E newspaper 12122014

Friday, December 12 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 50

$1

Indo American erican News

Gourmet India www.gourmetindiahouston.us

20% Off Lunch or Dinner

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

13155 Westheimer @ Synott, Houston, TX 77077 - 281-493-5435

7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 713.789.NEWS (6397) • Fax: 713.789.6399 • indoamericannews@yahoo.com

Partnered & Syndicated with Times of India, Sulekha.com, Google, Yahoo & Bing

Emirates A380 Hum Hain Houston is an

Gateway City!

For Catering Call: 832-713-2028 We do Deliver Minimum $50

Hindi-stani

P9

Puzzles/Recipe

P5 P22

The Board members of the International Hindi Association-Houston Chapter and from the India Culture Center, along with other guests during the Kavita Ki Shaam event last Friday, December 5 at Madras Pavilion.

MITRA / CAMDEN TRAVEL Consolidators for Turkish Airlines and Asiana Airlines

We have completed 20 successful years 12375 Bissonnet, Ste. B Houston, TX 77099

We have special low fares on Emirates Indo-American News © 2014

WHOLESALER FOR S MAJOR AIR CARRIER • Emirates • Gulf Airways • Kingfisher • Singapore Airlines • Jet Airways • Sahara Airlines • Indian Airlines • Eva Airlines • Asiana Airlines • Qatar Airways • PIA • Air India • Royal Jordanian • China Airlines

281-530-3000, 1-888-811-LESS Please call us to get these special fares

WHOLESALE CONSOLIDATOR OF QATAR & EMIRATES AIRLINES Call us for competitive and confirmed seats on all major cities in Texas to any city in India.Call us for Summer and December seats now

Last minute fares to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore,

Calcutta and many more...

For December fares please call us now.

Special Student and Teacher discounts www.faregurus.com/ camdentravel@aol.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

2

December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

3

The Holidays Bring Out the Glamorous to Support Empowerment of Women

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: The warmth of the Holiday Season was exemplified in the generosity of many of the community’s well-heeled women when they came together for a luncheon at the Junior League of Houston in what has become a tradition in Pratham Houston’s fundraising efforts. It is perhaps the organization’s most successful event after the Annual Gala which is held in April each year, and will be held on April 25 next year. This year’s luncheon raised $158,000 in donations and pledges.

The Holiday Luncheon has been held at the same cozy, intimate venue for a number of years and followed the same formula as last year, with a nationally well-known speaker and a runway show of fashions by a recognized designer, with a mix of beauty salon experts and jewelry and handbag sales tables. This year, Disha Thadani exhibited her costume jewelry for Aanushkil Jewelry while Carly Beck of CAB Collection of Los Angeles brought out pieces from her original collection of leather handbags. Other exhibits inside the banquet hall were Faidat Bakare, Touch of Elegance and Saks Fifth Avenue.

This year’s luncheon focused empowering women in India and giving them a chance to become entrepreneurs and in control of their destinies, with proceeds from the fundraiser earmarked towards Pratham’s Beauty Training Program. “We realize that if you change women’s lives,” said Dr. Sapna Singh, the emcee, “that you change the status of the kids and men around them for generations,” and cited stats on how the 247 beauty parlors and 142 doorto-door sales women had done just that through the vocational program.

A short video outlining the effectiveness of Pratham’s programs in India showed how the Annual Status of Education Report or ASER, Read India, Vocational and En-

trepreneur Training and Second Chance Open Schools for Girls.

Read India has been particularly effective since its launch in 2007 to reach 34 million kids in India and teach them basic reading and simple math in a unique 2-month program.

Dr. Marie Goradia, Pratham Houston’s President, spoke of her fervor for the non-profit which her husband Vijay Goradia co-founded the US chapter in 1998. Inspite of a sore throat that hampered her, Goradia explained how she had been touched by the kids she saw when she visited the slums of Bombay and related the story of three of the girls who had become educated and trained by Pratham’s programs.

She deplored the conditions under which some girls are raised, reminding the audience of those who have been kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria and the 2012 attack on Malala Yousafzai – she later was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. “A woman is somebody’s child, mother, wife … but never themselves,” lamented Goradia.

“If you give women a chance, they can move mountains.” She went on to explain how Pratham’s program had provided loans for 70 beauty parlors started by women entrepreneurs, and that 95% of them were paid back. She gave a brief history of Pratham and how it has become a powerful voice for education in India. She also acknowledged the efforts of the event committee chairs Leena Shah, Asha Dhume, Annu Naik, who organized last year’s event too; and the Pratham Houston staff, Mani Surkari and Vikas Bahl.

The motivational speech by the keynote speaker, Ingrid Vanderveldt, the Chairwoman and CEO of Empowering a Billion Women by 2020 was inspiring because she related her personal odyssey to overcome a learning disability in her formative years that forced her to flunk out of fourth grade, go to a special education school, suffer the trauma with her family of not understanding what the

Job Opportunity

Capricorn Travel Requires Full Time Experienced Travel Agent.

For Appointment: Please Call: 713-339-2222

problem was, only to learn much later that it was due to her hearing deficiency, which became a game changer for her. She has been the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Dell Computers and showed

a video of women CEO’s and the traits that make them successful.

The program continued with a models walking down the runway, showing off fashions from the Spring 2015 Collection of Hous-

ton’s own, Chloe Dao. A fashion designer of Vietnamese descent, Dao has her own outlet, the Chloe Dao Boutique in the Rice Village district and mingled with the crowd.

Ladies of the Luncheon and volunteers.

From left, sitting: Vinita Gupta, Chairperson, Apex; Vijay Goradia, Founder Pratham USA; Lillie Robertson, Gala 2015 co-chair; Nancy Thorington.

From left, standing: Lynt Graft; Ingrid Vanderveldt, Chairman and CEO Empowering a Billion women by 2020; Marie Goradia, President Pratham Houston; Steve Thorington.

Award Winning Customer Service & Best Rates in Town Proudly Serving For Best Rates to: India, Europe, Cruises & Vacation Packages South Asian Community Toll Free: 1-866-956-0758 - Tel:713-339-2222 for Past 3939 Hillcroft Ave, Suite# 110, Houston, TX 77057 30 Years

CAPRICORN TRAVEL

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

4

December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

5

Come, Bask in the Warmth of Hindi, Kuan ke Hum Hain Hindustani!

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

SUGAR LAND: For the past three years, if it’s the first Friday in December, then it has to be the Kavita ki Shaam get together at the Madras Pavillion restaurant in Sugar Land, organized by the Houston chapter of the International Hindi Association, in collaboration with the India Culture Center. This past Friday, December 5 was no different as about 150 people of all persuasions from India, but mostly the older first generation crowd who still associates with Hindi and its nuances, came to hear the richness of the language explored in lilting verse.

Fittingly, it was the night before puran maashi or the full moon, which is celebrated universally

by Hindus, and the good omen brought with it a carefree, celebratory mood, as the attendees partook of a vegetarian buffet spread out on the back patio deck under moonlight. Inside, the audience waited even as Darshak Thakkar of Krishna Sounds finalized his setup and the podium was set onto the makeshift stage for the poets to come.

But, just as everyone came together, a decorated cake was rolled in for a surprise celebration of the birthday of Swapan Dhairyawan, which coincidentally was the same day, December 5, and his friends on the Boards of the IHA – of which he is the current president – and the ICC all broke out into the birthday song, as he beamed with delight. “This was just too good an occasion to pass up,” said his wife Pallavi on the surprise she had planned. They also celebrated Thakkar’s birthday, which falls around the same time.

Fatehali Chatur was the emcee of the evening, always quick with a witty twist of words in verse adding a humorous touch. The invocation prayer was made by Eesha Dhairyawan, Swapan’s daughter.

Later, the poised 8 year-old sang a catchy Bollywood Oldies, Hum Hindustani, which many clapped along to in tune.

Dr. K.D. Upadhyaya

Dr. Nausha Asrar

Fatehali Chatur

Meera Kapur

Dr. Sunny Anand

Farha Iqbal

Dilip Kanabar

Neera Vipin Photos: Jawahar Malhotra & Sanjay Sohoni

Om Prakash Gupta

Rajiv Bhavsar

Sarita Mehta

Charlie Patel and Ajit Patel (whose company, Air n U Cool sponsored the event) of the ICC kept their remarks short as they reminded everyone to come to the Republic Day program on January 31, next year. Dhairyawan and Dr. K.D. Upadhyaya spoke about the efforts of the IHA to promote Hindi language and encourage its teaching in schools to youngsters and older people too. They presented the Gunjan newsletter, published in Hindi, for the first time this year, and explained the IHA goals through all its 16 chapters in the US. They also observed a 30-second silence in the memory

of the passing away of Bollywood actor Devan Verma, who is the brother of Houstonian Parul Fernandes.

The first poet for the evening was the tall, slender Jasmeeta Singh, an ICC Director, who sang the verses of a ghazal in a sweet voice, with the theatrical quality that she is most associated with. A shorter, compact Upadhyaya followed up with some witticisms to settle the crowd before he went into a poem in a deep,

strong voice. Om Prakash Gupta followed with a lilting poem on his father who died 6 years earlier. Meera Kapur added her own remembrance of her father by reading from two of the poems he had written. Neera Vipin sang melodiously from the Shringar Ras poem she had written, titled Prakarti ke rang mere sang, full of significance, about her own life

experiences.

