E newspaper12042015

Friday, December 04 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 49

Indo American erican News

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December 04, 2015

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Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 90th Birthday Celebrated With Splendor HOUSTON:

The Sathya Sai Centers of Houston celebrated Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 90th Birthday at the Durgabari Auditorium on Friday November 27. The celebrations were well attended, by over 550 guests. Chief Guest on the occasion was the Consul General of India, Harish Parvathaneni.

The program started with a dance on Human Values by young Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) Students, which is the basis of the Sai Spiritual Education. The highlights of the program were three inspirational plays, presented by the SSE Students. The first play ‘Love is the Source, Path and Goal’, brought tears to the eyes of quite a few mothers, sitting in the audience. The story was about a young man, who tried to pay his mother for his upbringing. Soon after while discussing a discourse of Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Study Circle in the Houston Sai Center, he learns that it is impossible to put a price on mother’s love and realizes his mistake. He goes to India and brings his widowed mother along with him to the US. In the last scene, the play took a very interesting turn, which showed how God’s love can save one under the worst circumstances.

The second play, ‘Enlightening’, was about the inspirational story of Nikola Tesla. The play showed the struggle and hardships that Nikola had to face, when he did not take the easy way out and chose the path of righteousness.

He understood that the path inwards and outwards needed to connect to make his life fruitful.

He embarked on a path to understand himself, after he had understood everything he could in the scientific world. His journey inwards, taught him that he should work to use his mind to benefit the society and to add true meaning to his life.

The third play ‘Sadhana- Divinity in Duty’ inspired one and all. It was about the story of the Queen of Jhansi, who fought against the tyranny of the English Company and their rule. Her life was a message of Sadhana, to protect what belonged to her people, even if it meant she would lose all that was hers. She thought her duty was her offering to the Divine Mother and performed it flawlessly until her last breath.

Presentation on the various Service Projects undertaken by the Houston Sai Centers was quite informative as well as inspiring. Besides feeding the

underprivileged in the Houston area through several year-long service activities, the Houston Sai Centers are also engaged in

providing education to not only the homeless people, but also the young children through certain School Districts as well.

A joyous cake cutting by the young children made the audience smile. The program came to a conclusion with a harmonious devotional singing session.

Brother Raviraj Nasery, a highly talented devotional singer from India opened the devotional singing session. Udipi Restaurant served a sumptuous Mahaprasad/Dinner.

Besides the Birthday Celebrations on the 27th November, the Houston area Sathya Sai devotees undertook special sadhanas for last several months, in remembrance of their Spiritual Leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba. 12 Special Devotional Singing Sessions were held, in which 180

devotional songs were sung. Over 9 reading sessions of the biography of Sri Sathya Sai Baba were held, in which the entire book was read in each sitting. Non-stop 24 hour devotional singing sessions were held on a global scale at over 1,200 Sai Centers in over 126 countries.

On the 23rd of November, two special devotional singing sessions were held in the North as well as South Houston.

Houston area Sai devotees meet at two locations in the North and South parts of town on Sundays from 3:00pm - 5:30pm. They engage in weekly activities that include Community Service, Sai Spiritual Education classes for children, meditation, study circle, and devotional group singing.

For further information visit www.sairegion10.org.

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Magnificent, Majestic Mahakumbhabhishekam at Sri Meenakshi Temple DR P. VADUGANATHAN

PEARLAND: ‘The Sri Meenak-

shi Temple Day’, as proclaimed

by Mayor of Pearland Tom Reid, will forever be remembered by the 3000 people who were blessed to witness it on Sunday, November 29. They stood awe-inspired by the unique and simultaneous Mahakumbhabhishekam over five Kumbhas or the Vimanams of the Main temple.

The clouds had dissipated, the temperature mellowed and the mood was pleasantly moderated to greet the much anticipated pouring of the holy water over the Kumbha. The Sun peeped out and a Garuda flew over the Rajagopuram. Devotees arriving early were greeted with Kumbhakonam coffee with hot breakfast and MTK 2015 T- shirts designed by MTS youth.

After conclusion of the final Yaga Sala Puja, the 16 eminent priests from MTS, other US temples and India garlanded Chairman P. Vaduganathan, Vice chairman S. Narayanan, Secretary Srikanth Venugopalan and Treasurer Padma Golla and proceeded to the Vimanams for the Kumbhabhishekam.

The “Curtain Raiser” or the Opening ceremony began with a welcome address by Dr. P. Vaduganathan. He recalled that this first Shakthi temple in North America was initiated in 1977 and the Main temple constructed in 1982. After 33 years, the much needed expansion and renovation was taken up in the Main Temple Renovation Project (M.T.R.P.) adding a new sanctum and Vimanam for Goddess Mahalakshmi. Over a hundred artisans worked on it.

Kumbhabhishekam is a Hindu Temple ceremony that homogenizes, synergizes and unites the mystic power of the deity.

Kumbha is the Head or Shikara or Crown of the temple also known as Vimanam. To the three existing Vimanams for Shiva, Meenakshi and Venkateswara, two new Vimanams were created for Mahalakshmi and Utsava Murthis.

After a Ganesha slokam by the popular classical and play back singer Srimathi Mahathi from Chennai, about 70 children and adults recited Sangeetha Samarpanam with “Devi Neeye Thunai” on Meenakshi and “Sri Bhargavi”

on Mahalakshmi under the tutelage of Rajarajeswari Bhatt. Consul General of India, ParvathaneniHarish and Pearland city Mayor Tom Reid unveiled the granite time-markers of the 1982 and 2015 Kumbhabishekams.

The huge mass of devotees crammed the quadrangle of the temple beholding the priests who performed the simultaneous Mahakumbhabhishekam on the five (5) Vimanams, to the accompaniment of Devi stuthi and Mahalakshmi Ashtakam recitation. It was a once in a lifetime experience of bliss.

Consular General Harish ceremoniously opened the main door made in India out of teak wood. The crowd hurried in to get a glimpse of the newly expanded Main temple.

Every one could experience the grandeur of the expanded space with new columns, tall ceiling, new Lakshmi Sanctum , the pradhakshina around each sanctum, and the ornate new teak wood sanctum doors with silver kamalam.

After Mahabhishekam for all the murthis, Thirukalyanam of Meen-

kashi - Sundareswara and Padmavathy - Srinivasa was conducted, followed by Rathothsavam and Vahana Purappadu.

After a sumptuous lunch, there was music concert by Kruthi Bhatt with Vittal Rmaurthy, Erode Ngarajan, Mahesh Iyer, Keerthana Bhatt and Ravi Balasubramanian.

Cultural events included a concert

by Srimathi Mahathi from Chennai on Friday and dances on the glory of Goddess Meenakshi by local dance schools on Saturday.

A special Souvenir was released.

