Friday, November 02 2012 | Vol. 31, No. 44
Indo American erican News
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November 02, 2012
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COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
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A Thrilling Ram Leela Captivates Houstonians at the Wortham Center
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The Indian holiday season has been going off for the past few weeks, with Dusserah just behind us and Diwali staring us in the face. But it really went into high gear with the Ram Leela pageant that was performed this past Sunday, October 28 at the Wortham Center downtown as months of preparation culminated in a spectacle that unfolded in the 1,300 seat Brown Theatre for a four-hour show, which had been sold-out four weeks before the performance. Each person was greeted at the Theatre doors by a girl holding a thali and placing a vermillion tilak on the forehead. Dr. Arun Verma, the head of the Shri Sita Ram Foundation, USA which produced the pageant, was overwhelmed by the support that the event had received. He opened the show with welcome remarks and then formally recognized, garlanded – and in Hindu tradition, presented chunnis (long scarves) – to the two major sponsors Dr. Durga and Sushila Agarwal and Dr. Virender and Nalini Mathur who lit the ceremonial lamps at the foot of the stage; and to the two chief guests, Indian Consul General P. Harish and his wife Nandita and University of Houston Chancellor and President Renu Khator and her husband Suresh. The directors of the extravaganza, Ratna Kumar and Shiva Mathur were also introduced, as well as the talented dancer and actress Divya Unni who performed a special piece for the event. It was an Unni segment that started off the program with a visually enticing scene in which she, as Mother Earth, is dancing and Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi watch amusedly, reclining from a high boulder. The scene showed Unni’s facial expressions and dances moves, and was choreographed with many other dancers, all of whom show how Mother Earth is in danger and beseech
Vishnu to agree to come to Earth as Lord Ram. Ram Leela is an folk dance art form that is heavily portrayed in India during the period before Dusserah and the story of the exploits of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakhsman are well-known by heart all across India. So, in this sense, many in the audience were well-versed in the portions of the play that follow each other, and of-
ten erupted in loud applause when they recognized the characters and followed the story line, such as when the four brothers Ram, Lakhsman, Bharat and Shatrugun are born, grow into strong young men and when they go with the Sage Vishwaamir to fight the demons of the forest. As the story is well-known, the talent of the directors Kumar and Mathur was in its artistic depiction and this they both did in a masterful way through the calculated use of dance, costumes and music, while the use of large projected backdrops provided a sense of the particular scene. Interspersed with this, and in a departure from last year’s Ram Leela, a wandering minstrel periodically explained the scenes to come in English for those who didn’t understand the recorded Hindi dialogue and the many young kids in the audience. At one time, a young girl accompanied the minstrel and at the end, a citizen of Ayodhya came to exclaim his happiness at the return of the exiles. Another impressive scene was when the monkey army is seen
building the stone bridge to Lanka, one rock at a time. What made this scene work was the lack of dialogue, a suitable musical tract and the right dark backdrop with tinges of a sunset sky. After the battle with the demons and Ravan is slain, a series of dances celebrate the Victory of Good over Evil, which is the essence of the play and also the tag line of the performance. At the finale, Ram, Sita and Lakhsman are seen in the midst of the adoring people of Ayodhya, resplendent in gold finery and Vishwaamitr is shown placing a gold crown on Ram’s head as brilliant sparklers burst out on all sides of the stage and form a curtain back-
Indo American News
drop. The entire ensemble of over 200 actors rushes in and pauses for a final bow. Both Consul General Harish and Khator were invited onstage and offered their congratulations for a wonderfully elegant performance. Later many adoring families and friends clustered the stage to take group pictures and as they left, each family was given a bag with prasad and a small gift for Diwali. With so many different characters, scenes, dances, props, theatrical equipment involved, promotional work, actors, directors and musical interludes, this Ram Leela was a major production that was in the making since January, according to Verma. He insists that, although the theatre is only his avocation, “the labor of love comes from within and is for my love of my Lord Ram.” The Houston community is the better off for the Ram Leela that he has pursued as a tradition for years to come.
SEE COLLAGE ON PAGE 14
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COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
IIT Profs Meet University Officials, Oil Industry Executives for R&D Collaboration
BY PRADEEP ANAND HOUSTON: IIT Bombay’s Deputy Director, Prof. HS Pandalai, and Dean of International Relations, Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, visited Houston from October 22 through 24. The purpose of their visit was to seek collaboration with local universities and companies, to meet PhD students, and to meet local alumni--all for the benefit of IIT Bombay. The professorial duo met all their expectations and more with the help of local IIT Bombay alumni, led by Pradeep Anand and Lalit Bohra. On October 22, Hon. Consul General of India, P. Harish, welcomed the team, senior executives from oil industry, and Deans and senior faculty from the University of Houston and Rice University over a delightful and delicious dinner, over discussions about Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and India. All attendees, especially the visitors and the organizers, were very appreciative of Hon. P. Harish and his family’s warm hospitality. On October 23, Profs. Pandalai and Chaudhuri spent the morning at the University of Houston, where they met Dean William Fitzgibbon of the College of Technol-
lenges ogy (COT), 3. A day of Associate brainstorming Dean Ray sessions with facCline (COT), ulty across variDean Latha ous IIT Bombay Ramchand departments to of the Bauer discuss potential College of projects and soluBusiness, Dr. tions. If possible, Mark Clarke this inaugural from the Uniconference should versity’s IP be held during and Patent Q1, 2013, before office, Prof. it gets too hot in Jaspal SubMumbai. hlok, Chair After a brief of Computer IIT professor H.S. Pandalai presents a background about IIT-Bombay Sciences de- R&D capabilities to oil industry executives during a forum at Rice break, the distinguished visipartment, a University. tors were then representative of the college of engineering, executives from Halliburton, Bak- honored at a reception at Kiran’s and Prof. Rupa Iyer of Biotechnol- er Hughes, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Restaurant, hosted by local IIT Shell, SigmaCubed, Schlumberg- Bombay Alumni. The evening ogy. The meeting had several out- er, Weatherford, GE Oil & Gas, was sponsored by IIT Bombay alumnus Dee Vaidya, Chairman of comes, including potential visits NobleTek, and World Oil. An action item from the discus- NobleTek, an engineering services to IIT Bombay to discuss collaboration in Energy Management and sion was to have a meeting, a con- firm. There were no speeches and ference at IIT Bombay, tentative presentations, only enjoyable conBiotechnology. After an intense morning, Profs. title: Solutions to E&P Industry versations, in a congenial and relaxing atmosphere. It was a fitting Pandalai and Chaudhuri visited Challenges. The broad agenda: 1. Faculty/Academia will pres- end to a very hectic and fruitful Rice University for a meeting on “Technology Challenges in the ent their world class, leading edge day. On October 24th, Profs. Pandalai E&P Industry”. This meeting was capabilities in the above highlightand Chaudhuri had an early start, hosted by Dr. Douglas Schuler of ed areas 2. E&P industry technology visiting the Bioscience Research the Jones College of Management. Participants included technology leaders will highlight their chal- Collaborative (BRC) at Rice Uni-
versity. They had a productive discussion with Dr. Lauren VestewigGray and Dr. Binata Mukherjee. Common ground between BRC’s and IIT Bombay’s bioscience initiatives was quickly apparent and recognized. Decisions were made to have immediate meetings over Skype, to seek and build programs on the existing MOU between Rice University and IIT Bombay. The final session was a visit to Dr. Schuler’s project, a solarpower based device that produces steam; appropriate for places where there are no power sources, except the sun. Profs. Pandalai and Chaudhuri saw an immediate opportunity for cooperation with IIT Bombay’s Center for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA-pronounced Sitara). Profs. Pandalai and Chaudhuri were very gracious visitors. They welcomed the hectic schedule that the local alumni laid out for their short, forty-eight hour stay. They must have had a restful flight to Dallas, the next stop in their US visit itinerary, which ended with a final stop in New York, NY. The group is now looking forward to more cooperation between IIT Bombay and Houston’s educational, research, business and other institutions.
Tulsi Gabbard’s Run for Congress Carries with it Many Hindu Hearts
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: Just a few months ago, in August, Tulsi Gabbard, 31, had stolen some of the limelight at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte as she addressed the immense gathering with a warm “Aloha”, adding that she was “a candidate for Congress from Hawaii and a captain in the Army National Guard.” The Time Warner Cable Arena erupted in applause and cheers as she shared the stage with Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic Congresswomen. This past Sunday, October 28, Gabbard shared a much smaller stage – the living room of local community activist Vijay Pallod – and shared the story of her pursuit of a career as a public servant even before she graduated from college. But what they wanted to hear most about was her religion and the practice of her faith as a Hindu who follows Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Gabbard’s story is certainly remarkable and an inspiration for many young people, especially
Bijay Dixit (left), Bhagwan Bhutada, Sameer Wadwalkar ,Sharad Amin, Partha Krishnaswamy,Richa Dixit, Tulsi Gabbard , Desh Kapoor and Vijay Pallod.
