Kabita suffered from paralysis on her right side after a stroke, but was determined to visit the original ancient Rath Yatra in Puri, India. As they approached the chariots in the procession, magically Kabita was able to climb one of the chariots – by herself – and felt the feeling return to her right side. “We wanted to recreate the festival here in Houston and offer everyone a chance to experience the Lord of the Universe’s divine blessing,” said Kabita. Char Dham temple opened in March, 2018 making it possible for devotees to

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Photos: Namananda Das, ISKCON Houston

make a more convenient, shortened pilgrimage to the Char Dham Temples – the four sacred worship sites originally found at the four corners of India – Badrinath in the north, Dwarkanath in the west, Rameswaram in the south and Jagannath in the east.

At the end, devotees had a great time in the midst of cooling breezes, Indian food, music, dances, and chariot pulling. The devotees are looking forward to the Bahuda Yatra (Return Rath Yatra) to be celebrated at the Char Dham Temple on Sunday, July 22. For more event photos and videos, visit greaterhoustonrathyatra.org or skaifoundation.org.

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COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

Amerejuve Medspa’s 7th Location Opens @ The BayBrook Mall

HOUSTON:

Amerejuve Medspa celebrated the Grand Opening of its 7th location in Houston at the BayBrook Mall on Saturday July 14, with Masala Radio’ Bollywood music, greeters, giveaways & a cool mix of mimosas & samosas. Even before entering the modern store, guests were invited to spin the Amerejuve wheel, and win one many cool prizes including Micro Facials, small area of Laser Hair Removal, or 50% off Coolsculpting. A team of 10 techs, led by Houston Area manager Epris Althen and Baybrook Mall Manager Malori McLearen, were excited to greet guests all day with open doors, introducing them to Amerejuve’s extensive line of Med Spa treatments, including Laser Hair Removal, IPL Photofacial, Laser Skin Resurfacing, Skin Tightening, eMatrix, BOTOX, Voluma, Volbella, Juvederm, Kybella, VASER Shape, SkinMedica Chemical Peels, Facials, Microdermabrasion, LATISSE, B12, Ultherapy, Skin Pen, SkinMedica Products, Elta MD Sunscreen, Revision Skincare and Baby Foot Peel.

In a relaxed setting with complimentary food and drinks, patrons could ask all their questions about the treatments, receive demos to quell any fears, and sample their high end skin care products. The most popular Grand Opening spe-

cial package price was $999 for 6 sessions of Full Body Laser, and one of the biggest attractions to this location was that it was open 7 days a week. Charu arrived at 9:30 AM to be one of the first signups, “ I live five minutes from here and they will take appointments from 12-8PM on Sundays, perfect as I work the other 6 days a week”. Purvi signed up for a full body package for her husband Dharmesh saying, “I and most of my friends already completed a course of Laser Hair Removal from Amerejuve years ago when they first opened, but this package is also good for our Indian men who really have excessive hair in some odd but visible places”.

While the Full Body route is extremely popular for teens and millennias who don’t think twice of the benefit of removing unwanted hair permanently from their body, there were quite a few ladies in their 40’s and 50’s who came in for the first time. One older patron remarked, “As I aged, I noticed new growth of hair on my chin, and several new places, and when I heard the radio promotions, I realized that it was so worth it to get rid of the embarrassment once and for all”.

Amerejuve is owned and operated by an Atlanta based group, with locations in California, Georgia, and Texas, and looking to expand

nationwide. Houston spokesperson Amee Patel encourages people to call in on Masala Radio and ask her questions during her frequent Q & A sessions. “I believe that modern medicine has so much to offer us to maintain our youth. We are living so much longer, why not take advantage of all the state of the art, FDA approved technology

tion, as well as non-invasive body contouring treatments including Zeltiq Coolsculpting.

Visit Amerejuve.com or call 713-960-6262 to schedule a complimentary consultation at one of their 7 locations in Houston: Sugar Land, Katy, Galleria, Memorial, Shepherd, The Woodlands and now Baybrook Mall.

that Amerejuve has to offer to look and feel young as long as possible.

We spend so much on our homes, cars, and vacations, and even for medically necessary treatments and medicines, but we still don’t feel great when we look at the mirror”. The second most popular treatment was Velashape for cellulite and circumferential reduc-

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COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

RAYS of Our Lives

The executive team, (standing, from left): Prince Bhojwani (copresident), Mohit Moondra (co-president), Arpan Somani (member development chair). (Sitting, from left): Sarika Malani (external development chair), Sweta Maheshwari (member development chair), Nita Bhojwani (public relations Chair), and Nikita Maheshwari (operations chair)

Youth between the ages of 13-35 met for icebreakers where familiar faces were reunited and new faces were introduced. Pictured is a game of ‘extreme rock, paper, scissors’ between a member of RAYS and a member of RAY Js.

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BY NITA BHOJWANI

SANTA

CLARA (CA): The Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (MMNA) strives to create a community that actively involves the youth with a range of activities. In an effort to carry on the Maheshwari culture and ideologies, with focused initiatives such as the Rajasthanis Abroad Youth Samaj (RAYS) that has been in place since 2005. The mission for RAYS is to form connections among Marwari youth (ages 13-35) living in North America through shared culture and heritage.

In an effort to bring members across the country together, MMNA hosts the International Maheshwari Rajasthani Convention (IMRC) biennially to honor and preserve Rajasthani culture as well as a forum to enable us to grow stronger as a community.

This year, the biennial convention took place in Santa Clara, CA from June 30-July 3 and hosted a record breaking 750 members with special guests invited from all corners of the world.

The mission of RAYS at IMRC is to foster and grow a community of young (21 to 35 years of age) Marwaris. RAYS hopes to strengthen existing friendships and create new ones, anchored in our shared heritage. RAYS hope to explore our culture, network professionally, and of course, have a CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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RAYS of Our Lives

good time!

The organization developed specialized programming for members including professional networking and social justice.

Professional networking focused on connecting RAYS youth with other members to discuss and work on best practices in the workplace. This year, social justice was a gamified breakout session that allowed members of RAYS to understand the issues surrounding ethical consumption and how our economic footprint creates a lasting impact on the environment and livelihood of others. Namita Pallod, volunteer, explained

that, “social justice is my favorite break out session. I really enjoy how it is structured to stretch your brain a little and make you think out of the box about daily issues that are very pertinent to our daily lives. Afterwards, I’m always caught re-evaluating my lifestyle and why I do things a certain way.

It’s always an added bonus to then be able to discuss the various situations with people of a similar background and how different or similar their perspectives can be. This year, being a part of the organizing committee was extremely rewarding, as I got to play a heavier role in the planning process from start to finish.”

This year, RAYS introduced ‘RAY Js’, which is a group for juniors between the ages of 13-20. For the first time, this age group were immersed in day long activities breakout sessions encouraged members to speak about the current political climate, and allowed students to connect with a seasoned, yet personable panel to help create a discussion for academic and personal issues. Panelist Kaajal Baheti said that, “It was a humbling experience to be sitting in a room of 16-21 year olds and becoming a part of the safe space and community we instantaneously created. Though I was over 10 years older than some of the participants - I immediately realized our life experiences - coming from the same cultural background - were and would be very similar. It was heartwarming to see the RAYs Js members get an opportunity to simple talk to someone that they could related to. It is beautiful to see how our community - major kudos specifically to Nita Bhojwani (PR Chair) and Arpan Somani (Member Development Chair) - create this space for RAYs Js to connect with MMNA RAYs members - giving each of them someone to listen to, someone to reach out to, something to get advice from, someone to share thoughts with - and most importantly someone as a friend. Forever grateful for this opportunity and I cannot wait to hear about the journey of some of these RAYs Js members I met as they go into their next phase of life!”

