Indo American News

Tag: Houston

Gujarati Samaj Celebrates Navratri with a Twist

GSH President Amee Patel (center), vice-president Yogina Patel (second from right) and executive Commitee Members. Photos: Gautam Jani

HOUSTON: The Gujarati Samaj of Houston (GSH) orchestrated a memorable Navratri Mahotsav this year, hosting nine colorful nights of garba, dandiya and full-on fun. On weeknights, celebrations were held at the VPPS Haveli’s Hall – with the event being successful each night. For the first time in the organization’s history, President Amee Patel along with Vice President Yogina Patel and their team executed an outdoor Navratri Mela on both weekends, Friday and Saturday September 26 and 27, and the following weekend October 3 and 4.

The weekend event surpassed all expectations, as this year boasted a record crowd each night. Held at Houston Farm and Ranch near Bear Creek, the venue made for a perfect place for families and friends to gather and enjoy dance as well as an array of cultural food, kids activities, shopping and music. A seven-member band known as ‘Seven Star Group,’ was flown in from Baroda just for the event, and community members danced the nights away to traditional tunes as well as hit Bollywood numbers.

7 Star Band from Baroda

When asked about the success of the entire nine-night celebration, GSH President Amee Patel said, “it was definitely a challenge, but a challenge that my team and I humbly accepted. It was an honor to be a part of the team that brought about this change. The reason for the venue change was two part: 1. to bring about a healthy change, something new; but moreover, 2. to save money and raise more funds for our community center. The goal was to ensure a successful and enjoyable event, while raising greater funds for the GSH. I can confidently say we did just that. Without bringing specific numbers into play, the Samaj saved an average of $35,000 this year thru our Navratri event. Collectively, we will continue to make decisions that better the Samaj as well as enrich the lives of our supportive members.”

“It was one of the best Navratri experiences I’ve had in Houston,” said Masala Radio’s Sunil Thakkar. An active member of GSH, Thakkar went on to say, “it reminded me of my school days back home in Matunga (Mumbai.) The open air breeze and the band from India – made me nostalgic and left me wanting more. Looking forward to next year’s festivities.”

The GSH recognizes and thanks the many sponsors and food vendors who showed support by contributing time and effort towards the event. House of Spices was a platinum sponsor, Tara Energy a gold sponsor, BBVA Compass Bank, Oink.com, Ramesh Cherivirala, Maharaja Bhog, Aling’s Hakka, Deep Foods, Travelguzs and Emirates airlines were a few of the sponsors without which the event would not have been a major success. The weekend venue also hosted a number of food vendors, so that attendees could savor delicacies from a variety of Indian cuisines. Ashiana, Kurry Walah, Maharaja Bhog, Kwality Ice Cream, Yogi’s Kids corner and Hari Tea and Snacks were among a few of the delicious food options.

Photo: Vanshika Vipin

To make for friendly competition, the GSH asked members and sponsors to participate in fun contests. Both weekends, the Samaj held competitions for the ‘best dressed’ male and female, and ‘best dancers’ male and female. Two round-trip tickets to India were raffled courtesy of Emirates Airlines and Travelguzs. Winners of the above included: Foram Patel and Amit Pathak who won two tickets to India. Kaushal Shah and Meera Shah, winners of the best dancers, each won a three-night, four-day the 3 night 4 day stay in Dubai courtesy of Travelguzs and Cox & Kings. Tara Energy gave away a 42” flat screen TV, and BBVA Compass gave away four Rockets Tickets. The winner of the ‘best aarti thaali’ received a fifty dollar gift certificate from Mona Lisa Salon, and the best dressed couple received a fifty dollar gift certificate from Aling’s Hakka.

As with each Navratri season, members casted votes to elect a new President and Vice President on the final night of Navratri – October 4. In a close election, it was announced that Yogina Patel (current Vice President) has been elected as President, and a member of this year’s executive committee, Girish Naik was elected as Vice President, respectively. Patel and Naik will officially serve the 2014-2015 term of GSH starting December 2, 2014.

All said and danced, residents of Houston and the greater Houston area are in eager anticipation of what new innovations will transpire at next year’s GSH Navratri event. A huge round of applause (be-taali style) to the Gujarati Samaj of Houston for a job well-done!

Founded in 1979, GSH organizes educational and cultural activities to promote Indian heritage, and is registered as a Nonprofit organization under 501(C)(3). Our mission is to create an innovative, inclusive and imaginative “Gujarati Samaj Community Center” to implement our vision.

For details and more information regarding the GSH, visit www.gshouston.org.

The GSH would like to offer our prayers and condolences to the family of Dipali Shah, who passed away on the eighth night of Navratri. May her divine soul rest in peace.

October 16, 2014
Rachel Rose Rohatgi Weds Ford Rainey

The newlyweds with their parents after the wedding. From left, Rakesh and Irma Rohatgi with their daughet Rachel Rose, Ford with his parents Jean and Hugh Rainey.
Photo: Jawahar Malhotra

By Jawahar Malhotra

SUGAR LAND: The skinny groomsman, Kevyn, caught the guests by surprise, as the opening notes of a pop tune engulfed the room, by jumping onstage to do some carefree dance moves. The rest of the groomsmen followed, bursting into an energetic dance line and the bridesmaids jumped followed in for a lively dance set. As the music blended into the current pop fav, “Happy” by Pheral Williams, several young flower girls walked down the aisle, strewing it with petals as the wedding couple’s parents and family walked to their seats. And the set was capped off with the bride and groom waving and walking in through the aisle, hand-in-hand, to the foot of the stage to “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey.

