Jan 27 Page 1-36

Friday, January 27 2012 | Vol. 31, No. 4

Indo American News

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History Unfolds in Tryst With Destiny

Page 5 Krishna Subramanya Murti as Jawaharlal Nehru and Natwar Gandhi as Mahatma Gandhi

mts celebrates c 2012 VH VHs s Teachers and Volunteers Appreciation day

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January 27, 2012

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t long r the reach of the irs targets t i indian i investments

By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: So you think you had made safe financial investments far away in India, far from the probing eyes of the US Internal Revenue Service? Perhaps even under a relative’s name, but with you as a signatory? And this tidy bundle was growing virtually tax free under the reformed tax structure in India?

Well, the IRS has been spreading the message for the past nine months that those days are now gone for good, all with renewed emphasis – and now looming enforcement – of two tax law forms that will have to be filed along with personal income tax returns.

Although this message has been promoted in some media reports over the past few months, and two amnesty periods were offered, it hasn’t really sunk in the minds of the first generation immigrants who still have maintained close connections with the Old Country, especially when it comes to family estates or other financial accounts that they have in their own names or via other living relatives.

Sensing that this maybe the case, the president of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, Ajit V. Thakur and the treasurer, Swapan Dhairyawan, both of whom are CPA in private practice, arranged for an informative seminar for the Indo American community this past Sunday afternoon, January 22 at the India House of West Bellfort. As a measure of interest, even though it was held at the same time as the AFC and NFC championships games, a crowd of over 200 people came to listen with rapt attention, many of

From left: Swapan Dhairyawan, Rimple Mashrowala, Ajit Thakur, Kushru Khambatta and Mahesh Shah Photos: Bijay Dixit

them well known CPAs from the community, and most stayed for the active question and answer session.

The seminar was also co-sponsored by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin and the local chapter’s president Mahesh Shah started with an introduction on the GOPIO and its activities and the benefits of becoming a member.

The IACCGH Executive Director, JagdipAhluwalia made the opening introductions to the organizations background and achievements and left the floor to Thakur to explain his operating philosophy for one-year tenure. He then turned the floor over to Rimple Mashrowala who manages his CPA office to explain in brief the new reporting requirements of the IRS, namely the Form TD F 90221 and the Form 8938.

The Form TD F 90-221, also known as the Foreign Bank Accounts Report (FBAR), has to be filed by a US person who has interest in or signatory authority

over foreign financial accounts if the aggregate value of these accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time in a calendar year. This is an annual reporting mechanism and must be filed by June 30 of each year, with no time extensions provided. Penalties for not filing are upto $10,000 per violation and may exceed the greater of $100,000 or 50% of the balance of the account.

A US citizen or resident alien must also file a Form 8938 if they have an interest in foreign financial assets which have an aggregate value exceeding $50,000 on the last day of the year or more than $75,000 at anytime during the year. These minimum values are greater for married taxpayers filing joint returns and for taxpayers living abroad. This form applies an interest in taxable years

starting after March 10, 2010 and will have to be filed along with the 2011 income tax returns. For now, real estate is exempted from the Form 8938 reporting requirement.

The other presenters were Kushru Khambatta a CPA in practice for many years and Dhairyawan and both hammered in the need to comply with these requirements, citing anecdotal cases of clients whose accounts they handle. During the panel discussion and Q&A period, Thakur peppered his responses with his well-known witticisms and joked about the state of accounts in India. Dhairyawan explained that the form 8938 came out of the financial collapse of 2008 when the IRS sought to get unprecedented information in the Swiss Bank UBS and also the HSBC. “In short, the IRS is now focusing on all taxpayers, not just wealthy tax payers,” Dhairyawan said, “They want to get an idea of your global income.”

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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January 27, 2012

By Sadhguru Jaggi VaSudeV Only when you are willing to change will there be transformation. It is this selftransformation that will lead to true well-being for the individual and society We are all subject to conflict and pain because people believe in different things what is real for some is unreal for others.

Naturally, conflict cannot be avoided. People might be able to avoid conflict for some time, but some day they will fight. When each believes that only his way is right, people are bound to fight.

Though all religions started as an instrument to find the inward path, over time, they have undergone many changes and become different sets of beliefs. Though all religions speak of the value of human life, for the sake of the same religions, today people are willing to take each other’s lives. Much pain and conflict has increased on earth because of this. This basic problem has not been properly addressed. People are always trying to do ‘patch-up’ jobs - between individual and between groups, but these solutions do not last for long and somewhere conflict will arise. This is because people believe in something which is not yet a reality for them. If you come down to reality, it is the same reality for everybody, no matter what religious background you come from.

When you come to belief, each group has its own belief of what is right and what is wrong, what is true and false. You believe in things that you have not seen and experienced. This has become the basis of all conflict.

The basic purpose of yoga has always been to pursue religion as an inner experience, not as a belief. Don’t start with any be-

Attain Peace And Joy

lief; start looking inward. Whatever is true, experience it and go further, approach it as a science. In yoga, we ensure that fundamentally a human being can grow or reach his Ultimate Nature, God or the Divine, or whatever you call it, by approaching it either through the body, the mind, emotion, or through inner energies.

These are the only four realities that you know. Everything else is imagined. Everything else has been taught to you. These are the four basic ways of yoga. If the body is used for growth, it is Karma yoga. If the mind or intelligence is used, it is Gnana yoga. If emotion - love and devotion are used, then it is Bhakti yoga. If you transform your energies and grow, it is Kriya yoga. This is like referring to head, heart, hands and energy. That’s what you are; that’s what every human being is. Nobody is all head, or all heart, or all hands, or all energy, they are a combination of these four dimensions.

So, if a person has to grow, he needs a combination of these four paths of Bhakti, Gnana, Kriya and Karma. Spiritually, there is nothing happening. Unless something of true value happens within a person, nothing of tremendous value can be done in the external world. Whatever you do, it is only your quality that you are going to spread.

Whether you like it or not, this is the reality. Who you are is what you are going to spread everywhere. If you are concerned about the world, the first thing is, you must be willing to transform yourself. Yoga is about “I am willing to change myself.” This is not about wanting to change the world - it is about your willingness to change.

Only when you are willing to change, can

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a change really happen in this world. When you say, “I want everybody else to change”, only conflict will occur. Only when you are willing to change will there be transformation. It is this self-transformation that will lead to true wellbeing for the individual and society. A true revolution.

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is a yogi, profound mystic of our times, and visionary humanitarian. His presence creates an extraordinary opportunity to break through limitations into one’s natural state of freedom, love and joy. Named one of “India’s

50 Most Powerful People” by India Today magazine, Sadhguru has touched the lives of millions of people worldwide, contributing to his vision of raising human consciousness.

Learn Isha Kriya, a simple and powerful guided meditation designed by Sadhguru.

Find a free session near you by calling (832)-408-0663 or access free online at www.IshaKriya.com. Also, Sadhguru will be conducting a 3-day Inner Engineering Program in Houston, Texas on May 4th-6th, 2012. To learn more or watch Sadhguru’s videos visit www.BeBreatheBlossom.com.

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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January 27, 2012

Play r reaches Back in Time for m meaning Behind the Partition

By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: For most of those who came to see the play Tryst With Destiny last Saturday, January 21 the material was familiar: the Partition of India and the main protagonists who lead the movement to rid India of the British in the early 20th century. They had either experienced the events firsthand or knew others in their extended families or friends who had. And for them, the play, which was brought to the Bayou City by the local Pratham chapter, brought back painful memories.

The Partition of India will forever be etched in the collective memory of the SubContinent as the first such singular act in modern times in dividing a land solely on the basis of religion. For those in the two states that were cut down the middle – the Punjab and Bengal – the stories passed down through the generations have become ingrained in family history and some are fast becoming folklore, fostering lingering prejudices, resentments and even hatred between Muslim and Hindu communities.

Against this backdrop, many books, movies and novels have been published about The Partition, each with its own ax to grind.

And so, the ideas presented in this two-act play, Tryst With Destiny, are refreshing in that it presents a behind-the-scenes analysis of some key events that led to The Partition and provides a thoughtful projection of the chief protagonists – Mohandas Karamchnad Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Jawahar Lal Nehru – without taking sides in their political and personal conflict.

That it has been done skillfully and artfully is a testament to the creativity of the play’s writer, Amita Deepak Jha, for whom the play is her maiden effort. Jha is psychiatrist who has practiced in Rockville, Maryland for 27 years although she had a strong leaning towards the creative arts, studied kathak for 20 years in her youth and was an anchor on Doordarshan, India’s national TV channel. She lived in Europe prior to coming to the US and after raising a family, her urge to get back into theater led her to write this play. Her mother’s family was uprooted from their ancestral home in the Punjab and her mother worked with Mulana Azad, India’s first Education Minister and also knew Nehru.

A couple of years ago, Jha read the letters between Nehru and Gandhi which led her to the history of the Indian National Congress

From left: Deepti Rattan, Bimla Jain, Swatantra Jain, Marie Goradia, Meena Datt, Amita Deepak Jha and Vijay Goradia Photos: Bijay Dixit

and perked her interest into the people involved in the Independence struggle. Coupled with her personal history, this provided Jha the idea to pull together the characters and to write a play about the events from 1917 to 1947 that transformed the Sub-Continent. The deft development of characters could only have be done by a person who is familiar with human psychology as she does when she brings out the changes in Jinnah.

Her initial manuscript ran to 125 pages (see see letters to the Editor, page XX XX), which she brought down to 55 pages with many revisions to the script in order to produce a 2-hour play. The play first opened to sold out shows and rave reviews in Washington DC in August 2011 with the local Pratham chapter as one of the sponsors. Vijay Goradia, who is one of the stalwarts of the Houston Pratham chapter, saw the Washington production and immediately suggested it for a one-day run in Houston to the Chapter President Swatantra Jain, who at once took on the responsibility to stage it here.

Tryst With Destiny had its Houston run this past Saturday at the Cullen Auditorium at the University of Houston to a rapt audience of 800 people, many of whom enjoyed the performance. The play meshes video montages of the period with scenes where the actors play out moments from the same

timeframe and in this way, the personalities and mind set of the characters and the political intrigue become clear to the audience who has a behind-the-scenes glimpse of unfolding history. The title comes from the famous opening line that Nehru used at the moment that India achieved independence and his character ends the play with a reading from the same passage.

The play opens with four video news clips from current Indian events that Nehru (Krishna Subramanya Murti) and Gandhi (Natwar Gandhi) are viewing as though through a time capsule in 1917. They chat as Bapu (father as Gandhi was affectionately called) and chela (student), and Nehru shows his affection and admiration.

In the 1920s scene, Manoj Singh as Moti Lal Nehru (Jawahar Lal’s father); Gandhi, Azad (Sushil Rattan), Jinnah (Subhojit Sen) and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (Paresh Parekh) argue over the use of the spinning wheel as a form of satyagrah (non-cooperation) with the British authorities, with Jinnah (dressed in a tailored woolen suit and smoking a pipe) opposing the idea. The bickering shows the beginning of the fracture between Jinnah and the National Congress.

In the 1925 scene, the fracture is more evident, with a belligerent Jinnah (now dressed in a sherwani, pajamas and fur cap) asking

for recognition of the Muslim civilization and wanting a Hindustan and Pakistan. In Act 2, he openly states that he cannot trust Congress to protect Muslims. Gandhi is shown to insist of keeping the country intact and wanting to re-establish a Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. The evolution of Nehru’s socialist ideas also comes through in his dialogues with Gandhi. By the end of Act 2, the inevitability of The Partition is shown as the only way out of the political quagmire and newsreels show the refugees fleeing and the murderous violence that erupts.

All the actors played their parts with feeling and conviction, especially Sen who stands out for his role as Jinnah and Murti as Nehru, to whom he has a slight resemblance. Gandhi as the Mahatma conveys a feeling of inner harmony and peace, appropriate for the role. And Singh as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (his dual role) is quite good.

In bringing this play to Houston, Pratham has shown that there are more subtle ways to develop loyalty to its cause than simply soliciting donations outright at a gala. The organizers did not elaborate on Pratham other than some short remarks by Swatantra Jain during intermission in which he thanked the other volunteers who worked to make the performance a success and the emcee, local radio show host Meena Datt, for her opening remarks, part of which were made offstage as she strode into the spotlight.

Jain was obviously elated at the response, but in his true self-effacing manner he downplayed the effort. He acknowledged the support of Goradia, and his core team - Brij Kathuria, Meena Datt, Surender Talwar, Nikhil Jain, Shanti Gala,Vivek Jain, Leena Shah, Abhijit Mohod, Asheet Yagnik, Anil Shah, Dinkar Chheda, Ash Shah and Darrel D’Souza in bring the play to Houston. “Pratham is delighted that the response was so positive,” he said later. “We now have approached Amitaji with an idea to produce a play that will reach children and young adults.”

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $30 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036, tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com.

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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January 27, 2012

Fourth yL yLd LdP s session ession at Tran Trans star star

HOUSTON: On Saturday, January 21, YLDP of Houston held its fourth session at TranStar of Houston under the theme of Government and Politics. In this session, the students of YLDP were given a tour of the building and were enlightened by Judge Ed Emmett’s entertaining speech on leadership.

The session opened with a Transtar building tour, including a well connected conference room on the second floor that overlooks a control room resembling that at NASA. The centerpiece attraction is the “spider web” map of Houston area highways. TranStar uses an innovative technology using sensors that pick up Bluetooth signals from cell phones and cal-

n e p

Harris County judge Ed Emmett spoke on leadership at the fourth YLDP session at TranStar

culates travel speeds for display in the familiar color coded area traf traffic map we see on TV. Following the tour, YLDP students were treated to an inspirational talk by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. He shared many valu-

keeping close contact with friends to build a support network, an enabler for any leader. Along with teamwork, he emphasized the importance of personal humility in a leader, a theme exemplified throughout his life. Judge Emmett left the students with a powerful concluding message— good leaders are made by several collective factors: a good support network, a little intelligence, even a bit of luck, and a whole lot of perseverance. Following his exemplary leadership in managing emergencies in Harris County, the students were inspired to find ways that they could step up and help during an emergency and become effective leaders in their

own communities.

The students came away with a better understanding of how the city of Houston and Harris County function in emergencies and how the county manages its daily traf traffic volume. Interacting with Judge Emmett provided valuable lessons on how to interact with their own peers and how to serve their communities as leaders.

YLDP is now accepting applications for the class of 2013. For more information, call Nimmi Vale at 832-563-9696 YLDP students Sanjiv Gopalkrishnan, Priya Bhattacharjee, Navin Kalluri, Shourya Saxena and Srimahesh Vangavolu contributed to this report.

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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no r refusal: Valuable Tool for Keeping drunk drivers off the roadways r

By Mukul kelkar HOUSTON: Drink, Drive, get shot in the arm.

Or, “a” shot. In its attempt to crack down on drunk driving, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has joined up with other police forces around the state to impose “No Refusal” weekends.

You may have seen signs for these events if you’ve driven on one of our many highways in the metroplex.

The rule in Texas is that by having a driver’s license, you have consented to providing a breath or blood specimen on a peace offer’s demand. If you refuse, you are explicitly violate the “Implied Consent” Law and are subject to arrest.

Once put under arrest, the police officer then has the right to obtain a search warrant to draw your blood. While you are booked and kept in the city jail, your arresting of officer fills out a boilerplate search warrant, finds a judge that is on call for this very reason, who signs off on the officer’s right to draw your blood, and then proceeds to obtain a sample from you.

After a search warrant is appropriately obtained, you really have no right to refuse.

Whether you have a fear of needles, or just would rather not have a police officer obtain your blood specimen, you must submit.