Sangeeta Pasrija, the IHA-Houston president for the past three years came to speak about a guest who came from Memphis, Tennessee to present his own verses, Dr. Sunny Anand, a physician and multi-talented performer, whom she had met at a wedding and who had impressed her with his wide range of knowledge of Hindi literature. She recited four short Haryana Pradeshi jokes – which she is well known for - about a husband and wife and then gave the rest of her allotted time to Anand.

Anand, a tall, slim Sikh with a pointed moustache and a compact turban read from an immense collection of poems from his notebook, and had the audience roaring with laughter. He was followed up

by Sarita Mehta, who is a professor

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.

Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

CONTINUED ON PAGE

11

6

December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

R

December 12, 2014

7

R

R

R

Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they can be. Different.

Unexpected. Truly WOW. So vow to change the way you vacation and cruise with Royal Caribbean International®.

Only Royal WOWs with the best ships, greatest service and more destinations worldwide than ever. Right now we’ve got the greatest variety of balcony staterooms in the Caribbean. Plus a variety of cruise choices in Europe Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they can be. Different. and AlaskaTruly too. WOW. For a limited we’rethe offering our richest offerwith of the year.

Vow toInternational®.

WOW yourself and your Unexpected.

So vow time to change way youyou vacation and cruise Royal Caribbean Only Royal WOWs the best ships, greatest service more destinations worldwide than ever. Right now loved ones with with a Royal Caribbean vacation they’lland never forget.

Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they c Unexpected. Truly WOW. So vow to change the way you vacation and cruise with Royal Caribbe Only Royal WOWs with the best ships, greatest service and more destinations worldwide than we’ve got the greatest variety of balcony staterooms in the Caribbean. Plus a variety of cruise choices in Europe we’ve got the greatest variety of balcony staterooms in the Caribbean. Plus a variety of cruise c and Alaska too. For a limited time we’re offering you our richest offer of the year. Vow to WOW yourself and your HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014 loved ones with a Royal Caribbean vacation they’ll never forget. and Alaska too.HOW For aTOlimited timeLOWEST we’re offering you THROUGH our richest CHOICEAIR®” offer of the year. Vow to WOW y “ASK ME GET THE AIRFARE HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014 Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they can be. Different. loved ones with aTORoyal Caribbean vacation neverCHOICEAIR®” forget.

“ASK ME HOW GET THE LOWEST AIRFAREthey’ll THROUGH Unexpected.

Truly WOW.theSoway vow toyou change the way youVacations vacation andare cruiseprecious with Royal Caribbean Vow to change vacation. and needInternational®. to be the best they can be. Different.

Enter Agency Name Here Only Royal WOWsTruly with theWOW. best ships, greatestto service andthe moreway destinations worldwideand thancruise ever. Right Unexpected.

So vow change you vacation withnowRoyal Caribbean International®.

Enter Agency Name Name Here Here Enter Contact we’ ve gotRoyal the greatest staterooms the Caribbean.

Plus a and varietymore of cruisedestinations choices in Europe Only WOWsvariety withof balcony the best ships,ingreatest service worldwide than ever. Right now Enter Contact Name Here and Alaskagottoo.the For greatest a limited timevariety we’re offering you our richest offer of theinyear. to WOW yourself your of cruise choices in Europe Enter Phone Number Here we’ve of balcony staterooms theVow Caribbean.

Plusand a variety Enter Phone Number Here loved ones withtoo. a RoyalForCaribbean vacation ll neveroffering forget. you our richest offer of the year. Vow to WOW yourself and your and Alaska a limited timethey’ we’re

HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014 loved ones with a Royal Caribbean vacation they’ll never forget. “ASK ME HOW TO GET THE LOWEST AIRFARE THROUGH CHOICE HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014 11 11 YEARS ® “ASK ME HOW TO GET THE LOWEST AIRFARE THROUGH CHOICEAIR®” ®

BEST CRUISE BEST CRUISE LINE OVERALL LINE OVERALL

YEARS

Travel Weekly Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards Readers’ Choice Awards 2003 – 2013

HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014 RUNNING Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they can be. Different.

“ASK ME HOW TO GET THE LOWEST AIRFARE THROUGH CHOICEAIR®” Unexpected. Truly WOW. So vow to change the way you vacation and cruise with Royal Caribbean International®.

Enter Agency Name Here Only Royal WOWs with the best ships, greatest service and more destinations worldwide than ever. Right now RUNNING

Enter Agency Name Here

2003 – 2013

we’ve got the greatest variety of balcony staterooms in the Caribbean. Plus a variety of cruise choices in Europe EnterContactNameHere Alaska a limited we’re offering Vow WOWcategories yourself and your Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person, cruise only, based on double occupancy, and interior stateroom. and Offer applies to all too. sailings,For excluding Quantumtime of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas,you and allour Chinarichest departures.offer Buy One,ofGetthe One year.

50% applies to alltostateroom and excludes third and higher occupancy guests. Cruise must be booked Nov 17-Dec 31, 2014 (the “Offer Period”). Offer provides an onboard credit of up to $300 per stateroom based onthey’ll categorynever purchasedforget. as well as 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as a EnterPhoneNumberHere lovedforones with a (‘OBC’) Royal Caribbean vacation

Enter Agency Name Here Enter Contact Name Here

®

Enter Contact Name Here

first guest who books atPrices full fare. charges, including, but notonlimited taxes, fees and expenses, are additional applytotoallallsailings, guests. OBC amount isQuantum one per stateroom andAnthem based onofstateroom Refer to royalcaribbean.com list of OBC Terms & Conditions: areAllperother person, cruise only, based doubleto, occupancy, andportinterior stateroom.

Offerand applies excluding of the Seas, the Seas,category and all purchased.

China departures.

Buy One, Get One for 50%fullapplies to allamounts. stateroom categories and excludes OBC will be applied automatically at time of booking to all eligible reservations and displayed as per person amounts for 1st and 2nd guests, totalling the per stateroom value. The 50% reduced deposit can be applied via any automated booking tool (Cruisematch®, Sabre, Amadeus, third and higher occupancy guests.

Cruise must be booked Nov 17-Dec 31, 2014 (the “Offer Period”).

Offer provides for an onboard credit (‘OBC’) of up to $300 per stateroom based on category purchased as well as 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked ENDS DECEMBER 2014 Galileo or Wordspan). However, the booking confirmation will not reflect the reduced deposit amount due. Buy One, Get One 50% off is combinable HURRY, with the adjoiningTHIS OBC offer,OFFER Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers. Buy31, One, Get One 50% off offer is not combinable with in the same stateroom as a first guestrates who(forbooks at fullSeniors, fare.CRUISE AllResidents, other charges, but OBC not limited to, taxes, fees port expenses, are additional and apply to all guests.

OBC amount is one per stateroom and based on stateroom category purchased.

Refer todiscounts. royalcaribbean.com BEST restricted example, Military,including, Kids Sail Free). offer is combinable withand restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO, Kids Sail Free) as well as NextCruise offers.

OBC offer is not combinable with & Anchor Neither offer for full list of OBC amounts.

“ASK ME• HOW TOEDITION: GET THE LOWEST AIRFARE THROUGHCrown CHOICEAIR®” INDO AMERICAN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM LINE OVERALL isOBC combinable with anyautomatically other offer or promotion, limitedreservations to,•Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates,the Shareholder Benefits.value.

AfterThe the Offer Period, thedeposit Offer will the booking if thebooking guest cancels and will be applied at time of including, booking tobutallnotNEWS eligible and displayed as per person amounts for 1st andONLINE 2nd guests, totalling per stateroom 50% reduced canbeberemoved appliedfrom via any automated tool (Cruisematch®, Sabre, Amadeus, Weekly change, or changes the ship or sail date of the booking; certain other changes to the booking may also result in removal of the Offer. Offer applies to new, individual and named group bookings confirmed at prevailing rates. Individual reservations reinstates the booking, applies Travel a fare Galileo or Wordspan).

However, Readers’ Choicthe e Awards booking confirmation will not reflect the reduced deposit amount due. Buy One, Get One 50% off is combinable with the adjoining OBC offer, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers. Buy One, Get One 50% off offer is not combinable with YEARS can be transferred into RUNNING an existing required criteria are met, though full deposit will be required at time of transfer. Failure to apply the required full depositEnter amount may result in the Name cancellationHere of the booking. The 50% reduced deposit and onboard credit offer is Agency CRUISE 2003 – 2013group, assumingBEST

11

Enter Phone Number Here

Enter Phone Number Here

8

December 12, 2014

LAW OFFICES OF ZAINAB K. RIZVI DEDICATED DEPENDABLE & PERSONAL ATTENTION IMMIGRATION LAW

GRAND OPENING

Non Immigration and Immigrant Visa, Family & Employment Immigration.

