Indo-American News: March 31, 2023

Pratham volunteers with President Annu Rao Naik and Bollywood actress Preity G. Zinta (center standing) at the Pratham Houston Gala. Photos by Bijay Dixit.

Pratham Gala: Preity Zinta Inspires Houstonians to Support Education

Houston: The highly anticipated Pratham Houston Gala returned on Saturday, March 25, 2023 this year. The event brought together Houston’s IndianAmerican community to raise awareness and funding for the charity’s education programs for children in under-served communities in India. The guest speaker of the evening was Ms. Preity G. Zinta, an accomplished actor, entrepreneur and an ardent philanthropist.

The audience was left inspired by Guest Speaker, Preity G. Zinta, as she interacted with Ashwini, a 24year-old from India who shared her journey from being an aspiring welder to being the first female trainer at the Pratham Mody Technical Institute.

Preity shared, “Pratham is one of the most recognized education & learning non profits in the world, “Winner of Yidan Prize” and many coveted international recognitions. She extolled the audience by saying “Each of you has faced the defining choice between caring and indifference— and you have made the right choice. You have chosen to care. That’s why you are here supporting Pratham. That’s why I am here.”

Annu Rao Naik, President of the Pratham Houston chapter, shared that in a post-pandemic world, the learning loss faced by children is real. She emphasized, “It’s time to catch up. Despite the pandemic, Pratham persevered to ensure no child was left behind. During these times, if children couldn’t go to schools, we reached out to them in their communities. We are now at a critical juncture where we need to make up for the learning loss. Together we can help secure the future of these children.”

Pratham Board Chair, Dhiren Shethia said, “Learning changes lives. If there is a gift that can change someone’s future - that gift is learning. For over 25 years donors in the US Pratham community have given this gift to over 50M children and youth in India.”

Another highlight of the evening was the honoring of Hemant Goradia President and CEO Vinmar International Ltd., a global marketing, distribution and project development company, which markets petrochemicals in over 100 countries. Mr. Goradia, has been a long time supporter of Pratham’s mission. He has been an integral part of the Houston community and has been part of Pratham USA since its early days.

The evening closed with an exciting performance by Yuva Bollywood Dance and music by Desi Junction DJs. The funds raised at the Pratham Houston Gala will provide much needed support to children in India, giving them an opportunity to learn and stem the steep learning loss that has occurred during the pandemic.

Event Sponsors included:

Champion: Wells Fargo Houston

Patron: Ascend Performance Materials, Active Athlete, Gencom

Ambassador: Amegy Bank of Texas, Deloitte, Gordon, Arata, McCollam, Duplantis & Eagan, LLC, Fidelity Investment, Packwell, Cardiology Center of Houston, Houston

LEFT: Pratham Houston board members. RIGHT: Preity G Zinta clicks a selfie with the audience as those who donated hold up tealight candles. Photos: Bijay Dixit.

Days After Disqualification, Rahul Gandhi to Hold Rally in Karnataka

AHmedAbAd: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will return to the Kolar region of Karnataka for the first time since being convicted for two years in a defamation case by a Surat court over an election speech in Kolar in 2019 where he was accused of equating Prime Minister Narendra Modi with economic offenders.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Congress working president Saleem Ahmed said the rally will have the theme of ‘Satyameva Jayathe’ and will be used as a forum to protest the manner in which Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following conviction by a Gujarat court in a defamation case.

Former Congress MP from Kolar K H Muniyappa in a press conference on Tuesday said Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have decided to hold a rally in Kolar on April 5 as a part of the Congress campaign for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

“The venue of the event is not finalised yet. We are looking at a couple of places for the event and more than one lakh people are expected to take part. The BJP is creating a situation where the survival of democracy is being questioned. We have to put an end to this,” Muniyappa said.

The senior Congress leader said people would be gathered from

the regions of rural Bengaluru, Chikaballapura and Tumkuru for the April 5 rally.

“In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had campaigned on my behalf and some persons have accused him of defaming Modi in his speech. A specific two-year jail term has been awarded with the intent of disqualification since a lesser term cannot lead to disqualification. He will have his first public rally in Kolar since being disqualified. Since the issue had cropped up from Kolar, he has decided to start the campaign from Kolar,” said Muniyappa.

The Kolar was recently in news after former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah showed his willingness to contest from the Kolar Assembly seat and his subsequent U-turn on the advice of the central leadership of Congress in view of the risks involved in the region due to the lack of a strong party base.

The Congress Tuesday sought to rest questions about the party not filing an appeal against Rahul

Gandhi’s conviction in the defamation case yet, saying the legal team would do so “as early as possible”.

While several party leaders too said in private that they were unable to understand the delay, sources in Rahul’s legal team said the appeal is likely to be filed by the end of this week.

Addressing a press conference with Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh Tuesday, party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said: “Filing an appeal can’t be done hastily… Our legal team is looking at all the aspects. We will do it as early as possible.”

“We will do (it). Don’t worry,” Venugopal added.

Asked about the BJP raising questions on why the party had not filed an appeal in a Surat Sessions Court even five days after the verdict, Venugopal said: “That is their issue. Why are you asking us? Rahul Gandhi has given a clear statement. Whether he is put in jail or disqualified as an MP… he is not worried about anything. He will continue to ask questions.”

Venugopal also said the party has complete faith in its legal team, quashing suggestions that the latter were to blame for the delay. “Saying that this is the fault of the legal team… is to indirectly justify the BJP government,” he said.

Sources in Rahul’s legal team said there was “no sinister design” behind the delay in filing the appeal, and added that the translation of the verdict from Gujarati and collection of evidence were taking time.

On the Surat magistrate court’s order convicting Rahul, Venugopal asked why the defamation case against Rahul had been filed in Gujarat when the speech in

question was made in Kolar in Karnataka. “What is the jurisdiction of Gujarat?… This is a clearly designed project to disqualify Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

Venugopal also unveiled a protest programme to be held by the SC, ST, OBC and minority wings of the party in front of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi statues at all district headquarters on Wednesday, and in state capitals on April 1.

Besides, the party will hold Jai Bharat satyagrahas at block and mandal levels from March 29 to April 8, district level from April 15 to 20, and state level from April 20 to 30. “Friendly parties” and “civil society” organisations will be asked to join the state-level satyagrahas. Finally, there will be a satyagraha at the national level.

The satyagraha, Venugopal said, is “in protest against the erroneous conviction and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi, and to express the Congress party’s resolve to keep raising the voice of the people against the blatant looting of the people’s money and nation’s wealth by Modani”.

He said the Youth Congress, NSUI, other frontal departments and cells of the party will send postcards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the first week of April, “questioning him on relevant issues”.

“Wrong to assume Fired H1Bers Must Leave in 60 Days”: USCIS Director

WASHINGTON: Amid mass layoffs in the tech sector, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has said it is wrong to assume that fired workers holding H-1B visa have to leave the country within 60 days and that they have multiple options to stay.

In a letter to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies, USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou said, "When non-immigrant workers are laid off, they may not be aware of their options and may, in some instances, wrongly assume that they have no option but to leave the country within 60 days."

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies(FIIDS),

which has been working for laidoff H-1B visa holders, had recently written to USCIS about the impacts of recent technology sector layoffs and sought an increase to the up to 60-day grace period.

In the letter addressed to FIIDS director for policy and analysis strategy Khanderao Kand, the USCIS said it acknowledges the financial and emotional impact that job loss can have on employmentbased non-immigrant workers and their families in the United States.

"We are aware of the issue of involuntary terminations, especially in the technology sector," it said.

When a non-immigrant worker's employment is terminated, either

voluntarily or involuntarily, they typically may take one of the four actions, if eligible, to remain in a period of authorized stay in the United States, the USCIS said, Prominent among these include filing an application for a change of non-immigrant status and filing an application for adjustment of status.

They can also file an application for a "compelling circumstances" employment authorization document or be the beneficiary of a nonfrivolous petition to change employer, the USCIS said.

"If one of these actions occurs within the up to 60-day

Why Did Priyanka Leave Bollywood?

grace period, the nonimmigrant's period of authorized stay in the United States can exceed 60 days, even if they lose their previous non-immigrant status. "If the worker takes no action within the grace period, they and their dependents may then need to depart the United States within 60 days, or when their authorized validity period ends, whichever is shorter," the USCIS said in its letter.