Sure, the easy answer to all of this is “don’t drink and drive,” but there are enough cases in our very community where people are

January 27, 2012

arrested for DWI when they might not actually be intoxicated. And while a person, overwhelmed at the sheer reality of being arrested, is then asked to provide a specimen, isn’t it natural for them to refuse?

The United States Supreme Court held in 1966 that a hospital blood draw from a car accident could be admitted, but then also shied away from addressing the “serious questions” stemming from blood draws “administered by police in the privacy of the stationhouse.” We are in that world today, and it is up to us to start asking those “serious questions.”

Mukul Kelkar worked as a Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney and now has joined Nguyen & Chen, LLP

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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January 27, 2012

s m sri meenakshi Temple celebrates c Ayyappa mandala Pooja

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By Sarath Menon PEARLAND: Or, Aham Brahmaasmi, the two in this context mean one and the same, says Sri. Sukumaran Nampoodiri, a former main priest of the temple in Sabarimala in Kerala. The shrine is Dharma Shastha, synonymous with Brahman, the Infinite, and is mentioned in Vedic sources. Sri Ayyappan, as the deity is popularly known to us, is an amshavataram of Dharma Shastha, an incarnation for the fulfillment of dharma on earth. The birth of Sri Ayyapan also remedied the misfortune of the childless chief chieftain of Pandalam kingdom in Kerala who was blessed with a divine child born out of a celestial union of Shiva and Vishnu. Trekking the long, holy trail of pilgrims’ path up through the mountains of the Western Ghats to reach the Sannidhanam or, the Abode, of Dharma Shastha, the devotee reaches the ultimate realization of life’s purpose which is the union of the Self with the Infinite. In the 1990s, the Meenakshi Temple in Houston consecrated Sri Ayyappan deity where priest Parameswaran conducts worship strictly according to Agama tradition for the benefit of local devotees.

The journey is physical, as well as a spiritual/mental process. ‘Manasuddhi’ and ‘deha suddhi’ are the two states of being the self owes its existence to that a devotee transforms into as he observes forty-one days of ‘vratham’ completing the full cycle of ‘mandalam’. The vratham, a symbolic engagement, is transformative in function and demands a total suspension of indulgences that are profane. It serves to cleanse the mind and body in preparation for the realization of, and union with, the Infinite.

Wearing the ‘mala’ or the bead, and the black robe symbolize a detachment from the physical-external, while the avoidance of carnal pleasures signifies abstinence from earthly desires. The union of the Self with the Infinite is attained through detachment from all earthly trappings.

Towards the end of the mandala vratham, the devotee prepares for the journey to Sannidhanam in Sabari hills. The Ayyappa swamis, as they are called, carry Irumudi, a headload of offerings to Sri Ayyappan, including coconuts filled with ghee for Neyyabhishekam. The final forty-one mile long trek from Erumeli, crossing over the imposing Karimala, Neelimala, and Azhutha hills, to the final destination braving the unknown, totally prepares the pilgrim to a complete surrender and abandonment of all attachments to unite with the Infinite!

Historically, the temple was open to pilgrims only during mandalam. For the rest of the year, the temple remained closed leav-

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ing Shastha to remain in a state of ‘nidrayoga’ so as not to be disturbed. During those months, only padi pooja (the eighteen steps symbolizing the various indriyas and bhoothas) is conducted. In recent years, due to popular demand, the temple has stayed open for five days during the beginning of each Malayalam month. Perhaps, the most auspicious ritual for Sri Ayyappan is the Sankrama pooja occuring on the eve of Makara masam of the Hindu calendar, the day when the Pandalam royalty is permitted to have darshan of the deity – a right granted by the Divine Son to his foster father.

During mandalam, a typical day breaks at three in the morning for worshippers to see the deity in ‘nirmalyam’ state, decorated with garlands from the previous day, followed by the most auspicious ritual of Neyyabhishekam and malar nivedyam until 7:15 AM. The next event of the routine is Usha Pooja, again followed by Neyyabhishekam. After Ucha pooja at noon, the sanctorum will close until the evening for deeparadhana and poovabhishekam. The hundreds of thousands of devotees offering flowers for abhishekam literally mean filling the sanctum sanctorum with flowers and is truly a sight to behold! In recent times, the chanting of Harivarasanam has been added when the priests extinguish the lamps in succession and the sanctorum is closed until day break, leaving the deity in nidra.

Undoubtedly, the presence of Swami Ayyappan has added to the fame and glory of Meenakshi temple,drawing thousands of devotees to the shrine each year. The conduct of rituals for Sri Ayyappan here is in accordance with the agama tradition followed in the Sabarimala temple. This year, the mandala pooja started on November 17th, the first day of Vrischika masam and completed the observance on December 27, 2011.

Sri. Sukumaran Nampoodiri who was blessed with that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve at Sabarimala has only one message for all across the world – the one emanating from the divine abode of Dharma Shastha, attesting to the love for all humanity, regardless of class, caste, or religion. It is one that has universal social appeal, for, the truly Divine sees a world sans, Jathi-matha bedham, Ucha-neecha bedham, Kuchela-Kubera bedham.

The Abode of Dharma Shastha through manifestation as Swami Ayyappan is the ultimate testimony to the idea of social equality unique to Sanatana Dharma.

Swamiye, Saranamayyappa!

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COMMUNITY

January 27, 2012

mTs mT Ts c celebrates elebrates 2012 VH VHs s Teachers and Volunteers Appreciation day

PEARLAND: On Sunday, January 23, Sri Meenakshi Temple Society (MTS) in Pearland celebrated the 2012 Vedic Heritage School (VHS) Teachers & Volunteers (T&V) Appreciation Day. Traditionally this event used to be a part of the Year End Program.

The first VHS class was started about 12 years ago in Feb 2000.

The very first pilot project started with mere 26 students, five volunteers and a coordinator. In the last twelve years, the number of students registered with the program has grown up to almost 10 times.

Because of this voluminous student growth, the number of teachers and volunteers has also grown 6 to 7 times since its inception.

This exponential growth necessitated a separate event for appreciation of teachers and volunteers’ time and effort.

The event began with a very apt devotional song by Lakshmi Venkateswaran on Lord Muruga who taught his father (Lord Siva) about pranava mantra. This was followed by a brief welcome address by the lead coordinator Venkat Prasad who mentioned that VHS teachers (about 35) and volunteers (about 12) together put in over 8,000 hours annually for

VHS Teachers

the program at the temple. Prasad introduced Meena Subramanian, a newly elected Executive Director of the MTS board in charge of the MTS Educational and Youth program committee. VHS is one of portfolio of this committee. Meena, interestingly, herself had served as a Co-coordinator of VHS during 2004-2008. Prior to the award ceremony, Nandita Joshi shared her collection of reviews at random from the students and parents. Both Meena and newly elected Joint-Treasurer Padma Golla shared the honor of

presenting the STAR award to the teachers.

Just before the conclusion of the ceremony, the chairman of the MTS board, Tupil Narasiman, had the honor of bestowing the ‘Nishkam Seva’ award to Padma Golla. Padma Golla is the only VHS volunteer, since the inception of VHS, who has been volunteering at the VHS without a break since 2000. He started volunteering at the VHS helping with books and its distribution, and two years later took over the VHS registration. He has been doing the VHS registration for the past eight years. This is a well deserving award titled “Nishkam” (meaning selfless) that befits Padma Golla. One of the associate coordinators, Lalitha Sabesan, put together the agenda for the event and the other associate coordinator, Suraj Subramanian, concluded the program with a vote of thanks.

If you are interested in registering your child in the MTS VHS program, please visit www.mtsvhs.blogspot.com or contact VHSCoordinators@googlegroups. com, or call 281-704-8407.

- Written by VHS Coordinators

9

India o objects to Jay Leno’s remark r on Golden Temple

By lalit k Jha WASHINGTON (Outlook): India has strongly “objected” to the remark on the Golden Temple by popular US television host Jay Leno, terming it “quite unfortunate”.

Leno, the host of the popular “The Tonight Show” on NBC channel, flashed a picture of the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in Amritsar on his programme and termed it as a possible summer home of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The visiting NRI Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi yesterday “objected” to the remark and said he has directed Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao to take up the matter with the State Department. “It is quite unfor unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the...

Golden temple,” Ravi told a group of Indian reporters.

“Golden temple is Sikh community’s most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that the person who has shown is not that ignorant. The American Government should also look at this kind of thing,” the NRI Affairs Minister said.

“I wish this kind of thing is not shown by any media in the US,” Ravi said, adding that he has not seen the show personally and has heard about it from the Sikh community. “Freedom does not mean hurt the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display of an important place like Golden temple,” Ravi said.

“The Embassy is fully aware of it and they will take it up,” he said.

The comment on Leno’s January 19 show has resulted in a outrage in the small but strong Sikh community here. They have launched an online petition against Leno and have started a Face Book page to express their anger against him.

Jay Leno himself was not immediately available for comment.

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10 January 27, 2012

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COMMUNITY

University s suspects Fraud by a researcher r w studied who s r wine red w By nicholaS wade (NYT) A charge of widespread scientific fraud, involving 26 articles published in 11 journals, was leveled by the University of Connecticut today against Dipak K. Das, one of its researchers, whose work reported health benefits in red wine.

Many of the articles reported positive effects from resveratrol, an ingredient of red wine thought to promote longevity in laboratory animals.

The charges, if verified, seem unlikely to affect the field of resveratrol research itself, because Dr. Das’s work was peripheral to its central principles, several of which are in contention. “Today I had to look up who he is. His papers are mostly in specialty journals,” said David Sinclair, a leading resveratrol expert at the Harvard Medical School.

The significance of the case seems more to reflect on the general system of apportioning research money. Researchers complain that federal grants are increasingly hard to get, even for high-quality research, yet money seemed to have flowed freely to Dr. Das, who was generating research of low visibility and apparently low quality. The University of Connecticut said Wednesday that it was returning two new grants to Dr. Das, worth a total of $890,000, to the federal government.

The agency that granted the funds was the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Renate Myles, a spokeswoman, said in response that scientific misconduct “can go undetected for a length of time even under the most rigorous systems of research oversight and review.”

The investigation of Dr. Das’s work began in January 2009, two weeks after the university received an anonymous allegation about research irregularities in his laboratory. A special review board headed by Dr. Kent Morest of the University of Connecticut has now produced a 60,000-page report, which has been forwarded to the Office of Research Integrity, a federal agency that investigates fraud by researchers who receive government grants.

According to a 60-page summary of the report, Dr. Das’s published research articles were found to contain 145 instances of fabrication and falsification of data. Many involved cutting and pasting photographic images from a type of research record known as a western blot. Because western blots have often been subject to manipulations in the past, many journals require that the images not be altered in any way without an explicit description of the procedure.

Dr. Das did not answer his phone at the university or respond to e-mail. The university has sent

Dipak K. Das in 2006. Fraud allegations against him, if verified, seem unlikely to affect the field of resveratrol research itself, because his work was peripheral to its central principles. Photo: Peter Morenus/ University of Connecticut, via Associated Press

a copy of its report to the editors of the 11 journals that published the suspect articles.

Adam Marcus, who edits the blog Retraction Watch, an inventory of the growing number of discredited scientific reports, said he would be monitoring the journals to see whether retractions were issued, a step that some editors are reluctant to take.

Dr. Das was a prolific publisher of research. His name appears on 588 articles listed in Google Scholar, though some may be by other researchers with the same name and initials. Most of the articles concern the effect of drugs on the heart, including 117 articles on resveratrol.

one-Third of Abortions in India Unsafe o

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BANGALORE (SI): Despite having a legally permitted system for abortions, it’s revealed that only two in five abortions are safe in India. While the abortion rates have reportedly stalled globally after a long period of decline, India registered 6.5 million abortions in 2008, out of which 66 percent were unsafe.

These findings were revealed in a new report by the World Health Organization along with Guttmacher Institute, New York, which assesses the progress regarding the legality, safety and accessibility of abortion services worldwide over the past decade. South and Central Asian region recorded a total 10.5 million abortions of which India has the major share with 6.5 million abortions taking place in the country. The region also recorded 200 deaths of women for every one lakh abortions.

India allows abortion on four grounds including abortion to save the life of the pregnant woman, abortion on socioeconomic grounds, abortion to protect a woman’s physical or mental health and for socioeconomic reasons.

Over 70,000 women die every year due to unsafe abortion, an estimate

which has not seen a decline in the last 10 years while other estimate state that eight million women undergo complications related to abortion needing medical treatment, but no more than five million of them receive care.

The number of abortions globally dropped from an estimated 45.5 million in 1995 to 41.6 million in 2003. But the alarming truth is

that the rate of safe abortions has fallen between from 20 to 15 per 1,000 women aged 15–44 between 1995 and 2003 while the unsafe abortion rate showed no decline at all - from 15 to 14 per 1,000.

The overall abortion rate declined from 35 to 29 per 1,000.

The survey published in the medical journal ‘The Lancet’ shows that the proportion of unsafe pro-

cedures has gone up. Contraceptive use, according to the study, has increased in many parts of the world, particularly Latin America and Asia. Many countries with restrictive abortion laws have liberalized their laws. The developing countries where abortion is illegal on many grounds show greater access to safe abortion especially for better-off women.

Nearly all the developing countries have highly restrictive laws except China and India and it’s revealed that 86 percent of reproductive-age women from the developing world live under highly restrictive abortion laws. But the major problem in such countries, especially India and South Africa where abortion is available on broad grounds, is that they have very limited access to services provided by qualified personnel. The study highlights economic, cultural, informational, procedural and other barriers as the roadblocks in the way of legal abortion services in many developing countries. Access to contraceptive and post-abortion services is often inadequate, partly because of insufficient resources in such countries.

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

INDIA

11

January 27, 2012

Tips to Bid w wisely on eBay

w Foreign Travel is why no more an iincentive for techies t

By Mini JoSeph teJaSwi BANGALORE (TOI): For IT engineers, the periodical one- or two-year stints in the US or Europe used to be the primary attraction of their jobs. They not only got to live in places that most Indians aspire to but, during those stints, they also received salaries substantially higher than in India and which allowed them to make significant savings.

For business development professionals in IT, foreign travel used to be for shorter stints, but more frequent. But that opportunity for travel is now fast diminishing for economic, business, diplomatic, strategic and technological reasons.

Foreign customers are asking IT vendors to maintain only a minimal staff onsite, given that they have to pay more for such staff, something they would like to avoid in the current dull economy. Visa and immigration rules have become extremely stringent, leading to a large number of visa rejections - 50% in L1 visa applications , 10% in H1 applications and 30% in the B1 category.

Indian IT providers are enlarging their local talent pools in customer markets in order to overcome the visa challenge, as also the political pressure in Western markets to hire locally. Some have even started hiring freshers from American and European university campuses. Such hiring means they need fewer Indians to travel to customer locations.

And finally, technologies like cloud computing, mobility, remote infrastructure management and Web collaboration solutions have made the aspect of physical presence in client locations less necessary.

BS Murthy, CEO of executive search firm HumanCapital, says foreign travel used to be the biggest carrot dangled by recruitment and HR heads till some time ago, but not any more. “Earlier, techies with two years of experience and more used to make threefour foreign trips to multiple geographies a year.

Today , travel is extremely limited, needbased and only cherry-picked senior people in business development, client engagement/delivery and consulting are traveling, and not so much the young crowd.” Indian IT’s body shopping phase of the 1990s had witnessed 100% of employees being onsite, at client locations overseas. The first half of the decade 2000-2010 saw the emergence of a hybrid model, with 60% of the staff in India, and 40% overseas. In subsequent years it came down to 70:30, and more recently it is said to be 80:20 and even 85:15 for many companies.

