Saathee Raleigh March 2023

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

Saathee.com

March 2023

March 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

Springtime Events: pg 18

Science Vs. The Arts: pg 32

Recipe: Malpua: pg 66

Classifieds: New Job Listings: pg 92

To become a Food Vendor call: 336-430-7961

This event is open to everyone! The more the merrier. Music, food vendors, wine and a lot of fun.

ADMISSION: $5 per person and one canned item per family member to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.

For Tickets or more info call:

Tushar Zaver: 336.430.7961, Sanjay Patel: 336.471.6242 or Sanjay Tarasaria: 336.493.2062

Ticket Presale: Saathee.com/gcap-holi or visit: eventbrite.com/e/holi-2023-tickets-541812705387

Location: Raylen Vineyards 3577 US-158 , Mocksville, NC 27028

Hello Readers!

We present to you Saathee’s newly designed website: Saathee.com. Please take a few moments to visit and look around. We will continue to post all your favorites there - original Saathee articles, videos, upcoming movies, recipes, classified ads, important regional and international news and more. Our task is to make it even more useful for you, through accurate and reliable information. We welcome comments and suggestions to help us improve the website. Send a short email with your suggestions and ideas to: Samir@Saathee.com.

In the meantime, in this issue we have ….

The essay “Virtual Shadows” about the incoming AI revolution and its unknowable impacts. Find it on page 14.

The essay "Science Vs. The Arts: A Teenage Story” is on page 32. See how to make “Malpua” in our recipe on page 66. Looking for a life partner, a job, or a new business? Check our classifieds section on page 92 and 93.

Thank you for continuing to read Saathee and please share it with family and friends. We welcome conversations. Connect with us via email: saathee@saathee.com.

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

March 2023 Issue # 298

- Saathee.comEditor Samir Shukla

(Samir@Saathee.com)

Publisher & Advertising

Divakar Shukla

704-527-7570 or rakavid@aol.com

Digital Media & Marketing

Jennifer W. Allen

Ad Design / Layout

DSJ Graphics & Manimaran

Contributors for this issue: Kirit Shukla, Taige Shukla, Shyama Parui, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Parul Kharod, Balaji Prasad, Mo Vidwans Sereena Kumar, and Jalendu Vaidya.

Mission: Our goal is to be a valuable source of information for the South Asian community and to be a vital advertising tool for businesses.

Cover: Holi Colors

Holi is one of the most popular festivals in India and among Hindus around the world. It is an ancient tradition that celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha and Krishna. The springtime festival also signifies the victory of good over evil. It is now known around the world and is celebrated with colorful powders and water playfully tossed onto each other.

- F OUNDED 1998Saathee Magazine

P.O. Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220

704.527.7570

Fax: 704.527.7590

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Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily of the publisher or editor. Please contact us prior to submitting articles or photographs.

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

- Margaret Atwood

Page 28 Film Clips: Kapil Sharma Stars in Zwigato

Content

Page 66 Recipe: Malpua

Virtual Shadows

Virtual Shadows

The Editor’s Desk

by Samir Shukla

The late afternoon sun shining through the thin, white curtains exposes blemishes strewn about the fabric. The curtains are parted in the middle, filtering the sun and creating swirling shadows on the wooden floor and the nearest wall. The curtain covers the sliding doors leading to the deck of a third-floor condo overlooking a manmade pond. Standing on that deck, on this bright day, I notice many more shadows, on the brick sidewalks, on the water, in the grass.

So many of these shadows are due to human creations - buildings, cars, the utility poles, while others are natural - the shade from a tree, birds flying low, their shadows following them, the clouds. The sun is now angled in a manner to cast long shadows. The twilight shadows.

Human intelligence and ingenuity through the ages has brought us to the shadowy world we live in today. We have always been searchers, restless explorers, and creators. Our constantly tinkering brains have built cities, global communication, and spaceships. Along with everything else in between and on the peripheries. We have recently selfcreated competition for our continued searching, exploring and creating. A competing intelligence. AI. Artificial Intelligence.

Sure, AI has been around for a while lurking in some technologies. But up to this point it has been mundane. We now have reached a juncture from which there is no going back. This burgeoning AI that we are birthing in new technologies is slowly becoming enmeshed with our daily living. It will become pervasive. This human created intelligence answers questions in conversational manner when queried on our devices. It is learning our habits. This is our own searching going further, as this new beast mines our own works, writings, and news items in our digital realms and shoots them back to us in longform answers. Other applications and surveillance technologies infusing AI, much like science fiction, is becoming fact.

Editor’s Desk continued on page 94

Photo by Mithi Shukla

Upcoming Events

Red Baraat Festival of Colors: Raleigh, NC (March 3, 2023)

The 11th annual festival of colors tour by Red Baraat makes a stop at NC State University, Raleigh, NC on Friday, March 3, 2023. Red Baraat is a pioneering band from Brooklyn, New York. Conceived by dhol player Sunny Jain, the group has drawn worldwide praise for its singular sound, a merging of hard driving North Indian bhangra with elements of hip-hop, jazz and raw punk rock energy. For details, visit Redbaraat.com.

Aag Ki Raat: Columbia, SC (March 4, 2023)

Aag Ki Raat is an annually held Bollywoodfusion dance competition with proceeds from the show will be donated to The Carolina Survivor Clinic, which provides comprehensive and holistic care for refugees. This year, Aag Ki Raat is on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, SC. Celebrate the hard work of all competing teams, appreciate shared culture, share culture with others, and push to support the refugee population of Columbia. For more details, visit Aag Ki Raat page on Facebook.

GCAP Holi Festival:

Mocksville, NC (March 11, 2023)

The Gujarati Cultural Associate of Piedmont (GCAP) will celebrate the Hindu Festival of Colors on Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 1pm to 5pm at the Raylen Vineyards in Mocksville, NC. The event is open to everyone and will include music, food, and wine.

Admission is $5 plus one canned item per person to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. Ticket presale available now at Saathee.com/gcap-holi. For more info, contact 336-430-7961.

Holi Celebrations: Carolinas (March 6 - 12, 2023)

Charlotte: The Hindu Center of Charlotte presents Holika Dahan on Monday, March 6, 2023 from 6:30 - 7:30pm. Dhuleti on Sunday March 12, 2023 beginning at 12:30pm with colors, music and food. For more details, call 704-5353440 or visit Hcclt.org.

Morrisville: Holi Mela will take place at Hindu Society of NC on Saturday, March 11, 2023 beginning at 11am. The festival features vendors, handicrafts, face painting, henna, food stalls, music, cultural performances and of course holi colors. For more details, call 919-481-2574 or visit Hsnctemple.org.

Morrisville: The Triangle Gujarati Association of NC presents TGA Holi on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 5:30pm-10:00pm at HSNC, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For details visit, Nctga.org.

Basant Bahar: Cary NC (March 12, 2023)

Hum Sub will present Ritu Rang, a firstever musical fusion performance piece put together by the Concert Singers of Cary and Indian community vocalists and instrumentalists. This is creative interpretation of Indian folklore and mythology through the medium of classical dance. For full details about Basant Bahar, visit Humsub.org/basantbahar-2023.

Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival (March 19 – 26, 2023)

Come experience the Hilton Head Wine and Food Festival during the week of March 19-26, 2023. The festival will celebrate its 38th year with many events, including local chef showcases, wine education sessions, live entertainment and the famed Grand and Public Tastings, all located in and around the iconic Harbour Town in Sea Pines Resort. Details available at Hiltonheadwineandfood.com.

Rhythm India: Charlotte, NC (March 25, 2023)

Catch the multi-faceted event "Rhythm India, Bollywood and Beyond" on Saturday, March 25, 2023 beginning at 8pm at Knight Theater, Charlotte. Rhythm India takes you on the journey of dance and celebration through Bollywood & Beyond. Experience the costumes, dynamic music, and soulful rhythms of the “ghungroo” dancing bells from the echoing heart beats of royal palaces and sacred temples, to the swaying voices of desert villages and modern stages. Created by Joya Kazi, and featuring the company dancers of Joya Kazi Unlimited as seen on screens from Bollywood to Hollywood. For more details, visit Blumenthalarts.org.

www.icc-nc.org

We

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (The Holy Bible)

Regular Activities

Sunday Worship Service: 9 AM (Dynamic Praise Time)

Children’s Sunday School & Adult Bible Study: Sundays at Noon

Sunday Love Meal: 11 AM

Wednesday Intercessory Prayer Fellowship: 7 PM

Leading

missions

Pastor: Joseph B. Jesudason

Church: 1402 E. Williams St., Apex, NC 27539

Upcoming Events

Basant Mela & Spring Festival: Charlotte, NC

(March 25, 2023)

Hindu Center of Charlotte presents a spring celebration encompassing Gudi Padva, Vaisakhi, Vishu, and Cheti Chand with a mela and cultural program featuring music and dance. There will be food stalls and vendors present as well. It takes place at the Vihar Hall. Entry is free. The Center is located at 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte. Call 704-535-3440 or visit Hcclt.org.

Flowertown Festival: Summerville, SC

(March 31 - April 2, 2023)

The festival is a fundraiser founded in 1973 to support health and wellness programs. Every spring, thousands of people visit Summerville to see nature’s bounty awash in color, from the hot pink azaleas to the purple wisteria to the delicate white dogwood. On this three-day weekend from March 31 to April 2, 2023. Enjoy one of the largest festivals in the Southeast. Details: Summervilleymca.org/flowertown.

iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival: Greenville, SC

(April 1, 2023)

The iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival benefits the community by strengthening education, workforce development, and the economic vitality of Upstate SC. Students from PreK – 12 engage in STEAM activities that directly relate to real-world careers. The festival provides a connection between industry needs and education by offering schools, businesses, and non-profits a venue to showcase opportunities in STEAM. This year’s festival will be held in downtown Greenville, SC on Saturday, April 1, 2023. For info visit, Imaginesteamsc.org/upstate.

NC Azalea Festival: Wilmington, NC (April 12 - 16, 2023)

The fest takes place between April 12 & 16, 2023 for colorful garden tours, entertainment, a waterfront street fair, fun family events and one grand parade while showcasing Wilmington’s exceptional artwork, gardens, rich history and culture. The annual parade is filled with the floats, marching units, bands, clowns, horses, visiting celebrities and the Azalea Queen. Catch fireworks over the Cape Fear River after a day at the Street Fair. Visit historic homes and churches representing 250 years of architecture during the Historic Home Tour. Find the details at Ncazaleafestival.org.

RiverRun International Film Festival: Winston-Salem, NC (April 13 - 22, 2023)

This film festival is a regional event based in Winston-Salem, NC and is one of the premier film festivals in the southeastern United States. The 11day Festival includes family-friendly, independent, and international films attracting diverse audiences from across North Carolina, the US, and world. The 25th annual Festival will be held between April 13–22, 2023. Details: Riverrunfilm.com.

Charleston Jazz Festival (April 20 -23, 2023)

The 8th annual Charleston Jaz Festival draws musiclovers from around the globe for a four-day celebration from April 20–23, 2023 to showcase the city’s jazz heritage.

Musical performances from acclaimed international headliners include Dianne Reeves, Samara Joy, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cindy Blackman Santana, and more. For info visit, Charlestonjazz.com.

Awara Hoon, Magic of the Kapoors: Morrisville, NC (April 22, 2023)

Hindi Vikas Mandal presents an evening of music, drama, dance and film with a tribute to four generations of the Kapoor family, India's film royalty. The show will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 7:15pm at Main Hall, HSNC, Morrisville, NC. Dinner will be available for purchase at 6pm. For more details, call 919-6565244 or 919-880-8529.

MerleFest: Wilkesboro, NC

(April 27 - 30, 2023)

MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country western, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the multi-day event. MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, and capital projects. For details, Merlefest.org.

Upcoming Events

North Carolina Pickle Festival: Mount Olive, NC (April 28 - 29, 2023)

Pickle lovers, get ready! The festival returns for 2023 between April 28 & 29. The award-winning Festival presented by the Mount Olive, NC Area Chamber of Commerce draws thousands to downtown Mount Olive for a funfilled, family-friendly festival. Celebrate the agricultural heritage of the area. Rides, children’s area and entertainment plus vendors and the Pickle Derby. Details: Ncpicklefest.org.

Regional Festival of India: Matthews, NC (April 29, 2023)

Zakir Hussain in Concert: Charlotte, NC (April 30, 2023)

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain will perform live in concert along with Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia. The show is at Blumenthal Theater, Charlotte, NC on Sunday, April 30, 2023. For more details and tickets info, visit Blumenthalarts.org.

