Indo-American News: February 24, 2025

Sewa’s AmeriCorps Team Organizes Donations for Earthquake Victims

Houston: Sewa International

Houston’s AmeriCorps team organized a donation drive on February 18 in support of the victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. People from different communities all over Houston came together to donate hundreds of items including food, clothes, winter coats, hygiene items, outdoor supplies, tents, hand warmers, shoes, and baby necessities.

Sewa AmeriCorps was able to secure partnerships with the National Association of Christian Churches (NACC) to ensure the delivery of these goods to both Turkey and Syria, the American Turkish Association of Houston for help promoting the event, and the Syrian American Club of Houston who promoted the event and provided several volunteers from their community for the event.

The Sewa AmeriCorps team received more than 150 cardboard boxes donated by Home Depot, Lowes, and U-Haul into which volunteers sorted and packed all of the donations, and transported them to the NACC office. Over

200 boxes were taken to the NACC warehouse, filling over three pickup trucks, a trailer, an SUV, and a big U-Haul truck.

NACC has partnered with Turkish Airlines and will deliver these supplies by air to Syria and Turkey. They will then coordinate with local NGOs, non-profits, and government organizations to ensure the packages reach the earth-

quake survivors in both Turkey and Syria.

During the drive, one of the donors, Danya, came along with her friend to donate items. Her young son asked if he could donate $28 as that was the total money he had. Children from another family donated their favorite blankets and sweatshirts specifically to send them to kids in Syria even though

these items were dear to them.

People showed great interest in any similar future donation drives by Sewa-AmeriCorps.

Sewa International’s former president, Ms. Manju Gupta, who came to donate items during this drive said, “This is amazing work. It needed a lot of planning, hard work, and dedication to get this done. Kudos to the Sewa Interna-

tional and AmeriCorps team.”

Kira Reyna, a Sewa-AmeriCorps member and the team lead for this drive said, “I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude at the response we have received from the community, especially considering that this drive was announced on Monday and took place on Saturday. The amount of love, compassion, generosity, and the sense of community that came from this event was just incredible and I’m overjoyed to be a part of it.”

Sewa International has also started a Facebook fundraising campaign for Turkey and Syria earthquake victims and has raised $15,000. Volunteers from Sewa International’s partner organization, Food For Life (FFL), have started relief work in the earthquake-hit areas of Turkey, serving about 800-1200 meals daily in villages near Antakya, the capital of Hatay Province, the southernmost province of Turkey. While Sewa Europe is planning to send volunteers to offer help on the ground in Turkey, Sewa USA is preparing to send tents that can accommodate large families.

City of Seattle Bans Caste Discrimination

seattle: The City of Seattle has become the first US city to ban caste discrimination as its council added caste to the anti-discrimination laws. Supporters of the ordinance said that case discrimination crosses national and religious boundaries and that without such laws, those facing caste discrimination will have no protections.

The city council members voted as activists and organizers on different sides of the issue began arriving in Seattle. Earlier, more than 100 people had put in requests to speak at the meeting as several activists waited for their chance to speak to the council before the vote.

Council Member Kshama Sawant, the only Indian American on the Seattle City Council, said that the ordinance does not single out one community. Over the past three years, several colleges and university systems have moved to prohibit caste discrimination in the United States.

In December 2019, Brandeis University became the first US college to include caste in its nondiscrimination policy and California State University System, Colby College, Brown University and the University of California, Davis have all adopted similar measures.

Harvard University also included caste protections for student workers in 2021 as part of its contract with its graduate student union.

The measure in Seattle has the support of Dalit activist-led organizations like Equality Labs among others, Associated Press reported. Opposition to this ordinance came from groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America, the report added.

In response to the resolution, Hindu American Foundation cofounder and Executive Director Suhag Shukla stated:

“Throughout our two decades of existence, HAF has maintained that caste discrimination is wrong, violating core Hindu principles of the divine oneness of all beings. At the same time, we maintain that the singling out of South Asians and addition of ‘caste’ to nondiscrimination policy violates the very policies it now amends. The City of Seattle has voted to treat South Asians in a manner that no other ethnic or racial community is treated under the guise of nondiscrimination. It has voted yes to discriminating against ethnic minorities, repeating the ugliness of nativists in the state nearly a century ago.”