Mahalingam C, HR head at Symphony Services, says cost-conscious clients are trying to get as much work done offshore . But the basic premise of the offshore model, he says, is not just cost arbitrage , but speed-to-market and ability to follow the sun (being able to work 24 hours). “Companies today are diversity-conscious , want to be truly global players, are keen to be known in customer geographies and want to be an integral part of local communities and local activities. Therefore, they are hiring big time in the US and Europe and that has reduced the quantum of tech travel from India,” adds Mahalingam. Ravishankar B, senior VP at HCL Technologies, says countries across the globe are viewing immigration issues in a different perspective. “So, what is critical today is under what methodology you send people, where, and to do what. The preference goes to local talent . In the last year or more, we have been trying to create a lot of local jobs close to our customers.”

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you, simply move on to the next listing.

Don’t Bid Until The Last Minute Generally. people are hesitant to put their maximum bid price because wait for someone to make the bid. The advantage you get bidding at the end is that you you can simply avoid the bid war and you are more likely to get the price you want.

This is one of teh most ef effective way to buy on eBay. Look at Other Sellers’ Buy It Now price When a person doesn’ want to get rid of the item faster or due to a lack of research, sellers underprice their items. If you notice a few auctions that ended recently go above a Buy It Now price that a seller currently has it for, that’s probably a good price to buy it at.

Read the Description Read very carefully the description of the irm you are bidding on.

Read their description, ask questions, check their feedback before bidding. If you fail to do this, you might reciev a damaged item or the real price will be hidden from you.

Regency Sq

many people prefer buying things from eBay is because items like electronic gadgets, brand new designer clothes and accessories, are available for a fraction of their retail price. It is a place to get great bargains. Several small businesses are using eBay to sell their products. And eBay is considered as a viable place to bid on things that they want to acquire. eBay is a trap for the impulsive, competitive, and impatient shoppers. But if you follow a few simple rules, you can save a lot of money on eBay. Shopping on eBay is much easier, but it can be a little more

complicated especially if the bidder doesn’t know how to do it properly.

Don’t Pay More Than it Costs on Amazon Before you could make a purchase on eBay, have a quick scan on Amazon. Becasue you find paying more than retail price on the item you choose to buy. It is not taht eBay always sells things at a lower price compared to other sites. Crooss check the prices of the items on Amazon. Be a smart shopper.

Don’t Get Drawn Into a Bidding War Most of the time when you see the listing that is being sold for a higher price, it generally due to the bidding war between two people rather than a bunch of people bidding on it. If such is the scneario, its wise to not get involved into the bidding war. If you see someone aggressively trying to outbid

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BANGALORE (SI): Ebay is a paradise for shopper’s. It ia important resource for many shoppers as they can anything and everything at a cheaper price. The reason why

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

INDIA

12 January 27, 2012

The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi

Open 7 days a week

The story thus far…After the defeat of Japan in August 1945, Britain agreed to a planned withdrawal from India. All through his life Gandhi had worked for unity between Hindus and Muslims, without much success. There was a large section of nationalist Muslim in the Congress but leaders of the Muslim League were drifting further and further away. Gandhi was not the man to give up hope, however, and he pursued his ef efforts to bring about a settlement.

On the other hand, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League, was hostile to the idea of unity.

The Viceroy invited all leaders to Simla and tried to find a solution and bring about HinduMuslim accord. Jinnah would not agree to anything except a separate Muslim state of Pakistan. Britain announced and held an election in India. The Congress won most of the non- Muslim seats and the Muslim League won most of the Muslim seats. The deadlock continued.

“We can settle the Indian problem in ten minutes if Mr. Gandhi agrees to the creation of Pakistan,” said Jinnah.

But Gandhi was distraught.

“Cut me in half,” cried Gandhi, “but do not divide India in two.”

His words fell on deaf ears. In February 1946, the British government sent a Cabinet Mission to India. It consisted of Lord PethickLawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander. The task of the Cabinet Mission was to study the situation and make recommendations. After careful consideration, the Cabinet Mission issued a statement proposing the withdrawal of British authority from India. They had the idea of a united India.

On August 24, 1946, the Viceroy announced the formation of an Interim National Government to replace the Viceroy’s Executive Council. Jawaharlal Nehru was the Vice-President of the Interim Government. The Muslim League declined to join on the ground that it had not been given the right to nominate all the Muslim members.

The story of mahatma Gandhi

After the installation of the Interim Government, Gandhi was anxious to return to Sevagram, his ashram near Wardha, but the Congress leaders prevailed on him to stay longer in Delhi because they wanted his advice. Then the Muslim League decided to join the Interim Government and an announcement was made to that effect on October 15, 1946.

Gandhi once again felt free to return to Sevagram. He was about to leave Delhi when news came of disturbances in Bengal. There was widespread communal rioting in Calcutta and in the Muslim majority district of Noakhali in East Bengal, with murder, arson, looting, forced conversions, forced marriages, and abduction.

Gandhi was confused and griefstricken. Instead of returning to Sevagram, he set out for Noakhali to try to bring peace there. The communal riots spread. There were similar riots in Bihar and the Punjab. Several thousand were killed and injured. Gandhi was greatly distressed by these events.

He tried to calm and reassure the people.

He walked from village to village and from house to house carrying his message of peace. Wherever he was, there was peace, at least outwardly, but the general situation in India was worsening.

Rioting spread from the towns to the villages. In Bihar the Muslims were suffering and Gandhi went there to instill courage into the Muslim minority. The situation in India was so dreadful that the Con-

gress leaders realized that the best way open to them was to accept Jinnah’s demand for a division of the country. Nehru met Gandhi to inform him of this decision.

Gandhi asked him, “Is there no way out? No hope of a united India?”

Nehru was sad and grave.

“Bapuji,” he replied, “unity is impossible... we have to accept it (division of India). Otherwise this deadly turmoil will never cease.”

Gandhi bowed his head to hide his despair. On June 3, 1947, British Prime Minister Attlee announced the plan for partition. The Congress and the Muslim League accepted it. For Gandhi it was a spiritual tragedy. With infinite sadness he said, “All of India must accept Pakistan in loving resignation. We have no choice. Hindus must lead the way to a friendly settlement.”

Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy, was anxious not to delay the ushering in of independent India and independent Pakistan. He shortened the time limit for the British to quit India.

The date for the declaration of Indian independence was fixed for August 15, 1947.

Thus on August 15, 1947, India’s long struggle and suffering for freedom was over. A new nation, although split in two, was born. Lord Mountbatten hailed Gandhi as “the architect of India’s freedom through non-violence.”

Gandhi had never given his approval to partition, but when it was done he accepted it and did everything possible for the attainment of Hindu-Muslim friendship. Yet the tension between Hindus and Muslims continued to increase. As a result of partition over 700,000 Hindus, Sikhs, and other nonMuslims, fearing the Muslims, in Pakistan left their homes and set out towards security in India. From India about the same number of Muslims, fearing the Hindus, left their homes for Pakistan.

One and half million people on the move were exposed to starvation, disease, and death on the way. Gandhi was on his way to the Punjab when he stopped in Delhi,

hoping to quell the riots that had broken out there. Gandhi’s gospel of forbearance and forgiveness towards Muslims marked him as a traitor in the eyes of many Hindu extremists. In the face of fanatical opposition, Gandhi redoubled his efforts and the major disturbances in Delhi subsided, but there were still disturbances here and there.

Gandhi decided to do penance by fasting, which he thought would bring about a change in the attitude of the Hindu fanatics. The fast began on January 13, 1948.

There was gloom all over India at the news of Gandhi’s fast. People thought that he would not be able to survive another fast.

The whole world watched as Gandhi, 78 years old, fasted to save his country from destruction. On January 18 a peace committee, representing all communities, met and signed a pact pledging unity and the protection of life, property, and faith to the Muslim minority. Gandhi was informed of the pledge and he broke his fast. Gandhi was staying at Birla House. Every evening he held a prayer-meeting in the grounds.

During his prayer-meeting on January 20, a bomb was thrown at him, but it missed its target.

Gandhi continued his prayer meeting as if nothing had happened.

“Bapuji, a bomb exploded near you,” said a voice. “Really?” Gandhi said. “Perhaps some poor fanatic threw it. But let no one look down on him.”

On January 30, after a midday nap, Gandhi woke up at 3.30 p.m. The whole day he had had a stream of visitors. Sardar Patel went to see him at 4 p.m. Nehru and Azad were to come after the evening prayer. Gandhi left his room at 5 p.m. and went towards

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the prayer hall. He passed through a cordoned-off path, accompanied

by Manu and Abha, his granddaughters. As he was walking along a youth came forward as if to seek his blessings.

But he stood in front of Gandhi and at point-blank range fired three shots in quick succession.

All the bullets hit him. Gandhi fell, uttering the prayer, “Hay Ram.” Gandhi was dead. The assassination gave the world a tremendous shock.

Nehru went on radio to tell the country of Gandhi’s death, his voice choked with emotion: “Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the Father of the Nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will not see him again as we have seen him for these many years. The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many, many years will illumine this country for many more years, and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this country, and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts.”

This is the Concluding article of the 18 part series The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi brought to you courtesy Mahatma Gandhi Library.

For more information, visit www.gandhilibrary.org

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TRAVEL

January 27, 2012

13

It Feels like A carnival on the magic!

To see really is to believe on board Carnival Magic thanks to a number of exciting and innovative new features that will provide a fresh take on sailing aboard a “Fun Ship.” The 130,000-ton vessel made its U.S. debut from Galveston November 14 and she’s sure to impress with an array of unique spaces and fun features, many of which are pioneering industry firsts.

RedFrog Pub, inspired by the sights, sounds and flavors of the Caribbean is the cruise line’s first-ever pub. Located on Promenade Deck 5, the 100-seat indoor/ outdoor watering hole features its own privatelabel draught beer, Thirsty Frog Red, that’s brewed especially for Carnival Magic. The menu is of pub snacks, which is a selection of Caribbean favorites, such as Bahamian conch salad, grouper fingers and firecracker Jamaican chicken wings. The ambiance is decidedly British-West-Indies-meets-KeyWest with a touch of the nautical.

Cucina del Capitano (“The Captain’s Kitchen”) is a family-style dining venue that pays homage to Carnival’s rich Italian lineage. “Cucina” is a delicious dinner-time option. Here, you can enjoy homemade pastas, risottos and made-to-order Italian specialties. The family-style dining is complemented by the restaurant’s surroundings featuring framed archival photographs, wood-beam ceilings, and ornate wrought ironwork to recreate the ambiance of a cozy Italian home; while warm, attentive service makes diners feel like they’re in the heart of la famiglia to make for a truly unforgettable dining experience.

SportSquare takes Carnival’s popular

outdoor recreation areas to an entirely new level with the cruise industry’s first ropes course where thrill-seekers can traverse across nets suspended above Spa Deck 12 and offering spectacular views to the sea nearly 150 feet below. Surrounded by an eighth-mile jogging track, the expansive

Cherry on Top is our take on confection and a gateway to the joys of simple indulgences with bins of bulk candy, fun-andfanciful gifts, just-because novelties and colorful custom apparel all delivered in a treat-yourself, celebratory atmosphere.

Cruisers will also find a variety of signa-

SportSquare complex also includes the first outdoor weightlifting area on a cruise ship, along with Carnival’s first two-level miniature golf course, a Vita exercise course, a lighted multi-purpose court for basketball, volleyball and soccer, along with ping pong and foosball tables. A full bar with a large flat-screen display is available for those who just want to relax and check out the sports action in the area or on TV.

ture “Fun Ship” elements on Carnival Magic, including: Expansive Family-Friendly Spaces – The ultimate family vacation, Carnival Magic offers more than 19,000 square feet of space catering to kids and families.

Serenity – The ideal space for some adultonly “me” time, Serenity offers comfortable chaise lounges and chairs, hammocks, colorful umbrellas and two jumbo-sized whirl-

pools, along with full bar service specializing in frothy, icy concoctions.

Cloud 9 Spa – Guests in the mood for a workout or some personal pampering can visit this stunning and sophisticated facility. At the Cloud 9 Spa, you can soak in the soothing thalassotherapy pool, unwind in the elaborate thermal suite or just take in the elegant, serene surroundings.

Food, Glorious Food – Whether its authentic delicacies from India and China, a full-service meal in an elegant, two-level dining room, a late-night slice of pizza, an exquisite meal in a classic American steakhouse, or just a burger by the pool, Carnival Magic offers a tantalizing array of international cuisines sure to satisfy every palate.

Dazzling Entertainment – From a laughout-loud Punchliner Comedy Club, live bands along the promenade, Superstar Live Karaoke - nights are truly special aboard Carnival Magic.

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

14 January 27, 2012

Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya MAHASIVARATRI

Come celebrate and receive Lord Siva’s grace and blessings Sunday, February 19, 2012 8:35 am - 10:15 am 11:15 am - 01:00 pm

Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa - Session 1 Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa - Session 2

( In Chinmaya Smrti Building 05:00 pm - 06:30 pm

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Monday, February 20, 2012 9:00 am 7:30 pm 7:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:30 pm

( Temple Hours 8:00am to Midnight ) - 11:30 am Mahanyasa purvaka Rudrabhiseka - 10:30 pm Laghunyasa purvaka Ekadasa Rudrabhiseka - 9:45 pm Ksirabhiseka to Utsava Murti of Lord Siva - 10:30 pm Arati & Prasada - 11:45 pm Meditation followed by midnight Arati

( Rudrabhiseka puja sponsorship with Ksirabhiseka Seva: $21 per family ) ( Milk for abhiseka will be provided by temple )

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www.saumyakasi.org Contact: Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

INDIA

January 27, 2012

15

m meghalaya: w where w women rule, and m r men are suffragettes s

By tiMothy allen MEGHALAYA (BBC): When early European settlers first arrived in Meghalaya, they nicknamed it “the Scotland of the East” on account of its evocative rolling hills.

Coincidentally, today the bustling market in the state capital, Shillong, is awash with tartan in the form of the traditional handloom shawls worn ubiquitously since the autumn chill arrived.

Not far from here the village of Cherrapunji once measured an astonishing 26.5m (87ft) of rain in one year, a fact still acknowledged by the Guinness book as a world record.

But the rainy season is over for the time being and it is Meghalaya’s other major claim to fame that I am here to investigate.

It appears that some age-old traditions have been ruffling a few feathers of late, causing the views of a small band of male suffragettes to gain in popularity, reviving some rather outspoken opinions originally started by a small group of intellectuals in the 1960s.

I am sitting across a table from Keith Pariat, President of Syngkhong-RympeiThymmai, Meghalaya’s very own men’s rights movement.

He is quick to assure me that he and his colleagues “do not want to bring women down,” as he puts it. “We just want to bring the men up to where the women are.”

Pariat, who ignored age-old customs by taking his father’s surname is adamant that matriliny is breeding generations of Khasi men who fall short of their inherent potential, citing alcoholism and drug abuse among its negative side-effects.

feel useless.”

I talk to Patricia Mukkum, the well-respected editor of Shillong’s daily newspaper. She assures me that her heritage is only one of the reasons why she has risen to the level she has and points out that the tradition of exIn the small hilly Indian state of Meghalaya, a matrilineal system cluding women operates with property names and wealth passing from mother from the political to daughter rather than father to son - but some men are campaigning for change decision making process is still “If you want to know how much the Kha- very strong in their culture.

As a mother of children by three different sis favour women just take a trip to the laKhasi fathers however, she is the first to adbour ward at the hospital,” he says.

