Indo-American News: May 14, 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 20

Indo American News

May 14, 2021

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Published weekly from Houston, TX

www.indoamerican-news.com

Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

NEW: 2470 Dairy Ashford, Houston, TX 77077 • 713.789.NEWS (6397) • indoamericannews@yahoo.com

ICC: Uniting Communities through Charity

Eid Mubarak Special

P 12-P13 ‘Milestone’: Road Film

India Culture Center (ICC) spearheaded a food, face masks, and Covid vaccine drive. See Page 3

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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COVID RELIEF

May 14, 2021

Sewa Spends $6 Million to Help India; 2,844 Oxygen Concentrators Shipped

Atlanta: Sewa International has spent more than six million dollars in the last 15 days to procure lifesaving equipment such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, BiPap, and CPAP machines as part of its ‘Help India Defeat COVID-19’ Campaign.

Sewa shipped 260 Inogen oxygen concentrators, 1,000 oximeters, and 9 BiPap machines from New York on Friday, May 7. UPS Foundation partnered with Sewa International to ship them to New Delhi by air for free. MedShare, a non-profit that sources and delivers surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need, donated the concentrators.

So far, Sewa has spent over $3.5 million to order 7,482 oxygen concentrators and procured 5,118 of them from various vendors in the USA and outside USA. Sewa has shipped 2,844 of them and 2,084 of them have reached India. They

from all are being disAmericans tributed to to our ‘Help government India Defeat hospitals and COVID-19 COVID-19 campaign.’ care centers Many corand hospiporates, tals run by hospitals, Sewa’s partand comner organizamunity ortions. ganizations Sewa is are calling planning to us to offer ship over 6,000 addi- Sewa International volunteers gathered in the Sewa warehouse in Atlanta. help. Sewa Oxygen Concentrators ready to be shipped to India are seen in the volunteers tional oxygen background. are working concentrators hard to conto India in the room in Atlanta and it is managed nect the dots. A big thank you from next few weeks. “Shipping large by 10 Sewa volunteers. They are Sewa to you all,” Arun Kankani quantities of medical equipment to constantly researching the medical said. Help Reached 18 States another country from the US has equipment, their vendors, capac“Oxygen concentrators disa lot of logistical challenges. We ity, price, and other details to pur- tributed by Sewa have reached are optimizing our shipments so chase them or find donors who can 19 states in India so far and they that they reach India fast,” Sewa’s donate them to us.” are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, BiPresident Arun Kankani said.

“We got a phenomenal response har, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, “Sewa has established a control

Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh,” Sewa’s Vice President for Disaster Recovery Swadesh Katoch said.

“It’s very important to save every life and I am confident that the equipment we have sent to India will ease the shortage of emergency equipment and help COVID-19 patients recover and enable families to protect their loved ones,” Swadesh Katoch said.

Sewa started its campaign to aid India on April 23 amid an alarming rise in the daily number of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities.

Sewa has raised $16 million for this initiative so far including $7.8 million from over 105,000 donors from its Facebook campaign and $4.3 million through its website http://www.sewausa.org.

Amitabh Joins Vax Live, Reveals Charitable Acts for Fellow Indians Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan, along with several prominent personalities such as Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, Jimmy Kimmel, Sean Penn, David Letterman, was a part of Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, which went live on Saturday. The Global Citizen fundraising concert advocating the importance of vaccine equity has pulled in 302 million dollars, exceeding the goal for the organisation’s campaign, AP reported.

Apart from Big B, the show, which was hosted by Selena Gomez, was attended by several thousand fully-vaccinated concertgoers who cheered on performances by Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin, H.E.R. and Lopez, who enjoyed a duet with her mom. The concert was shot earlier this month but aired on Saturday evening.

Amitabh Bachchan, who said he was “privileged to be a part of the concert and the fight for India”, posted a video in which he urged global citizens to rise and help India in fighting the deadly second wave of Covid-19.

“Namaskar, this is Amitabh Bachchan. My country India is battling with the sudden surge of the second wave of Covid 19. As a global citizen I appeal to all global citizens to rise up, speak to your governments, pharmaceutical companies and ask them to donate, to give, to extend a helping hand, to the public that needs it the most.

Every effort counts. As Mahatma Gandhiji said: ‘In a gentle way you can shake the world’. thank you,” he said in the video.

The event also emphasised the importance of vaccination.

On Saturday, Big B wrote a long post on his blog in which he spoke about how celebrities are criticised for not publicising their contribution during the difficult times. He said that him and his family have hardly succumbed to the pressure of social media and the “every

day abuse and the filth of distasteful comments” and contributed or made their effort in the quiet.

“Only the receiver knew and that was the end,” wrote the actor.

While the actor has not spoken about his contribution, it has come to light that he has contributed Rs 2 crore towards a Covid-19 facility in Delhi.

In the blog, he went on to divulge details on his contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Over a 1500 farmers bank loans paid off by my personal fund and prevented them from suicide , as the suicided grew .. from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, UP et al .. calling them over after identifying with respective banks and getting them all to Janak and in the presence of the bank representatives, paying them in person and getting them to strike off the loan , giving each farmer the document that they did not owe any more , that their loan was over and completed and paid back to the bank .. some 300 odd from UP could not all be present .. a bogie in the train booked for a limited number of 30 to 50 of them , from their respective cities in UP, received in Mumbai , put in buses , given a drive of the city of Mumbai, brought over to Janak, fed and given the loan cancellation certificate and put back on the train to their homes .. all at my expense ..

The brave soldiers at the border of the Country who had been martyred , their lists sought and their families , young wives and their children, some wives pregnant and expectant , given succour ..

The martyr s at Pulwama after the terrible terrorist attack , their families spread all over the land contacted and brought to Janak and given succour .. at the hands of Abhishek and Shweta ..Those that suffered during the CoViD last year .. providing food for over 400,000 daily wage earners in the

grants in each flight to UP and Bihar and some to Rajasthan and J&K ..

And as the virus spread, donated an entire Diagnostic Centre .. opened at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in Delhi through the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, set up in the premises of the Gurudwara for medical help for the poor and needy .. an MRI machine and other Sonographic and Scan equipments of expenses beyond my means, but set up inspite .. in the memory of my Nana , Naani and my Mother ..

A 250 to 450 bed care center set up with further donation at the Rakabganj Sahib Gurudwara today in Delhi and soon to procure for them O2 ( Oxygen ) concentrators, not in stock or easily available , from overseas limited stock to be donated to Delhi where the need is immense and some to Mumbai .. coming in within the week .. 50 of them coming in from Poland by 15th and the rest around 150 from perhaps the US .. orders placed , some have arrived and given to the Hospital in need ..

Ventilators of immediate need

to the BMC and to the Municipal Hospitals ordered .. around 20 of them , of course within my limited means , to be in, in a few days .. some 10 have arrived today and on custom release shall be delivered A 25-50 bed Hospital care center setting up at Juhu Army location at a School Hall , the Ritambhara School, with all facilities and should be up by the 12th of May .. donated funds to set up ... 3 very important detection machines donated to Nanavati Hospital , last week to help in the detection of CoviD ..

Feeding about a 1000 in the slums and poor sections of the city Young children ... orphaned by the sudden death of the parents, left in oblivion .. have adopted 2 and shall be put in an orphanage in Hyderabad .. their study board and lodging free till they finish School ... from the 1st to the 10th .. and if they turn out bright to provide them with free upper education .. and more , as and when the means are affordable ..” -- Indian Express

country for a month .. feeding almost 5000 in the city each day lunch and dinner ..

Provided masks , PPE units to front line warriors, Police Hospitals in the thousands .. through personal funds .. donating to the Sikh Committee that was helping the migrants to travel back home in the Inter State busses , where the drivers were mostly Sikhs ..

When the migrants were walking back home, some without the benefit or affordability of shoes .. provided hundreds of chappals and shoes to them .. due to lack of travel facility, booked 30 buses to locations in UP and Bihar and supplied them food and water o Life Insurance for the overnight o Long-­‐Term Care Insurance travel ..

Booked an eno Variable+ and FiUed AnnuiVes tire train from o Disability Insurance* Mumbai to UP o Health Insurance* to carry 2800 For More InformaVon Contact Me migrant passengers free of cost Services: Divyendu Singh, Ph.D. at my expense • Life Insurance # Financial Services Professional and .. and when the • College funding destination State Licensed Agent blocked the tarin • YeVrement Planning CA Insurance License # 0M30399 from coming New York Life Insurance Company • Estate Planning into their State 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1900 • Planning for Business owners and cancelled the Houston TX 77027 #Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC train .. immediCell: 812-­‐272-­‐2911 (member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life Company. ately chartered *Product available through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life Insurance Office: 7 12-­‐ 4 99-­‐ 7 638 3 Indigo Airline Company, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state or locality. dsingh06NO.newyorQlife.com +Securities products and services offered through NYLIFE Securities LLC planes and flew SMRU 1759568 www.dsinghnyl.com almost 180 mi-

Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

May 14, 2021

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India Culture Center (ICC) Spearheads Food, Masks & Vaccine Distribution Houston: A message from ICC President Jasmeeta Singh thanking all the participant in the recent food, facemarks, and vaccine drive.

Thanks for a very successful ICC Food and Mask Distribution.

In addition, COVID19 vaccinations were administered this past Saturday, May 8th at GSH Event Center.

We are so grateful for your generosity as we work closely to serve all communities in the Greater Houston Area, we call HOME. Thanks to all the organizations who contributed to this worthy endeavor. My sincere gratitude to each and every one of you who volunteered, sponsored and contributed in any way to enhance our event.

Special thanks to our Honorable Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Judge KP George, Fort Bend County, Ed Pollard, Houston City Councilmember District J, and Councilmember Alice Chen from the City of Stafford.

Special Thanks to Janice Weaver, Director of Community Rela-

ICC President Jasmeeta Singh (center) flanked by ICC executives, community leaders including Fort Bend County Judge KP George. Photo: NNN

tions, Office of Houston Mayor, Yasmeen Arya O/o Consul General of India, Hina Qadri, Executive Assistant – Community Relations Office of the County Judge Fort Bend County, Paul H. Young, Chief of Staff of Council Member Edward Pollard District J for their unwavering support.

Acknowledging and recognizing the below groups/individuals for ALL their efforts in support of this worthy cause: ICC Directors- Event Chair Gaurav Jhaveri, Parul F., Uma Mantravadi, Pavana Gadde, Hemant Patel, Nimish Seth, Santosh Verma, Dr. KD Upadhya, Falguni

Gandhi, Dinesh Purohit, and Mala Mekala.

ICC Trustees- Girish Pandey, Lachhman Das, Manisha Gandhi, and Pramod Bengani ICC Election Committee - Mr. Hasu Patel and Jawahar Malhotra from Indo-American News Immune Genetic, clinical Lab-

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

PCR testing and Covid - 19 Vaccine, ICC life members - Mohamad Khan & Dr. Nik Nikam, Ravi Ranjan - BANA, Dr. Hina - IBN Sina Community, Suresh Patel - GSH Event Center, Gitesh Desai - Sewa International USA, Gurpreet Singh and Pritpal Singh - Khalsa Aid International, Sheetal Bedi - IAA, Sai Racha - NorthSouth Foundation, Dr. Yunus & Saeed Pathan - IMAGH, Vipin Kumar - India House Houston, Rajiv Bhavsar - IHA, Gauri Seth and Dina Patel - Cry International Organization, JVB Meditation Center, Lions Club International Volunteer Houston Entertainment by Melrose, Darshak Thakkar - DJ , TV Asia, Priya Soni- E-Tshirt, Radio Dabang 99.5 FM - ICC Radio HOUSTON (Program is every Sunday 10 am to 12 pm), Mr. and Mr. Aman Sidhu, Dr. Nisha - Simley Rangers THANK YOU FOR A MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Jasmeeta Singh, ICC President 713.858.8229 www.icchoustontx.org

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BUSINESS

May 14, 2021

Neha Palmer Leads Electric Vehicle Infrastracure

San Jose: The executive instrumental in making Alphabet’s Google the largest global corporate buyer of renewable energy and the first company of its size to achieve 100% renewable energy for operations is now looking to propel the nation’s fleet vehicles — from buses to long-haul trucks to delivery vans — toward becoming fully electric.

Palmer is the new CEO of TeraWatt Infrastructure, a company founded in 2018 to develop, own and finance electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S. TeraWatt’s plan is to fill in what it says is a multi-trillion dollar investment and infrastructure gap for EV charging as the nation transitions in coming years toward an all-electric transportation network.

TeraWatt is backed by Keyframe and Cyrus Capital, which jointly manage portfolios of $3 billion.

TeraWatt in part is the go-between for logistics companies and utilities. The owners of the fleets will want to keep their focus on the supply chain, not worried about the technology behind keeping their fleet charged. Power generation will be local, renewables-focused, and storage is crucial. Still, this new EV demand will stress an electrical grid that will need a major update. That update has featured in debates already brewing in Washington and in the wake of notorious outages, like that seen in Texas over the winter and historically, in California.

TeraWatt will combine real estate holdings with capital investment to welcome evolving electric-vehicle charging technology along major U.S. roads.

While TeraWatt is focused largely on commercial fleets first, growth in charging will be key for

TeraWatt CEO Neha Palmer

scaling up a network for personaluse EVs as well.

Pledges from the Biden administration this spring has left Americans wondering how soon a complex network of EV charging to rival traditional gas stations — one that analysts say will need state and city buy-in and private-sector help — will fully come online.

Biden proposed spending $174 billion to promote EVs and install 500,000 charging stations across the U.S. as part of a sweeping infrastructure announcement.

Broadly, Biden wants Congress to approve $2 trillion to re-engineer America’s infrastructure, and counter offers are on the table.

Palmer talked with MarketWatch about the new role and her vision for the EV charging network.

MarketWatch: What need does TeraWatt fill? Sounds like you handle everything from land acquisition for the charging sites to courting the financing to building out these sites and managing these locations.

Palmer: As the cost of ownership of an EV fleet comes down and even looks more attractive in lowering overall transportations costs for operators of fleets, charging infrastructure has to pick up. The EV technology is there; the infrastructure is not. And we need an answer

for the hyperlocal power demand of fleets of medium- and heavyduty vehicles charging simultaneously, imagine 20 buses having to charge at once, and the need for on-site generation and energy storage. It’s an industry in early days, no doubt. But from here, demand will be huge and we are starting from virtually no infrastructure to meet that demand.

MarketWatch: The Biden administration and congressional lawmakers from both parties have said the shift to more renewable energy and EV adoption will take private and public support. Do you agree with that and are you encouraged by this administration’s seemingly intense focus on updating energy use in this country?

Palmer: It’s true that government can help in very specific ways, leveraging federal right of way for access, for instance, and that will help the U.S. make the EV transition faster. But broadly, it’s also true that the need is so immense, and needed everywhere, there’s no doubt it will take public-private action.

MarketWatch: We hear regularly, from the federal government to local government to the private sector, about the need for modernizing the nation’s electric grid, for all use, not just vehicles. Does that have to precede TeraWatt’s big push, or it happens simultaneously to your expansion, or just what does that look like?

Palmer: EV fleets at this expected magnitude represent a whole new source of power demand. We’re talking about needing double the amount of current electricity generation. It takes a long time to upgrade a grid. That’s why our emphasis is also on onsite generation, onsite storage. -- MarketWatch

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COMMUNITY

May 14, 2021

Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Files Lawsuit for Defamation Washington DC: On Friday, May 7, the Hindu American Foundation filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia against Hindus for Human Rights co-founders Sunita Vishwanath and Raju Rajagopal, Indian American Muslim Council executive director Rasheed Ahmed, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America chairman John Prabhudoss, and Rutgers University professor Audrey Truschke, for defamation and conspiracy to defame the Foundation.

In early April 2021, defendants Vishwanath, Rajagopal, Ahmed, and Prabhudoss were all quoted in two Al Jazeera articles presenting patently false claims that HAF misappropriated COVID-19 related Paycheck Protection Program relief funds to support violence and “slow genocide” against Christians and Muslims in India.

HAF’s complaint also outlines how the defendants used the USbased Coalition to Stop Genocide in India to provide cover to make further defamatory statements against HAF and demand the US government start an investigation into HAF and other Hindu organizations for allegedly using Federal funds to “sponsor hate” in India.

Professor Truschke, who has worked closely on a number of occasions with IAMC, HfHR, and Sadhana — all organizations

controlled or operated by the other defendants — went on the republish and amplify the defamatory statements, while falsely accusing HAF of organizing violent threats against her.

Truschke and IAMC’s advocacy director are both listed as board members of another Coalition to Stop Genocide in India member organization.

“This isn’t just about defending HAF’s hard-earned reputation as a leading education and human rights organization. This is about fighting back against coordinated attacks against Hindu Americans in the public space,” said Suhag Shukla, HAF’s Executive Director.

“From organizations serving community needs to candidates running for public office to stu-

dents exploring their Hindu identity on college campuses — the defendants have relentlessly sought to intimidate, harass, and silence the Hindu American community.

This will no longer come without a cost,” Shukla asserted.

“The claims of financial impropriety made in the Al Jazeera articles are verifiably false, as all of HAF’s relevant financial documents are publicly available on our website” stated HAF Managing Director Samir Kalra. “HAF leadership strongly rejects insinuations of dual loyalty to India or any accusations of spreading hatred or Islamophobia,” Kalra added.

As per tax filings, HAF has only sent funds overseas to independent organizations supporting Hindus fleeing persecution in Pakistan, now living as refugees

in India, and those helping persecuted Hindus in Pakistan itself. None of these organizations received any funding from money HAF received under US covid relief programs.

Listed as a non-party to the lawsuit but as a coconspirator to defame HAF is the author of one of the Al Jazeera articles, Raqib Hameed Naik.

HAF’s complaint shows that Naik, rather than simply being an independent journalist, as presented by Al Jazeera, has deep and ongoing connections with both IAMC and HfHR, speaking at events jointly organized by both organizations and serving on IAMC’s executive team.

Following publication of both defamatory articles Naik was listed as a speaker for “News and Media Outreach” at an IAMC quarterly planning meeting discussing advocacy and media strategy.

HAF is seeking compensatory and punitive damages from the named parties; a permanent injunction against further dissemination of the defamatory statements; a public retraction of the Al Jazeera articles; and, payment of HAF’s legal fees.

HAF’s litigation attorneys in this matter are Beverly Hills, California-based Harder LLP.

FIS Receives Award for 60 Oral Histories

Waco: Foundation for India Studies (FIS) has been awarded the Mary Faye Barnes Award for Excellence for Community History projects by the Texas Oral History Association (TOHA), a 38year old organization established in 1983 and is hosted by Baylor University in Waco,Texas.

This is the first time FIS has received a significant award outside Houston, coinciding with its 15th nniversary celebration year, which saw the completion of 60 Oral History interviews.

The project was ceremonially announced by then Mayor Anise Parker, who read the Proclamation herself from the City Hall in 2011.

Former Mayor Bill White and Laura White subsequently inaugurated the FIS studio in 2013 which found a home in the Galleria area.

Interviews can be scheduled with prior appointment by calling Krishna Vavilala@713-795-5169.

Krishna Vavilala interviewing Hon. Dalai Lama.

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BOOK REVIEW

May 14, 2021

Senjana Sathian’s Gold Diggers: Digging for Gold and Drinking It

By Lauren Christensen

In American high schools, it is not uncommon to see stressed-out teenagers pop an Adderall or Ritalin. Maybe they have A.D.H.D., or got the pill from a friend, a dealer, a parent. The goal often being to chase not a high, but the illusion of perfection. To live up to a parent’s expectations. To perform.

In Sanjena Sathian’s debut novel, “Gold Diggers,” the teenage protagonist’s drug of choice is not quite F.D.A. approved: It is literal gold, treasures lifted from neighbors and vendors, smelted at home, mixed with sugar and lemons and imbibed as “lemonade.” The elixir instills the kind of maniacal focus — not just on a math test or school debate, but on an entire future — that is needed to “make it” as the child of immigrants in America.

Get the Book Review Newsletter: Be the first to see reviews, news and features in The New York Times Book Review.

Neeraj, who goes by Neil, lives in the suburb of Hammond Creek, Ga., across the street from his classmate Anita Dayal. Anita’s mother, Anjali, is the one person in town who knows how to mix the golden drink, a legacy of her upbringing in Bombay. The year is roughly 2005, and Kanye’s “Gold

Digger” is playing on repeat. In this world populated mostly by “desis” (South Asians and their Americanborn kids), the way to succeed looks, not coincidentally, a lot like the way to succeed in the white world: Go to Harvard.

Some kids play the game dutifully. “My sister telegraphed her ambitions in the Duke poster on her wall,” Neil says. But for him, there is no poster.

He fears a future limited by his “absorbed averageness” — which, for a brown person, means no future at all. That is, until his first sip of lemonade bonds him to generations of Indian ancestry.

Of the novel’s many plotlines, all are secondary to the wrenching, will-they-or-won’t-they love story between Neil and Anita. Part 1 bonds them in a verboten drug operation, though Anita’s eyes are too set on college, the Miss Teen

India pageant, a fratty white boy named Sam, to really see Neil at all. A tragedy divides them further, and their final childhood exchanges, in person and via AIM (“anibun91: and sick of being only / anibun91: like / anibun91: pretty for a brown girl”), are, for all this novel’s leaps of imagination, achingly real reminders of what it was like to be an adolescent in post9/11 America, feeling the weight

of your parents’ dreams on your shoulders, but mostly just wanting to drink and make out.

The tension Sathian builds is one of teenage insecurity swelling into adulthood, until disillusion overthrows the tyranny of American perfectionism.

By Part 2, Neil is a Ph.D. candidate at Berkeley who cares less about his history dissertation than about the semfitional “Bombayan gold digger,” a man he conjures, obsessively, as one of the few Hindu émigrés to the California coastline during the gold rush in the mid1800s.

This intimate glimpse of millennials who are second-generation Americans (“conceptual orphans,” as Neil calls them) shows how history repeats. It is a story of immigrants reaping their futures from property they have found, which is not theirs — or is it? It is also a

Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

story of westward migration: from India to the United States, from the suburban South to the tech-boom Bay Area. Always, the endpoint is California, “this endlessly striving state at the end of America, where everyone was always going somewhere, and fast.”

But is this always somewhere we want to be? In Silicon Valley, the Teslas and smart fridges and apps that peddle the promise of immortality are merely the latest iterations of the pure gold that once lured 300,000 men out west, the latest tools this country has used to capitalize on the outsiders’ fears that we are not, will never be, enough.

Touring yuppie houses in Redwood City, Neil has a panic attack, crouching on the carpeted floor in a pose that’s almost prayerlike.

“Everyone’s ease was galactically distant,” Sathian writes, her often exquisite prose humming with contagious anxiety. “I wanted to disdain this prescribed life and yet I could not help it. … I wanted what it gave everyone else.”

Of course, a book can be its own manifestation of the American dream. Neil’s imagined Bombayan at one point joins a local newspaper, “for who would suspect a professional writer of English to be an outsider?” -- New York Times

May 14, 2021 Job Posting

Multi-Skilled JournaliSt

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Candidates must be master storytellers who can identify, develop, shoot, write, edit, produce and report high quality, enterprising stories for multiple platforms. Must be proficient in modern storytelling techniques with the ability to take a story from concept to completion.

Candidates need some anchoring experience and experience covering sports.

Qualified candidates must have a minimum 2 years major market television news experience with excellent editorial, writing, shooting, editing and on-air presentation skills, including live reporting & ad lib expertise whether it be breaking news or live major sporting or community events.

Our ideal candidate also knows how to tell high-impact stories utilizing data and other research tools and is willing to experiment with new technology. Must have a desire to serve the community and a knack for quickly cultivating contacts and exclusive story ideas.

Must be a team player with an exceptional work ethic, the ability to work under deadline, multi-task, prioritize assignments, and have the flexibility to work any shift required. . We want a respected, knowledgeable, ethical station representative and team player with a strong presence on social media.

Candidate Resume Reel Links should include examples of both news and sports stories, anchoring and live in-the-field reports that are innovative, authentic and memorable.

Background check clearance and clean driving record will be required.

To be considered, interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, Ref Job# 789498BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume, and list of references. Please email resume reel samples or links to: KTRK.HR@abc.com.

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

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May 14, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

May 14, 2021 Civil Engineer UH Alumni 1970

Please Donate to the

Raj KumaR Syal EndowmEnt Fund

Raj Kumar Syal was born on May 7, 1934 in village Bilga, District Jullunder in the Punjab, India.

He received an associate degree in engineering in 1958, then came to Tulane University in 1963. He earned his civil engineering degree at Texas A&M University.

Syal received his Masters in civil engineering from the University of Houston in 1970.

In February 1965, Syal began working for the Texas Highway Department for 45 years till his retirement. He moved to The Woodlands in 1999 and passed away on October 1, 2020.

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A Devoted Servant of the Indian Community

Raj Syal was a man burning with a desire to hold true to his faith, culture and humble beginnings.

• He helped form the India Culture Center at its small house on Cypress Street.

• He would drive across town, 40 miles from home to volunteer on projects • He helped found the region’s first temple, the Hindu Worship Society on Wirtcrest Annual Scholarship recipients will be decided by the Road.

Dean of the Cullen College of Engineering • He helped bring together the fragmented Hindu community by organizing the area’s • Funds collected will be deposited with the University first Janamashtami program at the George R. Brown • Checks should be made to “University of Houston”. Memo Convention Center. area should say ”Raj K Syal Endowment Scholarship”.

• He helped to form the Hin• Checks should be mailed to dus of Greater Houston.

Dr. Anju Syal, 4101 Greenbriar, Suite 315, Houston, TX 77098 • He organized the city’s first fireworks display downtown • All donations are tax-deductible. for Janamashtami.

For more information on the endowment and make donations, please contact: • For all his efforts, the HGH awarded Ray Syal a lifetime achievement award in 2014 • Raghunath Prasad 713-385-6473 • Dr. Narendra Gosain 832-274-4535 on the 25th anniversary of narendragosain41@gmail.com praghunath31@yahoo.com the Janamashtami event.

Established to provide Scholarships for Needy Engineering Students at the University of Houston

SONY KOHLI YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT 832-766-6662

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

10

May 14, 2021

Migrant Starts Unit to Help Fellow Migrants

By Aishwarya Mohanty

Kolkota: Like so many other migrants, Ranjan Sahu, 40, was hit hard by the national lockdown which followed the Covid-19 pandemic unfolding in March last year.

Having lost his job, Sahu started his own garment manufacturing unit in his village Gunthi in Kendrapara district. He employed 70 other youths from his village and nearby villages who had either lost their jobs due to the pandemic, or were forced to return home.

Almost a month after the lockdown in April last year, facing severe financial constraints, the garment unit in Kolkata he had been working for over seven years had shut down, rendering all its employees jobless.

“I returned home and was sitting idle, with nowhere to go and without any fresh opportunities. I had my savings to sustain myself and my family, but I realised that not a lot of people had enough savings and were constantly looking for work. In my village a lot of people had returned from Kerala and Surat who worked in the textile and garment industries. That is when I decided to start something on my own and started this venture,” Sahu told The Indian Express.

Nearly 110 km from Bhubaneswar, in his village of Gunthi in Pattamundai block of Kendrapara district, Sahu set up his first garment manufacturing unit — Royal Green Garment Company. Spread across 3,000 square feet, with 45 sewing machines, the unit has been functional since January this year, employing 70 migrants who had returned to their native villages due to lack of jobs. They now produce formal shirts, tee shirts and trousers.

Sahu dropped out of school when he was 18, and like many others from his village, left Odisha in search of work. A class X dropout, he picked up the skills of working in the garments industry for nearly 22 years across cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Surat and even Nepal.

“I have worked in various capacities across cities, mostly as production manager. I had a comfortable job and never thought I would start something on my own.

The pandemic changed a lot of things. We also plan to expand and hire more people as and when the demand increases,” Sahu said.

For the residents of Gunthi and nearby villages, he has been a saviour in the time of crisis. Sagarika Panda, 22, used to work at a garment manufacturing unit in Ernakulam in Kerala.

The eldest daughter, she had taken up the job to provide for her family. Her father, a farmer, had suffered losses due to cyclone Fani in the coastal village. But within months of joining the job, she was left jobless amidst the raging pandemic.

-- Indian Express

Job Posting

VP, News Director

KTRK-TV, the Disney owned television station in Houston, TX has an opening for a VP, News Director. The VP - News Director is responsible for the news product across all platforms for the station as well as managing strategies and teams to develop content that connects with the community in a way that drives audience and revenue growth.

The VP - News Director is a key leader within the station, upholding our commitment to quality journalism and the communities we serve while driving modernization of the newsroom and maintaining a dynamic culture that embraces change and innovation.

This leader will work closely with the General Manager on the development of a clear vision for the future of our local business and will be effective in communicating, motivating and inspiring their team in executing that vision via hands-on leadership, optimism, strategic risk-taking and focused metrics of success. He or she will be an innovative thinker who, in partnership with the General Manager, can develop strategies that evolve the brand from not only being the place to go for breaking news, but also where consumers can expect to find localized high quality, high impact journalism and content.

The VP - News Director will work across ABC OTV with other News Directors and key leaders to drive collective growth and success.

Responsibilities: • Lead the efforts and responsible for the development and implementation of a content strategy that attracts and engages audiences across platforms • Directs and manages the overall newsroom operations to drive “ethical results” (meet or exceed KPIs) including established goals/objectives to help drive ratings, audience, video, and market share • Oversee and evolve the brand to maximize its impact, relevancy and connection with local audiences.

• Lead a premium multi-platform news organization including a vast and diverse team of talent across various roles and disciplines • Key partner with the General Sales leadership and sales teams in the ideation and development of content that aligns to the strategic goals in order to meet/exceed local advertising budgets/forecasts and monetize audiences across all platforms • Continue to identify more effective and efficient approaches to operations and processes throughout the newsroom • Develop and maintain strong relationships with community leaders as a key member of the stations’ leadership team • Seek out opportunities to contribute to the local market area for the betterment of the community • Recruit, develop, and retain a strong team, including on-air talent; provide guidance and coaching to maximize their performance and accelerate their professional growth • Champion data and analytics to drive multi-platform content, product and platform optimization as well as accountability across the newsroom • Execute all corporate policies/objectives while maintaining the highest level of ethics and industry standards • Establish and maintain an innovative and highly collaborative culture atmosphere that promotes novel idea generation, open communication, respect for others and excellence • Create a diverse, collaborative, fun and stimulating work environment • Collaborate with other parts of OTV and TWDC to advance the group’s interests and leverage assets • Grow and develop unified OTT strategies to create / aggregate content in to streaming platforms • Drive business and partnership development efforts to drive modernization and further group goals Basic Qualifications: • Proven leadership experience within a newsroom at a medium or large DMA local broadcast station or other news organizations • A participative leadership approach that fosters collaboration and innovation • Ability to recognize, create and communicate priorities, strategies as well as market opportunities and challenges to drive growth and performance improvement • Attention to detail, project management skills, and the ability to effectively lead and manage in a dynamic and challenging environment • Strong written, verbal and presentation skills • Understanding of FCC rules and regulations • Experience working with unions and contract negotiations Preferred Qualifications: • Understanding of marketing and audience development in a multi-platform environment • Experience managing budgeting processes and strategic planning Required Education • Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communication or related field or relevant equivalent experience

To be considered, interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, Ref Job# 789490BR.

About Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution: Comprised of the Company’s international business units and various direct-toconsumer streaming services, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) aligns technology, media distribution and advertising sales into a single business segment to create and deliver personalized entertainment experiences to consumers around the world.

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 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., which is part of a business segment we call Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.

American Broadcasting Companies, 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, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. 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.

KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

11 ‘Milestone’ Review: The Perfect Film for These Dark Times

ENTERTAINMENT

May 14, 2021

By Shubhra Gupta Director: Ivan Ayr Cast: Suvinder Vicky, Lakshvir Saran Anyone familiar with Indian highways recognises the distinctive rumble of a truck. It’s a vehicle that seems made for these endless roads, drawing ever closer in the rear-view mirror, shudderingjuddering under its load, and flashing past, leaving a trail of exhaust mixed with dust and, sometimes, a message inscribed on the number plate: buri nazar waaley, tera moonh kala.

There’s no such glib bumpersticker philosophy in Milestone (Meel Patthar), an apt name for a film which finds poetry in the prosaic life of a truck driver. It’s no coincidence that the protagonist is called Ghalib (Suvinder Vicky), and his reluctant assistant is Pash (Lakshvir Saran): the former has middle age and a persistent backache creeping upon him; the latter, a wet-behind-the-ears fellow, is his eager apprentice.

Ivan Ayr’s debut Soni (2018) focussed on two Delhi-based policewomen dealing with the misogyny entrenched in their male-dominat-

ed workplace and in their families.

His much more accomplished second feature shows a clear growth in the way Milestone rolls out, unerringly capturing both the decaying big picture as well as the grim detailing of the milieu: the line drawn between those who own the vehicles, and those who load and drive them, is clear — the man who hands out the pay cheque calls the shots. It’s their way, on the highway.

The depiction of the transactional relationship between the owners of the company, the elderly father standing by silently as the brash young son rides roughshod over the older employees, is spot on. As is the loneliness of the long-distance trucker whose home is the road: Ghalib’s face doesn’t reveal much; much more eloquent is the twinge in his lower back which refuses to go away. Both he and his truck have more mileage than any-

one else’s, but that’s not gonged to stop the advance of hungry youngsters, unwilling to get their hands dirty but in a tearing hurry to get into the driver’s seat.

There’s more to Ghalib than his truck, as we get to know. He had a wife, a Sikkimese woman, who spent her time waiting for him to

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

return from his unending runs. We are never told how they met. What we see is his coming to terms with her absence: on one of his rare stopovers at his house, a painter of flower pots shows up, saying that it is time to colour the pots in the hue she liked. The manner in which he absorbs the information, and responds, is poignant.

Vicky, who left such a mark in Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot (2015), makes Ghalib his own.

Saran is excellent, too, as the youngster struggling between his desire to be nice and the need for paying work, his name a stroke of unintended irony. The original Pash was a legendary Punjabi revolutionary poet assassinated by Khalistanis in the late ’80s. There’s nothing rebellious about this Pash, just an awareness of his youth, and how that should be enough to get him what he wants. The heroism of the older man is what stands out in Ayr’s lyrical, moving film.

Stoic yet empathetic, Ghalib is the perfect poet of these dark times. -Indian Express

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May 14, 2021

EID MUBARAK

As we tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic, we give thanks to the guidance of Ramazan to overcome all hurdles!

Eid Mubarak!

Wishing everyone health, happiness and contentment

Latafath & Zabie Hussain Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

May 14, 2021

13

Pratham USA Readathon: Houston’s Next Generation Gives Back Houston: Since 2012, children across the US have participated in the Pratham USA Readathon to raise funds so underprivileged children in India can get access to a quality education. Last year, nine teams from across the US participated and raised over $80,000 through the Readathon. The Houston team, with over 20 children, read and raised funds locally so children in India have an opportunity to learn.

Mansi Arora, whose sons Mihir and Siddhanth Relan were part of the Houston team, says, “[The Readathon] provides a great incentive for kids to cultivate the habit of reading and in doing so making them responsible for the education of another child, their reading suddenly becomes purposeful.” Mihir and Siddhanth Relan kept reading logs, reached out to family and friends to fundraise and also kept the rest of the team motivated.

Pratham supporters from the Houston area also uplifted the efforts of the readers through their contributions.Ananya Chakraborty got the Houston Readathon off to a solid start with her generous gift. Long-time Pratham supporters, Bimla and Swantantra Jain, graciously supported the initiative through matching funds which helped fuel increased participation from the kids.

Not only did the children get to read but they also got to write essays, create videos, be artistic through a number of fun contests launched by Pratham USA Readathon national coordinator Vineeta Salvi. These contests were offered throughout the campaign to encourage children to be creative and gave them an opportunity to win prizes and unlock matching funds which were applied toward their fundraising goals.

Sumedha Katarya, mother of Armaan and Yash - who raised the highest amount of funds for the Houston team - said, “The topics were thought-provoking and engaged my boys in creative read-

ing and writing projects through summer. They learned how the pandemic was impacting kids in India and, with the challenges, were motivated to double the cam-

paign goals.” Fourth-grader Yash reflected - “even though we were isolating we became part of a bigger family” The readers stayed connected

with each other through Zoom meetings and other virtual events.

One of the readers, Neil Bose, sang the song Ekla Cholo Re in Hindi at one of these meetings. Neil said that just like the song which says if no one answers your call, then you walk the path alone, “[he] will walk the path with Pratham alone to help the children in India get the education they deserve.’’ The kids also got to interact with Pratham kids in India and had a chance to better understand the work that Pratham does and the impact they are able to make through the Readathon.

Kahani Malhotra, a sophomore in school, said she has improved

her communication and leadership skills as well as developed a passion for advocacy thanks to her involvement with the Readathon.

Other readers like Divya Khatri, Aditi Iyer and Krish Shah have actively been part of the Readathon for over six years. Readers Avya and Ayan Nadkarni graciously donated the Diwali gift money for the Readathon.

This next generation of Houstonians are certainly making a difference - one book and one child at a time.

Details for the 2021 Readathon are being finalized and will be available at: prathamusa.org in the coming months.

Wishing everyone health, happiness and contentment

Eid Mubarak!

Coveniently loCated in West Houston-Katy

Texas House Passes Bill to Make Eid a Holiday Austin: Emgage Action’s efforts at making Eid an optional holiday for state employees passed the Texas House on the third reading! This was a year long effort by Emgage Action to advocate for Muslims at the Capitol this 87th Session of the Legislature.

“Our efforts started with Rep. Joe Moody (D-El Paso). Emgage Action drafted the Eid Holiday Bill and asked Rep. Moody to introduce it, which he graciously did, explained Executive Director Nabila Mansoor.

Next stop: Texas Senate. Emgage Action says it will not will let up the fight. They are at the Capitol advocating for not only this bill but also other Emgage sponsored bills such as Imams Performing Marriage Ceremonies and “Ghusl” Ceremony bills.

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 14, 2021

Applications Invited for 2021 ICC BOS Scholarship The India Culture Center, Houston (ICC) is a non-profit Indo-American organization in the Greater Houston area promoting, educating, and uniting India’s rich and diverse cultures and values to benefit and serve all communities in the Greater Houston Area.

ICC is pleased to announce the BOS SCHOLARSHIP (Bhalla Outstanding Student) of US $5,000 to qualified college-bound high school seniors based on merit.

This award is made from the endowment fund by India Culture Center in the honor of donation made by Col. RAJ & KANWAL BHALLA for their valuable contribution towards promoting the India Culture Center’s charitable work in the Greater Houston Area.

Eligibility Criteria:

Residency: Greater Houston Area High School Graduation: May 2021 Date of Enrollment in College or University: Fall 2021 SAT Score: 1200 and above OR ACT Score: 27 and above GPA (Honors and AP Courses will be weighted) 3.50 on a 4.0 scale

Application Procedure and Checklist

1. Fill out all of the information on the application form.

2. Attach a resume that includes all leadership roles, awards and honors 3. Copy of SAT/ACT student score report, copy of school transcript through Fall semester of applicant’s senior year and copy of AP Scores, if any 4. Copy of latest school rank notification from school 5. Copy of acceptance letter to the college 6. Essay should be between 300 and 400 words.

Deadline: E-mail the completed application and all accompanying documents on or before June 1, 2021 to: iccbosshoustontx@gmail.com PLEASE NOtE • Applications and all accompanying documents that are not received on or before June 1, 2021, will not be accepted.

• The decision of the ICC BOSS Fund Committee shall be final.

• Incomplete or late applications will be disqualified.

• BOSS will be given only once per lifetime of the candidate.

• All information provided in the BOSS application will be considered confidential & will be shared only with scholarship committee.

• One deserving candidate will be awarded the scholarship during ICC India Independence Day Event in August 2021

to download Scholarship Application visit http://icchoustontx.org

Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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

Send us the correct answer before May 19, 2021. Email us at indoamericannews@ yahoo.com and send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

Last Week’s Solution

May 14, 2021

15

BAPS Defending Labor Charges at New Jersey Temple

Robbinsville, New Jersey -FBI agents were at a large Hindu temple in New Jersey on Tuesday as a new lawsuit claimed it was built by workers from marginalized communities in India who were lured to the U.S. and forced to work long hours for just a few dollars per day.

BAPS CEO Kanu Patel, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, told The New York Times, “I respectfully disagree with the wage claim.”

A spokesperson for the organization, Matthew Frankel, told The Associated Press that BAPS was first made aware of the accusations early Tuesday morning.

“We are taking them very seriously and thoroughly reviewing the issues raised,” he said.

The lawsuit accuses the leaders of BAPS of human trafficking and wage law violations.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed that agents were at the temple on “court-authorized law enforcement activity,” but wouldn’t elaborate.

One of the attorneys who filed the suit said some workers had been removed from the site Tuesday.

The lawsuit says more than 200 workers - many or all of whom don’t speak English - were coerced into signing employment agreements in India. They traveled to New Jersey under R-1 visas, which are meant for “those who minister, or work in religious vocations or occupations,” according to the lawsuit.

When they arrived, the lawsuit says, their passports were taken away and they were forced to work at the temple from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with few days off, for about $450 per month a rate that the suit said came out to around $1.20 per hour. Of that, the workers allegedly only received $50 in cash per month, with the rest deposited into their accounts in India.

An attorney representing several of the workers, Daniel Werner, called it “shocking that this hap-

Job Posting

BAPS temple under construction in New Jersey. Photo: CNN

pens in our backyard.”

“It is even more disturbing that it has gone on for years in New Jersey behind the temple’s walls,” Werner, of Decatur, Georgia, said Tuesday outside the gates of the complex. He said some workers were on the site for a year, two years or even longer, and were not allowed to leave unless accompanied by somebody from BAPS. The ornate temple is made of Italian and Indian marble, and sits on 162 acres (65 hectares) in Robbinsville, outside Trenton.

The lawsuit said workers lived in a fenced-in compound where their movements were monitored by cameras and guards. They were told that if they left, police would arrest them because they didn’t have their passports, the suit said.

The lawsuit names Patel and several individuals described as having supervised the workers. It seeks unpaid wages and unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

D.B. Sagar, president of the Washington-based International Commission for Dalit Rights, told The Associated Press that Dalits are an easy target for exploitation because they’re the poorest people in India.

“They need something to survive, to protect their family,” Sagar - a Dalit himself - said, adding that if the allegations in the lawsuit are true, they amount to “modernday slavery.”

BAPS is known for community service and philanthropy, taking an active role in the diaspora’s initiative to help India amid the

current COVID-19 surge. But it also is linked to contentious issues in India, publicly supporting and funding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, built on the site of a mosque demolished by Hindu nationalists.

The ongoing construction on the mandir in Robbinsville began in 2010, and the site has caught the attention of state and federal authorities in recent years. Last month, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development issued a stop-work order against a Newark-based construction company whose projects included the BAPS temple in Robbinsville.

An investigation found the company, Cunha Construction, was paying workers in cash off the books and didn’t have workers’ compensation insurance, according to a release. It’s not named in the lawsuit.

In 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated after a Pennsylvania teenager was killed in a fall while volunteering at the site.

According to the website for the Robbinsville mandir, its construction “is the epitome of volunteerism.”

“Volunteers of all ages have devoted their time and resources from the beginning: assisting in the construction work, cleaning up around the site, preparing food for all the artisans on a daily basis and helping with other tasks,” the website says. “A total of 4.7 million man hours were required by craftsman and volunteers to complete the Mandir.” -- ABC News

Temp mulTi media JournalisT

KTRK-TV, the Disney owned television station in Houston, TX is looking for a hardworking, self-sufficient MMJ with a passion for unique story-telling for a temporary assignment.

Last Week’s Winners Last Week’s Winners Sanchali Basu Basu Sanchali

You must be able to identify, develop, shoot, write, edit, produce and report high quality, enterprising stories for multiple platforms on a daily basis. You must be comfortable covering hard breaking news as well as fun-filled feature stories. Resume reels should include examples of packages and live shots that are innovative, creative and memorable. You must have a knack for quickly cultivating contacts in the community and must know how to dig for unique, exclusive content on the big and little stories alike. We want a respected, knowledgeable, ethical station representative and promoter with a strong presence on social media.

Candidates need at least 4 years of on-air experience and must be open to working any shift on any day of the week. Background check clearance and clean driving record will be required.

To be considered all interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, reference job # 790959BR. Upload a cover letter, resume and list of references and email resume reel samples or links to your latest newscast to: KTRK.HR@abc.com.

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

Indo-American News • Friday, may 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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May 14, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, May 14, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com