Feb 3, 2012

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Friday, February 3 2012 | Vol. 31, No. 5

Indo American News

Consulate Hosts Flag Hoisting, Evening Reception

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

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Oh, to be a Punjabi and Celebrate Lohri in Houston!

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: After all the festivities of Diwali and the parties of New Year’s, in north India, especially throughout the Punjab, in parts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and among the Punjabis of Delhi comes the wonderful festival of lohri to warm the cockles amid little bonfires, sand roasted pop corn, gajak (peanut pralines in brown sugar) and the whoop of hijjras (transvestites) going gate to gate wherever a new baby boy has been born to give their blessings (and to take away a bundle of cash in exchange!).

The festival has its origins as a celebration of the eve of the winter solstice, but Punjabis celebrate it on the last day of the month in which the solstice takes place, Paush, or around 13 January. Sindhis celebrate it as Lal Loee with people dancing and playing around fire. Lohri is traditionally associated with the harvest of rabi crops, with peanuts, rewri (sesame seed in sugar pancakes), flour and butter offered to temples and gurudwaras.

And so, this most Punjabi of festivals has been a focal point for the Punjabi community in Houston to get together and celebrate in the way that many still recall and hopefully pass along the tradition to the next generation.

The Punjabi Culture Club has done just that for the past dozen years, with annual parties at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown organized by its very determined Presi-

dent Paul Mehta. This year, once again he took charge of the event after a two-year hiatus while he battled health issues and let Saroj Bahl take the reins. But alas, after all his efforts, this year the Mehtas had to leave suddenly for Pheonix for the funeral of a family member.

Still, the program went on, with great gusto starting with the appetizers and sumptuous dinner catered by Bombay Brasserie restaurant, whose owners Narender and Sanjay Sehgal were very much on hand. The speeches were kept short, as Kush Basra serenaded outgoing President Bahl with an original shaiyri (poem) and Bahl later handed over the reins to new president Ravi Goel. Dr. Sapandeep Khurana emceed the event and Neelu Sharma and two friends sang songs to implore new parents (and grandparents) of baby boys to make cash donations in exchange for their blessings.

After dinner the entertainment shifted from the amateur homegrown type of years past to a near professional performance by Sonny Mehta and the Riyaaz Qawwali Group which is steadily rising nationally for its sufi music based qawwalis. They soon had the audience of over 300 strumming their hands to the table beat, twirling and tipping dollar bills over the heads of the singers and asking for familiar tunes till past midnight.

It was a good night to be a Punjabi! The spontaneity of loud conversations and commotion was too much to bear, like long lost friends getting carried away. It was best summed up when the emcee was drowned out when she implored everyone to “sit down so that we can get started”, only to be followed up by a deep loud male shout of “sare log baith jayao!” (everyone, sit down!). It didn’t help much: a few minutes later the conversations carried on again!

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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COMMUNITY

February 03, 2012

Nidhika and Pershant Mehta Host Soiree at Asia Society’s New Home

BY KALYANI GIRI HOUSTON: Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) benefactors Nidhika and Pershant Mehta hosted about 150 of their friends to a pre-opening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres soiree at the Texas Center’s spanking new home in the museum district on January 25.

Gatherees got to peruse the 40,000-squarefoot, multilevel, cavernous halls of the breathtakingly elegant $48.4 million building designed by the renowned Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, and got a preview of exhibitions that the public will be privy to when the building is formally inaugurated with a four-day celebration April 12-15, 2012.

ASTC’s prolific Executive Director Martha Blackwelder gave guests a quick look at the highly anticipated Treasures of Asian Art: A Rockerfeller Legacy, the soon-toarrive exhibition that will be temporarily installed in the Center’s Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery for a five-month run; the exhibit consists of about 60 pieces from the acclaimed Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockerfeller Collection on hiatus here from the Asia Society Museum in New York. ASTC supporters Anne and Albert Chao have given the lead gift in helping to underwrite the exhibi-

From left: Anne Chao, Asia Society Texas Center Executive Director Martha Blackwelder, Nidhika and Pershant Mehta Photo: Jenny Antill

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tion, said Blackwelder.

Along with the Rockerfeller exhibit, two other shows will also open on April 14; watercolors by the Korean artist Lee Ufan and contemporary work by Asian and Asian American artists with a Texas flair.

The Mehtas’ guests included Sultana and Moez Mangalji, Eddie Allen, Gina and Devinder Bhatia, Gabriela and Daniel Dror, Nancy Allen, Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, Omana and Sam Abraham, Leela and Nat Murthy, Karina and Carlos Barbieri, Holly and Kirk Coburn, Pinder and Jag Gill, Susan and Dan Boggio, and Vania and Mark Terry. They were treated to a tour of the building which features the 280-seat Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater, 4,000 –square foot Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery, 3,000-square foot Edward Rudge Allen 111 Education Center, and the Fayez Sarofim Grand Hall.

A festive highlight of the opening of the center in April will be the Tiger Ball, ASTC’s annual event, is slated to be “the most ambitious ever” according to Blackwelder.

“We’re hoping to raise $1 million, and we’re already halfway to our goal,” said Blackwelder. “All proceeds will benefit the arts, culture, and education,” she added.

Dallas Pays Shraddhanjali to Mahatma Gandhi

Exterior of Asia Society Texas Center’s new headquarters. Designed by Japanese Architect Yoshio Taniguchi, it contains 38,000 square feet spread over two floors and basement Photo: Paul Hester Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $30 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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DALLAS: Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) organized a Shraddanjali to Mahatma Gandhi meet at the University Texas at Arlington on Martyrs’ Day, January 30. Hon. Indian Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, seven-member delegation members from his cabinet, Hon. Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India, Theressa Madden, Vice President, UT Arlington, Lisa London, Director, UT Arlington, several staff and students from UT Arlington, Community leaders MVL Prasad, IAFC Board of Directors Prasad Thotakura, Rao Kalvala, Ramki Chebrolu, Taiyab Kundawala offered flowers to the Father of the Nation.

Hon.Consul General of India Sanjiv Arora recalled that It was on January 30, 1948 that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated a

little before the sunset when he was going to attend his evening prayers. The Nation pays homage to the martyrs who suffered and died for the freedom, welfare, and progress of the country, on January 30 every year.

Prasad Thotakura, IAFC leader, stated that Mahatma Gandhiji’s message of nonviolence, peace and tolerance is everlasting and ever applicable to all societies all the time all over the globe. Hence, he lives forever in the hearts of minds of people Universally irrespective the race, religion, and creed.

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February 03, 2012

Indian Democracy Shines for Republic Day in the Bayou City

HOUSTON: In step with the rest of the diplomatic missions all over the world, the local Indian Consulate held two events this past Thursday, January 26 to mark an important aspect of Indian democracy, the 63rd Republic Day of India. For history buffs, the same day, but in 1930 also marks the Purna Swaraj or Declaration of Indian Independence by the Indian National Congress during the Freedom struggle and hence the date was used to honor the this declaration when the Indian Constitution came in force in 1950, officially marking the beginning of the Republic of India.

Consul General Sanjiv Arora and Chhaya Arora with Dr. Rathna Kumar, Director, Anjali Arts Centre (AAC) with artistes of AAC who performed at the Republic Day reception.

Consul General Sanjiv Arora hosted the annual Republic Day flag hoisting last Thursday, January 26 at his residence. Seen in the picture are (from left): Congressman Pete Olson; Ravi Iyer, Vidushi Rajarajeswary Bhat, (Founding Directors of Swaralayam Arts Forum (SAF)); Consul General Arora along with SAF students.

Photos: Bijay Dixit

The Consulate General of India observed the occasion with a flag hoisting ceremony at the home of Consul General Sanjiv Arora in the morning. “It is indeed a great honor to be raising the Indian flag,” said Arora of his seventh occasion of saluting the Indian tricolor in Houston.

Many Indian-Americans and friends of India attended the morning event, including Congressman Pete Olson, (Republican, District 22). Students of Vidushi Rajrajeshwary Bhat’s Swaralayam Arts Forum sang the Indian national anthem, which was followed by Arora’s reading of the President of India, Pratibha Patil’s message to the Nation. Olson said he was happy to be part of the celebrations and proud to represent a vibrant and successful Indian

American community and added portunity to further her career. that the U.S.-India bonds encomThe proceedings started with the pass shared values, commercial national anthems of India and the trade and mutual security.

USA played on the saxophone by The celebrations continued in Sunil Gadgil, (son of India Herthe evening with about 400 in- ald publisher, Rajeev Gadgil) who vited guests at the Hilton Hotel teaches saxophone and clarinet at Post Oak. Arora read out a few Prairie View A&M University. He passages from President Patil’s later played a rendition of the patrispeech and recognized several otic song - Saare jahan se achcha, dignitaries and special guests Hindustan hamara (Out of all the in the audience. These includ- world, India is best). ed Pravasi Bharatiya Sanman Rounding out the evening were (Overseas Indian Award) hon- two folk dances – a Gujarati piece oree Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, by young female students of Uma Professor of Medicine and Chief Nagarsheth followed by an item by Section of Pulmonary, Critical female students of Ratna Kumar.

Care, and Sleep Medicine; noted Dinner was catered by Satish Rao danseuse and teacher Sunanda of Udipi Restaurant.

Nair, recipient of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi 2011; retired Indian diplomat Ashok Gokhale, who was also Charge d’affairs in the Indian Embassy in Washington; University of Houston President Renu Khator and area politicians and businessmen.

Briefly, Dr. Guntupalli expressed her deep gratitude to her Motherland, which she said had provided her with a solid educational foundation Consul General Sanjiv Arora with Dr. Kalpaland to her adopted coun- atha K. Guntupalli, Professor of Medicine at try for giving her the op- Baylor College of Medicine.

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Remembering Republic Day with Parade and a Cultural Celebration

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA STAFFORD: Just as the event coincides with the end of winter in North India, the India Culture Center presented its first afterwinter (if one could even call it winter this year in Houston) signature event, the Indian

Republic Day celebration with a gathering of people who still have nostalgia for the occasion, at the Stafford Civic Center on Cash Road this past Saturday, January 29.

The event started with a parade around the immense parking lot, ending in front of two makeshift flag poles on which the flags on India and the US had been hoisted and the singing of patriotic songs. About 400 people braved the early morning chill to circle the parking lot with banners of their organizations and flags of the two countries in their hands.

The remaining events of the day-long celebrations were held indoors and started with the national anthems of the two countries, followed by welcome speeches by the ICC Past President Raj Bhalla, Bhavsar, Indian Consul Anil Matta, the Mayor of Stafford, Leonard Scarcella and Congressman Pete Olson (R) also addressed the crowd.

The celebration has been held for the past

February 03, 2012

several years at the same venue and has followed a similar format – after the speeches a series of cultural entertainment segments from the local younger kids and 25 to 30 booths representing various area desi community businesses and organizations (see collage on page 10). This year was no exception and the two restaurant booths were doing steady business.

All told, by some estimates, about 1,000 to 1,200 people may have attended the event, which was a drop off from last year’s tally. But for those who came, especially those who have been involved for many years, this was an occasion to meet and greet those who one didn’t see regularly. And it was heartening to see so many decked out in the green, white and saffron stripes of the old country.

Photos: PhotographyByNavin.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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February 03, 2012

Aneesh Chopra, Obama’s Indian American IT head, Quits

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WASHINGTON (TOI): Aneesh Chopra, President Barack Obama’s information technology honcho, who was the highest ranking Indian American in the Obama administration, is leaving the White House, apparently to try his hand at politics.

Announcing the departure of Chopra, Assistant to the President and the federal government’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Obama said “Chopra did groundbreaking work to bring our government into the 21st century.

“Aneesh found countless ways to engage the American people using technology, from electronic health records for veterans, to expanding access to broadband for rural communities, to modernizing government records.”

“His legacy of leadership and innovation will benefit Americans for years to come, and I thank him for his outstanding service.”

While the official announcement gave no reason for Chopra’s resignation from White House, the Washington Post citing unnamed Democrats said he is widely expected to announce that he will run for lieutenant governor in Virginia.

Chopra has flirted with running for statewide office in Virginia for years, building up support among Democratic activists and serving on Obama’s transition team in 2008, it said. The timing of his resignation allows Chopra to campaign this year for his two former bosses: former governor Tim Kaine, who is running to replace retiring Senator James Webb this year; and Obama, who will face a tough fight in the swing state of Virginia.

