Friday, June 011 2011 , 210, .com ber 30 Septem y a -news d ri n F a c i r me indoa www.
September 30, 2011
www.indoamerican-news.com
27
IndoAmerican News
Business IndoAmerican News
STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY
India, China to Open Market for IT & Pharma
BEIJING (DH): India on Monday urged China to open its huge markets to Indian IT and pharma products to bring about balance in bilateral trade. “I believe the Chinese side is aware of our market access concerns,” said Planning Commission Deputy Chairman
as a win-win situation but give Chinese companies more options in their own growth trajectory,” Ahluwalia argued. “I would encourage our Chinese colleagues to be equally candid about expressing their concerns. Both sides should discuss ways of improving the investment climate
The Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and China’s National Development and Reform Commission Chairman, Zhang Ping, at Beijing this week, Monday
Montek Singh Ahluwalia at the first Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) between the two countries. Praising the giant strides made by China in its economic development, he said that India looks to China to open its markets for IT and Pharma. “Taking a strategic view of our relationship, I hope that they would consider a more positive approach in sectors like IT and Pharmaceuticals, where I believe there is great unrealized potential,” said Ahluwalia. Although the bilateral trade crossed USD 61 billion this year, India was left with deficit of over USD 40.9 billion due to accelerated exports from China. “This will not only help project our overall economic partnership
as that is essential to raise our economic relationship to a higher level,” he added. Ahluwalia said India is also interested in stepping up cooperation with China on railways development. “I am very happy that this group will also provide an opportunity for interaction between our senior railway officials. We view development of infrastructure and also promotion of energy efficiency seriously.” On China’s advancements in high speed train technology and network, he said, “We are aware of China’s impressive achievements in the railways sector. Together, we can do better and I hope that we can look at the future with a more open mind.” The discussions on railway
related issues were conducted by Vinay Mittal, Chairman Railway Board, Kul Bhushan, Adviser (Electrical) and R K Jain Adviser (Infrastructure) of the Railway Board. The two sides also held in-depth talks on ‘Energy Conservation and Environment Protection’ issues. “A better understanding of energy efficiency policies and practices as well as policies on renewable energy, specially wind, solar power and other renewables could be the basis for building more partnerships between our enterprises,” he said. O n C h i n a ’s e c o n o m i c development, Ahluwalia said, “Our two countries today share many commonalities. We in India are deeply impressed by your progress and believe there are many lessons from your experience that may be valuable to us,” Ahluwalia said. On emerging economies like China and India, Ahluwalia said the industrialized countries are still in a dominant position, but the growth differential between them ensures that a sharp shift in the relative weightage in favor of emerging economies is now inevitable. “If we take a 20-year horizon, we know that the world will look very different. The change in relative economic weight calls for changes in the global order and these changes can be brought about faster, and more effectively, if India and China work together along with other emerging market economies,” Ahluwalia said. China and India have strong convergence of interests on global issues, such as climate change or global trading rules, he said. “The emergence of new groupings such as the G-20 is indicative of the new global architecture. We have a common interest that this new architecture should be such that developed countries make more room for us. “We need to collaborate in new groupings, such as G-20 and the BRICS to ensure there is a regular exchange of views between us,” Ahluwalia said.
US Food Giant Yum Brands, KFC Pizza Hut, Target $1billion in India MUMBAI (ET): The Indian operations of Yum! Brands, parent of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains, will clock profits this year for the first time since it entered the country way back in 1995, said a senior executive of the American fast-food chain. The Kentucky-based food giant is targeting a billion dollar revenue within the next four years, famous for its fried chicken. Having e a r l i e r focused its efforts largely behind the pizza chain, Pizza Hut, the $11-billion US fast-food behemoth is now clearly v e e r in g towards KFC as it looks to create a China-like model of growth in India. KFC accounts for almost 80% of the company’s 4,200 outlets in China, which contribute onethird of Yum’s global revenue. So, out of the 1,000 stores that Yum! plans to open in India in the next four years, 50% of them will be KFC. They are keen to tap the appetite of the country’s young upwardly mobile middle class. KFC first set foot in India in 1996 but shut shop, as it ran into trouble with regulatory and animal rights protection bodies only to reenter with a changed strategy in 2005. “India has a China-like potential as we are currently expanding in the same pace as China and believe we will end up where they are in the same amount of time,” said Niren Chaudhary, MD, Indian Subcontinent, Yum! Brands. The fast-food chain, along with its Indian franchises, will be making investments of $150 million here over the next four years to reach 1,000 stores by 2015. “We see
To subscribe, Visit us Online today! e d a r T For , Call s e i r i u Inq -4012 8 6 3 2 83 NEWS 9 8 7 713
m o c . l dea
y l i a amd
i
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
ourselves becoming a billiondollarplus company by the time we hit 1,000 stores. The momentum of growth has been phenomenal this year as we opened 100 stores. Now the next phase when we begin to make money and grow four times in four years and make a meaningful contribution to the international operations ,” Chaudhary said. China, alone, accounted for about one-third of the company’s 2010
revenue. Yum is also looking to grow its Pizza Hut delivery model in India where it faces intense competition from market leader Domino’s Pizza . “Earlier we operated the Pizza Hut delivery and dining platforms from the same unit and that hampered our growth on the delivery side. Now we will grow these separately and we see the delivery model expanding much faster,” Chaudhary said. The dine-in Pizza Hut will now become larger in terms of space offering an extended menu. Pizza Hut Delivery will really be one with a scalable model and is expected to grow five times to 200 outlets over the next four years. Yum! India will also introduce the grilled platform on its menu for KFC to cater to the growing number of consumers looking for healthier options. “We have been disclosing what goes into our products through leaflets in our stores and on our website for a while now as we want to educate our customers about what they eat,” he said.