In passing this resolution, Seattle is now in violation of the US Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process that prohibit the state from treating disparately people on account of their national origin, ethnicity, or religion, and implementing a vague, facially discriminatory and

Engineering Firm Under Investigation

Houston: A long-time city and county vendor who has donated heavily to local politicians and raked in at least $55 million from government contracts has been charged in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar bribery scheme in which he is accused of defrauding another company to win contracts.

Sudhakar Kalaga, a 56-year-old Sugar Land business owner and the founder of engineering firm KIT Professionals, was charged last month with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and accused of giving the manager of another company millions of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for lucrative contracts.

arbitrary category, Foundation attorneys contended.

“Seattle has taken a dangerous misstep here, institutionalizing bias against all residents of Indian and South Asian origin, all in the name of preventing bias,” said HAF Managing Director Samir Kalra. “When Seattle should be protecting the civil rights of all its residents, it is actually violating them by running roughshod over the most basic and fundamental rights in US law, all people being treated equally.”

Though caste discrimination has been presented by Councilmember Sawant and her supporters as being rampant in the US, the only authoritative survey on discrimination against the Indian and South Asian community here, done by the Carnegie Endowment, has found that incidents of caste discrimination are rare.

Furthermore this survey specifically rebuked the findings and methodology of a survey by Equality Labs upon which Councilmember Sawant based her resolution.

The charging document also accuses Kalaga of submitting fake bids from non-existent construction companies to make his firm’s bids appear lower. The alleged scheme continued for a decade from 2010 to 2019, according to investigators.

While the conspiracy charge only concerns Kalaga’s dealings in the private sector, records show his firm has carried out a high volume of public work for both the city of Houston and Harris County.

From 2008 to 2022, the firm was awarded $109 million in city work, most as an engineering subcontractor but also as a prime contractor on several occasions, and still is engaged on dozens of active contracts.

To date, KIT Professionals has received at least $50 million in payments from the city under 152 contracts, eight of them as the prime contractor and the rest as a subcontractor.

Kalaga stepped down from his role as the president of KIT Professionals after the criminal charge was filed on January 13 to protect the firm and its employees, according to his attorney, Rusty

Hardin. His wife still is listed on the company’s website as its vice president.

Hardin said Kalaga has taken responsibility for the wrongdoing since the initial civil lawsuit in 2019, and highlighted that nothing regarding KIT Professionals’ government contracts have been deemed improper.

“He has always accepted full responsibility for what’s happened, immediately separated himself from the company when these charges were filed, and there is no suggestion that any of the city contracts or any government contracts were an issue at all,” Hardin said. Kalaga made his initial appearance in federal court on January 25. If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. He remains free on $50,000 bail.

Kalaga’s work for the city continued even after accusations of fraud and bribery first surfaced in a 2019 civil lawsuit that the victim company, Toshiba International, filed against him, alleging he used fake bids to trick the manufacturing giant into awarding him over $100 million in construction contracts. -- Houston Chronicle.

Anti-discrimination activist and Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant

Sudhakar Kalaga

TCC Taped Ball Fall 2022 Tournament Winners: Big XI, Runners Up SLCC

Houston: The prior weekend ended in an anti-climactic washout delaying the much-awaited Final of the TCC Taped Ball Fall 2022 cricket tournament to Feb 4th. But the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the finalists, SLCC and Big XII, both of whom had played attractive cricket throughout the tourney. This was the proverbial David versus Goliath matchup –SLCC, the table-topping Goliath, having featured in a dozen previous finals; Big XII, the underdog David, having begun the season with two losses before flipping the script to record eight consecutive wins. Would SLCC’s confidence from being a repeat winner reign supreme or would it be Big XII’s relentless persistence after many a barren season that was going to be rewarded finally?

Big XII skipper Arun won the toss and backed the team’s bowling strengths. Big XII’s fourpronged pace attack comprising the disciplined skipper, his trusted lieutenant Prabaharan, seasoned campaigner Sunny, and talismanic all-rounder Aneesh, was always going to be a handful. Wickets began tumbling when Ranil miscued a hoick off Arun and Eshwar pouched the skier in the deep. The tone had been set, Big XII wasn’t going to choke in big moments. The very next ball Sunny had Kusal nick to Rex and suddenly both SLCC openers were back in the hut for only a dozen runs. Wickets continued to tumble as Prabaharan, Aneesh and Bala skidded past

SLCC’s defenses, each picking up a wicket. SLCC now had its back against the wall with the scoreboard 33-5 at the halfway mark. The second half of the SLCC inning witnessed a gritty comeback on the back of a masterful partnership between Thilan and Thusitha. They put on 56 runs as the pair rebuilt amidst the ruins. Thilan played the shot of the morning when he pulled a pacy short ball from Prabaharan in front of square for a stunning six. SLCC completed its innings shortly thereafter setting Big XII 96 runs to win its first title.

Big XII got off to a customary busy start as openers

Eshwar and Rajiv scurried to 14 in 2 overs. But SLCC pegged one back when Thusitha had the dangerous Eshwar caught behind. A budding partnership between Rajiv and mainstay Swapnil was cut short by Thusitha as he picked up the second of his eventual four wickets. This brought Big XII’s most capped keeper-batsman Rex to the middle who combined with Rajiv to stitch a useful 24 run partnership that steadied the ship. Just as Rajiv looked set scoring at will with trademark languid grace, a misunderstanding with his former roommate ended in his run out giving SLCC a glimmer of hope. Adriraj’s dis-

missal mimicked Eshwar’s which brought the in-form Aneesh to the crease. Thereafter Rex was in MVP element, flicking SLCC

bowlers repeatedly through square, unsettling their rhythm and haring between the wickets. By the time Aneesh and Rex departed Big XII

was just one blow away from victory which was delivered by their semi-final MVP, Prabaharan. Big XII had finally become deserved champions after a decade-long campaign. Writeup is provided by a “professional” blogger/commentator Adriraj Chakraborty

The game was followed by a well-managed presentation ceremony organized by Jagdish Biradar. Arun, the captain of Big XII was handed over the winner’s trophy and the runners up trophy was handed over to captain of SLCC Dushan. Rex from Big XII was the MVP of the final.

Tournament awards were also handed over. Aneesh from Big XII was the MVP of the tournament. For Divn I, Sukitha from Tuskers was the best batsman with 239 runs, Prasad from BHCC was best bowler with 20 wickets, Ranil from SLCC was the best wicketkeeper with 19 dismissals, Sukitha from Tuskers was the best allrounder with 239 runs and 10 wickets. Special awards were given to Prashant from Powerstars for century and Aneesh from Big XII for Hat trick. For Divn II, Paul from Miura Bulls was the best batsman with 201 runs, Jameel from Champions CC II was the best bowler with 13 wickets, Saurabh from Woodlands Hurricanes with 19 dismissals was the best wicket keeper, Gaurav from Miura Bulls was the best allrounder with 166 runs and 10 wickets.Online scorecard is at: https://www. cricclubs.com/3T/fullScorecard. do?matchId=1381&clubId=8675

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Winnders: Big XI

Runners up: SLCC

COMMUNITY

JK Yog’s Grand Holi Fest in Houston on 12th March at India House

Houston: JKYog invites all to celebrate the Holi Festival. Holi is a festival of colors, of heralding Spring after a long dark Winter, a celebration of good over evil, of hope and joy. The Houston Holi Fest will celebrate not only the joy of Spring with an afternoon filled with colorful festivities, but one of hope and opportunity for many, as it is also a mega charity event for education and healthcare for under-privileged..

JKYog Holi festival will be an afternoon of DJ, Dance, Color Play, Desi Bazaar, Carnival, Rides, Games, Live Music with Bollywood Celebrities - Remix King Harry Anand & Award Winning

Bollywood Singer Aditi Singh Sharma, of Dhoom Machale fame, and mouthwatering food on Sunday March 12th, 2023, 11 am to 4 pm, in the open grounds of India House, 8888 W Bellfort Ave, Houston, TX 77031. From small children to adults of all ages, there will something to be enjoyed by everyone, cheered on by the Live Music of Bollywood stars Harry Anand and Aditi Singh Sharma. But best of all, 100% of the proceeds from this celebration will fund JKYog’s charitable initiatives for Education and Healthcare for under-privileged.

