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Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
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IndoAmerican News
STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY
Southwestern National Bank Ready to Revitalize the Houston Economy
By Jacob David BELLAIRE: Southwestern National Bank is ready to breathe new life into the economy through disbursing its strategically accumulated wealth of 30 plus million dollars, their Tier One Capital, which the economists look at as their Capital Reserve fund, now standing at a healthy 8.9% The scenario at the SW National Bank has been positive, whilst the world all over is still reeling from the dizzying spell of the recession. “I am very optimistic about this year 2011 and the future,” Gary Owens says. “We have had $1.1
Million in profit (net income) just in the first quarter of 2011 alone. We are looking to having a growth oriented period in the following quarter as well.” he states. The bank has seen an increasing inflow of business especially for commercial loans, a majority of them sought out by Hasu Patel’s associates in the Hotel & Motel industry. In addition, loans for Raw Land developments like C-Stores, Shopping Plazas, Oil & Technology, Gas Stations - most owner occupied ventures are encouraged by SW National Bank. “We have an additional $10 Million set apart for loan loss
Photo: Jacob David Hasu Patel, Member on the Board, and Gary Owens, President & CEO, Southwestern National Bank discuss a business transaction
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, May 20 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
contingencies, just in case.” Gary Owens says. “The SBA Loans need to ease up on their very many restrictions, this will help our economy grow,” Hasu Patel stated. The PKF Hospitality Reports and the Smith Travel Research have been giving positive indicators about the Hotel & Tourism Industry, yet SBA Loans are still being overly cautious. Businesses are encouraged to knock on the bank’s doors, because the bank is now ready to lend. Located: 6901 Corporate Dr., Houston, TX 77036 • Ph: 713-995-3200 • www.swnbk. com © Indo American News, 2011
26 Indo American News • Friday. May 20, 2011
ONLINE EDITION: www.indoamerican-news.com
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Bangladesh Looks to Double Seafood Sales - to Surpass US $1 Bil Billion
By Syed TaShfin Chowdhury DHAKA - United States’ approval for shrimp and white fish imports from Bangladesh will likely double related exports from this South Asian country to as much as US$1 billion. Bangladesh exported $437.4 million worth of frozen food including shrimps and white fish in the fiscal year to last June 30, and $511 million has been exported
during the first 10 months of the present fiscal year, according to the Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA). “By our data, we have achieved a 58% growth over last fiscal year’s exports during the same corresponding period,” association executive director Md Abul Bashar told Asia Times Online. About a third of this amount went to the US, with another “50% going to
the EU countries and the remainder to Russia and the Middle Eastern nations”. This year’s high growth marks a solid recovery for the industry after exports slumped for the first time in 2009 amid the global recession, dipping to $454.53 million in the year to June 2009 from $534.07 million in the previous 12 months. Adding to the industry’s misery, the American Federation of Labor and Congress Industrial Organization complained to the United S t a t e s Tr a d e Representative t h a t Bangladesh’s shrimp industry did not comply with the US body’s labor standards, including total elimination of child labor. According to an April 21 Financial Express report citing Syed Mahmudul Huq, chairman of the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation, he said the country’s shrimp industry has eliminated child labor completely and that, in a bid to maintain global standards, top exporters like Meenhar Sea Food, Atlas, National, Rupsha Fish, Fresh Food, Sobi Sea Food and others have
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With US allegations implying child labor being employed in Bangladeshi fisheries, and European allegations that concentrations of semicurbazide in the inner portion of the shrimp shell meat, Bangladesh has been working hard to set these allegations to rest
upgraded their processing and freezing facilities and are providing “training to workers and shrimp farmers so that they can implement global standards strictly”. BFFEA’s executive director Bashar said, “The government of Bangladesh extended their support by asking the Irish scientist Dr Glenn Kennedy to investigate the [European & US] allegations in early 2009. His study revealed lower concentration of semicurbazide (SEM) in the inner portion of FWS meat, suggesting that diffusion of SEM occurred from the shell through the tail meat, rendering the allegations, which implied that harmful antibiotic like nitrofuran is present only in Bangladeshi shrimps, baseless.” Although exports resumed, EU recommendations meant exports from Bangladesh still had to undergo “stringent testing measures”. Some of these tests are likely to be withdrawn this year as an EU Food and Veterinary Office team’s draft report cited monitoring system “improvements” after a visit to shrimp plants in late March. It also pointed that “the analytical methods used for the residue monitoring program in crustaceans and for the
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
pre-export testing are now validated and fit for purpose.” The list of recommendations decreased to four from 12 in 2010. The Department of Fisheries and Livestock in Bangladesh is confident these four recommendations will be met as well, leading the EU to drop its stringent testing measures. BFFEA members also hope that the Bangladeshi government’s decision to provide cash support on the actual rate of invoice value, to be effective from July 1 of this year, will help the exporting sector. Earlier, exporters received cash incentives based on the quantity of frozen fish exported every year. “This will help us reach an annual frozen fish export revenue of $1 billion as local exporters will try to seek maximum value of their products while also eliminating low-value export and dumping,” said Shahnewaz. “We are getting good prices for shrimps and white fish, this year,” mentioned Bashar, who added that new destinations for export are opening up in Eastern Europe, Mauritius and Australia. “We are also receiving plenty of orders from Japan and Egypt,” said Shahnewaz.
