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INDIA GROCERS Happy Holidays to All Our Customers
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Phone 440-885-0215 All Indian Groceries ~ Fresh Vegetables (We accept Ohio Food Stamps)
Other Ohio Location: Columbus 614.798.9331
www.allindiagrocers.com Voice of Asian-Indian Americans An Independent and the Largest Newspaper of the Asian-Indian Community in Northeast Ohio
Middleburg Hts., 18660 Bagley Rd., Suite 304 (Bldg 2)
Happy New Year !
India Allows NRIs to Vote JAIPUR: Fulfilling a longstanding demand of its diaspora, India has decided to would allow non-resident Indians (NRIs) to vote and participate in the election process. “Pursuant to the law that was enacted to enable Non-resident Indians to vote in our national elections, the government has issued notifications for registration of overseas electors under the Representation of People Act, 1950,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on January 8. “This constitutes the first major step to enable Indian residents abroad to participate in our election process,” the prime minister said while addressing the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas diaspora meet here. He said the diaspora plays an important role in the growth and development of the country. The government recognizes it, and was committed to address their concerns and fulfill their demands. “The government and people of India recognize and value the important role being played by Indian communities living abroad. We believe that Indian diaspora has much more to contribute to the building of modern India,” the Prime Minister said. “We propose to facilitate, encourage and promote this engagement. Over the past year, we have taken a number of steps towards this end,” he added, as he formally inaugurated the 10th annual diaspora meet, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here. Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said NRIs would be able to exercise their (Continued on page 4)
INSIDE What’s Happening ....... 2 Follow Your Dreams .... 5 India Quiz .................... 5 Community News ..... 6–7 Art & Culture ............. 8–-9 Diaspora News......... 10-11 Business, Health ........ 12 Humor, Riddles ............ 13 Immigration ................. 15
USA’s Long-Term StrategicPartnership with India –Page 4
India International wishes all its readers and advertisers A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year !
Banks Hike NRE Deposit Rates to 9.6% MUMBAI: More banks in India have joined the race for attracting the Indian diaspora money, after a dollar-starved Reserve Bank freed rates on the non-resident accounts, taking the offering to as high as 9.6 per cent per annum. Three more banks have announced hikes in their NRE deposit offerings, with mid-size lenders Yes Bank and Dena Bank coming out with the highest offerings of 9.6 per cent. The announcements follow similar ones made earlier by their peers like Federal Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank and HDFC Bank, among others, following the RBI decision to free the rates on December 16 to stem the massive slide of the rupee, which had hit 54.30 to a dollar on the previous day. The rate hikes are in a bid to attract dollars as the rupee hits record lows. Meanwhile, two Mumbai-based private banks, YES Bank and IndusInd Bank on December 23 increased interest rates on deposits
parked by non-resident Indians. IndusInd raised interest rates on non-resident external accounts (NRE) to 9.25 percent for deposits of 10 million rupees and above across tenors from 3.82 now. Deposits of less than 10 million rupees will earn interest of 8.75 percent. “The increased interest rates, backed by the appreciating dollar will have a considerable impact on the rupee flows coming into the country,” said Sumant Kathpalia, head of consumer banking, IndusInd Bank. The RBI deregulated interest rates on non-resident external (NRE) rupee deposits and ordinary non-resident accounts last Dec 23 to provide greater flexibility to banks to attract dollars. So far this year, foreign investors have sold more than half a billion dollars worth of Indian shares against a record inflow of more than $29 billion in 2010. SBI, BoB raise NRE deposit rates: After private banks, it is now the turn
of large public sector banks to raise interest rates on non-resident (external) rupee (NRE) deposits after the central bank lifted the cap on rates for these deposits. State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda have also raised NRE deposits rates. State Bank of India , the country’s biggest lender, has raised term deposit rates for non-resident external accounts by up to 574 basis points from Jan.1. Deposits below 10 million rupees will earn interest rates of 9.25 percent, while those above 10 million rupees will earn 9 percent for 1-2 years maturity from 3.82 percent earlier, it said in a press release. A senior Bank of Baroda official said the bank had to respond to the rise in NRE deposit rates, as the market was highly competitive. The outstanding NRI (nonresident Indians) deposits base is about Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion), the official added.
Enjoy the delite of Indian Food FREE BUT PRECIOUS India International is a newspaper for thinking people. Please take a copy only if you will read it, not just because it is free.
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5507 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102 Close to Downtown Ph 216-651-4007
Lunch Buffet: Mon-Sat: 11 AM - 3 PM, Sun 12-3 PM Dining: Mon-Sat: 5:30 PM–10 PM; Sun 5 PM–9 PM
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CarryOut & Catering Available for all Occasions
Russian Court Refuses to Ban The Bhagvad Gita –Page 10 Indian Among Pope Benedict’s 22 New Cardinals –Page10
WRHS Launches Asian-Indian Heritage Project –Page 6 India: US Bill on Outsourcing Cause of Concern –Page 12
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Asian-Indian Community Associations in Greater Cleveland Asha for Education–Cleveland Fehmida Kapadia 216-513-6977
What’s Happening !
What’s Where
Lohri Celebration
Temples
SHIVA VISHNU TEMPLE Welcomes you to ANNUAL LOHRI CELEBRATION 2012 Saturday, January 14, 2012 Puja and Havan: 6 PM, Cultural Program: 7 PM Dinner: 9:30 PM. For details, contact Temple: (440 - 888 - 9433)
Association of Asian-Indian Women in Ohio (AAIWO) (440) 218-6959 www.aaiwo.org Margaret Gonsalves 440-479-6214
American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) Zahid Siddiqui (440) 238-3796
Association of Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio (AIPNO) Satish Mahna (216) 228-1168
American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) Shantaram S. Pai (440) 734-1830
Bengali Cultural Society Debabrata Ghosh (440) 349-3678
Shiva-Vishnu Temple– 7733 Ridge Rd, Parma, OH 44129 Phone: (440) 888-9433 BAPS Swaminarayan Temple– 2915 Laurel Rd, Brunswick, OH 44212 Phone: (330) 220-4020
Pongal Festival
ISSO Swaminarayan Temple– 13354 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH 44136 Phone: (440) 238-2222
NorthEast Ohio Tamil Sangam) NEOTS invite you and your family & friends to the Thai Pongal Festival, January 14, 2012 Strongsville High School Auditorium, 20025 Lunn Road Strongsville, OH 44149. Registration: 5:00 p.m., Social Hour and Dinner: 5:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. Entertainment Program Starts at 6:30 P.M. Free Admission with Annual Membership Family of four- $30, Single - $15, Students -$10 (ID required) Admission for Non-members and Guests - $10/person Dinner is provided by “Chennai Delicacy” Please send your RSVPs to “