“If it’s a girl, there will be great cheers mit that their societal anomaly has afforded from the family outside. If it’s a boy, you her ample opportunities to be both a mother will hear them mutter politely that, ‘What- and a successful career woman.

Making reference to the routine problems ever God gives us is quite all right.’”

Pariat cites numerous examples of how facing women just over the border in West his fellow brethren are being demoralised. Bengal, Miss Mukkum is resolute.

“Our culture offers a very safe sanctuary These include a fascinating theory involving the way that gender in the local Khasi lan- for women,” she declares.

I decide to see for myself in a remote guage reflects these basic cultural assumpvillage in the East Khasi Hills. After two tions.

“A tree is masculine, but when it is turned hours walking through thick jungle I meet into wood, it becomes feminine,” he be- 42-year-old Mary.

She is a “Ka Khadduh”, the youngest gins.

“The same is true of many of the nouns daughter in her family and consequently, in our language. When something becomes the one destined to live with her parents until she inherits the family house. Her hususeful, its gender becomes female.

“Matriliny breeds a culture of men who band, 36-year-old Alfred, lives with them.

When I talk to her inside their home, Mary tells me that women do not trust men to look after their money so they take control of it themselves. I glance at Alfred for a response but he musters only a smile.

Mary goes on: “Most men in our village leave school early to help their fathers in the fields. This is a great detriment to their education.”

I turn to Alfred once more. He responds with another shy smile.

Mary admits she has never heard of the men’s right’s movement, but thinks the system will never change.

Alfred maintains his Mona Lisa smile.

As we are talking, a praying mantis careers into our hut and slams into the side of my head.

After the laughter dies down, I take the opportunity to break the ice with Alfred by pointing out that female mantises eat their mates after sex, making a gesture with my arms mimicking the insect’s claws, an action the Khasi called “takor” and one which turns out to be the gesticular equivalent of sticking two fingers up at someone. There is more laughter at my expense.

Forty minutes later however I have yet to get a comment from Mary’s husband and all too soon it is time to leave.

I feel that the last word should come from Alfred so I ask my translator to target a simple question directly at him.

“What does he think of the matrilineal system?”

There is a long and considered pause. Af After what seems like an eternity the silence is finally broken. “He like,” pipes up Mary, and it is time to go.

statefarm.com/southasian Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

16 January 27, 2012

INDIA

Papa diamond of rock r

With his passionate commitment, Saigal helped redraw India’s music map By aJith pillai (Outlook) With the passing away of Amit Saigal on January 5 (aged 46) in a drowning accident in Goa, the rock community has truly lost a friend. Amit used to strum a guitar occasionally, but was better known as an impresario who helped redraw the music map of young India. In the heady ’60s and ’70s there was the Junior Statesman—launched in 1965—from Calcutta which featured musicians and rock fests (both Indian and international) and gave music a push.

After it folded up, came the ’80s, when music reached a dead end.

Of course, there were some exceptions of musicians bringing out albums of their own compositions.

But, in the main, many groups were reduced to playing a handful of college gigs and then calling it quits. So, several enthusiastic men and women gave up their first passion for more conventional jobs.

Others played covers of Hotel California and Cocaine in restaurants.

It was very few who saw Rock as a viable career option.

It was into this milieu that Amit first plunged in with his Rock Street Journal (RSJ) in the early ’90s. Driven by an unbelievable commitment and passion for music, he and his team began featuring upcoming local bands as

a recording of their own composition with (1965-2012) the promise that the best tracks would be brought out in a compilation that would be distributed with the magazine. Amit’s constant refrain to musicians was: “Write your own material.

Express yourself, be creative—and go into the recording studio and take a chance and see if it works”. His clarion call struck a chord from Shillong to Kochi. More than 150 demo tapes landed up at the RSJ office in Delhi. Then began the process of identifying the best work. In the first compilation, well as reviewing albums of path- 14 tracks made the grade and the breaking international acts. The fledgling indie scene got a major sceptics did not see the magazine fillip. Bands one hadn’t heard of going very far. But Amit was al- suddenly could be played on the ways brimming with optimism. sound system at home. Amit used He saw a rock band playing, lights to refer to this music as the “Indian underground” and his effort and all, at the end of the tunnel.

In 1995, he organised the first the “beginnings of a revolution”. of the Great Indian Rock (GIR) There were many who thought concerts. In the run-up to it, RSJ he was being presumptuous. But, ran a talent hunt of sorts. Musi- over the years, he proved his decians/bands were invited to submit tractors wrong.

Several bands from across the country, representing various genres—rock, metal, core metal, fusion and what have you—got exposure through the GIR CD releases. They went on to cut albums of their own and landed gigs at venues where they drew the crowds. Indie rock was suddenly being taken seriously and A&R managers of some of the record labels became interested in the groups. Some even got the opportunity to play at festivals abroad.

Heavy metal bands from Europe began to headline at GIR concerts.

What had started as a small beginning had grown. Rock was no longer a few concerts played in college festivals and forgotten. Amit changed all that. In rock circles, he was known as Papa Rock. He had his own fan following. Many saw in him a strong resemblance to the

former Black Sabath frontman, Ozzy Osbourne. With his long, flowing hair, he was applauded everytime he came on stage to introduce a band. But it was not just GIR that he launched. There were the pubfests featuring groups that became popular across the metros and have now become a regular feature on the music calendar.

Amit had come to the Outlook office when the first GIR tape was released. Being a rather unassuming person, he just wanted the magazine to focus on the music and those who contributed to the album. “It’s not about me.

It’s about the music,” he said. But one couldn’t keep him out, since he was at the centre of it all. Till his untimely end, Amit remained completely committed to his passion—that’s why the music fraternity will miss him.

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27, 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

January 27, 2012

17

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Prof. Gnansambantham

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

18 January 27, 2012

child’s Play for Us c

We’ve always maintained that Indians know more about the world than the world knows about Indians. Case in point: if some busy body here finds a Norwegian couple making their children eat their meals with a knife and fork and - horror of horrors! - have toddlers sleeping in the next room in an ergonomically designed cot, there won’t be any problem. Barring some aunty-jis making disapproving noises about older Norwegians snogging in their living rooms in India without drawing the curtains, such cultural nuances will be considered as, well, ‘Norwegian’ or ‘European’ and that will be that.

But the reverse clearly doesn’t work. Norwegians apparently won’t stand for ‘non-Norwegian ways of living’ even if it means parents bringing up their kids well within the norms of the law but in their own traditional way.

The Indian government has now demanded its Norwegian counterpart to release the two children of the NRI couple. Oslo has just stated that it hopes for an “acceptable” settlement, without giving any time frame. Now we understand that Norway, as probably other European countries, are nervous about any signs of differences in child-rearing. Any country would be extra careful considering that the horrible case of Josef Fritzl involving an Austrian man imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering seven of her children happened in Europe. And considering that Indians do go overboard with smothering their ‘kids’ - even after the latter are well past puberty - with love, a cross-cultural misundertanding could have happened.

But then, once Norwegians get a nice hug and understand that the world has different methods of rearing children, they should return the couple’s kids to them. Pronto.

r rejecting r rejection s slips

We wish we had thought of this first. A student who got a rejection letter from Oxford University went one better by sending in her own rejection slip to the institution saying that it was not up to the mark in her eyes. For those of us who have a collection of such slips for articles and manuscripts, this brings a vicarious pleasure. Howsoever nicely worded, a rejection slip is always a blow, unless you happen to be resilient like us - we invariably bounce back after being berated by readers for trying to put one across to them.

Many publishers take great delight in putting down aspiring writers.

Here is a sample. “Thank you sending in whatever you sent us. It doesn’t meet our needs whatever they may be.” But let us take inspiration from that eternally optimistic Snoopy. In his avatar as a potential novelist, he accumulates so many rejection slips that his bird friend Woodstock makes a blanket of them to keep him warm. But this one takes the cake. A publisher writes to him, “Many thanks for submitting your story. You are the worst writer we’ve ever seen. Leave us alone. Drop dead. Get lost.” Snoopy leans back and says, “Probably a form rejection slip.” But don’t lose heart, those of you who get the dreaded slip. A survey among the literati who gathered in Jaipur, we are sure, will reveal that many of them too waited at the letterbox, only to have some cruel publisher dash their hopes. So, who is laughing on the other side of their face now, eh? Perhaps Mad magazine’s philosophy holds some lessons. One of its rejection slips told the writer that things could worse than being rejected. Your work might have been accepted, said the irreverent magazine, and then where would you be?

- Hindustan Times

EDITORIAL

winds of c w change in Pakistan

By Burkha Dutt Over the past few weeks, multiple obituaries have been written on Pakistan’s volatile experiment with democracy. But if there were to be a grave where the past months’ dramatic events would eventually be buried, the epithet might read, ‘You spoke too soon’.

In the breathless monitoring of the meltdown between Pakistan’s larger-than-life army and the pugnacious assertions of independence by its civilian government, two broad narratives have emerged. The conflict has been chronicled either as a litmus test for a nascent, often fragile democracy or it has been pitched as the story of a beleaguered government fighting demons from its past. Yet, there is a very significant shift in the Pakistan story that has either been overlooked or not commented on enough.

A country that has seen three coups and has been under military rule for more than half of its history seems to have finally outgrown the age of mar martial law. This is despite the fact that the Pakistan army is obviously infuriated ever since a secret memo surfaced to suggest that president Asif Ali Zardari’s government sought the covert help of the US in cutting the military down to size in the days after Osama bin Laden was killed at Abbottabad.

Since the eruption of ‘Memogate’, as it has been dubbed by the media, there has been a vitriolic and public exchange between the faujis and the Zardari regime, with prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani even audaciously questioning the legitimacy of a “State within a State”.

And yet, after a week in Islamabad and Lahore, I found that if there was consensus on any one issue across an otherwise bitterly polarised public discourse, it is this: there will be no army takeover. The nights of the long knives may well have been replaced by the more humdrum and routine cloak-and-dagger games that are the hallmark of politics everywhere.

Rehman Malik, the resilient interior minister of Pakistan, is confident.

“Mondays and Thursdays may come and go,” he tells me, referring sardonically to the Monday on which the PM was slapped with a contempt notice and the Thursday on which he made his personal appearance in court, “but

Asif Ali Zardari

Ashfaq Kayani

Pervez Musharraf

no, sorry, this government isn’t going anywhere.” Right over his shoulder on the mantelpiece is an old photograph of Benazir Bhutto, her hand pensively holding her chin, her eyes lost in distant thought. Under pressure from the judiciary to re-open an old corruption case against the president, the government has argued that not just does Zardari enjoy immunity under the law, but that re-visiting these cases is tantamount to insulting the memory of Benazir who is not alive to defend herself.

Sitting in his sprawling villa on the outskirts of the capital city, Imran Khan — who is widely seen as the ascendant star on the political firmament and has been drawing mammoth crowds at his rallies — is scathing in his attack on the ruling government. Applauding the judiciary for what he calls “taking on the corruption of the rich and power powerful”, he says the conflict is not over democracy, but about corruption and misgovernance. But even he is clear that the faultlines triggering tremors in Pakistan’s politics will stop well short of a military quake. “Our democracy has evolved,” he says, “And in this entire crisis what has come out is that the army is no longer willing to come out in the open. The age of mar mar-

tial law is over… The army realises that people are not going to accept military takeovers anymore.”

From the pro-democracy upheavals in the Arab world to the obvious embarrassment at the unilateral American operation to take out Bin Laden — the reasons for the dimming of the Pakistani army’s previous sense of political entitlement are manifold.

There is also the obvious difference in the philosophies and personalities of the former army chief and president General Pervez Musharraf and the current military boss General Ashfaq Kayani. Of course, no one is arguing that the balance of power has shifted from the military end to the civilian corner. But it’s safe to say that the old fashioned coup is now a matter of history.

Khan rejects the charge made by some Pakistani commentators that he is a political face who has the backing of the Pakistani military. “All the polls which are conducted in Pakistan, we’re the number one party now...

And then, a quarter of million people turn up in Lahore, and a quarter of a million in Karachi. General Musharraf, when he was the head of the ISI and the army, he couldn’t pull a minuscule crowd compared to that.

Forget the passion in the crowd, aren’t they overestimating the army?” he asks me angrily.

It is a matter of some irony that the exit of Musharraf was marked by pro-democracy protests that converged around the reinstatement of the sacked chief justice of the Supreme Court. Today, that same judge holds the key to the fate of the Zardari government. This is the complexity of Pakistan’s internal turmoil today.

An independent judiciary is the cor cornerstone of any democracy and the Pakistanis came on the streets to demand one. There is no doubt that all of Pakistan’s main institutions the Parliament, the judiciary, and the military — are locked in a battle of sorts to assert their individual independence. But as the war of nerves plays out, and everyone waits to see who blinks first - the fact that the battle is even taking place - and taking place in the full public gaze is a sign of a changing Pakistan.

Burkha Dutt is Group Editor of English news, NDTV.

I Indo Am American News Founder: dr. K.L. Sindwani

editor: Pramod KuLKarni BuSineSS manager: Jawahar maLhotra managing Partner: KriShna giri Community rePorter: KaLyani giri Community editor: manaSi goKhaLe adminiStrative manager: vanShiKa viPin BuSineSS & reCreation: JaCoB david graPhiC deSign: SaqiB rana correspondents chicago: nand Kapoor, UK: aseem KUlKarni new delhi: raj Kanwar ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

INDIA

3 indian i writers in man asian Prize shortlist w s

LONDON (TOI): Works of three Indian writers - Amitav Ghosh, Rahul Bhattacharya and Jahnavi Barua - have been shortlisted for the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize.

Ghosh’s “River of Smoke,” “The Sly Company of People Who Care” by Bhattacharya and Barua’s “Rebirth” are the novels that figure in the shortlist, announced here Jan. 10. Jamil Ahmad (Pakistan, “The Wandering Falcon”), Kyung-sook Shin (South Korea, “Please Look After Mom”), Yan Lianke (China, “Dream of Ding Village”) and Banana Yoshimoto (Japan, “The Lake”) complete the shortlist of the prize given to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written in English or translated into English.

The winning author is awarded $ 30,000 and the translator (if any) $5,000.

Four of these novels were originally written in English while the books from South Korea, China and Japan were all judged in translation.

“The judges were greatly impressed by the imaginative power of the stories now being written about rapidly changing life in worlds as diverse as the arid borderlands of Pakistan, the crowded cityscape of modern Seoul, and the opium factories of nineteenth century Canton,” said chair judge Razia Iqbal. “This power and diversity made it imperative for us to expand the 2011 Man Asian Literary

Prize shortlist beyond the usual five books.”

The two other judges for this year’s prize are Pulitzer finalist and author of “The Surrendered” Chang-rae Lee and Vikas Swarup, author of “Q&A,” which was filmed as the Oscar-winning “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Five Indians were named in the longlist in November. The two Indians who did not make the cut are Anuradha Roy (“The Folded Earth”) and Tarun Tejpal (“The Valley of Masks”).

Ninety books were submitted for entry in 2011. The winner will be named Mar. 15 in Hong Kong, the home of the prize founded in 2007.

nokia sset to conquer onquer U Us markets with new n smartphone s BANGALORE (SI): It’s going to be an eventful week to Nokia Corp.’s Chief Executive Stephen Elop as he launched the new Lumia 900 Smartphone on a mission to regain the lost supremacy of the mobile phone giant in the US markets.

Elop launched the new high end Smartphone along with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Ralph de la Vega, president of AT&T Mobility at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Nokia plans to compete with Apple iPhones and Google powered Androids using Lu-

mia and gain some share in the high end Smartphone market of the US, which currently the company has no presence.