He is expected to attend Virginia Democrats’ biggest fundraiser of the year, the Jefferson-Jackson dinner, Feb 11 in Rich-

Aneesh Chopra, President Barack Obama’s information technology honcho, who was the highest ranking Indian American in the Obama administration, is leaving the White House, apparently to try his hand at politics.

mond, where those who are looking to run statewide host parties and mingle with more than 1,500 activists, the Post said.

The eldest son of Indian immigrants, Chopra, 40, was sworn in into his White House job on May 22, 2009 after serving as Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia from January 2006 to April 2009. He previously served as Managing Director with the Advisory Board Company, a publicly-traded healthcare think tank. Chopra was named to Government Technology magazine’s Top 25 in their Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers issue in 2008.

Aneesh Chopra received his BA from The Johns Hopkins University and his MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School.

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“One thing you cannot do as a businessman is disappoint your customers. I regularly get requests from around the world,” Abdul was quoted as saying by the Daily Express. Abdul has previously sent food from his restaurant to the England cricket team on tour to Australia.

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February 03, 2012

IACF Takes a Truck Full to a Needy Food Pantry

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA JASPER, TX: In a move directed to showing its involvement with the mainstream American community, the Indo American Charity Foundation completed its first ever food drive over the past week and delivered a truck full of canned and bagged foods to a needy pantry in Jasper. Over $3,500 of food was delivered by truck to the Kirbyville Food Bank in Jasper, a town that had sent out distress signals about the shortage of its inventories.

While the chartered truck drove upto the town about 150 miles northeast of Houston, just 50 miles from the Louisiana border, a team of IACF Directors – Past President Anu Bala, President David Raj, Suranga Cholia, Kiran Gupta, Executive Director Surender Talwar, and volunteer Prafull Tripathi - drove up in two cars leaving the Bayou City at 7:30 in the morning of Saturday, January 28, after driving through the Big Thicket National Preserve. The truck and the cars arrived around the same time, reaching the Kirbyville Pantry three hours later.

Jasper, with a population of over

8,000, is the seat of Jasper County and is best known for case of the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in 1998, an event that led to the creation of the Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The rural community suffered considerable damage from Hurricane Rita in September 2005.

Recently, Gupta had learnt that the Kirbyville Food Bank had not been able to collect enough donations to help the local population and suggested the idea of raising a collection at her company, Unique

Industrial Products in Sugar Land and Raj wholeheartedly agreed that the IACF would participate.

The food drive lasted about 8 weeks and with the goods purchased from wholesalers and many more donations, the Kirbyville Food Bank was encouraged and appreciative of the IACF’s efforts.

“We really want to give back to the community that we live in,” said an elated Raj after the trip was over. “We plan to do many more events like this to show that the Indo American community wants to make a difference in Texas.”

9

Sewa International Provides Warm Clothes to Flood Victim Families in Pakistan HOUSTON: The Sewa International USA is immediately releasing an additional $2500 to help the extremely poor and desolate flood victims in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

“We are really encouraged by the reports we received from Hare Rama Foundation (HRF) in Pakistan. Donors’ money is put to good use by the foundation” said Professor Sree Sreenath, President, Sewa International USA. Sewa USA led a multi-group effort with Hindu American Foundation (HAF) to raise funds for Pakistan’s flood victims and announced a $5000 matching grant in early November. Sewa funded Hare Rama Foundation in December to help start the relief efforts.

“Hare Rama Foundation distributed warm clothes to 800 families in seven districts in Sindh. We recently received a detailed report, video, photos and a list of beneficiaries from the foundation,” said Anil Deshpande, Vice President of Development of Sewa.

“Each flood victim family received a bag that contained a blanket, a winter coat and 2 adult and 2 kids’ sweaters to keep them warm in winter. In many places HRF volunteers took these to victims’

doorstep to deliver,” Deshpande added.

Floods in 2010 and heavy monsoon downpour last year caused extensive damage in Sindh province in Pakistan. Millions of displaced people are hungry, homeless and desperately seeking help.

Sewa USA is working through Hare Rama Foundation, a local, registered non-profit organization based in Punjab, Pakistan. Hare Rama Foundation works very closely with marginalized sections of the Pakistani society.

How to Help SEWA International (www. sewausa.org) is requesting individuals, citizen groups, community organizations and companies to generously donate their time and tax-deductible monetary contributions to SEWA for helping Pakistan’s flood victims.

To donate online, visit http:// www.sewausa.org or make a check payable to ‘SEWA International’ and put “Pakistan Flood Relief Fund” in the memo area and send it to SEWA International, USA 3908 Westhollow Parkway, Houston, TX 77082.

A, or at info@sewausa.org and http://www.sewausa.org.

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ENGLEWOOD, CO: The nation’s third largest pay-TV provider announced the launch of NDTV 24x7 and NDTV Good Times, expanding DISH’s South Asian programming options to more than 80 channels. As the U.S. leader in international programming with 240 ethnic channels in 29 languages, DISH is the only pay-TV platform with nationwide coverage to offer these NDTV channels.

“We are pleased to add a premiere South Asian news channel like NDTV 24x7 and the new entertainment channel NDTV Good Times for our customers interested in Indian programming,” said Chris Kuelling, vice president of International Programming at DISH. “DISH is a leader in delivering TV channels from across India to those in the U.S. seeking news, sports and entertainment from their home country. The addition of these channels shows our continued commitment to serve the South Asian community.”

With presence in more than 75 countries and 18 million households outside of India, NDTV’s Executive Director Vikram Chandra said this partnership allowed

producing India’s first 24-hour news channel “Star News”, NDTV has been in the forefront of every single news revolution. NDTV has 23 offices and studios across the country which house India’s most modern and sophisticated production, newsgathering and archiving facilities with award winning production and creative teams.

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BY PETER LATTMAN NEW YORK (NYT): Ajit Jain, a top lieutenant at Berkshire Hathaway, is on the short list of candidates to succeed Warren E. Buffett, Berkshire’s chief executive.

Jain has landed on another, less desirable list: He is a potential witness in the insider-trading trial of Rajat K. Gupta.

Gupta, a former director at Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble, faces federal criminal charges of illegally leaking information about those companies to the hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, who was convicted last year of insider trading. Gupta is set to stand trial on April 9.

People briefed on the case say that the defense could use Jain, a friend of Gupta, as a character witness. Jain might also describe Gupta’s relationship with Rajaratnam as already having soured around the time the government asserts that crimes occurred, giving him little incentive to share inside information, these people said.

Jain’s role, which emerged in a pretrial conference Friday, adds to a list of prominent figures from Wall Street and corporate America who could testify in the trial in Federal District Court in Manhattan.

The case against Gupta, 63, has broadened the government’s sweeping insider trading crackdown beyond Wall Street trading floors and reached into some of the country’s most prestigious corporate boardrooms.

Prosecutors said last month that they would probably file additional criminal charges against Gupta.

They have until Tuesday to file a new indictment.

The collection of big-name potential witnesses in the case speaks to the vast influence Gupta once held in the business world. As the global head of the management consulting giant McKinsey & Company, Gupta, a native of India, was a trusted adviser to corporate leaders like the private equity billionaire Henry R. Kravis. He counseled leading philanthropies,

Ajit Jain, left, is considered a prime candidate to succeed Warren E. Buffett as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway.

Photo: Pankaj Nangia

working with Bill Clinton and Bill Gates on their global health initiatives.

Gupta was brought low last year by the accusations that he had passed secret boardroom discussions to Rajaratnam, who used insider information to make illegal trades at his hedge fund, Galleon Group. Rajaratnam is serving an 11-year term at a federal prison in Massachusetts after a jury convicted him last May of orchestrating a vast insider-trading conspiracy.

Gupta now passes the time in his waterfront mansion in Westport, Conn., and huddling with lawyers as he prepares for his trial.

Several pretrial conferences in recent weeks have illuminated Gupta’s defense strategy. His lawyers have suggested that the relationship between Gupta and Rajaratnam, once good friends and business associates, had deteriorated by the time prosecutors contend insider trading occurred.

Gupta’s lawyers also suggested at another recent hearing that Rajaratnam’s Galleon could have had many inside sources at either Goldman or Procter & Gamble.

Prosecutors denied that there was any evidence of another informer in those companies.

Jain’s name came up during Friday’s pretrial conference after Jed S. Rakoff, the federal district judge presiding over the case, asked for the names of possible witnesses.

According to a transcript of the conference, Brodsky told the judge

that both sides had interviewed Jain, and he characterized Jain as “a close friend of Gupta’s.”

Jain, 60, has worked for Berkshire for more than two decades and oversees the company’s vast insurance holdings. Buffett has long praised Jain’s abilities and said that Jain would have the Berkshire board’s backing if he wanted to lead the company.

Gupta and Jain have similar backgrounds. Like Gupta, Jain is a native of India who graduated from Harvard Business School and was a consultant at McKinsey earlier in his career. Gupta’s backers have mounted a public relations offensive including a Web site, Friends of Rajat, that appeared on the Internet last week.

“The picture that has been painted of Rajat in the press and blogosphere contradicts what we know of Rajat first hand,” reads the site’s home page. “Over the course of the last year, a greatly unfair and incorrect caricature of the real Rajat Gupta has emerged.”

Friends of Rajat solicits signatures on a letter from friends of Gupta that “fully stand by him in his cause to win back his welldeserved reputation for integrity in all aspects of his life.”

A number of prominent Indianborn business leaders and celebrities have signed the letter, including Deepak Chopra, the spiritual guide. The site includes quotations on justice from Desmond Tutu, Gandhi and Elie Wiesel.

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14 February 03, 2012

Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya MAHASIVARATRI

Come celebrate and receive Lord Siva’s grace and blessings Sunday, February 19, 2012 8:35 am - 10:15 am 11:15 am - 01:00 pm

Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa - Session 1 Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa - Session 2

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Pradosa - Rudrabhiseka in the Temple

Sivoham Come and enjoy a captivating dance drama on Lord Siva's glorious attributions and different facets.

The theme skillfully depicts the Lord’s mysticism as conceived and presented by renowned: Dr. Rathna Kumar and Anjali Center of Performing Arts 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Stafford Civic Center Tickets: $10, $20 and VIP (1415 Constitution Avenue Stafford, TX 77477) For Tickets and information, Contact: Rina Merchant 281- 265 - 3529

Monday, February 20, 2012 9:00 am 7:30 pm 7:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:30 pm

( Temple Hours 8:00am to Midnight ) - 11:30 am Mahanyasa purvaka Rudrabhiseka - 10:30 pm Laghunyasa purvaka Ekadasa Rudrabhiseka - 9:45 pm Ksirabhiseka to Utsava Murti of Lord Siva - 10:30 pm Arati & Prasada - 11:45 pm Meditation followed by midnight Arati

( Rudrabhiseka puja sponsorship with Ksirabhiseka Seva: $21 per family ) ( Milk for abhiseka will be provided by temple )

Chinmaya Mission Houston 10353 Synott Road Sugar Land, TX 77478 281-568-1690

www.saumyakasi.org Contact: Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

February 03, 2012

VSGH Celebrates Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday

HOUSTON: Swami Brahmarupanandaji, visiting from Vedanta Society of Washington D.C. performed an elaborate worship for Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday celebration on January 22. On the weekend of January 27-29, he gave a retreat on Bhagwad Gita Chapter 6.

About 70 people attended Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday celebration. This marked a yearlong celebration observed in different Vedanta Societies on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

The program began with a melodious song on Swami Vivekananda . Swami Brahmarupanandaji explained that the purpose of the special worship of Swami Vivekanada was to invoke the blessings of Swamiji for developing knowledge, love and renunciation (Jnana, Bhakti, Vairagya) . The Swami chanted mantras to invoke various Gods- Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, the Divine Mother, the Sun God and the nine planets and the Guru. He then performed an elaborate ten item worship of Sri Ramakrishna, followed by the worship of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi with five items. He performed the worship of Swami Vivekananda for this special occasion of his birthday with ten items. Another melodious song on Swami Vivekananda was sung by the devotees followed by traditional Artis for Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and the Divine Mother. The program ended with a sumptuous feast arranged by the devotees for this special occasion. on this special occasion, the Swami also gave an excellent retreat on the 6th chapter of the Bhagwad Gita, which deals with the ‘Yoga of Meditation’. He gave an elabo-

rate introduction to the subject by explaining which types of works a devotee, who is sincerely seeking perfection in Yoga of Meditation should do and which he should refrain from. He then explained in details how to do the required duties in a detached and an efficient manner, offering its fruits to God. This type of work helps to purify the mind and helps one to progress in this path.

