Nripulse nov2014 compressed

A t l a n t a ’ s P r e m i e r S o u t h A s i a n N e w s p a p e rNovember 2014 Free Copy Tel: 404-235-4998 www.NRIPulse.com

The annual Diwali celebrations at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir inLilburn, Georgia attracted several thousand people on October 23and 24.Full report on Page 7.

Many Indian-Americans Score Victories In StatesWashington, Nov 5 (IANS) As South

Carolina’s Indian American Governor Nikki Haleyand California’s Indian-American-African Attor-ney General Kamala Harris handily won their jobsback, many other lesser known individuals alsoscored victories in several states.

Meanwhile, two trailing Indian-Americancandidates, Ami Bera and Ro Khanna, both Demo-crats, were still unwilling to concede defeat, at thetime we went to the press. In the battle for theSilicon Valley, incumbent Democrat Ami Bera, onlythe third Indian-American in the House after DalipSingh Saund and Bobby Jindal, was trailing 48.6percent to 51.4 percent to Republican business-man Doug Ose.

But Bera expressed confidence that he woulderase Ose’s 3,011-vote lead.

In the Democrats-only tussle for a South Baycongressional seat too, Rohit ‘Ro’ Khanna, a formerObama administration official, who has challenged seven-term Democratic Representative Mike Honda of SanJose, refused to concede. The challenger, who finishedelection night 3,549 votes behind Honda said a hugenumber of vote-by-mail ballots dropped off at the pollsremain untallied. With an estimated 40,000 votesstill outstanding in the Silicon Valley district, therace is far from over.

Back to the winners. At 23, Indian-Americanlaw student Niraj Antani, a Republican, became

one of America’s youngest lawmakers after de-feating Democrat Patrick Morris in Ohio’s 42ndState House District.

In Colorado, Republican Janak Joshi wonfrom 16th House District, while Republican Sabi

Kumar became the first Indian in Tennessee StateHouse of Representatives.

A native of Punjab and graduate of AmritsarMedical College, Kumar has served as a surgeon inSpringfield for 37 years.

He was practically assured of the House seatafter the withdrawal of his Democratic opponentseveral weeks ago.

In Connecticut, Republican Prasad Srinivasan,a physician was re-elected as State Representa-tive unopposed.

A graduate of Baroda Medical College, he

came to the US in 1975 and did his paediatricresidency at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, NewYork, and fellowship in allergy and immunologyat Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago.

Democrat Latha Mangipudi, 43, was also re-elected to the New Hampshire State Housefrom Ward 8 constituency, which has only165 Indian-American voters.

Mangipudi who has a Masters in speechand hearing from the All India Institute ofSpeech and Hearing works as a speech-lan-guage pathologist.

She came to the US in 1986, and haslived in New Hampshire since 1989 with herhusband Krishna Mangipudi, a computerprofessional and two children.

Maryland House Majority Leader KumarBarve, the longest-serving and first-ever state legislator,who was first elected in 1990, won again.

So did Aruna Miller, the first Indian Americanwoman elected to the state’s House of Delegates.

Barve and Miller, both Democrats represent-ing Montgomery County, were victorious inMaryland’s District 17 and District 15 respec-tively.

In Michigan, Democrat Sam Singh was re-elected to 69th House District. And in Washing-ton State, Democrat Pramila Jayapal was electedto the State Senate seat.

Modi Ranked 15thOn Forbes Power List

Washington: (IANS) Indian Prime Narendra Modijoined the world’s most powerful people ranking 15th

on the Forbes list withRussian PresidentVladimir Putin onceagain beating US Presi-dent Barack Obama tothe top spot.

“India’s newestrock star doesn’t hailfrom Bollywood. He

is the newly elected prime minister who sailedinto office in May with a landslide victory, usher-ing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into powerafter decades of control by the Gandhi dynasty,”said the US business magazine of Modi.

“ The world is as impressed as the citizens ofIndia: So far he’s toured the US and China and met withhis Southeast Asian neighbours,” the magazine said.

Other Indians on the list Mukesh Ambani at36th, ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO LakshmiMittal at 57th and Microsoft’s Indian-born CEOSatya Nadella at 64th spot.

4 NRI PULSE November 2014........City News ........

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P.O Box 191124Atlanta GA 31119

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P.S. Lakshmi Rao

EditorVeena Rao

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Reports/FeaturesJyothsna Hegde

Supriya D.G.

Sheth Family Gifts $1.2 Million To GA Charter School AssnAtlanta, GA: An unanticipated donation of two

buildings worth $1.2 million totaling approximately20,000 sq ft to the Georgia Charter Schools Associa-tion (GCSA), from the Sheth Family Foundation willhave lasting and positive impact on public educationin Georgia by increasing access to high quality publiccharter schools for thousands of students.

The Foundation’s gift, a donation of property inSnellville,GA, will support the mission of the GeorgiaCharter School Association, a non-profit organizationthat works to improve student achievement throughthe creation of high quality public charter schools inGeorgia.

The gift was given by Dr. Jagdish Sheth, CharlesKellstadt Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Busi-ness School of Emory University, and an internation-ally renowned author and consultant, and his wifeMadhu Sheth. The Sheth Family is heavily involvedin the local Atlanta community, the Indian communityin Atlanta.

Dr. Tony Roberts, President & CEO of GCSA,expressed his appreciation for the gift. “The ShethFamily Foundation’s remarkable generosity reflectstheir understanding of how education can transformlives. From humble beginnings inGujarat,India, Dr.Sheth and his children have pursued every opportu-nity to deepen their education. Today the family takes

pride in Dr. Sheth’s 51-year career in higher educationthat has made him a recognized thought leader in Mar-keting, Business Psychology and Sustainability. Iknow that theFoundation’s giftwill open up similarpathways for stu-dents inGeorgiawhowant access to highquality charterschools.”

Dr. Sheth ex-plained the reasonfor the Foundation’sdonation saying, “Ibelieve that ordinarypeople can becomeextraordinary citi-zens when given thefoundation of a qual-ity education. Themore I have learnedabout the charterschool experimentnationally, the moreimpressed I’ve become about the success of charterschools to harness market forces and improve stu-

dent performance. This donation is my way of givingback to the country that has provided such an out-standing education for me and my family.”

Madhu Shethechoed herhusband’s senti-ments, saying “Mylife is a testament topower of a rigorousand demanding edu-cation. I benefitedfrom every educa-tional opportunitythat came my way,went to college andeventually became aschool teacher. Thisgift is our way of giv-ing back.”

The ShethFamily Foundationwill be publicly rec-ognized for his gen-erosity at the 2015Georgia Charter

Schools Leadership Conference, January 30th at theBusbee Center of Gwinnett Technical College.

L-R, Dr. Tony Roberts, President & CEO of theGeorgia Charter Schools Association, Raj Sheth,son of Dr. Sheth, and Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Professorof Marketing at the Goizueta Business School ofEmory University.

TAMA Hosts 2014 Scholarship Awards CeremonyAtlanta, GA: Telugu Association of Metro At-

lanta (TAMA) hosted its scholarship ceremony for2014 on Sunday, September 21 at Hyderabad’sRavindra Bharathi. The ceremony was graced by thepresence of Telangana’s Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Revenue Minister Mahamood Ali, educationist ChukkaRamaiah IIT, film song writerand national Nandi award re-cipient Suddhala Ashok Teja,MLC Sudhakar Reddy, andRotary President Sridhar.

The students accompa-nied by parent, or guardian orteacher arrived at RavindraBharathi from different partsof Andhra Pradesh andTelengana region. TAMAScholarship Project coordina-tor Seetha Vallurupalli greetedand conversed with scholar-ship recipients and their par-ents and teachers. They ex-pressed their happiness thatTAMA was making efforts inidentifying the district toppersand recognizing them withscholarship awards. Theythanked TAMA and TAMAdonors for hosting the schol-arship ceremony.

Seetha Vallurupalli beganthe ceremony with the intro-duction of the scholarshipproject, noting that TAMA was awarding 46 scholar-ships to meritorious students of 13 districts fromAndhra Pradesh and 10 districts from Telungana. (oneboy and one girl from each district).

Ashok Teja advised the students to use their timewisely and lauded them for performing well in theirstudies. He exhorted them to continue their efforts in

future in reaching their goal so that one day theywould be in a position to give scholarship to otherstudents. Chukka Ramaih lamented that the govern-ment had neglected public schools for a long periodand urged it to do more in reaching the poor andneedy students. Sudhakar Reddy also reiterated that

the government had been neglecting public schoolsand requested Deputy CM Mahamood Ali to under-take necessary changes in the education system sothat government schools can have more resources tohelp the poor. Sridhar said that Rotary has alwaysbeen helping people and was proud to support thescholarship project. Minister Mahamood Ali re-

Seetha Vallurupalli presenting a bouquet to Chukka Ramaiah IIT. Also seen isTelangana Deputy CM Mahmood Ali.

sponded saying that the government was hiring a lotof extra police force to ensure that students in remoteplaces can also attend the schools without fear. Heassured the gathering that he will ensure that everychild will attend school.

All the dignitary guests at the event appreciatedTAMA’S efforts in reachingout to the students and moti-vating them by giving scholar-ships to district toppers.TAMA’s scholarship cer-emony was made possiblewith the generosity of theplatinum sponsor PramodSajja of Paramount SoftwareSolutions, Dr.Ravi Sarma,KrishanMohan Pinnamaneni,Ravi Kandimalla, PadmaKrishna Reddy, Ram MohanRaoVadlamudi, VijayKothapalli, Dr.SriniGangasani, Goutham Gurram,Venkat Meesala, RameshGude, MalathiNagabhiravi,and Padma Nadella.

“TAMA wishes to thankall the sponsors and alsoPapolu Prasad, the foundingmember of Rotary Mid TownHyderabad for helpingTAMA in reaching out to theschools and students,” saidVallurupalli.

She also thanked Viju Chiluveru for designing,preparing and sponsoring the certificates. “Thanksalso to Sudhakar Reddy for his continuous efforts atmaking the TAMA Scholarship Project a huge suc-cess, and also to Rotary for sponsoring the event venueand food packets. Kudos to all the volunteers in In-dia,” she added.


Saris To Suits Empowered Campaign Unveils 2015/2016 CalendarAtlanta, GA: The second annual Saris to Suits

® Empowered calendar with sixteen months ofAmerican role models of South Asian heritage bornon four continents representing major religions,

regions, and diverse careers was unveiled recently.Each role model has a unique story of trials, tribu-

lations and perseverance as a social entrepreneur, anactivist, a high-tech company executive, an inventor, aGuyanese accountant, a Pakistani-born highly-acclaimedcardiologist and entrepreneur; and a talented, sociallyconscious Miss New Jersey-USA aspiring to be aBollywood-Hollywood crossover.

Two Atlanta area women are empowered rolemodels: India-born journalist Moni Basu, and Pa-kistani-born Olympian weightlifter Dr. KulsoomAbdullah.

The 36-page colorful and beautifully designedcalendar with empowerment quotes includes ex-ceptional women, such as a Pakistani-born PhD

who is breaking down barriers as a covered Mus-lim athlete; an award-winning journalist for CNNwho was left at an orphanage and later adopted bya Bengali Mother; and Harvard Business School’sgrand prize winner of a social enterprise that makessanitary pads from banana leaf fiber that is givingrural women and girls in India a new life. Digitaland hard copy calendars may be purchased for$10 and $15 from the website to benefit womenand girls’ causes.

Each role model in the calendar poses for a pur-pose: To uplift and dignify women and familiesmarginalized by society, and to inspire young girls tolive the American dream through education, hard work,and to speak up for social justice. Primary U.S. benefi-ciaries of the Saris to Suits® Empowered are SMARTGirls/SMART Moves Program of Boys and Girls Clubsin Florida along with Chicago-based Apna Ghar (OurHouse) and Atlanta-basedRaksha (Protection).

The Foundation alsoseeks to shed light on do-mestic violence and as-sault. “New York to NewDelhi, Chicago to Chennai,Boston to Bangalore,Kolkata to Karachi domes-tic violence and assault ispreventable global publichealth epidemic whichpermeates East to Westand Saris to Suits.” saidPatti Tripathi, the Founder of Saris to Suits Inc, whoemigrated from U.P. near the Nepal border to Indiana

and became one of the first Indian-born national newsanchors in the U.S. “Many don their ethnic wear tobring attention locally, nationally, and globally.”

“We are honored to participate in Saris toSuits Empowered and its founder Patti Tripathi’splight to end domestic violence,”says Bill Sadlo, President/CEOBoys & Girls Clubs of SarasotaCounty in Florida. “Solving ourcommunities problems and advo-cating for children and youth over-lies with our vision to achieve aca-demic success, enrich healthylives and develop good characterand leaders.”

“As a young South Asian girlgrowing up in the United States, Irarely saw role models that looked

like me. Ihope the Sari to SuitsProject will highlightamazing South Asianwomen who will inspireSouth Asian women andgirls to live their dreamsand be all that they wishto be. We are honored thatPatti chose Raksha as abeneficiary of this project.Her experience and passionfor social change for survi-vors in our community is in-

spiring. Raksha hopes that partnering with Sari to Suits,that we can wipe away the stigma of addressing domes-tic and sexual violence in the South Asian community.We hope this project will help start dialogues in our

City Of Johns Creek Appoints KaminiAnand To New Arts & Culture Board

Atlanta, GA: Kamini Anand was amongseven John’s Creek residents appointed by MayorMike Bodker recently to the city’s inaugural Artsand Culture board.

Kamini, a registered ar-chitect by profession, hasbeen living in Johns Creek forover nine years with her hus-band, and two children.Kamini has been serving thecommunity as an active vol-unteer in the Lake WindwardElementary PTA Board &LSAC committees, and onthe Home Owners Associa-tion of her neighborhood aspresident & architecturalcommittee member.

The Arts and CultureBoard promotes the arts bymaking recommendations tothe Mayor and City Councilabout enriching the city’s cultural scene. The boardadvocates for the arts as well as studies and makesquarterly recommendations to the City Councilabout policies and proposed programs or artworkin Johns Creek.

“As a member of the board, I will be a part ofthe seven member committee that advises theMayor & City Council in matters of art and cul-

ture in the city of Johns Creek,” said Kamini, in anemail interview with NRI Pulse. “As an art enthu-siast, and being an architect by profession, I be-

lieve that I can add value tothe board. It is important forme to consider all forms ofart that reflect and representthe vibrant community ofJohns Creek.

“At the end of the day,this is an opportunity for meto give back to the commu-nity which has been myhome for the last decade,”she added.

The other inauguralboard members are KirkWilson, Deanna Maust,Brigid Yeager, Jacquie Tracy,Rae Prall and Ron Cioffi.

“We welcome theseboard members and thank

them for their eagerness to enhance their commu-nity,” said Mayor Mike Bodker. “The arts, in allforms, are not only a catalyst for economic devel-opment and sustainability; they are an integralpart of our future plans in Johns Creek and vital toour quality of life.”

Each board member is appointed to a 2-yearterm and may serve consecutive terms.

community so we can be proactive in ending theseforms of violence and work towards stronger andhealthier communities,” said Aparna Bhattacharyya,executive director of Raksha.

Tripathi says the South-Asian and the immigrant

community has unique hurdles because people are un-aware arranged/forced marriages still occur in the U.S. .Domestic violence takes a huge toll on women becauseof a culture of shame and the stigma of divorce. Theinability to maneuver and find resources without ex-tended family support and/or immigration status, lan-guage and legal barriers keep them locked up in mentaljail in abusive homes. If you follow census figures it istimely to raise greater awareness in the mainstream ofunique challenges that face the ethnic communities aslarge number of people emigrate to the U.S. from India.

Saris to Suits is a campaign to raise greater aware-ness about gender and cultural competence. The Foun-dation benefits causes that empower women, upliftthose who are marginalized, and inspire girls with real-life role models who are of South Asian American heri-tage and living their American dreams.

Dr. KulsoomAbdullah

Moni Basu

Nina Davuluri

NRI PULSE 7November 2014 ........City News ........

Spectacular Diwali Celebrations At BAPS Swaminarayan TempleAtlanta, GA: “Diwali, the festival of lights.

This is a celebration that heralds knowledge overdarkness. Wisdom over ignorance,” shares AjitKumar, Consul General of India in Atlanta, “It isthis Diwali that marks the victory of good overevil. Light over darkness. This is the time RamBhagwan returned to Ayodhya. We must remem-ber to light the lamp of love in our hearts so we canalso give our love to those who do not have much.”

It is with this spirit that millions of Hinduscelebrate the festival of Diwali every year. ThisDiwali welcomed several thousand visitors to theBAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn,Georgia from October 23rd to 24th, 2014, to markthe festivities of the holiday.

Volunteers helped with the grand Annakuton New Year’s Day, October 23rd, to offer thefirst harvest to the murtis of God. This conveyeda sentiment of gratitude towards God because He

is the giver of all fruits. Throughout the day,people observed the Annakut in admiration as theyconversed about their favorite dish.

On Saturday, October 24th,2014 the annual Kid’s Diwali Programwas held. Children enjoyed beautifuldecorations and carnival rides. Thiswas followed by the Chopda Pujanas well as spiritual discourses bySwamis reiterating the stories andmessages from decades ago of theRamayan into current day familialscenarios. The amazing fireworks in-spired responses of awe, while thebrightness filled the dark sky sym-bolizing the prevalence of good overevil.

Atlanta City Councilman, the

honorable Kwanza Hall shared, “I have never seensuch an atmosphere filled with love and excite-ment.” Additionally, Congressman Hank Johnsonwas also in attendance.

In an age where traditions and morals are chal-lenging to maintain, His Holiness Pramukh SwamiMaharaj invests time to build the roots of ancientrituals for generations. On the surface, Diwali isthe most colorful holiday with fireworks, rangolis,beautiful decorations, variety of mithais, fancy

flowers and lit divas. However, the true essence ofDiwali is an internal journey of dispelling dark-ness in the forms of ego, anger, jealously, greed,and envy and invoking the light to bring in posi-tive virtues of patience, contentment, compassionand inner-stability. Pramukh Swami Maharaj is aliving example of positive virtues that we can strivetowards with sincere efforts. Through introspec-tion at this auspicious time, we can overcome ournegative virtues and bring out the light from within.


Volunteers Clean & Maintain Cobb County Road On Sewa DayAtlanta, GA: Sewa International USA cel-

ebrated ”Sewa Day 2014" at over 20 locations inthe USA involving volunteers in the Indian, In-dian-American, Hindu and other communities.. Theobjective was to bring together a di-verse group of volunteers represent-ing professional bodies, associa-tions, linguistic, temple, spiritual,social and cultural organizations fora day of community service. Hun-dreds of volunteers of different agesand backgrounds from Sewa Inter-national and partner organizationsworked on a variety of projects atlocations across the country tomake a difference in their communi-ties.

Volunteers in Atlanta, Georgiacleaned up and maintained a neighborhood road inCobb County as part of the Adopt-A-Mile pro-gram. Atlanta volunteers have adoptedNorthChruch lane Road in Cobb County(Smyrna), GA. Volunteers go there every three

months and clean this one mile road and then re-port back to the county about their activity. “Thiseffort not only help our local communities we livein but also helps our local counties. For Sewa

International this program helps in building bondsbetween sewa volunteers with local communitymembers,” Sewa’s Atlanta chapter members saidthrough a press release.

Sewa Day projects are scheduled at a few

more locations such as in Pittsburgh where volun-teers will serve at the Greater Pittsburgh Commu-nity Food Bank. Volunteers in the Seattle area willplant and remove invasive plants at theMartha Washington Park.

At many of these locations, SewaInternational prepared or sponsoredlunch for the volunteers and facility staffafter the volunteer event.

Sewa International USA is proudto a part of this worldwide initiative togive back to our communities, and wethank all our volunteers, sponsors andparticipating organizations.

UK Prime Minister DavidCameron is among many celebrities anddignitaries who endorsed Sewa Day. Atthe awards ceremony, he said: “I thinkSewa Day is something really, really,special and valuable. As Prime Minis-ter you see amazing things and get to meet amazingpeople but I think the thing that gives me greaterpleasure than anything else I do is seeing these

VHPA Diwali Celebrations Held At Centennial Olympic ParkBY SMITA DAFTARDAR

Atlanta, GA: Every year, the beautiful Cen-tennial Olympic Park, on a crispautumn Sunday gets transformed into a prettykaleidoscope of colors, with the Indian commu-nity gathered together to celebrate “Diwali-Festi-val of Lights,” an event organized by World HinduCouncil of America (VHPA), Atlanta Chapter.

This was the 9th annual celebration and, like ev-ery year, it presented the music and dances of Indiaperformed by the talented artists from the Atlanta In-dian community. The event was free and open to pub-lic, with free snacks, tea and lunch for the entire crowd.The attendance this year was about a thousand people,much less compared to the past, in part due to theinclement weather in and around Atlanta, not to men-tion the traffic and parking challenges posed by theFalcons game in downtown. The performing artists-about 20 different groups/individuals- braved all thesechallenges, made it to the venue and gave an outstandingperformance.

The program was opened with the traditionalGanesh and Saraswati Vandana by the students ofBalvihar and all the kids present in the audience.Kusum Khuranaji, President of VHPA, Atlantachapter gave the welcome address. The traditionallamp was lit by the chief guest for the occasion,Deputy Consul in the Consulate of India, Atlanta,R.Srinivas and his wife Anagha. After a brief ad-dress by Srinivas, the cultural program commencedwith a pure classical Kathak dance by Leera Rawal,a disciple of Birju Maharaj and KumudinibenLakhia, followed by variety of classical, fusion,folk and Hindi Film dances, along with melodiousold and new Hindi songs. The 5-7 year old stu-dents of Sreedevi Dadithota of the NatyaabhinayaDance School presented a beautiful invocatorydance, in the Kuchipudi dance form. The perfor-mance was especially impressive, because of theyoung age of the dancers! Cobb Balvihar studentsteam coordinated by Neetu Sharma put fortha dance medley, choreographed by Nikki Bagadiset to popular Hindi Film songs. Cobb Balviharteachers and volunteers, Neetu, Varsha Gupta,

Seema Laddha, Ritu Sehgal and Nicky Bagadi pre-sented another fast paced medley and got thecrowd dancing along with them. Balgokulam stu-dents group, coordinated by Arti Sarda, performeda traditional Garba. Another group of talented kidsunder the tutelage of Sweta Khatri, danced on asweet medley starting with the name of LordGanesha followed by Punjabi Bhangra, Hindi filmand Rajasthani dance forms. An artist deservingspecial mention, Komal Bhullar, a self taught 10year old, danced to a lively combination of au-

thentic Punjabi songs, complete with props andtraditional Bhangra. Mrunal Saggere fromMaharashtra Mandal of Atlanta, coordinated andchoreographed a kids group dance, set to “DevaShri Ganesha”. The group, too large to be accom-modated on the stage, danced on the green lawns,with an adorable Bal-Ganesh amidst them. Thetalented young ladies from the Kalaivani Danceand Music Academy performed a BharatnatyamFusion dance. Sure to make Guru Padmaja Kelamproud, their skilled moves and great coordinationdrew a large round of applause. While the kidspresented a beautiful array of dance forms, theadults were not to be left behind, with their ener-getic and quality dance performances. AadithyaPrem, a long time favorite with the audience andorganizers alike, and Mahek Patel, an accomplisheddancer from Mahek Dance Academy performed a

fusion dance, with beautifully choreographed movesand striking dance costumes. Also showcased were thebeautiful folk dances of India: the Gopika-Kolatam,choreographed by Swetha Pakala, was performed by“Natya Mayuri”. The participants were Swetha, VidyaKtragadda, Anu Khandavalli and Neelima Sunder Sen, agroup of talented ladies with a passion for dance. TheKoli or Fisherman Dance from Maharashtra was per-formed by three enthusiastic couples Mrunal/SanjaySaggere, Radhika/Sandesh Shinde and Dipti/SunilKulkarni, dressed in the unique Koli costumes. The

most popular, fastpaced “Lavani”, per-formed by NehaWorlikar Patil andRuchi Dave Iyengar,was a huge success.Both the Lavani andKoli dances were cho-reographed by Nehawho has been traininga lot of groups forMaharashtra Mandal.The “Jogwa” a prayerdance paying homageto Goddess Durga wasperformed with flour-

ish by Pratima & Jaywant Dhumal, Vandana & ShaileshPawar, Neeta Sorte, Manjula Kirangi, Rekha Yadav &Sushil Varma. The dance, choreographed by Pratima,ended with the formation of the Raudra Roop of God-dess Durga, making for a really good photo-op. Addinga completely different flavor to the show, was the highenergy performance of Zumba, a popular dance cumexercise routine, led by Shiela Devlia of the “Z FitnessWith Shiela” accompanied by Hema Vishwanathan andPrina Patel.

It was a great pleasure to listen to AmolKhanapurkar, a singer par excellence who enthralled thecrowd with two Hindi film songs. Shyam Gupta, a wellknown vocalist, gave an excellent impromptu perfor-mance. Jiten Singh sang an old favorite “Mere Desh kiDharti” and Shyam Tiwari soulfully did justice to“Tumko Dekha to yeh Khayal ayaa...”. Another gazal“hum to hain pardes mein, des mein nikla hoga chand,

sung by the under-signed, Smita, reminisced aboutthe faraway homeland of India. The organizers, mind-ful of the love of dance of the Indian Community atlarge, from time to time, invited the audience to an opendance session on the lawns, playing popular songsfrom Tamil, Gujrathi, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi.The audience gladly took the center stage for a rockinggood time! Sabitha Venugopal kept the audience en-gaged and informed with her efficient emceeing, makingsure they knew about the food, mehandi, face paintingand the raffle drawing. Among the raffle prizes were giftcertificates from Madras Chettinad, Boba Moca andVenky’s India Bhavan. There was a Nexus 7 table froman anonymous donor to be only left behind by thegrand prize Kindle Fire HD sponsored by ExpediteTechnology Solutions

The major sponsors for the VHPA “Festival ofLights” were Ambaji Shakti Mandir, Global Mall, Houseof Spices, Pratap Singh Chauhan, Chandra Tiwari, NeeraBahl and Drs. Swati and Abhishek Gaur. Ajay Houdefrom HSS and Milind Bavadekar from MaharashtraMandal of Atlanta, along with their team of volunteersprovided valuable support in the planning and execu-tion of the event. The Mehandi and face painting boothswere run by our talented adult volunteers Indu Goeland Chandra Chandora, and not to be left behind byenergetic youngsters Shreya Dube, Anushka Shivram,Yasmen Khoramabadi and Shreya Mishra. A group ofGaTech student volunteers from Sigma Phi Epsilonhelped throughout the day, from set-up to clean-up.The DJ for the event was Bally from DJ Bally Interna-tional. The youngest volunteers were the students ofBalvihar who sold the raffle tickets all day long. Last,but not the least, the artists who performed at the eventwas the largest group of volunteers - students, workingprofessionals, moms & dads - who took time from theirbusy schedules to make this event a great success. Thevolunteers from VHPA, Atlanta Chapter could not havepulled off a challenge like this without the active sup-port of the Indian community, especially since it isresolved to keep the event free and open to public.With the growing success of this event, with each pass-ing year, the team at VHPA, Atlanta Chapter is com-mitted to present outstanding programs in future andcontinue its efforts to bring the community together.

amazing examples of social action in our commu-nities”. Vivek Oberoi, famous Bollywood star andbrand ambassador for Sewa Day 2014 said, “I try

to reach out and tell people that this (Sewa) isincredible. I think Sewa Day is a great platformand that it should be a celebration of humanity”.

NRI PULSE 9November 2014

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........City News ........

Purbasha Celebrates Durga PujaBY BAISHALI RAY

Atlanta, GA: Purbasha celebrated Durga Pujaon Oct 4 and 5 with grandeur and magnificence.Members gathered the day before to celebrateSosthi and set the stage for the next day. Peoplefrom Georgia and neighboring states gatheredaround Devi Durga to pay homage and respect. With hands folded and heads bowed, crowds gath-

ered around “Maa Durga” as they prepared foraarti and pushpanjali. As part of the festivities,children participated in an art competition. Thepuja was followed by prasad distribution and lunch.The evening was topped off by a cultural pro-gram, which included entertainment from local art-ists, adults, and children, and featured dance, songs,piano and guitar music, and poetry.

On Oct 5, Purbasha celebrated Maha Navamiand Dashmi puja. There was a series of events,

including Pushpanjali, aarti, sindoor khela. A splen-did lunch was served after this. Our hearts saddenedas we saw the crowds disappear and found “MaaDurga” preparing for transport, as we knew thelong-awaited event had come to an end. Membersremembered the late night rehearsals and the sleep-less nights that went into making the program asuccess. We want to extend our heartiest apprecia-tion to the entire Indian community for their huge

support in making the event a grand success. Overthe two days we had 500+ people visiting our Puja.Now we find ourselves waiting until next year, whenwe will again gather to celebrate “Durga puja.” Atthe same time, however, we feel excited as we lookforward to the upcoming Kali Puja on Saturday onOct 25,2014 followed by a musical nite by RajdeepChatterjee. Purbasha welcomes everyone to join usfor the Kali Puja event and cultural program, as wehope to make it a huge success.

Global Mall Brings Community Together Through Global MelaBY MAHADEV DESAIPhotos by Vinod Devlia

Atlanta, GA: The 13th Global Mela was amajor success attracting over 16,000 communitymembers at the Global Mall in Norcross, Georgiaon Saturday October 4th and Sunday October 5th2014. The mammoth Mela has become the largestfree carnival event for the South Asian community

in the Southeast, with over 35 booth vendors andattendees from all over the Southeast. The two-day event was kicked off with a Lord Ganesh pujaand a lamp lighting ceremony by dignitaries, Glo-bal Mall owner Shiv Aggarwal and his family.

Sadhana Mandir’s pundit Acharya Ved Joshiperformed the Lord Ganesh puja ceremony, fol-lowed by a few words from the chief guests. Thechief guests included the Consul General of Indiain Atlanta, Ajit Kumar, Norcross Mayor BuckyJohnson, Executive Director of Gwinnett VillageC.ID. Chuck Warbington, GA House of Repre-sentatives Candidate Amreeta Regmi, Mrs. IndiaInternational 2012 Shaveta Jain, as well as the

Head of Atlanta Chap-ter of the SantNirankari Mission forNorth America, Kapiland Sunita Bhandari.Shiv Aggarwal recog-nized Atlanta’s well-known and respectedMustafa Ajmeri, whohas supported andbeen dedicated to Glo-bal Mall and the Melasince its inception in2001.

Shiv Aggarwalwelcomed all, recog-nized the dignitaryguests and mediarepresentatives. Re-

sponding Ajit Kumar said he felt honored andhappy to attend one of the biggest melas in theSouth East. Mayor Johnson lauded Shiv Aggarwaland his family for promoting business and enrich-ing the vibrant cultural mosaic through the ever

popular annual Global Mela. Warbington remarked, “Ifeel honored to be here. My family settled here wayback in 1826 and I represent a seventh generationNorcross resident. I am very impressed with the en-ergy and enthusiasm of the people present here.”

Nepal born Amreeta Regmi, who is a resident ofPeachtree Corners since 1993, informed that she isrunning for Georgia Legislature for House District 95.Amreeta Regmi, who is a democrat, with an impressiveacademic, professional and social activism track recordappealed for a vote to theaudience, so that she canbring positive change to herdistrict and inspire other of-ficials follow suit.

Nritya Natya KalaBharati, an Indian classi-cal Kathak dance schoolin Global Mall, presentedtwo scintillating danceperformances. SwenyiKania performed a clas-sical Kathak dance andthen a RajhastaniGhoomar dance with Nisha Patel. Rishi Gowdaalso had the audience cheering and clapping as hespiced up the entertainment with energetic, fast-paced moves to a remix of three vibrant Bollywoodsongs.

Dj Arsin from XrtaHotDJs and his team height-ened the mela ambience with throbbing, pulsating mu-sic and the latest Bollywood chartbusters! Live dholplayers intensified the atmosphere. At the entrance ofthe mall, inflatable obstacle courses, slides and a bouncehouse were set up for the children to play on the per-fectly breezy October weekend. People were welcomedwith the aroma of Ashiana’s delectable chat, samosasand pav bhaji stall downstairs, while Diptiben servedmouthwatering pani-puri and vada pavs upstairs. TheGlobal Mall food court was bustling all weekend withguests waiting in lines for the Chinese Dhaba, Sri KrishnaVilas, Dawat, Mumbai Masala, and Curry on the Go!Global Mall and Legacy Jewels sponsored a handful offree treats and activities for children and some young-at-heart adults, including free popcorn, cotton candy,face painting, and balloon artistry. On the second floor,booth vendors were setup along the hallways of themall, ranging from Indian apparel, jewelry, toys, artsand handicrafts, services such as travel, insurance, edu-cation, health and medicine, and non-profits. Sangi’sBeauty Salon had set up free mehndi for all guests overboth days.

On Sunday evening, the Global Mall familyran the Mega Prize Raffle, a 32" HD flat-screentelevision donated by Global Mall, along with twoGoogle Chromecasts, etc. Ladlee Clothing Bou-tique sponsored over 25 gifts on Sunday alone,ranging from elegant kurtis, salwar kameez andjewelry for all ages.

Lively entertainment and cultural shows werehighlights of the weekend. Dance and song acad-emies who performed a variety of dance, songsand music items. Sheila Devlia, Olivia Owens andHema Vishwanathan performed an energetic andriveting Zumba dance to ever-popular songs fromBollywood movies Taal, Ram Leela, etc. A Bokwateam came in to get the crowd, especially children,dancing to choreographed dance steps. Shaan At-lanta Di, a group of 6 young, robust dancers, keptthe crowd clapping and cheering as they danced toa number of popular Hindi and Punjabi tracks.Magic Shows added to the entertainment and fun,

especially for children. The magician on Saturdayhad the crowd at the edge of their “seats” andspeechless as he performed a handful of tricks andillusions; he even turned a bird into a rabbit! OnSunday, a juggler and comedian entertained thechildren as he involved the crowd in his swordjuggling. Later, he walked on stilts and gladly tookpictures with the guests.

Sant Nirankari Mission’s Atlanta Branchhosted its very first ‘Festival of Oneness ‘cultural

show in the Ashiana Banquet Hall.Ladlee Clothing Boutique and Kiian Jewelers

presented another magnificent fashion show.Shaveta Jain, the former Mrs. India Internationaland a sought out participant in the Fashion Showcommented, “The fashion show is the flagshipitem of Global Mall’s signature annual Global Mela.This year, it was my great pleasure to participatein the show- the most glamorous, most awaitedand the concluding item of the two day event.”The fashion show was choreographed by KiranBedi Sethi of XtraHotDJ’s. The outrageously beau-tiful fashion wear was sponsored by Ladlee, thebiggest fashion store located in the heart of GlobalMall. The fashion models were accessorized withthe trendiest and one-of-a-kind jewelry byKiaan Jewelers. The models including Nikita Jain,Shaveta Jain, Louai Drissi, Anita medepalli, to namea few, did a fabulous job showcasing the outfitsand accessories with confidence, grace and style.

Well known and respected Global Mallowner, social activist and philanthropist ShivAggarwal commented, “Global Mela is our wayof thanking the community for supporting Glo-bal Mall and our Indian cultural center. I estab-lished Global Mall in order to bring the SouthAsian community together under one roof in aunique community center. It is my passion, myvision and my goal to make everyone aware ofour rich Indian Culture and heritage through suchMelas. I would like to thank all the tenants, thevendors and the Raffle-Prizes donors. I wish to thankthe media-T.V.Asia, India Tribune, Wownow.com,Atlanta Dunia, Khabar, NRI Pulse, Jan Darpan, DeshVidesh, Desi Express and Saathee. My special thanksto Vinod Devlia of Photography by Vinod, for hisphotography services in recording the entire event;Mayoor Patel, Lynn Rich, Kelsey Gore, DocMcAlpine, Aarti Aggarwal, Vandana Aggarwal, andVishal Aggarwal for ensuring smooth running of theMela; Global Mall staff and volunteers. The Policealso deserve compliments for manning the parkinglot and handling the large crowd. Finally, I wouldlike to thank my entire family for their unboundinghelp and support in organizing this event. I am happythat the attendance at the Mela is increasing eachyear and we are able to make Global Mela the cor-nerstone for future events!”



Sant Nirankari Mission Hosts Festival Of OnenessBY MAHADEV DESAIPhotos by Navita Bhandari

Atlanta, GA: The Atlanta Chapter of the SantNirankari Mission (SNM), which firmly believesand espouses One World, One Family, and “One-

ness”, hosted its very first cultural show titledFestival of Oneness at Ashiana Banquet Hall lo-cated in Global Mall (Norcross, Georgia) on Sun-day October 5, 2014.

The show was graced by the presence ofSNM North America President Dr. Iqbal Rai, SNMExecutive Committe member Harlivleen Bajwa,and over 500 guests and talented artists from allover North America including Canada.

The goal of the Festival was to promote unity,love, peace, and harmony among all. The event

was vigorously publicized through social media,banners, flyers, and invitation cards. Enthusiasticvolunteers set up an informational booth at Glo-bal Mall to give awareness of the SNM and theFestival of Oneness. Raffle tickets and differentcolored t-shirts with ‘Oneness’ written in various

languages, weresold at the Fes-tival and freecupcakes weregiven out to theguests.

The Fes-tival had spec-tacular livedances, singing,comedy, andskits, whichhelped spreadthe message ofoneness andpeace all overthe world. Art-

ists from Shiva Mandir of Snellville captivated theaudience with their dancing and singing perfor-mances, the University of Georgia’s Bhangra teamTalwar performed an energetic high octaneBhangra, and emceeing was done by HarleenNayyar. Neha Batra, Sukwinder Kaur, TanweerMian, and Shital Chodhary, to name a few, sang amedley of songs in their distinctive mellifluousvoices. And Bharat Raheja, Anil Bhandari, andLakhbir Singh entertained the crowd with theirrib-tickling comedy. To keep the audience engaged

and excited during the show, raffles were drawnwith 5 prizes, which included $50 & $100 Visagift cards, a LCD 32 inch TV, an iPad Mini, andthe newly released iPhone 6. The show ended withattendees from different races and cultures singingand dancing along to the tune of Oneness.

K a p i lBhandari, headof the AtlantaBranch, con-cluded the joy-ous show byh u m b l ythanking thed i g n i t a r yguests, per-forming art-ists, dedicatedv o l u n t e e r s ,and the audi-ence for com-ing out ands u p p o r t i n gthe event.

He com-mented, “Thisevent wouldnot have been possible without the help and sup-port of Global Mall Owners, Shiv and AnushiAggarwal, and Ashiana Banquet Hall for provid-ing us with the venue.

The Festival was open to all with no admis-sion fee and all were also provided dinner. Thesuccessful event was funded from the selling of T-

shirts, and by Platinum sponsors (Triple 7’sAmusement LLC; Nguyen Tran Law Firm LLC;Highness Investments; 27th Group Inc.; UltraGroup of Companies), and Gold sponsors (GuestHouse Inn Gainesville; Star Imports and Whole-sale and Panasonic).

TV Asia was present throughout the week-end to cover the event and conduct interviewswith organizing members, participants, and theaudience. We have been pleasantly surprised bythe success of this Festival and we are lookingforward to hosting more events like this in fu-ture.”

Hindus & Muslims Come Together ToCelebrate Dussehra & Eid-Ul-Adha

BY RENU SHAH

Atlanta, GA: It was an historic moment onOctober 5th, 2014 when Atlanta Event Hall cel-ebrated the two great festivals by bringing Atlanta’s

Hindu and Muslim communities together.The brainchild of Ramzan Virani, owner of

the Event Hall and Ashok Goyal, who emceed theprogram, the day long mela celebrated the twoevents together under the same venue. There were

many vendor booths, music, entertainment all cul-minating in the burning of a 30 ft tall effigy ofRavan with a lot of fireworks.

Dussehra was celebrated with great fervorand fanfare. It incorporated Ram Leela, a gala the-

atrical enactment ofRama’s life story por-trayed by local artistsand directed byRajshree Arcot andShree Vora.

TV Asia providedcoverage of the eventthrough their commu-nity Roundup segment.

The food stallsserved freshly made hotmasala dosas, sumptu-ous chaat and a varietyof shish kabobs andbiryanis. Other boothsshowcased clothing,jewelry, shoes, kulfisand groceries by Na-tional products.

Kids and adults, allhad great fun attending

this house full, free public fair. The vendors werevery happy with the number of people attendingthis unique show. Through a press note issued toNRI Pulse, Virani said he hopes to continue thistradition annually.

NRI PULSE 13November 2014 ........City Pulse ........

Swacch Devalaya – Let’s Keep Our Temples CleanBY NATE NATESAN

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hascalled for making his campaign for a ‘SwacchBharat’ (Clean India) into a mass movement. Acivic group called “Ugly Indian” in Bangalorehas been doing a great job for over a year, “spotfixing” the city’s streets with face masks, gloves,buckets, broomsticks and mops. Their mission

is now spreading to other cities. Our commu-nity here can match the zeal that is sweepingIndia; our challenges are not as daunting.

We can start with our temples, which are gener-ally messy, with our footwear helter-skelter on thefloor. Only a few are kept on the racks. Are we not thechildren of Indian sages and different from the peoplespitting tobacco in the Indian streets and train sta-tions. Some people place their footwear over othersandals. It is time we followed the golden rule: “Don’tdo unto others what you don’t want others do untoyou.”

Three days a week, I manage the footwear and

rack area in the temples in the Atlanta suburbs in theevening hours when devotees come in large numbers,over 500 at times. Under supervision, 98% of peopleuse the racks. Others are truly sorry when their atten-tion is drawn to the issue.

I have for seven years arranged the footwear ofmy brothers and sisters on the racks or in a single lineby a wall. People like to see their temples clean andthey appreciate what I do. Many miss my supervisionwhen I do not show up one day to maintain order. When not supervised, the shoe area a mess and posesa safety hazard of tripping or twisting the ankle. We cankeep our temples clean without supervision if we pro-

mote awareness. If each of us occasionally promote the ‘Swacch

Devalaya’ (Clean Temple) campaign on Facebook orTwitter and share other relevant messages, we can cre-ate a ripple first, then a wave and ultimately a tsunamiof awareness to keep temples clean. Does it cost us anymoney or more than a minute of our precious time?

If water is not available in the temple to cleanseour hand, we can help ourselves by bringing with us asanitizer gel or we can use a tissue to hold the footwear.We can be creative in this regard. Washing our handsseems to be an issue for less than 15% of the people.Also when attending sathsangh at homes where handscan be washed, fewpeople take thetrouble to placefootwear neatlyalong the walls. It ismostly all over theplace in the garageor near the doors orpiled up in thefoyer.

Our spiri-tual masters whoare showing usthe way to evolveand enriching uswith their teach-ings can promoteawareness in this

area. Nonprofit institutions can also play aninvaluable role. We have to come out of ourshackles of apathy and indifference. A few indi-viduals cannot move a blade of grass, we need tomake this a mass campaign.

Cleanliness is the talk of the town in Indiaand PM Narendra Modi is at the zenith of hispopularity not only in India but among all of us.Let us seize the moment and launch the cam-paign of promoting awareness for a SwacchDevalaya, or Clean Temple.

Please like our facebook page, ‘Leave Foot-wear in the Designated Areas’.

Nate Natesan (Right) and Abay R.K. distribute flyers at theFestival of India at Gwinnett Center in August, to raise aware-ness for their ‘Clean Temples’ project.

If each of us occasionally promote the‘Swacch Devalaya’ (Clean Temple) cam-paign on Facebook or Twitter and shareother relevant messages, we can create aripple first, then a wave & ultimately a tsu-nami of awareness to keep our temples clean.

14 NRI PULSE November 2014........NRI News ........

Law Student Niraj Antani IsAmong Youngest US Lawmakers

Washington: (IANS) At 23, Indian-Ameri-can law student Niraj Antani, a Republican, willbe one of America’s youngest lawmakers afterbeing elected to the state House in Ohio in themid-term elections.

“I think the legislatureshould reflect the way the peoplelook, so I believe my generationdoes deserve a voice to fight formy children or grandchildren,”University of Dayton studentAntani said on his election.

He defeated 62-year-oldPatrick Morris of the Demo-cratic Party in Ohio’s 42ndHouse District.

“I will work hard and fightevery day for my constituents in the OhioHouse of Representatives. Together, I know thatwe can create opportunities so all can achievetheir American Dream,” Antani wrote on hisFacebook profile.

Antani graduated from Ohio State Univer-

sity in spring last year with a bachelor’s degreein political science.

He is the second Indian American to serve in theOhio House after Jay Goyal who represented the73rd District for three terms from 2006 to 2012.

Antani’s parents came tothe US in 1987 and settled inWashington Township. Later,they moved to Miami. His fa-ther Jaimini died in 2010.

Meanwhile, 18-year-oldSaira Blair became America’syoungest elected lawmaker as adelegate in the West VirginiaHouse after defeating a 44-year-old attorney.

There are more than 7,300state legislators in the US, and

fewer than five percent are under the age of 30,according to Morgan Cullen, a policy analyst atthe National Conference of State Legislatures.

The average age in US Congress is 57, andthe average age in the US Senate is 62.

New Jersey Duo Charged In $5.8Million Debit Card Scam

Newark: (IANS) Two Indian Americans havebeen charged with conspiring to extort victims toload prepaid debit cards with funds that were sto-len as part of a scam running into over $5.8 mil-lion.

Alpeshkumar Patel,30, and Vijaykumar Patel,39, of Philadelphia werearrested at VijaykumarPatel’s home by FBI andother government agents,US Attorney Paul J.Fishman announced.

The pair - who arenot related - face a maxi-mum potential penalty of20 years and over$250,000 in fines oncharges of conspiracy to wire fraud.

According to the prosecution, from Septem-ber 2013 through March 2014, the two were partof a conspiracy to steal money using reloadabledebit cards.

First, the conspirators, some of whom werelocated in India, would purchase reloadable Green

Dot Cards, and register them in names other thantheir own, it was alleged.

They then contacted victims by phone andused threats or deceit to induce them to put money

on MoneyPak cards,which are used alongwith assigned PIN codesto add funds to GreenDot Cards, the com-plaint said.

The conspiratorsthen used the reloadablecards to purchase moneyorders that were depos-ited into bank accounts.

“All of the stepswere taken quickly solaw enforcement and

victims could not identify the conspirators or pre-vent or reverse the fraudulent transfers,” the prosecu-tion alleged.

In one case, a New Jersey retail store received acall Sep 10, 2013 that said there was a bomb in the storeand demanded the manager load ten $500 MoneyPakcards within five minutes and provide the caller withthe associated PIN codes.

The manager had provided the code for one cardbefore law enforcement arrived at the store, instructedthe manager to hang up the phone, and evacuated thebuilding.

The $500 associated with that code was trans-ferred to an existing prepaid reloadable Green Dot Card.Surveillance video showed Alpeshkumar Patel in thePhiladelphia CVS where the Green Dot Card wasbought.

That card was then used by Vijaykumar Patel,who was caught on video purchasing two money or-ders in a Philadelphia Wal Mart. The money orders, inturn, were used to deposit funds into a bank account.

Indian Gets 15 Years In Jail For Backing HezbollahNew York: (IANS) An Indian citizen residing

illegally in the US has been sentenced to 15 yearsin prison for allegedly trying to provide materialsupport to Hezbollah, a designated foreign terror-ist organisation.

Patrick Nayyar, 50, who was convicted inMarch 2012 after a seven-day jury trial, was sen-tenced in Manhattan federal court by US DistrictJudge Robert W. Sweet.

Announcing the sentencing, Preet Bharara,the Indian-American US Attorney for the South-ern District of New York, praised the investiga-tive work of the FBI’s New York Joint TerrorismTask Force.

According to the prosecution, between Julyand September 2009, Nayyar and his co-conspira-tor, Conrad Stanisclaus Mulholland, agreed to pro-

vide weapons, ammunition, and vehicles to Leba-non-based Hezbollah.

During a series of meetings with a confiden-tial informant working with the FBI, who repre-

sented himself as able to deliver materials toHezballah, Nayyar and Mulholland agreed to sellguns, ammunition, vehicles, bulletproof vests, andnight-vision goggles to the confidential informant,the indictment said.

During these meetings, Nayyar andMulholland also provided the confidential infor-mant with a handgun, a box of ammunition, and apick-up truck, believing that the confidential in-formant would deliver the items to Hezbollah inLebanon, it added.

Nayyar’s co-conspirator Mulholland, 47,who is not a citizen of the US and resides abroad,left the US before charges were filed, and remainsat large.

The charges against Mulholland are pend-ing.

Pharmacist KillsCo-Worker, TurnsGun On Himself

Atlanta, GA: GeorgeVallikappil, a 58-year-old phar-macy technician at Ben TaubGeneral Hospital, Houston shotand killed his co-worker and thenturned the gun on himself after-noon, reports abc13 Eyewitness

News.The victim’s name has not been released, but

police say she was a pharmacist. Some media re-ports suggest both are from Kerala, and the victimis a mother.

According to Houston police, Vallikappil,shot and killed the victim Wednesday afternoon asshe was in her workstation behind the pharmacycounter. Authorities are still investigating the mo-tive but say the suspect had recently expressedromantic interest in the victim. Both were pro-nounced dead at the scene.

“We are 2 families suffering here. We’re con-fused. We want answers. We don’t have any an-swers,” said, Tom Vallikappil, the shooter’s sonto Eyewitness News.

Anita Singh Appointed To Key Counter Spying JobWashington: (IANS) Indian-American Anita

M. Singh has been appointed to a key post in theJustice Department’s Na-tional Security Division(NSD) as part of a restruc-turing to counter state-spon-sored economic espionageand proliferation, includingthrough cyberspace.

The strategic changesare designed to put additionalfocus on the protection ofnational assets from suchthreats and to empower USattorneys as they conductoutreach on these issues, as-sistant attorney general forNational Security John P.Carlin announced.

Singh, who has been appointed Chief of Staff

and Counselor after serving in an acting capacityfor nearly a-year and-a-half “focuses on strategic

management issues, includ-ing the design of structuralchanges to support work inemerging threat areas”.

Singh joined NSD asDeputy Chief of Staff in2011 after serving as direc-tor for intelligence programsand reform at the WhiteHouse on the National Se-curity Council staff, whereshe focused on cyber-re-lated issues.

Singh began her legalcareer through the justicedepartment’s honors pro-

gram, serving in the criminal division’s computercrime and intellectual property section, and later

as a counsel, focused on cybersecurity, to severalassistant attorneys general.

Prior to entering government service, Singh was amanagement strategy consultant with the Boston Con-sulting Group. She graduated with her JD and AMfrom the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

“The threat landscape we face is ever-chang-ing and evolving, and while our top priority willalways be combating terrorism, we must alsosharpen our focus and increase our attention onthe emerging threats of economic espionage andproliferation,” said Carlin.

“We have assembled a talented, dedicated andexperienced team of seasoned professionals tolaunch this new phase for the National SecurityDivision,” he said.

“These changes will help us continue con-fronting today’s threats while readying the NSDworkforce to engage what we see as the key emerg-ing threats to our national security,” Carlin said.


USCIS To Order 34 Million Blank Green Cards, EADsAtlanta, GA: The Obama administration is

seeking a vendor to produce 34 million blank workpermits and green cards as the White House pre-pares to issue an executive order on amnesty afterthe November election, reports watchdog.org.

“USCIS Contracting will be posting a solicitationfor the requirement of Card Stock used by the USCISDocument Management Division. The objective of thisprocurement is to provide card consumables for theDocument Management Division (DMD) that will beused to produce Permanent Resident Cards (PRC) andEmployment Authorization Documentation (EAD)cards. The requirement is for an estimated 4 mil-

lion cards annually with the potential to buy asmany as 34 million cards total, says an online

solicitation by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigra-tions Services (USCIS) .

If the numbers reported are correct, they arevastly larger than official estimates of 12 millionillegal residents in this country, says watchdog.org.

A USCIS official told MailOnline recentlythat the draft was published ‘in case the presidentmakes the move we think he will,’ but added thatthe agency’s DMD is by no means committed tobuying the materials.

A second official at the agency said the pro-posal was drafted as a contingency in case immi-gration reform legislation passes in Congress, notin anticipation of action from the White House,reports dailymail.co.uk.

........NRI News ........

Hindus Rally With Yezidis To Stop Genocide And SlaveryAtlanta GA: Yezidis and Hindus came from

across the U.S. to Washington D.C. on October24 to protest the thousands of Yezidis who arebeing targeted in Iraq.

The terror ISIL army has murdered thousandsof Yezidis in its rampage across the Middle East. The truly heroic efforts of the Yezidi, combinedwith some support from the Iraqi and coalitionforces, have so far managed to maintain their holdof the strategic mountain. The situation, however,is a desperate one as the entire mountain is cur-rently surrounded by ISIL.

As the world is responding to the ISIL threat,the Yezidis seem to have been forgotten althoughthey are primary targets of the terrorists.

There are currently over 7,000 Yezidi womenand girls that have been kidnapped and enslavedby the terror group. Thousands of Yezidi men andboys have been massacred and many others forcedto convert to Islam literally at the point of thesword. Marked for extinction as ’devil worship-ing’ heathens, the Yezidi are shown absolutely nomercy.

In an effort to raise awareness among thepublic and to urge the U.S. government and its’forty-member anti-ISIL coalition into action,Yezidis from across the USA and Canada gatheredin DC for a demonstration at the White House. Ina unique display of solidarity, the Hindu commu-nity also came out in force joining hands with theYezidi people. Together they urged the US gov-ernment to take action. In a vivid reminder of thebarbarism of ISIL the protesters reenacted the ‘Sex

Slave auction’. Women dressed in Burqas werechained together and ‘sold’ for prices ranging from$10-300 per ‘slave’.

With shouts of ‘Bring Our Women Back!’and ‘Save Mt Shingal’ the demonstrators urgedPresident Obama to take effective action in de-fense of the Yezidis fighting on Mt Shingal and toprovide assistance in the rescue of the thousandsof enslaved Yezidi women and girls.

Coinciding with the protest was the visit of ahigh level Yezidi delegation from Iraq. Baba Sheik,a leading member of that delegation, joined in theWhite House demonstration as well. Demonstra-tors also met with several lawmakers and inter-acted with the media.

Recognizing in the Yezidis a kindred commu-nity confronted by the same challenges andstruggles, the Hindu community issued an appealfor donations and humanitarian aid on behalf of

the struggling Yezidis. Currently those Yezidis notimprisoned by ISIL are stranded in squalid refugeecamps spanning the region from Turkey to Syriaand Iraq. As winter approaches the refugees arelacking many basic necessities like water, medi-cine, sanitation and blankets.

Both the American Yezidi and Hindu com-munities issued an urgent call for the immediaterelief and support for the armed Yezidi resistanceefforts on Mt Shingal, the rescue of the 7,000+enslaved Yezidi women and girls and the distribu-tion of humanitarian aid to the thousands of Yezidirefugees across the region.

People can support the Yezidi by donating to theSEWA USA Yezidi fund. http://www.sewausa.org/files/uploads/2014_Diwali_SewaUSA.html

16 NRI PULSE November 2014........Perspective/Feature ........

BOOK REVIEW

Domestic Violence: A Reality CheckWhat if faith institutions (churches, mosques, temples, and gudwaras) and schools talked about theseissues and made sure they created accountability for batterers and safety for their partners, suggestsAPARNA BHATTACHARYYA.

There is general disbelief and shock thatRay Rice did not go to jail for his attack on histhen fiancée, now wife. Here is a reality check. This is what normally happens with first timedomestic violence offenders if they do not havea previous charge. They are often sent to abatterer’s intervention program and the case is

dismissed upon completionof the course. If violence oc-curs in that time period, thecourts can go back and chargethe batterer with the originalcharge. In the rest of the non-athlete world, batterers do notnormally lose their jobs forbeing violent with their part-ners. Yes, it is outrageous.But, if we know someone whohas a problem why would wecut them loose and not helpthem get the help and account-ability they need?

Domestic Violence is alearned behavior that needslayers of accountability. TheNFL’s response to Ray Rice’sbehavior shows that the valueis in the ratings and not in the

people. We can toss you aside instead of invest-ing in making you a better human being. I amreminded about how many workplaces deal withalcoholism or drug abuse. If someone has an alco-hol or drug problem, their job is protected evenwhile they are getting help.

I am not saying that we need to protect all batterers.Rather, we need stronger systems of accountabilitythat would help reduce domestic violence in our com-munities. The reality is that immigrants and communi-ties of color are not comfortable utilizing the criminaljustice system to address domestic violence due tomany reasons including, systemic racism and potentialdeportation. What if faith institutions (churches,mosques, temples, and gudwaras) and schools talkedabout these issues and made sure they created account-ability for batterers and safety for their partners? Wouldn’t it be great if boosters in universities wouldinvest in counseling and interpersonal coaching for theathletes instead of merely enticing them with fancycars, trips, and parties? The NFL’s handling of thissituation is a reflection of our values. We are moreconcerned with football rankings than people.

Are we still holding Charlie Sheen account-able for his violence? He is back on televisionmaking tons of money. Chris Brown, whose vio-lence had to be even more horrendous based on theinjuries that Rhianna had, is still making his musicand lots of money. And as a community we stillare supporting these individuals in making theirmillions. I am not advocating that we take awaypeople’s livelihood. The money they make is im-portant to supporting their children and spouses.

I have concerns about how violence can escalatewhen a batterer loses their job. Will they takeit out on their partner? Could it be more dan-gerous and lethal for their partner? With manysports and other celebrities, so much of howthey see themselves is based on their brand andidentity. When that is taken away, will theybecome more violent?

In my opinion, the NFL was not reallytaking a stand on Domestic Violence. If theywere, the NFL would have been deliberate abouttheir actions to ensure that Janay Rice was safe;instead, they seemed to have been more con-cerned by the publicity generated by Ray Rice.

The NFL invests in therapists who willmake sure that their players can play to win;they spend money on trainers, and all the otherthings to make sure the players are towing theline for the right image. Can we focus not onimage but on what it takes to really supportpeople in becoming better human beings?

*The author is the Executive Direc-tor of Raksha, a Georgia based non-profit that has been serving SouthAsian survivors of domestic andsexual violence since 1995.

An Office in God’s Own Country

Book: God’s Own Office: How One ManWorked for a Global Giant from HisVillage in KeralaAuthor: James JosephAvailable at Amazon.Hard copies can be ordered online to bedelivered in the US: http://www.indulekha.com/gods-own-office-business-james-joseph

There is probably some coincidence be-tween the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (withits focus on NRIs in the Gulf) held in 2013 inKochi and the call for NRIs to return home , inthe form of a book published by James Josephfrom Aluva near Kochi. The book, entitled“God’s Own Office” was released on October2nd this year, timed during the birth anniver-sary of one of India’s greatest RNRIs -MahatmaGandhi.

According to the book’s author, James Jo-seph, Kris Gopalakrishnan Executive Vice Chair-man of Infosys, Thomas Friedman, New YorkTimes columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner, andIndian columnist Anil Dharkar have been instru-mental in encouraging him to write down hisglobal experience and decision to eventually re-locate to his origins in Kerala. Says Joseph ofthe writing opportunity that was the first of itskind for a person with no background in writing,“We can do what we want if we notice the op-portunities that are passing by us. What startedout as the memoirs of a jackfruit plant, writtenaboard flight trips to and from business meet-ings, turned into a first person account of myexperience.”

James Joseph, a recipient of the Circle ofExcellence award, the highest award for salesand marketing employees at Microsoft, came toIndia as the Director, Executive Engagement atMicrosoft for a period of five years before mov-ing on to found his own company called Jack-fruit 365, the fruit for which he is also the brandambassador. A degree in mechanical engineeringfrom Thiruvananthapuram and a masters in engi-

neering business management from University ofWarwick, UK, as well as nearly two decades ofsales and marketing experience in North America,Europe and India put Joseph on a self proclaimedroad map of high profile NRIs returning to theirroots to taste more than material success.

In Joseph’s case, his daughter’s lament overthe inability to consume the delicious Jackfruit allyear around led to a literal sowing of the seeds ofentrepreneurship. Joseph converted the amplewastage of jackfruit into a freeze and store for 365days to use product. His ingenuity for creativity,passion for local/native resources and desire toremain close to his origins led to what he calls asocial venture. He says, “Our motto is Buy 1,Save 1, Give 5. A customer who buys a 180 grampacket of Jackfruit, saves the entire fruit fromwastage and the proceeds go to Akshayapatra, an

NGO that supplies mid-day meals to schools inseveral states, to feed five children.”

Joseph’s book ‘God’s Own Office’ is part mem-oir and part rhetoric - an appeal to the youth to look foropportunities within the place they grew up. It at-tempts to persuade NRIs to return home to their nativeland. Joseph’s journey is testimony to the powerfulwill and unconditional family support to surmountobstacles and build on a dream. It is also a wake up callto the future, of not only the state Joseph lives in, butalso the entire country -of a generation of aged leftbehind, of resources untapped, of the severing of tieswith the familiar from childhood, of identities undergo-ing transmogrification in alien lands.

“My daughter said once on a rainy day thatit was better to watch the hungry birds of Periyarthan play angry birds,” laughs Joseph. Periyar isthe largest river in Kerala and Aluva is located at

the mouth of the river. The entertaining moodsof the river coupled with local monuments, afifteen acre farm, community engagement in theform of membership in school and religious in-stitution create a hectic life, Joseph’s own workcommitments and travel not withstanding.

For this interview, Joseph agrees that adisclaimer that relocation must not entail lossof professional livelihood, is a must. He urgesthe need for families to find an energy spot whereevery member can draw strength from. His ownstory being somewhat unusual, he believes thatit is not impossible for people to seriously con-sider relocating to their native state/village butalso work from home.

‘God’s Own Office’ is an honest step bystep account of the author’s life, his foray intothe global world and the eventual return to hishumble beginnings. Joseph explains that thebeauty and awe he found the world over, healso found in his backyard. Coming home, in asense, also involves reliving a childhood throughthe eyes and experiences of his children.

REVIEWED BY SUPRIYA D G

NRI PULSE 17November 2014 ......Biz Pulse......

How Much ‘Black Money’ Do Indians Have Abroad?New Delhi: (IANS) Even as the Indian gov-

ernment took the first real step towards gettingback black money, or undeclared wealth alleg-edly stashed away by Indians in overseas ac-counts, by naming three such people in the Su-preme Court, what is the actual quantum of suchfunds being talked about is not clear

Despite some official White Papers, or gov-ernment reports, on black money tabled in thepast, only unofficial estimates by independentagencies are floating around. The variations arealso rather wide.

One figure that is often quoted came fromsenior BJP leader L.K. Advani, who was India’sdeputy prime minister and home minister duringthe regime of the National Democratic Alliance(NDA) till 2004. Advani, as a key oppositionleader, had said in 2011 that some Rs.28 lakhcrore (around $466 billion) was stashed awayillegally in bank accounts overseas.

He said he was using a study by Global Finan-cial Integrity, a Washington-based non-profit that doesresearch and advocacy on illicit financial flows, for his

estimate. Advani also said the names of 782 allegedIndians with illegal overseas accounts - that have notbeen declared with the Indian government and hence notaxes paid on them - were not being disclosed.

Advani’s own party in 2011 had estimatedthe black economy at between $500 billion and$1.4 trillion.

In the Government of India’s White Paper

presented in parliament in 2012, the total de-posits of Indians in all Swiss banks was around$2.1 billion — nowhere even near the lowestestimate of $466 billion.

In fact, there were also reports quoting aso-called report of the Swiss Banking Associa-tion in 2006, as per which black money of Indi-ans overseas was placed at $1.46 trillion. Butthese reports were subsequently denied bySwiss authorities. The Swiss Bankers’ Associa-tion said it never published such a report.

It will be worthwhile, however, to revisitthe May 2014 report of Global Financial Integ-rity, which took note of the Prime MinisterNarendra Modi government forming a SpecialInvestigative Team (SIT) to probe illicit finan-cial flows.

“Illicit financial outflows are a massiveproblem for India. GFI esearch finds that Indialost $343.9 billion to illicit outflows from 2002to 2011,” it said, adding: “India ranks 5th in theworld in illicit outflows, and is the poorest coun-try in the top-10 by per-capita GDP.”

L&T Wins Statue OfUnity Contract

Engineeringand constructionc o n g l o m e r a t eLarsen & Toubro(L&T) said it haswon the Gujaratgovernment con-tract for the Statueof Unity project tobuild a bronzestatue of India’s firsthome minister

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.The 182-metre statue, being designed to be the

world’s tallest at twice the size of New York’s Statue ofLiberty and a “dream project” of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, will be installed in the Sadhu Bet islandon the Narmada river around two hours by road fromBaroda city. The company won the contract forRs.2,979 crore through a bidding process for the projectthat includes the setting up of a memorial tourist centre,an exhibition hall and hotel at the base of the statue.Theproject will take 42 months to complete, L&T said.

Sundar Pichai NamedGoogle’s Product Chief

Washington: (IANS) In a major restructuring ofGoogle management, India-born Sundar Pichai, who isalready in-charge of Android, Chrome and Google Apps,has been made the chief of core Google products, ac-cording to a technology magazine.

The highly respected Pichai, 42, will nowhave purview over research, search, maps, Google+,commerce and ad products and infrastructure, Re/code magazine said in an exclusive story citing amemo to staff by Google CEO Larry Page.

The six executives in charge of newly added prod-uct areas, all of whom previously reported directly toPage, will now report to the fast-rising Pichai, it said.

“The move seems born of Page’s concern -which is not new - that Google will become lessinnovative as it ages,” the magazine said.

In a memo to staff, Page noted that the changeswill create less of a bottleneck and also help himfocus his attention on existing and new products.

The move, however, is not designed to makePichai, who has been adding key Google businessesto his orbit for years, heir apparent to Page, itsaid. From his beginnings managing Chrome, Pichaihas also become more widely recognized outsideof Google too. Twitter tried to recruit him severalyears ago for a key product role.

His name also prominently figured in the searchfor a new CEO of Microsoft before the software giantpicked India-born insider Satya Nadella. Born in Chennaiin 1972, Pichai joined Google in 2004.

US Body Probes India’s Trade Policies Under ModiWashington: (IANS) The US International

Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an in-vestigation to examine “significant changes” toIndia’s trade and investment policies since the newModi government came to power.

The quasi judicial federal agency said it wasundertaking an investigation of India’s trade andinvestment policies at the request of two Con-gressional panels - the House Committee on Waysand Means and the Senate Committee on Finance.

In 2013 too, the panels had jointly asked theUSITC “to investigate Indian policies that restrictUS trade and investment” and their effects on theUS Economy. The commission said it would sub-mit its report on that probe on Dec 15, 2014.

The two panels said they were requesting

the new probe “Given the recent national elec-tions in India andthe formation of anew BharatiyaJanata Party-ledgovernment, andour interest in re-ceiving the mostcomprehensiveand up-to-date in-formation pos-sible.”

The USITC said its new probe “will provideinformation about any significant changes by theIndian government to the trade and investmentpolicies identified in the Commission’s ongoing

investigation.”“The USITC will also include information

on any new relevant new trade and investmentpolicies and practices in India, focusing on theperiod from mid-2014.”

The panel said it expects to deliver the reportto the committees by Sep 24, 2015.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connec-tion with the investigation on April 7. It has also invitedwritten submissions for the record before June 2.

Indian officials had declined to appear beforethe commission during its earlier probe.

But the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) as also some US companies told it that Ameri-can and other foreign firms have tremendouslybenefited from India’s opening up.

Good Karma Earns Satya Nadella $11.6 Mn In 2014Washington: (IANS) Microsoft’s Indian-

American CEO Satya Nadella, who stirred a con-troversy by his remarks that women should trusttheir karma for pay raises, himself earned $11.6million in fiscal 2014, not counting $79.78 millionin stock awards.

Nadella’s earnings include compensation ashead of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise divisionbefore he became CEO in February, the SeattleTimes reported citing company’s proxy statementfiled Monday with the US Security and ExchangeCommission.

Microsoft’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June30. Nadella’s salary for that time period includes$918,917 in base pay along with a $3.6 millioncash award and a $7.09 million annual stock award.In addition, he was also granted stock awards worth$79.78 million, including the $7.09 million he ac-tually received in fiscal year 2014.

Nadella’s compensation package in fiscal year2013 was $7.67 million. His compensation pack-age for fiscal year 2015, his first full year as CEO,could have him earning up to $18 million, the Timessaid.

Meanwhile, Nadella who has since apolo-gized several times for his controversial commentson women in tech, claimed Microsoft has no pay

gap between men, women, according to CNET.Appearing at an event in San Francisco to

pitch his company’s cloud services, he again facedquestions about his comments earlier this month thatwomen should have “faith that the system will actually

give you the right raises as you go along.”Women represent 29 percent of Microsoft’s

workforce, with only 17 percent working directlyin technology.

CNET cited a new report published in Sep-tember saying women at tech companies earn$6,358 less than their male counterparts, whilewomen with at least one child earn $11,247 lessthan everyone else.

“I was insensitive to the broader context,”Nadella said claiming he found no pay gap be-tween men and women at Microsoft.

“It turns out that we are in good shape onthat, but that doesn’t really capture the essence...and that is equal opportunity.”

“We have a lot more to do,” Nadella wasquoted as saying by CNET. “How do we getwomen to come back after they’ve taken a break?”he added, but didn’t proffer any answers.

In another interview with CNBC, Nadella said he“was completely wrong in the answer” he gave to thequestion about women “Because I basically took myown approach, to how I’ve approached my career andsprung it on half the humanity.”

18 NRI PULSE November 2014........Bollywood Pulse ........

MOVIE REVIEW

BY SUBHASH K. JHA

Film: “Super Nani”; Cast:Rekha, Sharman Joshi, RandhirKapoor, Anupam Kher; Directedby Indra Kumar; Rating: ***

Super Nani: Wah Rekha, Cine-Ma Zindabad!

There is something to be said about starpower. At a time when the biggest of stars sellthemselves to the highest bidder on any me-dium, Rekha preserves an aura of unattainablebeauty. And yet she plays the ‘gharelu’ rolesnow in this Indra Kumar drama with as muchpanache as she did in “Sansar” 28 years ago.

In that film too Rekha was the unerringhouseholder willing to sublimate her ego for thesake of her family. In her new avatar as thehome maker who won’t flinch even when hus-band, son, daughter-in-law and daughter treather like trash, Rekha brings an innate grace toher character’s indignities.

I dare any other actress to revel in the broadmelodramatic milieu of Indra Kumar’s film.Stretches of the narrative are designed like on-going sitcoms with repeated gags and unstop-pable skits masquerading as comic relief. Shot

on sets that belong to the costume dramas of the1960s, “Super Nani” transports us to a world ofembarrassingly over-stressed patriarchy.

The men in the matriarch Bharati’s life are sooblivious to theirown vanity thatthey don’t knowhow obnoxiousthey sound whenthey order theh o m e - m a k e raround. The bulliesget their comeup-pance when Bharatit r a n s f o r m sinto...well, Rekha.A diva, albeit of thedomestic-ad world.

Rekha standsunflinching at thevortex of thenautanki - Inde-structible in hergrace, unflinching in her determination to carry theidiocies on the narration away from prying eyes.She plays the girl from Patna with smothereddreams that merge into her current role of the

‘Mother India’ of the melodramatic age, filled withan implosive yearning to break out of her shell.

It is easy for urban India to laugh at Bharati’spredicament as a matriarch bullied by all the men and

the women of her family. For a lot of older women wholive outside Modern India, oppression is still a way oflife in one form or another. This is audience that IndraKumar aims at, and shoots.

Many parts of the film in the second-half whenRekha’s character achieves self-actualization throughthe good offices of her grandson Mann (SharmanJoshi) and a school friend(Anupam Kher) are bru-tally crude and impervious to the refined require-ments of metropolitan audiences who live in nucleusfamilies and have probably never bothered to knowwhat it feels like to have an an extra-participative(read: meddlesome) matriarch in the house.

When Rekha is shown touching her calloushusband’s feet at a public gathering, the film willprobably invoke a LOL effect on urban audi-ences. But there is an India outside the metropo-lis. And I do believe that the India which lives inthe smaller towns and villages would warm upto the message of the film: learn to respect youwife, or your children would also disrespect her.

“Super Nani” marks the return of Rekha. In arole designed for the diva, she sparkles like a Diwaliphooljhari that just refuses to burn out even when thefestivities are over. As the beleaguered Nani’s makeoverartiste, Sharman Joshi again shows himself an under-rated actor. While the rest of the supporting casthams happily, Sharman remains restrained to the end.

That takes some doing here. But thenSharman is in inspiring company. There is no onequite as filled with quiet grace as Rekha.

SRK Shows Off Son’s StardomNew Delhi: (IANS) Shah Rukh Khan’s latest

film “Happy New Year” (HNY) is on a recordbreaking spree. But morethan that, the superstar ishappy because it is hisyoungest son AbRam’s firstfilm too!

AbRam, who wasborn through surrogacy lastyear, made his first bigscreen appearance in the endcredits of Farah Khan-di-rected HNY, and the dotingdad is excited to “showoff”.

“While making thefilm, I used to hardly getany time to comehome...(thanks to) latenight shootings and all. Oneday, he had come over tothe studio,” the 48-year-old told IANS on phonefrom Mumbai.

“I made him sit on the stage and I starteddancing with him. Farah asked me to let her allow

to shoot my son and I said:‘Shoot it’. Now, when I seeit, it’s nice,” Shah Rukhsaid.

HNY raked inRs.108.86 crore - the big-gest opening weekend thata movie has got at the boxoffice in India.

“It’s nice to know thatmy son’s film has done suchgood business. I can show offthat my son is a big star,” saidthe father of three children.

On the festive occa-sion of Eid, Shah Rukh un-veiled a photograph of him-self cuddling AbRam.

SRK also has twoteenage children - son Aryan and daughter Suhana- with wife Gauri.

Looking At HNY AsA Cut-Off Point In

My Career: Sonu Sood

After the release of his big-ticket picture“Happy New Year” (HNY) Sonu Sood has pressedthe “pause” button in his career.

“I am looking at HNY as a cut-off point inmy career. I am hoping that one phase of my pro-fessional life has ended and a new one will begin.I’ve therefore signed no films after HNY. I want tosee the reaction to my performance as one of thefilm’s protagonists,” said Sonu.

Sonu confesses that the confidence to takesuch a big decision comes from Shah Rukh Khanwho has produced the film and also acted in it.

“It is to his credit that he gave me promi-nence in all the promotion and marketing of‘Happy New Year’. He praises my performanceat every given opportunity. That has boosted myself confidence. I’ve done dozens of Hindi, Teluguand Tamil films in strong supporting roles, bothnegative and positive. It’s time for me to take thelead now,” he said.

Hrithik, SussanneNow Legally Divorced

HrithikRoshan andSussanne Khanwere granted di-vorce by theBandra courtrecently.

Lawyer Deepesh Mehta told IANS: “They arelegally divorced now. Today at around 10:30 a.m., allthings were done. They have got divorced in a veryunique and elegant way where there is no alimony andnot a single document drawn up between them. It’s allon the basis of trust, respect and faith.”

Mehta said “this is an example they have seton how a couple should part ways in an elegantand classy way.”

It was earlier reported that a Rs.100 crorealimony was involved in their divorce but Sussannehad officially denied it.

“They have joint custody. Whenever andwhoever wants to be with the kids, can be withthem,” Mehta said.

I Have Only Been Dumped So Far: Ranveer SinghMumbai: (IANS) Actor Ranveer Singh, who

has often been chased by link-up rumors, says sofar he has not dumped anyone in his life.

“Actually I have never dumped anyone inmy life so far. I have only been dumped so far,”Ranveer said at the unveiling of “Nakhriley” songfrom “Kill Dil” at the Yash Raj Studios.

Director Shaad Ali’s “Kill Dil” is coming outNov 14.

Co-incidentally Ranveer’s “Ram-leela” alsoreleased in November.

Is November auspicious for you?“I don’t know because I don’t decide the

release dates of my films. I can only work hard asan actor. I hope even ‘kill Dil’ does as well as‘Ram-leela did,” said the actor who is reportedlydating his “Ram-leela” co-star Deepika Padukone.

In “Kill Dil”, he has teamed up with ParineetiChopra and Govinda and says that the latter in-spired him to be an actor.

“The biggest reason why I have become anactor is Govinda,” said Ranveer.

“Since childhood days I have been watchinghis films and dance moves, so I can proudly saythat today I am here only because of Govinda. Ithink I am the biggest fan of Govinda,” he added.


SuDoku Solutions

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1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9However: All rows and columns and regions(3 x 3) should contain numbers 1 to 9without being repeated.

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Autocorrect FailsThat Can Change Your Life

My most hated computer error message is: “Warning: Keyboard not found. Press enter to con-tinue.” Seeing this causes me to give a visual lesson to my workmates on the true definition of the wordhardware: “The parts of a computer which can be kicked, thumped, screamed at and jumped on.”

But computers are evenmore maddening when they dareto edit what we, their Lords andMasters, are writing.

In this context, a long-runningFacebook puzzle has just beensolved. For years, thousands ofpeople around the world have beengetting messages signed: “Grandpaand Grandmaster Flash.” It was apuzzle. Why were so many grand-

fathers sending out joint announcements with a 1980s hip-hop star?Techies found Facebook computers were automatically “correcting” “Grandma” to “Grandmaster

Flash” and disabled the function. Of course, this is probably causing great annoyance to elderly men who DOwant to send out joint messages with the aging hip-hopper.

Regarding old music, a reader sent me a report from Foreign Policy magazine about a group ofintelligence experts who recently found a Dell laptop in a Syrian safe house used by a top terroristgang. They hacked the password to find the Jihadist computer contained a recipe for banana mousseand a Celine Dion song collection. This is not a joke.

Man, I thought terrorists were evil before, but now I know that they are truly sub-human. Imean, banana mousse: who would do that to an innocent banana and a carton of whipped cream?

What should the agents do with the laptop? Whenever I am placed in possession of a friend’scomputer, I call up the auto-correct dictionary and add new commands. Change “you” to “thou”,“the” to “ye oldde”, “okay” to “verily”, all “-n” endings to “-nst”,. Then you give it back.

Your friend will find himself/herself writing perfect Shakespearian English. It’s like a miracle. Istrongly recommend doing this when he or she is up against a tight deadline to produce a piece ofextremely important work. Oh, how your friend will laugh!

This is particularly amusing if you do it on computers used for live sub-titling of TV news broadcasts.Prime Minister: “You can rely on the promises I make. “ Subtitles: “Thou canst rely on ye oldde promises Imaketh.” In the meantime, be aware that autocorrect can cause you to declare that you have commit-ted major crimes. Such as the young lady called Lauren who was waiting for the bar to open andwrote to her friends: “We are around the corner killing Tim.”

Proper Breathing Is Key To BodyAnd Mind Control

BY AMAR CHANDELBreathing is the most essential and frequent

activity that we engage in from birth till death. Yetit is one of the most neglected aspects of our exist-ence because we erroneously presume that it isentirely an involuntary function. The end result isthat this giver of life has been ignored, leading tonumerous unwanted consequences.

Our lungs have the capacity to take in about fourliters of air in each breath. In olden times, we used totake this full quota when we were active throughout theday, first as hunter-gatherersand then as crop growers. Themodern lifestyle has turned usinto veritable couch potatoesthat barely take half a litre of air per breath.Our diaphragm barely moves if we aresedentary, with the result that the lowerpart of our lungs hardly gets any oxygen.

The shocking shortfall not onlycauses numerous aches and pains and dis-eases but also leads to negative emotionslike anger, anxiety and stress.

Air is available free of cost, butwe have to make a deliberate effort toensure that we take in our full quota.The most important item on the to-do list is to set aside at least one hour every dayfor exercises which make us moderately breath-less. Regular brisk walking is an ideal starting point.

You can also train yourself to take in moreoxygen even when at rest. The technique is calledyogic or diaphragmatic breathing.

Lie down or sit comfortably. When you startinhaling, fill your belly from the lowest part up sothat by the time you have taken the full breath,your tummy is protruding as well as the chest.Hold for a few seconds and then start exhaling

while at the same time contracting your belly.This should be done preferably on an empty

stomach. So reserve five minutes for this practicebefore breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Af-ter you have practised for some weeks, start spend-ing all your spare time in mindful breathing.

Suppose you are having to wait at trafficlights. Instead of ruing the delay, utilise the timefor diaphragmatic breathing. As your practice in-creases, you will notice that you have startedpumping your belly without even noticing.

Interestingly, many ofthose who lead a sedentarylife tend to do exactly theopposite. They contract

the belly when they breathe in andexpand it when they breathe out.

Please note that you are notpumping air into the belly. It is goinginto the lungs only. It’s just that whenyou expand the belly, the diaphragmis forced to move down and the lungscan take in more air.

You will soon find that yourstress level has started going down.The air that you breathe, besides nour-ishing your body, has a vital forcecalled ‘Prana’. The more air you pump

in, the more vitality you have.There is an additional advantage. This pump-

ing action strengthens your abdominal muscles andhelps in reducing the waist size.

The yogic way of breathing which involves‘Kumbhaka’ (making a big belly after a deep inhalationand holding the breath for a few seconds) and ‘Rechaka’(expelling all air and holding for a few seconds while thebelly has been pulled in) helps one increase the lungcapacity to as much as six liters.

NRI PULSE 1March 2014

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EVENTS

Hindu Temple ofAtlanta: Talk bySwami Siddheswarananda Bharati.Swamiji is a renowned poet and scholar,respected educator, revered spiritual leader, andauthor of many religious books. He is the 5thPontiff of the 95 year old Sri SiddheswariPeetham, Courtallam, TamilnaduAttendance FreeWhen: Sunday, November 9 at 11amWhere: 5851 Georgia Hwy 85, Riverdale, GA30274Contact: Rajkishor Pathak, 678-480-3667,Ravi R. Ponangi 404-644-7521

Indian ProfessionalsNetwork (IPN)Invites you to join a presentation by LawrenceD. DuckworthTopic: LeadershipWhen: Thursday, November 13 at 5:30 pm, Theformal program will start at 6:10 pm sharp. Where: Ashiana Indian Restaurant, GlobalMall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross, GA Cost: $10.00 payable at reception desk Everyone is welcome. Help us plan better. Contact: Dr. Narsi Narasimhan - 404-488-7310- [email protected]

Shiv Mandir Atlantawith Atlanta AyyappaSamaj: Shri Ayyappa Padi PujaWhen: Sat Nov 15 6 pmWhere: Impact Center at Global Mall, NorcrossContact: Kiran Mudigonda at 404-661-1395,Isha Goyal at 770-315-6262

Indian Armed ForcesOfficers meetingAll serving & ex-officers of Army, Navy, &Air F orce are invited.When: Sunday, November 16 at 7 pmWhere: RV @ 5245 N. Buford Hwy, #101,Norcross, GA 30071.Contact: Sqn. Ldr. Parmesh Babu Erramilli,

678-860-5415

Indian AmbassadorS. Jaishankar atEmory UniversityAs part of the Halle Speaker Series,Ambassador Jaishankar will deliver a talk onUS-India relations after Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington.His remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a reception. Free andopen to public.When: Wednesday, November 19 at 4 pmWhere: Emory Conference Center Hotel, SilverbellPavilion, 1615 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia.Register online by Nov 18 at http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp

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Ten Things You Need To KnowAbout Obamacare In Georgia

BY RAJESHJYOTISHI

Open en-rollment forObamacare willbegin on No-vember 15th

2014 and willgo to Feb 15th

of 2015. M a n y

people have al-ready startedreceiving lettersfrom their cur-rent insurancecompanies let-ting them knowtheir rates and

benefits may be changing after January 1st. There are many people who can benefit

from the Affordable Care Act, also known asObamacare and there will also be many peoplewho will be having their rates increase signifi-cantly. Here are the key items you need to beaware as we approach open enrollment here inGeorgia.

1. Open Enrollment is from Nov 15thto Feb 1th: This is important to know as nowif you want to apply for individual coverage orchange your current plan, you have to applyduring this time frame unless you qualify for aspecial enrollment period where you have lostgroup health benefits, moved into new area,gained new immigration status, etc. GroupHealth Plans may have different enrollment pe-riods based on their renewal rates.

2. Pre Existing Conditions Are Cov-ered: Health insurance companies are now pro-hibited from excluding pre-existing conditionsor denying coverage to individuals with healthissues. This is great news for people who havestruggled to find health insurance in the past.

3. Maternity is Now a Covered Ben-efit: It used to be that many health insurancecompanies did not cover maternity on an indi-vidual policy or you had to purchase a rider andalso have a waiting period of one year beforematernity benefits were covered. The new Af-fordable Care Act plans are required to covermaternity as a covered benefit without waitingperiods.

4. People Over Age 65 are Now Eli-gible: Previously, people who were over age65 and were not eligible for Medicare were prettymuch out of luck as there were very few compa-nies that offered coverage for them. Now, mostinsurance companies will offer coverage to alllegal residents regardless of age or health condi-tions.

5. Not Everybody Needs to go to theHealth Insurance Marketplace: You onlyneed to go to healthcare.gov also knows as thehealth insurance marketplace if you believe you

will be eligible for tax credits and subsidies. Ifyour income is too low or too high, most likelyyou will not be eligible for the tax credits orsubsidies. You can go direct to an insurancecompany or better yet, your insurance brokerfor off exchange recommendations.

6. You must have Minimum Incometo Qualify for Tax Credits and Subsidies: This has come as a big surprise to manypeople with zero to very little income to findthat they are not eligible for the tax creditsand subsidies. The original plan was forMedicaid to take care of the people who’s income were too low but Georgia, like manyother states have chosen not to expand theirMedicaid at this time leaving many people with-out subsidies.

7. You May Have to Change HealthPlans: There are some health insurance com-panies like Coventry who are requiring individu-als to switch to the new Affordable Care Actplans starting 1st of the year. Other companiessuch as Cigna are allowing their current mem-bers to keep the older policies for one moreyear. If you are required to change plans, youmay want to compare the different plans of-fered thru other companies and choose accord-ingly.

8. If You Can Keep Your Old Plan,Do it! If you are not eligible for the tax creditsand subsidies and your insurance company isgiving you an option to keep your old plan forone more year, you should most definitely con-sider keeping it as the rates are probably signifi-cantly lower unless you are looking for addi-tional benefits that your current plan does notprovide.

9. You Should Compare HealthPlans: In 2015, we will have at least 9 majorhealth insurance companies offering plans onthe exchange including Blue Cross Blue Shieldof Georgia, Coventry, Cigna, Aetna, KaiserPermanente, United Healthcare of GA,Assurant, Alliant, Peachstate and Ambetter. Itjust makes sense to compare rates and benefitsand choose wisely!

10. Your Health Insurance DO NOTChange if you use a Broker: Health insur-ance industry is not like the travel industrywhere you can sometimes find lower rates bygoing directly to the company. Your health in-surance broker can help you choose a plan thatis better suited for you and may also provideadditional service in addition to what the insur-ance company provides. Look for someone withexperience in the industry as it is a specializedmarket.

Rajesh Jyotishi is the Presidentand CEO of Shalin Financial Ser-vices.

Emory University:Creation StoriesprojectThe Hindu people divided the sky intobeautiful patterns and told stories that reflectedtheir interpretation of the Cosmos. Dr. RichardWilliamon presents an investigation of themysterious and intricate myths and legends ofthe Hindu under the pristine skies of the EmoryUniversity planetarium.Seating is limited and reservations are requiredby calling 404-727-6118.Topic: Arts, ScienceWhen: Sunday, November 16 from 3 - 4 pmalso 7:30-8:30 pmWhere Emory University Planetarium, Math &Science Building E300. 400 Dowman Drive.Atlanta GA 30322Contact: 404-727-6118

NOV 16

Sant Nirankari MissionFree Yoga ClassesThe Yoga instructor Satish Nair is highly educated inYoga and has experience of many years.When: Every Tuesday at 7:30 pmWhere: Sant Nirankari Mission, 641 BufordDr., Lawrenceville, GA 30045Contact: Satish Nair or Kapil Bhandari, 770-771-4646

NOV

22 NRI PULSE November 2014........ What’s Cooking? ........

BY P.S. LAKSHMIRAO

........ InVogue .......

For More info, call me at404-386-2062 or visit RaneezBoutique in Decatur, GA.

Taro Root& LeafCurry8 small taro roots,washed6 cups water 1 bunch callaloo(thotakoora oramaranthus), washed

1 cup water1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste

Tadka2 tablespoons oil½ teaspoon red mustard seeds1 teaspoon chana dal1 teaspoon urad dal3 red chilies, broken into pieces½ teaspoon cumin seeds½ teaspoon turmeric¼ teaspoon asafetida

Curry leaves from one stem2 green chilies cut into three pieces each

Boil 6 cups water in a four-quart saucepan. Cooktaro roots in boiling water for fifteen minutes. Draininto a colander under cold running water. Remove theskins and cut into twelve pieces each.

Remove thick stems from callaloo leaves, discardand finely chop remainder.

In the same pan boil 1 cup water and add choppedcallaloo with half a teaspoon salt. Cook for five minutesand drain into the colander.

In a non stick frying pan heat one tablespoon oilon medium heat and fry taro root pieces until lightbrown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Clean the pan and return it to medium heat. Addone tablespoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When the mus-tard seeds starts to splatter, add chana dal, urad dal, chilipieces and fry until dals become light brown. Add cuminseeds, turmeric, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chil-ies and mix. Add callaloo, taro root pieces and remaining one teaspoon salt. Stir them until all the flavors areblended and water is absorbed. Transfer the curry intoa serving dish.

Tastes great with rice or chapattis. Makes sixservings.

Note:1. In place of asafetida, add five chopped garliccloves to the tadka with green chilies and fry.2. Fresh or frozen chopped spinach can be substi-tuted if callaloo is not available.

Eggplant Raita1 large eggplant2 cups yogurt

½ cup water1- teaspoon salt2 tablespoons finely chopped kothimeeri (corian-der leaves or cilantro)¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)

Tadka1- tablespoon oil1- teaspoon red mustard seeds2 - dry red chilies broken in to three pieces each1- teaspoon urad dal½-teaspoon cumin seed1/8- teaspoon hing (asafetida)1- green chili chopped1 stem of curry leaves

Wash the eggplant and make four slits on itwith a knife so that the eggplant doesn’t explodewhen broiled. Rub a teaspoon of oil around theeggplant to peel the skin easily after it is broiled.

Turn the oven on to broil.Put a small piece of aluminum wrap in a bak-

ing sheet and place the eggplant on top. Place thebaking sheet with eggplant on the top shelf of theoven and broil it for 10 minutes. Turn the eggplantand broil it for another 10 minutes. Use the timerbecause you might burn it if you do not watch.

Take the eggplant out and cut it into halflengthwise. Let it cool. Scrape the pulp with aspoon and mash it roughly. Please do not blend.Do not mix the eggplant pulp until completelycooled.

In a medium bowl mix yogurt, water, egg-plant-pulp, salt, and kothimeeri. Sprinkle haldi ontop but do not mix.

Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds.

When they start to pop, add red chili pieces uraddal, cumin seeds and hing. When the urad dal startsto become light brown add chopped green chilies

and curry leaves. Fry them for a minute and pourthe popu on top of the yogurt chutney and mix.Keep the chutney covered until eating time.

Note: Can be eaten with rice or as a dip or withparatha.

Variation: Vankayi Pachchii Pulusu (eggplanttamarind chutney)

Prepare the eggplant chutney same as above.Use tamarind juice instead of yogurt. Soak smalllime size tamarind in 1 ½ cups water and squeezethe juice out. Discard the tamarind pulp. You mayalso use 2 tablespoons of store bought browncolored tamarind juice mixed with 1 ½ cups waterand 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cut one mediumsize onion in to small pieces, fry in one-teaspoonoil and mix with eggplant chutney.

BY RANI SHARMA

The sharara is a traditional dress that wasintroduced into the Indian culture during theMughal rule. But now it forms one of the majortraditional costumes of India. The sharara suit con-sists of a long flowing divided skirt, a blouse orcholi and a dupatta for covering the head. A uniquefeature of the sharara are the pants, which arefitted till the knee, with wide flares from the kneeonwards. Shararas look beautiful on tall women.

These days, the sharara suit is popular amongall Indian women, especially the younger genera-tion. What’s more, women have a wide range of

shararas to choose from- sharara for weddings,the sharara choli for party wear, shararas for for-mal wear and so on.

Net Sharara- Net is always in and is a perfectmaterials for weddings. Here we feature a purplenet sharara with a maroon heavy, long jacket, flaredpants with a decorative trim and borders at thebottom. The jacket is heavy with diamonds, crys-tals, resham and zardozi. The purple dupatta hasborders on all four sides and heavy tussles.Jewelry: Pair with diamond neckless set and dia-mond kadas.Makeup: Air brush makeup with bronzer, goldeye shadow with purple touch, light lipstick.Accessories: Wedge heels and a potli purse withheavy work.

Brown Sharara- with velvet long jacket, a net

dupatta, zardozi work in an antique finish.Shimmer gota work adds to the beauty ofthe outfit.Make-up: Concealer base with cream min-eral blush on light gold eye shadow and ma-roon lipstick. Carry a gold purse and weargold sandals.

Summer Shararas- are made out of coolfabrics like georgette, chiffon, net etc in pas-tel cool colors like light pink, lemon, yellow,sky blue, white, leaf green, off white, peachetc.

Black Sharara- match with black and white com-puter embriodery with gota trim on the edges.

UnveilingShararas

Nripulse nov2014 compressed

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