the Indo-Americans, who would like to follow in her footsteps. She was born in Leloaloa, American Samoa, the fourth of five children of Mike Gabbard, an educator, tennis pro, business owner and current 19th District Hawaii State
Senator and Carol Porter Gabbard an educator and small business owner. In 1983, the family moved to Hawaii, where Tulsi grew up. Tulsi was homeschooled through High school, with the exception of two years spent at an all-girls missionary academy in the Philippines. She graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in international business. Tulsi is often asked if she is Indian, though she has never been to India but hopes she does soon and
would like to visit Vrindavan when she does. Neither one of Gabbard’s parents is Indian nor has any Indian ancestry, but her white mother Carol became a Hindu and later her husband, a Catholic Samoan, followed suit. “They gave all their children staunchly Hindu names,” Gabbard explained, “and raised us as Hindus and vegetarians.” During Gabbard’s two tours of duty in Iraq in 2004 and 2009, here vegetarianism was both a challenge for her due to the lack of variety of meals as it was an amusement for her fellow soldiers. With the upbringing that she had, at an early age Gabbard felt an inner urge and passion for service
to others, which she believes she draws from her faith. Not yet out of college, she contested an open State House seat and amazingly won against a slate of four other older candidates. After 9/11, she felt compelled to join the Hawaii Army National Guard and volunteered for a 12-month combat tour in Iraq, serving with a medical unit. On her return, she served as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka in Washington, DC until 2009 when she again voluntarily deployed to her unit in Kuwait. When she returned, she ran for, and won, a seat on the Honolulu City Council in November 2010, resigning in April 2012 to run for the vacated District 2 Congressional seat from Hawaii. She won the six-way primary, and has turned the final race from a 45% deficit to a 70% heavily in her favor, with a victory almost certain. She looks forward to taking her oath on the Bhagwad Gita! Gabbard’s story of determination, her passion for service and the strength in her Hindu faith appealed to Pallod and other members of the Hindu community in the Houston area whom he shared with, including Rishi Bhutada, the local head of the Hindu American Foundation which he helped co-found. Simultaneously, local community activist Sanjay Ram ran into Gabbard at the Young Americans event in Des Moines in September. This culminated in an invitation to Gabbard to visit
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
CONTINUED ON PAGE
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November 02, 2012
RICK
MILLER
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Born to lead.... Prepared to serve
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy followed by an outstanding 30-year career, retired as a Captain‌ a successful small businessman, now a public servant. Rick is a family man with strong family values. Married to “Babsâ€?, they have three children and three grandchildren. He and Babs moved to Sugar Land in1999.
REPUBLICAN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
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November 02, 2012
COMMUNITY
A Diwali Party Surrounded by Jewels of All Kinds
The Kamananis held their annual Diwali Party this past Saturday, October 27 at their shop, India Jewelers. From left; Chandni and Gobind; Sneha and Narayan; matriarch Leela and Mamta and Surender.
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BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The Kamnani brothers – Gobind and Narayan – held their annual Diwali party inside their well-known store, India Jewelers, this past Saturday, October 27 and the people started strolling in around 6pm to eat some snacks, have a few drinks and get a chance to see some of the unique pieces of jewelry that the shop carries. The party has become a much anticipated event, nestled inside the celebrations of the season. The Kamnanis have been a well-known and established family in the retail business
ever since the patriarch Raj Bhagwan Kamnani opened his shop, Best of India Imports, in the Galleria in 1971. It was the first Indian business in the trendy mall and later relocated to the Galleria II across from the elevators. The elder Kamnani used to be a fixture at the Diwali parties, and the Indian Art shows that the two brothers would also hold for a few years, until he passed away in 2008. The entire clan, including the matriarch and the elder brother Surender and some of the third generation kids, greeted the guests as they checked out the food and the merchandise and mingled with each other.
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COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
Sprightly Seniors Show the Lively Way to Celebrate Navratri
BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: If one expected to see a solemn gathering of senior citizens at India House on Saturday, October 27, they couldn’t have been more wrong. They would have found a heartwarming sight of energetic, lively and enthusiastic 65+ folks who had come to celebrate Navratri with a lot of fancy footwork on the dance floor, everyone was dressed to the nines and the atmosphere was one of good cheer and merriment. Indian Consul General P. Harish put it aptly when he said that the celebrations looked like a “teenager or freshers’ party.” “Such organizations fulfill an important need of the senior citizens’ and kept them active and engaged.” He said, “It also helps the younger
Trustee of the ISCA, recalled the day 14 years ago when the idea of having a garba for the seniors was floated. Her husband, the late Padmakant Mehta was the President during that year and about 35 people got together and celebrated Navratri. Since then this event is being celebrated every year 97 year old Navnit Parekh and his 72 with more than 300 people year old son Bhupendra Parekh. turning up this past Saturmembers connect and gain from day. The musical group of the experience and wisdom of the Sushil Patel, Jyoti Desai, Daksha senior citizens.” He also added Bavagar, Tara Patel and Divyakant that the Consulate would do what- have provided the music since that ever it could to make their golden first Navratri celebration. A deliyears peaceful and happy - a state- cious lunch was catered by Bhojan ment that evoked a lot of cheers restaurant. and applause from the gathering. The best dressed and best dancLalit Chinoy, President ers – male and female - were of the India Senior Citi- judged by Shobana Muratee, zen’s Association (ISCA), Editor, Voice of Asia; the Consul warmly welcomed the General’s wife Nandita Harish and gathering and talked about Jasmeeta Singh, Secretary of the the ambitious Senior Citi- India Culture Center and a wellzens’ convention planned known artist herself. The winners for Houston in Septem- for Best Dancers were Shailesh ber 2013 to which all the Desai and Rekha Talati while the Indian Senior Citizens Best costume prizes was given organizations in the US to Vinay Vora and Nirmala Rana. are being invited. Neeta Several consolation prizes were Consul General P Harish and ISCA Pres- Mehta, who is a youthful sponsored by Mansukh Vaghela. 82 and Past President and The main sponsors of the event ident Lalit Chinoy.
Masala Radio Host Sunil Thakkar’s mother, Narmada ben, celebrates her 85th birthday.
were Sandhya Thakkar of Masala Radio and Umang Mehta of Deep Products. The Senior Citizens get-togethers are obviously a looked forward
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to event, with 97 year-old Navneet Parekh not wanting to miss it either. His healthy genes have obviously been passed on to his spry 72 year-old son, Bhupendra who danced away the two hours without missing a beat. A memorable moment was the celebration of the 85th birthday of the mother of Music Masala’s Sunil Thakkar. It was a Kodak moment as she was surrounded by her family, daughters-in-laws and grandchildren. As usual, Sunil’s irrepressible sense of humor had the crowd in splits of laughter. He claimed that he has already booked a hall for his mother’s 100th birthday which was nonrefundable and with the Gujarati penchant for not wasting money, she was sure to be there!
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10 November 02, 2012 BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Houston extends a heartfelt invitation to you, your family and friends to come celebrate Majestic India, an outdoor musical, laser and fireworks show.
Majestic India - A Musical, Laser, & Fireworks Show
Program Highlights Sunday, Nov 11 th, 2012 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Mahaprasad 6:30 PM - 6:45 PM - Sandhya Arti 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Majestic Indiaâ&#x20AC;? an Outdoor Diwali Program
9:00 PM - Shayan Arti 1BSLJOH BGUFS 1. XJMM CF BU %VMMFT )JHI 4DIPPM 1MFBTF OPUF UIBU UIJT IPVS MPOH QSPHSBN XJMM JODPSQPSBUF ĂśSFXPSLT UISPVHIPVU UIF QSPHSBN BOE UIVT ZPV XJMM XBOU UP BSSJWF BU MFBTU NJOVUFT QSJPS UP UIF TUBSU PG UIF QSPHSBN
Majestic India takes you through a spectacular musical show using fireworks, laser, large props and festive costumes to showcase a land with an amazing wealth of wisdom, culture, and spirituality. This entertaining, educational and enlightening program rediscovers India and celebrates this Diwali - the true essence of India: that there can be unity in diversity, that we are a single human family, capable of living together, loving one another, and achieving great heights.
Diwali Events CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HEALTH AND SAFETY DAY SATURDAY, NOV 3 RD, 2012 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health & Saftey day and Carnival
NUTAN VARSH - WEDNESDAY, NOV 14TH 2012 7:30 am - 9:00 am - Maha Arti & Sneh Milan 9:00 am - 11:00 am - New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sabha 11:40 am - 12:15 pm - Annakut Thaal & Arti 12:15 pm - 8:00 pm - Annakut Darshan
KALI CHAUDAS - MONDAY, NOV 12TH , 2012
DIWALI SAMIAYO - SUNDAY , NOV 18 TH 2012
7:20 pm - Hanuman Puja
4:30 pm - Diwali Samiyao 7:00 pm - Sandhya Arti
DIWALI - TUESDAY, NOV 13 TH 2012
SHAKOTSAV - SATURDAY, NOV 24 TH 2012
6:00 pm - Sharda Pujan (Chopda Pujan)
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm - Shakotsav Darshan
BAPS Swaminarayan SansthaÂŽ Shri Swaminarayan Mandir - Houston 1150 Brand Lane â&#x20AC;˘ Stafford, TX 77477 baps.org â&#x20AC;˘ houston.baps.org Inspirer: Pramukh Swami Maharaj
For more information, visit http://goo.gl/Y0TTw
INDO AMERICAN NEWS â&#x20AC;˘ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
Tulsi Gabbard Runs for Congress
CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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the Bayou City for a fund-raiser to help ease her campaign debt as well as to share her views on how she could further the values vital to Hindus in the US. As Ramesh Bhutuda (Rishi’s father) expressed in the luncheon meeting this past Saturday, “After much thought, I have concluded that our children are not just IndoAmericans, but Hindu Americans first, so that they can understand the spiritual values that we hope to inculcate in them.” He, like the other 50 or so people in the room, saw in Gabbard a ray of hope, and appealed for them to support her generously.
Currently, Tulsi Gabbard is a Company Commander with the Hawaii Army National Guard, and has volunteered to serve on two deployments to the Middle East.