28 September 30, 2011
Spending on Advertisements to Go Up: Assocham
P U N E ( TO I ) : D e s p i t e a slowdown in economic growth during the first quarter of 2011-12, many companies plan to unveil new products during the upcoming festival season and back their marketing plans with aggressive advertising, discount offers and brand promotion, industry body Assocham has said. Several of them especially fast moving consumer goods ( FMCG) companies have increased their advertising and promotional budget by 60% compared to previous year in an effort to perk up demand and shore up revenues followed by home and electronic appliances, real estate, textiles, gems and jewellery and luxury products, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). Nearly 150 corporates in ten major cities including Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh were contacted between July and August. The chamber said companies selling home and electronic appliances, automobiles, textiles, gems and jewellery, luxury products and homes expect sales to go up by 30 to 40%. The festival season generally
accounts for 40 to 45% of annual ad spending by Indian companies, said Assocham secretary general DS Rawat. “The trend is likely to continue this year as well in spite of disconnect between macroeconomic trends and micro factors,” he said. Electronic appliances are on
the top advertisers on TV for 2011 followed by retail, auto and cellular services with a five per cent increase in ad spend as compared to festive 2010. Rawat further said that the consumers spending intentions are turning into actual spending reality, which is translating into advertising
activity rapidly returning to predownturn levels. The average increase on advertising spending on media has been 30 to 35% on a year-on-year basis. Festivals like Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali and harvest festivals in south India are also something that the people of the region look forward to. Ad spends in TV and press will be up by 45% as compared to festive 2010. While FMCGs and corporate ad campaigns dominated TV, while print was a more mixed bag, with spends coming from auto mobile, durables, real estate and cellular services, according to Assocham. Television and radio media are increasingly used to promote activities in a mall or a retail outlet, added the survey. According to industry experts, Indian advertising industry is likely to grow at a rate of 30% this year. The media rates are rising as per the prevailing favourable market conditions also there is an additional budget allocated to avenues such as PR, events, social media, online marketing and other areas.
New Business in town? Call us 713-789-NEWS (6397)
A Newspan Media Group Company
BUSINESS
Bond 23 Producers Cancel India Shoot, Indian Railways Loses Deal
NEW DELHI (TOI): James Bond is no longer coming to India. Despite a delayed green signal from the Indian railways ministry, plans to shoot a few action sequences for the British super spy film have now been set for South Africa. ‘The production company, India Take One Productions, have communicated to the railway
on the Indian Railways. There was a request to shoot on the rooftop of a moving train, as well as inside a tunnel. However, permission was delayed due to safety and security issues. Though the ministry gave the goahead to the film’s January-March 2012 shooting schedule, officials were worried about the production
ministry that they are not shooting the next Bond film in India, and that they are looking at other places”. ‘The production company however has thanked the railway ministry for their co-operation. The producers for ‘Bond 23, wanted to shoot high-speed stunts
team’s demand of ‘locking off the lines for seven-eight hours a day for seven days in a row’. ‘Bond 23, starring Daniel Craig, had also short-listed Goa’s Dudh Sagar waterfalls as well. Now, the shooting is to be in South Africa, according to latest media reports.
VALUE
PRESS
Where the end result is in our name...
THE ECO FRIENDLY PRINTING PROCESS lWe setup as efficently as possible to reduce waste and keep cost low. lWe use soy based for all 4 color printing. lWe use zero VOC solvents. lWe recycle all of our paper waste, used plates, waste inks and solvents.
Give us a call and see how saving the environment can save you money as well!.. 10425 S.W. Plaza Dr. Houston, TX. 77074 Off: 713-270-6524 Fax: 713-270-7219
Ken Hoffmann: 832-316-0856
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 30, 2011
29
Poverty Line Drawn at Rs 32: Percentage of Poor India Takes Up Himalayan Declining in the Country, Says Planning Commission River Cooperation with China NEW DELHI: Amid public The Tendulkar panel, Maira storm over how to measure
outcry over pegging urban poverty line at per capita consumption of Rs 32 a day, Planning Commission today said the percentage of poor is declining in the country. “...the percentage of people who are poor today is declining, whether you use the Tendulkar method or the method used previously,” Plan
added, “was asked to (suggest) a measurement method for a broad assessment of whether Government programs are improving situations or not.” He said that poverty is relative concept and comparing today’s poverty with that of the past would be incorrect.
poverty in India amid fears that new benchmarks proposed by a powerful policymaking body could see many of the country’s poor lose their welfare benefits. The poverty line estimates in India, traditionally worked out by calorie intake, are highly sensitive because as many as 400m Indians live on less than $2 a day. Those below the poverty line are entitled to subsidized food and other welfare payments. High quality global India and China are planning on discussing the use of technology j o u r n a l i s m in harnessing the waters of the rivers originating from Tibet to help r e q u i r e s with irrigation among other things. Above is seen the Sutlej river by Himachal Pradesh investment. But new BEIJING (DNA): India today But Indian officials said the benchmarks by asked China to build further on discussions mainly centred on the Planning C o m m i s s i o n , the cooperation of sharing data pricing system of water in urban submitted in an on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, and rural areas, technology issues affidavit to the which originate in Tibet and relating to water supply systems in Supreme Court are major sources of irrigation cities, water saving technologies Over 400 million Indians live on less than $2 a day. The planning commission has downstream. and irrigation. recalculated the poverty line using the Tendulkar methodology focusing on calorie as part of new Deputy Chairman of the Planning The discussion on water issues f o o d s e c u r i t y intake, spending on health and education. With a population of 1.21 billion, new Commission, Montek Singh was piloted by Dhruv Vijay Singh, benchmarks have been set at Rs.32 ($0.64) and people living on more than this amount l e g i s l a t i o n , are no longer to be classified as below the poverty line. However the situation among suggest that a Ahluwalia touched upon India’s Secretary Ministry of Water the poor remain grim, no matter what studies and reports the planning