The project cost of 1.5 million dollars was fully raised by the Fund raising committee led by A.V. N. Reddy.

The construction committee was led by Vinod Kaila and ably assisted by A.V.N. Reddy. Padmashree Muthiah Sthapthi the chief temple architect from Government of Tamil Nadu supervised the project as Ashok Mungara the local architect managed the construction.

Darshak Thacker from Krishna

Sounds Production provided live sounds for the event with high end professional equipments to cover the main temple events. It was done on the roof of the temple and he also provided live sounds

for the concerts in the ballroom.

He said, “ It was a challenge to provide sounds during nonstop rain but we were able to successfully manage it, and were also able to provide live audio feed and live video streaming.”

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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COMMUNITY

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America: Houston Chapter Celebrates Thanksgiving with Bhutanese Refugees at Los Arcos Apartments

From Left: Girish Naik: Raju Behara; Meenakshi Behara; Manasa Behara; Dhruv Nellutla; Vasu Nellutla; Srini Chaganti; Swamy Behara; Isha Chaganti (front row) Venu Nellutla (front row).

HOUSTON: On November 26, Thanks-

giving day is celebrated through out America, Friends and family get together, eat together and thank each other. This is a very significant holiday and that's exactly what VHP-A-Houston chapter did by sharing the happiness with the Bhutanese refugees at the Los Arcos apartments.

Doctor Swamy Behara and entire family, a long time VHP member has been doing this since the last 2 years and brings his entire family including his nephew Srinivas to be a part of this wonderful experience of giving. Doctor Swami believes that the joy of giving back to the society is very important and wants his entire family to understand, experienceand also appreciate it.

Girish Naik, President of VHP-A also addressed the families and told them that today was a day to be thankful that we are all safe and have a place to stay. We should all share what we have and someday when you have plenty you will also give back to the community. He also informed that VHP runs a Hindu heritage camp each year and will sponsor if their kids would like to attend.

We are also thankful to Dhan Baraily, also a Bhutanese refugee but spend most of his childhood in Nepal for helping coordinate the giving of the food with Doctor Swamy and his entire family.

After the distribution of the food we were invited to local temple within the apartment complex.

They have daily prayers and on every Sunday do a bhajan program.

VHP president Girish Naik said this was one of the best thankgiving day he had and was very happy to see the the Bhutanese community has maintained the culture and also have a temple within their community complex.

For advertising contact: Vanshika Vipin at 713.789.6397 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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December 04, 2015

COMMUNITY

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was one of the partnering organizations for City of Houston, Health and Human services Department, when they decided to hold the first AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander ) Health summit in Houston. The AAPI group is the fastest growing racial / ethnic group in Unites States. The percentage of Asian immigrants rose from 19% to 36% in 2010 ,surpassing Hispanics at 31%.

Asian immigrants come to America from 54 countries and their territories of which Asian Indians are very prominent. There has been an even greater growth of AAPI populations in some areas of US in the last 2 decades. The state of Texas has the 3 rd largest population of AAPI’s after New York and California. Somes census reports suggest that the Houston area has up to 37 % of all AAPI’s in Texas area. The Kinder Institute has reported that among Asians in the Houston Area, a greater population of Indian /Pakistani Americans report the highest income, with 36% living in the households making $75,000 or more per year .

While little is know about the health issues of AAPI groups in the country as compared to the other ethnic and racial groups, even less is known about the needs of the

AAPI living in these communities. The conference reiterated the need of identifying Health conditions and Health needs of AAPI because of their rapid growth and increasing numbers and diversity . Although many are educated and economically well off, many others especially in the service and small business sectors are isolated, disconnected and hard to reach due to cultural and Language barriers.

Overall the health status of AAPI’s is comparable to whites. The Houston data shows that a higher portion of Asian Indians reported excellent or very good status in health among Asians.( This data is all self reported ). Another interesting data that was shared was that most Indians, up to 46.1% do not meet the physical activity recommendations as compared to other Asian groups. So the lifestyle of most Indians is rather sedentary .

Overall mental health of Asians is good for those who were affluent, educated and had insurance, while there is a higher incidence of mental issues when the population was less affluent. There is a high need of additional mental health services to meet the unique cultural and linguistic needs of the rapidly growing AAPI populations, especially for Asian American Females.

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COMMUNITY

December 04, 2015

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First Time Sikh Float, Marchers in Houston’s Thanksgiving Parade

HOUSTON: What can welcome in

the spirit of the Holidays than a parade, lighting of Christmas lights and fireworks? And this year marked the first time a float and marchers from the Sikh community in the Metroplex participated in the traditional 66th

Annual HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade which wrapped its way through the avenues of Downtown on Thursday, November 26.

The Sikh Martial Arts group, Miri Piri Gatka, organized and

led by Gursham Singh stood out with its with outfits and colorful yellow turbans with a blue sash proclaiming the academy’s name; blue side bag across the chest and a yellow waistband.

The float was simply decorated in the same colors, the Sikh emblem and had slogans declaring Sikhs of America and faith in one God and Guru Nanak. In front of the float marched young kids from the MPG Academy displaying their martial arts skills and behind them came 75 Sikh men and women from area Gurdwaras in traditional clothing, waving American flags.

Along the route, the Sikh float played religious songs to a Punjabi dhol beat and spoke to the

crowd on the sound systems, mingling with them, taking photos, and responding to their cheers. The Gatka team members were dressed in white attire with a yellow dastar and kamar kasa.

"This was a great chance to show

that Sikhs are part of the mainstream America and that we are equally joyous in the Thanksgiving celebrations," said Gursharn Singh. “This was a great opportunity to showcase our Sikhi and be part of an American holiday celebration.”

The Gatka kids worked hard to make his a success, Gursharn Singh said, adding that he had made this team up in two months before the Thanksgiving parade. “The gatka kids worked and practiced very hard for the parade and I can say it turned out amazing. They kids never complained about bugs, the freezing weather or anything else during gatka practice. They always came on time and gave it their best during practice and their hardwork paid off.”

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Bihu: ICCL’s Cultural Evening

GAURI SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE

For Any Ceremony Contact Pradip Pandya 832 466 9868 Email: pradippandya2000@yahoo.com

vShri Lakshmi Puja vHindu Wedding vMarkand Puja vEngagement vShri Ganpati Puja vSimant vLaghu Rudra vVastu Shanti vMundan Sanskar vNavchandi Puja vShanti Havan vShri Gayatri Havan vShri Satyanarayan Puja

BY RUNMEE BARBARA

CLEAR

LAKE: On November 21, The India center of Clear Lake, ICCL, celebrated Diwali at the Bayou Theatre in University of Houston, Clear Lake Campus.

The Indian community hosted the cultural gala event which started with Rangoli competition and then a colorful cultural evening followed by gourmet dinner. With exquisite Indian food, extraordinary entertainment and wonderful hosting, the cultural evening was a resounding success.