For the first time ever, RAYS was given an opportunity to reach out to the larger MMNA family to raise funds in an effort to further the organization’s aspirations. RAYS co-presidents Prince Bhojwani and Mohit Moondra shared their five year plan called RAYS 2023 which was well received and prompted MMNA members to donate generously during a brief fundraiser providing us the needed reinforcement and support to implement on our vision. The four part plan focuses on increasing the growth of the organization while simultaneously maintaining engagement across the 13-35 age range.

This will be done by scheduling more regional events throughout the year, working with chapters to facilitate their philanthropic efforts, foster a world class mentorship program, and provide grants to our members working passionately to better their own communities. Prince Bhojwani, RAYS CoPresident said, “The mission for RAYS is to form connections among Marwari youth living in North America through shared culture and heritage. We connect almost 400 Maheshwari youth (ages 21 - 35) across the country by hosting annual events. By raising funds, RAYS will be able to do double down on this mission by creating a world class mentorship program, assist communities connected to our members, and sponsor the wide array of non-profit projects started by our youth.”

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

COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

Indians Melt into the American Canvas of Immigrants

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

Pradeep Sulhan, P.C.

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HOUSTON: Every Sunday for

the past twenty years, I have lazily flipped through the pages of the 2-inch high stack of sections of the New York Times, taking in the news from far and near and marveling at the incredible number of stories that ordinarily are obscured in most local news outlets. I feel a tinge of satisfaction when I read my local daily, the Houston Chronicle, and routinely find a few articles from the Times in its copy, usually of top political stories or one of those interesting feature stories that only an investigative reporter could file.

Then there are the Sunday Styles and Vows section.

Like I said, I flip through the Times over my morning cup of Joe and after dreaming of far off places in the Travel section, drift into the Styles pages where you catch stories about new trends and trendsetters, artists, romances some lost and some rekindled, obits and vows taken by newlyweds.

For years I would simply glance through the Vows, which run at least one whole page (which can be 12 to 15 couples), and usually carries a picture of the happy couples along with a narrative that is their love story and short bio rolled into a concise few paragraphs. Occasionally there would be a whole page on a couple, written adoringly by a close friend or relative, and sometimes a followup a few years later on the outcome of their successful union.

Most of the couples who submit their stories and pictures (that’s right, you submit and have to pay a publishing fee for the pleasure!) come from the New York City area, which is, as a huge melting pot, representative of what is happening around the country in other large urban areas. And I have noticed a few striking but interesting trends in those twenty years.

First, if you take a close look at the couples, you’ll notice that they have very similar smiles and facial features, even if they are from different races, and only a

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few are exaggeratedly different.

Could this be a harbinger of a successful marriage, I have often wondered? Is it some karma consciousness that brought these similar featured two people together?

In the past five years, I have noticed that many more gay couples have started to show up after exchanging vows, which also reflects the growing national trend, and the same resemblances surface there. And another trend that strikes home to me, as an immigrant, are the growing number of inter-racial unions. It has become a sort of statistical game for me that there will be at least one such couple among the pages, and there usually is. And among them, the number of Oriental and Indian – usually with Hindu names – couples is growing.

That brought me full circle to my own experience over the past fifty years in this country. My whole batch of college mates married into the mainstream or partners from another culture, whether Japanese, Filipino, Latino, French, German, Thai, Cambodian, Nigerian, you name it. I myself married a Parisian and my best friend, Nick, a Sikh, married an Anglo girl from Pearland.

Of course, we became outcasts in our own native cultures which were heavily focused on raising their kids in the desi culture, emphasizing their involvement in Indian religious and pageant

events and frowned upon marrying a “bahar ki” (outsider). It became hard to stay involved as the interracial couples tried to find a middle ground, and we hung around on the periphery of our own cultures, waiting for moments to fit in. Some marriages succeeded through all the cultural shocks, but many broke apart as the pressures were too intense.

Fast forward thirty years and the same desi families that tried to hold back the tide see they could do so no longer. Their own kids have chosen partners from the mainstream – almost 20 whom I personally know.

So, despite years of immersion in an Anglicized Indian culture (where they even speak only English at home), they are more representative of growing up American than they are Indian.

It is a tide that many other immigrant groups have had to ride and as King Solomon once said, you cannot hold back the tide.

And the Vows pages of the New York Times keeps showing how that tide is only getting stronger.

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12 July 20, 2018 R

eading might not be the activity of choice for your child over the summer months, but you can most certainly make it fun and engaging for children of all ages. Best in Class Education Center discusses some fun reading activities and crafts to engage your child during summer vacation. Here is a look at a variety of different summer reading activities for children of all ages.

DIY Summer Reading Bag Summer reading calls for a new summer book bag. Head to your local craft store and purchase a plain canvas tote for your child to decorate. Let your child use their imagination to design the bag however they like, with paint, stickers, stencils, and more. These bags make for a cute, fun tote and encourage kids to want to fill their bags with books when you head out to the local library.

DIY Bookmark Craft Create customized bookmarks at home made out of felt or scrapbook paper that can be found at the craft store. Encourage your child to make a new bookmark for each book they read over the summer.

EDUCATION DIY Summer Reading Challenges The best way to hold your child accountable for their reading over the summer is to set aside a designated reading time every day. This helps your child build this time into their schedule and creates consistency for them each day. Even if it is 30 minutes a day in the afternoon after outdoor activities, allotting this time into their schedule will entice them to read and will provide ample downtime for your child to rest as well.

Summer vacation is not over yet! Take the time to incorporate some of these reading activities into your child’s schedule so they are prepared and ready for school this fall.

Family Reading Goals Do research with your child and discuss the different books they are excited to read during break. A great place to do this is at your local library! For each book that your child reads, set a goal or prize for reading the entire book. This exercise is a great way to keep your child in-

volved and engaged with their summer reading choices but will also entice them to finish all of their books.

Summer Book Club Depending on your child’s age, arrange a summer book club in your local community. You can host an event at

your home or local park, and the group can get together to discuss the book and read together. Each child can make illustrations for the book, either of their favorite scenes or a revised book cover.

Setting a Reading Time for Each Day

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Best in Class Education Centers offer math and English enrichment summer programs. For more information about Best in Class services for your child or about current franchising opportunities, visit www.bestinclasseducation. com or call toll free at 1-888683-8108.

COMMUNITY

July 20, 2018

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World Sanskrit Conference Recognizes Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan as Distinct Vedanta Tradition nia. He said, “The World Sanskrit Conference is proud to honor this new and truly historic achievement in the world of Sanskrit philosophical culture. It is the first Sanskrit commentary on the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita in nearly 200 years and the first commentary on the complete set by a single acharya in over 1200 years. This five-volume commentary, known as the Swaminarayan Bhashyam, interprets the Prasthantrayi through the lens of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan. We are fortunate to have present before us today, in Bhadreshdas Swami, the acharya who, in the tradition of Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Vallabha, CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

VANCOUVER

(Canada): The 17th World Sanskrit Conference, the premier international forum for Sanskrit scholars, recognized Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan as the first new independent school of Vedanta since the 16th century. The recently authored ground-breaking Sanskrit works on the Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, the Swaminarayan Bhashyam and the Swaminarayan Siddhanta-Sudha by Sadhu Bhadreshdas of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, were also launched in the conference’s inaugural session on July 9, 2018 in Vancouver, Canada.

More than 600 eminent Sanskrit scholars and educators had gathered from over 40 countries for this historic event. The triennial World Sanskrit Conference, which for the last half-century has been bringing the finest minds in the world of Sanskrit together to advance understanding of Sanskrit language and literature, was held for the first time in Canada, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. World Sanskrit Conference organizing committee member and senior Sanskrit scholar from the University of British Columbia, Professor Ashok Aklujkar said, “Bhadreshdas Swami is one of the most amazing personalities of the religious traditions of India that I have ever met. His scholarly genius is jaw-dropping, and his commentaries on the Prasthantrayi are a truly great achievement. I think all of us at the World Sanskrit Conference are fortunate to have a bhashyakar in our midst. Just as the Kashi Vishva Parishad acknowledged Swaminarayan Bhagwan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan as a distinct darshan in the Vedanta tradition, we are honored to do the same from the platform of the World Sanskrit Conference.”