28 Indo American News • Friday. May 20, 2011
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, May 20, 2011• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATION See www.YLDPHouston.org for information and to download application Application Deadline: July 15, 2011 Interviews: July 23rd and 24th Introduction Ceremony: August 2012 Contact: Nimmi Vale (Selection & Outreach Director) @ 832 563 9696 Nimmivale@gmail.com Sushma Bhan (Program Director) @ 281 492 7575 ‘YLDP builds bridges, and it is defined culture at the whole new level for me,”-Geetanjali Gubba (2009 Student)
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
29
30 Indo American News • Friday. May 20, 2011
ONLINE EDITION: www.indoamerican-news.com
Tagore150Fest g : Tagore’s g 150th Bir h A An iversaryy Tagore Society of Houston Invites All to the
Cultural Tributes to Tagore on May 28 & May 29, 2011 Cultural Tribute I (Saturday May 28, 5 pm @ HDBS Sur Auditorium 13944 Schiller Rd, Houston, TX 77082) Art-Photo-Creative Writing Competitions, Moods & Expressions in Tagore songs and dance-A special presentation by the local Bangladeshi Community, “Mukti” –Breaking Barriers of Traditional Dance genres through Rabindra-Nritya, Tagore songs by Sasha Ghoshal (India/Canada) & Modern Bengali songs by S. I. Tutul (Bangladesh)
Mukti
Cultural Tribute II (Sunday May 29, 5 pm @ Old Stafford Civic Center1415 Constitution Avenue Stafford, TX ) Programs are “Prerna”- An Inspirational Journey in search of Tagore from Bollywood, supported in part by “Glimpses of Tagore”- A Multi-media presentation on Tagore’s Genius, & the Consulate General
Dance recital by dance exponent Pandit Chitresh Das
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General Admission: $10; VIP : $25, $50
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011• ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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society
Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
31
Fourth Season of the South Asian Spelling Bee Announced Touchdown Media Inc., the leading Multicultural advertising firm, today announced the launch of the fourth season of the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee. MetLife, a leading global provider of life insurance and other financial services, returns as the title sponsor of the contest. The event is open to children of South Asian descent up to 14 years of age. It will give South Asian children a chance to test their spelling skills in their core peer group. Interested spellers need their parent or guardian to register them online at www.southasianspellingbee. com. Organized by Touchdown Media Inc., the 2011 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be conducted in 10 locations across the United States starting June 18. Regional level events will be held in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, New Jersey, DC Metro, New York and Boston. All events will be free to attend and open to the public. “It’s great to be celebrating the 4th year of the South Asian Spelling Bee. With the help of our sponsors and media partners, a great platform has been built for the community where spellers can test their skill and have the thrill of being on television. We have expanded to 10 cities across the US, adding Atlanta to the roster and look forward to another great season in 2011.” said Rahul Walia, CEO of Touchdown Media Inc. and founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee. Each competition will begin with a written test of 25 words. The participants must spell 15 or more words correctly to advance to the afternoon oral round, which will be conducted by experienced pronouncers and judges. The top three in the oral round will receive prize money. The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August. Like last year, MetLife has inducted the $10,000 champion’s scholarship that will be awarded to the winner at the finals. “MetLife is proud to once again sponsor the South Asian Spelling Bee, and to help children enjoy a fun, educational event,” said Laurel Daring, assistant vice president of Diverse Markets at MetLife. “We’re also pleased to continue helping families develop financial strategies to achieve important goals, like attaining the best education for their children.” As always, The 2011 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be telecast on Sony Entertainment Television, Asia in over 120 countries. Sony Entertainment Television Asia has the broadcast rights and will be showing the contest worldwide (except India and Pakistan)
