Friday, December 1, 2023 | Vol. 42, No. 48
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December 1, 2023
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Indo American News
Published weekly from Houston, TX
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US Accuses India of Plot to Kill Khalistani Separatist
VFS Global Advisory
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TCC 2023 Tournament
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‘Diwali Dhamaka’
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US federal prosecutors have accused an Indian intelligence official of ‘recruiting’ a man to ‘orchestrate the assassination’ of Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
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INDIA-US
December 1, 2023
‘Matter of Concern’: India Reacts to US Accusing India of Foiled Plot
New Delhi: In the first comments since the US federal prosecutors accused an Indian intelligence official of planning and directing a plot from India to allegedly kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York, India said on Thursday that it was a “matter of concern” and it is “contrary to Indian government’s policy”. “As regards the case against an individual has been filed in the US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern…this is also contrary to government policy. The nexus between organized crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for law enforcement, agencies and organisations to consider.
It is precisely for that reason that a high level inquiry committee has been constituted. We will obviously be guided by its results,” Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. Bagchi was responding to questions while briefing reporters on the Prime Minister’s visit to Dubai for the COP-28 summit. The alleged assassination plot allegedly involved another Indian citizen and two individuals, a source and a hitman, who turned out to be undercover US officers. The allegations are in an indictment filed by the US Department of Justice in a federal court in Manhattan. The Indian official, according to the indictment, was working with
a 52-year-old Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, also known as Nick, who was arrested by Czech authorities on June 30 this year and has been charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-forhire. Each count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The indictment alleged that the official, who has not been named and is referred to as CC-1, is an Indian government agency employee who has described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence.” He has also been referred to as previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” -- IE
Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (File Photo)
How the Plot Unfolded Washington DC: US law enforcement officials have revealed striking evidence, including electronic intercepts and a photograph of cash payment allegedly made by purported drug runner and weapons trafficker Nikhil Gupta to an undercover agent he attempted to hire to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. In an indictment unsealed by the US Attorney’s office in Manhattan, authorities also revealed that Gupta was in constant communication with an Indian official (identified only as CC-1) who directed the alleged plot, ostensibly in exchange for getting Gupta off the hook in a criminal case in Gujarat. Revealing details of the plot, the indictment said beginning in or about early May 2023, in a series of telephonic and electronic communications between the Indian official CC-1 and Gupta over encrypted applications, CC-1 asked Gupta to arrange the murder of the victim in exchange for CC-1 ‘s assistance in securing the dismissal of a criminal case. Gupta, it said, agreed to orchestrate the assassination. In addition to their electronic communications, Gupta also met CC-1 in-person in New Delhi in furtherance of the plot, it alleged. In a footnote, the indictment said Gupta and CC-1 largely communicated in English, and Gupta sometimes left CC-1 voice notes in Hindi. On or about May 6, 2023, at the outset of their conversation over a particular encrypted messaging application, CC-1 wrote Gupta: “This is [CC-1]. .. Save my name as [CC1 Alias].” Gupta, it said, saved the telephone number on his phone under an alias for CC-1. A few minutes later, CC-1 messaged Gupta that CC-1 had a “target in New York” and another target in “California.” The telephone number used by CC-1 has an India country code and is registered to an email account that, based on Internet Protocol data, accessed the Internet during the period of the murder plot on numerous occasions from the vicinity of New Delhi, where CC-1 worked during the relevant time period for an Indian government agency as set forth above, the indictment said. On or about May 12, 2023, CC-1 notified Gupta that his criminal case “has already been taken care of,” and that “nobody from Gujrat (sic) police is calling. Days later, CC-1 again assured Gupta that he had had “spoken with the boss about your Gujarat case,” that it was “all clear,” and “nobody will ever bother you again.” CC-1 further offered to arrange a meeting between Gupta and a “DCP,” which is an acronym for Deputy Commissioner of Police. Following CC-1 ‘s assurances, the indictment said Gupta pressed forward to arrange the murder. On or about May 29, 2023, Gupta asked the Confidential Source (CS) by phone if the CS knew anyone who would be willing to carry out a murder-for-hire in the United States. Gupta explained that the intended victim was a lawyer who split time between New York City and another US city (“US City-I”).