commission person living on interest in increasing cooperation Resources. China has provided India with may release, the poor have no say in the decisions and final proposal made by the more than Rs32 over inter state-rivers originating commission ($0.64) a day in from Tibet. Ahluwalia is attending real time flood data of Sutlej river urban areas, like the first Strategic Economic during monsoon, according to an agreement signed between the two New Delhi and Mumbai, would no Dialogue (SED) here. “I take this opportunity to also countries. panel Member Arun Maira told “I believe that even a person longer be classified as being below reporters on the sidelines of an who is getting Rs 15,000 (per the poverty line. The threshold for record our appreciation for the Under the five year agreement, Assocham function here. month) today, is poor. Poverty rural areas would be Rs26 a day. hydrological data that the Chinese China has set up a special station The statement follows an is a very relative thing too... So, By comparison, the World Bank’s Government provides us on the in Tibet to monitor rainfall and Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers flood situation to enable India get uproar over Plan panel’s recent poverty level is also defined by poverty line is $1.25 a day. calculation of poverty line based on what is happening to the rest of the advanced warnings. India is now home to more poor during flood season”, he said. Water issues constituted a major the Tendulkar methodology, which country”, he added. In turn, India will pay Rs12 lakh people than the entire sub-Saharan also include spending on health and As per Plan panel’s estimates, Africa region. Two years ago, a topic for discussions in one of per annum to China. The flood education, besides calorie intake. based on the Tendulkar Committee’s government appointed commission the three sub-groups formed for data will be provided twice daily In its affidavit before the Supreme methodology, 40.74 crore people estimated that one in three Indians discussion in today’s Strategic between June and October every Economic Dialogue (SED). Court, the Planning Commission were poor as on March 1, 2005. live below the poverty line. year. has stated that a person with India’s population is 121 crore consumption of up to Rs 32 per day as per the 2011 Census. High Adopt a pet today! 713-869-7722 would be considered poor in urban quality global journalism requires Visit www.houstonspca.org areas. The per capita consumption investment. limit in rural area has been fixed at Prime minister Manmohan Learn more by visiting their website today! Rs 26 a day. Singh faces a growing political
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
INDIA
30 September 30, 2011
Sonia Steps in to Defuse Crisis
NEW DELHI (HT): With finance minister Pranab Mukherjee back from his visit to the US, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday stepped in to end the five-day-old political crisis triggered by a controversial note by his ministry on 2G spectrum allocation. The note had suggested lapses on the part of senior minister P Chidambaram, who was then finance minister, in preventing the 2G spectrum scam. Gandhi first had a 25-minute
Mukherjee spoke to waiting mediapersons outside Gandhi’s residence. The much-anticipated meeting between the two is yet to take place. But law minister Salman Khurshid came up with an explanation that some Congress leaders indicated could resolve misgivings between the two stalwarts. “Even if we take facts in the finance ministry note to be correct, the inferences drawn (blaming Chidambaram for the 2G scam) are not correct. If anyone
meeting with Chidambaram, who is understood to be upset at the note prepared in March this year. Mukherjee, who drove straight to his North Block office from the airport after describing Chidambaram as “a pillar of strength”, was next. He was closeted with Gandhi for 45 minutes. Neither Chidambaram nor
reads the document with common sense, he will reach the same conclusion,” Khurshid said. Asked whether Mukherjee agreed with him, the law minister replied: “I hope he endorses my opinion.” HT has learnt that Chidambaram presented a chronology of T:6” the government’s internal correspondence during his days
as finance minister, particularly during the period between 200708 when the alleged scam over the allocation of 2G spectrum took place. The home minister is understood to have pointed out that he consistently favoured the auction route for allocation of 2G spectrum. Mukherjee, in his meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on Sunday and with Gandhi on Monday evening, is believed to have explained the reasons, which led to preparation of the note. The cabinet secretariat in January decided to set up an informal group of officials from the p r i m e minister’s office (PMO) and the finance ministry to draft a status report on the alleged scam to enable all government departments to be on the same page on the subject. With the government in a major damage-control mode, Mukherjee’s top priority is to put a lid on the controversy.
Babulbhai
LEGAL NOTICE GAME NAME / ODDS
$
Official Close of Game
End Validations Date
1331
20X The Money - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.18
$5
10/10/11
04/07/12
1314
Spin To Win - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.73
$2
10/28/11
04/25/12
1352
$250,000 Bingo - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.14
$10
10/29/11
04/26/12
1267
Bonus Word Crossword - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.44
$3
11/30/11
05/28/12
1303
$100,000 Jackpot - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.82
$5
11/30/11
05/28/12
1316
Loteria® Texas - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.99
$3
11/30/11
05/28/12
1323
Triple Cash - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.85
$1
11/30/11
05/28/12
1324
Texas Lottery Black II - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.32
$10
11/30/11
05/28/12
T:4”
GAME #
For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-37LOTTO. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas Education. © 2011 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.
KCHN AM 1050
RELIGIOUS SERVICES RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Every Sunday 10 AM to 1 PM CST Live at www.radiohungama.net Contact: Sridar Dadi at 1
281-217-9736
These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games will be closing soon:
Sri Guruvayurappan Temple hours Mon-Friday : 6-8 AM; 6:30 -8:00 PM; Weekends & Holidays 6:00-11:00 AM; ( Krishna) Temple 5:30-8:30 PM. Kerala’s Tantric pooja system followed. 713-729-8994 • www.guruvayur.us. Located: 11620 Ormandy Street TX4946_IANS_EOG_ASIA_0930.indd
Saved at
Job info houstonradio@yahoo.com Job #
Kripalu Kunj Ashram (SKKA) is organizing a children’s contest on scriptural verses, related Shri Kripalu Kunj • Shri Tommy Salazar / Tommy TOMMYKrishna. Sunday 9 Oct, 4:00 Printed At None from to Shri by pm - 6:30 pm. (Mahaprasad after the event) Eligibility: Ashram Children 6-15 years. Register by October 2, 2011 email: skkasecretary@gmail.com or call : 713-344-1321 Approvals Fonts & Images 713-775-6588, 713-344-1321. Registration is required to ensure participation.
