September 23 Pages 1-26

Friday, September 23 2011 | Vol. 30, No. 38

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She Nags, He Snores!

Daya Hosts Educational Seminar on Communicating without Conflict

BY KALYANI GIRI HOUSTON: Quirky title aside, several couples got more than they expected when they attended Daya’s Annual Seminar for 2011, She Nags, He Snores. Aside from being taught how to navigate differences and maximize strengths within significant relationships, they were guided in a one-on-one interactive workshop on how to communicate without conflict. The non-profit organization devoted to promoting healthy family relationships in the South Asian community invited a diverse group of panelists, each experts in their fields, to share their wisdom with attendees at the event held on September 17, 2011, at the Hilton Southwest Hotel. University of Berkeley psychology lecturer Parijat Deshpande, attorney/dating coach and columnist Jasbina Ahluwalia, chief psychologist at the Depelchin Children’s Center Dr. C. Patrick Brady, and marriage counselor Damian Duplechain, also offered insights on online dating and identifying the keepers amongst them, inter-racial relationships, and seeking and getting the approval of parents on one’s choices.

The program began with an update on Daya’s multifarious projects by board member Dr. Shaila Patel; the organization will again this year, organize a community gathering One Voice Against Domestic Violence on Saturday, October 15 on Hillcroft in observance of October being domestic violence month. Life coach, founder of Indrani’s Light and Daya board member Indrani Goradia served as compère and moderator for the seminar.

Deshpande, who started the mysahana.org website that exhorts South Asians to take charge of their emotional wellbeing, gave insights into effectively meeting Ms./Mr. Right at online sites, and talked of precautions that one has

Daya board members and staff at the educational seminar.

to employ when negotiating relationships over the web.

Ahluwalia, an attorney turned matchmaker, tackled the subject of inter-racial marriages.

“There has to be dialogue and openness between parents and their grown-up kids,” said Ahluwalia. “Parents must respect their kids’ values and sit back and ask themselves why they object to the relationship. And kids must meet their parents halfway and listen to their concerns,” she added.

All panelists offered suggestions on parenting. To be a better prent partners should communicate with each other, set parameters, and pose a united front. Committed couples in powerful relationships generally do raise healthier, happier children, they said.

When parents have problems among themselves, children pick up on the tension, said Dr. Brady, who has over 30 years of experience in child/parent counseling.

“What do tell your kids when you’re having your own marital issues? Be honest with them as they are highly perceptive,” suggested Dr. Brady. “The truth will remove a lot of anxiety because they will feel like their world is shaking. It is not the child’s job to fix the par-

ents’ problems.”

A question raised by an attendee was about empty-nesters and cop-

ing strategies.

“You learn to cope with it like you learn to cope after two years of marriage when the reality of life sets in,” said Duplechain. “Change is inevitable.”

Duplechain and Deshpande led the informal and educational workshop on how to resolve conflict effectively. Taking the roles of husband and wife, they demonstrated an imago dialogue process for couples called “mirroring”. The spouse that has something bothering her/him politely requests for a time to talk. Then speaking only with “I” statements, with connecting language, and without acrimony or leveling blame, tells of the issue in a non-combative tone.

The partner listens intently and responds by asking “did I get you?”

and by caring and asking for more information until the conflict is resolved and intimacy re-established.

Couples in the audience enthusiastically participated in the exercise and many found it to be an effective tool in fostering healthy communication.

An upcoming event in the Daya calendar is the One Voice Against Domestic Violence community gathering to be held at the Hillcroft Shopping Center at 10.00am – 1.00pm on October 15, 2011.

The community is invited to show their support of Daya’s stand of zero tolerance against domestic violence.

For more information about Daya, visit www.dayahouston.org or call 713- 981-7645 for help.

Bollywood Late Night Party Draws Record Crowd at Moghul’s

BY KALYANI GIRI HOUSTON: On Friday, September 16, 2011, popular local DJ Arshad Virani, aka DJ AV, garnered a record number of over 400 late night revelers who took to the dance floor at Moghul’s Lounge on Westheimer, and wore their heels skinny until the wee hours. The event was further enhanced to the level of spectacular by the advent of India’s leading female disc spinner, DJ Rink. The celebrity DJ, on her second nationwide tour of the US, was invited to display her talent in this city by Virani who made her visit possible.

“DJ’s in Houston have great talent, no doubt about that, but every once in awhile it’s nice to have an artist from overseas come display their talent and give the people in Houston a new vibe and energy,” said Vi-

rani. “DJ Rink is India’s premier female DJ and is very well known for her Bollywood remixes, movie launch parties, and major club events where crowds average around 8,000 to 10,000 people,” he added. Virani is the founder/director of DJ AV Entertainment.

In a city replete with events that often overlap sending patrons into an indecisive frenzy, why was there still the need to host a Bollywood party?

“Absolutely a need, as we have such a vibrant younger set in this city who only get to let loose and dance to their favorite music at weddings and other private events,” said Virani. “The parties I organize gives people in Houston a chance to have fun, socialize, network, and get out of their regular routine all in an upscale and classy environment,” he added emphatically. He enjoyed interacting with

DJ Rink who he has since become good friends with; she was very cooperative and humble, said Virani, who hopes to bring her back to Houston in 2012.

Mumbai-born Virani, 27, is a graduate in Business Administration from the University of Houston. He has been entertaining at other events such as weddings and parties since 2008; six months ago, he started doing club events and has built up a consistent client base that ensures full houses at all his soirees. Social media such as the iconic and ubiquitous Facebook helps; but with a celebrity of DJ Rink’s ilk in town, Virani didn’t want to take any chances and advertized extensively on the local desi radio programs. He is very grateful for the support friends and family have shown him. He

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September 23, 2011

At Gala, IACF Gathers Many Friends and Donations

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Seldom has a fundraising gala tugged at the heartstrings of the audience so much that everyone stood to applaud and honor the speaker. This was one of those occasions, after the audience had heard the poignant tale of Sandhya Rao, a young woman who has been blind and wheelchair bound since she was a young child and despite massive odds, with the help of her devoted family, received a law degree from Stanford University and now works as a staff attorney in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston. She was recently appointed to the board of the Lighthouse of Houston.

Rao had related her story onstage at the 23rd Annual Gala of the Indo American Charity Foundation, this year billed as “Building Bridges to New Frontiers” held this past Friday, September 16 at the Intercontinental Hotel on the West Loop. She had read her speech in Braille with her fingertips and later her parents, Dr. Potu N. Rao and his wife Rajeswari came onstage to add their appreciation of their daughter’s accomplishment, again to a standing ovation.

Emotions ran high at the gala, which is much anticipated since it is one of the few really elegant ones held by the Indo American community during the year. And the IACF did not disappoint the 700 invited guests who came to help raise over $300,000 at the singular event which had the panache of a wedding reception sans all the hoopla that goes with it. The arrangements were immaculate, from the appetizers in the lobby, to the skirted tables and chairs, to the floral centerpieces, a color scheme that was inviting and even down to the square souvenir brochure with a unique foldout front cover.

And to tie the event together, this year the IACF gala once again held a live auction of nine items that were donated by several businesses and individuals as well as a silent auction of 45 items that were arranged in the lobby under the circular staircase. In addition, for the first time, a Mercedes Benz SmartCar was raffled off, with this reporter and several other volunteers working the crowd during the social hour to sell $100 tickets. The red and black SmartCar stood by the entrance to the lobby for all to see.

Off to one side was a place to get a portrait by the photographer, with finished, framed prints available as the guests left. Instead of the usual registration, guests had been called in advance with their table numbers and their meal choice was offered by volunteers who met them in the lobby.

The event started on time and the guests strolled in to a slide presentation set to New Age music of the numerous advertisers and supporters of the gala. A four-foot tall statue of Ganesh stood on the stage bathed in a spotlight, to be auctioned off later. The emcee for the evening, Sanjay Ram (assisted

by Vani Rao, both IACF board directors) welcomed the guests and introduced the IACF President Anu Bala, who set the evening up for the recurring theme of the evening, I Am Charity’s Friend, a play on the organization’s acronym. Bala touched on the IACF’s new education initiative, which 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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the 2012 President David Raj expanded on in a follow up speech. The initiative calls for two college students to mentor children in Math and Science in the inner-city Crockett Elementary School. Raj also plans to expand the IACF statewide and eventually make it national.

The speeches were interspersed by a short speech by Houston Mayor Annise Parker in which she reaffirmed that she too, was charity’s friend and a fiery speech by Congressman Al Green who also exhorted the guests to be generous. James Patterson, the Precinct 4 Ft. Bend County Commissioner and a former teacher, conveyed his passion for education in his speech prior to conducting the live auction, which netted in excess of $25,000. Patterson urged support for the new Education Initiative and between those who spoke their pledges and the cards left on the tables, over $6,000 was collected.

Meanwhile, the silent auction brought in over $6,000.

Entertainment for the evening came from playback singer Mahalakhshmi, who sang two Hindi songs and also later belted out some numbers during the dancing that concluded the gala. Kady Malloy, 21 a Houstonian who was a participant on American Idol in the 2008 season, wowed the audience with her performance of two numbers.

The evening started with a dance number by students of the Anjali School of Performing Arts.

But what marred the almost perfect event was a dismal job of stage lighting which rendered people into the shadows as they came to the podium and the video feed on two screens to ghostly images, along with a sound system that lacked enough power to reach the back of the room clearly. Also, the program stretched out as the event went on so that, when soup was served midway much before dinner, the audience took it as a cue to mingle and almost snuffed out the auctioneering in the cacophony of noise.

Those up front managed to keep the auction going, but the backseaters were unable to follow the proceedings. Dinner, when it did arrive, came around 10 pm and was a tasty set plate by Dawat Caterers, of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes created for the event.

The IACF also honored their commitment to donate $6,000 from the proceeds from the Walkathon to the Japan Disaster Relief Fund, which was accepted onstage by Consul General Takahiko Watanabe, who also affirmed that he was charity’s friend.

The finale before the dancing began was the drawing onstage of the SmartCar raffle.

With five people onstage, IACF Executive Director Surender Talwar spun the cage around many times before and IACF former President Manmeet Likhari reached in and read the winner’s name. It turned out to be Suranga Cholia, who coincidentally is on the IACF Board this year.

But as the evening wore down along with the dancing, the ever ready Talwar couldn’t resist and sang his closing number: “Bohot shukria, baddi meherbani; meri zindagi mein, huzoor aap aaye …”, an appropo ending to an elegant night.

5

For a collage of pictures from the IACF Gala, see pages 14 & 15

From top left and down: IACF President Anu Bala, spoke about the organization’s activities over the year and ended with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi and hailed the Foundation’s new tag line “I am Charity’s Friend”; Sanjay Ram, Board Director, was the emcee for the evening; Mayor Annise Parker, who also was the guest of honor at last year’s gala, reaffirmed that she too, was charity’s friend; Congressman Al Green in his customary passionate way urged the guests to be generous and to become charity’s friends; James Patterson, the Precinct 4 Ft. Bend County Commissioner and former coach and teacher was auctioneer for the evening; incoming IACF President David Raj outlined the plans for IACF’s new Education Initiative for which funds were pledged; Japanese Consul General Takahiko Watanabe, accepted a $6,000 check for the Japan Disaster Relief Fund.

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September 23, 2011

Laya-Taal Saadhna 2011 Memorable

Talking Tablas enchant capacity audience at St. Thomas University’s Jones Hall

BY KALYANI GIRI HOUSTON: As their guru percussion maestro Pandit Shanthilal Shah beamed proudly and gesticulated encouragement from a vantage seat, groups of his disciples tapped and drummed their way into the hearts of an appreciative audience of parents and art lovers at the Jones Hall, University of St. Thomas, on a recent drizzly Saturday evening. The event Laya-Taal-Saadhna-2011, held under the auspices of the Swaralayam Arts Forum on September 17, 2011, was the 5th annual celebratory occasion that proved yet again that India’s glorious cultural heritage still finds echo in the younger generations in far-away lands only through nurturing vanguards in the crucial ilk of Pandit Shah.

Nearly 60 artistes, some at just 6 years of age through to young adults, presented a sterling tabla recital replete with varying taals, or beats, tempos, garlands of spoken notations, and mathematically elaborate and vibrant fingerwork patterns. The program included a rousing and professionally adept interlude by rising stars Anuraag Shah and Aditya Srivatsan whose flying fingers found tonal excellence that held riveted the gathering. Set against a backdrop of harmonium rendered by Mahendra Gohil and Sameer Kotasthane, the

evening’s performance reached a pinnacle with a spirited grand finale piece by senior students, along with Pandit Shah and mellifluous vocals by his wife Aparna Shah, a Hindustani classical singer. Hallmarks of the event were the discipline exhibited by all students, diligence to their art, and the respect they showed to their teacher, who in turn championed them on with affection.