Continued on Page 5 Indo-American News • Friday, DECEMBER 1, 2023 • www.indoamerican-news
VISA
December 1, 2023
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VFS Global’s Step-by-Step Guide to Mitigate Visa Appointment Fraud By Amit Kumar Sharma The meteoric surge in travel worldwide has opened a gateway for not just globe-trotting travellers but also for a shadowy underbelly of scam artists. As tourists give in to their wanderlust in what’s termed as ‘revenge travel’, many find themselves at the mercy of fraudsters preying on the increased demand for visa appointments. So, it is essential to be aware of common scenarios to protect yourself from falling victim to fraudsters who may deceive unsuspecting visa applications into paying money for booking visa appointments. Given this context, the following is the guidance from VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialists for governments and diplomatic missions, on ways to stay clear of scams such as selling appointments, issuing fake appointment letters, claiming to influence positive visa decisions, etc. HERE’S A QUICK GUIDE TO MITIGATE FRAUD Q1. Where should one head to book visa appointments? www.VFSglobal.com is the only official website to book visa appointments for the countries we serve. Q2. Is there a fee to book visa appointments? We do not charge any payment for scheduling visa appointments for countries we serve. Appointments are free and can only be booked at www.vfsglobal.com. There could be a nominal service fee to prepay for select countries. The availability of visa appointment slots is determined solely by the respective government. (Embassy/Consulate) Q3. Does VFS Global associate with third-party entities for visa facilitation? No, we do not work in association with any third-party entity. Applicants should beware of scammers and fraudulent entities or imposters who claim to be associated with us in any capacity or pose as VFS Global to dupe them. We are also working very closely with travel agent associations to educate and create awareness among travellers to beware of such kinds of fraud. Q4. Does VFS Global play any part in visa decision-making? The decision on visa applications, the visa tenure, and the timelines to process them lie solely on the respective embassies or consulates. VFS Global only handles the administrative and non-judgemental aspects of the visa application process. We have no role or influence on the decision of your visa application. Even if someone is opting for value-added services, it does not influence quicker or positive visa decisions. Q5. Does the company seek personal information or upfront payment via social media, email, SMS, or calls? We never ask visa applicants to
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share their personal information or make an upfront payment via any social media message, email, SMS, or call. If you have been asked to make payments to personal accounts to expedite your visa application process, you may be interacting with a scammer. We urge applicants to guard against sharing personal details unless the authenticity of the requester is confirmed. Payments should only be made through our official website (www.vfsglobal.com) or at our Visa Application Centre. Q6. How do you educate people on visa fraud? We conduct extensive social media campaigns to raise awareness about visa fraud and educate customers on how to identify and report fraudulent activities. Our sustained efforts over the past years have yielded good results. If you come to know that fraud is being perpetrated, we encourage you to contact local police and/or competent authorities and also to keep us informed by reporting the fraud at acco@ vfsglobal.com. Q7. Does VFS Global offer immigration and job services? No, we do not provide immigration and job services. Applicants are advised to be cautious of scammers offering spurious job or immigration opportunities for money. Here’s a look at their Modus Operandi: · Scammers pose as fake employers or immigration agents offering jobs or immigration, falsely claiming to be from VFS Global · Using a fake ‘email ID’, they impersonate heads or key departments of the company and send fabricated job offer letters and o ff i c i a l - l o o k i n g documentation via email. · Often the email is sent from an ID very similar to VFS Global’s official websites and email addresses (e.g. using vfsglobal-helpline.com, instead of vfshelpline.com) · When the intended victim calls/ checks the website on the communication, easily available masking software is used to clone VFS Global’s web page/