9-21-2011 3:01 PM
None Creative Dir TX4946 Sri Ashtalakashmi Temple, JET USAFonts Houston Chapter invites you to the Grand Celebrations None Client Art Director Helvetica (Black), Helvetica Neue (77 Bold TX Lottery JAI SRIMANof Deepavali, Acharya Thirunakshatram, Sri Rama Kratuvu, and Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam None Headline/Tag OCTOBER EOG Copywriter Condensed, 65 Medium, 85 Heavy, 57 ConNARAYANA! from October 26th to October 31st, 2011. Please us in celebrating this Historic 6-day Event ALVARO CIFUENTES Trim Account Mgr densed), Timesjoin (Regular) 6” x 4” in the Proofreader Divine presence Noneof His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. Bleed None Live Images None For more information, please visit: www.ashtalakshmi.org Ph: (281) 498-2344 Notes Color Setup BW None Vendor/Pub AMERICAN NEWS INDO AMERICAN NEWSINDO • Friday, sept 30, 2011• Due: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM 09/23 Inks Media Type Newspaper Pub: 09/30 Black Die Cut None
Weekly Classifieds: 713-789-6397
281-498-2344
September 30, 2011
31
Udavum Karangal of USA & Madras Pavilion proudly present 10th Annual event to benefit Udavum karangal Band HUN (Hariyudan Naan) An enchanting evening of heart warming lilting tunes from Indian movies, Colonial Cousins, fusion, folk, and Ghazals! Amazing young performers! Finalists in world famous TV reality show which ran over one year with Music Legend “Padmashree”
Hariharan!!
Scintillating tunes from 1960’s to now!!!
Crossing all language boundaries through music... uston In Ho .m. 7.30p Ave h t 4 1 tution i t t s c n O o 15 C Friday e r —1 4 t n e C 7477 vic exas 7 ord Ci f T f , a t d r o Old S Staff llas In Da th
t 16 m. y, Oc er 3p. Sunda 824 t n e C 226 4 rts 6 A 4 6 e l i l i nv aman at Gra or Raj 1 6 9 32 5 214 2 a y m a R Checks payable to Udavum Karangal of USA
Donatio ns/Tick ets $25,$5 0,$100 & Abov $15 [ in e Dinner dividual] Include d Balcony Seating [ Dinne r NOT 7:30-D included inner ] 8 : 1 5 Program Tickets through www.tic kets2ev ents.co m
Contact : Padmini 713-829-2040 Rajan : 832-656-7861 Alpa: 832-428-4470
Net proceeds will benefit Udavum Karangal. Visit www.udavumkarangal.org
Mankind Mankind Dentistry Dentistry of of Katy Katy 929S. S.Mason MasonRd., Rd.,Katy, Katy,TX TX77450 77450 929 929 S. Mason Rd., Katy, TX 77450
Ph:281-579-6066 281-579-6066 Fax:281-579-6045 281-579-6045 818-517-9779 •••Fax: Ph: Ph: 281-579-6066 Fax: 281-579-6045 sumitjindal@hotmail.com sumitjindal@hotmail.com sumitjindal@hotmail.com
Dr. Sumit Sumit Jindal, Jindal, DDS DDS Dr.
—General Generaland andCosmetic CosmeticDentistry Dentistry — — General and Cosmetic Dentistry —Advanced AdvancedRestorative RestorativeDentistry Dentistry — — Advanced Restorative Dentistry —Equipped Equippedwith withcomputerized computerizedinjection injectiontechnique technique — — Equipped with computerized injection technique —CAD CAD///CAM CAMTechnology Technology — — CAD CAM Technology —CT CTScan Scanused usedfor fortreatment treatmentplanning planning — — CT Scan used for treatment planning —InIn Inhouse housedental dentallab lab(Rush (Rushdelivery, delivery,crown, crown,bridge bridge — — house dental lab (Rush delivery, crown, bridge anddentures dentureswithin within333days) days) and and dentures within days) —All Alldental dentalwork workguaranteed guaranteed — — All dental work guaranteed MostMajor MajorInsurances InsurancesAccepted Accepted Most Most Major Insurances Accepted
“Keepaaahealthy healthymouth, mouth,Live LiveaaaHealthy HealthyLife” Life” “Keep “Keep healthy mouth, Live Healthy Life” INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
IA News News © © 2011 2011 IA
Weaccept acceptMedicaid Medicaid,,,CHIP CHIP •••We We accept Medicaid CHIP Freeexam examand andconsultation consultationfor forthe the ••• Free Free exam and consultation for the monthofof ofApril, April,2011 2011 month month April, 2011 EasyPayment PaymentPlans Plansavailable available •••Easy Easy Payment Plans available 15%off offfor forthe theElderly Elderlyand andDisabled Disabled •••15% 15% off for the Elderly and Disabled SaturdayAppointments Appointmentsavailable available •••Saturday Saturday Appointments available
INDIA
32 September 30, 2011
Gargantuan Earthquakes Predicted in Northern India by Seismologists
By Pallava Bagla SIKKIM (Outlook): The most dangerous place in the world today, is the Indian subcontinent,” former US president Bill Clinton has remarked, speaking from a geopolitical perspective. Equally, seismologists are alarmed by their assessments, and by the recent Richter 6.8 earthquake in Sikkim. The Sikkim temblor, they say, is merely a nudge from the earth. A monster quake could be waiting to happen. There’s no predicting when and where in seismology. The Himalayan faultline, many geologists have concluded, is at places like a spring coiled tight, waiting to release that titanic potential energy as shock waves across the surface of the earth. It is more dangerous than nuclear bombs and lurks right under our feet, across South Asia. It can strike without warning across all big cities of north India. “A time-bomb is ticking away,” says Prof C.P. Rajendran, a palaeoseismologist at the Centre for Earth Sciences, IISc-Bangalore. Harsh Gupta, noted seismologist and former secretary in the Union ministry of earth sciences shares his concern. The basis for this prognosis is the unique geological history of India. Landmasses are but what is visible, above the sealine, of continental plates floating on an
ocean of magma at the earth’s core. Some 71 million years ago, the Indian subcontinent started drifting from the African landmass, moved northwards and eventually, over the course of millions of years, collided with the huge Asian landmass. Since then, the Indian plate is being pushed under the Asian landmass at the rate of 5 centimetres per year. The extent across which this push-and-shove is taking place—from Afghanistan to Arunachal Pradesh, an arc of some 2,400 kilometres—leaves lakhs of square kilometres of the continent under threat of a monster quake. The Himalayas, rising every year by some 5 millimetres, are a looming testimony to the intensity of the subterranean wrestling of plates, the danger building up. Northern India has witnessed some really big earthquakes in the past. The 1897 Shillong quake (magnitude 8.7) packed maximum energy, but the casualty figure was some 1,500 due to sparse population. But it left an indelible mark: the Shillong plateau rose 11 metres. In 1934, the Bihar-Nepal earthquake, of the same magnitude as the Shillong one, claimed 10,000 lives. Both quakes were the result of a big rupture in the crust of the earth, a shearing of plates as they rubbed against each other at the faultline, releasing pent-up stress in seismic waves of uncontainable
energy. According to an estimate published in the journal Science by Vinod K. Gaur of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore,
on data from previous monster earthquakes. Vineet Gahalaut, a seismologist at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad, says,
A 8.5 to 9.0 Richter scale size earthquake is predicted across major cities in North India, though it is uncertain when and where
a leading Indian seismologist, great earthquakes anticipated in the region have a revisit time of some 500 years. Roger Bilham, a seismologist at the University of Colorado, says, “The Himalayas are ruptured, along less than half of their extent.” This means tremendous strain is building up every day. Bilham says the stress along the Himalayan faultline, lying a little north of Delhi, hasn’t been relieved in nearly 600 years: the last monster struck in 1505. He estimates two lakh fatalities, should a monster earthquake strike based
“We expect a great earthquake somewhere in the central seismic region, between Dehradun and Kathmandu, because nothing has happened to relieve the tension.” Cities like New Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad and Patna lie within striking distance. “Almost 70 per cent of Delhi will be flattened,” says Gupta. “The city stands on soft, alluvial kind soil, and most of the new buildings are on the flood plains of the Yamuna. Huge earthquakes can lead to a phenomenon called liquefaction— the soft soil becomes like a gluey
To Subscribe, visit us Online today!