Mahamahopadhyaya Bhadreshdas Swami, an eminent Sanskrit scholar and ordained swami of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, completed the Swaminarayan Bhashyam, a five-volume comprehensive Sanskrit commentary on Hinduism’s three Vedic canonical texts (Prasthanatrayi) – the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras – in 2007. These three texts form the foundation for the philosophical beliefs of Hindu Vedanta (commentarial) traditions.

In 2017, Bhadreshdas Swami also completed the Swaminarayana-Siddhanta-Sudha, a classical Sanskrit dialectic treatise that offers an exposition, justification, and defense of the Akshar-Purushottam Darshan’s theological and philosophical principles.

The significance of Bhadreshdas Swami’s achievement was highlighted by Professor Deven Patel of the University of PennsylvaINDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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July 20, 2018

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16 July 20, 2018

COMMUNITY

Suspect Found Guilty in Victoria Mosque Arson Case

VICTORIA, TX: The jury in the

two-week long trial of the suspect in the January 28 fire that burned the only mosque in Victoria, 125 miles southwest of Houston, delivered its verdict on July 17. After deliberating less than three hours, they found the suspect, Marq Vincent Perez, 26, guilty on all counts of arson, commission of a hate crime and use of an unregistered destructive device in an unrelated crime. He faces 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on October 2.

“Hold him accountable for what he did. Find him guilty,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharad Khandelwal to the jury at the end of his closing arguments. “Justice has

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 and others, has composed these commentaries.”

World-renowned Sanskrit scholar from the University of Pennsylvania, Professor George Cardona aptly detailed the importance of the Bhadreshdas Swami’s work in establishing Akshar Purushottam Darshan saying, “This is a very important classical Sanskrit commentary that very clearly and effectively explains that Akshar is distinct from Purushottam.”

In the conference’s inaugural

been served,” said Abe Ajrami, a Victoria Islamic Center leader and one of several congregation members in the courtroom.

The incident generated international media attention and more than $1 million in donations for the reconstruction of the mosque, which is slated to reopen in a few weeks. Much interest was drawn to the case after a board member of the local Jewish synagogue, B’nai Israel Temple offered the keys of the temple for the Muslim congregation to pray a day after the arson attack.

That board member, Dr. Gary Branfman, a 61-year-old Jewish plastic surgeon, could see the

flames from his house. He drove to the house of the mosque’s president, Dr. Shahid Hashmi, a 69year-old fellow surgeon who is a former neighbor and longtime friend and handed him the keys without asking the board’s permission, but decided to ask their forgiveness later.

Branfman was asked to be the guest speaker at the Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston’s annual Eid Milan Gala held on June 30. He described how his act of generosity and religious coexistence had brought him renown and even speaking engagements from my parts of the world, though that was not his intention.

World Sanskrit Conference

address, Bhadreshdas Swami explained the principles of the Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, the classical name of the distinct school of Vedanta. This darshan was revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the 19th century and propounded by His Holiness Shastriji Maharaj, the third spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the founder of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

Bhadreshdas Swami further explained: “The essence of AksharPurushottam Darshan is to offer devotion to Purushottam, the supreme being, with loving servitude having qualitatively realized oneself as Akshar, who takes the form of the exemplary living guru.”

This was followed by the blessings of Ishwarcharandas Swami, INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

the International Convener of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, who appreciated the great work of the World Sanskrit Conference and encouraged Sanskrit research and learning.

The World Sanskrit Conference’s inaugural session concluded with all the assembled scholars collectively recognizing Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan as a distinct school of philosophy in the Vedanta tradition.More details at: https://www.baps.org/ News/2018/World-Sanskrit-Conference-Recognizes-Akshar-Purushottam-Darshan-13580.aspx

BEAUTY

July 20, 2018

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7 Surprisingly Simple Tips to Remove Dark Circles Under Eyes Naturally & Forever also suggests not drinking alcohol a few hours before bedtime. “If dark, puffy bags under your eyes seem to be a morning problem, consider sleeping on your back with an extra pillow so that fluid doesn’t pool overnight,” Dr Karol says.

Anyone who works a job that has

any kind of stress level knows that the constant ‘no sleep’ situation is so real. You’ve probably Googled ‘how to remove dark circles under eyes naturally’ or ‘dark circles under eyes treatment’ on more than one occasion, and you’d do almost anything to get rid of them.And even after you’ve tried a million expensive treatments, they usually come back.

Truth is, your eye puffiness and darkness could be inherited. “The undereye area is one of the thinner areas and is easily neglected in basic skin care,” Dr Amitabh Kumar, skin specialist, Max Hospital, Delhi, says.

“There is a strong genetic component to dark circles, which is out of people’s control,” he adds. Yes, much of the reason you have those circles is because of your parents’ own thin skin. Sometimes you have them because of an increase in pig-

ment in that area. But don’t run to the doctor asking for a pricey laser or other cosmetic treatment.

Below are the best ways to remove dark circles under eyes that won’t cost you much. Follow these make-up tips

to look your best.

Sleep more and on your back, using an extra pillow The cheapest way to reduce the appearance of undereye bags is to get on a regular sleep routine of seven to eight hours per day, Dr V Karol, a Delhi-based skin specialist, says. He

Use lightening products and sunscreen Sometimes dark circles are caused by increased pigment, either from rubbing or from sun damage, Dr Karol says. “The best treatment for this includes topical lightening agents such as vitamin C and licorice extract. These ingredients help decrease skin pigmentation over time, ultimately resulting in the lightening of the dark circles.”

And you must wear sunscreen.

“Invest in a broad-spectrum physical sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide,” Dr Karol says.

Be gentle with your make-up remover “Consider your under-eyes as sensitive skin even if you may not necessarily have sensitive skin. Under-eye skin is among the thinnest on the body, so any trauma or irritation

can cause skin inflammation,” Dr Kumar says.

He suggests taking gentle strokes in a single direction rather than rubbing back and forth.

Take an antihistamine “Most people have darkness under the eyes due to allergies and don’t realise it. An antihistamine helps clear that upt,” Dr Kumar says.

Use a retinoid cream “With repeated use, retinol can stimulate the production of collagen, making the skin less thin and improving the dark circles. They are easy to

find at the chemist,” Dr Kumar says.

Try tea bags “Caffeinated tea, which contains natural tannins, is a mild diuretic and often used by models for reducing eye

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

puffiness. Soak two tea bags in warm water, then chill the bags for a few minutes in the refrigerator. Place one tea bag on each eye for five minutes, and your eyes will feel fresh and look brighter,” Shagun Arora, owner of Kolkata-based Be Diva salon, says.

Use essential oils If you’re into essential oils, you’ll be happy to know there are several oils that combat under-eye puffiness and dark circles. “Try mixing an essential oil with coconut oil and rubbing it under your eyes. Rose geranium, fennel, lavender, German chamomile and rosemary essential oil are hailed as the best essential oils for getting rid of under-eye bags,” Shagun says. ~Hindustantimes.com

18 July 20, 2018 Taking Tiffin to the Multiplex

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY #Everywhere -- Decoding the Hashtag

BY SANTOSH DESAI

Whatever happened to ‘minimum government, maximum governance’? Going by the Maharashtra government’s decision to allow moviegoers to carry their own food inside multiplexes in the name of ‘protecting consumer interests’, a maximum harebrained idea has been okayed.

The knee-jerk reaction follows a Bombay High Court directive asking the state government to file an affidavit on what steps it proposes to regulate ‘exorbitant’ prices of food items at multiplexes. Instead, the government has set out to proactively damage Maharashtra’s multiplex industry. In any case, it’s not as if moviegoers use cinemas as restaurants. The purpose, lest there be any confusion, is to watch movies.

Also, multiplex-owners are not forcing them to buy multiplex food while they watch the latest Avengers movie.