And this was just the beginning of what turned out to be the carefree, happy marriage ceremony of Rachel Rose Rohatgi and Ford Townsend Rainey, on a stage at the Marriott Hotel in Sugar Land’s Town Square on Saturday, October 11. It was bereft of the sort of stiff formality that is customary of many Indian weddings and done without too much fanfare.

The wedding was unique for its lack of religious symbolisms but even more so because the couple were married by the bride’s brother, Roger, an ordained minister who has performed a few other weddings before. Roger carried the couple through their wedding vows with a strong delivery as the bridesmaids and groomsmen stood on each side. Before the couple exchanged vows, they spoke of their love for each other from prepared notes and then gave each other a single rose bud as a symnol of that love. Kevyn Richmond, an aspiring actor from Los Angeles, wrapped up by singing “Everlasting Light” by the Black Keys, sans music.

Rachel (Rose is her maternal grandmother’s name), 31, is an attorney working in the area of workers compensation with Stockwell, Harris, Woolverton & Muehl in Los Angeles, California since 2002. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University in New Orleans and her law degree from California Western University in San Diego. She is the daughter of Rakesh Rohatgi, a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industry who works with Technip. Her mother retired as a teacher at HISD and now is an Adjunct Professor with the University of Houston Downtown. Her brother Roger is a VP of Creative at YouToo Technologies in Dallas.

Ford, 34, was born in the Azores Islands where his family was stationed in the US Navy and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He went to the University of Texas, San Antonio for a degree in Computer Sciences and works as a software engineer for Raytheon in Los Angeles. His father Hugh retired as a Lt. Commander of a destroyer in the US Navy and his mother Jean is an early childhood teacher in San Antonio.

The couple has known each other since they met through the dating service okcupid.com and went on their first date on April 13, 2011, remembered Rachel. They newlyweds will honeymoon in Hawaii before making their home in the Westchester district of Los Angeles.

October 16, 2014
Hindus of Greater Houston :Diwali Food Drive

Jai Agarwal from Arya samaj

By Venugopal Menon

HOUSTON: Hindus of Greater Houston wishes all a very happy Deepavali, the festival of lights. The ‘Festival of Lights’ signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. As an appropriate gesture, and corresponding to their 25 year observance of Janmashtami together, the several Hindu temples and organizations of Houston are celebrating Diwali by helping the Food Bank of Houston and serving the needy.

Close on the heels of the role of air and water, to sustain life and to carry on the body functions, the most essential requirement is the availability of food. And there is no better expression of human compassion than offering food to the hungry. According to WHO, hunger is the gravest threat to the world’s public health and the biggest contributor to child mortality, an estimated three million dying every year without enough food. Even in a land of plenty like the USA, the distressing reality is that a sizeable number of people are fraught to get adequate food for sustaining their lives. It is estimated that almost one in seven of our people, a staggering 18 million household of the US population are not getting enough food to eat and about 40 million live under poverty level.

Towards meeting the needs of such hungry, the world’s first food bank was established in the US in 1967, and since then several thousands of such have come up all over the world. There are several food banks in Houston offering food to the hungry on a regular basis, and there are periodic ‘food drives’ initiated by various organizations.

‘Feeding the hungry’ has remained an essential tradition of Hindu faith as it is in most other religions. Hindu temples have always provided free food to the devotees and the hungry; Hindu homes have made it a tradition to ensure that passers-by would be invited to eat. Before we closed the doors at night it was a daily practice in our homes to call out for anyone around who has not eaten, and serving them food.

‘Athidhi Devo bhava’, the axiom meant that we considered our guests, godly.

Hindus of Greater Houston have been involved in food bank drive, during Diwali, initiated by HMEC a few years ago and this year we are doing it collectively. As per the celebrated practice of our faith, all our temples and other organizations will collect food and feed the hungry.

Individual temples are setting up the drive, collecting the food and passing it on to the common food bank. HGH coordinator Anshuman Desai has been coordinating the project this year with Arya Samaj, Chinmaya Mission, Sri Meenakshi Temple, VPSS, JVB Preksha Meditation, Sewa International and Ashtalakshmi Temple initiating the drive, as more organizations would soon join the effort.

As a community we are joining hands and pitching in our efforts as a united group. As much as we have several temples and different ways in the practice of our devotional adherence, our philosophy is essentially based on our Eternal Vedic principles, Sanatan Dharma. And the food bank drive is an opportunity for us to present ourselves as a unified force. Being the third most practiced faith of humanity, it is important that Hindus stay organized and be recognized as one group, for our presence and the profound principles that we believe in. It is our hope that each one of us stands up to that ideal and does our part, and does it with conviction and compassion.

Let the Food Bank Drive promote our unity to provide for the deprived.

October 16, 2014
Club 65 Members Go on a Picnic to Port Lavaca

HOUSTON: On Sept. 28, Port Lavaca, Texas was the destination for the picnic of Club 65, a non-profit organization under the umbrella of IMAGH (Indian Muslims of Greater Houston) and able guidance of the President Latafath Hussain. Club 65 is proud to have over 110 members and growing stronger by the month.

The picnic morning  started at 8:30 a.m. with 61 enthusiastic members of Club 65 meeting at the Bayland Community Center in Houston. It was commendable to see all the excited seniors arriving early — ready to have a good time. There were new faces—Rashida Abdullabhoy, Akbar Ali Ladhani– who were eager to join after hearing from friends about Club 65. Due to the tremendous response for this event, Club 65 rented an extra bus to accommodate the members. The volunteers assisted the seniors with their assigned seating and distributed snack bags as the members boarded their respective buses.