[email protected]”
Jain Temple (Jain Center)– 3226 Boston Mills Rd, Richfield, OH 44286 Phone: 330-659-0832 Gurudwara - Richfield– (Guru Nanak Foundation) 4220 Broadview Road, Richfield, OH 44286. Phone: 330-659-3748 Gurudwara - Bedford– 38 Tarbell Ave. Bedford, OH 44146 Ph:440-232-1702
(There is no Asian-Indian church or mosque in Cleveland area) A church where Asian-Indian Christians meet is: St. Gregorios Malankara Orthodox Church
Bharati Cultural Society
TiEQuest Ohio 2012 Gorilla Club Networking
Meera Subramaniam (440) 572-0778
Join us for a fun and informative networking event to learn about TiEQuest 2012, the business venture competition with an opportunity to represent TiE Ohio at the global competition in April 2012. January 10, 2012, 5:30pm The Market Avenue Wine Bar 2521 Market Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44113 TiE Members and potential TiEQuest contestants: Free; NonMembers: $15 TiEQuest offers the chance to win over $150,000 in prizes and an opportunity to win $1 million in investment from sponsoring funds. Foreign-born entrepreneurs and local startups with a significant international component are eligible to apply. TiEQuest is currently accepting applications at www.tieohio.org Application Deadline: January 31, 2012 The session is presented in partnership with the Gorilla Club features Allan Eva of Jet Dock Systems. Call 216-929-0677 or e-mail us at
[email protected]
Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Sreedhar Nair (440) 759-1500
FICA Mona Alag (440) 256-3247 Gujarati Samaj of Grt. Cleveland Rajesh Patel 440-465-5965
Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society Surinder Singh Chauhan (440)243-8439
Guru Nanak Foundation Dharminder S. Kala (330) 528-0262
Indian Classical Music Society Anupa Deogaonkar 444-237-2791
India-Ohio Chamber of Commerce Radhika Reddy (216) 344-9441
Jain Society of Greater Cleveland Shanti Jain (440) 498-8234
Kasturi Kannada Society Hema Vartak (440) 235-1835
Contact: Dr. T. Mathew 216-591-9632 www.stgregorioscleveland.org
Asian-Indian Asian-Indian Restaurants Stores
NE Ohio Marathi Mandal(NEOMM) Jay Masurekar (202) 436-0997
Marwari Association Sushila Mohanka (330) 598-0642
NE Ohio Telugu Assn (NEOTA)
Meyy Meyyazhagan 440-899-6394
South Asian Bar Association of Cleveland Neelam Gill 440-201-3460
[email protected]
Please send updates to:
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Indo-American Foods
Cuisine of India
North Randall Ph: 216-662-0072
Parma Heights 440-842-5907
Indian Delight
Mark your Calendar to attend Bollywood Milestones -1961-2011 Ekal Vidyalaya–Concert:Sat., April 21, 2012
Mayfield Heights Ph: 440-460-4601
Flavors of India
Stay tuned for further details
Patel Brothers
North Olmsted 440-779-5774
Laxmi Groceries & Spices
Support primary education in India’s remote regions: visit
[email protected]
Parma Heights Ph: 440-842-2402
Jaipur Junction
Lakshmi Plaza
North Royalton 440-842-3555
Parma Heights Ph: 440-885-4440
Indian Flame
Rimi’s Bakers n Grocers
University Circle 216-791-5555
West Lake Ph: 440-777-0116
Indies
Spice Corner
Colonial Mkt,Downtown 216-357-3266
Akron Ph: 330-535-1033
Priya Indian Cuisine Parma, 440-345-5599
ASIAN TOURS & TRAVEL
Ram Jewelers
Saffron Patch
440-843-4463
New York / Chicago –Mumbai/Delhi
Sunny Auto Repair
Shaker Heights 216-295-0400 Akron 330-836-7777
216-362-6050
From any city in US Lowest fares Confirmed seats Reserve Seats Today Free Ticket delivery anywhere in US Call Ranjit Dhillon: 330-467-6711 Cell: 216-401-1322
Tadka North Omlsted 440-734-1500
Taste of Kerala Mayfield Heights 440-461-9212
Udupi Cafe Parma Heights 440-743-7154
For your convenience, we can answer your calls in English, Hindi & Punjabi
National Federation of Indian American Association (NFIA) w ww.nfia.net Headquarters: 319 Summit Hall Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 USA Ph: 301-926-3013, Email:
[email protected] President: Rajen Anand (562) 537-1077
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (www.gopio.net) P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, USA; Phone: (818) 708-3885 Email:
[email protected] President (USA): Inder Singh, Tel: 818-708-3885;
American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) www.aapiusa.org Executive Office: 600 Enterprise Drive, Suite 108 Oak Brook, IL 60523 Phone: 630-990-2277 President: Dr. Vinod Shah
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Cafe Tandoor Cleveland Heights 216-371-8500 Aurora 330-562-5334 Westlake 440-835-7999
5507 Detroit Rd,Cleveland 216-6514007
National/Global Organizations
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India Food & Spices Parma Ph: 440-845-0000
India Grocers
Sravanthi Vallampati (216) 233-9424
[email protected]
NorthEast Ohio Tamil Sangam (NEOTS)
Bombay Grill Akron 330-664-0689
Indo-American Convenient
Brirendra Jena (330) 494-2618 Barjinder Dhanoa (216) 650-2311
Asian Imports North Olmsted Ph: 440-777-8101
Mayfield Heights Ph: 440-446-8200
Orissa Society of America Punjabi Cultural Society
Bamboo Garden North Olsmted 440-734-0500
Parma Heights Ph: 440-885-0215
Kerala Association of Ohio Anil Kumar (440) 572-9571
Asian Food & Spices Solon Ph: 440-248-0801
Indian Embassy & Consulates in US How to Obtain an Indian Visa EMBASSY OF INDIA 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Tel: 202-939-7000 www.indianembassy.org
CONSULATES: There are four consulates: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston. Ohio residents are served by the New York Consulate for visa & other services.
Consulate General of India, New York 3 East, 64th Street, New York, NY10065 Tel: 212-774-0600 Fax 212-861-3788 E-mail:
[email protected] www.indiacgny.org
Chicago Tel: 312-595-0405 E-mail:
[email protected] www.chicago.indianconsulate.com
San Francisco Tel: 415-668-0662 E-mail:
[email protected] www.cgisf.org
Houston Tel: 713-626-2148/49 E-mail:
[email protected] www.cgihouston.org
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
With effect from October 1, 2007, all visa applicants have to obtain visas through:
Travisa Outsourcing, Inc. (All queries relating to Indian visa should be directed to them)
316 E. 53rd St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10022 Phone: (212) 754-9900 Fax: (212) 754-9905 Email:
[email protected] Website: https://www.indian-visa.com
JANUARY, 2012
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JaipurJunction AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE 9377 W.Sprague Rd, N.Royalton, OH 44133
Ph 440-842-3555 Lunch, Dining & Carry-out Catering Available for All Occasions
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Dr. Sandeep Kumar & Dr. Jyoti Sagar 440-843-1500, 440-843-1540 The best in dental care is right in your neighborhood. Our staff offers the most gentle, complete care available. Comprehensive Care for the Whole Family Cosmetic Dentistry – Lumineers® Invisalign Mini Implants — Denture Retention Periodontal Treatments Oral Surgery/Wisdom Teeth Early & Evening Appointments All Major Insurance Plans Accepted Financing Available
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Laxmi Groceries & Spices (All Indian Groceries & Vegetables) 6339 Olde York Road, Parma Heights, OH 44130
(Next to Udupi Cafe) Fax: 440842-2403
Welcome to our store for Low Prices & Quality Products All varieties of Groceries & Frozen Foods * Appliances Ready-to-Eat Foods* Puja Items * Sweets & Snacks Fresh Vegetables* DVDs & CDs: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malyalam & much more...