Letting people bring in non-standardised food — in tiffincarriers, takeaway boxes, dabbas — will not only spoil the environment (think: whiffs of chicken rezala and dahi vada mixing in the enclosed space, and mango rinds on the aisles) but will also be a security nightmare.

Multiplex owners are in the business to make profits. They are well within their rights to bar outside eatables in cinemas.

Meddling with their business model that gives them the freedom to set market-attested ticket prices, monitor boxoffice collections and leverage revenue sources that include food and beverages — which account for 35-40% of their revenues — makes no sense. A diktat amounts to setting ‘administered food prices’, a throwback to the bad old days of licence-permit raj.

However, charges of predatory pricing, or cartelisation to prevent competition, can be genuine. They should be probed by the Competition Commission of India that is tasked with ensuring free play in markets. The state must keep off. Inside cinemas, it’s also a free market.

The decision sent shares of multiplex operators tumbling, with PVR Ltd and INOX Leisure Ltd — the state’s two major multiplex chains — diving by 14.1 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, on the NSE index.

The regulatory zeal could also have the unfortunate effect of pushing back the multiplex revolution in the country — one that flowered because the urban consumer wanted a change from dingy movie halls with uncomfortable seats, unhygienic food and toilets.-- Times of India

New worlds bring with them new signs. In the digital world, perhaps none is as ubiquitous as the hashtag.

In a short time, the # has become part of our vocabulary, framing our exertions on the internet with its inventive functionality. We hashtag words to infuse them with a new powerful meaning, and convert them from mere words to potential junctions teeming with life. The hashtag allows us to participate in bigger conversations as well as make our own contributions discoverable by a much larger audience.

Hashtags are changing the world in a whole range of ways. They have become the pivot of strong and profoundly influential social movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo. They enable subjects to trend on Twitter, thereby determining what constitutes our sense of what is important in the here and now. They help create a new brand of celebrities, whose every post reaches numbers not imaginable previously.

All of eleven years old in its current form, the hashtag is largely a user-based innovation, that gained in popularity reportedly after a forest fire in San Diego in 2007. In this very short frame of time, it has become an intrinsic part of our digital vocabulary.

In the leaderless world of social media, particularly Twitter and Instagram, who gets the right to start a conversation and how do others get to participate? The hashtag creates opportunities for structures to form organically. People gravitate to hashtags, crowds build.

It is the still point of universe that is turning dizzily, a place where things come to rest, assemble. The idea of a linguistic device that produces a completely new kind of a social instrument is quite fascinating. By using a symbol used earlier largely to denote a number, and giving it a new functionality, entirely new kinds of conversations have been enabled on social media.

One can think of the hashtag as a gathering spot that allows the otherwise commonplace to become attention-getting. The word or phrase elevated to a junction. A call to arms. A

common flag to fly under. A hashtag like #MeToo derives its power because it is sharp but not narrow, it helps strike a precise chord of recognition while inviting participation from a wide range of experiences.

Social media acts as a public square but even on an open platform like Twitter, without a device like the hashtag, we could all be talking about the same thing but because we might be using slightly different language to do so, we may very easily be talking past each other.

The hashtag makes things easier by enabling discovery in its design.

A subject identifies itself and invites participation, making conversations self-organising. In a sense, the idea of search is reversed. The emphasis here is on being found, obviating the need for an elaborate search.

The internet is a boundless universe without geography. In order to navigate it better, we construct our own version of topography in this shapeless world by erecting little islands in fast moving streams of information.

Theorists Mol & Law use the idea of ‘Immutable Mobiles’ to describe the nature of the hashtag. Immutable mobiles are objects that ‘have structure and are unchangeable’, enabling the accretion of knowledge and interaction at the same site. They help create stability in a volatile system, bringing everyone on the same page, in the case of the hashtag, more or less literally. Even a slight change in the hashtag, for instance can fracture conversations.

The hashtag helps compress complex subjects into something graspable and help create circulation. In doing so, it also simultaneously reduces the complexity of a subject to a phrase

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with currency.

The full range of context and meanings that surround a subject can get sacrificed in this act of reduction.

Also, today the profusion of hashtags that populate the digital space has served to undermine the utility of this device. What we see today is a cacophonous clamouring for attention, because of too many hashtags competing to get noticed.

The explosion of hashtags on social media is a sign of our growing need for audiences. We want to be noticed, and for our words to carry social currency. The hashtag is a plea for inclusion, a form of self-tagging that acts as a feeler that we send out to the world communicating our need to be noticed.

We dangle our ideas to the world hoping that the bait will be taken.

By making words clickable, they become charged with the potential of articulating collective sentiment. Like the hyperlink before it, the hashtag is not an inert destination but a living gateway to something much larger than itself.

While the hyperlink transports us somewhere else, the hashtag connects us all back to the same place, the mothership, so to speak. As an act that is alive with potential, it is hard to imagine anything else that has greater power. A hashtag can potentially connect one with anyone else in the world who finds interest in what one has to say and make us one with a powerful global current.

It is interesting how the digital world creates its own devices to breathe meaning into itself. It can take the form of a new kind of visual language like the emoji, which creates a new form of communication. Or it can use instruments of the old world to create new meaning. The erstwhile hash sign and the ampersand (@) are examples of this ability to eke new meaning out of earlier symbols.

When we think of innovations, we usually think in terms of technology or processes, not that often of language or in this case, a tiny symbol.

Give me a fulcrum, and i will move the world, Archimedes is rumoured to have said. Probably talking about a hashtag. -- ToI. Santosh Desai is a leading advertising professional.

LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI T

The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 6

he story thus far…Gandhi’s activism on behalf of the Indians in South Africa, brought him much strife. The local Afrikaners and the British considered him as a troublemaker. He was attacked by angry mobs. With his calm demeanor, he wins over the people, and even gets to help create an ambulance corps.

The Durban police rescued Gandhi from a bloodthirsty mob. He was escorted by the police to Rustomji’s house, where a doctor attended to his injuries.

“They are sure to calm down when they realize their mistake,” he said.

Late in the evening, another mob of white people surrounded the house.

“We must have Gandhi,” angry voices demanded. The mob was getting more and more threatening. “Give us Gandhi or we will bum down the house,” they shouted.

Gandhi knew that they might carry out their threat. To save his friend’s house, he slipped out in disguise, eluding the crowd. Two days later a message came from London. Joseph Chamberlain, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, asked the Natal Government to prosecute every man guilty of attacking Gandhi. The Natal Government expressed its regret for the incident to Gandhi and assured him that the assailants would be punished. When Gandhi was called upon to identify the offenders, however, he would not do so.

“I do not want to prosecute anyone,” he told the Natal Government.

“I do not hold the assailants to blame.

They were misled by false reports about me and I am sure that when the truth becomes known they will be sorry for their conduct.”

Gandhi’s statement suddenly changed the atmosphere in Durban.

The press declared Gandhi innocent and condemned his assailants.

The Durban incident raised Gandhi’s prestige and won more sympathy abroad for the Indians in South Africa. As the struggle in South Africa continued, a change was coming over Gandhi. He had begun with a life of ease and comfort, but this was shortlived. As he became more and more involved in public activities, his way of life became simpler. He started cutting down his expenses. He took to washing and ironing his own clothes, and he did it so badly at first that the

As the struggle in South Africa continued, a change was coming over Gandhi. He had begun with a life of ease and comfort, but this was shortlived.

As he became more and more involved in public activities, his way of life became simpler. He started cutting his expenses.

He took to washing and ironing his own clothes, and he did it so badly at first that the other lawyers laughed at him.

other lawyers laughed at him. But soon he became quite an expert at this and his collars were no less stiff and shiny than theirs. Gandhi once went to an English barber in Pretoria.

The barber insolently refused to cut a ‘black’ man’s hair. Gandhi at once bought a pair of clippers and cut his own hair. He succeeded more or less in cutting the front part but spoilt the back. He looked very funny and his friends in the court laughed at him.