Diwali is one of the most important Hindu festivals in India.

Despite living in a land away from home, Indian festivals are followed by almost every Indian household in Houston. India is unique in the sense that of language, religion, dance, music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country. Since this was a platform for all cultures in India to unite, Probha Saikia, a member of the Indian community in Clear Lake initiated to present a Bihu dance from her state, Assam. This was for the first time that a traditional Assamese Bihu dance was being introduced and performed for Diwali celebrations in Clear Lake.

Despite the flurry of activity centered around 23 performances, nearly 600 people present in

the ceremony gave their undivided attention to the performers and demonstrations on stage, which included classical dances, Dance for Gods, songs, bollywood dance numbers, bharatnatyam and many entertaining regional folk dances. It was a testament to the level of interest among the families and children who had come to explore cultures and enjoy the evening.

Bihu dance was performed by Archana Parashar, Barnasha Barua, Plabita Barua, Runmee Barbara and Kavita Sharma who was also the choreographer. It was a unique experience for the audience as they were seeing a traditional Bihu dance of Assam for the first time. The dancers wore traditional Muga Silk Mekhela Chador (Two piece saree) with authentic Assamese jewelry and Gam Kharu (Bangles). Even though the audience could not comprehend the lyrics, they seemed to applause and enjoy the soulful music and dance moves thus justifying the saying that says “MUSIC IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MANKIND”. The sound of Dhul (Drum) & Pepa (Flute) with rhythmic beats and unique dance moves captured the hearts of everyone present there. It was a moment of great pride for us to be a part of it and to promote our culture. Thanks to the board of members for giving us this opportunity. We experienced

an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the audience.

The Assamese community of Houston is very active and close knit. There are nearly 40 to 50 Assamese families residing in Houston. Keeping the Assamese culture alive every year we get-together to celebrate Bohag Bihu, Magh bihu and Sri Manta Xankordev Jonmohotsav. It literally feels like home as we not only get to eat and cherish assamese culture and cuisine but also perform traditional Xotriya dance, husori and bihu. Most of the families have settled here in the late 80’s and are overwhelmed to see the growing assamese population here in Houston.

The modern world is changing and festivals are the only way to keep our culture and traditions alive. Houston is a place where diversity is respected and recognized. Indian community helps to acknowledge the various ethnic groups by organizing shows, cultural events and religious functions. Contributions from all groups are encouraged and people are given opportunity to fulfil their potential. Differences and diversities of India are celebrated in these occasions and the trend of preserving our rich cultural heritage is kept alive.

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COMMUNITY

Hanuman Temple Uses Technology to Reach Devotees and Lofty Goals

The newly built SBA Temple is located 10 miles south of Frederick, Maryland and about 34 miles north of Washington, DC.

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

FREDERICK,

MD: Along a curve in rural country highway 80, among the green undulating hills, the square ornate building in cream with ochre yellow colored ornamentation in the South Indian temple style comes to focus around a turn going downhill. An unexpected sight in the hills, surrounded by national forests and close, as the crow flies, to Camp David on Cunningham Falls State Park, the new temple building is nestled just 10 miles from the booming town of Frederick which has become a far suburb, 34 miles north of the Washington, DC area, for those escaping the high costs

of living in the capital city.

At the entrance to the swooping driveway that leads through the wrought iron gate, a pair of elephant statues, trunks raised in salute, straddle a monument sign proclaiming “SBA Temple” the Sri Bhaktha Anjaneya Temple, located at the appropriately named Ayodhya Way. Some say the name was a miracle from Hanuman, securing permission from county officials to rename the road. Barely six-months old, the 5,000sf temple building gleams in its newness, both inside and out, set to one side of the surrounding 43 acres that make up the property of the temple.

“Our plans call for building a $36 million, 60,000 sf, 36 ft tall Hanu-

man Temple by 2020,” explained Murali Pathy, a volunteer who has been involved in the temple project since its inception. “There will be seven houses of the priests, a

barn for the cows, a greenhouse to grow vegetables and fountains,” he added as he pointed to the large color rendering on one wall inside the temple. He chanced upon this

group of wandering tourists who had heard of the temple, and gave them an impromptu tour of the building. A couple of the seven priests associated with the temple were on hand to take care of the needs of the stream of devotees and curiosity seekers who trickled in on a mid-Sunday morning.

When this area of Maryland was approved for religious zoning in 2012, the five priests convinced their congregation which had been meeting in a small house, to buy up the 43 acres for a permanent temple for Hanuman. The land was acquired for $14 million and then the Phase 1 temple building was built for another $8 million.

According to some estimates, about 4,500 Indian families live in this part of the Maryland, Virginia, DC area and many support this and another temple in the area in Lanham.

The newly opened temple houses altars for seven deities and has a large modern kitchen in the back, connected to a cozy, colorful dining hall, where visitors can order and eat food prepared by cooks.

All around, including the narrow office used by the priests, there are LED monitors with split-screen images from cameras around the property; LED lights in the park-

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14 December 04, 2015 Thakur Anoop Singh Bags Mr World Body Building Title

BY JOSHUA ARPIT NATH

T

hakur Anoop Singh is smart, intelligent and athletic. The choices he's made in life prove that. Being a trained pilot, a television actor and soon to make a foray into Hindi cinema tells you a lot about this 6-foot tall man in his late 20s.

Above all, he takes utmost pride as a bodybuilder where he recently brought laurels for the country.

Having bagged third place in Men’s fitness category of the Mr Asia 2015 competition in Tashkent recently, Anoop has now won gold in World Bodybuilding championships in Thailand. He won the yellow metal in fitness physique category in the seventh WBPF

World Bodybuilding and Physique Championships last week. The Mr World title now makes make Anoop only the second bodybuilder from India, after Manohar Aich to lift the coveted title.

He along with 10 other Indian medal winners from Thailand were given a rousing welcome at the New Delhi airport. “Hope my win helps Indians believe in the value of fitness. We can really make India proud,” Anoop said on his arrival in India.

Anoop is reportedly slated to make his Bollywood debut, plus a few offers from Telugu and Marathi cinema are also lined up.

His journey from a fitness enthusiast to becoming medal winning bodybuilder in the country can make a good movie in itself. He started his professional career as a pilot after completing his aviation course. However the economic recession that hit the tourism and aviation industry ensured he had to look elsewhere. That’s when the world of entertainment attracted him as a result of his good looks and physique.

He got his first major break in 2011 when he played the role of blind king Dhritarashtra in the mythological epic Mahabharata that aired on Star Plus. From there on, there was no stopping him.