Lumia will be available in coordination with AT&T, the second largest carrier in US. The initial orders for the Windows phone was low, which Nokia hope in the future, will increase as a result of tie up with AT&T. Microsoft is also looking forward to the sales of the phone as it is the first one to use company’s next generation Long Term Evolution (LTE)

technology. Meanwhile Nokia sees the new model as a platform to attract developers & users and is counting on Windows to boost US sales and help it bring back the share.

Nokia had begun its attack on the US markets with the introduction of Lumia series of Smartphones back in Dec 2011. “The Lumia 900 is not only a great device, but it’s also about inspiring a great ecosystem, an ecosystem is more than just the apps. It’s more than the device. It’s more than the operating system” Elop said.

nri doctors sset for a comeback to t their Homeland BANGALORE (SI): A well-known US Indian gastroenterologist will be leaving his position in the US and returning to India. He intends to start a hospital in India, which will be equipped with nearly 600 beds. The increasing regulations in the US and global recession are the major reasons compelling the doctor to quit the job.

More than thousands of Indian doctors and Medical Graduates in United Kingdom have also decided to seek jobs in India.

Dr Ramesh Mehta, Secretary-General of GAPIO (Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) foresees symptoms of brain-drain in the reverse manner from UK to India, as about one-fourth of 40,000 doctors

working in National Health Services in UK will be resigning shortly.

“New generation doctors are not finding jobs because of recession. They are looking at India jobs. New colleges and institutes are coming up here and they might need experienced people.

Those who aspire for the best positions and not getting them too are trying to come back,” Dr Mehta said.

India is in need of doctors badly, on the other hand. “It is short of six lakh doctors and 10,000 nurses,” he said,

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indicating that the reverse brain drain will prove to be beneficial for the country.

Lately, Kelly Services reckoned that about three lakh Indian professionals (working in various streams) are expected to return back to their native land in the next five years.

Kelly services is an organization which traces the migration of human resources around the world. There are numerous Indian doctors who are settled abroad, in countries such as US, UK, Australia and New Zealand .They will have to go through certain formalities regarding the acceptability of their certificates before getting placed in an Indian hospital, which will take time.

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

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COMMUNITY INDIA

Defense Ministry must Plead Guilty

whose Honor comes First; country’s or the Army chief’s? w c By raj kanwar Ian InDI Ian nDIa DIa CorresponD orrespon ent The ugly controversy pertaining to the date of birth of the Indian Army Chief General VK Singh has now reached the lofty portals of the Supreme Court. The main reason for filing this writ in the apex court is to restore what Gen. Singh calls, “his integrity and honor” since the government has changed his date of birth. Gen. Singh claims that his real date of birth is May 10, 1951 whereas the government or the ministry of defense says it was May 10, 1950. If the 1950 date is accepted, then army chief will retire in May 2012, while his retirement will take place a year later if May 10, 1951 is accepted as the correct date of birth. The general, however, says that the dispute is not about his ‘tenure’ and that he has conceded that it is the government prerogative to fix the tenure.

Many of the serving and retired military and police brass feel uncomfortable at this unseemly controversy.

By most accounts, the General’s ver version about his date of birth seems to be correct, and it is only the boorish nitpicking by the bureaucrats, both the civil and the army, that had unnecessarily escalated the issue and in the process tarnished the fair and unblemished reputation of the Indian army.

Defense ministry to be blamed Many critics squarely blame the defense minister AK Antony and defense secretary Shashikant Sharma for creating an unseemly situation which has brought about an unintended schism of sorts between the army chief of the staff and the defense ministry. They solely hold the bureaucrats responsible for having dragged a simple matter of date of birth for the past three decades. It also emerges that there is more to the eye than what appears on the surface; there have been allegations that a powerful lobby inside and outside the government was bent upon ousting the general at the earliest as he had taken strong action against one of his predecessors and other senior army generals on charges of corruption and ‘unbecoming’ behavior.

There are many who though support general’s version on the matter of his date of birth but are critical of his decision to go to the Supreme Court on this issue. The general says, “It is matter of his integrity and honor”.

Aloke Lal, a director general of police in Uttarakhand, has a different take on this issue. He says that the general has openly violated the credo of the Indian Military Academy which enjoins upon every alumnus to follow “The safety, honor and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honor, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”

This credo is also called Chetwode credo since it was the Field Marshal Chetwode, commander in chief of the British Army in India in 1932

who had uttered these famous words.

This credo is boldly engraved on the Chetwode building at the military academy.

The credo which every officer passing out from the Indian Military Academy remembers by heart clearly says that “safety, honor and welfare of your country come first, al always and every time”. It will be worth noting that the credo puts the safety, honor and welfare of your country the first and foremost. However, in this instant case of date of birth, the general has put his own ‘honor’above that of the country; this is surely nothing short of a blasphemy. In the process, the general has adversely af affected the morale of the forces under him and has created on the one hand a wedge of sorts between the army and the ministry of defense or even the government of India, and on the other a heart burning amongst his likely successors. This certainly could not have been the general’s intention but it is certainly the result of his action to, what he says again and again, “vindicate his honor”.

Beginning with 15 August, 1947, there have been 25 army chiefs; the first two were British namely Gen. Sir Robert Lockhart and Gen. Sir Roy Bucher. Barring the first Indian army chief Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who had had a ‘uncomfortable’, to say the least, relationship with the then defense minister VK Krishna Menon, there are hardly any instances of open ‘skirmishes’ between the defense minister and the military brass. Perhaps a few of the succeeding 22 chiefs of the army staff must too had had differences of opinion on one matter or another with the

bureaucrats at the defense ministry but never before such an ugly situation had arisen. No doubt, it takes two to tango and the current defense minister and secretary must also be held equally accountable for creating and fomenting the controversy on the date of birth of the chief of the army staff. The Defense minister too should share much of the blame for not being able to nip this controversy in its early stage. So should the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself and his PMO must plead guilty to just remaining silent onlookers to this nitpicking over the date of birth of the army chief. They should have realized that the controversy could have an explosive spin off if allowed to be dragged.

At a news channel discussion on Friday night, at least two of the panelists squarely blamed the defense ministry for this avoidable mess and demanded that a court of inquiry should be held to determine why the bureaucrats in the defense ministry as also in the Military Secretary’s branch at the Army Headquarters had deliberately allowed to fester the straight forward issue of the date of birth of the army chief.

It is time that the Prime Minister took a personal interest and takes a call on this matter. In our system where the civil government is supreme, it is immaterial as to who holds the post of the COAS so long as he is appointed as per the well established procedures and traditions. But it is equally the sacred responsibility of the civil government to foster and develop healthy traditions between the civil government and the armed forces.

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

INDIA

January 27, 2012

21

challenges of indian-Origin c i a american s senior citizens in changing c c t times

By s. kanyakumarI anyakumarI VoletI ( India Tribune) Among American senior citizens, there are many Indianorigin senior citizens. They fall under the following categories: — Those Indians that came to the US many decades back as youngsters and settled down here.

— Those Indians that came here as siblings of the previous group, or on their own between 15 to 20 years back.

— Other Indians, who came as parents of children settled here and stayed on with them and or are recur recurring visiting parents from India.

Average American-origin senior citizens and Indian-origin American senior citizens may be financially independent because there is no retirement age for them, but many Indianorigin immigrant dependent senior citizens in the US are faced with many problems.

The Indian-origin American senior citizens mostly do not have any own residence in India except for relatives’ houses. They have lived the American dream, owned houses, raised their children the American way with sometimes maybe an Indian slant, and most of their children do not have much correlation with the Indian way of life. Although they did not have a head start of the high pay that a software contractor employee of today has, nor the conveniences of Indian food restaurants, Indian shopping groceries and apparel, temples for religious and cultural fulfillment, in their own ways they had some type of mostly academic, research or industry-related jobs where they may have started low but in the course of about 30 years, they have attained some stature and enjoy esteem in the Indian social circles.

These families have also helped others, who came in the next 10 years in settling down here. These seniors have not had the luxury of having their parents come here as frequently as the current batch of Indian youngsters, had to forego a lot of family functions, and had very few trips to India or elsewhere, kept a low profile, did not dare to show their ethnicity, and scrimped and saved to make a life for themselves.

The children of these seniors inter interact with the parents amicably on the whole unless there is a culture-bar arising from the child having an interlanguage or inter-racial marriage, and in general the American system of family communication will prevail.

These seniors till now were strong enough to balance all the challenges, and, maybe, spent a good part of their vacation time and savings on India trips and relatives, but now realize that they have to spend their golden years in this country.

Many of them may be happy with that, some may not. Their children will be independent but caring yet will be individualistic. The grandchildren will be of a different mold, based on whether the children married into Indian American families or into American families and the culture by now will be diluted. In many cases

these seniors do not care much for or are not aware about many Indian traditions and customs, as they have managed to insulate themselves but are prepared to enjoy and participate in such activities at others expense.

They may even flaunt their Westernized values and lifestyle. There are some Western attributes that we as seniors need to emulate like not being overly interested in others’ matters.

So far as the seniors are prepared to blend in with the flow of time and still maintain their place as elders in the families of their children without undue interference in their family routine there should be no issues.

The advantage that these seniors have is that they are financially independent, physically more able, flexible and pragmatic in their acceptance of the pattern of living in their children’s homes.

tion. So they have to compromise and continue to live here with diminished income, and sometimes depend on the largesse of their children.

The next category of seniors is the group of parents of Indian-educated American employees, who came here in the last 10 - 15 years or are recurring visiting parents.

This group typically has all the culture and background with them, which however gets amalgamated with the atmosphere in this country.

They typically have to adjust to new surroundings, start married life, raise kids, and learn to survive in the fast changing competing world around them.

They will keep up with their visits to India and their responsibilities to their families and parents. They will invite their parents to come over and to help them while the children are young.

takes them a long time to break even.

Also before they make the trip some type of understanding on both sides is needed.

Parents need to learn to keep track of their own finances and not leave everything in their children’s hands. Some type of independence in living is essential as far as possible. Some seniors make the mistake of giving away businesses, houses, financial shares, and inherited wealth, very early in life, not to say that some sort of preparation for future course of action is necessary. This makes them very vulnerable to exploitation.

The parents are in a very fragile state of mind as many have recently retired, so they do not have the cushion of the income that they had, they may have withdrawn a chunk of their savings towards the upbringing of the children, their marriages, real estate ventures, etc., and have to get adjusted to the fact that they are now in a vacuum as they are fit enough but have no

gainful employment or avenues to burn their energy, and are in a situation where they may have to ask for help from their children or others which they feel is very humiliating.

Therefore, preparation for a physically, emotionally and financially comfortable living as a senior citizen has to start at an early stage of one’s life. One should not wait till one is in one’s sixties to do so.

Seniors need to also make allowances for all the special occasion expenses, gifts to family, and their own recreation and leisure expenses.

Retirement will throw a couple together for more hours than before and this needs a lot of adjustment compared to before when work schedules were hectic.

Hence the couples need to start looking into developing hobbies and interests both individually and together leading to quality time management.

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STORE FOR SALE The next groups of seniors comprise those that came as siblings or as research or job sponsored employees about 20 years back. They were not that young, had a couple of kids aged 10 to 18 years, and had to start their job careers all over again. Their Indian education may not be recognized and their age will be a drawback. In most cases they took up jobs that were way below their education level, tried to update their education alongside, could not maintain the lifestyle that the previous group enjoyed, were faced with the prospect of sending their kids to college within a couple of years of arrival here, and lived for the greater part in rented homes.

After a span of 20 years, when the kids have finished education and have been settled they might consider retirement. Now they have many problems. Their work span in India may not provide them with any pension in India. In the US also unless they are really fortunate they may not have a pensionable jobs. Their savings if any may be moderate. As far as social security is concerned, they may or may not qualify. Their houses will not be fully paid up. Their children may care for them but they are also at a disadvantage for jobs in comparison with the other group as they were not born here. This set of seniors cannot opt to return to India as they may not have a residence there and at the exorbitant prices prevailing there, purchases are out of the ques-

The parents in the first few visits have a good time when the children are able to devote a lot of time to them and can take them around a lot. As the visits are more frequent the responsibilities and commitments of the children increase, the grandchildren are more grown up and do not need that much time with the grandparents, and the seniors feel neglected and ignored.

Seniors in this group are typically homebound since they have no mobility, no contacts, no social structure of their own, in some cases not able to communicate, financially dependent and may have some health problems.

These same seniors are those, who have worked in some cases in high profile jobs, held positions of esteem or owned some business, or were politically savvy, or, maybe, had technical, commercial, artistic, academic or scientific talents and were having a high esteem in their social circles. Still these people in most cases have not kept up with the changing technology that computerization and electronics offer and are at a loss to understand some simple mechanisms. This is frustrating to them.

These seniors have very little of financial security except for their investment in their child’s future career. So they come with an expectation of some sort of respect and care in return.

Parents, who have sacrificed, need to realize that what they did they did it out of love and as part of their duty and sometimes when a son or daughter is in a new place trying to put down roots, it

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Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

22 January 27, 2012 YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF HOUSTON 5th Annual Leadership Program for Indo-American Youth

ELIGIBILITY: HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR & SENIORS

Leadership Training in Key Areas: 1) Government/Politics 2) Social/Arts/Culture 3) Charity/Philanthropy 4) Business/Entrepreneurship 5) Science/Technology

Benefits of the Program: a) Develop Core leadership skills b) Engage with Accomplished Leaders c) Social, political, cultural and community awareness d) Participate in summer volunteering projects Recognition from across the community e) Participate in Service / Volunteer projects

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATION See www.YLDPHouston.org for information and to download application Application Deadline: April 30, 2012 Interviews: May 26, 2012 Introduction Ceremony: August 2012 Selection Announcement: June 15, 2012 Contact: Nimmi Vale: 832 563 9696 (Selection Director) Sushma Bhan: 281 492 7575 (Program Director) Atul Vir: 832 567 4310

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM of HOUSTON

APPLICATION for 2012-13 Name of the Student: _________________________________________ Gender: □ Male □ Female Home Address: ________________________________________________________________________ Phone (cell) : __________________ E-mail: _______________________________ School Name: ____________________________________ Class (Junior/Senior) _____________ ____ Principal’s Name: __________________________ E-mail: ________________________ Mother’s Name: ______________________ Phone (cell): _______________ E-mail __________________ Father’s Name: _______________________ Phone (cell): _______________ E-mail __________________ Nominated by: □ Self □ Parents □ Edu. Institution Specify: ________________________________________

□ Sponsor

□ Organization

How did you hear about YLDP? _____________________________________________________ What did you hear about YLDP? _____________________________________________________ Leadership positions held (School/External) : _________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Interests: _________________________________________________________________________________ Hobbies: _________________________________________________________________________ Art & Culture: __________________________________________________________________ Sports: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Community Service activities: _______________________________________________________ What is your commitment to YLDP ?___________________________________________________________ Passion in life: _____________________________________________________________________ I aspire to become _________________________________________________________________________ Why you are interested in joining YLDP? (Write in 50-80 words) ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ How do you foresee your role as a future leader? (Write in 50-80 words) ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please attach your passport size picture with the application. Registration fee $ 250.

Mailing Address: YLDP of Houston, 13233, West Little York Road, Houston, Texas -77041 I hereby agree with the program requirements and apply for the 2012-13 YLDP batch. ______________ (Student Signature) __________ (Parent Signature for a minor)

‘YLDP builds bridges, and it is defined culture at the whole new level for me,”-Geetanjali Gubba (2009 Student)

Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

COMMUNITY

January 27, 2012

s sushil nadkarni adkarni to Lead U UssA sA in w world Twenty20 Qualifier

By peter Della penna (Cricinfo) Sushil Nadkarni, the left-handed batsman, will captain USA at the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier from March 13-24 in the UAE. The USA Cricket Association (USACA) also announced an 18-man preliminary squad for the tournament, which will be trimmed to 14 in February.