“What’s wrong with your hair Gandhi? Have rats been gnawing at it?” they asked.

“No,” said Gandhi proudly, “I have cut my hair myself.” Then Gandhi tried changes in his food. He started taking uncooked food. He believed that if a man lived on fresh fruits and nuts he could master his passions and acquire spiritual strength. He made many experiments with his diet. He even came to the conclusion that fasting increased one’s will power.

While he was thus experimenting with himself, the Boer war broke out. The Boers were South Africans of Dutch origin. They were fighting

Mahatma Gandhi Library, Inc. Essay

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the British. Neither of these two white nations had treated the Indians well. Gandhi did not want to support either of them, but his familiarity with the British made him organize an Indian ambulance corps to help them.

To his puzzled followers, he said: “India can achieve complete emancipation only through development within the British Empire. Therefore we must help the British.”

The British won the war and the ambulance corps was disbanded.The newspapers in England praised the services rendered by the Indians. The relations between the Indians and the Europeans had now become more cordial, and the Indians believed that their grievances would soon be removed. It was now 1901, six years after Gandhi had brought his family to Durban. Now he felt that his future activity lay not in South Africa but in India. Also, friends in India were pressing him to return home. When he announced his decision to his coworkers, however, they again pressed him to stay on. After much discussion they agreed to let him go, but only if he would come back to South Africa if the Indians there needed his help.

He agreed to this. There were farewell meetings and presentations of gifts. The gifts were so many and so valuable that Gandhi felt he should not accept them. The people who had presented them would not take them back. He then prepared a trust deed, and all the gifts were deposited with a of the Indian community. On his arrival in India, Gandhi went on a tour of the country. The annual meeting of the Indian National Congress was being held in Calcutta under the presidentship of Dinshaw Wacha.

Gandhi attended the session. It was his first contact with the Congress which he was to lead so gloriously in the future. The Indian National Congress was the only organization which gave the people of India a chance to express their political views. It was an influential body, as many important Indians were members, but its decisions had little affect on the Government.

At the Calcutta session in 1901 Gandhi had an opportunity to meet Congress leaders like Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, Lokamanya B. G. Tilak, G. K. Gokhale, and others. He was not impressed with the way the Congress was functioning. He noticed a lack of unity among the delegates.

Moreover, while they spoke English and affected the style of Westerners in their dress and talk, they did not seem to bother about essential things like good sanitary facilities in the camp. Gandhi wanted to teach them a lesson. On his own he quietly started cleaning the bathroom and urinals.

No one volunteered to join him.

“Why do you undertake an untouchable’s job?” they asked. “Be-

July 20, 2018 cause the caste people have made this an untouchable place,” replied Gandhi. From Calcutta Gandhi traveled around India by train. As he moved from place to place, he was shocked to see the life of the common people – the famished, ignorant, and neglected masses. His heart was filled with sadness and anger. Gandhi settled down in Bombay and started practice as a

19

lawyer. He did well, much better than he had expected. In December 1902, however, a cable reached him from South Africa requesting him to return as promised. Joseph Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary, was arriving from London on a visit to Natal and the Transvaal, and the Natal Indian Congress wanted Gandhi to present their case to him.

- To be continued next week

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20 July 20, 2018 Amit Mehra to Represent India at The Men Universe 2018-19

Actor-model Amit Mehra, who

was raised in the national capital, is set to represent India at 11th edition of The Men Universe 2018-19 in the Dominican Republic.

Men Universe India is an initiative taken by TSS Agency India to search for the country’s Perfect Man who will represent India at the very prestigious Men Universe Model 2018 Pageant (formerly known as Mister Universe).

Mehra has been selected by Robert Flores, the founder of Men Universe pageant and an international jury in alliance with Shikhar Sidharth, National Director India for Men Universe Model.

Mehra started his modelling career with some of the big names of this industry. He has worked in print ads and campaigns for domestic as well as international companies. Some of the big names he worked with are; Radisson Airtel, Thums Up, TATA, and Park Avenue.

Kiran Gill was the first Indian ever to participate in the first edition of Mister Universe model held in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic on March 12, 2008.

“Amit (Mehra) is a talented boy and he is very confident competing with 43 countries at the pageant. We wish him good luck in his future endeavours,” said Sidharth.

~India.com

INDIA

Changes in Visa Rules to have Serious Adverse Consequences on US Economy The recent work visa-related changes announced by the US will have "potentially serious adverse consequences" on the American economy as it will make it more difficult for companies to employ skilled foreign nationals to fill critical skills gaps in the US, Indian IT body Nasscom today said.

One of the changes, which come into effect on September 11, allows US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjudicators full discretion to deny applications, petitions, and requests without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID).

Besides, a memo issued on June 28 switches the authority to issue Notices to Appear (NTAs) in most instances from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to USCIS. According to Nasscom, this could mean that USCIS can issue a NTA and initiate removal proceedings if

someone's H-1B visa expires, even while they are waiting for an extension request to be adjudicated.

“This policy memorandum, combined with others previously announced, will harm the US companies and discourage the best and brightest globally from wanting to work in the US and contribute to the US economy,” it added.

The industry body highlighted that this is particularly important at a time when the US labour market is tight within the technology sector, where there is a large skills gap.

Nasscom argued that foreign workers help US businesses “thrive and

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

grow”.

“The result will likely be less growth and innovation in the US.And equally as important, the ability of US companies to remain competitive will be diminished if they can’t access the skilled workers they need. Even if that is not the intent, that is sure to be the result,” Nasscom warned.

It added that the body will work with partners and allies to fully analyze this new policy, monitor its implementation, and advocate for the needed reforms. ~CIO.Economictimes.com

July 20, 2018 Job Posting:

Assignment Desk Intern

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an ASSIGNMENT DESK INTERN for the upcoming fall semester. Internships are available to currently enrolled college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and students must receive college credit for the internship.

The successful applicant will be responsible for assisting the assignment desk, which includes but is not limited to making beat-checks, answering phones, monitoring police and fire radios, getting information and developing stories.

The candidate should be detail-oriented and able to handle many different responsibilities at the same time. The ideal intern knows how to multi-task and set priorities. Good news judgment and strong communication skills are essential, along with strong writing skills. The candidate should have a good working knowledge with the use of social media for news gathering. Must be willing to work evenings and weekends.

To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at www. disneycareers.com, Ref job # 575588BR. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduation date, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubs and organizations and extracurricular activities. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and will be required to supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship.

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

Job Posting:

News/Digital Producer

Job Posting:

21

Community Affairs Intern

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting KTRKTV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a paid COMMUNITY AFFAIRS INTERNSHIP for the upcoming fall semester.

Internships are available to currently enrolled undergraduate college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and must receive college credit for the internship. The internship program is designed to provide students with an on-site educational experience that complements their academic studies. Interns will have an opportunity to observe and participate in the daily work and operations of a major market, television station.

As an intern you will help in the production of community affairs shows, including scheduling of guests, help gathering and editing video, assist with community drives, forums and outreach. Each area requires significant planning, scheduling and execution. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship. Additionally, applicants must be able to work on a daily basis and the hours may vary depending on scheduling and may include some weekend and early morning and evening hours.

To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req. #575586BR.. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduation date, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubs and organizations and extracurricular activities. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and will be required to supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship.

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

Job Posting:

Programming/Production Intern

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a paid NEWS/DIGITAL PRODUCER INTERN for the fall semester. Internships are available to undergrads currently enrolled college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and must receive college credit for the internship. The internship program is designed to provide students with an on-site educational experience that complements their academic studies. Interns will have an opportunity to observe and participate in the daily work and operations of a major market, television station.

As an intern you will gain valuable experience in all areas related to producing a television newscast – including the important relationship between our broadcast and digital platforms. Interested candidates should have a strong desire to pursue a career as a multi-platform producer and willing to receive continual feedback. Will have an opportunity to attend production meetings, research news topics, and learn how to prioritize assignments. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship. Additionally, applicants must be able to work at least more than one day per week and the hours may vary depending on scheduling and will include some weekend and early morning and evening hours.