Program Details and Online

Tickets at https://www.jkyog.org/ Houston-holi

Tickets are only $10 for adults

and parking is free. Tickets are also available at Sulekha.com, Eventbrite.com and major Indian grocery stores.

JKYog is a Nonprofit 501c (3) Organization. The organization’s core philosophy is to transform lives through mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. This holistic approach and means for its practical implementation has been guided and spearheaded by Swami Mukundananda and has transformed millions of lives around the world. Serving people, par-

ticularly in the impoverished parts of rural India has always been a priority. Lack of education, poor medical facilities, malnutrition, and clothing are just a few of the problems that rural India faces. The organization humbly strives in various ways to alleviate these needs by fully supporting many humanitarian projects. Details at www.jkyog.org/charitable-works

Swami Mukundananda - JKYog Founder, IIT, IIM alumnus, Global Spiritual Leader and an authority on Mind Management, visits

Houston each year and presents a series of lectures and discourses. Swamiji blends ancient Vedic knowledge, modern science, and psychology in a unique and compelling way. His lucid yet emphatic explanations of concepts help his audiences to easily connect, comprehend, adopt, and apply his life transforming gems of knowledge.

So come join the Houston JKYog Holi Fest. Have fun, be merry with Color Play, enjoy the DJ, Dancing, Desi Bazaar, Carnival Rides, Games while benefitting a worthy,

much needed cause.

Harry Anand is a 13-time Award winning Bollywood Music Producer / Singer / Song Writer / Video Director, with music for twenty-three films. He is also known as Remix King for his remixes. His well-known biggest hits are in remixes like Kaanta laga / Kaliyoun kachaman / chardi jawani. His creations have been sung by Sukhwinder Singh / Rahat Fateh Ali Khan / Arman Malik / Ankit Tiwari / Sonu Nigam / Sunidhi Chauhan… and the list goes on.

Aditi Singh Sharma is a Bollywood’s Indian Playback Singer. She has performed multiple LIVE Concerts. Some of her biggest hits include Dhoom Machale Dhoom, Dhoom 3, Ki & Ka, Veere Di Wedding, Teraa Surroor, & more.

Come and dance to their music, meet and greet with the star performers, bring your family and friends, and celebrate and memorable afternoon of joy and happiness, at the same time supporting humanitarian projects in underprivileged communities in rural India.

Be Good - Do Good - Feel Good. Be part of something bigger!

Event Date and Time: Sunday March 12th, 2023, 11 am to 4 pm

Venue: open grounds of India House, 8888 W Bellfort Ave, Houston, TX 77031

Contacts: (281) 630-5982, (832) 871-2320

South Asians Making Significant Strides in the World of Franchising

By seema Govil

Houston: The South Asian diaspora comprises knowledgeable and entrepreneurial individuals with the business acumen and drive to become successful franchise owners. The success of numerous South Asian franchise owner’s evidences this across the nation. Such as Sanjeev Khanna (founder and chairman of GS Dallas Group), along with his partners, Govind Agrawal, Rahul Agrawal, Ambika Khanna Cheruvu, and Shivam Khanna, are involved in various franchises, including Subway, Wing Stop, European Wax Center, Massage Envy, Great American Cookies, and Aloft Hotels. The group, which has offices in Dallas and Houston, owns and operates over 200 locations across seven states and Ruchika, Prashant Nagrath, Ruchika, and Prashant’s remarkable growth from 3 to 102 franchise locations in less than 30 months, even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the potential for franchising to be a safe and scalable path to achieve financial and time freedom. And many others from Dallas. Similarly, Houston is home to numerous successful South Asian franchise owners. South Asian parents often place a strong emphasis on education, which plays a significant role in the success of many of these entrepreneurs. Education helps young people develop critical thinking skills and provides them

with the knowledge they need to succeed academically and professionally.