-Indiatimes.com

INDIA/ COMMUNITY

Hanuman Temple Uses Technology to Reach Devotees and Lofty Goals CONTINUED FROM PAGE

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The gleaming, new temple has altars for all major deities, though Hanuman is its patron deity.

ing lot and a standby generator for emergency events. The temple is technologically advanced with a growing database of well-wishers attached to its email lists. It has a detailed and updated website that shows the progress of its building plans.

Temple organizers recognize the needs of their followers and devise ways to keep them involved. They offer social activity and regular free education classes throughout the week for Sanskrit, Vedas and SAT coaching for the teenagers needing to take the dreaded college entrance exam. “We support the DC Campus Kitchen project (a leader in anti-hunger programs and community service for students), “said the ever-smiling Pathy. “And we even have two cows and a calf for milk which we use for abhishakems.”

For further information, visit www.sbat.org

A priest, Achachrya Seshadri is flanked by volunteer Murali Pathy (left) and IAN Publisher Jawahar Malhotra.

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HEALTH

December 04, 2015

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Feel Hungry After Work?

Eat Healthy to Avoid Weight Gain

Eating inappropriate snacks in the evening and pushing dinner late into the night compounds the dietary mess

BY ISHI KHOSLA Done with work, most urban Indians reach home and tend to snack with tea or drinks between 6 and 8 pm.

According to diet recalls, most people report peak hunger at this time, but consume unhealthy food and extra calories.

This is largely due to easy availability of oily, starchy and processed snacks coupled with poor planning.

So extreme is the need to eat that many grab the first thing they can reach. Typical snacks include fried namkeen,chips, biscuits, samosas, kachoris, pakoras, pizzas, noodles and sandwiches. Worse still, this may be followed by a round of alcoholic drinks and end with a hearty dinner and close to midnight.

Evening is certainly the time when hunger strikes the hardest and self control is at its weakest. Whether it is physiological or psychological is hard to distinguish.

Irrespective of the amount eaten at lunch, this time coincides with the greatest need to eat, when the day’s stress and pressure eases (whether at home or at work). Food, certainly, is

Job Posting:

a great comfort and perfect partner to de-stress with, thereby, creating an internal stimulus to eat.

Eating inappropriate snacks in the evening and pushing dinner late into the night compounds the dietary mess. Not only does it increase the caloric intake, it also loads the system at the wrong time. It is no wonder that almost every other urban Indian complains of hyper-acidity, gastritis, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fatigue, sleeping disturbances and expanding waistlines.

Unchecked, this eventually results in dyslipidemia (high cholesterol),high blood pressure, increased uric acid, diabetes and even cardio-vascular disease.

According to research, eating late into the night can disturb the hormonal balance and lead to developing obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Circadian rhythms are regular mental and physical changes that occur in the course of a day and influence hormones, including insulin and leptin, associated with diabetes and obesity, respectively. Disturbed

circadian rhythms also adversely affect blood pressure, gastro-intestinal function, immunity, mental alertness and concentration. According to recent studies, even the obesity gene exhibits day-night variation, increasing after a meal at night.

Coupled with altered circadian rhythms, consuming high-calorie, oil-laden and high-salt and -sugar content food or dangerous trans fats, along with sedentary lifestyles and stress is a lethal cocktail.Why is it that we cannot change our snack time into meal time? For those at home, this should be a simple solution. Those who cannot because of work constraints, eating healthy snacks only requires a bit of planning. For those who consume alcohol regularly, an option could be to prepone drinking or learn to drink after meals. For those who work late, breaking up the meals and dividing calories between office and home would help prevent loading up calories late at night.

Even according to traditional Indian wisdom and Ayurvedic principles, eating large meals after sun-down is undesirable. Changing meal timing and eating the last meal 3-4 hours before going to bed helps improving energy levels and resolving several digestive complaints. When you dine out,eating a light home cooked meal or snack like vegetables, yogurt, nuts, seeds, dal or salad before leaving for a party can prevent excessive hunger as you reach the party. Decrease your food intake as you progress into night.

Simply eating a healthy meal when you are hungriest will do great service not only to your waistline and your gut, but also prevent several serious degenerative diseases.

-Indian Express

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EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Sins of Emission & Remission

To Retire Or Not Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is known for his unexpected candor. A little over a year after taking over as defence minister, Mr Parrikar has spoken aloud his thoughts on retirement. Turning 60 in December, he said “after 60 (years), one has to think of retirement… I had started thinking about retirement two-three years back. I have to intensify that, therefore, I don’t feel inclined to take up big responsibilities”.

There is no indication that Mr Parrikar has any plans to leave New Delhi just yet but his remarks raise pertinent questions about the issue of retirement in India. We regrettably do not discuss this enough in the public sphere; the issue tends to come up in the context of discussing the future of politicians where cynicism about the political class expresses itself as a voice for fast-tracking their obsolescence.

Even then there is more heat than light. Arbitrary milestones are picked for passage to oblivion to let the younger, trendier lot take over. In the case of political leaders, these issues are easier to settle. Retirement has less to do with age than enduring ability, staying adept with policy conversations, retaining the capacity to grapple with complex challenges, inspire and lead. Hillary Clinton is 68 and the arguably the best debater in the US political scene. Winston Churchill was 65 when he gave his ‘finest hour’ speech and went on to lead his country during war for five years, besides being able to do copious amounts of writing (and painting).

The issue of retirement age for the public is a trickier matter.

Governments need to balance the vitality of seniors with the impatience of the young. With improvements in medicine we live a third of our lives as ‘old’ people, many look to work longer while adding to pressure on pensions and health services.

Western societies which have aging, declining populations have the easier option of raising the retirement age or increasing immigration to make up for labour shortfalls. India does not have that luxury though. Increasing the retirement age would mean delaying the entry of the young into the workforce, which is politically not tenable for a country where 65% of the population is under 35 years of age.

Jettisoning the old and letting go of experience while educational standards are falling — paradoxically amid the improvements in technology — also have their own costs. India is expected to have 173 million seniors by 2026. With tenured jobs getting scarce, social mores and commitments under strain, social security systems overstretched and, in large swathes, nonexistent, governments will have their hands full balancing the competing claims of the young and the old. Hindustan Times.

BY CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA

W

ASHINGTON: Never has the expression ”the heat is on India” been more appropriate and applicable than at the COP21, the 21st Conference of Parties currently striving for an agreement in Paris on climate change.

There is also something ironical about a country that instituted firewalking having its feet held to the fire.

India’s fakirs and philosophers have long passed such agri-pariksha to test strength, courage, and fealty — not speak of good footwork. So there’s no reason New Delhi cannot meet the challenge thrown at it in Paris.

Still, there is a galling sense of disquiet, and some pique, that one of the world’s poorest exploiters of resources may end up carry the can for a clutch of effete, indulgent nations that have had a head start in industrialization, and are primarily responsible for punching a big hole in the ozone layer. These mostly western nations led by the United States have milked the planet’s resources to develop first and faster. They are now putting the crimp on laggards who were tied down principally by colonialism.