From left: Laurel Daring, Assistant Vice President of Diverse Markets at MetLife; Rahul Walia, CEO of Touchdown Media Inc. and founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee; His Excellency Ambassador Prabhu Dayal Consul General of India-NY and Jaideep Janakiram, Head – North America, Sony Entertainment Networks
Asia. SET and SET Asia are now available in over 150 countries. The channels offer their viewers a distinctive blend of entertainment programs twenty-four hours a day, including, soap operas, dramas, sitcoms, concerts, movies, and game shows. For more information, visit www.setasia.tv. About Touchdown Media Inc.: Touchdown Media Inc., is a specialized South Asian advertising and promotions firm based in New Jersey. Now in its 8th successful year, Touchdown has helped clients- both mainstream and otherwise, reach out to the lucrative South Asian market, Touchdown Media represents more than 30 years of collective experience in this niche market. As a full service ad firm, Touchdown has helped many clients achieve their media and marketing goals within the South Asian Diaspora in the US.
on their channel. Jaideep Janakiram, Head – North America, Sony Entertainment Networks said, “We are delighted to see the South Asian Spelling Bee in its 4th season on Sony Entertainment Television, Asia. We pride ourselves on quality family based content and consistently delivering innovative programming to our diverse audience, our passion in partnering with the best events is no exception. The Spelling Bee is a fantastic platform for youth of all ages to showcase their language skills, dedication and self-motivation. SET Asia is always looking to entertain and to involve our international viewers in shows such as Boogie Woogie and the Spelling Bee. SET Asia plans to considerably enhance international viewer participation in its premium programs” For a complete schedule, registration and any other information, please visit www. southasianspellingbee.com. About MetLife: MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 60 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www. metlife.com. About Sony Entertainment Television Asia: Since its launch on the Indian subcontinent in 1995, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has enjoyed rapid success, leading to the establishment of European, North American and African feeds known as SET
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
ONLINE EDITION: www.indoamerican-news.com
India’s Southern Promises
A region that is more vibrant economically, and also more appreciative of relations with the U.S from here it exports cars, engines and components to Africa, Oceania and Japan. Suzuki, BMW, Hyundai and others similarly produce in Chennai hundreds of thousands of cars and motorcycles, making this city and its surroundings one of India’s most vibrant economic clusters. American companies are clearly but one part of the landscape here. N. Srinivasan, head of the Tamil Nadu branch of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, stresses that the Chennai region is increasingly linked to a broadening Asian network. Over 900 Australian companies operate in the region, he tells me. And of the 120,000 Indian students who go to Australia to study—onefifth more than those who travel to the U.S.—those from Tamil Nadu, native speakers of the Tamil language, can interact with the Indian diaspora in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, since most of those expatriates speak the same language. One Asian country that draws negative remarks is China. I am told by various executives and officials that China poses the greatest threat to Indian economic growth. It undercuts prices and is not considered a reliable
Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, was an ancient port city on the Coromandel coast built by the Pallava Dynasty in the 7th century. It was named after the cruel demon king Mahabali, who was slayed by Goddess Durga, and is an important World Heritage Site today. It is 60kms from Chennai, and can be reached by the scenic East Coast Road.