South Asians are also passionate about learning new skills, which can be beneficial when starting a business or managing one successfully.

In addition to having access to educational opportunities, South Asians have access to numerous resources that help them gain insight into franchising. These include online forums where people can ask questions about franchises, research conducted on franchising opportunities, seminars held by franchisors or industry experts on topics such as legal issues related to franchising, or financial

management tips for franchisees; all these resources give potential franchisees invaluable information they need before making any decisions regarding franchising.

For many South Asians, franchising offers an attractive option, as it is a proven business model with lower risks and higher chances of success than independent startups. Franchising allows an individual to get into business with an established brand name with its own loyal customers and employees. It also reduces the time required for market research & development, marketing & promotion, customer service & loyalty building activities when starting an independent venture. Furthermore, franchisors

provide support services such as business training & consultations, which help franchisees run their businesses efficiently and effectively.

In Houston alone, several successful South Asian franchise owners are making a mark for themselves in various industries such as hospitality, retail, food service, etc. These include restaurateur Kumar Daulatramani whose chain Café Bombay has been serving delicious Indian food since 1999; Rajesh Bhavnani, who owns several Subway outlets; Sachin Kakkar, who runs a chain of Burger King restaurants Ricky Oberoi, who runs numerous Wendys in Texas and Florida and Anwar Siddiqui who owns multiple Papa John’s Pizza outlets across the city.

“Franchising success for South Asians is on the rise! With an everincreasing number of South Asian business owners setting their sights on franchising, the opportunities and rewards are vast. From service industry franchises like restaurant chains to retail ones like clothing stores, South Asians are increasingly finding success in the franchising world. The trend has

been reflected in current franchise ownership statistics, showing that 5-8% of all U.S. franchisees are now of South Asian descent. At the same time, the cultural influence and economic impact of these businesses is undeniable, having become valued and trusted members of their local communities. With this trend continuing to grow, it is clear that South Asians are poised to make a powerful impact within the franchising world!”

Join us at the Franchise Expo, on March 4th and 5th at Humble Civic Center, where you can learn from experienced industry experts who will share insider knowledge and advice on scaling a successful franchise. Savvy entrepreneurs know that education is vital - gain valuable insight into marketing strategies, funding options, legal processes, and more!

Kapil Manocha and Seema Govil are available in person for a personal consultation .

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity – scan our QR code or follow the link below for more information about what we have planned!

https://www.franexpousa.com/ attend-houston-franchise-expotrade-show-november-2022?cons=SGovil

Or you can reach out to Seema Govil for any questions regarding the expo or Franchising opportunities.

Seema@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com

Seema Govil is a journalist, consultant for the Franchise Consulting Company.

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HOSPITALITY

First-ever US Expo for Indian Hotel Furnishings Manufacturers

Dallas: The first-ever trade expos in the United States by Indiabased manufacturers of products for the hotel industry are being held in Dallas and in Atlanta. The events, featuring more than 100 suppliers, are scheduled for April 27 through 29 at the SLPS Event Center in Irving, Texas and May 4 through 6 at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia.

“People of Indian heritage are active throughout the U.S. hotel industry – as owners, as product specifiers, and as FF&E buyers,” said Harshal Bhagat, Chairman of the International Business Delegation for the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI), which is organizing and sponsoring the events.

“So it’s very appropriate that India’s leading manufacturers of hotel furnishings come here and demonstrate how they can help American hoteliers achieve their American dream.”

Admission to the trade shows is free, and booths will represent a wide variety of products, notably furniture, linens, fabrics, lighting, accessories, IT support, HVAC, and equipment for in-room technology and entertainment, for safety and security, and for fitness and spa.

Bhagat added, “This is a unique opportunity for American hoteliers to learn directly in face-toface conversations about the very significant savings they gain in costs and in timeline by ordering products from India compared to other off-shore sources.”

Specifically, Indian manufacturers offer a package of benefits that include much shorter lead times for production and shipping, together with duty charges about 20% lower and product costs that can be 20% to 35% lower, according to Bhagat.

“The very latest designs will be on display for hotel owners and developers, purchasing and procurement firms, architects, interior designers, and product specifiers at hotel brands,” according to Bhagat. “And many custom options are conveniently available.”

The SGCCI represents almost 10,000 individual members and about 140 associations. It has a rich history of organizing innovative trade shows such as Yarn Expo, Weaveknitt, Fiber 2 Fashion, Auto Expo, Energy International, and Food & Agritech Expo.

More information and “no cost” registration is available online at www.ifde.sgcci.in or by phone at 844-797-6111.

UH, India’s DGH Sign Geoscience Data MoU

Houston: – The University of Houston and the Directorate General Hydrocarbon (DGH), the technical arm of the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the UH-DGH Data Center, which will house a geoscience data repository with display capability and software to interpret key exploration and production (E&P) data and extensive knowledge of India’s sedimentary basins and fields.

The aim of this five-year agreement is to provide reliable and highquality information – including seismic, well, reservoir and production data – for research and development as well as to investors and companies based in the Greater Houston area and the Gulf Coast to encourage commercial opportunities involving Indian offshore offerings.

Houston, which is home to more than 4,500 energy companies and a key oil and gas hub, and UH, which is a Tier One research university with globally renowned researchers, were a natural strategic choice for the data center.

“This MoU is essentially an agreement to spur collaboration and combine the strengths of the involved parties for greater good,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at UH. “UH is in Houston, the Energy Capital of the World and the DGH has this wonderful wealth of information in its National Data Repository. By working together, we will maximize the potential of this important data and it will serve as an excellent research foundation.”

The agreement was signed by Krishnamoorti on behalf of UH and Akash Goyal, addl. director general – coordination with DGH. The MoU helps strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and India.

Guest room (above), lobby (below)

‘Lost’: Atmospheric, but Ultimately Dissatisfying

By sHuBHra Gupta

A young man who does ‘nukkad naatak’ on Kolkata’s teeming streets, goes missing one fine day. His sister and mother are bereft, because no one, least of all the police, seems interested in searching for him. A journalist with a fine nose for sniffing out trouble is on his trail, asking tough questions, making some powerful people uncomfortable: Aniruddha Roy’s Choudhary’s ‘Lost’ begins with a great deal of promise.

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But as it goes along, it becomes more the story of Vidhi (Yami Gautam) an intrepid reporter, rebellious daughter, loving granddaughter, than about Ishan (Tushar Pandey), the theatre activist, in a rocky relationship with the ambitious Ankita (Pia Bajpiee), and his trajectory. The person who is ‘lost’, on whose story the film’s title is based, takes a back-seat, and it is the film that gets lost.

That shift detracts from the themes it is trying to underline, all important but forced to dovetail into each other — the underprivileged have no say, that caste and class determine fate, but that individuals can shift the needle. When a privileged young man states ‘what’s so surprising about a Dalit youth becoming a Maoist’, it’s not that the statement cannot be true, but it is not the only truth.

Statistics of people who go missing everyday in India flash as the end credits are rolling are alarming. But we never really get to know enough about the earnest Ishan, and his motivations. Exactly what happened to him? Why did he go missing? What causes was he espousing? This sketchiness afflicts almost every other character in the film – Ishan’s ambitious girl-friend (Bajpiee), the menacing politician (nice to see Rahul Khanna on screen, but he really can’t do menace), the senior ‘neta’ who doles out advice, the cops who are more obstructive than anything else.

Choudhary’s

2016 ‘Pink’ was a solid, consistently engaging film in which all the main characters are carefully fleshed out: we are interested in each of the three young women who are up against the might of powerful louts who harass them. In ‘Lost’, parts of which may remind you of ‘Kahaani’ and ‘No One Killed Jessica’ (Kolka-

ta, missing person, fiercely independent journalists upholding the values of integrity and justice), the plot’s focus on Vidhi reduces the other characters into satellites who revolve around her. The only one

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who lifts off the screen is Pankaj Kapur, playing her twinkly-eyed, wise grandpa. And that makes ‘Lost’ nicely atmospheric but ultimately dissatisfying. -- Indian Express

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