www.iamdailydeal.com For Trade Inquiries Call
713-789-NEWS (6397)
832-368-4012
“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”
Stay tuned every Sunday,
HIREN JOSHI
to from 3.30pm to 4.30pm
832-646-2116
hjoshi7@hotmail.com
www.shobajoshi.com
SHOBA JOSHI
ON AM 1320 Geetanjali Radio Sat & Sun 2-6 PM For your business ads
Cell:832-878-4338 Tel:281-265-3498 - 713-545-4749 Fax:281-265-3498 713-932-8037 shobajoshi999@gmail.com INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
mass and buildings simply sink.” He says the March 11 Japan earthquake (magnitude 9) and the simultaneous tsunami was an eye-opener. Earthquakes of 9+ magnitude are extremely rare: only four or five such mega earthquakes are known. The Richter and other scales are logarithmic (base 31.6), a magnitude 9 earthquake can be said to be 30,000 times bigger than one of magnitude 8: therefore, the Sikkim quake (magnitude 6.8) was thousands of times smaller than the Japan quake. In a 2007 assessment, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) found 59 per cent of India “vulnerable to moderate or severe seismic hazards”. Buildings in suburban areas are “non-engineered and built without adhering to earthquake-resistant construction principles.... Modern reinforced cement concrete buildings are built often without compliance to building codes”. Are we sitting on a timebomb? S.S. Rai, a seismologist at NGRI, Hyderabad, gives an emphatic “yes”. “Deactivating this bomb is easy—if only we would make all our structures quakeresistant,” says Rajendra. After all, earthquakes don’t kill; the killers are the buildings that collapse. The government and public at present seem to be doing nothing about these predictions.
September 30, 2011
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
33
SPORTS
34 September 30, 2011
Pace Cupboard Bare, India Left Groping for Options
NEW DELHI (TOI): India’s limited pace-bowling resources are giving the team management and national selectors sleepless nights ahead of the five-match one-day series against England, which begins from October 14. The injury-ravaged Indian team’s bowling woes on the recent tour of England - where the team failed to win a single game - have prompted MS Dhoni and Co to seriously mull the idea of falling back on veteran left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra. Nehra, too, has blown hot and cold on the fitness front throughout his career and though his current fitness status is satisfactory, it remains to be seen if the selectors veer around to the team management’s point of
view and pick him against England. The team management, though, believes that with spearhead Zaheer Khan still unavailable, Nehra’s experience may come in handy. Nehra’s fitness has been an issue with selectors in the past but under the circumstances, the team management says it has little option. “Nehra’s name will be considered. The team needs experienced hands,” a team source told TOI on Sunday. The selectors, however, may look beyond the likes of Zaheer and Nehra and give upcoming bowlers the opportunity now. So names like Varun Aaron - who was not given an opportunity in England - and
Umesh Yadav (if fit) are already doing the rounds. Keeping the upcoming Australia tour in mind, the selectors may be tempted to rest Ishant Sharma and S Sreesanth. It is learnt that reputations may go for a toss when the selectors meet during the Irani Trophy match. Munaf Patel is certain to miss more than three months of international cricket due to the ankle fracture he suffered during the Cardiff ODI and so Praveen Kumar remains the only certainty for the upcoming series. Munaf is on crutches and didn’t travel back home with the team from England. His availability for the Australia series is also in doubt. However, there’s good news for India on the batting front. Regular o p e n e r s Virender S e h w a g and Gautam Gambhir may be fit for selection. With some of youngsters like opener Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya R a h a n e performing well in England, there may not be many new faces in the batting lineup. Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, though, have yet to officially confirm their availability. Manoj Tiwary could also fancy his chances of making the cut in place of the injured M u m b a i batsman Rohit Sharma. In the spin department, a fit Harbhajan
2011
Winter Taped Ball Cricket Tournament
Infodat
CUP
All matches are played: - On full pitches and full grounds - With a semi-hard ball - Exclusively on Saturdays Participating Teams
ACC BZCC CMCC I
CMCC II ECC HOCC I
HOCC II HTICC JCC
STYXCC WCC I WCC II
www.htbc.net
The Indian team is now depending on left arm seamer Ashish Nehra, as the rest of the members have been injured in some way or other
Singh is back in contention because of his remarkable record at home, though it’s still not clear whether he will walk into the team. The other four spinners in
contention are R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha and Rahul Sharma. Out of these five, only three are expected to make the cut.
Miandad Slams PCB Over ‘Ill-treatment’
KARACHI (Dawn): Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad expressed shock over the illtreatment by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as it has sent the former captain Chairman Box ‘B’
the passes and will be watching the matches on television.” Miandad, who was appointed the Ambassador of China Cricket, said the PCB doesn’t have respect for director-general and governing body. Miandad said the PCB patron — President Asif Ali Zardari — also showed solidarity with rain and flood affected people of Sindh by declaring T20 a “fundraiser for the affectees”. Miandad, former Pakistan captain “It was the passes for the Faysal Bank T20 president’s vision that he issued Cup, which commenced here at the directives to shift the event to National Stadium. Karachi because of spread of “Being director-general and dengue in Lahore. member Governing Board of the Likewise, Sindh Advisor Sports PCB I can tolerate these kind of Haleem Adil Shaikh has also things. But don’t treat legendary expressed surprise that the chief Hanif Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas, minister was not invited as the Moin Khan, Shoaib Mohammad chief guest at the opening ceremony and others in the same fashion,” as decided during the organizing said an angry Miandad. committee’s meeting. “I am humiliated, and returning
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 30, 2011
For More Information Call 713-829-6979
Mayor Annise Parker City of Houston Chief Guest
Hon. Sanjiv Arora
Consul General of India Guest of Honor
gandhilibrary.org
Meena Datt Radio Diva Emcee
Sunday October 2, 2011 6-8pm 6-8 6-8 8pm 8p Miller O Mill Outdoor td Theater Th t / Free F Admission Ad i i
light a candle for peace Register Online!
Creative Writing Contest iTribute Multimedia Contest Poster Contest Speech and Debate Contests
Come one come all...kids and kids at heart enjoy International Dance & Music, Face Painting, Storytelling, Balloons, Arts & Crafts & Gandhi Photo Exhibition
Gandhi Darshan Exhibit Location TBD
Heroes for Peace
Houston Childrens Museum
A Force More Powerful Walk for Peace Register Online!
“Be the change you wish to see...” - Mahatma Gandhi INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
35
36 September 30, 2011
Diplomacy Under Way to De-escalate Crisis
By Baqir Sajjad Syed ISLAMABAD (Dawn): As Islamabad and Washington continued discussions over latest round of crisis in their troubled relations spurred by allegations linking ISI to the Haqqani network, Pakistan opened consultations with some of its close allies over the tense situation. The highlight of a series of meetings in Islamabad was a meeting between Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and US Ambassador Cameron Munter. The meeting took place shortly after Munter had returned to Islamabad from Washington. It is understood that the meeting was a follow-up of the discussions Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Foreign Secretary Bashir had with American officials in New York for resuscitating the troubled ties. Retiring US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff had accused the ISI of being complicit with the Haqqani network in the Sept 13 attack in Kabul near the US Embassy and a bomb attack that wounded 77 American soldiers. The charges, the most serious yet levelled by the US against Pakistan, were categorically rejected both by civilian and military leadership of the country. At the Sunday’s extraordinary conference of corps commanders, the army clearly hinted that it would want the situation to be defused. Nevertheless, it desires to stand firm on its stance and insists on respect for the red lines. In a clear indication that the situation is still critical, Army Chief Gen Kayani cancelled at the eleventh hour his scheduled trip to the UK where he was to address the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal College of Defence Studies and meet British Defence Minister Liam Fox. No reasons were officially given for the cancellation of the visit, but a security official said it was
Job Posting:
related to heightened tensions with the US. Meanwhile, Vice Premier of China Meng Jianzhu in a meeting with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne discussed “the emerging geo-strategic situation of the region”. The Chinese leader was quoted by the ISPR as having praised “the role played by the armed forces of Pakistan in the fight against terror”. The issue also came up during Jianzhu’s meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari. Salim Saifullah Khan, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters that he and other officials held talks with diplomats to explain Pakistan’s stand as the United States pushes the Pakistani army to go after the Haqqani network. “We have been meeting with diplomats with the purpose to convey Pakistan’s point of view, and also that they should make the United States understand that we have sacrificed so much,” he said without naming the countries with which the discussions had taken place. President Zardari, who made a rare appearance at a reception hosted by the Saudi Embassy to celebrate the Kingdom’s national day, spoke about Saudi support for Pakistan at critical junctures. “Every difficult moment in our history has witnessed us standing together in mutual support and solidarity,” Zardari was quoted in a statement issued by the presidency. The media remained full of speculations about Saudi intervention in the dispute over the Haqqani network. A team of Saudi counter-terrorism and security officials that reached Islamabad for participating in joint military exercises was mistaken as a group of intelligence officials that had flown in to talk with ISI chief
Lt Gen Shuja Pasha on American allegations. In a later twist it was said that Gen Pasha, following a Saudi message, dashed to Riyadh for continuing the talks. However, military spokesman Maj Gen Ather
PAKISTAN
said that troops were too busy countering cross-border attacks from Afghanistan and local Pakistani militants in other parts of the tribal belt to take on the Haqqanis. “These are kind of more pressing issues that we have to
Meng Jianzhu, the Vice Premier of the Peoples Republic of China called on General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Abbas rejected the reports and said that Gen Pasha was in Islamabad and the visiting Saudi team was here for military exercises. AFP adds: Pakistan will not launch an offensive against the Haqqani network despite Washington ramping up the pressure, an official said. “I don’t think the indicators are as such,” a senior Pakistani security official told AFP when asked if the army was going to launch an operation in North Waziristan. Instead, he said, the military needs to “consolidate gains” made against local militants who pose a security threat elsewhere in the tribal region. The official
tackle. We have to consolidate the gains in Mohmand and in other tribal and north-western regions after a series of operations in these areas,” he said. “As for North Waziristan, the army has at least five brigades there, which is enough to take care of the situation. There is a complete tribal structure in the region to help security forces deal with the militants and outlaws.”
PART TIME PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
KTRK-TV, an ABC O&O located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a Part-Time Production Assistant. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants a career in broadcast journalism. Duties include, but are not limited to, sorting newscast scripts and running the teleprompter. There may also be opportunity to write and edit stories. Candidates must be willing to work overnights, weekends, and holidays. College degree preferred. Preference will be given to those with previous experience in a television newsroom. No relocation assistance provided. All interested candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers. com by uploading a resume file. Please reference Job ID: 5194BR on all materials submitted. No phone calls please. Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Pakistani Tribesmen threaten US
L A N D I K O TA L ( D a w n ) : Hundreds of Pakistani tribesmen threatened the United States with holy war, lashing out at demands for action against Al-Qaedalinked Haqqani extremists based in Pakistan. The recent attacks on its embassy in Kabul and a Nato base in Afghanistan, with Pakistani intelligence involvement, Washington now says it is considering branding the network a terror group. Hundreds of tribesmen gathered in Landikotal, a town on Pakistan’s northwestern border with Afghanistan, mobilised by religious party Jamaat-e-Islami to protest against the United States. Waving party flags and wearing ribbons inscribed with Koranic verses, dozens of tribesmen joined the throng armed with Kalashnikovs, an AFP reporter said. “We announce the holy war against America if they attack Pakistan,” Siraj-Ul-Haq, the party’s deputy head, told the gathering. “The whole nation will wage a jihad against America and will fight against them shoulder to shoulder with Pakistani armed forces,” Haq added.
September 30, 2011
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
37
38 September 30, 2011
Power Of Sun to Quench Thirst of Animals in Summer
By JBS Umanadh HYDERABAD (DH): Plateaus suffer from severe water shortage during the dry season. In an effort to quench the thirst of tigers, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has installed the first of its kind environment-friendly solar-
based water pump at the Farahabad in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. The Farahabad plateau, with its rich natural resources, has been home to wildlife that faces severe water scarcity especially during summer. The WWF hopes that the
Since 1986 in Houston
RIDDHI DESAI ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR IN HOUSTON
INDIA
clean and noiseless energy system inaugurated recently by Hitesh Srisailam and Nagarjuna Tiger will ensure water availability for Malhotra, Chief Wildlife Warden, Reserve area. the wildlife during the hot and dry Andhra Pradesh Forest Department; “We are happy that the WWF has season. consists of a DC submersible pump come forward to provide a clean The Nagarjunasagar reserve and has been installed inside a very energy system in the tiger reserve spreads over the five districts old well in the Farahabad penta where there is severe water scarcity of Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, (village). The pump with the help of in the summer months. Water was Kurnool, Prakasam and Guntur solar energy will pump up water to being brought in water tankers in Andhra Pradesh. The from Mannanur, 20 Krishna river flows through km uphill. The new the reserve over a distance of mechanism will make 130 km. The multipurpose water available at the reservoirs, Srisailam and site itself,” Malhotra Nagarjunasagar, which observed. are important sources of Anil Epur, irrigation and power in Chairman, WWF, the state, are located in the said “the WWF reserve. The reservoirs and has been providing temples of Srisailam are infrastructure support major attraction for a number such as wireless sets, of tourists and pilgrims. vehicles and also T h e a r e a i s h i l l y, setting up of base considerably varying from camps besides building plains to precipitous cliffs. the capacities of the More than 80 per cent of the Summer has made water scarce at the Nagarjunasagar forest department staff Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. The solar powered area is gently rolling to hilly. pump draws water from a deep well to quench the on wildlife crimes The hill ranges contain a thirst of Tigers and other animals through motivation number of plateaus of which workshops and Amrabad, Srisailam, Peddacheruvu, an overhead tank installed on a 33- training to the forest communities Sivapuram and Nekkanti are famous foot high tower. The solar panel is on sustainable livelihood options. among tourists. fitted on top of the overhead tank. The solar-powered pump has The Wildlife is generally confined Water will be stored in this tank provision for not only wildlife to plateaus during monsoon and the overflowing water will use but also for the local Chenchu and in valleys during summer. be discharged to a few nearby families that reside in the Farahabad The perennial water sources are water percolation tanks and check plateau.” generally located in the valleys dams. The water will also be The WWF hopes that plenty of and the plateaus suffer from acute utilised for developing fodder drinking during summer season scarcity for water during summer. plots for the herbivores like Nilgai, will prevent the wild animals from T h e s o l a r- p o w e r e d d e e p Cheetal, Barking Deer, Barasingha entering nearby villages and tribal well pumping system that was which live in good numbers in the hamlets.
Why India is a Poor Country
NEW DELHI (IE): Last week, the Planning Commission proved that its smug, cloistered officials have never met a poor Indian. If they had they would have known that beggars and homeless people in Delhi and Mumbai need Rs 100 a day just to survive. All of it goes on food. By telling the Supreme Court that Indians living in cities could not be officially poor if they spent more than Rs 965 a month, and in villages if they spent more than Rs 781, the Planning Commission showed how insulated it has become. But, its ludicrous assessment gives us a chance to examine why millions of Indians remain desperately poor despite thousands of crore rupees being
poured into their welfare annually. The truth is that we have failed to remove poverty in India because we have gone about it the wrong way. We have invested in massive, unmanageable centralised schemes that spend more on administrative costs than on delivering benefits. An anti-poverty scheme that costs taxpayers thousands of crore rupees often ends up delivering no more than Rs 100 to a beneficiary. It is estimated that we spend seven rupees on
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
a rupee’s worth of aid. So our poverty alleviation schemes have become as useless as the Planning Commission. Perhaps because they have been devised by the same sort of officials who inhabit Yojana Bhawan.
September 30, 2011
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
39
40 September 30, 2011 SAMSKRITI
Indian Performing Arts, Proudly presents The Repertory Dance Company from India’s premier dance institute
Under the leadership of its Director, Padma Shree Leela Samson IN ITS FIRST NORTH AMERICAN PERFORMANCE, OF CHENNAI RD International Conference As p art o f S amskriti’s 3 INDIAN DANCE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT
Saturday, October 1 & Sunday, October 2, 2011 SPANDA ( vibration) Honorary Chairpersons
Hon. Mr. Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India & Mrs. Chhaya Arora Convener: Anuradha Subramanian Keynote Speaker: Leela Samson, Director, Kalakshetra Panelists: Anita Ratnam (India), Lata Pada (Canada), Uttara Coorlawala (New York), Daniel Singh (Washington, DC), Mythili Prakash (California) CONFERENCE : Oct 1, 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM – INDIA HOUSE Oct 2, 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM – ANJALI CENTER KALAKSHETRA PERFORMANCE: SATURDAY, OCT 1, 8.00 PM CULLEN PERFORMANCE HALL, WORTHAM CENTER Tickets: Performance -‐ $100, $50, $30 (Reserved), $20 (Open seating)
For online purchase: www.tickets2events.com For information: www.samskritihouston.org 281 265 ARTS/832 275 9656/281 565 9483/281 242 4914/832 654 9444/979 240 9496
CONFERENCE: FREE!!!