After a slight delay in getting on the road from Houston, it was all fun and games with laughter and music. The volunteers interacted with the members for a short while then played the game of “Antakshari” till the bus made a stop in El Campo for a quick break. The next hour of the bus ride was a ‘social hour’ at the request of the members who wanted to chat and take time to know each other. The drive was pleasant and relaxing. The greenery of the sprawling Texas landscape was cooling to the eye and the cattle grazing under the big blue canopy/sky brought back old memories of the farms and countryside back home in India.

Port Lavaca is a two hour bus drive from Houston located near the center point of the 275 mile Texas Gulf Coast. It is referred to as “the little jewel” nestled in the middle of the Gulf Coast offering visitors a variety of public parks and a tropical seaside environment with its own charm. The area also is a wintering ground for many species of birds including the Whooping Crane.

Arriving at the picnic spot -700 Lighthouse Beach Road- there was a huge pavilion with picnic tables (enough to seat 200 people) where the members enjoyed a cool drink of  “Chaas” (buttermilk) with” Kachoris” and relaxed to savor the view of the calm water of the gulf.  The weather was pleasant all day with an exception of a mid-day heavy downpour for a short while. The rain came down hard on the metal roof of the pavilion making music of its own and again reminding the folks of the monsoons in India.

The pouring rain kept the members huddled under the pavilion. It also provided the perfect time to play games! Game one was –Bean Bag Toss where the person has 4 chances to throw the bean bag into a hole on a board- 3 points scored for each bag in the hole and 1 point scored for each bag on the board. Everyone got a chance to play and had a good time. Game two was—Tossing the Ball into the Cup. This game is played with many cups lined on a table and the person has to toss the ball directly into the cup without bouncing it on the table. Amazingly, it requires some skill and the members had a lot of fun trying their best.

The location was beautiful and very peaceful! There was a boardwalk along the water in front of the pavilion making it convenient for the seniors to stroll in small groups on the boardwalk along the water. There was an Observatory (Gazebo) located at one section of the boardwalk where people could observe the different species of birds. Many of the members congregated in the Observatory and felt relaxed looking out into the horizon where the blue sky meets the majestic body of water! At the request of some members Kaka (Tyeb Shipchandler) our evergreen senior member  sang a couple of beautiful songs that were like music to the ears with the awesome acoustics of the gazebo.

Soon after, it was time to head back to the pavilion for a sumptuous lunch after a fun filled active morning.   The food arrived a little later than expected –due to circumstances beyond our control—but it was hot and served right away. The picnic menu was a big spread consisting of—BBQ chicken, Kofta curry, Veg. Biryani, Bhindi masala, Naan, Raita, Salad with Gulab Jamun for dessert. Soft drinks were also served. Mr. Mujahid Kitabi of BBQ Village catered the food/drinks with Hot Tea and snacks in the afternoon. He is a big supporter of Club 65 and always takes personal interest in making sure that the seniors are taken care of. He, very kindly, took the time to drive the distance to Port Lavaca, as he had done for a prior picnic to San Antonio a year ago. Club 65 appreciates all his effort and support.

After lunch, the seniors were ready for some more activity. Games and music were played in the pavilion while the tea was being prepared.  Game number Three of the day was -Passing the Parcel. The game was simple but the rule was- a “Penalty” if one was left holding the parcel when the music stopped. The “penalty” was to tell a joke, special anecdote, sing a song etc. This game turned out to be a lot of fun and informative since the members were relating stories and episodes from their past experiences. The game ended with a winner getting a prize.

By now the flavorful aroma of tea was floating around the pavilion indicating that it was ready— to be served along with some delicious Bhel. While members slowly sipped their tea the rhythm of the music playing had a few sporting members wanting to dance—which was a big enough hint for the volunteers and they jumped into action. They had the enthusiastic ones, the bashful ones and those who needed help–all on their feet dancing merrily. It was wonderful to see everyone having a good time.

The sun was slowly setting. The evening sun was shining its cool rays on the water making it glisten like glass. The day was ending and just as the saying goes—All Good Things Must Come to an End—it was time to leave. The volunteers cleaned the pavilion then helped the members settle into the buses for a quiet ride home.

October 16, 2014
Harinath Medi Earns National Luxury Home Designation

Harinath Medi

HOUSTON: Harinath Medi, Real Estate agent with Luxury Home council, Inc. in Houston was recently awarded the Accredited Luxury Home Specialist (ALHS) Designation from the Luxury Home Council, Inc.

The Accredited Luxury Home specialist (ALHS) Logo is testimony to the agent’s training and expertise in the luxury home marketplace. To display the ALHS logo and be accepted into the Luxury Home Council, each member must successfully complete the Accredited Luxury home Specialist Course, meet minimum sale requirements and the agent must be in good standing with the National Association of Home Builders.

Medi joins an Elite Membership of top real estate agents throughout the United States and Canada. Members strive to provide exceptional service to affluent clients through rigorous education focusing on the luxury Home Market and their understanding of the special demands of affluent buyers and sellers.

Medi has been very active in the community rendering community service activities.

He is the past President of ICC (India Culture Center), And also the President and the Chairman of South Asian Chamber of Commerce. He is one of the Founding Trustees of Indo American Chamber Of Commerce.

Presently, he is the President of Osmania University Alumni association of America. At this capacity, Mr. Medi is engaged in the fund raising activities for some projects for his Alama Mater Osmania University In Hyderabad, India.

For further information, contact Harinath Medi at 281-498-4300 or The Luxury Home Council at www.LuxuryHomeCouncil.com.