It said that because the up to 60-day grace period is codified in the Department of Homeland

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Security regulations, extending it would require a regulatory change in compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act and could not be extended by USCIS through policy guidance.

Fortunately, most individuals facing job loss already have several options to remain in the United States while continuing their job search past 60 days, the USCIS wrote. It said it recognizes the contributions made to the United States by talented foreign-born workers. -- Times of India

PREMIUM CONTENT PRODU C ER

Are you looking for more than producing the daily newscast and up for a new and exciting challenge? KTRK-TV, the Disney-ABC Owned station in Houston, is looking for an innovative and creative Multi-Skilled Producer. This position will be working with station news and premium content teams producing both long and short form high quality, high impact content for newscasts and all station platforms. This position will also be asked to produce newscasts and live special events.

Responsibilities

• Find and recognize relevant, captivating, authentic stories that evoke emotion and conversation.

• You must be a master storyteller who can identify, develop, write, edit and produce high-quality, enterprising stories for multiple platforms.

• Work under deadlines, multi-task, and prioritize assignments

Basic Qualifications

• Must be able to recognize what makes a good story and be an exceptional writer and interviewer. We are looking for innovative and creative Multi-Skilled Producer who not only knows how to produce newscasts, but can successfully identify, book, produce and publish compelling and impactful Premium Content, both long and short form.

• Three years of medium to large market television news experience

• Qualified candidates should include links to samples of their work.

Los AngeLes: Priyanka Chopra made her way into Hollywood after she starred in the 2015 television series Quantico but way before that, PC featured in a few music videos as she was trying to make it as an international music artist. With songs like ‘In My City’ and ‘Exotic’, PC was trying to showcase her singing talent but eventually focused on her acting career in the West. In a recent chat, Priyanka opened up about why she moved to the West in the first place when she was one of the top actors of Hindi cinema.

Speaking with Dax Shepherd on his podcast Armchair Expert, the Citadel actor shared that she was being “cornered” in Bollywood. She was facing some opposition as people were not casting her in the movies and she also had some “beef” with people in the industry. It was at that time that her manager Anjula Acharia came to her rescue. Acharia saw her in a music video and called her to ask if she would be interested in building a career in music in the US.

Priyanka shared that she grabbed the opportunity with both hands, especially because she was looking for ways to move away from Bollywood. She shared, “I was being pushed into a corner in the industry (Bollywood). I had people not casting me, I had beef with people, I am not good at playing

that game so I kind of was tired of the politics and I said I needed a break.”

She added, “This music thing gave me an opportunity to go into another part of the world, not crave for the movies I didn’t want to get but I would require to schmooze certain clubs and cliques of people. It would require groveling and I had worked a long time by then that I didn’t feel like I wanted to do it.”

Earlier in an interview, Priyanka had shared how there was a time when people in the Indian film industry tried their best not to let her work. “I have had people wanting to jeopardise my career, take away from my work, make sure I wasn’t cast just because I was doing well in what I was doing,” she shared during her appearance on The Ranveer Show.

Priyanka Chopra is looking forward to the release of the Russo Brothers’ much-awaited series Citadel. It stars her as a spy along with Richard Madden. The series will stream on Prime Video from April 28. The actor is expected to return to Hindi cinema with Farhan Akhtar directorial Jee Le Zara, co-st arring Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.

During the Citadel promotion, the interviewer quoted Shah Rukh Khan’s comment on why he doesn’t think about starring in

a Hollywood film. The SXSW interviewer told PeeCee, “Shah Rukh Khan says, ‘why should I go there (Hollywood), I am comfortable here.’” On this, she responded, “Comfortable is boring to me. I am not arrogant, I am self-assured. I know what I am doing when I walk onto a set. I don’t need the validation of executives. I am willing to take auditions, I am willing to work. I do not carry the baggage of my success in one country when I walk into another country.”

The actor feels that she had managed to build a legacy for herself with her hard work. She also believes that she has not wasted her time on anything else and has “botched the bullets and just focussed on my job.” -- Indian Express

• Must pass a pre-employment background check

Required Qualifications:

• The ability to work under deadlines, multi-task, and prioritize assignments

• We want respected, knowledgeable, and ethical station representatives.

• Flexibility to work any shift/any day including weekends and holidays as business dictates.

Required Education

• College Degree

Interested candidates apply via Disneycareers.com

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with the following business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with KTRK Television, Inc, which is part of a business we call ABC Owned TV Stations.

KTRK Television, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

What Does Leadership Mean to Me?

by AdeebA moHAmmed

Houston: In Latin, there’s a phrase that encompasses nature, literature, and human preference: omne trium perfectum. In English, this translates to ‘everything that comes in threes is perfect.’ There are three types of stable particles, three little pigs, and three tenets to leadership. The tiers of leadership involve the leader, the team, and the people meant to be served. Leadership begins with oneself. As Kara Branch, Founder and CEO of Black Girls Do Engineer states, leadership styles vary greatly, from autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transformational leadership styles. However, differing leading styles don’t negate the fact that there must be a blend of characteristics to make a leader. Judge Ravi K. Sandill claims that leaders are people who are hard-working, engaging, and with the ability of being able to forge relationships. Regardless of which leadership style a person yields, these are the traits that help them be a leader.

However, leadership isn’t about one person, as leadership involves the leader and the team they engage with. This is where leadership style plays an important role—as Harvard Business Review (HBR) mentions, certain methods of interaction between

the leader and the group have certain weaknesses. For example, the Individualist leader benefits because they are effective through the use of unconventional methods. However, this results in irritation amongst colleagues due to key processes being ignored.

The ideal leader understands how to operate in a way that generates change but maintains an environment of cooperation.

Finally, a leader must be committed to their ultimate cause and the people they seek to benefit.

Judge Sandill says that leaders must do their best to make life easy for more people. Similarly,

Brian Greene, the President & CEO of the Houston Food Bank, says that leaders must hold themselves accountable to their goals

and the people they seek to help. If a leader has nowhere to put their efforts, no purpose to fulfill or people to serve, the skills they build up become useless. Good things come in threes, and when describing his own views on the central aspects of leadership, Brian Greene names three things: vision, empowerment, and customer service. A vision guides the self and allows for a comprehensible objective, which clears the way for the empowerment of the team, finally leading to the satisfaction of the people being served. No matter which angle it’s approached from, leadership can be broken down into commitment to the self, the team, and the end goal.

YLDP session held at the Houston Food Bank

New Immigration Bill Seeks to Remove Green Card Backlogs

Washington DC: A recent bill that was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat-Illinois) and Larry Bucshon (Republican-Indiana), to ensure that the

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United States is properly utilising the employment-based visas currently allocated each year under existing federal immigration law, is being welcomed by thousands of Indians working in America.

DIGITAL NEWS PRO D UCER

Job ID 10044976

The Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 legislation would give greater flexibility to use existing allotted work visas that employers desperately need, according to a press release from the office of Congressman Krishnamoorthi last week. Indians, as is well known, employed in the US on temporary

KTRK-TV, the Disney TV station located in Houston, TX seeks an experienced digital news content producer who can write, edit, and produce material for our digital, social, and connected TV platforms. You will work in a high-energy, non-stop news environment to help us cover breaking news and to create compelling content that our users will find valuable and engaging.

Curiosity, solid writing skills and willingness to learn are important. Some of the day-to-day duties include writing stories, producing breaking news, creating original videos, producing live streams, optimizing content for more reach and impact, and helping to manage content for social media and engage our audience.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in developing content across current and future platforms with storytelling that is optimized for each screen and reflective of the diversity of our audience

• Writing stories from a variety of sources

• Owning breaking news and the big stories with speed and accuracy and growing new opportunities in our multi-media environment

• Ability to produce a variety of content for social platforms

• Collaborate with other content makers and newsroom leaders to maximize the sharing of our content in a multi-platform way

• Understanding of SEO (search engine optimization) and how to use data insights to make editorial decisions to best reach and increase our audience

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 1 year experience in a production or newsroom environment

• Background in journalism or related discipline

• Strong editorial skills, good news judgment and social media expertise

• Excellent communication and writing skills, as well as proficiency in grammar, spelling, and punctuation

• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced news environment

• An understanding of social strategy and SEO with the desire to keep up with emerging platforms

• Must be able to meet deadlines and work under pressure

• Proficient with AP style

• Experience with Adobe Premiere and Photoshop (or similar nonlinear editing programs)

• Must be flexible and willing to work mornings, evenings, and weekends and adaptable to change

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree (related degree preferred in Journalism, TV/Production, etc.)

Interested candidates apply via Disneycareers.com, Job ID 10044976

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with the following business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating worldclass stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with KTRK Television, Inc, which is part of a business we call ABC Owned TV Stations.

KTRK Television, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

work permits such as H-1Bs face the longest delays in getting employment-based permanent residence visas or green cards because of the per country cap. If passed, the Eliminating Backlogs Act will benefit Indians employed in the US greatly.

“Even as our country’s highskilled immigration system helps us draw top talent from around the world, current law caps the number of employment-based visas available based on workers’ coun-

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try of origin, leaving thousands of visas that would otherwise help our economy unused. I’m proud to partner with Congressman Bucshon on this legislation to end country-based discrimination in high-skilled immigration to ensure we use every allotted visa to draw skilled workers from across the globe to help strengthen our economy and create jobs while we also continue to invest in our domestic workforce,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. -- ToI

The KTRK-TV Production Department is looking for a part time Associate Newscast Director who is a self-starter and works well with others and want to grow/develop their skills as a newscast director.

Responsibilities

• Duties will include but not be limited to, hand-held camera, Steadicam and DSLR operation, robotic camera operation, audio assistant and floor manager for live and recorded programming.

• Responsibilities may also include various production-related duties including Directing/Technical Directing shows in a unique array of automated production environments.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have knowledge of basic studio and field production equipment operation, such as cameras, microphones, IFB’s, audio consoles and video switchers.

Required Qualifications:

• Min of 1 year experience in broadcast

• Qualified candidates must be able and willing to work flexible hours, early mornings, late nights, weekends and holidays. Weekly work hours will vary.

• Applicants must be able to lift up to 25 pounds and stand on your feet for long periods of time.

• A strong work ethic and positive attitude is required as is the ability to handle multiple tasks

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior Directing and broadcast experience in a live Control Room environment is a plus.

Required Education:

• High School Diploma

Interested candidates apply via Disneycareers.com, Job ID 10043883

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with the following business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with KTRK Television, Inc, which is part of a business we call ABC Owned TV Stations.

KTRK Television, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Jagdish Chandra Sharma: 1931-2023 OBITUARY

Houston: Dr. Jagdish Chandra Sharma, devoted husband, loving father and grandfather and respected physician began his earthly journey November 30, 1931 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan in Northwest India. He is the son of Kalyan Das Sharma and Bhuri Bai Sharma and grew up with four brothers and one sister.

His adventurous spirit and quest for knowledge led him to pursue a love for the outdoors and a fervor for academic excellence.

After attending His Majesty of Jodhpur’s Durbar Intermediate School, he was the first in his family to pursue a career in medicine. He attended SMS Medical College in Jaipur where he obtained his MBBS in 1956.

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He completed his Internal Medicine boards for his medical doctorate and fellowship at the prestigious King George Medical College in Lucknow in 1962. It was here that he wrote his wellreceived thesis on epidemic encephalitis.

In 1959, he married the lovely Kamla Nath from Varanasi and they began a beautiful life together in Ajmer, Rajasthan where he worked as an internist with the Western Railways.

Desiring to pursue further training for medical specialization, he traveled to Pittsburgh in 1964 to

complete his Internal Medicine residency at St. Francis Hospital.

At Boston University and the Boston VA Hospital, Dr. Sharma completed his residency in Neurology from 1965-1969. He was then armed and ready to fulfill an academic career at a medical university upon returning to India.

Destiny ordained that he return to practice medicine and raise his young family in the United States. At that time, this decision was not an easy one, being fraught with many challenges and unknowns for a new immigrant family. The family settled in Houston in 1971 where a life of adventure and career highlights began.

Dr. Sharma worked as a neurologist at Methodist Hospital and

Baylor College of Medicine for a short while before traveling to the University of North Carolina for further specialization through a fellowship in EEG.

Dr. Sharma begin his very successful private practice in 1975 where he was affiliated with Houston Northwest Medical Center.

A consummate diagnostician, his primary focus was the welfare of his cherished patients and championing the integrity of the doctor-patient relationship.

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changes in healthcare policy.

Throughout his medical career, Dr. Sharma stood firm on the value of hard work, integrity, and service to humanity. Personally, he emphasized the importance of meaningful spiritual connection and the love and strength of family. He was a pillar in the Houston community lending his service and knowledge to many worthy causes. His wit, charm and intelligence endeared him to all whom he encountered.

in the Himalayas or trekking the sandy dunes of his desert state of Rajasthan. He also adored traveling, reading and researching the epochs of Indian history, fine dining and cooking.

Seeking to create broad positive change in medicine, he was the founding member and first president of the Indian Doctors’ Association of Houston in 1980an organization that flourishes to this day. He also served as a proud delegate to the Texas Medical Association for several years.

He held leadership roles in Harris County Medical Society and served as Chief of Staff of Houston Northwest Medical Center.

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In addition, he was an active member of AAPI (American Association of Physicians from India) and TIPS (Texas Indo-American Physicians Society) where he was able to facilitate positive

From his early childhood days, Dr. Sharma, reveled in exploring the outdoors, be it mountaineering

He is adored by his three children, Taruna, Aneet and Sumeet, daughters-in-law Swati and Archna, and the true treasures of his life, his grandchildren, Deven and his wife Kya, Neel, Ryan, Sheil, Jaya, Brij, Rohan and Arjun. He is also survived by his older brother Tulsi Ram Sharma and numerous family members and friends throughout the world.

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IndiaTX Announces Houston’s Largest Indo American Trade Show in June 2023

Houston: IndiaTX, a platform for Indo American business owners to network and connect with each other, is proud to announce the upcoming "Indo American Tradeshow" in Houston, Texas.

The two-day event, taking place on June 9th and 10th, 2023, is one of the largest Indian Tradeshows in Houston, and is expected to attract over 10,000 attendees and 50+ exhibitors from various industries.

The Indo American Tradeshow is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and services, and to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations.

With both 10x10 and 10x20 booth sizes available, businesses of all sizes can participate in this exciting event.

IndiaTX is committed to supporting the Indian community in America, and the Indo American Tradeshow is just one of the many ways they are doing so. By bringing together businesses and entrepreneurs from diverse industries, IndiaTX is creating a vibrant ecosystem where ideas can be shared, partnerships can be formed, and growth can be achieved.

"We are thrilled to be hosting

the Indo American Tradeshow in Houston," said Mr Alpha Mahatvaraj, the Co-Founder of IndiaTX. "This is a great opportunity for businesses to connect with each other and grow together. We have already received a lot of interest, and we expect the event to be a huge success."

Booth bookings are now open, and interested businesses can

book a booth at the Indo American Tradeshow by visiting the IndiaTX website at www.indiatx.com.

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of one of the largest Indian Tradeshows in Houston and to connect with the vibrant Indo American business community. Houston’s largest Indo-American business expo, IndiaTX

Expo 2022, will bring together the Indian-American business community and decision-makers for the city’s biggest trade event of its kind. Come learn how to boost sales and develop your business with other motivated Business Owners.

Exhibitors with innovative products and services are featured, allowing you to identify supplies and discover partners that assist your business.

Get motivated by meeting with other successful business owners. There is plenty of chance to reconnect with a current supplier, discover new partners that may assist develop and expand your business, or simply catch

up with industry friends between the exhibits.

About IndiaTX

IndiaTX is a platform for Indo American business owners to network and connect with each other to grow their businesses together in Texas. The organization offers a range of services, including business networking events, business listing, and marketing support.

Through its initiatives, IndiaTX is committed to supporting the Indian community in America and promoting the growth of Indo American businesses in Texas. For more information, please visit www.indiatx.com. Contact : info@indiatx.com

‘Bheed’: Grim Reminder of Recent Tragedy

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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.

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One of the most shattering sights of the Covid-19 pandemic was the flood of people suddenly rendered rudderless by the announcement of one of the most stringent lockdowns in the world — chief amongst those were daily wagers, and blue collar workers who would starve if they couldn’t go out to their jobs. With no public transport available, they began the long walk home, some carrying all their worldly goods in plastic sacks, with their children, or the elderly, in tow. That the trek under the relentless summer sun of 2020 was going to be long and arduous didn’t seem to deter the migrants. The refrain was common: if I have to die, I want to be where I belong.

Anubhav Sinha’s ‘Bheed’, shot in greyed-out B&W, is a grim and necessary reminder of this recent tragedy, which already seems like a throwback. It’s clearly a case of pushing back memories of difficult times so they do not overwhelm the present. It’s also got to do with the concerted white-washing that began in right earnest — to take culpability and responsibility away from the state — even while the pandemic was raging. And some of that, being force-fitted into the narrative, seems to have taken the sting out of Sinha’s recreation.

Starting your film with the mandatory ‘poori tarah kaalpnik hai’ (it is completely imaginary) may be a pragmatic necessity, but taking the specificity out by not using names defeats the purpose — in which ‘pradesh’ is ‘Tejpur’ (the place where most the proceedings take place)? The declaration of the pandemic in the PM’s voice is missing (it was in the original trailer, but is replaced by another in the new one) and instantly that moment, which changed the lives of so many of us so drastically, becomes anodyne

The film begins with a striking shot of humans milling about on screen, desperate to find a way out, piled on top of buses, cycles, anything that moves. You can see why it was tempting to use the analogy of the Partition (which Sinha had to excise from the film; there are a few other bits which feel censored). With the context missing,

this well-intentioned, lest-weforget film becomes less than its powerful moving parts.

In many ways, ‘Bheed’ feels like a companion piece to ‘Article 15’, in which Sinha had raised the scourge of caste effectively, but was called out for doing it through the prism of an upper caste ‘hero’. In this one, he does a course correction by making the lower caste Surya Kumar Singh Tikas (Rajkummar Rao) — who hides his origins under the honorific ‘Singh’ because that’s what his father did — the person who is ‘in-charge’. But how can a man like Tikas, buoyed by his cop uniform but living with a permanent fear of being found out, actually be in charge, surrounded by the Sharmas and Trivedis who fling the hierarchy of their birth in his face? When Rajkummar Rao, in a stand-out performance as Tikas, cries out, ‘hamein bhi hero banana hai’, it sears

t is his story which is the most interesting in this ensemble piece, which has a host of characters, all stuck at this barrier created by a lethal virus, and an even more lethal caste system, which overrides class. On one side are the high born, wealthy people like a mother (Dia Mirza) making a dash in her fancy SUV to pick up her daughter from her hostel before her husband gets there; a watchman called Balram Trivedi (Pankaj Kapur) who is so full of bile and bigotry that he will not allow his hungry companions to eat the food served from a Muslim man (the Tablighi Jamaat being virus-spreaders is mentioned: remember how viral WhatsApp forwards and venomous TV anchors spread that rumour?); a TV reporter (Kritika Kamra) and her crew become the voice of the liberal, but misguided urbanites who don’t understand or care to parse the divisions on the ground;

Tikas’s superior (Ashutosh Rana) who has great knowledge of minute social divisions (‘acchha tum Tikas ho,’ he tells Surya, ‘hum toh Somas samjhe thay’), but has little empathy for others not as privileged as him. The trouble with making people ‘types’, representative of their class/caste, is evident in the way they declaim, their selfserving statements coming off as dialogues than conversation.

There are some faces in the crowd that the camera stays on more than the others. A girl accompanying her alcoholic father home, emerging from a cement mixer, gets more time than the others. And then you move along, with the ‘bheed’, as the people are pushed and shoved and showered by dehumanizing canons of disinfectant, their feet bleeding: the sight of that droplet of blood leaves you with that same angry, sick feeling as it did back then, when you saw that image in the newspaper.

What you are left with most vividly is Tikas and his love for a local doctor called Renu Sharma (Bhumi Pednekar), whose surname says it all. I wanted more of these two, and left the theatre wondering what happens to them when they do pick up the courage to go to her village, and confront her father. Will they be left alive, or will age-old prejudice kill them?

Rajkummar Rao’s face, so full of the pain and injustice he has been forced to internalise all his life, finally acknowledges and embraces who he is: that face, in the generic ‘bheed’, becomes a despairing yet hopeful beacon for our times.

Cast: Ashutosh Rana, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Kapur, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Virendra Saxena, Kritika Kamra

Director: Anubhav Sinha

Bheed movie

Rating: 2.5 stars -- Indian Ex-

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