known as the “Detroit of the East.� Indeed, the automotive industry is one of Chennai’s standouts, just as IT shapes Bangalore. India is the world’s largest small-car market, and Ford, for example, has seen growth of sales quadruple since 2009. Chennai is the small-car hub for the region for Ford, a senior company executive tells me, and
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way to Asia, it became the original home of the East India Company during the 1640s. Madras’s cosmopolitanism grew throughout the centuries of British rule. The East India Company has been succeeded by Ford, Hyundai, Nissan and autocomponents manufacturer BorgWarner, to name a few of the cor corporations that have made Chennai
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By Michael austin CHENNAI (WSJ): Forty miles south of Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal, lies Mahabalipuram. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, abounding in temples and massive frescoes, all cut from solid rock. Yet in the seventh century, when carvers began chiseling out the temples, this was India’s portal to Southeast Asia. From here, trade networks reached as far as Indonesia, spreading Indian goods along with the influence of the ruling Pallava kingdom. More than a millennium later, Mahabalipuram’s legacy lives on in Chennai, formerly Madras and now India’s fourth-largest city. Located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Chennai remains India’s gateway to the Indo-Pacific region. This city and this region are deeply embedded in the global supply chain and trading network. It is here that American businesses are finding some of their largest mar markets. It is also the place where U.S. policy makers may find the greatest opportunities for building the U.S.India relationship, especially given New Delhi’s recent mixed signals about its interest in closer ties with America. Most Americans think of northern or western India when they consider the rise of the world’s largest democracy. New Delhi, the political capital, and Mumbai, the financial one, regularly receive Western visitors. India’s tense relationship with Pakistan draws attention to its northwest borders, while its ongoing territorial troubles with China similarly center on its far northern boundaries. Yet India’s north is poorer and less developed than the south. Dur During my visit, Maoist rebels in the northeast ambushed and killed 11 policemen, while farmers in Uttar Pradesh state, near Delhi, rampaged against police, killing some and holding state officials hostage. That’s not to say that the south of the subcontinent isn’t plagued by poverty. Still, it is more educated than the north and is home to some of India’s most vibrant cities and industries. Bangalore, located several hundred miles west of Chennai, is the center of the country’s space and IT sectors. Kerala state, also to Chennai’s west, boasts of near-universal literacy in a country in which only 74% of the populace can read. Tamil Nadu hosts hundreds of universities and colleges—from the University of Madras, founded by the British in 1857, to tiny technical schools located in crumbling buildings. While it is hard to believe that many of the state’s 532 engineering colleges provide an education comparable to their larger counterparts, they nonetheless testify to the region’s focus on education. This climate is drawing leading global companies to Chennai. Long after the region served as the gate-
supplier of goods. Yet, in the longrun, argues a managing director of BorgWarner, India’s production costs are more competitive than China’s, since its quality is higher and it will have a younger, more educated work force far into the future. In particular, the south will lead the way, he and other businessmen tell me, with skilled labor and managerial capacity. Not all is rosy, of course. Many of India’s graduates are functionally illiterate, though perhaps less so in the south. This part of the country is plagued by the same poor infrastructure as the rest. Poverty here is similarly appalling, not only in Chennai’s slums, but throughout the city, where makeshift lean-to’s butt up against the walls of the Madras High Court. Corruption is also a factor here: The daughter of the state’s chief minister is currently under indictment for bribe-taking in a national telecom scandal, a charge she denies. Graft has become an issue in the ongoing elections in the state, the results of which will be out Friday. Yet there is a dynamism in Chennai that should attract American (and continued on page
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MONTHS
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This Week, That Age May 16, 1975 - India annexes Principality of Sikkim May 19, 1884 - Ringling Brothers circus premieres May 19, 1900 - World’s longest railroad tunnel (Simplon) links Italy & Switz, opens May 19, 2009 - Sri Lanka announces victory in its 27 year war against the terrorist organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. May 20, 1310 - Shoes were made for both right & left feet May 20, 1498 - Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India. May 20, 1830 - 1st railroad timetable published in newspaper (Baltimore American) May 20, 1895 - 1st commercial movie performance (153 Broadway, NYC) May 20, 1926 - Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies May 20, 1986 - Flintstones 25th Anniversary Celebration airs on CBS-tv May 20, 1992 - India launches its 1st satellite independently. May 20, 1994 - Miss India (Sushmita Sen) selected Miss Universe May 21, 1819 - 1st bicycles (swift walkers) in US introduced in NYC May 21, 1846 - 1st steamship arrives in Hawaii May 21, 1908 - 1st horror movie (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde) premieres in Chicago May 21, 1914 - Greyhound Bus Co begins in Minnesota May 21, 1994 - Sushmita Sen, 18, of India, crowned 43rd Miss Universe May 22, 1967 - “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” debuts on NET (now PBS) May 22, 1973 - President Nixon confesses his role in Watergate cover-up. May 22, 1987 - 30 killed in a Texas tornado. May 22, 1992 - India launches its Agni rocket.
Did you know??? 1. The “L.L.” in L.L. Bean stands for Leon Leonwood. 2. The Earth weighs around 6,588,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons. 3. The longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. The only other word with the same amount of letters is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses, its plural. 4. There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball. 5. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur. 6. There are 1,525,000,000 miles of telephone wire strung across the U.S. 7. A “jiffy” is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. 8. A jumbo jet uses 4,000 gallons of fuel to take off. 9. A shark can detect one part of blood in 100 million parts of water. 10. A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue. 11. A hummingbird weighs less than a penny. 12. A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove. 13. A fully loaded supertanker (large ship) travelling at normal speed takes a least twenty minutes to stop.
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Discovering India 513 Years Ago! Vasco da Gama Reaches India May 20, 1498 Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) was a Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East. He was a gentleman at court when he was chosen to lead the expedition to India. Da Gama was born to a noble family in Sines, Portugal. Da Gama’s father Estavao was also an explorer. He was to have made the sea voyage from Portugal to India that eventually made his son famous, but the elder da Gama died before completing the journey. Many years of Portuguese exploration down the West African coast had been rewarded when Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal, on July 8, 1497, heading to the East. At the time, many people thought that da Gama’s trip would be impossible because it was assumed that the Indian Ocean was not connected to any other seas. Da Gama’s patron was King Manuel I of Portugal. The Portuguese then planned to send a fleet to India for spices. Vasco da Gama was placed in command of the expedition. Da Gama rounded Africa’s Cape of Good Hope on November 22, and continued on to India. After many stops in Africa, and problems with traders who did not want interference in their profitable trade routes, da Gama reached Calicut, India on May 20, 1498. Four ships left Lisbon on July 8, 1497--the Sao Gabriel, on which da Gama sailed, the Sao Rafael, the Berrio, and a storeship. They stopped in the Cape Verde Islands; from there they did not follow the coast, as earlier expeditions had, but stood well out to sea. They reached the Cape of Good Hope region on November 7. The ships rounded the Cape on November 22. The expedition stopped on the East African coast, broke up the storeship, and reached Mozambique on Mar. 2, 1498. There they were assumed to be Muslims, and the sultan of Mozambique supplied them with pilots, who guided them on their journey northward. They stopped
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in Mombasa and Malindi before killed hundreds of traders, often sailing to the east. brutally, in order to demonstrate They crossed the Indian Ocean his power. in 23 days, aided by the Indian Da Gama’s success led to the pilot Ibn Majid, and reached dispatch of another Portuguese Calicut on May 20, 1498. The fleet, commanded by Pedro Allocal ruler, the Zamorin, welcomed the Portuguese, who at first thought that the Indians, actually Hindus, were Christians. At first, da Gama and his trading were well-received, but this did not last for long. Da Gama left India on August 29, 1498, after he was told to pay a large tax and leave all of his trading goods. When he left, da Gama took his goods with him, together with some Indian hostages. After one further stop on the Indian Painting: Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama coast, the Por- lands at Calicut (in Kerala, India) on May 20, tuguese set out 1498; photographic reproduction of painting to return with a (1880-01) by Ernesto Casanova (born 1845, load of spices. year of death unknown). Source: US Library They took- of Congress; Illustration for ‘Os Lusíadas by three months Luís de Camões’, 1880 edition) to recross the Indian Ocean, vares Cabral. Some of the men however, and so many men died Cabral left in India were masof scurvy that one of the ships, the sacred, so King Manuel ordered Sao Rafael, was burned for lack da Gama to India again. He was of a crew. The expedition made given the title of admiral and left a few stops in East Africa before Portugal in February 1502 with rounding the Cape of Good Hope 20 ships. Da Gama’s mission was on Mar. 20, 1499. The ships were a success, and the fleet returned to separated off West Africa in a Lisbon in October 1503. storm and reached Portugal at difDa Gama then settled in Portuferent times. Da Gama stopped gal, married, and raised a family. in the Azores and finally reached He may have served as an adviLisbon on Sept. 9, 1499. sor to the Portuguese crown and King Manuel I of Portugal then was made a count in 1519. King sent da Gama, now an Admiral, John III sent him to India in 1524 on another expedition to India as viceroy, but he soon became ill (1502-1503). On this second trip, and died in Cochin on Dec. 24, da Gama took 20 armed ships 1524. His remains were returned (anticipating problems from trad- to Portugal for burial. (Enchanted ers). On this voyage, da Gama Learning & Think Quest)
India’s Southern Promises
other foreign) companies. The real growth, I’m told, is in the small and medium enterprise sector. American SMEs can find willing Indian partners, and be assured of an Anglo-inspired system of law to protect their rights, unlike in China. Over the next decade, perhaps Washington should focus on this part of the country, creating business opportunities (Chennai’s consulate already handles more work visas than others in India) and fostering cultural ties with the local communities, instead of concentrating solely on New Delhi’s recent rejection of U.S. entrants for a major fighter plane contract and the scuttling of the heralded civilian nuclear deal. Moreover, staff of the U.S. Consulate tell me, people in the south have much more positive images of America than their countrymen do in the north. Touring Fort St. George, first headquarters of the East India Company, I run into a French couple. He is helping build Michelin’s €1 billion ($1.43 billion) tire plant in Chennai, which will be their hub for Asia. Nearly 400 years after the British first arrived to trade in Madras, the opportunities of the Indian south remain bountiful. The lesson here is that Americans will benefit most if they focus where they are wanted. In the long run, that will create a more stable Indo-American relationship that could lead to true partnership. Auslin is the director of Japan studies at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for WSJ.com. He is the author of “Pacific Cosmopolitans: A Cultural History of U.S.-Japan Relations” (Harvard University Press, 2011).
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
soutH asia
Senator Kerry Visits to Improve US - Pakistan Ties
(VoAm): U.S. Senator John that Pakistan’s sovereignty and about the economic assistance the Kerry says America’s relations with national interests be respected. United States provides Pakistan. Pakistan need to get back on track in Both sides agreed to work together Earlier, during weekend visit the wake of the damage caused by in counterterrorism and against to Afghanistan, he said some in the U.S. raid on a Pakistani Congress also have “deep city earlier this month that reservations” about Pakistan’s killed Osama bin Laden. commitment to fighting Kerry said Monday the terrorism. goal of his visit to Pakistan The U.S. lawmaker also met was not to apologize for with Pakistan’s army chief, what he called the triumph General Ashfaq Kayani, on against terrorism, but Sunday. Pakistani military instead to make repairs officials said Monday that in relations between the Kayani told Kerry his soldiers two countries. The senator have “intense feelings” spoke in Islamabad after concerning the U.S. raid. meeting with Pakistani Kerry, the chairman of Prime Minister Yousuf the U.S. Senate Foreign Raza Gilani and President Relations Committee, is the Asif Ali Zardari. highest ranking U.S. official U.S. special forces killed to visit Pakistan since the U.S. bin Laden during a May 2 military operation May 2 in raid in Abbottabad. Abbottabad. Pakistan Prime Minister Ties between the U.S. and Gilani warned last week Pakistan were already strained that any future unilateral U.S Senator John Kerry met with Pakistan Prime prior to the raid that killed bin actions would carry Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to exchange views Laden, following the detention serious consequences. post Osama’s death of CIA contractor Raymond U.S. officials, meanwhile, Davis in Pakistan, a White questioned how the al-Qaida what were described as “high value House report criticizing Pakistan’s leader was able to hide out in targets” in Pakistan. counterterrorism efforts and a series Pakistan without being detected Kerry later told reporters there of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan’s by authorities. was a constructive exchange of northwest. Kerry on Monday expressed views and agreement on a series The latest attacks took place “grave concerns” about bin Laden’s of steps to improve relations. Monday in the North Waziristan presence in Pakistan, while telling They include an upcoming visit to tribal region near the Afghan border. reporters that there is no evidence of Pakistan by U.S. Secretary of State Pakistani intelligence officials say complicity by Pakistan’s leadership Hillary Clinton. two separate U.S. drone strikes killed in hiding the al-Qaida leader. Senator Kerry said Monday many at least seven suspected militants in In a joint statement, Pakistani in the U.S. Congress are raising what the region, with missiles hitting a officials leaders made clear he described as “tough questions” compound and a vehicle.
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INDIA - History One of the earliest civilizations, the Indus Valley civilization flourished on the Indian subcontinent from c. 2600 B.C. to c. 2000 B.C. It is generally accepted that the Aryans entered India c. 1500 B.C. from the northwest, finding a land that was already home to an advanced civilization. They introduced Sanskrit and the Vedic religion, a forerunner of Hinduism. Buddhism was founded in the 6th century B.C. and was spread throughout northern India, most notably by one of the great ancient kings of the Mauryan dynasty, Asoka (c. 269–232 B.C. ), who also unified most of the Indian subcontinent for the first time. In 1526, Muslim invaders founded the great Mogul Empire, centered on Delhi, which lasted, at least in name, until 1857. Akbar the Great (1542–1605) strengthened and consolidated this empire. The long reign of his greatgrandson, Aurangzeb (1618– 1707), represents both the
greatest extent of the Mogul Empire and the beginning of its decay. Va s c o d a G a m a , t h e Portuguese explorer, landed in India in 1498, and for the next 100 years the Portuguese had a virtual monopoly on trade with the subcontinent. Meanwhile, the English founded the East India Company, which set up its first factory at Surat in 1612 and began expanding its influence, fighting the Indian rulers and the French, Dutch, and Portuguese traders simultaneously. Bombay, taken from the Portuguese, became the seat of English rule in 1687. The defeat of French and Mogul armies by Lord Clive in 1757 laid the foundation of the British Empire in India. The East India Company continued to suppress native uprisings and extend British rule until 1858, when the administration of India was formally transferred to the British Crown following the Sepoy Mutiny of native troops in 1857–1858.
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Chennai Super Kings beat Kochi Tuskers, Kerala by 11 runs
By Dwaipayan Datta CHENNAI: MS Dhoni, it seems, can’t put a foot wrong with this bunch of fighters. On Wednesday, the Chennai Super Kings found an unlikely hero in Wriddhiman Saha while the likes of R Ashwin and Shadab Jakati too chipped in as the team squeezed out a 11-run win over Kochi Tuskers to take a major step towards the toptwo berth. While Saha played an excellent hand with the bat even as the others struggled to get going on the sluggish pitch, Jakati struck at the right moment to keep CSK ahead. Brendon MCullum was settling in well when left-arm spinner Jakati beat him in the air and prized out his wicket. Brad Hodge was there at the other end, but he just couldn’t get going. M Vijay had tried to be a little too cocky and dropped a sitter to allow Hodge a life, but the Aussie couldn’t capitalise on it. He took 17 off the 19th over bowled by Dwayne Bravo, but by then it was too late. The CSK fielders, barring that Vijay blemish, again came up with a brilliant show. The icing on the cake, though, was Suresh Raina’s catch running
backwards to dismiss a dangerouslooking Ravindra Jadeja that all but sealed Kochi’s fate. The Tuskers, though, made some inexplicable
of Dhoni at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. However, Saha did all those things that Dhoni would have wanted — he looked
Chennai Super Kings players celebrate the dismissal of Kochi Tusker’s Kerala’s Parthiv Patel during their IPL match in Chennai
decisions like holding back Owais Shah till the 19th over, but that doesn’t take the sheen off CSK’s performance. The pint-sized Saha answered his critics with a well-compiled 46 not out off 33 balls. It was surprise move when he came in to bat at No. 6 ahead
for the innovative shots, ran his singles hard and converted ones into twos. The straight six that Saha hit off Muttiah Muralitharan gave the Bengal boy a lot of confidence and he carried on well from there.
FIFA Steps Up Fight Against $90 Billion Match-Fixing Industry SINGAPORE (Samachar): Soccer match-fixing yields $90 billion annually, a figure equivalent to legal betting, FIFA’s security chief Chris Eaton said on Wednesday, emphasising the need to curb corruption in the sport. FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week pledged 20 million euros ($28.53 million) for a dedicated anticorruption unit based in Singapore to fight match-fing, which police officials said was a low-risk, high profit form of crime. “Criminality involved in fixing football matches is global, enormous and organized,” Eaton said. “Football is too respected globally to not be protected.” “These are criminals taking advantage. They are not to be respected, they are not Robin Hoods, they are not good people. They hurt players and they destroy careers.” The unit, in a partnership with Interpol, aims to develop a program
for soccer officials, players and administrators that warns against match-fixing and alerts them to how it dishonours the game and might ruin their careers. It will involve international education and training over e-learning. Interpol will also brief and debrief players before and after
every competition to ensure they are fully aware of what match-fixing might do to their careers. “We protect young players, we protect young referees by teaching them to resist the temptations that
these people are trying to take advantage of,” Eaton, a one-time Interpol officer, said. “Prosecution is not my priority, in fact, not a priority at all.” The anti-corruption education wing will be in Singapore due to its low tolerance for corruption, and Eaton believes the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has a model that is one of the most committed to anti-corruption in the world. “Asia is a hotbed of betting and match-fixing and Singapore is among the least corrupt countries on the planet so there may be no better place to set up this initiative than in Singapore,” Interpol secretarygeneral Ronald Noble told a Zurich conference last week. Eaton was with Interpol for more than a decade, and brings with him an extensive police background “I believe FIFA has not been aware of the magnitude of the problem,” he said.
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Shah Rukh Hopeful of KKR Qualifying for Play-Offs MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar It was for the first time that KKR and principal owner of Kolkata had come to Mumbai so I thought Knight Riders (KKR) Shah Rukh of having a party at my house. I had Khan is hopeful of his team making it to the play-offs of the ongoing IPL. “It is a big match tomorrow. We don’t play individually, we play as a team. I am not tensed but I am worried. Earlier at Bangalore, our match was curtailed due to rains so I felt bad. If we get a chance to play a full game then we will hopefully win. I hope we will be in the semifinals,” Shah Rukh told reporters ahead of KKR’s crucial match against Pune Warriors at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Owner of Knight Riders, Kolkata, Shahrukh Khan is hopeful about his team making it to Thursday. the play-offs in the IPL match KKR, which is presently in the top four in points not invited any other player and I table, needs at least a win to ensure am sure if I had invited, they would their spot in the play-offs, scheduled have come.” for May 24 and 25. After going unsold in the players’ Asked why former KKR captain auction earlier this year, former Sourav Ganguly was missing from India captain Ganguly made a guest list at Shah Rukh’s party at dramatic entry into IPL 4 when he his residence recently, the actor was signed up by debutants Pune said, “The party was for all the Warriors India as a replacement for players of Kolkata Knight Riders. injured pacer Ashish Nehra.
Rich Haul by Asian Bronze Medalist, Khade Asian Games bronze medallist Virdhawal Khade put up an impressive show at the 54th Malaysia open swimming championship by bagging eight medals, including three gold medals. Khade won gold medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle events and two silver medals in the 50m and 100m butterfly events at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur. Apart from individual events, Khade won three silver medals in the relay events. Ashwin Menon won a bronze in men’s 200m backstroke with a
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
timing of 2:10.86s. Khade reset the meet record in the 50m freestyle category by clocking 23.01s. In the 100m freestyle he managed a timing of 51.01s while in the 200m freestyle he clocked 1:52.19s to claim gold. In the 100m butterfly event, he clocked 54.67s while Vi e t n a m ’s Hoang Quy Phuoc (53.56s) took gold. “It was a highly satisfying meet and I am happy that I bettered my timings. I look forward to the upcoming events and hope to bring more laurels to India,” said Khade.
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Indo American News • Friday, May 20, 2011
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