Amit Kumar Sharma, HeadAmericas, VFS Global
mask phone numbers, so it appears that the call has indeed come from an official VFS Global line · The victim is then asked to verify the number on an officiallooking website or even to submit documents at an ‘office’, leading him/her to further believe the caller · The call is backed by fabricated job offer letters and official-looking documentation sent via email · To show acceptance of the job
or immigration opportunity, the individual is asked to make an upfront payment and share personal information, such as ID or bank details, to take things forward. Q8. How exactly do unsuspecting visa aspirants get scammed and how does one separate the real from the fake? The travel outlook is extremely positive. Given the high demand, VFS Global, through all its customer touchpoints has consistently urged applicants to apply for visas early to avoid last-minute surprises and most essential stay safe from grey operators. Some grey operators have been misusing the demand-supply gap and the pent-up travel desperation to fleece applicants by offering them visa appointments in exchange for money. Visa appointments are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis only at www.vfsglobal.com. Beware of fraudulent entities trying to sell appointments
Indo-American News • Friday, december 1, 2023• www.indoamerican-news.com
independently or in the name of VFS Global. Q9. What are the signs to know that you are being scammed? · You receive emails with job offers or immigration promises from fabricated email IDs via personal email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, .co. in, etc.) · You receive a job offer from a company you have NOT applied to · You are asked to make an advance payment to a personal bank account with the threat of visa application rejection or deportation, or loss of the job offer · You receive pixelated, out-ofproportion VFS Global logo on fabricated offer letters/ contracts By staying informed and following guidelines provided by VFS Global, applicants can safeguard themselves from falling victim to visa fraud and ensure a smooth and legitimate visa application experience.
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December 1, 2023
Indo-American News • Friday, DECEMBER 1, 2023 • www.indoamerican-news
CRICKET
December 1, 2023
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TCC Fall 2023 Tournament Winners: Gladiators, Runners Up: Big 12 Houston: Gladiators defeated Big12 in the Finals of Fall 2023 TCC Taped ball tournament, by 66 runs to lift their fifth championship. Thirty-Five teams across Houston participated in the Fall 2023 tournament. Big12 won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast conditions. Arun, Big 12’s captain, made an impactful start by dismissing Sanman of the first delivery. Amit and Darshan then established a solid partnership, accumulating over 50 runs in the next ten overs. Amit scored 34 runs off 32 balls before falling to Rakesh’s bowling in the 10th over. No.4 batsman Parimal started briskly, hitting two boundaries in the same over to take Gladiators to 67-2 at the end of 10 overs. After the break, despite playing with a broken thumb, Darshan increased the strike rate by hitting the ball in the gaps and punishing any loose balls. Big 12 responded with intelligent bowling, inducing false strokes and claiming wickets of Parimal (11) , Darshan(32), Mathew(5) and Emad(7) in quick succession. Despite Big 12 threatening to fold the innings with six wickets down, Aradhya’s classy innings prevented such a scenario. Gladiators’ deep batting lineup shone through, with valuable contributions down the order by Aradhya (22), Ninad (8) and Suresh (6), who scored 40 runs off the last four overs. Suresh hit a stunning reverse sweep for six towards the end that demoralized Big12 bowlers. Gladiators concluded their innings at 141 runs, losing eight wickets. Arun picked up three wickets for Big 12, while Aneesh proved to be the most economical bowler, conceding only 19 runs and taking one wicket. Mathew, opening the bowling for the Gladiators, conceded only one run in the first over. Ninad continued exerting pressure and subsequently bowled Rex (4).. Sandeep, ace leg spinner, maintained a tight grip while Left arm speedster Suresh, following his MVP performance in the semifinals, claimed Adriraj’s wicket caught behind by Bhushan