He gave details of what a beginner in yoga practice should do (Arrukhsha) and what a rare one who succeeds in this practice (Yogarudha) does. He explained ways how to deepen one’s meditation and how to control the mind. He reiterated Sri Krishna’s reassuring statement that no effort in this path goes to waste and if one were to not reach the goal in this birth, that one picks where he or she left off and continues to make progress in future births. He enumerated the benefits

of meditation and how this path is superior to other paths. Anyone who is interested in getting the audio CDs of the talk can inquire with the Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (www.houstonvedanta.org) Swami Brahmarupanand is in residence at Vedanta Society of Greater Houston’s (VSGH) new premises at 14809 Lindita Drive in Houston from January 16 to February 15, 2012.

There will be a General Body Meeting on Sunday, February 5, 2012. The Swami will conduct another retreat on Practical Spiritual Life from February 10-12, 2012. He will also give public lectures on Wednesdays at 7:30pm on different spiritual topics.

For more information, visit www.houstonvedanta.org or call Swapna Chaudhuri at 281-584-0488.

15

Memorial Service for Sindwanis and Raakesh Chawla at VSGH HOUSTON: Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (VSGH) remembered with heartfelt gratitude, one of it’s founder members, Dr. K.L Sindwani, who passed on recently. He along with his late wife Dr. Mohiniji sowed the seeds of Vedanta in Houston area. Kanta Seth read a poem in his honor and Shobha Kulkarni spoke of her long association with the couple.

Abhay Das also read a poem which touched all deeply. Swami Brahmarupananda who is currently visiting VSGH graced the occassion.

VSGH congregation held another memorial service for Raakesh Chawla,36, son of Kewal and Brijinder Chawla who lost his life in a plane crash in New York. He left behind a wife and three very young daughters and an older brother besides his grieving parents.

His family friends, Sharma and Anshu Budhiraj spoke of the wonderful qualities of the brilliant youngman as an ideal son, a loving parent and a compassionate friend.Subhash Kale read an excerpt from a letter Swami Sivananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna wrote consoling a bereaved parent. Swami Brahmarupananda lead the congregation with Ramnam Sankirtan.

Swami Brahmarupananda concluded the meeting with chanting of Gayatri mantra.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

16 February 03, 2012 Sea is Calling, Get Onboard Royally!

Royal Caribbean International announced the cruise line’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises, offering vacationers more choices for an exciting vacation aboard some of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships.

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, the largest and most revolutionary cruise ships at sea, as well as Freedom of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas will continue sailing a range of Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries year-round from five convenient drive-market ports.

Six additional ships, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of

seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Every weekend, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas sail from Port Everglade in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., while Freedom of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral along the Space Coast.

The recently launched Oasisclass ships introduced many ‘firsts’ to the industry and offer guests the widest array of innovative onboard amenities, accommodations, dining and entertainment options.

Aboard all three ships - and Liberty of the Seas - guests enjoy the exclusive DreamWorks Experience, which feature programs and interactive sessions with DreamWorks Animation’s

COMMUNITY

Health for Humanity Yogathon Draws Wide Support SUGAR LAND: Yoga made an indelible mark on residents of Sugar Land as nearly 300 participants performed Surya Namaskar for Health for Humanity at the Town Square outside City Hall on Saturday, January 28.

The Yogathon ‘Health for Humanity’ was part of a 15-day Surya Namaskar Yogathon which started on January 15 and ended on January 29. Started by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in 2006 as part of a

by Councilman Harish Jaju to Ramesh Bhutada, Vice President of HSS, USA. Similar proclamations were issued by mayors from 22 different cities across the US, including Austin, Pearland, Flower Mound and San Antonio in Texas, declaring January 14 to 29 as “Health for Humanity “ weeks.

HSS is an official partner of Let’s Move Faith & Communities . Let’s Move! is a comprehensive

90-year-old Ratanlal Jaju.

Boy Scouts, with Scout Master Glenn Bear, were guiding the cars to parking area. They were stationed at various places around the main street of Town Square. There were 16 booths at the venue which provided information to participants and passersby.

“The Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) yoga routine integrates simple postures of well-balanced movements in dozen steps with

On Saturday, Jan. 28, residents from all over the Greater Houston area met up at Sugar Land’s Town Square to participate in the annual Yogathon event. Dozens of yoga enthusiasts, both young and old, participated in Surya Namaskar (Sun salutation) yoga routine at the event Photo: Bijay Dixit

the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, will offer even greater flexibility with four- to 12-night Caribbean itineraries, departing from four more convenient domestic U.S. ports in winter 2012-13.

“Royal Caribbean’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises aboard some of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships are perfect settings for families and couples of all ages to create memories that will last a lifetime,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing, Royal Caribbean International.

“Our unmatched ships, amazing onboard staff and crew, and exciting itineraries are all part of the Royal Advantage that we deliver to guests on every cruise.

There’s something for everyone onboard, from relaxing in the solarium to participating in the DreamWorks character parade to attending a Broadway musical, to enjoying a multitude of dining options, all of which create opportunities to bond and grow” he added.

In 2012, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas continue to alternate

characters from “Shrek,” “Madagascar,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”

Throughout winter 2012-13, Brilliance of the Seas will take over for Serenade of the Seas and join Adventure of the Seas to offer vacationers two ships to embark on a round-trip, sevennight Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas continue their year-round departures from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ, and Baltimore, respectively, to the Caribbean. Explorer of the Seas offers New York-metropolitan vacationers seven-night Bahamas and nine- to 11-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries. In mid-April 2013, vacationers also can choose a five- or six-night Bermuda or a nine-night Bermuda and Caribbean itinerary. Enchantment of the Seas, on the other hand, will sail seven-night Bahamas, nine-night Eastern Caribbean and 12-night Southern Caribbean itineraries throughout the season.

For more information, call Expedia CruiseShipCenters at 877-739-8635

health awareness program to keep body and mind healthy, Surya Namaskar, or sun salutation, is performed every year with the help of other community organizations in homes and public places across the United States. This year over one million Surya Namaskars were perfomed by over 11,600 participants.

The organizations that took part in the Yogathon were Patanjali Yog Peeth of USA, VYASA, Isha Foundation, Texas Yoga Association, One Yoga, Yog Sadhan Ashram Houston, Art of Living, Yoga by Maya and Natures Meditation/ Yoga for Peace. There were 16 booths at the Town Square which provided information on yoga.

The Vegan Society of PEACE, which promotes vegetarian diet for healthy living, also had a booth and distributed its literature.

Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson issued a proclamation highlighting health benefits of the Yoga campaign. The proclamation was presented on his behalf

initiative, launched by the First Lady, Michelle Obama dedicated to solving the problem of childhood obesity.

“I am pleasantly surprised to see such a large, diverse group of yoga lovers assemble so enthusiastically on a Saturday morning,” said Mariam Issa, a Pakistani American who practices Yoga.

“It feels great, so fresh,” said Rajiv Bhavsar, President of India Culture Center. “The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure”.

Manoj Rathi, a Sugar Land resident and coordinator of the Yogathon, said he was immensely pleased with the turnout as it exceeded expectations and HSS accomplished its goal of spreading the awareness about Yoga. “This was successful because of support from many organizations.”

The youngest participant in the Yogathon was three-year-old Aryaleela Misra and the oldest was

an easy breathing technique to provide health benefits for everyone from beginners to yoga enthusiasts”, said Dr. Bobby Kapur, M.D., Director of the Center for Globalization and Associate Chief for Emergency Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Kapur gave a brief introduction to the yoga technique and its health benefits.

“As a yoga instructor, I highly recommend that those who are able, try to learn the sequence and discover the wealth of improved health from a regular practice,” says Roslyn Earle of Yoga For Peace, Inc., a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting yogic principles, philosophy and practice.

Earle conducted the Sugar Land event, with fellow Yoga instructors 75-year-old Mallikarjun B. Shintri and Daksha Shah. Children who learned yoga from HSS classes demonstrated the technique on stage for the participants to follow.

Pongal-o-Pongal Celebrations at Meenakshi Temple

BY SURABI VEERARAGHAVAN PEARLAND: Pongal, the harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, marks that time of the year when farmers pay their respects and prayers to the Sun God for getting a good harvest. One of the most important aspects of the festival involves the making of chakkarai pongal, a sweet dish that is made by boiling rice with milk and jaggery, cooked to perfection in an earthen pot on a fire lit outside the house. The pot is usually decorated using a garland made with turmeric leaves and sugarcane pieces.

In order to keep this tradition alive and to re-create the pongal atmosphere, the Meenakshi Temple organized a pongal celebration on January 21, where devotees were provided a wonderful opportunity to prepare this dish and offer their prayers. In front of the main temple rows of traditional Vengalai pots were arranged aesthetically on traditional clay stoves specially brought from India for this purpose. The area was decorated with sugarcane stalks and banana plants. Thanks to the sincere efforts by Roopa Balakrishnan and M.K Sriram, we were able to celebrate this festival and pass on the tradition to the next generation. All the ingredients for making the dish which included rice, lentil, milk and jagerry were made available to all the participants. There were about 25 enthusiastic participants, wearing beautiful traditional wear. The priest recited holy mantras and thus began the pongal making process. Once the milk began to boil, everyone shouted “ pongalo pongal” celebrating the festival. The aroma of ghee and jagerry filled the air and it was a memorable experience. Once the cooking was completed the dish was presented to the deities in the temple, and special pooja was performed by the priest.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

February 03, 2012

India House 2012 Gala “Living Our Dreams of Philanthropy”

Saturday, February 18, 2012 7:00PM Reception 8:00PM Dinner & Entertainment Gala Chairs Paul & Stephanie Madan Welcome Guests to Intercontinental Hotel Houston 2222 West Loop South (Near the Galleria) LEGENDS BALLROOM

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Benefactor: Suresh & Krishna Agrawal Ajay & Ranju Aggarwal Kewalram & Shanti Khetpal Paul & Stephanie Madan Surinder & Lalita Trehan

Patron: Raj & Kanwal Bhalla Virinder & Neena Bansal Nagraj & Sheela Eleswarapu Sam Merchant

To sponsor the 2012 Gala contact: Tracy Spencer Phone: 713-929-1907 email: tracy@indiahouseinc.org INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

17

EDITORIAL

18 February 03, 2012 More than Popcorn Three new stars shone at the 57th Idea Filmfare Awards - and they weren’t even wearing gowns. Alongside Bollywood’s leading lads and ladies, new trends in cinema and commerce made bold, game-changing appearances. The first was innovation. Making novel, mint-fresh movies today, Bollywood has finally broken away from its older, heavier, desi ghee-like narratives, revolving around sagas of Huge United Families, NRI romances and Punjabi epics.

Today’s movies show more modern stories, following troubled individuals - tremulous sex symbols, drug-fuelled musicians, bored bankers, restless writers - travelling though life’s travails before finding The End. This is closer to reality than Bollywood has gone before - without being boring. While artistic, Bollywood’s new films are not ‘arty’, catering instead to huge numbers of commercial cinema fans loving the rich locales, beautiful clothes and hard lives they see. Clearly, Bollywood’s walking the tightrope between fine and fun films, innovation emerging as its Vidya Balan took the ‘ Best Actress’ new lead. trophy for her performance in The Dirty Alongside, it’s also smash- Picture at the 57th Idea Filmfare Awards 2012 ing an older segregation between overseas and domestic markets. Once targeting either, filmmakers today aim at maximum acclaim from both, keeping one eye trained on Indian multi-plexes.

Limited earlier to metros, these are now mushrooming across mofussils, playing a major role in boosting films like Delhi Belly and Stanley Ka Dabba. Some years ago, such small, quirky films may have been limited to a big-city festival circuit - but multiplexes consume these with marked eagerness now.