October 16, 2014
The Healthy Dose – Ebola, Part 3

By Parth Dwivedi

Recapping everything we have covered thus far, there are five different species of Ebolavirus, each with different characteristics. Once it infects a human host, the virus attacks the immune system and causes water loss, bleeding and organ failure.
Ebola has surfaced in the news before, although more recently an ongoing outbreak in Western Africa has been taking headlines and airtime across various media outlets. Dissecting this issue is difficult, as it unfolds into many complicated layers.
Many obstacles confront health specialists involved in the immediate treatment of Ebola overseas. To begin with, it is difficult to diagnose Ebola, as many of the symptoms in the initial phases resemble other, more manageable illnesses.
As a result of this, patients often do not come to aid centers for help until their symptoms have progressed to a very dangerous point. From there, an already uphill battle sinks farther into the trenches. More patients succumb to this illness, and aid centers slowly become known more as places where patients die than places where patients survive.
This reputation spreads and creates a cycle that causes more people to delay treatment, even once they begin thinking they might have Ebola. After all, knowing you had a disease, would you go to a hospital with a reputation for dead patients?
Other factors come into play, though. Foreign health specialists only get involved once a situation becomes dire. From a local person’s perspective dire situations seem to be linked with foreigners. Indeed, Dr. Fischer writes about “rumors claiming the white people brought Ebola…”
Superimpose on these factors the weak, local healthcare system that serves as the alternative to foreign aid centers and a bad situation becomes worse. But, is there a cure that these aid centers can even provide?
No. Although, certain experimental medications have been used sparingly. One such medication, ZMapp, was successfully used to treat two American missionaries, but no reliable, well-understood medication currently exists. This does not mean that Ebola is untreatable, however.
Dr. Paul Farmer, something of a celebrity physician in the world of international medicine, said in an interview with Democracy Now! that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Western Africa reflects shortcomings in local healthcare systems more than it reflects the lethality of the infection itself.
He went on to say that if this infection came stateside, it would not spread very far, as the strength of our healthcare infrastructure would placate any outbreak very quickly. Of course the outbreak is serious, but it is not likely to become a direct threat to American citizens.

Parth Dwivedi has a B.A. in Neuroscience and an M.S. in Biomedical Sciences. He likes reading non-fiction and still watches I Love Lucy.

October 16, 2014
Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Railways at the 4th IIT BHU Alumni Meet

Lamp Lighting Ceremony by Vish Narayanan, Dr. Rajeev Sangal, Raj Narang, Atul Kumar, and Dr. Manu Vora

NAPERVILLE, IL: The IIT BHU Global Alumni Association recently held its fourth Global Alumni Meet at the Sheraton Lisle Hotel in Lisle, Illinois. Theme for the Meet was “The IIT BHU Journey of Excellence Continues…”. Over 200 people attended the Meet. At the opening, a lamp lighting ceremony was held with the portrait of Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of BHU. An inspiring video sharing his amazing life story memorized the audience.

Prof. Rajeev Sangal, Director of IIT BHU and Acting Vice-Chancellor of BHU was the Chief Guest. Hon. Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Railways and IIT BHU Alumnus gave a Keynote Address. Dr. Sarvajna Dwivedi, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Pearl Therapeutics, Inc., an IIT BHU Alumnus was also a Keynote Speaker. Video messages from former BHU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Panjab Singh, and Campus Diaries were shared.

Two panels on “Excellence in Education” and “Excellence in Entrepreneurship” discussed lot of interesting ideas to propel the IIT BHU to new heights. There were lighter moments with “Fond Memories of BHU” and “Tribute to Teachers”. The Meet concluded with an entertainment program after the dinner.

At the Meet, alumni deliberated on ways to give back to alma mater and raised over $21,000 to support various projects at IIT BHU including student scholarships. Hon. Manoj Sinha and Prof. S. N. Upadhyay were conferred 2014 IIT BHU Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Nine alumni were conferred the 2014 IIT BHU Distinguished Alumnus Award.

The 5th IIT BHU Global Meet will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016.

About IBGAA:
The IIT BHU Global Alumni Association (IBGAA) was established in 2008. It is a 501 (c) (3) charitable and educational organization registered in New Jersey. Its mission is to act as a link between the Institute, alumni, students, faculty, and staff. The IBGAA raises funds to execute alumni projects to benefit the Institute, students, faculty, and staff. It also endeavors to enhance the IIT BHU brand globally. Please contact Dr. Manu Vora IITBHU Meet Chair 630-548-5531 manuvora@b-einc.com

October 16, 2014
“Krishna, Love Re-invented” Where Dance Crosses all Barriers of Race, Religion and Geography

HOUSTON: After Sangamam, Dashavatar, Go to your room, Mother, Bollywood Blast, and The Life of Gautama Buddha Samskriti brings to Houston an unusual production from Malaysia – Krishna, Love Re-invented – by Ramli Ibrahim and the Sutra Dance Theatre. This presentation is a perfect example of ‘dance without borders’, where art transcends religion and dance becomes the language of the soul rather than the body.