Bafna. As the run rate climbed, Swapnil attempted a big shot against Sandeep, but Sanman’s sensational diving catch at the boundary ended his innings and spurred further energy amongst Gladiator players. Rajiv and Eshwar attempted to rebuild the innings, but Parimal broke the partnership. Ali fell victim to a brilliant fielding effort by Emad, resulting in a runout. At the end of the 10 overs, Big 12 had lost five wickets with only 45 runs on the board. Prabharan, a big hitter, then joined Eshwar as the last recognized batting pair. Parimal dismissed Eshwar in the 12th over, and Pawan castled Prabaharan’s stumps to leave Big12 reeling at 68 for 7. Gladiators then quickly wrapped Big 12 innings in the
Champions: Gladiators
Runners Up: Big 12
16th over, with Big 12 managing only 75 runs. Parimal had the best bowling figures taking three wickets for only 10 runs, while Pawan and Suresh picked up 2 wick-
ets each and Ninad and Sandeep claimed one wicket each. Gladiator’s victory was once again symbolic of team effort with every member contributing to-
INDIA-US
How the Assassination Plot Unfolded Continued from Page 2
The CS responded that he would reach out to his contacts. Over the ensuing weeks, Gupta engaged in a series of electronic and recorded communications with the CS and later the UC (undercover agent), including by phone, video, and text message, during which they discussed, among other things, the logistics and price of the murder. For example, during a video call, Gupta reminded the CS that the victim worked as a lawyer and suggested that the CS’ s associates could contact the victim under the guise of obtaining legal advice in order to lure the victim to a place where he could be more easily executed. On or about May 29, 2023, Gupta sent screenshots to CC-1 of his (Gupta’s) text messages with the CS, in which the CS requested details about the victim and about payment for killing the Victim. CC-1 responded that “we
are ready to pay $150000 ... the offer will go higher depending upon the quality of the work ... and if it’s done as soon as possible.” Gupta, the indictment said, replied to CC-1 with a screenshot of the CS requesting “100 k.” CC-I responded “Ok,” and then added that while an advance payment was not possible, “the whole money will be paid with in [sic] 24 hours after the work is done.” According to the indictment, on or about June 1, 2023, CC-1 sent Gupta the street address for the victim’s home in New York City, which CC-1 described to Gupta as “the locality of [the victim’s] House.” The next day, on or about June 3, 2023, Gupta spoke with the CS by audio call, and urged the CS to have his associates carry out the murder soon, stating: “finish him brother, finish him, don’t take too much time ... push these guys, push these guys ...finish the job.” -- Chidananda Rajghatta in ToI
wards the win in some form or the other. Gladiator’s top wicket taker and strike bowler Vishal Kalal was missed. The presentation ceremony was
well organized by Jagadish Biradar. Dinesh from Gladiators was thanked and appreciated by one and all for his voluntary scheduling services for the benefit of the teams. Emad Babri, Gladiators’ captain and Dinesh Kasliwal (Coach and manager) received the winner’s trophy, while the captain of Big 12, Arun, accepted the runners-up trophy. Darshan from the Gladiators was named the MVP of the final, and Amit Patel from Gladiators was nominated as the MVP of the series. Tournament level awards were also handed over. For Divn I, Shiva from HCCC was the best batsman with 252 runs. Kalanka from SLCC was the best bowler with 13 wickets. Rex from Big12 was the best wicketkeeper with 25 dismissals. Sriram from CSK was the best All Rounder with 134 runs and 8 wickets. Special award for century was given to Ashwin from Cougars and Sukitha from Tuskers. For Divn II, Amit from Houston Fighters was the best batsman with 252 runs. AP Sharma from BCC Legends was the best bowler with 14 wickets. Thisara from All Stars CC was the best wicketkeeper with 21 dismissals. Kavindu from All Stars CC was the best All Rounder with 230 runs and 13 wickets. Special award for century was given to Robin from Woodlands Hurricanes and Sumanth from Kastech Kings. Special Award for Hat trick was given to AP Sharma from BCC Legends. Online scorecard is at https:// cricclubs.com/3T/viewScorecard. do?matchId=1770&clubId=8675 YouTube link is https://youtu. be/m_k1v0Vo1i4 TCC website report is at https:// triggerscricket.com/?p=882
OBITUARY