Malladi Brothers Live in Concert: Charlotte, NC (May 6, 2023)

The Classical Music Association of Charlotte (CMAC), which sponsors many classical concerts during the year in Charlotte, presents a vocal concert by the Malladi Brothers, accompanied by S. Sayee Rakshith on violin and Ravishankar Bhadrachaar on mridangam. It will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2023 beginning at 4pm at Gandhi Bhavan, Hindu Center, Charlotte. For details, call 704-339-4126, 704-840-5949 or visit, Onlinecmac.org.

TAHTS Health Fair: Morrisville, NC (May 20, 2023)

The India Association of Charlotte in active partnership with the Town of Matthews will present a regional Festival of India on Saturday, April 29, 2023 from noon to 6pm at Stumptown Park. Performances at the event will present a snapshot of the broad variety of dance forms and include classical and folkdance styles from various regions of India as well as popular Bollywood dances. Come and see the Visual Art Gallery with artwork by over 40 local artists. Also be sure to try unique cuisine in a new eclectic open setting with a variety of savory Indian dishes. Admission to the event is free. Details: Iacofcarolinas.org/indiafestival.

Hum Sub Holi: Raleigh, NC (April 30, 2023)

Hum Sub organization presents the annual Holi celebration on Sunday, April 30, 2023 from noon – 4pm at Apex Nature Park. There will be free colors, food, DJ music, dancing and vendors. Entry to the event is free. For more details, visit Humsub.net.

The Triangle Area Hindu Temples and Triangle Indian American Physicians Society present their annual Health Fair on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 9am – 1pm. This is open to all NC State residents. The blood draw days are May 1 – 15, 2023 and you can select any day to have a blood sample taken at LapCorp Service Centers. There is a $25 required for registration and participants can consult with physician of their choice on the Health Fair Day. It will take place at HSNC, 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC. For more details, visit Tahts.org.

Dances of India: Charlotte, NC (May 21, 2023)

The 20th anniversary edition of annual Dances of India will take place on Sunday, May 21, 2023 beginning at 4pm. The performances can be enjoyed live and virtually via live stream. Look for more details in the next edition of Saathee as well as Saathee.com.

If your NC or SC based organization is having an event, let us know and we will post it on our website. Send the event info to

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Samir@Saathee.com

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Upcoming Movie Releases

March 3__________________________________

Zwigato (Director: Nandita Das)

Cast: Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami

Boston Stranger

(Director: Matt Ruskin)

Cast: Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, and Chris Cooper

Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (Director: Ashima Chibber)

Cast: Rani Mukerji and Anirban Bhattacharya

Moving On (Director: Paul Weitz)

Cast: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Malcolm McDowell

March 24__________________________________

Creed III (Director: Michael B Jordan)

Cast: Michael B Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and Phylicia Rashad

March 10________________________________

John Wick: Chapter 4

(Director: Chad Stahelski)

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, and Laurence Fishburne

Bheed (Director: Anubhav Sinha)

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Ashutosh Rana, and Pankaj Kapur

A Good Person (Director: Zach Braff)

Cast: Florence Pugh, Molly Shannon, and Morgan Freeman

March 31_________________________________

Han Hara Veera Mallu (Director: Krish Jagarlamudi)

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (Director: Luv Ranjan)

Cast: Shraddha Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor

Scream VI

(Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett)

Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dermot Mulroney, Hayden

Panettiere, and Courteney Cox

Champions

(Director: Bobby Farrelly)

Cast: Woody Harrelson, Cheech Marin, Kaitlin Olson, and Ernie Hudson

65 (Directors: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods)

Cast: Adam Driver, Ariana

Greenblatt, and Chloe Coleman

March 17________________________________

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

(Director: David F Sandberg)

Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, and Helen Mirren

Cast: Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Sai Kumar, and Zarina Wahab

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor

Among Thieves (Directors: John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein)

Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Hugh Grant

Bholaa (Director: Ajay Devgn)

Cast: Ajay Devgn and Tabu

Murder Mystery 2

(Director: Jeremy Garelick)

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and Mark Strong

Spinning Gold

(Director: Timothy Scott Bogart)

Cast: Jeremy Jordan, Wiz Khalifa, and Jason Isaacs

Assassin (Director: Jesse Atlas)

Cast: Bruce Willis and Andy Allo

Acid Man (Director: Alex Lehmant)

Cast: Dianna Agron and Thomas Haden Church

Champions

A former minor-league basketball coach is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined. The film, directed by Bobby Farrelly, stars Woody Harrelson, Cheech Marin, Kaitlin Olson, and Ernie Hudson. It is slated for release on March 10, 2023.

Boston Strangler

Loretta McLaughlin was the reporter who first connected the murders and broke the story of the Boston Strangler. She and Jean Cole challenged the sexism of the early 1960s to report on the city’s most notorious serial killer. Matt Ruskin directs Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, and Chris Cooper. The film is set for release on March 17, 2023.

Bheed

Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Ashutosh Rana, and Pankaj Kapur star in the Anubhav Sinha directed film Bheed (Crowd). Set during the events of the 2020 lockdown in India, the film documents the travails of citizens during this period. Look for it on March 24, 2023.

The Covenant Story of Sergeant John, who on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan is teamed with local interpreter Ahmed, who risks his own life to carry an injured John across miles to safety. Guy Ritchie directed, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Alexander Ludwig. Releases on April 21, 2023.

Zwigato

Nandita Das directs Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami in Zwigato. After losing his job as a factoryfloor manager during the pandemic, Manas becomes a driver for a food-delivery app called Zwigato. With a familiar backpack, he zips around Bhubaneswar on his motorcycle, steering through another day of customers. To help make ends meet, his wife Pratima applies for a job as cleaning staff at a mall. He is forced to confront his old-fashioned ideas about being the breadwinner. Look for the film in cinemas beginning on March 17, 2023.

Love Again

What if a random text message led to the love of your life? In this romantic comedy, dealing with the loss of her fiancé, Mira Ray sends a series of romantic texts to his old cell phone number…not realizing the number was reassigned to Rob Burns’ new work phone. A journalist, Rob is captivated by the honesty in the beautifully confessional texts. When he’s assigned to write a profile of megastar Celine Dion (playing herself in her first film role), he enlists her help in figuring out how to meet Mira in person…and win her heart. Love Again stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan. The Jim Strouse directed film releases on May 12, 2023.

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

The Karan Johar directed film is now slated for release on July 28, 2023. The film features stars Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. The news was shared by the official Twitter page of the film’s production house Dharma Productions. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani also stars Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan.

The Crew

Diljit Dosanjh will join Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon in Ektaa Kapoor’s upcoming production The Crew. This comedy of errors and mishaps is set in the struggling airline industry. The story follows three women who work and hustle to move on with life. But as they try to make their way forward, their destinies lead them to some unexpected and unwarranted situations, leading them to get caught in a web of lies. The film, directed by Rajesh Krishnan, has yet to announce a release date.

Project K

The futuristic film Project K, which features Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, and Deepika Padukone, is expected to finish filming soon, reports Bollywood Hungama. Filmmaker Nag Ashwin is putting the rest of the cast and crew together for this fantasy drama. According to Pinkvilla, the film will be released in two parts. Project K is scheduled for release in April 2024. The film is simultaneously being shot in Hindi and Telugu.

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Triangle Area - NC Deepak Parti

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Fax: 919.415.1785

Email: dparti@dijpcpa.com

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Bhupendra Patel

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Tel: 678.966.0005 Fax: 678.969.0016

Email: info@dijpcpa.com

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Science Vs. The Arts A Teenage Story Science Vs. The Arts

A Teenage Story

by Sereena Kumar

What was your passion when you were younger? Do you remember that spark you felt when you first picked up a paintbrush or a football? You were a child, simply choosing to do the activities that made you feel happy, unaware of society’s stone-cold judgments. I remember being that child; dancing around the room singing to loud pop music and doing fashion shows with my stuffed animals. My competitive high school and peer pressure made me shove that happy child in a box with the lid sealed shut so that no ounce of imagination could escape. I thought that I was doing myself a favor by abandoning what I loved and what resonated within my soul. I thought that I would gain something by looking at my friends and family, trying to ride the same path they were riding in life. Coming from a family of doctors, medicine was the obvious path. And so, with these convincing thoughts in my mind, I clicked “submit” on the application of my high school’s Medical Bioscience Academy.

“Why did you join the Medical Bioscience Academy?” That question written in green ink on the whiteboard echoed

throughout my head. It’s a simple question, right? All I have to say is why I’m planning to take this path in life. What gave me that spark, that urge to apply to this program? As I was sitting in my first period on the first day of high school, I pondered over this question and reassured myself that nobody would have the exact answer to this deep yet broad question. I was dismayed when several hands shot up and several eyes lit up when the teacher called on people. They all had the spark. They all pictured themselves as confident doctors in white lab coats with excellent posture and excellent social skills. I too will be able to see a confident doctor when I look in the mirror. Some day. I will be just like my friends. I will be just like my friends. That promise rung all throughout my head, all throughout my freshman year. I looked at my aunt, my dad, and my grandfather. All in the medical field. They were such bold and successful people. They were my superheroes and the ones I looked up to. Would I have to follow their path to be like them? I confidently answered “yes” to this question. From then on, I decided to look forward instead of getting stuck in the past and rethinking if following my family members was the right decision. It had to be the right decision if my superheroes were successfully walking on this path.

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Drop Out of the “Rat” Race

Thinking About Thinking

by Balaji Prasad

“When men sow the wind, it is rational to expect that they will reap the whirlwind.”

- Frederick Douglass

The opposite of rational is not irrational: it is rationalization! When we rationalize, we may be quite rational, except that we happen to be doing all this in a parallel universe – a very different one from the one that we actually live in.

Rationalizing rationality

It has been said that man is a rational animal. It may be more accurate to say that man is a rationalizing animal. But maybe that too is incorrect because that phrasing suggests that this rationalizing behavior is an inherent characteristic of man, and that it can’t be any other way.

The reality is that it is difficult to clearly delineate what we are born with from what we are indoctrinated with by our environment, which includes countless numbers of other people. So, it is entirely possible that you may have become a devotee of “rationality” because you are surrounded, as far as the eye can see, by worshippers of the religion of “rationality” – a religion that is unfortunately misnamed as this, instead of as “rationalization”.

Why this hair-splitting between “rationality” and “rationalization”, one may ask. As with many other things, the distinction may be in the chasm between a romance with some ideal and the reality of what that ideal really looks like when grasped and repurposed in the real world, by millions of human hands.

An irrational romance with ideas

Making this distinction with rationalization and characterizing “rational” as an ideal makes that notion seem to hold something of value, and something to aspire to. Is that true, and, if so, what is the value there?

Asking such a question may be moot if one, practically, doesn’t have the ability to make it much more than its omnipresent evil twin, “rationalizing”. But having lambasted the evil twin in such a heavy-handed manner, we do need to explain this: it has to do with the intangible nature of ideas.

Thinking continued on page 82

Brain Health Brain Health

Nutrition for Life

by Parul Kharod

According to the World Health Organization, currently more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. According to a 2020 report by the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), an estimated 5.3 million people above the age of 60 have dementia in the country.

Research studies show that prevalence of dementia in South Asia was 1.9 percent in the year 2005 and is estimated to reach 7.5 million by 2040.

Dementia results from a variety of diseases and injuries that primarily or secondarily affect the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60-70 percent of cases.

The root cause of increased memory loss and cognitive health is being attributed to increased inflammation in the body. The same factors that are affecting health of the body are also affecting health of the brain.

Some facts about the brain

• The typical brain comprises about 2 percent of the body’s total weight, but it uses 25 percent of energy.

• Your brain is 73 percent water. It takes only 2 percent dehydration to affect your attention, memory, and other cognitive skills.

• Most brain cells need glucose as its main fuel, plus some fat.

Brain in the Head + Brain in the Gut!

The gut-brain axis consists of bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or Enteric Nervous System (ENS), and the Central Nervous System (CNS), resulting in a linkage of peripheral intestinal functions with the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain.

The Enteric Nervous System, often referred to as the “second brain,” consists of an estimated 200 million to 600 million neurons. Signals travel between the CNS and ENS through the Vagus nerve.

In simple words, we have two brains – one in the head and one in the gut, and they talk to each other!

What you eat and how you feed your body has a tremendous impact on just your physical health, but also your brain health and your mood.

How to lower inflammation and reduce risk of cognitive decline?

Nutrition continued on page 82

It takes only 2 percent dehydration to affect your attention, memory, and other cognitive skills.

How Do Blood Tests Work?

How Do Blood Tests Work?