The numbers are well known. Big industrial power polluters currently clubbing New Delhi on the head like to bellow that India is now the world’s third largest net polluter. They artfully underplay the fact that the country’s per capita emission is among the lowest in the world (155th), a tenth of that of the United States’ and a fourth of that of China. Yet demonization of New Delhi, amplified by its own dodgy domestic dithering, indifference, and general sloppiness, has reached a crescendo at the global forum, with talk of India making or breaking COP21.

The hoopla aside, it is striking that the emissions cuts pledged by the U.S and most developed nations are based not on lifestyle changes but largely on improved technology.

This wouldn’t really matter, except for the fact that from the automotive to the dietary, the same culture of conspicuous consumption, mindless excess, and ceaseless profligacy is being packaged and parceled out to the

New Delhi needs to drag itself up the slippery slop as much for its own citizens as for the rest of the world. developing world, including India, with the promise that that’s the way to grow the economy. ”Everything about America is big” is a familiar observation made frequently by visitors to the United States. They are awed by the size of its cars, its roads and buildings, and indeed its drink and food portions. It starts with homes. There is really no need for President Obama to drum up theArctic Circle or invoke Martin Luther King to emphasize the gravity of the climate change situation and who is responsible for it. He only needs to look outside his modest office-cumresidence, a mansion that has a mere 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, and reflect on a country that is as rapacious as it is capacious, to appreciate the sins of emission.

Owners of some of the biggest homes in the world, Americans have been expanding into even larger houses even amid crises, regardless of the slippery slope of climate change. For all his industrious campaigning in Paris, even the thoughtful Bill Gates weighs in with a 66,000 sq foot home (estimated building cost $ 64 million). It is ten times the size of the Omaha home of his mentor Warren Buffett bought in 1958 for $ 31,500, which is only a modest 4x the current American home. The AVERAGE size of homes now being built in the U.S (family size 2.4 people) has

touched 2,600 square feet, an all-time high. This is twice the size of homes in most other developed countries.

Contrast that with the 504 square feet that that an Indian family with a household strength of 4.8 persons cramps itself into, and you get a sense of who is sucking up resources. In fact, a report in this paper, based on the Indian National Sample Survey, computed that 32 per cent of Indian urban homes are 258 sq feet or less, and given that the urban household strength is 4.3 persons, this translates to only 60 sq ft per person. Sixty sq ft is the minimum specified for a US prison cell.

None of this amounts to a get-outof-jail card for New Delhi, which needs to drag itself up the slippery slop as much for its own citizens as for the rest of the world. But the developed world has a poor appreciation of the natural thriftiness of Indians when it comes to resources, arising from a culture of dearth. Nowhere is this better reflected than from the vantage position of a true Indian-American home, which for the purpose of this narrative (and to retain domestic harmony) should remain unidentified.

Growing up in a resource-scarce environment, the Indian spouse’s natural inclination, even amid American plentitude, is to conserve, sustain, recycle, and generally abjure waste, much less indulge in extravaganza or ostentation. The American spouse, despite a shared commitment to a better life and higher ideals, but with an upbringing unconstrained by shortages or deprivation, has no such compulsion or compunction, much less instinct.

Some day, perhaps very soon, all this won’t matter. Revolutionary technologies — to provide us with cheap and boundless energy and bounteous food and water — are close at hand. The resource cornucopia, like the storage and bandwidth bonanza which is upon us, is only a decade or two away. But until then, will the last person to leave the kitchen after dinner — Indian or American – put away the leftovers, put out the recycle bin, turn off the tap, turn down the heat, and turn out the lights, please?

-Times of India

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HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR INDIA: RAJ KANWAR, ASEEM KULKARNI ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036.

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ISSA at the Baylor College of Medicine Celebrates Diwali

BY PRIYA SIVARAMAKRISHNAN

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OUSTON: Once experienced, the feeling one gets on a Diwali morning cannot be forgotten - waking up at the crack of dawn to the din of firecrackers, the aroma of delicious festival fare, offering prayers to Goddess Lakshmi thanking her for bringing wisdom, prosperity and peace, and enjoying the beauty of the decorations and lights, surrounded by friends and family...

The Indian Students and Scholars Association (ISSA) at the Baylor College of Medicine recreated the essence of the festival of lights, so far away from home in Houston on Saturday, November 7, bringing cheer and happiness to everyone who attended. ISSA has been organizing Diwali celebrations for 7 years now, and each year Surender Talwar has graced us as the Guest of Honor.

Talwar who has done so much for our community by leading several charitable organizations and creating Indo-American ties has been a strong supporter of ISSA. The day got off to an auspicious start as he and his wife led the Aarti and invocations.

The excitement in the air was palpable as the cultural events began – an eclectic mixture of performances showcasing a wide array of talent.

It started off with the melodious offerings of Dr. Vivekananda Shetty, Assistant Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, who took us back

in time with songs from early Bollywood movies. The gift of intoning is definitely genetic as evidenced by the song performed by his daughter Heera Shetty. They were not the only family duo at the event. Dr. Arun Sreekumar, also from the Baylor College of Medicine metabolomics core brought us some classical and divine Carnatic Music pieces on the flute accompanied by his son on the tabla.

The commemoration of Diwali centers on bringing people together to dispel darkness and rejoice in the triumph of good over evil, an ideology behind the creation of ISSA. Some of the more non-traditional stage acts of the day embodied this cause and the genuine spirit of India’s unity-in-diversity. The fusion of American and Bollywood songs

by Dhun A Capella – a group from University of Houston was a dramatic blend of cultures executed to perfection. The ensemble of Baylor College of Medicine’s medical and graduate students, Docapella, described their rocking number as a gift to the audience on Diwali, a gesture that was appreciated by every listener. The stage acts were interspersed with witty repartee from the compere Dilip Kumar who became a crowd favorite with his poetry recitations, and was accompanied by the MC of the event Priya Sivaramakrishnan.

No celebration is complete without the demonstration of the rhythm of India in true Bollywood style.

Shreya Goyal’s bold solo number

and the beautifully coordinated choreography by the gorgeous dancers Mahitha Rajendran, Resel Pereira and Shwetha Murali brought the audience to their feet. Falguni Parikh’s karaoke piece rounded up the more contemporary Bollywood renditions, followed by a game of Pictionary for the audience to participate in, which was hosted by Sunita Singh. The cultural extravaganza ended in songs from the olden days by GlobalDesi, a Houston-based troupe. Their music prompted the kids to boogie and the adults to sing along.

As the artistic festivities concluded, the hungry gathering thronged to the dining tables where they were served lunch catered by Maharaja Bhog. The delectable meal satisfied our Diwali food cravings as Dr. Shetty continued to provide entertainment.