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Taste of Kerala 5850 Mayfield Road, Mayfield Heights, Ohio-4412 Phone 440-461-9212, 440-461-9242. Fax 440 -745 – 6686 E-mail:
[email protected] [email protected] We serve authentic Keralite cuisine using fine ingredients and family recipes passed down through the years.
Great Takeout South Indian Food at Affordable Prices!!!! A few dishes from our menu list: Samosa:Single $0.75,Over 25: $0.70, 50& above: $0.65 each Iddly (Four) with Sambar ....................... $3.99 Iddiyappam with Chickpea Curry.............. $3.99 Three Chapattis(Roti) with Veg.Curry........ $3.99 Vegetable Biriyani ................................. $5.49 Three Chapatti (Roti) with ChickenCurry.... $4.99 Iddiyappam with Chicken Curry................ $4.99 Chicken Biriyani .....................................$6.49 Fish (Kingfish) Curry .............................. $5.49 And more……..
Please come and enjoy the taste of South India
Store Open All Seven Days: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. We accept Ohio Food Stamps JANUARY, 2012
$50
Welcome to Taste of Kerala, a South Indian take out restaurant
Fri-Sat-Sun: All-You-Can-Eat Lunch Buffet 12- 4 p.m.
Tel: 440-842-2402
TruSmiles Dental
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Timings: Tuesday through Friday 11AM to 9PM Saturday 12Noon to 9PM Sunday 12Noon to 7PM Monday - Closed Please visit: www.tasteofkeralam.com
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INDIA
INTERNATIONAL
Volume 11, Number 1
JANUARY, 2012 PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Prakash N. Sinha
Published by India International Inc. Business & Editorial office:
1801 East 12th Street Suite 1721 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: 216-781-4055 E-Mail:
[email protected]
Why India International ? India International is a secular and independent newspaper — a newspaper that doesn’t belong to any religious, political, social, cultural group or society, a newspaper that’s truly independent. It aims to create a better understanding between Asian-Indian Americans, other ethnic groups, and the mainstream American society. We believe that mutual understanding fosters friendship, harmony and peace. America is a beautiful mosaic of many cultures and faiths. AsianIndian Americans are all proud Americans and believe in American values — freedom, equality, tolerance, and respect for each other. Amid all its diversity in America, there is a unique unity that we aim to uphold and preserve. India International supports basic human values and upholds the dignity of all human beings – values that are above religion and politics. We believes in universal brotherhood ! India International seeks to promote close friendly relations between the United States and India, the two largest democracies. India International also seeks to help preserve and promote the precious Asian-Indian culture, heritage and values. And it seeks to uphold the pride and prestige of Asian-Indian Americans, as well as others’. India International is published monthly from Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is distributed free in Greater Cleveland and surrounding areas. Yearly subscription is $10 for home delivery. Copyright 2011 India International Inc. Reproduction of any article, report or photograph without Editor’s written permission is prohibited.
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US Investing in Long-Term Strategic Partnership with India Washington: The United States is investing in longterm strategic partnership with India, the Pentagon has said in a new defense strategic document which puts Asia on a bigger priority and identifies China as a security threat. “The United States is investing in a long-term strategic partnership with India to support its ability to serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the broader Indian Ocean region,” said the document unveiled by President Barack Obama in his rare appearance at the Pentagon January 5. The document titled “Sustaining US Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense” identified China as one country which poses a security threat to the US in long term. “Over the long-term, China’s emergence as a regional power will have the potential to affect the US economy and our security in a variety of ways,” said the eightpage document. “Our two countries have a strong stake in peace and stability in East Asia and an interest in building a cooperative bilateral relationship. “However, the growth of China’s military power must be accompanied by greater clarity of its strategic intentions in order to avoid causing friction in the region,” the document said.
The new strategy also replaces the decade-old policy of maintaining a force capable of fighting two wars at once. It calls for a small and lean American Army. “Even when US forces are committed to a large-scale operation in one region, they will be capable of denying the objectives of – or imposing unacceptable costs on – an opportunistic aggressor in a second region,” it said. The document made clear that while some current military missions will be curtailed, none will be scrapped entirely. “Wholesale divestment of the capability to conduct any mission would be unwise, based on historical and projected uses of US military forces and our inability to predict the future,” the document said. Observing that America’s economic and security interests are inextricably linked to developments in the arc extending from the Western Pacific and East Asia into the Indian Ocean region and South Asia creating a mix of evolving challenges and opportunities, the Pentagon said while the US military will continue to contribute to security globally, “we will of necessity rebalance toward the Asia Pacific region.” “Our relationship with Asian allies and key partners are critical to the future stability and growth of the region.” Noting that Osama bin Laden’s demise and killing of many other top al-Qaeda leaders have
rendered the group far less capable, it said the terror network and its affiliates remain active in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere. “Violent extremists will continue to threaten US interests, allies, partners and the homeland. The primary loci of these threats are South Asia and the Middle East,” it said. “The United States will continue to lead global efforts with capable allies and partners to assure access to and use of the global commons, both by strengthening international norms of responsible behavior and by maintaining relevant and interoperable military capabilities,” the document said. According to the strategic document, in the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US will emphasize non-military means and military-to-military co-operation to address instability and reduce the demand for significant US force commitments to stability operations. “The US forces, will no longer be seized to conduct large-scale, prolonged military operations,” it said. It said as long as nuclear weapons remain in existence, the US will maintain a safe, secure and effective arsenal. “It is possible that our deterrence goals can be achieved with a smaller nuclear force, which will reduce the number of nuclear weapons in our inventory as well as their role in the US national security strategy,” it said.
NRIs Allowed to Vote in India’s Elections (Continued from Page 1) franchise in the upcoming elections. “Indian nationals living abroad can now exercise their franchise in India at the time o f the elections,” Ravi said. Now those NRIs who have registered with the embassies of their respective countries of stay, would be eligible to vote in the upcoming assembly elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. Polls will take place in these states between Jan 28 and March 3. Ravi said objective of the government was to further increase engagements with diaspora. “Our objective is to raise the level of engagement to go beyond mere investment related issues and address a broader agenda.” “We believe that this will provide the vast majority of you the opportunity to benefit from as well as contribute - each in your own way - to India’s development story,” the minister said. Later, talking to media person, Ravi said this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is the largest congregation of Indian diaspora. He said almost 1,900 delegates from around 60 countries were participating in the three-day event.