Citizenship/Naturalization, Asylum,VAWA

WILLS/TRUSTS

Power of Attorney, Estate Planning

BUSINESS FORMATION Partnerships, LLC, LLP

WE ALSO SPEAK URDU & HINDI CALL TODAY FOR FREE CONSULTATION

713-297-9131 www.zkrlaw.com

2425 WEST LOOP SOUTH SUITE 200, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77027 Principal office located in Houston, Texas

WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week.

For more information, call 713.789.NEWS (6397) or email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com

TIMELESS THERAPY FROM NATURE AUTHENTIC KERALA AYURVEDIC PANCHAKARMA THERAPIES FREE OF SIDE EFFECTS TO ALLEVIATE ARTHRITIS BACK PAIN SLIP DISC NECK PAIN SHOULDER PAIN

JOINT PAINS OVER WEIGHT INSOMNIA DEPRESSION MIGRAINE

STRESS PSORIASIS ECZEMA DIABETES SINUSITIS

FOR HEALTH & FITNESS | AYURVEDIC THERAPY RITUAL STRESS BUSTER THERAPY | BEAUTY THERAPY

www.santhigramusa.com houston@santhigramusa.com SAVE MORE WITH

MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES

5901 Hillcroft Avenue, Suite E1-A, Houston, TX-77036 at Hillcroft Shopping Plaza Ph: 281-888-2705, 1-888-KER-AYUR

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

9

Maiden Flight of Emirates A380 Aircraft Greeted with Warm Reception at Airport

From left: Emirates VP of Sales USA, Matthias Schmid, Emirates Regional Sales Director Central USA, Alexander Houston, Director of Aviation, Houston Airport System, Mario Diaz, and Emirates VP USA, Jim Baxter, are flanked by Emirates’ Cabin Crew as they mark the arrival of the Emirates A380 flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Wednesday, Dec. 3, in Houston.

Photo : Aaron M. Sprecher/AP Images for Emirates

including destinations in India, 20 points in Africa and 16 in the Far East.

“Commencing A380 service to Houston will enable Emirates to grow alongside the city, which is experiencing strong economic development and the highest emCONTINUED ON PAGE

11

Homi Davier with Mark Culmer (left) and Matthias Schmid (right) of Emirates Airlines Sales and marketing team.

Ketki Shah and Hamid Lakhani from Travelguzs with the Emirates Airlines Sales and marketing team.

HOUSTON: Emirate Airlines landed its first A380 aircraft at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Wednesday, December 4, and introduced its flagship Airbus A380 service to the HoustonDubai route. Houston is Emirates’ fifth U.S. gateway serviced by an A380.

About 200 travel agents, media, airport and City of Houston officials and other guests attended the reception through at the International Terminal as the doubledecker aircraft landed and passengers from Dubai disembarked. The plane was given a salute from two water cannons on fire trucks as it taxied up to gate D9, which was just recently renovated at a cost of

$10 million to accommodate the two passenger loading bridges and make adjustments to the apron for the plane’s weight.

Emirates launched its HoustonDubai service in 2007 and the route has generated strong and sustained passenger demand since its inception. The airline has transported over 1.2 million passengers between the two cities to date.

The A380 up-gauge provides 137 more seats on every flight – a 38 percent increase in overall capacity and one which has been driven by consumer demand. In addition to increasing connectivity with Dubai, the up-gauge will enable more Houston-based travellers to access Emirates’ global network

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

10 December 12, 2014

Now Available in Sugar Land

Best of Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

Food Served on a Banana Leaf

• Serving Delicious North & South Indian Dishes

• Catering Events of All Sizes:

Corporate | Weddings I Birthdays | Anniversaries Hillcroft: 5959 Hillcroft, Houston, TX 77036 - 713-334-5555

Katy: 943 S. Mason Road, Katy TX 77450 - 281-829-6100

Sugar Land: 3551 Hwy 6 South , Sugar Land TX 77478 - 281-313-2700

Dallas: 35 Richardson Heights Village , Richardson, TX 75080 - 469-330-1600

www.udipicafeusa.com • Catering: 281-914-2716

Celebrate the Flavours of South Indian Grand Feast Served Traditional Way

Everyday Refreshing Menu

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

11

Come, Bask in the Warmth of Hindi, Kuan ke Hum Hain Hindustani!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

5

of Hindi at Rice University, and a recent transplant to Houston from the Northeast. Dilip Kanabar, a member of Music Masala radio program, made a his first time recital felt with his thick bold moustache and fast delivery of humorous poetry. Rajiv Bhavsar presented a poem from Harivanshrai Bachhan, dedicated to parents.

Nausha Asrar’s confident singing delivery in Urdu and Hindi

kept the audience enthralled. This was added onto by the Bhav Ras poetry delivered by Devika Dhruv, a native Gujarati speaker who has gained proficiency in Hindi in her association with IHA in the past three years. The acknowledged Hindi poet, Krishen Sharma presented two of his humorous poems, leaving people in stiches. Farha Iqbal, an Urdu composer of shayri, ghazal and nazm made three presentations, winning over the Hindibent audience with her Urdu nazm.

Sanjay Sohoni read his poems on Facebook and the current astitvavaad and then Fatehali Chatur closed out the evening with beautiful lines from Surender Sharma’s collection. Acknowledgements to all the performers were made by Swatantra Jain, Dr. Barkat Charania and Manohar Gidwani as the kavita ki sham ended slightly past 11pm, though most of the audience stayed behind to linger and chat with the performers.

Maiden Flight of Emirates A380 Aircraft Greeted with Warm Reception at Airport CONTINUED FROM PAGE

9

ployment growth rate in the country,” said Hubert Frach, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West – Americas, Africa, Europe and Russian Federation.

“The City of Houston welcomes this upgrade in service from our partners at Emirates,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker who unfortunately could not be present. “The arrival of this aircraft is a testament to the strength of Emirates’ route between Houston and Dubai,” said Houston Aviation Director Mario C. Diaz as he addressed the guests. “It takes an economy as strong as Houston to get this service to arrive.” The impact of this service is estimated by the University of Houston to be $278 million and 1,500 jobs.

Diaz thanked the team that was

involved in creating the remodelled gates and also revealed that the work for the replacement of the International Terminal will start up early next year.

Alexander Houston, Emirates Regional Sales Director put the new service in the same historical context as when the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon. “Houston, the A380 has landed,” he paraphrased.

“Emirates is a global connector of people, places and economies,” he said and then introduced the flight crew from the A380, headed by Captain Abdullah, an Emirati. In attendance were also Jim Baxter, Emirates Vice President USA and Mark Culmer, Emirates, Sr. Sales Executive – Special Markets.

After the formal reception in which a cake was cut by the Diaz and Emirates officials, the guests were escorted into the plane to tour

the Economy Class on the lower level and the Business-Class and First Class compartment on the upper berth and saw for themselves Spa and shower that First Class passengers will enjoy.

The Emirates A380 is a widebodied, double-decker aircraft seating 491 passengers, including 14 First Class Private Suites, 76 Business Class lie-flat beds and 401 spacious Economy Class seats. While aboard the 15-hour40-minute flight from Houston to Dubai, Emirates passengers in all cabin classes will enjoy savor regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, stay connected via on-board WiFi, and immerse themselves in the award-winning in-flight entertainment system that offers more than 1,800 channels of movies, TV programs, music and podcasts.

For advertising Call: Vanshika Vipin

713.789.NEWS (6397)

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

12 December 12, 2014

COMMUNITY

Hindus of Greater Houston: On to Wider Agenda and Broader Leadership

From left, top: Richa Dixit, Vinod Mantri, Partha Krishnaswamy, Swapan Dhairyawan, Sanjay Jain, Atul Kothari, Anshuman Desai.

From left, front: Vijay Pallod, Girish Naik, Venugopal Menon, Dev Mahajan, Tupil Narasimhan, and Sharad Amin.

Photo: Bhagwan Bhutada.

BY DR. VENUGOPAL MENON HOUSTON: With well over a hundred thousand and steadily growing population, Hindus are distinctly the third largest religious community in the Greater Houston area. The last four decades witnessed the creation of several temples and organizations catering to the spiritual, social and philosophic needs of the faith, engaging various sections of the community.

Since Hindu faith has not been formulated on any regimented guide-

lines and had functioned serving selective groups with discrete interests, most of these organizations have remained independent yet open to all.

About twenty five years ago some of the wise and visionary stalwarts in the community made an attempt to bring all the Hindus under one umbrella, celebrating Janmashtami, the birth of God Krishna, the universal Hindu deity, revered by all sections of the faith. The brilliant concept got established and got expanded, creat-

ing a feeling of unity and camaraderie between the several factions of Hindus in Houston.

Over 2 years ago, Hindus of Greater Houston committee formed an Advisory Board, consisting of primarily, heads of temples/ organizations with the objectives of functioning as a link to the several units, incorporating the interests of every group, enhancing their efficiency and minimizing possible duplication.