To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req. #575591BR.. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduation date, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubs and organizations and extracurricular activities. No telephone calls please.

To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req. #575583BR. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduation date, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubs and organizations and extracurricular activities. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and will be required to supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship.

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

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

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMMING/PRODUCTION INTERN for the upcoming fall semester. Internships are available to currently enrolled college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and must receive college credit for the internship. The intern will assist Producers, Directors and Photojournalists with executing all aspects of the broadcast and digital story-telling process and will be expected to assist producers and directors with original content weekly for broadcast and digital platforms.

Applicants must be comfortable juggling multiple projects at once and needs to be a strong researcher, writer, and communicator. Responsibilities will include working on a variety of programming, and digital projects. Opportunity to assist on producing/shooting live and taped field stories, studio newscast production, and live special event programs.

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

22 July 20, 2018

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

Send us the correct answer before July 25, 2018.

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

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

Solution Next Week

PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Celebrations are a part of life and Punjabis mark each such occasion with some sweets, especially if it is an auspicious milestone, like a birthday, wedding, new job or any other piece of good luck. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Atte Da Halva recipe, which is a typical favorite sweet which can also double as a blessed offering to mark such occasions.

It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.

F

ATTE DA HALVA (Whole Wheat Flour Halva)

or Punjabis, atta (whole wheat flour) is the carbohydrate of preference for most meals and many deserts, and rice is less of a staple dish. Hence, lots of dishes, including many sweets like pinnis, poodras and halva, are made of atta.

It helps that whole wheat is preferred by dieticians for health reasons, even though excessive carbohydrates consumed are equally not healthy, and now many avoid it if they are on gluten-free diets.

Wheat flour halva is often served at religious functions and is always served at the temples after services. Although this sweet dish is considered mostly a Northern Indian confection, it is often associated with Punjabi cuisine. The same halva made with a slight difference can be used to make atta di pinniya (wheat flour sweetballs).

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This is a fairly easy recipe and you can find the ingredients – atta, chinni (sugar), and pani (water) easily in your home. You can add the amount of sugar to your choice, but I try to keep the halva not too sweet. Nowadays, I have heard that people even use sugar substitutes to prepare Indian deserts, but I prefer to use less refined sugar to bring out the authentic taste.

Another item that most Indians love are nuts, of any sorts, and Punjabis naturally gravitate to almonds, walnuts and raisins.

Although halva by itself is delicious, it tatstes much better with some dried fruit added to it.

If you prefer, you can use brown sugar or gur (jaggery). Olive oil gives a better taste and is healthier than ghee (clarified butter).

You can add more ghee if you like, but using less ghee makes browning the atta more difficult.

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Ingredients: • ½ cup of ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil • ½ cup of atta (medium coarse wheat flour) • ½ cup of chinni (sugar) • 2 cups of pani (water) • Optional: ½ cup badam (almonds) or blanched, slivered almonds

Directions: 1. In a small saucepan, bring some water to a boil and then in the badam (almonds) for a few minutes. Drain the water and peel the almonds, then slice them and keep to the side.

2. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a kadai or wok over low heat.

3. Throw in the flour and brown it, stirring often, as you don’t want to have the flour get too brown as it may give a burnt smell. Don’t brown over high heat as the flour does not come out as tasty.

4. In a separate saucepan, boil the water and throw in the sugar, stirring till it is completely dissolved.

Keep the mixture to the side for later use.

5. After the flour is slightly brown, pour the syrup into the kadai, stirring continually and turn the heat to medium.

6. When the ghee starts to percolate up along the edges then turn the heat off.

7. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the halva before serving.

It should be eaten warm for best taste.

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

FOR A COMFORT ABLE LONG NIG HT FULL OF SLEEP, TRY SOM E W AR M MILK Many people often

complain about occa good night’s sleep and resort to medica sionally not being able to get a tions As long as this is no t associated with so to help them get some rest. problems, there is me other illness of an temporary sleep and that is dr age-old remedy for a good, comforta inking a warm glas ble night’s s of milk up to an retiring for the nigh hour before t.

Since long ago, this re m ed y has been used in ru in India and it still ral and agrarian area co s allowed for the sto ntinues to work. The thought was th mach to relax and th at the milk en help in digestion induces relaxation , whi an research finds no re d good sleep. Although a lot of new ch then al basis for this effe scientific ct, it seems to help so it may be all psyc many people hological.

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

July 20, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

23

Soorma Review-Diljit Dosanjh as Sandeep Singh is Spot On

It’s raining biopics in Bollywood.

This week we have Soorma, based on the inspiring story of a grievously injured hockey player who made a comeback against all odds, and won.

It’s just the kind of real-life story which can lend itself to a goose-bump inducing film, because that’s what great sportspersons are trained to do: straining every sinew, ignoring pain and exhaustion, in order to get past the goal-post. Or, in the instance of Sandeep Singh aka Flicker Singh, who gained fame as the fastest ‘drag flick’ player ever, to score the goals.

Diljit Dosanjh as Sandeep Singh is spot on. And that is the film’s biggest triumph. Whenever Dosanjh is on screen, we are with him, as he goes through Singh’s arc—the struggle to please a vicious bully of a local coach (Hussain) who gets his jollies from beating up young players, the falling in love with the brighteyed Harpreet ( Pannu), who is an equal dab hand with the stick and who wants to play for India as much as he does, the shocking

incident on a train which leads him to paralysis, and the tough, painful journey back to the field.

The challenge with making a film on the life of a sportsman whose career has been in the news, and whose high and low points have been documented, is to keep it interesting without exaggeration, and to retain the drama without being melodramatic.

The film keeps that crucial spirit to the fore when it starts off. Till Sandeep is shown as a regular guy supporting his older brother (Bedi) who is the hockey player (Bedi) with promise and who has an eye on the India jersey, gently flirting with a pretty girl, and generally being a good son, Soorma stays believable, and watchable.

The moment it shifts track, and starts building up its lead into a hero, background music blaring, and the sporting blood-and-sweat shoved into the background, it becomes your standard ‘rona-dhona’ fare. A bhangra song-and-dance is bunged in. And the hockey gets drowned in tears.

A better film would have given us

crispness and a solid game plan. There’s enough excitement in the game to make it completely cinematic (Shimit Amin’s Chak De which also gets its underdogs to win, was a rousing film). We don’t really get the inside story of what constitutes a winning side, how the team becomes one, the constant backbreaking hard work and intense strategizing that goes into the process. In choosing to show the personal side, the professional aspects get short shrift, and that’s where the film doesn’t score as well.

Which is a pity because Dosanjh looks completely at home both off and on the field (reports say that Sandeep Singh helped in choreographing the play). The solid supporting cast helps us get past

the movie’s many glycerined moments: Angad Bedi, as the older brother who lives his dreams of being in the national team through his sibling, is credible. Danish Hussain, reminiscent of so many reallife coaches who threaten to ruin players if their whims and fancies are not carried out, is excellent.

As is Vijay Raaz as the flavourful senior coach who shows us the more humane side of the sport.

The latter also has some nice lines, and he throws them away with

aplomb. Pannu matches moves adequately with Dosanjh, but you wish she had more to do as a player in her own right. ~Indian Express.com

Irrfan Khan Exudes Positivity in New Twitter Display Picture

Actor Irrfan Khan is fighting a rare

Irrfan Khan has been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour. He is currently in London undergoing treatment. The actor has been promoting his forthcoming film Karwaan by posting the film's songs on his Twitter page.

disease like a warrior — and with a smile on his face.

In the acclaimed actor’s new Twitter profile picture, Irrfan appears weaker, but strong in spirit. He wears a yellow T-shirt as he stands close to a glass window, and has earphones plugged into his ears. His fans on Twitter have reacted to the “happy” picture, lauding the positivity that the actor exudes.

