Voice of Asia Dec 13, 2013

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Biting the bullet after the ballot Houston IIT 2013 Global Conference Disarray in India’s ruling party after poll defeat

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EW DELHI - Disarray within India’s ruling Congress party burst into the open on Tuesday after its stunning defeat in state elections, with a senior figure saying the party would lose a

and for allowing corruption to spin out of control since he was appointed to a second term in 2009.

Adding to the Congress party’s troubles, half a dozen of its own lawmakers called

gress party in elections held over the last month in three big states and the capital, Delhi.

“A break from governance would be a welcome break that could be used to refit the party as the nation’s natural party of governance in the 21st century,” the upper house lawmaker wrote in a column for the Indian Express newspaper.

concludes successfully

by Jacob David

HOUSTON – Over 1750 attendees benefited immensely from the IIT 2013 Global conference held at Houston, Texas between

hosted a variety of guest speakers lasted for 2 days from December 6 – 8th. The conference focused on five areas – Sustainability, Technology, Education, Energy, and Life Sciences.

“The current and prospective electoral reverses for the Congress are thus Rahul’s golden opportunity,” he said, referring to the young scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and potential candidate for prime minister.

Sonia Gandhi, Congress party president and her son Rahul Gandhi who is the party’s vice president. (Photo: AFP) general election and needed time in opposition to reinvent itself.

Mani Shankar Aiyar - a veteran of the party who is close to the Nehru-Gandhi family that has run the Congress for decades - predicted defeat in the national election due by next May.

for a parliamentary motion of no-confidence over a decision to split the southern state of Andhra Pradesh into two.

If at least 50 members of the lower house back their demand, the stage would be set for a trial of strength in which Congress

Aiyar’s opinion was personal and not the party’s view, said Congress spokesman Bhakta Charan Das, but agreed there was a need to analyse what went wrong.

“The party will definitely introspect and we must come out with a very good approach to revitalise ourselves.”

The centre-left Congress party’s main opponent, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was the clear winner in three states that held assembly elections and left its

Kashinath Patil, Lubeena Bindra and Degh Bindra light the lamp at the conference. (Photo courtesy IIT)

Vicente Fox, Former President of Mexico, P.Harish, Consul General of India, Suresh and Dr. Renu Khator, President and Chancellor of Houston were among the chief guests for the evening at the Chairman’s Reception. Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri could not make it to the closing ceremony due to bad weather in Dallas. She spoke to the participants in a live telephone conversation from Dallas. Dan Nainan, Comedian; Usha Uthup, Indian Jazz, pop and playback singer; and the FAB 5 Houston Rock band kept the conference lively and going forward.

At the Chairman’s reception, Pratish Kanani the Vice-chair and IIT alumnus, said, “The Indian Institutes of Technology alumni have proved to be strong innovators and highly successful executives and technologists in the corporate world, entrepreneurial ventures, academia and government among many others. In addition to our professional achievements, we feel enormously responsible to give back to our communities and help

Continued on pg 5

“Who can be even half-way realistic and expect the Congress to return to power?” Aiyar told Reuters.

In a further signal of uneasiness about Congress’ chances in the general election, the leader of a key party in the coalition government said on Monday the state polls amounted to a rejection of “weak rulers”.

“People do not want weak rulers,” National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar said, according to domestic media reports. “They want decisive and result-oriented leaders who will formulate policies for (the) poor and implement them.”

Manmohan Singh, the taciturn 81-year-old prime minister, has been widely criticised for the government’s policy drift and a sharp economic slowdown,

Witty Bindra giving final thanks for a successful conference with IIT 2013 team. (Photo courtesy IIT)

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal shows victory sign with party members Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and Kumar Vishwas in Delhi. (Photo: PTI) would need the support of several parties to survive.

Aiyar’s remarks follow a disastrous showing for the Con-

December 6th and 8th, 2013. The theme of the conference is ironically Inspiring Innovation for Tomorrow which fits the IIT acronym well. The conference was kicked off by the Chairman’s Reception which was held at the Asia Society Texas Center at 1370 Southmore Blvd, on Thursday, December 5th, 2013.

The conference opened to a grand gala night with select conThe BJP has been boosted temporary dance performances by by the energetic campaigning the Anjali Dance Company, Houston, choreographed by Dr. Rathna Continued on pg 11 Kumar. The programs which rival standing in the capital.

From L-R: Lubeena Bindra, Dr.Renu Khator, Suresh Khator and Witty Bindra, Chairman, IIT. (Photo: Jacob David)

OP-ED/OPINIONS/VIEWS

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FUN FACTS The adult human brain weighs about 3 pounds.

The adult human brain is about 2% of the total body weight.

The elephant brain weighs about 6,000 g.

The cat brain weighs about 30 g.

The average human brain is 140 mm wide.

The average human brain is 167 mm long.

The average human brain is 93 mm high.

The human brain has about 100,000,000,000 (100 billion) neurons.

The octopus brain has about 300 million neurons.

The world record for time without sleep is 264 hours (11 days).

Unconsciousness will occur after 8-10 seconds after loss of blood supply to the brain.

Neurons multiply at a rate 250,000 neurons/minute during early pregnancy.

The weight of an adult human cerebellum is 150 g.

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The beast in India’s midst

by Roger Cohen

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EW DELHI - About a month ago Shoma Chaudhury, a feminist journalist of considerable renown, moderated a panel entitled “The Beast in Our Midst: Rape Survivors Speak Their Stories” at the annual ideas festival of her magazine, Tehelka. The symposium in Goa was attended

by Robert De Niro, among other luminaries.

This much is clear in the storm.

Ten days after the Goa festival, a young Tehelka journalist (who had been detailed to chaperone De Niro) sent Chaudhury a complaint accusing the magazine’s founder and editor in chief, Tarun Tejpal, of sexually assaulting her twice in an elevator on Nov. 7 and 8. Tejpal is a charismatic figure whose investigative journalism has earned him many political enemies and near legendary

Our Credentials:

six months.

The reply from the journalist, entitled “Request for Closure,” said: “I need closure on this — I need a written apology to me for his physical misconduct on two separate occasions. I need an acknowledgment of the same sent to the staff and bureau. I also need Tehelka to set up an anti-sexual harassment cell.” In a further email the next day she stipulated that the apology from Tejpal must include admission of

Today, Chaudhury, who was the managing editor of a publication revered in Indian liberal circles for its exposés of political corruption, has quit her job, had her Delhi home defaced by an angry mob, been pilloried for supposedly acting as an accomplice to rape, and, in her own words in an email to the editor in chief of The Hindustan Times, “been lynched by the media for things I did not do, vilified on the basis of half-truths and fictions.”

Chaudhury’s story is a troubling one of an India that has awoken with fierce indignation to the issue of predatory sexual violence over the past year, ever since a 23-year-old student in Delhi died after being gangraped on a bus.

A further gang-rape case in Mumbai involving slum-dwelling young men on a casual “hunt” for a victim has fueled a debate in which India’s fastchanging sexual mores, Bollywood’s portrayal of women as sex objects, encrusted male attitudes of entitlement and old habits of concealment have all figured. Tehelka, under Chaudhury’s editorship, has been a prominent voice for women’s rights.

A colossal political and media outcry has now engulfed her life.

Shoma Chaudhury, formerly of Tehelka magazine. status among India’s intellectual elite. The young woman’s Nov. 18 email to Chaudhury alleged that he had finger-penetrated her and left her “in a completely distraught condition.” It demanded “at the very least” that she receive “a written apology from Mr. Tejpal,” according to a copy provided to me.

“sexual molestation on two separate occasions despite repeatedly and clearly being asked to stop.”

Chaudhury, having spoken to Tejpal, promptly responded, saying she felt “my breath has been knocked out of me” and assuring the journalist that the editor in chief was “absolutely willing” to provide the requested apology.

Within hours, on Nov. 19, Tejpal apologized “unconditionally” to the journalist in an email that referred to “a moment of insanity” but left her deeply dissatisfied. The next day he announced he would step down for

Being dogmatic

T

he government is probably proud commerce minister Anand Sharma is standing up for India’s rights to accumulate food stocks— “For India, food security is non-negotiable, need of public stock-holding of foodgrains to ensure food security must be respected.

are to be made in 33 big cities where the bank network can easily be used to do this, CACP estimates, the requirement of stocks can be reduced to 2025 million tonnes. At current prices, this 50 million tonnes of extra wheat and rice means an

Dated WTO rules need to be corrected”, he said at the Bali plenary. While that sounds very good, India needs to keep in mind not just the fact that it needs the WTO process more than the US or the EU—so India needs to be more flexible— but also the fact that it is being unnecessarily dogmatic in a variety of ways. For one, India just doesn’t need the kind of stocks it has—it had 74 million tonnes of foodstock with FCI in July against the norm of 32 million tonnes.

Confronted with mountains of foodgrains, a large proportion of which rots as there just isn’t enough covered storage, the government usually has no option but to liquidate the stocks by offering discounts every year—so far this year, the government liquidated 5 lakh tonnes of wheat by lowering the price by $40 per tonne and another 15 lakh has to be liquidated in the next 4 months—to those who wish to export it. This is precisely what EU Trade Commissioner Karl de Gucht said at Bali was distorting trade—while India has said it will not release the grain in the export market, the fact is that the current practice does distort the market.

It seems clear that, at a small magazine that was family to its staff, faced by a traumatic incident involving two people she was close to, Chaudhury was scrambling, as requested, to deal with the matter internally.

additional capital cost of $17.5 billion, financing which cannot be loose change, especially for a fiscally stressed exchequer.

Direct cash transfers become even more appealing since, given a 40% leakage level in the PDS, anything that reduces the size of the PDS, results in lower leakages.

Given that the WTO proposal which effectively reduces the

A criminal investigation was ordered. Chaudhury has been attacked for failing to report the incident to the police immediately, attempting a cover-up, trying to smear the journalist (a grotesque allegation) and betraying her feminist principles. She quit.

The young woman, distraught and traumatized, also quit. The magazine is adrift.

Tejpal has been arrested on charges of rape (India’s new antirape law passed this year expanded the definition of rape to include insertion of any body part into a woman’s vagina) and faces possible imprisonment of 10 years or more. He has denied any wrongdoing. But of course his letter of apology now represents a potential self-incriminating confession.

Something has gone very wrong here. An unconscionable and criminal act may well have occurred on that elevator. That will be for a court to settle. But already, in an overheated media witch hunt, Tejpal has become “the rapist”; truth looks like a hostage to a new Indian political correctness and to old political scores; and an honorable, talented, crusading journalist, Shoma Chaudhury, has been misrepresented, hounded and ruined. (NYT) government’s role in procurement—this also benefits India’s private trade which will get greater room to operate—is good for India, what’s not clear is why the government wants Anand Sharma to oppose it.

Possibly because seeming to fight for the rights of the poor always makes for good optics, more so in an election year.

(Financial Times)

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The Goa police and government led by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party — frequently the target of the magazine’s exposés — responded with rare zeal smacking of political vendetta for a Tehelka investigation that led to the resignation in 2001 of the then-defense minister from a coalition headed by the party.

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Chaudhury forwarded his announcement to the magazine staff. She included a brief cover note alluding to Tejpal’s abject apology for “an untoward incident,” a phrase she acknowledges may have looked too mild. Minutes later all hell broke loose — and has scarcely abated since.

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FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

25th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The People’s Lawyer www.peopleslawyer.net Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Tenant is responsible for damage to house Q. For the past five years I have rented a house to the same tenant. Last month he gave notice and moved out. When I went to see the property I was shocked by all the damage. I had not checked the condition of the property in almost three years, and there was major damage. I took a security deposit but the damage is much more. Am I limited to the amount of the deposit?

P.S. I learned my lesson and will always periodically check the property in the future.

A. I am glad you have learned something from this experience, but I am sorry it has been such an expensive lesson. A landlord should always make regular trips to visit and inspect the rental property.

You are not out of luck, however, with respect to recovering for the damage to your property. The first thing you need to do is send the tenant written notice describing the damage and the costs of repair, stating that the security deposit will be applied to that amount. Let the tenant know you expect he will pay the remaining balance, or you will consider legal action to collect. If he does not pay, consider a claim in Justice Court. As I have said before, this court has replace small claims court and should be just as easy to use.

Q. How long do you need to live together to have a common law marriage? I was told seven years.

A. This may be one of the most common myths about the law. There is not time limit for establishing a common law marriage. A common law marriage requires the parties agree to be married, hold themselves out as married, and live together as married. The time period could be as short as one day.

A

“2 Indians Indicted in $3.6 Million Fraud”

IDS-infected drug addicts and hundreds of other sick and desperate poor people were paid pittances to donate blood samples that a New York City “blood trafficking ring” used to defraud the state Medicaid program of at least $15 million, state officials charged.

The scheme was broken up with arrests and charges against 22 clinical laboratories and operators, according to the office of the special state prosecutor for Medicaid fraud and the State Department of Social Services.

Ten people, including an Indian decertified physician and his father, and three laboratories were indicted by a Queens grand jury on charges of stealing more than $3.6 million in false billings for useless tests on blood purchased from drug addicts and other impoverished donors, officials said.

They said lab operators took over clinics already approved to bill Medicaid for tests to needy patients. They then established a vast network of “blood collectors” who set up blooddrawing centers in tenement apartments and elsewhere, and “combed ghetto neighborhoods in search of drug users and others willing to sell their blood for cash—usually $10

Q. I owe a lot of money and canÕt pay my bills. I tried to pay what I owe but it is impossible. I can no longer stand the debt collectors bothering me and want to file bankruptcy. I have been told that even if I file bankruptcy, I will still owe my student loans. Is this true? They are my largest debts.

A. As you seem to know, when you file bankruptcy, most of your debts are ‘discharged.’ This means that you no longer have any obligation to pay. Not all debts, however, are discharged. The most common type of debt that is not discharged in bankruptcy is a student loan. Student loans are discharged only if paying them would be an ‘undue hardship’ on the debtor. In most cases, it is very difficult to get a student loan discharged in bankruptcy. If most of what you owe is for student loans, bankruptcy may not be a good idea. I suggest you speak with an attorney board certified in consumer bankruptcy and get his or her opinion. You also should speak with someone about arranging for a payment plan for your student loans. There are payment plans based on income that allow you to satisfy your obligation without having to pay the full amount.

Q. I have a life insurance policy that designates one of my three sons as the beneficiary. I also have a will, which divides my property equally between all three sons. Which has priority, the life insurance policy or the will?

A. The beneficiary named in the life insurance policy will receive the proceeds of the policy, regardless of who is named the beneficiary in your will. The will deals with only the property in your estate. The proceeds of your life insurance policy do not become part of your estate and will go directly to the son named in the policy. I should point out that the son who is the beneficiary of the life insurance policy will also receive a third of your remaining estate pursuant to the will.

Do you want to know more about your legal rights?

Visit my website, www.peopleslawyer.net

Scammers pretending to be IRS Agents targeting Indian Immigrants

by Rahul Reddy & Sophia Asare, Attorneys at Law, Reddy & Neumann PC

A

pervasive telephone scam is targeting immigrants, particularly Indian nationals, across the country. Victims are contacted by phone and email and told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer.

The scammers are often able to recite the last four digits of the victims’ social security numbers. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. After threatening victims with jail time or driver’s license

revocation, scammers hang up and others soon call back pretending to be from the local police or DMV, and the caller ID supports their claim.

Below are the steps you should take if you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS: • If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call a Certified Public Accountant or an Attorney. You can even call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue – if there really is such an issue.

• If you’ve been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use

their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.

• If you have not yet received a phone call or email from someone claiming to be from the IRS, remain vigilant and be aware that: • The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.

• The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts.

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for every 20 vials.”

Blood collectors would submit the samples with phony paperwork and forged physician authorization to the labs, which would then subject the blood to “batteries of high-priced and utterly useless tests” and bill Medicaid, Deputy Attorney General Edward J. Kuriansky, the state’s Medicaid prosecutor, said.

The fraud totaled an estimated $15 million while billings of up to another $100 million appeared inflated, Mr. Kuriansky said.

He called it “perhaps the largest and most nefarious fraud ever perpetrated on this country’s health care system: the illegal trafficking in human blood for profit.”

“This case, he said, “tells the sordid tale of individuals who drained the lifeblood of sick and desperate human beings for pennies and then converted

it to ‘liquid gold’ on the Medicaid market—a $10 pint, or 20 viles, of a junkie’s AIDS—and hepatitis-contaminated blood easily yielded $2,000 in fraudulent Medicaid lab billings.”

The indictment charged Surinder Singh Panshi, 39 years old, of Middle Village, Queens, and his father, Gurdial Singh Panish, 68, of Queens, with acting through three labs they owned and seven co-conspirators to falsely bill Medicaid for $3.6 million in worthless blood tests. The younger Mr. Panshi was identified as a physician and internal medicine specialist who surrendered his medical license in 1987 after a previous conviction for Medicaid fraud.

By Ralph Blumenthal (Courtesy of New York Times) Date of Publication: September 1, 1988

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER Answers to your Citizenship Questions

by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer: email at srichardslaw@aol.com Q: My father’s English is poor. Can he pass the citizenship test as I believe he does not qualify for the English Language exemptions?

A: The applicant must have elementary level reading, writing and understanding of the English Language. He must also have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of US history and government. These groups of persons are exempt from the English language requirement–at least 50 years and older at the time of filing and been a permanent resident for at least 20 years or at least 55 years and older and lived in the US as permanent resident for at least 15 years. Also, if he is at least 65 years old and has been a permanent resident for at least 20 years, he can take the easier test of US History and Government. In order to determine his chances of passing, my advice is for him to consult with an immigration lawyer to determine if he possesses or will be able to achieve the required level of literacy skill needed for such an application and to pass the interview. We have successfully assisted many clients who thought their literacy skills were inadequate for citizenship.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Q: I have an old conviction and it is outside the 5 year statutory period. Will this be a problem?

A: When there is a conviction at any time, it is wise to be careful. Because there are so many different levels of convictions for a whole hosts of offences, some of them more serious than the others, it is advisable to contact an immigration lawyer to review the conviction records for determination that it will not affect your citizenship application in any way or worse still, result in you being place in removal proceedings.

Q: My brother was placed on probation after his conviction and he completed the sentence 2 years ago. Can he apply for citizenship now?

A: If an applicant has been on probation, parole or had a suspended sentence during all or part of the required statutory period, the applicant may still apply for citizenship. However, the immigration officer has the discretion to use that probation, parole or suspended sentence to determine whether the applicant possesses good moral character for the 5 year statutory period. I suggest that he contact an immigration lawyer to review the conviction records to determine whether he should wait before submitting his application.

Q: I have my naturalization interview next month and I cannot attend because I am out of the country and I can only return to the US after my interview date. What do I have to do?

A: It is best to try to attend the interview as sometimes it takes several months for USCIS to be able to re-schedule the interview. However, in some cases, the circumstances are that it is just not possible t attend. If that is the case, you need to write to the USCIS office where your interview will be conducted to request that they reschedule your interview. If you do not notify USCIS and you miss the interview, normally your case will be closed administratively and you will receive notification of that. You then have one year to notify USCIS that you wish to have a new interview scheduled. If you do not do so, your application will then be denied for failure to attend the interview.

Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration Lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas.

She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. She has very successfully assisted many of her clients in their citizenship applications and interviews.

If you are applying for citizenship and require advice or assistance, you may contact her at 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Also you can visit www.houstonimmigrationattorney.com

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VOICE OF ASIA 5

4th Annual Srimad Bhagavata Mahotsava to be held at Namadwaar

G

lobal Organization for Divinity will conduct its annual grand celebration of bhakti and Bhagavata Dharma, from December 20 to 27 this year through a 7-day “Madhura Utsav” (sweet celebration).

The Utsav will be filled with celebration of the Lord through song, dance and listening to His stories through a 7-day Srimad Bhagavatam discourse series by Sri Ramanujam ji, disciple of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji.

(greatness of Srimad Bhagavatam).

From Dec 21, daily events through the day (at Namadwaar) include chanting Thiruppavai (6 am), complete Srimad Bhagavata Moola Parayana of 18000 slokas in 7 days (7am-2pm), Procession of the Lord in different vahanas (10 am), Ashtapadi kirtan-Sampradaya bhajan with Sri Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam (2pm). There will also be special activities and games every day for children of all ages.

The evening program (Dec 21-27) will begin from 6 pm at the Buddhist Temple with the “Krishna Bhakti Samrajye” segment where various local classical music and dance artistes will offer their talent to the Lord through performances. This will be followed by the highlight event - Srimad Bhagavatam discourse (in English) by Sri Ramanujam ji.

Sri Ramanujam ji The day events will be held at Namadwaar Prayer House located at 3642 Bailey Ave, Manvel TX 77578, while the evening Bhagavatam discourse preceded by classical music and dance performances by local artists will be held at Huong Lam Buddhist Temple, 4203 CR 89, Pearland TX 77584.

The utsav will begin on Dec 20 afternoon at 3 pm (at Namadwaar) with the commencement of the 7-day Srimad Bhagavatam parayana (reading from the original Sanskrit text). This will be followed by Madhura Gitam concert of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji’s compositions and a discourse by Sri Ramanujam ji on Bhagavata Mahatmyam

IIT 2013 Continued from pg 1

make the world a better place for current and future generations.”

He then introduced the Conference chair Witty Bindra who originally lived a major part of his life in New Zealand. He is the first Urban Sikh of a Pan IIT Conference.

In his short speech, Chairman Witty Bindra said that the 10th Global Pan IIT conference was for the first time ever being held in the Energy Capital of the world, Houston, Texas. He thanked the volunteers by name for planning this event for the last 12 months.

He honored Kashinath Patil the 1st IIT who received his diploma from the then first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He was a student from the graduating class of 1955 from IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal. He also mentioned Prabodh Bhanvalkar, who got his IIT Certificate in 1962, from IIT Bombay. Kashinath Patil, the senior most member of the IIT alumni in Houston, and Degh Bindra, the chairman’s son only 6 old, lit the lamp and started the conference.

Bharat Desai, an IIT Bombay graduate and present Chairman of Syntel, a $3.7 Billion company and Umang Gupta, from IIT Kanpur, serial entrepreneur, the

Sri Ramanujam ji, who has visited the Houston area several times before, is an excellent speaker who has absorbed the intricate essence of our scriptures directly from his Master. His insightful discourses throw beautiful, meaningful, practical light on the subtle aspects of our Sanatana Dharma. His discourses on Srimad Bhagavatam are brilliant and instill in us love for the Lord, love for the path of bhakti and love for this great Purana itself.

Interested people from all cultural and religious backgrounds are welcome to participate in this unique celebration. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information about the event or Namadwaar, please call 281-402-6585 or email houston. god@godivinity.org. Visit www. godivinity.org to learn more about G.O.D. most recent chairman of Keynote Systems, and current Chairman of PAN IIT Global, both distinguished alumni, who spoke on the occasion. Bharat Desai spoke on strengthening the ecosystem, and asked the attendees gathered there to be a Mentor to upcoming graduates, be Investors and even help in formulating strategy and systems to make the world a better place.

Umang Gupta spoke on the vital need for carrying on Pan IIT forward. “It is a volunteer run organization. There are no membership fees. We are supported by sponsorships from the Alumnis.” He thanked Hemant Jha for working hard in getting over1600 attendees to attend the event.

The dance performances by the Anjali School of Dance put on a captivating display of Indian dance traditions at its finest. The performances were to music composed by Anoushka Shankar with vocals by Pandit Rajan and Pandit Sajan Mishra.

The grand finale called the Elemental was a tribute to Lord Shiva the Creator. The dance had rhythmic movements that mimicked and delineated the five elements that are necessary to form life, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind and Space.

Oscar Winning music director, A.R. Rahman’s ace percussionist N.K.Kesavan specially composed

COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

Clear Lake youth donate to charity

A

t its annual Diwali Program celebrating the Indian New Year, ICCL had grand program spanning over 4 hours with numerous cultural items representing the diverse culture of India.

It was attended by more than 500+ community members. The program ended with a sumptuous dinner. The highlight of the program was the India Culture Center of Clear Lake (ICCL) Youth Committee Officers’ hard work in raising funds for non-profit outreach programs both in the USA and abroad.

ICCL Youth Committee (YC) members, supported by both the ICCL Executive committee (EC) lead by President Sonal Singh, Vice President Yasmin Udawala – who was also a youth committee liaison, and the parents of those Youth, worked really hard to raise and donate funds to its two preferred charities. The ICCL Youth Committee, comprised of 10 high school students, set a goal at the beginning of the year to raise $1,000 for charity. The team worked together all year coordinating various fundraisers and helping to plan numerous cultural festivals. Fundraising events included the youth car wash, social, and t-shirt sales. As a result of all of their hard work, the Youth Committee considerably exceeded their goal, having raised a total of $1,850 for charity. This money was donated to two charities – Bay Area Turning Point and the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation.

Bay Area Turning Point is a local organization dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence and facilitating change within local communities. The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is an organization dedicated to education assistance and village development in rural comfor this piece using 12 different kinds of drums all of which he played and recorded by himself.

After the program, T.K.Das gave appreciation certificates to the participants and special recognition for Dr. Rathna Kumar.

The two days conference had stellar speakers which included Amartya Sen, Gene Kranz, Andrew Gould, Vicente Fox, Dr. Renu Khator, David Leebron, Blake Irving, P. Harish, Bharat Desai, Partha S Ghosh, among many others.

Great feedback was provided by some of the attendees, some of which were rave reviews.

“Congratulations on organizing such a mammoth event, and successfully so. Every event started and ended on time. From speakers themselves, to their message, each had a significant impact. Thanks again.” – Kalyan Banerjee.

“Houston, we had no problem!

A very well planned, well executed, and well delivered conference!

Kudos to the conference organization team!” - Akhil Chauhan.

“Very well organized, down to the details! Well done!!” - Deepa Menon.

Catering was provided by Bombay Brasserie and drinks by Capital Beverages.

munities of India. Representative Ashley Woodard from Bay Area Turning Point and Nikhil Mehta from Ekal Vidyalaya were there to receive the checks on behalf of their respective organizations. Local Congressman Steve Stockman of Dis-

youth themselves - Bay Area Turning Point helps children recover from abusive families, and puts them back on the right track to avoid violence and focus on education and change.

Ekal Vidyalaya assists in educational outreach in rural Indian communities, and provides opportunities to under-developed areas to really ameliorate their quality of life.” He further said “We often take it for granted the education we receive and the opportunities we have; thus,

ICCL is a nonprofit organization with nearly a thousand member families in the Greater Houston Area. ICCL organizes at least four major events per year, Holi with Sports day, High School Senior Graduation, Navaratri, and Diwali.

This year each event was a huge success due to the hard work and dedication of executive committee members and support of our Clear Lake Indian community. You can find more details on ICCL website

From L-R: Kushal Kadakia (President ICCL YC), Ashley Woodard (Bay Area Turning Point), Nikhil Mehta (President Ekal Vidyalaya Houston), Steve Stockman (Congressman District 36), Yasmin Udawala (Vice President ICCL EC), Youth Club Event Coordinator Lekha Yesantharao, Secretary Ayushi Dalal, Photographer Kaajol Shah, Community Outreach Kaanan Shah, Webmaster Nikunj Majmudar, Treasurer Ashwin Varma, Historian Akshat Patel, Vice President Jeevan Mokkala, Public Relations Venkat Reddy, and Sonal Singh (President ICCL EC). trict 36 was also present along with his wife and the principal of Clear View High School Mr. Michael Houston to support the local community.

When asked why the ICCL YC chose these two non-profit outreach organizations, the president of Youth Club of ICCL, Kushal Kadakia, responded on behalf of the committee and said that “they wanted to give back to their community on a local level as well as on a cultural level. Both organizations are aimed towards the kids &

when we decided to raise money for charity, we wanted to be able to make a difference for the kids in our community, as well as abroad (our homeland), and subsequently selected these two organizations as our preferred charities. We strongly believe in the approaches which both organizations take regarding their missions, and it’s our hope that more youth will become aware of the problems in both their local communities as well as back in India and take action to try to improve the lives of others.”

www.iccclearlake.org. In addition to the fundraising efforts, the Youth Committee also led a canned food drive, collecting a quarter ton of food for the Clear Lake Food Pantry, and participated in a community outreach program at Park Manor Nursing Home. Their work this year in putting together multiple fundraisers and Youth Committee led community events was unprecedented, and has set the stage for future generations to take part in wider community engagement.

23 FBISD Students selected for 2013-2014 Season of Student Leadership 101

F

ort Bend ISD welcomed 33 high school juniors to the 2013-2014 season of the District’s Student Leadership 101 program.

Sponsored by the FBISD Board of Trustees, the program gives juniors, representing all FBISD high schools, the unique opportunity to explore various roles in community leadership and service.

The 2013-2014 cohort members include: Austin High School – Yuthika Gundamaraju, Chasity Henry, Antony Samuel; Bush High School – Zachary Person, Kymberli Russo, Ciara Thompson; Clements High School – Uddav Marwaha, Shelby Stone, Marina Tan; Dulles High School – Elena Dang, Michelle Huang, Sharon Liu; Elkins High School – Aadithya Srivatsav, Jonathan Winfiele, Kevin Zhang; Hightower High School – Renaja Burns, Tim Chou, Tasneed Shaik; Kempner High School – Nicholas Anderson, Kathrin James, Brian Thorpe; Marshall High School – Breona Autry, Samuel Awolope, Marqua Luckey; Ridge Point High School – Hudson Blom, Joshua Mack, Cherie Vu; Travis High School – Paulina Agyei, Fahad Noormohammed, Sean Saldanha; and Willowridge High

School – Brittani Collins, Natalia Francis, Britany King.

The cohorts kicked off the new season in November by participating in Seminar #1: “Building Your Leadership Skills.” Program Coordinator Mike Madden welcomed the students to the program and provided an overview to let them know what to expect throughout the school year.

Madden also introduced Superintendent Charles Dupre, who reminded students that they are among a distinct group of students selected to participate in the program. “You were each selected by our School Board based on the essays you submitted,” said Dupre. “I want to encourage you to take full advantage of this awesome experience, be fully engaged, and most of all, have fun.”

FBISD Board Member, Jenny Bailey, joined the students in the day-long seminar as the program’s Sponsor for the Day. They completed a series of indoor ROPES activities led by FBISD ROPES Course Managers Lynda Ruther and Jim Harton. The activities gave participants the opportunity to get acquainted with each other while promoting teambuilding.

“Student Leadership 101 pro-

vides students with a great opportunity to connect with their peers from high schools across the District and to develop personal leadership skills that they can use in various areas of their lives while in high school, in the community and later in their chosen careers,” said Bailey.

To help students unlock their leadership potentials, FBISD Organizational Development Coordinators will lead them in StrengthsFinder lessons throughout the year. Jamie Vincek presented an overview of StrengthsFinder lessons and asked students to complete the online assessment from The Gallup Organization to discover their strengths. She and her colleagues will work with students throughout the year to help develop their strengths.

“I am excited to be a part of Student Leadership 101,” said Aadithya Srivatsav of Elkins High School. “I want to become a better leader and gain a clearer vision of what it takes to become a good leader so that I can better plan and prioritize future goals.”

The group will meet once a month through May. The next session will focus on Leadership in Community Volunteerism.

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VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

Pakistan opposition faces a test of its new power

by Yaroslav Trofimov

P

ESHAWAR - Fazl Elahi rued the day he believed Imran Khan’s promise of a new Pakistan as he sat by his roadside restaurant this weekend, watching the former cricket star’s backers halt highway traffic to protest American drone strikes.

what the PTI government is doing, it’s poles apart,” says Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, a former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and, until recently, a key PTI ally. “All that Imran Khan wants is to create space for himself on the national level, so that he can become prime minister of Pakistan in

Former Pakistani Cricketer Imran Khan at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Saturday. (PTI photo) In elections seven months ago, Mr. Elahi’s vote helped put Mr. Khan’s maverick party in power here in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on the Afghan frontier.

“They are not sincere, and I will not vote for them again,” the bearded 35-year-old says.

“God knows what benefit they have in going on about the drone attacks. They should deal with our real issues.”

Sentiment appears to be turning against Mr. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the only one of Pakistan’s four provinces where the anti-American movement holds power. Instead of focusing on a broken economy and endemic violence, critics say, PTI has been obsessed with its campaign against American drones.

How PTI governs KhyberPakhtunkhwa, home to 22 million people, is a test for a movement that became a major political force after the May elections.

A success here, party officials say, would pave the way for PTI to vault to national power in the next elections, transforming Pakistan’s political landscape and strategic direction. So far, however, it has been hard going, with allies breaking off and discontent building within the ranks.

“To govern this province is not an easy thing,” acknowledges PTI’s leader in Peshawar, provincial education minister Muhammad Atif. “The problems that we have are more than what we thought.”

During the elections, PTI wooed voters with promises to root out corruption and empower the middle class. The party and the PTI government of Pakistan’s only predominantly Pashtun province have made some headway against graft.

Most of their energy since the election, however, has focused on stopping the drone strikes against Taliban militants.

Last month, PTI aimed to force the U.S. to do so by closing the main highway connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan to coalition supplies, angering many Peshawar businessmen who depend on cross-border trade.

“What the people want and

the next election. He is using the suffering of the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for his own purposes.”

The party headed by Mr. Sherpao has nine out of 124 provincial legislature seats, and was part of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government until last month, when PTI accused two of its ministers of corruption.

Mr. Sherpao says these accusations were motivated by political disagreement over blocking roads to coalition traffic. The blockade, he adds, hurts mostly the ethnic Pashtuns—who dominate the country’s trucking trade.

In fact, it is unclear to what extent the American drone campaign that PTI wants stopped so badly is actually unpopular here, in the province that has been hardest hit by far deadlier Taliban bombings and killings.

In the nearby tribal areas such as North Waziristan, many people note that the drone strikes cause fewer civilian casualties than Pakistani army operations that have resulted in much wider destruction and precipitated the exodus of civilian refugees.

Only one drone strike in recent years, an attack on an Afghan Haqqani network madrassa last month, took place in KhyberPakhtunkhwa’s settled areas outside the tribal lands.

“Openly, nobody has the courage to support the drones,” says Iftikhar Hussain, a secular politician who served as information minister in the previous government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and whose son was assassinated by the Taliban in 2010. “But if you ask people in a secret ballot, especially in Waziristan, they will all support them. The drones are the only weapon that targets the terrorists.”

While the national government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also opposes the U.S. drone strikes as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, it has done little beyond complaining to stop them. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the drone issue and PTI’s protests in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with Mr. Sharif Monday, warning that continued blocking of the road could imperil hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. payments to the Pakistani military.

The PTI and its Islamist allies set up several checkpoints to enforce the blockade late last month. On a highway exit on the western edge of Peshawar, under a banner reading, “The Blood of Muslims is Calling on You,” club-wielding activists stopped passing trucks as PTIrun provincial police watched, and turned back those found carrying supplies for the coalition military or the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. The blockade last week forced the U.S. military to stop using the main land route into Kabul.

“America is running away, America is leaving everything behind and running away,” Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Pervez Khattak, said at a PTI rally in Islamabad after the announcement. The Americans “look down on us, with contempt,” echoed Mr. Khan, the party’s leader. “There is a big difference between friendship and slavery. Friends don’t do to friends what they have done to Pakistan.”

D

“The Chamber judge of the Appellate Division (of the Supreme Court), Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, ordered suspension of the execution of

Sitting in his printing shop at the Qissa Khwani bazaar, Zafar Khattak, head of the printers association uniting some 1,000 artisanal print shops, reminded of PTI’s promise to end Taliban violence within 90 days of taking office and started crying as he recalled September’s carnage. Though Mr. Khattak was unhurt in that attack, a previous Taliban bombing, last year, severely damaged the retina of his left eye.

“Peshawar is like an orphan.

No one is looking after us,” he said angrily. The PTI government, he added, “is neglecting the people who’ve put them in power.”

Mr. Khattak and others in the Peshawar business community say they were particularly infuriated by PTI’s disruption on the road to Afghanistan, a vital market for the province.

sympathy and support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons suffering from disabilities. More than 21 years have passed but there is no progress on this in Kashmir to uplift such persons. Our demands are still unfulfilled.

Nobody in the government listen to us,” Bhat said.

The protest was later joined by disabled students of ZaibaAppa Institute of Inclusive Education Bijbehara. Carrying placards which read ‘We don’t want pension, we want education’, ‘Give us our rights’, etc., the students said the aim of protest was to inform public about the difficulties being faced by the disabled persons.

Bhat flayed the government’s non-serious approach in addressing the problems of the disabled persons.

“We demand our rights

should be upheld and the schemes for handicapped persons be implemented without delay,” he said.

He accused the government of failing to implement centrally sponsored schemes even after the funds were released

by Government of India.

“There are many schemes for which the centre has sanctioned funds. But the state government does not implement those schemes,” he claimed.

Later in the day, as protestors tried to march towards main road, police foiled their march and detained at least 15 protestors.

A police official from Srinagar’s Kothi Bagh police station said all of them were released within half an hour of their arrest. (AFP/News Agencies)

A cry from the disabled: A member of the Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association shouts slogans while being hauled away in a police vehicle during an anti-government march in Srinagar, India. The protesters marked the International Day of People with Disability with demands for an increase in monthly pensions and free education for the deaf and blind. (Photo: Rouf Bhat, AFP)

India’s Anna Hazare begins new anti-corruption fast

I

ndian anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare has begun a fresh hunger strike to renew his demands for parliament to pass tough anticorruption laws.

tra on Tuesday morning.

Mr Hazare has long demanded an independent ombudsman to prosecute politicians and civil servants suspected of corruption.

Mr Hazare told reporters ahead of the fast that the governing Congress party had “betrayed” him as it had failed to

Nearly 5,000 people, mostly locals, gathered around Mr Hazare as he began his fast, a local journalist told BBC Hindi.

in the anti-corruption campaign, led his year-old Aam Aadmi Party to a surprise strong showing in the Delhi state elections, winning 28 of the 70 seats.

Last year, the two campaigners parted ways over Mr Kejriwal’s plans to enter politics, with Mr Hazare saying he preferred “sacred” agitation over politics, “which is full of dirt”.

Both are demanding the appointment of an independent anti-corruption ombudsman.

The Peshawar printing industry, for example, sells 80% of its output to fellow Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Mr. Khattak said.

“People who do business with Afghanistan are worried because they do not know what will happen with their trucks, whether they will be stopped, where they will be stopped,” said Abdullah Khan, head of the provincial money-changers association, a body that encompasses the informal but huge hawala banking sector. “Every trader is preoccupied.”

Mr. Atif, the provincial minister, dismissed those concerns.

“If we have to lose a little business just to stand by our sovereignty, then so be it,” he said. (WSJ)

The stay order came as jail officials prepared to hang Mollah, 65, at one minute past midnight. The family members of the death row convict met him for the last time earlier this evening.

the death penalty until 10.30 am tomorrow,” Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam

S

RINAGAR - Police in Kashmir arrested at least 15 members of Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association (JKHA) Tuesday when they tried to take out a march towards city centre Lal Chowk on World Disability Day. Reports said that scores of disabled persons under the banner of JKHA assembled in Srinagar’s Press Enclave on Tuesday where they held a peaceful protest against government apathy towards their plight when police swung into action and took at least 15 protestors into custody.

Shortly before staging the protest, JKHA president Abdul Rasheed Bhat accused the government of turning deaf ears to the demands of the disabled persons.

“The ultimate aim of World Disability Day is to show

The Taliban, however, so far have failed to reciprocate PTI’s overtures, and showed little appreciation for its antidrone campaign. A suicide bomber assassinated one of PTI’s provincial ministers in October.

In late September, the Taliban launched several massive car bombings in Peshawar, devastating the city’s historic Qissa Khwani, or storytellers’, bazaar.

told reporters.

Abdul Quader Mollah.

On World Disability Day, 15 held for staging protest in Kashmir

The several hundred PTI activists at the rally compressed that message into just two words. “America dog,” they chanted in response.

Condemned Islamist leader wins 11th hour reprieve in Bangladesh HAKA - Bangladeshi court tonight granted a last minute reprieve to senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah, staying his execution shortly before he was to be hanged for genocide during the country’s 1971 liberation war.

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

Mollah’s counsel rushed to Dhaka Central Jail with a copy of the stay order issued at 10.15 pm, news channels reported.

The order was issued after

In recent years, India has been hit by a string of high-profile corruption scandals including a telecoms bribery scam that may have cost the governAnna Hazare has been campaigning for a strong anti-corruption bill (File Photo) ment $39bn (£23bn), alHis 12-day fast led to the idea get the bill passed in the parlialeged financial malpractice in being introduced in parliament ment. connection with the Delhi 2010 in 2011.

“When I withdrew my agita- Commonwealth Games and alThe lower house passed the tion in Delhi I was given a let- legations that homes for war Lokpal bill but the upper house ter by the Congress saying this widows were diverted to civil adjourned amid chaos without bill will be passed but it has not servants. approving the law. happened yet. I am left with no Critics of the government say Mr Hazare, 76, began his lat- choice but to sit on a hunger the scandals point to a pervasive strike,” he said. est, “indefinite” hunger strike at culture of corruption in Prime his village of Ralegan Siddhi in Earlier this week, Arvind Ke- Minister Manmohan Singh’s the western state of Maharash- jriwal, a top aide of Mr Hazare administration. (BBC SA) Mollah’s lawyers filed a plea seeking the hearing of their petition for a review of the apex court’s judgement that handed down the death penalty to the Jammat leader.

The war crimes tribunal sentenced Mollah to life imprisonment on February 5 for his

atrocities during Bangladesh’s liberation War. The Appellate Division revised the verdict on September 17 and raised it to death penalty.

Based on the highest court’s verdict, the tribunal issued the death warrant for Mollah.

Mollah was arrested on July

13, 2010, while the tribunal indicted him on May 28, 2012 on six specific charges for actively participating, facilitating, aiding and substantially contributing to the attacks on unarmed civilians, “causing commission of the horrific genocides, murders and rapes”. (DNA News)

All Good Wishes for Voice of Asia and the Community during the Holiday Season Dr. Krishna Dronamraju, President, Foundation for Genetic Research, Houston

Dr.Dronamraju with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.

www.geneticresearchfoundation.com P.O. Box 27701-0, Houston, TX 77227, Email:kdronamraj@aol.com Phone: (713) 816-3681; Fax: (713) 960-0528

VOICE OF ASIA 9

U.S.-Japan impasse stalls Pan-Pacific trade talks

by Natasha Brereton-Fukui

S

INGAPORE - The U.S. expressed frustration with Japan as trade talks between 12 Pacific Rim countries ended without agreement.

The countries had hoped to sign the outlines of the TransPacific Partnership agreement by the end of 2013. But that goal is now unreachable after a meeting in Singapore concluded on Tuesday with major issues unresolved.

The next meeting of the grouping is set for late January.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman singled out Japan for failing to agree to open its economy sufficiently.

“There has not been a proposal of sufficiently meaningful market access consistent with the goals of TPP that are comprehensive and ambitious,” Mr. Froman said. “We’re going to continue our intensive work together, and we are hopeful that Japan is able to come to the table prepared to achieve the kind of outcome that is expected as part of TPP.” Japan, under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, joined the TPP negotiations in the spring. Mr. Abe has faced opposition from lawmakers at home who want Japan to continue to protect local agriculture.

Japan’s vice economy minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said negotiators had agreed on around 65% of the major outstanding points.

He asked the U.S. for more leeway. “For certain sensitive issues, I believe the U.S. understanding has advanced, but their stance hasn’t changed, so I appeal to them for flexibility,” Mr. Nishimura said.

Analysts following the talks

say they believe Japan wants to be allowed to reduce tariffs but to limit agricultural imports through quotas.

Still, there are many other issues that need resolution. Vietnam wants better access to the U.S. for its textiles and shoes.

New Zealand is seeking to sell its dairy products across the group.

The trade talks were launched in 2003 by Singapore, New Zealand and Chile. The U.S. joined in 2008 and is hoping the talks will set a new standard for trade agreements, including protection for intellectualproperty rights.

The talks also have taken on a political coloring, as China isn’t part of the discussions.

Many observers view the TPP as reflecting a U.S. strategy to pivot foreign policy toward Asia after years of focusing on the Middle East.

Nations have increasingly turned to regional agreements as efforts to reach a global free-trade agreement under the World Trade Organization have gotten bogged down in recent years. Negotiators at the WTO reached a trade agreement last week in Bali, Indonesia, centered around streamlining customs procedures. But that deal was far short of the goal set by the WTO over a decade ago, when it envisioned cutting tariffs on goods and services among the group’s 159 members. That goal was dumped a few years ago amid acrimonious disputes between countries.

Regional agreements like the TPP, which also aims to cut tariffs on large numbers of products and services, are viewed as more achievable because of the limited number of participants.

But even bilateral and regional trade agreements take years to come to fruition, given

ASIA

B

ANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra refused to resign and allow an appointed government to run the country as Thailand prepares for new elections on Feb. 2, despite mass pro-

Love amongst the ruins

countries’ competing agendas and the need to win support for liberalization at home. “It is tough to gauge how far off target the negotiators are,” Kati Suominen, a trade expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, said of the TPP talks.

Besides the battle over Japan’s agricultural tariffs, other areas of contention include intellectual-property protection, the role of state-owned enterprises in the economy and regulations governing government procurement.

Mexico’s economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo told The Wall Street Journal that intellectual property was one of the areas in which progress was made.

“Now everybody understands each other’s position. We see where the trade-offs are and we can foresee how this thing can land,” Mr. Guajardo said.

On market access, he said it was natural for negotiators to avoid revealing their final concessions until the very end, so as to get the best possible conditions.

“At this point in time, I cannot tell you whether it’s the endgame, but definitely we’ll be getting much closer to the endgame” by the January meeting, he said.

Masamichi Hasebe, an analyst with Japan-based Daiwa Institute of Research and a former Japanese trade negotiator, said Tokyo may have been deterred from committing to an agreement, fearing U.S. lawmakers would later seek more concessions. Any deal would have to be passed by Congress.

Efforts to prepare the ground for the Singapore meetings weren’t fruitful. A trip to Tokyo by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Mr. Froman earlier this month failed to break the impasse in negotiations. (WSJ)

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra refuses to resign

by James Hookway

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

at home on a corruption conviction that he says was politically motivated.

to vote-buying, and are seeking to eradicate the influence of Mr. Thaksin.

Ms. Yingluck, though, told reporters Tuesday that “I must do my duty as a caretaker prime minister according to the constitution,” adding that a new leader can be

Some of the demonstrators taking part in Monday’s mass protests said Ms. Yingluck should consider leaving the country too.

When the Pheu Thai Party attempted to pass an amnesty law in early November that would have exonerated Mr. Thaksin of his corruption conviction and clear opposition figures of politically linked charges, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bangkok in protest.

Ms. Yingluck withdrew the amnesty plan, but the demonThailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra gets emotional after speaking at strators stepped a news conference, in Bangkok, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, during which she said up their camshe would not resign ahead of national elections set for Feb. (Photo: AP) paign and began pushing tests seeking to force her to installed after the election. for her resignation and the step down.

She appeared to choke up creation of an unelected Over 150,000 people and fight back tears when “people’s assembly,” leavpoured into the streets of she was asked about her ing one of Southeast Asia’s Bangkok the previous day, family’s role in Thailand’s most important economies ignoring Ms. Yingluck’s decadelong political drama, trapped in what appears to move to dissolve Parliament saying she couldn’t grasp be a stalemate. and call a new vote in a bid to why it had become such a diWhile the streets of Bangdefuse this Southeast Asian visive issue.Her brother, Mr. kok were largely calm Tuesnation’s political crisis.

Thaksin, is still wildly popu- day, a national holiday, there Protest leader Suthep lar in many parts of Thailand were questions as to whether Thaugsuban, a former dep- for his populist policies, and the election will go ahead as uty prime minister, said that his lingering appeal helped Ms. Yingluck planned. calling an election wasn’t get Ms. Yingluck elected in She urged all Thailand’s enough, and that Ms. Ying- a landslide in 2011. political parties to take part luck should also step down He described Ms. Yingluck in the vote when she anand remove herself from as his “clone” at one point, nounced the election Monpolitics. while the ruling Pheu Thai, day, but the main opposition The demonstrators accuse or For Thais, Party cam- group, the Democrat Party, Ms. Yingluck, 46 years old, paigned on a platform of hasn’t decided whether it of working as a proxy for her “Thaksin thinks, Yingluck will participate. brother, former leader Thak- does.”

The party, Thailand’s oldsin Shinawatra.

Since then, the Shinawatra est, hasn’t won an election A self-made telecommu- clan has expanded its popu- since 1992, and in 2006 boynications tycoon, Mr. Thak- list policies to include a mul- cotted a vote called by Mr. sin was ousted in a military tibillion-dollar subsidy for Thaksin. rice farmers and tax rebates coup in 2006.

A Thai court voided the refor first-time car and home Critics accuse him of mas- buyers in a bid to stimu- sult of that election because terminding a series of ag- late the domestic consumer minimum voter turnout levels hadn’t been met. The gressively populist policies economy. subsequent vacuum helped to lock up votes and win a Her opponents, Mr. Suthep pave the way for the coup series of elections from his base in Dubai, where he is chief among them, describe that removed Mr. Thaksin living to avoid imprisonment these policies as being akin from power. (WSJ)

Filipino groom Earvin Nierva kisses his bride Riza as they pose for their wedding pictures beside damaged homes and a ship that was washed ashore when Typhoon Haiyan hit Tacloban city, central Philippines. (Photo: Aaron Favila/AP)

Singapore charges 24 Indian men after riot

S

ingapore prosecutors will charge 24 Indian workers for taking part in the city-state’s first riot in more than 40 years, police said on Tuesday.

The men face jail terms of up to 10 years plus caning for charges of rioting with dangerous weapons in the hour-long fracas on Sunday night, triggered when an Indian construction worker was struck and killed by a private bus in the Little India district.

They were among 400 people involved in the rampage that saw 39 police and civil defence staff injured, and 25 vehicles — including 16 police cars — damaged or torched.

Two Bangladeshis, an Indian national and a Singapore permanent resident initially arrested were released after investigations showed they were not involved in the riot, police said.

The 55-year-old Singaporean bus driver who killed construction worker Sakthivel Kumaravelu, 33, has been released on bail after being arrested for causing death by a negligent act, police said.

Meanwhile, national hand wringing over the incident, Singapore’s first riot since racial disturbances in 1969, continued with authorities calling for calm and warning against stoking racial hatred amid online attacks against foreign workers in the city-state.

The Southeast Asian nation of 5.4 million people is one of the wealthiest places in the world but depends heavily on guest workers, with labourers from South Asia dominating sectors like construction. “The riot was an isolated incident arising from the unlawful actions of an unruly mob reacting to a fatal traffic accident,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a

statement on Monday.

“We must not allow this bad incident to tarnish our views of the foreign worker community here.”

Lee also ordered the formation of a special committee to be convened by the interior ministry to review the factors that led to the riot, as well as existing measures to manage areas where foreign workers congregate. S Iswaran, the city-state’s second minister for the interior, said there would be a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the area where the riot broke out this weekend, amid signs that “alcohol consumption was a contributory factor”.

Bloggers and civil activists urged authorities to investigate whether the violence on Sunday was an indication of wider discontent among poorly paid migrant workers, many of whom also put up with poor living conditions in dormitories. (AFP)

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WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

The World Mourns a Celebrated Life

Quotes from the Nelson Mandela service

T

ens of thousands of world leaders, family members, friends and mourners crowded into FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in the cold rain Tuesday to pay tribute to South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

Here are some quotes from the memorial service: • “Nothing he achieved was inevitable. In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, persistence and faith. He tells us what’s possible not just in the pages of dusty history books, but in our own lives as well.” — President Obama • “His life was just an extraordinary journey, from beginning to end, with such an effect, both on his own country, and on the rest of the world. So, enjoy today, enjoy and celebrate what he achieved. We may not see his like again.” — former British prime minis-

ter Gordon Brown • “Mr. Mandela was the pride of the African people. He has dedicated his entire life to the development and progress of the African content.” — Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao • “To him, life was all about service to others. He mingled with kings, queens and presidents. ... At the core, he was a man of the people.” — family member Gen. Thanduxolo Mandela • “Mr. Mandela was more than one of the greatest pillars of our time. He was one of our greatest teachers. He taught by example. He sacrificed so much ... for freedom and equality, for democracy and justice.” — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon • “As Mandela’s life teaches us, only the concerted effort of all nations will empower humanity to respond to the enormous challenges that today threatens its very existence.” — Cuban President Raúl Castro

More than 100 heads of state and government - current and past - as well as scores of celebrities and heads of international organisations are expected to attend the memorial service commemorating the life of former South African president Nelson Mandela at the 95,000-capacity Soccer City in Johannesburg (Photo: Alexander Joe/AFP)

Human Rights Day: A praise for Olympics: Sochi sets improvements and a call for progress up protest zones in city

T

he United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay has released a statement marking Human Rights Day, in which she praised the “groundbreaking” improvements of human rights across the world.

Pillay said that since the Vienna Declaration, which was issued 20 years ago, significant achievements have been made in ensuring basic rights for all people, “regardless of political, economic and cultural systems”, but also emphasised on the serious need for progress.

She said that the key to further success is for countries to implement international law and standards, citing the lack of political will, human and financial resources as main setbacks.

“In several instances where deplorable, large-scale violations of international human rights law were occurring, the international community was too slow, too divided, too short-sighted – or just plain inadequate in its response to the warnings of human rights defenders and the cries of victims,” she said in a statement released on December 10.

“The Vienna Declaration should be viewed as a blueprint for a magnificent construction that is still only half built.”

“Women continue to suffer discrimination, violence and persecution. So do ethnic, racial and religious minorities, and migrants, as well as individuals because of their sexual orientation.

This shows how far we still have to go.”

“Internal conflicts continue to produce horrendous and widespread human rights abuses. Peaceful protests by people exercising, and calling for, their legitimate rights are being ruthlessly crushed by authorities virtually on a daily basis.”

they are facing increasing harassment and intimidation worldwide.

While noting that modern technologies have helped “magnify” the voice of human rights advocates, she said they have also facilitated the violation of rights.

“A Tweet or Facebook post by a human rights defender can be enough to land him or her in jail.”

Technological impacts Pillay also praised the expansion of civil society organisations and individual rights activists over the last 20 years, but expressed concerns that

She called on states to ensure that new technologies are used to advance human rights rather than repress them.

(Ammon News)

Amnesty bid for activists in Russia

by Anna Malpas

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OSCOW - Two jailed Pussy Riot members could be freed early under a general amnesty backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin but anti-Kremlin extycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is unlikely to benefit, according to a draft bill published Tuesday.

Far from being freed early under the amnesty, Khodorkovsky risks a third trial that could keep him in prison be-

yond his August 2014 release date after prosecutors revealed he was being investigated on new charges.

The Russian parliament on Tuesday published a draft proposal for a prison amnesty that would include Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, albeit just three months before their two-year sentences end.

The proposal does not list specific cases but says it applies to those convicted or charged with certain more minor offences such as hooliganism.

The Pussy Riot activists were convicted of hooliganism for a protest against Putin in a church. They could qualify for the amnesty on another count because both have young children. They are due to be freed in March after being refused parole several times.

They could still be excluded from the amnesty if courts rule that they committed serious breaches of rules in their penal camps, however.

The 30 Greenpeace crew members from 19 countries who have been bailed on hooliganism charges over a protest

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zones,” he said.

Russia has been under mounting criticism over its human rights record, especially after passing an antigay propaganda law this year which critics say curtails the rights of homosexuals.

“In breach of international law, mass electronic surveillance and data collection are threatening both individual rights, and the free functioning of a vibrant civil society.”

Drones can be, and are being, used for positive purposes. But armed drones are also being deployed, without due legal process, for the remote targeting of individuals. So-called “Killer robots” – autonomous weapons systems that can select and hit a target without human intervention – are no longer science fiction, but a reality.”

“Changing and shifting populations, fuelled by rising poverty, refugee movements and volatile global economics, make countering ‘fear of the other’ a priority.”

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND The city of Sochi, preparing to host the 2014 winter Olympics in February, will have specific protest zones for demonstrators to air their opinions, the International Olympic Committee was told on Tuesday.

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A view of the Bolshoi Olympic stadium and accommodation complex in the Adler district of Sochi, Russia. (File Photo: Reuters) “We welcome the announcement of the [Sochi] organizing committee that in Sochi there will be protest zones that will be established for people who want to demonstrate against something,” IOC President Thomas Bach told reporters after a progress report by the Russian Games organizers.

“They [protesters] will have the opportunity to do so in special protest

“This was under discussion with the IOC for quite some time,” Bach said.

“It was announced to us today and it [zones] will be located in Sochi.”

On Sunday, German president Joachim Gauck became the first European head of state to announce he would not be attending the Games at the Russian Black Sea resort. Some athletes have said they will protest in Sochi. (Reuters)

against Arctic energy drilling could be allowed to leave Russia after their case raised international concerns.

Greenpeace cautioned against being too optimistic, saying on Twitter: “Media reports on amnesty are all speculation until confirmed by Russian parliament.”

Putin submitted the amnesty bill, which means its approval by parlia-

ment should be a formality.

The bill could also cover some of the activists detained in May 2012 at a Moscow protest against Putin ahead of his inauguration for a third term.

Russia will be keen to enjoy the blaze of publicity as it hosts the Sochi Winter Games next year -- without awkward questions about the jailings of Putin’s foes. (AFP)

WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, December 13 , 2013

Lynching haunts Central Africa French cafe offers discounts

T

he father of a slain French soldier has described how disarmed Muslim fighters in the Central African Republic were lynched by a Christian mob in a harrowing testimony that has raised the spectre of a new wave of sectarian killing.

President Francois Hollande has said France’s intervention in CAR was ‘essential in the face of abuses and massacres’, vowing the mission would continue until African forces could take over.

‘To not intervene would be to stand idly by and count the dead,’ Hollande said However, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian admit-

ted the mission represented a much more difficult task than France’s military intervention against Islamist rebels in Mali earlier this year.

And those remarks were borne out by Philippe Vokaer’s account of his final contact with his 23-year-old son Nicolas, one of two French paratroopers killed in a firefight while on a night patrol in the capital Bangui on Monday.

‘We had a text exchange the same evening,’ Vokaer senior told French daily Le Parisien.

‘He had witnessed some atrocious scenes. As soon as the French soldiers disarmed the Muslim militia, they saw them being lynched by a Chris-

tian mob in the middle of the street. There was nothing the army could do to stop it.’

In Bangui, a humanitarian aid worker who did not want to be identified, told AFP he feared mass reprisals against members of the country’s Muslim minority, who are associated with the Seleka coalition behind the March coup which plunged the CAR into anarchic terror.

‘What we are faced with now is the spectre of a vicious spiral of reprisals with the village self-defence militias organising ‘return matches’ against Seleka and the Seleka themselves going on a killing spree as they retreat to their strongholds in the north,’ he said. (AFP)

BBC must put more women on air ‘as matter of urgency’, says trust

T

he BBC must put more women on air “as a matter of urgency” and also improve the quality and distinctiveness of its peaktime drama and current affairs, according to new guidelines set out for the corporation in an attempt to put a turbulent year behind it.

The targets were outlined by the BBC Trust as part of an overhaul in the way the BBC is governed as it tries to move on from a string of controversies ranging from multimillionpound payoffs for senior management to the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The BBC director general, Tony Hall, and the BBC’s senior management will be given a series of objectives each year by the trust, which will be made public for the first time, the corporation said on Wednesday.

In its most recent set of objectives for the current financial year, the BBC Trust, chaired by Lord Patten, said Hall must work on “improving

and increasing the representation of women on air” as well as flagging up concerns about peaktime drama on BBC1 and current affairs across both that channel and BBC2.

group devoted to giving women a louder voice on the airwaves, said: “Sound Women welcomes the move from the BBC to increase the representation of women on air.

Mishal Husain recently joined BBC Radio 4’s Today programme as only the second full-time woman presenter on its current rota after prolonged criticism that the programme was dominated by men.

“As improvements are made, it would be great to see the BBC announce plans to further support women’s progression and unleash potential in management behind the scenes as well, and for other media companies to follow suit.”

Hall also announced in August that he wanted at least 50% of the BBC’s local radio breakfast shows to have a female presenter by the end of next year.

Earlier this year, just two of its 33 solo breakfast presenters were women.

But there remain challenges ahead. BBC Radio 2, the country’s most popular radio station, does not have a single full-time female presenter in its daytime schedule between 6.30am and 7pm.

A spokeswoman for Sound Women, the industry pressure

The BBC carried out a review of the way it is governed after a string of controversies over multimillion-pound payoffs to senior management, the £100m Digital Media Initiative fiasco and the Savile scandal.

The culture secretary, Maria Miller, called on the BBC to act after what she described as an “annus horribilis” for the corporation.

In a joint statement, Patten and Hall admitted the corporation’s management and regulation had become “too con-

to polite customers

A

cafe on the French Riviera has gained international notoriety after reminding customers to mind their manners.

What started as a local joke generated an internet buzz this week after a diner tweeted the sign outside the Petite Syrah in Nice on the Côte d’Azur.

In an attempt to turn the tables on customers who complain that serving staff are rude, the manager warned he would hit impolite customers where it hurts, in the pocket.

A sign outside the establishment states: “Un café - €7 [£5.90] “Un café s’il vous plaît - €4.25 “Bonjour, un café, s’il vous plaît - €1.40.”

The appeal for some oldfashioned savoir-vivre clearly touched a nerve around the world. Within hours, the story went viral on Twitter.

The former centre-right government minister Christine Boutin responded, also by Twitter, that it was an excellent idea, and the story in the local NiceMatin newspaper received tens of thousands of “likes”.

The manager, Fabrice Pepifused” with “too much overlap” between the two bodies. They said “people do not always know who is responsible when things go wrong”. The BBC is increasing its number of nonexecutive directors from four to six, with the former Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer its first appointment.

There was continued fallout from the Savile scandal on Wednesday as the BBC Trust said it was standing by the findings of the former Sky News head Nick Pollard’s report into the affair.

This came after a tape recording was made public of Pollard telling a journalist that he had made a “mistake” in not including evidence from the then director of BBC News, Helen

The menu outside the Petite Syrah in Nice. (Photo: NiceMatin Resistance via Twitter) no, told the paper: he had even had television cameras turn up to film the sign.

“We live in a strange old world. For three years we have put all our passion into what we do, which is trying to offer quality food, and good wines … and it’s this that creates the buzz. A few words on a blackboard,” he said.

He added: “It wasn’t even an original idea. I saw it on the internet and liked it … but I was planning to rub it out.”

Pepino said he had not yet had to enforce the politeness policy, and admitted the sign was more of a gentle reminder Boaden, that she had told the former director general Mark Thompson about the nature of Newsnight’s shelved investigation into Savile’s sex abuse in December 2011. Thompson maintains that he was unaware of the Savile allegations until he left the BBC in September 2012.

The trust said it was “satisfied

Disarray Continued from pg 1

of its charismatic candidate for prime minister, Narendra Modi, but also by voter fatigue with Congress after years of spectacular corruption scandals and stubborn inflation.

Aiyar

said

the

growing

than a serious threat.

“It started as a joke because at lunchtime people would come in very stressed and were sometimes rude to us when they ordered a coffee,” Pepino told the English language website the Local.

“It’s our way of saying: ‘Keep calm and carry on.’”

He added: “Most of my customers are regulars and they just see the funny side and exaggerate their politeness.

“But people are more relaxed now, and they’re smiling more.

That’s the most important thing.” (Source: The Local) the conclusions of the report are robust” but said it was “regrettable that Nick Pollard had decided to try to correct the record through an off-the-record conversation with a journalist rather than raising this point directly with the BBC, who commissioned the report”.

(Source: The Guardian) strength of regional parties would make it hard for the BJP to form a stable coalition and predicted there would be new general elections by 2016.

“I am deeply convinced that, whoever forms the government in 2014, we will be faced with another general election by 2015 or 2016, at the latest,” he said. (Reuters)

LIFESTYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

Vol. 26

No. 50

Friday, December 13, 2013

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Keep surprising yourself: Shonali Nagrani

M

odel Shonali Nagrani on changing up one’s beauty routine and her favourite tips: What’s in your make-up bag?

I love buying make-up. My kit always has Clinique Moisture Surge moisturiser — that’s my lifeline, a basic kajal, waterproof mascara, Benefit concealer, MAC blush, a nude gloss and red lipstick.

Describe your skincare routine.

and legs.

What’s your go-to beauty look for a red carpet event?

I love doing a smokey eye with a soft lip colour and big hair — lots of natural looking curls.

Any beauty idols growing up?

I mostly look up to women with great skin. In that sense, Madhuri Dixit is top on my list. I also love Angelina Jolie, she hardly wears make-up and just lets her eyes and lips do the talking. Scarlett Johansson too is naturally sexy.

mom taught me less is more. “ MyStay as natural as possible

ent mascara on your brows for a clean, groomed look.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

When I joined the industry, someone told me I need to get a bigger forehead. So I got my hairline threaded and it was a disaster. I had to grow bangs just to cover it up!

What product do you turn to for a beauty boost?

I love the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate — it works well on dry or dehydrated skin.

Do you have a signature fragrance?

Dune by Christian Dior for the evenings.

Do you gravitate toward a lip colour and if so, which shade?

Since I’m fair complexioned I love peaches and pinks. For the red carpet I might go for red.

Do you think it’s important to stick with a signature look?

Not at all, I think it’s important to be unpredictable and keep surprising yourself.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?

My mom taught me less is more. Stay as natural as possible.

Beauty routine you swear by.

Women should get facials done once a month – it really relaxes and hydrates the skin.

Also, a hair protein or spa treatment for the mane once in two weeks. The skin is like a canvas and once you’ve got good skin you’re quite sorted. Drinking a glass of vegetable juice daily makes a huge difference.

“

At the end of the day, I always wash my face with a cleanser, followed by Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate and a moisturiser. On days that I’m shooting, I just use a cleanser and moisturise my face, hands

What are some tips you’ve taken from beauty artists and use daily?

Lots! On a bad hair day, you should use a dry shampoo. Also, brushing your eyebrows is important. You can use a transpar-

Interview and photo by Sanaya Chavda (DNA Agency)

Stay healthy over the silly season

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eep your body feeling great with nutritionist Lisa Guy’s top 7 tips for smart partying.

The cooler weather is well and truly here and Christmas is fast approaching. You can feel the party vibe in the air.

At this time of year our healthy diets and lifestyles can easily go out the window as we overindulge in rich food and alcohol. With a little planning, though, you can stay in good health while still enjoying summer and all its festivities. Some pre-party preparation and a few tweaks to the diet can minimise the potentially unhealthy effects of partygoing, especially too much alcohol.

Of course it is always best for your health to limit yourself to a couple of drinks when you go out. However, if you’re one of those people who gets swept up in the moment and finds it hard to stick to two or three drinks, follow these simple steps to look after your health and help ease those dreaded hangover symptoms.

Here are our top 7 ways to protect your health: 1. Eat before you drink Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Always eat something nutritious before you head out. This will slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. When drinking, avoid snacking on high-fat foods such as hot chips and pizza and instead go for healthier snacks such as dips with crackers and breads, olives, nuts and grilled seafood.

2. Drink slowly Play it safe and stick to no more than one alcoholic drink an hour. This will give your liver time to process the alcohol properly and prevent a build-up of alcohol in your blood. Try ordering a nip in a schooner glass of soda water so it lasts longer, or drink a glass of water or a non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic ones.

Why India has lagged behind in adopting eBooks

D

espite its success the world over, India is yet to adapt to eBooks. Gargi Gupta dives into the narrow pool of e-publishing in the country to find out why it comes up short.

Rasana Atreya was an IT professional...and then she wrote a novel. It was good, too, for the manuscript made it

to the shortlist of the 2012 Tibor Jones South Asia prize for best unpublished novel by a writer unrepresented by a literary agent. Soon, a publisher offered a contract, but Atreya decided to do something adventurous — selfpublish her book, using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service. Nearly a year after its pub-

ASIANET

lication, her eBook Tell A Thousand Lies gets around 1,000 downloads a month.

Of these, only a few are from India.

“Mostly it is from the UK, US and, amazingly, Mexico, from where I get a lot of fan mail telling me that my book about two sisters in a small southIndian village could have been set in

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their country,” says Atreya. With 70% royalties coming her way (print publishers pay their authors a fraction of this), Atreya today makes more money each month from the sales of her book than the entire advance that the print publisher had offered her. No wonder then that Atreya has resigned from her job to become a full-time writer and

3. Avoid dehydration Alcohol is one of the major causes of dehydration. We lose fluid and important electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium when our body processes alcohol. Many common hangover symptoms – including headache, dry mouth and thirst – are at least partly caused by dehydration. The best way to combat dehydration is to drink plenty of water when you are out and have an electrolyte drink before you go to bed.

4. Take B-group vitamins The body uses up a considerable amount of nutrients when processing alcohol, including B-group vitamins.

If you are low in vitamin B this elimination process will be impaired. Some of the richest sources of B-group vitamins include wholegrains, legumes, avocado, nuts, seeds and red meat. You might also benefit from taking a daily B-complex supplement.

5. Up your antioxidants Drinking alcohol leads to an increase in free radical production, resulting in damage to cells in the body. Increasing your antioxidant intake is the best way to combat this. Vitamin C, found in oranges and other citrus fruits, berries, guava, rose hip tea and parsley, is a powerful antioxidant. Other rich sources of antioxidants include berries such as acai berries and blueberries, green and white tea, tomatoes and other red and orange fruits and vegetables.

6. Take St Mary’s thistle This herb is thought to help protect liver cells from alcohol-induced damage and enhances liver detoxification, helping to remove toxins such as alcohol from the body. Take St Mary’s thistle tablets daily over the party season.

7. Try chlorella This super sea algae has been shown to help remove toxic substances from the body. Chlorella may also help reduce hangover symptoms. Take about five grams of chlorella before heading out.

says her decision to self-publish was one of the best things she’s done.

Atreya’s is undoubtedly a success story, but it is the only significant success in the e-publishing/ebooks space in India. For unlike in the West, where as a recent PwC report reveals, ebooks have garnered 9% of the publishing market, and will grow to 22% by 2017, eBooks in India account for a

Cont’d on pg 17

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Friday, December 13, 2013

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

Tel: 713-774-5140

Slow system disillusioning “US safest place for India’s youth: Meira Kumar Indian students” - Diplomat

C

K

OIMBATORE - Being a diverse country, the United States is the safest place for students, particularly from India, and there is no need for any fear about racism, a senior US diplomat said.

OLKATA - Observing a “slow moving” system was causing disillusionment for the country’s youth, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday called for a strong political will to ensure transparency and speedy functioning.

People should not give ears or express concern over one or two very isolated incidents and conclude that students are being discriminated in US, Nelson Wu, Consular Manager in the US Consultate, Chennai, told reporters when asked about apprehension by the student community over racism.

Addressing the West Bengal Assembly during its platinum jubilee celebrations, she said the “young Twitter and Facebook generation has become restless and impatient with the speed with which the system moves”.

“Democracy by very nature is slow as it involves many deliberations to arrive at solution that are acceptable to the majority, in addition redtapism, indecisiveness, apathy and other such avoidable factors caused unnecessary delays much to the disillusionment of all and more so to the youth,” she added.

Expressing concern over the issue of corruption which has caused “widespread uneasiness”, Miera Kumar urged the elected representatives to ensure more transparency with

“Actually, the universities in US are encouraging diversity

Meira Kumar: Corruption, delays to blame. (File photo:IANS) speedy daily functioning.

“We have to lead by example and exercise strong political will to fight against corruption,” she said, calling for more participation by women in legislatures.

“It’s time for women to realise their full potential, their safety must be ensured at home, in workplace and on the move.

At present their condition in the society is holding back our democracy,” she added. (IANS)

‘Youngistan’, a film for Indian youth

Y

oung Bollywood actor Jackky Bhagnani says his upcoming film Youngistan, a “common love story set in uncommon premise”, is aimed at the country’s youth.

“For me, as the name suggests, Youngistan stands for the youth by the youth and of the youth of India. The film is a common love story in a very

uncommon premise,” Jackky said in a statement.

Agra to shoot parts of the film.

Youngistan, a project by MSM Motion Pictures in association with Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment and Films Ltd., is a love story set in the backdrop of Indian politics. It also stars Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh and Boman Irani.

Talking about the movie, director Syed Ahmad Afzal said, “The story revolves around a young and high profile couple caught up in a highly political environment. This couple, in some way, represents the progressive youth of this nation, which is willing to make its voice heard.” (IANS)

The team was recently in

Reverse brain drain: Young Indian professionals are returning home

by Mahua Venkatesh

N

alin K. (42) has worked in the US for 12 years, as an executive with a multinational American bank. Now, he is keen to relocate to India.

“I’d prefer a job in the south, because that’s where I’m from, but any major city will do,” says Kumar, who is currently in talks with headhunters in India. “With things not looking up yet in the US, it feels like time to return to my comfort zone.”

Amid a global economic downturn, non-resident Indians from around the world are actively looking to return home, largely because even a diminished growth rate in India — currently projected at

5.5% for 2013-14, down from about 9.3% in 2010-11 — offers greater stability than the shrinking growth rates of their adoptive economies.

security abroad is emerging as a key reason for the shift from aspiring to find a job overseas to working to return to a job in India.

India’s evolving corporate structure is also encouraging Indians to return home, with the added advantage of family and social networks, and their own culture and lifestyle.

A study conducted by human resource and recruiting firm Kelly Services India in 2011 estimated that 3 lakh Indian professionals working overseas will return between 2011 and 2015.

“Indians working abroad know that, in a crisis, they will be the first to be handed a pink slip,” says a senior HR executive in a multinational bank, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Estimates by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) suggest that about 1 to 1.5 lakh Indians have already returned to work in the country.

The lack of stability and job

Adds Rajiv Burman, managing partner at human resource consultancy Lighthouse Partners: “With the slowdown in the global economy, there is rampant discrimination and naturally the ones to be affected the most are Asians and non-whites. This is one key factor that is pushing Indians to get back home.” (Source: Hindustan Times)

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and celebrating it across the nation. There is no need for any apprehension for Indian students on the issue of racism,” he said.

Nelson Wu, part of threemember consular information unit to conduct student outreach event for ‘grade 10 and 11’ of the Camford International School here, said as far as safety was concerned, it was the safest place for the Indian students and there should not be any concern about that aspect.

To prove his point, he said at any given time over one lakh students from India are studying in the US, which is

more than any country, next to China.

Earlier, he detailed the higher educational opportunities for the students and shared profiles of universities, schools and colleges, besides throwing light on process of obtaining students’ visa to that country.

Harvey Beasley and James S Manlowe, Vice-Consuls, said though the study in the US can provide amazing experience and skills to the aspiring student, they cannot guarantee jobs in India on the US degrees. However, the students can get jobs in US, if they continue to stay there, they said.

(PTI)

18-year-old Indian American at MIT wins Ingenuity award

H

e was selected for a unique, sensitive infrared radiation detector that promises to be inexpensive and has scientific, civilian and military applications.

Indian-American teenager Saumil Bandyopadhyay has been selected for the prestigious Ingenuity Award for revolutionising nanotechnology that would upend industries ranging from automobiles to astronomy. MIT freshman Bandyopadhyay is among the 10 selected individuals, who were named recipients of the second annual American Ingenuity Awards last month.

Bandyopadhyay, 18, who was presented the award last month, was selected for a unique, sensitive infrared radiation detector that promises to be inexpensive and has scientific, civilian and military applications.

The device has already attracted the interest of the US Army, the Smithsonian Magazine said in a statement.

“At the age of 18, Saumil Bandyopadhyay had five peerreviewed scientific papers to his name, but no driver’s license.

His busy schedule was partially to blame?he spent much of high school in an electrical engineering lab at Virginia Commonwealth University, wearing a hairnet and tinkering with nanowires. Since his dad was a professor there, he always had a ride home.”

The magazine said, Saumil worked on a unique infrared detector, which may one day reduce car crash rates by allowing vehicles to sense each other

Saumil Bandyopadhyay has been selected for the prestigious Ingenuity Award for revolutionising nanotechnology. in fog or darkness.

The nanoscale contraption, which to the uneducated eye looks like a silver postage stamp, might also someday help spy on stellar nurseries, detect hidden land mines and monitor global warming, it said.

Most exciting, it operates at room temperature, without the cumbersome and expensive tanks of liquid nitrogen.

“It’s a breakthrough - a different way of measuring infrared,” Gary Tepper, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth

University who tutored Bandyopadhyay on one aspect of the project, was quoted as saying.

“We have high-school students in the lab all the time, but we don’t usually see doctorallevel research,” he said.

When John Mather, the Nobel laureate astrophysicist, noticed the infrared device at an Intel Science Fair, he invited Bandyopadhyay to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to discuss it.

“I thought it was an ingenious idea,” Mather said. “He’s a brilliant kid.” (PTI)

ENTERTAINMENT

VOICE OF ASIA 17

SONY Entertainment Television Asia Celebrates the Holidays with New Shows for December 2013

S

ony Entertainment Television Asia viewers are in for a treat, with a line-up of several new big-ticket productions set to go on air in December 2013.The thrilling line up of shows includes Indian television’s original dance show, “Boogie Woogie”, premiering on Dec 7, 2013 at 8:30 pm.

Followed by the premiere of Boogie Woogie, SET ASIA will be adding Aishwarya Sakhuja (of Saas Bina Sasural) now in a completely new look in “Main Naa Bhoolungi” as well as Poonam Dhillon’s big comeback with “Ek Nayi Pechaan”, both to be a part of the primetime slot on weeknights.

Dance as a reality format has become increasingly popular with television audiences so Sony decided to bring back its trademark dance show Boogie Woogie. The show which made dance a way of life for many and made Javed Jafri, Naved Jafri & Ravi Behl household names. Boogie Woogie’s comeback this year will be a kids championship hosted

by Sargun Mehta and 12-year old Rakshit Wahi. Produced

by R&N Productions,

Boogie Woogie Kids Championship will see the judges showing how to break into a jig. This time around the show will have the same kids participating for the whole season trying out different dance forms and styles – from hip hop to Bharat Natyam, and jazz to crumping.

16 contestants, aged 6 to 14 have been selected from cities as far as Ranchi, Delhi, Jamshedpur, Darjeeling, Baroda, Rourkela and Mathura. The scoring and elimination of the children will be based on the judges’ scores and there will be no public voting.

Starting December 23, 2013, the very gorgeous Aishwarya Sakhuja, back in Sony Entertainment Television’s upcoming show Main Naa Bhoolungi , has gone for a striking makeover for the show.

Promos currently airing show that Aishwarya gets married to a guy who is very caring but suddenly there is a clip which shows that he murders her with a knife. It is then disclosed that the entire murder of his wife was just a thought. Aishwarya is paired opposite Vikas Manaktala in this thriller. Be sure to watch Main Naa Bhoolungi starting December 23, Monday – Friday at 8:00 PM ET

In addition to Boogie Woogie & Main Naa Bhoolungi, there will also be another primetime show preimere – Ek Nayi Pehchaan. Poonam Dhillon is back to wow small screen audiences with Ek Nayi Pehchaan, a show about woman empowerment. A compelling and unique narrative of a woman’s search for her identity Ek Nayi Pehchaan is loosely based on the concept and storyline of Bollywood’s acclaimed movie ‘English Vinglish’, while it’s also the story of self-awakening and self-respect. Essayed by Poonam Dhillon, Sharda the central protagonist is led down this journey by her daughterin-law who sets the ball rolling by helping Sharda to first read and write and then urges her to get a degree. Sharda in turn dutifully shares with Sakshi her own life’s lessons and helps Sakshi in making her marriage work. The role of Sakshi is played by popular Hindi Serial actress Krystle D’ Souza who is joined by Sooraj Thapar in another pivotal role. Be sure to watch Ek Nayi Pehchaan starting December 23, Monday – Friday at 8:30 PM ET

Jaideep Janakiram, SVP of International Business – Head of North America, “Sony Entertainment Television Asia is premiering new shows keeping the choice of its’ viewers as our first priority. Boogie Woogie has touched hearts in the past, and we are sure it will once again with this year’s kids’ championship. SET Asia also has two new fiction shows being added to the primetime slots which will be captivating enter-

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

tainment.”

Do not miss the premieres of Indian television’s original dance show, “Boogie Woogie”, Dec 7, 2013 at 8:30 pm.

Boogie will be shown Saturday’s and Sunday’s at 8:30 PM ET. SET ASIA is also very excited about the launch of both “Main Naa Bhoolungi” Monday – Friday at 8:00 PM ET & “Ek Nayi Pechaan”- Monday – Friday at 8:30 PM ET. SET ASIA always strives to bring the best in entertainment for viewers. Therefore, SET ASIA promises to deliver programming with high profile celebrities in the near future. Stay tuned!

Sony Entertainment Television’s upcoming show Main Naa Bhoolungi (left couple) has been revamped with a surprising twist, and Poonam Dhillon is back to wow small screen audiences with Ek Nayi Pehchaan (right), a show about woman empowerment. And dance show Boogie Woogie’s comeback will be a kid’s championship based on the judges’ scores only.

Directing is a lonelier job than acting - SRK

L

ooks like the success of his last release Chennai Express has eased out a lot of pressure from the King Khan, who looked visibly happy and relaxed at a recent brand endorsement event in the capital. It was the launch of a special edition luxury watch and celebration of 50th anniversary of Carrera watch by Tag Heuer that bought together brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan and Karun Chandhok to mark the occasion.

However, according to a source, the film was meant to have a steamy scene involving Sunny and Sachiin, which, unfortunately, was edited out at the Censor Board’s behest. The ‘A’ certificate notwithstanding, it was apparently still “too hot to handle”, the source adds.

Shah Rukh, who looked dapper in a steel gray three-piece suit, was happy to be back in Delhi and shared his joy with fans by giving them generous hugs and autographs.

Shah Rukh Khan: “I went a showroom in New York to purchase my first Tag watch. I had only $250.” bathroom,” he quipped.

However, he quickly added, “As a teenager, I used to read James Hadley Chase books in the hope of finding erotic content, sadly there was none.

H o w e v e r, in one of these books I read about the macho men sporting a Tag watch, and since that day I decided that I had to buy one for myself when I grow up. After

“Why would you want me to direct a film? I think it’s a very lonely job.”

At the event, he mentioned about his childhood and how he grew up as a middle class boy. “I used to be a middle class guy from the city who dreamt big.

But, now I am capitalist, and I even have gold taps in my

Baazigar was released I went a showroom in New York to purchase my first Tag watch.

I had only $250 that time and the actual price of the watch was $350. However, the salesman told me that he has seen my movie and gave me a discount.”

When asked about his directorial debut in Bollywood, the witty Khan quickly turned around the question, and replied, “Don’t you like my acting anymore? Why would you want me to direct a film?

I think it’s a very lonely job; it’s lonelier than being an actor. I like to act some more, as if now I don’t have plans to get into direction,” he concluded.

Aamir Khan: No intention to enter politics

A

amir Khan is a busy man as he has his hands full. Year 2013 ends with the release of his much awaited Dhoom 3.

Next year his fans would have Peekay (P.K.) to look forward to. Amidst all of this Aamir is busy gearing up for the second season of Satyamev Jayate on Star Plus.

Though, his only regret is that he has negated his family and has not been able to spend quality time with them.

I

f Sunny Leone was hot in Jism 2 (2012), she is perhaps hotter in Kaizad Gustad’s Jackpot, the film that also stars Sachiin Joshi and Naseeruddin Shah. The makers say that this film showcases the actor in Sunny Leone.

by Nivi Shrivastava

Speaking at the launch, Shah Rukh remembered the good old times and mentioned an anecdote with Mandira Bedi, who was the emcee for the event.

He said, “I have an image of a romantic hero, but 19 years ago I broke Mandira’s heart in DDLJ. She is the only lady, whose heart I have broken so I want to apologise to her today.

It’s great to be back in Delhi, where I get so much love and affection from my fans.”

Censor Board axes Sunny - Sachin’s steamy scene from Jackpot

“I have always felt that I am not spending enough time with my children and family.

I spent twenty five years with this guilt. The problem is that I get so lost in my work that I don’t realize it,” said Aamir Khan.

mote child nutrition.

About joining politics, Aamir Khan is very clear that there is no need to join politics to bring in change in the society.

Aamir strongly feels that he can bring a lot of change in society through his films.

He feels that his communication skills and his storytelling capabilities are his strengths.

(Source: BOC)

Aamir is the face of Incredible India campaign and is a UNICEF ambassador to pro-

Aamir feels that every person should be politically conscious and at least have a basic understanding of social issues, because only then they will be able to make the informed choices.

show here. It is India,” says another source on the condition of anonymity. Sunny had, however, already said that this film doesn’t need censorship, as the makers are okay with an ‘A’ certification.

A lot of scenes from Pooja Bhatt’s Jism 2 had also been censored. However, the DVD

later released with the deleted scenes included them.

Sachiin, however, remains optimistic: “I am hoping the censors will reconsider (the edits), as we have an ‘A’ certification,” he says, adding, “The scenes in the film are very much a part of the script and hence deserve to be there.” (Hindustan Times)

“The raw energy was overwhelming.

And though it is an ‘A’, there is only so much we can Sunny Leone reportedly plays Naseer’s secretary in the movie.

eBooks Cont’d from pg 13

paltry 1% or less. The main barrier, says Random House India spokesperson Caroline Newbury, is the lack of awareness in India about ebooks, how to download them and the ereader devices available. “But this is changing rapidly,” she says. If eBook sales are higher in the US or UK, Newbury feels it is because these places have had dedicated e-reading devices and eBooks for much longer.

So how close is India to this inflection point from where the local market for eBooks can be expected to really take off?

Around 18-24 months, feels Santanu Chowdhury, CEO of Swiftboox, a store that specialises in ebooks in Indian regional languages. VK Karthika, publisher and chief editor, HarperCollins India, agrees: “When eBooks first started to come in, I had thought they would take 10 years to reach India; then last year, when we started working on our ebooks programme, I thought it would be five years. Now I think it will take about two years.”

That India has a lot of potential is something everyone in

publishing agrees upon. “India is the third largest market for English books,” says Amazon India’s spokesperson. “A high propensity for reading, coupled with growth in literacy, increasing Internet penetration, Internet-enabled devices and a rapid growth of middle class population with increasing disposable income make it a very promising market.” No wonder then that everyone — publishers, stores (both online and brickand-mortar) and manufacturers of eBook reader devices and apps — is hurrying to grab an early-mover advantage in the eBooks space.

The last 12 months or so, especially, have seen a lot of new launches and activity.

Swiftboox, for example, is tying up with small and medium publishers in Bengali, Marathi, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, etc and offering to digitise their backlists using a technology that works with Indian vernacular languages.

In October this year, HarperCollins launched an e-imprint, Harper21, with a series of 21 e-singles by 21 authors at a “token cost” of Rs21 each. “We decided to introduce readers with a format that was not too long or complicated to read by

known authors, and could be finished while travelling on the Metro, for instance. We are not really looking at it as a revenue earner now,” says Karthika.

In the last year or so, leading English-language publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House and Aleph have started to release new titles in both print and eformats.

Regional language publishers, however, still remain largely out of the ebook revolution, says Chowdhury, of Swiftboox. The market is also being flooded with ereaders and ebook apps of late — GooglePlay Books launched in India in February this year; in June, Amazon launched its Kindle range of e-readers and the Kindle Store; Flipkart, the leading books retailer, came out with its eBooks app in August; and last month, Kobo, a popular brand of ebook readers globally, unveiled its range in India.

Even brick-and-mortar stores like Landmark have jumped onto the bandwagon with online ebook stores.

Why, these days, even highend smartphones come preloaded with Blio, a free-todownload ereader software!

Clearly, there’re all waiting for the eBook revolution to happen. (IANS)

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Friday, December 13, 2013

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Hypnobirthing: Key to remain calm and composed during childbirth

A

lot of women are confused about childbirth, especially if it is their first time. As the months pass by the happiness of having a newborn in the family is mixed with fear of the impending childbirth. What if the baby is born with abnormalities? What if there is a problem while the child is being born? Did I eat all the right things? Will the experience be too painful to bear?

These are just some of the questions that can cause stress and fear in an expecting mother.

Experts have claimed that a specific method of hypnosis, supposedly used by the likes of Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian during childbirth, could make labor pain-free.

Cynthia Overgard, founder of HypnoBirthing in Connecticut, a prenatal education center, said that pain during labor is caused by fear and tension, Fox News reported.

What is hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is a method

tractions, but if the expecting mother is afraid or anxious then her body stops producing the feel-good hormone and adrenaline starts to rise. Adrenaline redirects blood flow away from the cervix and the uterus, preventing the cervix from dilating and this slows down labor.

How does hypnobirthing reduce pain during labour?

Hypnobirthing is designed to teach women to trust in Nature’s way of birth and to relax and let their bodies do what is needed. through which a woman’s mind is programmed to be calm and composed during childbirth. This is achieved through breathing and visualization techniques which makes the mother aware of nature’s natural process. Many stories have been reported of mothers having a safe child birth after the use of this technique. That said,

it is not a technique that can be employed right at the time of childbirth. The woman must learn and practice the techniques months in advance in order to be safe and confident.

Why should women not fear childbirth?

Overgard explained that during labor, oxytocin causes con-

Overgard asserted that this is where hypnosis comes in with deep breathing, visualization and relaxation techniques that can help the woman maintain a calm body and mind. During the hypnosis program, women also listen to guided relaxation to condition the mind and body to be calm and relaxed.

According to the HypnoBirthing Institute, mothers who used the method were less likely to have c-sections, interventions and pre-term babies. However, Overgard said that the goal of HypnoBirthing is not natural birth, but to be calm and in control.

Sugar-free candy fights bad bacteria, cuts cavities

H

ere’s some good news for people who enjoy sweet treats but are wary of tooth decay. Researchers have developed a new ‘sugarfree’ candy that reduces the amount of cavity-causing bacteria on the teeth.

The candy, developed by Christine Lang of Berlinbased biotech firm Organobalance and her colleagues, contains dead bacteria that bind to the bacteria most likely to cause cavities.

Subjects who ate the candy had reduced levels of “bad” bacteria in their mouths. After you eat, bacteria attached to

the surface of your teeth release acid. This acid dissolves your tooth enamel. As the enamel wears down, cavities can develop.

Researchers said the strain of bacteria most likely to cause cavities in humans is Mutans streptococci. When you chew, you shed Mutans streptococci into your saliva. Swallowing or spitting removes some of the bacteria from your mouth after you finish chewing. The remaining bacteria reattach themselves to your teeth.

Another type of bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei, found in the fermented milkbased

drink kefir, reduces levels of Mutans streptococci and decreases the number of cavities in rats, researchers found. Sugar on the surface of Lactobacillus paracasei binds with Mutans streptococci. Researchers believe that by binding with Mutans streptococci, Lactobacillus paracasei prevents Mutans streptococci from reattaching to teeth.

To test whether Lactobacillus paracasei could help prevent cavities in people, Lang and her colleagues developed a sugar-free candy that contains heat-killed samples of the bacteria. The team then tested the sugarfree candy on 60 volun-

teers.

After the experiment, about three-fourths of the people who had consumed candies with bacteria displayed significantly lower levels of Mutans streptococci in their saliva than they had had the day before, the report said. Subjects who consumed candies with two milligrammes of bacteria experienced a reduction in Mutans streptococci levels after eating the first candy.

By using the dead bacteria , they were able to avoid problems that the live bacteria might have caused, the researchers said. (PTI)

‘Mindfulness’ meditation alters gene expression, study suggests

I

t’s no secret that mindfulness meditation -- a practice that encourages focusing attention on the present moment -- can ease emotional stress. And evidence is mounting that mindfulness also may have key benefits for your physical health -- from lowering blood pressure to helping curb addiction.

and analgesic drugs,” study co-author Dr. Perla Kaliman, a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona in Spain, said in a written

statement. “Our findings set the foundation for future studies to further assess meditation strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions.”

Evidence is mounting that mindfulness also may have key benefits for your physical health.

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For the study, a group of experienced meditators practiced mindfulness over the course of an eight-hour period. During that same time period, another group of people simply engaged in quiet non-meditative activities.

What did the researchers find?

After the sessions, they noticed a so-called “down-regulation,” or a suppression, of inflammatory genes in the meditators compared to the other group.

Go figure, there was no difference in the tested genes between the two groups at the start of the study.

But a new study conducted by researchers working in Wisconsin, Spain, and France shows that mindfulness can even affect your genes. Specifically, the study shows that mindfulness can limit the “expression” of genes associated with inflammation.

“The changes were observed in genes that are the current targets of anti-inflammatory

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“The product of genes, e.g., the proteins that they manufacture, will vary with the extent to which the gene is turned on or off,” study author Dr. Richard J.

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We are having “ongoing Zients said the website can conversations with issuers. handle about 25,000 concurThey’re aware of the date rent users, half its intended change. This was done in capacity. But he promised consultation with them,” that come Dec. 1, it will be Centers for Medicare and able to handle 50,000 users Medicaid Services spokes- at the same time. woman Julie Bataille told “By the end of the month, reporters the system on a conferwill be able ence call.

Review and to accomInsurers, m o d a t e Enroll in Right h o w e v e r, 800,000 said noth- Plan Today. Call visits a day ing has yet from con713-771-2900 for been put seekin writing guidance. Last sumers ing informathough they Annual Review tion, filling expect the out applicachange is Chance tions, shopmandatory. ping and “It makes it more challeng- enrolling,” he said. ing to process enrollments “The vast majority of users in time for coverage to be- will not experience error gin on January 1,” Robert messages or slow response Zirkelbach, spokesman for times,” Zients added. “The industry group America’s system will not work perHealth Insurance Plans, fectly, but it will operate told ABC News. “Ulti- smoothly for the vast mamately it will depend on jority of users.” how many people enroll in Moody’s, an agency that those last few days.” rates business’ credit worConsumers who select a thiness, warned today that plan through the exchanges the Obama administraand want their coverage to tion’s constantly changing begin on Jan. 1 must pay rules and deadlines for the the first month’s premium Affordable Care Act could on or before Dec. 31, of- negatively impact business ficials said. for health insurance comThe enrollment period for panies. the Obamacare exchanges In the last few weeks, the will remain open through Obama administration has March 31 for coverage in changed the rules to let peo2014. The new deadline is ple keep their existing health simply for those wanting insurance longer, delayed coverage on the first pos- the open enrollment period sible day. HHS has so far for 2015 by one month, and ruled out an extension of extended the 2013 deadline the overall period. for when individuals would Meanwhile, Jeff Zients, have to enroll in order have the Obama administration health insurance by Jan. 1, official overseeing repairs 2014. to HealthCare.gov, said to- All of those, Moody’s day that “measurable prog- warned in their bi-weekly ress” is being made to im- credit outlook statement prove the system and that today, are “credit negative” workers are “on track” to for health insurance comparesolve capacity shortfalls nies and could “expose the and a flawed user experi- sector to additional finanence in nine days. cial and operational risks.”

Davidson, psychology professor and founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, told The Huffington Post in an email. “We can think of genes possessing a molecular volume control that ranges

from low to high that will govern the extent to which the gene produces the protein for which it is designed. The genes that we found to be down-regulated with mindfulness mediation practice are those implicated in inflammation.” (IANS)

Hydration, regular breakfast give sound sleep

T

he festive season can be fun but also bring a lot of stress and sleeplessness. Don`t skip breakfast and drink as much water as possible to sleep well.

You may start worrying about finding the perfect gift for your loved ones or over too many Christmas party invitations, and such thoughts can have a negative impact on one`s sleep pattern.

mation and thoughts it can prove difficult for anyone to switch off at the end of the day.“Throw in additional stresses and strains of daily life and sleeping through the night can prove even trickier than usual.

Here are top tips to help restless sleepers:

Sleep expert Nerina Ramlakhan has shared advice on getting a good sleep this festive season, ensuring you wake up refreshed and energised when the big day arrives, reports femalefirst. co.uk.

- Minimise electronic equipment in your room: It may be tempting to buy Christmas presents online or search the web for inspiration before you retire to the bedroom but avoid spending time on laptops and smartphones in the 60 to 90 minutes before bed if you want to look and feel refreshed the next morning.

She said: “Organising and preparing for any big day or important event, such as Christmas, can be a daunting task. With a never ending list of things to do and a head swirling with infor-

- Don`t skip breakfast: While some of you may like to skip breakfast if you`re in a rush, this can have an adverse effect and actually affect your sleeping pattern.

You need to eat healthily

and avoid skipping breakfast. People who eat breakfast produce more melatonin and therefore, sleep better. Include protein in your breakfast for an even greater effect.

- Be well hydrated during the day: Dehydration is a key cause of frequent waking or `shallow` sleep. This will also keep you looking as well as feeling good, especially following your Christmas parties.

- Pen down your worries: Research shows that people who go to bed happy tend to sleep better. So deal with your worries before you put your head on the pillow.

And if you can`t let those worries go then get up, go to another room and write down all the worries in your head on a piece of paper.

Then go back to bed and get as comfortable as possible.

(IANS)

TECH & SCIENCE

VOICE OF ASIA 19

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

Why perfume smells different Facebook exploring to each of us ‘Sympathise’ button Receptors in the nose vary by 30% in two different people

E

ver imagined why it is so difficult to buy perfume for a loved one?

People experience odours in a completely different way, a new study has found.

Researchers from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions have found that as much as 30 per cent of the large array of human olfactory receptor differs between any two individuals.

This substantial variation is in turn reflected by variability in how each person perceives odours.

Humans have about 400 different types of specialised sensors, known as olfactory receptor proteins, that somehow work together to detect a large variety of odours.

“Understanding how this huge array of receptors encodes odours is a challenging task,” said study lead author Joel Mainland, a molecular biologist at Monell.

“The activation pattern of these 400 receptors encodes both the intensity of an odour and the quality for example,

whether it smells like vanilla or smoke for the tens of thousands of different odours that represent everything we smell,” said Mainland.

The researchers first cloned 511 known variants of human olfactory receptors and embedded them in host cells that are easy to grow in the laboratory.

The underlying amino acid sequence can vary slightly for each of the 400 receptor proteins, resulting in one or more variants for each of the receptors.

The next step was to measure whether each receptor variant responded to a panel of 73 different odour molecules. This process identified 28 receptor variants that responded to at least one of the odour molecules.

Each receptor variant responds to odours in a slightly different way and the variants are distributed across individuals such that nearly everyone has a unique combination of olfactory receptors.

To gain a better understanding of the extent of olfactory receptor variation and how this impacts human odour perception, Mainland and his collaborators used a combination of high-throughput assays to measure how single receptors and individual humans respond to odours.

The results provide a critical step towards understanding how olfactory receptors encode the intensity, pleasantness and quality of odour molecules.

Researchers next examined the DNA of 16 olfactory receptor genes, discovering considerable variation within the genes for discrete receptors.

Using sophisticated mathematical modelling to extrapolate from these results, Mainland predicts that the olfactory receptors of any two individuals differ by about 30 per cent.

This means that for any two randomly chosen individuals, approximately 140 of their 400 olfactory receptors will differ in how they respond to odour molecules.

The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. (Financial Express)

“Hour of Code” Aims to Ease Programming Crunch

by Evelyn M. Rusli

I

n three months, technology entrepreneur Hadi Partovi raised $10 million from the likes of Bill Gates, Google and Mark Zuckerberg for Code.org, a non-profit aimed at expanding computer science education in the United States.

Now it’s time to start spending it.

On Monday, Code.org will kick off its most high-profile event to date, Hour of Code.

More than 30,000 schools– about 70% of them in the U.S.–will dedicate at least one hour this week to teaching students about computer programming.

Several technology leaders and other bold-faced names have already contributed video messages and resources for the roughly $1 million effort, including President Barack Obama, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and the pop star Shakira.

Shahid Usmani, Sales Manager • 713-270-3900

But Partovi, an investor and former Microsoft executive, sees an uphill battle ahead.

The high-tech sector has long complained about a dearth of skilled programmers. According to one estimate by the Bureau of Labor, America’s economy is adding nearly 140,000 computing jobs every year. In contrast, only 40,000 college students are graduating with a computer science degree,

F

acebook is considering giving its users a less cheery alternative to the ‘like’ option: a ‘sympathise’ button.

There are many situations where ‘like’ is the antithesis of the response people may be trying to convey when they

Many people come across a sad status update from a friend while browsing the popular social networking site — that they have been fired; they have had a death in the family; some unfortunate event or may be just a bad day.

It was learned this Thursday from Facebook’s annual Compassion Research Day when the social network devotes a whole day to sharing various ways it is trying to “build empathy and foster trust” with users.

Engineer Dan Muriello said one of his colleagues had designed the ‘sympathise’ button during a recent hackathon.

Here’s how it could work: if a Facebook user were to tag his or her status with a negative emotion (from the social networking site’s lists of feelings), the ‘sympathise’ button would automatically replace the ‘like’ button.

They want to show the person they care, but do not know him or her well enough to say anything that does not sound trite.

Then they see that someone has — perhaps accidentally — hit the ‘like’ button.

Now, may be there is a deeper Freudian slip there, but ask these likers and they will say: “I was trying to show sympathy, but ‘like’ was my only option.” according to data from the National Science Foundation cited by Code.org.

Though programming skills should help address the problem–and put more people to work–Partovi’s group faces political and regional complexities and a dearth of educators that can teach kids how to code. He has an additional $20 million in committed pledges to help Code.org, which he is planning to use to train educators in teaching computer programming. But it will only be valuable if he can get more school districts and states to cooperate.

One problem is that a majority of states do not rec-

And as much as users might want one, it seems Facebook is never going to add a ‘dislike’ button. are forced to respond with such limited options.

A Facebook engineer has come up with a solution for such a situation: a ‘sympathise’ button, The Huffington Post reported. ognize computer science as a mathematics or science course, with many classifying it as an elective instead.

The distinction is important because classifying it as a math or science credit would encourage more schools to offer computer science courses and more students to take them.

This year, boards of education in states like Washington, Idaho, and Tennessee passed rules to allow this change, but many have not flipped, including the home of Silicon Valley’s home state.

“In California, computer science has the same classification as a class on horse-

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The ‘sympathise’ feature is not making its way to the site “yet”, said a Facebook spokesperson.

Until then, its users will have to carry on with awkward silences. (PTI) shoe making,” said Partovi.

Partovi, an early advisor to Facebook and Dropbox, is just one figure in a movement to programming and computer science more accessible.

Several groups have sprung up in recent years, such as CodeNow, Black Girls Code, and Girls Who Code, all seeking to make more educational resources available to students. Last month, FWD.us, a political group co-led by Zuckerberg, also hosted a “hackathon,” with young undocumented immigrants, during which students built apps alongside prominent tech mentors.

(IANS)

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FEATURE

VOICE OF ASIA 21

Indian government wakes up to risk of Hotmail, Gmail

by Annie Banerji EW DELHI - Worried by US spying revelations, India has begun drawing up a new email policy to help secure government communications, but the man responsible for drafting the rules still regularly uses Hotmail.

Like many of his peers in ministries across New Delhi, IT Minister Kapil Sibal’s office recently sent an email inviting journalists to the launch of his new personal website using the free email service.

Others, including senior foreign ministry officials, the information and broadcasting minister and the health ministry secretary, also use Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo instead of their government accounts.

When asked why he continued to use his Hotmail for official use, Sibal declined to comment, but a senior bureaucrat in his ministry admitted that he personally preferred Gmail because it is “just a lot easier”.

“We keep moving, get different designations, go different places and with that, our emails change. You lose contacts and important emails, which you don’t need to worry about with a Gmail account,” the bureaucrat told AFP. “To be honest, the quality of our official mail isn’t that great yet. It still needs some work,” he added on condition of anonymity.

Security concerns IT security expert Sunil Abraham said the use of Gmail and the like was highly risky since the American services had their servers in the US and the National Security Agency has been known to tap into their database systems.

It is unclear how many state and federal public workers actively use popular email services for office, but some of the estimates are startling.

“As much as 90 percent of government officials use private email (services) for official use... that’s because their official email is not as stable or speedy,” said Abraham, executive director of the Bangalorebased Centre for Internet and Society.

In September Sibal’s ministry announced a new “Email Policy of the Government of India” in the wake of spying allegations about the NSA revealed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

NSA’s tentacles not only crept into the Indian embassy in Washington and its UN office in New York, but also accessed email and chat messenger contact lists of hundreds of millions of ordinary citizens worldwide, according to media reports.

During a single day last year, the NSA’s Special Source Operations branch collected 444,743 email address books from

N

Yahoo, 105,068 from Hotmail, 82,857 from Facebook, 33,697 from Gmail and 22,881 from unspecified other providers, The Washington Post said, according to an internal NSA presentation.

The $11 million Indian project aims to bring some five million public employees onto the government’s email domain powered by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) as early as mid-December.

It is awaiting clearances and suggestions from all ministries before the proposal goes to the cabinet this month.

J. Satyanarayana, secretary of the department of electronics and IT, dismissed claims that the policy was too late and was a response to the Snowden scandal.

“The policy is not a reaction to any global spying revelations, it was already in the works. It is just a mere coincidence that both came around the same time,” he said.

Fresh doubts Some cyber security experts say bringing millions aboard a centralised server could make a hacker’s job easier, with all critical government information available on a single platform.

More than 11,000 Indian websites were hacked or defaced between May and August this year, with a large number of attacks on the “.in” domain whose servers are in India, the Times of India reported last month.

“Making the use of a centralised government server is not the best way to proceed.

Having everything on one platform makes it even more vulnerable to cyber attacks and hacking,” said Abraham.

“It also brings about new worries of the NIC becoming the local snoop.”

Some also predict that the ambitious policy would eventually fizzle out for lack of attention from ministers and bureaucrats, who work in government offices where stacks of yellowing files and papers are still a common sight.

“It’s sad but most of these officials don’t understand much about technology, so mastering email is something that is miles and miles away,” said Vijay Mukhi, a Mumbai-based cyber security expert.

“These guys saw all the snooping news and suddenly they woke up and said ‘lets make an email policy’. Enforcing this is not possible on a practical basis.”

The IT ministry also plans to conduct workshops to teach employees about email security such as when to change passwords and user names and how to use email.

“Every employee should know how, what and when critical data can be vulnerable... with most work still done on paper, it is important to know the nitty-gritty of using email,” Satyanarayana said. (PTI)

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Your Horoscope (For week beginning Friday, December 13, 2013)

Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

As per Indian Vedic Astrology the Moon sign is considered, in which every Rashi has control over certain letters, which are initials of your name. Whereas in Western system of Sun Sign, all the people born in one month belong to the same sign. For example, every year approximately around 21 of March to 20th April, the Sun is moving in the Aries Constellation. So all the people born in that month belong to the Sign of Aries. If you were born in between those two dates then you are a Aries born.

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April Memories of days gone by & hopes for new celebrations of joy. You have family gatherings to plan. Reflect on times when life was simpler & family values were followed.

Take the time to include everyone close to you to participate. Your effort will mean a lot to someone special in your life. Others tend to learn from your example. If your actions & habits reflect a healthy lifestyle, you’ll influence & encourage others to take a closer look at their own situation. You’ll be able to accomplish tedious tasks you’ve been putting off, lately.

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Sort of sadness of something passing or leaving. Your outburst surprises an associate who has never seen this side of you. Spontaneity drives you careening along a series of existing channels. Now that you know what’s possible, do what’s necessary. Be it in your professional or personal life, you’ll feel a significant loss. Bring with you an optimism in future endeavors. Instead of losing a best friend, you’ll really be gaining new allies. A new network of contacts will provide you with all the work & pleasure you need.

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Get past the immediate & to visualize your true goals. You shouldn’t bring your job home with you. You may need the time to reflect on events in your personal life. The joke may have gone too far. Either others can’t follow your thinking or they’re just not interested in participating. Be direct about your opinions, but be careful of the impression that you leave behind. Your name could be mentioned for the wrong reasons. Realize that life’s to short to waste on trivialities & gossip.

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July You may notice a tendency to lose patience with anyone who distracts you. Rebels would do well to hide behind the rules. The odds of a risky venture are running against you this week. By giving the forbidden a rest, you ensure that it will be even more exciting next time you decide to venture your luck. Love and camaraderie could be enhanced by time spent apart. Team players get to gauge their own worth as solo artists. Spend the latter part of your week acting entirely out of self-interest.

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August A strong feelings of deja vu. You may almost feel as if you are reliving a dream or a past experience. Realize that things go around in a circle, sometimes. You subconscious can open new doors of discovery. Take the time to educate yourself on the fundamentals of meditation & you’ll find more enjoyment in your spiritual side. Speak your mind, especially to people who tend to pick on the weak or sick. You don’t yet have to choose between right and wrong, but that day will come, soon enough. Sleep on it, and listen to your dreams.

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September New routine that has you completely out of mind. News and gossip fall quickly on hungry ears. Whether you play the hero or the fool, everyone will know about it. It doesn’t matter who started the whole thing. The Golden Rule has never looked more attractive. Don’t make any promises that you can’t deliver. You’ll need to relax yourself with comforting activities.

Massages, bubble baths or a good aerobic workout may be just what the doctor ordered. You have to feed your physical needs in order to satisfy your emotional side.

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct Keen sense of loyalty & true understanding of others. You understand what makes people tick. Speak your mind & don’t back down, you need to make a stand. Friends may not be as forthcoming to your cause as you would like them to be. They may still need your shoulder to lean on. Listen to their excuses or reasons for their behavior, but don’t give into their logic for it. You know how to be supportive but you cannot continue to support everyone. Once you make that clear, you’ll learn a lesson you’ll never forget.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

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HOUSTON LOCATION: 6200 Savoy Dr., Ste. 414 Houston, TX 77036

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

Exciting news or opportunities from far away. If you have been searching for a new job or career, someone may have put in a good word for you. You may receive a fax or email requesting additional information about yourself, your education & your past experiences.

Enjoy the attention, be confident in who you are & where you are going. Be sure to take your time to examine all of your possible options. As they say, “All that glitters is not necessarily gold”.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec Need for co-operation from co-workers, peers and family. You may find that you’ll gain more respect once you reach over to mend the fence that has been broken. Your sharp tongue can sometimes get you into trouble, tone down your emotions & present the situation a little more objectively. No need to let other walk all over you, but you must acknowledge their perspective. The square peg just can’t fit into the round hole.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan Change of pace that will help you to deal with deep matters you have on your mind. You may have felt a little like a balloon, lately, getting ready to burst. Don’t sweat it! Delegate some of those tasks to others while maintaining the overall control of things. Relax and enjoy the scenery, while you contemplate your next move or direction. Feel confident in your ability to organize & get the job done effectively. You know some secrets to getting the job done with a minimum of effort on your part.

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb Positive surge in your social and personal life. Friendships come in many strange flavors.

Seek out the company of people who will tolerate you for who and what you are. You’ll accumulate personal power in some unexpected places. You may have been feeling a little down in the dumps lately. Events that happen this week, will now re-new your old spirit & confidence, to make you feel on top of the world. Don’t go overboard on the celebrating, you need to get your beauty rest.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March You’ll feel unusually popular & could start to feel more comfortable with who you are.

Your natural charm & wit will be extremely sharp. Let an assuring tone of voice and sincere facial expressions take the place of a complex vocabulary. You want people to believe you as well as understand you. The facts will speak for themselves. Clashes with others, especially over money, behavior and/or discipline are likely as your nerves may be ‘shot’ and your fuse a bit short, possibly. Avoid any ‘carry over resentment’ with or because of members OR, clear the air and ‘get it done with’ leaving it in the past.

Read your detailed horoscope on www.VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

COMMUNITY EVENTS

VOICE OF ASIA 22

FRIDAY, December 13, 2013

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES & ORGANIZATIONS OF HOUSTON - call Voice of Asia 713-774-5140 Shri Radha Krishna Temple

VPSS Houston Location VPSS Vallabh Hall, 11715 Belfort Village Dr. Houston 77031.

Contact:713-530-2900 Website:www.vpsshaveli.org

Prog: Location:11625 Beechnut, Houston, TX 77072 Phone: 281-933-8100 Website: www.SRKT.org.

Shiridi Sai Durga Shiva Venkateswara Temple (Katy) Prog: Contact: 713-933-8821/ Udayakumar Gullapalli E-mail: gullapalliu@yahoo.com Website: www.sdsvt.org

Arsha Vidya Bharati Prog.:Sanskrit classes and special worship sessions for all ages Location: 2918 Renoir, Sugar Land, TX 77479 Contact: 281-606-5607 or AVB.Houston@gmail.com Web: https://sites.google.com/ site/avbtexas/classes

Arsha Vidya Satsanga Prog: Website: www.avshouston.org Contact: 713-412-2923 / Email: ArshaVidyaHou@gmail.com

Chinmaya Mission Prog: Location:10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX77498.

Phone: 832.541.0059.

Website:www.chinmayahouston. org.

Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya Temple Hrs: 9 am to noon and 5 to 9 pm.;Sri Astalaksmi puja: 7 pm. Sri Laksmi Archana will be performed on request all day.

Location:same as Chinmaya Mission.

Website: www.saumyakasi.org;

Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Location: 7601 S. Forest Gate Drive at Woodlands Parkway, Spring, TX 77382.

Contact: info@woodlandshindutemple.org, 832-585-0001 Website: www. woodlandshindutemple.org.

QR

Sri Meenakshi Temple

Vedanta Society of Greater Houston Prog: Vedanta teachings Sundays at 10:30 AM Location: at 14809 Lindita Dr. Houston, TX -77083.

Website: www.vedantahouston. org

ISSO

Prog: Sat. Dec. 7 - Ayyappa Mandala Pooja. Asstabhishekam 10am, followed by Annadhanam 12pm-2:30pm.

Location: 17130 McLean Road Pearland, TX 77584 Contact: (281) 489-0358 Web: www.meenakshi.org

Prog: Darshan daily from 7.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; Aarti daily from 7.45 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Location: 10080 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Phone: 281-530-2565 Web:

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus Samee Mosque

Shri Satyanarayan Sai Puja Darshan

Prog: Friday Prayer - 1:30 PM Children’s Classes | Interfaith meeting | Location: 1333 Spears Rd, Houston, TX 77067 Imam - Mohammed Zafarullah Contact : Work: 281-875-3400 | Cell: 713-874-4363 Zafarullah_Hanjra@hotmail.com www.Alislam.org

Prog: Daily from 10:00 a.m. to 1:p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Every Thursday Abhishek Location: 16338 Kensington Dr, Ste 110, Sugar Land 77479.

Phone: 713-933-8821 / 9359.

Gurdwara Sahib of SW Houston

Dr.Ambedkar International Mission Inc. U.S.A

Prog: Sundays Dewan 10:00 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Langar Location:14811 Lindita Drive, Houston, TX 77083 Phone: 281-498-5200 Website: www.gurdwaraswh.com

Prog: Location: India House 8888 West Bellfort Avenue Houston, Texas 77031

Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple

Hare Krishna Dham (ISKCON) Everyday, 7 Aratis and bhoga offerings daily. Sunday Festival: 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Location: 1320 West 34th St, Houston, TX 77018.

Contact:281-433-1635/E-mail harekrishnadham@gmail.com Website: www.iskconhouston.org

Ashirwad - A Blessing Temple Prog: Regular prog :Sloka Classes for kids and teens.

Location: Katy, Hwy 249 & Sugar Land.

Contact: 281.995.0930/ 281.808.2159

Prog: Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra Parayanam: daily 6.30 p.m. Location:10098 Synott Road. Sugar Land, TX 77478 Phone: 281- 498-2344 Website: www.ashtalakshmi.org

Hindu Worship Society Prog: Open all days except Thursdays (by appt). Regular Puja and Prasad. Sunday Service 11:30 AM to 1:30 Location: 2223 Wirtcrest Lane Houston TX 77055.

Barsana Dham Houston Chapter Prog: Satsang every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Location: India House, 8888 West Belfort 77031 Phone: (713) 855-9818 for details Website: www.jkphouston.org

Weekly Radio Program-1460 AM Saturdays 10-11 a.m.

Divinity Website: www.godivinity.org

Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Prog: Every Friday Satsangh from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. Bhajans and Devi Puja, Discourses.

Location: 12530 Ann Louise Road, Houston, 77086.

Phone: Contact Vishnu at (832) 309- 7181.

JVB Preksha Meditation Center Prog: Location: 14102 Schiller Road, Houston TX 77082 Phone: 281.596.9642 Website: www.jvbhouston.org

Patanjali Yogpeeth Center Prog: Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun from 8 am to 9:30 am Location: Arya Samaj @Schiller Road.

Contact: 281-579-9433.

Websites: www.pyptusa.org

Jain Center of Houston Location: 3905 Arc St. Houston, TX 77063 Contact: 281-606-JAIN; Email: ecjsh@jain-houston.org Website:www.jain-houston.org

Durga Bari Society Prog: Sandhya Arati at 6:30 p.m.; Sunday: 9:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Location: 13944 Schiller Road.

Contact: 281-597-8100 Website:www.houstondurgabari. org

Gayatri Pariwar of Houston Prog: Sundays Satsang, Bal-Sanskar Shala, from 11am to 1pm.

Location: 5645 Hillcroft, Suite # 307, Houston, TX 77036.

Website: http://www.gayatripariwarhouston.org/ “

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Sri Guruvayurappan Our Redeemer Temple Church Prog: Bhajans: Sat.7:00 -8:00 p.m.; Sundays 9:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.Location: 1620 Ormandy Street, Houston, TX 77035 Contact: 713-729-8994

Govindaji Gaudiya Math Prog: Satsang every Sunday evening from 5 - 7 p.m. Vedic heritage classes for kids 5-14.

Location: 16628 Kieth Harrow blvd. Houston, TX 77084 Contact: 281-499-3347/281-4914114.

Sathya Sai Baba Centers Prog: Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at two locations Locations: Contact: (North) 832-418-3842 or (South) 281-788-4786.

Website:www.saicenterofhouston.org

Telugu Christian Fellowship Prog; Every third Saturday 6:30 PM. Worship is in English Location: The Triumph Church, 10555 West Airport Boulevard, Stafford, TX 77477.

Contact:713-301-6444 Website:

Prog: Sundays worship 4:30 pm.

Location: All Saints Lutheran Church 1211 West Belfort Avenue, Stafford, TX Contact: 281-686-4135 / Email: pastorvj@linchouston.org

Trinity Mar Thoma Church Prog: Sundays Malyalam service at 9:45 a.m. Every alternate weeks in English at 10:30a.m.

Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Location: 5810 Almeda Genoa Road.

Contact: 713-9771-1557/ 281261-4603.

Rekindle The Fire Ministries Prog: Houston Revival Meetings Every second Saturday of the Month. Location: New Song Christian Community Church near 59S and Wilcrest. Every fourth Saturday of the month join a lively youth revival meeting.

Website:www.rekindlethefire.org

Indian Catholics of Houston Prog: Location: Claridge Drive Houston, TX 77031 Contact:: (713) 995-6811

Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center

Islamic Society of Greater Houston

Prog: Daily classes in Raja Yoga Meditation To register call or email.

Contact:832-379-8888/ Email: houston@bktexas.com Website: bktexas.com

Location: Eastside Drive Houston, TX 77098 Contact: (713) 524-6615

Bethesda Houston Tamil Church Prog: Prog: Sundays Tamil Worship: 5 – 7pm Sunday school : in English. Bethesda Family Fellowship: in English 10.30 am-12.30 pm Free Tutorial for all children Mondays & Wednesdays 5-6 pm. Ladies Bible Study: Thur 9 am.

Location: 1092, Suite F&G, Stafford. Tex 77477 Tel:281-317-7331, 281-317-7331 Website:bethesdahoustontamilc hurch.org

GHNSS Nair Service Society of Greater Houston Prog. Monthly “Karayogam” every fourth Sat. 6:00 PM. Tel: 281-261-4950/ 281-7788341

Datta Yoga Center Houston Prog: Satsang on alternate Saturdays 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

Free Kriya Yoga classes.

Contact:713-854-7097 or 281205-0905 Website: dychouston.org

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