Ramli Ibrahim is an international icon in the field of Odissi today, but his path was not so smooth in the beginning. A trained Ballet, Jazz and Modern Dance exponent who had performed professionally with the Sydney Ballet, Ramli fell in love with the symmetry and beauty of Indian classical dance, travelled to India, studied first Bharatanatyam and then Odissi, and soon became an expert at these dance forms too. Back in Malaysia he met with opposition because of his pursuit of “Hindu” dancing, but with unwavering dedication he continued his training, and upon his return, established his dance company, Sutra Dance Theatre in 1983, to promote the cultural diversity and vibrancy of Malaysian dance to national and international audiences. His message to his detractors was clear – that the timeless stories of Indian mythology, as told through India’s ancient classical dance forms, are the highest form of art, and therefore meant to be shared and enjoyed by the world. This broad-minded and visionary Muslim choreographer has Hindu, Christian and Buddhist dancers in his ensemble, and they are Malay, Chinese and Indian. At a time when the world is being torn apart by religious strife, Ramli has proved that art can bring people together. Ramli Ibrahim exemplifies the perfect artist – one who pursues art for art’s sake, and is fearless and relentless in his pursuit of it. Ramli and his Sutra Dance Theatre have transcended all barriers of religion, geography and language.

Kabir sang the praises of Ram, Ramli (indeed his name has ‘Ram’ in it) sings a paean to the Pastoral God Krishna in his Krishna, Love Re-Invented, which embodies the human spirit that has always celebrated love in its many forms. In Hinduism, Bhakti or devotion remains a central tenet of its teachings. Hindu saints and poets have explored love’s profound effects on the soul through the stories of the gods. The Krishna-Gopis idyll has become the all time symbol of romantic love at its sublimated best. The moods, feelings and emotions of this love affair, an embodiment of Rasa (highest emotional state) become a sublime allegory expressing and affirming the highest love the individual soul has for God, in this case, Krishna. Love is able to transcend man-made restrictive morality and finds itself ‘re-conceived’ and ‘re-invented’ to accommodate our real, imagined and fantasized desires with complete abandon.

As Sutra’s Artistic Director, Ramli has choreographed stunning works and nurtured some of the brightest dance talents from Malaysia. Ramli has been instrumental in transforming the dance scenario in Malaysia by boldly charting new paths and has gained fame for single-handedly establishing Odissi as a widely appreciated dance form in Malaysia. He is acknowledged as a ‘Living Heritage’ by the Government of Malaysia and is the recipient of the highest and most prestigious title of Datuk from the Prime Minister of Malaysia. He is presently Chairman of Sutra Foundation. Ramli Ibrahim besides an acknowledged dancer in Bharatanatyam and Odissi in India itself, Ramli was formerly with the Sydney Dance Company and plays important role in the interface of Asian & Western dance in redefining modernity from an Asian perspective.

Samskriti is very proud and happy to present artist extraordinaire Ramli Ibrahim and his Sutra Dance Theatre in their first major performance in Houston. Krishna, Love Re-invented will be presented at the Cullen Theater, Wortham Center (in the Downtown Theater District) at 5 PM on Sunday, October 26, 2014. Tickets are available at www.explorehouston.org/ticketing, www.sulekha.com and 832 275 9658.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, and generous donations from Schlumberger and Hindus of Greater Houston. Samskriti is very grateful to the Classical Arts Society of Houston, Asia Society Texas Center, Dance Source Houston, and Kalaangan School of Odissi Dance for their unstinted support for this event.

INVENTED” – where dance crosses all barriers of race, religion and geography

October 16, 2014
How to Apply for College Without Going Gray in the Process

Best in Class Education Center offers tips for parents and students to make the college application process as stress-free as possible

Eager high school students (and their parents) are in the midst of spending many late nights and weekends writing essays, organizing forms, and waiting on pins and needles to find out if they’ve been accepted into their dream college.

Between the tuition fees, complex questions about future goals, and challenging essay topics, the process of applying to college can be quite daunting for all parties involved.

Best in Class Education Center has some key tips on how to make the process as stress-free as possible:
•Before you begin applying, sit down with your family to have an open discussion about finances. Is your family able to help you with expenses? See how much your family will be able to help you, assess what your scholarship opportunities might be as well as what type of financial aid you’ll be able to secure, and use this information to guide you toward how many schools to apply to and which colleges you would realistically be able to attend, should you be accepted.

•Research scholarships early. Many college application essays andscholarship essays will overlap and you’ll be able to use them for multiple purposes or applications. Also, if you have an idea of scholarship money that might be coming your way, this could open the door for additional school options for you to consider.

•Take your SATs/ACTs early enough so that you can retake them if necessary. Spend lots of time preparing for these tests and seek help if needed.

•The personal statement is a point of stress for many students. Remember, the goal of the statement is to show colleges who you are beyond your grades and test scores. It should sound like you. Share something unique about yourself and read the statement aloud to make sure it sounds like something you would say and also to help catch mistakes.

•For your personal statement, rather than writing for a review board – write for a specific person. For example, imagine you’re writing your essay for your high school English teacher and keep him/her in mind throughout your writing process. This will help make you feel comfortable with your writing, and also help you maintain a professional and academic tone.

Best in Class offers a variety of programs tailored toward college preparation and applications; one thing that can make the process less stressful is knowing that you’re not alone. Seek assistance if you’re feeling stuck.

For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www.bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1.888.683.8108.

Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 more units in 2014. The state of Texas has been identified as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.

October 16, 2014
MassMutual Honors Diwali and Business Tradition of Chopda Pujan

From left: Nimesh Trivedi, Lalit Jallan, Adam Segal and Vikesh Amin.

No-Cost Seminars Help Business Owners Secure Their Futures and Protect the Next Generation

SPRINGFIELD, MASS: Almost three million Asian Indians in the United States are preparing to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, on Oct. 23. For the more than 300,000 Asian-Indian owned firms* in the U.S., the holiday takes on an added dimension, as the celebration marks the beginning of a new business year. To help business owners prepare for the New Year ahead, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) is offering a series of free, no-obligation business seminars in five cities across the country this Diwali.