Despite the dreary weather, ISSA’s 7th Annual Diwali Celebration was a shining success due to the relentless efforts of the leaders of ISSA – Papiya Sinha Somasundaram, President of ISSA and her teammates Ninad Oak, Neha Parikh, Anindita Ravindran, Sunita Singh, and many ISSA supporters and volunteers from the Baylor community. Chief Guest, Talwar stated, “This year the entertainment and entire presentation was outstanding. I have never seen such large participation of performers. Food was great and the emcees did a fabulous job. This was the best Diwali entertainment we attended.” Everyone in attendance was grateful for the day and left with warmth in their hearts as they ascended the stairs lit with radiant diyas.

The Indian Students and Scholars Association (ISSA) at Baylor College of Medicine can be contacted at bcm.issa@gmail.com and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ bcm.issa.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

TAMASHA N

BY ANUPAMA CHOPRA

EW DELHI: Tamasha, as far as I know, is the first instance in Hindi cinema of the Zipless F**k.

The phrase, coined by Erica Jong in her 1973 novel Fear of Flying, denotes a sexual encounter between two strangers, who don’t even know each other’s names.

There is no emotional involvement here, no commitment, no agenda. There are absolutely no strings attached. Tamasha gives us the Bollywood version. Ved and Tara meet in Corsica. This is the kind of sun-kissed Mediterranean island where inhibitions are automatically checked in at immigration.

So Ved, played by Ranbir Kapoor, becomes Don; and Tara, played by Deepika Padukone, becomes Mona Darling. They make a promise to tell each other only lies.

For a week, they live in a delightful fictional world. But then reality intrudes, as it must.

In Tamasha, director and writer Imtiaz Ali grapples with many big ideas. The film is a celebration of storytelling, of the power of lies to reveal the truth. It is also about the transformative power of love. And it’s about following your passion and seizing the day.

Imtiaz is a fabulously talented director but eventually it proves to

be too much messaging for one film.

Tamasha’s first half is enchanting.

Corsica is gorgeous; so are Ranbir and Deepika. Though Tamasha is about Ved’s evolution, Tara is a far more interesting character. As long as the film stays with her, it’s interesting.

But post interval, we have to watch

Ved unleash his inner artiste, which is a bit of a bore.

Ta m a s h a starts to feel indulgent and predictable.

The writing also gets lazy.

Imtiaz settles for stereotypes and simplistic resolutions.

We even get a philosophical rickshaw driver, who shows Ved the way.

But even as the story stumbles, Ranbir and Deepika power through.

They have a special kind of talent the ability to be both extraordinary and instantly relatable. They are transparent actors. Their tears have a genuine ache.

So for the price of a movie ticket, you can experience their magic and travel the world (for no apparent reason, Tamasha ends in Tokyo). That seems like a good deal to me.- HT

December 04, 2015

21

‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Dilwale’ in Biggest Marketing War

BY LATA JHA & VIDHI CHOUDHARY

NEW DELHI: The weekend of

18 December is a much-awaited one at the Indian box office. That’s when Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Bajirao Mastani and Rohit Shetty’s romantic action comedy Dilwale will both release, and go head to head. The run-up will be marked by a massive promotional campaign that industry experts estimate will cost in excess of Rs.50 crore. According to a person close to the development who did not want to be identified, the marketing budget for Dilwale, starring Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and Kajol (it’s her first film in five years) is estimated to be Rs.30-40 crore, while that for Bajirao Mastani will be around Rs.20 crore.

“The pressure here is on Dilwale because it’s SRK, Kajol and Rohit Shetty coming together. For Dilwale to be a success, it needs to do at least Rs.250 crore (of business at the box

office),” added the person.

Vinit Karnik, national director, entertainment at media buying company GroupM, says promotional strategies adopted by both films have been quite different. “Bajirao took the traditional, three-month route, peaking the excitement, settling down and then peaking again. Dilwale started in the last 40 days to begin at the peak and stay there,” he said. While Bajirao’s appeal lies in its grandeur, scale and Bhansali’s reputation as a great filmmaker, Dilwale is expected to bring its own share of audiences for Khan, who is regarded as the country’s biggest entertainer.

The teaser of Bhansali’s magnum opus was released by production company Eros International in July, nearly five months before release, along with an Eros-distributed film Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Dilwale came out with a trailer soon after Diwali and has just launched its first song.

-Livemint.com

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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Kale Channe da Snack (Black Chicpea Snack) Many people don’t mind eating

boiled safayd chole (white chickpeas) in snacks like gol gappas (also known as pani puri elsewhere in India) or in aaloo chaats, Boiled chickpeas are even served in many mainstream American restaurants as an item to be mixed in when creating your own salad. One of the main reasons for this is that chole are cheap and widely available – even pre-cooked in a can and are easy to boil and serve without messing up.

The other type of chole – the kale channe (black chickpeas) which are actually cheaper – are also appreciated by desis for their taste, but are still not as widely cooked as their white cousins and are not known in mainstream American circles. They are small, hard and covered with a reddish brown skin and are just as easy to make, but are much more flavorful, a better source of protein and are easier to digest.

Roasted and skinless kale channe are usually ground up to make besan flour, so many people eat them regularly but just don’t realize it. Left to soak in water, the channe will start to sprout and some people use them for salads.

Across India, many eat kale channe at certain religious festivals but and otherwise it is seldom made at home.

Among Punjabi families and Northern Indians, kale channe curry is usually a special treat, eaten with plain or tandoori roti. But one of the best ways to eat them are semi dry, with a thickened sauce, as an appetizer, garnished with chopped chilies, raw onions and dhania (coriander) leaves, with puris or kulchas, which hawkers and specialty restaurants serve across North India.

A side benefit to cooking kale channe bean is that the water used to boiling them contains minerals and drunk as a clear soup for its fortifying power. It is served to recovering sick people to give them added strength.

Ingredients : 2 cups kale channe (black chickpeas) 5 cups of pani (water) 100 gm paneer (Indian cottage cheese) 2 uble hua ande (hard boiled eggs) optional 1 small piyaaz (onion) Spices (to taste): namak (salt),

mirch (red pepper), garam masala, amchoor (dried mango powder) Garnishes (to taste): hari mirchen (long green chillies), dhania (coriander), nimbu (lemon) Directions: 1. Wash the kale channe well, then pour into a pot and let them soak overnight in warm water.

2. Wash them again in the morning and then pour them with the water in a pressure cooker. Bring to a boil; wait you get 5 or 6 whistles before opening the cooker up. They are usually well cooked after 6 whistles. Do not add salt or baking soda when boiling the channe as they are naturally salty and the soda only upsets the stomach.

3. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can boil them in a full pot of water for at least 90 minutes under medium low heat. If you need to add more water when boiling, you can do so.

4. Pour through a sieve and save the water to serve as a soup. Put the boiled kale channe in a mixing bowl.

5. Cut the paneer into small pieces.

If you want to add the boiled eggs, likewise chop them into small pieces.

Finely chop the onions, chillies and dhania.

6. Throw them in the bowl with the kale channe and mix gently so as not to break up the paneer and eggs.

Add the salt, pepper, amchoor, garam masala and dhania and squeeze in some lemon juice and mix well.

7. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving cold as an appetizer.

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

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK USE MASHED POTATOES FROM THE HOLIDAYS TO MAKE PARANTHAS

For the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays, the traditional meals call for a side dish of mashed potatoes, and usually there are plenty of leftovers. If the mashed potatoes are not made with milk or cream or too much water, then they are perfect to be used for as stuffing for aaloo paranthas (stuffed potato flatbread). Simply mix in some red pepper, amchoor (dried mango powder) and garam masala and then scoop in some amount into the rolled out dough. Add the salt at the last minute as it sheds water if mixed into the stuffing.

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STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

Modi to Launch Solar Alliance on First Day of Paris Climate Summit

BY MAYANK AGGARWAL & ELIZABETH ROCHE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set

to launch his ambitious International Solar Alliance on Monday, the first day of the Paris climate summit.

The move is being seen by analysts as a strategic step for the country on the global stage.

Experts say that the alliance, which would include around 50 African countries, would be a huge business opportunity for Indian companies.

It is also likely to give the country a leadership role in solar powergeneration capacities.

The first official announcement of the alliance was made by Modi at the India-Africa Summit held in New Delhi on 26-30 October, though the plan had been in the works for sometime.

It received support from nearly all the African nations besides countries such as Australia and France. India has also invited China to be part of the solar alliance.

The name of the proposed alliance is International Agency for Solar

Policy and Application (INSPA) and it aims to include almost 110 tropical countries called ‘sunshine nations’ as they receive abundant sunshine throughout the year.

Along with French President Francois Hollande, Modi will announce the launch of INSPA on the first day of the Conference of Parties (CoP) 21 starting in Le Bourget, a suburb of Paris, where more than 190 countries will negotiate a new global climate regime under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“In efforts to tackle climate change, India has already come up with the solar alliance idea and that has been enthusiastically accepted by many, including the French president,” said former Indian foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh.

“We need to control climate change and if the world leaders don’t agree on common action, it is going to be very difficult. India is ready to join global leaders. In the past 12 months, climate change has featured in nearly all of Modi’s foreign engagements,” Mansingh said.

Under Modi, India has scaled up its

renewable energy target from 30GW by 201617 to 175GW by 2021-22, which is expected to result in the abatement of 326.22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. Of this 175GW, the highest share would be of solar power.

The government increased its target of achieving 20,000MW by 2022 to 100,000MW. This would require an investment of around Rs.6.5 trillion over the next five years.

This is expected to be scaled up further and by 2030, India aims at around 250GW of renewable power. By then, India aims to make solar power account for around 18% of its power mix compared to the current 1%.

According to the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by India, which will form the basis of the Paris climate negotiations, the country’s target is to achieve 40% installed power capacity

The New H-1B Bill Could Hurt Indian IT Firms

BY DHANYA ANN THOPPIL

B

ENGALURU: A new bill introduced in the US Senate in the second week of November that seeks to restrict the movement of Indian technology professionals to that country is worrying the outsourcing industry, which has been lobbying for favourable immigration regulation in one of its largest markets.

Industry experts and immigration lawyers fear a new bipartisan bill, called H-1 and L-I Reform Act, 2015, introduced by senators Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Dick Durbin, As-

sistant Democratic Leader, could presage a hawkish skilled-worker immigration regulation. That could seriously hamper the growth and inflate the cost of operations of India’s outsourcing services industry that earns more than half of its $100 billion software export revenue from the US.The Grassley-Durbin bill retains most of the restrictions on skilled migration proposed in a previous legislation in 2013, besides proposing a new system for allocating skilledworker visas, tougher eligibility standards, new minimum wage standards and other employer obligations, and limiting the ability of employers to place H-1B and L-1 employees at

third-party worksites or otherwise contract for their services.

Indian outsourcing firms such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd send thousands of engineers to the US on the hard-to-get skilled-worker, or H-1B, visas to work on technology projects of their clients. L-1 visas are mainly used by firms to transfer staff to their branches in the US. A lobbyist for outsourcing companies, who declined to be named, said there is little chance of the new bill becoming law. “It is highly unlikely that this bill will even come to the Senate for vote, given the damage it would do to the US economy. There

from renewable energy.

F o r India, the possible additional spin-off from the alliance is the stregthening of its ties with major African countries, said Ruchita Berry, who heads the Africa and Latin America programmes at the government-funded Institute for Defence Studies andAnalyses think tank based in New Delhi.

“It will definitely increase goodwill for India in the African countries because we will be seen as implementing the promise we made to them in partnering with them” in this initiative, Berry said.

India is already training batches of African women—homemakers from countries as diverse as South Africa, Namibia and Burkina Faso— in household solar electrification techniques. The facility in Tilonia

in Rajasthan—known as Barefoot College set up by activist Bunker Roy about 44 years ago—teaches the women how to assemble solar panels and lanterns.

The women—called Barefoot Mamas—are made to go through a six-month training programme which is supported by the Indian foreign ministry. On their return to their respective countries, the women will help electrify villages, repair any faults with installed lighting panels as well as train other women, according to foreign ministry officials.

The institute has so far trained 780 women from 72 countries, of which a little more than 300 are from 36 countries in Africa.

“Africa is energy rich but large sections of population in many African countries still don’t have electricity. India’s solar alliance initiative is expected to fill that gap. It will also provide opportunities for Indian solar equipment-manufacturing firms who will be implementing any project under this scheme which has been agreed upon by the Indian and African partner country’s governments,” Berry said.

-Livemint.com

is no way to bring a bill to the Senate that deals with just the high-skilled part of immigration regulations,” the lobbyist said.

Still, industry and immigration experts are concerned: “These senior legislators are some of the most respected names and, therefore, it is likely to influence future legislative debate,” said Gagan Sabharwal, director for global trade development at the National Association of Software and Services Companies, or Nasscom. “Our only concern is some of the stringent provisions which are already there should not be taken in consideration in the real debate when the comprehensive immigration reforms invigorates.”

“Many of these proposed provi-

sions have been introduced repeatedly by Senators Durbin and Grassley,” said Scott Fitzgerald, a partner at immigration services firm Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP. “It is very likely that many of its components will be prominent topics for debate on any future business immigration legislation,” he said.For Indian IT companies, a shortage of H-1B visas remains a perennial problem. They are trying to address this problem by hiring more employees locally in the US. “At one level, it is a political thing because in the run-up to elections (in the US), we keep on hearing about these things,” said U.B. Pravin Rao, chief operating officer of Infosys.

-Livemint.com

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24 December 04, 2015 SA in India: Extreme Spin Ends SA’s Nine-Year Away Run

BY SIDHARTH MONGA

NAGPUR (ESPN Cricinfo): In-

dia 215 (Vijay 40, Harmer 4-78, Morkel 3-35) and 173 (Dhawan 39, Tahir 5-38) beat South Africa 79 (Ashwin 5-32, Jadeja 4-33) and 151 for 6 (Ashwin 7-66, Mishra 3-51) by 124 runs South Africa went more than nine years and 15 away trips without losing a series, but it took just seven days of cricket to end the streak. Only on the fourth and the seventh day of the series did we see a contest between bat and ball.

On the seventh - the third and final day of this Test - the pitch became so slow that more edges fell short than the ones that carried. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis provided resistance for 46.2 overs, South Africa’s longest partnership of the series, South Africa even managed to get the second new ball out for the first time in the series, but they never managed to get into a threatening position after beginning the day needing 278 runs with eight wickets in hand.

R Ashwin waltzed away to his fourth 10-wicket match haul, but Amit Mishra - like he did in Mohali - broke the big partnership by getting Amla and then took du Plessis out in the last exchanges before tea. The resumption of the chase was stillborn when Ashwin took out Dean Elgar and AB de Villiers in the first 10 overs of the day. Amla and du Plessis, assisted by some good fortune, fought long and hard, but unlike the South Africa spinners, India didn’t provide them with bad balls on a pitch where timing half-volleys was also a challenge.

Surprisingly, Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in 25 overs, but it wasn’t as if he didn’t look like getting one. At the height of the Amla-du Plessis partnership, Jadeja still kept beating the bat with his sharp turn. Otherwise, the spin was slow, which finally gave the batsmen some trust of their defence and the pitch. Balls began to die in front of the slips. It was evident in how both of them edged twice each without the ball carrying to the cordon. And when Amla

R Ashwin celebrates a wicket, India v South Africa, 3rd Test, Nagpur, 3rd day, November 27, 2015.

nicked Mishra when driving hard, not with soft hands or by playing late.

Amla and du Plessis now began to play off the surface. If the ball would be tossed up, they would press forward to try to reach the pitch of it. When it was bowled flatter, they stayed back and worked with their hands, playing the line of the ball, not following the ones that turned sharply. Yet there were the frequent plays and misses. India knew they needed to stay patient and accurate, which they did. Not for one moment could the batsmen have thought there was an easy run around the corner. Only 72 runs came in that partnership, 25 runs in the first 25 overs of the middle session, and they went 25.1 overs without a boundary.

Eventually that special delivery arrived from Mishra. Amla had spent 72 balls scoring just seven runs and was on 39 when Mishra bowled one that reared up at his defensive shot. During the partnership the two had taken South Africa to their longest innings of the series, threatened to make the second new ball due for the first time in the series, but neither could cross 40, the highest individual

score of this Test.

The curse of 40 continued after du Plessis punched Mishra through cover for the first boundary in more than 25 overs, but when he went to repeat the same - having read a wrong ‘un - the long hop stayed low to hit his stumps. Like Amla, he, too, scored 39. Ashwin ran through the rest without much trouble, but it was his strikes in the morning - as it has been throughout the series - that set the tone for India’s domination.

Ashwin’s wickets had less to do with the pitch than Mishra’s. This might not have been Johannesburg, but Elgar began by slog-sweeping him for a six in the early exchanges. Ashwin, though, remained naggingly accurate, and later in that over he bowled an offbreak that didn’t turn, took the inside edge of the defensive bat on to the pad and popped up for an easy catch. It might have been given out lbw by the on-field umpire, but Elgar was out anyway, for the fourth time to Ashwin in the series.

Now was the time for the crucial partnership, between de Villiers and Amla, the two men who have looked South Africa’s best bets in the series. De Villiers tried his best to put Ashwin off his length by

jumping out of the crease as often as he could, but he kept failing to do so. In the end, perhaps what was happening off the pitch became so dominant that he didn’t watch the ball closely enough out of the hand, and fell lbw to a carrom ball.

He was gone for 9. Amla and du Plessis only delayed the last rites after that. Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Referees Call Pitch ‘Poor’

T

he Nagpur pitch used for the third Test between India and South Africa has been given a “poor” rating by the match referee, Jeff Crowe, in his report. The report has been submitted to the ICC, and the BCCI, which has been informed of the rating, will now have 14 days to respond..

The match finished inside three days, ending in an India victory, and there were several occasions of the ball misbehaving off the surface.

The penalty for a pitch that is called poor for the first time, as would be the case for Nagpur, can range from a warning and/or a fine of $15,000 with a directive to institute corrective measures.

SPORTS

England Secure Whitewash in Super Over vs. Pakistan

SHARJAH: England 154 for 8

(Vince 46, Woakes 37) tied with Pakistan 154 for 7 (Malik 75, Willey 3-36) Super Over England 4 for 0 beat Pakistan 3 for 1 The T20 series had already been won by England but the third match, dead rubber or not, was memorable and went to a Super Over in Sharjah. England, who had never experienced such a thing, sneaked it from the penultimate ball after a pinpoint over from Chris Jordan restricted Pakistan to just three. A game that effectively did not matter mattered enormously. And cricket is all the better for that.

Pakistan must have felt they would win the match in real time.

With two runs needed from two balls, and a rendition of “Long Live Pakistan” having blared supportively mid-over from the PA system, the highest T20 score of Shoaib Malik’s career - 75 from 54 balls - came to grief when Chris Woakes had him caught at long-on.

The last ball, to Sohail Tanvir, flew for a bye as he just beat Jos Buttler’s throw to the bowler’s end.

So Super Over it was. Many would have questioned England’s decision to entrust it to Jordan, hardly a regular and far from the most trustworthy bowler on view.

The combination of Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal, by contrast, would have been met with universal approval. But Jordan restricted them to three runs, an over of full length into the pads rounded off when he bowled Akmal around his legs.

Unless England lost two wickets, it was as good as over. Pakistan, correctly, opted for Afridi against Buttler and Eoin Morgan, memories of his spell of 2 for 19 still fresh. There was no shot of note, but Anwar Ali failed to gather and run out Buttler, as he risked a second run to the bowler’s end from the penultimate ball, and England crept home.

England therefore completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the series. Few would have anticipated this sense of feel good for England in any form of limited-overs cricket after their World Cup horrors. Pakistan, not for the first time, will just hope to catch a fair wind.

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This Christmas, for all your shopping needs... Look Nowhere Else!

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