Nadkarni, 35, had previously represented India Under-19s and also played first-class cricket for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy before migrating to the USA. Nadkarni’s vice-captain will be Aditya Mishra, 30, who has made a rapid ascent into a leadership position since playing his first match for USA in 2010. USA will be relying on both men for major contributions if they are to gain one of the two available berths for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 from September 18-October 7 in Sri Lanka.

The two senior batsmen will lead a young and inexperienced squad in the UAE. Only three players - Nadkarni, Orlando Baker and Usman Shuja - remain from the squad that participated in the same event two years ago. Seven players among the 18 are under the age of 25.

The squad includes six players who have yet to make their senior debuts for USA. At least two are guaranteed of making the final 14 that will go to Dubai in early March and Elmore Hutchinson appears almost certain to be one of them.

According to multiple sources, the left-arm seamer turned in a string of impressive per performances during four trial matches that were held at a USACA training camp in Florida last weekend for the initial list of probables.

A surprise omission from the squad is Bhim George, who was the leading wicket-taker at

Sushil Nadkarni Photo: International Cricket Council

the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in July with 13 scalps in five games.

George, 38, and Samarth Shah, 34, were beaten out by fellow left-arm orthodox spinner Asif Khan, 32. Khan was harshly dropped after a solid debut series for USA at ICC World Cricket League Division Three in Hong Kong last January but now appears set for a recall.

USA is in Group B at the qualifier along with Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Namibia, Oman, Scotland and Uganda. Their first match is on March 13 against Uganda in Sharjah.

USA preliminary squad: Sushil Nadkarni (capt), Aditya Mishra (vice-capt), Orlando Baker, Adil Bhatti, Ryan Corns, Akeem Dodson (wk), Muhammad Ghous, Elmore Hutchinson, Naseer Jamali, Asif Khan, Andy Mohammed, Nauman Mustafa (wk), Japen Patel, Abhimanyu Rajp, Gowkaran Roopnarine (wk), Usman Shuja, Timothy Surujbally, Steven Taylor (wk).

23

i indian-Origin s scientists l lead Fundamental malaria discovery

WASHINGTON (TOI) : A team led by Indianorigin scientists has made a fundamental discovery in understanding how malaria parasites cause the deadly disease.

The researchers led by Kasturi Haldar and Souvik Bhattacharjee of the University of Notre Dame’s Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases revealed how parasites target proteins to the surface of the red blood cell that enables sticking to and blocking blood vessels.

Strategies that prevent this host-targeting process will block disease.

Malaria is a blood disease that kills nearly 1 million people each year. It is caused by a parasite that infects red cells in the blood. Once inside the cell, the parasite exports proteins beyond its own plasma membrane border into the blood cell.

These proteins function as adhesins that help the infected red blood cells stick to the walls of blood vessels in the brain and cause cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the disease that kills over half a million children each year.

In all cells, proteins are made in a specialized cell compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) from where they are delivered

to other parts of the cell.

Haldar and Bhattacharjee and collaborators Robert Stahelin at the Indiana University School of Medicine- South Bend (who also is an adjunct faculty member in Notre Dame’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry), and David and Kaye Speicher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wistar Institute discovered that for host-targeted malaria proteins the very first step is binding to the lipid phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, PI(3)P, in the ER. This was sur surprising for two reasons. Previous studies suggested an enzyme called Plasmepsin V that released the proteins into the ER was also the export mechanism.

However, the team discovered that binding to PI(3)P lipid which occurs first is the gate keeper to control export and that export can occur without Plasmepsin V action.

Further, in higher eukaryotic cells (such as in humans), the lipid PI(3)P is not usually found within the ER membrane but rather is exposed to the cellular cytoplasm.

The research findings appear in the Jan. 20 edition of the journal Cell, the leading journal in the life sciences.

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Sunday, February 19, 2012 as per American Central Standard Time, Mahapuja at 6:15 PM. AArati at 7:30 PM. Four Prahar Puja will continue till next day 6:00 AM. List Your Name For Pooja with the Priest.

According to USA, Maha Shivratri falls on Sunday, February 19, 2012.

Thandai and Farali Prasad will be served after Abhishek & Aarti.

Mrutyunjaya japa Yagna will continue for the whole day.

For Maha Puja, Donation of $101.00 is Appreciated. Abhishek During the Day Time.

Donation of $21.00 is Appreciated. Milk for Abhishek & Prasad is welcome.

Jay Somnath-Temple Committee Indo AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, Ay, JAnUAry 27 , 2012 • Online editiOn: A On: www.indOamerican-news.cOm O

24 January 27, 2012

INDIA

i india’s chronic Battle with c w malnutrition

dr ssudhanshu Prasad takes Oath of office on Gita for nJ o n council

By jIm Im yarD arDley NEW DELHI (NYT): Roughly 42 percent of all Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition, a sobering reminder of the per persistence of poverty and hunger in the world’s largest democracy, according to a major report released on Tuesday.

“The problem of malnutrition is a matter of national shame,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said as the study was released. “Despite impressive growth in our G.D.P., the level of undernutrition in the country is unacceptably high.”

The new findings came from a survey of 73,000 households in nine Indian states conducted by the Naandi Foundation, an independent charitable group. They pointed up India’s nagging difficulties in reducing poverty and hunger among its 1.2 billion people, despite robust economic growth over the last decade. Known as the Hungama survey, the report comes at a time when Indian lawmakers are in heated debate over the costs and social benefits Malnutrition in India is worse than in many African nations, stunting the growth of of broadly expanding the country’s subsichildren like this girl in Shivpuri, photographed in November 2008. dized food program.

Singh’s admonition about malnutrition in states. The extensive food subsidy program but critics warn of exorbitant costs and say the India was leavened with some good news that India already operates allocates grain effectiveness would be uncertain because of from the report: Levels of malnutrition, while and kerosene to the poor. Yet the distribution the government’s inadequate delivery system. still high, have fallen by 20 percent in the last system is rife with corruption and inefficiency, Yet there is broad agreement that India must seven years. Yet the prime minister said this and some analysts estimate that 40 percent of find better ways to parlay its impressive ecorate of progress was too slow and called on the subsidized food never reaches the intended nomic growth into faster progress on feeding government ministries, as well as independent recipients. its people. groups, to focus on issues like the education Parliament is considering legislation, known “The health of our economy and society lies of mothers, sanitation, hygiene, the status of as the Food Security Bill, that would expand in the health of this generation,” Mr. Singh said, women in society and child-rearing practices, the number of people eligible for subsidized according to a transcript of his remarks. including breastfeeding. food and establish a constitutional right to “We cannot hope for a healthy future for our Malnutrition levels are especially high in food. Advocates say the program is essential country with a large number of malnourished India’s poorest and most heavily populated for improving the country’s social safety net, children.”

WASHINGTON (TOI) : Indian-American physician Dr Sudhanshu Prasad, who was reelected on a New Jersey township council, took oath of office on Gita for his second-term.

An internal medicine physician and a resident of the Iselin-Edison - which is dominated by Indian Americans -- area in New Jersey for over 25 years, Prasad was re-elected for his second term in the November 2011 elections.

57-year-old Prasad, with his roots from Patna in Bihar, said he chose the Gita because he grew up believing in it, and it is “where my conscience is.”

He said his top goal in his second-term is to ensure that municipal property taxes remain as stable as possible, especially in the current challenging economic times, and to make the township more business-friendly.

Prasad, a former chairman of the JFK Hospital Department of Medicine in Edison, in his acceptance speech said in addition to providing essential services like police protection, fire safety and public works, he wants to be able to preserve high-quality health services for senior citizens and children in Edison.

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HOROSCOPE

(Sun Sign)

www.GaneshaSpeaks.com Visit us Online www.indoamerican-news.com ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20: This week, you creativity and energy into the will enter a very important phase of your life. right direction. Find ways to You are more independent and correct and ensure that you self-confident. You believe in don’t repeat your mistakes. your strengths and ask for help A positive approach will help only as a last resort. However, you in every sphere of life. don’t cross the thin line be- It’s never too late to learn from your mistakes. tween confidence and over- Apart from this, you will be like a social butconfidence. A rash decision may cost you all terfly, meeting old friends and developing new that you have achieved so far. Be careful! At relationships. Your social skills will surely yield work, put your best foot forward in order to get positive results. Do one more thing, mend fences the best results. If you are running a business, with your near and dear ones times are in your favor.

SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22: The week will TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 You have been begin on a positive note, and the same spirit working really hard over the past few weeks. shall continue throughout the week. Support of friends and Slow down a little. All the family will make the next physical and mental exertion seven days all the more enjoytakes a toll on your health. The able. Now you’ll be working desire to succeed is likely to at full throttle to fulfil your be so strong that it may easily ambitions. All the very best! affect your personal life. Is it all worth it? If it isn’t, you better review your Financially, however, you may be in for a career goals at the earliest. In business, money slightly bumpy ride this week. Your love life, will be very important for you. You will need to is smooth and serene, will give you strength to evaluate your financial plans and make neces- manage your money matters in a better way. The single Scorpios may find that special someone. sary changes.

Marriage or commitment too are on the cards.

GEMINI May 22 - Jun 21: Circumstances SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22: During are probably unfavourable. Adapt and adjust to the entire week ahead, you are not likely to the conditions. At work, do not face any financial difficulties. try to prove your point, rather Friends, family members and do what you are asked to do. social contacts will support On the business front, progress you. While some people may may be slow and that may get inspired by your finanleave you frustrated.However, cial stability, there are some every business has the potential to grow! Put your communication and marketing skills to people are likely to go green with envy. These best use to get excellent results Married Twins envious people may not be able to cause you are going to have a lovely week. But same can- much harm, though. Your admirers will look up not be said about the ones in not-so-committed to you for your advice. However, the bad news is relationships, there can be heated arguments there may be some serious trouble in your mar marbetween them and their partners. ried life. Loyalty and commitment may be put to CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 23: Be cautious the test! Handle this phase with maturity. while making promises on the business front.

CAPRICORN Dec 23 - Jan 20: Leisure Although you will be able to trips, fun activities and memorable family times pay instalments of your exare on the cards for you this isting loans, be careful while week. If you are looking for handling money matters. Don’t a suitable job, now is the give material/services on a time when you’ll find a job long-term credit. Getting a loan that will really inspire you. In for your business will not be hard. On the job business, you’ll be motivated front, try your best to not commit unnecessary to aim high and will focus all mistakes. Communication, be it oral or written, your energies to achieve your goals. Your pracwith bosses and seniors can become a tricky af af- tical approach will help you set goals that are fair. Take extra care of your health. Pay attention high yet realistic. You mean business! And, that to your lungs, stomach and shoulders. comes with a rare combination of determination LEO July 24 - Aug 23: Career goals are and substance. likely to be in focus for the Lions. If you are AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19: Nothing planning to take up a new job, will seem impossible to you this week, as you which may offer you a betshall be driven and extremely ter salary package and future energetic. You are in a positive security, take action now. And phase of your life, so make the if you haven’t, start searching most of it. Read about differ differnow. On the business front, ent subjects, write down your times seem to be pretty favorable. Try expanthoughts, learn new things, sion, even if it means foreign shores. However, or do anything that has to do your energy levels may be low, so too much with acquiring and spreading knowledge. Your of physical exertion is not advisable. On the grasping power is very high. You’ll be able to personal front, you’ll long to be with someone understand the complex subjects easily. You special, and your wish may be granted. may meet people who may match up to your VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23: You may be op- intellectual level, and create a difference to erating at a very high energy level this week, your life. Financially, you’ll have no major and the positive results will be problems. visible across all the spheres of PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20: There’s a possiyour life. Your career/business bility of you getting hurt this week, emotionally is likely to flourish. Forming or physically. Be very careful! new partnership in your busiYour behavior with others, ness is now possible. However, especially with your partner, choose the right person to be your business is going to be crucial dur durpartner. On the job front, lots of opportunities ing this time. Although your may come your way. Think well about them, partner/spouse may put up before picking and choosing one of them. Love with your mood swings, he/she too may become life seems to be equally exciting. If a special temperamental.

Overall, the domestic front may someone has been on your mind, it’s the right remain disturbed throughout the week. At work, time to voice your feelings. Don’t be shy! you may have a tough time convincing others LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23: You will have all about your talents and abilities.

Don’t change the energy and momentum to put your plans into action this week. Try to channelize your jobs now. Have patience! This too shall pass.

January 27, 2012

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Rupee Drop makes Realty Attractive for NRIs BANGALORE (TOI): Many NRIs are teaming up with likeminded buyers on real estate group buying sites to shop for flats in India. The cheaper rupee and deep discounts offered by developers through these portals has triggered a substantial jump in property-related enquiries from NRIs in the US, UK and the Middle East in the last three

Rs 84 to a pound was a big draw,” he said. Bhavishi said he bought the property at Rs 4,200 per sq ft when the rates in neighbouring properties were between Rs 5,800 and 6,000.

In an increasingly tough environment, developers are warming up to group housing p o r t a l s . S a n d e s h Wa d h w a ,

sub-Rs 60 lakh properties are most in demand ,” he added.

Vaibhav Sharma, assistant professor of finance at Winthrop University in South Carolina, has booked two flats in Gurgaon through groupbookings .in. “If I were to invest in the US, the property value would fetch me a negative return. It’s a good time to enter the Indian real estate market, where I think I can expect at least 6% annualized returns in the residential space,” he said.

Sharma’s purchase decision was also driven by the favourable exchange rate. He bought the flats last September when the rupee was close to 50 to a dollar.

“I also received a 10% discount by signing up on the portal. I didn’t have to haggle or make several house hunting trips,” Sharma added.

Shilpa Phadnis, a resident of Bangalore Bangalore’s RMZ Galleria and BHK Super Luxury Apartments in the Yelahanka says, “Many NRI buyers locale is one of the many properties NRIs are vying for now that the rupee has have bought multiple stayed weak for a while. Many are investing in groups to benefit the trend properties on groupcofounder of group-buying portal buying portals to take advantage months. groupbookings.in, said many people of 15%-25% discounts offered to London-based Nayan Bhavishi sitting on the fence have swung into them. This trend is also accelerated has poured more money into the action in the last three months. by the rupee’s depreciation in the real estate market in the country “There is more demand coming last 3-4 months. than in any other geography or from NRIs for mid-sized housing This article captures this realty asset category . An avid real estate projects in Gurgaon, Bangalore, trend (current in India). If you just investor , Bhavishi snapped up two Hyderabad and Chennai,” he said. imagine the number of distressed ready-to-move-in flats in Vaastu Sandeep Reddy, co-founder of properties coming into the market project in Thane for Rs 1.20 crore Groffr.com, said the website has in the US or Middle East, India is through real estate portal Groffr. seen a healthy sales conversion rate still a better bet with at least 6% com. “I was scouting for properties in the last two months primarily annualised returns in the residential in India and stumbled upon this driven by NRIs. “The mood among and close to 12% in commercial site offering good discounts. I NRI investors is buoyant as they space if you choose the right got 25% discount on my property now need to spend fewer dollars or projects.” purchases and the exchange rate at pounds for the same property. The To subscribe, 713-789-NEWS

Datawind to push for ‘Made in India’ Tag for Aakash NEW DELHI (IE): Datawind, the maker of the lowest priced tablet ‘Aakash’, today said it will request the Human Resource Development Ministry to include ‘Made in India’ clause in the proposed tender for the low-priced device.