World’s 10 Most Favorite Books in 2011 The top 10 list has been complied based on the New York Times Bestseller rankings for 2011, and is in no particular order. 1. Title: 11/22/63 Author: Stephen King Publisher: Scribner Synopsis: It is the story of an English teacher who is on a mission. He goes back in time through a time portal to 1958; a year that saw the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Will he be able to prevent Kennedy’s assassination? Stephen King in the book explores historical events through the lens of science fiction. 2. Title: Explosive Eighteen Author: Janet Evanovich Publisher: Random House Synopsis: Latest in the Stephanie Plum novel series, Explosive Eighteen is about Stephanie who finds herself in deep trouble when her Hawaii vacation ends in a nightmare. Add to it her becoming a target of an international killer. How will Stephanie find her way out of this mess? 3. Title: The Best of Me Author: Nicolas Sparks Publisher: Grand Central Synopsis: High school couple Amanda and Dawson meets after
twenty-five years at the funeral of their mentor, Tuck Hostetler. Together they confront the painful memories of their long lost love and some undeniable truths about their now-gone mentor. 4. Title: The Litigators Author: John Grisham Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Synopsis: His 25th fiction novel, Grisham’s The Litigators is a humorous tale of partners in a law firm who take on a big case over a cholesterol reduction drug by a pharmaceutical company after a law firm burnout joins them in the case. 5. Title: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Author: Stieg Larsson Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Synopsis: Set in Sweden, The Girl...tells the story of Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who recently lost a libel case, and Lisabath Salander, a computer hacker with a foul temper, as they team up to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Harriet Vanger about 40 years ago from a little island that belonged to her own family. 6. Title: The Help
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Author: Kathryn Stockett Publisher: Penguin Group Synopsis: Set in 1960s Mississippi, The Help tells the tale of a young white girl who is forced to get married, her two black maids and their perspective of the stringent barriers, customs, prohibitions and laws. 7. Title: The Art of Fielding Author: Chad Harbach Publisher: Little, Brown & Company Synopsis: Harbach’s debut novel is about a baseball team that sees its fortunes rise with the arrival of a gifted shortstop. The narrative combines the pleasures of an oldfashioned baseball story with a stately, self-reflective meditation on talent and the limits of ambition, played out on a field where every hesitation is amplified and every error scrutinized by a formidable audience. 8. Title: Swamplandia Author: Karen Russell Publisher: Vintage Contemporaries Synopsis: Karen Russell’s first novel weaves a portrait of a young girl who is wise beyond her years. An alligator theme park, a ghost lover, a Styx-like journey through an Everglades mangrove jungle, the
story finds its protagonist in this girl’s undying effort to preserve her grieving family’s way of life. The narrative structure is suffused with elements of humour and gothic whimsy that lend the plot a fantastical appeal. 9. Title: Ten Thousand Saints Author: Eleanor Henderson Publisher: Ecco/HarperCollins Synopsis: Ten Thousand Saints is Henderson’s debut novel where she delves into the lives of a group of friends, lovers and their parents. Set against an elegiac backdrop of the 1980s - early stages of the AIDS epidemic, ill-equipped families and substance abuse, it explores the apocalyptic conflicts of the human mind and soul. 10. Title: The Tiger’s Wife Author: Tea Obreht Publisher: Random House Synopsis: Young Natalie grew up listening to mythical stories about the Balkans war from her grandfather. Little did she know that war would return and the characters that lost their lives were not from any fairy tale. Obreht revisits the conflicts of her own mind through Natalie in her first and somewhat autobiographical novel.
JANUARY, 2012
Follow Your Dream... You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. –C. S. Lewis
Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. –Robert H. Schuller
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The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force, on 26 January 1950, replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India. The date 26 January was chosen to honor the memory of the declaration of independence of 1930. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of some basic facts about India. See how you fare. Good Luck !
5. What is the National Tree of 13. What form of government India? does India have? 6. What is the National fruit of 14. What is official residence of India? the President of India called? 7. What is the National flower 15. Who was the first Prime of India? Minster of India? 8. When is Independence Day 16. Who was the first President of India? celebrated?
17. Who wrote the Indian National Anthem? 18. What is the National Song of India? 19. When is Children’s day celebrated in India? 20. When is Teachers day celebrated? 21. What is the oldest known civilization in India? 22. What were the two main cities in the Indus Valley civilizations? 23. What is the oldest known university of India (established sixth century B.C.)? 24. List five major religions in India?
Picture Quiz This building has a great significance in the context of democracy and India’s Republic Day. Remarkable for its beautiful architecture, this is also a landmark in India’s capital city New Delh. What’s the name of this building? JANUARY, 2012
[email protected] Phone: 330-723-6404 (Ext. 518)
–Confucius
Nationwide
Republic of India Quiz
1. What are the colors and the 9. When is Republic day order of colors on the Indian celebrated? flag? 10. Who did India got 2. What symbol is at the center independence from ? of the Indian flag? 11. Who is known in India as 3. What is the National bird father of the nation? of India? 12. What is India’s national 4. What is the National Animal emblem and where was it taken of India? from?
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Asha Update
–By Bala Sivaraman
WRHS Launches Asian-Indian Heritage Project The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS), Cleveland, has launched the Asian Indian Heritage Project to collect materials to document the history of the Asian-Indian community in northeast Ohio.
Asha for Education, Cleveland, volunteers with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (center, standing)
A Memorable Evening of Music with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Asha-Cleveland was honored to host flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia at its annual charity concert “Notes of Hope 2011” on October 29th at the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Metro Campus auditorium. Over 350 patrons attended the concert, making it a grand success, and raising $7,000 towards our chapter’s projects back in India. Panditji was accompanied by Pt. Subhankar Banerjee on the tabla, and Ms. Shyamala Rajender on the tanpura, with his student Jay Gandhi accompanying on the support flute. They played to the galleries, by rendering a couple of raagas based on audience requests, leaving them mesmerized with their mastery. Overall, the event was a success thanks to the tremendous effort put in by the organizing team, and donations from the community, along with sponsorships from numerous local businesses. In a previous issue of India International, we had mentioned the trailblazing exploits of our
“Team Asha” which successfully conquered the Akron Marathon in September. One of our donors, Dr. Sanjay Garg ran the Cleveland Towpath half-marathon with his daughter Aditi on October 9th, to further raise awareness about Asha and its activities. Overall, a total of $12,000 was raised from this year’s marathon program for our projects. Every step was one towards promoting the education of lessprivileged children, with the unstinting support and encouragement of various donors and well-wishers serving as the driving force! To read more about each runner and also make your contribution to Team Asha, please visit our Marathon home page a t h t t p : / / w w w. a s h a n e t . o r g / cleveland/home/marathon/ team.php Over the course of this past year, our chapter has disbursed a total of ~$20,000 to our projects. $2400 to Kadam, to provide families with winter kits to help tide over unexpected extreme cold weather
$6000 to the Siragu Montessori school, as part of our annual funding to them $2240 to Agragati, as the first installment of our support to them, to be utilized for salaries for teachers $9000 to Kadam, as the second installment of our funding, to meet their operating expenses For further information, please do contact us at
[email protected], or visit our webpage at http:// www.ashanet.org/cleveland, or visit our blog at http:// ashacleveland.blogspot.com/. We promise to continue our efforts to make a difference in the lives of the less privileged back home in 2012 with renewed fervor. We look forward to your continued support and encouragement in the coming year, and wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2012! To make a donation to any of our projects, please click on the “Donate” link on our website. Asha for Education is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.
