HOUSTON: The IACCGH NexGen Exchange had their Fall 2018 Young Minds Panel at the University of Houston on Wednesday November 14. In partnership with UH CEO (Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization), NexGen invited three young and successful entrepreneurs to speak and answer questions on the panel. The panelists were: Franceska McCaughan (Founder of Franzie’s Flower Design and CEO of Franzie’s Flower Friends), Bonnie Treece (Owner of The Brain Domain), and Prasanth Chilukuri (Co-Founder and CFO of Sparkplug Studios). The event was moderated by Anish Nagar (Business Development and Growth Manager at Governance360 Enterprise Solutions Inc.).
The audience was packed with young professionals and students with a commonality of interest in business and entrepreneurship. The panelists discussed reasons they chose to become entrepreneurs along with challenges they faced along the journey. Collectively, the dream for more time paired with curiosity were the driving factors for why the panelists chose the entrepreneurship route. They also focused on the importance of time management and of building out their team.
“There’s never the right time and you never feel fully prepared. You have to be willing to put in the time and seed money. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. When is the right time? When you are ready to take the jump!” Franceska. The event concluded with a Q&A session and group pictures.
HOUSTON:The holiday season is an exciting time of year and should be enjoyed responsibly. Many people are driving in a rushed or reckless manner, due to the frenzy of completing shopping lists or going to festivities. Further, there is a high percentage of accidents caused by impaired or drunk driving, resulting in fatal or serious injuries. If you or a loved one were injured by a drunk driver, please call 911 to report the accident and immediately seek medical treatment. The police report will clearly evidence whether any motorist was driving under the influence for your claim. Please also keep a record of all treatment completed including all expenses. It is important to hire a competent attorney to represent victims of drugged or drunk driving accidents to receive just compensation.
The Texas Department of Transportation reported a total of 3,342 fatal crashes in 2017. Of those, 910 were caused by drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There were an additional 2,169 serious injuries and 5,666 non-incapacitating injuries also caused by drunk driving. Statistics also show that the most dangerous time to be on the road is between 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., especially on Saturdays and/or holidays. The Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 further explains driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a criminal charge for drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.08% caused by drugs or alcohol. In Texas, driving while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injuries, is a third degree felony. Also, DWI’s resulting in fatalities is a felony charge and sometimes called “manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon” or “intoxication manslaughter”. Under the Texas Transportation Code Section 521.342, driving under the influence (DUI) is a criminal charge specifically for drivers under age 21, with any trace of alcohol in their blood. Those that have suffered damages from a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol may file a civil lawsuit against the driver to receive full compensation for all losses.
Victims of drunk driving can recover total economic damages including: medical care, therapy, nursing facilities, counseling, property damage, lost income, disability, funeral expenses. Medical care for these serious injuries include but are not limited to: spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, disfigurement, paralysis, loss of limbs, and wrongful death. These damages are difficult to cope with for victims and loved ones, both physically and emotionally. Thus, physical pain and mental anguish, or non-economic damages, may also be claimed which can be three times the total economic damages. Any driver under the influence is responsible for all resulting harm because drivers are held to a reasonable, prudent operator duty of care standard to other drivers on the road, passengers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. Further, lost wages may be claimed if there is difficulty working due to chronic pain, disfigurement, or disability and in effect, causing a financial burden.
If you or a loved one is a victim of a drunk driver, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced attorney to make sure the negligent driver does not escape and is held accountable for all damages suffered! An experienced attorney will help prove all injuries. No one should pay out of pocket for damages caused by a negligent or drunk driver and entitled to receive full compensation. The Law Office of Sharma & Associates, PC wishes everyone a safe and joyful holiday!
Mala Sharma
About the Author: Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997. Mala has been appointed leadership roles for the American Bar Association GP Solo and GP Solo YLD division, is Board member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Past President of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, and prior board member of the South Asian Bar Association. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association. Mala Sharma has been selected to the 2019 Texas Rising Stars by Super Lawyers. Mala has also been selected as 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorney for 2018-2019, Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers for 2018-2019, and Texas Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney by Attorney and Practice Magazine for 2019.
This material is available for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. If you require advice or assistance, you may contact her at office number 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
From left: The Matharoo sisters of Toronto ; Gulshan Kumar of T-Series YouTube Channel and Mastanamma of Gudiwada, Andhra Pradesh.
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: To confirm that Indians the world over are marking their mark in this electronic digital age, there are three stories that are making the rounds these days that owe their very prominence to social media. All three have made their marks through persistence, though one – the story of the Matharoo sisters – has its basis in the much older mores of courtesans mingled in with Instagram accounts that have drawn millions of followers.
T-Series
You might consider clips from some American stars like Taylor Swift or Justin Bieber as the most watched channels for the web-connected crowd, but the millions of people who follow them are nothing compared to those who follow the Indian channel T-Series.
Though not widely known in the US, T-Series is an Indian music label and film production company with the most watched YouTube channel in the world with over 53 billion views. It gains 10,000 subscribers a day and will overcome PewDiePie to become the most subscribed channel on YouTube. It was started in the 1980s by Gulshan Kumar, a former fruit-juice seller and cassette tape operator who also issued pirated recordings of Bollywood blockbusters. By the mid-1990s, the company became a conglomerate of film, television, real estate and even toothpaste and detergent companies. Scored
With the advent of smartphones that can reach 200 million people in India, and through partnerships, T-Series has 70 million subscribers and last year, Guru Randhawa’s “Lahore” scored 615 million views. In addition, T-Series has 28 other channels each geared to a different audience in their own Indian language. It is one of three Indian channels on Socialblade’s list of 10 most influential YouTube channels, the other two being ZeeTV and YRF. It hopes to crossover Bollywood artists and make T-Series a household name the world over.
Jyoti and Kiran Matharoo
Push over the Kardashian sisters as the Matharoo sisters of Toronto have taken the world stage by courting romances with a series of fabulously wealthy billionaire Nigerian boyfriends. They have accumulated so many luxury items that they have converted a bedroom in their Toronto home to a walk-in closet.
In their native country Jyoti, 31 and Kiran, 32 are known as the “Canadian Kardashians” for their unbashful pursuit of material things. Born and raised in Toronto by middle-class parents who had immigrated from India, the sisters’ lives changed in 2008 when Jyoti met a Nigerian billionaire who flew them away in his private jet and whisked them to his mansion. They gained a notoriety, fueled by Instagram posts, which made them the favorites of Nigerian gossip blogs.
But the fantastic lifestyle ended abruptly in 2016 when they were arrested by Nigerian police for spreading scandalous rumors of the Nigerian elite and held for a week in detention till they made a confession video. When they returned to Toronto, the worst was not over for Kiran who was arrested and held in Italy for 40 days awaiting extradition to Nigeria. Meanwhile, Jyoti was gaining success in modeling and recipe on Snapchat and Instagram and now, both free, the sisters want to focus on themselves.