“Datawind successfully made the $49.48 tablet Aakash in India despite various pressures. We will make a request to the ministry (MHRD) that they should consider ‘Made in India clause’ and encourage indigenous

procure large number of low-cost computing device to leverage benefit of broadband connectivity in universities and colleges in a phased manner.

The ministry, in the first phase, had issued tender to procure 1 lakh devices in the name of project ‘Aakash’ which was won by Datawind. “The Assam government tender has introduced Made in India clause. I hope they (IIT Rajasthan) will also consider inter clause for this. Unless you start (manufacturing) here how would somebody start making products in India,” Tuli said.

IIT Rajasthan, located in Jodhpur, was given responsibility of procuring low-priced tablet through tender process under ‘The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technologies (NMEICT) of the Ministry of Human Resource Development program.

The Datawind CEO expressed confidence Unlike most companies that want their that his company will products to be made in China, Sunit Singh Tuli wants Aakash, his low priced tablet to have a outbid competitors in the next tender even made in India tag and be made in India if they make tablets production,” said Datawind CEO outside India. “It is the money Sunit Singh Tuli. of Indian taxpayers and is to be He said that the most critical used for Indian students. It is for components, chips and software the government to decide whether are being designed in India and they want to spend it for Indian the tablet has been manufactured jobs or they want to spend it on in India and hence there is not any Chinese jobs. Irrespective of the reason why the tablet should be final decision, I guarantee you that made outside India. it will be won by company that will The government plans to make product in India,” Tuli said.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • fRIDAy, RIDAy, JANuARy RIDA ARy 27, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM AR

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INDIA

January 27, 2012

Russia Hands Over Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine to India

MOSCOW (TOI): Russia on Monday handed over the muchawaited Nerpa nuclear-powered attack submarine to India on a 10year lease at a cost of over USD 900 million, boosting the Indian navy’s

the port town of Bolshoi Kamen in Russia’s Far Eastern Primorye Territory, Itar-Tass news agency quoted Rossiiskaya Gazeta as saying.

After national anthems of the

The Nerpa Nuclear-powered submarine was handed to India for a 10 year lease for USD 900 million. The submarine is capable of firing long range nuclear and conventional missiles. The K-152 submarine has been refitted with a lot of extra firepower by the Russians before they handed it over to the Indian navy. Now it has been renamed as INS Chakra and is no longer called Nerpa anymore

fire-power.

The K-152 submarine was handed over to the Indian navy at a ceremony in the far eastern port of Primorye, making India the sixth operator of such subs in the world.

Indian ambassador to Russia, Ajai Malhotra, walked along the line of guards of honour of the Russian Pacific Fleet and Indian seamen in

two countries were played, a cloth hiding the submarine’s new name was taken off and the Indian flag was unfurled.

So, after a two-years’ process of leasing out the Russian Nerpa atomic submarine, it has finally become INS Chakra, the report said.

The submarine was leased out

for a term of ten years, and the contract cost exceeded USD 900 million, it said.

Wi t h a d i s p l a c e m e n t o f 8,140/12,770 tonnes and maximum speed of 30 knots, the K-152 submarine is armed with four 533mm torpedo tubes and four 650mm torpedo tubes, RIA Novosti reported.

Apart from Malhotra, the ceremony was attended by the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Roman Trotsenko, Eastern Military District commander Admiral Konstantin Sidenko and other officials, it said.

The acquisition of the submarine will make Indian navy only the sixth country in the world after the US, Russia, China, the UK and France to operate nuclear underwater vessels.

India had operated a Russian Charlie Class nuclear submarine in late 1980s on lease from Russia.

The reports did not mention whether the submarine was carrying its normal complement of long range nuclear and conventional missiles.

Twenty sailors had died on the Nerpa in 2008 after the vessel’s fire-suppression systems were accidentally triggered during sea trials, releasing toxic gases.

Russians ship builders carried out extensive refitting of the vessel before handing over it to India.

Basmati Rice Price falls

NEW DELHI (IE): Rice basmati fell by Rs 150 ($2.75) per quintal on the wholesale grains market due to reduced offtake by stockists and retailers adequate stocks positions.

Wheat dara also weakened due to fall in demand at prevailing higher levels.

Marketmen said adequate stocks position against reduced offtake by stockists and retailers mainly led to fall in rice basmati Pusa-1121 variety.

In the national capital, rice basmati Pusa-1121 variety fell

by Rs 150 to Rs 3,350-3,950 per quintal.

Wheat dara (for mills) also weakened by Rs 5 to Rs 1,2501,260 per quintal and atta chakki delivery traded lower by the same margin to Rs 1,260-1,265 per 90 kg.

Atta flour mills eased by Rs 20 to Rs 650-670 per 50 kg.

The following are today’s quotations in Rs per quintal: Wheat MP (deshi) 1,675-1,875, Wheat dara (for mills) 1,250-1,260, Chakki atta (delivery) 1,260-1,265, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) 190, Shakti bhog (10 kg) 190, Roller flour mill 650-670 (50 kg), Maida 720-740 (50 kg) and Sooji 740760 (50kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) 9,500, Shri Lal Mahal 9,300, Super Basmati Rice 9,000, Basmati common new 4,2004,300; Rice Pusa-(1121) new 3,350-3,950, Permal raw 1,800-1,850, Permal wand 2,000-2,050, Sela 2,050-2,100 and Rice IR-8 1,350-1,400, Bajra 985-990, Jowar yellow 975-1,025, white 1,825-1,925, Maize 1,350-1,360, Barley 1,0851,095, Rajasthan 1,080-1,090.

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January 27, 2012

29

The Other Half: A Matter of National Shame

By Kalpana Sharma CHENNAI (The Hindu):Shame, said the Prime Minister, that 42 per cent of Indian children are malnourished. Shame, said the Supreme Court, that despite the Right to Education, thousands of children, and particularly girls, are

India has made considerable progress in supplying water, although there are still vast areas where people have no access to potable water, where women have to walk miles to fetch a few litres of water. In one of the more evocative descriptions in a recent book,

nature”, as polite company prefers to refer to something that should be called by its real name — defecation and urination. Has sanitation been routinely neglected because it affects women more than men?

If you read the handful of success stories of sanitation schemes, they

25,000 villages out of 600,000 villages have toilets. Open defecation is highly unsanitary.

Most schools have no toilets. There is no water and for decades nothing has improved in India in the Sanitation department. Even though India has reached global partnerships in trade and is a major player in the world economy, lack of funds for sanitation projects are causing activists to move strongly in getting these conditions improved. Girls and women especially are at risk of dropping out of schools and work places due to the lack of santiation. Here, mobile toilets are installed at schools to get the girls to stay at sch ool Photo: Muralitharan The Hindu dropping out of school because there are no toilets. Shame, said Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Rural Development, calling the absence of sanitation “the biggest blot on the human development portfolio in India.”

Yes, the lack of sanitation, the fact that one of out every two Indians is forced to defecate in the open, is a very good reason why we as a nation should be ashamed. Ramesh acknowledges that out of six lakh villages in India, hardly 25,000 are free from open defecation.

Why does this story not change?

Rising by Ashoke Chatterjee, on the work of a remarkable women’s organisation in Gujarat called Utthan, we read about little girls tied to ropes being lowered into a deep well with a little bit of muddy water at the bottom. Despite the risk, their mothers wait till the child has managed to collect a small bowl of that water before she is pulled up.

But the absence of sanitation is even more widespread. It is a burden that women especially must carry. There is no place for them, literally, to answer “the call of

are usually those where women have been involved.

But here I want to address specifically the absence of sanitary facilities in schools. What is the point of giving our children the Right to Education, if something as basic as toilets are not available in most schools? How can we expect women’s literacy rate to improve if young girls feel embarrassed to be in school after puberty because there are no toilets?

There are budgets for building toilets. The Government of India has launched a Total Sanitation

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Campaign with the ambitious aim of achieving “Total Sanitation”, whatever that means, by this year, 2012. Yet, either the funds available are not spent on building toilets, or if toilets are built, they become unusable within a short time because there is no water, or they get vandalised. I can recall visiting a shining new school building in a village in Bihar where children were attending school and were given the mid-day meal. But the brand new toilets built with government money had already been vandalised. The doors to the cubicles were stolen, the toilet pans were shattered and all the taps had disappeared. Children had to run to their homes if they wanted to take a toilet break. Not surprisingly, adolescent girls would simply drop out, or not attend school for several days each month.

The Supreme Court has been forced to intervene on the issue.

The court has given all states up to February 28 to build temporary toilets in all schools and permanent ones by March 31. And it has rightly refused to entertain any excuses. So far, only four states — Bihar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh — have

WHO Adopts India’s Resolution on Mental Health CHENNAI (The Hindu): The World Health Organisation (WHO) has adopted a resolution moved

by India that focuses on the global burden of mental disorders and the need for a comprehensive, coordinated response from health and social sectors at the country level.

The just-concluded 130th executive board meeting of the WHO adopted the resolution, moved by India and supported by

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managed to meet 90 per cent of the target. Maharashtra, one of the richer states in this country, is shockingly lax with thousands of schools where there are no toilets for girls and some with no toilets at all.

Equally worrying is the fact that sanitation standards are not satisfactory even in the betteroff schools where lack of funds cannot be an excuse. A survey of 304 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools revealed that 265 of them were below par in sanitation standards. In fact, only four schools got the ‘green’ certification that represents excellent standards and another 35 came in the good and fair category.

If such surveys were conducted in all schools in our cities, it is more than likely that the figures would be similar.

The toilet story is the real story of India. We constantly glorify our achievements, such as a good economic growth rate, but feel no sense of shame that our children are dying from lack of food and that our girls and women have to face the daily indignity of life without toilets.

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the United States of America and Switzerland. This marks the first time in over a decade that WHO has, at its highest levels, taken note of this very major public health concern. Mental disorders account for 13 per cent of the global burden of the diseases the resolution recognizes the importance of early identification, care and recovery, the problems of stigma, poverty and homelessness.

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January 27, 2012

Rajinikanth Website Runs Without Internet

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CHENNAI (The Hindu): It may sound like another Rajinikanth joke, but a new website dedicated to the superstar runs ‘without an Internet connection’!

Visitors to www.allaboutrajni. com are greeted with a warning that “He is no ordinary man, this is no ordinary website. It runs on Rajini Power” and are advised to switch off their Internet connection to enter the website.

Only when the web is disconnected, one is allowed to explore the site. Netizens can trace the story of the legend from the beginning, read inside scoops from his films and get a glimpse of behind-the-scenes action, while browsing through famous Rajini jokes about impossible feats only he can achieve.

“The unbelievable spectacle of running a website without the Internet is a tribute to Rajinikanth’s larger-than-life image,” claimed Webchutney’s creative director Gurbaksh Singh.

With a heady mix of foot-tapping music, vibrant splash of colours, quirky quotes and illustrations, and icons in true Rajini style and lingo, the unique website reflects Rajini’s signature style.

Singh said that the website is based on a complex algorithm running in the back-end that keeps an eye on the propagation of data packets between two terminals.

Magic kicks in soon as the Internet speed is down to zero, which is the

Rajinikanth is always thought of as the superstar who can do the impossible(s), and his website is the first to perform online without relying on the internet, another impossible made possible

basic premise on which the site and the concept has been constructed.

The humour element on the website is accentuated by the error message in typical Rajini style that appears if a visitor attempts to reconnect the internet. “Aiyyo!

That was unexpected. To keep browsing, switch off your Internet,” reads the message.

“The website has received a phenomenal response and has gone viral with several thousand hits and counting, along with innumerable

shares and mentions across the web, especially on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter,” Mr. Singh said.

“After a few iterations and testing, we cracked the code required to build the world’s first website that runs without the Internet — a website that runs offline — which is as awesome and unbelievable as miracles and stunts associated or performed by Rajini himself,” he said. www.indoamerican-news.com

Growth Slows, But RBI Hints at Status Quo on Interest Rates

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MUMBAI (IE): Virtually ruling out a cut in short-term interest rates, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday said “inflation and expectations of inflation remain high” and warned that “growth in 2011-12 is moderating more than expected, and the business climate has weakened”. The central bank projected a difficult scenario, saying the central government’s deficit indicators are under duress and investment demand remains dampened.

A day before the quarterly review of the monetary policy, the RBI said, “While in the short run, moderating inflation will provide some space for monetary policy to address growth concerns, in the absence of structural measures to address supply bottlenecks, this will be, at best, a temporary respite.” In addition, the expansionary fiscal stance has emerged as an upside risk to inflation. Consequently, monetary actions will need to strike a balance between risks to growth

and inflation,” it said.

The RBI, which is expected to keep repo and reverse repo rates steady on Tuesday, left interest rates unchanged in December after raising them 13 times between March 2010 and October 2011. In its mid-quarter review in December 2011, it had said “monetary policy actions are likely to reverse the cycle, responding to the risks to growth.”

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INDIA JAIPUR (The Hindu): When Oprah was young, her grandmother’s only wish for her was that she’d manage to get a maid’s job with ‘some good white folks’.

Today, Oprah Winfrey is one of the most recognizable faces in the world, a much loved and admired talk show host and a woman who has touched the lives of millions of people.

On the third day of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Oprah Winfrey was in conversation with Barkha Dutt, for the session, “‘O’: Oprah in Jaipur.” Thronged with people who had been queuing up for seats since the early hours of the morning, the session lasted an hour, and gave the fans a glimpse into the life and mind of a woman who has proved her worth against all odds.

Asked about the one thing that struck her about India, Oprah told Ms. Dutt that there were, in fact, three. ‘My first impression was that of chaos! And then, I started noticing the underlying calm.’

The other thing she admired and respected was the all-pervasive sense of karma and spirituality.

“People here don’t just talk religion, they live it.”

Born in a poor family in Mississippi, Oprah admits that childhood experiences amidst racial

January 27, 2012

Oprah Sees Calm Beneath Chaos in India

segregation and prejudice, coupled with dire poverty, were a big influence on who she is today. Early in her childhood, she developed a personal relationship with God, something which became the fundamental reason why she could hold on to her sense of self. ‘It made me believe that there was something greater than my front yard.’

Another thing that struck her as wonderful was the Indian sense of family and tradition. ‘I remember asking Abhishek and Aishwarya [Bachchan] on my show, I asked them — How do you still live with your parents, Oprah, the talk show host at the Jaipur Literature Festival believes that in what’s that all about? And India’s disorganized state there seems to be an underlying calm. She is also Abhishek replied, ‘How do charmed by the Indian sense of family and tradition where families take care you not — what’s that all of each other and not leave their young ones to be off on their own like the about?’ It’s a glorious thing American culture does. It also accounts for a stronger society. Oprah believes that in this country, families that India is a complex and contradictory country - she has seen the slums in India and also dined with the glitterati and royalty in India take care of each other.’

This is her first visit to old girl in the slums, and it was and an expanded heart’, she says, India, and already, Oprah has all I could do to not take her home ‘And it has been one of the greatest seen the paradoxes that make it with me. She lives in a tiny space life experiences for me. It makes a ‘complex and contradictory’ with her parents and siblings with you feel like you are in the centre country. She has visited families barely any space, but she is the star of something bigger and greater in the slums of Mumbai, dined of her class and wants to become than yourself. Your humanity is with the glitterati and royalty and a teacher.’ expanded in a way that won’t be stayed at an ashram with widows ‘I came here with an open mind possible in any other place.’ This in Vrindavan. ‘I met an 11-yeartrip to India has been on the cards

BJP, Cong Slugfest Over Rushdie Issue NEW DELHI (HT): A political slugfest broke out on Monday over the Salman Rushdie controversy with the BJP slapping charges of “match fixing” on the Congress which hit back accusing the saffron party of playing a “dangerous” game on a sensitive issue. “It is a clear case of match fixing between intelligence agencies and jehadis in which the Congress government of Rajasthan played a supportive and active role,” BJP’s chief spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said.