Sandra (Sandi) Louise Bhatia: 1946-2023
Sandra (Sandi) Louise Bhatia, 77, passed away on November 21, 2023 in Houston, Texas. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1946 to Richard and Dorothy Hass. Sandi married Dr. Pritam S. Bhatia in 1965. Sandi attended the University of Arkansas where she received a master’s degree in social work. She worked as a social worker in several hospitals while living in Arkansas. Sandi was a devout catholic. She had many hobbies including art, crochet, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Pritam S. Bhatia. She is survived by her four children: Dr. Devinder S. Bhatia and his wife Gina; Heather Coleman and her husband Andrew; Tej BhatiaHerring and her husband Michael, and Ravi Bhatia. Additionally, she is survived by her six loving grandchildren Morgan Bhatia, Drake Bhatia, Mia Bhatia, Tamas
Indo-American News • Friday, december 1, 2023• www.indoamerican-news.com
Coleman, Cannon Coleman, and Truth Bhatia-Herring. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 o’clock in the morning on Monday, December 4, 2023, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 3617 Milam Street in Houston with a reception to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Sandi’s memory may be directed to the Dominican Friars, South Dominican Province, P.O. Box 8129, New Orleans, LA 70182 (OPSouth.org/give).
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SPORTS
December 1, 2023
Gujarati Samaj of Houston Elects President, VP, Committee for 2024
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My job is to make Medicare as simple as possible for you. I can help answer questions about: • Medicare Supplement Plans • Medicare Advantage Plans • Prescription Drug Plans Houston: Gujarati Samaj of Houston has been celebrating our traditional festivals such as Navaratri and Diwali since its inception in 1979. It is the oldest organization that celebrates Navaratri for all the nine days of this festival. During Navaratri it is also a time for the members to commit themselves to the samaj by becoming member of the samaj for the coming year. Each two years during Navaratri the Gujarati Samaj holds election to elect New president, Vice President, Executive committee and Trustee committee. Normally elections are avoided when you do not have enough people standing for positions and in that case the president/Vice president will have to select the members for executive committee. This year was very different, we had 2 different panels running for the positions and hence became a very historical election. All positions had more people running for those positions. There were 22 members standing for the Executive committee and only 14 positions. 2 members for President, 2 members for Vice president and 4 members for Trustee with only 3 positions. The elections took place on Oct 21, 2023 at the Gujarati Samaj of Houston Event Center from 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM. The counting was done the next day and announced that day. This year the following members were elected and will serve the samaj for 2 years team.
President – Parimal Rathod Vice President – Girish Naik Executive Committee Mehul Desai, Paresh Desai, Kishorbhai Patel, Sanjay Chauhan, Vasant Patel, Minaben Hingu Ila Joshi, Heena Jethva, Bharat Shah, Bhavisha Patel, Gopalbhai Selani, Devesh Parikh Rupen Patel and Kapil Mittal Trustees Rakesh Shah, Geeta Patel, Jignesh Patel Rakesh Shah was later elected as the Chief Trustee of the Samaj in the internal trustee voting. The Vision and objectives of the current committee is to build a Gujarati Samaj Pride by enhancing member benefits giving them full value of there membership. Our initiatives for the year: • Kids/Youth programs – Trips to Museums, Educational seminars for youth, Scholarship for deserving Gujarati students and Graduation Party • Women Empowerment program consisting of various topic such as Safety, leadership and women related other issues. • Senior engagement – give seniors the opportunity to volunteer, attend programs at a very minimal cost or Free • Celebration of our major festivals • Reforms to our monthly publication Darpan – Digital copy and communication portals.
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By contacting this number, you will be connected with a licensed insurance agent. Nutan Patel Insurance is not connected with the Federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE for information on all your options.