Support a Child’s Education in India: visit www.ashanet.org
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INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Archival Collection Protocol: The Asian Indian Heritage Project is actively endorsing the collection of materials documenting the experience of Asian Indians in the Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio area. This project solicits materials to be preserved in the Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS). The primary activity of the Asian Indian Archives is to collect (through WRHS) print and non-print material that documents the history of the Asian Indian community of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. This material is then made available to the public for educational purposes, including scholarly research and genealogical studies, according to a press release from the WRHS. This archive is the Asian Indian Legacy that will be left for scholars and future generations. The emphasis for the Asian Indian Archives is to collect materials of historical significance, including materials on persons deceased as well as living. Furthermore, WRHS will be collecting archival materials on Asian Indian organizations and businesses. Items that are currently being solicited include
•Institutional Records •Correspondence •Board Minutes/Agendas •Membership lists •Record books •Account books •Pamphlets •Books •Posters •Unpublished manuscripts •Organizational programs •Photographs and films •Military documents •Audio/video tapes, CDs, DVDs •Oral history tapes and transcripts •Ledgers and receipts •Administrative & Financial records
•Letters and other correspondence •Photographs and film/video/ audio recordings •Family histories
•Personal letters •Diaries and journals •Scrapbooks •Newsletters and newspapers •Passports •Transportation tickets (i.e., plane tickets)
•Naturalization papers •Cultural memorabilia, including: food equipment, articles used in religious processions or other types of ceremonies, tools used by craftsmen, works of art, handmade items, clothing
Materials relating to politics, religion, culture, business, labor, genealogy, education, fraternal organizations, charities, and individual life experiences are the key to the understanding of the Asian Indian experience in greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. If you have an item which you believe would contribute to the collection, and is not listed please contact the WRHS and they will be able to assist you. Please also note, property rights are ceded to the WRHS. All possible donations should be directed to Mr. John Grabowski (Vice-President for Collections) and Ms. Margaret Burzynski-Bays (Curator of Manuscripts). The WRHS will come to your home or organization and inform you on which materials may be submitted for the archival records. If you have any materials, or know of anyone who may be able to contribute to the Asian Indian Archives, please contact Mr. Grabowski or Ms. Burzynski-Bays at the Western Reserve Historical Society. To schedule an appointment, discuss materials that might be appropriate for WRHS or to arrange a tour of the Historical Society please refer to the contact information listed below. Mr. John Grabowski (216) 721-5722, extension 254
[email protected]
Ms. Margaret Burzynski-Bays (216) 721-5722, extension 275
[email protected]
JANUARY, 2012
Project Love-Purple America Award for Ratanjit Sondhe
Happy Happy Happy New Year from the Brahma Kumaris ! In this year of Transformation we would like to invite you to begin 2012 by hearing an inspirational story about the founder of the Brahma Kumaris, Brahma Baba on Tuesday, January 17th, from 78:30p.m. By understanding his journey of transformation, it is our hope that each one will be inspired to make their life like a diamond and become a true Hero in this world like he did.
BK Sister Kristina
To RSVP for this special editation program please call 234.678.9200 or email
[email protected].
Jesus:Bringing Peace, Building Hope, Bridging nations
Ratanjit Sondhe (right) speaking after receiving the award.
We welcome all to hear the good news of Jesus Christ ! Every Sunday: Worship 9:30 a.m., Bible studies 11:00 a.m. Church phone: (216)-544-1684 Meeting at the Wyndham, Playhouse Square, 1260 Euclid Ave, 3rd floor
Jayashree Bidari, J.D. Attorney-at-Law IMMIGRATION:
Former Project Love Chairman Alan Schonberg presented the award to Mr. Sondhe.
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atanjit Singh Sondhe, founder of Discoverhelp and a visionary community leader, was awarded the Gordon E. Heffern Award for Values, Ethics and Community Service by the Cleveland-based non-profit organization Project Love-Purple America on November 30, 2011. Each year the award is given to an individual who best exemplifies a true sense of the meaning of values, ethics and community. Former Project Love Chairman Alan Schonberg presented Mr. Sondhe with the award recognizing him for his dedication to the future of Northeast Ohio, our country and the world. Sondhe’s graceful and elegant remarks warmed the hearts of the over 500 guests as he reminded everyone of the importance of “gratitude.” He went on to tell a touching story about how he learned the importance of gratitude from a conversation with his daughter at a very young age. She taught him that it is gratitude that creates a positive outlook and allows a person the ability to transform their attitude, actions and possibilities. “Mr. Sondhe’s remarks solidified the fact that he is more than deserving of this recognition and that he embodies all that Project Love stands for,” said Schonberg.
YoungArts Merit Award for Shreya
JANUARY, 2012
MIAMI, FL: Shriya Srinivasan of Strongsville High School, is a YoungArts Merit Award Winner in World Dance Forms. Chosen from more than 5,000 applicants in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts, she will receive a monetary award. YoungArts is the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). Shriya Srinivasan is one of this year’s YoungArts 271 Merit Award Winners, selected in a blind adjudication process from a pool representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as all U.S. territories. There are a total of 597 YoungArts winners in total,including 152 YoungArts Finalists. YoungArts Finalists are invited to attend YoungArts Week in Miami during January 9-14, 2012, which includes master classes taught by world-renowned artists, performances and exhibitions. YoungArts Week performances will be livestreamed on www.youngarts.org.
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A group performing at the musical nite at Strongsville High School auditorium December 30, 2011.
Local Singing Talents Mesmerize Audience By Ram Ramanan charming musical performance was held Saturday Dec 3 2011 at the Strongsville High School auditorium by the cultural committee of Sree Venkateswara Temple of Cleveland, Richfield, OH. The evening highlighted local talents of Greater Cleveland and Akron area, to an audience of 350 people. The program showcased music from different corners of India. The cultural committee carefully chose tasteful and popular music, from Indian cinemas, and musical media. The items were well sequenced, covering various Indian languages and variety of genres. The evening opened with a traditional Hindi Bhajan rendered by Sugata Chatterjee. This was followed by obeisance to Lord Ganesha
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through the popular song ’Shri Ganeshaya Dheemahi’, rendered by Shruti Raghavan and students of Ragapriya School of Music. The audience were then treated to selections of popular Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film songs and semi- classical numbers. The cast of local talents included Aarti Kumar, Shriya Srinivasan, Lalit Subramanian, Sreevishnu Pasumarthy, Sreekrishna Pasumarthy, Rajan Vaidyanathan and Sruthi Sundaram. A live orchestra accompanied the singers on stage, consisting of Detroit fame Sridhar Vaidyanathan on keyboard, guitarist Nicholas Tabarias, and Cleveland’s own Viswanath Narayan on tabla. The audience also enjoyed karaoke music rendered by Akron singers Subhash Agarwal, Dilip Desai,
Srimathi Ramamurthy and Jyothi Tantri. Cleveland’s Dalip Bhatia entertained the audience with his high energy bhangra song. He also paid tribute to late Hindi actor Shammi Kapoor of of yester years. At one time, the stage was filled with young aspiring students from the Center for Indian Arts, Solon, OH. They accompanied their gurus in colorful Desi clothes. It was a treat for the eyes and the ears. A uniquely choreographed Jana Gana Mana, the Indian national anthem, preceded by the American National anthem, was the crown jewel of the evening. Dr. Ramakrishna Bandi, Chairman of the Sree Venkateswara Temple, along with Vice Chairman Laks Venkataraman,
acknowledged the hard work of all the assembled artists and the cultural committee. ” Our devotion to Lord Venkateswara has made all this possible”, he said, “Thank you all for your continued support of our new temple, thank you for the donations, Pavitrapadas and pledges. The temple construction has begun, and with Lord Venkateswara’s grace, it should be completed by Fall 2012,”, Dr. Bandi informed the audience. It was one of the most enjoyable programs performed by our very own talented artistes from the community. Those wishing to contribute to the Sree venkateswara Temple Fund could do so by mailing their donations to Sree Venkateswara Temple , 2850 Roundhill Dr, Akron, OH, 44333.
LEARN SINGING Hindustani Classical Music With Noted Vocalist
Sugata Chatterjee
(Also giving lessons at Tri-C) Contact 440-892-9611
[email protected] www.sugatachatterjee.com Page 8
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Rimi’s (Indian Bakers n Grocers & Gifts) Wishes all the readers A Very HAPPY NEW YEAR !
World Class Education in Cleveland
Birchwood School “…superior education …selfless teachers that reminds us of our teachers in India, committed and affectionate… great Teaching resources and innovation… students compete against the best in Ohio and the nation… a family environment that values, respects and thrives on cultural diversity.” The Ravichandran Family
A premier, private education for bright and gifted children in grades K-8. At Birchwood we’ve combined time-tested educational strategies from the East and the West to create and educational experience that has enabled our students to gain local, state, and national recognition for their academic work.
Open House Week February 6-10 9 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. Tour the school, talk to staff, meet with the founders and discover education at its finest. Day tours by appointment, arranged through the main office.
For information or to set up an appointment call our admissions office at 216-251-2321 Or visit our website: www.birchwoodschool.org – JANUARY, 2012
Birchwood School was a unique environment where our children learned the value of education and character. After being in a number of schools, our children found a home away from home. The teachers set high academic standards and provide the nurturing environment to achieve it. Birchwood is a place where excellence is the norm and each child is not only encouraged to achieve but helped to succeed in their efforts. The teachers are our true partners because they do not consider the children as “students” but as their own wards and help us raise wonderful civic-minded, outstanding citizens. A follow up of the Birchwood Alumni will clearly demonstrate and underscore our opinion about this school. If there is one thing we miss at Birchwood, it is the lack of a high school! The Dasasrathy Family
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Russian Court Refuses to Ban The Bhagvad Gita; ISKCON Cheers MOSCOW: A Russian court on December 28 rejected a petition, described by India as “patently absurd”, which had sought a ban on a translated version of The Bhagvad Gita, bringing cheers to followers here as well as those across the world. “We have won the case. The judge has rejected the petition,” Sadhu Priya Das of ISKCON, Moscow, who is also Chairman of newly-formed Hindu Council of Russia, told PTI. External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna welcomed the judgment and thanked the Russian government for its support. Prosecutors in the Siberian city of Tomsk had argued that the Russian translation of “Bhagavad Gita As It Is” promotes “social discord” and hatred towards non-believers. The text is a combination of the Bhagvad Gita, one of Hinduism’s holiest scriptures, and commentary by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, that is commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON. The prosecutors had asked the court to include the book on the Russian Federal List of Extremist Materials, which bans more than 1,000 texts including Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” and books distributed by the Jehovah’s Witness and Scientology movements. Reacting to the judgment, ISKCON spokesman Brajendra Nandan Das told PTI in New Delhi that, “We are very happy”. ISKCON members have alleged that the Russian Orthodox Church was behind the court case as it wanted to limit their activities. The case had created a storm back in India and even the Parliamentary proceedings had been affected by it.
Speaking in Parliament, Krishna had said the lawsuit was the work of “ignorant and misdirected or motivated individuals.” He also called the complaint “patently absurd”. Krishna had summoned the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi, Alexander Kadakin, on December 27 and told him that Moscow should provide all possible help to resolve the issue that has been in the court for the last six months. He had also conveyed to the top Russian diplomat the sensitivities involved with the issue. Kadakin had assured Krishna that the Russian Government will do all it can within its power. The trial began in June and was scheduled to conclude on December 19, just after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s two-day visit to Russia. Officials in Tomsk agreed to hear further testimony from experts and the Russian ombudsman for human
Indian Among Pope Benedict’s 22 New Cardinals VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI named 22 new cardinals January 6, including prelates in such key posts as New York and Hong Kong and a large number of Italians holding major Vatican positions. Cardinals are the pope’s top advisers, the elite group of churchmen who will eventually elect Benedict’s successor. Of the 22, 18 are under the age of 80 — raising to 125 the number of cardinals eligible to vote in the next papal conclave. Cardinals aged 80 and over are not allowed to vote on the next pope. The list includes two Americans: Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop Edwin O’Brien, Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the former archbishop of Baltimore. Other new cardinals come from Berlin, Prague, Toronto and Florence, Italy. The 84-year-old pope named 16 Europeans as cardinals, including seven Italians. He also named Joao Braz de Aviz, a Brazilian who heads the Vatican office for religious life; John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong; and George Alencherry, archbishop of the SyroMalabar church in India. The pope announced the names “with great joy’’ following an Epiphany Mass that ended the Vatican’s main Christmas celebrations. He said they will be
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formally elevated at a Feb. 18 ceremony in Rome. During the Mass, Benedict also ordained two new Vatican diplomats with the rank of archbishop, including an American, Monsignor Charles Brown, who is being sent to Ireland to heal the damage caused by the clerical sex abuse scandal. However, Benedict once again passed over for cardinal Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, a major voice in the church demanding greater accountability from bishops to clean up the scandal. The Vatican never explains the pope’s choices for cardinal. The 18 new cardinals under 80 are: Santos Abril y Castello, (Spanish), Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major George Alencherry, (Indian), Major Archbishop of the SyroMalabar Church in India Giuseppe Bertello, (Italian), President of the Government of the Vatican City State Giuseppe Bettori, (Italian), Archbishop of Florence Joao Braz de Aviz, (Brazil), Prefect of the Congregation for Religious Domenico Calcagno, (Italian), President of the Apostolic Patrimony of the Holy See Francesco Coccopalmerio, (Italian), President of the
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Thomas Collins, (Canadian), Archbishop of Toronto Timothy Dolan, ( United States) Archbishop of New York Dominik Duka, (Czech), Archbishop of Prague Wim Eijk, (Dutch), Archbishop of Utrecht Fernando Filoni, (Italian), Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Antonio Maria Veglio, (Italian), President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Refugees Manuel Monteiro de Castro, (Portuguese), Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary Edwin O’Brien, (United States), Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre John Tong Hon, (Chinese), Bishop of Hong Kong Giuseppe Versaldi, (Italian), President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See Thomas Woelki, (German), Archbishop of Berlin The four new cardinals over 80 are: Karl Becker (German), a priest and professor Prosper Grech, (Maltese), a priest and professor Lucian Muresan ( Romania), an archbishop Julien Ries, (Belgian), a monsignor and professor
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
rights and postponed the court decision till Dec 28. Russian lawyers Mikahil Fralov and Alexander Sakhav argued strongly against the petition. The judge, after reviewing the petition from the state prosecutors and the responses against it, dismissed the plea. The Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier insisted that the Tomsk court was not taking issue with core Hindu scripture itself, but rather with the author ’s commentary and poor translation in “Bhagavad Gita As It Is.” “I would like to emphasize that this is not about ‘Bhagavad Gita,’ a religious philosophical poem, which forms part of the great Indian epic Mahabharata and is one of the most famous pieces of the ancient Hindu literature,” ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich had said at a briefing here, adding that the book was first published in Russian in 1788.