Participating in the program were Mihir Kalvakaalva, Het Patel, Arjun Bhatt, Anisha Varati, Sahitkumar Gullapalli, Bhagwat Patel, Abhinav Kumar, Amar

Now

Sehgal, Mihir Sekhar, Mhyank Sekhar, Nishant Shah, Nishal Shah, Samarth Dave, Nikhil Bathini, Suraj Pandit, Shrey Derasari, Dhruvit Jain, Soham Dhar, Ashmal Lalani, Rohan Valleru, Rahul Popat, Dhruva Vishwanath, Rohan Pendse, Tejas Dave, Nishant Aranke, Ribhu Nag, VijayKrishna Patel, Arjun Muralidaran, Arun Rao, Anish Sankhavaram, Roshan Sreedhar, Suhas Narendrula, Romil Patel, Anand Pradhan, Rishabh Parekh, Pranav Rao, Akshay Bharadwaj, Shubhankar Das, Samir Nileshwar, Deepika Pangarkar, Manan Meh-

ta, Gaurav Dhume, Johann Pally, Yash Kakodkar, Viraj Parikh, Tejas Kolhatkar, Sanath Aithala, Arun Sabapathy, Rahul Gupta, Sumedh Saurabh, Chirag Sakhuja, Jason Zinn, Pavit Patel, Nakul Shah, Nikhil Balasubramanyam, Anuraag Shah, and Aditya Srivatsan.

Hailing from Banaras, India, Pandit Shah took his initial training in tabla from Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra of the Banaras Gharana, and later came under tutelage of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar.

A graded artiste with All India Radio, he is a multiple award-winning

artiste who has traveled the globe providing percussion accompaniment to renowned maestros such as Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Ustad Sujaat Khan to name a few.

Previously on the faculty of music at the Anjali Center for Performing Arts, Pandit Shah now teaches tabla at the Swaralayam Arts Forum, a premier educational and cultural institute propagating the classical arts of India here in this city.

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Qawwali Mehfil Brings the Indian Community Together for Eid Celebration

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The parking lot of India House was filled to capacity last Saturday, September 17 evening and many cars were overflowing onto the street, much like when some other huge programs or celebrity guest comes to the community center. But, although this was not billed as a major event for the Indian community, it had all the hallmarks of one, not counting the parking jam.

The lobby was decorated with goblets stuffed with shiny glass stems set on each side of a central aisle. Inside, both the main hall and the rotunda were packed with tables and chairs skirted with gold covers tied with a back knot against red tablecloths with tall flower centerpieces. The small stage in the main hall was raised another two feet and festooned with twisted half-slung creamcolored fabric over white skirting. The backdrop was different colored chiffon streamers alternating with runs of sparkling yellow.

This was vintage Asam Hasan, for those familiar with his eye to style, color and detail and he was very much present, helping

September 23, 2011

his cousin, Hashmet Jaffery who catered the sumptuous Mughlai food from his soon-toopen banquet facility, Crystal near Hillcroft and Bellaire. Hasan is known for opening Ashiana restaurant and later Classic Tandoor (now Masala Wok) and now operates Bella, a banquet hall downtown on Milam and Congress.

Apart from the setting, the entire facility was packed with over 300 Indians of all creeds, but mostly Muslims from the Dawoodi Bohra community, Aligarh Alumni Association of Texas, Quami Ekta Committee, Hyderabad Cultural Association, Aga Khanis and Hindus, with Raj Bhalla, the India Culture Center President, and Jasbir Singh as the lone turbaned Sikhs in the gathering. The occasion was the second annual Eid Celebration at India House, under the auspices of the ICC, and many of its Board were present. It was a repeat of the same celebration held last year but this year it was much more resplendent and in keeping with the festive nature of the event.

Flowing embroidered saris mingled easily among the sequined and colorful salwar kameezes of the Muslim ladies, while Muslim men in embroidered sherwanis and loose pajamas, some with Turkoman topis (hats) or Jinnah caps mixed with Hindus dressed in equally elegant kurtas and CONTINUED ON PAGE

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Left: Asam Hasan (left) arranged the decorations and catering of the event with his cousin Hashmet Jaffery (right), with Lutfi Hassan (Asam’s brother) a long-time businessman who brought former Mayor Lee Brown to the event.

Below: Indian Consul General Sanjiv Arora, who has en-couraged this joint Eid celebration, spoke a few words about the great diversity of India and spoke a short verse in Urdu about friendship. ICC President Raj Bhalla looks one.

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Qawwali for Eid Celebration at India House

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chuddidar pajamas. The blend of styles, colors and languages – Urdu, Hindi, Gujurati, Hindustani – was reassuringly reminiscent of India where Muslims make up 13% of the population.

The evening began with a Muslim prayer, followed by a welcome by Bhalla and a few words on the significance of Eid by Liakat Syed and comments on the importance of religious pluralism by Faiyaaz Khan, who heads the QEC. There were presentations by the Aga Khan Council, the Bohra Community and the AAAT. It was the collective financial contributions of these groups, the ICC and the Hassan brothers who made the evening possible.

Lutfi Hassan, a long-time businessman who made his mark in Houston before shifting operations to Dubai only to return last year spoke briefly and presented former Houston Mayor Lee Brown, who paid best wishes for Eid. Congressman Al Green even made a surprise visit and lauded India for its cultural and religious diversity and Sugar Land Councilman Tom Abraham was also in attendance. ICC Secretary, Jasmeeta Singh closed out the first part of the program before it broke for namaz maghrib in a separate room for those who chose to pray, and a buffet dinner for those who by now had become quite hungry.

The pièce de résistance of the evening was the qawwalis that followed dinner, sung by the Riyaaz Qawwali Group which features its lead singer Sonny Mehta who has received training in classical Hindustani music from Pandit Suman Ghosh and other popular teachers in Houston. Sonny is also an active member of the Hindu Students Association, a group that is seeking to expand its base across the US. The eight members of Riyaaz Qawwali are diverse in origin – India, Bangladesh and the US – and religions (Hindu, Muslim, Atheist) met while studying in Austin and formed as a group in 2006. Though they have day jobs, the group has performed in New York, Florida, Dallas and Houston but keeps Austin, known for its intense music scene, as its base.

The Indian Consul General Sanjiv Arora, who has encouraged this joint Eid celebration, spoke a few words about the great diversity of India and spoke a short verse in Urdu about friendship. Sheik Shabbir and Abeezar Tayebji presented an Indian Muslim Award to Arora and the space before the stage was cleared of tables and chairs to make an authentic floor setting with sheets and back pillows to listen to qawwalis by.

And what qawwalis they were! The little

September 23, 2011

Gulf Coast Reads One Amazing Thing

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The Houston region’s One Book reading initiative for 2011 presents Author Chitra Divakaruni at three locations

Riyaaz Qawwali Group featuring lead singer Sonny Mehta (at harmonium) sang qawwalis for nearly three hours for the audience, some who sat on the floor, desi style after the tables and chairs were cleared out.

Photos: Jawahar Malhotra

Fort Bend-First Colony Branch 2121 Austin Parkway Sugar Land, Texas 77479 Thursday, Sep 22 at 7pm Houston Public Library-Kendall Neighborhood Library 609 N Eldridge Pkwy Houston, TX 77079 Monday, Sep 26 at 6pm Lee College Library (Tucker Hall Auditorium) 200 Lee Drive Baytown TX Thursday, Sep 29 at 7pm known group dazzled the audience with its first number, with the help of a harmonium, tabla, dhol, violin and hands clapping. Sonny showed his mastery of cascading notes and long deliveries and the rest of the group jumped in with supporting responses, often rising to a crescendo of voices all coming together, arms waving and hands thumping thighs, true to the manner of real qawwals in the Motherland. The group sang about ten long pieces over a 150-minute time frame and transported those who stayed the length into a renewed appreciation of this 700-year old musical tradition.

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3rd Annual Indian Film Festival Houston Opens with Celebratory Bash at T&C

BY KALYANI GIRI HOUSTON: A balmy breeze, a perfect location with convivial atmosphere, diverse music and Bollywood dances, delicious hors d’oeuvres and wine, and a vibrantly eclectic gathering, it was a fun, happening, opening night for the 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival Houston (IFFH). Held at the heart of the chic Town and Country City Center on September 20, 2011, the open-air event drew about 100 gatherees who met and mingled, and later walked over to view the opening night film, I Am Kalam, at the Studio Movie Grill a block away. The film, directed by Nila Madhab Panda, debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010 and has amassed a global cult following with its themes of poverty, societal inequality, and the celebration of triumph beyond adversity.

The festival runs from September 20th – 24th with screenings of juryselected movies, film shorts, and documentaries, followed by question/answer opportunities with the film directors. The festival culminates with a constellation-worthy celebrity cocktail reception and awards night at the Hotel Sorella on Saturday, September 24.

Actors Shabana Azmi and Gulshan Grover are expected to attend, confided IFFH’s intrepid Director Sutapa Ghosh. Ghosh, an independent filmmaker with a passion for showcasing regional Indian movies is dedicated to bringing the best that India has to offer, particularly those off of the commercial and clichéd Bollywood radar to this city’s diverse audiences. This year’s line up of feature films include A Decent Arrangement starring Shabana Azmi and directed by Sarovar Banka, Delhi in a Day, directed

Top: Vijay and Ashok Dhingra with Sutapa Ghosh Above:Ellen Goldberg, Nancy Dean and Carol Brooks Photos: Krishna Giri

by Prashant Nair, and the comedy drama Desperate Endeavors by Salim Khassa. Fatakra, a short film by Houston-based Sonam Mehta, Khara Karodpati, by Piyush Thakur, and The Eclipse of Taregna by Rakesh Chaudhary are also hitting the big screen this

week. It’s Cricket, No? by Sudhir Aggarwal and In Search of God by Rupam Sarmah, are the documentaries that will show at IFFH. For a full schedule of the IFFH screenings and other events, visit www.iffhinc.org.

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11

Anuraag Madabushi: Local Macy’s Spelling Bee Champion

HOUSTON (Stylemagazine) : Anuraag Madabushi, a 5th grader at T. H. Rogers Elementary School in Houston spelled his way through more than 20 rounds of words to become the Local Champion of the Macy’s Spelling Bee. The winning word was “pejorative.” Anuraag will now go on to compete in the finals at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City on September 24th.

In total, 50 students ages 8-11 participated in the Spelling Bee at Macy’s at Memorial City on Saturday, September 10, 2011.

Caption for attached photo: Local winner, Anuraag Madabushi, 10, at Macy’s Memorial City.

Macy’s held its 6th Annual Spelling Bee competition in stores across the country in partnership with Reading is Fundamental®. Each regional Spelling Bee champ will take home great prizes including a year of online learning from Kaplan Tutoring and a $150 online gift card from Scholastic. The winner of the Final Bee in NYC will receive a magical California vacation for a family of four including round trip air travel, hotel accommodations and more, all provided by Radio Disney®! The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $5,000 Kaplan Tutoring Scholarship and a $500 Scholastic online gift card.

For more details and a complete listing of participating Macy’s locations, visit www.macys.com/ spellingbe.

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

12 September 23, 2011

Parinaz Fashion - Paving a Path for Pride and Personality

BY ARUSHI GARG HOUSTON: In the beginning, it all started as simple girlie talk between two friends hailing from Delhi’s East of Kailash. Or so did it seem. But, the passion and seriousness of their mutual interests never did fade with time.

Fourteen years later and half way across the globe, the two young ladies of yesteryear made their home here in Houston, became wives, and then mothers. Their childhood aspirations did mature with age.

Please allow me to introduce Sonia Sabbarwal, Jasnit ‘Jas’ Vohra and their dream come true, Parinaz - a boutique catering wardrobe essentials to Indian and Pakistani ladies as well as to the tastes of American buyers.

“We wanted a line that deals with fresh designs and top quality material. We do not intend to compromise on fabric or detail,” remarks Sonia. “Hence, we took our time to get everything in place,” she adds in an indirect explanation to the years gone bye.

On a recent visit to Parinaz, I was taken by the traditional yet urban feel of the boutique. An antique wooden cupboard displaying novelties and accessories in a corner tried to distract my attention from the array of exquisite saris, suits, salwars in every hue and color of the rainbow.

“Wow, this is upscale,” I thought.

“But why this location?”

“There was need for a good boutique in the northwest (Houston),” says Sonia, as if reading my mind.

“We will expand to other locations

soon,” she adds with a twinkle in her eye.

Parinaz offers a vast collection of ready-to-wear traditional and Indo-Western garments crafted and designed exclusively for them in New Delhi. A team of expert designers and seamstresses are guided by the owner duo in the color, design, detailing and other aspects of the finished goods that are attractive to both NRI and American customers.

Complementing the great range of garments is a sparkling collection of designer jewelry such as bangles, maang tikkas, ear rings, chokers and even jewelry sets.

One cannot miss the wide range of Punjabi jotis, sandals and Kholapuri chappals that are always fashionable and chic. They top all this off with a wide variety of traditional Pothli bags, clutches and purses.

Parinaz displayed their collection at the BIBI Magazine fashion show recently and will also feature at the upcoming SBR Magazine fashion event in October.

Parinaz is a one-stop shop for wedding and event outfitting.

They take design orders for prebridal and bridal collections. They also help in the creation of exclusive garments to specific tastes.

Prices range from 150$ to the 500$. Accessories start at $39 and go up to $130.

For further information, contact Sonia or Jasnit : 281-970-5400.

Parinaz is located at 10704A FM 1960 Rd W Houston, TX 77070.