Indo-American News • Friday, DECEMBER 1, 2023 • www.indoamerican-news
December 1, 2023
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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: www.indoamerican-news.com
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December 1, 2023
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RELIGION
December 1, 2023
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Five-day Rituals, Ram Lalla’s Yatra to New Ayodhya Temple Planned Ayodhya: Ahead of the January 22 “pran prathishtha” or the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the new temple in Ayodhya, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, set up by the Centre for the construction and management of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, has been holding a series of meetings for reviewing the preparations. The Trust has also started the process for the selection of young priests, who would be trained for six months in offering prayers to Ram Lalla. While 20 candidates are to be selected for the ‘archak’ training, sources said that they have received over 3,000 applications. The shortlisted candidates are currently being interviewed for the final selection. Among the qualification criteria required for the training programme, the applicant must have acquired primary “traditional Gurukul” education and received Shri Ramanandiya Diksha. According to Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of the Trust, the rituals for the pran prathishtha ceremony would start six days before January 22. “It has been decided that rituals
town to see will start six the “Pran days before Pratistha” the Pran Pratceremony. ishtha. While The tent it would accity is being tually be five developed days as one by Shri Ram day will be Janmabfor the yahoomi Teerth tra in which Kshetra Trust Ram Lalla and Ayodhya would be Development moved to the Authority new temple,” at different said Giri. places in the “It has been decided An aerial view of the under-construction Ram Temple in Ayodhya ahead city. “…one tent that the ritu- of January 22 consecration. (Image source: @ShriRamTeerth/X) city is coming als would be Earlier, the Indian Express reled by Acharya Laxmikant Dixit ported that youths, aged between up at Majha Guptar Ghat, where ji from Kashi, Pandit Ganeshwar 20 and 30 years, will be trained as accommodation is being prepared Shashtri Dravid along with over priests ahead of the consecration for about 20 to 25000 pilgrims. Then another tent city is being 150 purohits (priests) would assist ceremony. Acharya Laxmikant,” he added. The Trust, in its notification developed at Brahma Kund in AyOn selection of candidates for uploaded on its website, said that odhya Dham, which would have the “archak” or priest training, once selected, each of the candi- 35 large tents to accommodate Giri said, “The interview process dates will get Rs 2,000 as a month- about 30,000 pilgrims,” Satyendra has begun. I was in Ayodhya a day ly stipend along with residential Singh, secretary of the Ayodhya Development Authority said. before and took part in the inter- accommodation and food. Another tent city is being develviews being conducted for the seMeanwhile, work has also startlection of candidates. The final list ed in Ayodhya for the construction oped by Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth of the selected priests would come of a tent city, which would ac- Kshetra Trust at Bagh Bijeshi soon out after the completion of commodate 80,000 pilgrims who on about 25 acres of land, which the selection process.” are expected to reach the temple would accommodate another
Indo-American News • Friday, december 1, 2023• www.indoamerican-news.com
25,000 pilgrims. The tent cities are also being developed at Kar Sewakpuram, Maniram Das Chavni for the pilgrims. “These tent cities would have arrangements to keep the tents warm, considering the cold waves that are expected at that time, along with arrangements for food and medical camps, an official said. Earlier this month, akshat pujan was performed in a grand way in Ayodhya to mark the beginning of the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony. Over 200 Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers from its 45 units across the country collected 101 brass “kalash” (urn), each carrying five kilos of “akshat”, from the Ram Temple site for distribution in over 5 lakh villages between January 1 and January 15. On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. In its ruling, the Supreme Court mandated that a Ram temple be built on the site where the Babri Masjid once stood and that five acres be set aside for the construction of a mosque within the district of Ayodhya. -- Indian Express