Finally, Bollywood’s third most richly-awarded ‘star’ is womancentric cinema, exemplified by The Dirty Picture and No One Killed Jessica, featuring strong feisty women - not dissimilar from young female directors like Zoya Akhtar. Clearly, Filmfare had much to celebrate; three remarkable new stars - with very happy endings. Times of India

420 to Padma Bhushan

BY COOMI KAPOOR IF YOU trace the history of many great business empires you will discover that the origins of their wealth are murky.

The founding fathers were crooks who were not acceptable in polite society.

Social respectability came only after the second or third generation. Controversial hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, however, has successfully bridged the divide in his own lifetime. He has networked his way into respectability. The most striking symbol of his social acceptability is the Indian government awarding him the Padma Bhushan this year.

Chatwal was for years a wanted man in India. The CBI filed cases against him for conspiracy, fraud and cheating.

The cases were filed on the basis of a complaint of the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Bank of India that Chatwal had in 1994 fraudulently obtained a loan of $9 million from the State Bank of India, New York without the required collateral by conspiring with officials of the bank. Two other Indian banks were also party to the complaints. To get around his financial problems Chatwal filed for bankruptcy in 1995.

Prior to this Chatwal’s financial dealings had come under scrutiny in the US. The IRS pursued him for approximately $4 million in unpaid business taxes.

While New York state placed a lien seeking more than $5 million in taxes.

He forfeited a building to New York City on which he was delinquent on property taxes and was sued by federal regulators seeking to recoup millions of dollars in loans from a failed bank where he served as a director.

In 1997, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation sued Chatwal over his role as a director and a guarantor of unpaid loans at the failed First New York Bank for Business. The government alleged that his loans had “resulted in losses to the bank in excess of $12 million”, and it questioned his claims that he could not repay the debts. The regulators were sceptical of the fact that Chatwal continued to rent a spacious penthouse apartment in New York in the midst of his financial turmoil. “The debtor has managed to continue living in luxurious style in the same penthouse apartment he resided in at a time he claimed a net worth of tens of millions of dollars without adequate explanation of how

his family’s limited income is able to support such a lifestyle,” the government said in a filing.

Former US President Bill Clinton played a major role in helping whitewash the former air force officer’s chequered past. Clinton gave Chatwal social standing by declaring him one of his close friends and giving him access to the White House. The US President insisted that he be included in his group of leading American businessmen who accompanied Clinton on his official visit to India in 2000, even though there were CBI cases against Chatwal at that time and he was a wanted man in India.

Later Clinton brought the hotelier to India on a second trip in connection with earthquake relief work. Clinton eventually appointed Chatwal a trustee of the William J Clinton foundation.

Clinton had every reason to be grateful to Chatwal. The hotelier raised huge funds for Bill and Hillary in their election campaigns both through personal donations and by persuading other US businessman of Indian origin to contribute. In September 2000, Chatwal hosted a half-million dollar fundraiser at that Upper East Side penthouse for Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaign. In 2008, he promised to raise $5 million for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid, creating a group called Indian Americans for Hillary 2008. Donors who gathered at least $25,000 were promised a “private VIP meeting” with the candidate, fundraising letters show. After Hillary bowed out of the presidential race Chatwal moved over to the Obama camp and raised funds.

Thanks to the Clintons’ patronage many doors were opened to Chatwal and in no time the family was rubbing shoulders with the rich and the famous, particularly in the world of glamour.

Chatwal’s hotel empire flourished. From the single Bombay Palace hotel in Manhattan, Chatwal built up a chain of hotels across the US and other parts of the globe. A respected business magazine like Forbes put the younger Chatwal on its cover in an adulatory piece which did not ask any probing questions -- “Whatever the dollar figures the Chatwals have social currency” was how the magazine put it.

Proof of Chatwal’s social currency was the impressive turnout for his son

Vikram’s lavish wedding extravaganza in Delhi in 2006. Laxmi Mittla, Aditya Birla, S P Hinduja, Naomi Campbell, Prince Michael of Greece, the Clintons and many others from the international jetset turned up for the extravagant festivities which were much written about.

A special supplement of the New York Times described it as one of the most famous weddings of contemporary times.

The fairy tale marriage fell apart soon afterwards. The social commentator Suhel Seth recently noted that “the poor boy who got married has just finished a rehab program at Byculla in Bombay”.

For Chatwal the icing on the cake was the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife at the Sikh wedding ceremony. (Incidentally, Chatwal was one of the guests at the White House dinner hosted by President Obama for Singh earlier this year). The fact that our circumspect PM, found a man once blacklisted by our embassies, socially acceptable surely sent a powerful signal to the law enforcement agencies that Chatwal was not a person you wanted to mess with. Particularly as they already had the example of the US authorities, which influenced by Chatwal’s enormous political clout quietly settled the regulatory and tax cases one by one, mostly by working out plans to pay portions of the debts. The FDIC abruptly settled the case, agreeing on December 18, 2000, to let Chatwal pay $1,25,000 for the loans that it had said caused at least $12 million in losses.

Just how exactly the CBI and the law enforcement authorities came around to giving Chatwal a clean chit and a certificate that “there is nothing adverse on the record” is shrouded in secrecy and reeks of major manipulation. Initially, five cases were registered against Chatwal.

Three of these cases were unilaterally closed by the CBI, while chargesheets were filed before the court of a special CBI judge in Mumbai in two others. In these two cases, the CBI did not go into appeal despite the recommendation on file of a senior investigator. In fact, in one case the CBI helpfully dragged its feet over filing a chargesheet for more than five years. A Right to Information petition questioning the CBI’s role in the whole murky business is certainly called for.

- Indian Express

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EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS MANAGER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA MANAGING PARTNER: KRISHNA GIRI COMMUNITY REPORTER: KALYANI GIRI COMMUNITY EDITOR: MANASI GOKHALE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN BUSINESS & RECREATION: JACOB DAVID GRAPHIC DESIGN: SAQIB RANA CORRESPONDENTS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, UK: ASEEM KULKARNI NEW DELHI: RAJ KANWAR ®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 5 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, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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Finnish Flight Attendants Go Bollywood for India’s Republic Day

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India’s Republic Day 2012 got Finnair treatment with an elaborate in-air dance from the flight attendants

BY VIJAI SINGH (NYT) The passengers had all boarded Finnair Flight AY201 from Helsinki to New Delhi on Jan. 17, when two dozen beaming flight attendants dressed in Indian attire came dancing through the aisles to “Deewangi Deewangi” from the Bollywood mega-blockbuster “Om Shanti Om.” The well-rehearsed and choreographed routine was in commemoration of India’s 63rd Republic Day, said Helena Kaartinen, the flight attendant who came up with the idea.

“It was a good way to show respect,”

she said, and to show Finnair’s Indian passengers “that we do know some things about them.”

Kaartinen, who has worked for Finnair for the past 32 years, planned the dance with a former flight attendant in Mumbai, Manish Gawde, who also is a Bollywood instructor.

“We thought that we Finns all would work together for the Indian passengers to show them that we really care,” she said, by using Bollywood to bond. In December, Kaartinen recruited fellow crew members, and the group rehearsed twice a week at a flight academy near Helsinki

Airport. She uploaded their rehearsal videos to a Facebook group, where Gawde would view and correct them.

With the permission of Finnair, their colleagues recorded and edited the routine. They chose “Deewangi Deewangi” because the chorus (“All hot girls put your hands up and say/ Om Shanti Om/ All cool boys come on make some noise and say Om Shanti Om”) was easy for Finns to understand as it was English. When the song ended, the entire cabin burst into applause. Finns “are very openminded when we are friends with someone,” Ms. Kaartinen said.

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Angry Brides Game Attacks India’s Illegal Dowry Tradition via Facebook

BY KATE SPRINGER (Time) In India, a game with a name inspired by Angry Birds lets bridezillas chuck shoes, rolling pins and brooms at dowry-grubbing prospective grooms, the Telegraph reports. When they’ve hit their target—in this case, a doctor, a pilot and an engineer—players earn rupees to put toward a (fictional) anti-dowry fund.

Garnering more than 270,000 fans on Facebook, game-maker shaadi. com’s Angry Brides intends to raise awareness of dowry demands in India, a tradition that has been illegal since 1961, according to the Telegraph.

“Shaadi.com has always believed that marriage is an institution of love, where there is a place for togetherness, mutual understanding, family values and emotional support but not for dowry!” the company wrote in a statement.

The dowry tradition can have some serious side effects, such as worst-case scenarios of torture or murder. The Telegraph reports that 8,391 women died in dowry-related deaths in 2010, according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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BY K.S.JACOB (Hindu) India’s poor health indices are cause for concern. The country does not seem to be on track to meet health targets set for the Millennium Development Goals and the 11th Five Year Plan. The persistence of poor indices of health raises many questions and mandates review.

The High Level Expert Group constituted by the Planning Commission and chaired by Professor Srinath Reddy recently proposed Universal Health Coverage for all citizens. The challenge for the nation is to translate into reality this vision of accessible, affordable and equitable health care for all. Even many current government initiatives, such as the National Rural Health Mission are not effectively implemented in practice. Many standard norms are exercised in the breach. Nonfunctioning health facilities, sub-standard treatment, denial of care and medical negligence are not uncommon. However, the law can also be employed to deliver health justice to all of India’s peoples, especially its most vulnerable population.

Constitutional Guarantees The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to its people. Article 21 gives the citizens the Right to Life. As with all fundamental rights, the Right to Life is justiciable. Many other obligations, required to produce an egalitarian society, are enshrined in the Constitution and are listed under Directive Principles of State Policy. These include Article 47, 39 and 38, which argue for the need to raise the level of nutrition, enhance standards of living and improve public health. They also make a case for social justice and sustainable livelihoods.

The Supreme Court has, on many occasions, cited the Constitution having read many of these principles into the fundamental rights guaranteed to all its citizens. For example, such reading of Directive Principles, which deal with improving the health, into Article 21, adds a completely new dimension to the ideal.

Such a reading makes them justiciable.

It uses general constitutional guarantees, applies them in particular situations and innovates to ensure that the ideals prescribed in the Constitution can be legally implemented.

Such enlightened readings of the Constitution can and should expand the existing justiciable rights to include international principles and conventions, which the country has signed. Such progressive reading of the Constitution can even fill the gaps in existing legislation by citing the fundamental rights. While the judiciary has been incorrectly accused of activism and overreach, the Supreme Court has consistently employed juristic principles to reframe constitutional issues.

Successful Legal Initiatives Social activists and human rights groups havesuccessfullyemployedpublicinterest litigation to ensure that rights guaranteed in the Constitution and in international law are delivered to people. For example, the Centre for Reproductive Rights and the Human Rights Law Network, in collaboration with grass-root development and social movements, have been fighting for rights of the poor and marginalised.

They use the law to advance the position

The law can be employed to deliver health justice to all, especially the most vulnerable population. Patients and relatives outside the government hospital, Dindigul. Photo: G. Karthikeyan

that health is a fundamental right that all governments are legally obliged to protect, respect and fulfil. They cite the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the legal basis for such a mandate. Such organisations work to provide free legal services and initiate public interest litigation. They also engage in advocacy, conduct legal awareness programmes and investigate violations of rights. They campaign to promote accountability under national and international law. The cases they have spearheaded have awakened a justice system that had been a passive spectator to the suffering endured by India’s people.

The Delhi High Court issued a landmark ruling in the Consolidated Laxmi Mandal/Jaitun case in June 2010 holding that the denial of maternal health care is a violation of fundamental constitutional and human rights. Justice S. Muralidhar emphasised that the government is obligated to ensure maternal health services under the judicially recognised constitutional rights to health and reproductive rights. He also cited India’s international legal commitments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. He reiterated that the right to health and the reproductive rights are part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. He emphasised that the right to health includes access to and minimum standards of treatment and care in public health facilities.

Many PILs have been successful in restoring benefits to people unjustly deprived of their entitlements. The Delhi High Court in January 2011 ordered the establishment of shelters for destitute women and the provision of medical assistance, food and professional help to them. In May 2011, the Court noted that the denial of a ration card to a person living below the poverty line is a denial of the right to food and thereby the Right to Life under the Constitution. The landmark People’s Union for Civil Liberties versus the Union of India case established the right to food and prompted the government to propose the Food Security Bill.

The Supreme Court, in response to a PIL, has also ruled that private hospitals, which received land at highly subsidised

rates from the government, should provide free treatment to the poor. Similarly, many other PILs in different High Courts have helped in obtaining compensation for denial of health care, provision of water supply to health facilities, establishment of blood banks in district hospitals, construction of shelters for the destitute and camps to provide food rations for the poor.

Moving Forward The government needs to clarify its position on the health rights of its people.

It needs to clearly delineate its obligations and establish legal consequences for noncompliance. A constitutional amendment in relation to the Right to Health, similar to the Right to Education Act, should be considered.

The government needs to increase its public spending on health to at least 3 per cent of GDP, in keeping with its improved economic status. It needs to revitalise its public health systems, which have been systematically under-funded and neglected over the past decades. It also needs to focus on social determinants of health with renewed emphasis on the provision of clean water, sanitation, nutrition, housing, education and employment.

While the government subscribes to many ideals and has evolved numerous schemes to put them into action, their implementation leaves much to be desired. The failure of implementation mandates urgent mechanisms for institutional correction of processes and systems to deliver effective health care.

Workers in the public health system need to change their work culture to improve the delivery of care. Accountability has to be a core feature of this new system. Social and health activists need to work with the legal fraternity to highlight issues through PILs, when required. Political, corporate, and financial pressures can sometimes be only overcome through law.

The judiciary should recognise that the right to health is constitutionally guaranteed and justiciable. It should fast track PILs related to health and should accept the persuasive value of decisions made in the High Courts. Judges may opt to close off the call of justice and renew the rule of the law in relation to the new question that is presented. On the other hand, they may take up the challenge and rethink, remake and cite the law as best as they can in a way that measures up to the call of justice.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

February 03, 2012

Dad’s Passion Inspires Ranbir to do Better Work (TOI)In his about four-decade career, Rishi Kapoor has tried various roles and has been appreciated for his work. Right now he is being applauded for his villainous avatar in “Agneepath” and his actor son Ranbir says his father is a wonderful performer and his inspiration too. “I am hearing such amazing stuff about my father and his performance in ‘Agneepath’.

He has always been a wonderful performer. If a person is a good actor then he will deliver good performance throughout his life,” Ranbir told IANS. “Today my dad is 55-plus and still he gets so many awards. Just by looking at his passion inspires me to do better work,” he added.

BY NARESH KUMAR DEOSHI The new Agneepath by debutant director Karan Malhotra is decidedly powerful but could have done better with some editing.

Hell, Fire, and Brimstone. All three are invoked in Agneepath. There’s the hell-raiser Kancha Cheena, more beastly a villain than ever seen in Hindi cinema. There’s the smouldering Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, a dormant volcano spewing fire and slyly annihilating a ganglord in his quest for power and, thereafter, revenge. And there’s brimstone and brawns aplenty, as this David versus Goliath battle climaxes in an explosive showdown.

Topping it is the awesome poem by the late Harivansh Rai Bachchan, every word of which stabs your heart as it plays in the backdrop: Ye mahan drishya hai, Chal raha manushya hai, Ashru, shwet, rakta se lathpath lathpath lathpath...

Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.

Take a bow, Karan Johar and Karan Malhotra for a compelling retelling of a revenge saga that the fans of Hindi films, and particularly of Amitabh Bachchan, know better than the back of their hands.

Expectedly, one thing this remake does is to establish that Amitabh Bachchan is beyond compare and without a peer. It’s for his own good that Hrithik Roshan doesn’t try to match the stalwart, and gives a new interpretation to the character. But, confession be made, one can’t help yenning for the seething Vijay Dinanath Chauhan as immortalized by a feral Bachchan in the 1990 movie by Mukul Anand, as one sees Hrithik Rohan -- may he be praised for daring the Herculean task of stepping into Big B’s shoes -- go through the motions, preferring silence over speech, and slyness over brash bravado. If the Vijay Dinanath Chauhan of the 1990 movie proffered his chest to be pumped by the bullets of his enemies, this Vijay is a smooth operator who double crosses his own boss to rise to a pedestal from where he can take on his bête noire, Kancha Cheena. In short, this Vijay is high on revenge and low on compunction. All the better for Hrithik for he doesn’t have to mouth the unforgettable dialogues like “Maut ke saath appointment” and “Main goonda nahin hai” and therefore spared of any comparison on that count, at least.

In fact, the most popular dialogue of the original, “Pura naam Vijay Dinanath Chauhan”, is spoken just once by Hrithik and that too at the fag end. That goes to show how different this Agneepath is from Mukul Anand’s.

I am not going to spell out the story, but rest assured that this Agneepath has

Katrina Kaif to Romance Kamal Hassan

While both father and son are delivering incredible performances in Bollywood, one wonders when both of them will be seen together on the silver screen.

When asked the same, Ranbir quipped: “If we get a nice script then we both will definitely work together.

We haven’t got a convincing script yet.” After the success of “Rockstar”, Ranbir is looking forward to Anurag Basu’s “Barfi”. “’Barfi’ has been in the news for quite some time. Few days of shooting left, then I will start with Ayan Mukerji’s film from March 1.

‘Barfi’ is a fun film. It’s a romantic comedy. It has me, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz in it,” the 28-year-old said.

‘Agneepath’ is a Firestorm that Lasts too Long

21

After conquering Bollywood, Katrina Kaif is all set to rule the south film industry. If the latest buzz is to be believed then Katrina Kaif is going t o romance Kamal Hassan in ‘Thalaivan Irukiran’.

The makers have approached Katrina for the role and she showed her interest on the project. It is believed that Tamil film star Ajith might also be a part of the film. The film will be produced by Aascar Ravichandran. When contacted Ravichandran refuses to divulge any details of the film and the film cast but also did not deny his preference for the Bollywood diva.

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some interesting plot departures from the previous one, even though the outline of the story remains the same. The character of Krishnan Aiyyar (Mithun Chakraborty in the original) is chucked out and we have a new character in the bulky form of Rauf Lala (Rishi Kapoor), a crimelord in Mumbai running a drug racket and sex trade. Priyanka Chopra is a chirpy Mumbai girl Kaali living in the same chawl as Vijay. And Kancha Cheena is not the dapperly, goggled don, but a bald, blackclad monster that claims to be without ‘moh-maya’ and mouths philosophy like “Atma marti nahin” almost as if it was a satanic verse.

Which brings us to Sanjay Dutt. I hope his little ones don’t see the movie in their growing-up years, lest they begin to fear their doting papa. As the bald, menacing, deadly Cheena, Dutt strikes fear into the heart of the mortals. His loony grins, piercing gaze and that big burly bod make him the best khalnayak we have seen in years, if not ever. Dutt brings a psycho streak into Kancha Cheena, and it’s not without a pinch of salt will the audience stomach the climax when Hrithik, consummately pummelled by

Kangana Ranaut Replaces Vidya Balan on Ekta Kapoor’s List

Dutt, makes the last gasp turnaround to overpower him.

An equally stellar performance comes from Rishi Kapoor as the mobster who keeps young girls locked like they were chickens and auctions them off to the best bidder. Priyanka Chopra doesn’t get much footage and plays the bubbly love interest of the protagonist, while Hrithik Roshan does justice to his role without ever delivering anything in Bachchan’s league. He can’t not be encumbered with comparison.

Director Karan Malhotra has made an impressive film for a first-timer, but stretches the story which he has adapted along with Ila Bedi Datta more than needed for the benefit of our bums. Sitting in the theatres for three hours watching this powerful firestorm wreak havoc, with all that sound and fury and a token ‘Chikni Chameli’ item to boot, can be a tiresome exercise. Save for a qawwali, the songs needed to have been dropped, so that we could have enjoyed this revenge drama without having to look at our watches repeatedly.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 - Apunkachoice.com

Ekta Kapoor was considering her blue-eyed girl Vidya Balan for their next big project ‘Shootout at Wadala’. But after much delay and deliberation she is finally replaced by Kangana Ranaut in the film. The underworld film to be directed by Sanjay Gupta has John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Tusshar Kapoor in lead roles. “For quite some time, Vidya Balan was being considered for the female lead, to be paired opposite John Abraham. John plays the character of the notorious gangster Manya Surve and Vidya was to play his girlfriend”, says a source closely associated with Balaji Films.

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22 February 03, 2012

Why Sachin Shouldn’t Get Bharat Ratna The Bharat Ratna is an award our leaders give one another.

23of our 41 Bharat Ratnas are Indian politicians

BY AAKAR PATEL (Mint) The Bharat Ratna is an award our leaders give one another. Twenty-three of our 41 Bharat Ratnas are Indian politicians. It isn’t easy to think of Gulzarilal Nanda’s mighty achievements or for that matter Rajiv Gandhi’s.

Norman Borlaug, who saved India from starvation, didn’t get the Bharat Ratna. Even so, many deserving people got it. Amartya Sen, J.R.D. Tata, Nelson Mandela, B.R. Ambedkar, Mother Teresa. His fans now want Sachin Tendulkar on this list. Let us examine the case against him.

It is of course inevitable that he will be given the award. This is because democratic governments tend to bow to popular opinion in such matters. Last month, the government signalled its intent by amending the rules so that Tendulkar could become eligible. The Bharat Ratna is our highest civilian award. Before 16 December, it was reward for “exceptional service towards advancement of Art, Literature and Science, and in recognition of public service of the highest order”.

Now, it may be “awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour”.

This is poor wording. Deploying the forward slash communicates something pedestrian, not heroic. I am surprised Manmohan Singh let this draft pass, as did P. Chidambaram, under whose ministry the awards fall. “Performance”, the word added specifically to bring in Tendulkar, is not the same as service. The critical words “towards advancement of” have been dropped.

Salman Khan performs exceptionally in his field. Does that qualify him to be Bharat Ratna?

According to the new rules, it does.

In the US, the Congressional Gold Medal is

rarely given to athletes. Sportsmen who have been given the award, like Jesse Owens and Joe Louis, tend to have had an additional qualification: heroism. In this case, their braving of racism. The medal is not given merely for popularity. The great MuhammadAli has not yet won it, and who can say he doesn’t deserve it?

In India, the power to give someone the nation’s highest award rests exclusively with the prime minister. Singh must inform the president (the rules say “recommend” but it’s really an instruction) of the name of the person he thinks is fit.

Though he may give out a maximum of three Bharat Ratnas each year, in his seven years as prime minister, Singh has given only one, to Bhimsen Joshi in 2009. This is not unexpected because we can observe in Singh his caution and prudence. The stumbling haste to hand the award to a man still in his playing years is unlike him.

To return to Tendulkar, there’s no question that he has performed very well as a batsman.

He is unmatched in his longevity, and his stamina in getting runs and centuries. What else? In Test batting averages, he stands 16th in history.

Even Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara are ahead of him there. In One Day International (ODI) batting averages, he’s 14th. As captain of India, he won four Tests and lost nine. As ODI captain, he won 23 and lost 43. Whether this is a record of “exceptional service/performance of the highest order” is questionable.

In any case, the Bharat Ratna isn’t a glorified man of the series award. When we give someone the Bharat Ratna, we honour ourselves. We hold up the person as an ideal of true greatness.

As a model Indian, Tendulkar may not be the person to hold up in front of your children.

INDIA

List of Bharat Ratna Award Winners 1) Kumari Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar - Arts : 2001 2) Late. Ustad Bismillah Khan - Arts : 2001 3) Prof. Amartya Sen - Literature & Education : 1999 4) Lokpriya Gopinath (posth.) Bordoloi - Public Affairs : 1999 5) Loknayak Jayprakash (Posth.) Narayan - Public Affairs : 1999 6) Pandit Ravi Shankar - Arts : 1999 7) Shri Chidambaram Subramaniam - Public Affairs : 1998 8) Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi - Arts : 1998 9) Shri (Dr.) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - Science & Engineering. : 1997 10) Smt. Aruna Asaf (Posth.) Ali - Public Affairs : 1997 11) Shri Gulzari Lal (Shri) Nanda - Public Affairs : 1997 12) Shri Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata - Trade & Industry : 1992 13) Shri Maulana Abul Kalam Azad - Public Affairs : 1992 14) Shri Satyajit Ray - Arts : 1992 15) Shri Morarji Ranchhodji Desai - Public Affairs : 1991 16) Shri Rajiv Gandhi - Public Affairs : 1991 17) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - Public Affairs : 1991 18) Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedakr - Public Affairs : 1990 19) Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - Public Affairs : 1990 20) Shri Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran - Public Affairs : 1988 21) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan - Social Work : 1987 : Pakistan : 22) Shri Acharya Vinoba Bhave - Social Work : 1983 : India : Maharashtra 23) Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu Teresa - Social Work : 1980 24) Shri Kumaraswamy Kamraj - Public Affairs : 1976 25) Shri V.V. Giri - Public Affairs : 1975 26) Smt. Indira Gandhi - Public Affairs : 1971 27) Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri - Public Affairs : 1966 28) Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane - Social Work : 1963 29) Dr. Zakir Hussain - Public Affairs : 1963 30) Dr. Rajendra Prasad - Public Affairs : 1962 31) Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy - Public Affairs : 1961 32) Shri Purushottam Das Tandon - Public Affairs : 1961 33) Dr. Dhonde Keshav Karve - Social Work : 1958 34) Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant - Public Affairs : 1957 35) Dr. Bhagwan Das - Literature & Education : 1955 36) Shri Jawaharlal Nehru - Public Affairs : 1955 37) Dr. M. Vivesvaraya - Civil Service : 1955 38) Shri Chakravarti Rajagopalachari - Public Affairs : 1954 39) Dr. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman - Science & Engineering. : 1954 40) Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan - Public Affairs : 1954

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

FOOD

No Smoke without Fire!

BY SAPNA SARFARE (Pune Mirror) Raise your hands, forks and knives to say ‘aye’ when we ask — are sizzlers your favourite?

Most of us have tried, tasted and liked these sizzling food items which tempt our tastebuds like no other. “A nice way to describe it would be — it is like being noticed while walking down the Beach Road with a stunningly beautiful girlfriend.

The moment the waiter brings the sizzling dish leaving a trail of smoke you become the cynosure of all eyes at the restaurant,” says chef Prakash Chetri, Sayaji Hotels who has come up with the Sizzler Festival — aptly monikered Hot Plate — till January 31, describing the sizzler in two ways.

While talking about what actually consists an authentic sizzler in terms of food, he adds that it can actually be anything, right from barbeque, starters, Indian....practically anything!

“Why do you call it sizzler? They are the head-turners, with all the smoke swirling up and the distinctly audible sound of the hot iron plate decorated with exotic greens and meat.”

Now we get down to the basics.

Those interested in trying their hands at making sizzlers at home, will want to know what they should get. Chetri adds, “The basic ingredients would be the sizzler plates which are available in stores. The iron plates are available in all shapes like oval, square, round, rectangle, etc.

And then there is the wooden under

Sizzlers, however smokey, invariably make your eyes and mouth water! And whats best to beat the cold with some heat? We tell you how — right in your kitchen!

liner. The iron plate is heated to a high degree and then placed on the wooden under liner while serving.

Add a dollop of butter to the heated iron plate and the smoke will start off.” You can prepare these stuff on

a normal burner stove available at home where you place the food to be had on one burner for cooking and the iron plate can be kept on the other burner.

Then, you need the Teppanyaki grill which is essentially a hot plate.

Usage on skewers and so on will depend on the type of food prepared like when you have satay, you can buy the bamboo satay skewers which again are available in most stores these days. “All the ingredients used these days are not costly.”

When it comes to the kind of food prepared in sizzlers, the sky’s the limit and so pick your favourites. “In food, we would require fresh Oriental vegetables like pokchoy, Chinese cabbage, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc. To add flavour, you require the Oriental herbs too. We can also use chicken, fish and sea-food. We also use Japanese cooking wine like Mirin, Sake, soya, rice vinegar, Japanese five spice powder called Suchimi which gives the taste,” adds Chetri.

The process is simple. Keep the

February 03, 2012

required food (to be eaten) on one burner to cook, while you place the iron plate on another. By the time you finish the cooking in 10-15 minutes, the hot plate is ready. “Place the iron plate on the wooden underliner and then place banana leaf or cabbage leaves on the plate. Then put the matter on the iron plate. The sizzling starts.”

Pointers need to be kept while preparing sizzlers at home. He says, “The first thing is that while you are

23

handling the plate, keep in mind the fact that it is hot. Be very careful while handling it. Also, keep it out of children’s hand. Secondly, never forget to put the banana or cabbage leaf on the hot plate before you put your food.

If you put the food directly, it will surely burn. When preparing any type of sizzlers especially Oriental, keep the condiments handy. You can also serve pan-fried fruits along too, if you like.”

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Sunday, February 19, 2012 as per American Central Standard Time, Mahapuja at 6:15 PM. AArati at 7:30 PM. Four Prahar Puja will continue till next day 6:00 AM. List Your Name For Pooja with the Priest.

According to USA, Maha Shivratri falls on Sunday, February 19, 2012.

Thandai and Farali Prasad will be served after Abhishek & Aarti.

Mrutyunjaya japa Yagna will continue for the whole day.

For Maha Puja, Donation of $101.00 is Appreciated. Abhishek During the Day Time.

Donation of $21.00 is Appreciated. Milk for Abhishek & Prasad is welcome.

Jay Somnath-Temple Committee INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 February 03, 2012

INDIA

India’s secular fabric torn asunder

No Show by Rushdie, but Oprah Winfrey Saves Jaipur Festival

BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT India’s secular fabric was torn asunder and pages of its Constitutional provision of ‘expression of freedom’ lay tattered when Rajasthan state government at the behest or otherwise of the Central government advised noted author Salman Rushdie not to attend Jaipur Literature Festival, deemed to be India’s largest. The state police claimed that sundry groups of Muslim fundamentalist had threatened to disrupt the festival if the ‘controversial’ author of ‘Satanic Verses’ attended the festival to which he had been duly invited by the organizers, and that his life was at risk. It needs to be mentioned that the book ‘Satanic Verses’ had been banned in India when it was first published.

It is not the first time that India or some of its states have shown a weak spine when it came to banning of books on slimmest, or even no, excuse or turning a blind eye to ‘persecution’ of MF Husain by Hindu fundamentalists which had forced him to live and die in exile in a authoritarian country. A fate of same genre had been meted out to Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin for her novel Lajja, meaning ‘Shame’ in English that had been violently criticized by Muslim fundamentalists and the Indian as well as government of West Bengal did not dare extend her visa for fear of losing the Muslim vote.

The foundation of Indian secular structure is so shaky that even a minimal tremor on the votebank scale is enough to make Central and state governments tremble with fear of losing votes if they showed any boldness in facing imaginary or real threats. The freedom of expression or even of speech invariably becomes the first

Salman Rushdie

victim of this paranoid attitude. Such a weakkneed policy very often becomes a disgrace and sullies our secular demeanor.

Rushdie, as a matter of fact, did not need to have a visa for entering the country since he has a special PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card which entitles him unhindered entry into India any time. As a matter of fact, Rushdie has been visiting India off and on for a number of years without causing even a whimper. Had he insisted and was prepared to take a risk to come to India, it would have been the bounden duty of both the state and central governments to provide him all the protection. If the government were now to claim that it was unable to assure fool-proof protection to Rushdie in the face of all these ‘imaginary’ or real threats, it would

have only confessed to its own impotence and incompetence. Even the organizers of the Jaipur Literature Festival trembled and did not honor their own invitation to Rushdie; their attitude, to say the least, was cowardly and presented them in a bad light.

Rushdie too was greatly dismayed at the government attitude which an author called, ‘unacceptable’. In Twitter, he criticized the Rajasthan police and said that it had just ‘invented’ a threat to his life to keep him away from the festival.

He further said that he could not say whether the so-called ‘invented’ threat was at the behest of someone else.

There was a near unanimous opinion in favor of Rushdie amongst the members of the literati that had gathered at Jaipur in large numbers.

Almost, they all felt that the powers that be were wrong in informally ‘banning’ the entry of the controversial author. Four well known authors even showed their defiance in reading out excerpts from ‘Satanic Verses’; this did create a stir of sorts and the police even fancied taking action against these authors for publically reading portions from a banned book. It is hoped that a better sense will prevail on the government and it will not take the foolhardy step of prosecuting these brave authors who had shown their ‘courage of conviction’. The noted columnist Khushwant Singh paid his compliments to Rushdie by headlining his weekly column, “We should be proud of Rushdie’s achievements”.

Putting into shade this fierce controversy that had almost threatened to disrupt the well organized festival, came the visit of international media diva Oprah Winfrey. In her own characteristic style, Oprah literally ‘stormed’ the festival with every one of the 30,000 authors

and visitors eating up her each and every word.

Dressed in the typical salwar kameez, Oprah joined both hands much to the delight of the large gathering and offered her greetings with a ‘namaste’. Her celebrated sense of humor was very much in evidence and she really regaled the gathering with words of wisdom and that extraordinary ‘gift of the gap’. She was also equally blunt and expressed her shock that Indians did not as a rule obey traffic signals. She talked about poverty in her own childhood as if it was a badge of honor; she also emphasized with women who were victims of sexual abuse and mentioned about her own abuse as a child as if this too changed her life.

When the festival finally ended, many questions about Indian secular fabric remained unanswered.

Raj Kanwar is a Dehra Dun based freelance journalist and writes columns o n c u r re n t affairs for local and national newspapers.

He is also the author of the official history of ONGC, which is one of the top three companies in India in terms of market capitalization. Kanwar is also associated with World Oil as its Contributing Editor for South Asia.

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www.GaneshaSpeaks.com Visit us Online www.indoamerican-news.com ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20: The combination exceptionally good time, this of success and happiness is often rare. This week. You shall find yourweek, you shall be fortunate self in a spiritual frame of enough to enjoy the both. Almind around this time. Keep though life shall be moving a watch on your coffers, as unat its own pace, there will be necessary expenses are likely no dearth of material gains. to increase. At work, you’ll be asked to particiThis may be one of the lucky pate in brainstorming along with your superiors. phases for the Aries natives, personally as well Take this chance to create an impact. You’ll take as professionally. Do not let success go to your up any challenge coming your way. Travel too is head. Enjoy it, but try to reap the most out of on the offing. You wish to relax, don’t shy away the opportunities presented to you. Continue from saying no to a few offers. to aim for a better and a comfortable life. Your SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22: Appreciation drive helps your focus at work. You may fulfill and awards galore! Your stars are aligned to bestow luck upon you. At the your ambitions. professional front, you will TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 No pain no achieve the impossible. Imgain. You may have a tough time coping up pressed by your performance, with the challenges in your your boss may award you career. Professional growth with an increment or may be slows down. Success may be a promotion. You may change yours, but you’ll have to work round the clock. Watch your or move to a new city. Those of you who are health. Unexpected expenses, businessmen may think of expanding business. important meetings, assignments and travel Expenses are likely to shoot up. But, you are not worried as finances will pour in from all pressure you. Your dedication towards work is sides. You are just keen on living your dreams unquestionable, and you stay focused on your and ambitions. goals. You concentrate on investments. Slowly, SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22: The but steadily, your life gets back on track. phase brings in a transformation for you. These GEMINI May 22 - Jun 21: Confident as changes will help you lay a ever, you handle your personal and professional strong foundation for your life with panache! As the week future. You are your flamboybegins, you’ll look forward to ant self, and shall be flexible celebrations at domestic front. enough to adapt to the cirIt’s time for family reunion and cumstances. However, don’t bonding. Outdoor excursions or small family holiday, is on be over confident, or you may end up committhe cards. However, work and finances remain ting mistakes. Moreover, be very careful while the crux of your life. You may continue to work handling legal matters. Don’t get into arguments virtually even on holiday. Planning big, taking with people who hold a position of authority. calculated risks and making massive profits It may get tough to sail through some difficult shall make the current phase even more fruitful. moments, you will be able to manage it, given You refurbish your home or office to suit your your never-say-die-attitude. personality.

CAPRICORN Dec 23 - Jan 20: The week CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 23: Motivation is all may delight you. All the hard work in your what you need during this phase. At home, you past bears tremendous results. will be concerned about your You and your supportive famparents’ health. Your expenses ily will be the just recipients of may mount this week. Thus, all the good things that come matters related to finances can your way now. You shall get require extra attention. You will time to relax this will make be busy sorting out matters reyou even happier. Family and lated to loans, funds and investments. You may friends will top your priority list, and you will be bogged down with issues related to home, plan activities to bond with them. Family events work and finance, and it is quite possible that keep you busy with fun However, work shall you may feel dejected. It is a difficult phase, but continue to be at the back of your mind, and it will get better eventually. you may think of expanding your business/ LEO July 24 - Aug 23: A favorable phase work. This phase is likely to provide you bliss for you. You are determined to achieve your and contentment. goals. And, you et lucky in exAQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19: Creativity panding your business, plan- and a novel approach to deal with things may ning new projects or investing lend a new direction to your in property or assets. Travel life this week. Like a true artrelated to work or business is ist, you will want to express on the cards. In short, your your ideas without any barriprogress during this period is likely to be ers. However, don’t neglect hassle-free. On the personal front, make some your health, and see a doctor time for your family members and fulfil their if you suffer from health probdemands. This may be a good phase to spend lems. All work and no play makes Jack a dull quality time with your spouse. It is going to be boy! Hence be sure to include both work and a blissful week for you. entertainment in your day-to-day schedule. A VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23: Mundane chores productive as well as a progressive week lies don’t bother you, as you shall set to attend to ahead of you; make the most of it. numerous social responsibiliPISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20: The week may ties this week. Charity, social see you coming face to face and dealing with events, social work related various mundane matters. events, helping the downtrodYou, however, shall maintain den are important. You are in a a strictly practical approach, very benevolent frame of mind. and that is a good thing. PlanHowever, let not people take undue advantage ning well and systematically of your generous nature. Expenses are likely to shall work for you. Execute soar. Be careful with money, and remember that your plans at just the right time to get maximum you can be giving without actually spending benefit. Stay away from distractions. The time is money. You strike a perfect balance between not correct for flimsy office romances or timeprofessional and personal responsibilities. You will enjoy all the multi-tasking that comes your pass dinners. Be professional and practical in your relationships with all. Emotions without a way. Keep up the good work.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23: You will have an stable, solid ground shall only be detrimental to your health and position.

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26 February 03, 2012

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03 , 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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IndoAmerican News

Business IndoAmerican News

STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

India Won’t Cut Iran Oil Imports MUMBAI (Dawn): India has joined China in saying it will not cut back on oil imports from Iran, despite stiff new US and European sanctions designed to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program. ”It is not possible for India to take any decision to reduce the import

a political victory in Iran, but it’s unclear how Chinese and Indian companies will actually be able to pay for Iranian oil without running afoul of the sanctions, analysts said. ”It’s a blow,” said David Hartwell, senior Middle East analyst at IHS

of oil imports, were to ramp up production and offer an attractively priced alternative.

The European Union last week imposed an oil embargo against Iran and froze the assets of its central bank. In December, the US said it would bar financial

India and China are at a precarious, delicate position when it comes to obeying the imposed sanctions on Iran. Both nations import over 34% of Iran’s oil for their daily fuel needs. Making such a drastic move is not possible for India says India’s finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. India is however looking to other nations like Saudi Arabia, South America for its oil needs. Iran is for now offering discounted prices to keep India and China happy. This photo shows Iran’s off shore oil refineries on land.

from Iran drastically because, after all, the countries which can provide the requirement of the emerging economy, Iran is an important country amongst them,” India’s finance minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters Sunday in Chicago.

India and China together accounted for 34 per cent of Iran’s oil exports from January to September of 2011, slightly more than Europe, according to International Energy Agency data.

The move is likely to be seen as

Jane’s, adding that Iran may have discounted prices to keep the Chinese and Indians on their side. ”If you have two major countries like India and China saying they will not abide by the sanctions, that’s going to keep a vital line open for the Iranians to continue to sidestep the sanctions and get foreign capital.”

He said India and China could just be trying to buy time to diversify their oil supplies and may steer away from Iran, especially if Saudi Arabia, India’s largest source

institutions from the US market if they do business with Iran’s central bank.

India and China are ravenous energy consumers and rely heavily on imported oil. Iranian oil accounts for 9 percent of India’s oil consumption and 6 percent of China’s, according to the latest data from the IEA. Iran exports 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, about 3 per cent of world supplies. About 500,000 barrels go to Europe and most of the rest goes to China, India, Japan and South Korea.

Housing Finance May Come Under Priority Lending Rules NEW DELHI (IE): The Reserve eligibility criteria for classification Bank said it is considering of bank loans as priority sector with categorizing housing finance for reference to nature of activities and weaker sections as priority sector types of borrowers (individuals lending by early next month to versus institutions, corporate and ensure adequate flow of credit. partnership firms) of loans.

“We are trying to put housing It will review nature of activities finance for weaker section as a part of priority sector.

There is a committee which is looking into it.

Hopefully, by the first week of February this report will come,” RBI Deputy Governor H R Khan said.

Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, HR Khan T h e is hopeful to get the report first week of February committee about the housing finance for weaker sections of the is headed by society. He hopes the committee assigned will deliver Union Bank on time of India Chairman and Managing and types of borrowers (individuals Director M V Nair, was constituted versus institutions, corporate and by the RBI to look into various partnership firms) of loans which issues related to priority sector can be brought under priority sector lending, including review of loan segment. limits under the segment.

The terms of reference of the The committee has sought to panel include review of limits on address issues like desirability loan amounts. of simplifying the approach to It will also review appropriate direct lending, inconsistencies documentation and due diligence or ambiguities in the existing thresholds to ensure that loans guidelines, nature of activities extended by banks are for the presently classified as priority sector eligible categories of purposes that need relook and new areas and borrowers, which need special which should be incorporated. attention and treatment, the terms The terms of reference of the Nair of the report state. committee is to revisit the current Call 713-789-NEWS (6397)

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February 03, 2012

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India Signs International Tax Treaty, Efforts to Track Black Money

BY SUJAY MEHDUDIA NEW DELHI (The Hindu): In yet another move to get information about black money stashed away abroad, India has signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, a multilateral agreement that promotes international cooperation while respecting the rights of taxpayers.

This will send a strong signal that India and the other 31

in their everyday work. “India has moved very quickly since its commitment to the Convention at the November 2011 G20 ceremony in Cannes and I expect it will be the first non-OECD G20 country for which the updated Convention is in force,” said Jeffrey Owens, Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration.

Signatories to the amended Convention are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,

respond to the 2009 G20 Summit call for developing a broader multilateral approach to improve the effectiveness of exchange of information, cooperation among the countries in the assessment and collection of taxes, with a view to combating tax avoidance and evasion. Many more countries are expected to sign the Convention.

This provides for a wider network of countries cooperating in exchange of information, assistance in tax

The G20 summit in France last year has paved the way to track black money marketers this year.

signatory countries have joined hands to ensure that individuals and multinational enterprises pay the right amount of tax, at the right time and in the right place.

The Convention provides for administrative cooperation among the parties in the assessment and collection of taxes, with a view to combating tax avoidance and evasion, according to a statement by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) here.

With taxpayers increasingly operating on a global basis, tax authorities are moving from bilateral to multilateral cooperation and from exchange of information on request to other forms of cooperation. The convention is an effective and practical tool to help tax authorities

Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Convention was signed

by Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Foreign Tax and Tax Research Division, Department of Revenue, in the presence of Deputy Secretary-General of OECD Rintaro Tamaki. This instrument hitherto available for members of the OECD and the Council of Europe was amended in 2010 and made open for all countries in June 2011.

The Convention was amended to

collection.

The convention is based on international standard of transparency and exchange of information. This instrument is multilateral and a single legal basis for multi-country cooperation as against the DTAAs/TIEAs which are bilateral. It provides for an extensive network and there will be consistent application of provisions, leaving limited scope for deviation. It provides extensive forms of cooperation among the signatories on all taxes. It not only facilitates the exchange of information, but also provides for assistance in the recovery of taxes.

This will give a fillip to the efforts of the government to bring back Indian money illegally stashed away abroad.

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The convention provides for simultaneous tax examinations and participation in tax examinations in other countries. It provides for examination of tax affairs of the taxpayers simultaneously in their own territory and share the relevant information with each other.

This allows tax officials to enter into the territory of the other country to interview individuals and examine records. It also

Indian Rupee Falls Again MUMBAI (Dawn): The Indian rupee retreated from a near threemonth high on Monday, weighed by weak equities, dollar demand from a local steelmaker and oil importers.

Traders also awaited a debt deal between Greece and its private creditors for further clues on the local currency.

Global risk appetite is a key driver for the rupee, which has strengthened 7.3 per cent this month, on a sharp rise in foreign fund investments in local shares and debt, after falling 16 per cent in 2011.

The rupee closed at 49.79/80 to the dollar, weaker than Friday’s close of 49.305/315, when it rose to 49.2975, a level last seen on Nov 8.

“The risk appetite is seen lower ahead of the European Union summit, so we saw rupee lose strength along with equities,” said Hari Chandramgathan, a forex dealer with Federal Bank in Mumbai.

An agreement to restructure private holdings of Greek debt is unlikely to be reached in time for the summit, at which euro zone leaders are expected to sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone and agree on inserting a balanced budget rule into national

legislation.

“There was good demand for dollars from corporates and oil importers,” Chandramgathan said.

Traders said banks bought about $400 million, most likely for JSW Steel, India’s No 3 steelmaker.

Indian shares slumped 2.15 per cent on Monday, their sharpest fall in about six weeks, ending a sixsession rally as investors booked profits after concerns over growth in Asia’s third-largest economy resurfaced.

Chandramgathan said the rupee has support around 50.30 to the dollar, which is expected to be touched by end of this week.

Foreign funds have bought Indian shares worth $1.8 billion so far in January, and invested $3.4 billion in debt, according to Securities and Exchange Board of India.

In a report on Sunday, professional services firm Ernst &Young said foreign direct investment in India is set to swell in coming years as investors search for growth. Onemonth offshore non-deliverable forward contracts were at 49.78.

In the currency futures market, the most-traded near-month dollarrupee contracts on the National Stock Exchange, the MCX-SX and the United Stock Exchange all were around 50.14 on total volume of $4.3 billion.

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provides for automatic exchange of information, spontaneous exchange of information and exchange of past information in criminal tax matters.

The information received under the convention can also be used for other purposes besides those related to tax cooperation, such as countering money laundering, with the approval of the supplying state.

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February 03, 2012

Murthy Moots 3-Language Formula in Schools

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BANGALORE (IE): Software icon N R Narayana Murthy has advocated a threelanguage formula in Indian schools to boost employment opportunities and slammed people in power who are advocating only local language education for the poor while sending their wards to Englishmedium institutions.

“All the leaders that I know of -- whether corporate leaders, bureaucrats, politicians -- they send their children to Englishmedium schools. Why are they saying it’s (English-medium education) is bad for poorer people?”, the Co-Founder of Infosys asked.

Murthy was speaking at a function here last night to release the book ‘Upwordly Mobile’ written by Ranjini Manian, Founder and CEO of cross-cultural training and services firm Global Adjustment.

“So, if we want the poorer people also to have opportunities, then we have to create opportunities for poorer people also to allow them learn whatever they want.”

Murthy, Chairman Emeritus

N R Narayana Murthy at the Bangalore-headquartered, NASDAQ-listed IT major, admitted that “the sad thing about all of us, including me...older people is that we make decisions with our mindset.”

“We make decisions with our capability. We think that children are limited in their B:6” capability as I am at my age.

That’s not true. My personal

feeling is that children are extremely smart,” he said.

Murthy called for creating a policy whereby every child is given full freedom to pursue mother-tongue, the language of the country and English.

Adding to this, Are India’s corrupt and the dishonest becoming role-models for youngsters of the country?

Software icon N. R. Narayana Murthy believes so.

“The number of role-models that our youngsters can look up to is decreasing. How many people in our public life can you be proud of for honesty, courage, commitment and hardwork? And that number is dwindling”, the co-founder of Infosys said.

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OPINION DIASPORA

February 03, 2012

India Tycoon Top Dubai Billionaire’s List DUBAI: An influx of ultra-wealthy business tycoons from India has helped cement Dubai’s position as the city with the most billionaires in the Middle East, according to a latest index that ranks Mumbai fifth largest hub of billionaires.

The emirate is now home to the highest concentration of billionaires in the region - there are 14 of them - and ranks 18th globally, fresh data from WealthInsight, which analysed more than 1,300 billionaires, showed.

viduals coming into the emirate following the Arab Spring, and if more unrest in the region continues - but there had not been such an effect among billionaires as of yet,” Gross said.

Since 2007, the average per-capita wealth of billionaires residing in the UAE has dropped 10 per cent, though the number of billionaires has doubled, WealthInsight said.

Singapore stands to gain the most from a growing group of billionaires who hail from China, which has five cities in the top 25, including Shanghai in 8th spot.

Dubai, two other Middle Eastern cities - Jeddah and Riyadh - also made it into WealthInsight’s top 25 ranking.

Istanbul, which is considered neither a part of the Middle East or Europe by WealthInsight, took sixth spot, ahead of San Francisco but just behind Mumbai.

Globally, however, more developed cities and those within the US and Europe tended to reign supreme in terms of the concentration of billionaires.

Indians Across the World Celebrate Republic Day

ISLAMABAD, DUBAI (TOI): Indians worldwide soaked in the spirit of patriotism as they celebrated the Republic Day with fervour today to mark 63 years since the establishment of the Indian constitution.

At the Indian High Commission in the Pakistani capital, High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal hoisted the national tricolour at an official function. Sabharwal read out President Pratibha Patil’s address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day and children of the High Commission’s staff performed patriotic songs. The function was held at the High Commission within the high-security diplomatic enclave in the heart of Islamabad. Indians celebrate Republic Day Besides the traditional function held in Islamabad, the Indian in Dubai. Tears and dance mark High Commission will host two events in Lahore on January 27 the celebration and Karachi on January 29 to mark the Republic Day. Leading businessmen, politicians, civil society activists and journalists have been invited to these events, at which the High Commissioner will be present. Indian High Commissioner in Singapore, T C A Raghavan led the Indian community in the city state to celebrate the day. He unveiled the national flag and read out the President’s messaage to some 500 Indians gathered at the High Commission. Students from Indian schools in Singapore sang patriotic songs and danced at the celebration held this morning. Indians in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh marked a more sombre celebration, using the day to organize a blood donation camp.

New York was ranked as the city with highest number of billionaires, followed by Moscow, London and Hong Kong.

“In terms of competition with Dubai, it has more to do with the o do nd IIn an Amersic Indian business,” SteNew Diwigahtlis phen Gross, a senior CONGRATULATIONS DIA IIN Del TEAM IN NTOPDOF THIA RA. One E WORLD analyst in WealthInBreaks ON Barriers sight, was quoted as 2011 saying by The National newspaper.

Subscribe to The UAE has a number of foreign national billionaires in the Today country, coming from We cover your world! countries including Bahrain, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Name: ____________________________________ Saudi Arabia.

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SPORTS

February 03, 2012

Amalraj Ends Sharath Kamal’s Five-Year Reign

BY RAKESH RAO LUCKNOW (The Hindu) : Till the moment A. Amalraj gave vent to his pent-up emotions on stunning Sharath Kamal, Poulomi Ghatak’s seventh National title — first ever by a married woman — was the high-point of the final evening of the

raised above his head, as he circled around the table. But the matchofficials, Chief Referee and the Competition Manager were far from impressed.

The unbridled show of emotions resulted in Amalraj being shown a yellow card, a red card and

A. Amarlraj defeated the five year reign of National Table Tennis Champion Sharath, then totally jubiliant and forgetting himself ran screaming, “I am the National Champion” resulting in a 25% fine

National table tennis championship here.

On match-point, Sharath netted a forehand and uncorked the unseen emotions of Amalraj.

Next moment, Amalraj jumped for joy and landed on top of the table. A gracious Sharath, having lost his five-year reign as National champion, walked across to shake his conqueror by the hand.

Amalraj came down, tapped Sharath’s outstretched hand and ran around the arena like a wounded lion in a cage. In his moment of triumph, Amalraj almost forgot shaking hands with the waiting officials and his coach S. Raman.

“I am the National champion,” the 25-year-old Amalraj kept screaming with clenched fists

eventually docked 25 per cent of his winnings for his “misbehaviour and bringing the game to disrepute.”

The fine of Rs. 52,250, from his winning cheque of Rs. 2.10 lakh, has dampened Amalraj’s spirits.

“I have been playing for more than 15 years and all my fellow players have won at least one National title.

I am so happy to break the jinx by winning the National title, that too by beating Sharath, who is such a great player,” said Amalraj.

Amalraj, who has never won a single National title in his career spanning 15 years, played the match of his life to stop his onetime mentor.

Sharath, looking for his seventh title and sixth on the trot, had his chances in the first three lost

games.

In this fast-paced encounter lasting under an hour, Amalraj clawed back in the first three games to push Sharath to the threshold of his first defeat in the National championship since losing to Subhajit Saha in the 2006 final at Jaipur.

Sharath led 7-3 in the first game but Amalraj bounced back to win eight of the last nine points. In the second, Sharath was 8-6 ahead but Amalraj went on to win the last five points. In the third, Sharath held a game-point but Amalraj raced away with the last three points.

Under mounting pressure, Sharath never trailed in the fourth game and broke away from nine-all to pull one back. In the fifth, Amalraj led 5-3 but Sharath won five points on the trot and slowly grabbed the game.

In the sixth, the turning point came when Amalraj took a ‘timeout at 6-7 and won five out of the next six points to pull off the biggest upset in the championship for a long time.

Earlier, Poulomi turned the ladies final into a one-sided affair. She hurt Shamini the most by winning the third game after trailing 2-8. In the fourth, Shamini tied Poulomi twice but the Bengal girl raced away with the last three points.

The results: Men singles (final): A. Amalraj (Pet) bt A. Sharath Kamal (Pet) 11-8, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8. Semifinals: Sharath Kamal bt Soumayajit Ghosh (NB) 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6; Amalraj bt Subhajit Saha (Pet) 11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.

Women singles (final): Poulomi Ghatak (Pet) K. Shamini 11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7. Semifinals: Poulomi bt Ankita Das (NB) 11-3, 9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8; K. Shamini bt Mouma Das 11-9, 11-4, 12-10, 13-15, 11-6.

Men’s doubles (final): Sanil Shetty & Amal Raj (Pet) bt Harmit Desai & Devesh Karia (Guj) 12-10, 8-11, 10-11, 11-6, 12-10.

Women’s doubles (final): K. Shamini & Mousami Paul (Pet) bt Anindita Chakraborty & Pallavi Kundu (WB) 5-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.

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Paes-Stepanek Beat Bryan Brothers to Win Australian Open Men’s Doubles

47 career doubles titles with 11 different partners, including one with Stepanek, who now claims his first Grand Slam doubles title.

“I know what this means for him (Paes) because this title was missing from his career Grand Slam, and I’m happy I can be by his side,” Stepanek said.

The two danced Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek around the court gleethrashed World No.1 pair Bryan brothers Mike fully after their win, and Bob from the US in straight sets in the which comes on the final at the Rod Laver Arena day that Bob Bryan’s MELBOURNE (TOI): Leander wife is expecting their first baby.

Paes and Radek Stepanek denied the The fired-up Indian-Czech pairing Bryan brothers a record 12th men’s finally broke the Bryans’ serve in the Grand Slam doubles title on Saturday second game of the second set and as they beat the American top seeds looked like they would run away with in straight sets in the Australian Open the match. final.

Paes and Stepanek, playing in just The 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 victory was the their fourth Tour-level event together, first for India’s Paes over American had lost to the Bryan brothers in twins Bob and Mike Bryan in a final straight sets in both their previous after five defeats in title matches, and meetings. The result means the Brymeans he completes a career Grand ans remain on 11 titles, sharing the Slam of doubles titles. record for the number of men’s titles Coming into the Australian Open in the open era with Australia’s Todd the Indian doubles specialist had won Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

34

INDIA / PAKISTAN

February 03, 2012

Bhupen Hazarika, Dharmendra Among Padma Award Winners

NEW DELHI (DNA): Legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika has been posthumously chosen for Padma Vibhushan, country’s second highest civilian honor while cine veterans Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi and Mira Nair are among this

75% Children Unable to Read English Sentence

was another name from the cinema world to get a Padma Bhushan.

The other recipients are classical musician Trippunithwra Viswanathan Gopalkrishnan, musician M S Gopalkrishnan from Tamil Nadu.

Filmmaker Soman Nair Priyadarsan and bhajan singer Anup Jalota were given Padma Shri.

The other artists selected for Padma Shri are -- musician Vanraj Bhatia, vocalist Zia Fariduddin Dagar, Khongjum Parba singer Nameirakpam Ibemni Devi, dancer Ramachandra Subraya Bhupen Hazarika, chosen for Padma Hegde Chittani, sitarist Shahid year’s Padma Bhushan awardees.

Parvez Khan, folk musician Hazarika, who died in November Sakar Khan Manganiar, dancer last year, voiced immortal songs Minati Mishra, theatre artists Joy like ‘Dil hum hum kare’, ‘Ganga Michael, Natesan Muthuswamy, behti ho kyun’.

R Nagarathnamma, playwrights Dharmendra, 76, the star of Moti Lal Kemmu, Satish Alekar, yesteryear superhits like Bandini, Chhau dance artist Pandit Gopal Sholay, Pratigya and Dharam Veer, Prasad Dubey, classical vocalists was chosen for the Padma Bhushan Ramakant Gundecha and Umakant along with actress-activist Shabana Gundecha.

Azmi, 61, who has acted in art The awards, announced each house films like Ankur and Arth. year on the occasion of Republic Indian-American filmmaker Mira Day, are conferred by the President Nair, best known for her award- of Indiaat a function held at winning films Saalam Bombay, Rashtrapati Bhawan sometime in Namesake and Monsoon Wedding March or April.

ISLAMABAD (Dawn): As many as 58 per cent children in the country cannot read a sentence in Urdu or in their regional language while 75 per cent are unable to read a sentence in English.

This was revealed in a survey report launched by South Asia Forum for Education Development managed by Idara Taleem-o-Aagahi in collaboration with the Foundation Open Society Institute, Department for International Development, National Commission for Human Development and Oxfam.

According to the report, the household survey that assessed learning outcomes of school-going (5-16 years) children in 85 districts (rural areas) across Pakistan found that majority of the children could not even read up to Class-II level text in Urdu, regional languages or English or do basic level of arithmetic.Only 41.8 per cent children, of those assessed, could read at least a sentence in Urdu or in their own regional languages while merely 25.8 per cent of them were able to read sentences in English.

Learning levels of the children in arithmetic were even more terrible as 40.1 per cent of them could do two-digit subtraction sums with carry while only 23.6 per cent could do three-digit division sums.

The survey was conducted in 28 districts of Punjab, Balochistan; 15 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 14 in Sindh, 17 in Azad Jammu and

Kashmir, four in Gilgit-Baltistan, three in Fata and two in Islamabad capital territory.

The report revealed that 57.3 per cent of 3-5 age group children were not enrolled for pre-schooling while 32.3 per cent of five years age children were out of school, posing a great challenge for the provincial governments that are struggling to achieve universal primary education.

S c h o o l enrolment for children aged 6-16 years stood at 79.9 per cent – 36 per cent girls and 64 per cent boys – while the percentage for out-ofschool children was 20.1. The dropout rate among these children was recorded at five per cent.

The report maintained that 15.1 per cent children had never been enrolled in any education facility.

Among the out-of-school children, 52.7 per cent were girls.

According to the survey, around 74 per cent children were enrolled in government schools, 23.1 per cent in private schools and 2.9 per cent were in madressahs and non-formal education facilities in the country.

The survey of government and

private primary schools showed that 55.4 per cent and 79.9 per cent schools, respectively, had useable water facility. It said toilets were available in 43 per cent public and 74.4 per cent private schools.

Federal Minister for Professional and Technical Training Riaz Hussain Pirzada, who was chief guest at the launch of the report, said Pakistan continued to perform extremely poorly in education and

was seen to be off-track in terms of meeting the education targets set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA).

“According to Unesco, we have the largest number of out-of-school children in South Asia with the majority being girls.” He said after the passage of 18th amendment and insertion of article 25-A in the constitution, education had become a fundamental right of all children aged 5-16.

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