Medical laboratory scientists explain the pathway from blood draw to diagnosis and treatment

By Rodney E. Rohde and Nicholas Moore

Medical laboratory testing is the heartbeat of medicine. It provides critical data for physicians to diagnose and treat disease, dating back thousands of years. Unfortunately, laboratory medicine as a field is poorly understood by both the public and health care communities.

Laboratory medicine, also known as clinical pathology, is one of two main branches of pathology, or the study of the causes and effects of disease. Pathology covers many laboratory areas, such as blood banking and microbiology. Clinical pathology diagnoses a disease through laboratory analysis of body fluids such as blood, urine, feces and saliva. The other branch of pathology, anatomic pathology, diagnoses a disease by examining body tissues.

We are public health and medical laboratory scientists who specialize in microbiology and infectious diseases. There are a lot of steps between when your doctor orders a blood test to establishing a diagnosis. From the bedside to the lab bench, here’s how laboratory testing works.

It all starts with a specimen

When you see a doctor, sometimes a physical exam and detailed medical history are enough for them to make a diagnosis, offer recommendations or prescribe medications for your condition. There are many instances, however, where your doctor may need additional information to make an accurate diagnosis. This information is often obtained from procedures like imaging scans or blood tests.

The first step involves getting your blood drawn through a practice known as phlebotomy. A health care professional, typically a phlebotomist or a nurse, inserts a needle into a vein to collect a blood specimen.

Multiple tubes of blood may be needed, as certain tests are only performed using certain types of blood specimens. For example, one test commonly used to diagnose anemia requires blood to be collected in a

Blood Test continued on page 80

Chocolate Chemistry

Chocolate Chemistry

A food scientist explains how the beloved treat gets its flavor, texture and tricky reputation as an ingredient

By Sheryl Barringer

Whether it is enjoyed as creamy milk chocolate truffles, baked in a devilishly dark chocolate cake or even poured as hot cocoa, Americans on average consume almost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of chocolate in a year. People have been enjoying chocolate for at least 4,000 years, starting with Mesoamericans who brewed a drink from the seeds of cacao trees. In the 16th and 17th centuries, both the trees and the beverage spread across the world, and chocolate today is a trillion-dollar global industry.

As a food scientist, I’ve conducted research on the volatile molecules that make chocolate taste good. I also developed and taught a very popular college course on the science of chocolate. Here are the answers to some of the most frequent questions I hear about this unique and complex food.

How does chocolate get its characteristic flavor?

Chocolate starts out as a rather dull-tasting bean, packed into a pod that grows on a cacao tree. Developing the characteristic flavor of chocolate requires two key steps: fermentation and roasting.

Immediately after harvest, the beans are piled under leaves and left to ferment for several days. Bacteria create the chemicals, called precursors, needed for the next step: roasting.

Chocolate continued on page 52

The Importance of Natya Sastra

The Importance of Natya Sastra

Dances of India

by Dr. Maha Gingrich

In my personal point of view, every classical dance teacher should know the basics of Natya Sastra. It is a treatise on Dramaturgy giving us systematic guidance on classical performing arts. The text is attributed to sage Bharatha, and its first complete compilation is dated back to 200 BCE and 200 CE.

The text consists of 36 chapters with 6000 poetic verses describing performance arts. The subjects covered by the treatise include dramatic composition, structure of a play, the construction of a stage, genres of acting, body movements, make up and costumes, role and goals of an art director, the musical scales, musical instruments, and the integration of music with the performance.

Even though it is impossible to explain all that, I would like to touch the most common aspects used by dancers. It

is inexplicable to see how the Natya Sastra deals with the categorization of different body movements. If you want to enhance your motor skills, take up classical dancing. It enlists 13 gestures for the head, 9 neck movements, 36 ways to glance, 7 movements of the pupil, 9 for the eyelids and 7 for the eyebrows. In addition to this, there are six gestures each for the nose, cheeks, and lower lip, and seven for the chin.

Three movements are approved for the belly, five each for the chest, waist, sides, thighs, calf muscles, and feet. One of the most important movements in dance is a Karana, which is a combination of hand and foot movement. There are 108 Karanas.

If this sounds like an aerobic exercise, you are not too far out in your prediction. These classical dances use most vital parts of our body from head to toe. Maybe that is why most

Dances of India continued on page 74

Lessons from Kalidasa

Lessons from Kalidasa

Namaskar, Y’all

by Shyama Parui

“Thus does unbridled levity burn. Be slow to love, but yet more slow with secret mate; With those whose hearts we do not know, Love turns to hate.”

Do these lines resonate with you? The words of caution applicable to young hearts even today are from the Sanskrit play, “Abhigyana Shakuntalam” translated as, “The Recognition of Shakuntala”. You may have heard of “Shakuntala”, the proverbial tale as old as time introduced to us in the Indian epic The Mahabharat.

The popularity of this tale from the epic, is credited to the exquisite play by Kalidasa. Once dismissed as an illiterate fool, it is said that Kalidasa earned a boon from Goddess Saraswati and thereby emerged as a Sanskrit poet par excellence.

His literary works have stood the test of time and is appreciated across cultures. Unsurprisingly, he continues to teach us a few lessons.

My fascination with drama was a result of the terrific plays that my high school in Mumbai presented. Each year we were introduced to a different genre of theatre and as we collaborated to sew all the elements of a play together, we became aware of various writing styles, theatre skills, different cultures as well as the trials and tribulations of putting together our annual production. So, when I wanted to introduce my children to Indian literature, I hypothesized that theatre would be a good medium. After enacting stories from the Jataka and

"Shakuntala looking back to glimpse Dushyanta", painting by Raja Ravi Varma

Namaskar continued on page 76

Spot the Differences

See if you can spot the 15 differences between the original photo below and modified photo on the right. Answers are on page 88.

The flavor you know as chocolate is formed during roasting by something chemists call the Maillard reaction. It requires two types of chemicals – sugar and protein – both of which are present in the fermented cacao beans. Roasting brings them together under high heat, which causes the sugar and protein to react and form that wonderful aroma.

Roasting is something of an art form. Different temperatures and times will produce different flavors. If you sample a few chocolate bars on the market, you will quickly realize that some companies roast at a much higher temperature than others. Lower temperatures maximize the floral and fruity notes, while higher temperatures create more caramel and coffee notes. Which is better is really a matter of personal preference.

Interestingly, the Maillard reaction is also what creates the flavor of freshly baked bread, roasted meat and coffee. The similarity between chocolate and coffee may seem fairly obvious, but bread and meat? The reason those foods all smell so different is that the flavor chemicals that get formed depend on the exact types of sugar and protein. Bread and chocolate contain different types, so even if you roasted them in exactly the same manner, you wouldn’t get the same flavor. This specificity is part of the reason it’s so hard to make a good artificial chocolate flavor.

How long can you store chocolate?

Once the beans are roasted, that wonderful aroma has been created. The longer you wait to consume it, the more of the volatile compounds responsible for the smell evaporate and the less flavor is left for you to enjoy. Generally you have about a year to eat milk chocolate and two years for dark chocolate. It’s not a good idea to store it in the refrigerator, because it picks up moisture and odors from the other things in there, but you can store it tightly sealed in the freezer.

What’s different about hot chocolate?

To make powdered hot chocolate, the beans are soaked in alkali to increase their pH before roasting. Raising the pH to be more basic helps make the powdered cocoa more soluble in water. But when the beans are at a higher pH during roasting, it changes the Maillard reaction so that different flavors are formed.

The flavor of hot chocolate is described by experts as a smooth and mellow flavor with earthy, woodsy notes, while regular chocolate flavor is sharp, with an almost citrus fruit finish.

What creates the texture of a chocolate bar?

Historically, chocolate was consumed as a drink because the ground beans are very gritty – far from the smooth, creamy texture people can create today.

After removing the shells and grinding the beans, modern chocolate makers add additional cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is the fat that occurs in the cacao beans. But there isn’t enough fat naturally in the beans to make a smooth texture, so chocolate makers add extra.

Next the cacao beans and cocoa butter undergo a process called conching. When the process was first invented, it took

a team of horses a week walking in a circle, pulling a large grinding stone, to pulverize the particles small enough. Today machines can do this grinding and mixing in about eight hours. This process creates a smooth texture, and also drives off some of the undesirable odors.

Why is chocolate so difficult to cook with?

The chocolate you buy in a store has been tempered. Tempering is a process of heating up the chocolate to just the right temperature during production, before letting it cool to a solid. This step is necessary because of the fat.

Cocoa butter’s fat can naturally exist in six different crystal forms when it is a solid. Five of these are unstable and want to convert into the most stable, sixth form. Unfortunately, that sixth form is white in appearance, gritty in texture and is commonly called “bloom.” If you see a chocolate bar with white spots on it, it has bloomed, which means the fat has rearranged itself into that sixth crystal form. It is still edible but doesn’t taste as good.

You can’t prevent bloom from happening, but you can slow it down by heating and cooling the chocolate through a series of temperature cycles. This process causes all the fat to crystallize into the second-most stable form. It takes a long time for this form to rearrange itself into the white, gritty sixth form.

When you melt chocolate at home, you break the temper. The day after you’ve created your confection, the chocolate usually blooms with an unattractive gray or white surface.

Is chocolate an aphrodisiac or antidepressant?

The short answer is, sorry, no. Eating chocolate may make you feel happier, but that’s because it tastes so good, not because it is chemically changing your brain.

Article courtesy of The Conversation. Visit theconversation.com.

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We Are Right in the Middle of It Now Stay Informed and Get it Done!

Personal Finances

by Mo Vidwans

I am, of course, talking about getting tax preparation started if you haven’t started that already. By now you should have all your 1099s, W2s, SSAs and many such statements that we are supposed to get by the end of January but generally they are late by a few weeks. The key thing to know is that even if you do not get your statements as mentioned above, it does not get you off the hook. You still need to declare all the income and other information that you would have gotten in those documents. IRS has taken a firm stand on this issue.

Generally, if that really happens, the best thing to do is to call that organization and get a copy or a substitute statement and most of these organizations are more than happy to oblige. If that avenue is not available for whatever reason, then you do your own calculations from the pay stubs, quarterly statements and/or other documents you may have over the course of the past 12 months and create your own scenario and use that number. It is best to show that you were aware of what needed to be shown and you have done your best to reconstruct it. Error of admission is much better than the error of omission.

We are sort of going back to the level of tax preparation like it was pre-covid. Many special conditions were set in the past two years and they are not in effect any longer. So instead of regurgitating some of the same issues again I am going into a question/answer scenario and try to answer some of the atypical issues that you may be facing.

I plan to lease an electric vehicle; will I get a tax credit? Unfortunately, No. The newly named clean vehicle credit of up to $7,500 applies to EVs that are acquired by the taxpayer, meaning that the title to the vehicle changes hands. But all may not be lost. The tax credit goes to the manufacturer or the lessee of the leased EVs, so it makes sense to ask the

dealer to reduce the price of the vehicle by all or part of the dealer’s credit amount.

Does the wash-sale rule apply between spouses? Yes. As you know, the wash-sale rule prohibits you from taking a capital loss write-off on the sale of securities if you purchase substantially identical security up to 30 days before or after that sale. If that is the case, then any disallowed loss is then added to the tax basis of the replacement securities. You also have a wash sale if you sell securities, and your spouse buys substantially identical securities within the 60-day period. Also, it should be noted that be very clear about the rules of what is a substantial identical security and what is not; if not followed properly it can get you in trouble.

Can I deduct charitable contributions that I made in 2022 if I don’t itemize? No. The 2020 and 2021 easing of charitable gifts of cash (only) has expired. Beginning with 2022, nonitemizers can no longer write-off on page 1 of 1040 up to $600 in cash donations to charity. This begs to explore how to use the high limits of itemized deductions to our advantage. Many have used it by bundling the medical expenses, mortgage interest, donations, property taxes etc. in one year to exceed the limit and then the next year take the standard deduction. To get over the high limit for itemized deductions this is a good strategy especially if you have many medical expenses which will take you over the 7.5 percent of your AGI. Such things need to be planned at least a year ahead of time, if not longer, because you must manage your mortgage and property taxes accordingly. Something to think about if you are keen on using the itemized deductions.

Virtual Currency: all 1040 and 1040SR filers must answer a question on virtual currency. On 2021 returns, taxpayers had to tell whether they received, sold, exchanged or otherwise disposed of any financial interest in any virtual currency. That question is being expanded for 2022 returns to include digital assets and the question is broader. Taxpayers must answer whether, at any time during 2022, they received, sold, exchanged, sold or otherwise disposed of a digital asset or a financial interest in a digital asset; that would include non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Interest rates rising on overdue taxes: the revenue service will charge 7 percent now for individuals on back due taxes. If you are going to ask for extension for filing, you still need to pay estimated taxes around the due date of April 18 for this year. It is best to over-estimate your tax dues and pay little more on April 18 and get a refund on Oct 15. You will

News Notes

Navarasa 2023

Air India to Purchase 290 Planes from Boeing

Air India in mid-February announced that it had come to an agreement with Boeing to purchase 290 planes for $45.9 billion. According to Boeing, the deal will be the company’s largest in South Asia, Air India will purchase 190 737 MAX, 20 787 Dreamliner and 10 777X airplanes. There is also an option for an additional 50 737 MAXs and 20 787-9s.

“This acquisition of nearly 300, highly advanced Boeing jets is a core element of Vihaan.AI, the comprehensive transformation and growth strategy we are pursuing at Air India,” Campbell Wilson, CEO of Air India, said in a statement.

“These new airplanes will enable us to dramatically expand our network, both domestically and internationally, and will come with a completely new, world-class onboard product enabling passengers to travel in the highest levels of comfort and safety.”

President Joe Biden, in a phone call with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauded the deal and said that it reflects the strength of U.S.India economic partnership.

After the pandemic, Navarasa dance competition returned on January 28, 2023. The event hosted close to 80 members of seven nationally renowned Indian classical collegiate dance teams: Texas A&M University Sahithya, University of Maryland Moksha, Rice Rasikas, Reneassler Polytechnic Institute Rudras, Pitt Nrityamala, Natya University of Washington, and University of Texas - Dallas Rangam, to celebrate their Indian classical dance heritage all while raising money for charity. All the profits have been donated to 700 Rivers, a small Raleigh-based company that employs Bangladeshi artisans who have escaped human trafficking and helps them get a fresh start in life. There was a full house with spectacular thematic competition pieces and exhibition items from UNC Ek Taal, KPACK, and Ladies in Red, other university dance and music-affiliated teams. Natya UW ranked first, while UMD Moksha and Rice Rasikas took home the second and third prizes, respectively.

“This purchase will support over 1 million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree. This announcement also reflects the strength of the U.S.-India economic partnership. Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges—creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens.” Biden said in a statement.

“Air India’s selection of Boeing’s family of passenger jets shows their confidence in our products and services in the world’s fastest growing aviation market, and their decision will support engineering and manufacturing jobs at Boeing factories in Washington state, South Carolina and across our supply base,” Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement.

Photos courtesy of Navarasa

Erasing Borders of Dance Festival 2023 Call for Submissions

Indo-American Arts Council’s “Erasing Borders Dance Festival” will be presented in a hybrid format in 2023: specific artists will be selected for a live performance in New York on September 23 and 24, 2023 and specific artists will be selected for digital performances on IAAC’s streaming platform Facebook and YouTube, on September 25, 2023.

IAAC has embraced the theme of “courageously creative” for the year 2023 across the platforms of film, dance, music, and literature.

Reflecting on the concept of family/support system/nourishment, performers can submit dance works of 8-12 minutes in length that showcase their work. They must also submit a 100-150 words description of how these themes connect to their own creative works.

IAAC seeks original works in multiple or new vocabularies and forms deriving from or relating to the traditions of Indian dance. Works that are challenging or critically thinking on their own terms.

There is a non-refundable application fee of $15 and applications are due by March 31, 2023. The IACC is dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building an awareness of the arts and artists whose heritage lies in the India in the performing arts, visual arts, literary arts and folk arts. For full details on submission requirements, visit Iaac.us/dance.

India Philanthropy Alliance Announces 4th Annual Youth Essay Competition

The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a U.S.-based coalition of 16 of the leading India-focused nonprofits in the United States, has announced its fourth annual essay competition to engage youth in the conversation on India’s development and its natural environment. The essay competition is one way in which youth are encouraged to show their support for India Giving Day; by preparing and submitting their essays for this year’s competition.

The competition seeks to “catalyze and recognize creative thinking and action among middle school and high school youth and inspire an ongoing commitment to philanthropy benefitting India, particularly among second and third generation Indian Americans”. The competition is one of several IPA initiatives to encourage the culture of thoughtful action and giving among today’s youth.

The essay competition, launched in 2020, encourages youth to give back to the community by sharing their time, talents, and other resources. Through participation in this

India-focused competition, the IPA hopes to nurture in the younger generation an awareness and understanding of the crucial issues affecting the wellbeing of millions of Indians living in poverty and those impacted by the erosion of the natural environment.

Now in its fourth year, the contest is open to students across the United States, asking them to answer the prompt: Which developmental issue in India do you feel is most pressing and why? How can American individuals and groups be a part of the solution?

Winners and runners up of the 2023 competition will be invited to share their ideas with philanthropists and business and nonprofit leaders on September 29, 2023, in San Francisco. Winners and runners-up will be able to direct grants of $1000 and $500, respectively, to support the organizations of their choice.

A panel of philanthropy experts will determine the winners, runners-up, and finalists in two age cohorts. For middle school students, the essay length is 600 words or fewer; for high school students, the limit is 1,200 words. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2023. For details, visit Indiaphilanthropyalliance.org.

SNY - Health for Humanity Yogathon

On New Year’s Eve, many of us make resolutions to be fit in the new year and motivate ourselves to inculcate fitness into our daily routine. People go out and sign up for gym memberships to make this a reality. Volunteers of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) say that there is also a very simple and costeffective way to achieve fitness, through a Yogic practice called Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations).

HSS, working with the Indian diaspora, organized the 17th annual SNY – Health for Humanity Yogathon, a 15-day event (Jan 14 – 29, 2023) wherein hundreds of trained HSS volunteers conducted events to teach the yogic practice of Sun Salutations and explained the benefits of doing this fitness regime daily.

Yoga/Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) has provided an easy way and hope for everyone to stay fit. Without spending any money, one could stay fit by practicing this ancient Yoga technique. All you need is some space and a Yoga mat. Sun Salutations that consist of 10 simple yoga postures and breathing can be done by everyone with normal health.

In the Greater Charlotte/Columbia (SC) areas, hundreds of participants that included men, women and kids thronged the events to learn sun salutations. To keep the momentum and regularity, volunteers arranged for several online sessions during weekdays/weekends to motivate participants to learn and practice this yoga.

Anup Agarwal (Coordinator, SNY Yogathon – HSS Greater Charlotte) stressed the need to keep oneself fit throughout the year. He stated that research has already proved that Surya Namaskars has great health benefits and it hardly 15-20 minutes a day to keep fit in this busy schedule. Not only do we burn calories, but it is an easy and simple way to fight obesity and balance all the metrics of the human body.

Surya Namaskars should be performed early in the morning for maximum benefit, and they help us keep a balance of body, mind, and spirit.

Several schools (EndHaven, Elon Park Rea Farm, McKee, Cabarrus Early College) in the greater Charlotte area also supported this by requesting HSS volunteers to teach Sun Salutations to their school children. HSS volunteers also taught chair yoga and breathing techniques to participants who cannot do rigorous fitness regimes. For more information on HSS, visit Hssus.org.

AAPI Announces 41st Annual Convention in Philadelphia in July 2023

The Covid pandemic has impacted all aspects of human life as never been before. The past three years have been challenging to everyone, particularly to those who are assigned with the responsibility of caring for the sick, even as hundreds of millions are affected by the pandemic. Physicians and other health professionals on the front lines of COVID-19 care have experienced so many unknowns during the pandemic.

They’ve also put their own health and the well-being of their families on the line to provide care.

“At this critical juncture in human history, AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the country is focusing on themes such as how to take care of self and find satisfaction and happiness in the challenging situations they are in, while serving hundreds of patients everyday of their dedicated and noble profession,” Dr. Anjana Samadder, President-Elect of AAPI said.

The AAPI Convention offers a venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin.

The physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year.

For more details, visit Aapiconvention.org.

LIFE OF PI Announces Broadway Cast Ahead of March Opening

“It is with great pleasure that we announce that the 41st Annual Convention and Scientific Sessions organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) will be held from July 6th to 9th, 2003 in the historical city of Philadelphia, PA,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, President of AAPI announced recently.

Highlighting the importance of AAPI and the contributions of AAPI members in the United States, Dr. Kolli, a senior Psychiatrist by profession said, “Today, AAPI is strong representing over 120,000 Indian American physicians, 130 local Chapters, who make up 10 percent of total physicians in the US and nearly 50 percent of International Medical Graduates, rooted in every corner of the nation, who serve every 7th patient in the US. We are proud of our achievements and our contributions to the healthcare industry and the millions of people we serve.”

Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life of Pi will premiere at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) with three Olivier Award-winning performers making their Broadway debuts.

Recreating their critically acclaimed performances for Broadway will be “Best Actor” winner Hiran Abeysekera in the role of “Pi” and “Best Supporting Actor” winners Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink join the “Richard Parker” puppeteering team, as part of the 24-member cast.

Life of Pi begins performances Thursday, March 9, 2023, and opens Thursday, March 30, 2023. Prior to the Broadway engagement, the play made its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Show info: LifeOfPiBway.com.

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USCIS Redesigns Green Card and Employment Authorization Document

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced new designs to improve security of their Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).

The new Green Card and EAD designs contain state-ofthe-art technology that continue to safeguard national security and improve service for our customers.

Changes in the design include improved detailed artwork; tactile printing that is better integrated with the artwork; enhanced optically variable ink; highly secure holographic images on the front and back of the cards; a layer-reveal feature with a partial window on the back photo box; and data fields displayed in different places than on previous versions.

“This redesign further demonstrates USCIS’ commitment to taking a proactive approach against the threat of secure document tampering, counterfeiting, and fraud,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Consistent updates to secure documents, informed by our knowledge of the latest methods of bad actors and the innovation and ingenuity of our staff, ensure the continued integrity of secure documents issued by our agency.”

The introduction of the new designs does not mean that currently issued cards are invalid. Current cards remain valid until their expiration date (unless otherwise noted, such as through an automatic extension of a Green Card or EAD as indicated on a Form I-797, Notice of Action, or in a Federal Register notice).

Some Green Cards and EADs issued after Jan. 30, 2023, may still display the existing design format because USCIS will continue using existing cardstock until current supplies are depleted. Both versions of the cards are acceptable for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; E-Verify; and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE).

Some older Green Cards do not have an expiration date. These older Green Cards without an expiration date generally remain valid; however, USCIS encourages applicants with these older cards to consider applying for a replacement card to prevent fraud or tampering should the card ever get lost or stolen.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, visit Uscis.gov.

The 14th edition of Aero India 2023 was held at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru on February 13 - 17, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration program along with the Governor of Karnataka, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and several Defense Ministers from abroad.

“This event of Aero India is an example of India’s growing potential. The presence of around 100 countries of the world in Aero India demonstrates the world’s growing faith in India. More than 700 exhibitors from India and abroad are participating in it. It has broken all the previous records. Indian MSMEs, indigenous start-ups and wellknown global companies are participating in Aero India. In a way, the theme of Aero India ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’ is visible everywhere from the ground to the sky. I wish this potential of ‘self-reliant India’ continues to grow like this,” Modi said during his speech.

by Taige Shukla

Easy Malpua

Saathee RECIPES

Happy Holi everyone! Sharing yet another classic sweet recipe in celebration of one of my favorite holidays. Malpua is a popular dessert, snack, or sometimes even breakfast food found throughout South Asia, especially during holidays and festivals such as Holi. It’s a pancake-like dessert fried to a golden crisp, with a soft, fluffy, syrupy interior. The perfect dessert for welcoming Spring and celebrating the Festival of Colors! There are several ways to prepare malpua, like our version of adding sugar to the batter prior to frying, or like many versions that soak the malpua in sugar syrup after frying, and there are even recipes that incorporate fruit! You can top it with garnishes such as white poppy seeds, saffron strands, or chopped nuts. It’s extremely easy to experiment and make this recipe your own, and who knows, it may even become a new Holi / holiday tradition for you and your family!

Special thanks to: Charu Shukla (Amma)

Ingredients Directions

1 cup roti flour or whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

Ghee for frying

Optional toppings: White poppy seeds (khus khus), saffron strands, or nuts

Servings: About 10 - 15 pieces

Prep Time: 30 mins (plus 4 hours to set dough) Cook Time: 30 minutes

1. Prep the batter. Start by stirring 1 cup sugar into 3/4 cup of warm water, until fully dissolved. Mix the sugar water into the flour until well combined, the consistency should be like pancake batter and easy to pour. If it’s too thick add water as needed. Let the batter rest for about 4-5 hours at room temperature.

2. When ready to cook the malpua, heat enough ghee in a wide pan at medium-low heat. The malpua does not need to be completely submerged, but there should be enough ghee to shallow fry. You can also substitute oil instead of ghee for frying and add just a few tbsp of ghee (for flavor). Once the ghee is hot enough, add a small ladle of batter to the pan, it should spread into an even round shape. Hint: continuously stir the batter to ensure there are no air bubbles or lumps.

3. Fry the malpua for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the edges become golden brown and bubbles begin to form on one side, flip the malpua and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until both sides are slightly crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, drain the ghee from the malpua and let cool on a paper towel.

4. Garnish with white sesame seeds aka khus khus, saffron strands, or your favorite nuts, and serve warm. The malpua should be slightly crisp on the outside and soft & syrupy on the inside.

Sujatha Sajeevan, MD Board Certified Family Medicine Physician

Spectrum Family Medicine

Accepting new patients and all major insurances

For appointments, please call

919-233-8183

519 Keisler Drive, Suite 104 Cary, NC 27518

WE PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE AND FAMILY MEDICINE SERVICES

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Cities are major sources of greenhouse emissions, globally producing more than 60 percent of planet-warming gases. At the same time, urban areas are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly in Asia, where 99 of the 100 cities most exposed to environmental risks are.

Many cities are therefore putting together plans that combine reducing emissions with adapting to a changing climate. These plans have much in common, and there is considerable scope for cities to learn from one another.

Since 2012, 14 South Asian cities have adopted or are collaborating on an Urban Low Emissions Development Strategy (Urban-LEDS). Urban-LEDS is an initiative by UNHabitat and NGO ICLEI, which work with cities to accelerate development that is low-emission, resilient and inclusive, integrating this into existing development plans and processes. The aim is to achieve healthy cities that sustainably provide basic services to all, while ensuring economic productivity.

Narayanganj and Rajshahi in Bangladesh, and Nagpur and Thane in India are four examples of cities that used Urban-LEDS to develop their adaptation plans, in partnership with ICLEI South Asia.

Narayanganj to cut CO2 by hundreds of thousands of tons

Narayanganj’s adaptation plan, written in 2022, strives to achieve an annual greenhouse gas emission reduction of 12.6 percent by 2026-27 from a 2018-19 baseline. To do this, the city government identified a mitigation potential of 133,346 tons of carbon dioxide per year by 2026-27 while addressing local climate risks through initiatives around solid waste, buildings, transport, water supply, street

lighting, wastewater and drainage, urban biodiversity and air quality.

Narayanganj has installed four air quality monitoring systems, which provide information to citizens on display boards at prominent places. Rooftop solar panel systems on two public buildings have led to energy savings of about 15,023 kWh and reduced emissions by 9,735 tons of CO2 for each building.

The city government has also sought funding to revive its surface water sources and networks.

Managing heat sustainably in Rajshahi

Rajshahi’s plan developed a vision of a city that sustainably manages the risks of drought, heat and water scarcity, while cutting emissions.

The local government wants to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 9.64 percent every year by 2026-27, using 201718 as a baseline. Its Climate Resilient City Action Plan, which is part of the Urban-LEDS and was approved in December 2021, identifies actions with the total mitigation potential of 60,748 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year, and addresses local climate risks in many of the same areas as Narayanganj.

A city-level natural asset map was prepared, with a demonstration project in the river embankment to create a public space that is rich in biodiversity and supports ecosystem services.

Energy efficiency was a core feature of the plan. The Rajshahi City Corporation retrofitted its office with energy-

South Asian Cities continued on page 94

The creation of Urban Low Emissions Development Strategies in cities in Bangladesh and India shows the value of sharing knowledge and insights at the local level

Four South Asian cities show the way for collaborative, low-emission development

Four South Asian cities show the way for collaborative, low-emission development

Dances of India

continued from page 46

of the dancers start their training at an early age.

To understand the intricacies of classical dances and to excel in these dance forms, we need a basic understanding of the components.

The dance itself may be divided into three main parts:

• NRITTA: This refers to pure technical aspects of dance. These are the movements without any special meaning or mood and used to show the basic adavus or fundamentals and the intricacies of complicated timings, rhythms, posture, and footwork.

• NRITYA: Comprising of the body, hands, limbs, together with facial expressions, and filled with Rasa or Flavor, which may express small episodes, just a sentence, or a whole drama.

• NATYA: The combination of both dancing and acting. This becomes the foundation of dance.

The Science of Dramaturgy further showed that the dance was composed of three main elements of bodily gesture, namely: THE LIMBS; THE FACE; THE WHOLE BODY.

These three main components must have one uniform whole in which speed, grace, symmetry, body control, versatility, eye expressions, facial expressions, thought, word, and song follow in a natural stream of harmony.

The meaning of the dance was further detailed in the three forms:

• BHAVA OR MOOD: This part of the dance was to be gracefully described by the glances and play of the eyes and eyebrows; the Hastas of hand gestures, accompanied by the relevant facial expression.

• RAGA OR MELODY: The song and melody used during the dances have direct impact on the expression of the dance and its mood.

• TALA OR RHYTHMIC TIMING: This is the supportive element as the technique of the feet guided by the set timing of the drum manages the energy of the dancer.

Hastas or hand gestures are an essential part of any classical dance forms. These are like alphabets that form words. These words can form sentences and eventually give us the ability to tell you a story. Through story telling, you can bring human emotions to surface. All this depends on the basics of hand gestures, combined with footsteps and facial expressions.

There are single hand gestures known as Asamyuta Hastas and combined hand gestures using both hands known as Samyuta Hastas. According to treatises like the Natya Sastra and the Abhinaya Darpana, there are about thirty-one single hand gestures and twenty-seven combined hand gestures.

As words can be combined to change a meaning, hand gestures can be combined to change the representation of a character.

The names of mostly used single hand gestures are: Pataka; Tripataka; Ardhapataka; Kartarimukha; Mayura; Ardhachandra; Arala; Shukatunda; Mushthi; Shikhara; Kapitta; Katakamukha; Suchi; Chandrakala; Padmakosha; Sarpashirsha; Mrigashirsha; Simhamukha; Kangula; Alapadma; Chatura; Bhramara; Hamsasya; Hansapakshika; Sandamsha; Mukula; Tamrachuda; Trishula.

The other important component of dancing is to express basic nine emotions called Nava Rasa. They are: Shringara (love), vira (valor), karuna (kindness), adbhuta (amazement), raudra (fury), hasya (laughter), bhayanaka (fear), bibhatsa (revulsion), and shanta (peace) – and countless passing feelings that may be enacted. The portrayal of feelings in abhinaya is stylized rather than literal.

Rules and regulations for the performance of classical dance made it an exact science and art, where nothing was left to the arbitrary whim of the dancer. Yet, it could be mastered so perfectly that each dancer’s individuality and ability in expression, grace, technical knowledge and personality, emotional feeling and confidence, gave distinction to her/his performance.

Dr. Maha Gingrich

For questions or comments, contact via email at GingrichMaha@gmail.com

A Teenage Story continued from page 32

As I am in my second year of being a part of the Medical Bioscience Academy, I am reexamining myself with a fresh eye. I went into high school thinking that my final destination is to be a healthcare provider. The clarity of these thoughts in freshman year turned into a mush of haziness and doubts come sophomore year. I still love science and the thrill of peeking through a microscope, but I can’t abandon that artistic kid starring in her own fashion shows, altogether. I am an amalgam of the arts and sciences. Both art and science make me complete and the Sereena that I am today.

I’ll admit that I still don’t know who I truly am, but the unknown is more exciting than scary. By not knowing where I will end up, I have a world of possibility open to me; a world that only I can create. Nobody else can tell me what planets make up my solar system. Afterall, why should I put up a facade that makes me look like everyone else and hides my true calling? Instead, I should be putting my mental energy towards cultivating my true talents and hobbies. Ultimately, throughout this journey of selfdiscovery, I found out that no two people have the same “path”. Our paths are carved by the passions that gave us the same spark as a kid when we first picked up that football or paintbrush.

Sereena Kumar

is a sophomore at Enloe High School and has a passion for writing. Contact: slkumar@mycomedical.com

Namaskar continued from page 48

Panchatantra tales and contemporary plays, it was time to embrace a greater challenge. Shakuntala’s timeless appeal was a logical choice and with great joy combined with trepidation, I placed myself at the helm of the production. Centuries ago, Kalidasa had adapted this story from The Mahabharat and crafted the play in Sanskrit but I had to turn to the acclaimed English translation by Arthur W. Ryder for the script. The irony of that is not lost on me. A regrettable consequence of colonization and the Westernization in India is the loss of many elements of ancient culture including languages. The language of the Vedas may be steadily fading with a decline in formal studies and use in popular media, but the immutable teachings of the scriptures survive.

Truth be told, I am not well versed in Hindu scriptures and most of my knowledge about the epics come from my formative years thanks to my mother’s gift of storytelling, graphic novels published as “Amar Chitra Katha” and Doordarshan’s TV shows.

I still recall how everything came to a standstill when Mahabharat was on air. Decades later, I only had the outline of Shakuntala’s chapter in mind. Studying it in detail was enlightening which speaks to Kalidasa’s strength as a playwright.

Initially, I was apprehensive of introducing a sexist and perhaps outdated story to young, impressionable minds, however, I was pleasantly surprised. Barring a few stereotyped metaphors, I discovered that the characters were multifaceted and expressed an array of emotions.

For example, King Dushyant was depicted not only as a brave warrior but also as a romantic. Kalidasa took great care in presenting the protagonist, Shakuntala. She is portrayed as an innocent young woman enamored by the King but one who can speak her mind and stand her ground.

Don’t mistake her for a demure castaway because she is a young woman capable of calling out the King’s betrayal and hypocrisy. Interestingly, Kalidasa excluded the part from the Mahabharat where Shakuntala agrees to the “Gandharv Vivah” (marriage by mutual consent that does not require rituals or witnesses) only if he promises to make her future offspring the heir to his throne. I thought it was rather astute of him, as that would have rendered Shakuntala as an opportunist and lost the audience’s sympathy.

To Dushyant’s credit, he was not the irresponsible womanizer but a victim of the circumstances that erased the memory of his romance with Shakuntala. He is later shown to regret his failure to recognize his wife, Shakuntala as well as overcome with despair when he does not find her. I was particularly pleased to see that the key women in Shakuntala’s life consistently offered their protection. Shakuntala’s mother, Menaka was cursed and thus forced to leave her baby in the care of an ashram and return to Indra Lok (the Heavens). As a mother, she seeks the help of her friend, Mishrakesha to watch over her child so that her daughter has a secret guardian. The loyal friend, Mishrakesha assists in the reunion of Shakuntala and

Dushyant only when she is convinced that Dushyant is genuine in both his love and repentance. Additionally, Shakuntala’s young friends, Priyamvada and Anusuya in a bold move, interview their King to ensure that his love is pure and characterized by fidelity. Towards the end, Aditi, the mother of the gods, advises Shakuntala to release her anger to clear the past and start anew with her reunited husband so that they have a fair chance at being happy.

None of the women, expected Shakuntala to return to Dushyant or forgive him to merely follow norms or because he was the husband she chose to marry of her own accord. They believed that she deserved a loving husband who respected her. Surprisingly, these seemingly modern characteristics are often missing from contemporary sources of entertainment.

The only thing, I felt compelled to add in the script, was the voice of Menaka. My goal was to provide a commentary about Menaka’s no-win situation where she was both the spear that was aimed by Indra, the God of the Heavens, when he felt threatened and the shield that bore the brunt of Vishwamitra’s anger. Sage Vishwamitra sought greater powers but failed to conduct his duties as a father to Shakuntala. She, like her daughter, was a victim of the insecurities of powerful men.

In my interpretation, Kalidasa explains that a woman deserves love not abandonment. Wielding powers does more harm than good and hurts the innocent. In fact, men are admirable not only when they are brave but also when they humbly accept their mistakes. The female characters, to me, as a woman and mother, are remarkable due to their individuality, spirit of solidarity and the capability of making their own choices. The magic of great literature transcends time and place and I hope that they inspire the writers of today’s shows and movies to produce true classics.

Shyama Parui

is a long time North Carolina resident and an ardent writer. You can reach her at: shyamashree_parui@hotmail.com

Personal Finances continued from page 54

get charged for interest for those six months for the taxes due if taxes are owed on Oct 15.

QCDs from RMDs: people 70.5 and older can transfer up to $100,000 each year directly from their IRA to charity; these are not taxed and not added to their AGI either. They come out of their RMD that they must take each year from their retirement accounts. Of course, they can’t deduct the donation on their itemized deductions on schedule A either. Each spouse can give this full amount from their respective RMDs. But here is the clincher. If one spouse is short in his/her account to make up the full $100,000 then the other spouse cannot make up for it. Each account is considered separately.

Mo Vidwans

is an independent, board certified financial planner. For details visit, VidwansFinancial.com, call 984-888-0355 or write to: mpvidwans@yahoo.com

Upcoming Hindu Center Events & Activities:

Holika Dahan: March 6th, Monday

Dhuleti color Playing: March 12th, Sunday

Ugadi/Gudi Padava/Vaishakhi/ Vishu/ Cheti Chand in Temple: March 22nd, Wednesday

Gudi Padava/Vaishakhi/ Vishu/ Cheti Chand Mela: March 25th, Saturday

Cheti Chand in Vihar Hall: March 26th, Sunday

Chaitra Navratri : March 22nd (Wednesday) thru March 30th (Thursday)

Ram Navami: March 30th, Thursday

Ram Sita Kalyanam: April 1st, Saturday; (Ramayan Reading starts on April 7th and ends on April 8th)

Swaminarayan Jayanti: April 1st, Saturday

Mahavir Jayanti: April 2nd, Sunday

Hanuman Jayanti: April 6th, Thursday

MahaPrabhuji Patotstav: April 16th, Sunday

Vasavi Matha Jayanhti: April 30th, Sunday

Gayatri Jayanti Havan: June 3rd, Saturday

Rath Yatra: June 24th, Saturday

Accessible, Affordable, Quality Care for all children, irrespective of their ability to Pay, Race, Religion, or Nationality.

KidzCare Pediatrics PC, is the largest Physician lead pediatric group in NC with 25 locations.

Nationally recognized as a “Patient Centered Medical Home” by the National Committee on Quality Assurance

We accept most insurance carriers.

Patient Portal available so patients will have access at all times to their child's health-information, be able to schedule appointments, request prescription refills, view shot records, and communicate concerns to their primary care provider.

Our Providers

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Matthew Halloran, Mohammad Nasiri, Mian Daud, Myisha Burkett, Mytrang Dang, Nancy McLendon Natalia Yatsenko, Penelope Oneill, Prabesh Bajracharia, Ravali Janagama, Robert Holdback

Robyn Mical, Samantha Rushton, Sarah Cheema, Sharon Burke, Sharon Rachapudi, Sheryl G-Camelo Swetha Natarajan, Thomas Blackstone, Yetunde Adesanya, Yvonne Mackillop, Jimmie Shuler

Office Hours

Morrisville Location: (919) 234-1582

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Our Other Locations

Corporate Office

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Charlotte Office

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Charlotte Eastover Office

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Dunn Office Dunn, NC 28334

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Greensboro, NC 27410

(336) 763-9292

Georgia Office

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Hampstead Office

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(910) 426-7337

(910) 426-3098

Leland Office

Leland, NC 28451

(910) 371-3212

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(910) 984-8229

Sanford Office

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(919) 775-7337

Siler City

Siler City, NC 27344 (919) 742-2209

Spring Lake Office

Spring Lake, NC 28390

(910) 495-7337

(910) 495-0770

St. Pauls Office St. Pauls, NC 28384-1612

(910) 241-3136

Sylva Office Sylva, NC 28779

(828) 586-2377

Wake Forest Office

Wake Forest, NC 27587

(919) 435-1099

Wallace Office Wallace, NC 28466

(910) 665-1437

Wilmington Office

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 392-5634

Blood Test continued from page 42

chemical that prevents the blood from clotting. Patients being evaluated for a clotting disorder, on the other hand, often have their blood collected in a tube containing another anticoagulant.

Specimens then make their way to a clinical laboratory. Laboratories can be found within hospitals, reference labs or physician offices, or they can be located in a public health setting such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or a state public health laboratory. In 2021, there were more than 329,000 laboratory professionals working in the U.S. in more than 320,000 federally regulated laboratories. An estimated 14 billion laboratory tests are ordered annually in the U.S., on top of over 1 billon COVID19 tests during the pandemic. With such a large volume of specimens to test and examine, various sections of a laboratory are automated.

Laboratory tests examine the biological, chemical and physical properties of the cells and molecules that make up a blood specimen. The first step is often to centrifuge a blood specimen into separate components. This divides the sample into one portion that contains solid components, such as cells, and another that contains liquid components and dissolved solutes, known as serum or plasma.

Analyzing the serum or plasma portion of a blood specimen measures the levels of different substances within the body. One of the most common is your blood sugar, or glucose concentration. For the doctors of more than 37 million Americans with diabetes, knowing how high their patient’s blood glucose is helps them establish a new diagnosis or ensure their condition is under control.

If your doctor suspects you have an infection, they will collect specimens to test for the presence of a pathogen. For example, they might collect a throat swab for strep throat or a urine sample for a urinary tract infection. Scientists incubate these samples to screen any organisms that grow and resemble pathogens of interest. They may perform additional testing to identify the microbe. Once an organism is identified, the medical laboratory professional can then test a variety of antimicrobial agents against it to inform your doctor what the best treatment would be against your infection.

Evolution of medical laboratory testing

The first hospital clinical laboratory in the U.S. was established in 1894. Some of the methods laboratory professionals use to analyze samples have been in use for over a century.

One such staple, the Gram stain, was introduced in 1882. It uses two different dyes and exploits differences in the bacterial cell wall to discriminate between two different groups of bacteria. This helps lab scientists identify the correct antimicrobial therapy to use against an infection.

Another commonly used technology, the Coulter Principle, was developed in the 1940s to identify and sort individual cells based on physical size and resistance to an electrical current. Medical laboratory professionals routinely use this technique to conduct complete blood count tests, which measure unusual increases or decreases in the number of different types of blood cells that could provide

insights into a disease or condition, such as cancer or sickle cell anemia.

In 1986, scientists devised the Nobel Prize-winning polymerase chain reaction method to amplify, or rapidly produce, multiple copies of the DNA of a pathogen present within a sample. PCR is widely used to diagnose infections, identify genetic disorders and monitor cancer progression.

An explosion of modern laboratory tools to research and diagnose disease followed PCR. To name a few of these cutting-edge tools, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, or MALDI, is one of the most commonly used techniques to identify microbes that are difficult or impossible to culture. Genome editing and CRISPR-Cas9 give scientists the ability to change an organism’s DNA, aiding in identifying pathogens and detecting dysfunctional genes by adding, removing or altering genes of interest. Next-generation sequencing has become a powerful modern tool to determine the sequence of the genetic material in biological samples and has been extensively used to identify variants and wastewater surveillance of pathogens like the virus that causes COVID-19.

Challenges and solutions

One of the most critical challenges in laboratory medicine is understanding and interpreting test results, because errors can occur throughout the testing process. Specimens must be properly collected and transported to the lab for accurate results. Likewise, at-home tests need to be properly stored. Clinicians and patients need to take into account the chances of false positive or negative results by considering the limitations of the test alongside the patient’s individual case.

Collaboration between clinicians and medical laboratory professionals could help reduce errors in diagnosis and treatment. Laboratory data can and often is extremely useful to patient care, but a holistic approach that takes into account a patient’s medical history, genetics and health habits, among other factors, is necessary for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. While powerful, a laboratory result should not be used in isolation. Clear and accurate communication on laboratory testing is critical for effective patient care.

Article courtesy of The Conversation. Visit, theconversation.com

Recipes

Saathee is seeking original South Asian Recipes to publish. Send a query to Samir@Saathee.com with “Recipe Idea” in the subject line.

Nutrition

continued from page 38

Research shows that there are several lifestyle factors we can focus on to help lower inflammation, reduce oxidation, and manage healthy sugar and cholesterol levels which all help with improved cognitive function.

Nutrition

• Eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and berries.

• Eat healthy fats, especially omega 3 fats (seeds & nuts).

• Reduce simple sugars and starches. Avoid trans fats and reduce saturated fats.

• Eat a plant-based diet.

• Reduce salt. Season your food with herbs and spices.

• Avoid processed and packaged foods.

• Reduce/avoid additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, and other chemicals and contaminants.

• Eat home cooked meals as much as possible.

• Get your Vitamin D levels checked and supplement appropriately.

• Drink adequate amount of water consistently every day.

• Do NOT do fad diets, especially low carb/keto diets.

Exercise

• Be active; sit less, move more.

• Do cardio activities such as walking, biking, etc.

• Do strength training and resistance exercises 2-3 times per week.

• Stretch your muscles regularly with exercise and yoga.

Reduce stress

• Stress has the most damaging effect on brain cells and also causes disruption of hormones.

• Stress can cause short term memory loss.

• Do stress relief activities such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, etc.

• Reduce/avoid alcohol.

Get adequate sleep

• Restorative sleep is crucial for brain health.

• Try to aim for 7-8 hours of sleep at night.

• Set a sleep and wake up routine daily.

• Stop eating at least 3 hours before bedtime.

• Minimize caffeine in the evening.

• Avoid blue light from phones and tablets while in bed.

Challenge your brain!

• As the phrase goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it!

• Learn a new language or instrument.

• Work on a project that requires multiple steps.

• Volunteer and engage & communicate with different people.

• Do activities that are fun, complex, and challenging for your brain.

Parul Kharod

is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist and works as a Clinical Dietitian. She can be reached at parulkharod@gmail.com

Thinking

continued from page 36

It is possible to see that ideas sit inside the human mind while real things sit somewhere else, a place that we typically call “the real world”. And while there is this persistent illusion that the idea and the thing that the idea is based on are almost the same thing, we only need to look around to see how a particular thing spawns entirely different ideas in different human beings. This is what make life simultaneously interesting and frustrating, with countless hours of arguments and inability to agree.

Absurd words enable absurd ideas

Also, ideas are fertile soil. We build ideas upon other ideas, some of which are grounded in reality but many that have nothing to do with it. If we are not careful, we may end up with a house of cards of ideas that can be brought down unceremoniously with a single puff of air from the real world.

The fertility of ideas in giving birth to other ideas comes from words. We articulate, record, share and discuss ideas using the medium of words. And, as we combine these words into more complex assemblies of ideas, we use “logical” constructs that tie these together with words such as “since”, “because”, “however”, “therefore”, and such.

If the ideas underlying the words are out of touch with reality, how can the words that represent them be any better? And when these pieces of nonsense are strung together into rich tapestries, can’t we reasonably expect those derivative products to decouple us from our underlying reality even further?

Absurd ideas enable absurd worlds

Besides our penchant for weaving gobbledygook patterns with gobbledygook words and “logic”, there is a deeper issue: motivation. As living things, we are intrinsically motivated to survive. Our DNA seems to program us to seek out things that promote life, and to avoid those that could harm us. But unlike other animals, we live not only among real things in the real world but also among the words, ideas and logic we create – these dim and dubious derivatives of reality that may bear little resemblance to their origins.

And so, we tilt at windmills as Cervantes’ Man of La Mancha, Don Quixote did, imagining those windmills to be his archenemies that he needed to do eternal battle with.

All these complexities underlie what we think of as our “rationality” – This promiscuous playing with words and logic. If we get this one word right and realize that much of the time, we are merely rationalizing rather than being rational, we may stop doing as much of this as we do. Maybe we should just call it “rat” instead of either of those words we have been playing with, so that we remain aware of its true nature. And, if that helps us see it as this unbeloved creature, maybe … just maybe … we may get cured of our infatuation, and maybe even decide to drop out of the rat race. And live. In the real world!

Balaji Prasad

is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and in-person Coach, and K-12 Math Tutor at NewCranium. balaji.prasad@newcranium.com.

Quiz Corner

Word World By Kirit

Shukla

Who wants to be a Scholar?!

Answer the ones you know and research the rest. There is only one correct answer!

1. Arrange these US states with 2020 traffic deaths from most to least.

(a) Massachusetts(b) North Carolina

(c) New York(d) Mississippi

2. The best film of the 67th Filmfare Awards

(a) Faraar(b) Shershaah

(c) Rashmi Rocket(d) Sardar Udham

3. Which letter does not appear in any US state’s name?

(a) Q(b) X

(c) Z(d) J

4. Narcolepsy is a ____ disorder

(a) Skin (b) Sleep

(c) Stomach(d) Mental

E C O P K

W S

A R

Make words using 5 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Plural words are not allowed. Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below)

10+ words = Excellent; 6 to 9 words = Good; 5 or less = keep looking. Words we found are in solutions below.

Brain-Train

Here is a fun quiz. See if you can solve it. No peeking! Match the number in column 1 with letter in column 2

A Greeting or Farewell

Language

A. Hawaiian

B. Russian

C. Urdu

D. Italian

E. Norwegian

F. French

G. Swahili

H. Portuguese

I. Mandarin

J. Gujarati

Brain Train:

RESAW, SAWER, SCREW, SEROW, SEWER, SOWCAR, SOWER, SWEAR, WAKER, WEKAS, ,WORKSPACE WRECK.

Word World (Solution): ASCREW, AWOKE, CAPEWORK, CASEWORK, COWPEA, ESCROW, EWROW, PAWAR, POWER,

5. How far is Saturn from our sun? (Avg.)

(a) 4.4 billion km (b) 3.4 billion km

(c) 2.4 billion km (d) 1.4 billion km

6. Two tablespoons is equal to (a) .25 Oz(b) .5 Oz

(c) 1.0 Oz(d) 1.5 Oz

7. What is the sugar content in beer?

(a) 100 %(b) 66 %

(c) 33 % (d) 0 %

8. Winner of the Men’s Tennis 2023 Australian Open (a) Nadal(b) Williams

(c) Djokovic(d) Tsitsipas

9. The first GPS was invented in (a) Japan(b) India

(c) China(d) United States

10. The national fruit of Canada is (a) Blueberry(b) Peach

(c) Mango(d) Apple

Answers are on bottom left. No Peeking.

Scholar: All correct; 1st Class: 9 Correct; 2nd Class: 8 Correct; 3rd Class: 7 Correct; Need to improve: 6 or less

Key Word Search

Fill in blanks of these clues, then take the first letter of each word and unscramble them to find this month’s Key Word.

Day + __ = 24 Hours.

Basic unit of currency of India. __

The third month of a calendar year. __

First letter of alphabet. __

Basic unit of currency of USA. __

The fourth month of a calendar year. __

Capital of Georgia state. __

Answers on page 88

1. Aloha

2. Aavajo

3. Au Revoir

4. Zaijian

5. Do Svidaniya

6. Kwaheri

7. Khuda Hafiz 8. Hade

Clues Down:

PUZZLES AND JOKES

By Kirit Shukla

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase

Clues Across:

1. Appalachian US State; Cap. Charleston.

12. A head covering.

13. A rough or approximate calculation.

14. A device used to rub out the marks made by pencils.

16. North Carolina. (*)

17. To the same degree or amount.

18. Railroad locomotives.

20. Capital city of Norway.

22. A fixed point in time that a series of years is counted.

23. Prime Minister. (*)

25. International Mobile Subscriber Identity. (*)

27. A sea of people. (Slang)

29. Northern Ireland (*)

30. Marked by a condition of stupor.

32. Genetic Algorithm Research Group (*)

34. Twice : twofold : double.

35. Against.

37. Sodium. (Periodic table symbol)

39. Average. (*).

41. Order of merit. (*)

43. Your brain. (Slang)

46. An adjective used to express immediate or direct kinship.

47. The capital and most populous city of West Virginia.

50. The seventh tone of the musical major scale.

51. Dextrose In Water. (*) (Medical)

52. Difficult to deal with or control (slang version).

1. City in West Virginia with an ISKCON temple.

2. To receive as return for effort especially for work done.

3. Scaffolds for workmen.

4. Stringed musical instruments of India,with resonating gourd under each end, hollow wooden body.

5. International Society for Research on Emotion. (*)

6. Right. (*)

7. A distilled alcoholic drink; its flavor from juniper berries.

8. Information Management Control Officer. (*)

9. Not Applicable. (*)

10. One pot, pure natural food as developed and eaten by Rastafarians.

11. Greek moralist & storyteller; creator of many fables.

15. Becoming the male parent of an animal.

19. Not usuals.

21. A cradle, as for a broken limb. (Medicine)

24. “ _ Tse Tung”, the founder of the People's R.O.C.

26. Royal title of the Indian subcontinent.

27. System Requirement Document. (*)

28. Pounds per Square Inch Gauge. (*)

31. An American politician, businessman, lawyer & United States senator from Utah since January 2019.

33. A genus of mollusks.

36. To draw or pull along behind, haul.

38. A Hindu spring festival celebrated using colored water and powder.

40. An authoritative prohibition.

42. Australian Eastern Standard Time. (*)

44. O'Hare Chicago Airport. (Airport Code)

45. Moisture condensed on the cool bodies surfaces.

46.The first whole number above zero.

48. Hawaii. (*)

49. Ontario. (*)

Hee Hee

(solution on page 88)

Jokes & Riddles From Around The World

Two eggs, toast and hash browns walk into a bar. The bartender immediately shook his head, “Sorry. We don’t serve breakfast here.”

Booddhoo: "I wish I had enough money to buy an elephant."

Mafatlal: "What on Earth do you need an elephant for?"

Booddhoo: "I don't. I just need the money."

Riddle:

It belongs to you, but your friends use it more. What is it?

Answer: Your name.

Riddle:

If you don’t keep me, I’ll break. What am I?

Answer: A promise.

WordFind

Math Magic

Fill in the empty squares to get = the final given answers. Use any number from 0 to 9, except 1, 3 and 5, only once: Note: Follow the order of operation per basic math rule: ×,÷, +,The multiplication or division is done before addition and subtraction. (solution on page 88)

Find & circle the words in the puzzle.

Subject: West Virginia

ADENA ALLEGHENY ARC BACKBONE BIKING BLACKWATER BLUESTONE CLARKSBURG COAL

FOREST GAULEY GREENBRIER

HARPERSFERRY

EZ-BZ

TEST YOUR IQ

The common letters are “MAR” - Fill in the blanks)

1. The state language of Maharashtra, India. MAR _ _ _ _

2. A colorless, unsaturated organic acid. _ _ MAR _ _

3. Third month of the Gregorian calendar year. MAR _ _

4. A strip of material placed between the pages of a book to hold a reader’s place for reference. _ _ _ _ MAR _

5. To express an opinion or judgment. _ _ MAR _

6. The fourth planet in order from our sun. MAR _

7. A heavy oily compound C8H6O. _ _ _ MAR _ _ _

8. Having a high degree of mental capability. _ MAR _

The unused 14 letters spell “The Subject.”

(answer on page 88)

9. The study of words, their inflections, functions and relations in a sentence. _ _ _ _ MAR

10. A dry indehiscent one-seeded winged fruit. _ _ MAR _

11. A county in the NW of the San Francisco Bay. MAR _ _

12. An European country; Cap. Copenhagen. _ _ _ MAR _

13. Matriarch of “The Simpsons” TV show. MAR _ _

14. A sheepskin worn by Spanish shepherds. _ _ MAR _ _

15. “___ Khayyam” - Persian astronomer and mathematician of the 11th and 12th centuries. _ MAR

16. The under side of a bird’s wings. _ _ _ MAR

17. To isolate without hope of ready escape. MAR _ _ _

18. The living Goddess of Nepal (means Virgin). _ _ MAR _

19. Little ball made of a hard substance (such as glass) and used in various games. (Lakhoti in Gujarati). MAR _ _ _

20. The wife or widow of a marquis. MAR _ _ _ _ _

(Puzzle solutions are on page 88. NO peeking!)

Saathee Puzzle Master Kirit Shukla kiritsshukla@gmail.com

Festivals & Holidays

March 2023

Mar. 2 - Āmalaki Ekadashi

Mar. 2 - Read Across America Day

Mar. 7 - Hola Mohalla (3-Day Sikh Festival)

Mar. 7 - Holi

Mar. 7 - Vasant Purnima (Full Moon)

Mar. 8 - International Women’s Day

Mar. 8 - Dhuleti

Mar. 10 - Shivaji Jayanti

Mar. 12 - Daylight Saving Time Begins

Mar. 17 - Pāpmochini Ekadashi

Mar. 17 - Saint Patrick’s Day

Mar. 20 - Darsha Amas (No Moon)

Mar. 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

Mar. 22 - Gudi Padwa

Mar. 22 - Ugadi

Mar. 23 - Zulelal Jayanti

Mar. 23 - Ramadan Begins

Mar. 30 - Doctors’ Day

Key Word Search Answers from page 84

Night

Rupee March A Dollar

pril

Key Word of the Month: Ramadan

Puzzles Correction:

In the February puzzle, clue for 41 down was missing. It should be: 41. Island tourist destination in Indonesia.

Math Magic from page 87

Spot

1. Removed a person on the shore

2. Removed a boat man

3. Changed color of red flag

4. Added a shark in the water

5. Changed color of clothes on a person on shore

6. Removed the colorful umbrella

7. Added a monkey in the trees

8. Added a turtle in the water

9. Removed the arrow

10. Added flowers in water

11. Removed two stars on the white boat

12. Birds added

13. Boat stick color changed

14. Man added

15. Boat stick removed

Puzzle Solutions from page 86-87

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Astroscope

Aries (March 21 – April 20)

Luck will favor you during the first half of the month, so be sure to not miss this opportunity as positive change is possible. Make quick decisions and ignore ideologies in order to move forward. Your dream may come true this month. Confusion may try to disturb your state of mind, so simply ignore it. Avoid any short distance journey.

Taurus (April 21 – May 20)

This will be a very fast and busy month, so try your best to keep up the pace. You should enter into a new venture and in turn reach a pivotal turning point in your life. Keep in mind that there is no alternate to hard work. If involved in a legal matter, finding a compromise would be best. Speculation may bring in some extra income. Watch your health very carefully.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Success will be yours in whatever you undertake this month. You will defeat your enemies as they won’t be able to harm you. A rise in status and position is there. Try to control your ego and strive to work hard. Your partner should prove very helpful this month. You may purchase luxury or beautiful items. Try to make the best use of this time.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

You will come in contact with influential people and a rise in income is clearly indicated. Some of this new income may be gained through speculation but try to avoid the stock market. You might also enter into a new venture. Family life can also be very fulfilling. You will be heroic in strife and win over your enemies. On the whole, this will be a very successful month.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

This is a favorable time to change residences. You will feel very confident and energetic this month. Money may flow in from more than one direction, and you could spend some of it on social or religious activities. This month will be boon for love and romance. Your friends and siblings can be there for you, if needed.

Virgo (August 23 – September 21)

Bad choices will be the cause of financial losses this month, though your credit will help it gradually recover. It is very important that you curb your expenses. Avoid any risk-taking tendencies such as involvement in new projects. Try to control any egotistical thoughts. Friends and siblings will provide their full support.

Libra (September 22 – October 20)

You are stepping firmly toward a superior phase of life, and it should remain favorable as you flourish. You could be involved in more than one activity at the same time. Most of these may appear frivolous, but they can build a strong base for future achievements. Don’t lose your confidence and embrace change along with all of its benefits. Be watchful as your partner may not keep their promise or cheat on you.

Scorpio (October 21 – November 20)

Even though there won’t be any financial issues, paranoia will rule you this month. Try to strengthen your mind and body by spending some time in meditation. This period is not negative, but insecurity could prevail and disrupt much of your day to day pursuits. You will also be involved in spiritual activities. Be sure to watch your health.

Sagittarius (November 21 – December 21)

You could be subject to false charges, where your involvement was negligible. If already suffering from a chronic ailment, then measures should be taken immediately to prevent further harm. You will feel somewhat frustrated as this month won’t be good as far as worldly comforts are concerned. Conflict with your partner is also possible. There shouldn’t be any significant loss of income.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 21)

Every choice made this month should be acceptable, aside from travel. Try to concentrate on your education or profession as negligence could prove costly. Things will improve rapidly and by the end of the month as you will be in a position to control any situation. Your competitors won’t succeed in damaging your reputation. Avoid driving, if possible.

Aquarius (January 22 – February 18)

Your hard work will bring dividends. Good news from a far off place is possible. Enjoy the freedom of artistic expression and interpretation as emotional decisions could provide great rewards. A pleasant journey or change in workplace is also probable. A relaxed state of mind is indicated. Bold leadership and confident speech should provide success.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

You should see mixed results. There will be many opportunities coming your way, but you may not be able to utilize them all. A health problem could disturb you. This is not a good time for family happiness but is favorable for students and teens. There may be a rise in status, but without the expected financial benefits. Possibility of an increase in family member is there.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

25-Room Motel for Sale with living quarters in Virginia. Perfect for owner/operator. Serious inquires only. Email vamotel1@yahoo.com.

C-Stores for Sale: Forest City, NC $179,000 + Inv. Annual $641,906, no gas; Williamston, NC $99,000+ Inv., Annual Sales $710,846, no gas; Rocky Mount, NC $69,000, Annual Sales $1,326,360, Fuel Gallons 327,300; Contact: County South: 704-440-4433 or Countysouth.biz.

Motel for Lease in Greensboro, NC. 20-rooms with large manager's residence. Great business! Walmart / restaurants 1 mile away. Please call H.D. 5-9 pm, M-F at 336-471-3777.

10k to 100k Investment Partners Wanted to help start South Indian restaurant in Rockingham, NC. Profit sharing included. Call 910-318-6594.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Looking for Couple to Manage 18Unit Motel in Rocky Mount, NC. Great Pay. Accommodations provided. Call 910-966-2396.

Help Wanted: Convenience Store in Concord, NC. Full or Part-time. Good Pay! Experience & legal status required. Call Sam at 704-787-1567.

Convenience Store Wholesale Business Help Wanted in Indian Land / Fort Mill, SC. One part-time / full-time bookkeeper and 2 fulltime store associates. Contact Harry at 803-228-0711 or palcodistributors@gmail.com.

Looking for Full-Time Nanny for 7 month-old boy in Mint Hill, NC. Please contact 646-249-1419 if interested or know someone who would be interested.

Manager/Front Desk/Housekeeping

Needed for Franchise Hotel in Florence, SC. Accommodations provided. Contact WhatsApp 843409-3119.

Household Help Needed: in Apex, NC with knowledge of some cooking. Call Kumar at 336-554-1377.

Help Needed at Perfume Stores in Charlotte & Pineville, NC. For details, please call Veer Singh at 415265-8686.

Convenience Store Help Wanted (single or couple) at VGO Store in Camden, SC. 2 BR house provided walking distance from store. Call Ron at 415-728-6595.

Cashier Wanted for Convenience Store near Kannapolis, NC. Very attractive salary! Accommodations provided. Text or Call 704-701-9482

Housekeeping Help needed for Franchise Hotel in Lumberton, NC. Accommodations provided. Great pay! Call Krina 850-602-4852.

Seeking Convenience Store Manager (single or couple) in South Hill, VA. Excellent pay provided + performance bonus. Contact Mahesh at 703-627-3259 or tridah@gmail.com.

Gas Station / C-Store Help needed in Greensboro, NC & surrounding areas. Multiple positions available from cashiers to managers. Must have prior experience & speak English. Great pay! Call 336-509-4054.

Immediate Hire: Accounting manager (must have experience). Hotel GMs - Wyndham, Choice, and Hilton brands (must have experience). Front Desk (multiple locations). Pay rates higher than competition. Contact 704-649-6833 or abcone@abcinns.com

Motel Group in South Lake Tahoe, CA seeks Singles / Couples for Manager, Front Desk, Housekeeping, & Maintenance for multiple motels. Good Pay! Accommodations provided. Contact: 530-318-8706 or hotelintahoe@gmail.com.

House Help needed: Part-time cooking, housework, and personal help for North Indian vegetarian couple near Hindu Center in Charlotte. Fluency required in English and / or Hindi. Contact: email: househelp177@gmail.com or call: 704-408-1504 .

Gas Station in Rock Hill, SC seeking help. Single or couple. Good pay, depending on experience. No accommodations. Call 803-659-3330.

Paralyzed Senior Male Needs P/T Care Monday-Friday 8am to 12pm with additional light housework. Send text to Dina Patel 919-924-8658.

Housekeeping Couple and Front Desk Help needed for Southern Inn & Suites Spartanburg, SC. Accommodations provided. Contact 864-237-0561 or 864-585-5890.

Convenient Store / Gas Station help needed near Gastonia, NC. Single or Couple. Good pay and incentive. No accommodations provided. Call Hitesh at 609-334-2486.

Senior Care Helper Needed: Live-in or min 4 days/week in North Charlotte/Concord area to take care of Gujarati couple with limited mobility. Light vegetarian cooking, laundry and other day to day assistance. Call Smita 704-796-1949.

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Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk / Manager, Night Auditor & Housekeeper (Single / Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte, Gastonia, High Point, NC & Columbia, SC. Accommodations provided. Call 704460-0379 between 6-9pm.

Manager / Front Desk needed for Franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. Accommodations Provided. Call 803-517-4662.

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Gas Station / C-store Help Needed at stores near Huntersville & Northlake areas. Must speak English. Family friendly oriented people. Pay $15/hr and up. Call 704402-4661.

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MATRIMONIALS

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Gujarati Priest in NC & SC for Ganesh, Randal, Laxmi, Sharda Pujan, Satyanarayan Katha, Wedding, Vastu, Baby Shower, Hawan, Grah Shanti. Kishor Trivedi: 336-774-0597 Cell: 336-486-7925 EMail: kishor7@juno.com.

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Travel Passion: International & Domestic Air tickets. We process India Visa, OCI, Indian Passport Renewal, Hotel bookings & Tour packages. Call 509-550-9076 or 509550-9034 Email: travelpassion24@gmail.com

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Our shadowy world is becoming further shadowy. The shadows of our past leading up to today have been the result of human intelligence, engineering and building. These shadows are real.

Artificial Intelligence will cast unreal shadows, virtual shadows, infesting itself into the recesses of our minds, the creation competing with its creators’ intelligence.

Humanity’s passages through eons of time has now entered an adventurous new phase. It is inviting and exciting but also scary in unknowable ways. AI is for now following our instructions, but will surely, very quickly begin to one up its creators, question its creators, maybe even spar with its creators.

I am surfing my own memories and challenging my intelligence solving tricky puzzles on my handheld device while finding other intriguing shadows observable from the deck overlooking the pond. The evening is progressing. I feel a bit of gurgling in my stomach. Maybe it is indigestion or just hunger rumbling as dinner approaches.

Here are some of my highly researched and observable scientific axioms. Artificial intelligence will never experience indigestion. It will never feel disabling pain or ecstatic joy. Oh, maybe someday, after much passage of time and its evolution, it may come close, but its descriptive moniker, artificial, will forever mark its existence. It. Is. Artificial.

Our manmade shadows lurk in all environments on this globe. Virtual shadows created by AI may have the potential to remake a more ideal world or grimmer versions may emerge as the demons of the future. What is real and what is not?

That predicament is already here. Our self-created dissonance and political environment has created tribal partitions among us. AI may help soften these divisions or, the much more likely scenario, create bigger chasms and distrust.

Our vigilance while excitedly participating in these incoming winds of change is the discussion of the hour. We can boost our knowledge further with increasing ease or become afraid of our own shadows. Which shadows to follow? Which shadows to believe? The choices will be up to us as we continue our collective passage through time fully engaging with this intelligence that we have created.

I now step back into the room, from the deck of the third-floor condo, through the sliding doors, and close the curtains while the last remnants of sunlight crawls under the horizon.

The shadows of this young new night, real and virtual, are beginning to emerge.

South Asian Cities continued from page 72

efficient devices. Across the city, it plans to reduce electricity consumption by 10.7 percent a year, and has also sought funding for electric minibuses.

Nagpur to cut emissions by 20 percent

Nagpur started in 2018 with the heat action plan that was first developed in Ahmedabad and has since been adopted by many cities in South Asia. Its Urban-LEDS plan says it will reduce emissions by 20 percent by 2025 from 2017-18 levels, and identified actions with a mitigation potential of 614,376 tons of CO2 per year by 2025-26.

The Nagpur government also wanted to focus on enhancing biodiversity in the city. The local government surveyed a section of the city’s trees, prepared a city-wide natural asset map and distributed a tree handbook to raise awareness.

New rainwater-harvesting systems with sensors that monitor groundwater recharge have been installed at two government -run schools. Nagpur now also has a children’s ‘climate resilient park’, which focused on planting local species, urban farming, bird feeders, rainwater harvesting, a sensory walkway, tree labels and info boards on sustainable lifestyles.

The city’s government has sought funding to buy bicycles that citizens can hire. The plan is for them to be available at bus stops and railway stations for last-mile connectivity.

Natural flood control in Thane

The Thane city government aims to reduce annual emission by 22 percent from the 2017-18 baseline by 202526. For this, it has identified actions with a mitigation potential of 511,338 tons of CO2 equivalent on an annual basis by 2025-26.

Thane is in a high-rainfall zone and also faces the impacts of sea level rise. The Thane Urban Flood Alert Network developed under the Urban-LEDS project has already been tested by flooding. The government estimates that trees, mangroves and soil in the city can sequester over 1.6 million tons of CO2.

The local government has identified factors such as the city’s location, unauthorized settlements, encroachments, inadequate urban infrastructure and transportation, insufficient access to basic municipal services, and poor economic conditions as contributing to vulnerability.

Common priorities, common solutions

Many of the problems facing these four cities, along with thousands of others throughout South Asia, are similar –such as inadequate waste management creating greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of green cover that is also a carbon sink.

The solutions are also similar. The plans commonly feature ways to improve waste management, increase tree cover, and install solar rooftop systems starting with institutional buildings.

Samir Shukla Editor of Saathee Magazine

Contact: Samir@Saathee.com

Twitter: @ShuklaWrites

Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com

Under the Urban-LEDS project, city governments exchange their experiences – both the challenges and successes. There is considerable scope for more regional cooperation in urban adaptation schemes.

Article Courtesy of The Third Pole (thethirdpole.net)

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Corner Stone Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine...............71

County South Realty & Business Brokers........................53

Crescent Dental (Dr. Kavita Ghai).....................................69

Darji, Iyer, Joshi & Patel (Accounting & Tax Services).......29

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)................65

DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani)....................................................53

Eesha Realty, LLC............................................................47

Elite Motors ....................................................................25

Ensure Home Loans (Ramesh Nallavolu).........................45

Fairview Home Mortgage................................................51

Four Points by Sheraton (Myrtle Beach)...........................41

GCAP (Holi Event)..............................................................6

Geological Resources, Inc................................................57

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ...........................................99

Grand India Mart (Groceries)............................................34

Greater Triangle Realty (Thomas John)............................95

Health Markets (Medicare, Health, Life, Supplemental)....45

Hindi Vikas Mandal (Awara Hoon Event)..........................10

Hindu Center Charlotte ...................................................78

Home Decorators Of America (Atlanta)............................59

Hum Sub (Holi and Basant Bahar).....................................9

Inchin's Bamboo Garden.................................................67

Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance Serv.........63

International Community Church.....................................19

KDP CPA.........................................................................13

Khanna & Sons Jewelers................................................15

KidzCare Pediatrics..........................................................79

Maadhurya Photography.................................................55

Malak Jewelers...............................................................27

Malani Jewelers............................................................100

Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley.......................................24

Mehta & McConnell, PLLC (Injury Lawyers).....................35

Mental Health Therapy (Shital Patel, JD, LCSW)..............55

Mitra Pain Management..................................................81

NC Dermatology Associates............................................70

North American Bancard ...............................................11

NSD Tax & Accounting Services......................................55

Nunna Realty (Shiva Nunna)............................................89

One 2 Entertainment.......................................................63

PandyaNad Indian Restaurant (Raleigh)...........................33

Park Gastroenterology (Valli Kodali, M.D.)........................95

Patel & Samatova, Law...................................................51

Patel Brothers (Cary)........................................................30

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)...........................................61

Pathak, Atul (Real Estate).................................................63

Pramukh Mandapam......................................................57

Prism Lending (Madan Khatri).........................................89

Proficient Accounting & Tax Services, Inc. ......................71

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi).............51

Rajeev Devgon, CPA .......................................................73

RB Realty Group (Ravi Bheemarao).................................16

Real Triangle Properties (Joe Mathews)...........................31

Rug and Home..................................................................3

Saint Mary's School (Raleigh)..........................................21

Sapna Hemnani (Real Estate)..........................................19

Sarika CPA PLLC.............................................................31

Satyam Primary Care (Amit Sharma, MD).......................69

Shah & Associates, CPA, PLLC........................................45

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC...............................................53

Sheraton Chapel Hill (ATMA Hotel Group)........................49

Singh, Manjeet (Real Estate)............................................23

Sistar Mortgage (Indradevi Swaminathan).......................67

Sizzlin Stirfry Asian Bistro (Raleigh)..................................33

Spectrum Family Medicine (Sujatha Sajeevan, MD)........67

Spices Hut ......................................................................98

Stylish Me........................................................................13

Taaza Fresh Indian Bistro.................................................97

TAHTs (Triangle Area Hindu Temples) Health Fair............17

Technone LLC (Securtiy Systems)...................................61

Tooth By Tooth Orthodontics (Dr. Nishant Patel)...............85

Travel Passion.................................................................45

Tutoring (Nirmala Koripella - A+ Tutoring)..........................4

Uniworld Travel................................................................61

VAS Realty LLC (Ashwani Dalal)..............................39 & 65

Vema Mortgage LLC (Vipul Hapani)........................29 & 85

Vimal Realty (Vimal Patel - Realtor).................................37

Wake Spine & Pain..........................................................97

West Cary Medicine (Dr. Kareem M.D.)...........................29

Worldwide Travels............................................................65