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COMMUNITY
‘Diwali Dhamaka’ by Khushboo Dance Groups at Iskcon Temple, Houston
Houston: Grand successful “Diwali Dhamaka” event was organised by Khushboo Groups LLC,with huge crowd & full of energetic performances at Iskcon temple- Gauranga Celebration Hall on 17th Nov 2023, Friday 6 pm onwards. Guest of Honor Judge Juli Mathew did the inauguration ceremony by lighting the diya with Mr Sunil Jaiswal & Mrs Renu Jaiswal. Event started with Inaugural act by Tharangini Vankadara (Singer) & Music by Mr Atit Tilwankar & back-to-back stage performances by Khushboo Dance Group & other Dance schools from all around HoustonSpotlight Dance studio by Priyanka, Haritha’s Dance group, Divya’s Dance group, Sudipta Rythm group, Sujata’s Nach Balliye, Aparna & Ananya duet performce. Fashion shows by Payal’s Fashion PalattePayal Mandewalkar with Designer Hema Mulani-Silk India & Munnari’s Collection by designer Sadia Ahmed & kids designer -My little Marigold by Gunjan Talwar & Monica Sharma, added a special limelight to the show. Food booth, Diwali Bazaar, and free giveaways brought up the diwali vibes & special effects. Huge sponsorship by many renowned companies such as- Tanishq, Strategic Financial Group, Tara Capital, MK groups, Aujla Insurance LLC,Club Z,SBS beyond IT, Airfilter Tech, RazDaz Production,Bisha Herbals ,Nishant Groups, made this event a grand successfull show of year 2023 Dhol & DJ - by DJVB was the charm of this show. Dhol on hoverboard was the surprise element of this show. Emcee Lakshmi Peter & Sunaina Panchal kept the audience engaged throughout.They enhanced the energy & uplifted the vibe of Diwali Dhamaka.
Senior citizen performances by IndoAmerican Seniors of Greater Houston(IASGH)- Bud Patel group & Senior citizen performances by parents visiting from India (Mrs Sunil Jaiswal,Mrs Renu Jaiswal,Mrs Meera Singh, Chandrakanta Soni, Manjushree Kishor Tilwankar, Kishor G. Tilwankar) -gave a special impact to this wonderful show. Kirvens Photography covered the entire show.
DIWALI DHAMAKA was a huge successful show with back to back 30 performances & more than 200 performers. Best food was served by Mirch Masala. Audience really enjoyed the food & it gave a perfect Diwali feel to this huge event. Hardwork of Dr Khushboo Jaiswal & complete team work was what made this event a grand success.
HINDU WORSHIP SOCIETY invites devotees to attend the
Mata Ji Ki Chowki Monday, January 1, 2024 PATRONS
Dr. Durga & Sushila Aggarwal Family Devki & Kirti Aggarwal Family Pushpa & Viki Kapoor Family Rita & Bal Sareen Family
Puja 4:30 pm Bhajans 8:30 pm SPONSORS Aarti 9 pm Aruna & Ravi Goel Family
Shanta Chawla and family Raj Khosla Family Dr. Kaushal & Meena Gupta Family Meera Soni Family Shakun Parti Family Amy & Lovekesh Sareen Family Dinesh & Sangeeta Sareen family
performed by
BALRAM & SHEEL THAKRAL accompanied by devotees
ISHWER BHAI, RISHAB LAMSEL & others
To become a PATRON or SPONSOR, contact: PANDIT JI 832-278-0100
in association with SHRI SITA RAM FOUNDATION
Ramcharitmanas 24-hr Recital
CELEBRATING THE GLORY OF LORD RAM at same time as
Pran Pratiksha
is live streamed from Ayodhya, while HWS devotees have prasad
Puja & Reciting
Saturday, Jan 20, 6:30pm till Sunday, Jan 21, 7:15pm followed by a Small Cultural Program, Bhajans & Aarti, 7:30 pm
PATRONS Dr Arun & Vinnie Varma; Bal & Rita Sareen; Dr. Durga & Sushila Aggarwal; Jugal & Raj Malani
SPONSORS Mohini Vashist; Baru & Prem Goyal Family
FOR INFORMATION, CALL PANDIT BHAWANI SHANKAR SHASTRI 832-278-0100
2223 Wirtcrest Ln., Houston, TX 77055
www.hwstemple.org • hws.temple@gmail.com • Facebook: @hwstemple Indo-American News • Friday, DECEMBER 1, 2023 • www.indoamerican-news
December 1, 2023 11
ENTERTAINMENT
