Indo-American News May 03, 2019

Friday, May 03, 2019 | Vol. 38, No. 13

Indo American News Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Legacy Building for Agrawal Jasmeeta Rocks P7 Vaisakhi P5 Show Texas Sized Punjabi Mela

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

20th Anniversary Gala Saturday, April 20, 2019 HIlton Americas, Houston, Texas

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

May 03, 2019

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

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Natio n 6th V al Center Khed aisakhi Mela 2019 Sun

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Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

May 03, 2019 5 COMMUNITY Durga D. and Sushila Agrawal Engineering Research Building is Dedicated

By Manu Shah

HOUSTON: Dr. Durga D. Agrawal, a

Durga Agrawal and his family at the dedication

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One 26th April 2019, the University recognized his sizable and generous gift by renaming the Engineering building as the Durga D. and SushilaAgrawal Engineering Research Building. A floor is also named after the couple and the gift will provide ongoing support for faculty, students, research and building operations.

Chancellor Renu Khator, Consul General of India Dr. Anupam Ray, members of the Indian community, students, faculty, Dr. Agrawal’s children, grandchildren and colleagues were present at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

In his remarks, Dr. Agrawal credited several people for his success. He expressed his admiration and respect for his professors at UH like Dr. Rhodes (who was present at the ceremony), Dr. Donaghey, Dr. Dawkins and Dr. Elrod who “put their heart and soul” into teaching students including some like him who had trouble understanding both the language and the American accent. He traced his values of compassion, giving back and respect for education to his parents and acknowledged his wife Sushila’s support and patience without which, he said, he would not have completed his doctorate or built his business.

UH, he concluded, “has a very special

place in my heart. We must keep the torch of knowledge, excellence and innovation growing and glowing.”

Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator tweeted: “Today, we named the new Engineering building after Dr. and Mrs. Durga Agrawal, our alum and regent to celebrate their generosity. Your gift will inspire our students and alumni for many generations! Thank you.

Over the years, Dr.Agrawal, who is 74, has been providing endowments, scholarships and internships for UH students. In 2013, he was named a member of the UH System Board of Regents by Texas Governor Rick Perry. He hopes his contributions “will encourage additional donors and attract high-caliber students, especially since many UH students are from the Houston area and will most likely stay here upon graduation to pursue their careers.”

The building today bears no resemblance to the one Dr. Durga studied in but has been rebuilt on the same piece of land.

UH’s engineering college boasts of more than 4,200 students, including over 1,150 graduate students, enrolled in 10 engineering disciplines, as well as several interdisciplinary graduate programs.

Dr. Agrawal’s kindness and generosity isn’t limited to giving donations but also comes across in small gestures. When Houston was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey,

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Continued on page 9

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COMMUNITY

May 03, 2019

Gajda Wajda Punjab Vaisakhi 2019 Unites Bhangra and Fashion

By Dr Sarita Mehta

H

OUSTON: The Houston Punjabi community celebrated Vaisakhi and commemoration of the formation of Khalsa Panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh on April 21 at White Oak Music Hall with a ‘Gajda Wajda Punjab- Vaisakhi 2019’ show with great enthusiasm and pomp. More than 400 people of all age groups attended this family friendly event which started at 6:30 pm, with 3 hours of non-stop Bhangra, Gidha, Folk Dance, fashion show and songs.

Theprogrambeganwithatraditional Punjabi style heartwarming welcome

by Sewadaars Balraj, Harman, Walli and his team at the open air stalls to serve free food, sponsored by Bombay Sweets and typical Punjabi” Malaai Kulfi, dandi wali’ sponsored

by Alpha Dessert and Juice. The ladies had a special attraction of Mehndi stalls sponsored by Marium and Rabia, and glittering Jewelry by Jewelry Designer- Amy jewels.

The show began with a warm welcome by Jasmeeta Singh, the show’s producer and director, and CEO and founder of Jaz Creationz, an international fashion and dance entertainment production company as well as School of Modeling and Dancing agency with physical fitness and public speaking program . This was Jasmeeta’s first Vaisakhi

show since the last one in 2014 and was made possible with the tireless efforts of the organizers Harmeet Singh, Jasleen Kaur, Seema Kaur, Rupy Kaur and Navneet Lamba and Coordinators Bobby Kaur and Sandeep Kaur.

The first item presented by cute young kids was the ‘Mini Khalsa’ prepared by Gurbinder Randhawa & Harpreet, win the heart of every one, all the people sitting in the hall started Dancing with them. It was followed by a group dance ‘Dhol’ by

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‘Singh & Kaur ‘N’ Style, presenting a fusion of traditional dresses with modern design, organized again

by Jasmeeta Singh & Bobby Kaur.

‘Soul Bhangra Rockers’ organized Continued on page 12

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Dhole Players- Lead Gurkaran, Ritu, Jas, Mithu,Agam. Rangla Punjab was presented by Poonam Brar & Navdeep Kaur. It was followed by ‘Kauragious Jattiyan’, presented by Raman Kaur and Guria Singh.

The fashion show featured couples

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SPORTS COMMUNITY

May 03, 2019

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SNC’s Vaisakhi Mela is a Taste of Punjab in the Plains of Texas

By Jawahar Malhotra

H

OUSTON: When you entered the gates to the 20-acre Sikh National Center site on the West Sam Houston Beltway you couldn’t help but get a throwback to the streets of Karol Bagh in New Delhi. Cars parked on both side of the driveways forced one-way traffic; so if you came in one direction the other car would have to backup to let you pass.

The state of the parking made it apparent that by mid-afternoon after services at the local gurdwaras, the Vaisakhi Khed Mela was a success.

The mild pleasant weather helped people enjoy the mela even more/ The huge khed mela that has been held each of the past six years in the central open area in conjunction with Vaisakhi which falls in the same time slot. Back in 2013, it started as an event for young kids to play games, but now the organizers, led by coordinator Hitpaul Singh Sandhar, have turned it into a community-wide celebration. As a reflection of that, almost 40 percent of the mela goers were non-Sikhs, only stressing how popular it has become.

“We realize that this is the only such large festival on this side of town,” said Sandhar this past Sunday, April 28. With an even larger budget this year donated just for the mela, Sandhar and his team have seen how the event can grow.

This year, the mela was certainly more fun due to tented pavilions all around the maidan (central lawn) to view the sports and allow people to linger in the open under shade and the basketball pavilion was used by young kids to shoot hoops and competitive matches.

All the food booths were moved to the emergency road on the western edge and everything was free including hot jalebis made on the spot, channa bature, kadhi chawal, nimboopani, gol-gappe under tents in the lineup. Pizza, popular with all the kids, was ferried from the main oven in the temporary gurdwara to another stall. Some business services booths lines up against another corner.

In the adjacent unfinished dirt lot, a small choo-choo train made lazy eights in the sun with its three bogeys of passengers. In the last space left with some pine trees, a children’s play area was crowded with young kids at the inflatable moonwalks and

castles, a petting zoo and a cottoncandy booth.

An estimated 3,000 people came to the mela under bright, blue skies and crisp weather to the completely

free event. There was a steady stream of teams – some from as far away as Dallas and Mexico – of young men competing for the top prizes in the volleyball tournament. And there

goes to the great sponsors: Diamond Sponsors Seema & Gurmit Singh, Mr. & Mrs Aman Singh Sidhu; Jasleen & Harinder Singh and Bobby and Jasmeeta Singh; Gold sponsors- Mr. & Mrs Paul Likhari; Bawa Jewelers; Nikki and Harmeet Singh; Parminder & Navneet K. Singh; Dalip & Manjit Soni and a few Silver sponsors, and exclusive Media Sponsor HUM106.1 FM. Prinitng was by Print & Sign

by Farhan Sidiqi, Make-up and hair by Slay by Kiranjot & Azra, photographers Mehdi khan, Derrick Leondon and Atif; Dhole Players Lead Gurkaran, Ritu, Jas, Mithu, Agam. Special thanks to Sukhpreet Kaur form Breen Gurudwara, Devinder Singh Khera from National Sikh Center, Gurmeet Singh from Sikh Center and Manmeet Likhari from Southwest Gurudwara Sahib of

Greater Houston, Nikki and Harmeet Singh from Nanaksar Gurudawara and Mangat Singh from Guru Teg Bahadur Gurudwara. Proceeds will go to Punjabi schools in Houston while striving to unify our diverse and progressive community.

were more fun games for the younger children, like the tug-of-war; 50 meter race, 3-legged race, sack race, spoon race, shot putt, musical chairs and basketball. With mic in hand,

Narinder Nagra took his job as the sports announcer with great fun, prompting teams into action.

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May 03, 2019

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Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

May 03, 2019

Durga D. and Sushila Agrawal Engineering Research Building is Dedicated

Continued from Page 05

Dr. Agrawal and members of his family showed up at the campus with vans to transport stranded students to other locations and even took many home.

His deep seated value for education probably stems from his own early struggles for educational opportunities. He was born in Lakhanpur, a small village in Madhya Pradesh in India with a population of 700. The village did not have a water supply system, electricity or high school which meant that he had to cycle or sometimes even walk to the high school 13 miles away. He was also the bookkeeper for his father’s prosperous business from the time he was in elementary school and reveals that “when you work in the family business, you learn a lot.”

Encouraged by his parents, he attended one of the best engineering schools in India, IIT, New Delhi. In 1968, he came to Houston to pursue his Masters in Industrial engineering and in 1974 added a Doctorate to his resume, both from the UH Cullen College of Engineering. He attributes his present success to the two institutions equally and gives back unstintingly to both. As he says “giving back to the community is important and there’s no other field where money invested gives back more returns than education.”

In 1975, Dr. Durga put his entrepreneurship skills to the test

Left: UH Regent Tilman Fertitta, Regent Durga Agrawal, Chancellor Renu Khator, and Alan May Below: The plaque inside the building

by building his company Piping Technology and Products from scratch, out of his garage. The company is today one of the leading providers of pipes for industrial and construction needs and employs over a 1000 people.

Dr. Agrawal also earns high marks for his spirit of community service.

He was the first major donor and Founding president of India House, a community center that offers free services and community programs.

As the founder and first President of the Indo American Chamber of

Commerce of Greater Houston, he has been part of many delegations to promote trade and the exchange of educational and medical resources between Houston and India. No stranger to high ranking elected officials, he was once introduced

by President George Bush as “my good friend from Texas” at a State Dinner for Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Capitol Hill.

A regular practitioner of yoga, Dr. Agrawal is a key contributor to the S-Vyasa Yoga Center that was recently inaugurated in Houston.

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

Gajda Wajda Punjab Vaisakhi 2019 Unites Bhangra and Fashion Continued from Page 05

by Harmeet Kohli & Anu Jolly was also a real treat and source of joy. “Shaan Mutiyayaran Diyan” was performed by Tanisha Singh followed by “Southside Ankhiley”

by Harmeet Singh. Last but not least was a “Turban Tying Competition’

by Gurpreet Singh, and it was very interesting to see young boys trying to tying on turbans.

The success of the program also goes to the great sponsors: Diamond Sponsors Seema & Gurmit Singh, Mr. & Mrs Aman Singh Sidhu; Jasleen & Harinder Singh and Bobby and Jasmeeta Singh; Gold sponsors- Mr. & Mrs Paul Likhari; Bawa Jewelers; Nikki and Harmeet Singh; Parminder & Navneet K. Singh; Dalip & Manjit Soni and a few Silver sponsors, and exclusive Media Sponsor HUM106.1 FM.

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Prinitng was by Print & Sign

by Farhan Sidiqi, Make-up and hair by Slay by Kiranjot & Azra, photographers Mehdi khan, Derrick Leondon and Atif; Dhole Players Lead Gurkaran, Ritu, Jas, Mithu, Agam. Special thanks to Sukhpreet Kaur form Breen Gurudwara, Devinder Singh Khera from National Sikh Center, Gurmeet Singh from Sikh Center and Manmeet Likhari from Southwest Gurudwara Sahib of Greater Houston, Nikki and Harmeet Singh from Nanaksar Gurudawara and Mangat Singh from Guru Teg Bahadur Gurudwara. Proceeds will go to Punjabi schools in Houston while striving to unify our diverse and progressive community.

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Sunday, Bloody Sunday

The serial blasts on Easter Sunday rank as the worst bloodbath Sri Lanka has seen since the end of the civil war in 2009. It is a monumental tragedy for a country that is trying to live down the strife that lasted more than a quarter century. In what could be the handiwork of a local Islamist radical group, as many as 290 people are dead, and nearly 500 wounded in multiple blasts, a few of them involving suicide bombers. The targets chosen as well as the occasion suggest that the bombings were aimed at gaining maximum global attention.

The coordinated blasts took place while guests were having breakfast in three luxury hotels frequented by foreign tourists close to the seafront in the capital, and worshippers had gathered for Easter in a church each in Colombo, Negombo on the western coast and the eastern town of Batticaloa. The most immediate impact will be on the economy, to which the well-run tourism industry is a huge contributor. Already the economy is going through a rough patch, as the country grapples with the aftermath of the political instability that prevailed a few months ago. The spectre of ethnic relations between various communities deteriorating also looms. The small Muslim minority, caught in the crosshairs of the conflict in the past, and Christians, an even smaller minority, have faced violent attacks by hardline Sinhala Buddhist groups. However, nothing in such incidents suggested any acrimony that could have led up to the sort of savagery seen on Easter day.

Reports that specific overseas intelligence inputs were not taken seriously are disturbing. The inquiry ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena will, it is hoped, address the concern voiced by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, that he and his ministers were kept in the dark about these inputs. However, the administration responded admirably to the situation, especially in preventing the spread of rumours and any backlash against sections of society. Possibly following the New Zealand example, the government and the security establishment sought to deny the group any immediate ideological mileage and any claim to putative martyrdom by not identifying the group involved. It has now been named as the ‘National Thowheed Jamaat’.

However, intriguingly, no group has owned responsibility for the blasts, something extremist outfits are wont to do to attract recruits and strike terror on a global scale.

Given the scale and sophistication of the operation, which would have involved reconnoitring targets, assembling and transporting explosives and detonators, it does not seem likely that a solely indigenous group would have the wherewithal to carry it out. The neighbourhood will closely watch the investigation, as it may reveal the extent to which the shadow of the Islamic State is falling on the South Asian region. -- The Hindu.

May 03, 2019

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Yeti’s Foot & Army Mouth: Mountaineering Expedition Team Claims Sighting

N ew D elhi : P o s t i n g photographs of “mysterious footprints” that measure 32×15 inches, the Indian Army claimed on Twitter that its mountaineering expedition team in the higher Himalayas had sighted “the mythical beast Yeti”. It went on to claim that the “elusive snowman” had “only been sighted nearby at Makalu-Barun National Park in the past”.

Yeti or snowman is a mythical creature that is part of many legends and folklore in the Himalayan areas of India, Nepal and Tibet. Believed to be a bipedal ape-like creature, it has never been sighted, and most scientists believe no such creature exists.

But sightings of unusually large footprints have been reported by mountaineers and adventurers in the past as well, and these have variously been explained as footprints of other animals such as the Asiatic black bear or Tibetan brown bears. So, when the claim on Twitter went viral, the sighting of a “mythical” Yeti sparked disbelief on social media at the Army’s expense.

Daniel Taylor, who has spent years searching for the mythical Yeti and has written a book ‘Yeti: The Ecology of a Mystery’, believes the footprints put out by the Army could also be that of bears, possibly one footprint overlapping on the other. “This is almost certainly the Himalayan Black Bear, with overprints of hind foot on to front foot,” Taylor told The Indian Express.

“The size of the footprints is extraordinary. If (this is) only one footprint, this is the size of a dinosaur. So it has to be an overprint (overlap), almost certainly Ursus thibetanus (Asiatic black bear).

Maybe, a mother bear with a baby cub hopping behind,” he said.

Army sources said the announcement was based on physical proof of on-the-spot narration, photos and videos.

Sources said that the Army got inputs about 10 days ago and

The images released by the Indian Army of the alleged footprints of a Yeti.

Footprints, claimed by the Indian Army in its twitter account to be of the “mythical beast Yeti”, which were sighted by their expedition team near the Makalu Base Camp, Nepal. (Twitter/PTI Photo)

decided to post the photographs on Twitter after concluding that there was evidence that matched earlier theories.

According to PTI, the Army will send the pictures and videos captured by its personnel to domain experts.

Two recent studies, both published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, made a genetic analysis of hair, bones and faeces claimed to have been that of Yeti and both concluded that almost all of these came from bears.

Charlotte Lindqvist, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo in New York, and a coauthor of one of those studies, said so far all evidence suggested that everything claimed to be that of the Yeti actually belonged to local bears and that this might not be a different case.

“So far, all genetic evidence extracted from supposed Yeti remains show that they came from bears that live on the region today.

No research has proven the opposite and I am not at all convinced these footprints provide any new evidence to prove otherwise. I am sure there are many more plausible explanations for these footprints,”

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Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

she told The Indian Express.

“It is indeed curious that they seem to follow in a line, and where did these other prints on the picture come from? I believe experts have said before that bears can walk in their own footprints, possibly making the imprints look larger and possibly explaining such large footprints,” she said.

Jeff Meldrum, a professor of anatomy and anthropology at the Department of Biological Sciences at the Idaho State University in the US, said the photographs indicated that the footprints were left by a “galloping quadruped (four-footed animal)”.

“They (footprints) are rather melted out and distorted, making the dimensions ambiguous.

However, the gait pattern is evident,” he said.

The Army, team which claimed to have sighted the footprints, is the Mountaineering Expedition to Mount Makalu (8,485 m) comprising five Officers, two JCOs and eleven other ranks.

This expedition was flagged off on March 26 and is part of Army’s objective of summiting all challenging peaks above 8,000 m.

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May 03, 2019

JVB Preksha Meditation Center, 19th Annual Family Camp “Create Your Own Destiny”

By Rajat Khater

AUSTIN: JVB Preksha Meditation Center, Houston conducted its 19th Annual Family Retreat Camp, in scenic surroundings at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin TX, on Easter weekend, from April 19 to April 21, under the spiritual guidance of Samani Malay Pragyaji & Samani Neeti Pragyaji. Each year, the camp aims to foster spiritual, intellectual, and physical wellbeing of participants. Over 120 campers from Austin, San Antonio, and Greater Houston area attended the camp.

Campers and spirituality seekers arrived Friday afternoon and were greeted by Texas wildflowers and colorful peacocks at the picturesque campsite. JVB President, Shashank Jain gave a heartfelt welcome to participants.

The camp was organized into three tracks – Adults, Youth (1017 years) and Kids (5-9 years).

The camp theme for the year was ‘Create Your Own Destiny’.

As the name suggests, the main focus was on how we can create, control and manage our own destiny based on timeless eastern spiritual teachings of Purusharth or dedicated and committed hard work. The meticulously

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manicured schedule incorporated age appropriate discourses, discussions, creative challenges, learning games and group activities to advance participant’s understanding on the subject. The

sessions were complemented with yoga, meditation and prayer to provide a holistic experience to participants. The Mornings started with nature walk, recitation, meditation and Yoga.

Adult session very aptly kicked off with lecture titled ‘Who is responsible for your Destiny’which was followed by a series of powerful lectures on how one can control, manage and impact our destiny.

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Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

First lecture laid out 5 basic things – Kaal (time), Swabhav (nature), Karma, Purusharth (disciplined hard work) and Niyati (universal Continued on page 15

COMMUNITY

May 03, 2019

JVB Preksha Meditation Center, 19th Annual Family Camp

Continued from page 14 law) that together create our destiny. A lecture on ‘You are the Creator of your Destiny’ discussed that each person is hundred percent responsible for ones’ actions. At any given point of time 3 most important things to be aware of – 1) Are you living in present moment, 2) Kind of People/ environment around you and 3) What kind of work you are doing. The lecture also addressed what are some of the things we can do to manage these 3 important things. Lecture three ‘Expose your inner hidden facts’ took us through a journey of unveiling our strength and capability in day to day life. The last lecture in the series – ‘Inner Diamond’ implored participants to develop mental balance, emotional stability and spiritual wellbeing to

succeed.

Youth sessions started with a thought provoking discourse ‘ABC of Jainism’ by JVB Director Sh. Alok Jain and discussed how youth can relate with Jainism on a day to day basis. Next, Neeti Pragya ji discussed the ‘Twelve Ideals’. This talk was followed by ‘The Balance Sheet of Life’.

Parent volunteers stepped up and conducted parallel sessions for the Kids which included meditation sessions, and presentations on environmental issues begin so close to Earth day. Youth lectures ended Sunday morning with ‘How to make your future bright?’

On Saturday, an exciting Debate was organized on 4 current issue topic - Global Terrorism, Opioid Crises, Global Warming and Gun

Control for adult attendees and how Jainism can help alleviate and provide solutions. Later in the evening, all participants were divided in teams and competed in a Jeopardy style cultural program which consisted of numerous questions from within the lectures and outside.

The annual camp concluded with an interactive feedback session with Samanijis. JVB camp was a spiritual, holistic and fun filled family experience.

JVB Preksha Meditation Center is home to a specially designed Preksha Dhyan ‘Pyramid’ Meditation Hall and is located at 14102 Schiller Rd, Houston, TX 77082. For more information, please visit www.JVBHouston.

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Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

PUZZLES / RECIPES

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

Send us the correct answer before April 22,2019.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036.

Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

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1) Mohan Jawalagi 2) Mark Desai 3) Kumud Athavaley

May 03, 2019

17

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Sabat Moong te Palak di Daal

(SPINACH & WHOLE MOONG LENTILS) Daals are the mainstay of the Indian diet, whether you are in the north or south, east or west - providing much needed protein, especially for the multitude of vegetarians in the country - and each region has its own way of making them. So central are they to Indian life, there is even a phrase to express daily life: “daalroti toh khani hai” (we have to eat our daily bread). But nowhere will you find the heartiness and flavorful taste of daals as you would in the Punjab.

Punjabi daals are known for their smooth, thick texture and the perfect blend of spices. They are not supposed to be runny or thin and the hot tardka or blending in of spices, onions, garlic and sometimes hing (asafoetida) is a sizzling experience that fills the air with the aroma of the dish.

To this day, in the majority of rural communities and in many traditional recipes, daal is cooked in a large patila (pot) simmered over a slow to medium flame. Daal should be cooked so that you can spot the grain and have a little turri (curry). Too thick or too thin a daal and you can’t scoop it with roti (flat bread).

The dish is made with leafy, dark green spinach, which is rich in vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper as well as selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach and methi (fenugreek) are sometimes added selectively to some daals to enhance their flavor and appeal.

Sabat (whole) moong daal is leaf green in color and the dark spinach and soya leaves give the dish a nice dual look and added flavor. This dish cooks fairly fast and goes especially well with hot rotis.

Ingredients: • 1 cup sabat moong daal (whole moong lentils) • 500 gm palak (spinach) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and chopped • 1 medium adrak (ginger) – peeled and chopped • 2 hari mirch (green chillies) – medium and chopped • 1/2 cup soya patta (soya leaves) (optional)

• 5 stalktops fresh dhania (coriander) – pinch off the leaves and cut into pieces • 1 tsp garam masala • Spices (to taste): lal mirch (red pepper); namak (salt); haldi (turmeric) Directions: 1. Carefully wash the spinach leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt, drip to dry then cut the leaves into half inch pieces.

2. Place the moong daal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water, then rinse it out.

3. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Pour in the moong daal into the pot, cover, and add the cut spinach, soya patta, haldi, ginger, green chilies and salt and let it come to a second boil then reduce the heat to medium.

4. If the water boils off before the daal becomes tender, then add some more and let it continue to boil for about 30 minutes till the daal is tender but not soft. Keep a frequent eye on the daal to make sure it does not become soupy.

5. Heat the oil in a small karai or wok and add the garlic and brown it a little. When roasted and the smell of the pieces starts to come through, take off the heat and drop the masala into the pot of cooked daal and stir to mix well.

6. Sprinkle the top of the daal with garam masala and the cut coriander leaves above.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947.

People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK

IF ON A LOW SUG A USE HONEY INSTR DIET, EAD

Many people on a re of the foods they lo stricted, low sugar diet cut back on ve many ies of all types. Th and skip many deserts or drinks an d cookough they are min dful of what they difficult not to crav eat, e for carbohydrate and satisfying. foods which are cr it is unchy Honey is often used as and also when used a substitute for sugar, mixed in ho t drin with lemon juice as mon cold. But fo a tonic against the ks r those who want comcookies, a few m honey are availabl ade with e.

For advertising in Indo-American News Call: 713-789-6397 Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT: REVIEWS/NEWS

Varun Dhawan: A Hero of the Masses Mumbai: At the teaser launch of Dharma Productions’ magnum opus Kalank, Varun Dhawan was the man of the moment.

His sweeping entry, easy charm and on-point wit left all floored.

Given his energy, it was difficult to believe he had dashed down to Mumbai after a 10-hour flight from London. But that’s how life is in the fast lanes for the most sought after star in showbiz. Riding high on an enviable 100 per cent success rate, Varun has floored both the masses and the classes.

He can topline a 100-crore hit like Judwaa 2 and also woo critics with films like October and Sui Dhaaga: Made in India. After Abhishek Varman’s ensemble drama Kalank, the young star is set to burn the screen with his moves in Street Dancer 3D. He then switches gear to comedy with the remake of dad David Dhawan’s Coolie No.1.

Shashank Khaitan’s Ranbhoomi is another actioner, where he will flex

both his muscles and mojo. In the midst of all this bustle, his romance with long-time girlfriend Natasha Dalal has assumed deeper hues.

Though he shoots down rumors of a fast-approaching marriage, he confides he’s simply reveling in the ‘vibe’ of love. Excerpts…

Kalank seems to be your biggest film…

It’s a crazy feeling. It seems like a dream. I was asked to behave myself and not fool around too much during the trailer launch because the film is such. Abhishek (Varman) has worked his ass off.

This time, I’ve blindly surrendered to the director because he was way more obsessed with the film than I usually am.

You’re known to have a crazy passion to promote your films as well…

When I’m marketing a film, I like doing crowd events because that’s the time people can see me without paying for it. I’m not getting paid for it either. I’m ‘live’ for them.

Initially, I just wanted to act. Now I want to reach out to my audience.

I enjoy the live connect.

Being the hero of the masses – is that your dream?

Yes. That’s been my aim since the start of my career. I do mass entertainers to please my audience.

Having said that, I love my films Badlapur, October and Sui Dhaaga: Made In India. They taught me a lot. They helped me get in touch with things I feared I’d lose. When I was training with Barry John, I was only doing drama. But people have never seen me do an outright drama till now. Drama is one of my favorite genres. I just didn’t get the opportunity. Also, the way I looked in Student Of The Year (2012), nobody would have imagined I could do drama.

Changing gears from October to a drama like Kalank… does it involve a lot of unlearning?

Yeah, a lot of unlearning. When you do a film like October, the unlearning is of another level. You surrender to that. I was comfortable doing Sui Dhaaga... It was my

Multi-talentedActor,ArtistBudPatel Brings Hindi Drama “Sai-Leela”

By Dr. Sarita Mehta HOUSTON: Bud Patel, renowned film Producer and lead actor of “A Curry on an American Plate” is coming with live Broadway-Style Stage Show an epic Hindi Drama based on life of Shirdi Ke Sai Baba “SAI-LEELA“ the stage play.

Bud, also known as Bradresh Patel, a person of versatile personality, producer, director and director, has acted in over 150 short films stage shows in Hindi, English, Gujarati, Marathi, and Bengali Drama in Mumbai, Houston, and Toronto Canada.

Sai-Baba message is very simple Shraddha-Saburi (Faith-Patience) and complete devotion to God and Guru. More than 40 actors playing various role, some of them are playing double & triple roles. The dialogues and background music is not pre-recorded. Each actor will deliver their dialogues live in front of our audience, a difficult task to

remember each line and act at the same time.

With Baba’s blessing we also have team of best sound engineer, best musicians, best choreographer, and best light director. We have hired Set Designer to create sets, the costumes custom and properties has been imported from India.

Come and watch the lavish production with magical special effects.

The premier show is on Friday June 7th @ 8:00 PM at Old Stafford Civic Center. The show is 2:45 hours with interval. We will have food booth on the day of event.

Buy your tickets now to enjoy the most spectacular show ever on the life of Shirdi Ke Sai-Baba.

Tickets are available at humtumdesi.com or call Bud Patel @713-584-3826 for group discount.

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

zone. It had humor, emotion and romance. So, I enjoyed that. But Kalank was difficult.

Why? Physically, it took a lot out of me. I’ve never suffered injuries.

But during Kalank, I had to endure a lot of them. There was a massive bull-fight scene. It was a sevenday shoot and Abhishek was strict about not having a body double.

I’ve taken every blow, every fall, every roll in the mud... My back was cut, my shoulder was partially dislocated, my hamstring tore. I’m still nursing those injuries. Now that I’m doing Street Dancer 3D, my thumb ligament has torn. I’ve got a grade 2 tear on my hamstring, which first occurred on the set of Kalank. A torn hamstring doesn’t heal easily. You’ve got to give it rest. So, while shooting Kalank, I was exhausted. A bull weighs about 1,010 kgs. It was not that I was overpowering it as it usually happens in films. Rather, I was being flung around. – Filmfare.

P D A N A

Job Posting:

May 03, 2019

19

Non Linear News Editor Part Time

KTRK-TV, an ABC-owned station in Houston, TX has an opening for a Part-Time, Non-Linear News Editor. Candidates should have experience in editing with Premiere Pro software as well as knowledge of a server-based workflow for broadcast news, in a deadline-intensive environment.

Experience with Dalet Galaxy is preferred. Serious candidates should also have a working knowledge of the Digital Newsroom and understanding of the digital workflow for broadcast news. Candidates should be able to edit in deadline situations, be creative, precise and be able to work fast.

You must be able to take direction, and be a “Team Player” who is not afraid of an intense news environment. Hours will vary depending on the needs of the department, so flexibility to work a varied schedule is required, which will include overnights and weekends.

To be considered, candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please Reference Job ID: 664128BR on all materials submitted.

KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 03, 2019

Indo-American News • Friday, MAY 03, 2019 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com