This program has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, and with the help of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, India, The Consulate of India in Houston, Goradia Foundation, Anu & Mani Subramanian, and our Arts Partners - Asia Society Texas Center, Bharathi Kalai Manram, Abhinaya School of Dance, Anjali Center for Performing Arts, Darshi’s School of Dance, Nritya School of Dance and Silambam School of Bharatanatyam
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
TOURISM
September 30, 2011
Marriott International is Focusing More on India
S. Ramakrishnan NEW DELHI (GR): Marriott International is planning to set up 100 hotels in India by the year 2015. At present it has two hotels in India under the brand name JW Marriott. The first hotel in Mumbai was opened a decade back. Recently it opened another hotel in the planned city of Chandigarh. It is JW Marriott’s 13th property in India and altogether it has 53 JW Marriott properties worldwide. Marriott International has 3500 hotels in 70 countries and 30 million Marriott Reward members. Compared to its international scale of operations, Indian operations form only a very small part. But it is giving more importance to India because of the growth potential of the country. India is already recognized as the fourth largest economic power in the world, next to USA, China and Germany. In Asia it is the second highest economic power next to China. In terms of purchasing power, India is third largest in the world. Therefore, Marriott is sensing a big opportunity in India in the near-future. It also opened recently its 179-room Courtyard in Pune and 364-room Jaipur Marriott. In 12 years of operations in India, it has now 15 hotels. In another four years, this number will increase to 100. Marriott International Inc is listed in New York Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of more than $10 billion. One aspect of the company’s expansion in India is that these hotels are not going to be concentrated only in big cosmopolitan and metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai etc but will be spread over important places across entire India. This will boost the hotel’s brand image and its Indian operations will be firmly entrenched in future. At the international level, Marriott uses 20 sub-brands. In India, is has used 5 sub-brands so far. It may use more brands when it increases its final tally to 100 properties by 2015. Even small and satellite cities like Gurgaon, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bilaspur, Kochi, Guwahati, Raipur, Ludhiana, Shillong, Jalandhar, Bhopal and Amritsar will be covered in the expansion. Marriott’s properties come under the divisions namely Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East & Africa. Among these divisions, Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region. In Asia-Pacific, India is the fastest growing country. Therefore, one can understand the importance attached to India. Marriott has 60 properties in China, but growth in China is lopsided and coming only in the Eastern coastal region highlighting Shanghai port city. But in India, growth is sensed across all regions including the East. The growing income and with it the purchasing power has helped Indians to travel across the world and do business. Earlier, all international hotels including Marriott had their customer mix as 70% foreign
travellers and 30% Indians. Today, the ratio has reversed with 70% of the customers coming from India itself and 30% from foreign countries. The economic slowdown and debt crisis in USA and Europe has compounded the problems of foreign business travellers and tourists arriving in India. At the same time, the prosperity and boom in India has helped Indians to spread their wings out. In India, the Rahejas are helping Marriott to develop properties in vital places like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai. Rahejas are well experienced in real estate and construction activities and can give timely advice on acquiring properties. Marriott has tweaked its Fairfield Inn and Courtyard brands to suit the needs of the Indian customer. It launched an economy band Fairfield Inn in India to suit Indian customers. The Courtyard looks different in USA. But in India, Marriott has added an executive lounge and free high-speed internet. A team from US spent six
months, studying the needs of local people in India, before finalising the features of Fairfield Inn. At Manesar, these new features have been incorporated for the first time in Fairfield Inn. It has larger rooms, a three-means-a-day restaurant serving Indian and Western cuisine and a bar. India contributes 10% of Marriott’s annual revenue of $2.5 billion from Asia-Pacific region. In future, this share is expected to increase. Marriott introduced the “voyager” program in India, under which graduates from varied backgrounds are asked to undergo a rigorous two-year training programme at group properties across India before graduating as assistant managers. The success of this programme has prompted Marriott to extend this to other parts of Asia also. In addition to hiring people of right aptitude from right places with right background, the training programme takes care of the quality part of the service offered by Marriott. There is established system in Marriott to measure guest
41
Over 70% of Indians are living an upscale life by touring India and staying at the Marriott with 30% tourists from Europe and USA
satisfaction scores periodically. Marriott has aggressive plans to increase its strength in India from 14 hotels and 3200 rooms to 100 hotels and 15000 rooms by 2015. In Ahmedabad, Marriott recently started a pure vegetarian restaurant called Shakahari. This is the first
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • friday, sept 30, 2011 • WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
vegetarian restaurant started by Marriott anywhere across the whole world. It is a success. Now Marriott is extending this vegetarian concept to Pune. In Chennai also, there is a lot of potential as many people with high purchasing power are vegetarians.
42 September 30, 2011
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • Friday, sept 30, 2011• WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 30, 2011
Extended by Popular Demand
Sugar Land Madras Pavilion 9th Anniversary Celebrations
CUSTOMER APPRECIATION MONTH
October
Any type of DOSA or UTHAPPAM
$4.00
Valid for dine-in for dinner only, Not valid at lunch or carry out. The offer is valid only at Sugar Land location only during the month of September. One Dosa Or Uthappam Per Customer At Special Apprecaition Pice
Other Locations
16260 Kensington Dr, Sugar Land, Texas 77479
281-491-DOSA 713-256-5441
WWW.THEMADRASPAVILION.COM
Houston Austin Dallas
713-521-2617
512-719-5575
972-671-3672
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
43 3
44 September 30, 2011
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM