Voice of Asia Nov 21 2014 by VoiceOf Asia

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FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

bamacare and Medicare Enrollment Begin. For Prompt Enrollment call 713-771-2900. Read on Page 16.

Vol. 27 No. 47 Friday, November 21, 2014 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

‘Snehanjali’ by Sreepadam School of Arts - A Splendid Expression of Love Through Art

Texas NRI Scientist Dr. Reddy Receives Prestigious AAPS Fellow Award

Divya Unni, Director and Founder of Sreepadam School of Arts, picks love as the theme for her mesmerizing presentation!

Dr. Samba Reddy (left) seen receiving the AAPS Award.

OUSTON - (November 19, 2014): Dr. Samba Reddy, professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), a lifetime recognition and the highest professional honor of achievement in pharmaceutical ﬁeld. The award was presented by the AAPS President Dr. Marilyn Morris at the 2014 AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego on November 2, 2014.

The AAPS recognizes outstanding researchers with a Fellow designation. Dr. Reddy, a renowned expert in neurotherapeutics, was selected on the basis of “professional excellence as exemplified by a sustained level of superior and distinguished contributions that have a substantial impact in the pharmaceutical field”. Dr. Reddy joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2008 and was previously honored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the Fellow Award for Research Excellence for the year 2000. He is internationally respected for his contributions to neurotherapeutics, neurosteroid mechanisms, and new treatments for epilepsy and brain diseases. His work is centered on finding better

medications for treatment of brain disorders such as epilepsy, brain injury, and chemical neurotoxicity. He has made pioneering contributions that include development of a neurosteroid-replacement therapy for epilepsy, new epilepsy medication ganaxolone, and tonic inhibition therapy for persistent seizures and neurotoxicity. He successfully designed many model systems, treatment strategies, and ﬁrst-inclass agents for complex brain disorders. He has published 120 papers, authored 6 books, and has made over 150 presentations worldwide. Dr. Reddy serves as an expert member in federal committees in Washington such as NIH, DOD, and the United States pharmacopeia (USP). He is an editor-in-chief of an international pharmaceutical journal. He obtained a pharmacy degree and doctorate in pharmacology prior to special postdoctoral training at NIH. He is a native of Warangal in India. He traveled thousands of miles to Texas to excel in research and became a highly regarded professor. He has been honored with excellence awards by many associations including BAPS, NATA, TANA and ATA.

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Divya Unni, Director and Choreographer with her students performing one of her enchanting dances. Photo Credit: Kalith Talison, Refections Media. by Chittoor Ramachandran

he director Divya Unni deserves great appreciation for her creative ideas for focusing on the theme love in Snehanjali, a performance that was held at Stafford Center on November 15. The participants (students and associates of Sreepadam School of Arts) of various levels of training which exceeded one hundred ﬁfty in number immensely engrossed the packed audience throughout the three hours.

major factor in interpersonal relationships, is one of the most common themes in the scriptures of various cultures since time immemorial. Ancient Vedic scriptures and puranic stories recognize love as the matrix of human life and therefore all the Indian classical art forms like dance, music and sculptures are embedded in this theme.

proof Love, in its various forms being a

Success of this production in reaching out the audience of a wide age group and cultural background can be attributed to Divya Unni’s training

and vast experience in Indian classical dance and theatrical performance. The well thought-out plan of the program extended several well known episodes from Hindu mythology with situations in today’s life as examples to highlight the vital role of love that links all of us as a community. It was noticeable that while the program did adhere to the classical style, minor deviations were made, perhaps, to attract the beginner level children. Continued on Page 5

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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Voice of Asia (USPS 010-215) (ISSN#10705058) is published every Friday (for a subscription rate of $30 per year) by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713774-5143. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Voice of Asia, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074 It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or conﬁrmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints. Although paid advertisements may appear in Voice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, the Voice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. - The Publisher

ome godmen and religious cult leaders often have an exaggerated sense of their own importance: they sometimes end up believing what they tell their fanatic followers. In evading arrest for days together by making his supporters create a ring of protection around him in his ashram, the self-styled ‘jagat guru’ Sant Rampal not only showed utter disregard for the law of the land, but also supreme conﬁdence in his ability to keep law enforcers at bay. Despite a court order calling for his arrest in a contempt case, the police struggled to get close to the godman in his ashram in Hisar. Intent to avoid a violent confrontation in the ashram, the police chose to play the waiting game, without trying to force their way past the crowd of Rampal supporters. But the water cannons, tear gas shells, and lathis of the police were met with gunﬁre, Molotov cocktails and acid pouches of the followers. Indeed, Sant Rampal seemed to be enjoying being at the centre of all this attention. In his calculations, the longer the stand-off between his followers and the police, the better it would be for his own popularity. The clashes with

EW DELHI: India is a land where people have enormous faith in God. But as described in a bollywood movie ‘Oh My God’ how some self styled Godman try to use this faith of common people for their own beneﬁt is surprising indeed. The latest is Sant Rampal, the godman from Haryana, who was arrested by Police for defying the orders of Haryana High court This is the story of how a government engineer became a spiritual guru with thousands following him blindly. Sant Rampal had a very humble background. The ‘godman’ was born Rampal Dass to a family of farmers in Sonepat district’s Thanana village on September 8, 1951. After school, he got a diploma in engineering and joined Haryana government’s irrigation and public health department as a junior engineer. At the age of 48, in May 2000, he was reportedly removed from the department for carelessness. By then, however, his life had already begun to change direction. A seer, Swami Ramdevanand, had taken him under his wing 18 years before.In 1999, Ram-

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Arms and the godman

nstead of choosing the easier and more sensible option of surrendering to the police, Sant Rampal put at risk the lives and limbs of his band of supporters.

the police were designed to add inches to his larger-than-life image. Thus, instead of choosing the easier and more sensible option of surrendering to the police, the Sant put at risk the lives and limbs of his band of supporters. Worryingly, ﬁve women and a child have died in the ashram during the stand-off. While the cause of the deaths is still under investigation, there is little doubt that the use of a human shield by the godman had unpleasant consequences. Fresh cases of waging war against the state ﬁled against him are not going to deter the Sant or his group of blind followers who seem to thrive on controversies. Sant Rampal’s rise to fame was not that of the usual godman. Claiming to be an incarnation of Kabir, the mystic poet-saint of 15th century India, Rampal rose to fame not only by preaching, but also by attacking other

Sant Rampal spiritual leaders and politicians and inﬂuential people. Indeed, his disdain for the law and for those in power seems to be part of the attraction for his followers. While the police did the right thing by exercising care and restraint in pushing back his supporters, the impression that the godman could defy the

court and the law indeﬁnitely gained ground. There could have been no resolution of the stand-off without the arrest of Sant Rampal. There was nothing to be gained by appealing to the Sant to see reason, and a peaceful end to this confrontation could never have been quick. Courtesy: The Hindu.

Interesting facts about Sant Rampal, the self-styled godman of Hisar pal established the Satlok Ashram in Rohtak district’s Karontha village. Very soon, the ashram gained popularity and Rampal Dass began to court the title of ‘Sant’. He subsequently set up several ashrams across the state, including the one at Barwala, presenting himself as an incarnation of the 15th century mystic poet Kabir. His band of followers hit new heights. An FIR was lodged against Rampal after the clash with the followers of Swami Dayanand Saraswati against whom Rampal had made derogatory comments. In 2006, the differences between the two groups culminated in a clash that resulted in the death of one person. This is where Rampal’s tryst with the judiciary begins. Following the clash, Rampal was arrested on charges of murder and attempt to murder and his ashram at Karontha attached by the government. He was released on bail two years later, on April 30, 2008, after

which he shifted base to Hisar district’s Barwala town. In November 2010, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Rohtak administration to hand the ashram back to Rampal. It was after the matter moved to the Supreme Court that the ashram was handed over to Rampal again on 11/19/2014. A month later, on May 12, clashes again erupted between a group of Arya Samajis and Rampal’s followers. Two people were killed and around 100 injured as the police opened ﬁre and lathicharged the warring groups to control the melee. In July this year, Rampal and his followers went on the rampage in a Hisar court where he was to appear for a murder conspiracy trial dating back to 2006. Since his release in 2010, Rampal, who faces contempt of court, murder and attempt to murder cases in various courts, has skipped hearings 42 times, which is why he now faces contempt charges. Sant Rampal,

now revered by thousands, was born Rampal Dass to a family of farmers in Sonepat district’s Thanana village on September 8, 1951. After proclaiming himself as a ‘saint’, Rampal started setting up ashrams across Haryana. The number of followers swelled as word got around of his being an incarnation of Kabir. In 2006, he purportedly made disparaging remarks against Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati. His followers clashed with angry Arya Samajis, ensuing in the death of one person. This is when Rampal’s legal woes started . He was arrested along with 24 others, but was let off on bail. He then shifted base to Hisar Since getting bail, 63-year-old Rampal has refused to reply to court order and the ashram’s spokesperson claimed that he wasn’t even at the ashram and had been taken to an undisclosed location for treatment as he is unwell. So far, Rampal, who faces contempt of court, murder and attempt to murder cases in various courts, has skipped hearings 42 times

You will remain Evergreen in Our Hearts! “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” - 2 Corinthians 5:1

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Voice of Asia

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FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Second Front Page

Friday, November 21, 2014 • www.voiceofasiaonline.com • Page 3 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

“Nama”dwaar Bhoomi Pooja Performed with Nama Sankirtan Radha-Krishna Temple, Hindus of Greater Houston, HSS, Iyyappa group, Orissa Culture Center, Udupi Matha, Kerala Hindu Society, Pearland Desi Group and many others participated. Devotees from all across the USA also came to Houston for this ceremony.

Mayors of Manvel and Pearland, partake in the Bhoomi pooja

anvel, TX – With divine grace, Houston Namadwaar’s bhoomi pooja for its new prayer house building was conducted in a divine ambience on November 8 in the presence of Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji. The Hare Rama... Hare Krishna… Mahamantra was chanted throughout the bhoomi pooja, interspersed with vers-

es from Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhu stuti and the “Mahamantra Song” a wonderful 16verse composition of HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji that speaks of the greatness of the Mahamantra. Pooja was performed to Sri Premika Varadan-Sri Madhuri Sakhi (Lord Krishna-Sri Radha) and Sri Swamiji, and after a ceremonial digging of the ground, Mahamantra prayer sheets written by devotees

from Houston, India and other parts of USA were placed in the pit along with holy waters and holy soil from India. All families that were present then laid bricks with Mahamantra written on them in different languages. The Honorable Mayors of Manvel and Pearland, and representatives of many Houston temples/organizations including Meenakshi temple, Guruvayoorappan temple, Sri

In the evening, Vidushi Smt. Rajarajeshwary Bhat and her group presented a musical performance “Pibare Nama Rasam”, comprising of kirtans on the greatness of the Divine Name composed by various saints. This was followed by a screening of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji’s extremely inspiring blessing message for this occasion. Sri Swamiji spoke of the glory of the Divine Name and said that the Name, even though it is simple and small, could accomplish huge tasks very easily. He said that as one chants the Name at Namadwaar, the divine energy from the chanting would be magniﬁed a thousand times more by reﬂect-

ing off the Super-Energy of the deities Sri Premika Varadan-Sri Madhuri Sakhi, who will be present in the Namadwaar. Sri Swamiji exhorted everyone to accumulate the wealth of the Divine Name that will help us overcome all troubles.

Following this, a few devotees shared their personal experience of the Mahamantra, after which Sri Ramanujamji spoke brieﬂy and presented a prayer for the new Namadwaar to be constructed smoothly and quickly. The evening concluded with resounding Mahamantra sankirtan for Namadwaar as well as for personal prayers. Continued prayers for the new Namadwaar construction to go on smoothly will be performed every Sunday at Namadwaar with Mahamantra sankirtan from 7 am to 7 pm. All are invited to join the prayer and also increase their “Nama” wealth in the process. Global Organization for Di-

vinity (G.O.D.) is a worldwide nonproﬁt organization inspired by HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, whose activities serve the entire Sanatana Dharma spectrum right from the Vedas, Agamas, Puranas/ Itihasas, Various traditions and Humane activities. G.O.D has served the Houston area since 2007. From Dec 20-27, a grand Madhura Utsav and Srimad Bhagavata Saptaha will be held at Namadwaar. There will be Srimad Bhagavatam discourses by Sri Ramanujamji, processions, sampradaya bhajans, divya nama sankirtan, children’s programs, cultural performances and more. The event is open to all. For more information about GOD activities or Namadwaar, or if you would like to support our noble and divine causes ﬁnancially or in kind, please contact 281-402-6585 or houston.god@godivinity. org.

Houston immigration lawyer Gordon Quan available to discuss expected Obama immigration executive order Gordon Quan is a nationally recognized immigration lawyer with a local Houston radio show to help people with immigration issues. The former Houston city councilman will be available this week for phone and in-person interviews to explain what the expected presidential immigration executive order will mean for families, employers and students. He can set the stage now and comment once the order is released. Some of the points he can explain: · What a president can and can’t do in an executive order to create enforcement priorities and how that differs from Congress’ job to make the laws. · Students and young people - What the order will mean for students, especially if the president expands who is covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. · Family members – What the order will mean for people who are parents of citizen children or legal resident children if that expected change comes through. · Employers – How employers might benefit if, as expected, the president allows more temporary work visas for educated workers with employer sponsors. · Next steps legally – How anyone covered by the executive order might go about applying for the included benefits, or stopping an ongoing deportation. Gordon Quan Quan Law Group, PLLC Email: gquan@quanlaw.com Office: 713-781-1600 Cell: 713-494-4848 Location: Galleria area at One Riverway, 777 S. Post Oak Ln #1700, Houston TX 77056

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 5

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

‘Snehanjali’ by Sreepadam School of Arts A splendid expression of love through art Continued from Page 1

Narration prior to each dance item in a ‘ceased and forgotten format’ brought freshness and helped the audience grasp the message of the dance item that followed. From the auspicious invocation dance with the melodious recital of Sanskrit mantra extolling Sri Ganesha, till the colorful patriotic grand ﬁnale, Snehanjali entertained the audience without a single monotonous moment during the 180 minutes of the show. The spectacular costumes were delightful and the accompanying music was outstanding. The collective effort of the participants of various degrees of training was very impressive. While maintaining the central theme and the stage aesthetics, each act exhibited distinct characteristics. A few of the noteworthy acts include Bhakthi of Meerabai (devotional love), Siva- Parvathy (Love of the spouse), Dushyantha-Shakuntala

Invocation: Students and associates of Sreepadam School of Arts seen with Divya Unni, Director at the beginning of the show. Photo Credit: Refections Media.

(Love between soul mates). In these items, acting con-

veyed the message very effectively even without un-

derstanding the meaning of the background music.

Commendable creativity could be noticed in the item

that described love of nature. Particularly poignant was an item on Maternal Love. Divya Unni and Vismaya stole the heart of the audience by acting the roles of a mother and child. Their acting, the music and the supporting dancers carried the audience to an emotional ecstasy. It was indeed a treat. Several of the performers (senior students and associates of Sreepadam School of Arts) in the show who charismatically played leading roles are great inspiration to the aspiring children who performed enthusiastically to make this program a grand success. The rhythmic movement of the little children itself is a pleasure to watch. They do preserve the cultural heritage and treasured legends. One could imagine the tremendous effort taken by the volunteers to present this program. Proceeds of this program will beneﬁt the Charitable OrganizationEmbracing the World- Care Homes for children.

College Nannies & Tutors Opens in Sugar Land, TX by Susan Pothanikat

UGAR LAND, TX— On November 18, 2014, College Nannies & Tutors held their grand opening for their Sugar Land location located on 1226 Museum Square Drive, Suite 400, serving families in the New Territory, Telfair and surrounding subdivisions. College Nannies & Tutors is the nation’s most complete resource for customized nanny and tutoring services. Their purpose is to build stronger families by providing services for cradle to college age children. Nannies

can work on ﬂexible schedules (part time and full time), after school, summer holidays and are also available for date nights, babysitting and backup care. All employees are thoroughly screened and must pass a background check to qualify for employment.

College Nannies and Tutors also provides tutoring to students in their learning center. They help students with homework and study skills in all subjects including: Math, Science, Social Studies, English and Foreign Languages. They also provide help with college preparation by assist-

ing with ACT & SAT Test prep and Advanced Placement. Owner Madhvee Patel understands the importance of having role models in the lives of all children to help shape their future success. She works hard to ensure that her daughters’ lives are enriched with great role models. It is with this vision and passion of “Building Stronger Families” that she has embarked on this journey with College Nannies and Tutors. For more details, please visit: collegenanniesandtutors. com/sugarlandtx

Owners Hitesh and Madhvee Patel cut ribbon for grand opening of College Nannies & Tutors in Sugar Land, TX.hoto Credit: Navin Mediwala.

VOICE OF ASIA 6

COMMUNITY

VPSS Annakut festival, gathering of Hindus of Houston

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Visiting high ranking bishops on ecclesiastical business meet with Mar Thoma church authorities

VPSS ofﬁce bearers Ramesh Parikh, Rasesh Dalal seen welcoming the guests. by Dr. Venugopal Menon

rom the intense bustle and noise of highway trafﬁc of southwest Houston, a short deviation on to Bellfort Village drive and into the sprawling complex of Vallabh Priti Seva Samaj, the visitor is instantly transported into a serene, pristine atmosphere that is very much reminiscent of an authentic temple in a traditional Indian village. On the evening of Sunday, November 2, the weather had turned gentle, welcoming the change over from the heat of the summer to the temperately salubrious relief of the autumn. The place was packed with joy-

ous and pious crowd of Hindus, ladies clad in colorful sarees and men in their traditional kurtas, meeting, greeting, praying and enjoying the gratification of the occasion. It was the Annual Annakut Celebration of VPSS, one of Pushti Marga’s main festivals. It celebrates Krshna’s worship of the Mount Govardhan during his Vraj Lila. Breaking with tradition, he recommended puja of Govardhan instead of Indra. Krshna argued that no one had seen Indra and benefits of his worship were rather dubious. Worshipping GovardhanNathji had positive and visible benefits. It was Govardhan-Nathji who protected them, gave them rain, grass,

From Left to Right: Rev. Kochu Koshy Abraham, Rev. Fr. Binu Joseph, His Grace, Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius - Bishop of MTC Diocese North America & Europe, H E Mor Titus Eldho - Arch Bishop of Malankara Arch Diocese of North America, Rev. Saju Mathew, Mrs. Mathew, and Rev. Roy A. Thomas. shelter etc. Therefore it made sense to worship Him rather than some remote God on a golden throne in a transient heaven! On behalf of the temple Rasesh Dalal had invited the members of the Board and Advisory Board of the Hindus of Greater Houston to attend the sacred event. As we walked into the foyer, the most hospitable hosts were ready to receive us and as a group we were taken to near the dais. We were enthralled by the divine Darshan, re-

The luxurious spread of food offerings by the devotees as part of Annakut celebration. Photos by Pinal Patel.

ceiving Shreenathji Bhagwan’s blessings, praying and listening to the melodious bhajans and kirtans. The extensive and splendid display of the several hundred plates of food items, Annakut, all prepared by the priests on the same day, was a spectacle to remember. We were then guided to the dining hall where we were offered the Maha Prasad and served a delicious and sumptuous vegetarian dinner. The several ofﬁce bearers of VPSS including Ramesh Parikh, Rasesh

Dalal and many others cordially welcomed our group and explained their meticulous organizational structure, in which the enthusiastic volunteers were given total freedom to devote their commitment with passion and fervor. Afterwards we all had a very informative and interactive discussion about VPSS, and we left envisioning a future of all the factions of Hindus working through separate avenues, but focused together for broader and common objectives.

Guests who attended the event. Photo by Pinal Patel

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Sri Lanka’s famous IndianIndian-origin whizkid origin hotel doorman dies at 94 lectures on cyber security Sanjeev Gardiner, the hotel’s chairman, said it was a “truly sad day”. Guests would be greeted at the entrance by the diminutive Kuttan with his palms pressed together in the traditional greeting.

Kottarapattu Chattu Kuttan who served world leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Richard Nixon at the famous Galle Face Hotel.

OLOMBO: Kottarapattu Chattu Kuttan, the legendary hotel doorman, who served world leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Richard Nixon at the famous Galle Face Hotel here, has died. The Indian-origin doorman of Sri Lanka’s iconic hotel, known as Kuttan, passed away peace-

fully at the age of 94 yesterday after a brief illness. “The iconic doorman at the Galle Face Hotel who made history for being one of the oldest hotel employees in the world. Passed away peacefully in the early hours of 18th November 2014. May his soul rest in peace!,” Galle Face Hotel said on its Facebook page on Kut-

White-haired with a handlebar moustache, the diminutive ﬁgure also sported badges from all over the world.

After leaving his village in Trichur district in Kerala at the age of 17, he reached Talaimannar pier in Sri Lanka’s western coast in 1938 looking for a job with just Rs 25 in hand and the clothes he was wearing. Joining the hotel as a bell boy cum waiter in 1942, he continued to serve until his death, Lanka Mirror reported.

NEW DELHI: Eight-year old Indian origin whizkid Reuben Paul today showed how a fake link of a website can be used by cyber criminals while advising children to be on guard against fraudsters. “I cloned a page to tell people how a cyber criminal can mislead people and gain control of their system,” Reuben Paul said at cyber security conference Ground Zero Summit. Reuben recently started Prudent Games, his own gaming ﬁrm and is designated as CEO of the company. The US-based whizkid has been trained by his father Mano Paul, who is also partner in the company.

“I cloned a page to tell people how a cyber criminal can mislead people and gain control of their system,” Reuben Paul said at cyber security conference Ground Zero Summit.

The whizkid also said that children should deal with strangers on Internet the same way ones does on streets.

“Don’t click anything from strangers. Don’t access e-mails or any web link shared by

Kuttan, who served dignitaries like Lord Mountbatten, Princess Elizabeth, Emperor Hirohito, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Richard Nixon, celebrated his 94th birthday on February 15. He has been part of the Galle Face Hotel’s culture from as far

back as 1942. Kuttan virtually became the trade mark of the Sri Lanka’s booming hospitality industry as well as the Galle Face Hotel as his photograph has adorned the cover pages of many travel magazines all over the world. Kuttan’s Sri Lankan wife, who

strangers. Don’t take anything from strangers and also don’t trust strangers on Internet,” Paul said. was a Christian, died some years ago. He had been ill for his ﬁnal months but remained on the Galle Face Hotel staff. The 150year-old Galle Face Hotel is situated in the heart of Colombo, along the seafront facing the famous Galle Face Green. The hotel held a minute’s silence as a tribute to Kuttan.

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SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Foreign angle probe work of ﬁction, say cops

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

India arrests ‘godman’ after violent stand-off

Self-styled “godman” Rampal Maharaj

Sunanda Pushkar. PTI

EW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday dubbed speculation about their probing any foreign angle in the mysterious death of former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar as “work of fiction.” There have been media reports in the last couple of days that the police are probing a foreign angle in this case. “These are all speculations, work of fiction,” said a senior police official when asked about the media reports. Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi had last Friday said that one should not go by media reports and only believe what is being said officially.

The Police Commissioner has also said that the inquest proceedings are on and they have not reached any conclusion in the case. “We don’t reveal anything about a case unless we have reached a conclusion in it. Investigation details are not shared on a daily basis. Some people are needlessly sensationalizing it,” he added. Delhi Police have recently begun the investigation once again from scratch and several people, including the staff of the ﬁve-star hotel, where Sunanda was found dead, and the personal staff of Tharoor, who was then a Union Minister, have been quizzed in recent days. (PTI)

India to play role of ‘Visvaguru’ to world: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Police yesterday arrested a guru after a violent stand-off with thousands of followers at his sprawling ashram in northern India, where the bodies of four women and a child have been found. Supporters of self-styled “godman” Rampal Maharaj, who is wanted on a series of charges including conspiracy to murder, had guarded the ashram for days armed with stones, petrol bombs and other weapons after a court ordered his arrest. Police ﬁnally detained him late yesterday, more than 24 hours after they stormed the heavily guarded ashram using water cannon and tear gas. Ranjit Singh, a local police spokesman, told AFP the 63year-old had been taken away from the ashram in an ambu-

An Indian policeman keeps watch as followers leave the ashram of self-styled ‘godman’ Rampal Maharaj in Hisar, some 175 kilometres north of New Delhi, yesterday. Photo: AFP lance and would be sent for medical checks before appearing before a court.

ﬁcers had found the bodies of four women and a child in the ashram.

More than 100 people are being treated in hospital after clashes between followers and police who forced their way into the compound 175 kilometres northeast of New Delhi, where Rampal was hiding out.

The child appeared to have

SN Vashisht, the director general of police for Haryana state, said earlier Wednesday that of-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a function in the Fiji National University in Suva on Wednesday. SUVA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India would play the role of ‘Visvaguru’ or teacher to the world and would use the strengths of its democracy and young population to beneﬁt the mankind. Modi said the coming age would be the age of knowledge, and India would once again perform the role of “ Visvaguru”. In his remarks during an interaction with civil society at Fiji Technical University in Suva today, the Prime Minister who was here on a day’s visit, said India has a responsibility towards the world at large. Modi said it was essential to keep adding to the knowledge base, and to keep up the pace of

new discoveries and inventions. He said our ancient sages had spoken of India’s global responsibility, and the coming “Gyan Yug” would see India play a pivotal role, using the strengths of its democracy and demographic dividend. He said the government was giving priority to skill development so that these strengths could be leveraged for the beneﬁt of the whole world. He also talked about ending the digital divide, saying we have to prepare for the future to help the world. Modi is the ﬁrst Indian Prime Minister to visit Fiji since Indira Gandhi traveled there in 1981.

died of natural causes but it was unclear how or when the four women lost their lives, and a post-mortem will be performed on their bodies.

Read More on South Asia

www.voiceofasiaonline.com

VOICE OF ASIA 9

COMMUNITY/DALLAS

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Sri Krishna Sharanam Mama : A Kuchipudi Dance Ballet TANA supports Kuchipudi dance ballet in Dallas

their excellent reverberating performance with their childhood plays with young naughty Krishna played by Manasvik and Amiya C.

The ballet was concluded with a traditional mangalam. This was specially choreographed and directed by Smt Srilatha Suri for this occasion.

Srilatha Suri as Mother Yashoda won the hearts of many with her ease in abhinaya . Kaliya by Priyanka mesmerized the audience while Vatsalya as Tandava Krishna danced with grace Spruha and Samhita as Krishnas in Rasakreeda played Krishna role with dignity and Pranhuti Suri as Radha Satyabhama stole the playing two different roles but ﬁtting the character perfectly showcasing her experience and talent . The special effects of moon light and waterfalls made it very natural and realistic.

The assiduous and extreme care exercised by Smt. Srilatha Suri in meticulously designing each scene, and paying attention to the minutest details added much to the glory of the presentation and is highly commendable. The thematic special effects designed by her, the backdrops beﬁtting the theme of each scene to represent reality are especially noteworthy. It was a task of immense proportions, effort, and patience to train almost 90 disciples to perfection, and speaks eloquently of her dedication to the Kuchipudi dance form. Their performance with very lively and pleasant facial expressions and ﬁne footwork and coordination endeared them to the audience.

And indeed the unique feature of the play is the display of all the ﬁve stages of Lord Krishna each Krishna along with each of his wives. Suman Vadlamani, Sobitha, Trilokta, Apporva Annanya Pallvi made the Rasakreeda colorful and energetic Special mention has to be made to the portrayal of Kamsa by Silptha Pochiraju.

Sri Krishna and Radha Rani dance with the peacocks in the moonlit night.

ARLAND, TX (Saturday, Nov. 15th , 2014) - It was a celebration of the fifth anniversary of Echoes of India, (www. echoesofindia.net), a non-profit organization dedicated to the service of rural India in collaboration with the Natynajali School of Dance in Dallas, (www.natyanjalius.com metroplex), held at Granville Arts Center, Garland, Texas on the November 15, 2014. The celebration was memorable, enchanting, and mesmerizing and consisted of a Kuchipudi dance ballet, Sri Krishna Saranam Mama, a story of Lord Krishna, and performed by well over ninety student artists of Natyanjali School of Dance trained under the admirable tutelage of Srilatha Suri, the Artistic Director of the school. The participants ranged from a very tender age of 4 or 5 to almost adult age to fit the various roles of the play, from baby boy Krishna to Vasudeva, Gipkas, and Kamsa etc Parts of the dance drama were adopted from guru Padmasri Sobha Naidu original choreography Srikrishna Sharanam Mama. The event was started with a traditional Kuchipudi prayer, followed by Shuklam Baradaram Vishnum and

About 600 plus art lovers attended the event along with many community leaders Echoes of India thanks all donors and media sponsors.

Jathis by the junior most students of Natyanjali. As the event is the celebration of the ﬁfth anniversary of the Echoes of India a short presentation about the services by Echoes of India followed before the main dance. It was a short movie depicting a) successful installation of 11reverse osmosis (RO) water plants beneﬁtting almost 60, 000 villagers in Nalgonda district, b) establishment of Kuchipudi rural clinic serving daily 20-30 villagers. Three medical camps treating 110 diabetic patients and conducting health checks. The presentation also included a list of donors and sponsors who have helped thus far. The dance drama took the audience from garland Texas to gokulam and brindavan from birth to the romantic and playful acts of Krishna with Gopikas and Gopa balas and the rasa kreedas with his wives, with Sreeragini as Narada playing the impressive Kalaha priya role.Pallavi shah and Dr. Rajesh Adusimili played the roles of Devaki and Vasudeva very well. Gopikas and Gopa Balas and

did

Over ninety student artists of Natyanjali School of Dance gave a spectacular performance.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

VOICE OF ASIA 11

LIFESTYLE

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 27 No. 47 Friday, November 21, 2014 Section 2 Page 11

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com Tel: 713-774-5140

The army of housewives saving Nepal’s newborns extreme temperatures and the threat of landslides to visit pregnant women scattered across Nepal’s steep slopes. The volunteers are community health workers, a network the government established in 1988 to promote family planning. They teach pregnant women how to care for newborns, and hand out tubes of the gel so mothers can apply it themselves. Sometimes they are forced to turn back if no one is home. Today, however, Upadhyay is in luck as she meets 20-year-old Mahisara Hamal, eight months pregnant with her ﬁrst child.

Young Nepalese mothers with their children arrive for a meeting on post-natal care at Barlamgi in Dailekh district on September 11, 2014 (AFP Photo/Prakash Mathema) by Ammu KANNAMPILLY BADALAMJI, (AFP) - On a wet and windy morning, Nepalese housewife Bhumisara Upadhyay is out visiting pregnant women, on a mission to slash newborn deaths in the Himalayan nation with a simple tube of gel. Upadhyay is among thousands of volunteers at the front line of a campaign that has dramatically cut neonatal mortality in a country where nearly two-thirds of babies are born at home. Health experts attribute Nepal’s newborn mortality rate to infections contracted through the umbilical stump, which is traditionally coated with a mix of oil and turmeric after the cord is cut. Instead, the volunteers persuade women to use a basic antiseptic gel which they distribute free of charge under an initiative launched three years ago with funding from the US development agency USAID. Within a year of the launch, newborn deaths had declined by a dramatic 27 percent and organisers now plan to extend it nationwide over the next three years. “When I had my own children 20-25 years ago, babies would just die overnight, no one understood why... it was like living in a graveyard,” Upadhyay,

42, told AFP in her home village of Badalamji, perched on a ridge in the remote midwest. “We used to say it was good to have lots of babies, because half would die before they learnt to talk.” Married before puberty to a man 22 years her senior, Upadhyay was just 17 when she gave birth to her ﬁrst child after enduring eight days of labour. Upadhyay’s baby girl survived, but many others are not as lucky. “People use dirty sickles to cut the cord and apply cowdung, turmeric, oil to the stump,” said Rambha Sharma, matron of Kohalpur Teaching Hospital in midwestern Nepal, which pioneered the use of the antiseptic chlorhexidine gel on infants. “Babies end up with lifethreatening infections like neonatal tetanus thanks to these traditional practices,” Sharma told AFP. A widely used disinfectant in developed countries, chlorhexidine is the main ingredient in the gel which is currently distributed for free across 47 of Nepal’s 75 districts. The gel, which only needs to be applied once to the stump, binds to the skin and dries in minutes. “The key thing is to apply it

soon after birth, so it stays on the skin for the first 24 hours and protects babies when they are most vulnerable to infection,” Sharma said. - Painstaking process It sounds like a simple solution. But overturning traditional practices has been a major challenge. Leela Khanal of US nonprofit John Snow, Inc, which runs the programme, said many in Nepal’s Muslim minority initially refused to use the gel, fearing it was a ploy to induce infertility among their young. “It took us months to convince them that it would protect, not harm their children,” Khanal told AFP. The superstitions surrounding childbirth among some high-caste Hindu communities were another hurdle. Each of the four times Upadhyay gave birth, she and the newborn were confined to an outhouse for 11 days until a priest arrived to “purify” mother and child. “No one was allowed to touch me because of the taboo. I washed my own clothes, I had to eat from separate utensils, do everything for the baby myself,” she said. Every morning, thousands of housewives like Upadhyay walk for hours, braving rain,

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She pulls a baby doll from her bag and shows the school dropout how to apply the gel before dropping off a sealed sample. It is a painstaking process, going from home to home, but one that is paying off, and Ha-

Bhumishara Upadhaya (L), a Nepalese Female Community Health Volunteer, counsels a pregnant woman, Maysara Hamal at her home at Barlamgi in Dailekh district on September 11, 2014 (AFP Photo/Prakash Mathema) mal cautiously agrees to use the medicine.

Upadhyay nods before making another pitch.

“Back home in my parents’ village, many people still use turmeric and oil... it’s what we have always done,” Hamal says.

“I know, I used to do it too, I didn’t know any better... but you can avoid our mistakes and do the right thing for your child.”

World’s oldest people share no genetic secrets WASHINGTON: Think the reason some people live beyond the age of 100 is because of their genes? Think again. US scientists said Wednesday they´ve found no genetic secrets shared between a group of 17 supercentenarians, or those who have lived beyond 110. “From this small sample size, the researchers were unable to ﬁnd rare protein-altering variants signiﬁcantly associated with extreme longevity compared to control genomes,” said the study led by Hinco Gierman of Stanford University. The research was published in the November 12 issue of the open-access journal PLOS ONE. People who live to age 100 and beyond are far less likely to get cancer -- a 19 percent lifetime incidence compared to 49 percent in the general population -- according to background information in the article. Those who live more than a

Misao Okawa, the world’s oldest woman celebrates her 116th birthday at a nursing home in Osaka on March 5, 2014. century also have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke than controls.

Fourteen had European ancestry; two were Hispanic and one was African-American.

There are 74 supercentenarians alive worldwide, and 22 live in the United States.

Even though no genetic clues emerged in this study, scientists said they would make their analysis available to the public as a resource for future research.

The 17 people whose genomes were sequenced had lived to age 110 and older. Their average age at death was 112, and the longest living member of the group lived to age 116.

“Supercentenarians are extremely rare and their genomes could hold secrets for the genetic basis of extreme longevity,” it said. (AFP)

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Roll over Beethoven! Sound no barrier for ‘world’s fastest’ pianist

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

LA film festival puts focus on foreign Oscar race by Veronique DUPONT

OS ANGELES - Hollywood’s A-listers gathered in Los Angeles for a ﬁlm festival that may not be well known but nonetheless shines an early spotlight on awards season, in particular the foreign Oscar race. The American Film Institute (AFI) festival, which wound up Thursday, has seen directors from Canada, France and Belgium turning out to woo potential Oscars voters with latest ﬁlms, three months before the biggest show in Tinseltown.

OKYO, (AFP) - A composer who claims to be the world’s fastest pianist says tinkling the ivories quicker than the human ear can hear is a sureﬁre route to Nirvana. Ukrainian Lubomyr Melnyk is working his fingers at a dizzying 19.5 notes per second, and reckons the result -- what he calls “continuous music” -- is the first innovation in piano playing for more than three centuries. “The concert pianist is like a propeller aeroplane, but the continuous music pianist is like a jet plane,” Melnyk, 65, told AFP in an interview ahead of his first ever appearance in Tokyo. “It’s an enormous difference.” Melnyk, whose parents fled his home country after World War Two, is credited with pioneering continuous music, a technique based on lightning quick notes that create a tapestry of sound. “Nothing has happened with the piano for 300 years -- since 1650, nothing,” he said. “What Scarlatti was doing, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev were still doing, 300 years later. “Finally something new has happened in the world of the piano. It’s terrible to think I could be the first and the last to do this.”

Melnyk, whose long silver hair swishes as he talks, says classical pianists are often gripped by fear ahead of a performance because each piece has to be note perfect. But, he says, that’s not a problem for him. “In continuous music you can’t make a mistake because you are living the music with the piano. My fingers disappear. “All I hear and experience when I’m playing is the actual music, the sound, the piano. I barely feel anything. I’m barely aware, my mind is racing and I’m just flying through this landscape. It’s beyond nirvana.” Melnyk says he plays an average 19.5 notes on each hand every second, but the only way of measuring this is to count the number of times over a tensecond period that you play a given passage. It is not, he says, possible to hear all 19.5 notes. “The ear cannot hear that, you cannot actually discern the notes at that speed. The natural speed set by nature for pianists is between 13 and 14 notes per second. “There’s a certain physical, mathematical limit to the speed of pianists. There is a limit and it’s a limit set by nature, by the

universe. Melnyk, appearing in Japan as part of the annual Red Bull Music Academy, which is being hosted by Tokyo this year, says performances -- including of a three-hour composition played from memory -- frequently slip into trances. “When music happens it’s a mystical, mysterious, magnificent thing,” he smiles through his bushy silver beard. “I’ve actually fallen asleep while I was playing the piano and kept playing. “You never get tired of playing -- if you can stay awake you can play for 24 hours a day. I’m not claiming my music is as beautiful as Beethoven or Chopin. But I think it’s important that it exists.” With all the fervour of an evangelist, Melnyk says he is desperate for others to share the joy he feels as his hands work a blur on the keyboard.

“It is a festival in the capital of cinema, and where can you ﬁnd the most Academy members? In Los Angeles,” said Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University in New York state.

The foreign ﬁlm Oscar this year went to Italian Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grande Bellezza” (“The Great Beauty”).

Bertrand Bonello, director of France’s candidate for foreign ﬁlm Oscar, said winning Hollywood’s top prize “takes a ﬁlm even further in terms of economics and visibility.”

Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne also attended last weekend’s Governors Awards, where half of Hollywood turned out for an Academy-hosted evening honoring industry icons but also, doubtless, talking about awards season buzz.

Bonello presented “Saint Laurent” Tuesday and Wednesday at the AFI festival, along with actor Gaspard Ulliel, who plays iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, and actress-model Aymeline Valade, who plays his muse Betty Catroux. “People in the business tell me this is where you get the largest number of voters” in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which organizes the Oscars, Valade told AFP. “Even more than in the New York festivals,” she added. Competing for the Oscars requires “slightly more aggressive promotion, where you meet not only journalists, but also voters,” added Bonello.

lard. It was also presented this week, at the start of the festival that opened on November 6.

in Mandarin and French with Chinese actors, is Beijing’s candidate this year.

- ‘Real economic impact’ -

A shortlist of about 10 foreign films will be announced next month, and cut down to the final five when nominations for all categories are announced on January 15. The Oscars are on February 22.

Canada’s film “Mommy”, by wunderkind director Xavier Dolan, was recognized with a screening at the landmark Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Wednesday. “Il capitale umano” (“Human Capital”) by Italy’s Paolo Virzi, chosen as Italy’s candidate for the foreign film Oscar, was also on the AFI festival program. “The real lobbying campaign only starts when you get down to the last five,” said Valade. Indeed, it is still early in the race for Hollywood’s top honors. This year a record 83 countries nominated films for the foreign Oscar race, including four competing for the first time: Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama.

The foreign film Oscar this year went to Italian Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grande Bellezza” (“The Great Beauty”). Pop professor Thompson said that in the past few people saw foreign film Oscar nominees because they were only in a few theaters. But that has changed with technology and streaming distribution. “Until recently these movies didn’t get a lot of attention and people didn’t have the opportunity to see them,” he told AFP. “Now, if you live in a small town in Oklahoma, you still can see these movies through video on demand, the Internet, Netflix, etc,” he said, adding that the eventual foreign film Oscar winner could seriously cash in. The top prize “has become more important because of the distribution opportunity... even if only a small percentage of the audience sees the movie, it can have a real economic impact,” said Thompson.

“In order to achieve the true power that comes out of the piano, you have to reach that level that you actually go past the sound barrier,” he said.

Belgium’s candidate ﬁlm is “Deux jours, une nuit” (“Two Days, One Night”), by the Cannes-winning Dardenne brothers, starring Marion Cotil-

“I want to be like Tinkerbell and wave a little wand with some fairy dust and suddenly people know what it’s like to have this ability and speed, to have your body disappear.”

Stars sing about Ebola ‘chimes of doom’ in Band Aid video premiere

‘Vape’ is word of the year for Oxford Dictionaries

“Ye Ying” (“The Nightingale”) by French director Philippe Muyl, ﬁlmed in China

LONDON, November 16, 2014 (AFP) - Stars like One Direction, Bono and Chris Martin featured in the video for the new Band Aid single to raise money for anti-Ebola charities that was shown for the ﬁrst time on British television on Sunday. Organiser Bob Geldof presented the song on the X-Factor talent show on channel ITV and said it was about “the most anti-human disease”, which prevents physical contact because of fear of contagion. The music video begins with graphic images of an Ebola victim’s body being carried away, before switching to London’s Sarm Studios where around 30 stars recorded the Christmas song on Saturday. “There’s death in every tear,” sings Grammy awardwinning diva Angelique Kidjo, followed by a lyric from Coldplay’s Chris Martin: “The Christmas bells that ring there are clanging chimes of doom”.

A delegate uses an e-pipe during “The E-Cigarette Summit” at the Royal Academy in central London on November 12, 2013 (AFP Photo/Leon Neal)

ondon (AFP) - Oxford Dictionaries picked “vape” -- the act of smoking an e-cigarette -- as their new word of the year on Tuesday, with the affectionate “bae” and the more pragmatic “contactless” as runners-up. “Vaping has gone mainstream,” with usage doubling in 2014 compared to 2013, editorial director Judy Pearsall said. “The language usage of the word vape and related terms in 2014 has shown a marked increase” due to celebrities “vaping” and “growing public debate on the public dangers and the need for regulation”, she said. The word, which was ﬁrst used in the 1980s, can be employed as a verb to mean inhaling and exhaling the vapour produced by electronic cigarettes but also as a noun to refer to the devices themselves. It was added on Oxford Dictionaries.com in August and is being considered for inclusion in the ofﬁcial reference Oxford English Dictionary.

E-cigarettes only began to be produced around a decade ago but the first use of the word is believed to be a 1983 magazine article by Rob Stepney which imagined the use of inhalers instead of cigarettes. “The new habit, if it catches on, would be known as vaping,” it said. Oxford Dictionaries said the word only began to appear regularly in mainstream sources around 2009. “Contactless” also made it on the list because of the growing use of cards with special chips to make payments in retail outlets and on public transport. The Oxford Dictionaries editors defined “bae”, which is used by hip hop artists and R’n’B stars, as “a term of endearment for one’s romantic partner”. The word is seen as a shortened form of “babe”. The list also had “normcore”, defined as “a trend in which ordinary, unfashionable clothing is worn as a deliberate fashion

statement”, and “slacktivism” -- “actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement”.

“Well tonight we’re reaching out and touching you,” Bono sings and Seal continues with: “Bring peace and joy this Christmas to west Africa!” The single is the 30th anniversary version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” recorded by Geldof and fellow

U2 lead singer Bono arrives for the recording of the Band Aid 30 charity single in London on Saturday, November 15. Singers came together to record a new version of the Band Aid charity song to raise money to combat Ebola in Africa. Reuters/Neil Hall. singer Midge Ure in 1984 with other stars to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia. The song became one of the best-selling singles ever and led to the hugely popular Live Aid concerts in 1985, which had a record-breaking estimated global television audience of 1.9 billion people. No live performance linked to the current Band Aid is planned but Geldof said he was hoping the song will rise quickly in the charts when it is ofﬁcially released for download on Monday. “We go to war. We’re go-

ing to stop this thing. Buy this song,” Geldof said on Sunday. “This isn’t about me, it’s not about you, it’s not about them, it’s about us,” he said. “The reason they did this is that this thing could arrive here on a plane at any time.” The Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 5,000 lives since last December, according to the World Health Organization -- almost all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone -- while the number of infected cases registered worldwide has soared to more than 14,000.

World Toilet Day: One Billion Still Lack One by Lucy Westcott (11/19/14,

ednesday marks the United Nations World Toilet Day, which highlights the 2.5 billion people worldwide without access to proper sanitation, including toilets. To put the problem in some perspective, more people across the world have access to mobile phones than toilets: While 6.8 billion people have cellular subscriptions, only 4.6 billion have access to proper toilet facilities. This year’s focus is “Equality, Dignity and the Link Between Gender-Based Violence and Sanitation.” Lack of access to toilets means women and girls have no choice but to defecate in the open, leaving them at higher risk of sexual abuse and violence.

Following the brutal rape and killing of a female student on a bus in Delhi in 2012, there has been greater scrutiny in rapes and sexual assaults in India. Today, police and social activists say the majority of rapes and sexual assaults in India’s Bihar state happen when women and girls go outside to defecate. About 85 percent of those living in Bihar don’t have access to a toilet. In addition, when people have access to toilets, some aren’t in usable condition. “Where toilets do exist, additional inequalities present in usability. Toilets generally remain inadequate for populations with special needs, such as the disabled and elderly, and women and girls requiring facilities to manage menstrual hygiene,” the U.N. says.

A worker cleans a recycled toilet bowl before putting for sale at 1,500 pesos ($34) each along a major street in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 19, 2014. ROMEO RANOCO/REUTERS Artists have decorated 25 toilets in Sydney to raise awareness, including one made up as a lush porcelain garden. In February, UNICEF India

released the song, “Take the Poo to the Loo,” urging citizens to defecate in a toilet to improve sanitary conditions. One billion people defecate in the open, according to the U.N. (Courtesy: Newsweek)

Young Life

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Kruthi Bhat - Carnatic Idol Indian American featured on Winner’s Concert in Toronto GE Fallonventions for his creation ‘No-Sweat Sweatshirt’

Kruthi Bhat seen performing at the concert in Toronto.

Review by Sripriya Sriram

n a cold blustery Sunday afternoon in November, Kruthi Bhat, Carnatic Idol Winner, recipient of Shri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha’s “Best Vocalist” title in 2013, and 2013 Indian Raga Fellow, warmed the audience’s hearts and engaged their minds with a scholarly and devotion ﬁlled selection of songs. Her concert, organized under the auspices of Bharathi Kala Manram and Indian Raga, held at the Sringeri Vidya Bharathi Foundation Hall in Etobicoke on November 9th 2014, was well organized and well attended. Kruthi set the tone for the evening early on, with her opening piece a stately rendition of the daruvarnam Mathe Malayadvaja in Raagam Khamas, which was preceded by a melodious Viruttham. In the beautiful manodharma elaboration of the Raagam Reethigowla that followed, Kruthi struck the perfect balance between melody and classicism, demonstrating that she belongs to that elite class of musicians whose music can be appreciated with the mind and felt with the heart simultaneously. Her choice of Baale Balendu composed by Tyagaraja on the Goddess Lalitha was a testament to this ﬁne balance. Kruthi’s rendition of Saraswathi Namosthuthe in the eponymous raagam Sarasvathi, was a tribute to

Goddess Sharadamba in the neighbouring temple and featured a crisp and succinct Kalpanasvaram sequence. Kruthi followed this spritely piece with a lovely, restful exploration of Begada, and the Tamil language kruthi, Kadikann Vaithennai Aalamma set to Mishra Chaapu. Her neraval and svaram at “Vandhanai Shei Marakathavalliyein” the charanam brought out the essence of the raagam in a persuasive and meaningful manner. This piece was followed by a fast paced Yenta Ni Vina Vinturaa in the rare raagam, Urmika. The next step in the evening’s journey was Kruthi’s technically sound and melliﬂuous exploration of that grand dame, Thodi. This was followed by the equally regal delivery of Gati Nivani Ne Kori, the Lalgudi Pancharathnam composed by Tyagaraja in honour of Goddess Parvathi. Kruthi elaborated at the phrase, “Madinee yenta Vedakisammadinee shri pravruddha shri” with imaginative neraval and svaram. The next portion of the concert was a true treat, with Kruthi presenting a Raagam Thanam Pallavi in Hindolam set to Khanda Jathi Triputa Taalam. During the Raagam portion, her conﬁdent smile at the end of each phrase as if to say, “Look, isn’t this so much fun,” drew the audience in to the evening’s enchantment. The interchange between her smooth deep vocals and the violinist, Jayadevan Nair was

a true pleasure to listen to. The audience witnessed an aural rainbow in the raaga mallika Kruthi painted during the kalpana svaram portion of the pallavi which encompassed all twelve varieties of the saptasvara. Kruthi took the audience on a delightful journey through Revathi, Brindavana Saaranga, Shivaranjani, Shankarabharanam, Lalitha, Sarasvathi, Anantha Bhairavi, Saaveri, Ranjani, Vasantha Bhairavi, Hamsadhvani in addition to Hindolam during this portion of the evening. The sprightly and able thani aavarthanam by mridangist Shri B.Gowrishankar and Ganjeera artiste and concert co-organizer Karthik Venkatraman capped this section of the concert seamlessly, with a melodious and adroit rhythmic exploration. Kruthi closed out the concert with a soulful and moving rendition of the Purandhar Dasa classic Jagadho Dharana, in Raag Pilu, a Marati Abhang “Vitobha” by Sant Tukaram in Raag Maruva Behag and the one of a kind and otherworldly Sindhubhairavi Thillana composed by Shri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. It was an evening to remember and one that brought the Toronto crowd, young and old to its feet in spontaneous and warm applause. One looks forward to seeing more of Kruthi Bhat, who’s rising star is an inspiration to aspiring Carnatic youth worldwide, with her attention to detail and formidable melodic command.

Yamatane - Two Indian American Kids Selected as ‘Featured Readers’ at Rice Gallery

amatane means mountain seed. It is the name of the painting made at Rice Gallery only of dirt from Texas, primarily Houston. The painting is made by famous Japanese painter Yusuke Asai, who visited Houston in September and completed this painting in three weeks with the help of Rice students, volunteers, and the gallery staff who helped him collect dirt color samples before he arrived. Yamatane is made of 27 type of soil around Houston: the widest spectrum of colors representing a speciﬁc place that Yusuke have ever used.

ustin Mathew (7 years old, 2nd grade) a member of the Trinity Mar Thoma Church, Houston was recently featured as a guest on the nationally aired television show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, NBC. Justin was selected to appear to showcase his invention, “The No-Sweat Sweatshirt”. He had won ﬁrst place at his elementary school for the Young Inventor’s Showcase and went on to present at the city level. From there, he entered into a national contest and was chosen as one of 3 ﬁnalists to appear on “Fallonventions”, a General Electric sponsored segment on the show. The segment aired October 30, 2014, and the video is available to view on the website: www. tonightshow.com under the GE tab and on youtube.com under the search: no sweat sweatshirt. Justin received a scholarship from GE and we are very proud of him`

School and two of them were from Telfair Indian community – Vishreshta Pathak and Rifaa Tajani. The Featured Readers were

invited to read in front of audience at Rice Gallery on November 12th at 7:00 PM. The event was a great success with hundreds of audience cheering for the meaningful

Justin goes to Laura Ingalls Wilder elementary which is in the Alvin ISD in Pearland Texas. Parents are nibu and Annie Mathew. Justin enjoys foot-

ball, playing chess, and video games. He wants to be a geologist or scientist when he grows up. He has an older sister Sydney Mathew she is nine.

Researchers at Arizona State University and University of Illinois at Chicago looked at 6,716 fast-food outlets nationwide to check the extent of indoor and outdoor marketing aimed at youngsters (AFP Photo/Saul Loeb)

ASHINGTON, November 15, 2014 (AFP) - Fast-food restaurants in the United States are “disproportionately” targeting black children and kids in middle-income and rural areas, according to a newly published study.

cording to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers at Arizona State University and University of Illinois at Chicago looked at 6,716 fast-food outlets nationwide to check the extent of indoor and outdoor marketing aimed at youngsters.

Arizona State University nutrition professor Punam OhriVachaspati, who led the study, told AFP that it was difﬁcult to

“Majority black communities, rural areas and middle-income communities are disproportionately exposed (to child-directed marketing) and speciﬁcally to indoor displays of kids’ meal toys, a popular strategy among chain restaurants,” the study said. Three Quail Valley Students became Featured Readers at Rice Art Gallery .(L to R) – Rifaa Tajani, Vishreshta Pathak and Arianna Lim.

Justin Mathew with his family at the NBC studios.

Fast food targeting black kids in US: study

Marketing towards children ranged from free toys to ads featuring sports celebrities and cartoon characters, as well as play areas and promotions for kids’ birthday parties.

After the painting was complete, Rice Gallery invited citizens and students to visit the Yamatane and write a prose or poetry inspired by the painting. The last date of writing was November 1st, 2014. Hundreds of visitors visited the gallery during this period. Total of 150 entries received from various writers – this included, students, teachers, parents and general public. Judges went through all entries and selected 15 ‘Featured Readers’ to publish their work in a booklet at Rice Art Gallery. Of 15 selected, only 4 were students. 3 Students were from Quail Valley Middle

Justin Mathew The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, NBC ired October 30, 2014,

“In light of these ﬁndings, it is important to urge the fast-food industry to limit children’s exposure to marketing that promotes consumption of unhealthy food choices.” The enduring popularity of fast food is widely seen as contributing to an obesity crisis in the United States, where one in three adults are considered obese, ac-

In February, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported a 43 percent fall in obesity rates among children aged two to ﬁve -- raising hopes that obesity might be on the wane.

speculate why the fast-food industry has been targeting some communities over others. “However, based on previous research, we know that these communities are more likely to consume fast food, have poorer access to healthy options and have higher rates of obesity,” she said, adding that she hoped the ﬁndings would encourage fastfood companies to limit marketing to children.

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Kim Kardashian to appear on Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss

Salman Khan’s sister’s Arpita Khan and Aayush Sharma wed at the famous Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad

Kim Kardashian at an event in Sydney, Sept. 13. Getty Images

Salman Khan sister Arpita’s wedding to Aaysuh Sharma took place in Hyderabad. Posted on Twitter

NEW DELHI, November 17, 2014 (AFP) - US reality TV queen Kim Kardashian will make a guest appearance on the top-rated Indian version of Big Brother this weekend, the channel that broadcasts the show said Monday.

bared her body in US-based Paper magazine with the caption “Break the Internet”.

Over 150 million viewers last year watched Bigg Boss, which follows the Big Brother format, making it the most viewed of any of India’s television reality shows.

“And they say I didn’t have

“Namaste India (hello India)” the celebrity said in a statement issued by COLORS channel, adding in Hindi that, “I am coming to the Bigg Boss house.” Kardashian, who is visiting India for the ﬁrst time, will make an appearance on Saturday “to interact with the contestants” on the show hosted by Bollywood mega-star Salman Khan, the statement said. The participants in the house this year include models and actors. Last week the curvaceous 34year-old created a stir when she

One of the poses, in which she was wearing a black-sequined gown, shows her pouring champagne into a glass balanced on her bottom.

a talent... try balancing a champagne glass on your ass LOL,” she tweeted about the photoshoot. In May, Kardashian tied the knot with rapper Kanye West in the Italian city of Florence. It was her third marriage and his ﬁrst.

Arpita Khan’s emotional speech at her wedding

YDERABAD - The young bride wrote down a little speech for her family and wanted to go up on stage and read it out to them. But she got so emotional that she started to choke. She went up to Priyanka Chopra and requested her to read it on her behalf. PC then came up on stage and told the guests, ‘Arpita is afraid she might break down, so I am going to read out what she has to say...’ “I am the luckiest girl to be brought up in a family like

mine,” Arpita wrote in her speech, adding that her brothers are her pillars of strength. “Sohail bhai and I shared the same room until he got married — he’s like a friend to me. Arbaaz bhai is like my guide, he always told me what’s good and what’s bad. Salman bhai though, has the biggest heart. For him, I can do no wrong. Everything I did, he was there to support me.” Arpita also said she considers herself lucky to have a father like Salim, and mothers like Salma and Helen. (TNN).

ne of the most awaited weddings of this season—Arpita Khan and Aayush Sharma has ﬁnally taken place at Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad. The couple has exchanged garlands on stage, with brothers Salman, Sohail and Arbaaz standing along and the entire Khan family witnessing the ceremony. The bride donned a beautiful red ‘lehenga’ while the groom reportedly wore a cream coloured ‘sherwani’, paired with a heavy red stole. There are several pictures gone viral on the social networking sites, where the couple can be seen exchanging the wedding rings as well. With the entire family in tow with them, it has indeed turned out to be one fairytale weddings of all times. According to media reports, the wedding celebrations kicked off with the ‘baraat’ arriving at 4.30 p.m. in the heritage hotel located in the old city area. Rumours are rife about a party which will take place at night, where Salman and his stepmother Helen will perform. Punjabi singers Mika and Yo Yo Honey Singh will also liven up the party. The wedding rituals are being performed as per Punjabi Hindu traditions. Top stars from Bollywood and Tollywood, and businessmen were among the 250 guests invited for the wedding. It was not clear which stars are attending the wedding as a thick security blanket was thrown around the hotel. While police were managing the outer security ring, the actor’s personal guards and others were

Arpita’s Sangeet Ceremony was equally lavish. Twitter keeping a tight vigil inside the hotel. Salman booked the entire 60-room hotel for Tuesday and Wednesday. The celebrations will conclude Wednesday with a farewell lunch. Seven folk artists from Rajasthan and many more from Mumbai were specially ﬂown in for Tuesday night’s party. The menu for the party includes Deccani cuisine, especially Biryani and Haleem and double ka meetha. Falaknuma is one of the most beautiful palaces of the Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State. The palace, which the Taj Group converted into a luxury hotel and opened four years ago, has 60 lavish rooms, decorated halls and a 101-seat dining hall, said to be the biggest in the world.

Its Durbar Hall, embellished with intricately carved wooden ceilings, parquet flooring, regal walnut wood furniture and handcrafted mirrors, had once hosted guests like King George V and Czar Nicholas II. Located five km from Charminar, Falaknuma - or ‘mirror of the sky’ in Urdu - is a scorpion-shaped, all-marble palace which was once the residence of Mir Mahboob Ali Khan (18691911), the sixth Nizam. It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizam’s prime minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, the Nizam bought it for himself. A couple of suites including the one used by the Nizam are the most expensive. The hotel charges over Rs.5 lakh a night for the Nizam suite. (Courtesy: Zee News Bureau.)

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Very few drugs, trial sites in ‘Rat poison’ search for Ebola cure: WHO drug warning by Nina LARSON

ENEVA, November 14, 2014 (AFP) - Only a handful of drugs could potentially be tested on humans in the search for an Ebola cure, with even fewer sites equipped to host such trials, the World Health Organization said Friday. The UN health agency briefing came a day after aid agency Doctors Without Borders said it planned to begin unprecedented trials of two antivirals, as well as the use of survivors’ blood as therapy, on patients in west Africa. There is no specific treatment regime for Ebola, which has killed more than 5,160 people, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and the WHO has endorsed rushing possible treatments to trial in a bid to stem its murderous rampage. While human trials are already underway for two potential Ebola vaccines, technical and scientific experts meeting in Geneva this week found numerous stumbling blocks to beginning testing Ebola treatments on patients, the agency said. Of the more than 120 drugs put forward to the agency, only a very small number are both suitable and available for human trial, Martin Friede of the WHO’s public health, innovation and intellectual property division, told reporters. “We don’t have actually a lot of drugs in our pipeline that look promising,” he acknowledged. The number of sites suited to carrying out tests on Ebola patients is also very limited, forcing WHO to further narrow its focus to a handful of drugs. A key problem was that the drugs showing the most promise in animal trials are novel ones, like ZMapp, that are in very short supply and would be near impossible to scale up to a level that would allow proper testing. “Conducting large clinical trials with these drugs is therefore going to be very difficult, if not impossible,” he explained. - Isolated trials inconclusive Friede also said the use of some of the drugs on 18 patients evacuated from west Africa -- most of whom survived -- was no help in determining if they actually worked. This was because they were given various combinations of drugs and had also received a far higher quality of care than most patients in west Africa. “It was impossible to draw any conclusion” on safety or efficacy from such isolated trials, he said. This week’s expert meeting pinpointed antiviral drug favipiravir, which works against influenza, and brincidofovir, used against adenovirus and cytomegalovirus as good

candidates for trials.

tory tests to be inefﬁcient.

Acting on the WHO experts’ recommendation, MSF selected the two antivirals for its trials in west Africa.

WHO is creating a publicly available database over already disproven drugs in the Ebola ﬁght, to avoid confusion, Friede said.

Interferons could also be possible candidates, Friede said, adding that the experts had also discussed breast cancer drug toremifene, but found signiﬁcant “safety concerns.” Where to conduct the tests was a major challenge, he said. Because a good standard of overall care has a “signiﬁcant impact” on Ebola survival rates, tests must be carried out across sites with consistently high care quality, as well as the infrastructure to support large clinical trials. “We discovered in this meeting that there are no more than a handful of sites where such trials could actually be conducted under good conditions,” Friede said. The lack of appropriate trial sites made it particularly important to remove from the equation drugs already shown in labora-

He mentioned Lamivudine, used to treat HIV, which has been toted by many in the region as a miracle cure for Ebola, but which lab tests show has “no antiviral activity whatsoever.” The experts also discussed the difﬁculty of testing therapies using blood and the transfer of plasma from Ebola survivors to sufferers. Such tests are crucial, Friede said, since “there is not actually a tremendous amount of evidence that convalescent blood or convalescent blood-derived plasma is efﬁcacious.” Several such trials were on the horizon, he said, stressing though that there were numerous challenges, including cultural barriers to giving blood in the region and a lack of infrastructure to ensure blood is tested and handled safely.

Obesity costs more than $8 bn in lost US productivity: study WASHINGTON, November 14, 2014 (AFP) - Obesity among workers in the United States is costing the nation $8.65 billion a year in lost productivity, according to a study released Friday. The study by Yale University researchers is the ﬁrst to give state-level estimates of the cost of worker absenteeism due to obesity. Those costs ranged from $14.4 million in Wyoming to $907 million in California, it said, adding that obesity accounts for 9.3 percent of all absenteeism costs nationwide. “Understanding all economic costs of obesity, including lost productivity, is critical for poli-

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

cymakers working on obesity prevention at any level,” said lead author Tatiana Andreyeva. The report said overweight people often had to miss work for health reasons. “Quantifying not just obesity-related health care costs, but also economic costs, is essential for informed decision-making,” she added in a statement. Nearly 35 percent of American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates the annual medical cost of obesity at $147 billion. The Yale study appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

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after India sterilisation deaths

RAIPUR, November 16, 2014 (AFP) - A senior Indian health official warned Sunday against buying an antibiotic feared laced with a toxin found in rat poison and linked to the deaths of 13 women who underwent sterilisation operations. Alok Shukla, principal secretary in the health department of Chhattisgarh state, urged the media to raise awareness about the ciprofloxacin tablets manufactured at a local factory and banned from sale following the deaths last week. “Since the specific medicine is available for private (sale and use), people need to be informed about its substances to avoid any further casualty,” Shukla told AFP. “We found zinc phosphide in one of the medicines given to the patients during the sterilisation operation,” he said. “We also received reports that about nine persons, who were not part of the sterilisation operations and had taken the same medicine, manufactured locally, have taken ill with the same symptoms.” Zinc phosphide is commonly used in rat poison. Officials suspect the tainted drugs were handed out to the impoverished women who underwent the operation at a mass sterilisation camp this month in the central state. The deaths have triggered widespread criticism of a governmentrun programme that offers poor Indian women cash incentives for sterilisation in what activists say are often horrible conditions. Police on Friday arrested the head of the drug company and his son and raided their factory in the state capital Raipur. The firm has denied any wrongdoing. A doctor who performed the operations in just a few hours on 83 women blamed the drugs for the deaths after his arrest. He said he was being made a scapegoat for the controversial family planning scheme. The victims suffered vomiting and a dramatic fall in blood pressure on Monday last week after undergoing laparoscopic sterilisation, a process in which the fallopian tubes are tied. Dozens of women were still in hospitals recovering, with several on dialysis or on ventilators, Shukla said. Officials stressed on Sunday that although initial tests found toxins in the drugs, they were awaiting results of more comprehensive laboratory analysis due Monday. Counterfeit or adulterated medicines are a significant health problem in India. “We have confiscated 27,000 (strips) of these drugs from our district over fears of their toxic contents,” state government official Siddharth Pardeshi told AFP.

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How the Texas Health Benefits Exchange Marketplace Works The Texas health insurance exchange will be federally run by HHS after Rick Parry decided not to run a state based health insurance exchange in Texas. Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured in the country. 25% of Texans are currently uninsured, although the State will not run it’s own exchange the federal Government will step in to run the exchanges to help insure Texans. If Texas implements all the provisions of ObamaCare 3 million Texans are projected to be insured through the exchanges. • Coverage purchased before the 15th starts on the first of the month following the next month. • You can obtain coverage, apply for cost assistance, or switch plans at anytime during open enrollment. Open Enrollment 2015 starts November 15th, 2014 and ends February 15th, 2015. • Open enrollment is the only time you can use the marketplace without qualifying for a special enrollment period. • Not everyone who doesn’t have insurance will be charged a fee or will get cost assistance. How much you pay depends on what you make. • All health insurance sold on official ObamaCare websites must include all thenew benefits, rights and protections of the Affordable Care Act. • HealthCare.gov is your State’s official ObamaCare website for Texas. Texas Exchange Subsides and Tax Credits Although Texas has declined a State run health insurance exchange Texans will still be able to shop for subsidized insurance online. ObamaCare subsidizes those with incomes ranging from 139% to 400% of the FLP (federal poverty level) and helps to make Medicaid and CHIP available for those below the 139% mark. in 2015 400% FPL is $46,680 for single person, $62,920 for a family of two, and $79,160 for a family of three. Subsidies are given as refundable tax credits. Applying for Subsidies, Tax Credits and Cost Assistance on the Texas Health Insurance Exchange Just like any other State regardless of what type of exchange they run in order to get subsidies those between 133% and 400% of the FLP will need to sign up for the Texas health benefits / health insurance exchange. Inputting your families information and your tax in-

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com

formation into the system will automatically calculate your subsidies. Applying for ObamaCare in Texas Make sure you have the following information about your and your family before visiting HealthCare.gov, your State’s ofﬁcial Health Insurance Marketplace. • Last years tax information for you and your family. • Projected incomes for this year. • Medical history – Obama Care does away with pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination so these factors will no longer affect the cost of your insurance. Smoking, family size and age may still affect your affect cost. • Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants). • Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements). • Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household. • A completed Employer Coverage Tool for every job-based plan you or someone in your household is eligible for. (You’ll need to ﬁll out this form even for coverage you’re eligible for but don’t enroll in.) • Any other important information that could affect your health insurance premium or coverage options. Better safe than sorry! For prompt help to enroll in Obamacare OR Medicare call Sudhir Mathuria for your Health and Wealth Planning at 713771-2900.

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Young Entrepreneur and India may take new steps to Zero Logistics E-Commerce curb gold imports: report Band Together Houstonian builds a million dollar company out of a small garage.

OUSTON ― For the past four years, Wrist-band.com has provided customized silicone wristbands and bracelets to customers all around the globe. Azim Makanojiya, Founder and CEO of Wrist-band.com, grew his business into one of the largest online seller of silicone wristbands in North America. It was at a trade show in China where the silicone bracelets caught the attention of the University of Houston Alum. “I was amazed by how much one could customize the product,” Makanojiya said. “There was not a single site in the U.S. where individuals could tailor bands online. So I created a site that gave the customer the freedom to decorate a band anyway they liked.” The concept was simple. Take the popular LIVESTRONG wristbands idea, make them customizable and deliver them to the hands of consumers. Makanojiya soon learned that there were many complex elements to this seemingly elementary niche market. From moulding and tooling to identifying product demand through AdWords, Makanojiya thoroughly researched every anticipated aspect of the business. With humble beginnings, Makanojiya started Wristband.com out of a small garage in Houston,TX with a limited budget. Still a student, Makanojiya was challenged with running a separate business and managing a new venture. “At that time, it was just a startup. I still had to maintain my original business, which was a pretty good chunk of my family income,” Makanojiya

Azim Makanojiya, Founder and CEO of Wrist-band.com explained. “My family was not ﬁnancially well and they relied on my income. That was the dilemma. Should I focus more on the startup or on what I was currently doing?”

Leading gold buyer India may clamp fresh controls soon on soaring imports of the precious metal that have widened the country’s trade deﬁcit, a report said ©Narinder Nanu (AFP/File).

Wrist-band.com rubber wristbands are made from 100% silicone.

Before a platform was developed Makanojiya and his two-man team were taking orders over the phone, jotting them down on an order sheet that they created and submitting orders every night. In a short time, the small idea evolved into one of the fastest growing promotional product manufacturers in the industry. At the end of 2010, they pulled in around $6.9 million dollars. “The only reason that this could happen at a very fast pace, from my point of view, was because we had the drive,” Makanojiya said.

In 2011, they were inducted into the prestigious elite inc 500 companies, coming in at number 31. Fast forward to 2014 and Wrist-band.com con-

tinues to be one of Houston’s fastest growing technology companies. “The interesting part of our company is that we are not a manufacturing company. We tell everyone that we make wristbands but the beauty of our company is we are a technology company. We don’t have a single equipment that touches the product. If you order a product from us, we don’t touch it,” Makanojiya said. “We’re a technology company and we’re basically providing that portal for you to place your order and get your products seamlessly.” Visit Wrist-band.com to learn more about the company and product.

EW DELHI, November 18, 2014 (AFP) - Leading gold buyer India may clamp fresh controls soon on soaring imports of the precious metal that have widened the country’s trade deficit, a report said Tuesday. Gold imports in October leapt to $4.17 billion from $1.09 billion in the year-ago period, trade figures Monday showed. “Things are being worked out by the finance ministry and some announcements (restrictions) may come in a day or two,” the Press Trust of India news agency quoted a source as saying. Other Indian media carried similar reports. Indians have been flocking to buy the yellow metal for weddings and the Hindu festival season when it is seen as an auspicious time to purchase gold. The buying spree vaulted the country back into the number-

inance Minister Arun Jaitley last month raised the possibility of new curbs as imports surged. one gold consumer spot globally during the last financial quarter after India fell to second-place behind China. Indian imports aside from gold were muted, reflecting a still weak economy. But the gold purchases drove the trade deficit to $13.3 billion in October, up from $10.6 billion a year earlier, the trade data showed. India imports around 90 percent of its gold needs and its 1.2-billion population is estimated to have one of the

world’s biggest private gold hoards of up to 20,000 tons. Jewellery is also bought as an investment in the form of bars, coins and exchange-traded funds. In India, where inflation is traditionally high, gold is seen as an ultimate safeguard of value. The previous Congress government raised the duty on gold imports several times in 2013 to a record 10 percent to ward off a balance-of-payments crisis and made it compulsory to re-export some of the metal. India’s new government, elected in May, relaxed some controls after gold imports fell. But Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month raised the possibility of new curbs as imports surged. Local media reported that top officials of the finance ministry and the central bank met last week to consider tightening import controls on gold.

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, November 21, 2014

Your Horoscope for the Week of November 21, 2014 by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

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Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Need to conserve your energy. Travel plans may be wearing thin, right now. Try to conﬁne your activities to one place until you’ve had a chance to restore your energy. Partnership matters could be important for the creation of a happy home life. Any dealings related to real estate or property are starred for special success. Your home may be a haven that enables you to express the best of your ideas and intellect. Set high goals and know that you’ll hit the bull’s-eye. Group situations could be especially productive, this week.

An urge to create and express yourself. You could run into some serious obstacles. Set aside your impulse to plunge into unknown territory. This is an intense time of letting go of old visions to make room for new ones. You may need to use some good common sense to deal with an unrealistic colleague. Assess your resources carefully. This will provide the practical reality needed at this time. The enthusiasm of those around you is attractive, but not well grounded.

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

A small change in attitude that could result in a big difference in your life. You need to make your points but you also need to listen to other’s perspectives. Your defensiveness will not gain you any ground. You must learn to recognize those soft spots & tougher your skin. Associates will listen and respond more favorably to a good presentation without the emotional baggage to weigh it down. Pull together with a group of people who are likely to inspire one another to new heights of creativity.

Use your smart ability to keep you cool. Your creative abilities should be working for you, so take on new and interesting projects. You may have to deal with some strong pressure, particularly at home. Unﬁnished family business could tie you up in knots. Power struggles will not resolve the situation. Take a good look at your values and your goals. If you honestly believe in them, you’ll make the right moves at the right time. You might also put some effort into improving your surroundings. Be careful with the tools you use & turn on your creativity.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Surge of emotional & physical energy. It’s probably for the best that you’re feeling a little extra rambunctious. You’ll need it to keep up with recent events. Humor may be the best way to cope with a grim situation, that’s got everyone down. Laugh at the impossible and you’ll be able to make a list of the practical solutions. Your powers of attraction may be working harder than you imagined. There’s no need to be greedy during times of plenty. If the offers just keep pouring in, leave your options open.

A blend of your creativity & your practicality. A creative project could hit a snag. You may have to work hard on the details in order to make your magic happen. In fact, it may take weeks before you’ve really got it the way you like it. Think of this as a chance to improve, rather than a waste of time and effort. Unusual people will seem to populate your world. They may push your security buttons by bringing you in contact with new ideas and values. Keep an open mind and suspend judgment for the time being.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July An intensity that you feel, that may be a distracting force. You’ll feel anxious & unable to relax. Try to turn your attention inward for awhile and save your breath for breathing. Content yourself with being part of a process that someone else has started. Lift your head out of the details to see whether the big picture has changed since you last looked. It’s still possible to maintain harmony as long as you’re paying attention. You may have to shout in order for anyone to hear your voice.

Responsibilities & your ability to take on more than your share. Mental details may be a real challenge to you. You could easily get caught up in minor matters that become more and more complex & demanding as the week goes by. Don’t be too concerned with the minor details. Delegate to others you trust. Priority should not be on how things are done, but on completing the tasks at hand. Try your best to stay relaxed during moments of tension. Your sense of humor could go a long way in diffusing tense or uncomfortable situations.

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb

Plenty of talking & heated discussions. You have a strong desire to cut through the bull and get to the bottom line. Relationships may be very hot. Intimacy is both exciting and complex. Professional ones are stimulating, but challenging. Greed could be your enemy now. Appetites can get out of hand if you’re not careful. When you get a taste of love, food, approval or money, chew slowly. Digestion can be difﬁcult if you take big gulps. Check out the incredible opportunities, but move toward them with patience and caution.

Keep up with the pack. Don’t get lazy at the wrong moment. Your ﬁnancial success depends on your own magnetic ability to coordinate projects and act as the producer. You may have to reach out to take advantage of lucky opportunities. Encourage your partners to go forward with exciting and challenging plans. You may need the cooperation of others to accomplish tasks, but they may be dragging their heels. If that’s the case, go into your grab bag of ideas and stimulate others with humor and fun.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September A tornado of ideas. You could be in a very talkative mood, at the very least, expect your mind to be running a mile a minute. Slow down and take note of the good ideas, because they’ll be worth remembering. Big ﬁnancial ideas are very exciting to you now, too. You’re in charge. Expect to be the leader. This is your chance to shine professionally. You have the spark to move into a new direction. Planning is important, but taking chances and taking action are primary. Even if you don’t achieve your goals, you’ll learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time.

Strong feelings & emotional situations that need to be addressed. It’s hard to keep up with the white lies & half truths. It’s not the facts that count, but the reason for the deceitful information. Great discretion on your part may be required if you want to keep the peace. You may feel a little resentful. The demands put on you may seem unfair, perhaps even a little manipulative. It could cost you a relationship if you are direct about the situation.

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Part Time Accountant Property Management Company in Houston is looking for a part-time accountant with the following qualiﬁcations: • Degree in Accounting or Business preferred. • Must have good working knowledge of Quickbooks and Excel. • Experience in generating ﬁnancial reports & bookkeeping. • Other duties as assigned. Good compensation for an experienced person

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Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Waste Collection and Disposal Services Project No. 15-04 Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs. edu/district/departments/ procurement. Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11A06 Houston Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Wednesday, December 10, 2014.

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Accounting Assistant

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Part-Time Multi-Media Graphic Artist

KTRK-TV, the ABC/Disney owned station in Houston, TX is seeking a talented and experienced BROADCAST & DIGITAL DESIGN DIRECTOR. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader with at least three years’ experience producing multi-media graphics and animations for daily newscasts; creating web and social media graphics and content; and maintaining consistent brand identity across platforms. Extensive knowledge of Adobe CS and Cinema 4-D is required. We offer a collaborative and creative work environment and Houston is a fun and affordable city. To be considered for the position you must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job #222312BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

ABC-13/KTRK-TV, the ABC/Disney owned station in Houston, TX, has a part-time position for an experienced Multi-Media Graphic Artist. The ideal candidate will have a degree in graphic design, web, marketing or related ﬁeld; demonstrable expertise in digital design, and 2-3 years professional experience using design applications, such as Adobe Creative Suite, to create content and graphics for interactive or multimedia projects, web pages and social media. Experience producing broadcast graphics is a plus. We offer a collaborative and creative work environment. To be considered for the position you must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job #230684BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

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