The need and urgency of such unity was felt essential for sev-

eral reasons: to create harmony among all the Hindus to approach and handle situations of common interests in a collective fashion, to raise the younger generation as belonging to one faith beyond the barriers of language, states, customs and factions and to establish an awareness in the mainstream about Hindu religion on equal footing as a major, recognizable, global religion with about a billion followers and flourishing since antiquity. Hindus of Greater Houston adopted the following renewed

mission statement: - to uphold the lofty ideals of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (Eternal Consciousness), - to respect the divinity in all humans, - to promote Hindu solidarity, - to inspire Hindus of the splendor of our convictions, - to propagate understanding and dispel misinformation about our faith, - to provide guidance and to function as an umbrella organization protecting the needs of all the Hindus in the greater Houston area and beyond, and - to coexist with camaraderie and compassion with factions of other faiths.

In order to fulfill the mission and goals noted above, HGH committee decided to expand to include five new members with established, impeccable credentials of commitment in the community, thus complementing the present, already proven, competent group of leaders. The following are the members of HGH Board: Sharad Amin, Vijay Pallod, Partha Krishnaswamy, Thara Narasimhan, Richa Dixit, Vinod Mantri, Dharminder Dargan, Sanjay Jajoo, Radha Dixit, Bhagwan Bhutada, Girish Naik, Swapan Dhairyawan, Sanjay Jain, Atul Kothari, Tupil Narasimhan, and Anshuman Desai .

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

The Month of Karthigai Rekindles the Light of Hope in the Devotees at MTS

Ekadasha Rudra japam - Blissful chanting of Sri Rudram for the welfare of the community.

Photo : Sheila Sriram

Maha Sathyanarayana Pooja - performed by the community.

Photo : Mankombu Sriram

BY CHITTOOR K. RAMACHANDRAN PEARLAND: Maha Sathyanarayana Pooja (Dec 6): Worshipping Sriman Narayana (Sri Venkateswara) in Sathyanarayana pooja in an easily understandable format is a time honored tradition created for the families in several regions of India. Sri Meenakshi Temple conducts Sathyanarayana pooja at regular intervals throughout the year or on special request for those who have the desire to continue their family tradition. In addition, annually, MTS organizes this pooja for the welfare of the community at large.

Maha Sathyanarayana Pooja was an event organized to accommodate the participation of large number of people. The priests Sri Pawankumar Sribhashyam and Sri Sriman Narayana Charylu conducted the ritual to the full satisfaction of all the participants. Their familiarity and experience in the pooja vidhi in Vaishnava sampradayam could be noticed in every aspect of the event.

The unique characteristic of this pooja is reading and listening to the set stories. The stories involve the origin of the pooja, the benefits of it, and the potential mishaps that may occur with the careless performance of the pooja. Sri Sathyanarayana katha (narrative) are extracted from Skandha Purana, Reva kAnda. Innumerable families left the temple after sharing the prasadam with full satisfaction.

Ekadasha Rudra Japam and homam (Dec 7) Ancient Acharyas like Adi Sankara, Bhatta Bhaskara, Vishnu Suri -to name a few -

have written elaborate comments on Sri Rudram. This remarkable Vedic homage to Sri Rudra (Sri Shiva) appears in the 4th KAnDa , within the seven KAnDas of Yajurveda samhitha. The significance of Sri Rudram has been mentioned by the Hindu seers who emphatically encourage perseverance in prayers throughout our lives as a solution to counteract all the ill effects we may face. Based on its importance, reciting Sri Rudram is commonly applied in many rituals since each mantra in it has deep spiritual significance.

Among the sources of learning , Vedas are considered supreme; in the Vedas, Sri Rudram is the supreme; and the most important Panchakshari mantra ( Namashivaya) is located at the center of Sri Rudram which is the core essence describing the eternal truth ( paramatma swaroopam). Scholars honor Rudra Adhyaya (reading Sri Rudram) as one of the primary instruments for attaining liberation from mundane cycle of rebirths.

Ekadasha Rudram chanting that was followed by homam (havan) conducted at the sannidhi of Sri Sundareswarar (Sri Shiva) was a blissful experience. Many trained individuals from Sringeri Vidya Bharathi foundation joined the priests Sri Manicka Bhattar, Sri Kalyana Sundaram and Sri R.K. E. Parameswaran in the recitation in proper phonetic intonation (swaram) that was maintained throughout the 4 hour long ritual.

All the events listed above were coordinated by ROC of MTS.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

13

14 December 12, 2014

11000 Richmond Ave, Ste 300 Houston, TX 77042

15950 N Dallas Pkwy, Ste 400 Dallas, TX 75248

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

15

16 December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

ICC Holds Annual General Body Meeting

From left, sitting: Nisha Mirani, Sapna Shah, Jasmeeta Singh, Falguni Gandhi, Nirmala Patel.

From left, standing: Col. Raj Bhalla, Sam Merchant, Harshad Patel, Girish Pandya, Charlie Patel, Girish Naik, Rajiv Bhavsar, Hemant Patel, Saundarya Sohoni, Ajit Patel. Not in picture: Jawahar Malhotra.

HOUSTON: The Annual General Body Meeting of ICC Houston was held on December 7, at the India House. ICC had the Board of Directors election on December 7. The Election Committee comprised of Jawahar Malhotra, Girish Pandya and Sam Merchant.

The elections were unanimous for

the 7 positions and the following individuals were elected for the 2 year term: Jasmeeta Singh, Col. Raj Bhalla, Charlie Patel, Harshad Patel, Nirmala Patel, Sapna Shah and Saundarya Sohoni.

President Charlie Patel in his remarks to the General Body was appreciative of the community support,

donors, sponsors, vendors and the media support.

He highlighted the year long partnering events which ICC was involved during 2014. The next signature event of ICC is India FairCelebration of India’s Republic Day which will be celebrated on Saturday January 31, 2015.

Texana Receives $2,000 Donation from Indo American Forum

From left: Hardeepak Singh Munday; Vipul Anand; Dianne Wilson, Texana Board Chair; George Patterson Texana CEO; Jasmin Patel, Chairman IAF and Minal Shah.

ROSENBERG: Texana Center’s Board of Trustees had an element of excitement added to their recent board meeting when members of the board of the Indo American Forum presented a check for $2,000 to Texana. The Indo American Forum of Fort Bend (IAF) is a local organization that represents the growing Indo-American community as a positive and representative force that contributes to fostering a bond between Indian Americans and other neighboring communities. They encourage involvement in the community and supporting humanitarian causes. George Patterson, CEO said “Texana Center is delighted

to have been chosen by the Indo American Forum for this gift. We value the diverse population in Fort Bend County and are pleased to see this type of participation in our community. Contributions like this help to enhance the services that Texana Center provides”.

Texana Center is a 501(c) 3 public, not for profit, organization that provides behavioral healthcare and developmental disabilities services to residents of a six county area that includes Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, Waller and Wharton Counties. Texana Center has its headquarters in Rosenberg in Fort Bend County. Texana serves over

7,000 people each year through in its array of service programs that are located in each of the six counties, covering about 6,000 square miles.

The Center is designated by the Texas Department of Aging and Disabilities Services as the Local Mental Retardation Authority and by the Texas Department of State Health Services as the Local Mental Health Authority.

It is one the largest providers of Home and Community-based Services in Texas. Texana Center is a member of the Texas Council of Community MHMR Services, the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare Services, and Mental Health Corporations of America.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

17

18 December 12, 2014 To Arctic via Russia When Russian President Vladimir Putin comes calling on India, he will be opening the Arctic frontier to co-develop the oil and gas fields there. It is expected that Russia’s energy giant Rosneft will sign two MoUs with ONGC Videsh for joint exploration and production in the strategic oilfields in Siberia. This is critical as India is looking to source one million barrels per day of oil and oil-equivalent gas from Russia. The Arctic is now an important geostrategic category and the region has become accessible to resource exploration, thanks to global warming.

Russia accords high priority to the Arctic and only recently created an Arctic military command. The region plays a significant role in its economy, almost accounting for 11% of GDP and 22% of Russia’s total exports. One of Putin’s grand ambitions is to develop Arctic resources, particularly gas, which is heavily concentrated in Russian territory. An estimate suggests that 43 of the 60 major oil fields in the Arctic are in Russia, strengthening its pre-eminence as the world’s largest gas producer.

Russia’s Arctic profile is a new dimension that India has to factor in as it offers several opportunities for cooperation in the strategic, commercial and scientific domains. Moscow is keen on building ties with Asia to offset the US’s pivot policy. For instance, the Russia-China $400 billion Siberian gas pipeline agreement in May will enable China to receive 38 billion cubic metres of gas annually after 2018. Likewise, Gazprom has signed an agreement with Vietnam to jointly explore the gas fields in southern Siberia.

Russia is looking eastwards as a counter-weight to the sanctions imposed by the West over its role in the Ukraine crisis. Russia’s challenge to western predominance is, incidentally, not totally unwelcomed by India.

Commercially, Russia is set to play a big role in India’s energy security. ONGC Videsh has had a long experience of working with Russian oil companies in the Sakhalin oil projects and is gaining considerable expertise in cold-climate oil and gas ventures.

Russia’s Arctic region is also probably the most developed and where the possibility of mining the vast deposits of minerals is high. India is recognised by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the first pioneer investor in the location, survey and evaluation of polymetallic nodules in deep sea-beds outside national jurisdictions. India can use this experience in the Arctic with respect to exploring strategic mineral resources.

The increased economic activities in Russia’s Arctic region will require technological upgrade and adequate human resources.

Indian entrepreneurship should be encouraged to venture into the region.

India and Russia have a long tradition of naval cooperation and the Indian Navy is quite exposed to the hazards of Russia’s north along the Arctic. With the familiarity of the surroundings, the Indian Navy can be engaged in search and rescue exercises as well as monitoring pollution control activities.

If both Narendra Modi and Putin are keen to turn around bilateral ties then the Arctic offers a new context. HT Uttam Kumar Sinha is a fellow at IDSA.

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Beyond Uber Outrage

BY YAMINI LOHIA

She could’ve been me. Along with thousands of other women set free

by Uber and similar services, I see myself in the victim of yet another rape in this city of mine. The night she was assaulted, like her, I took a taxi — an Uber — after a Friday night post-work visit to a bar. I was accompanied by a couple of friends, this time, but would have thought nothing of making the trip alone. It isn’t so much that I was unaware of the risks of relying on a third party to take me home, but radio cab services like Uber and Ola, with their promise of geolocation, offered a relatively safe means of transport — crucially, one that allowed me to access the nocturnal city on my whims and terms, without having to depend on a male friend or family member to ferry me around or suffer the guilt of keeping my parents awake and anxious while I drove myself. This case rips away whatever sense of security I had, revealing it to be a mere illusion.

But the bitter truth is this: when the shock of betrayal fades, I, and many, many other women stuck for better options to navigate this city after dark, will make the trade-off; assess the risk of falling victim to Delhi’s notorious woman problem and find it acceptable, because what else can you do?

Public transport is worse. To indulge the intense paranoia that has settled into your bones over years of socialization, you’ll perhaps even take more pointless precautions and add a few notes to your don’t-getraped manual — let a friend know where you are, ensure that your phone is charged, maybe note down the taxi’s licence plate — but ultimately, this will become yet another chip on your shoulder, another reason to be some strange combination of wary, resigned, brusque and combative while continuing to go about your business. When you grow up in Delhi, you learn to be numb to stares, leers and jeers, even the occasional grope; just walking down the road is a fraught exercise, so what’s one more thing on the list?

And that’s why it is comforting to load all of this pain and resentment

on to Uber — it allows us to cling to our illusions a bit longer. Uber is a convenient target — a disruptive, arrogant, upstart foreign company that has had many run-ins with regulators and may or may not have contravened taxi licensing laws. If it was Uber’s fault, then we don’t have to face, yet again, the dispiriting, exhausting reality of how endemic sexual violence is in this city, this country. If only Uber had obeyed the law and conducted background checks or had a GPS installed in the car and not the phone, we want desperately to believe, we wouldn’t be forced to confront the fact that no set of rules and no amount of oversight or surveillance can fix this problem, which is tragically embedded in the very marrow of our society, in what we teach our children, the way we raise our boys.

Just as the December 16, 2012 gangrape — and how ironic and disheartening that another rape should shake the nation only days before that tragedy’s second anniversary — was an unequivocal rebuttal to the victimblamers who invariably find fault in the conduct and character of the woman who was sexually assaulted, from her clothes to her companions or lack thereof to the time of night and her choice of beverage, there is precious little in this case that can be held up as an “if only”, outside of totally curtailing a woman’s freedom of movement. (That, too, is no real answer. Or haven’t you heard?

More than 90 per cent of rapes in Delhi are committed by men known by the victim. Over 80 per cent occur in homes. For a woman, there is no such thing as a “safe” space.)

This doesn’t, of course, stop us from trying to chase the quick-fix.

The genuine outpouring of emotions driving the response to this case — anger, bitterness, thirst for vengeance and frustration — is fuelled, most of all, by shame. The shame of what we’ve allowed, what we continue to allow, our men to do to women, the violence they visit upon their bodies.

The guilt of how little has changed, two years after an outraged public demanded answers and solutions from its government. We want now to take all of this shame and guilt and dump it on Uber, just as we bayed for the blood of those responsible for the brutal, vicious violation of a 23-yearold physiotherapy student on a Delhi bus, and for a hurried, stringent, law whose severity would deter such ghastly crimes in future. (And how has that worked out?)

We embraced the short-term “solution”, responded to the clamour to do something, anything, by giving ourselves this new law. Now we’ll ban cabs, insist on GPS, turn to technology to solve this problem, though rapes will continue to happen, in private and public spaces, constricting women’s freedoms a bit more each time.

If we can vilify Uber, we can avoid facing the enormity and, let’s admit it, the futility of trying to reduce the incidence of sexual violence in the capital. It’s a darn sight more emotionally satisfying than engaging in the long, arduous task of addressing this rape culture and educating our children. We can live with ourselves.

We can move on. At least until the next rape. IE

Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN

CORRESPONDENTS

HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS 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.

Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

After Dominating TV and Digital, ZEE America to Enter Radio and Event Management

NEW YORK: In 1998, ZEE TV incubated the South Asian TV market in North America.

Over the next 17 years the brand has not only become synonymous with entertainment but also an ambassador of Indian culture, abroad.

As per Nielsen US, a typical South Asian viewer spends an average of 2 hours 13 minutes per day watching Zee TV, making it one of the most loved channels in US, including the mainstream ones.

After being consistent #1 TV network – ZEE US successfully ventured into the digital space in 2012 with Zee Dil Se, A Video based social media, that allows people to record a ‘Broadcast quality’ personalized video message and push it on TV at a click! Dil Se platform was later on used to solve the local auditions problem thus allowing thousands of NRIs to participate in reality shows like the DID and SRGMP. Later in fall of 2013 Zee US launched a localized version of www.india.com with a positioning of ‘Proudly Indian’.

In a short span of one year the site delivers 7 million unique visitors per month, just from US and Canada alone, thus making it one of the top sites for NRIs in North America. The site already has all the leading advertisers from TV with annual spend commitments. India.com serves as a one-stop destination for news from India, Community News from US and Canada, Bollywood, Cricket, blogs, event ticketing and classifieds.

Now ZEE is all geared up to get into Radio and Event management space. Initially the services

will be started in top 5 south Asian DMAs. A respective business head supported by operations team will head each of this vertical.

“As a market leader we have to constantly reinvent and redefine our value proposition to our consumers. We have been looking at need gaps and two most visible opportunities sprung up that matched our strengths. A strong 55% of South Asians use personal transport 5 times week for an average of 28 minutes per day, either work or leisure and strong 27% of South Asian woman are non working (Stay at home) at any given point in time. But do not have access to good Indian RJs. Of the 600 plus, small large South Asian events that take place in USA, only a handful manage to put up a good show and attract couple of blue chip sponsors rest all struggle or depend on individual donations/sponsors to make the ends meet. The most worrying sign at these events is the declining footfalls of the youth. The mainstream brands completely recognize the arrival of the Indian community in USA but are hesitant to invest their dollars given the unorganized nature.

These opportunities will allow us not only to bring, companion like RJs or entertain the South Asian community with exiting and enriching events (like an Indian Rock concert or Asian Indian corporate leadership summit) but also bring bigger and better sponsors to the market thus expanding the total market” states Sameer Targe, Business Head – Zee America’s.

December 12, 2014

19

Indians to Celebrate 7th Hamara Desi Christmas : A Free Event

STAFFORD: Are you wondering why Old Stafford Civic Center is going to be packed on December 20? You guessed it right! It is the 7th annual Hamara Desi Christmas Celebration!

As always it is going to be a sold-out FREE event and every attendee will be left with a bit of Christmas joy in their hearts.

This event is hosted by the Houston Indian Fellowship (HIF), a group of Indians from across the metropolitan Houston area. HIF strives to bring Christmas cheer to people from different faiths and regions of India. HIF also conducts winter cricket championships, painting competitions for the children in the community and provides free health care to the needy through Red Oaks Hospital.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Unity Through Good News’. The celebration includes traditional and non-traditional programs ranging from skits, dances, songs and this year’s chief guest will be Texas Representative, Rick Miller! The admission for the event is FREE followed by free dinner catered by the acclaimed Annam Indian Cuisine. Santa Claus is also planning on making a quick stop at the Celebration!

Deepak Israel, a member of HIF, proudly stated, “This event is growing every year as more and more Indians hear about it! We are going to fill the Old Stafford Civic Center to maximum occupancy this year!” The excitement is definitely contagious as Reuben Joseph the lead coordinator of HIF said, “Seeing the joy of Christmas on the faces of the audience gives me great satisfaction as that is the whole idea behind this celebration!”

The sponsors for this event were Red Oaks Hospital, Sagemont Church, Annam Indian Cuisine, Vonage, MetLife, HIF, and other individuals. University of Houston students along with other families will be helping behind the scenes.

Houston Indian Fellowship would also like to invite anyone interested in performing or helping at the 7th annual Hamara Desi Christmas event to please contact Dr. Robello Samuel at 832-275-8810 or Deepak Israel at 832-4190967 or Reuben Joseph 713-480-0473.

Hamara Desi Christmas is the ONLY Desi Christmas celebration in the Houston area, so make sure you come out for an evening of fun and entertainment!

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

20 December 12, 2014

COMMUNITY/ IMMIGRATION Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inspires the Youth

BY KAVITA PALLOD

• • • •

Spring Branch Driving School

State Approved Instructor - Tariq Teen and Adult (18+) Permit DPS Driving Test Training Includes Student Pick up & Drop off

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL

$299

$50 SAVING Regular $349

Ideal Boutique Pakistani clothes, Extended Sizes & free alteraions

867 Dulles Ave. Suite. E-1, Stafford, TX 77477

832-212-4041 or 832-274-4811

NEW YORK: Madison Square Garden. Where you see homages to the Ali-Frazier “Fight of the Century”.

The stage to everyone from the Rolling Stones to Beyonce. It’s a pretty magical place any day of the week, and growing up I dreamed of being present for one of these storied moments. I never had reason to think that my first time stepping into MSG would be draped in Indian clothes, to see the Prime Minister of India. It may have been a stretch for my young imagination, but I got all the magic I wanted all the same.

When we heard that PM Modi was coming to the States, I figured that it would be difficult for the experience to meet expectations, but when Modi took the dais, and started singing the national anthem with 20,000 of us, it was impossible not to tear up.

As he started speaking, I quickly heard every quality I had come to admire over his campaign run. Yes, he acknowledged the strength of the Indian-American community. He even made us promises that intuitively spoke to our desires. Most importantly though, he had challenges for us as well. As Modi invoked the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, I was rushed back to summers and trips in India with family. We travelled by bus and train, and I remember my horror as I watched plates fly out of train windows, and tears filled my eyes when I was mocked for pushing my family to find a trash can. I found bags myself and walked up and down three train cars to collect as much trash as I could to prove a point, but when I succumbed to dehydration, and found myself glued to my berth, the plates resumed flying out windows.

My aunts and uncles reassured me

Kavita Pallod receiving blessings from Narendra Modi.

that while it was cute that I tried, India would never change. The experience was stunning. If I couldn’t convince my family- good-hearted, intelligent, hard working people- to act, what could be done? I did my personal part whenever I found myself in India, feeling that I owed something to the land, but lost the hope that things would change. When Modi reminded the crowd that we owed this much, a clean India, to the man who brought India freedom, and the crowd rose to its feet in approval, I got goose bumps. This man was capable of making people believe that they were capable of more, and deserving of more. What else could a country

ask for?

The last moment of the experience for me was getting in line for pictures and a quick handshake. Sure, the guy made an indelible impact on me, but how was I going to be memorable myself in a line of 800 guests?! Despite my rehearsals, I barely managed to stammer out a “I’m so inspired by everything you’ve said, please keep giving us directives and we’ll deliver too” in broken Hindi before bending down to touch his feet. A warm hand was immediately on my head though, and I looked up to find him smiling and issuing the challenge I sought“Keep pushing forward, kid”.

Challenge accepted.

136 Immigration Law Experts Confirm President’s Executive Action is Constitutional

BY EMILY NEUMANN AND RAHUL REDDY Over 130 scholars and teachers of immigration law transmitted a letter to Congress in which they conclude that the President’s executive actions, including the expansion of DACA and establishment of DAPA, are legal exercises of “prosecutorial discretion.” Citing federal statutes, regulations, and historical precedent, the 136 law professors stated that the programs are within the legal authority of the executive branch of the U.S. government. Several former General and Chief Counsels of INS and USCIS also wrote a letter affirming the legal analysis and conclusions of the law professors.

Prosecutorial discretion refers to the authority of the Department of Homeland Security to decide how the immigration laws should be applied. When Congress enacted the

Immigration and Nationality Act, it specified that the Secretary of Homeland Security would be responsible for the administration and enforcement of laws relating to the immigration and naturalization of aliens.

While Congress created the law, it recognized that the executive branch would have authority to administer and enforce it.

In deciding how to enforce laws relating to immigration, and those in practically every law enforcement context, the agencies responsible for executing those laws recognize that there are never enough resources to result in 100% enforcement. Choices must be made in determining where to apply resources in order to achieve the highest level of compliance consistent with the overall goal of the law.

Just as a police officer has discretion to refrain from issuing a traffic ticket based on various factors, in immigration enforcement, prosecutorial

discretion is used to determine enforcement priorities and refrain from acting on low-priority cases.

Various sources suggest that the Department of Homeland Security budget provided for by Congress allows for the deportation of up to about 400,000 individuals each year.

With an undocumented population of approximately 11 million, simple math would lead to the conclusion that it would take over 25 years to deport every undocumented individual.

Since the Department of Homeland Security was given the authority to administer laws relating to immigration, the President has directed the Department to set priorities for which of the 11 million people should be deported first. In the meantime, those that are low on the list of priorities and who come forward to register with the government, undergo background checks, and meet certain criteria, will

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

CONTINUED ON PAGE

21

COMMUNITY

December 12, 2014

21

Gitesh Desai Appointed to the General Appeals Board

Gitesh Desai

HOUSTON: On Wednesday, November 19, Houston City Council voted unanimously to confirm Mayor Annise Parker’s appointment of Gitesh Desai to the General Appeals Board, for a term to expire January 2, 2017.

“I’m looking forward to this po-

sition. It matches my background and my experience and education.”

Desai said after his appointment was approved.

Council Member Oliver Pennington thanked Desai for volunteering to serve on the board.

“We need people like you who will agree to apply your expertise for the benefit of the city,” said Pennington.

The board comprises of total ten members and its general powers and duty are to interpret the provisions of the Building Code in appeals of decisions by the Building Official, to settle possible jurisdictional disputes between Plumbing, Electrical and Air Conditioning Appeals Boards, to determine the suitability of alternative types of construction other than those relating to Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical and to make recommendations to the Mayor for amendments to the City of Houston Building Code.

Desai is a licensed professional engineer employed by Wood Group Mustang and has been involved in community affairs for many years.

He is a past president of the Indian American Political Action Committee of Greater Houston and currently serves on its Board.

136 Immigration Law Experts Confirm President’s Executive Action is Constitutional 20

be offered a discretionary remedy of deferred action. In other words, the agency will temporarily refrain from enforcement for those individuals.

Furthermore, in the Immigration and Nationality Act, Congress provided that the Secretary of Homeland Security had the power to authorize employment for aliens. In reliance on this power, the Department of Homeland Security previously promulgated regulations listing the various categories of aliens who can apply for and receive employment authorization. Based on this author-

ity, the President has directed the Department to allow for those given deferred action to receive employment authorization as well.

While the statute provides the basis for the executive actions taken by the President, critics suggest that the large number of individuals who could ultimately benefit signals that the plan is overreaching. Although past Presidents have used the same authority to provide immigration benefits to various groups, those were much smaller in scale. In opposition to the executive actions of the President, the House Judiciary Committee recently held a

Ganesh Anand Catering Services Pure Vegetarian South & North Indian Dishes.

Chaat & Snacks Contact Babulbhai: 832-891-1421 13180 West Park Dr. @ Synott Houston, TX 77082

hearing in which 3 of the 4 witnesses testified that they believe that the President has exceeded his authority and violated the Constitution. As the President’s plan to provide temporary relief to some is slowly implemented, permanent reform through Congress would be the best way to settle the debate on the reach of his executive authority.

Emily Neumann and Rahul Reddy are partners in Reddy & Neumann, P.C. in Houston and Dallas. Since 1997, the firm has focused exclusively on immigration law, representing both employers and immigrants.

FOR ADVERTISEMENT CALL: 713-789-6397

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

ALEXANDER P. MATHEWS, CPA For Services In:

INDIVIDUAL & BUSINESS TAXES • BUSINESS TAX CONSULTATION INCORPORATION, FORMATION OF LLC CERTIFIED QUICK BOOK ADVISOR AVAILABLE

25 Years in Public Accounting 11104 West Airport, Ste 114, Stafford, TX 77477

(281) 564-9500

13100 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77478

www.testmasters.com

281-564-7700

“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”

Stay tuned every Sunday,

HIREN JOSHI

to from 2.30pm to 3.30pm

832-646-2116

hjoshi7@hotmail.com

www.shobajoshi.com

SHOBA JOSHI OWNER, PROMOTER AND HOST OF

Geetanjali Radio AM 1320 Sat & Sun 2-6 PM For your business ads

Tel:281-909-0825 -713-545-4749 Cell:832-878-4338 shobajoshi999@gmail.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

22 December 12, 2014

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 December 17, 2014.

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

Send us your picture and we will publish it if you are a winner (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

L��� W���’� SUDOKU S�������

L��� W���’� SUDOKU W������ 1) Hemant Vaidya

2) Dahyabhai R. Patel 3) Ramesh Kumar (In picture)

PUZZLES/ RECIPE

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Khichdi (Rice & Moong Lentils) Slow Cooker Recipe

Khichdi is a very popular dish, especially if you are short of time, have no ideas for a creative meal or, as is very often the case, just want some comfort food to eat with mango pickle and plain yogurt.

Khichdi is basically made from rice and dal (lentils) and is a relatively cheap meal for a quick burst of carbohydrate energy that many farmers and village folk eat often.

It can be made with several types of dals, although the yellow, moong type is the most common. In the Punjab, it is not eaten that often, other than when someone may be feeling an upset stomach.

Khichdi can be made to be thick or really thin and runny, depending on the weather and the people who will eat it – a sick person will probably prefer the runny type. The smell of the basmati rice usually fills the air and will attract people to the stove.

But even then, it is often very easy to turn a simple dish into a burnt one if you don’t pay attention to it.

That’s why, as with other dishes that can take a long time to simmer, using a slow cooker to make this simple khichdi dish takes the guessing out of the preparation and you can relax and carry on your other activities. In fact, it is almost as if the slow cooker was made especially for making this simple comfort food.

This recipe uses the green sabat moong dal (whole moong dal) which makes the khichdi fluffy and not soft and runny as with yellow, skinless moong dal.

Ingredients: • 1 cup basmati chawal (Basmati rice) – you can brown rice if desired • 1 cup sabat moong dal (whole moong lentils) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbspn olive oil • 1 medium pyaaz (onion) – peeled and sliced • 1 small clump of adrak (ginger) - peeled and sliced • 1 medium tamater (tamato) peeled and sliced • 2 small hari mirch (green chillies) – finely chopped • Spices: namak (salt), garam masala, jeera (cumin) – to

your taste, haldi (turmeric) is optional

Directions: 1. Place the sabat moong dal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water and place on the side. Do the same with the basmati rice.

2. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat and pour into the slow cooker and turn it on. Now pour in the sabat moong dal.

3. Add the oil, onion, ginger, tamato, mirch and salt; stir and cover and let the mixture cook till the dal starts to become tender.

4. Now add the basmati rice. Turn the slow cooker to high and cover.

The mixture will start to cook: if you have to leave to run an errand, you can turn the cooker to low, stir it well and got do your work.

5. The khichdi will be ready in two

or three hours. When it is ready, turn the slow cooker to warm and the khichdi will stay nicely warm and ready to eat throughout the day. There is no danger of the khichdi getting burnt or spilling over.

6. Before serving, sprinkle the top of the khichdi with garam masala and serve while still hot.

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 MAKE KADDI OR BOIL MILK IN WIDE PANS TO AVOID BOILING OVER Many Indian foods rely on using milk as an ingredient, like in making kaddi and especially in making sweets, like rabddi or kheer. When you are making these for a lot of people, it is easy to get distracted while cooking and then the milk can easily boil over and into the stove.

To avoid this problem and allow you to pay greater attention to the other preparations, take advantage of the science behind the cooking utensils and use it for your benefit.

Make dishes that have the danger of boiling over in pans with wide openings or in kadais or woks. This will not allow a crust to form on the surface of the milk and let it slowly simmer as it boils. This is the reason many halwais (sweetmeat chefs) in India boil milk in huge cauldrons or praats (woks).

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

December 12, 2014

Movie Review: Action Jackson

BY SHUBHRA GUPTA NEW DELHI: The last Prabhu Dheva outing, R Rajkumar, was so unbearable that I thought I would be scarred for life. Action Jackson is almost as vile: the only reason I stuck around was to see if Ajay Devgn would start making like Prabhu Dheva by the end. No, he doesn’t.

That’s not the deal-breaker, though, because Ajay Devgn’s never been much of a one to shake a leg. And that’s perfectly okay because not all men have to be able to dance to prove their macho-ness. It’s that he has agreed to star in a film that is so gratingly awful, whose women are either dumb dodos, or doped-out vixens and who submit to being dumped on all the time, and whose comedy track consists of a guy (Kunaal Roy Kapur) getting slapped, one, two.

I can’t tell you more because there

is nothing more. Ajay Devgn appears in a double role, the good-hearted gali ka goonda Vishy, and his lookalike, the sword-wielder AJ, whose chief ability is to slice and dice humans. Vishy’s girl is the wide-eyed Khushi (Sonakshi Sinha); AJ is made to swing between two women, the goody-two-shoes Gautam, and the wild-eyed, coke-snorting Mamgai, and face off with a villain who has, get this, a glass eye.

This could have been an entertainingly retro comic-book revenge saga, especially because it has a dashing bad girl who has more screen time, and much more neon-lit presence, than everyone else in the flick.

But Prabhu Dheva doesn’t have the skill sets to instill that knowing edge into his material; he shows no awareness, in fact, that it is risible. He wants to do Kill Bill part 4, but he is, at heart, a contortionist-cum-choreographer

with a tiresome, jaded appetite for blood. This is PB trying for QT and falling flat on his nimble toes.

I’m seriously tired of watching Sonakshi Sinha making faces which her directors are content passing off as acting. And Ajay Devgn doesn’t need to stoop this low: so what if he can’t dance, he can keep a straight face while delivering a joke. And he can waggle a sword. Even Rohit Shetty’s brand of brainlessness is better than this straight-up disgusting fare.

If Prabhu Dheva had the smarts, he would have given Manasvi Mamgai a more filled-out part, and gone full leather-and-kink. But clearly that is not what the director is after: his idea of entertainment is to have his leading lady gaze at the leading man’s nether equipment and pass out.

I wish I had, while watching.

-Indian Express

A Film with All Three Khans will be Exciting: Aamir Khan

Bollywood’s three Khans came together for an event in Delhi.

Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan says a project starring Bollywood’s three Khans - Shah Rukh, Salman and himself, would be exciting and that he would be happy to do it. The trio recently appeared together on the same stage.

Asked about any plans to work with Salman and Shah Rukh in one film, Aamir said: “I really think a film with three of us would be exciting...and if ever a script, which appeals to three of us, comes up, I am sure we would be happy to do it.”

Aamir, who is currently busy promoting his much awaited film PK, says he has neither signed any new films nor is he going to do his TV show Satyameva Jayate next year.

“I’m not doing Satayamev Jayate next year, and currently, I am not doing any films. I am currently reading scripts and deciding on what to do next. When I find a good script and which excites me, I will sign it.”

“Right now I don’t have any films and since ‘Satyamev Jayate’ just completed a series, we feel we need a break after five years of research just for emotional reasons and to heal. We would come back, but we don’t know when. But next year you won’t see a release from me,” he added.

Aamir’s PK, which also features Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt and Sushant Singh Rajput, is slated to release Dec 19.

-Hindustan Times

Last week’s edition can be found online. Issue dated June 27,2014.

Specializing in Small Continuing, free radicals are made in your Business Commercial body as byproducts of natural processes, called Loans oxidative processes. In the same way that car exhaust is created when you run an engine to power the car, free radicals are formed by the oxidative processes to power your body.

Although these processes are very efficient, free radical formation is inevitable in small amounts—even the most efficient engine will produce exhaust.

There are many healthy roles for free radicals, though. For instance, nitric oxide is a free radical that is used by cells to communicate with other cells. In fact it is necessary for proper nervous system function and blood pressure control.

Of course, this type of process is very tightly controlled.

But nitric oxide is notReal whatEstate has made free radiCommercial Loans, Construction Loans,

Equipment Loans, Working Capital Loans, International Trade Finance and more...

Jack Kuo Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3201

Winston Nguyen Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3226

Sally Li Lending Officer, V.P. 713-272-5027

Catherine Liang Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3210

23

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

014 Friday, June 10,, 22011 m ber 12 ws.co Decem y a n id a -ne Fr c i r e m indoa www.

www.indoamerican-news.com

December 12, 2014

25

IndoAmerican News

Business IndoAmerican News

STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

Infosys Declines after Founders Offload Shares

BY CHANDNI DOULATRAMANI

Porsche India Rolls Out New-Generation Cayenne The new generation Cayenne is available in four versions priced at Rs10,210,000, Rs11,880,000, Rs11,634,000 and Rs17,476,000.

BANGALORE: Families of four co-founders of Infosys Ltd have sold about 32.6 million shares, or 2.8% of the shares outstanding of the company, for about Rs.6,484 crore, according to a report by Deutsche Equities India Pvt. Ltd. The sale of shares was for an average price of Rs.1,988.87 apiece to foreign and domestic institutional investors, the company said, identifying the sellers as N.R. Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, K. Dinesh and the wife of co-founder S.D. Shibulal. Former

Four of the founders are said to be offering 32.6 million shares at a fixed price of Rs1,988 apiece Infosys chairman Murthy said in a statement: “Our family has sold a minor part of our stake to continue various activities including our efforts to encourage entrepreneurship and our personal philanthropic efforts.” The move fits into a growing trend among well-heeled professionals or corporate executives to plough money into good causes or invest in start-ups (or both). The founders’ move to sell shares did create some panic among shareholders. “In the short term, you can’t deny the fact that it will read as negative. So probably in the short term you might see share prices coming down further, but in the long term I wouldn’t read anything negative out of it,” said Ankita Somani, an equity analyst with MSFL, a part of the Marwadi Institutional Group. However, some of the cofounders tried to assure investors by saying that they still held a considerable stake in the company and had faith in the management. Nilekani

told The Economic Times that even after this sale, his family continues to be one of the largest shareholders in Infosys. Media reports have previously said that Nilekani is looking to start an online education not-forprofit that will help bridge the education gap in India. Infosys shares fell 4.88% to Rs.1,968.60 apiece on BSE on Monday, while the benchmark Sensex shed 1.19% to 28,119.40 points. Infosys shares fell as much as 5.3% to Rs.1,958.50 in intra-day trade on Monday on BSE. In an attempt to turn around the company, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka has been trying various methods to restore the company’s worth. Last week, Sikka indicated that he plans to improve the company’s training, induction and designing programmes, increase fixed salaries and average bonus payouts, encourage quarterly promotions, focus on existing key clients, while trying to get new clients of higher quality. He has also been

trying to use artificial intelligence, automation and innovative technology to “dramatically improve” the services that Infosys offers its clients.