In a special Diwali ritual for businesses known as Chopda Pujan, new account books are opened and blessed. Business owners use this time to reflect on the past year while looking ahead to new opportunities for prosperity and wealth. It is said the goddess of wealth, known as Lakshmi, visits the homes of devotees on this day, and lamps light the way to welcome her.
A MassMutual study** found that although 77 percent of Asian Indian business owners believe financial planning for their business is very important, only 43 percent are concerned about who will run their businesses if they or another owner leaves, becomes disabled or dies; only 46 percent have a formal retirement plan.

“Entrepreneurial businesses are vital to our growing economic recovery, so it is concerning that so many business owners seem to be sacrificing their own and their family’s financial future,” says Nimesh Trivedi, Asian-Indian Market lead at MassMutual. “With help, business owners can look past the seemingly overwhelming day-to-day demands of running their businesses and establish and meet their long-term financial goals.”
To help Asian Indian business owners open their new books this Diwali and plan for a prosperous new year, MassMutual is offering a series of free video-based seminars featuring stories shared by real business owners. The vignettes explore critical business planning topics, such as passing ownership on from one generation to the next, preparing for the unexpected, the death of an owner, retaining key employees, and proper estate and retirement planning.

Seminars addressing these topics critical to Asian Indian business owners will be presented in the following cities across the country this Diwali:
Houston, Oct. 14
Atlanta: Oct. 18
San Jose, Calif.: Oct. 24
Edison, N.J.: Oct. 29
Chicago: Nov. 6
For more information on the multi-city business owner seminar tour, contact Nimesh Trivedi, 413.744.1244. For more information on planning for your businesses’ and families’ financial futures, visit massmutual.com/asianindian
*2007 Survey of Business Owners Summaries of Findings, U.S. Census Bureau. This information is the most current data available.
**MassMutual’s Business Owner Perspectives: 2011 Insights in an Uncertain Economy, conducted by GfK Custom Research North America for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), 2011.

About MassMutual
Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners. The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyowners consistently since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company’s strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, LLC, Member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit www.massmutual.com or find MassMutual on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+ and Pinterest.

October 16, 2014
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Atte Da Halva (Whole Wheat Flour Halva)

For Punjabis, atta (whole wheat flour) is the carbohydrate of preference, and rice is less of a staple dish. Hence, lots of dishes, including many sweets like pinnis, poodras and halwa, are made of atta. It helps that whole wheat is preferred by dieticians for health reasons, even though excessive carbohydrates consumed are equally not healthy.
Wheat flour halva is often served at religious functions and is always served at the temples after services. Although this sweet dish is considered mostly a Northern Indian confection is associated with Punjabi cuisine. The same halva made with a slight difference can be used to make atta di pinniya.
This is a fairly easy recipe and you can find the ingredients easily in your home. You can add the amount of sugar to your choice, but I try to keep the halva not too sweet.
If you prefer, you can use brown sugar or gur (jaggery). Olive oil gives a better taste and is healthier than ghee. You can add more ghee if you like, but using less ghee makes browning the atta more difficult.

Ingredients:
Half cup of ghee or cooking oil
Half cup of atta (medium coarse wheat flour)
Half cup of sugar
Two cups of water

Directions:
1. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a kadai or wok over low heat.

2. Throw in the flour and brown it, stirring often, as you don’t want to have the flour get too brown as it may give a burnt smell. Don’t brown over high heat as the flour does not come out as tasty.

3. In a saucepan, boil the water and throw in the sugar, stirring till it is completely dissolved. Keep the mixture to the side for later use.

4. After the flour is slightly brown, pour the syrup and stir continually and turn the heat to medium.

5. When the ghee starts to percolate up along the edges then turn the heat off. This should be eaten warm for best taste.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK

FOR A COMFORTABLE LONG NIGHT FULL OF SLEEP, TRY SOME WARM MILK

Many people often complain about occasionally not being able to get a good nights sleep and resort to medications to help them get some rest. As long as this is not associated with some other illness of temporary problems, there is an age-old remedy for a good, comfortable night’s sleep and that is drinking a warm glass of milk up to an hour before retiring for the night.

Since long ago, this remedy has been used in rural and agrarian areas in India and it still continues to work. The thought was that the milk allowed for the stomach to relax and then help in digestion, which then induces relaxation and good sleep. Although a lot of new scientific research finds no real basis for this effect, it seems to help many people so it may be all psychological.

October 16, 2014
Women’s Cricket Club

SUGAR LAND: Women’s Cricket Cup II took place in New Territory, in August. With a “Best of Three” format tournament, the two participating teams were Team Pink and Team Blue. On Saturday the Women played and two of the three games came down to the last ball. Very exciting performances were seen all around. The tournament standings: 1st Place – Team Pink, 2nd Place – Team Blue. The organizers of WCC would like to congratulate the ladies who participated and would like to extend a special thanks to the series sponsors. Platinum Sponsor – MCA Dermatology. Gold Sponsor – Chatkhara Grill. Silver Sponsor – HotShots Men’s Cricket Team. The organizers would also like to thank the volunteers and extend an invitation to new players and audience to Women’s Cricket Cup III. Further pictures, statistics and information can be found at – Facebook.com/WCCup
-WCCup (Women’s Cricket Cup)

September 18, 2014
Rath Yatra and Bahuda Yatra Fast Becoming a Tradition at Durga Bari

Bahuda Yatra celebrations at the Houston Durgabari Society on Saturday, July 5.

HOUSTON: With much pomp and ceremony, Rath Yatra was celebrated at Durgabari on June 29. Well attended by more than 1000 people, this year marks the 3rd year in a row and it’s fast becoming a tradition at Durga Bari.

