Indo-American News: May 3, 2024

Super Hit Grand Vaisakhi Mela Full of Dance, Wedding, Gidha, & Bhangra!!

Houston: This year’s Grand Vaisakhi Mela took a cue from last year’s event and turned it around by holding performances at a new elegant venue with plenty of space for the food and merchandising booths.

The event was held on Saturday, April 20 at the Morris Cultural Arts Center of the Houston Christian University campus off Fondren Drive and the Southwest Freeway. With easy access and plenty of surface parking, the capacity crowd had no problem getting to the venue. The evening’s performances were held at the acoustically state-of-the-art 1,200 seats Dunham Theater.

Once again, the driving force behind this year’s Grand Vaisakhi Mela was the unstoppable, energetic Jasmeeta Singh and the Mela had her vintage touch for bringing dances and youthful performances from across the area to commemorate Vaisakhi, a day holy for South Asians, with a sold-out crowd in attendance. The Grand Vaisakhi

Mela was presented by the Punjabi Society of Greater Houston. It is a celebration of Punjabi culture and a testament to the vibrant spirit of the community.

The event lined up over 20 booths offering a diverse range of products, including jewelry, clothes, cosmetics, and more. One of the standout booths was from Mahesh’s Kitchen, the Sugar Land restaurant in Town Center that has gained a following for its delectable dishes and exceptional service.

The event featured singing and captivating performances, including Bhangra, Gidha, Punjabi folk dances, and Bollywood Punjabi dances by local teams. The program kicked off with an energetic Dhol performance by Houston Bhangra Academy (HBA) students, setting the tone for the nonstop entertainment that followed.

The HBA led by Gurpreet Singh and Himmat Singh, showcased their incredible talent with energetic bhangra and Gidha perfor-

mances. Another traditional Gidha performance was choreographed by Navneet Kaur.

Exceptional performance of Punjabi Muityaran Punjabi folk dance, choreographed by Jasmeeta Singh and performed along with all the leaders of the dance schools mesmerized the audience.

Many Bollywood dance schools like Kalpna Bora, Nritya Kalpna School, Khushboo Dance School, Any1Can dance by Prachi, Aditi Bollywood School, and Rb’s Dance School.

The most liked Weddings of Punjab segment choreographed by Jasmeeta Singh featured young girls and boys on stage showing the glitz and glamour of the rituals of weddings.

The highlight of the show was the spectacular performance by Empire Bhangra from California, leaving the audience in awe. Emcee was done by Dholbeat international Entertainment’s B Josan.

The singing segment was held by Ekta Kaur, Swati, Karamjit

Singh, Aman Kaur, Rajpreet Kaur, Ruby Singh, Soma Gosh, Zafarnama presentation by Paramjit Kandola and melodious shabad by group of young kids.

The show was made possible with the support of sponsors who trust Jasmeeta to provide excellent entertainment and showcase Punjabi culture. Among these were Platinum Sponsors

Bobby & Jasmeeta Singh, Aman

Singh Sidhu family

Diamond Sponsors

Dr. Ruhi Soni & Samit Soni, Diamond Sponsors, Dr. Ruhi Soni & Samit Soni, Gurmit & Seema

Bhatia, Harinder Singh & Jasleen

Kaur, Romy & Dr. Rajpreet Singh, Sabir F. of FS Group, Gurminder

Singh Padda, Singh Financing Gold Sponsors

Malla Mekala, Infodat & ICC Past President; Malik Jamal, Discount Power; Dr. Harman Buttar & Dr. Jaswant Pandher, Vital Clinic and Spa Silver Sponsors

Sony Kohli Realtor, SKG &

Simmi Kohli; Daljit & Sukhpreet; Ragbir Pancal; Jasmeet Singh & Rajveer Kaur; Raj Veepuri, IFS

Wealth Management

Bronze Sponsors

Parul Fernandes, ICC Preseident; Dr. Jasvinder and Trepanjeet Siddhu; Gurmeet and Rupy Kindra, Bombay Sweets; Kanchan and Bikram Singh; Gia Dhaliwal; Kundan and Manjit Josan; Paul & Manmeet Likhari

Friends of PSGH: Gummer family; Arun and Sangeeta Pasreeja

The entire event was developed through the untiring efforts of a team composed of Raman Johar; Soma Grover; Rupy Kindra; Gurmeet Kindra; Jasleen Kaur; Akash Singh; Sukhpreet Kaur; Gagan Preet Singh; Kavneet Kaur; Kamaljeet Singh Otal; Seema Bhatia; Gagan Bhatia; Ekta Kaur Singh; Harmeet Singh; Rasna Kaur; Sarvpreet Singh, Sukha Singh, Trisha, and Swati Mehra.

PHOTO COLLAGE: P6-P7

Talent on Parade at HD&D’s ‘Talaash - Ek Hunar Ki Khoj’ Contest

Katy: After an absence of almost six years due to COVID and other delays, HD&D Events, an entertainment group based in Houston, once again brought its Unique Versatile Talent Competition - “Talaash - Ek Hunar Ki Khoj (Season 2)” to the stage with the grand finale held at the Palacio Maria Event Center on Saturday, April 20.

The event was the brainchild of Amir Dodhiya who produced, directed and executed it encouraged by the success of Season 1 in 2018. Born and raised in Panaji (formerly Panjim), Goa, Dodhiya was a child artist captivated by the entertainment business but was pressured by his father – who died of stomach cancer when Dodhiya was a teenager – to pursue a professional career. But he never let his passion for show business die, even as he found a successful niche in the insurance and financial industry and is one of the top producers in the field.

Auditions for Season 2 began as early as March 16. From among the 100 contestants who auditioned, the top 28 acts were selected to compete in the finals held on April 20. The competition was tough.

The finalists portrayed their unique talents with versatile acts like classical and contemporary dancing, singing, acting, gymnastics, martial arts, musicians, fruit carving, painting, sketching and many more. They came from all across the country – Dallas, Pheonix, Pittsburgh – and not just South Asian but from all races, including Black, Nigerian, Hispanic and Chinese. One of the finalists - Oscar Sun, is also a 34th direct descendant of the Shaolin monks.

The panel of judges included the actress Pooja Batra, classical music maestro Pandit Suman Ghosh, Mrs. Universe USA Rutvi Chauhan, actor/producer/director Bud Patel, entrepreneur Parvez Jasani and Austin-based singer Nagavalli Medicharla.

The 2nd runner up was bagged by Manyu Dubbyreddy, a teenager whose energetic dancing moves rocked the judges, followed by the 1st runner up Ambily Antony, a nurse by profession, who performed an emotional mono act.

The “Grand Finale Winner” of Season 2 was won by Ashley Fernandes who dazzled with a brilliant design carved on a watermelon in nearly 3 mins.

Winners of the other award categories were “The Youngest Talent Award”, won by 5 year-old, Shreya Chandwani, the youngest contestant of Season 2; “The Spirit Award” and scholarship won by Abhinav Venkataraman, another teenager and “The Most Unique Talent Award”, won by IIav’s Martial Art Group who performed acts of the ancient “Silambam” martial arts. “The Lifetime Achievement Award” was won by Mrs. Chandrika Khatri, a cancer survivor and also the oldest contestant of the Season who beautifully excelled in her dance performance during the audition round.

The emcees of the show were Puja Agarwal, Himi Haridas and Amir Dodhiya himself, who kept the audience and the judges entertained throughout the event. The success of Talaash - Ek Hunar ki Khoj has definitely become the talk of the town and the entire nation with its overwhelming appreciation and response from the audiences.

ABOVE: Grand Finale Winner” of Season 2 was won by Ashley Fernandes. RIGHT: First runner-up Ambily Antony.

REACH Can Help Indo-Americans with Mental Illness COMMUNITY

By Ranjana VadHVa Bedi

Houston: Mental Illness diagnosis and treatment has made considerable progress in the last decade but remains a taboo topic in the Indo-American (IA) community. Propelled by reports of an increase in mental illness in the IA community and a perceived reluctance among community members to openly discuss mental health issues, four concerned citizens have formed an organization in the Greater Houston area, to facilitate dialogue on mental illness.

Their aim is to show that mental illness is no different than physical illness, both being eminently treatable. Towards achieving this aim and with mental wellness as the goal, they have formed an organization called REACH for Resources, increase Education, create Awareness, connect with the IA Community in order to promote mental Health.

There is a saying “You are as healthy as your mind is”, which reflects the true importance of mental wellness. For those with mental illness, diagnosis and treatment pave the way to recovery and mental wellness. Just as people with physical illnesses lead productive lives, so can those with mental illnesses. REACH hopes to make inroads into the community so that Indo- Americans are encouraged to access mental health care resources. REACH will compile a network of culturally attuned providers, making it

easier and more comfortable to access care.

REACH was invited to participate in the annual Health Fair at the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston on Saturday, April 6. A seminar on “Mental Health Stig-

matized? Recognize and Recover” was conducted by Dr. Renu Thomas, a licensed psychologist followed by a lively question and answer session, as well as private consultations. It was encouraging to note the participation level in

these sessions, with no reluctance in discussing mental illness. Through several initiatives, REACH will aim to remove the stigma of mental illness in our community by providing ample discussion opportunity and direc-

tion toward expert resources. The organization will target audiences such as middle and high schoolers, college students, parents, young professionals, seniors, singles and others. REACH will partner with other organizations that have similar goals, with coordinated plans to bring expert speakers in mental health conditions such as depression, trauma, anxiety, loneliness, eating disorders.

To achieve openness and acceptance of mental health within the Houston Indo-American community, REACH will invite community leaders, temple heads, stakeholders and community members for support and to share the vision and mission of REACH. The official LAUNCH for REACH Mental Wellness will be on September 15 at Indian Summer Restaurant in Sugar Land.

The Board of Directors of REACH consists of Alpa Shah (President), Vibha Agrawal (Treasurer) Rajan Radhakrishnan (Director of Communications) and Ranjana Vadhva Bedi (Interim Secretary). If your organization would like to hold a session/discussion/talk/workshop at your facility, or if you are a mental health provider (psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, counselor etc.) and wish to be included in the network of providers or expert speakers, please visit https://reachmentalwellness.org/. Communications via info@reachmentalwellness. org will be forwarded to the Board of Directors of REACH.

REACH Board (from left) Rajan Radhakrishnan, Vibha Agrawal, Ranjana Vadha Bedi and Alpa Shah.

President Alpa Shah explained the objectives of REACH.

REACH President Alpa Shah addressed the Health Fair at the Arya Samaj

YLDP Student Article: ‘What Does Leadership Teach Me?’

By Riya sHenoy

PeaRLand: Leadership is a multifaceted journey filled with valuable lessons learned from various sources. Throughout my time at YLDP, I’ve gained insights into leadership through the pages of the HBR book and engaging discussions with guest speakers. One crucial lesson I have grasped is the importance of proactivity, a point highlighted by Judge Sandill during one of our

sessions. He stressed that leaders mustn’t passively wait for the opportunities but should actively create them, echoing the sentiments in Chapter 6 of the HBR book. Effective leadership demands taking risks and seizing the initiative, transcending mere titles to inspire collaboration and innovation.

Mr. Brian Greene, CEO of the Houston Food Bank, provided another perspective on leadership, emphasizing the significance of

supporting existing initiatives. He underscored that leadership isn’t solely about launching new ventures but also about nurturing and endorsing established ones. This aligns with the ethos of fostering collaboration and setting examples, crucial for effective leadership as discussed in our reading and sessions.

Furthermore, the concept of responsibility emerged as a cornerstone of effective leadership.

Indo American News

FoundeR: dR. K.L. sindwani

PuBLisHeR: jawaHaR MaLHotRa

editoR: PRaMod KuLKaRni

CoRResPondent: sanCHaLi Basu

®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website:

Leaders must consider the broader impact of their actions and make decisions that uphold ethical standards, as highlighted in Chapter 9 of the HBR book. Leadership isn’t solely about achieving results; it’s about achieving them in a manner that serves the greater good.

In essence, leadership isn’t a onesize-fits-all concept; rather, it’s a dynamic interplay of qualities and actions. It involved seizing opportunities, shouldering responsibility,

and advocating for what is right. My journey at YLDP has taught me that true leadership transcends titles; it’s about inspiring others and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. By integrating the lessons from both the HBR book and guest speakers, I aspire to become a more effective and impactful leader, capable of inspiring positive change and making a meaningful difference in the world.

Puranava Art & Culture Fest : Traditional Indian Treat to the Senses

PeaRLand: The 6th Annual Puranava Indian Art & Culture Fest 2024 was a treat to all the senses with its vibrant color and costumes, smells and tastes of delicious Indian spices and delicacies, melodious traditional Indian music, and a plethora of handson things to do from games, arts, crafts, henna to shopping for clothes, jewelry, and much more.

This signature event that saw a floating crowd of over 1400 throughout the day was presented by nonprofit Global Organization for Divinity and held at Pearland Town Center. It was supported by a cultural arts grant from the City of Pearland through the Pearland

Convention and Visitors Bureau.

On the stage throughout the day, dancers of all ages from sweet kids to graceful adults, dressed in colorful, varying costumes representing one of the six different classical Indian dance forms, competed for prizes at the classical dance competition. In the evening, there were both classical as well as folk art performances – varieties of Indian regional percussion (Chenda melam, Parai drums), special dances from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu where pots are balanced on the dancers’ heads (Karagattam) and a ‘fight dance’ with sticks (Silambattam);

a unique devotional ‘Mavuli dance’ from western India; and a classical Bharatanatyam showcase.

The visual treat continued through the finale in the evening with a number of vibrant street performances in front of a replica of an Indian temple chariot, beginning with the amazing west Indian Marathi Dhol Tasha and Lezim percussion dance by beautifully attired performers from The Woodlands. This was followed by two south Indian folk dances by children (Kurathi), a Gujarati Garbha dance from west India, a graceful east Indian Bengali springtime dance, and a lovely Tiruvadirai devotional dance by white-attired dancers from south Indian state of

Reliance Buys First Canadian Crude

VanCouVeR: Reliance Industries has bought 2 million barrels of Canadian crude from Shell for July delivery, marking the Indian refiner’s first oil purchase from Canada’s new Trans Mountain pipeline, trade sources said.

Reliance joins a growing group of Asian refiners in buying Canadian crude to be exported from the new pipeline which is scheduled to start transporting oil in May. The Canadian government-owned pipeline expansion will nearly triple the flow of crude from Alberta to Canada’s Pacific Coast and open up access to Asia and the U.S. West Coast

Shell will perform ship-to-ship transfers to move about four 500,000-barrel cargoes of Access Western Blend (AWB) onto a Very Large Crude Carrier and ship the oil to the Sikka port, the sources said, where Reliance operates the world’s biggest refining complex.

One of the sources said the deal was done at $6 a barrel discount to September ICE Brent on delivered basis.

AWB is a type of heavy and highly acidic diluted bitumen produced by Canadian Natural Resources and MEG Energy.

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, is looking to diversify its oil supplies as fresh U.S. sanctions on Moscow threaten to dent Russian oil sales to India, the biggest buyer of Russian seaborne crude.

More than 250,000 barrels per day of U.S. crude is set to arrive in India next month, the highest in more than a year, ship tracking data showed, amid tighter enforcement of sanctions on Russian crude.

India was the top buyer of Russian oil last year after other groups retreated from purchases following Western sanctions on Mos-

cow for its invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

Last month, the U.S. tightened efforts to reduce Russia’s oil trade adding sanctions on state-owned shipping firm Sovcomflot and 14 crude oil tankers involved in Russian oil transportation.

India’s Reliance, operator of the world’s biggest refining complex, will not buy Russian oil loaded on tankers operated by Sovcomflot after recent U.S. sanctions, sources told Reuters last week.

More Indian refiners plan to shun Sovcomflot vessels, which may weigh on imports of Russian oil and leave Russia with fewer outlets for its flagship product, sources said.

The United States has not asked India to cut Russian oil imports as the goal of sanctions and the G7-imposed $60 per barrel price cap is to have stable global oil supplies while hitting Moscow’s revenue.

India has emerged as one of the top buyers of Russian sea-borne oil since Western nations imposed sanctions and halted purchases in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Buyers can purchase Russian oil at deeper discounts outside of the price cap mechanism, if they do not use Western services like insurance and brokering.

Kerala.

During the day, youth and children also participated in classical music, art, chess, and quiz contests conducted in a separate room in the mall. A creative Kids Zone offered numerous hands-on art & craft activities and games for children to try. There was delicious Indian vegetarian street food sold by “Kicha’s Kitchen” which is run exclusively by volunteers. The bazaar saw several vendors selling and displaying art, craft, Indian clothes, jewelry, and other services. The grand sponsor of the event was SPARC Houston – Dr. Sunanda Nair’s Performing Arts Center.

Love to Share Foundation America also conducted a donation drive to support Sunnyside Street Dogs in Houston. Representatives from Sunnyside Street Dogs received the donations at during Puranava 2024.

More pictures can be found at its Facebook event page, and info about Puranava can be found at www.puranava-usa.org/houston. For more information about Global Organization for Divinity Houston and its activities, please visit the Facebook page, GOD Houston. For more information about Love to Share Foundation America and its activities, visit www.lovetosharefoundation.org.

Puranava chariot parade

Street performances included a traditional folk dance from western India.

Panel on Health Issues Disproportionately Affecting South Asians

sugaR Land: Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation recently hosted a roundtable discussion titled, “Health Issues Facing the South Asian American Community,” on April 18. Attended by nearly 70 members of the Houston South Asian community, the Houston Methodist event sparked a dialogue that could help change these health challenges for current and future generations.

Diseases that disproportionately affect South Asians are preventable, according to the Houston Methodist doctors who spoke last week on a panel about cardiovascular, diabetes and mental health

challenges in the community.

The event featured an expert panel moderated by Dr. S. Nicholas Desai and comprising cardiologist Dr. Khurram Nasir, vascular surgeon Dr. Trisha Roy, endocrinologist Dr. Archana R. Sadhu and clinical psychologist Namrata Nanavaty Vasquez, PhD. These leading experts in their respective fields outlined key misconceptions and discoveries about disease pathophysiology — the causes symptoms and most effective treatments — that are distinct to people of South Asian origin.

People of South Asian descent — from Bangladesh, Bhutan, In-

dia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — are inordinately affected by these health conditions and often earlier in life. South Asians face two to four times the risk of heart attacks and have a 40% higher chance of mortality from heart attacks than other ethnic groups. In addition, they are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes, which also puts them at risk for peripheral arterial disease (typically in the legs). Moreover, these chronic physical illnesses are often associated with psychiatric distress. In fact, one in five South Asians experiences mental illness during their lifetime. The

correlation between the three conditions can make treatment very challenging.

Houston Methodist physicianresearchers are discovering how these diseases manifest themselves in people of varying ethnic backgrounds and tailoring care accordingly. For example, the traditional markers of heart disease, such as high cholesterol, may not be as effective in people of South Asian descent as CT scans, which can reveal a high prevalence of coronary arterial calcium.

But the reality is that there are many unanswered questions. According to the panel, the lack of

data specific to South Asians, not to mention the diversity within that broad category, results in the underrepresentation of this community in medical research. In addition, research of this kind is underfunded.

The keys to battling these health conditions that so pervasively affect this community, said the speakers, are targeted treatment and research, and community awareness and participation. The physicians encouraged members of the South Asian community to encourage family members of all ages to get early and routine screening before problems set in.

Panelists from the Houston Methodist Foundation. L to R: Namrata Nanavaty Vasquez, PhD; Archana R. Sadhu, MD; Trisha Roy, MD, PhD, FACS; Khurram Nasir, MD, MPH; S. Nicholas Desai, DPM, MBA, FACFAS.

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Ruslaan’: Formulaic Style Over Substance

Synopsis: Ruslaan (Aayush Sharma) is determined to prove he’s not defined by his father’s reputation as a terrorist. To clear his name, he wants a permanent role in India’s elite intelligence agency, RAW. However, his intense urge to do the right thing often leads him into situations that are more complex and dangerous than he expects.

Review: For a child who has seen his entire family being wiped out in a bloody encounter, Ruslaan grows up to be a pretty sorted man. His adoption by an upright police officer Major Sameer (Jagapathi Babu) and his doting wife has a lot to do with his changed fortunes. But his only mission in life is to serve his country at any cost and eventually clear his name too. Even if it means defying the orders of his immediate superior and RAW agent Mantra (Vidya Malvade) on crucial assignments and single-handedly going after the most dangerous terrorists.

Director Karan L Butani’s primary focus here seems to be highlighting the heroics of his leading man, no matter what. Right from his entry scene till the climax, the film’s screenplay is dedicated to idolise and eulogise Ruslaan as the man who can defy all odds. The film’s story (written by Yunus

Sajawal, Mohit Srivastava, Kavin Dave) is packed with stylised action and twists, which aren’t exactly predictable but preposterous for sure. This gives enough room and reason to throw in dollops of wellchoreographed action and stunts (by Vikram Dahiya and Dinesh Subbarayan). The suspense is built up right from the start and carried on tightly till the climax but the big reveal in the end doesn’t quite add up.

Aayush Sharma does well in action but lacks enough conviction in emotional scenes. He struggles to convey the depth of Ruslaan’s internal conflict, which makes it difficult for the audience to fully connect with his character’s personal journey. Debutant Sushrii Shreya Mishraa, who plays his love interest Vani also gets her moment in the sun when it comes to doing some intense action. The screenplay maintains a steady rhythm, barring a couple of unwanted songs in between. There are quite a few thrilling sequences distributed across the two halves. However, the lack of depth and sheer simplicity in the way Ruslaan and his accomplice manage to infiltrate and survive the most diabolical situations is unbelievable. Jagapathi Babu is well-cast as a righteous police officer, who’s also a loving father for a terrorist’s orphaned son. However, what’s

missing is the required conviction in the writing. Also, the character development could have been more robust. Additionally, the film leans heavily into patriotic overtones, which, while adding a certain level of emotional resonance, sometimes comes across as contrived or overly simplistic. G. Sreenivas Reddy’s cinematography is slick.

Overall, ‘Ruslaan’ focuses heavily on pandering to the masses with a relentless dose of action and thrill but not much logic. It’s a formulaic actioner that is entertaining in parts if you prefer adrenaline over intricate plots..-Times of India

‘Runneeti’: Riveting

The series follows an R&AW agent and his team who strike back on Pakistan post the deadly Pulwama attacks. The agents endeavour to bring back a captured pilot amid hybrid warfare and Pakistan’s lies in global media while exposing the conniving neighbouring country.

Review: Politics or war, it’s all about perception. Ranneeti perfectly encapsulates this thought as it delves into the intricacies of the airstrike on Pakistan’s Balakot as an answer to the dreaded Pulwama attack. This is a layered watch where the intelligent writing keeps you on the edge of your seat -- Times of India

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

Send us the correct answer before May 8, 2024. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

Last Week’s Solution

Recent Winners

Kumud Athavale, Krishna R. Vuddagiri, Sanchali Basu, Prabha Barvalia, Ramana Vadrevu, Yudhveer Bagga, Taranjit Singh, Sahiti Palle, Arup Gupta, Prabha Narumanchi, Kausalya Gopal, Bhavna Patel, Rohini Mahajan, Tulasi Devireddy, Amit Shah

By RonaK KoteCHa