The shares were sold to partially monetize their stakes for personal reasons, including betterment of society through various philanthropic activities, according to the Deutsche Equities report. “It’s the first time the promoters are doing it in concert. And in the long term it shouldn’t affect Infosys because these guys are anyway out of the company. It’s just that when you suddenly see three or four of the executives selling their stake at one point in time, and this happened just after they stepped down, so there’s just a little bit of concern whether this is going to happen over the near-term as well,” an analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity. An Infosys spokesperson declined to comment.

Deutsche Bank was the sole bookrunner for the deal.

-Livemint.com

BY SHALLY SETH MOHILE MUMBAI: Porsche India, a division of Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd, has rolled out the new-generation Cayenne, a luxury sports utility vehicle for the Indian market, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The new generation Cayenne is available in four versions: Cayenne diesel for Rs.10,210,000, Cayenne S diesel for Rs.11,880,000, Cayenne S for Rs.11,634,000 and Cayenne turbo for Rs.17,476,000 (all prices are exshowroom, Mumbai). The Cayenne competes with Mercedes ML 63 AMG. The company claims Porsche designers have given the Cayenne an even sharper design with precise lines and purposefully placed light

refracting edges. It also boasts of a boosted power and torque and better fuel economy. The new generation models, it said, consume significantly less fuel, with the help of new features including advanced auto stop-start function plus (not available in the diesel version) and optimized thermal management, with active cooling air flaps now being used for the first time in the Cayenne. Porsche India is the official importer for Porsche’s range of luxury sports cars since 1 April 2012. The company retails the models from eight authorised sales and service dealers in India, in the cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

-Livemint.com

127

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

26 December 12, 2014 Unbearable: Indian Bowling Performance in Adelaide

BY ABHISHK PUROHIT ADELAIDE (ESPN Cricinfo): Michael Clarke battled through back pain and took Australia past 400 along with Steven Smith as rain allowed just under an hour of play on the second morning. India’s bowlers were lacking in discipline again and were taken for 51 runs in the 12.2 overs possible in the session before lunch was taken early.

Play began ten minutes late and Clarke, who had taken injections after retiring on 60 in the 44th over on day one, accompanied Smith out under gloomy skies. He winced as he pulled and hobbled more than he ran but matched the solid Smith stroke for stroke.

India were unable to test even a half-fit Clarke. Ishant Sharma, their best bowler on day one, started short and wide to be put way for four by Smith. Mohammed Shami did the same first ball of the next over, and Clarke helped himself to a boundary this time.

India’s fast bowlers had been too full and wide at the start of the match. This morning, they pulled their lengths back too much. And Clarke just stood on the crease and steered them for boundaries.

Virat Kohli tried the legspinner Karn Sharma after five expensive overs from the quicks, but Clarke casually whipped him for four more. Smith eased Aaron through extra cover to move to 98 before the drizzle got heavier and halted Australia’s march for the moment.

BY SIDHARTH MONGA The Indians began the first daywith plans that were off, and continued with them for too long. The fielding was lethargic in that first hour. A first-day pitch is not what a legspinner should be judged by, but Karn Sharma’s selection might have been too adventurous.

Most disappointingly, though, after having been talked up as fast and fit by their stand-in captain, India’s fast bowlers struggled to build pressure - let alone maintain it - and when they would be on to something they would provide the release ball immediately.

After his first day as Test captain, when Virat Kohli goes back

awareness that makes them release pressure. You have to also wonder if faulty plans and persistence with them today might have something to do with it. While doing commentary during the English summer, Shane Warne made famous the word “funky” as an adjective for captaincy. Alastair Cook and Dhoni, you see, were both unfunky and passive.

Kohli might have just have been too funky here. His opening bowlers operated round the wicket to both the left-arm Australia openers. The strength of both the said bowlers is to move the ball away from the right-handed batsman, which gives them a natural chance of getting lbws with left-handed batsman and outside edges if they can mix the swing up with the angle. Even debutant legspinner Karn stayed round the wicket.

There must have been some plan The umpire signals a four off Ishant Sharma, Australia v India, 1st at play, for you don’t give up that Test, Adelaide, 2nd day, December 10, 2014. advantage just like that, but it took India an age to correct that mistake into the change rooms, a conver- All the pressure was released with when they saw it was clearly not sation with MS Dhoni might be a square-cut four. Shami came working. India bowled 130 balls in order. “I’m sorry,” Kohli might back well with the next ball, on a from round the wicket to Warner tell Dhoni, “I spoke so much about length, just outside off, holding its and Chris Rogers, and conceded aggression when you weren’t line, taking an edge that didn’t car- 126 runs for one wicket that was here, but now I can see why you ry. The next ball again was short gifted away by Warner. aren’t aggressive: it is impossible and wide, and went for four.

Towards the end, though, India Varun Aaron was selected to made good use of the lucky breaks to attack with the bowlers we have bowl fast. You shouldn’t be ex- they got. Clarke had to retire-hurt. got.”

Even after the start that David pecting the same accuracy and To his credit, Kohli took the new Warner had given Australia, Ishant persistence you should of him as ball immediately, even though Sharma’s introduction into the at- you would of Shami, who bowled the previous few overs had been tack brought India back into the in the early-to-mid 130s. It helps, among the quietest of the day. contest. Just after lunch, especially though, if you swing the ball.

He was still looking for wickets, Aaron found none with the new which hasn’t always been the case against Michael Clarke, India began to put together a cluster of ball. And even if you are not ex- of late. The bowlers responded in pected to do the holding job, your that final burst. Australia helped good deliveries.

The first six overs - bowled by pace should be good enough to al- them by sending in a nightwatchIshant, who was continuing his low you to keep one batsman on man with close to half an hour to pre-lunch spell, and Mohammed strike so you can work at some- go.

Shami - were accurate, and even thing. Aaron failed to register more Test cricket doesn’t throw such though they went for 23 runs, two than three dots in a row in the first lifelines too often. India have boundaries came off edges. Two six overs he bowled. He was either shown interest in grabbing it, but outside edges didn’t carry. You too full or too wide - sometimes they still need to wrap up the tail. could sense India were close to both - or too short despite there Even then their batsmen will need being the odd sharp bouncer. driving the nail in. to show they have improved big Between them, the two new-ball time since their last Tests. Still Then, bowling the 31st over of the innings, Shami summed up bowlers went for 178 runs in 34.2 they have a chance, which was what has been wrong with him overs, and can thank Ishant in part scarcely conceivable after how since the start of the England tour for maintaining some sanity at the they had started. earlier this year. It was his ninth other end, which played some part Abhishek Purohit and Sindover, the fourth of this, his second in their getting four wickets. You harth Monga are editors at ESPN spell. After bowling two dots, he have to wonder if it is lack of fit- Cricinfo. pitched short and he pitched wide. ness and stamina, concentration or

SPORTS

Pak Wins 1st ODI

DUBAI: Half-centuries from Haris Sohail and an unexpectedly restrained Shahid Afridi revived a floundering chase as Pakistan won a thrilling first ODI by three wickets. New Zealand, having hauled themselves out of a mire of their own thanks to a century from Ross Taylor, were running away with the game at the three-quarter mark, but Haris and Afridi snatched it away with breathtaking coolness.

Haris finished on an unbeaten 85, to go with 10 tight overs of leftarm spin earlier in the day.

When Afridi walked in to bat, Pakistan were six down, and needed 123 off 122 balls. The lefthanded Haris was batting on 34, and had played a couple of lovely lofted drives against the spinners in a fighting innings that seemed destined to go down as a small positive in a big defeat. That’s all it would have been if Afridi had made a typically harebrained 15 or 20 at the other end.

But Afridi knuckled down, and brought out his first slog only 21 balls into his innings. By then, he had picked up boundaries with a screaming drive over extra cover and a crafty dab behind the wicket, but had otherwise simply knocked the ball around for ones and twos.

That first slog produced a thick edge to the third man boundary.

The next slog came when he was on 30. He swung and missed and the ball was wide of off stump.

Sent in to bat, New Zealand had been in a similar situation - 111 for 5 in the 29th over - before Taylor rallied the lower-order to steer them to 246.

Shahid Afridi hit 61 off 51 balls to help Pakistan chase down 247 against New Zealand in Dubai.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

27 3

28 December 12, 2014

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM