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Oakdale Group Celebrates Ten Years in Business
Oakdale Group of Companies, LLP, one of the leading providers of financial and insurance services in Houston, held an exclu-
sive dinner reception in appreciation of the longstanding relationship with its clients and also announced its expansion plans.
HOUSTON: The event, which was that a very few can be proud of. We are
hosted at Khazzane Fine Dining, is able to accomplish this only because
considered to be one of many events we will not compromise our client’s
that Oakdale has planned for this future to make a few more dollars in
year as a celebration of its tenth year our pocket.”
anniversary. Abji continued: “This year we will
The dinner hosted various speakers celebrate our tenth year in business
including Aaron Keiter, a local attor- and have expanded our company
ney, who spoke about the importance holdings to include added investment
of Corporate Asset Protection; James opportunities through our private
Mulder, a renound attorney who is equities subsidiary, namely Monarch
the current expert at Estate Planning Private Equities.
on the Steven Kay talk show hosted Monarch will create a portfolio of
on CNN Radio, who presented the real estate holdings that we intend
importance of life insurance in estate to offer to investors through an in-
planning; Sonal Shukla, a Life Insur- novative offering which focuses on
ance Specialist, and one of the newest acquisition of distressed properties.”
additions to the Oakdale Group, who He then went on to introduce Guido
touched on added benefit riders in Cattaneo a Partner and Principal in
life insurance; and Irfan S. Abji the Monarch Private Equities, LLC.
Founder and current President of Abji concluded by introducing the
Oakdale Group of Companies, LLP. newest additions to Oakdale Group
who gave an overview of the com- that included Sonal Shukla and Tom-
pany and its subsidiaries. my Rice, the new Vice President Left to Right: Guido Cattaneo- Principal, Alejandra Cobas-Abji Executive Vice President, Irfan S.
Abji said: “From the inception of for Commercial Loans for Oakdale Abji - President & CEO, James Mulder - Attorney at Law, Sonal Shukla - Life Insurance Specialist,
our company as a sole proprietorship Financial Group, Inc. Aaron Keiter- Attorney At Law and Tommy Rice, Vice President- Commercial Loans
in 1998 to the recent restructuting as Oakdale Group of Companies, LLP
multiple corporations our brand has provides various financial advisory
become synonymous with impec- services through its three subsidiar-
cable service standards. Even though ies: Oakdale Financial Group, Inc.
operations are now organized under provides residential mortgages and
different subsidiaries, we continue Corporate Finance; Oakdale Insur-
to reaffirm our commitment towards ance Group assists clients with all
our clients by creating value added types of insurance services including
services and by maintaining excellent personal lines, life, health, and com-
relationships.” mercial insurance; and the newest
He added, “We have been able to subsidiary, Monarch Private Equi-
assist our clients by giving them the ties, LLC., is in the process of raising
right advice. A proven statistic to vali- funds to procure several distressed
date the fact is that we have only had properties.
one residential foreclosure. Out of all
the mortgages that we have assisted The Oakdale Group can be reached
with in the last ten years we lost only at 713-779-0445 or on the web at
one due to our client’s unfortunate www.oakdalegroup.com
medical problems. This is a record
India Will be Big Technology
Innovator in Next Decade
Economists have been predicting here,” says Potin.
it, stargazers have been forecasting it, Economists may predict super-
and now the technology trend watch- power status for India based on its
ers are saying it - the coming decade growth figures and the economy’s
is surely going to belong to India. resilience in the face of global down-
Jason Pontin, the charismatic editor turn. But the motor of this growth
and publisher of MIT’s “Technology will be investments in science and
Review” - the publication of the Mas- technology, believe experts.
sachusetts Institute of Technology At EmTech2009, an emerging tech-
(MIT) - confidently proclaims that nologies conclave recently hosted in
India is going to dominate the innova- New Delhi by Technology Review
tion space. and CyberMedia, the exciting fore-
This is why the 109-year old maga- cast is that India’s knowledge su-
zine has launched an edition in the perpower domain is all set to extend
country. “I want to be the first to tell beyond the field of IT.
the world about the action in the labs continued on page 28
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26
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27
The Indian Music Society of Houston
Hindustani Classical Concert - Vocal Recital By Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar
Accompanied by Harshad Kanetkar on Tabla Milind Kulkarni on Harmonium
(Disciple of Ramdas Palsule) (Disciple of Dr Arvind Thatte)
Sunday March 29 at 5 PM, Jones Hall, University of St Thomas
3910 Yoakum Dr, Houston, TX 77006
Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar has a mellifluous and resonant voice. Her compelling stage presence has made her a successful and sought after concert vocalist. She is
currently recognized as one of the top vocalists of the younger generation. She started her training with Veteran Late Pandit Vasantrao Kulkarni of the Agra Gwalior
gharanas. Thereafter she was fortunate to receive training from Gana Saraswati Smt. Kishori Amonkar of the Jaipur Atrauli gharana. For a brief period, she also
benefitted from the guidance of Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar. All of her teachers have influenced Arati’s style that is a very pleasant blend of the various gharanas.
Endowed with a rich resonant voice, Arati’s performances are marked by an excellent command over rhythm and melody.
Ticket Price $30.00 (Covered Parking at 3807 Graustark at Alabama)
Tickets available at www.tickets2events.com • Or at Kirti Jewelers: 713-789-4653 • For details, call Govind: 713-922-2501
India Music Society of Houston is a non-profit organization under Section 501 (c) (3) of IRS www.Imshouston.org IMS programs are partially funded by a grant from the Houston Alliance of Arts.
The Indian Music Society of Houston
A Hindustani Vocal Concert of :
Morning Ragas By: Smt. Padma Talwalkar
Accompanied By: Utpal Datta on Tabla
Suyog Kundalkar on Harmonium
Date: April 19 (Sunday)
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Cullen Hall, University of St. Thomas
Padma Talwalkar was initiated into singing as a child of ten by Pandit Gangadhar
Pimpalkhare, and was groomed and inspired by him to take to music professionally.
She had the good fortune to study under Shrimati Moghubai Kurdikar, the senior Jai-
pur vocalist. She has added to her knowledge and repertoire under other veteran mas-
ters like Pt. Nivrutti Bua Sarnaik and Pt. Gajanan Rao Joshi.
Padmaji’s talent attracted recognition while she was still a student in the form of the
Bhulabhai Desai Memorial Scholarship, and the prestigious Kasarbai Karkar Fellow-
ship of the National Centre of Performing Arts.
Padma Talwalkar belongs to that avant garde in the Khayal scene today, who believe
in evolving a personalized musical idiom by assimilating the best of diverse styles.
While displaying a judicious mix of the Kirana, Gwalior and Jaipur gayakis (singing
style characteristic of a certain school), Padma’s vibrant voice is lent wings by both
imagination and virtuosity.
Utpal Dutta was born in a family of musicians and was initiated in the art of tabla playing by his mother Smt. Ratna Dutta a vocalist of repute. Hisinitial formal training started
under the guidance of Ustad Sarwat Hussain and later was fortunate to have been trained under the internationally acclaimed Tabla maestro, ‘TAAL YOGI’ Pt. Suresh Talwalkar.
Suyog Kundalkar is a promising young harmonium player who has achieved a distinct identity of his own. He started training in harmonium at the age of six from Smt. Ranjana
Godse. Since 1997, he has been a devoted student of the renowned harmonium soloist and accompanist, Dr. Arawind Thatte under whom he is receiving specialised training for
solo performances. Also a keen student of classical vocal music, Suyog has undertaken lessons in singing from many eminent gurus.
Tickets available at www.tickets2events.com • Or at Kirti Jewelers: 713-789-4653 • For details, call Govind: 713-922-2501
• 3910 Yoakum Blvd., Houston TX 77006
India Music Society of Houston is a non-profit organization under Section 501 (c) (3) of IRS www.Imshouston.org IMS programs are partially funded by a grant from the Houston Alliance of Arts.
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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28 business
India Will be Big Technology Innovator in the Next Decade
continued from page 25 Kumar, founder of Dimagi - a unique gies emerging from innovation labs their new target base. tors make an effective diagnosis as it
Areas where India is seen making combination of engineering and medi- around the world today is completely So, poor farmers in the hinterlands helps improves CT scans to unimagi-
major inroads include healthcare, edu- cine. Kumar is an alumnus of the Indian democratic, having the power to touch can now use technology to broaden nable levels.
cation, biomaterials and nano-technol- Institute of Technology in Delhi and the billions - the literate and the unlettered, their markets, women in shantytowns “The new emerging technology is
ogy. From being a service providing Harvard Medical School. His software the affluent as well as those at the bot- of Bangalore can use mobile appli- part of an ecosystem. It reduces in-
nation, India is finally heralding its products have encouraged compliance tom of the pyramid. cations to avail themselves of mi- formation asymmetry. It makes time
arrival as a knowledge-creating na- from diabetic patients and removed If the Indian innovators, tuned to the cro-finance, and rural youth use new and geography irrelevant,” says Vivek
tion, as befitting a country that centu- stigma from HIV/AIDS testing. needs of the less advantaged in their models of tele-learning and e-learning Mohan, president of Alcatel Lucent, a
ries ago was the original fount of all Then in 2007, Tapan Pareek’s work, country, are coming out with technolo- to receive education. company whose mobile applications
knowledge. which helped Kerala fishermen keep gies to address this space, then large In fact, today, it is the cross play of are transforming lives at the bottom of
Tantalizing glimpses of how tech- track of market prices on their cell multinational corporations, admittedly technologies from different fields that the pyramid.
nology that is developed by Indians phones, was highlighted. This year, it’s driven by marketing compulsions, are is making a difference to the lives of The question: Is India ready to accept
is already empowering and enabling the turn of computer science professor also now focusing on this segment. many.At a macro level, IT and mobile this technological boon conferred on
millions were provided at the conclave. Vivek Pai to turn out a technology that Companies in the IT, mobile and telephony are powering healthcare de- it? The short answer to that is: Yes. This
Pontin talked about how Technology will help store webcontent to enable electronics space, looking to expand livery as seen in the health superhigh- answer must also be seen in the context
Review’s annual list of technologists poor students in developing nations their market to the next billion “non- way envisaged by Apollo Hospital’s of the experiences of companies like
who could change the world is increas- beat bad net connections. premium” users, are tweaking the Prathap Reddy. DuPont and mChek, which found
ingly being dominated by Indians. As can be seen from the examples characteristics of the new technology And then at a micro level, advances rural India not just willing to accept
In 2004, there was Vikram Sheel above, the nature of the technolo- so that it is in sync with the needs of in camera technology is helping doc- but often two steps ahead!
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Varun denies Communal Remarks.
29
South
BJP leader Varun Gandhi speaks to me-
dia outside his residence in New Delhi. “I
strongly refute the charge of making any
Asia
communal or divisive statements as part
Indo of my election campaign. In this climate
of terrorism, I have spoken only about
American standing firm against anti-national and
News anti-social forces that threaten this na-
tion,” Gandhi said in a statement issued
news of the south asian diaspora that matters on Tuesday evening.
The Third Front: Another Way to Get to Power in New Delhi?
By Smita Gupta playing hot and cold, flew Orissa. .”
NEW DELHI (Outlook): The idea its powerful general sec- Clearly, while the
of a political alternative finally got a retary S.C. Mishra in a four Left parties—the
boost when Orissa’s low-key chief private jet to the inaugural CPI(M), the cpi, the rsp
minister, Naveen Patnaik, ended a Third Front rally in Tum- and the Forward Bloc—
11-year-old relationship with the BJP kur, Karnataka, on March are totally committed to
by politely showing the door to the 12. Party supremo and the third alternative, the
saffron party’s emissaries. Uttar Pradesh CM May- TDP, the TRS and the
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief, awati has also invited all JD(S) are a notch below.
party sources say, had been mulling the Front leaders for dinner And the AIADMK and
over the idea of splitting with the BJP at her Delhi residence on BSP—both in the non-
ever since the latter’s sister outfits, March 15. Congress, non-BJP cat-
the vhp and Bajrang Dal, had em- Of course, Left leaders egory—are still keeping
barked on an anti-Christian rampage had been in touch with their options open.
in the state’s picturesque Kandhamal Patnaik for some time, Front leaders, especial-
district. and CPI(M) politburo ly those from the Left,
The political timing was impec- member Sitaram Yechury though, continue to be-
cable, bespeaking a skill the man had had flown down to Bhu- lieve that a political alter-
never ever been credited with—he baneshwar to invite him native is an idea whose
split with the BJP on the eve of general into the front and the rally time has come. In Ban-
elections in the midst of seat-sharing in Karnataka. Especially CPI’s A.B. Bardhan, Deve Gowda, Prakash Karat, Chandrababu Naidu, BSP’s S.C. Mishra, galore, CPI(M) general
talks. For the BJP, the jolt was a nasty because the BJD’s inter- H.D. Kumaraswamy at the launch of the ‘Third Front’. secretary Prakash Karat
one, more so because the political ests now converge with We wish to send a strong message by (JMM) in Orissa. BJD Rajya Sabha made an impassioned ap-
space occupied by the NDA it leads those of the Third Front. Former prime launching the Front here.” MP Jay Panda told Outlook, “Once peal: “The future of this country does
has shrunk further. minister and JD(S) boss H.D Deve The BJD leader though has, for the we have entered into seat-sharing not lie either with the Congress or the
For the Third Front though, it was Gowda explained why the new politi- moment, chosen to keep his post-elec- arrangements with the Left, the NCP BJP.... We represent the diversity of
just the push needed to get things cal alternative was being launched in tion options open although he may and others, there will be a certain in- India...we want a federal state. We are
rolling. So much so that the Bahu- Karnataka: “We are stressing the need give a few seats to the Left, the NCP clination to support a government in against the centralisation of powers in
jan Samaj Party, which had been to defeat fascist forces ruling the state. and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Delhi which reflects our set-up here in Delhi.” Is anybody listening?
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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30 inDiA
Queens Who Would be India’s Prime Minister
By NaGeNder Sharma aNd scenario. She had left no scope for
r. VeNkateSh any pre-poll alliance anyway by
NEW DELHI (HT): Two Queens, fielding candidates in several seats
one from the north and the other where other constituents of the Third
from the south, both of unpredict- Front have also put up nominees.
able temperament, are leading the The issue of the prime minister-
race for prime ministership in the ship was discussed. The overarching
fledgling Third Front. view was that it should go to the
One of them, BSP chief Mayawati, leader of whichever party among
made her intentions clear on Sunday. them brought the largest number of
A day later, the other, AIADMK MPs to the next Lok Sabha. The Left
chief J. Jayalalithaa, broke her si- leaders wanted MPs from all their
lence at a press conference, asking four parties - the CPI, CPM, RSP
aspirants to wait till election results and Forward Bloc - to be regarded as
are announced. a single unit while choosing the PM.
After having snubbed Mayawati But Mayawati wanted each party to
on Sunday by not sending a rep- AIADMK Chief J.Jayalalithaa BSP Chief Mayawati be considered separately.
resentative to the dinner for Third her party’s absence from it to a “com- contribution to the Third Front’s Some leaders were miffed by the
on whether she was also an aspirant
Front leaders hosted by her in Delhi, munication gap”. tally will also be substantial. way Mayawati hogged the limelight
for the prime minister’s post. “No
Jayalalithaa on Monday attributed Jayalalithaa evaded a direct reply In Delhi, Third Front leaders spent prior to the dinner, before the media
comments,” she said. “Anyway,
thanks for the compliment.” the day analysing their discussion waiting outside her house. She read
RAJA
Asked about the prime ministerial with the host. “Nobody contradict- out a statement and walked away,
aspirations of leaders such as May- ed Mayawati,” said a Third Front indicating the media interaction was
awati and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, leader. over, not giving the other leaders any
she said, “There is nothing wrong Mayawati discussed the post-poll chance to put forth their views.
in expressing one’s desire but as to
when the future PM will be selected, Driver’s Post
inDiAn and how this choice will take place,
all that has to wait until the polls are
Consulate General of India, Houston
in
ResTAuRAnT over.” Why the two women have an
edge over other leaders is clear.
Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs, the Immediate vacancy. Good driving skills and
“We bring india To most among all states, to the Lok willingness to work within and outside Houston
Sabha. If Mayawati can win half necessary. Job has good remuneration and
You!” the seats there - which she has a fair
chance of doing - she can single-
experience value. Applications should be sent to:
Serving Houston for over 21 years handedly increase the Third Front’s
seat tally like no other leader among
V.K. Azad, Vice Consul
them can. The AIADMK’s bastions - Telephone: 713-626-2956;
To serve you the best is our journey,
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry - add up
to only 40 seats. Plus, they have a his- Fax: 713-993-9347;
not our destination tory of extreme voting swings. If the
AIADMK does well, Jayalalithaa’s
Email: cgihouadmn@swbell.net
seRVinG
Lunch & Dinner
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All dinners served with salad & pickle
Chicken curry w/ rice • $6.50
Chicken curry w/ naan • $6.50
Beef curry w/ rice • $6.50
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Goat curry w/ naan • $7.50
Authentic Indian Snacks & Desserts
Vegeterian Plate w/rice • $5.50
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inDiA 31
Gandhi Scion Faces Criminal Charges Over Anti-Muslim Speech
NEW DELHI: Varun Gandhi, the munal violence has flared between But his own party distanced itself dynasty which has given the country
grandson of India’s late prime minis- Hindus and Muslims. He also alleg- from him, with one BJP colleague three prime ministers since indepen-
ter Indira Gandhi, is facing criminal edly compared a Muslim politician to saying that the comments did not “re- dence.
charges after making anti-Muslim Osama Bin Laden. flect the BJP’s traditional culture”. Gandhi’s cousin, Rahul, is being
comments in a fiery election rally His comments were seen as a warn- India’s election commission in- groomed for the Congress Party lead-
speech. According to video footage ing to Muslims in the area and were structed officials in Uttar Pradesh ership and is expected by many to be
of the event, Gandhi told voters in condemned by the Congress Party, state, where Gandhi is running, to the party’s next prime minister.
Uttar Pradesh, where he is a candidate led by his aunt Sonia Gandhi, as “un- file a criminal case against him for The Gandhi family split after the
for the nationalist BJP, that he would ethical and against the law.” “promoting hatred”. If convicted, he death of Varun’s father Sanjay when
chop off the hands of anyone who Abhishek Singhvi, a Congress could be disqualified from running his widow Maneka fell out with
“raised a finger” against Hindus. spokesman, said: “It is condemnable. for office and jailed for up to five Indira Gandhi over her intention to
“If someone thinks Hindus are He is associated with this party which years. play a political role in the Congress.
weak or leaderless, if anyone raises a has this anti-minority ideology and Varun Gandhi is regarded as a Instead she joined the Janata Dal
finger towards Hindus, then I swear culture.” Varun Gandhi future leader of the BJP, raising the party and later served as environment,
on Gita that I will cut that hand,” he Gandhi insisted later that the foot- voice is not mine,” he said. “I don’t intriguing prospect of India’s two social justice and culture minister in
told a rally in Pilibhit, where com- age had been tampered with. “The know who could be behind this.” main parties being led by the same BJP-led governments.
Sri Meenakshi Temple Society
Cordially invites you with family & friends
To come and witness a historic moment
VISION & UNITY
The bold VISION of all MTS devotees from 1977 to now, blossoming into a magnificent temple and continuing to grow, to be showcased in the proud
MTS history room in the Visitors Center. The RATHAM symbolically represents the UNITY of all the devotees of MTS pulling together to build this
great institution.
A fundraiser to benefit
THE RATHAM
&
THE MTS Visitors Center Project
Dinner with entertainment
On Saturday, May 09, 2009
At
Sri Meenakshi Temple Kalyana Mandapam / Youth Center
Social Hour – 5:00 to 6:00 P.M Silent Auction – 5:00 to 9:00 P.M
Seating 6:00 PM • Program begins 6:30 PM
Dinner and Cultural Program
Ticket $50 per seat • Tickets available online at www.meenakshi.org
For more information, call temple at 281-489-0358 or
• S.G.Appan at 832-687-3792 or email sgappan@hotmail.com or
• P.Vaduganathan at 713-218-0646 or email pvnathan2008@gmail.com
17130 McLean Road, Pearland, TX 77584 • Website: www.meenakshi.org E-mail: temple@meenakshi.org
Our goal is to make these projects debt free
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32
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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inDiA 33
Locals Reject Statue of ‘Christian’
Charlie Chaplin, Prefer Vivekananda
Protesters in India have denounced Charlie Chaplin as an offensive sym-
bol of Christianity amid a row over plans for a giant statue to honor the
silent comedy legend.
Charlie Chaplin , a proposed statue in his honour has drawn protests in Udupi, near Bangalore
By deaN NelSoN The row over Chaplin’s Christian- denounced drinking alcohol as a
BANGALORE (The Telegraph): ity has baffled some Indian com- Western vice.
The 67 ft statue was to be erected mentators. As the first international Local politicians sought to play
as a tribute in a film sequence by a comedy star, he acquired legendary down the row and suggested local
Bollywood director. But the instal- status for his parody of Hitler in The objections focused on the scale of
lation was halted after protests from Great Dictator, and was known for the statue. “The local people have
members of the nationalist BJP party his Left-wing and anti-Nazi views, valid objections that a statue of 67
who claimed it “hurt Hindu senti- but has never been considered to feet of a permanent nature cannot
ment”. have promoted Christianity. be established,” said V.S. Acharya,
Activists in Udupi, near Bangalore, The row reflects a recent surge in the home minister in the state of
told the director, Hemant Hegde, that militant actions by Hindu nationalist Karnataka.
they would not allow the statue be- groups, who have led street protests A senior police officer however
cause Chaplin was a Christian, and and occasionally launched violent confirmed that protesters had com-
that any statue would have to honour attacks to defend traditional values plained that the statue was close to
the Hindu guru Swami Vivekananda they believe are under attack. a Hindu temple. “It is near a temple,
instead. One group recently attacked the local people are against installing
Hegde is shooting scenes for his young middle class men and women a Chaplin statue and instead want a
film Housefull. in a bar in Mangalore, where they statue of Vivekananda,” he said.
Court Ruling Challenges India’s Caste System
NEW DELHI: A landmark legal Mushtaq Ahmed Mir, an unem- an immediate appeal.
ruling which granted India’s down- ployed man from Kupwara, decided In his appeal ruling, High Court
trodden ‘untouchables’ the right to to sue the Kashmiri newspaper Ta- Judge Muzaffar Hussain Attar rep-
defend their reputations has been meel-i-Irshad after it published a false rimanded the original trial judge and
hailed as a symbolic victory for the report claiming he was a defendant said his ruling had been “offensive
country’s lower castes. An appeal in a murder case. He had asked the to conscience.” “The respect and
court judge in Jammu and Kashmir judge to waive the court fee in the case reputation of a person is not depen-
decided that all Indians were worthy because he was too poor to pay it. dent upon how much wealth he has
of respect and entitled to a good The judge threw out his case with accumulated,” he said. If only the
reputation regardless of their wealth a ruling that the poor did not have rich were entitled to respect “a great
or social status. reputations which could be damaged disservice will be done to society,”
The ruling amounts to a direct chal- in newspaper reports. “When the he added.
lenge to India’s caste-focused society plaintiff is not even in a position to Supreme court lawyer Zafar Shah
in which attacks on ‘untouchables’ pay the lawsuit fee, he cannot seek last night welcomed the ruling which
or dalits because of their ‘polluting damages for defamation, “ Judge he said had narrowed the gap between
presence’ are common. Nazir Ahmed Fida said. “The dignity the equal rights promised to every
There are cases of dalits killed for of a person of low integrity will not be Indian in the country’s constitution
daring to drink water from the same lowered further in case his name ap- and the reality where “the respect and
well as their caste ‘superiors’ or to pears in a defamatory piece of news.” dignity of a person is determined by
complain when their daughters are Mir’s lawyer said he was shocked [his] economic and social status.”
raped. by the decision, made despite the Leading social commentator Pavan
Against this background, the ruling judge’s acknowledgement that the K Varma said the ruling heralded “the
has been hailed as revolutionary. news report was untrue, and launched beginning of change.”
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34 PAKisTAn
“The Fear Barrier of State Terrorism is Broken”
By Nirupama SuBramaNiaN up, we will not get our rights,” said the cup and lip,” said Altaf Bokhari,
ISLAMABAD (The Hindu): Mo- Akhtar Wali, whose father was jailed vice-president of the Multan High
torists made the V sign on the capital’s during General Zi-ul-Haq’s crippling Court Bar.
roads, strangers greeted each other dictatorship three decades ago. “The The U.S. welcomed the announce-
with “mubarak”, and people distrib- lesson from this for our people is, rise ment to reinstate Justice Chaudhary,
uted sweets as Pakistan celebrated and fight for your rights, don’t sit in describing it as a “statesmanlike deci-
the restoration of Iftikhar Chaudhary front of your televisions sets”. sion” to defuse a serious confronta-
as the Chief Justice after exactly one Zafar Iqbal, a college professor, tion and a “substantial step” toward
year, four months and 12 days of a said he had come to express his national reconciliation.
valiant struggle by the legal commu- “solidarity” with the lawyers and with “We welcome the announcement
nity and the civil society. Chaudhary. by the Government of Pakistan of its
A weight seemed to have fallen “The main thing is we have broken plans to reinstate former Chief Jus-
off Pakistan’s shoulders following the fear barrier of state terrorism. It’s a tice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry,”
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s new hope, a new feeling that I hardly
the US Embassy here said in a state-
address to the nation, in which he an- have the words to express,” he said
nounced Chaudhary’s restoration. But the celebrating crowds also ment. Asked about the prospects of
The news of the restoration spread brought with them giant-sized ex- the PPP forging a fresh alliance with
much earlier, at about 1 am on Mon- pectations. the PML-N at the centre, Gilani said
day, when the state-run Pakistan Allah Bachiah, a tall, strapping man today that politics was a day-to-day
Television announced that the Prime from Sibi in Balochistan, said the affair and such a possibility could not
Minister would be addressing the Chief Justice must restore peace with be ruled out.
nation. rights in the troubled province where The PML-N had split from the
The rush to Chaudhary’s home a low-level nationalist insurgency is PPP-led alliance at the centre in Au-
began immediately. Black-coated ongoing. gust last year after accusing Zardari
lawyers who had been gathering in “He must release all the political of reneging on several promises to
Islamabad awaiting the “long march” prisoners in Balochistan,” he said,
reinstate the deposed judges.
that Pakistan Muslim League (N) while another man from Swat said
leader Nawaz Sharif was bringing Chaudhary must restore peace in the Gilani said the review petition
Battle won: The former Pakistani Premier, Nawaz Sharif, in Gu-
from Lahore, were the first to rush troubled Talibanised valley in the jranwala on Monday. against the apex court ruling barring
up the hilly road to his house in the North-West Frontier Province. Sharif brothers from electoral poli-
Judges Colony. People had brought drums and actions? Why should Chaudhary be Chief Justice] Abdul Hameed Dogar tics would be filed after the govern-
A spontaneous celebration began dholaks, they were singing, doing restored only after [the incumbent resigns? There’s many a slip between ment receives a detailed verdict.
as soon as an opposition leader in bhangras and chanting pro-Nawaz
the Nawaz Sharif camp confirmed Sharif and pro-Chaudhary slogans.
to a television station that the Prime Amina Janjua, who has led a move-
Minister had informed them of the
decision.
ment by the families of persons who
are missing after they were allegedly
Call for All Your Printing Needs
“The whole country sees him as a picked up by security agencies as
source of inspiration. Only those who terror suspects, was there too with
are lost in a jungle appreciate the hope a bouquet for the Chief Justice. Her
even the smallest ray of light gives. husband Masood is among the 500 Southern Chinese Daily News
He’s that ray of light for us,” said missing people, whose cases Chaud-
Mansoor-ul-Hassan, a lawyer from hary was seriously pursuing before USA Newspaper Printing Co.
Lahore, looking tired after a night of his sacking.
celebrations and in his words, “ready “He’s going to reopen those cases,
to faint with happiness”. and our near and dear ones will be
In many homes, people stayed
glued to the television sets until 5.50
back home soon,” she said.
But amid the celebrations, some
Jean Lin • General Manager
a.m., when the Prime Minister fi- lawyers were worried too. 11122 Bellaire Blvd, Houston,TX 77072
nally made the announcement after “Overall, it’s a victory for us, for the
a long meeting with President Asif people of Pakistan. A President who
Ali Zardari. was saying until two days ago that he
By mid-morning, a good-sized would never restore Chaudhary has Tel: 281-498-4310 x102 • 281-498-4330 x102
crowd of people was singing and had to give in. But why have they Fax: 281-498-2728 • E-mail: jean@scdaily.com
dancing outside Chaudhary’s home. not rolled back [former President
“It goes to prove that until we speak Pervez] Musharraf’s November 3
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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bAnGLADesh 35
Bangladeshi Army Officers
Blame Hasina for BR Mutiny
NEW DELHI (The Telegraph);
The ferocity of the army’s anger was
revealed yesterday when ministers
lifted a ban on secret recordings of
the clash on YouTube. Ministers had
initially banned the recordings amid
fears they might further destabilize
the country following the February
25th mutiny.
Sheikh Hasina was praised when
she persuaded the leaders of a revolt
by security guards of the Bangladesh
Rifles to lay down their arms. But she
was later fiercely criticized when the
scale of the massacre emerged. Bangladesh Prime Minister
The revolt began when security Sheikh Hasina
guards forced their way into a meet- been so many bloody baths. We
ing of all the regiment’s senior of- could have rescued a lot of officers
ficers at their headquarters in Dhaka from the camp.” Another said:”You
and opened fire with automatic rifles. didn’t call the army and that’s why
The bodies of more than 70 officers so many officers were killed.” Sev-
were later discovered in a number of eral officers repeatedly demanded
mass graves and sewage tanks. to know why she had not visited the
Sheikh Hasina had refused to send scene of the carnage. “Why didn’t
in the army to put down the revolt in you go and see? Why did you send
its early stages and instead invited the the interior minister?” they asked.
leaders to present their demands. At Charges have been filed against more
the meeting, she offered the mutineers than 1000 BDR guards and 36 have
a general amnesty and an inquiry into been arrested on suspicion of leading
their grievances. Senior officers, who the mutiny. Ministers said the mu-
lost friends and family members in tiny was part of a plot to destablilise
the massacre, said they believed the Sheikh Hasina’s recently-elected
delay costs dozens of lives. government. Zia Ahmed, chairman
“You are responsible for all the of the Bangladesh Telecommunica-
deaths because you did not allow tion Regulatory Commission, said
the army to intervene and we want the government had lifted the ban
explanation from you,” demanded on the secret tapes because tensions
one officer. “Had we been allowed immediately following the mutiny
to intervene there would not have had now eased.
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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36 sRi LAnKA
Humanitarian Situation Dire in SL
COLOMBO: On March 13, Secre- areas of control.
tary Clinton called Sri Lankan Presi- Secretary Clinton called on Presi-
dent Rajapaksa to express the United dent Rajapaksa to devise a political
States’ deep concern over the deterio- solution to the ongoing conflict. She
rating conditions and increasing loss urged the President to give interna-
of life occurring in the Government tional humanitarian relief organiza-
of Sri Lanka-designated ‘safe zone’ tions full access to the conflict area
in northern Sri Lanka. and displaced persons camps, includ-
The Secretary stated that the Sri ing screening centers.
Lankan Army should not fire into the The United States believes that a
civilian areas of the conflict zone. durable and lasting peace will only
The Secretary offered immediate be achieved through a political so-
and post-conflict reconstruction as- lution that addresses the legitimate
sistance and she extended condo- aspirations of all of Sri Lanka’s com-
lences to the victims of the March munities. It was conveyed on the Sri
10 bombing outside a mosque in Lankan Government to put forward a
southern Sri Lanka. proposal now to engage Tamils who
She condemned the actions of the do not espouse violence or terrorism,
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and to develop power sharing ar-
(LTTE) who are reported to be hold- rangements so that lasting peace and
ing civilians as human shields, and to reconciliation can be achieved.
have shot at civilians leaving LTTE Credit: www.sangam.org
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37
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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38 INDIA
Oil and the ‘Merciless’ Brahmaputra
By SuBir Bhaumik alleviate the problem.
ASSAM: For most of the past de- “That will help stop the acute river
cade, angry villagers in the Rohmaria erosion in Rohmaria,” a board official
region of India’s north-eastern state of says. But until river erosion actually
Assam have not allowed exploitation stops at Rohmaria, the villagers say
of rich oil deposits. they will continue their tactic of not
They are upset with the Assam allowing Oil India to resume produc-
government - and Delhi - for failing tion.
to protect the villages of Rohmaria “Once we did not have enough re-
from the deadly erosion of the mighty fineries to process our crude. Now we
Brahmaputra river. don’t have enough crude to refine,”
“We have nothing against Oil India says economist Jayanta Madhav Go-
Limited. But we launched the eco- swami. It is a challenge for Prime
nomic blockade against their oilfields Minister Singh, elected to parliament
to force the government to under- from Assam, to break the deadlock.
take bank protection and anti-erosion Villagers complain there are not enough dampeners to cut the impact of erosion His government has pushed oil
work,” says Ghanen Gogoi, secretary companies to increase output and has
of the Save Rohmaria committee. house is now barely 500m from the headquarters in Duliajan, not far from says Gogoi. To back this demand, prioritised energy security to ensure
“If you pull the ear, the head will Brahmaputra. Rohmaria. the villagers resumed their blockade the present rate of economic growth
follow,” Gogoi says. “The Assam “Another year and we will be beg- On 10 August 1999, Rohmaria vil- in December 2005. is maintained. And for that, the prime
government has done nothing. Nei- gars on the streets,” says Gohain, two lagers stopped production in the four Several rounds of dialogue be- minister will have to sort out issues
ther has Delhi. Prime Minister Man- toddlers in her lap. wells (producing 650 barrels of crude tween the Dibrugarh district admin- like the ones at Rohmaria to ensure
mohan Singh came here before the Such frustration has fuelled huge a day) drilled by Oil India. istration, Oil India officials and the Assam produces enough oil for its
2006 state elections and promised anger. “We will not allow the govern- Keen to resume production, Oil Save Rohmaria committee failed to refineries.
action, but we continue to suffer ment to take oil from the wells here India tried placating the villagers by break the impasse.
acute bank erosion,” says Rohmaria until they protect the entire Rohmaria designing erosion protection devices The blockade was briefly lifted in
villager Gopal Saikia. region from erosion. They save our known as dampeners from scrap September 2007, only to be resumed
Thirty-eight villages in the Rohm- villages, we allow them to exploit the pipes which are capable of reducing two months later.
aria region have been swallowed up oil deposits,” says Gogoi. “We know the impact of erosion. “We are a responsible company
by the Brahmaputra in the past three India values our oil, it should learn to Thirty-four such dampeners were which is corporately committed to
decades. value our lives, our future.” installed at Rohmaria and the vil- the all-round development of loca-
A government silk farm, a major Oil India officials say they have lagers withdrew the oil blockade in tions around our operational areas.
portion of a key road and two tea es- been “caught in the crossfire”. January 2004. We want to help these hapless people,
tates have vanished into the river, dis- “The problem of erosion in Rohm- For two years, all worked well. but it is beyond our means to under-
trict officials say. More than 300,000 aria is serious and the people are But as fresh areas of Rohmaria were take river protection and anti-erosion
villagers, one-time well-off peasants, desperate. They tried persuasion with hit by severe erosion, the villagers works of such magnitude,” said PK
have been displaced and now live in district officials, state government asked for the installation of more Dev Choudhury.
abject poverty. The rest fear their luck agencies and federal river authori- dampeners. Meanwhile the Brahmaputra Board
will also run out soon. ties, but when nothing worked, they “We want Oil India to install at says it is undertaking a major proj-
“We pray to God to save us but this turned against our oilfields. That’s un- least 200 dampeners along the 9km ect further upstream of the mighty
river is merciless,” says housewife fortunate,” says PK Dev Choudhury, (five miles) stretch from Rohmaria to river on the borders of the states of The dispute has led to oil wells in
Dipali Gohain, whose small mud Oil India spokesperson at company the northern outskirts of Dibrugarh,” Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to Rohmaria being abandoned
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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39
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Celebration On the occassion of
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Starting From Friday, 27th. March 2009 To Sunday, 4th April 2009
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Please Look at the direction map given on the side • Please Bring Your own Dandia For Raas
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Starting From Friday, 27th March to Sunday, 4th April 2009
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Followed by Aarti & Mahaprasad • Followed By Rass & Garba
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Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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40 BUSINESS
India Maintains Sense of Optimism and Growth
By heather timmonS medium term.” chairman of Infosys Technologies,
NEW DELHI (NYT) :While most In addition, most op- said during a recent presentation in
of the world grapples with a crippling timistic forecasts have New Delhi. “Indian business leaders
financial crisis and a recession, opti- not taken into account seem to be more optimistic” than oth-
mism reigns in much of India as its the millions of people in ers around the world, Nilekani said.
economy continues to grow. India who rely on remit- “What fueled India has not
India’s trillion-dollar economy re- tances, or cash sent from changed,” Sanjay Dhawan, president
mains a relative bright spot, some relatives working abroad. and chief operating officer of Aricent,
say, in part because the country’s bu- India receives more than said in an interview. His technology
reaucracy and its protectionist polices $20 billion a year in remit- outsourcing company has received
have kept it insulated from the fallout ted money, the most of $60 million from the private equity
of the global downturn. any country. Some areas, firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
“India is not as vulnerable” as other like the state of Kerala, India’s youthful population, do-
countries, said Rajeev Malik, head are expected to be hit es- mestic demand and business innova-
of Indian and Southeast Asian eco- pecially hard by the loss tion are helping to carry the country,
nomics at Macquarie Capital, who of construction jobs in the some economists say. The country is
recently wrote a report titled “India: Middle East. still attracting investors and striking
Better Off Than Most Others.” But in other regions deals. The private equity firm the 3i
India reported that its economy of the country, the good Group recently said that it would in-
grew 5.3 percent in the quarter ended economic times are not vest $161 million in Krishnapatnam
A storefront in Jodhpur, India. In a recent quarter, the country’s economy grew just a distant memory. Port, a project on the east coast of
in December when compared with
5.3 percent when compared with the previous year. The market capitalization Andhra Pradesh state.
the previous year. While that was
down from the 7.6 percent growth Advocates of free enterprise often with stimulus spending and tax cuts. of the State Bank of India recently While developing export-oriented
in the earlier quarter, it was in sharp complain about many of the country’s That is not to say that the news surpassed that of Citigroup, a fact economies have imported problems
contrast to the retrenchment in other economic policies, including a state- is all good. Both agriculture and heralded by the local media. from the developed world, India has
countries. dominated financial system virtu- manufacturing contracted somewhat India added 15.4 million cellphone not, the head of Asia for 3i, Anil
Washington, for example, reported ally unconnected to foreign markets; in the last quarter, and government users in January, a record. Rolls- Ahuja, said. Projects were not being
that gross domestic product for the sluggish export growth because of stimulus packages intended to keep Royce recently introduced a new stifled by the credit crisis the way
end of the year had contracted at bureaucracy and shoddy infrastruc- the economy growing could hurt the model of its Phantom Coupe in India, they were in other countries, he said.
an annualized rate of 6.2 percent, ture; and hundreds of millions of country in the long term. and BMW opened a showroom in India’s high savings rate, about 35
and Japan recently reported that its farmers who raise crops mainly for On Tuesday, Standard & Poor’s Delhi. “Is this recession for real?” percent, meant that about $200 billion
economy shrank at an annual rate of domestic consumption. But such pol- revised its outlook for Indian long- The Times of India asked in a March a year was being saved and needed to
12.7 percent. icies have helped the country main- term sovereign debt to negative from 1 article. be deployed somewhere, he said.
Even after the GDP figures were re- tain its ground as the world slides into stable, citing increased government Executives are already talking as “The port is borrowing substantial
leased, government officials pledged a recession. spending. The general government if a return to boom times may be just amounts of money and has not had a
the economy would grow more than India’s fast-acting central bank, deficit, as a percentage of GDP, around the corner. “It is reasonable problem getting it” from India’s state
7 percent this year, and major stock which still has room to trim interest would double to 11.4 percent in the to assume that India will be among banks, Ahuja said. The coalition gov-
indexes finished last week in the rates, has helped ease capital flows, next fiscal year, S.& P. analysts said, the first to recover when the recovery ernment, led by the Congress Party,
black. while the government has stepped in a level that is “unsustainable in the starts,” Nandan Nilekani, the co- continued on page 41
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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ON THE WHEELS 41
Searching for Design Inspiration in India India Maintains Sense
continued from page 40
badge of Renault’s partner, Nissan) has not been shy about trumpeting
By nick kurczewSki For Sa- India’s relative economic strengths,
MUMBAI (NYT): In the 1960s, lar and his are planned, though still top secret.
Some car companies are looking in advance of national elections ex-
Westerners flocked to India for spiri- team of In- pected in May.
tual guidance and blessings from dian car de- to India’s established talent when it
comes to vehicle design and concept- The home minister P. Chidam-
gurus. signers, the baram predicted February 24 that
While most of the gurus (and their commotion car prototyping.
Having graduated from the Art India’s economy would improve,
gold-plated Rolls-Royces) are long of Mumbai beginning in October.
gone, automakers are now looking provides a Center College of Design in Pasade-
na, California, Dilip Chabria worked Still, there are those who think that
for a dose of Indian inspiration when wealth of the optimistic expectations are com-
it comes to car design. For the past stimulation briefly at General Motors before
establishing his own studio in India. pletely misguided. “We don’t know
few years, car companies have rushed and new what people here are smoking,” said
to build factories in India because of ideas. “In “I felt lost in a large organization,”
he said, while juggling questions Shankar Sharma, director, First Glob-
the country’s cheap labor costs and India, you al, a research and asset management
high skill levels in engineering. can feel this and cellphone calls in his office in
Pune, about a two-hour drive from firm with offices in Mumbai, London
It also didn’t hurt matters that until energy and and New York. Sharma predicts that
the global financial crisis arrived, In- positive Mumbai.
Since opening in 1993, D.C. De- India’s economic growth for the 2010
dia’s booming economy was second attitude,” fiscal year will sink to 2.6 percent.
only to China’s in terms of double- said Salar, sign has built extravagant one-of-a-
kind cars and luxurious tour buses for People who point to India’s low
digit automobile sales growth. who, at 35, reliance on exports are not factoring
But car companies and design firms is a veteran wealthy Indian clients.
The company has also worked in the outsourcing and information
are now investing time and money among his technology industries, he said.
into building India’s automotive cul- youngteam. with car manufacturers from around
the world, building prototypes and Some Indians say they would rather
ture from within. Theaverage be suffering now with the rest of
General Motors positioned its de- age of the concept cars. While much of the work
is confidential, some companies have the world, and enjoy the benefits of
sign studio close to its Indian research designers at
Jean-Philippe Salar economic reform later. “In these two
and development center in the south- the studio is begun boasting about their vehicles’
Chief of Renault’s Mumbai studio in India. to three years, we will do better than
ern city of Bangalore. Meanwhile, only 25. Indian roots.
General Motors made no secret that the rest of the world for the various
the French car manufacturer Renault the sidewalks and, in the distance, Salar said the key with the first- constraints we kept on,” said Gur-
chose the hustle and bustle of Mum- half-finished skyscrapers tower over generation of Indian car designers is its fully functional Chevrolet Beat
concept was built in India when the charan Das, the former chief execu-
bai for its Indian automotive design sprawling slums. to improve their skill levels “but not tive of Procter & Gamble India, and
center. “For me, it is the perfect situ- One of several Renault design satel- bombard them with restraints.” car made its debut during the 2007
New York auto show. author of “India Unbound,” a study
ation,” said Jean-Philippe Salar, chief lites around the globe, the Mumbai The balancing act has paid off. of India’s economic transformation
of Renault’s Mumbai studio. center is an oasis of mod furniture, Renault’s Mumbai studio won an The small hatchback, now called
the Spark, appeared in production and potential.
From the street, which is a mass of high-tech computers and drafting internal contest to design an ultra- “A whole generation could have
noisy traffic and pedestrians, the set- tools, plus an immaculate terrace low-cost car, scheduled to go on sale form during the Geneva auto show.
The Spark arrives in the United States been lifted out of poverty into middle
ting might seem less than ideal. Rows (with an ornamental statue of a very in India by 2011. Sales of the car in class if we had done these reforms,”
of fragile-looking pushcarts clog content-looking cow). other countries (possibly wearing the in 2011.
Das said.
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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42 SPORTS
IPL Poised to Launch Its Second Season Amid Security Concerns
By Mathew Varghese recruits in Sohail Tanvir and Shane
MUMBAI (Cricinfo): Here’s a run- Watson.
down of the IPL teams. If security Tanvir is unavailable and Watson
concerns are addressed, the second doubtful due to Australia’s schedule
season will begin April 10. and fitness worries, but Rajasthan
Bangalore Royal Challengers have found adequate replacements
When the team rosters were fixed at the auction. Shaun Tait is tailor-
last season, many commented on made for Twenty20, capable of short
how the Bangalore squad was in bursts of quick bowling, and Tyron
stark contrast to the flamboyant im- Henderson, one of the surprise picks
age of its owner Vijay Mallya. A at US$650,000, has been highly suc-
‘Test batting line-up’ comprising Ra- cessful for Middlesex.
hul Dravid, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Probable XI: 1 Graeme Smith/Ni-
Jacques Kallis and Wasim Jaffer now raj Patel/ Justin Langer 2 Swapnil
has a limited-overs sheen with the Asnodkar, 3 Mohammad Kaif,, 4
induction of Kevin Pietersen, New Shane Watson/ Tyron Henderson/
Zealand’s Jesse Ryder and local boy Dimitri Mascarenhas 5, Yusuf Pa-
Robin Uthappa. Although Bangalore 7 Laxmi Shukla, 8 Murali Kartik, 9 para. Opener Shaun Marsh could be Joginder Sharma, 8 Manpreet Gony, than, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Mahesh
sold Zaheer Khan, they are boosted Ishant Sharma, 10 Ashok Dinda, 11 away on duty for Australia and that 9 L Balaji 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, Rawat (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9
by the availability of Nathan Brack- Ajantha Mendis. would be a concern for Punjab, with 11 Makhaya Ntini/ P Amarnath. Shaun Tait/ Morne Morkel, 10 Sid-
en, injured through the first season. Deccan Chargers Brett Lee and James Hopes also set Delhi Daredevils dharth Trivedi, 11 Munaf Patel.
However, like Pietersen, he migh They finished bottom last season to miss out. They bid frantically for Delhi no longer have Shoaib Ma- Mumbai Indians
Probable XI: 1 Jesse Ryder, 2 Rob- but their moves this time don’t in- Mortaza, perhaps to ensure having a lik and Mohammad Asif, but their Mumbai made three buys in the
in Uthappa, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Kevin spire much optimism. Deccan’s bat- bowler available for the entire sea- line-up is even more dangerous auction. JP Duminy was snapped
Pietersen/ Ross Taylor, 5 Virat Kohli, ting woes were well documented - son. this season because of David War- up for a whopping $950,000, while
6 Jacques Kallis/ Cameron White/ B Shahid Afridi, Herschelle Gibbs and Probable XI: 1 Shaun Marsh/ Luke ner and the England duo of Owais Mohammad Ashraful could be a
Akhil, 7 Mark Boucher/ Shreevats Scott Styris failed to make an impact Pomersbach 2 James Hopes/ Sunny Shah and Paul Collingwood. Delhi steal for the Twenty20 format at
Goswami (wk), 8 Praveen Kumar, - but their bowling was the weak- Sohal, 3 Kumar Sangakkara/ Uday have reason to be pleased with their $75,000; in between, fast bowler
9 Sunil Joshi/ KP Appanna, 10 Na- est in the competition. RP Singh Kaul (wk), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Ravi homework before the Goa auction; Kyle Mills, who will help compen-
than Bracken/Vinay Kumar, 11 Dale was unable to repeat his ICC World Bopara/ Mahela Jayawardene, 6 their scouts had been lurking around sate for the missing Shaun Pollock.
Steyn. Twenty20 heroics, while Chaminda Tanmay Srivastava/ Sohal 7 Karan Australia and they have brought in Zaheer Khan, on current form, is
Kolkata Knight Riders Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa posed little Goel 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Piyush Chaw- potential impact players. Warner’s a vital addition to cover up for the
The big boost for Kolkata is the threa la, 10 Sreesanth, 11 VRV Singh/ sensational Twenty20 international South African’s bowling skills. In
availability of explosive New Zea- This time, Deccan brought Fidel Brett Lee. debut against South Africa whet the another swap, Mumbai sold Ashish
land wicketkeeper-batsman Bren- Edwards and another West Indian, Chennai Super Kings appetite and there are other hopefuls Nehra and brought in Delhi’s Shi-
don McCullum - who scored the the allrounder Dwayne Smith, hav- Imposing is the word that best de- from Australia in allrounder Andrew khar Dhawan, a move to compensate
most famous Twenty20 century in ing signed Australian allrounder scribes Chennai’s squad after the McDonald, who too debuted for for Uthappa’s departure.
last year’s tournament opener - for Ryan Harris before the auction. second auction. A team modelled Australia after joining Delhi, and Dwayne Bravo, a successful re-
the whole season. Chris Gayle was Edwards is quick but he can be an around Mahendra Singh Dhoni now left-arm fast bowler Dirk Nannes, an placement player for the team last
unfit last time around and Kolkata expensive gamble in the Twenty20 has the inspirational Andrew Flint- out-and-out Twenty20 specialist. year, was given a permanent deal.
will bank on his all-round abilities format. Good news for Deccan will off - commanding a higher salary Probable XI: 1 Virender Sehwag, Two other key signings also came
to help them build early momentum be left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha’s than Dhoni - and Matthew Hayden 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Tillakaratne before the auction. They are limited-
before he leaves for national duty impressive tour of Sri Lanka with is also available for the full tourna- Dilshan/ Owais Shah, 4 Manoj Ti- over specialists from the English
Mashrafe Mortaza, a popular sign- India. ment. Hard-hitting allrounder Albie wary/ David Warner, 5 AB de Vil- county circuit, allrounders Graham
ing at the auction, could find it hard Probable XI: Adam Gilchrist (wk), Morkel, Man of the Series in Austra- liers/ Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Rajat Napier and Ryan McLaren - a Kol-
to fill Umar Gul’s shoes but Ajantha 2 D Ravi Teja, 3 Andrew Symonds/ lia recently, is another of the team’s Bhatia/ Paul Collingwood, 7 Daniel pak player South Africa wanted to
Mendis could be their ace. Ishant Herschelle Gibbs, 4 Rohit Sharma, key players, and the embarrassing Vettori 8 Amit Mishra/ Ashish Neh- get back after their ODI losses in
Sharma flopped last season but he 5 Venugopal Rao 6 Dwayne Smith/ wealth of talent shows in the fact ra, 9 Farveez Maharoof/ Yo Mahesh, England last year.
has vastly improved his skills for the Scott Styris, 7 Sanjay Bangar, 8 Pra- that Michael Hussey, Muttiah Mura- 10 Dirk Nannes/ Pradeep Sangwan, Probable XI: 1 Sanath Jayasuriya,
limited-overs game in the past year. gyan Ojha, 9 Chaminda Vaas/Nuwan litharan and Jacob Oram have been 11 Glenn McGrath. 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Shikhar Dha-
Also in the mix are local lad Ashok Zoysa/Fidel Edwards, 10 RP Singh, overshadowed. Flintoff bolsters the Rajasthan Royals wan, 4 & 5 Dwayne Bravo/ Ryan
Dinda, who impressed last season, 11 DP Vijaykumar. bowling while Sri Lankan left-armer The inaugural champions managed McLaren/ JP Duminy/ Graham Na-
and former India internationals Ajit Kings XI Punjab Thilan Thushara could be the dark to work out a winning formula under pier, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Yogesh
Agarkar and Murali Kartik. Punjab, semi-finalists last season, horse among the foreign recruits. the guidance of Shane Warne, and Takawale (wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh,
Probable XI: 1 Brendon McCullum are largely sticking to the line-up that Probable XI: 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 expect more of the same this year 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Dhawal Kulkar-
(wk), 2 Chris Gayle/Brad Hodge, 3 helped them succeed last year. Their Michael Hussey/ S Vidyut, 3 Suresh too. Their Indian players were not ni, 11 Lasith Malinga/ Dilhara Fer-
Sourav Ganguly, 4 David Hussey/ only signings this season are West Raina, 4 Mahendra Singh Dhoni the best of the lot, but Warne turned nando/ Kyle Mills.
Moises Henriques, 5 Cheteshwar Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor (wk), 5 S Badrinath 6 Albie Morkel, them into a formidable unit, and Mathew Varghese is sub-editor
Pujara, 6 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), and England allrounder Ravi Bo- 7 Andrew Flintoff/ Jacob Oram/ found two highly successful foreign (stats) at Cricinfo.
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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ENTERTAINMENT 43
It’s All About
Shaadi? Not Now...
the Money, Honey! Kareena Kapoor, who has Stardust. And now on
received as many as four awards Tuesday I was hon-
in just one month, says plans of oured by FICCI which
her marriage to Saif Ali Khan Yash Chopra gave to
may not happen for at least two me.
years as her career is going great Saif wants to know
guns. where I’m going to
“It won’t happen for the next keep all of them. I’ve
two years for sure. set aside a whole en-
Am I crazy to get married now clave for trophies and
when so many wonderful things awards. I love looking
are happening to my career? Saif at them. One day my
himself is ultra-busy trying to set children are going to
up his production house. look at them and be
Marriage can wait. I’m just proud of me.”
happy to have him by my side.
Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Am-
bani are best friends is a well known
the actor signed the dotted line with
Idea because he was reportedly paid
I’ve got the best guy any girl can
ever have. HELP WANTED
fact. That the Ambanis are especially
“Right now I’m so busy I don’t Looking For Highly Motivated And Friendly Sales-
Rs 15 crore for the deal.
fond of Abhishek Bachchan is also A source from the advertising in- have time to sleep properly. I person To Work In A Jewelry Store. Must Be Flex-
widely known. dustry though insists that, “Abhishek haven’t even had time to move ible And Have A Good Command Of English And
In an interview last year, Abhishek has already done the BIG 92.7 FM into my new house,” Kareena Gujrati Or Hindi.
had gone ahead to say that “Anil uncle commercial for Anil Ambani’s com- told IANS in an interview.
and Tina aunty are my family. I’m pany and they share the best of rela- Overwhelmed after receiving
always there for them.” tions. four awards, she said: “Who FOR FURTHER DETAILS CALL:
So it came as a shocking surprise But then the Bachchans also share doesn’t like attention, recogni- MR. DHEERU BHAI KOTAK
to advertising circles when Abhishek a fantastic rapport with Kumar Man- tion and awards? I’ve got four
chose to endorseAditya Birla Group’s galam Birla and there was no way that
awards in a month beginning
281-948-5188
Idea Cellular instead of Anil’s Reli- Abhishek would turn the Idea offer
ance mobile. down. It is true that the Ambanis con-
with the environment award OR
A trade source confirms that both sidered him to promote Reliance, but I got from Erin Brockovich, NIZAR VIRANI
Reliance and Idea wanted the actor he couldn’t take up the offer because then two youth icon awards
as their brand ambassador; however, of the obvious clash of interest.” from Rotary International and 832-715-4488
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009 Read Indo-American News Online indoamerican-news.com
44 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
w RELIGIOUS EVENTS cURRENT EVENTS
Send event information to indoamericannews@yahoo.com.
Arya Havan Satsang 10am - 12 noon, includes discourse by Dr. Premchand Sridhar - Call 281-
Samaj 752-0100. DAV Sanskriti School 10am - 12 noon - Havan, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha march Listings should be concise and occur within 30 days of submittal
Greater classes. Call Shekhar Agrawal 281-242-5000 8 am: Kalpataru Program by Paramahamsa Nithyananda:
Houston
21 1-800- YOGAM-09. Houston@LifeBliss.org, www.Yogam4You.org
BAPS Sat
Satsang Assembly accompanied by Santos from 4:30pm - 6:30pm followed by arati and 11.30am: Talk on Globalization of Space: IIT Alumni of
mahaprasad. More information 281-765-BAPS (2277) Greater Houston, India House, Houston, 713-743-4335
Bhakti Nadaga Vizha 2009: 4 Great Tamil Plays, Bharathi Kalai
Weekly programs Friday 7pm to 9pm and Saturday 6pm to 9pm. For further informa-
Yoga
Society tion, call 713-984-8334 21-22 Manram, Houston Baptist University Dunham Theater,
Houston Sat-Sun Padmini: 713-666-6980. www.bkmhouston.org
Chinmaya Sunday Satsanga for adults, youth and Bala Vihar (Separate classes by grade from PreK to
Mission Grade 12) in two sessions: from 8:50am-10:30am & 11:20 am-1pm at Chinmaya Prabha, 22 9 am: Hinduism Radio Program on KBRZ1460AM
Call: 281-983-9292. www.kbrzradio.com
10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX77478. call Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233 Sun
Durga
Bari 13944 Schiller Road. Temple hours: Monday - Saturday: 8am- 11am and 4pm to 7pm;
Sunday 8 am- 7 pm. More Information: www.houstondurgabari.org
27 Ugadi Celebration, Houston Telugu713-906-6170
Meenakshi Temple, Prasad Maragani:
Cultural Association
Society Fri
Ugadi Celebration, Ashtalakshmi Temple,
Gayatri
Pariwar of Regular Prathna and bhajans every second week Sunday of the month at 10:00AM.- Sai Grandhi:713-304-2759
Houston 12AM. Open to all. More info contact 281-879-5751 / 281-304-0727 .
7 pm: Mata Ji Ki Chowki, Shri Radha Krishna Temple,
Hare Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, 8.30am, 12noon, 4.30pm, 7pm, 9pm. See Call: 281-933-8100. www.srkt.org
Krishna darshan live on www.iskconhouston.org. Sunday Festival: 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Located
Dham at 1320 West 34th St, Houston, TX 77018. 27-30 The Art of Living Wellness Workshop , Art of Living
Foundation, University of Houston, Nitin Kapoor: 832-266-9309
Fri-Mon
Hindu Priest – “Bhibhdutt Mishra Ji”. Open for Darshan all days, except Thursday, from 8am www.artofliving.org/houston, Email: nkapoor80@gmail.com
Worship -10am and 5pm - 8pm. Thursday - by appointment only. Sunday Service 11:30am to
Society 1:30pm – Regular Puja, Religious discourses and Prasad. Website www.hwst.org
Temple
28 10am: Bring in the Spring: Bridgeland Community,
www.bridgeland.com , call Tania Oshman 713-523-6630
Sat
JVB Regular weekly program of Yoga and meditation Mon-Thu 7.15pm to 8.15pm. On Sat- 10.30am:Vibha Alpha Math Champs:Vibha, Anjali Center for
Preksha urdays from 9.00am to 11.15am. Located at 1712 Hwy 6 South. More information: 281- Performing Arts, Sugar Land, Mamta: 281-250-8254
Center 596-9642.
11 am:Carnival 2009: Vibha, Vidya Mandir, Bellfort Village Dr,
Sanatan Rudrabhiskek every Monday followed by Aarti and mahaprasad. 5645 Hillcroft, #701 Houston, Bijal: 832-434-9094. www.vvmhouston.org,
Shiv
Houston TX 77036, More information : 713-278-9099 info@vvmhouston.org
Shakti 8pm: Warsi Qawwals of Rampur- Sufi Music, Indo American
Mandir
Association, Cullen Theatre, Wortham Centre , Houston,
Sathya Sathya Sai Baba devotees meet Sundays from 3pm to 5pm. More information: Ajit Par- 281-648-0422. www.iaahouston.com
Sai alkar (North Center) 281-788-4786 or Vinod Patel (South Center) 281-578-0424.
Centers
29 5pm: Hindustani Vocal By Aarti Ankalikar-Tikekar
Indian Music Society of Houston, Jones Hall, 713-922-2501
Shri Four Arti every day: 6:30am , 12 noon, 7pm & 9pm. Tuesday & Saturday 7:10pm. Sunday Sun
Radha Bhajan and Kritan at 6pm. Maha Arti 7pm, Prasad served after Arti. More information
Krishna www.srkt.org Located at 11625 Beechnut Houston, TX 77072. Phone-281-933-8100 aPrIL
Temple 4 pm: Book Signing Ceremony, Is Honesty The Best Policy
The Sikh Center at present have Ragi Jatha of Bhai Shabad Parkash Singh, a 4 By Manzoor Memon : River Oaks Book Store,
Sikh renowned classical Ragi and Sikh Scholar Professor Sukhchain Singh perform- Sat RSVP: Jeanne Jard: 713-520-0061
Center ing Keertan and Katha daily in the evening.Located: 8819 Prairie Drive, Houston, 4 pm: Sri Sita Rama Kalyana Mahotsvam, Shri Ashtalakshmi
Texas Temple, Sai Grandhi:713-304-2759
Sri
Daily Schedule: 7:30am – 9:30am -Suprabhatam, Sri Murthy Aaradhana, Tiruppa:
Thurs- 7-9 pm: Avdhoot Baba Shivanand Ji, Siddha Healing and
Ashta-
vai Sevakalam, Theertha Ghosti, Balabhogam, 9:30am – 11am :Temple is open, days Shivyog, 1-281-565-6186, www.shivyog.com
lakshmi
6:30am – 7pm :Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra Parayanam, 7pm – 7:30 pm. For
Temple
more info www.jetusahouston.org 281-498-2344
Thurs 11 am: Yoga Classes (Free), Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana
& Sat Samsthana –Houston Center, India House,
Sri Located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478. Temple tim- Rama Rao: 281-568-5232, 713-772-7722
Saum- ings: Monday to Friday: 8am - 12 noon and 5:00pm - 8:00pm; Saturday and Sunday:
yakasi Sun- 10am: Havan Satsang, Discourse by Dr. Premchand
8am - 2:30pm and 5:00pm - 8:00pm • Puja Timings: Monday and Pradosa day 7pm:
Sivalaya Rudrabhiseka; Wednesday 6:30pm: Geeta chanting classes; Saturday 9am: Siva Sahas-
days Sridhar Arya Samaj of Greater Houston, 281-752-0100
ranama puja; Every purnima day 6:30pm More information call 281-568-1690
Quote for the Week
Vedanta Located 5906 Cypress • Classes every Sunday from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Gospel of Sri
Society Ramakrishna, 1st &3rd Sunday; Bhagavad-Gita, 2nd Sunday; on works of Swami Vive-
Succes is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage
kananda, 4th Sunday; Holy Mother Sarada’s Gospel, 5th Sunday. More information visit to continue that counts !!!
www.houstonvedanta.org Winston Churchill
• Chiropractic
• Physical Medicine
• Auto Accident Injuries
• On-the-Job Injuries *
• Nutritional Counseling
with supplementation 6630 Harwin Dr., Ste. 140 - 144
Houston, TX 77036
• Crimes Victim Injury Claims
713-952-7696 We Accept:
• Group Insurance
Now accepting www.cu2wellness.com • Automobile Insurance (PIP / Third party / LOP)
Dr. Shuvir Bhattacharya, MS DC • Worker’s Compensation
Medicare & Medicaid CLINIC DIRECTOR • Payment Plans Available
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009 Read Indo-American News Online indoamerican-news.com
46 TRAVEL
Glide Me in a Hydrofoil, No Ripples Please! out of my fingers and offered me
By Jawahar malhotra on the northeast side of the island,
MACAU: In as many times as facing Kowloon . At their moorings, another (“Same, same”, said the ear-
I have been to Hong Kong, I have the orange hydrofoils of TurboJet, nest, youngish Chinese man). “No,
never taken the time, although not with their pointed bows shaped like I’m okay,” I told him as I snatched
for want or short of desire, to go to futuristic spacecrafts, bobbed in the it back.
Macau, the tiny peninsula that juts grey water. On the seaboard side, a You have to go through Hong Kong
out from the mainland and its tear blue-colored hydrofoil from Cotai Immigration services as you leave
drop island that have just been turned Strip took off on the hour-long trip the country and get another chop on
over by the Portuguese to China, after southeast. your passport. Residents of the two
nearly 200 years as a far off colony. The ticketing office was a little less countries have identity cards that
But this time, gloomy, rainy weather than busy on a Thursday morning, let them pass through much faster.
not withstanding, I was determined and offered me a roundtrip ticket for After a short walk down the loading
to make the trip across the Bay to this HK$276, about US$39. That didn’t bridge, you carefully maneuver over
former Portuguese outpost. deter the half a dozen scalpers who the waterbreak hump onto the ferry
After a 20 minute trek on the el- were offering discounted tickets; one and struggle to keep your legs from
evated Skybridge from Central Metro even standing just before the secu- buckling on the undulating ferry’s
Station on Hong Kong Island , I ar- rity check-in, who waved me over, floor.
rived at the Macau Ferry Terminal, looking official, snatched the ticket “Upstairs, upstairs,” motioned
the wide-eyed purser; at the top the 200 yards away, like a relay race; Sands Casino along the waterfront
young attendant pointed to the di- past the grey silhouette of islands, and a short while later, the ferry came
rection of the seat. With rows of humps of hills thick with vegetation, to its port, latched to its mooring and
seats - two-four-two across - facing a few buoys bobbing a warning bell, the passengers lugged to the stairs
the large LCD screen in the front, an occasional tug or boat making its to get off.
the cabin arrangement and colors destination. I lulled into a jet-lagged Immigration at the arrival hall was
gave a warm, cinema hall feel, with nap, woke with a start, checked my much like the Hong Kong side, ex-
wind-scorched window panes. After watch, and napped off again. cept the signs were in English, Can-
short safety instructions, including It was just in time that I caught tonese and Portuguese, as they were
the precaution to wear seats belts (no sight of the white Ponte de Amizade in the rest of the city. And although
one did), the boat rose higher off the ( Friendship Bridge ) with the bump they tried to imitate their Hong Kong
water and took off, gliding across the in the middle for ships to pass, shim- counterparts, it was apparent that the
surface and causing a streak, rather mering across the water to the other efficiency and modernity still lagged
than a ripple, for a wake. portion of the colony, the island of behind in many ways like the connec-
Across the water we sped, sur- Taipa just south of Macau , in the tivity to the city transport and real es-
prisingly noise free, across the grey misty grey weather. To the left, the tate development in the area. Macau
waters, watching the streak of the Museum of Modern Arts cone-top exuded a sleepy, slower pace which I
returning hydrofoils passing along tower came into view, down from the waited impatiently to explore.
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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47
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Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
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48
Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2009