People flocked to the temple early morning that day and waited patiently as Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Bishnupada Goswami of Durga Bari, Sri Srikiran Narayanam from India Cultural Center and Temple, Memphis and Dr. Amrit Achari from Durga Bari conducted the Puja. After the Puja, Pahandi Bije started, in which the deities were brought from the temple on to the Rath. This was completed with the help of several eager devotees who were delighted having the chance to hold the deities. After all the deities including Nrushingha and Lord Ganesh were situated properly on the Rath, a ceremonial King Indradyumna, Dr. Raghu Dass performed the Chhera Panhara(brooming) ceremony to cleanse the path of progress for the Rath. Kirtan, led by Sripad BV Tirtha Maharaj from Sri Govindji Gaudiya Matha, Chants of Maha Mantra and Jai Jagannatha filled the air as devotees started pulling the Rath. With great enthusiasm, the devotees pulled the Rath three times within the temple premises to symbolize the journey of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra to their aunt’s house (Gundicha Temple). Once the Rath pulling was complete, devotees made a bee line to climb onto the Rath to see their beloved Lord and have a chance to touch them and do pradakshina around the singhasana of the deities. After that it was time for the devotees to get to Kala Bhavan to get lunch Prasadam, which was prepared so lovingly by Durga Bari volunteers.

Then on July 5, Bahuda Yatra or Return Rath Yatra was celebrated. Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from their Aunt’s house to the main temple. It is significant in the sense that it completes Rath Yatra. This is the only day in the year when Rasgulla is offered to the Lord. As per the rituals in Puri, Rasgulla is offered by Lord Jagannatha to Goddess Laxmi to enter into the temple.

Char Dham Hindu temple and Houston Durga Bari Society are truly grateful to all the devotees and volunteers for participating in the festivities and making it a grand success.

For further information visit, www.greaterhoustonrathyatra.org or www.skaifoundation.org

July 10, 2014
A Focal Point for the Community, IAN Carries Torch Forward

Click here for Anniversary Special Supplement

From left: Pramod Kulkarni, Jawahar Malhotra and Vanshika Vipin

By Jawahar Malhotra, Publisher

One score and a dozen years ago, an enterprising sociology professor with no background in journalism or publishing but a passion for the dynamics of human interaction saw fit to make his contribution to keeping his growing Indo American community connected by disseminating news. Ten months later, he turned to others to help nurture the idea and keep it alive.

Two of those – Pramod Kulkarni and myself – have kept the spirit and legacy of Dr. K. L. Sindwani and the resilience of his wife Mohini alive through thick and thin and now the fast changing world of news reporting. We have often sacrificed our personal lives and artfully balanced professional careers to make sure that Indo-American News spreads the word of the community’s achievements, and the personalities who have and continue to emerge.

In these long years, we have moved from hand-placed typeset to desk-top publishing to purely digital and web based publishing. We have run the community’s first TV show in the entire Southwest – Ashiana Television – and published the community’s first business telephone directories – Desi Connection. We have given birth to our competitors – other weekly papers – and given scores of young people a chance to show what they can do in graphic design and reporting as well as a chance to settle in their new adopted country.

In this endeavor, we have discovered that the community has become stronger by knowing how many hands across the city, state and country are working with a common purpose of ensuring a strong future for coming generations of Indo Americans. We have become the repository of a history that can help shift the facts and guide us along. Recently, the Indo American Charity Foundation tapped into our 32 year-old archives to put together a history of their own 25 year-old organization as much of their own data had scattered away. We will soon be available on permanent archives at the Rice University Library.

Many of the community organizations realize that the background we bring to their events cannot be replicated with a posting on social media sites. In communities where there is no community paper and word filters through the radio, like in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, the community is less informed and less able to respond in a unified way to current issues. Most local mainstream politicians, marketers and organizations also realize the value we bring and have developed personal relationships with us.

We are also seeing a changing landscape in the generation that is coming after us. Many first generation immigrants have started their family branches and are passing on. Others have sons and daughters who are getting married and starting their own families. As in any community of expatriates, we are evolving and Indo-American News is too with the addition of Vanshika Vipin as a partner who will ensure that we can continue the work that we set out to do for many more years to come.

It is heartening to realize that so many people have supported us for the way we tell their stories. As I am fond of saying, everyone has a story; it’s the art of telling it that makes it noticed and go forward, especially these days when the internet can spread it like a virus across the planet. The love we have received from our community, supporters and friends and the gratitude for a story well told is worth all the effort as we look forward to serving the dynamic Indo American community – hence our name – and evolve with it and the times.

November 27, 2013
Meet Indo-American’s New Gen-X Partner : Vanshika Vipin

Vanshika Vipin

Click here for Anniversary Special Supplement

By Pramod Kulkarni

HOUSTON: Ever since Dr. K.L. Sindwani founded Indo-American News 32 years ago, he often wondered how the newspaper will sustain itself and grow over the coming years and decades. Dr. Sindwani himself was the guiding force for the first 29 years of the newspaper. Since his retirement in 2010, partners Jawahar Malhotra, Krishna Giri and Pramod Kulkarni continued managing the newspaper.

Current partners, Jawahar and Pramod, have themselves had long careers of 25-plus years at Indo-American, but now it is time to prepare for the next generation to take on more of the responsibilities of running the newspaper. The ideal candidate to join Indo-American News as partner is Vanshika Vipin, 28, who has prepared for her new role by working in various departments at Indo-American since 2005.