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COMMUNITY The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi The Beginning of Gandhi’s Spartan Life-style For Advertising in IAN
The story thus far… Gandhi realizes that he could be more effective at supporting the cause of the Indians in South Africa if he returned to India. Once in Calcutta, he drew attention to the plight of the South African Indians to the Indian government and media, where there was widespread support. But he was soon recalled to South Africa as the Lord Chamberlain was visiting South Africa. In 1906, an ordinance introduced by the Transvaal government required all Indian men, women, and children, to register themselves and obtain a personal certificate bearing their name and thumb impressions. It was demeaning and humiliating to Indians, who refused to submit to the terms of the ordinance. They resolved to fight it. Gandhi saw the need for passive resistance or satyagraha. He explained to the people his concept of satyagraha. First, he said, they must be prepared to observe absolute nonviolence. The authorities would take all measures to put down the agitation. They might use violence, arrest people and send them to jail, but all this must be faced without resistance, Gandhi told them. “Merely disobeying the government’s laws will not be enough,” Gandhi told them. “You must have no hatred in your hearts and you must cast away all fear.” The Government ignored all Indian protests against the ordinance and it came fully into force. The Indians decided to disobey the provisions of the ‘Black Act.’ Hundreds of Indians were arrested, tried, and jailed. They all pleaded guilty and went to jail without putting up any defense. Gandhi too was imprisoned. Then one day he was taken out of prison and sent to Pretoria to see General Jan Smuts. “This movement you have started,” Smuts said, “must stop at once. It is not in me to dislike Indians, but they must obey the law”. “I would rather die than submit to this law,” Gandhi replied. “It is meant to humiliate the Indians.” After some argument, however, they reached a compromise. Gandhi promised to end the satyagraha if the act was repealed and the prisoners released. Smuts agreed to do this provided the Indians would register of their own accord. On this agreement, they parted. Back in Johannesburg, Gandhi called a meeting of the Indians. “We must now register voluntarily to show that we do not intend to bring a single Indian to the Transvaal by fraud,” he said. “If we show our goodwill by prompt registration, General Smuts will see to it that the “Black Act” is repealed,” added Gandhi. Many Indians agreed with Gandhi, but a man named Mir Alam disagreed, saying it was Gandhi who had earlier preached that only criminals get finger-printed. He wanted to know why Gandhi had
Gandhi as a Satyagrahi in South Africa. He gave up his law practice,and vowed to dress like a poor laborer, to walk barefoot, and to have only one meal a day, till the injutices were abolished.
changed his mind. Early the next morning Gandhi, with his fellow satyagrahis, set out for the registration office. But on the way Mir Alam attacked him with a heavy stick. Gandhi fell down unconscious. Mir Alam and his associates went on beating him until he was rescued. When Gandhi recovered consciousness, he found himself on a couch in the house of an Englishman whom he hardly knew. Struggling to sit up, Gandhi requested that Mir Alam not be judged too harshly for not understanding Gandhi’s stance about the registration. Then he insisted that a clerk from the registration office should come to take his thumb impression and make out his certificate. In this way Gandhi was duly registered. Many Indians followed Gandhi by registering voluntarily. But General Smuts, reneged on the deal and did not repeal the “Black Act.” The Indians, disapThe Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi is brought to you courtesy Mahatma Gandhi Library. www.gandhilibrary.org pointed at the Government’s attitude, demanded a return of their applications for voluntary registration. The Transvaal government did not budge. Gandhi, who had by then recovered from his injuries, gave the government a very firm ultimatum: If the Black Act is not repealed before a fixed date, the certificates collected by the Indians will be burnt. When the Government ignored this threat, Gandhi started another satyagraha movement. A big bonfire was lit and more than two thousand certificates were burnt. Many Indians openly crossed the border into the Transvaal, where their presence was illegal. Gandhi and many of his compatriots were imprisoned several times in the course of the agitation. When Gandhi came out of jail for the third time, the Indians held a meeting and decided to
send a deputation to England to acquaint the British Government with the real situation in South Africa. Gandhi and Seth Haji Habib were asked to go to London and present the grievances of the Indians. Accordingly they went, but accomplished nothing as the British government favored the British domiciled in South Africa. They returned with grim determination to fight to the bitter end. Gandhi then made a big decision. He gave up his practice as a lawyer. He felt it was a conflict of interest earning his living by law while defying it. Hermann Kallenbach, a white farmer, was so impressed with the peaceful way of life at Phoenix that he offered Gandhi his own big farm near Johannesburg to start another colony. He suggested that all those who had lost their jobs and homes by their participation in the satyagraha could settle there. The new colony was established in 1910 and named “Tolstoy Farm” after the Russian writer whom Gandhi much admired. Here people who were different in nationality, religion, and color lived together like one family. They worked hard and shared the fruits of their labor. Gandhi spent much of his time at Tolstoy Farm. He was engaged in teaching the children and in other constructive activities. Gandhi’s efforts to persuade General Smuts to change the attitude of the Government towards the Indians had failed. Meanwhile, the struggle continued against the Black Act and the poll-tax. And now hundreds of Indian women, including Kasturbai, joined the movement. Meanwhile a recent court decision in South Africa holding that the law did not recognize Indian marriages, drew much unhappiness amongst the Indian women who could not stand this attack on family ties. They openly broke the law and were imprisoned in large numbers. In the coalmines at Newcastle, in Natal, Indian workers went on strike protesting against the repression. News of the arrests, the deportation of passive resisters, and the untold sufferings of Indian families angered the people of India. A large amount of money was collected for the relief of the victims. Many satyagrahis were beaten and flogged, and some lost their lives. Gandhi, who felt intensely the humiliation his people suffered, took a triple vow of selfsuffering. He decided to dress like a poor laborer, to walk barefoot, and to have only one meal a day, till the poll-tax and other injustices were abolished. But Gandhi found the Government relentless. There was no solution in sight. He knew he had to take further drastic measures for any chance of change benefitting the Indians and people of color in South Africa.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
TO BE
CONTINUED
November 02, 2012
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Lord Ram Blesses Houston from the Wortham Center Downtown -Ram Leela, Sunday October 28 2012
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
November 02, 2012
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November 02, 2012
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EDITORIAL
November 02, 2012
Across the Fence
The visit of Begum Khaleda Zia, former prime minister and currently the leader of the opposition in Bangladesh, this week marks an important moment in the new engagement between New Delhi and Dhaka. For decades now, the relationship has been strained by the deep political divide in Bangladesh on attitudes towards India. It has been widely held in both capitals that the current prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, is “pro-India” and that Zia, who leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is “anti-India”. This fracture, real and perceived, has deep roots in the political evolution of Bangladesh and is reinforced by the intense animosity between the Awami League and the BNP. It has profoundly complicated Delhi’s ability to build a long-term relationship with Dhaka on the basis of shared interests. That Zia chose to come to Delhi raises hopes that the recent attempts by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sheikh Hasina to transform the bilateral relationship might yet elicit bipartisan support in Dhaka. Bangladesh is due to go to polls at the end of next year and the BNP’s victory is very much in the realm of possibility. In her meetings with the Indian leaders, Zia has suggested that she is not averse to sustaining the current momentum in bilateral relations. She has reassured the Indian leaders that her party will not allow anti-India activities on Bangladeshi soil. After Hasina’s visit to India in January 2010, the two governments have worked hard at resolving all outstanding bilateral issues — including water sharing, boundary settlement, trade and connectivity — and deepen bilateral cooperation, especially against terrorism. With rapidly rising stakes in Bangladesh, Delhi has rightly reached out to all the major political formations there. Before hosting Zia, Delhi received the former president, General H.M. Ershad, who could influence the outcome of the next general elections. This effort to build broad-based support for the bilateral relationship, however, is no substitute for Delhi’s urgent actions on pending issues of concern to Dhaka. Thanks to the unpredictable moves of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the PM pulled back from signing the agreement on Teesta water sharing during his visit to Dhaka last September and is taking time to move the historic Land Boundary Agreement signed in that same visit through the Parliament. One of the first tasks of the new foreign minister, Salman Khurshid, must be to mobilise domestic political support for formalising agreements that India has committed itself to. The ball, then, is very much in Delhi’s court. - Indian Express
Dog Bungalow BY COOMI KAPOOR There is a shortage of VIP housing in the Capital. It is not just MPs who are cross that they have not been allotted houses, which they feel they are entitled to, there are several Central ministers who believe they have been short-changed over their accommodation. It is surprising, therefore, to find that a government bungalow in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi has been reserved for the SPG’s dog squad. Sniffer dogs have been housed in a bungalow on Safdarjung Lane ever since the squad was formed. No one has paused to consider whether the canines could not be kept at a further distance in less pricey kennels. They could easily be transported in a dog van to the locations where their services
Gen. Bikram Singh
was unusually forthcoming with the media, in fact, rather garrulous and judgmental for an army chief. General Bikram Singh is the complete opposite. He has kept away from the media and given instructions to his principal staff officers and army commanders that they should not talk to the press. The army chief was accustomed to dealing with journalists; during the Kargil War, he was the colonel responsible for daily briefings. But Bikram Singh, who has been one of the targets of V K Singh’s barbed attacks, feels that restoration of harmony in the army
Raj Kumar Chauhan
are required. Private, not public Raj Kumar Chauhan is the Delhi government’s controversial PWD minister and a great favourite of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Chauhan has encroached the children’s public park next to his residence in Bhera Enclave, west Delhi, for the exclusive use of his family and guests. Instead of children playing in the garden, one sees politicians and hangers-on in a huddle waiting for an audience with the minister. Not only has Chauhan taken over the park next to his house, he has also closed the main gate of the colony. Besides the park, he has appropriated the vacant plot next to his house. The Delhi minister seems to have forgotten the appellative of his portfolio, Public Works Department. Instead, he looks upon Bhera Enclave as his private estate. Mum military His predecessor GeneralVK Singh
Narendra Modi
is priority and this will come only if everyone in uniform maintains a stiff upper lip. Targeting her mother Narendra Modi’s month-long Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra was originally conceived as a government programme and district collectors across the state were involved in the planning. But after the Election Commission announced the election schedule, the yatra perforce became a party programme. Modi, who recently completed the yatra, ensured that almost every major temple town in the state was on the route, while the organisers concentrated on bringing youth to the rallies. The national press may have focused on Modi questioning Sonia Gandhi’s travel
PMO V. Narayanaswamy
expenses, accusing her of spending Rs 1,880 crore, but in at least three places during the yatra, the Chief Minister also referred to the travel expenses of Gandhi’s mother, Paola Maino. The Chief Minister wanted to know if the money for Maino’s travels had come from the government exchequer. Work in progress Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy was perturbed to find chips of plaster from the ceiling falling on his desk in his office in North Block. Narayanasamy felt it was time his office got a coat of paint. Renovation is on before Diwali in a number of rooms in the PMO. In Narayanasamy’s case it is not just paint, but also some shifting of furniture, probably keeping in mind the demands of vastu. No dropouts The MEA calculates that normally at a function, there are last minute dropouts, so it invites more guests than it actually expects. At the Prime Minister’s banquet for visiting Australian PM Julia Gillard, however, all the Indian invitees including Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Ambika Soni, Sachin Pilot and Manish Tewari, showed up. The Indians far outnumbered the Australians, so at the last minute, even junior staffers of the Australian High Commission were asked to attend the banquet to keep the numbers even. The joke making the rounds is that the Congress contingent showed up in strength because nobody wanted to appear on TV talk shows to comment on the charges against BJP chief Nitin Gadkari by Arvind Kejriwal and company. -IE
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI MANAGING EDITOR: MANASI GOKHALE ADVERTISING & ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN CORRESPONDENTS HOUSTON: MANU SHAH, CHETNA SAMAL CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: 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, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
Sewa Takes Service to a Whole New Level
BY TEJASVI V. KOKA HOUSTON: Many in our Houston community do not have someone to fall back on because of many different situations. In Houston, we are fortunate as there are many different organizations and resources available to those who require them but sometimes many different resources can be overwhelming. Sewa noticed that there is no central organization where someone can find the information they need. Basically, an organization that culminates all the organizations into a database along with volunteers who will help them understand what they need to know. In other words, a family made up of our community that will walk you through the difficult times of your life. With its Family Service Project, this humanitarian organization will take the concept of Sewa to a new level and provide the kind of assistance not undertaken by any charitable organization in the community. During its years of service to the community, the organization’s volunteers and coordinators felt that there are so many less fortunate members of the community who do not have a wider circle of family and friends on who one can lean on in time of emergency or urgent need. The family provides you with unending support and guidance. When your loved one gets terminally ill, you fall back on your family to support you. When you have difficulty getting to the hospital for an appointment, you fall back on your family to take you. What do you do if you do not have the family to lean on? The Family Service Initiative will provide the same personal assistance and guidance as a family does. With seven target areas, the program will provide members of our community with information about pertaining to: • Health/Medical Guidance & Preventive Health (Guidance and support for Medical Care. Medical professionals may provide phone guidance. Other volunteers may provide direct support during Doctor’s visits, Respite care and Hospital visits etc.)
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The humanitarian service movement originated in India in 1989 and has now spread to 17 countries. In the United States, Sewa International has 38 chapters in 22 states. It is based on the principle “Serving in its mission to promote selfless service through body, soul and money”. Sewa has provided disaster relief, undertaken development projects in several countries, helped local communities such as Bhutanese refugee empowerment program and environmental causes. “Families are the building blocks for a harmonious society and thus with our Family Services Program we intend to work with the community to sustain the family as an institution in society. We will build a structure for the community and by the community to help families in emergency situation. We will work with the community to help facilitate people in need with helpful information or in person that can help in specific situation. FS will run on volunteers therefore we would like to call upon community members to enroll for volunteering in our sacred mission”, said Sarojini Gupta, a member of the Sewa Advisory Committee. To volunteer, visit http://houston. sewausa.org/family-services
• Family Service(Home visits, general support for sick individual, directing and coordinating support from other agencies) • Crisis Support (Funeral arrangements, support to grieving family and referrals.) • Health Insurance & other Services Access(Guidance with insurance and other health care resources. Advocacy for patient and their families) • Food Preparation & Meals Delivery (Provide meals during the time of hospitalization and serious illness. • Transportation (Transportation for medical necessities) • Spiritual Counseling & Moral Support (Religious and spiritual counseling during bereavement as well as life threatening sickness). Anyone can approach a Sewa volunteer and the volunteer will provide the necessary information and will explain everything you need to know about a specific situation. Like a family, the initiative will provide aide and support during your time of need. Sewa International, a movement dedicated to service for humanity, is launching a Family Service project to assist community members and provide them the same help and guidance they would get from their families in their times of need.
Workshop for Couples by Sewa International HOUSTON: As part of the Family Services program of Sewa International, a five-hour workshop for couples, titled ‘Towards A Happy Family : Using MBTI for better Understanding in Relationship’ was conducted at Keshav Smriti in Houston. The program was presented by Arun Kankani, a Certified MBTI trainer, and Bhavna Luthra, a practicing Marriage Counselor. All participating couples immensely enjoyed the program. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The event started with an MBTI assessment of the attendees. An overview of the various personality types was then presented with its relevance in relationship. The attendees took part in several exercises, as part of the program. At the end of the session, most attendees were able to validate their own personality type. T:6” For more information, visit www.sewausa.org or email info@sewausa. org.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY 20
COMMUNITY
November 02, 2012
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Nicknames in Ransom Note Help Police Nab Baby Saanvi Veena’s Killer
(India Today) For USD 50,000, a 26-year-old software engineer from Andhra Pradesh kidnapped and killed his family friend’s 10-month-old baby Saanvi Veena, whose body he stuffed in a suitcase, but nicknames used by him in the ransom note provided critical clues that helped police nab him. Raghunandan Yandamuri was arrested on charges of kidnapping and killing Saanvi Venna and her 61-yearold grandmother Satyavathi Venna, who was found dead at an apartment complex in Upper Merion Township on October 22. Yandamuri, who used to live in the same complex, was produced before a Pennsylvania court after police recovered the body of Saanvi on Friday from the men’s locker room of his apartment’s gymnasium in the King of Prussia, hidden inside a dark wooden sauna under a deep bench, with blood marks on her white dress. Court documents indicate that Yandamuri moved to King of Prussia, in Upper Merlon Township of Pennsylvania from San Jose in California. Being held without a bail, he does not have a lawyer. He told the detectives that he targeted the apartment of Venkata Venna, 41, and Chenchu Latha Punuru because he believed they had money as they both were employed. The 10 copies of the ransom note demanding USD 50,000 that he had left in the apartment at the time of the incident led to his arrest. The ransom note asked Venkata that “Lata” be asked to deliver USD 50,000 the “Baha Fresh” at theACME store complex. Investigators determined “Lata” is a reference to Chenchu wife of Venkata and only some close friends call her with that name. “The First word in the ransom note is ‘Shiva’. During the interview Vankata told the investigators that his full name is Venkata Konda Siva Prasad Venna, and some of his close friends and family members call him ‘Siva’,” the affidavit said. Both Chenchu and Venkata were asked to provide a list of people who had knowledge of the ‘Siva’ and ‘Lata’ names. Each provided a list of Indian natives who either used or were aware of these nicknames. Among the names provided by the couple was the name of ‘Ragu’, who happened to be Raghunandan Yandamuri. According Raghunandan alias
Consultants Inc, an Illinois-based software consulting firm. The company did not respond to the telephone call and emails if Yandamuri still works for the company. More shocking to the Telugu community in the US was the very fact File photo of baby Saanvi and her grandmother that Yandamuri, after the kidnapSatyavathi Venna. ping of Saanvi, Ragu, he killed Satyavathi as she was not only consoling the family resisted the kidnapping of Saanvi. of his friend but also organising the Raghu told the police that Saanvi community in vigil for Saanvi and began to cry and he stuffed a hand- distribution of flyers. During initial kerchief in her mouth to make her interrogation, he told the police that stop crying and placed a bath towel he created a missing child poster around her head to hold the handker- with two pictures of Saanvi, printing chief in place. 150-200 copies at work and deliver“He then put her inside a blue suit- ing them to the family for distribution case he found in the bedroom, he took and around the community. However, jewellery he found in the apartment he soon broke down and admitted to and placed that in the suitcase with the police that he was responsible Saanvi, he then left the apartment for the death of both Saanvi and her and abandoned Saanvi’s body hid- grandmother Satyavathi. den in the steam room, of the men’s “He described going to work on bathroom, of the gymnasium located Monday and using his work cominside marquis Apartment Building,” puter to prepare a note demanding the affidavit said. money from the Vennas. He said “Raghu then dumped the knife, he printed copies of the note on his some of his clothes and the blue work computer and took them to the suitcase in a dumpster in another part Venna’s apartment. of the Upper Merion Township, he “He stated it was his intention to disposed some of the stolen jewellery take Saanvi and hide her until her in the Schuylkill river and said he left parents paid the ransom,” the police some at this place of employment,” affidavit said, adding that he brought the police said. 10 copies of the ransom note. AccordThe authorities had also announced ing to the police affidavit, they found USD 50,000 reward for information the ransom note when they went to leading to the safe return of the tod- the apartment and found the body of dler. Satyavathi. The police, in its affidavit, said that Yandamuri told the detectives at the end of his interrogation to tell the media that his wife turned in him so that she could get the USD 50,000 award announced by the police and Telugu community for information leading to Saanvi. According to a Chapter7bankruptcy filed by Raghunandan early this year, Raghunandan Yandamuri is escorted to a Yandamuri used to Montgomery County district court for an work for Sarayu arraignment.
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India’s Federal Ministry Expansion Sans Logic or Pattern BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT The expansion and reshuffling of Manmohan Singh’s council of ministers Sunday has neither any logic nor a pattern. Though Manmohan Singh has added 17 new “faces” including two in the cabinet rank and reshuffled some portfolios, yet the reconstructed ministry does not inspire much confidence. The new “faces” just remain merely new “faces” and their choices seem bereft of any considered reasoning or direction. Manmohan Singh’s statement that the expansion of the ministry is a combination of youth and experience does not bear serious scrutiny. Of the five ministers from Andhra Pradesh, K Chiranjeevi (57) is a Telugu megastar and only a recent entrant into political arena. Another, Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy (61) is neither young nor experienced even though he had been a three-time MP from Kurnool. The third, Sarvey Sathyanarayana (58), had worked in a bank as also with a public sector undertaking. Now very active in politics, he doesn’t have any ministerial experience. The fourth inductee is Porika Balram Naik (48); a first time MP who had once reportedly remarked that “he attends Parliament sessions because that is where he can have good tea and a hearty meal”. Such a comment surely reflects poorly on his choice. The fifth minister from Andhra is a woman, Dr. Killi Krupa Rani (48), a doctor by profession. She seems to be the most intelligent of the Andhra contingent in the ministry. Likewise the credentials of the three new ministers from West Bengal namely Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (56), Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury (74) and Deepa Dasmunsi (52) are varied. Adhir Ranjan is a school dropout and has five criminal cases pending against him while Deepa Dasmunsi is a post graduate in dramatics and an active politician. These two seem to have been preferred for their ability to confront the one time ally and now a bête noire, Mamata Banerjee. The third minister from the state is Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury. At 74, he is not young and has no previous experience as a minister though he is highly educated and articulate. He has been primarily inducted in order to keep the Muslim vote bank happy
India’s new ministers after a swearing-in ceremony at The Presidental Palace in New Delhi on October 28, 2012.
in the minority-dominated districts of Mursdhidabad and Malda. Among other new comers are some ‘veterans’ such like K Rahman Khan (73). He is a fourth-term Rajya Sabha member and had been its deputy chairman for two terms spread over eight years, and briefly a minister of state. Though he has considerable experience as a parliamentarian, his record in his home state of Karnataka is not inspiring enough. The selection of Chandresh Kumari (69) is surprising indeed. She has her legs in two states, Himachal and Rajasthan. Chandresh had unsuccessfully lobbied for a Congress ticket from Dharamshala in the ongoing election in Himachal Pradesh but was denied the nomination ostensibly on the ground that if she won, it would necessitate a parliamentary bye election from Jodhpur. She was minister of state and cabinet minister at different points of time in Himachal Pradesh for a term or so but her inning there was lackluster. She is believed to be close to 10 Janpath (residence of Sonia Gandhi) as if that is a special qualification. She has the reputation of indulging in politicking and intraparty wrangling. The elevation to cabinet rank of Uttarakhand’s Harish Rawat is well deserved and merited. His performance as minister of state for parliamentary affairs has been commendable and so was his role as Congress representative on discussions on news channels. The choice of Tariq Anwar (61) of Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was, however welcome. Anwar was one of the three foundingmembers of NCP along with Sharad
PM Singh called the new cabinet a “combination of youth and experience”
Pawar and PA Sangma. Even though Tariq doesn’t have a political base of his own, he nevertheless enjoys a good reputation, which is the least one can say of many other parliamentarians. Happily both the inductees from the North East states of India have been sporting icons. Ranee Narah (47), who has been appointed as a minister of state for Tribal Affairs, was one time an orthodox left-arm bowler and a hard-hitting left handed batswoman. She was president of Women’s Cricket Association of India as also vice president of Assam Cricket Association. In the Lok Sabha too, she has been a deputy chief whip of the Congress party. The second nominee is Ninong Ering (53) from Arunachal was a football player. He too enjoys a wholesome reputation and is interestingly a lover of ghazals and Sufi music. The return of Shashi Tharoor has generally been hailed; he is relatively young, smart and boasts of CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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Local Asian Killed in Possible Afghan Insider Attack ment Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon, three Good Conduct Medals, and the Army Parachutist Badge. Posthumously, he was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. MADRAS N PAVILIO & DAAWAT G CATERIN
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BY CAROL CHRISTIAN (Houston Chronicle) A soldier with Houston ties has died in the war in Afghanistan in what may have been another insider attack by Afghan police or military against coalition forces. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kashif M. Memon, 31, was one of two soldiers who died Thursday when their unit was attacked by small arms fire in the Khas Uruzgan District of the Oruzgan Province, Army officials said Saturday. A casualty report issued by the Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force indicated that the two men died after someone in an Afghan National Police uniform turned his weapon against them. Maj. Lori Hodge, spokeswoman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, told the Associated Press that authorities were trying to determine whether the attacker was an Afghan security forces member or an insurgent disguised in a government uniform. Taliban leaders have claimed responsibility for the shooting, saying in an emailed statement that a member of the Afghan security forces shot the two men and then escaped to join the insurgents, the AP reported. It was the second suspected insider attack in two days, the AP reported. On Wednesday, two British service members and an Afghan policeman were shot to death in Helmand province. Memon, who also had ties to St. Paul, Minn., is survived by his wife and two sons. The family was expecting a third child, theArmy said. Relatives could not be reached for comment. He was assigned to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), from Fort Bragg, N.C. Memon was on his first combat deployment to Afghanistan as a civil affairs soldier, in the role of a liaison between his military unit and
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the war zone’s civilian residents. In 2010 he volunteered for and completed civil affairs training at Fort Bragg and was assigned the next year to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion as a civil affairs engineer, the Army said. Memon served two previous combat deployments as an infantryman, first with the Marine Corps as a squad leader in Afghanistan, and later while serving with the Army in Iraq. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2001 in Houston, and was stationed at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu, Hawaii, while deploying to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Afghanistan. In 2007, he enlisted in theArmy as an infantryman and was stationed at Fort Hood and, more recently, at Fort Bragg. Among Memon’s numerous awards were the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achieve-
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Staff Sgt.Kashif M. Memon, 31, was gned to Company A, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne). The Department of Defense said he was killed Thursday in Afghanistan. (photo: Department of Defense) / HC
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The other soldier killed Thursday was identified as Sgt. Clinton K. Ruiz, 22, of Murrieta, Calif. He was assigned to the 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 8th Military Information Support Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.
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November 02, 2012
Photographic Exhibition part Asian, 100% hapa at Asia Society
HOUSTON: “What are you?” For Americans of mixed race, it is the seemingly inescapable question, asked by friends and strangers alike. kip fulbeck: part Asian, 100% hapa offers an array of answers in 36 photographs plus video of multiracial men and women together with their written thoughts on their ethnic identity. The exhibition, opening November 9 is one of two new shows this fall at Asia Society Texas Center. Organized by the Japanese American National Museum in LosAngeles, the exhibition showcases the work of award-winning filmmaker and artist Kip Fulbeck, who traveled the country photographing mixed ancestry people of varying age, gender, and background for “The Hapa Project,” originally a web-hosted collection. Derived from the Hawaiian word for “half” and once considered derogatory, hapa has been embraced as a term of pride by many of mixed racial heritage with partial roots in Asian or Pacific Islander ancestry. The overwhelming response to The Hapa Project eventually led to a book, Part Asian· 100% Hapa (Chronicle Books, 2006). “part asian, 100% hapa is a celebration of who we are as individu-
statements of identity to an interactive display, resulting in an exhibition that evolves constantly. Additional related programming will encourage a vibrant dialogue about how Houston communities define their place in the region and the world. “We hope that by providing an opportunity to add to a tapestry of personal stories that transcend racial borderlines, visitors will gain a better understanding of the unique
possibilities that come from living in multicolors and multicultures,” Blackwelder said. kip fulbeck: part Asian, 100% hapa will be on view in the Fayez Sarofim Grand Hall. Admission is free. It complements the Texas Center’s other exhibition opening this fall, Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter, which will be on display in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery. Organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, the show features stereotype-challenging portraiture by seven contemporary Asian and Asian American artists. Admission to the Portraiture Now show is free for Asia Society members, $5 for nonmembers. It, too, opens November 9. Both shows run through April 14, 2013. kip fulbeck: part Asian, 100% hapa is supported, in part, by the James Irvine Foundation. Local support for the exhibition is provided by the City of Houston and Houston Arts Alliance, Dorothy Carsey Sumner, Chinhui and Eddie Allen, Karen and John Bradshaw, Jereann Chaney, Judy and Scott Nyquist, and underwriting from other friends. For more information, visit www. asiasociety.org/texas
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November 02, 2012
“Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter” to Open at Asia Society on November 9
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HOUSTON: Asia Society Texas Center presents Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter, a pioneering exhibition of work that explodes stereotypes that obscure the complexity of being Asian in America. Organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, the exhibition showcases the portraiture of seven artists representing a crosssection of the Asian American experience. Collectively their work demonstrates, in microcosm, the nuances inherent in Asian American life. The show opens November 9, 2012 and runs through April 14, 2013. “This remarkable exhibition challenges conventional notions of portraiture,” said Martha Blackwelder, Executive Director of the Texas Center. “The seven artists represented in the show take us on their journeys of self-questioning. What emerges are fresh angles of view on Asian American identity, offered in formally innovative work in a diverse set of media – painting, works on paper, and video as well as photography. Sometimes playful, sometimes unsettling, always thought-provoking, Portraiture Now delivers an emotionally rich experience.” Roger Shimomura is a thirdgeneration American of Japanese descent who has spent his career fighting stereotypes through his art. Shizu Saldamando was born in San Francisco and blends references to youth culture in Southern California with nods to both her Japanese and Mexican heritage. Other artists use concepts of diaspora, migration, and transnationalism to expand the meaning of their Asian American identity. Some are artists from Asia who work in the U.S., like Satomi Shirai, who moved to New York from Japan, and Hye Yeon Nam, who came to the U.S. from Korea to study art. Zhang Chun Hong recently spent a year in her native China, but makes her home in Lawrence, Kansas. Artists such as CYJO travel back and forth from Asia to America; The KYOPO Project focuses on the international community of Koreans living abroad. Tam Tran’s family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, from Vietnam dur-
ing the early 1990s. “These exceptional works are portals into the souls of the American experience, world cultures and their intersections,” said Konrad Ng, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program. “‘Asian American Portraits of Encounter’ provides engaging points of view that will
enrich the understanding of Asian Pacific America.” “I am thrilled that this installation of the National Portrait Gallery’s ‘Portraiture Now’ exhibition series is travelling to Asia Society Texas Center,” said Wendy Wick Reaves, interim director of the National Portrait Gallery. “‘Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter,’ is a provocative and path-breaking show that affirms the many complex realities of Asian identity in American
culture today.” The National Portrait Gallery curators for the exhibition are Brandon Brame Fortune, Anne Collins Goodyear, Frank H. Goodyear III, Lauren Johnson, Rebecca Kasemeyer, Wendy Wick Reaves, Ann M. Shumard, and David C. Ward. ‘Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter’ will travel to the Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles on May 11, 2013 and will be on view there until September 29, 2013. On a national level, lead support for the exhibition, publication, and related programs is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and the Rebecca Houser Westcott Fund for “Portraiture Now.” Additional support is provided by Andrew S. Ree and the Joh Foundation. Locally, the exhibition is supported by the City of Houston and Houston Arts Alliance, United Airlines, Dorothy Carsey Sumner, Chinhui and Eddie Allen, Karen and John Bradshaw, Jereann Chaney, Judy and Scott Nyquist, and underwriting from other friends.
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Mukesh Ambani: Richest Indian for 5th Straight Year NEW YORK (India Today): Mukesh Ambani has retained his position as the world’s richest Indian for the fifth year in a row, although his networth declined by USD 1.6 billion to USD 21 billion but remained well above that of the second-ranked Lakshmi Mittal. Steel baron Mittal’s networth also fell by USD 3 billion at USD 16 billion, makinghimthesecondrichest,as per global business magazine Forbes’ annual ranking of 100 wealthiest Indians, released on Thursday. Ambani, who heads energy-toretail conglomerate Reliance Industries group, and Mittal were followed by IT czar Azim Premji (USD 12.2 billion), construction major and Tata group’s major shareholder Shapoorji Pallonji group patriarch Pallonji Mistry (USD 9.8 billion) and drugmaker Sun Pharma’s Dilip Shanghvi (USD 9.2 billion) in the top-five. Mukesh’s younger brother Anil Ambani, who heads telecom-to-infrastructure conglomerate Reliance Group, was ranked 11th with a networth of USD 6 billion. Others in top-10 ranking include Adi Godrej at 6th position (USD 9 billion), followed by Savitri Jindal (USD 8.2 billion), Shashi & Ravi Ruia (USD 8.1 billion), Hinduja
the power industry, which is plagued by fuel shortages. That included L Madhusudan Rao of Lanco Infratech and BGR Energy’s B G Raghupathy and Suzlon’s Tulsi Tanti. According to Forbes, the youngest newcomer is 40-year-old Ranjan Pai, credited with turning his Manipal Group into a global brand in education. Pai bagged the 63rd position in the list with a networth of USD 975 million. Besides, as many as five women figured in the list including Savitri Jindal, Indu Jain, Anu Aga, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Shobna Bhar-
Mukesh Ambani has retained his position as the world’s richest Indian with $ 21 billion fortune
Brothers (USD 8 billion) and Kumar Mangalam Birla (USD 7.8 billion). Even as the networth of top-ranked persons like Ambani and Mittal fell, the collective wealth of India’s richest 100 rose by 3.7 per cent (USD 9 billion) to USD 250 billion in the past one year, Forbes said. The number of billionaires also rose to 61, from 57 last year. Sun Pharma group’s Shanghvi entered the
top-five for the first time. Pharma major Wockhardt’s Habil Khorakiwala, who rejoined the billionaire ranks, was this year’s biggest percentage gainer with a net worth of USD 1.8 billion, while Gautam Adani was the biggest loser. He lost more than half his fortune to USD 3.9 billion. Some who dropped out altogether from the list have their fortunes tied to
Ambani and Mittal were followed by IT czar Azim Premji with USD 12.2 billion fortune.
tia, Forbes said. The rise of 3.7 per cent in total wealth of India’s richest follows a sharp fall of 20 per cent in the preceding year. The sharp gain was mainly account of a slew of reform measures taken by the government in key sectors like retail, insurance and aviation. The BSE 30-stock index, Sensex, gained 10 per cent over the past 12 months, a rise partially eroded by a weakening rupee that fell by 8 per cent. Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal and Azim Premji retained their top three positions, while Essar Group’s Shashi & Ravi Ruia slipped to eighth position from last year’s fourth spot. Shangvi, has moved up from last
Steel baron Lakshmi Mittal ranks 2nd in the list.
year’s 11th to fifth this year and Mistry from ninth spot to fourth place. Godrej has also moved up four position, while Anil Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla and DLF’s KP Singh have slipped two positions each. The list is based on shareholding and financial information from the families and individuals, stock exchanges, analysts and India’s regulatory agencies, the magazine said. The ranking lists family fortunes, including those shared among extended families. Public fortunes are calculated based on stock prices and exchange rates as of October 12, while value of private companies are based on that of similar firms that are publicly traded, it added.
Dunkin’ Donuts to Enter Mumbai, Bangalore in Six Months MUMBAI (HT): Jubilant FoodWorks, which has the master franchise for Dunkin’ Donuts outlets in the country, has said it will enter the Mumbai and Bangalore markets within next six months. The Jubilant Bhartia Group company also has the exclusive franchise for Domino’s Pizza for the country and also in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. “We are looking at Mumbai and Bangalore next. It will happen in the next six months or so. But we are in no tearing hurry as we want
to get it right and then scale it up,” Jubilant FoodWorks chief executive Ajay Kaul said. The Bhartias-promoted company had bagged the franchising rights from the leading US baked-food and coffee chain for Dunkin’ Donuts earlier this year. It had launched the first store in Delhi in April. Currently, it has three stores in the national capital and has plans to launch 100 outlets over the next five years. On Domino’s, Kaul said they will open at least 100 stores this year and
going forward Dunkin’ Donuts will also follow a similar trajectory. The doughnut segment in the country is at a nascent stage and more competition will only augur better for the category, he said. On investment front, Kaul said, as far Domino’s is concerned, the company’s endeavour is to spend over Rs. 150 crore annually, which means 100 new stores every year. “The company will be relocating to a new facility in Kolkata. We are also in the midst of relocating to a
new facility in Mumbai as well which should happen in the next couple of months,” he said, adding third facility is coming near Chandigarh. On Domino’s, Kaul also said there will be a price hike soon. “The last time when we hiked the price was in June. Before that last year in August and in November also we raised our prices. Our next price hike will be in November and it will be a 2-3% increase,” he said. On weak market sentiment, Kaul said the firm was not alarmed by it.
“Our 22% same store sale in comparison to 30% in the previous quarter kind of faded out. “I think sentiment is continuing but not in an alarming manner. The kind of growth which we saw last year is not there. Yet, I will not say it is alarming,” Kaul said, adding the company plans to launch a new pizza variety to cash in on the festive season. “We will launch a new pizza in November-December but I cannot share the details with you now,” he added.
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INDIA
November 02, 2012
India’s New Cabinet..... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
rich experience both as a minister in India and a top functionary at the United Nations. He gets back his old portfolio of foreign affairs as minister of state. Political analysts, however, have not relished the choice of Salman Khurshid as India’s foreign minister for a couple of reasons; one, he has no experience whatsoever in foreign affairs and two, he faces allegations of indulging in malfeasance in the non-profit organization that he and his wife run. If it was Manmohan Singh’s way of rebuffing Kejriwal and his ilk, he could have given him some other ministry rather than the high profile portfolio of external affairs. They also feel that Mani Shankar Aiyar should have been resurrected from the Rajya Sabha’s store house and made the foreign minister. Aiyar has rich and varied experience and is one of the best speakers and enjoyed an impeccable reputation in his earlier tenures as a central minister. The choice of Manish Tewari (47) has been heartily welcomed. Even though he is the first time MP, he was very prominent both in the Youth Congress and the party as such; he was alternately president of the All India Youth Congress and secretary of AICC. Lately, he has come into prominence as an official spokesman of the Congress party. Promotion of some of the younger brigade such as Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Jitendra Singh and Bharatsinh Solanki by giving them independent charge of portfolios was hailed by many observers even though there was nothing to shout about their performance in the ministry. But then perhaps there is not much of a bench strength of capable MPs who could have been considered for induction in the ministry. Again, perhaps the qualifications for inclusion in the ministry have nothing to do with ability and integrity; other “qualifications and considerations” play a greater role in making ministerial choices. Even the reshuffling of portfolios was devoid of any reason. For example, it did not make sense in replacing Jaipal Reddy by Veerapa Moily in the ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. If the two ministers were deemed to have done well in their earlier ministries, why replace them? Alternately, if these two did not perform well in these crucial infrastructure ministries like petroleum and power, then this game of musical chair does not make any sense. It seems to be a case of simply putting square pegs in round holes and vice versa. The reaction of the most political parties was naturally negative. BJP was highly unimpressed with this so-called reshuffle calling it ‘futile’ and objecting to the retention of ‘tainted ministers’. Other sundry parties too criticized reshuffle as ‘meaningless’. All said and done, it is now up to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his team of key ministers to continue the ongoing process of reforms in economic and financial sectors and seriously taking up the successful passage of a large number of Bills pending in various stages of consideration. There is also utmost need of creating a sense of bipartisan cooperation with BJP and other such parties who do not have any in-principle ideological ‘reservations’ on many of the economic reforms under contemplation. In this context, the role of the ministry of parliamentary affairs will become much more crucial and it is happy augury that a minister of the caliber of Kamal Nath has been given the additional charge of parliamentary affairs.
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SPORTS
November 02, 2012
India’s Home Ministry Clears Pakistan Tour
This will be the first bilateral series between the two sides since Pakistan toured India in end-2007 © AFP
(Cricinfo) India’s home ministry has cleared a limited-overs tour by the Pakistan team, prompting the BCCI to say the tour “is on” at the end of the year. The clearance was given at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday between ministry officials and senior representatives of the BCCI - including its chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla and chief executive Sundar Raman. “We have discussed all security aspects (and) the tour is on,” Shukla told reporters after the meeting. The tour - which now needs only a formal announcement by the two boards to be official - will comprise three ODIs and two Twenty20s at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Pakistan are due to arrive on December 22 and Shukla said the tour would continue till January 7 but the detailed schedule is yet to be announced. However, there is little room for flexibility because the series is sandwiched between two legs of England’s tour of India. It will be the first bilateral series between the two sides since Pakistan toured India in end-2007, though
they have met in multinational tournaments. Cricket ties between the two countries were snapped following the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai by militants from Pakistan. The decision to play the series came after prolonged consultations between officials of the two boards - BCCI president N Srinivasan and PCB chief Zaka Ashraf had held several discussions this year regarding resumption of ties - and, latterly, of the two governments. It is Pakistan’s turn to host a bilateral series between the two. But there has been no international cricket in the country between Full Members since the March 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus and it is understood that India were not keen to play at a neutral venue, as has been the case with all Pakistan’s ‘home’ series since the attack. Subsequently, Ashraf said India had the prerogative to decide on the dates and host the series, but the PCB would want the BCCI to share revenue as they were apparently yet to recover from the financial loss suffered when India pulled out of their planned tour in 2009.
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Formula No. 1: In India, V Stands for Vettel BY RUHI BATRA GREATER NODA (TOI): Sebastian Vettel’s love affair with India continues. The Red Bull Racing driver not only won the Airtel Indian Grand Prix for the second straight year on Sunday, he reiterated his admiration for the country after the victory. “India has a lot to offer. There are a lot of people here: 1.3 billion or more. It’s quite incredible just to see that, to see how people live here, to see the culture. I think is very, very different,” said the 25-year-old German, who had endeared himself to Indian fans last year with his attempt to speak in Hindi. Vettel, leading from the start, cantered to his fourth successive win and fifth of the season. He was followed by Fernando Alonso and Webber on the podium. Vettel maintains a 13point lead over Alonso in the drivers’ championship and travels to Abu Dhabi with momentum behind him. Though there were fears that the second Indian Grand Prix would be a low-key affair, there were plenty of stars and pretty faces adding a touch of glamour. The Paddock Club played host to cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh, Bollywood stars Ajay Devgn, Sonakshi Sinha and Gul Panag while about 65,000 fans turned out to watch the tussle between Vettel and Alonso at the circuit that bears a distinctly different and a more beautiful look this year with a lush green cover. Vettel, who has always been ap-
around him - one on either side - at Turn 4. On Lap 5, he left Button behind using the DRS. * Schumacher’s last race in India was a disaster from the word go. He suffered a right rear puncture on the first corner and was lapped by the rest of Vettel, leading from the start, cantered to the field. He then comhis fourth successive win and fifth of the mitted a rookie misseason. take and ignored blue preciative of the Buddh International flags, for which he was later hauled Circuit, seems to have been won over up by the stewards. by Indian culture and the simplicity of * Sauber’s Sergio Perez had anits people. “Here money is not that im- other disappointing race when he portant. It doesn’t matter how old you retired on lap 42 after a slight brush are. I think it’s more important to have with Daniel Ricciardo’s Williams a healthy, happy life, to enjoy your life took his right rear tyre off. with your family, with your kids... As * McLaren showed why they a country, this place has a lot to offer,” are one of the best teams out there he said to applause in the press centre. when they did an amazingly slick His teammate, Mark Webber, nodded “5-wheel” pit stop with Hamilton on in appreciation. lap 33. As the crew put on hard tyres, For the second year in a row, it was Hamilton had a new steering wheel another sportsperson who waved the put in place. The whole process took chequered flag. Sachin Tendulkar did just 3.3 seconds. the honours last year and it was 2012 * Vettel drove a faultless race but Olympic bronze medallist Gagan there was a brief moment of worry Narang who was entrusted with the for him and the team when his underjob this year. tray generated sparks with 10 laps to Moments of the race go. There were concerns that there * Alonso split the two McLar- could be a potential problem with ens of Hamilton and Button and scrutineering with the plank width. overtook them within five laps. On But nothing happened. Thus, Vettel Lap 1, Alonso managed to draft past became the first man since the great both Hamilton and Button on the Ayrton Senna 1989 to lead three long straight, then saw them go back straight races from start to finish.
LEEDS (The Hindu) Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani proved his class once again as he notched up his seventh World Billiards Championship title after comprehensively beating defending champion and seasoned Englishman Mike Russell in the final here.The celebrated cueist stamped his dominance with 1895-1216 win over the local favourite. Fresh from his resounding 881-281 victory over compatriot Dhruv Sitwala in the semifinals, Pankaj raced into a lead with a century break of 147 and a double century break of 298 within the first hour of the five-hour long encounter. With a final century break of 119, Pankaj beat the 11-time champion
to have won my seventh world title. I took a gamble while choosing to play the World Championships here in Leeds and not the International Championship on the Professional Snooker tour and I am glad that paid off in my favour. “I took a tough decision earlier this year to play both Billiards and Snooker at the highest level, and I am glad that I have been able to maintain top form in both the forms.” “This victory like every other shall be treasured yet has its own special meaning given the unique challenges I have faced this year. This win is a testament that if you follow your heart, nothing’s impossible,” Pankaj added.
Pankaj Advani Wins Seventh Billiards World Title
Pankaj Advani
to clinch his fourth world title in the timed format. It was a case of history repeating itself for Pankaj who had beaten Mike 2030-1253 in the finals of the World Professional Billiards Championship in 2009 at the same venue. Dedicating the title to his mother, an elated Pankaj said, “I am so pleased
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BY QUENTIN HARDY (NYT) A $40 tablet, by selling in places Silicon Valley barely notices, may change the competitive landscape. The inexpensive device is called a Ubislate 7Ci, made by a London company called Datawind. Its initial market is schools in India. After a rocky start, Datawind’s newest device is a fully functioning 7-inch tablet, with a touch screen, Wi-Fi capability, a microphone and camera, a headphone jack and a USB port. In other words, pretty much everything you need to be fully functional on the Internet. In a test, it sent e-mails, downloaded two books and a first-aid guide, took and sent pictures, and offered several games without difficulty. There is a video that shows it in action, and another that lists its internal specifications. Every criticism a Western reviewer might have with this tablet (the keyboard is small for big American fingers, the camera resolution is low, the software has lots of ads) must also meet with the riposte, “Yeah, but… it’s only $40.” For people who can’t dream of owning even a first-generation iPad, it’s more than enough. “The biggest problem we have with this device is that none of the decision makers, the reviewers, or the trend setters are our customer,” said
Suneet Singh Tuli, the chief executive of Datawind. “Personal computers caught on in the U.S. when the price got to about 25 percent of the average person’s monthly income. In India, where people make $200 a month, that is about $50,” added Singh, who was born in India and raised in Canada. In truth, that may not be the biggest problem Datawind faces. An early version of the product was of lesser quality. Datawind accepted more than 2.5 million orders to buy the device when it was announced, and had no capacity to manufacture at that scale. It even took money from some customers and then delayed shipment to them by up to 12 weeks, owing to manufacturing problems. The company was criticized by the media in India. Singh says that 80 percent of the prepaid orders have now been delivered, and those customers were given a higher-end unit at no charge. If so, Datawind could regain its credibility. Its next challenge is to meet a government order for 100,000 units, destined for India’s schools, by the end of the year. After that, he expects to compete in an order for five million units for schools. Inexpensive devices are likely to come to the United States and European markets with some of the hardware costs offset by advertising
BY YOGENDRA KALAVALAPALLI HYDERABAD (Mint): Ford Motor Co. has appointed Joginder Singh as president and managing director of its India operations effective 1 December. Singh, presently the president and managing director of Ford Business Services Centre in Chennai, will replace Michael Boneham, who will retire on 31 December after serving 27 years with the US auto maker. Singh will oversee Ford’s expansion plans in India, which includes bringing eight new products to the country
by mid-decade, the company said on Thursday. “Joginder’s proven leadership will be critical to driving the successful and ongoing expansion of our India operation...,” said Joseph Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “With 60-70% of the growth expected to come from APA (Asia Pacific and Africa) for Ford Motor, India will be play a critical role in driving that growth.” Singh, who has been with Ford since 1980 in different roles globally in Europe, the US and Canada, will
or by content sales through the device. “Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is $199 now, but people are saying it will be a $49 device in a year or two,” says Ken Dulaney, an analyst with Gartner. “Content sellers will underwrite hardware costs, so that devices eventually end up being free to consumers.” Stacy Smith, Intel‘s chief financial officer, said his company expected to see such tablets, and will compete for the business. Singh says his cost of assembly for a Ubislate is about $37, and he sells it to the Indian government for $40. He keeps the price low by using Google’s free Android operating system and cheap semiconductors found in low-end cellphones. In addition, he says, his company figured out how to make its own touch panel to fit behind the liquid crystal display screen. The LCD is still manufactured by an outside company. Eventually, he says, the government will equip nearly all of India’s 220 million students with a tablet, along with low-cost Internet connections, and that other countries will follow. Printing and distributing books costs about $15 a year even in a poor country, so a device like the Ubislate that lasts just three years and offers a bigger range of possibilities can be competitive. Those prices are significantly less than the One Laptop per Child computer, which as of 2011 had issued more than two million machines, costing about $200 each, mostly to the developing world. Those laptops, called XO, are manufactured by Quanta Computer of Taiwan. Big sales to schools can help underwrite the cost of a mass-market product for adults in India and elsewhere, at a slightly higher cost that is offset by ads or possibly things like phone companies offering devices to get people on calling plans. Singh is a long way from that level of mass production, but another competitor is likely to flood the rest of the world with cheap tablets soon. That could lead to an explosion of novel applications, similar to the online car sales and recruitment business that are moving into Africa thanks to cloud computing. Datawind has sponsored an applications contest for students, which generated a point-of-sale system for street vendors, who make $100 a month or less. Any rival would need a cheaper tablet to compete with Singh, or it could just get used to a lot of ads.
Ford India Names Joginder Singh New MD
be based at Ford India Pvt. Ltd’s corporate office in Delhi and report to Hinrichs. Boneham helped Ford’s transition to a mass player in India and led the launch of its hatchback Figo in 2010, the company said. “... his role in securing the $1 billion investment for our second new integrated manufacturing facility at Sanand helped us significantly transform our operations in India,” said Hinrichs. Ford’s upcoming plant in Sanand, Gujarat, is its second in the country after the facility in Chennai.
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November 02, 2012
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‘Whether it is Five Airlines or Ten, There is Demand’: Jeh Wadia MUMBAI (Mint): Jeh Wadia, managing director of Go Airlines (India) Ltd and Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Co. Ltd, is bullish on both aviation and real estate businesses. GoAir plans to go international soon and Wadia is banking big on Bombay Realty, the group’s real estate arm, and says the maximum revenue will come from this business. He also wants to transform the group’s textile business into a predominantly retail venture. Edited excerpts from an interview: Aren’t you talking to foreign airlines for selling a stake in GoAir? At the moment, we are not talking to anybody. We are not in a hurry. We are a self-funded company and we are not looking for private equity. We are fully funded and have 92 Airbus aircraft, which we have funded internally. We have taken delivery of 13 of those 92 and the balance will be delivered in the next few years. If a foreign direct investor comes and creates a proposition, we will definitely evaluate it. Are they coming? I am sure they will because ultimately the growth is in India. How is GoAir doing? Profit-making, always. What do you plan to do with such a huge fleet? We have been in the aviation business since 2005. Our focus was to start small, stay small until 2015. Between 2005 and 2016, the plan is to have only 20 aircraft with old technology. Fortunately for us, there is new technology and the plans will give us the advantage of approximately 15% (fuel efficiency) over and above the existing aircraft. Our plan has been to stay profitable, scalable and nimble…In 2005, aviation industry was a very new industry and we waited for the industry to mature. Let there be consolidation, let the cost of supply come down, let the consumer get mature and used to flying. When we start taking delivery of the new aircraft we would have the least number of inferior aircraft from the past. So we will see a burst of activity post 2016? Yes. We are preparing the organization to take delivery of such a large fleet and having ability in terms of creating better processes and benchmarking with international practices. You can also sell these aircraft. Yes, we can and make money from them. You have a plan to go international. Well, we are looking at evaluating our options as we speak. Within, say six hour radius to the 22 destinations…We are mapping in terms of which routes we could serve better from the existing routes in India. Do you qualify to fly international?
has 300-odd aircraft and Southwest Airlines in America has 700 aircraft, double of what we have as a country. China has more than 1,500 aircraft flying commercially. In terms of demand, whether it is five airlines or ten, India can Jeh Wadia says the maximum revenue will come from the real absorb…We do not estate business. Photo: S. Kumar/Mint have very efficient roads, we do not have There are three criteria to flying international. the most efficient railways. One is, financing. Second is a five-year operatBombay Dyeing is into textiles, polyester ing track record which we meet as we are six- and real estates. Where do you see the maxiand-a-half years old now. Finally, one needs to mum growth coming from? have 20 aircraft and we have 13. We made an Typically, real estate has the maximum application to the ministry, asking relaxation growth potential. We have two large land for us to fly international. We don’t see why masses in the island city of Bombay, one on we shouldn’t be allowed (to fly international) the west coast in Worli and the other on the because we had 20 aircraft flying at one point east coast in Dadar—together they are about 70 of time on a cumulative basis. Incidentally, the acres. Bombay Realty was launched in October same rule is not applicable to foreign airline who last year to essentially institutionalize real estate fly to our country. Today, airlines which have developments for the Bombay Dyeing group. less than 5-10 aircraft even fly to India. Why Bombay Realty is developing two mixed-use should there be a rule for an Indian airline to have developments—residences, offices, a hotel, minimum 20 aircraft for flying international? malls and either a hospital or a school or both. So, you are ready to go international. That is the thrust area of Bombay Realty. Two If we get the licence, we will start flying in a five-star hotels, one seven-star hotel, multiple few months. But we are not in any hurry…The hospitals, two malls, two high streets, schools main objective to fly international is to use the and hospitals are what Bombay Realty is planasset well—create another four to five hours ning for both these developments. of flying between 1am and about 7am. As we What’s the timeframe for this? utilize our assets more, we can reduce the cost We have already launched the Dadar project per unit. Our objective is to bring the cost down and are looking at completing the first phase of by using the asset more. These international residential towers approximately by 2016. We routes do not attract 28% tax on fuel. They at- intend to complete the entire project by 2020. tract only 4% tax on fuel. Hence, it is very In Worli, we will launch our retail initiative lucrative to have at least, say 20% of your fleet sometime early next year. flying international because it gives you a higher You have about 10,000 acres land bank contribution than what some of your domestic across India. routes are giving you. Well, Bombay Dyeing is a public company You seem to be very bullish on the aviation and has 70 acres in the island city. Bombay sector. Realty was created to institutionalize its properI am very bullish on aviation. Ultimately, If ties. The Wadia group and the family has more you look at the statistics today, there were 62 than 10,000 acres of land in the whole of India. million seats that were sold in India in the year Bombay Realty on an arm’s length basis will ending March 2012. During the same period, participate and try to develop the family assets Ryanair Ltd, one airline in Europe, carried and potentially develop all group assets. more than 80 million seats. It’s just a drop in At the moment, Bombay Realty is developing the ocean. Bombay Dyeing’s land in terms of mixed-use India has 340 aircraft flying while Ryanair developments. Britannia Industries Ltd has real
estate in Bangalore, Bombay Burmah Trading Corp. Ltd has large assets in the south and a very large land portfolio in Bombay and these will be looked at and evaluated on a stand-alone basis. How will this work? We are still at the planning stage. It will work in the form of a joint development, or a joint venture, in which we bring in the development skill, planning skill and the operating skill and the land owner remains either the family or the joint company. How much revenue comes from the real estate business? At the moment, 25% of the revenue is coming from real estate, 25% from textile and the rest from polyester. Going forward, we will see real estate generating more revenue. Real estate revenue is basically accounted for in terms of construction progress. You are planning to revamp the textile division. We are looking at re-engineering in terms of a retail initiative focusing on what we do today— bed and bath—but take it forward and do it on a larger scale, in a more in-depth manner, creating a more efficient supply chain and more efficient products. We plan to improve the appearances of shops by creating a wider portfolio of products. We will make announcements at the end of the fiscal about the initiatives being taken. We want to increase the market share and if we are going to stay in textile, we are going to make it a retail company. What’s your outlook for real estate division? I can only comment on real estate in the island city of Bombay. I don’t see any real corrections in prices. I am extremely bullish on the island city in terms of yields. I think the yields will grow three to four times over the next five years. Now is the time to buy. Today, we have a shortage in the island city for new ready-tomove-in apartments. More and more people want to move into newer buildings since the average age of the buildings they live in are 20 to 25 years. We are not a mass home developer. We are a luxury home developer. We have delivered a 40-storeyed tower in Dadar. We are not very aggressive in mid-market, but highly aggressive about the high-end premium market and we have a majority market share in that segment. You want to bring down your debt. How will you do that? Bombay Dyeing has a debt-equity ratio of 3:1 and we are looking at potentially being a debtfree company within three to four years. We will do that by making our businesses more profitable and more efficient in the areas that generate more profit.
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