Earlier this year, Irrfan left fans, friends and colleagues shocked by informing them via social media that his life had been shaken up by a “rare disease” and that he was “fighting for choices”.

A few days later, he said he has been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour. He is currently in London.

Last month, Irrfan penned a heartfelt note about how life-changing the disease has been for him, and how it has made him realise “how you are just a cork floating in the ocean with unpredictable currents”.

He added, “It’s been quite some time now since I have been diagnosed with a high-grade neuroendocrine cancer. This new name in my vocabulary, I got to know, was rare, and due to fewer study cases, and less information comparatively, the unpredictability of the treatment was more. I was part of a trial-anderror game.”

The actor has been promoting his forthcoming film Karwaan by posting the film’s songs on his Twitter page. The film is releasing on August 3. ~IndianExpress.com

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

Naseeruddin Shah July 20, 1950

Himesh Reshammiya July 23, 1973

Jugal Hansraj July 26, 1972

24 July 20, 2018 Root, Morgan Trump Spin in England’s Series Win

BY SIDHARTH MONGA LEEDS (ESPN Crickinfo): England 260 for 2 (Root 100*, Morgan 88*) beat India 256 for 8 (Kohli 71, Dhawan 44, Willey 3-40, Rashid 3-49) by eight wickets On a pitch most suited to their spinners, India’s batsmen and fast bowlers somehow contrived to leave all the eggs in their spinners’ basket, but under the pressure of expectation when defending a small total, they failed to prevent the end of India’s nine-series winning streak in bilateral ODIs. On a dry, almost Asia-like track in Leeds, England could be proud of themselves for outperforming India’s spinners, considered the best in the world.

Adil Rashid, who suffered in comparison to Kuldeep Yadav two matches ago, began England’s turnaround by bowling an imperious-looking Virat Kohli past his outside edge after pitching on leg stump. India were looking good for 300 during the partnership between Kohli and Dinesh Karthik, but Rashid took out both of them to start a turnaround in which India got only 100 runs in the last 20 overs. The fast bowlers got off to an ordinary start, conceding 14 risk-free boundaries in the first nine overs.

India’s spinners had a big ask now.

They were under pressure of conjuring up a win, especially on a day when the opposition spinners had pushed India into a corner. A wicket first ball would have raised India’s hopes. The wicket came through a diving collection and run-out by MS Dhoni, who had been central to India’s slowdown.

Just when India lost Kohli for 71, Dhoni was beginning to get stuck.

Once Kohli and Suresh Raina fell, there was no way Dhoni was going to take any risks. Dot balls rose, there were a few boos around again, but Dhoni played on regardless.

Unlike at Lord’s, you could see what Dhoni was trying to do here. He had seen a turning pitch, he knew the tail was long, and he went on to make sure India got 250-260 as opposed to risking getting bowled out for 230 in an effort to get 280. As it turned out, Dhoni couldn’t even see India through to the end of the innings, and it was left to Shardul Thakur to hit India’s first six in 638 balls this

Eoin Morgan was proactive against spin, England v India, 3rd ODI, Headingley, July 17, 2018.

series and take India past 250 with a 13-ball 22.

Dhoni is seldom out, though, and now, having conjured this run-out to send back James Vince, was the time he could help his spinners control the game. Except that India had Root to deal with. In a team full of bludgeon brothers, Root carries the responsibility of anchoring innings when the going is tough. Once again, it was left to Root to take England through this tricky spell of spin.

Two matches ago, Root had faced three balls of left-arm wristspin in all international and T20 cricket for two dismissals, but he showed England the way out with a hundred at Lord’s. He did the same here. The most effective shot he has played in both the matches is the extra-cover drive, against the turn, almost every time Kuldeep has overpitched. That shot has brought him short balls and a negative line on the pads. Unless the ball was overpitched, Root chose to stay deep in the crease, playing the ball late, often guiding the spinners past the slip.

In Root’s company, captain Eoin Morgan also flourished, taking apart Suresh Raina after nine overs of frontline spin had not brought India a wicket. The two went on to become England’s most prolific partnership during the course of the chase. Root scored 15 of the last 22 runs - four others were wides - to end with the century that took him to most centuries for England, past Marcus Trescothick’s 12. He ended with a boundary and a bat drop reminiscent of Grant Elliott’s. A statistic that will matter much more is that Root now had 68 runs off 68 deliveries after having been dismissed twice in the first three

from the left-arm wristspinner.

The other number that mattered was a third successive dismissal against spin for Kohli. The last two dismissals have been comprehensive, lbw past the inside edge off Moeen at Lord’s, and bowled by Rashid at Headingley. Until then, he had looked destined to score another century in another series-decider. This was an innings that helped India recover from the early dismissal of Rohit Sharma against moving ball. Shikhar Dhawan again ran himself out after a

good start.

Dinesh Karthik, playing ahead of KL Rahul, and Kohli then added 41 in 40 balls, but that is when Rashid turned things around. An over after almost getting Karthik to play on early into an expansive drive - Rashid succeeded in doing the same in the 25th over.

In the 31st, Rashid produced the ball of the series, leaving Kohli stunned, as if he had seen a ghost. The demons, as it turned out, had just begun to show up for India.

Hima Das Wins Gold at U-20 400-m Track

TAMPERE, FINLAND: Hima Das has just made history.

The Indian teenager became the first athlete from her country to win a gold medal at any global track event after winning first-place at the 2018 World U-20 Championships women’s 400 meter event in Tampere, Finland.

The youngest in a family of six children, Hima grew up in a rural village and enjoyed playing football while growing up. She later met Nipon Das, a coach with the Directorate of

Sports and Youth Welfare, who soon took up the role as her new coach and mentor.

She later relocated to Guwahati to train at the Sarusajai Sports Complex.

Das continued to giver her guidance, saying: ‘I keep telling Hima only one thing: Dream big. Because only a few are blessed with God-given talent.”My aim was to try and make sure she is part of the relay team for the Asian Games. But she has surpassed all expectations by winning a world championship gold.”

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

SPORTS

Sindhu Loses Final in Thai Open to Okuhara

BANGKOK: PV Sindhu’s wait for her first title this year continues after she faltered at the last stage of the 2018 edition of the Thailand Ope Playing 4th seeded Japanese Nozomi in the final of the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament, Sindhu was far from her best. Nozomi hardly broke a sweat as she dismissed the higher ranked Indian in straight sets, winning 21-15, 21-18.

An off day for the second-seeded Indian saw her lose her 11th match against the world champion, giving the Japanese a 6-5 lead in their encounters. Sindhu turned up to the biggest match of her year rather low, putting in performance that hasn’t been associated to her. The pocketsized Japanese saw this and took advantage from the first rally, setting the tone for the rest of the match. Her aggressive and attacking play was too much for Sindhu to handle on the day who was nowhere near her opponents skill-set.

The 50-minute match saw Okuhara race into a 6-2 lead in the first game, leaving Sindhu a long margin to recover from. She did manage to claw back to 4-6 with her smashes doing the trick for her and even managed to take the game to 11-8 going into the mandatory break. However, that was her best moment in all the final as she looked completely sapped out of energy after the break, losing 10-7 before going onto lose the second game as well.

It was a field day for Japan at the tournament with Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan winning the men’s singles title with a three-game victory against Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia 21-16, 13-21, 21-9.

Women’s singles: Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt PV Sindhu (Ind) 21-15, 21-18.

Men’s single: Kanta Tsuneyma (Jpn) bt Tommy Sugiarto (Ina) 2116, 13-21, 21-9.

July 20, 2018

India to be the Third Largest Economy Worth $10 Trillion by 2030 NEW DELHI: Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg on Saturday said that 8 per cent growth for the Indian economy is “very much achievable”, and it is expected to be the world’s third largest economy by 2030 with Gross Domestic Product worth $10 trillion. The country’s GDP grew at a 7.7 per cent in the January-March quarter, helped by higher government spending and private consumption.