Vanshika was born in New Delhi, but grew up in Bangalore and graduated from St. Francis Xaviers Girls High School and did her pre-university course at Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College. In 2003, Vanshika and her mother joined her father in Houston. Vanshika finished her BS degree from University of Houston Clear Lake in 2011 with a double major in Business & Healthcare Administration. “I was one of the top five students in the entire business school with the highest GPA in my batch and was recognized as an honor student,” she recalled.

Vanshika is currently pursuing her MS degree on a part-time basis even with all the responsibilities at Indo-American.

Besides work and education, Vanshika finds time to participate in the performing arts of dancing and acting. “I’ve been performing since the age of four,” explained Vanshika, who recently acted in the Ram Leela extravaganza and performed at the show organized by Naach Houston.

Vanshika puts passion and perseverance in all of her activities. The best example of these qualities is her weight loss program. In less than a year, she has lost more than 80 pounds and now sports a svelte figure.

The same devotion to the tasks at hand will help Vanshika achieve significant growth milestones for Indo-American News as a partner. “IAN is my passion now. I live, breathe, and sleep IAN 24/7.”

Vanshika is appreciative of all her achievements. “I would like to thank my family for supporting me through all the hurdles,” explained Vanshika. “I also thank Pramod and Jawahar for their guidance and acceptance.”

November 27, 2013
Former Indian Table Tennis Champion Kabad Makes The Bayou City his Home

A family picture, from Left: son Atma, daughter Anasuya, wife Kanchan along with Jay Kabad.

By Manu Shah

HOUSTON: When Jay Kabad casually introduced himself to the members of TT Nuts (a table tennis players association) at the Durga Bari Temple on the city’s westside a couple of years ago, there were gasps of disbelief and faces mirroring incredulity. It took a while for the fact to sink in that they were shaking hands with THE JAYANT KABAD – the renowned table tennis champion who won accolades for India in various national and international tournaments.

After the death of his father in an industrial accident, 4 year-old Kabad and his family moved to Bangalore to his maternal grandfather’s house. When he was 10, his uncle, B.Sai Kumar, himself a State table tennis player and only 4 years older, introduced him to the game. Kabad’s innate talent and a natural flair for the game caught the eye of Amrit Kumar who would go on to coach him during his entire career.

A meteoric rise at the State Level followed but it was from 1968 that Kabad joined the league of national players like Mir Khasim Ali, Monty Merchant and Niraj Bajaj and ranked number 3 in India. He was selected to represent India in the Munich World Championship which was all well and good – but there was a slight problem: he had no money! Kabad laughingly recalls the movie that was premiered to raise the funds – “Dil Diya, Dard Liya.”

A picture of the young Jay Kabad playing in a tournament.

Munich proved to be a great experience but it was another keenly watched match that Kabad recalls vividly. At the National Championship Finals in Bangalore, the excitement was palpable as the odds of winning were heavily in his favor. The Chief Minister, Governor and all of Bangalore turned up with garlands in the certainty that their hometown boy would win – and Kabad lost!

The Asian games in Japan also proved to be a great learning experience where he was pitted against the Chinese and the Japanese. “The Chinese,” Kabad explains, “are near impossible to beat because each player has a different way of playing the game whereas the Japanese though hard to beat too at least have only one style!”

Ugly politics snaked its way into the playing fields in 1975 and even though Kabad ranked No. 1 in the country in a nail biting finish at the Indore Nationals, he wasn’t selected to represent India in an international tournament. Sports officials didn’t even have the courtesy to send him an invite!

Kabad clearly credits his successes to his supportive mother, his no nonsense coach Amrit Kumar, his uncle Sai Kumar and his grandfather who encouraged his grandson to skip exams if it clashed with an important match because “exams would come and go but the opportunity to represent the country wouldn’t!” A remarkable attitude, as this was in the ‘70’s when every parent wanted his son to be either a doctor or an engineer.

If Kabad was a celebrity in the world of sports, he was no slouch when it came to academics. He aced them sometimes even studying between match breaks and in fact was among the top 20 in the PUC exam in Bangalore. This academic acclaim would come in handy as a career in sports is hardly a viable option in India. After graduating in Physics from IIT, Chennai, and a short unchallenging stint at a government organization, Kabad applied to Pittsburg University, Pennsylvania for a one-year MBA course. A job offer brought him to Houston but the slump in the oil industry and huge student loans forced him to apply for a job at a financial planning firm. Six years later, Kabad branched out on his own with JayKay Wealth Advisors.

Kabad’s business focuses primarily on five main areas: tax reduction planning, estate planning, income planning, risk management and asset management. He offers a customized approach to his mostly Indian clients and helps them protect and grow their accumulated wealth with the watchword being safety. Kabad describes Indo Americans as being mostly affluent, savers, cautious and moderately conservative.

Partnering with him in this successful venture is Kabad’s wife, Kanchan. The Zen-like reasoning that made her accept his proposal was that a sportsman learns to deal with victory and defeat with equal composure and well, Life’s no different. This philosophy has stood her in great stead as the couple are celebrating their 29 years of togetherness and have two children.

As Vice President of JayKay Wealth Advisors, Kanchan oversees the administration, compliance and trades. She is also actively engaged in the Chinmaya Mission and as President of `the Indo American Cancer Awareness Network (IACAN) – an organization that seeks to educate and support those suffering from cancer in the Indo American community.

The couple love to travel and consider Sorrento, Italy, their most memorable holiday. When not working, Kanchan designs costumes for Indian dances and is a makeup artist. She is also a marathon runner while he unwinds by playing – no, it’s not table tennis – but golf!

May 30, 2013