He said Congress was using the issue to gain political mileage in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Prasad also alleged that Congress deliberately communalised UP politics citing Digvijay Singh, who termed the Batla House encounter as fake.

Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, the government should have provided protection to Rushdierather than stage managing his absence with a concocted death threat.

Rushdie had cancelled his visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival, saying he had received information from intelligence sources in Rajasthan and Maharashtra that “paid assassins” had been engaged to eliminate him if he turned up at the literary meet.

Reacting sharply to the BJP attack, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said,”it is much more than a case of the pot calling the kettle black or the thief accusing the policeman...BJP’s talking about communalism is worse than devil quoting the scriptures. It is utter hypocrisy of that party.”

Singhvi said the government of India had made it clear there was no ban on Rushdie visiting the country as he is a PIO card holder and does not require a visa.

By raking up the Rushdie issue now, BJP is “flogging a dead horse,” Singhvi said while accusing the Opposition party of playing a very dangerous game if it is saying that the Rajasthan government should not have shared with or alerted the Home Ministry or agencies about the inputs.

He said the same BJP would have then attacked Government citing intelligence inputs if anything untward had happened.

Singhvi accused BJP of seeing every issue from the “prism of communalism” and doing politics over a sensitive matter.

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for quite some time, says Oprah.

‘I have this vision board in my house. The first vision board I had simply said Obama for President.

The second one had a picture of a woman on a camel, and it said, ‘Come to India’.

The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 seasons, and made her a household name in countries all over the world. She sees it as her responsibility to be a connector to the human heart and it was post an interview with the skinheads of the Ku Klux Klan that she also began to see her show as a platform. Over the years, Oprah has worked on various projects, including dedicating a large part of her time to seeking justice for sexual abuse victims, opening a school for girls in South Africa and supporting and founding various charities across the world.

‘I believe that you are not what happens to you, but what is possible for you. The one way to expand and enrich your life in this world is by sharing what you have.’

Oprah confessed that she hadn’t quite known if her show was aired in India. ‘Now, I know it is’ she said, at the festival venue bursting at the seams with her fans. ‘Will you come back,’ asked Ms. Dutt, to which, Oprah replied with a simple but definitive ‘Yes’.

Pakistani Growers Oppose Basmati Rice Export to India ISLAMABAD (Samachar): Pakistani rice growers have opposed basmati rice exports to India, saying this will give an upper hand to their main competitors in determining basmati’s international price and also allow them to re-export it under an Indian brand.

“There is a big difference in the cost of production of basmati rice in both countries. India subsidises its agriculture to the tune of USD 30 billion, while in Pakistan there is 16 percent general sales tax (GST) on all inputs along with the recently imposed gas infrastructure cess,” Basmati Growers’Association chief Hamid Malhi said.

The issue has re-emerged after the government recently decided to liberalise trade with India, the daily Dawn reported.

Pakistan had granted India the most favoured nation (MFN) status Nov 2. It also agreed to double bilateral trade from USD 2.5 billion to around USD 5 billion. India had granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996.

Malhi said the price of urea, one of the main fertilisers used in rice production,

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was nearly two times more in Pakistan than what it is in India.

He said it was a known fact that basmati exported from Pakistan was re-packed in the Gulf by traders and sold as a product of Indian origin. Both sides have been locked in a litigation over the ownership of the Super Basmati brand since 2008.

According to the figures for 201011, 45 percent of the country’s basmati exports (445,000 tonnes) land in the Gulf states.

“It is not possible that the whole quantity is being consumed in the region,” he said.

The opposition comes after the recent meetings of a select group of exporters, who monopolise the rice export, with Pakistan’s Trade Development Authority chief executive Tariq Puri, seeking facilitation of basmati export to India, the newspaper said.

Malhi said India also exported basmati rice to the Gulf and was the only competitor of Pakistan in the field. He expressed the apprehension that sale of basmati rice to India would provide it an upper hand in determining the international price of the product and low quality exports from India would continue to be dubbed as being of Pakistani origin.

Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is scheduled to visit Pakistan Feb 13.

Visit us Online for more News!

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Mumbai Grave Site Problem: Bunkmates in God’s Acre

By Smita mitra MUMBAI (Outlook): If you want to commune with the who’s-who list of former Bollywood legends, head over to the Juhu Muslim cemetery. Madhubala, Parveen Babi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Talat Mehmood, Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, Ifteqar, Naushad and Mohammed Rafi, all found a final resting place here. But for Asgar Ali Suleiman, president of the Muslim Majlis Trust that manages the graveyard, this celebrity burial ground has become a problem. Due to lack of space, he has had to re-use many of these graves in the last two years. So when star death anniversaries come up, angry fans accuse Suleiman of tampering with their graves. Many of the elaborate headstones have given way to saplings planted over grave mounds. “What can I do? There is just no space,” sighs Suleiman. The modest one-acre graveyard that opened in 1959 has 500 grave plots. The non-celebrity graves have as many as 20-25 bodies buried, in tiers. Moreover, the cemetery has been “renewed” four times by dumping a new soil layer over the existing grave plots to accommodate new burials. As a result, the graveyard has risen by over 15 feet.

The maximum city, always short on space for the living, has even less space for its dead. “We only give out temporary graves now,” says Father Michael Goveas at St Andrew’s Church, Bandra. One of

the few churches with a grave plot adjoining it, it handles burials from five other churches in the area and sees close to 25 burials a month. In the suburbs, it is worse. At the IC Church, Borivali, there are only 200 grave plots and there have been 40 burials in the last six months alone.

The BMC rules state that bodies can be dug up and a grave plot reused within 18 months, but bodies can take up to two to three years to decompose. “We encourage parishioners to opt for coffins made from plywood and other cheap wood, rather than teakwood that is neither eco-friendly nor allows the body to decompose as quickly.

In fact, three years ago, we had an eco-friendly burial where the body was buried in a shroud,” says Father Barthol Barretto of the IC Church. Some other churches are encouraging simple ceremonies where the body is carried into the graveyard on an aluminium tray and is buried in the grave without a coffin and the aluminium tray is re-used for the next funeral.

The space shortage has resulted in a curious phenomenon in Christian cemeteries: grave niches. On the sides of all the Christian graves stretching from South Mumbai to the suburbs, hollow walls have been erected with cubby-hole vaults. “A vault where the remains can be stored costs Rs 7,000,” says Ronny Pimenta, an undertaker.

Among Muslims, the decades-old “otla” system of buying family

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The problem of cemetery space is the worst in areas where the population has exploded in recent years, like the suburbs of Borivali and beyond. “I think there has been a 25 per cent increase in

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As the problem of finding burial sites grows, some communities are looking at new—even radical— ways to work around it. Among Muslims, cremation is considered unthinkable, but some Catholic Christians have started trying it out. The electric crematorium in Mumbai is finding favour with a small fraction of Catholic Christian population as the Vatican is not vehemently opposed to cremations.

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the Christian population because people have migrated from Goa, Mangalore, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and settled mostly in the suburbs,” says Wilfred Pereira, an activist for the East Indian Catholic community. Ronny Pimenta talks about “bodies touching each other” because the grave plots are so close together. “There is a three-acre Oshiwara cemetery, where builders have encroached over one acre by dumping construction debris. In Thane, Christian activists had to forcefully take over forest land for burials because there was just no space,” says Dr Abraham Mathai, general secretary of the Federation of Christian Churches. Christians who are non-Catholic face an even bigger problem since church cemeteries are closed to them.

Raymond D’Souza, president of the Maharashtra Christian Association that represents non-Catholic Christians, says: “In Vasai, we were given a half-acre plot, but since it is by the sea, it gets waterlogged and water seeps into the graves.” The government is quiet on the problem.

Naseem Khan, state minister for minority affairs, expresses his helplessness. “Delegations from different communities have come and met me. Instructions have been given to provide burial space, but these things take time,” he says. But death waits for no one. Most people in Mumbai spend their entire lives in cramped spaces. In many cases, that now goes for the dead too.

SPORTS

January 27, 2012

Sri Lanka Help India Regain 2nd Spot In ODI Rankings

DUBAI (Samachar): India got back to second place in the ICC ODI team rankings, thanks to Sri Lanka’s two consecutive wins against South Africa in the just concluded five-match series.

India had lost second place to the Proteas after they won the first three ODIs against Sri Lanka, however, the reversal in the fourth and fifth match helped India regain its position.

Virat Kohli remains India’s highest ranked ODI player at number three while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is at number five.

South Africa’s Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, meanwhile, continue to lead the batting chart.

Outside the top 10, South Africa’s Graeme Smith is one of the biggest movers, returning to the top 20 in 17th position after gaining five places following his series contribution of 229 runs, including 125 in Johannesburg.

Also heading in the right direction are Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal. Tharanga has gained eight places and is now in 35th spot while Chandimal is in 65th position after rising 35 places

India had lost its place to the Proteas after they won the first three ODIs against the Sri Lankans

No Indian bowler figures in the top-10 list. South Africa’s Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who claimed 11 wickets at just under 19 runs per wicket and played a key role in his side’s 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka, has been rewarded with a jump of 10 places and puts him in third spot behind Pakistan’s spin pair of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.

Tsotsobe leapfrogged team-mates

Morne Morkel, who has dropped one place to seventh spot, and Dale Steyn, who has slipped to 15th position after conceding five places.

Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, who was joint highest wicket-taker along with Tsotsobe, has returned to the top 10 with a gain of one place to be placed at number 10. * Contact Us for Local Sports *

Jayawardene to Lead Sri Lanka in Australia Tri-Series

The captaincy is back in the hands of Mahela Jayawardene set to lead the ODI squad to Australia for the tri-series in February

COLOMBO (ESPN): Hours after Tillakaratne Dilshan resigned as Sri Lanka captain from all three formats, the country’s new selection panel appointed former captain Mahela Jayawardene in his place to lead the ODI squad to Australia for the tri-series in February involving the hosts and India.

Angelo Mathews remains the vicecaptain of the 15-member squad which also includes Dilshan.

Jayawardene was ODI captain from 2004 till 2009 (he took over as Test captain in 2006). He resigned in 2009, saying he wanted his successor to have sufficient time to build the team for the 2011 World Cup. Kumar Sangakkara took over from Jayawardene but stepped down after leading Sri Lanka to the final of the World Cup. Dilshan led Sri Lanka for nine months after the World Cup, but resigned on Monday following series defeats in both Tests and ODIs in all his four assignments. >>>

>>> Jayawardene has led Sri Lanka in 97 ODIs, winning 57 and losing 35. Whether Jayawardene is handed the Test captaincy as well remains to be seen; Sri Lanka’s next Test series begins only in the last week of March against England at home.

Farveez Maharoof, the bowling allrounder, and Chanaka Welegedara, the fast bowler, were recalled after having last played an ODI for Sri Lanka back in June 2010. The duo were the only changes from the squad for the recent ODI series in South Africa, in place of Kosala Kulasekara and Dilhara Fernando. Thilan Samaraweera, who was ignored for the South Africa ODIs, was put on stand-by.

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Maharoof was the leading runscorer in Tier A of the 50-over domestic Premier Limited Over Tournament 2011-12 with 219 runs from six games at an average of 43.80 for the Nondescripts Cricket Club. He also picked up 10 wickets in the tournament at 17.00 and an economy rate of four. Welegedara has been a regular member of the Test side of late, and has now been rewarded with a place in the limited-overs squad as well.

Rangana Herath and the offspinner Sachithra Senanayake, who debuted against South Africa recently, will form the spin attack. There was no place for Suraj Randiv, who last played an ODI against Australia in August 2011.

No Afridi or Razzaq in South Africa’s T20 Competition

L A H O R E (ESPN): Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq will not travel to play in South Africa’s domestic 20-over competition. The Pakistan duo was signed up by the J o h a n n e s b u rg based Lions franchise, whose chief executive Cassim Docrat confirmed that neither will participate in the tournament.

National duty will keep Afridi away from The Wa n d e r e r s .

Pakistan play four ODIs and three T20s against England between February 13 and 27. Afridi will then National duty will keep Shahid Afridi away from play two matches the 20 tournament in South Africa for the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Bangladesh. He played for the Premier League and will likely Melbourne Renegades in the Big also be involved in the Asia Cup Bash League, alongside Afridi, which is scheduled for March 12 to but has not been performing to 22. The South African tournament standard. He scored 42 runs in six runs over six weeks from February matches and took two wickets for a bloated 123 runs. Docrat said the 15, set to clash at both events.

Razzaq recently had a shoulder decision was taken from the Lions injury which kept him out of side not to pursue the engagement Pakistan’s end-of-year tour to with Razzaq.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • fRIDAy, RIDAy, JANuARy RIDA ARy 27, 2012 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM AR

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ENTERTAINMENT

January 27, 2012

Winners of Colors Screen Awards 2012 Best Film The Dirty Picture Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Best Ensemble Cast Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin

Best Actor (Male) Ranbir Kapoor – Rockstar

Best Playback Singer (Female) Shreya Ghoshal – Ooh la la (The Dirty Picture)

Best Action Spiro R, N.D.Gill, Parvez, Feroze – Ra.One Best Choreography Bosco-Caesar – Senorita (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara)

Best Child Artist Partho Gupte – Stanley Ka Dabba

Best Screenplay Akshat Verma – Delhi Belly

Best Director Milan Luthria – The Dirty Picture

Most Promising Newcomer (Female) Parineeti Chopra – Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl

Best Story Akshat Verma – Delhi Belly

Best Costume Niharika Khan and Moiz Kapadia – The Dirty Picture

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) Saif Ali Khan – Aarakshan

Most Promising Newcomer (Male) Divyendu – Pyar Ka Panchnama

Best Editing Hufeza Lokhandwala – Delhi Belly

Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Female) Aditi Rao Hydari – Yeh Saali Zindagi

Best Background Score Ranjit Barot – Shaitan

Best Dialogue Akshat Verma – Delhi Belly Farhan Akhtar and Javed Akhtar – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Ramnath Goenka Excellence Award Aarakshan – for having made a difference

Most Promising Debut Director Bejoy Nambiar – Shaitan

Best Cinematography R Madhi – Shaitan

Best Playback Singer (Male) Mohit Chauhan – Phir Se Ud Chala (Rockstar)

Best Sound Design Kunal Sharma – Shaitan

Best Actor (Female) Vidya Balan – The Dirty Picture

Best Actor in a Negative Role (Male) Prashant Narayan – Murder 2 Best Actor In A Negative Role (Female) Priyanka Chopra – Saat Khoon Maaf Best Actor in a Comic Role (Male/Female) Pitobash – Shor In The City

Best Music A.R. Rahman – Rockstar Best Lyrics Prasoon Joshi – Achcha lagta hai (Aarakshan)

Best Production Design Shashank Tere – Delhi Belly Best Special Effects Keitan Yadav and Haresh Hingorani, Red Chillies – Ra.One

Lifetime Achievement Award Asha Bhosle Popular Choice Male (Popular) Shah Rukh Khan for Don 2 Popular Choice Female (Popular) Deepika Padukone for Desi Boyz Jodi Award Shah Rukh Khan & Priyanka Chopra Performer of the Year Ekta Kapoor Best Marathi Film Taryanche Bait

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January 27, 2012

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