Mastanamma, 107 years-old
Most unexpectedly, Mastanamma achieved global popularity when she turned 105. Her great-grandson Karre Laxman took a video of her cooking her delicious eggplant curry and posted it on YouTube and in two years she was the star of the YouTube Channel “Country Foods” with a million subscribers. According to Srinath Reddy, who started the channel, she knew she was famous and she loved it. She became an internet sensation. There are now hundreds of videos of her cooking in her unique way and the channels has had 200 million views.
Born in a rural village in Andhra Pradesh, Karre Mastanamma married at 11 years old, her husband died at 22 and left her to care for 5 children. To support her family, she worked as a laborer and lived in a small hut made of palm leaves in the village of Gudiwada.
She suffered from cataracts, wore dentures, cooked on an open fire outside and sometimes roasted chicken in a steaming watermelon. She squatted over teaming pots and made snails, catla fish, emu egg fry and had a sense of humor of her life. She loved cooking for others, giving them portions of the dishes she cooked on banana leaves. In April, Mastanamma celebrated her 107th birthday with a party, surrounded by children. Several months later she fell ill, slipped into unconsciousness and last week died peacefully in Gudiwada
If you go to any South Asian party, chances are that you’ll be served samosas for snacks. These pyramid shaped appetizers are even available in the frozen food sections in large, medium and cocktail sizes, have crossed over into the mainstream stores and the name has become part of the vernacular. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Samose recipe, which is perfect with chutney and hot tea. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.
Here is another North Indian snack that has migrated not just to the rest of India but around the world. It is perhaps the most popular Indian snack due to its neat triangular appearance, variety of stuffings and flaky texture when cooked right. The closest Western snack to it is probably the empananda which is a baked, long, shell-shaped which originated in Spain and Portugal in the Moorish period of the 8th century and has made its way to Latin America.
In India, the corner store halweis (confectioners) generally make samosas for an afternoon tea snack, but in larger stores they are available all day. Some people will sometimes eat a whole meal of samosas rolled up in a roti, with a little chutney or with semi-dry chole (garbanzos) as a heavy appetizer. Samosas are usually made with maida (finely milled, refined and bleached wheat flour), like puff-pastries.
Although most people associate samosas with India, it may come as a surprise to learn that, just like sone halwa which came from Turkey, samosas originated before the 10th century in the Middle East where they are known as sambosa. They were introduced to India in the 13th or 14th century by Arab traders and are mentioned in the Mughal courts as sambusak.
Samosas are generally served hot and eaten with mint or imbli (tamarind) chutney. They now come in small bite size to serve with cocktails and of course, the large Punjabi style, usually stuffed with potatoes and peas.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup maida (fine bleached wheat flour)
• ½ cup pani (water) – enough to make the dough
• ¼ cup tael (vegetable oil)
• 1 lb aloo (potatoes) – avoid russet as the mash easily
• ¼ cup mutter (peas) – if frozen, then defrost first
1. Place the aloo in a medium pot full of water and bring them to a boil. When tender (but not mushy), remove the aloo, discard the water and let the aloo cool down.
2. Peel the aloo and chop into small pieces. Pour a tablespoon of oil into a skillet over medium heat and stir fry the potatoes till they are a little brown. Stir in the namak, mirch, dhania and garam masala to taste.
3. For the samosas shells, in a bowl, pour in the maida then add the oil and sprinkle in some warm water, mixing well to make the dough. Judge the amount of water needed so that the dough is semi-hard and not too soft otherwise the samosa shell will fall apart. Cover the dough and leave it covered for at least 30 minutes.
4. Take an inch round piece of dough and make a ball out of it. Now roll it out like a 1/8 inch thick roti and cut into half.
5. With your hand, form a holder between your fingers and your thumb. Place the half-cut dough in this cavity and then close the straight ends by pinching them off to make a cone.
6. Take a spoonful of the aloo-mutter mixture and place it in the cone. Now pinch off the open top end. Repeat till all the dough is finished and place the filled cones on a tray. Sprinkle the bottom of the tray with some dry maida so that the filled cones do not stick.
7. Heat some frying oil in a karahi (wok) over high heat. Throw in a small dab of dough to make sure the oil is very hot, and then turn the heat to medium. Take a filled cone and release it into the hot oil. Keep doing this till the surface of the oil is covered with filled cones.
8. When one side is slightly brown, turn it over using a sieved spatula and turn over a few times to make sure both sides are cooked. Be careful that they do not become dark brown. Take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
9. Samosas are best when served hot with some tomato ketchup or mint chutney.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK: GREASE THE PALMS WHEN MAKING SAMOSAS, PINNIS AND OTHER PASTRIES
One of the things many young and inexperienced cooks ask is that when they make the dough balls, cones for samosas, pinnis or laddus, the atta (flour) sticks to their hands. Some try to use a little water on their palms to make the atta stick less, but this usually makes matters worse. Also, it is recommended for pinnis and laddus which can be kept for long periods without refrigeration, but the moment some water is added to them they will begin to spoil.
The best thing to do dab your palms with a little bit of oil and keep replenishing as often as you need to. This works most of the time, and as they say, “if you want to cook well, you have to get your hands oily”!!
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 (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.
HOUSTON: The emotions in the packed hall of over 200 people were charged with love and adulation for a saint who lived among us five centuries ago and preached a message of universality, inclusiveness and brotherhood that has transcended the generations and been the founding stone for one of the world’s great religions; Sikhism.
Looking over the faces of the invited guests who sat at the round tables laid out in the main banquet hall of India House, Dr. Raj Bhalla spoke about the life of Nanak from his birth in 1469 in the village of Talwandi (now in Pakistan) to his death in 1539 and the evolution of his beliefs and teachings that attracted his followers.
Raj and Kanwal Bhalla, the co-hosts of the celebration at India House on Saturday, December 1
Bhalla related the famous incident when Nanak, born to a Hindu family, received 20 rupees from his father Mehta Kalu to buy goods to start a trading business. Instead Nanak took the money to buy clothes, food and medicine and distributed them among the destitute in the village, saying it was a true bargain to help the needy.
Bhalla went on to describe Nanak’s life, his wanderings across the world and how his reputation grew and spread as a wise spiritual teacher and philosopher. He described the hermitage in Kartarpur where Guru Nanak spent 18 years of his life and introduced the practice of three daily prayers and a langar or community kitchen.
Raj Bhalla with Surendra Adhana, Deputy Consul General with the Consulate of India
A retired colonel from the Indian Army and a devout Sikh, Bhalla and his wife Kanwal, have endeared themselves to the Indian community through their many acts of generosity towards many causes as well as the general well-being of community-wide projects.
Bhalla, 87, has been active in the India Culture Center as a former director, president and trustee and within the governing committee of India House. He is also a proud freemason who has worked with his lodge in Richmond (a suburb of Houston) to help the mainstream community and was honored in October 2017 with a special ceremony naming the lodge hall in his honor.
Directors of the India Culture Center who co-hosted the event, from left Rajiv Bhavsar, Charlie Patel, President Nisha Mirani and Swapan Dhairyawan with Raj Bhalla
With the help of his fellow directors from the ICC Swapan Dhairyawan, Charlie Patel and Rajiv Bhavsar, and especially current President Nisha Mirani, Bhalla arranged for the commemoration of Guru Nanak’s 550th birthyear by arranging a fittingly celebratory program that lasted 90 minutes and was followed by dinner catered by Bombay Brasserie.
The Indian government has proclaimed this year and the next as a commemorative period to mark Guru Nanak’s life and teachings and has asked all its missions across the globe to hold special events in his honor.
Riyaaz Qawali group, led by Sonny mehta, peformed three devotional songs in praise of Guru Nanak’s teachings
Although this was a private event hosted by Bhalla and the ICC, the Deputy Consul General Surendra Adhana attended the function and spoke briefly. He explained how the Indian Government has been able to negotiate with the Pakistani Government to open a land corridor for pilgrims without requiring a visa from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur, only two miles from the border, on the bank of the Ravi River where Guru Nanak set up his first ashram. The corridor project has commenced with founding stones laid on November 26 in India and November 28 in Pakistan. He also said that the Lodhi-Sultanpur township would be developed and the Sikh Gurbani translated into all major Indian and world languages.
Sukhdev Singh on the harmonium and Agampal Singh on the tabla performed a closing kirtan
The event started with a video clip of a shabad gurbani sung at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and later a video clip of Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj proclaiming the start of Guru Nanak’s 550th Anniversary celebration. On the small stage, under a picture of Guru Nanak, the hometown group of Riyaaz Qawali with a growing following, led by Sonny Mehta sang three rousing devotional songs spun in their unique style. And Sukhdev Singh on the harmonium, accompanied by his son Agampal Singh on the tabla, sang a closing kirtan.
SUGAR LAND: Established in 1995 to provide education to children in Mumbai slums, Pratham (which means “first” in Sanskrit) is one of the largest and most successful non-governmental education organizations in India. Since its inception, Pratham has transformed the lives of more than 58 million underserved children and youth across 21 of India’s 29 states. In addition, Pratham has equipped 100,000 youth with relevant job skills and entrepreneurship opportunities.
On Saturday, December 1, Pratham-Houston participated in Run Houston Sugar Land through Reason 2 Race with Pratham as the supporting cause at the Skeeter’s Stadium in Sugar Land. Each event hosted by, Run Houston race brings over a thousand participants to engage during the event—from volunteers, to sponsors, to organizations raising funds for their charities, and of course those who run for the causes they are raising awareness for their charity of choice.
Saloni Pargaonkar
This year, Pratham Houston participated in the Sugar Land Race and was well represented with over 15 team members. The participants ranged in all ages and backgrounds, who enrolled in both available options, physically running or register in Reason2Race virtual option, which allows anyone anywhere to take part in this event. One of our youngest enthusiasts was Saloni Pargaonkar (age 5), who took on the challenge to complete the 5k, while bringing attention to a cause very close to her heart. Her passion for reading was matched with her ambitious goal of raising $500. We are very proud to announce that she not only reached her goal, but also exceeded it by raising a total of $1464, which led her to be the second largest fundraiser through Reason 2 Run-Sugar Land Race!
We are excited to have her along with many other supporting members of Pratham continue the fundraising efforts with passion and determination! We are also very thankful to Gabrielle and Bill Baumeyer for creating Reason 2 Race and working with Pratham USA to build a team that is giving us the platform to raise funds and awareness through the events. The five part Houston race series begins again in 2019 with the first race on January 1, 2019 at the Sam Houston Race Park. The series kick off will begin another 5 races for the year that will each have a Pratham team presence and fundraising page.
To find more information about donating to the cause or upcoming participating events and deadlines, please visit https://www.reason2race.com/nonprofits and select Pratham USA. To support Pratham, please contact Mani Surkari at mani@prathamusa.org or visit www.prathamusa.org.
Our upcoming events include the Holiday Luncheon on December 7, at Junior League of Houston and 20th anniversary celebrations of Pratham USA at our annual gala on Saturday, April 20, at Hilton Americas where we will be honoring founder of Pratham USA, Mr. Vijay Goradia.
Arya Samaj Houston honored as Model Arya Samaj of the World
HOUSTON: Arya Samaj Houston is in jubilation mood, having won another feather in its cap. The worldwide movement of Arya Samaj founded by Maharshi Dayanand, to raise intellectual, moral and spiritual stature of humankind is well coordinated by its apex body in Delhi, called Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha. The apex leadership began to organize a large-scale annual gathering from the year 2006 in Delhi, shifting to a different country every year but returning to Delhi every 6 years in the age-old tradition of Kumbh Mela (Fair). So, 2012 also saw a huge gathering in Delhi, followed by the recent one during October 25 to 28, 2018.
Indian President Kovind inaugurates International Arya Mahasammelan-2018 at New Delhi
Arya Samaj Houston was recognized as the Model Arya Samaj among thousands of units worldwide for immaculate functioning and wide-ranging contribution, principally through:
· Vedic education via Sunday morning assemblies
· DAV Montessori School, a regular elementary school
· DAV Sanskriti School, the Sunday school
Mass Havan by 10,000 People
The contingent from Arya Samaj Houston attended the Delhi gathering with great enthusiasm led by Dev & Sushma Mahajan who pioneered its continuous rise since inception. One afternoon session in the main hall began with the handover of an illuminating shield to Dev Mahajan witnessed by the cheering crowd of about 100,000. Yes, you read it right – the figure is one hundred thousand from all over the globe. The statistics of the gathering are mind blowing:
· Two hundred thousand people attended the 4-day event, ferried from airports and train stations at no cost, provided room and food at no cost
· 3.3 million square foot of covered area in the main hall and other 19 halls holding parallel events to every taste
· 35,000 people stayed in the makeshift tents in the public ground with individual beds
· About 2000 people from 32 countries were accommodated in star hotels for free
· 10,000 individuals performed Havan in unison, a spectacular site at dusk, a new world record, witnessed by the Guinness Book team
· A large-scale event without a single untoward incident
Arya Samaj Houston made its presence felt in more ways than the above recognition. The event was inaugurated by the president of India and we were told that the president attended for the first time an event in the public ground; what an exception he made to Arya Samaj to express his gratitude that it was Arya Samaj and its premier educational institute in Kanpur (DAV College) that provided his education when he hailed from a family with meager means. And, the icing on the cake was the only song that was presented in presence of the president; its lyrics by our own, director of the Sanskriti School, Acharya Kavitaji, dedicated to Rishi Dayanand. Another noteworthy event was a specialist 4-day workshop on Vedic Unified Theory of Matter & Consciousness for the foreign delegates, conceived and designed by our own Acharya Harish-Chandraji that ran parallel, in a separate nearby venue.
ASGH can be reached at http://aryasamajhouston.org or https://davss.aryasamajhouston.org/ or director.davss@aryasamaj.org
HOUSTON: Bihar Association of North America (BANA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, held its Annual Cultural Festival on November 24, at Durga Bari in Houston to celebrate it’s Silver Jubilee Year. The primary purpose of BANA is to foster culture and education in the Greater Houston Area.
It was evening full of music, dance and play. The evening started with Ganesh Vandana by Khyatee and Anjuli, two students of Uma Nagarsheth of the Natya Upasana Dance Academy. It was a fusion of old and new beats, combining north Indian classical Kathak and displaying the vibrancy of Kathak with a modern twist. A group of 5 under 7 girls (Nandika, Raina, Mansi, Saanvi and Anusha) peformed a dance to the tunes of Deepawali and Ghoomar songs and showed mystical rotational movements. The dance was choreographed by Namita Maharana. Namita and Abhilasha peformed a Bollywood number to the tunes of the classical songs “Paan khaye saiyan humaro” and “nainonwale ne”.
For the last several years BANA middle and high school children have formed a very talented musical team for orchestra. The instruments used by the team included acoustic guitar (Antara), electric guitar (Arya), flute (Pari), keyboard (Pranay), violin (Abhinav), drums (Harsh) and tabla (Shomik). This was an extremely well directed musical performance by Tanushree Mishra with her group of young singers (Sweta and Tony). Special melodiuos vocal performances by Mithuya Choudhury and Tanushree Mishra on songs from the 70s Bollywood films were another highlight of the evening. Several Bhojpuri folk songs were part of the evening and included “Patna Se Baida Bulai Dha” by Shikha, “Veer Kunwar Singh” by Mithuya and “Sundar Subhumi Bhaiya” by Tanushree and was very much appreciated by the audience. Another highlight of the show was a “Lazy Dance” by seven laziest dancers you will ever see to some popular Hindi Songs. The performers were Ravi, Binay, Atul, Rakesh, Umesh, Sanjay and Santosh. It was choreographed by Ravi Choudhary. It was the funniest and rib-tickling performance of the evening.
The second half of the show was a play directed by Dr. Chandeswar Sharma and titled “Veer Kunwar Singh Mara Nahin”. Veer Kunwar Singh Mara Nahin was a play with current and historical context. The play had dramatic twists and several songs to keep everybody entertained. It evoked stalwart historical heroes from India’s fight for freedom from the British. The play depicted that oppression and evil exist in every age but it is up to us whether we tolerate it or fight it. The actors were Dr. Chandeshwar Sharma, Praveen Srivastava, Vinay Karna, Bidhu Prakash, Binay Anand, Arvind Maharana, Rashmi Singh, Mithuya Choudhary, Amrita Srivastav and Tanushree Mishra. The music was supported by Shomik Verma, Sweta Gupta, and Joel Adimathra. The Sutradhar of the play was Soni Mishra.
The evening was emceed by four high school students, Arya, Ananya, Abhinav and Pari. They kept the entire audience entertained by their wonderful knowledge of drama, music, dance, movies, and the arts of the region of Bihar and Jharkhand. They were very well directed by Ravi Choudhury.
BANA also anounced its Annual Service Awards. The 2018 Lifetime Achievment award went to Dr. Chandeshwar Sharma and Mrs. Kunjan Sharma for their outstanding contributions to BANA in performing arts and leadership for the last twenty years. The oustanding service award went to Dr. Nazish Hoda for his continued selfless support to all BANA events for the last 4 years and youth service award went to Shikha Karna for her oustanding contributions in the performing arts for the last five years.
BANA anounced the results of the election for 2019-2020, and Atul Sinha will take over, from Dr. Santosh Verma, as President of BANA. His committee also includes Praveen Srivastava, Manish Sinha, Amaresh Mishra, Rajeev Jha, Prabhakar Sinha, and Amit Kumar.
Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General of India in New York (left), Anupam Kher, Navtej Singh Sarna, Indian Ambassador to the United States, and Rajender Singh.
HOUSTON: Rajender Singh, CEO of Star promotion has brought around a hundred victorious shows across multiple cities. Rajender has had the privilege of garner-ing an esteemed reputation within Bollywood biggies and dignitaries. He was recently invited to the Texas Governor’s Mansion where he celebrated Diwali with the Abbotts. He has been like family to many of the Bollywood stars, and one such big name is the Bollywood legend Anupam Kher. Last weekend he was in New York visiting the actor while Anupam Kher was shooting for his NBC series New Amsterdam. In the evening they met with Navtej Singh Sarna, Indian Ambassador to the United States and Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General of India in New York. Rajender described it as “ memorable evening with great company & good Food”.
The Board of Directors and Trustees of the India Culture Center after the elections for vacant positions on Sunday, December 3 at India House.
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON:As the year comes to an end, another ritual of the closing month drew the members of the India Culture Center together to hold its annual elections this past Sunday, December 2 at India House. Outside, on a crisp, sunny day, the grounds of the center off West Bellfort were filled with players from a soccer league that has rented the sprawling facility for a league playoff for the past two weeks and the parking lot filled up with spectators and athletes.
Inside the center which has become the focal point and pride of the Indian community, ICC President Nisha Mirani gave a rundown of the close of another year of events under its belt, from those the organization had organized alone like its flagship Indian Republic Day event and the Indian Independence Day festival, to those it had participated in as a co-organizer and those it was a collaborator and had lent its name as a supporter.
After she had rattled off the list of achievements, Mirani paused for impact at the latest event which had not been on its radar until only a couple of weeks ago but of which the 45 year-old organization was most proud of. Brought to the ICC by one of its former Directors, President and Trustee Dr. Raj Bhalla, the event marked the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith. The simple but reverent event was held at India House the night before, December 1 (see page XX).
After she had finished, Swapan Dhairyawan, another former Director, President and Trustee offered a summary of the audited accounts of the year performed by his accounting firm, MDA Associates. A brief discussion ensued about the future goals and plans for the ICC.
The elections of the 8 vacant seats on the ICC Board were conducted by the Election Commissioners Sam Merchant and this reporter. Only two people had sent in their nominations: Hemant Patel and Namish Sheth in absenteeism, both past Directors.
The remainder were solicited from the floor and 6 more people were nominated and approved by voice vote. They were Dr. Raj Bhalla for a one year position and the remaining 6 for two year terms: Dr. Sarita Mehta, a new Director; Sapna Shah, a former Director; Lachmann Das, a former President, Trustee and Director; Kiran Shah, a past Director and Sai Rajkonda, a new Director.
With the conclusion of the elections, the newly constituted ICC Board held its first general body meeting. Elections for 3 Trustees and the Executive Committee will be held in early January. The ICC will hold its first flagship event of 2019, the Indian Republic Day celebration on Sunday, January 27 at the Stafford Civic Centre of Cash Road.
SUGAR LAND: The UK government announced the 2019 Marshall scholarship Winners for 2019 on Dec 3, 2018. One of the Indian-Americans to win the schorlaship is Shomik Verma from the Houston Area. Verma went to school in Fort Bend ISD and graduated from Clements High School in Sugar Land in 2015. Currently he is a senior studying mechanical engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and has been named one of this year’s 48 recipients chosen for the prestigious Marshall Scholarship.
Verma was chosen from among more than 1,000 applicants throughout the country and is the 29th Marshall recipient from Duke. He is the fifth Duke engineering student to earn the honor, and the first since 2011. Duke University President Vincent E. Price congratulated Shomik on behalf of the entire university community and mentioned that Shomik has contributed not only in the classroom and lab but also through public service, cultural engagement and residential leadership.
“Shomik stands out among our student organizations’ leadership as being one of the most responsible, involved and passionate leaders that I have seen in over a decade with dozens of student groups each year,” said Linda Franzoni, associate dean for undergraduate education at the Pratt School of Engineering.
Verma has also been selected for a Goldwater Scholarship and a Udall Scholarship earlier this year. Pratt faculty has chosen Verma to be both a Grand Challenge Scholar and a Pratt Fellow, honors that offer extensive lab experience. He was also elected to Tau Beta Pi and serves as co-president of Pi Tau Sigma.
Verma has pursued research in building a hydrogen fuel cell car and leading a Duke student team to a Guinness World Record for the most fuel-efficient human-carrying prototype vehicle ever built. Verma is also president of the Duke Energy Club, through which he has worked with Duke’s Energy Initiative to create three new assistantships for students to do energy research with faculty, and is co-president of the Duke Smart Home, a living-learning community where residents live in a LEED platinum building and work on technological solutions to sustainability issues.
Skilled in playing an Indian classical drum called the tabla, Verma has worked to increase the visibility of Duke’s South Asian music group, Sangeet, on campus. This effort led to their first-ever performance in Duke Chapel during a Diwali service in fall of 2017.
“At Duke, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to ‘live the science’ through various hands-on experiences,” said Verma. “Whether it’s living at the Smart Home, installing solar panels or building high-efficiency vehicles, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits novel energy technologies can have on the environment and human health. Seeing these real-world applications motivates me to pursue a research career to develop innovative solutions to energy challenges.”
Fascinated by the potential of renewable energy technologies to radically reduce human impact on the environment, Verma will join the lab of Dr. Rachel Evans at Cambridge University to pursue his near-term objective of developing novel materials that increase the efficiency of solar photovoltaic cells.
“When I first received the call that I was selected as a Marshall Scholar, I was in utter disbelief,” Verma said. “I had to check my phone’s call history several times to make sure I didn’t dream the whole thing! I’m so thankful for the support of my family, friends and advisors, and I’m beyond excited to spend the next two years in the UK working on developing the next generation of solar technology.”
Marshall Scholarships were established in 1953 by the British government to honor the ideals of the Marshall Plan and the special US/UK relationship.
Marshall Scholarships finance Details on the scholars is available at http://www.marshallscholarship.org.
Ethical and Social issues in Genomics Research and Synthetic Biology
HOUSTON: Dr. Krishna Dronamraju, President of the Foundation for Genetic Research in Houston, recently delivered the Keynote address to the 9th World Gene Convention in Singapore.
Genome sequencing and genome studies have raised fears of ethical, legal, social and medical concerns with no satisfactory solutions in sight. Foremost among these are the risks of discrimination, public exposure of private records with the consequent fears of possible blackmail, loss of income and employment, loss of insurance protection and medical coverage, exposure of confidential information which could result in divorce and disruption of family life, social stigma, embarrassment, and possible legal actions and other complications. When an individual undergoes whole genome sequencing, they reveal information about not only their own DNA sequences, but also about probable DNA sequences of their close genetic relatives. This information can further reveal useful predictive information about the present and future health risks of relatives.
Hence, there are important questions about what obligations, if any, are owed to the family members of the individuals who are undergoing genetic testing. A major ethical dilemma can develop when the patients refuse to share information on a diagnosis that is made for serious genetic disorder that is highly preventable and where there is a high risk to relatives carrying the same disease mutation. Privacy concerns can also arise when whole genome sequencing is used in scientific research studies.
Are individuals participating in research studies free to leave anytime during the investigation of their family? Are they free to communicate the results to anyone outside or inside the family? How can they handle discrimination in employment and insurance coverage because of their genetic disease?
Dr. Krishna Dronamraju is the President of the Foundation for Genetic Research in Houston and a Visiting Professor of the University of Paris. He is the author of 22 books and numerous research publications in Genetics and Biotechnology.
In the cold and often rainy or snowy winter months, when you are in need of some warm comfort food, this dish is a perfect fit and is so easy to make. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Besan de Poode recipe, which is perfect with chutney and hot tea. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.
Besan (chickpea or garbanzo) flour is used throughout India to make many dishes and is commonly used for batter to make pakoras or fritters in. Besan is a most versatile flour that is also used in making boondi, laddu, papad, dhokla and many of the popular spicy snacks that are sold in stores. In the Punjab, the two most popular dishes using Besan are kaddi and besan di sabzi or gutte and of course there are several sweets dishes made with besan.
Besan is also used to make this quick bread which resembles a flour pancake, except it is usually salty and spicy, though, when made thick and smaller in diameter, it is usually sweet and uses different types of aromatic herbs like saunf (fennel). You spread the batter in a circle over hot oil on a black tava (flatplate) and the sizzling sound and aroma immediately makes your mouth water in anticipation!
Besan is high in carbohydrates and somewhat high in protein but has no gluten, which makes it not suitable for those trying to lose weight (especially when it is fried). Besan is rich in folate, iron, magnesium (47%), phosphorus (45%) and potassium (18%) as well as thiamin and vitamin B6.
Besides these attributes, besan also makes an excellent scrub and mask for skin care and can also help in fighting seasonal allergies during the cold months. In home remedies, besan poode are given to people to help reduce their sugar levels.
The spicy besan pooda is a comfort food often eaten with pickles and is most satisfying eaten during the rainy Monsoon season, along with some hot tea. Poode are also called “chilla” by people from Uttar Pradesh. You can even make sweet poode using wheat flour, but that is an entirely different recipe.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour) – makes four 6-inch round poode
• ½ cup dahin (plain yogurt)
• 1 medium pyaaz (onion) – peeled and chopped
• ½ cup pani (water)
• 1 teaspoon of vegetable or olive oil for each pooda
• Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper). If desired, add ajwain (bishop’s weed, caraway, carom seeds, or thymol seeds) for a slightly bitter taste.
Directions:
1. Chop the onions and set aside.
2. Mix the chickpea flour, yogurt and water together; then add the onions and spices and beat the mixture till it becomes a paste: it should not be too thin else the pooda will not cook and will remain wet inside.
3. For each pooda, heat the oil on a high flame on a tava (hotplate) or in a frying pan. Pour a small amount of mixture and spread it to make a 6-inch circle. When tiny holes start to form on the surface, check to see in the bottom side is cooked. If so, use a spatula and flip the pooda over.
4. Cook the other side till the pooda is not moist, but do not let it cook too long or become brown.
5. Place the pooda on a plate and serve with mint chutney or ketchup.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK: DRINK HOT MILK MIXED WITH HALDI AS AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOR ACHES
The main spice that gives Indian food its distinct yellow coloring is haldi (turmeric) although too much of it can cause the food to taste burnt and inedible. For centuries, turmeric has also been used in rural India for its ayurvedic healing qualities as a first aid for minor scrapes, burns, infections and insect bites.
In the winter months when you are more prone to getting a cough or some other soreness or mild internal infection, drinking some haldi can do quick wonders, though the taste takes some getting used to. Simply warm 1 teaspoon of haldi in warm milk and drink it down before sleeping for 4 days to a week. The infection or inflammation will go down immediately and you’ll feel better in the morning.
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 (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.
HOUSTON: On Sunday, November 11, at the Ayva Center in Houston; Texas crowned new Indo-American Ambassadors as Miss/Teen/Mrs. India USA Texas. The newly crowned queens received a yearlong agreement with a nationally recognized leading talent management agency, internship opportunities and a chance to represent the Cowboy Capital of the World, Texas at Miss India USA.
The evening was studded with glamour and the set up was absolutely marvelous. Thirty applicants were vetted through an application and personal interview process and the top five finalists from each category competed to win the titles and the crowns.
Sage Productions has been successfully hosting this event for the past four years and as DJ Sage (Sajawal Dass) stated in his speech, “This year our team wanted to invite everyone who has supported us over the years and thank them for their continuous support to all of our efforts in building a stronger and more empowered community.” To this, Abiya Olivia Malhotra added “We are grateful for all the support and are humbled by how much the community believes in our platform. We are forever indebted to our parents, siblings and friends for becoming our voices of reason and encouraging us to become better each day.” Raman Jain and Adil Dass agreed and thanked all the supporters as well. The team of Sage Productions thanked their long term sponsors and supporters and kept the event intimate and by invitation only. Some honorable mentions for their long term supporters were: Moid Khan, Tariq Khan, Irfaan Moosa, Amir Ali Dodhiya, Najam Sheikh, Zeeshan Nimri, Gaurav Hariyani, Mr. and Mrs. Saeed Sheikh, Mr. and Mrs. Tahir Javed, Rajendar Singh, Mr. and Mrs. Umang Mehta, Mr. and Mrs. Rajesh Desai, Mr. and Mrs. Vipin Kumar, Vanshika Vipin, Subaika Faraz, Navroz Prasala, Gitesh Desai, Achlesh Amar, Dharm Bali, Pattrick Bocco, Lipika Sharma, Curve Hospitality, Hooked on Henna, Studio S, Threadz USA, Parinaz A Boutique, Rehan Siddiqi, Noor of Noor Ladds, Texans Energy, Discount Power, Sunil & Sandhya Thakkar, Mr. and Mrs. Inder Singh Randhawa, Riya Madhyani, Priyanka Sharma, Madhulika, Guddi Shah, Wajeeha Rashid, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin D’Costa, Marium Lakhany, Manal Lakhay, Falak Lakhany and everyone from the community who has been supportive of our efforts from the time that we conceptualized the event.
The program started with Dr. Shama Rasheed being introduced as the Emcee for the show. She is a leading psychiatrist and has been pivotal in assisting Sage Productions in transforming the format of the pageant this year. After a rigorous training process, the top five finalists met with the panel of judges for a 20 minute personal interview. Each finalist had to answer a series of questions and each finalist was graded on the accuracy, validity and confidence of her responses. Thereafter, the contestants competed in Ethnic Wear, Talent and Evening Gown Wear rounds.
The judges were mesmerized by how every lady on that stage walked with poise and charisma. The honorary panel of judges included: Aneil Singh Kainth (DJ Intense) CEO of Intense Music from Canada, Juuhi Ahuja CEO of Wisemen Corporation, Katie Jones Executive Director of American Lung Association in Texas, Sammi Khaleeq PR Leader in Houston for Celebrities, Sangeeta Dua CEO of TV Houston and Apsara Salons, Eva Elias CEO of Revalushion Talent Management Agency and Sandeep Sulhan (DJ Dholi Deep) Artist and RJ with Radio Dabang.
The hors d’oeuvres were sponsored by Capt. Rajkumar and Mrs. Meenakshi Malhotra of Captain Raj Maritime Consultants and the catering restaurant was Mezban from Houston. Sohail and Ashar made sure that the food was delivered in a timely manner and that every guest had an opportunity to taste the delicious dishes.
Special performances by Shayan (aspiring singer and composer), Abiya Olivia and Juliet George (Teen India USA Texas) kept the audience engaged and entertained. The finalists looked ravishing in their overall looks and Wajeeha Rashid with her team transformed the finalists into divas.
The top five finalists for Miss India USA Texas 2018 were:
1. Jaime Mathew
2. Natasha Gambhir
3. Caitlyn Reshma
4. Sarah Sutar
5. Mamta Dua
The top five finalists for Mrs India USA Texas 2018 were:
1. Shruthi Bekal
2. Shilpa Thakar
3. Nisha Sundaragopal
4. Nikita Kadakia
5. Mona (Chandeep) Sharma
This year Sage Productions also recognized some youth leaders who have shown an avid interest in community engagement and have the drive and passion to advocate for human rights through direct intervention and policy advocacy:
1. Hinna Akhter Kudrat was crowned Global Miss Diamond 2018
2. Deepika Verma Agarwal was crowned Global Mrs. Diamond 2018
3. Uzair Hasan was crowned Global Mr. Diamond 2018
4. Juliet George was crowned Teen India Texas 2018
Winners for Miss India USA Texas 2018 were:
1. Natasha Gambhir was crowned Miss India USA Texas 2018
2. Sarah Sutar was crowned first runner up
3. Caitlyn Reshma was crowned second runner up
Winners for Mrs India USA Texas 2018 were:
1. Shilpa Thakar was crowned Mrs India USA Texas 2018
2. Nikita Kadakia was crowned first runner up
3. Shruthi Bekal was crowned second runner up
Media Partners: Radio Dabang, Indo-American News, NTV, Aag TV, TV Houston, HUM FM, Pakistan Times. Karthik Datta was the official photographer for the show.
HOUSTON:Thanksgiving Parade is always a big draw for the thousands of people from across the Metroplex who line the route several rows deep, many in their comfortable folding chairs arriving an hour or two beforehand to get a good viewing site. Who, after all, doesn’t enjoy a good old fashioned American parade with marching bands, floats, pageantry and the colorful aspects of the city?
Over the past two decades, as Houston’s diversity has grown, many groups representing their cultures and traditions have taken part to highlight the variety inherent in the area and this year brought out many such floats and marchers. There were groups representing the Chinese, Filipino, American-Indian (for the first time), Sister Cities project and the Sikh Americans from the Sikh National Center for the third time.
The Sikh National Center Gurdwara participated once again in this year’s annual HEB’s Thanksgiving Day parade in downtown Houston. About 150 Sikh children, women, and men dressed in colorful Punjabi clothes, carrying the American, Texas and Sikh Religious flags walked alongside the specially decorated Sikh float. SNC Gurdwara Management Committee President Sampuran Singh, proudly stood on the float, tirelessly waiving the U.S. flag. “I am so glad that finally Sikhs are part of this large mosaic and our participation is very good for the entire community and it will strengthen our roots,” he said. Volunteers walking alongside passed out brochures of the SNC and pens bearing its website address.
The float bore messages from the Sikh community and was designed and organized by Gursharan Singh who is the Director of the Miri-Piri Sikh Gatka Dal, a local Sikh martial arts group which has also participated in such public events across the country. Gursharan and his team of 20 young Sikhs demonstrated various martial arts maneuvers – called Gatka in Punjabi – along the parade route and handed out a flyer describing the Gatka and the main Sikh principles behind this art.
Although participation in the parade entails an expense of several thousand dollars, it provided visibility for Houston area Sikhs before an estimated audience of 450,000 along the route and via TV coverage. Dr. Hardam Singh Azad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SNC, explained that “the Board is committed to bringing the Sikhs into the mainstream as proud and loyal U.S. Citizens.”
“This was a great chance to show that Sikhs are part of the mainstream America and that we are equally joyous in the Thanksgiving celebrations,” said Gursharan Singh. “This provided an opportunity for our youngsters to feel pride of being Sikh Americans.” He was tirelessly assisted by Sahibjeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Harjit Singh Galhotra, Gurmeet Singh Saini, Harsharndeep Kaur, Harleen Kaur, Jagatbir Singh and Sampuran Singh to organize the event.
The 20-acre SNC site at 7500 N. Sam Houston Parkway West (across Sam Houston Race Park) has been the focus of most of the Sikh community’s efforts for the past 16 years as a master-planned center that would house a Gurdwara as well as a boarding school, auditorium, museum, library, pavilion and residence for priests. Purchase of the site and the phased construction of the main temple building has been funded by countless donation drives.
Now the end seems to be in sight as Gurdwara elders envision holding a huge celebration of Guru Nanak’s 550th Birth Anniversary in 2019 in the new worship sanctuary. Other buildings will be built in the future.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner meets in Mumbai with Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu.
HOUSTON: From natural gas demand to tourism, tech innovation, real estate development and more, the Greater Houston Partnership trade mission to India led by Mayor Sylvester Turner found soaring opportunities for the city’s economic and cultural expansion. Houston is now a trend-setter for nurturing this relationship as the result of our trade mission,” Mayor Turner said. “I have no doubt that our business and diplomatic meetings in India will lead to more jobs, wealth, and cultural enrichment in Houston as well as in the emerging sectors of what will soon be the world’s most populous nation.”
Establishing non-stop commercial airline service between Houston and India was among the main focuses of the Nov. 9-17 trip to New Delhi and Mumbai by about 30 business and government officials. The delegation included Houston Vice Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Davis and Council Member Jack Christie, representatives from the Johnson Space Center and Houston’s Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and government and business officials from the city of Houston.
“I’d be very happy if this moves forward very fast,” India Minister of Tourism K.J. Alphons said of the quest for direct flights in a meeting with the mayor and other delegation members. He promised to work through government channels to help clear the way for airlines to obtain permission to establish such flights. “Direct flights would encourage more business activity and tourism to and from India and Houston,” Mayor Turner said after the trade mission. “It would be a win-win-win for airlines and people at both ends of the routes.”
Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner along with Council Members Jerry Davis and Jack Christie, Hasu Patel, Sanjay Ramabhadran and other community leaders visited Akshardam Temple in Delhi.
Houston is the fourth busiest gateway for trade between the U.S. and India. India is Houston’s 10th largest trading partner among nations, with $4.3 billion in trade a year, growing by 36 percent from 2017 to this year. Global energy business already triggers extensive air travel between Houston and India, which buys $1 billion worth of liquid natural gas from foreign sources every year as its booming population of 1.2 billion people creates a growing demand for energy. Mayor Turner emphasized that Houston has the right mix of know-how and corporate infrastructure to provide more LNG to India. Indian companies such as Oil India Ltd., Gail Global USA, ONGC Videsh Ltd. and Reliance operate their U.S. headquarters in Houston. Along with Indian information technology companies such as Tech Mahindra and Tata Consulting Services, they employ tens of thousands of people in the Houston area.
Mayor Turner visited executives of Reliance, one of the three largest companies in India, at their headquarters in Mumbai. Reliance buys oil in Houston to feed its refinery in India, which is larger than any in Texas, and recruited construction experts in Houston to expand an Indian hospital that the company funds as part of its social responsibility programs.
“As in many nations around the globe, conducting business in India takes more than offering the best products and services at the lowest prices. It also involves building trust through long-term business relationships,” the mayor added. “That’s why meeting with business and government contacts face to face is one of the many valuable aspects of such a trade mission.”
“The Greater Houston Partnership was pleased to bring this business delegation to New Delhi and Mumbai,” said Susan Davenport, the organization’s chief economic development officer. “From the moment we were on the ground, the connections between the Houston business community and our Indian counterparts were strong, and I am confident new business opportunities and partnerships will result from the visit.”
Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner and members of the Trade Mission delegation met with Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu.
The mayor and delegation members also met in Mumbai with India Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu and Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. In New Delhi, Mayor Turner met with executives of BP, the international energy company whose U.S. headquarters are in Houston, and with India government ministers such as Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri. Singh Puri oversees a massive national program to build housing for low-income residents. In talks with Mayor Turner about private engineering and construction firms in Houston that may want to pursue contracts for the housing program, the minister said, “I would be very happy to help you pursue this business.”
Delegation member Gabriella Rowe, chief executive of Station Houston, a startup accelerator aiming to transform Houston into a world-leading hub for technology innovation and entrepreneurship, met with India counterparts at the National Association of Software and Services Companies, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Internet and Mobile Association of India to forge innovation alliances.
The Houston delegation also included the CEO of Space Center Houston, William Harris. With India set to launch a manned space rocket in 2022, Space Center Houston stands to attract more tourists from India. Thousands of Indian tourists already visit the uniquely diverse city of Houston each year, spending an average of about $8,000 per person, and many come to visit relatives, who have had an indelible impact on the city’s kaleidoscope of cultures. The Houston area contains 82,000 people born in India and an additional 200,000 people of Indian heritage.
Mayor Turner also visited sites in New Delhi with connections to future cultural amenities in Houston for residents and visitors alike. The mayor examined the Aga Khan Development Network’s restoration and expansion of buildings and grounds at Hamayun’s Tomb, a 16th century attraction that inspired the design of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Aga Khan Foundation, led by the spiritual leader of Islam’s Ismaili movement worldwide, has announced plans to build a cultural center in central Houston.
The mayor also visited the serene Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, named for “the father of India.” Indo-Americans in Houston have purchased land in far southwest Houston to build a corresponding Gandhi museum.
Partial funding for the trade mission came from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.
Acting Consul General Surendra Adhana Lighting the Lamp
HOUSTON:The Consulate General of India, Houston on November 28, 2018 inaugurated the Passport Seva Project (PSP) in Houston. A team led by Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Rtd) V. K Singh has been in USA to launch the Project at Indian Embassy, Washington DC and in five Consulates- Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco. During the inaugural event in Houston, the Acting Consul General, Surendra Adhana joined by senior official from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. A K Singh handed over the first-ever passports printed using this project to the applicants on the spot.
Passport Applicants along with the Consular Officers
Earlier, the passports applications were processed in the Consulate in Houston, while the printing was done in India. The entire process used to take about 6-10 days. Now, with the launching of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Project in Houston, all the passports will be locally printed. It will drastically simplify the overall procedure and reduce the turnaround time. One of the applicants, who was present during the event, received his passport within 48 hours of submission of application!
Indian Citizen getting one of the first locally printed passports in Houston
The new system is aimed at enhancing the experience of the applicants in submitting their applications, ushers-in standardization, digital overhauling, end-to-end status tracking and enhanced security. Apart from the speedy delivery of passports, this program connects the Consulate database with the central database, which makes the application process even faster. The Consulate General of India, Houston has issued over 16,200 passports in this year alone. With this new initiative, Consulate ensures better and faster services for all Indian citizens here in south-west part of US said the Acting Consul General.
Indian Citizen getting one of the first locally printed passports in Houston
The Passport Seva Project launched in May 2010 by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, has augmented and improved the delivery of passport services to Indian citizens. The Ministry of External Affairs, with Department of Posts, took the decision to start Passport Seva Kendras in Head Post Offices. As a result, 236 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) have been operationalized as on date and many more are in pipeline. This, when added to 36 Passport Offices and 93 erstwhile Passport Seva Kendras makes a total of 365 Passport Offices for public.
The Passport Seva Project since its inception has brought huge transformation towards delivery of Passport Services in India. As part of this initiative, the Ministry successfully initiated the Pilot program at the High Commission of India, London followed by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham and in Edinburgh. The Ministry aims to operationalize this project in all Embassy/ Consulates in the US during the course of next 10 days. The Ministry plans to roll out the Global Passport Seva Project at all Embassies/ Consulates in the world within the next 3-4 months.
HOUSTON:Sandeep Sulhan (34), also known as DJ Dholi Deep releases his first original single, “Peg Peg Peg”, under the “Zee Music Company” banner. Peg features pumping EDM music and is a promising party anthem to make all the dance floors rock, and features bollywood hitmaker “Manj Musik” (formerly RDB) as the lead vocalist, and a rap by one of India’s top Hip Hop artist “Emiway”. The music video compliments the energy of the song, with high class venues, glamorous models, and phenomal graphics. The song has been composed and produced by Dholi Deep & Manj Musik.
Dholi Deep shared, “I have done many stage shows with Manj/RDB, and many other Bollywood and mainstream artists as a DJ and dhol player, but my ultimate goal and dream is to produce original songs in my favorite genre of music, Bollywood, and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my music production career”.
The song has been out for only 3 weeks and has already crossed over 4 million views on Zee Music Company’s YouTube page. The song is also available on all digital music platforms (Saavan, Gaana, iTunes, Apple Music, Hungama). Stay up to date with DJ Dholi Deep on his social media for further music and event updates.
HOUSTON: The illustrious Indian dancer and Rice University professor Dr. Rathna Kumar, renowned for being the “Jewel in the Crown of Houston Arts”, recounted her astonishing journey of 43+ years from Chennai to Houston at India House on Saturday, November 17. She described herself as an “accidental” leader, being the first person to start an Indian dance school in Houston in the mid-70s. Her speech left the high school students of the Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP) of Houston spellbound with a sense of awe!
In her eloquent speech, Dr. Kumar articulated her beginnings in Chennai as an ordinary Indian middle-class girl finding the courage to choose the then stigma-attached dancing career that she loved. She described her journey from having a successful career as an English professor and dancer in Chennai, to immigrating after marriage to the “culturally-arid” Houston in 1975, and unexpectedly taking on the enormous responsibility of founding the first Indian dance school in Texas, the Anjali Center of Performing Arts. By 2011, she became the first Indian American to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest Indian recognition for practicing artists, for her lifelong contribution to dancing.
The greatest lessons that we gathered from her speech were her perseverance, integrity, and dedication to dancing that are invaluable when passing down one’s Vidya (knowledge), to posterity. She expounded that one learns by teaching others and in the process becomes a leader. Dr. Kumar is a trailblazer who planted the seed to establish an Indian dance community from scratch. We learned that amid adversities, we should have a positive attitude and see an opportunity in every challenge. I think many of us can’t help but put ourselves in Dr. Kumar’s shoes and ponder whether we should follow society’s demands or forge our own paths, especially when presented with difficult choices. Right now I am forging my own path as the founder of a Language and Culture club designed to help students learn languages not offered in my own high school.
Taking initiative is often risky but can present unforeseen opportunities. It is this possibility that creates successful leaders.
AUSTIN, TX:On Sunday, November 11, the much awaited dance performance “Raagamayi” by world-renowned Mohiniyattam expert Kalashree Dr. Sunanda Nair and her disciples took place in Austin, Texas. The auspicious occasion began by seeking the blessings of Lord Ganesha with a composition of Swathi Thirunal. The performers, Aathira Vijayakumar and Mamta Vasantkumar evoked an atmosphere of devotion in the concert room.
In the next item, “Mukhachalam”, the raga and tala patterns were coordinated with the graceful dance movements of the performers Arathi Remesh, Divya Shanker, Sarita Warrier and Suja Pillai. They reminded the audience of the swaying palm trees in the Kerala backwaters that is typical of this nritta piece. This was followed by a “padam” based on “Omanathinkal” a famous lullaby written by Kerala poet Shri Irayiman Thampi. The performer, Gayathri Prashant, excellently portrayed an adoring mother who considers the beauty of her child as unmatched. The artist asking the audience to hush up their applause for fear of waking up her child ended the item on a humorous note. “Ashtanayika” depicting the eight different emotions that a heroine could feel for her hero was safe in the hands of beautiful and talented mohinis who did Mukhachalam.
If the disciples led the first half of the evening, the eminent guru, Dr. Sunanda Nair herself took over the second half. In her first item “Oru Makal”, the audience witnessed the disheartenment felt by a mother whose daughter eloped with her lover of choice. No mother could watch this dance piece without getting the corner of her eyes wet. The story of Goddess Amba’s life was elegantly depicted in the next item. The dancer captivated the audience even with a subtle movement of the shoulders; one can say for sure that there is dance in every breath of hers. In the last item rendered, she portrayed how Kubja was freed from her slavery to the evil king Kamsa by Krishna and her attaining salvation.
The talented musicians enhanced the performance on stage. A preview of the documentary film on Dr. Sunanda Nair “Laasyam, The World of Sunanda Nair” was also shown at the event. As a whole, the love and devotion in the word “Raagamayi” was made meaningful by the fine performance of Dr. Suananda Nair and her disciples.
Priya Manoj is a trained bharatanatyam and mohiniyattam dancer as well as overall dance enthusiast who enjoys writing in her spare time.
By Anish Nagar
The top five finalists for Miss India USA Texas 2018 were:
By Sridevi Hariharan
By Priya Manoj