‘Farrey’: A-grade Drama with Good Acting
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Kumud Athavale, Krishna R. Vuddagiri, Sanchali Basu, Prabha Barvalia, Ramana Vadrevu, KB Amarnath, Pruthvi Seth, K.S.Balasubramanyam, Sahiti Palle, Rekha Trivedi, Sunil Sharma, Yudhveer Bagga, Rekha Trivedi, Taranjit Singh, Sai Lakshmi Subramanian
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Story: An orphaned 10th board exam topper from Delhi, who earns a spot at a prestigious school in the city, is pulled into a cheating racket by her rich classmates. As the stakes and rewards get higher, she risks losing far more than she stands to gain. What will be the result of this shindig? Review: A school drama with fresh faces is mostly about love and romance, peer pressure, or the clash between the haves and the have-nots. Or is it? Not for director Soumendra Padhi, who delivers an extremely refreshing and thrilling movie. The set-up isn’t novel — two gifted board toppers from a humble background, Niyati (Alizeh Agnihotri) and Akash (Sahil Mehta), attending an elite school in Delhi on a scholarship programme. But what ensues during their stint is nothing like one has seen on screen before. When passing farrey (chits to cheat in exams) is impossible, Niyati improvises in the most genius ways to help a bunch of her ridiculously rich and spoilt classmates. Leading them is her bench partner, Chhavi (Prasanna Bisht), and her friend, Prateek (Zeyn Shaw). What begins as innocuously saving Chhavi from their teacher’s ire leads Niyati down the rabbit hole of cheating in exams in exchange for money. Each time, the plan is cleverer than the previous one. The film’s main plot is a final international exam where all the students go to different examination centres. Niyati’s Kaushika Shah ingenious plan, which Akash gets pulled into, Licensed Sales Agent and whether it will pan out forms the rest of the 832-282-3515, TTY 711 story. The USP of writers Soumendra and Abhishek Yadav’s narrative lies in avoiding Y0066_23SPRJ55188_C the tropes of school
overstretch, including the final exam track that would have benefitted from being shorter. The thrill reaches a crescendo but plateaus towards the end, with a portion of the main conflict left unexplained, which makes the resolution pale in comparison. As the focus is on the main protagonist, what happens to the other characters is left unanswered. Alizeh Agnihotri makes a strong debut as a spunky topper. She’s convincing in her role as a bright, cheeky, yet reckless girl. Sahil Mehta effortlessly pulls off his complicated character arc. Prasanna Bisht and Zeyn Shaw stand their might as manipulative teenagers. Ronit Bose Roy and Juhi Babbar as the orphanage’s wardens and loving parent figures shine in their roles. Despite some loose ends, Farrey is a compelling watch that will keep you entertained throughout. As it resonates with energetic performances, with her impressive debut, Alizeh Agnihotri is someone to watch out for! -- Times of India
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drama and the thrill it serves. The contrasting worlds of the rich and the poor kids are presented well. While the former has the opportunities but not the fire to study, it’s the other way around for the latter. Interestingly, albeit dissimilar, parents’ expectations are a common factor. Chhavi’s father (Arbaaz Khan) wants her to give up her dreams of becoming an interior designer and study at Stanford to carry his business forward, and Akash’s mother wants him to let go of the full scholarship at Oxford to handle their humble laundry work. The movie’s music is another strong point. Sachin-Jigar give a club banger with Ghar Pe Party Hai, which is a chic portrayal of how the youth lets its hair down, a desi dance number with Macha De Tabahi, and MC Stan’s hip-hop title track. The splendidlyscored background music perfectly complements the drama. Although Soumendra (renowned for Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega) presents a well-crafted outing overall, the sequences of cheating in the exams tend to
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By Dhaval Roy
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Indo-American News • Friday, DECEMBER 1, 2023 • www.indoamerican-news