“Good days are ahead and lot of good work is happening in the economy. The economy is on a stage of take off where Indians can legitimately hold their heads high,” he said.

In the first 40 years of independence, the country hardly grew at 3.5 per cent and today, 7-8 per cent is the norm, Garg said at the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

“By 2030, we can legitimately expect to be a $10 trillion economy.

That is the challenge. That is also the

opportunity,” he said.

“Eight per cent growth is very much achievable… If we keep that… we can look forward to be an Indian economy of $10 trillion which would be the third largest economy in the world,” Garg said.

His comments also come close on

the heels of latest World Bank data showing that the country emerged as the sixth largest economy in the world, surpassing France, in 2017.

In 2017, India became the sixth largest economy with a GDP of $2.59 trillion, pushing France to the seventh position, the data showed.

“We expect the Indian economy to be a $1 trillion digital economy by 2022 and going forward… possibly by 2030, the digital economy would be half of the total economy,” he said.

At the same event, President Ram Nath Kovind said cost accountants should help fight abberations of gold plating, while emphasising that they ensure products and services are delivered at a competitive price without compromising on quality.

They should also help improve processes and systems to reduce avoidable costs and “make each rupee that is invested go that much further”, Kovind said.

“It is for cost accountants to ensure that wasteful activities and costs in production are removed. It is for cost accountants to help fight the aberrations of gold plating that may sometimes appear on our business landscape,” he said. -- Indian Express

Aurobindo to Acquire Five Pharma Operations in Europe NEW DELHI: Aurobindo Pharma has inked a pact to acquire Apotex’s commercial operations across five European countries, including Poland and Spain, for €74 million.

Aurobindo Pharma Limited is a pharmaceutical manufacturing company headquartered in HITEC City, Hyderabad, India. The company manufactures generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The acquisition is in line with the company’s strategy to strengthen and grow its European business and to expand in Eastern Europe, Aurobindo Pharma said in a statement.

As part of the deal, Aurobindo would acquire commercial infrastructure including personnel, products, marketing authorisations and dossier license rights in Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands (including a manu-

facturing facility in Leiden), Spain and Belgium.

In Poland, Aurobindo will add significant sales based on the established brand name “APO” as well as a dedicated sales force covering physicians and the pharmacy network. In Poland and the Czech Republic, Aurobindo will become one of top 15 generic companies in each country, the company said.

In the Netherlands, the acquisition

will lead to Aurobindo becoming a leading over the counter (OTC) company by volume while in Spain it will strengthen the company’s position in the generics market, it added.

In Belgium, the deal would provide Aurobindo an entry into the retail generics space, it said.

The acquisition includes a portfolio of over 200 prescription drugs and 88 OTC products and an additional pipeline of over 20 products which

are expected to be launched over the next two years, Aurobindo said.

The Indian firm and Apotex will enter into a transitional manufacturing and supply arrangement to support the ongoing growth plans of these businesses, the statement said.

“The acquisition announced today is in line with our strategy to grow and diversify our business in Europe. Acquiring Apotex’ businesses in these key five countries will allow us to further expand our product offering, including OTC medicines in the Netherlands, and considerably strengthen our position in Eastern Europe,” Aurobindo SVP of European operations V. Muralidharan said.

Aurobindo has been expanding its presence in Europe since 2006 across several key markets. In 2014, it had acquired Actavis’s commercial operations in seven Western European countries. -- Live Mint

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

25

Fine Art of Reviving Dead Malls in India NEW DELHI: The first thing that strikes a casual stroller walking into The Grand Venice mall in Greater Noida is how eerie it all looks. The dimly lit ambience and pastel yellow paint, along with the old-time gaslights, supposedly a replication of Venice, only add to the effect. A few selfie-taking youngsters are sprawled on the main stairwell leading to the mall, but nobody asks them to give way since there isn’t much of a crowd passing through. “I think they’ll shut down in a year or two,” said Manik Vasudev, a first-time visitor on a recent weekday afternoon. “I don’t think I’ll come again,” he said.

Vasudev was standing next to the lead attraction, a gondola ride along the “San Polo canal”, a thin strip of water about four feet deep.

The gondola is a “curious attraction” which should bring more people, Vasudev feels, “but the people who live nearby don’t have a ‘mall culture’.

They sold their agricultural lands to the government in exchange for plots”, he said. It’s hard to attract footfalls given these realities, though the only other mall in the vicinity of The Grand Venice is a good 5 km away.

Despite all the talk about a booming consumer market, the mall business in India has been tough. It has gone through several cycles in just over two decades, and owners are now increasingly trying to find unique points of appeal, including attempts to bring Venice to Noida.

In fact, 2017 witnessed large-scale closures, and nearly 5 million sq. ft of retail space was wiped out.

The largest mall in Greater Noida, The Grand Venice, is finding it hard to attract footfalls. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint

26 July 20, 2018 Rajinikanth Praises 7-year-old Boy who Returned Rs 50,000, Agrees to Sponsor His Education Superstar

Rajinikanth today praised 7-year-old boy Yasin who recently found Rs 50,000 and ensured it reached the owners.

Showering praise on the boy for his honesty, the Superstar also offered to sponsor his studies.

Yasin is studying in Class 2 at the Panchayat Union Primary School in Chinna Semur near Kani Ravuthar Kulam in Erode district.

On Thursday, the boy had found a wallet on the road on his way to school. The wallet had RS 50,000 in Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations. Yasin promptly handed it over to his school principal who in

T

turn gave it to the Superintendent of Police. Yasin was appreciated by many for his gesture.

Rajinikanth on Sunday had invited Yasin and his family to his residence at Poes Garden and praised his parents and the young boy. “In this age where people cheat, thieve and kill even for a little money, he (Yasin) said that this is not my money and handed it over. What honesty, really. It is a great quality,” Rajinikanth told reporters. ~Indain Express.com

Top IIT and IIM Graduates Bag Over 100% Higher Salary Packages as Compared to Students of Other Institutes

he graduates of the top ranking Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management take the major share of the pie as they receive over 100 per cent of higher salary package in comparison to the other institutes. As per a survey by Mettl — online talent measurement solution provider — top Indian Institute of Management (IIM) graduates received 121 per cent higher salary packages than an average MBA graduate. Similarly, top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) bag 137 per cent higher entry-level packages as compared to the average salary of an engineer, with CS/IT graduates receiving the highest annual package of Rs 6.9 lakh per annum.

The new IITs are catching up fast with top NITs in terms of compensation packages offered, especially

for CS/IT graduates where new IITs have surpassed top NITs. Furthermore, candidates proficient in newage skills like Machine Learning and Data Science was found to be hired largely from the top IITs. The Campus Hiring Report 2018

by Mettl finds out some of the major salary and employment trends in the campus recruitment space. The report is the result of a survey conducted across 194 institutes in India, comprising 114 engineering and 80 management institutions.

Ketan Kapoor, CEO and Cofounder, Mettl, said, “This report is a one-stop solution for companies to smoothly execute their campus hiring programmes and efficiently acquire the best talent from leading engineering and management institutions of

the country.”

In a region-wise analysis of man-

agement institutions, it was observed that west India held a leading posi-

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tion with 17 per cent higher compensations than the average salary recorded. In addition, graduates from the technology domain received the highest average salary package of Rs 14.8 lakh per annum. Post-MBA, general management roles accounted for the maximum number of hires at 31 per cent, while roles in senior management were the highest paid jobs commanding 118 per cent more than the average salary of MBA graduates.

The scorecard categorises students on the basis of their performance in the assessments, which helps organisations conducting campus hiring programmes to recruit high-quality talent in a time and cost-effective, reliable, and efficient manner. In order to remove the possibility of cheating during online campus assessments, Mettl also offers a proprietary webbased proctoring solution that uses audio and video-based recognition features to ensure the integrity of recruitment tests. ~Indian Express.com

July 20, 2018

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