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15

HEALTH CO

16 September 23, 2011

Health Insurance for People with Pre-existing Condition

BY RACHEL NEYCHERIL RAMYA KROTHAPALLY & NIK NIKAM, M.D. Three years ago Mr. Khatani came to the hospital with a severe chest pain. He had an emergency cardiac catheterization and coronary artery bypass surgery. His hospital bill was well over $100,000. He had to mortgage his house to pay his hospital bills. He could not get health insurance because of his pre-existing condition. At least, not until now. Thanks to the United States Health and Human services and the State of Texas sponsored, “Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, (PCIP)” today, Khatani has health insurance despite having heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

Khatani is not alone. There are 47 million people without health insurance. Eighty percent of them have at least one family member who has a stable job. In the past, many of them could not get insurance, even if they could afford the premium, because of pre-existing medical conditions. However, today, with the government sponsored PCIP insurance, they have hope.

PCIP: The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan or PCIP was introduced last year

by United States Health and Human services for the multitude of people who have been denied health coverage due to a medical condition. It provides many health benefits, including treatment for pre-existing conditions, and doesn’t charge extra because of a medical condition or decide eligibility on income.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the help of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Finance Center, runs PCIP Plan in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The federal government contracts with a national insurance plan to administer benefits in those

states. In the other 27 states, there are statebased programs.

Premiums: The premiums are very reasonable. Here are some quotes for Texas residents based on the type of plan. For example, an individual with a pre-existing condition at age 60 would have a premium ranging from $426 to $572 per month, which is considerably less than the premiums they would be charged if they even managed to get coverage from any other insurance program.

AGE 19-34 35-44 45-54 55-65

STD-PL EXT-PL HSA-PL $199 $268 $207 $239 $323 $248 $306 $412 $318 $426 $572 $442

PCIP offers three different programs: Standard Plan, Extended Plan, and Health Savings Account Plan. The maximum outof-pocket expense for services in a twelve month period is $5,950 if you are in network and $7,000 if you get out-of-network services. The deductibles vary by plan and on whether the care is in-network or out-of network. For more information on co-pay, deductibles, and maximum costs, please visit www.pcip.gov.

Deductible

In- Network Out- Network

STD-PL

$2000 $3000

EXT-PL

$1000 $1500

HSA-PL

$2500 $3000

Coverage: PCIP covers a wide variety of health benefits, which include primary and specialty care, prescription drugs, hospital care, and most importantly, any treatment for pre-existing conditions.

All PCIP plans provide preventive care, paid at 100% without a deductible, when you see an in-network doctor. Full coverage also includes annual physicals, flu shots, routine

mammograms, cancer screenings, maternity, durable medical equipment, skilled nursing services ($700/day) and Hospice (Max $15,000), mental illness, emergency services,¬¬ and outpoint diagnostic studies.

For any additional care, you will need to pay a deductible before PCIP can pay for your health care and prescriptions. After paying the deductible, you will need to pay 20% of medical costs in-network. To top it off, there is no lifetime maximum on the amount of money the plan can pay for your health care.

Eligibility: To be eligible for this program, you must meet certain requirements: • You must be an American citizen or reside in America legally.

• You must have been without health coverage for at least the last 6 months. This includes any insurance that doesn’t cover your medical condition.

• You must have a pre-existing condition or a health problem that has been denied health coverage.

For more information on eligibility, refer to the PCIP contact information provided.

How to Apply: The application is simple and hassle-free. There are three options of applying: online, on the phone, or by mail.

To apply online, go to the website www. pcip.gov and click on “APPLY NOW” near the bottom of the home page. It will provide more information through the rest of the process.

To apply through the phone, there is a phone number available on the website www.pcip.gov that will allow you to reach the PCIP facility. The number is also available below in the Contact Information.

To apply by mail, go to the website www. pcip.gov and click on the tab “HOW TO APPLY.” The instructions are available. It requires printing and filling out an Application, in English or Spanish.

An additional document is required that must be copied and included in each application process to verify your medical condition and denial of health coverage. It can be a letter from your doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, dated within the past 12 months, that verifies your medical condition, illness, or disability.

• A denial letter from an insurance company for individual insurance (disregard health insurance from your company) within the past 12 months • A letter within the past 12 months from your insurance agent or broker licensed in your state that you have been denied health coverage due to medical conditions • An offer from an insurance company licensed in your state that you have denied in the past 12 months which has a rider saying that it shall not cover your medical condition if you should accept.

Additional information about enrolling into the PCIP program is available on www. pcip.gov or call the numbers 1-866-7175826: (TTY: 1-866-561-1604). Their regular operational hours are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to11 p.m., Eastern.

This community awareness project was organized by Rachel Neycheril and Ramya Krothapally, of High Tower High School-Medical Academy and sponsored by Sugar Land Heart Center, TX We would like to visit your business, civic, social, or religious gathering and make a 5-minute presentation. If we can help one person with a pre-existing medical condition, we would have accomplished our mission of making a giant leap in that person’s life.

Please contact Rachel Neycheril at (832)-338-6040 or Ramya Krothapally at (281)-902-6343 or Dr. Nim Nikam at drniknikam@gmail.com for more information or for addressing your group.

AGLA Launches Innovative Life Insurance Product Indexed Universal Life now part of the Quality of Life…Insurance® Product Suite

NASHVILLE, TN: American General Life and Accident Insurance Company (AGLA), announces an innovative addition to its highly differentiated Quality of Life…

Insurance® suite of products. AGLAchoice® Index Plus is permanent universal life insurance that provides protection for a customer’s entire lifetime. Like all life insurance, it’s designed to provide for loved ones in the event of a premature death. Yet AGLAchoice® Index Plus also offers customers the opportunity to grow policy values by using index-linked strategies that are based in part on the movement of a major stock market index.

Many consumers today seek quality longterm protection, competitive interest rates and safety of principal. Indexed universal life can help accomplish all three goals.

AGLAchoice® Index Plus customers can have valuable life insurance protection, a choice of interest-crediting strategies, and the opportunity to grow policy values without downside risk.

AGLAchoice® Index Plus can use any combination of three primary accounts for interest crediting. Each account has a minimum guaranteed interest crediting rate and the opportunity to earn additional interest.

“Together we are changing the way Americans think about, purchase and use life insurance, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be

able to offer this product to middle income consumers and Main Street small business owners,” says Jim Mallon, AGLA’s President and CEO. “People want the opportunity for their money to grow, but they also want safe and secure protection. That’s the great thing about AGLAchoice® Index

product stand out is the fact that it’s life insurance you don’t have to die to use.

“Because AGLAchoice® Index Plus is part of the Quality of Life…Insurance® suite of products, it can provide our customers with living benefits. If an insured person suffers a covered critical, chronic or

Plus: it gives you downside protection with guaranteed interest rates. So while you take advantage of interest crediting based in part on market growth, you can’t suffer losses solely because of its decline.” Says Mallon, “Those who purchase AGLAchoice® Index Plus coverage can rest assured, knowing that their insurance provides value and protection without exposure to the markets.”

Mallon points out that even though other companies offer some version of Indexed Universal Life, what really makes AGLA’s

terminal illness or condition, such as a major heart attack, invasive cancer or a stroke, Quality of Life…Insurance® allows owners to accelerate their life insurance benefits before their death to pay for critical health care needs or to meet other financial needs or obligations. AGLAchoice® Index Plus is the latest modern and affordable solution in the Quality of Life…Insurance® product suite and we are delighted to be able to offer it to existing and new customers.”

For more information about Quality of

Life…Insurance®, visit www.agla.com/qol.

For more information about AGLAchoice® Index Plus, visit AGLA’s YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/aglaiul.

American General Life and Accident Insurance Company (AGLA), www.agla. com, provides a wide variety of affordable and innovative life insurance, annuity, accident and supplemental health insurance products to millions of Americans. AGLA is known for its highly differentiated Quality of Life…Insurance® product suite, personal customer service and a tradition of excellence spanning more than a century.

The underwriting risks, financial and contractual obligations and support functions associated with products issued by American General Life and Accident Insurance Company (AGLA) are its responsibility.

AGLA does not solicit business in the states of New York and Wyoming.

The referenced policy contains limitations and exclusions. See the policy for details. Policy issued by: American General Life and Accident Insurance Company For Policy Forms AGLA 05AHO, AGLA 08174, AGLA 08ALO, AGLA 08TRM, AGLA 09TRM, ICC11 AGLA 11IUL, AGLA 11IUL, and Riders AGLA 07CHP, AGLA 05AHA REV0308, AGLA 05AHC, AGLA 05AHB, AGLA 05AHG, AGLA 05AHP, AGLA 05AD2, AGLA 08MGP, AGLA EMD-DB, AGLA 04001, AGLA 05AD2, AGLA 20140-1, AGLA PWA- NL, ICC11 AGLA ICIAR, ICC11 AGLA PRIIAR, AGLA ICIIAR, AGLA PRIIAR, ICC10 AGLA ABR, AGLA ABR and state variations.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

September 23, 2011

17

Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple Gears up for Grand Deepavali Celebrations

HOUSTON: Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple is gearing up for Grand Deepavali Celebrations. His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji will be in Houston for this Momentous 6-day Event from October 26th to October 31st, 2011.

There are a few different historical reasons for the celebration of Deepavali. Perhaps the most popular one is the return of Sri Rama to Ayodhya for His Coronation Ceremony after annihilating Ravana. The entire city of Ayodhya celebrated Sri Ram Parivaar’s coming home with fireworks to signify the removal of darkness and return of light in their lives.

This Deepavali we are celebrating Sri Rama Seva, an event focused on Lord Sri Rama. The event will include Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam, a 5-day Sri Rama Yajna, and Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam all under the direct guidance of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.

Saamoohika Dhanalakshmi Puja: Wednesday, October 26 It is considered very auspicious to perform Dhanalakshmi Puja on Amavasya day of Deepavali. Dhanalakshmi Puja is done to pray for prosperity and abundance. We will be conducting Saamoohika (Group) Dhanalakshmi Puja on Deepavali Day. Devotees taking part in the Puja will receive a specially designed coin engraved with Sri Lakshmi ji as well as all necessary puja items. Partici-

pants will perform the puja under the direct guidance of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.

Acharya Thirunakshatram: Thursday, October 27 On October 27th and 31st , we will celebrate the birthdays of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji and Manavalamamuni, respectively. We celebrate birthdays of great people for inspiration from their lives and preaching.

Guru means teacher. “Gu” means darkness and “Ru” means to remove.

Guru is the one who can remove the darkness of ignorance from our hearts and light the lamp of knowledge and devotion. We are very fortunate to

be able to celebrate our Acharya Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji when He is here in Houston this Deepavali.

Swamiji says “Serve Vedas and Save Vedas”. For this reason, on this occasion Swamiji honors Brahmasri Parameswara Deekshitar, an expert in the four Vedas who has trained many Vedic scholars in India. There will be a cultural program on this day as well.

Sri Rama Kratuvu (Yajna): ThursdayMonday, October 27-31 Kratuvu or Yajna means worshipping God in the form of Fire. The purpose of Sri Rama Yajna is to establish Rama Rajyam, a state of utopia (a perfect state).

The materials used in performing the Yajna have a specific and prescribed effect. During the five-day Sri Rama Yajna, Ruthwiks (Vedic scholars) from India will be chanting twentyfour thousand slokas from Sri Ramayana. Each participant will take the title of Yajamani (lead perfomer) for the Yajna. All devotees will receive Yaga Prasadam.

Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam: Saturday, October 29 Saamoohika Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam will be conducted on Saturday, October 29th. The purpose of Sri

Shunya Presents The Prophet and the Poet “They had a difference of temperament so wide that it was extremely difficult to arrive at a common intellectual understanding, though the moral ties of friendship remained entirely unbroken.” -- Charlie Andrews, on the relationship of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, The Prophet and the Poet Two monumental figures of world history are being celebrated tin the upcoming weeks. This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of Nobel Laureate, poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore, and October 2nd marks the 142nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Both of these figures continue to make their mark on the world -- Houston itself has societies dedicated to both (The Mahatma Gandhi Library and The Tagore Society of Houston) who aim to keep alive the ideals and lessons of these two great figures.

The anniversary celebrations continue this month with Shunya Theatre’s presentation of Vijay Padaki’s play The Prophet and the

A play by Vijay Padaki Poet. The play deftly interweaves excerpts of letter exchanges and articles of Gandhi and Tagore over a twentyfive year period. The intellectual debates of these two men comes to life through the voices of two students studying their life and work. Gandhi and Tagore did not always agree on the course India should take t o -

ward independence, however their shared quest for truth and their deep respect for one another laid the groundwork for the birth of a nation.

The play is making its regional premiere. It was developed at the Academy of Theatre Arts, a programme division of Bangalore Little Theatre Foundation and is being produced by arrangement with Bangalore Little Theatre Foundation. The

play premiered by invitation at Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram on January 30, 2009, subsequently at Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan, then at the courtyard stage of Tagore’s home in Jora Sanko, now a heritage site.

Shunya Theatre, Houston’s own South Asian theatre troupe continues yet again to bring a new viewpoint to Houston theatre. This year has already included productions of Anuvab Pal’s raucous comedy 1-888-DIAL-INDIA, and a reading and academic lecture on Shishir Kurup’s dramatic and thoughtful Merchant on Venice.

The Prophet and the Poet will bring Shunya’s 2011 season to a close with a work that dramatizes the lives of two remarkable men living through remarkable times.

The Poet and the Prophet will run September 30 – October 9, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm at Barnevelder Movement Arts, 2201 Preston Street, Houston, TX 77003-2222.

Information is available at www.

ShunyaTheatre.org. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets2Events.com.

Sita Rama Kalyanam is manifold: to annihilate negative energy, to ensure the prosperity of progeny, to bestow a long and productive life, and to promote universal prosperity. More than 800 families will be able to take part in this auspicious event. Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji will guide the devotees throughout the entire Puja process. Each participant will be given a Sri Rama Parivaar Vigraha set, Pancha Patras, and Puja plate along with all necessary puja material which devotees will take home.

Seating is on a rolling basis. Devotees are requested to register early to get priority seating.

Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam: Sunday, October 30 The highlight of Sri Rama Seva is Abhishekam to Lord Sri Rama with 1001 Kalasas, the Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam. The primary purpose of this puja is to ward off and contain natural calamities. It also bestows individual and universal prosperity and eliminates planetary impediments. It is said in the Sastras that the Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam is the most powerful form of Abhishekam and yields the same benefit as the Aswamedha Yagam conducted by Sri Rama Himself. This is a truly auspicious event and should not be missed! Kalasas that are used in the Abhishekam can be sponsored by devotees all over the world and taken home as a keepsake of this memorable event.

Ishtis Ishti is a yajna performed to fulfill a particular desire. During the event,

HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji

four Ishtis will be performed as detailed below.

Sri Nrusimha Ishti—for elimination of planetary impediments— Thursday, October 27th Sri Lakshmi Narayana Isthi—for wealth and prosperity—Friday, October 28 Sri Hayagreeva Ishti—for education—Saturday, October 29 Sri Vainateya Ishti—for those who wish to have children—Saturday, October 29 To register for the above events or for further information on the event schedule, visit www.ashtalakshmi. org or call 281-498-2344.

Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple is located at 10098 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX, 77498

Udavum Karangal Presents Harmony Hunlimited

Udavum karangal of USA & Madras Pavilion invite you to the 10th annual event to benefit Udavum Karangal featuring “Harmony Hunlimited” on Friday October 14 at 7.30pm at the Old Stafford Civic Center .

This promises to be a enchanting evening of heartwarming lilting tunes from Indian movies, Colonial cousins,fusion, folk & ghazals by amazing young performers, finalists from the popular TV show Hariyudan Naan which ran for over a year with Music legend Hariharan.

Udavum karangal (meaning helping hands) , a full service , non profit, non governmental organization par excellence has completely dedicated its resources to the betterment of lives of the homeless, destitute & abandoned children & adults in Tamilnadu, India.

All donations are tax deductible. For details contact Padmini at 713- 8292040, Rajan at 832-364-9894 or Alpa at 832-484-2270 Tickets $25,$50,$100 & above (Dinner included) $15 (balcony seating , dinner NOT included) For more information, Visit www.udavumkarangal.org or www.myhelpinghands.org

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 September 23, 2011

Black is Bountiful

Indians, by and large, have an aversion to anything dark. Whether it’s sugar, flour or skin complexion, dark is out and white is in, the whiter the better. The exception to this colour-coded scheme of things is money. Indians, or at least some Indians, have a distinct preference for so-called ‘black’ money over ‘white’ money.

Most of India’s undisclosed wealth is stashed away abroad, in accommodative places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands which call themselves ‘tax havens’, a euphemism for banking systems that turn a blind eye to the sources of clandestine riches.

According to the Swiss Banking Association report of 2006, Indians have more undeclared booty hidden away in secret accounts than all the rest of the world combined. If the estimated $1,456 billion of Indian money secreted in offshore banks were to be brought back to the country, India’s foreign debt would be wiped out some 13 times over, and there’d still be some spare change left.

The UK government has reportedly struck a deal with the Swiss authorities whereby, from 2013, Switzerland will tax the Swiss bank accounts of UK citizens and transfer this money to the British exchequer. Though the names of the account holders will not be disclosed, the British taxman hopes to gain between £3 billion and £6 billion a year. Germany is said to have signed a similar agreement with Switzerland, and the US has managed to armtwist the so-called ‘gnomes of Zurich’ into providing information about American citizens who have undisclosed Swiss accounts.

So, why doesn’t the Indian government try and do something along the same lines? According to Rudolf Elmer - a senior Swiss bank executive who was earlier arrested in Switzerland for being a whistleblower and releasing to WikiLeaks a CD with the names of over 2,000 international tax evaders who had secret Swiss accounts - New Delhi “doesn’t do enough” to pressure Switzerland into disclosing the details of Indian accounts in that country.

The reason for sarkari inaction on the issue of offshore accounts is the same as that for its feet-dragging approach to bringing in effective Lokpal legislation so many years after the idea was first mooted. In both cases, there seems to be what is often called ‘lack of political will’ to do what obviously needs to be done. For ‘lack of political will’ read ‘fear of consequences’. Political parties across the board are understandably loth to open up cupboards out of which would tumble all manner of incriminating financial skeletons. This conspiracy of inaction is not just restricted to the political class. According to whistleblower Elmer, many rich Indians, including business magnates, film stars and sports celebrities, have wealth hidden away in tax havens. It’s in no one’s interest to rock the boat.

Except, perhaps, the interest of the common citizen who, whether it’s a question of black money kept abroad or any other form of graft and financial hera-pheri, is perhaps not so common as we might like to think. With so much of India literally in the black, should the rare honest citizen be more accurately described as the un common citizen? Times of India

EDITORIAL

Who Congress Fears the Most?

BY MINHAZ MERCHANT During the last few months, Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption has ripped the masks off several distinguished faces. We thought the Niira Radia tapes had exposed the cozy nexus between power brokers and senior journalists. But since Anna’s campaign took off in April, a few otherwise excellent media organisations have compounded the folly by launching choreographed attacks on anti-corruption activists.

Proximity breeds complicity. If journalists get too close to their subjects, they end up losing objectivity.

Reporting on politics requires keeping politicians at arms length. Tap sources for authentic information.

But the moment you become an instrument in the hands of a political party you forfeit your status as an impartial watchdog of the government.

The media must have a constructive but adversarial relationship with the government – whether it’s the Congress at the Centre or the BJP in Karnataka. The fourth estate has a responsibility to the fifth estate – the public whom we all serve and whose trust we hold – to be a tough but fair observer of the other three estates: the executive, legislature and judiciary.

Take two recent examples of choreographed journalism which violated that public trust. It was deliberately misreported that Anna Hazare had called voters “corrupt”. He had in fact said on record – in the context of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections – that politicians were corrupting voters by bribing them with cash and TV sets.

This factual statement was distorted with clear mala fide intent through synchronized editorials, op-ed articles, front-page reports and slanted TV commentary.

The second example of choreographed journalism was the spate of motivated reports on Prashant and Shanti Bhushan’s doctored CD which appeared on the front pages of two newspapers – and disappeared as rapidly once the required damage to the reputation of the two key Team Anna members had been accomplished.

Why is the Congress in particular –

Anna and Modi have different agendas.

They have little in common ideologically. But together their supporters form an electoral juggernaut which could send the Congress’s national voteshare plunging in the next Lok Sabha election from 28.55% to below 25%. and other political parties in general – so fearful of Anna that they wilfully distort what he says? The answer: his anti-corruption campaign cuts the corrupt political class to its bone.

Those who cannot be defeated must be discredited with the help of friendly newspapers and TV channels.

The Congress fears only one outcome: losing power. Its anger at Anna Hazare stems from the realisation that he has turned the tide of public opinion – perhaps decisively – against it.

Losing power means losing access to the huge cache of black money from kickbacks in mining leases, land allocations and public-privatepartnership contracts that all governments in office – Congress, BJP, BSP – covet.

The only national-level threat to the Congress is the BJP. It is therefore central Congress strategy to discredit it at every opportunity. This is best achieved by creating a fear psychosis among ordinary Muslims that a BJPled government at the Centre will leave them vulnerable to communal riots and discrimination. True secularism educates and enriches Muslims as opposed to faux secularism that impoverishes them and places them in neat, exploitable little votebanks.

All thoughtful leaders of the Muslim

community must urgently ponder: for how long will they remain complicit in exploiting their own people?

Most political parties in power – whether the Congress at the Centre or the BJP in the states – use black money to enrich themselves. The number of crorepati-MPs has risen exponentially from 156 in the 2004 Lok Sabha to 315 in the 2009 Lok Sabha. Significantly, the number of MPs with criminal chargesheets filed against them has also risen during the same period – from 128 to 162.

Anna’s demand to clean up this deeply tainted political system has been termed “blackmail” – again by the same cabal of governmentfriendly media. That turns the definition of blackmail on its head. Who is blackmailing whom? Those who practice the politics of smear or those who are victims of it?

The Congress watched Narendra Modi’s self-purification exercise earlier this week with growing trepidation. The party knows it is now caught in a pincer movement. Anna has turned the secular middle-class away from it. Modi could do the same with a much larger mass Hindu majority fed up with the government’s softon-terror, soft-on-Pakistan line which keeps its Muslim votebank fearful and captive. Those who create such communal paranoia claim to protect minorities but in fact marginalize them as Muslims rather than treating them as Indians first.

Anna and Modi have different agendas. They have little in common ideologically. But together their supporters form an electoral juggernaut which could send the Congress’s national voteshare plunging in the next Lok Sabha election from 28.55% to below 25%. The last time that happened was in the 1998 Lok Sabha poll. The Congress won 25.82% national voteshare then and 141 Lok Sabha seats. It sat in Opposition for the next six years. It is the fear of history repeating itself that drives the Congress strategy to discredit Anna and demonise Modi with more that a little help form its distinguished friends in the media.

- Times of India

IndoAmerican 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, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

Arya Samaj to Host CPR Trainee Camp in Partnership with the Mayor’s Office

BY NEERAJ SALHOTRA HOUSTON: In March 2011, Houston Mayor Anise Parker launched Houston Service, a plan to “engage citizens locally to make a difference against pressing City issues.” Upon laying out this plan, Mayor Parker noted: “Houston Service will allow us to harness our collective passion for service and better target our volunteer efforts toward areas of critical need.” One aspect of the plan is the Everyone Can be a Lifesaver initiative, which involves training Houstonians on a potentially lifesaving technique compression-only CPR so that more people are ready to respond to instances of cardiac arrest.

Last Saturday, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9-11, the Mayor’s Office hosted a CPR training day. As an intern with the Mayor’s Office, I volunteered at an event, and we trained over 100 Houstonians! But, I thought we could make a bigger impact; specifically, I thought the Mayor’s Office could partner with the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston to train numerous Houstonians.

Therefore, on the 10th anniversary of 9-11, in an event celebrating both America’s amazing diversity and its unmatched dedication to service, I along with five Arya Youth Mandal students (Pooja Salhotra, Uma Zingde, Neil Patel, Abhinav Sardana, and Arjun Aggarwal) led a training campaign at the Arya Samaj. We distributed CPR kits to over 40 Houston families that will help train over 150 individuals!

As we were explaining the Everyone Can be a Lifesaver initiative to Arya Samaj members, I could see the happiness and excitement on their faces. Arya Samaj congregation members were thrilled that the Mayor’s Office was engaging them.

Everyone was grateful for the opportunity to make a difference and help save a life. As one lady remarked: “This is just an amazing project.

Thank you so much!” It was this desire to serve, the willingness to help, and eagerness to learn that made me so proud to be both a Houstonian and an Arya Samaji.

This collaboration between the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston and the Houston Mayor’s Office was a success as hundreds of people were CPR trained and became “Lifesavers.” In fact, as Cameron Waldner,

September 23, 2011

19

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Chief Service Officer with the Houston Mayor’s Office said: “We cannot thank the members of the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston enough for their continued support of Everyone Can be a Lifesaver.”

The partnership also showed that the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston is much more than just a temple; rather, the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston, is an institution that serves and betters the broader Houston community. As Devinder Mahajan, founding mem-

ber of Arya Samaj of Greater Houston told me: “the Arya Samaj is committed to improving the community, serving others, and helping our youth become better individuals.”

This event proved that the Arya Samaj, both its youth and its adult members, are committed to seva, to serving others. On this day, like on so many others, the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston exemplified its mission— ”Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam,” To Make the World Noble.

Rahul V. Reddy, Attorney at Law rahul@rnlawgroup.com

Emily S. Neumann, Attorney at Law emily@rnlawgroup.com

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Bollywood Late Night Party 3

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

also loves DJ-ing at weddings. He enjoys the environment, the cultural ethos, the baraat (which he admits can be quite a hoot!), the receptions, and the joy of being part of memorable occasions. Intuitive, Virani confided that providing music for a club is very different from spinning discs at a wedding.

“The energy of the club scene is edgy, high energy, constantly pulsating with – and pardon the analogy – a testosterone buzz. There are no boundaries. Weddings, on the other hand, are toned down, more respectful, as you have different age groups coming together in a family atmosphere. Would he consider combining the two, and giving weddings a taste of the club scene. He laughed and threw up his hands in glee.

“It’s funny you mention that. I’m actually working on a wedding package called Club My Wedding in which my entertainment company creates a club ethos in a reception ballroom with the use of various intelligent lighting effects, plasma screens, lounge furniture, contemporary décor and other things I’m still working on,” said Virani.

Virani’s next huge bash is slated for New Year’s Eve 2012. He’s planning on putting together an event in a safe, classy, upscale, venue. Be there!

For more information or to book Virani for your event, visit www.desidjAV.com.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

20 September 23, 2011

COMMUNITY

Opening of New Bala Vihar Year at Chinmaya Mission of Houston

BY UMA AGGARWAL HOUSTON: Satsanga Hall at Chinmaya Prabha was packed to the capacity. Children were neatly lined up in the front rows according to their grades. Chanting of Vaidika Arati and Visnu Sahastranama marked the opening of the satsanga on Sept 11,

the prayerful Bhajana – Guru ajnamen nisadina rahie – sung by Vivek Chitale.

This year, like every other year, many new families joined Mission making the student enrollment reach almost a thousand. With blessings of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinma-

Bala Vihar children (PreK to 5th grade) performing arati and pledge.

Photo: Nilesh Shah

2011. The special day was the 1st day of Bala Vihar for the year 2011-12.

After the chanting of Visnu Sahastranama, all the children lined up with their teachers to offer pranams at Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandji’s Pratima, and then walked over to the Saumyakasi Sivalaya for darsana and blessings of Lord Shiva for an auspicious starting of the New Year.

Chinmaya Smrti Hall resonated with

yananda and loving leadership of Acaryas Sri Gaurangbhai and Smt. Darshanaben, Chinmaya Mission Houston has achieved this new milestone. The growth is phenomenal.

The Bala Vihar program is flourishing under the guidance of Acarya Darshanaben, who tirelessly works to develop an amazing curriculum based on Hindu scriptures and continuously trains and prepares more

than 65 dedicated Bala vihar teachers for teaching the children in a fun yet thought provoking way. Besides Bala Vihar classes, Chinmaya Mission Houston offers language, slokathon, Gita chanting, Bhajana and orchestra classes. In addition to regular Sunday Satsangas, Acarya Sri Gaurangbhai Nanavaty conducts 5 study groups on a weekly basis. This makes Chinmaya Mission Houston a very well reputed Vedantic educational institute.

First day of the New Year also happened to be 10th anniversary of Sept 11, the terrorist attack in New York, which none of us can forget. Acharya Gaurang Bhai asked everyone to observe silence and send prayers to all whose lives were affected on this day.

All the teachers joined the Acharyas in an opening day puja at the Saumyakasi Sivalaya at 8:15 am for Lord Siva’s blessings for all Bala Vihar children for the New Year.

It is matter of great pride for all the volunteers and Acharyas to see Swamiji’s vision take shape so beautifully while they make a pledge to “We Stand as one family bound to each other with love and respect”.

For more information, visit www. chinmayahouston.org or Call Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059 or Bharati Sutaria at 281-933-0233

Hindi Diwas Celebrated by Indian Embassy in D.C.

People in the News

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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WASHINGTON D.C. (SI): The Indian Embassy in U.S. hosted an event on 14 September 2011 to celebrate Hindi Diwas. The event was marked by the presence of Hindi teachers and students from several institutions engaged in the teaching and learning of the Hindi language in Washington DC area.

Also present on the occasion were Hindi poets and writers, office bearers and members of the International Hindi Association and Indian-American community leaders.

Ambassador Nirupama Rao expressed her thoughts on occasion and explained Hindi Diwas as an important date in India’s national calendar. She laid emphasis on Hindi being India’s official language and the promotion of all Indian languages through literature, theater and cinema as part of the larger effort to promote India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. Ambassador Rao acknowledged the individuals and institutions who are actively engaged in teaching Hindi in the United States.

COMMUNITY BAPS Charities Mobilizes Local Communities for 12th Annual Walkathon WHO: Beneficiary: American Diabetes Association, Stafford MSD Education Foundation, and BAPS Charities. Open to all ages of the community.

WHAT: With the theme of “Building a Better Community; One Step at a Time” BAPS Charities organizes a walkathon every year to join hands with the community and give back. With each step, participants of all ages join hands and raise funds for local charities. With a turnout of over 700 walkers last year in Houston and over 11,000 combined in North America, BAPS Charities continues to encourage individuals locally and internationally - in 46 centers.

WHEN: September 25th, 2011 Sunday Registration: 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Walk: 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM WHERE: Sugarland City Hall at the Sugarland Town Square, Sugarland, TX 77479 About BAPS Charities: BAPS Charities is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit international charity organization committed to sincerely serving the world by caring for individuals, families, and communities. It is affiliated with BAPS as an independent charity and social services arm. The 55,000 BAPS volunteers networked in over 3,300 centers around the world provide over 12 million volunteer-hours of service annually.

Among social service charities, BAPS Charities is a well-respected and trusted name. It has amassed over 50 years of firsthand experience in initiating, managing, and sustaining 160 humanitarian operations throughout the world in such diverse fields as: medical services, environmental services, community services, tribal services, and disaster relief services.

September 23, 2011

Samskriti Teams Up with MFAH to Present Play-Reading by Author Gowri Ramnarayan HOUSTON: During one of her visits to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH), Gowri Ramnarayan, renowned author and biographer of the late, great Bharat Ratna M. S. Subbulakshmi, was inspired by the “Water Lilies” painting by the French Impressionist, Claude Monet. An idea that was born of this experience has evolved into a three act play.

“The trilogy is an attempt to find out if serenity can be reached in a blastsridden world”, says Dr. Ramnarayan.

In each play, two strangers, a man and a woman, claiming different racial origins, meet by accident in a public space in the U.S. As they share confidences and spill secrets, the casual encounters trigger reflection. Western classical piano anchors the mood in each play, along with images of Monet’s Water Lilies, and the poems of Clark Ashton Smith, Ted Hughes, and a verse from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The three plays are depicted by the authors imaginative story narration based on the following themes.

Fawn Lilies: A park in Columbus, Ohio: A bird-watching dietician from Vijayawada, whose boyfriend decides to give up love for war, meets a gay vagabond with a wry feel for causes.

Water Lilies: Monet Exhibition, Houston Museum: Dismissing Claude Monet as a painter of pretty flowers, a Texan investment banker

Kelkar Convicts Woman in Assault Over Gossip SUGAR LAND: A jury convicted Jan Adrienne Roberts of Assault on September 1, 2011 after deliberating for an hour. Roberts, a 20-year-old Sugar Land woman, was charged as a party for encouraging an accomplice to assault the victim while videotaping the attack.

According to Assistant District Attorney Mukul Kelkar, on February 4, 2009, a female student and her friend were leaving the Kempner High School library after school. As they approached the female’s car, they were met by three girls from their high school, including Jan Roberts, Leslie DeCastro, and a juvenile.

DeCastro confronted the female student about her alleged gossiping about DeCastro and her friends around school. After the student tried to walk away, DeCastro grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground. DeCastro then got on top of her victim and punched her stomach, back, arms, and head over twenty times in the span of a minute.

While DeCastro repeatedly punched her victim, Jan Roberts filmed the attack on a digital camera.

After almost a full minute, Roberts is heard on the video saying, “Okay, Leslie, just stop, she’s not going to apologize. You’re not getting anywhere… and ROTC is coming.”

The prosecution maintained this last statement was a warning to flee the

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

scene, effectively rendering Roberts the “lookout.”

The State also introduced Robert’s statement that she gave to FBISD officer James Edge the next day. In her statement, Roberts claimed the three of them had waited in the car, and DeCastro told her not to forget to record the fight. DeCastro testified that she merely wanted Robert’s to film her victim’s apology, but after the victim refused to apologize, she snapped and impulsively began beating her up.

“Everyone gets the credit, and ev-

21

eryone gets the blame,” said Kelkar, explaining that the law of parties holdseveryoneinvolvedaccountable.

“Jan, Leslie, and anyone else who bullies others now understand that regardless of your level of involvement, if you participate in a criminal act, you will be prosecuted.”

Roberts was tried in County Court at Law No. 2 before Presiding Judge Jeffrey McMeans. Assault in this case is a Class A Misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and/or a fine up to $4,000. The defendant was sentenced to one-year probation, including a $150 fine, 60 hours of community service and anger management classes.

Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorneys Mukul Kelkar and Elan Levy prosecuted the case. Attorneys Larry McDougal Jr., Larry McDougal Sr. and Andrew Wright represented the defendant.

This was Mukul Kelkar’s last trial as a Prosecutor before leaving to join a firm specializing in labor and employment, immigration, and criminal law. “In my time as a prosecutor, I learned that there are some cases that really stand out, where you develop a personal interest in seeing that aggressors are brought to justice. I am proud of the work the District Attorney’s Office did on this case. It was the perfect ending to that chapter of my legal career”said Kelkar.

Gowri Ramnarayan

becomes curious about a Srilankan woman’s passion for Monet’s lilyscapes.

Black Lilies: Washington Dulles Airport: Two days after 9/11, a young school teacher from Tamil Nadu, on her first foreign trip, finds a friend in a Serbo-Hungarian novelist on his way to meet his German translator in Frankfurt.

I remember Monet’s lily-scapes.

And a poem by Ted Hughes about the water lily, standing still as a painting, despite diabolic onslaughts - from the air, and under water - from within, and without. And the Upanishadic command to be restrained, generous and kind.

Dr. Gowri Ramnarayan is a feature writer (music, cinema, theatre, litera-

ture) for the nationwide English daily The Hindu. She has translated two Marathi plays of Vijay Tendulkar’s, and the Tamil short stories of Kalki Krishnamurti. She has authored children’s books and has served as a jury member of Fipresci (an international association of film critics).

Her other achievements include vocally accompanying Carnatic musician M.S. Subbulakshmi (1981-97).

Water Lilies is her fourth play; the earlier ones being Dark Horse (2005), Rural Fantasy (2006) and Flame of the Forest (2007), and Sarpa Sutra (2010) Indira Parthasarathy’s Tamil play, Sutantira Bhumi, about Indian politics, was recently brought to the stage by The Madras Players and Just Us Repertory as Land of the Free, written, directed and designed by Gowri Ramnarayan.

Water Lilies has interesting video clippings of the play enacted in Chennai, India. Water Lilies takes place at 2pm on Sunday, September 25, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Brown Auditorium Theater, 1001 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77012.

For more information, call Thara Narasimhan at 281-265-2787. Admission is free.

VISIT US ONLINE: www.indoamerican-news.com Dr. Suresh P. Babu to be Presented with Don Klass Technology Award

Gas Technology Institute (GTI) announces that Suresh P. Babu, Ph.D., will be presented with the Don Klass Award for Excellence in Thermochemical Conversion Science to recognize his pioneering and innovative contributions in the field of bioenergy. He will receive the award on September 28 at a tcbiomass2011 dinner event held at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Dr. Babu works in the Global and Regional Solutions Directorate at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY, where he’s responsible for Biomass Program Development for NE Biomass. Prior to that, Babu worked with Battelle Science & Technology, Malaysia and The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI), Delhi, India to develop pyrolysis of Malaysia’s oil palm biomass and gasification of India’s biomass, respectively. Dr. Babu served in various capacities for more than 30 years at IGT/ GTI, during which heled development of coal and biomass gasification technologies, technology transfer efforts, among other technical leadership roles. He has served as a consultant for E4tech (UK) Ltd., German Council for Sustainable Development, and the Swedish Energy Agency.

About tcbiomass2011 tcbiomass2011 is the 2011 International Conference on Thermochemical (TC) Biomass Conversion Science. The conference will bring together over 300 experts and visionaries in gasification, pyrolysis, upgrading, and pretreatment and char to explore the world of bioenergy, September 27-30, 2011 in downtown Chicago.

Visit www.gastechnology.org/tcbiomass2011 for more conference information, and to register. For up-to-the-minute conference updates, follow “tcbimass2011” on on LinkedIn and Twitter.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

BUSINESS

22 September 23, 2011

China and India Making Inroads in Biotech Drugs

BY GARDINER HARRIS (NYT) Chinese and Indian drug makers have taken over much of the global trade in medicines and now manufacture more than 80 percent of the active ingredients in drugs sold worldwide. But they had never been able to copy the complex and expensive biotech medicines increasingly used to treat cancer, diabetes and other diseases in rich nations like the United States — until now.

These generic drug companies say they are on the verge of selling cheaper copies of such huge sellers as Herceptin for breast cancer, Avastin for colon cancer, Rituxan for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis.

Their entry into the market in the next year — made possible by hundreds of millions of dollars invested in biotechnology plants — could not only transform the care of patients in much of the world but also ignite a counterattack by major pharmaceutical companies and diplomats from richer countries.

Already, the Obama administration has been trying to stop an effort by poorer nations to strike a new international bargain that would allow them to get around patent rights and import cheaper Indian and Chinese knock-off drugs for cancer and other diseases, as they did to fight AIDS. The debate turns on whether diseases like cancer can be characterized as emergencies, or “epidemics.”

Rich nations and the pharmaceutical industry agreed 10 years ago to give up patent rights and the profits that come with them in the face of an AIDS pandemic that threatened to depopulate much of Africa, but they see deaths from cancer, diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases as less of an emergency and, in some cases, the inevitable consequence of better and longer living.

The debate has intensified in recent weeks, before world leaders gather at the United Nations on Monday and Tuesday to confront surging deaths from noncommunicable diseases, which cause two-thirds of all deaths. It is only the second global health issue that the United Nations General Assembly has deemed urgent enough to call a meeting to discuss.

Participants in the negotiations, which include nongovernmental organizations, described the Obama administration’s position on the issue and provided e-mails from European diplomats that laid out the American stance, which has been adopted in the agreement’s working draft.

Although the draft agreement for this week’s meeting at the United Nations offers no support for poor nations seeking freer patent rules to fight cancer and other noncommunicable diseases, their advocates have vowed to continue fighting to loosen those restrictions not only this week in New York but in continuing internation-

Heart patients in a Beijing hospital. New generic drugs could treat such ailments more cheaply. Photo: Alexander F. Yuan/Associated Press

al trade negotiations around the world as well.

United States officials repeatedly declined to explain the American position, though Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, said Friday, “Regardless of what you call it, this is clearly such Herceptin, a drug used a pressing chalto treat breast cancer, is lenge globally expensive. that world leaders are gathering in New York next week to discuss ways to confront this threat.”

The United States government has a long history of pushing for strong patent protections in international trade and other agreements to protect important domestic industries like pharmaceuticals and ensure continued incentives for further inventions.

The new biotech copycats are likely to stir sharp debate among advocates for the poor.

Already, some contend that the billions spent to treat AIDS have crowded out cheap and simple solutions to other afflictions of poverty, like childhood diarrhea.

The copycats will be less expensive than the originals, but they will never be cheap. It is unlikely that many African nations will be able to afford such a costly medicine for breast cancer, when far cheaper ones for colon and testicular cancer are going wanting.

Dr. Yusuf K. Hamied, chairman of the Indian

drug giant Cipla Ltd., electrified the global health community a decade ago when he said he could produce cocktails of AIDS medicines for $1 per day — a fraction of the price charged by branded pharmaceutical companies. That price has since fallen to 20 cents per day, and more than six million people in the developing world now receive treatment, up from little more than 2,000 in 2001.

Dr. Hamied said in a telephone interview last week that he and a Chinese partner, BioMab, had together invested $165 million to build plants in India and China to produce at least a dozen biotech medicines. Other Indian companies have also built such plants. Since these medicines are made with genetically engineered bacteria, they must be tested extensively in patients before sale.

Once those tests are complete, Dr. Hamied promised to sell the drugs at a third of their usual prices, which typically cost tens of thousands of dollars for a course of treatment.

“And once we recover our costs, our prices will fall further,” he said. “A lot further.”

Dr. Peter Piot, a former director of U.N.AIDS, the United Nations AIDS agency, said the parallels between the current dilemma over cancer drugs and the one 10 years ago over AIDS medicines were striking. “Without a major reduction in the prices of the essential oncology drugs, there’s no way we can really improve survival from cancer,” said Dr. Piot, currently the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

But he also said he was more cautious about the promise of generics this time, because biotech medicines were not easy to copy. “I believe these medicines will make a huge difference, but I would like to see the evidence that the quality is good before giving it to my patients or taking it myself,” he said.

Having suffered global opprobrium 10 years ago when they were seen as blocking efforts to

save the lives of millions of poor AIDS patients, executives for branded drug makers are far more cautious this time about insisting that high prices are necessary. Sara Radcliffe, a spokeswoman for the Biotechnology Industry Organization, said companies supported copycat versions of biotech medicines as long as “countries do not abuse the flexibilities in international law with respect to compulsory licensing in true public health emergencies.”

Patents generally provide inventors rights to 20 years of exclusive sales, but international law allows countries to force companies to share those rights with competitors under a variety of circumstances, including to protect public health. Even then, countries are generally not allowed to export the products that result from forced patent sharing except under dire circumstances.

But the only way poor countries can get drugs that result from shared patent rights is if another country exports those medicines to them under emergency exceptions.

In retrospect, the battle 10 years ago over AIDS medicines was a small skirmish compared with the one likely to erupt over cancer, diabetes and heart medicines. The AIDS drug market was never a major moneymaker for global drug giants, while cancer and diabetes drugs are central to the companies’ very survival. Roche Holding Ltd. earns $19 billion annually, or half its annual drug sales, selling Rituxan, Avastin and Herceptin. And sales of Herceptin have been rising faster in the developing world than in richer nations — making the developing world a crucial market. For middleincome countries straining to provide the best medicine possible, the new copycat biotechs will almost certainly be warmly received.

Mexico alone spends about $120 million buying Herceptin to treat women with breast cancer, which is nearly one-half of 1 percent of all government spending on health care, said Dr. Alejandro Mohar, general director of the Mexican National Cancer Institute. In 2007, Mexico guaranteed access to Herceptin for all women with breast cancer through a public insurance program.

“We would love to have better access to better drugs,” Dr. Mohar said. “This debate is going to heat up.”

Hermillia Villegas, a 47-year-old mother of two in Jalisco, Mexico, recently learned that she had a virulent form of breast cancer that responded well to treatment with Herceptin. Her husband is a janitor, and her doctor initially told her that each of 17 treatments with Herceptin would cost her more than $3,000.

“I don’t have that kind of money,” she said in a telephone interview. The new health insurance program, which pays for the whole cost of the drug, has saved her life, she said.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

September 23, 2011

IACAN’S Prostate Cancer Seminar: Medical Experts Share Information

Read us online: www.indoamerican-news.com

BY MITALI PAUL HOUSTON: September is Prostate Cancer month and to mark this, IACAN invited Dr. Pulin Pandya and Dr. Ganesh Palapattu, noted urologists and experts in the field of prostate cancer to share their expertize with the Indian American community. Dr. Palapattu is the chief of urologic oncology at The Methodist Hospital and Dr. Pandya, is an experienced practitioner in the community.

On September 11th at 3pm, over 100 attendees gathered at India House to attend the seminar titled “Early Detection and Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer - A Common Cancer among Indian Men”.

The prostate gland, found only in men, is a reproductive organ and is located near the urinary bladder.

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer among men and every year over 25,000 deaths are attributed to this disease. Dr. Pandya explained that testing for PSA (prostate specific antigen) with a simple blood test can lead to early diagnosis. Some of the common risk factors he mentioned are – diet (consumption of red meat), smoking, family history, infection or inflammation, and age. Although the rate of incidence among Indians is 2-4%, the incidence among Indian Americans is increasing and the age of individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer is also decreasing. So Dr. Pandya recommended an annual physical prostate exam and a PSA

23

Incredible India Turns 3!

HOUSTON: The catchy title, a buzz phrase for tourism promotion and festivals of India all over the world, is very appropriate for the Houston show that will see its third presentation this Sunday, September 25, 8 - 10pm, at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park.

Anil Kumar floated the idea; Rathna took it and ran with it! The result Incredible India!; a fascinating cultural journey through a land famed for its vibrant colors and lively dances; a kaleidoscope of its myriad fascinating sights and sounds, from the beautiful dancing peacocks to the meditatively peaceful Yoga, from the graceful Rabindra Nritya to the vigorous Bhangra, from the sculpturesque temple dances of the South to the melodious music of the North.

Add to this the exquisite visuals of India’s artistic and architectural highlights, and the show becomes a veritable visual feast. Agnes de Mille once said, “If you wish to understand a nation, look at its dances and listen to its music”, so come to Incredible India and catch the glimpses of its great cultural heritage.

Come and hear the mellifluous voices of Pandit Suman Ghosh and Vidushi Photos: Navin Medivala

IACAN Board Members with the speakers

test for all men above the age of 50.

For those with a history of cancer in the family, the recommended age for annuals is 40.

Dr. Palapattu elaborated about the various treatment options available once you are diagnosed with the disease. Radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy, hormone ablation, active surveillance, and proton beam therapy are some of the most common treatments with emerging therapies like cryotherapy and HIFU. Each option has its risks and benefits and just as the disease is heterogeneous (varies in each individual) so is the treatment option. The audience got to learn about each of the treatment options and the technologies. A video demonstrating the surgical removal of a prostate using a robot captured

“MASALA WOK IS HOT. IT’S COOL, IT’S WOW” Dallas Morning News

the audiences’ awe and some gasps!

Dr. Palapattu shared that “most men diagnosed with prostate cancer will die with it as opposed to of it”, but early detection through screening is important to prevent the cancer from spreading.

Both speakers concurred that maintaining close to ideal body weight, exercising regularly, eating a heart healthy diet, moderating alcohol consumption and smoking cessation are the best defenses against prostate cancer.

The question and answer session was very interactive and the speakers helped dispel several common myths that the audience shared.

For a copy of the presentation and details on upcoming events, visit www.iacannetwork.org.

“THIS WOK ROCKS WITH INDIAN AND CHINESE FLAVORS” SAYS THE GUIDE

Rajarajeshwary Bhat (courtesy Swaralayam Arts Forum) and their students, singing the glory of Bharat; listen to the soul-stirring beat of nearly 50 tablas as Pandit Shantilal Shah (also courtesy Swaralayam Arts Forum) and his students churn up a dynamic rhythm experience that will get your feet tapping; see splashes of rich hues as dancers from the Anjali Center for Performing Arts (directed by Rathna Kumar & Venugopal Josyula) , Jain Society of Houston (directed by Shefali Jhaveri & Tina Shah), and Upasana Kalakendra (directed

by Anisha Rajesh) move in harmony to music from different regions of India, each distinct, each beautiful.

Incredible India is a Samskriti presentation. Admission is free.

This program has been made possible by a grant from the City of Houston and the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.

For more information, visit www.samskritihouston.org / www.milleroutdoortheatre.com or call 281-265- ARTS / 832-275-9656

LOCATION

10001 Westheimer Road. Houston, TX 77042 Phone: 713-784-8811 www.MasalaWok.com

WRITERS ...

TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500 The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week.

For more information, Call 713-789- NEWS (6397) or email us at: indoamericannews@yahoo.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Dedicating 9 Nights to the Goddess folio line

RELIGION

accessories, fresh turmeric root and coconut—symbolize goodwill and fertility. They fast, pray morning and evening, and give food and cooking pots to the poor. Some families formally honor a prepubescent girl each day, giving her new clothes, treating her to a sumptuous lunch, and pampering her, afrming her femininity and afnity with the Goddess.

Hindu women consider Navaratri the year’s central he one they most deeply connect to. These nine days to Shakti, the Goddess, provide an opportunity to d commune with their own divinity. It is a time ngs, austerities, seless acts and intimate prayers. ot just for the ladies; everyone turns out for the stivities, plays, feasting and dance—all venerating Mother Spirit that gives life to everything.

s o u m ya s i ta r a m a n

HOLY DAYS THAT AMERICA’S HINDUS CELEBRATE 23, 2011 24 September

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How are Shakti’s forms worshiped?

In South India the rst three days are dedicated to Goddess Durga, the erce Mother who decimates negative forces. For the next three Navaratri? days, Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity, This a high-protein, low-oil dish This is aishigh-protein, low-oil dish made ew moon of is revered. The last three days are dedimadesteamed from steamed or whole boiled chickpeas. whole from or boiled chickpeas. the rst day, it cated to Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning Preparation hour Preparationtime: time: Approx.

Approx. 11 hour eds in a clay pot and wisdom. In this way, Hindus honor Serves: 6 Serves: 6 he next nine days. women as the protectors of the family, Equipment:AApressure pressure cooker, Equipment: cooker,aaladle, ladle, a women prepare a extol their powers of fertility and endura wok or saucepan and a dish wok or saucepan and a dish sha, a vessel symance, venerate them as the source of good Ingredients Ingredients b, representing fortune and revere them as repositories of 1 cup chickpeas, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 3 tbspchickpeas, to ½ cup grated 1 tsp 1 cup ½ tspcoconut, turmeric powder, n cities in Tamil culture and learning. In North India one black mustard seeds, broken dried 3 tbsp to ½ cup grated coconut, 1 tsp borate shelf disof the nine aspects of Durga is venerated red chillies (toseeds, taste),broken ½ tsp asafoetida black mustard dried dmade clay dolls. each day. These nine days are celebrated by powder, sliced green chillies (optional), red chillies (to taste), ½ tsp asafoetida ear and handing communities in East India as Durga Puja, curry leaves, salt accessories,who fresh turmeric root and coco-sliced green chillies (optional), powder, he next generation treating the Goddess as the Daughter Method nut—symbolize goodwill and fertility. They illions of Hindu women consider Navaratri the year’s central curry leaves, saltsoak the chickpeas for 12 splays. has come to her maternal home for an an1. Beforehand, fast, pray morning and evening, and give food festival, the one they most deeply connect to.

These nine days hours.

Cook with the turmeric powder nual visit. and cooking pots to the poor. Method Some families dedicated to Shakti, the Goddess, provide an opportunity to and salt formally honor a prepubescent girl each day,in a pressure cooker (1:2 ratio ved in homes?

1. her Beforehand, soakuntil the soft chickpeas for 12 seek blessings and commune with their own divinity. It is a time giving her new clothes, treating a sumpof to beans to water) but fi rm, “holds court,” What is the fiprayers. nal day? accessories, turmeric root and coco-seless acts tuous lunch, and pampering her, hours. af rming Cook with the turmeric powder for sacredfresh gatherings, austerities, and intimate not mushy. Drain and set aside. nut—symbolize goodwill and fertility. They her femininity and afnity with the Goddess. men Navaratri the year’s central gs areconsider presented Dashami, “triumphant tenth day,” But Navaratri notevening, just for the ladies; turns outcocofor the accessories, fresh Vijaya turmeric root and and saltghee; in aadd pressure cooker (1:2and ratio 2.

Heat the mustard seeds honor women as the protectors fast, pray morningisand and give food everyone most deeply connect These days nut—symbolize goodwill and fertility.

They illions ofHindu Hindu nine women consider Navaratri thepots year’s central ry powers are celebrates Durga’s legendary victory over joyous worship, festivities, plays, feasting and dance—all venerating andNavaratri cooking tothe the poor.

Some families let them pop.

Millions ofto. women consider year’s central festival, the one they of the family, extol their powers of beans to water) until soft but rm, How are Shakti’s forms worshiped? fast, pray morning and evening, and give food ,ed theto Goddess, provide an opportunity to deeply connect festival, the one theyto. most These nineMother days formally honor a prepubescent girl eachand day, the curry leaves, and showcase Mahishasura, being fraught most deeply connect These nine days dedicated to Shakti, the Goddess, ana powerful of fertility endurance, God asto. the loving Spirit that gives toprovide everything. areAdd dedicated In and South India the rst three days3. cooking potslife to the poor.

Some families not mushy.

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It is a time for sacred venerate them as the source ll enjoy sweets with ignorance and sel shness.

On the tuous lunch,Itand her, afrming ghee; addSundal the mustard seeds and seek blessings and commune with their own divinity. is apampering time giving her new clothes, treating her to a sumprities, seless acts and intimate prayers. matesand negative forces. For2.theHeat three 4.next Add the cooked chickpeas. Stir gently gatherings, austerities, selflsel essessacts and intimate Navaratri ispampering not just for the of good fortune revere her femininity and prayers. afnity withBut the Goddess. tuous lunch, and her, af rming celebrate nthe dress upfor and same day many Rama’s victory sacred gatherings, austerities, acts and What do intimate Hindus doprayers. for Navaratri? days, Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity, ladies; everyone turns out for the let them pop. is a high-protein, her femininity and af nity dance with the Goddess. over a low fl ame,This taking care not tolow-oil dish made ladies; everyone turns outladies; for the joyous worship, festivities, plays, feasting and them as repositories culture But Navaratri is not just for the everyone turns out Navaratri starts onfor thethe new moon of is revered. last three days are dedirelatives, taking over the evilall Ravana.

The celebration isofaThe plays, feasting and dance—all venerating from steamed or boiled whole chickpeas.

HowSpirit are Shakti’s forms worshiped?

3.

Add the curry leaves, chillies and mash them. venerating God as the loving Mother that gives life to everything. and learning.

In North India joyous worship, festivities, plays, feasting and venerating September/October. rst day,areit dedicated cated to Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning How are Shakti’s reminder forms worshiped? pirit that gives life to everything. rst the three days In dance—all South India the On includes the to persist in the challenges we Preparation time: Approx.

1 hour asafoetida; the and mixture 5.

Add coconut salt toslightly. taste. aspects ofway, Hindus customary to plantthe seeds in Mother a clay pot and wisdom.

In this honorgratedroast God as the loving Mother Spirit that givesislife to everything.

In South to Goddess Durga, erce who deci- India the rst three days are dedicated one of the nine Serves: 6 ear the gravity face in life.

Local traditions vary widely, to Goddess Durga, the  erce Mother who deciwhich will sprout over the next nine days. women as the protectors of the family, Mix well.

Durga is venerated each day. 4. Add Sundal the cookedEquipment: chickpeas.

Stir cooker, gently mates negative forces. For the next three A pressure a ladle, a Sundal mates negative forces. For the next three In somedays, communities, women prepare a extol powers of fertility and endurLakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity, pWhat yfood y These nine days aretheir celebrated iendship and and this day is known by other names, How is Navaratri observed This isGoddess a high-protein, low-oil dish made and evening, and give wok or saucepan and a dish do Hindus do for Navaratri? days, Lakshmi, the of prosperity, over a low  ame, taking care not to This is a high-protein, dish made specially decorated kalasha, a vessel symance, low-oil venerate them as the source of good is revered.

The last three days are dedifrom or boiled bychickpeas. communities in East Indiathem as repositories of Navaratri starts on the new moon of revered. The last steamed three are dedi- whole in fertile homes? and iscooking pots todays the poor. he tray—beauty including Dussehra, Dasara andorDashain. from steamed boiled whole chickpeas.

Ingredients bolizingcated the womb,the representing fortune and revere mash them. it to Sarasvati, Goddess of learning September/October. On the rst day, it cated to Sarasvati, the Goddess ofApprox. learning 1 as Fact & Preparation time: hour Durga Puja, treating the In North India one Each night, the Goddess Some families formally honor Preparation time: Approx.

1 hour 1 cupFiction chickpeas, ½ tsp turmeric powder, the Goddess.

Especially in cities in Tamil culture and learning. pot and wisdom. In this way, Hindus honorand wisdom. In this way, Hindus honor is customary to plant seeds in a clay pot 5. Add grated coconut salt to taste.1 tsp Serves: 6 each day, Serves: 6as the of 3 tbsphigh toand ½ cup grated Goddess Daughter who of Durga Nadu, families create elaborate shelf the nine aspects is venerated days. “holds court,” and special women as the protectors of thedisfamily, a prepubescent girl which will sprout over the next nine days. women as the protectors of the family, FACT: Hindus place value oncoconut, self Equipment: A pressure cooker, a ladle, a Equipment: A pressure cooker, a ladle, a Mix well. black mustard seeds, broken dried In some communities, women prepare a extol their powers of fertility and endurplays, called kolu, of handmade clay dolls. each day.

These nine days are celebrated by re a extol their powers of fertility and endurhas come to her maternal food offerings are presented as giving her new clothes, treating improvement through education and wok or saucepan and a dish wok or saucepan and a dish specially decorated kalasha, a vessel symance, venerate them as the source of good red chillies (to taste), ½ tsp asafoetida symthehanding source of good Addingance, new venerate dolls eachthem yearasand communities Durga Puja, Enjoy! for an annual visit. in East India6.aslearning prayers eulogizing Her powers her fortune to a sumptuous andof home Ingredients of all kinds. In bygone days bolizing the fertile womb, representing and revere themlunch, as repositories Ingredients

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Dedicating 9 Nights to the Goddess s o u m ya s i ta r a m a n

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edicating 9 Nights to the Goddess

Tidbits About Navaratri fortune and revere them as repositories of

powder, sliced green chillies (optional),

the collection down to the next generation treating the Goddess as the Daughter who 1 What cup chickpeas, ½ tsp turmeric powder, is the fi nal day? learning.

In North India one are results culture pampering rming her 1 cup affi chickpeas, ½ tsp turmeric powder, women educated learning.

In North India oneculture andher, curry leaves, salt from in someand grand displays. has come to her maternal home for anand an- men were coconut, 1 tsp 3 tbsp to ½ cup grated of the nine aspects of Durga is venerated “triumphant coconut,Vijaya 1 tsp Dashami, 3 tbsp tonity ½ cup grated of the nine aspects Durga is venerated chanted.

Guests are ofinvited femininity and affi with the nual visit. age seven: students lived as part of their black mustard seeds, broken dried Method each day. These nine days are celebrated by black mustard seeds, brokententh driedredday,” day.

These nine days are celebrated by celebrates Durga’s How iseach Navaratri observed in homes? to showcase their artistic skills, Goddess. chillies (to taste), ½ tsp asafoetida communities in East India as Durga Puja, teacher’s family. Hindus revere women as for 12 1. Beforehand, soak the chickpeas red chillies taste), ½ tsp asafoetida communities in East India as Durga Puja, powder, sliced green chillies (optional), Each night, the Goddess “holds court,” What is the fional treating the Goddess as the(to Daughter who l e g e n d a r y v i c t o r y v eday? r and all enjoy sweets and other withreligion, the turmeric powder hours. Cook How are Shakti’s forms for blessings, seekPuja, began when the kings of ancient India the guardians of culture, family, ts occur on Maha before Goddess Sarasvati powder, sliced green chillies (optional), treating the Goddess as the Daughter who curry leaves, salt Vijaya Dashami, “triumphant tenth day,” has come to her maternal home for an anand special food offerings are presented and salt in a pressure cooker (1:2 ratio Mahishasura, powerful being treats.

Women dress up and visit worshiped? curry leaves, salt learning and prosperity.

Modern Hindu has eulogizing come to her maternal annualtheir visit. ing Her gifts of talent, ability and inspiration. had weapons blessed. Today any toola of ? Books, musical Method as prayers Her powershome are for an celebrates Durga’s legendary victory over of beans to water) until soft but rm, fraught with ignorance and selfi How is Navaratri observed in homes? nual visit. female friends and relatives, In South India the fi rst three 1.

Beforehand, soak the chickpeas for 12 society has the highest number of female Method chanted.(weapon Guests are invited to showcase one’s trade may be consecrated: craftsmen’s Mahishasura, a powerful being fraught rite, called Ayudha or tool) not mushy. Drain and set aside. and toolsEach arenight, placed day? the GoddessThis “holds court,” What is the 1. final es? theignorance turmeric powder hours. shness.

OnCook thewith same day many Beforehand, soak the chickpeas for 12 taking areDashami, dedicated to Goddess their artistic skills, and all enjoy sweets daysVijaya with and selshness.

On the spiritual leadershigh in2. the world.

Heat ghee; on add the mustard seeds and “triumphant tenth day,” and special food offerings are presented FACT: Hindus place value self ,” What is the final day? and salt in a pressure cooker (1:2 ratio tools, books, of ces, vehicles, computCook withwho the turmeric powder Rama’s hours.Mother victory over otheroftreats.

Women dress up and Durga, same daysoft many celebrate Rama’s victory Many wrongly aand tray offerings which the Durga’s fi erce as prayers eulogizing Her powers are celebrates legendary victory over celebrate FICTION: believe that let them pop. of beans to water) until but  rm, ted Vijaya Dashami, “triumphant tenth day,” and salt in a pressure cooker (1:2 ratio improvement through education and ers,negative even iPhones!

Devotees re ect onover visit female friends and leaf relatives, taking the evil Ravana. The celebration is a chanted. Guests are invited to showcase Mahishasura, a powerful being fraught the evil The celebration includes the betel and notRavana. and set aside. decimates forces.

For Add the curryfrom leaves, chillies and celebrates Durga’s legendary victory over Hindu women are3.prohibited beans to water) rm,mushy. Drain their artistic skills, and all enjoy sweets with ignoranceof and selshness.

On until the soft but2.Heat a that tray ofMahishasura, offerings which includes the reminder toseeds persist we ghee; add thepersist mustard andin the challenges asafoetida; roast the is a reminder to in the ase a powerful being fraught their skills, strengths, goals and needs. nut bear the gravity of a the next three days, Lakshmi, learning of all kinds.

In bygone days not mushy.

Drain and set aside. learning, performing rites, ritual andmixture slightly. and other treats. Women dress up and let them pop. face in life. Local traditions vary widely, betel leaf andignorance nut that bear the shness. gravity On thesame day many celebrate Rama’s victory 4. Add the cooked chickpeas. Stir gently ets with and sel face in life.

Local 2.Ravana.

Heat ghee; add the mustard seeds andthewe visit female friends and relatives, taking over the evil The celebration is aforchallenges formal contract of friendship the Goddess of prosperity, is A key rite of passage children ages prayer.

Hindu women are not oppressed or 3.

Add curry leaves, chillies and women and men were educated from of a formal of friendship and victory and this dayy is known byy other names, over a low ame, taking care not to nd samecontract day many celebratepRama’s a tray of offerings which includes the reminderThe to persist in the challenges we traditions let them pop. vary widely, and this Dasaraonsidered asafoetida; roast the mixture slightly. and accessories, fresh turmeric revered. last three days Other items unequal to men, but honored loyalty. on the tray—beauty including Dussehra, and Dashain. three to  ve is performed on this day. ing over the evil Ravana.

The celebration is a mash them. betel leaf and nut that bear the gravity face in life. Local traditions varyleaves, widely,chillies and 3. Add the curry age 4.isAdd the cooked gently seven: students lived as part of their dayslightly. known bychickpeas. other Stir names root and reminder coconut— arewe dedicated to by Sarasvati, e to persist in the challenges p and y other of a formal contract of friendship and this dayy is known and respected. Hinduism is the only and major 5. Add grated coconut salt to taste. asafoetida; roastnames, the mixture over a low ame, taking care not to Called vidyarambha, “beginning of teacher’s family.toHindus revere women as loyalty. Other items on the tray—beauty Dussehra, Dasara and Dashain.

Dussehra, Dasara and ty face in life.

Local traditions vary widely, symbolize goodwill and the including Goddess of learning and including Mix well. mash them.

4. Add the cooked chickpeas.

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the Goddess. Especially in cities in Tamil Nadu, families create elaborate shelf displays, called kolu, of handmade clay dolls.

Adding new dolls each year and handing the collection down to the next generation results in some grand displays.

education. Navaratri TidbitsformalAbout

including Dussehra, Dasara and Dashain.

Mix well. mash them.

6.taste.

Enjoy! learning and prosperity. Modern Hindu 5.

Add grated coconut and salt to What do Hindus do for W h a t s p e c i a l e has v e n the t s highest for children ages three to fi ve Mix well.  society number of female Navaratri?

Sarasvati for blessings, seek- Puja, began when the kings of ancient India  What special events occur on Maha before Goddess 6. Enjoy! occur on Maha Navami, the is performed on this day.

Called the evenings, devotees gather ingIn Her gifts ofoftalent, and inspiration. hadto their weapons blessed.

Today any leaders tool of Navaratri startsoccur on on theMaha new before Navami, the ninth day? Books, Goddess Sarasvati for blessings, seek-musical Puja, began when the kings ancientability India special events spiritual in the world.  What ninth day?

Books, musical vidyarambha, “beginning of ing Her gifts of talent, ability and inspiration. had their weapons blessed.

Today any tool of This rite, called Ayudha (weapon or tool) one’s trade may be consecrated: craftsmen’s Books, musical Navami, the ninth day? instruments, equipment and tools are placed moon of September/October. dance in halls and public squares. instruments, equipment and one’s trade may be consecrated: craftsmen’s learning,” it marks the start of instruments, equipment and tools are placed This rite, called Ayudha (weapon or tool) FACT: Hindus place high value on self tools, books, ofces,FICTION: vehicles, computMany wrongly believe that On the fi rstSarasvati day, itfor is blessings, customary FACT: Hindus high value on self The Garba, popular folkplaceers, ofces, vehicles, Gujarat’s computGoddess seekPuja, began when the kings of ancient India tools, books, Maha before improvement through education and even iPhones!

Devotees re ect on tools are placed before Goddess a child’s formal education. improvement through education and Hindu women are prohibited from Devotees reect on plant in aand clay pot ingtoHer gifts ofseeds talent, ability inspiration. had their weapons blessed. Today any tool ofers, even iPhones! sical their skills, strengths, goals and needs. dance, is a vigorous dance performed allekinds.

Sarasvati Alearning r e oft h r e In gbygone r o udays p learning of all kinds.

In bygone for daysblessings, seeking rite, called or tool) one’s trade may be consecrated: craftsmen’s their skills, strengths, goals and needs. placed This which willAyudha sprout(weapon over the next A key rite of passage for children ages learning, performing rites, ritual and women and men were educated from A key rite of passage for children ages women and men were educated from Her gifts of talent, ability and festivities? in circles twirling, jumping, FACT: Hindus while place high value on self tools, books, ofces, vehicles, computnine days. three ve isof performed on this day. ve is performed through on this day. agethe seven: students lived as part or of their age seven: students livedtoaspart their education and ers, even iPhones! Devotees reect on three to improvement prayer.

Hindu women are not oppressed inspiration.

In evenings, devotees ailing“beginning the arms, clapping rhythmiCalled vidyarambha, of Calledrevere vidyarambha, In some communities, women teacher’s family. Hindus women as“beginning of teacher’s family. Hindus revere women as their skills, strengths, goals and needs. learning,”learning of all kinds.

In bygone days This called Ayudha gathertotomen, dance inhonored halls and it marks the start of a child’s learning,” itrite, marks the start of a child’s considered unequal but the guardians family, religion, cally andmen stepping in sync.

In theof culture, the guardians of culture, family, religion, prepare a specially decorated A key rite of passage for children ages formal education. women and were educated from (weapon or tool) Puja, began formal education. public squares. learning and prosperity.

Modern Hindu three to ve is performed on this day. learning and prosperity.

Modern Hindu age seven: students lived as part of their kalasha, a vessel symbolizing and respected.

Hinduism is the only major Dandiya-Ras, sticks are part of the  Are there group festivities? society has the highest number female when theofkings of ancient The Garba, Gujarat’s popular Called vidyarambha, “beginning of Are there group festivities? society has the highest number of female teacher’s family.

Hindus revere women asleaders in In the evenings, devotees gather toDancing the fertile womb, representing spiritual the world. choreography. is a community religion God’s feminine power! learning,” it marks the start of a child’s dance in halls India folk dance, is a vigorous dance In the evenings, devotees gatherto to honor the guardians of culture, family, religion, spiritual leaders in the world. and public squares. the Goddess.

FICTION: Many wrongly believe formal education. dance in halls that and public squares. expression of and togetherness.

The Garba, Gujarat’sand popular folkjoy Modern had their weapons blessed. performed in circles while learning prosperity.

Hindu FICTION: Many wrongly believe that Hindu women are The prohibited from Especially in cities in Tamil vigoroushas dance Garba, Gujarat’s folk trade twirling, jumping,fl ailing the  Are there group festivities? dance, is asociety theperformed highest number of femaleperforming Today any tool popular of one’s learning, rites, ritual and Hindu women are prohibited from in circles while twirling, jumping, Nadu, families create elaborate dance, is a vigorous dance performed In the evenings, devotees gather to spiritual leadersrhythmiin the world. prayer. Hindu women arebe not oppressed or craftsmen’s may consecrated: arms, clapping rhythmically ailing the arms, clapping learning, performing rites, ritual and in circles while twirling, jumping, dance in halls and public squares. shelf displays, called kolu, of considered unequal to men, but honored cally andand stepping in sync.

In the magazine FICTION: Many wrongly believe that tools, books, offi ces, vehicles, of Hindu Festival Outreach, a collaboration between Sanatana Dharma Foundation of Texas H INDUISM T ODAY in Hawaii.

Additional resources may be found at www.hinduismtoday.com/festivals. and stepping in sync.

In the prayer.

Hindu women are not oppressed or  ailing the arms, clapping rhythmiThe Garba, Gujarat’s popular folk handmade clay dolls. and respected. Hinduism is the only major Dandiya-Ras, sticks are part the Hindu women areofprohibited from considered unequal to men, but honored computers, even iPhones! dance, is a vigorous dance performed Dandiya-Ras, sticks are part cally and stepping in sync.

In the a Sitaraman and Usha Kris, respectively author and photographer of Follow the Hindu Moon, generously contributed text and graphics (hindumoon.com). choreography. Dancing is a community feminine power!

Adding new dolls each year learning, performing rites, ritual religion and to honor God’s in circles while twirling, jumping, andchoreography. respected. Hinduism is the only major Dandiya-Ras, sticks areon part of the expression of joy and togetherness.

Devotees refl ect of the Dancing is prayer. Hindu women are not oppressed or and handing the collection down ailing the arms, clapping rhythmichoreography.

Dancing is a community religion to honor God’s feminine power! their skills, strengths, goals a community xpression of joy considered unequal to men, but honored cally and stepping in sync. In the to the next generation results in expression of joy and togetherness.

This educational poster is part of Hindu Festival Outreach, a collaboration between Sanatana Dharma Foundation of Texas and HINDUISM TODAY magazine in Hawaii. Additional resources may be found at www.hinduismtoday.com/festivals. and needs. A key rite of passage and togetherness. and respected. Hinduism is the only major Dandiya-Ras, sticks are part of the some grand displays.

Soumya Sitaraman and Usha Kris, respectively author and photographer of Follow the Hindu Moon, generously contributed text and graphics (hindumoon.com). choreography. Dancing is a community religion to honor God’s feminine power!

INDO AMERICAN NEWS •togetherness.

23 ,between 2011Sanatana • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM of joyisand Thisexpression educational poster part ofFRIDAY, Hindu FestivalSEPTEMBER Outreach, a collaboration Dharma Foundation of Texas and HINDUISM TODAY magazine in Hawaii. Additional resources may be found at www.hinduismtoday.com/festivals.

Tidbits About Navaratri

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Tidbits about Navaratri dbits About Navaratri

Are there group festivities?

Soumya Sitaraman and Usha Kris, respectively author and photographer of Follow the Hindu Moon, generously contributed text and graphics (hindumoon.com).

val Outreach, a collaboration between Sanatana Dharma Foundation of Texas and HINDUISM TODAY magazine in Hawaii. Additional resources may be found at www.hinduismtoday.com/festivals.

HOROSCOPE ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20: You will carry on the introspection and evalutaion of your emotions. You will seek the guidance astrology has to offer to increase your self-awareness and to reach the higher realms of your personality, even if some of the things you are asked to do are against your basic inclinations.

By nature, you are rather impatient and impulsive to get your work accomplished, but during this phase you will sober up and feel much more accountable. This will help you in making rapid strides in your profession.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 Recently you have been experiencing good fortune and, out of a sense of gratitude, you will share your fortune with the society. Don’t overdo your generosity as you might attract allegations of ulterior motives.

It may even harm some of your relationships. The natural effervescence of children will be a great source of happiness for you. There will be perfect harmony in your family affairs. Financial benefits will accrue through your good communication skills, and you will progress professionally.

GEMINI May 22 - Jun 21: The highly desirable trends of the past week peak now, as monetary rewards, awards and recognition pour in from all directions. On taking stock of your present situation, you will see that you are well on course as far as accomplishing your goals and ambitions are concerned. You will enjoy the fruits of your labour wholeheartedly. Your social life will be hectic, as you embark on a mission to build new contacts.

You will also indulge yourself in the pursuit of a long-cherished hobby. All this will make you feel satisfied and serene.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 23: They say that charity begins at home, so don’t neglect your family, because no amount of professional success can give you enduring happiness if you don’t have a loving family to return to in the evening. However, you are a loving person at heart, and your family is as much your strength as your weakness. Start giving more quality time to your family, especially as elder members may be in dire need of your attention.

Children look forward to your coming back home every evening because they love you.

LEO July 24 - Aug 23: You have chosen to tread the path where people tend to look up to you for general guidance to specific problems. Use your time well, set reasonable deadlines for different activities and resolve to stick to them. Time is a limited resource and you need to make judicious use of it. By doing so, every facet of your life will see improvement.

You will feel more active at work, relationships at home will become more harmonious, and you will have more time to play with your children. You will make new strategies and innovations at your workplace, which will work wonderfully.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23: You will suddenly be pitchforked into a completely different professional and social environment. You will be called upon to handle business projects and conduct professional negotiations and draw up the blueprints of new partnerships.

You will be more than equal to the task. In fact, you will be the cynosure at all professional and social gatherings, handling the events with panache. You are in an experimental mood, meeting new people, exploring new relationships, and even new cuisine, for the old world and old relationships seem to have lost their

September 23, 2011

www.GaneshaSpeaks.com

charm.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23: You have been partying, merry-making, overdoing the socializing bit not caring where you are headed, but now you will think hard about getting your priorities straight. Get your act together fast because not only are your expenses mounting but there are people who are getting antagonized and jealous. It’s all very well to think and act big and you have pulled it off successfully but consider ordinary people as your relationships with them are important too.

SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22: You will develop more affinity for your home and your family, because you realize that your kith and kin are your greatest support and this realization comes from experience. You find it a bit disconcerting that life continuously throws up challenges with which you may not be comfortable, and you retreat to friendly surroundings to marshal the mental strength to tackle them. Conferences and partnerships will keep you busy. You will splurge by getting some new pieces of furniture, some luxury and latest gadgets.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22: You ride the crest with panache and there is no stopping you now. You have a happygo-lucky nature and are not rigid about anything; people find it easy to be and work with you. You never lose your temper, and deep in your heart you experience true happiness in both your personal and professional life. Travel and new tie-ups are on the cards. If you are in the media, you will be successful and gain wide recognition for your creative abilities. You are brimming with novel ideas which impress your peers.

CAPRICORN Dec 23 - Jan 20: There will be too many things distracting you during this phase. There will be professional or business collaborations, religious rituals, conferences and interviews.

All of these will lead you in a positive and profitable direction. The time is right for you to expand your contacts and become more extroverted. Official trips are on the cards and they will benefit you. There is romance too. If you are married, bonding with your spouse and in-laws will strengthen. If you are single, you may meet your life partner.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19: You will tend to relax and will devote more time to your kith and kin. You will take your family out for excursions to nearby spots of tourist interest and will really enjoy yourself.

You will also spend time socializing, as there will be a sudden increase of visitors to your home, perhaps even from abroad. If you happen to be of intellectual inclination, you will perform exceptionally well, if you happen to be creatively inclined. There will also be nothing to complain about.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20: You seem to have turned the corner, as the situation slightly improves on all fronts. You will focus on your relationships, personal, social and professional. A lot of issues that you have been neglecting are demanding your attention, family, finances, work, friends.

Many deals and projects are on the cards. You will be called upon to take up more responsibilities and tackle many liabilities, be alert all the time. But you will manage to bounce back and accomplish the tasks. You are also lucky to have friends that help you out.

25

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