Sachin Tendulkar, Dhyan Chand May Get Bharat Ratna NEW DELHI: In a significant move clearing decks for Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand and others to get Bharat Ratna, the government has made a necessary change in eligibility criteria for a person getting the India’s highest civilian honour. The Bharat Ratna will now be awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order “in any field of human endeavour” - covering almost all the fields that had earlier remained out of the purview of this civilian award. Earlier, it was restricted to areas like “Art, Literature, Science and Public Service”, making it difficult for government to consider names of those, who contributed immensely to other fields, including sports. “The change is made through notification by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on recommendation of the home and sports ministries,” said a senior official. Supporting sports ministry’s demand to include ‘sports’ as a category for the award of Bharat Ratna, the home ministry had written to the PMO in July, asking it to take the call as the decision would help outstanding sportspersons to be considered for the highest civilian award. As the clamour for awarding Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar and Dhyan Chand gets louder, sports minister Ajay Maken had earlier written to home minister P Chidambaram seeking inclusion of ‘sports’ as a category for the award of Bharat Ratna. Maken, however, did not plead for any specific sportsperson or sports. Before the change which is made now, the Bharat Ratna was considered only for those, who
(Continued on next page)
India Allows NRI Doctors to Practice, Teach in the Country NEW DELHI: NRI doctors are a step closer to be able to practice or teach medicine in India. The Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the National Council of Human Resources in Health (NCHRH) Bill that allows doctors who hold the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) status to work in India. They can also join medical college as faculty. The move has been initiated primarily to reduce the country’s acute doctor shortage. India has one doctor for 1,953 people, or a density of 0.5 doctors per 1,000. The Planning Commission says the country is short of six lakh doctors, 10 lakh nurses and two lakh dental surgeons. Union health secretary P K Pradhan said, “We expect the Bill to come up in Parliament next week since it got cleared by the Cabinet on Tuesday. It will then go to the standing committee.” The Bill also brings in penal provisions against authorities running private medical colleges who fudge figures like bed strength, number of faculty members or infrastructure to get registration. At present, the only punishment they face is the institute’s de-recognition. However, the Bill stipulates that errant authorities will face three years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25 lakh. “False patients and faculty members are brought in hordes in buses on the morning of the inspection by event managers for those who run the colleges to show the inspection team that they have the required faculty, manpower and infrastructure to run a medical college,” an official said. According to the Bill, an overarching body will have under it the Medical Council of India (MCI), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Nursing Council of India (NCI), Dental Council of India (DCI) and the proposed Central Councils for Paramedical and Allied Medical Sciences Education. “Currently, all councils are working separately and are over burdened with evaluation, assessment of institutions, monitoring academic standards and regulating the profession. The 21-member body will bring synergy to all these councils. It will have under it a National Board for Health Education that will put in place academic standards, a National Evaluation Committee and a professional Council,” an official said. The Bill makes it mandatory for state councils to maintain live registers of the available strength of nurses and doctors. This will help correct regional imbalance of human resources.
JANUARY, 2012
Should NRIs buy life insurance in India? Life insurance has been a traditional investment favorite in India and most Indians are likely to hold at least one, if not more, life insurance policies. If you are a Non Resident Indian (NRI), you may have bought a policy while you were a Resident Indian or you may be considering buying one as an NRI. Let’s take a look at the rules relating to buying life insurance in India. The rules regarding insurance are governed by Exchange Control Manual. Can an NRI buy life insurance in India? Yes, NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) (as defined by FEMA) who are resident abroad are allowed to buy life insurance in India. Thus, all persons of Indian origin, whether citizens of India or not are allowed to take a life insurance policy in India. Does the NRI have to be present in India at the time of buying the policy? No, the NRI can purchase the policy from overseas through written communication with the insurance company in India. There may be certain additional costs in such case. For instance, if you purchase the policy from abroad, you would have to do the medical examination and send the report to the insurance company in India. You would have to bear the costs of this medical examination yourself. However if you purchase the policy in India, you would not have to bear this cost as it would be inbuilt in the cost of your policy. How can premiums be paid? An NRI can pay premiums by any of these modes: 1. Remittance in foreign currency 2. NRO bank account 3. NRE/ FCNR bank account Elizabeth Venkataraman, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance says, “Insurance companies are allowed to issue policies denominated in either Indian rupees or foreign currency to NRIs. If the policy is foreign currency denominated, the premiums are to be collected in foreign currency from abroad or out of NRE/FCNR accounts of the insured or insured’s family members held in India. For rupee denominated policies issued to NRIs, funds held in NRO accounts are to be used to pay premiums.” However, do remember that not all insurance companies offer foreign currency denominated polices. Are premiums higher for NRIs as compared to resident Indians? Are there any limits on the sum assured? “No,” says Surat based VK Virani, an agent of the Life Insurance Corporation and an MDRT ‘Court of Table’ member. “The premiums are the same for residents and non residents. However, if NRIs are living in countries where risks are higher, premiums maybe higher.” As for the sum assured, Virani explains, “In case of LIC policies, if the NRI chooses to conduct his medical examination in the foreign country, the sum assured will be limited to Rs 1 crore. If the NRI has his medical examination done on a visit to India, then he can get a higher cover.” What are the rules regarding death and maturity proceeds? The insurance policy purchased in India will cover death that occurs anywhere in the world. Maturity and death proceeds are repatriable to the extent of premium paid in foreign currency in relation to the total premium paid. If premiums are paid fully in Indian rupees through the NRO account, the death or maturity proceeds will not be repatriable. If policy was taken before becoming NRI, Venkataraman explains, “This does not affect the status of the policy and the proceeds remain repatriable to the extent of premium paid in foreign currency in relation to the total premium paid. “ Should an NRI buy life insurance in India? Having seen the rules and regulations of buying life insurance in India, it is important for NRIs to evaluate if they should indeed buy life insurance in India. There are a few things to consider here: 1. Cost Will the policy be cheaper in the country of residence? As a broad benchmark, a healthy 40-year-old man who buys a 20-year level term policy in the US, which has a fixed annual premium, might pay about $800 a year to secure a $500,000 death benefit. The same policy, that is, 20 year term policy with a sum assured of Rs 2.5 crore will cost over Rs 1 lakh per annum. 2. Tax regulations In India, benefits from a life insurance policy, including earnings, whether on death or maturity are treated as tax-free. However, since an NRI will have to pay tax on his global income in his country of residence and the taxability of this global income would be on the basis of the tax laws prevailing in the country of his residence, he must look closely at tax provisions in his country of residence. In the US for instance, taxation of life insurance proceeds is quite complicated. Death benefits are tax-free to the extent of the sum assured or life cover. Any amount over and above the sum assured, such as bonuses will be taxed. Similarly, there are certain rules regarding withdrawals from a policy. The cash value of life insurance is allowed to grow on a tax deferred basis, that is, earnings are taxed only on withdrawal. In certain cases withdrawals maybe tax free to the extent of premiums paid till date of withdrawal. To sum up, Venkataraman says, “The choice is entirely personal. However, NRIs are advised to take into consideration, tax laws in force at the location where they are currently resident before buying a policy in India.” (Continued from previous page)
Bharat Ratna
excelled for “exceptional service towards advancement of Art, Literature and Science, and in recognition of public service of the highest order”. The recommendations for the Bharat Ratna - that was instituted in 1954 - are made by Prime Minister himself to President. Though names of persons as per the eligibility criteria can be recommended by different state\Union Territories governments, organizations and individuals to PMO for consideration, no “formal recommendation” for this is necessary. It is also not mandatory that Bharat Ratna is awarded every year. The number of awards is, however, restricted to a maximum of three in a year. So far, 41 people have been conferred with Bharat Ratna. The first three Indians, who received the prestigious award, were Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and Sarvapali Radhakrishnan in 1954. There is no written provision that Bharat Ratna should be awarded to Indian citizens only. The award has been conferred to a naturalized Indian citizen Mother Teresa (1980) and to two non-Indians - Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela (1990). Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was the last recipient of the award in 2009. Among the other recipients of Bharat Ratna. are Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Lata Mangeshkar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Amartya Sen, Jayprakash Narayan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, M S Subbulakshmi, J R D Tata, A P J Abdul Kalam, Rajiv Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Morarji Desai and Bhimrao Ambedkar . (TNN)
JANUARY, 2012
FISCAL FITNESS
To Convert or Not to Convert – That’s the question! By Rao K. Garuda, CLU, ChFC Roth IRAs Roth IRA’s are still very much an item that is worth exploring. Unlike a traditional IRA that is tax deductible, taxpayers cannot deduct contributions made to a Roth IRA, BUT qualified distributions from a ROTH are not included in a taxpayer’s gross income either. Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA will be free from federal income tax and are not subject to the additional 10% tax penalty for early withdrawals. During a client’s lifetime, the Roth money is available on a tax-free basis and RMD’s are not required. And when the client passes away, the remaining wealth can typically be transferred to family members’ income tax-free. Roth Conversions By converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA, clients can take money that is currently tax deferred and convert it into an account that will grow tax-free. In order to do this, clients will have to pay taxes on the amount converted. A taxpayer who opts for a Roth conversion will not incur the 10% penalty for withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ at the time of the conversion. If you are not comfortable with paying the tax on a total conversion, a partial conversion option may be the way to go. In today’s economy, you most probably will never see tax rates this low again in the future. Contact us today to discuss how to make this conversion and grow your Roth IRA tax free! Converting to a Roth IRA might make sense if: Tax free growth will be greater than the cost of having to pay the taxes due at the time of conversion Clients expect to live a long time after the conversion and do not want to be forced to take RMD’s at age 70 ½. Clients have the money available to pay the taxes due at the time of conversion Clients want to leave money for future generations If you expect your tax rate to be higher in retirement than it is right now Contact Rao Garuda and his staff today to discuss your conversion options!
Rao K. Garuda, CLU, ChFC Twenty-first Century Trusted Advisor Associated Concepts Agency Inc. First Financial Resources L.L.C. Two Summit Park Drive, Suite #350 Independence, OH 44131 Member Ed Slott Senior Elite Group
216-642-9211 Office Email:
[email protected] 216-642-9213 Fax www.raokgaruda.com Rao can assist you in evaluating your investment objectives... And help you reach your unique retirement financial goals
Call for a Free Initial Complimentary Consultation
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Retirement Income for Life Tax reduction Asset protection Eliminate estate taxes Zero Tax Planning Charitable Gift Planning Wealth Transfer (Multi-Generational) “Securities offered through Gradient Securities, LLC (Shoreview, MN 866-991-1539). Member FINRA/SIPC.” First Financial Resources, LLC and Associated Concepts Agency Inc., is not an affiliate of Gradient Securities, LLC.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
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BUSINESS
HEALTH
NRIs May Pump in Over $10bn as Bank Interest Rates Rise MUMBAI: Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are expected to pump in upwards of $10 billion as banks fall over each other to offer better rates. The rate war is the fallout of Reserve Bank of India’s move to deregulate returns on non-resident rupee deposits. With big banks now in the game, dollars are expected to flow in as the yield on non-resident external (rupee) deposits is more than three times the return on dollar deposits even after adding the cost of hedging against the risk of rupee depreciation. By going in for a currency hedge, which will cost around 4.5% to 5%, investors are protected against rupee depreciation. “I expect $10-$15 billion of inflows to come from the NRE deposits given the rate differential. This could be a game changer for the rupee which has factored in all the bad news so far,” said Ashish Vaidya,
head of fixed income, currency and commodities trading at UBS. “I would expect that even on a conservative basis the deposit collection should be around Rs 40,000cr ($8 billion),” said Abhay Aima, group head, equities and private banking at HDFC Bank. He said that HDFC Bank was using this opportunity to increase its presence in the NRI segment, where it has had moderate presence, by offering very competitive rates. HDFC Bank was among the earliest large banks to offer 9% and was followed by SBI and ICICI Bank, which introduced 9.25% schemes. According to a banker with a multinational bank, the key to success is the international reach. But for international banks it could be a tradeoff between offering wealth management products with high fees and selling high cost deposits in a falling interest rate environment. “The present rates
India: US Bill on Outsourcing Cause of Concern NEW DELHI: India has expressed concern over the proposed US Call Centre Bill but said that it is premature to assess the impact of the decision on the domestic IT industry. A bipartisan bill has been tabled in the US House of Representatives to make companies, that move call centers overseas, ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the federal government, a move aimed at stemming the tide of jobs heading to nations like India. “... Yes, it is something to be concerned about, yes, it is something to be worried about,” Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar told reporters here while releasing a report at the Assocham function here. He, however, said that at this stage it would be premature to say anything on the possible impact of the proposed bill on the Indian industry. Khullar said that the global economy is facing severe crisis and “you would continuously see such things quite simply because there is a real problem all over”. The rate of unemployment is very high in several countries like the US, Spain and the UK, he said.
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“Let me assure you that if it is happening in the US, something may happen in Spain tomorrow, in the UK tomorrow ... then what you will do ... you can not be consciously worried about reactions,” Khullar said. IT industry body Nasscom has said that the proposed Bill would restrict free trade and establish discriminatory trade practices. “It is indeed disappointing to see the US adopting ‘protectionist’ measures like these that restrict free trade and establish discriminatory trade practices. US lawmakers seem to have developed the practice of unfairly taxing companies working overseas, to pay for domestic issues,” Nasscom President Som Mittal has said. The Bill by Representatives Tun Bishop and David McKinley also proposes a penalty of $10,000 per day on US call centres, for failing to report relocation to an offshore location, within 60 days to the US Department of Labour. Also, call centre operators who answer calls will need to identify their location and the caller will have a choice of choosing a USbased operator. According to Nasscom estimates, the BPO export segment is anticipated to grow by 14 per cent to reach $14.1 billion in financial year 2011.
offered by banks in India provide an arbitrage opportunity for NRIs to borrow overseas and invest in India,” said a banker with a multinational bank. It is not clear how aggressive Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank will be in raising these deposits. Stanchart’s highest return is 8.25% in the 2 years to 31 months maturity. Citibank has come out with a tiered rate structure where it offers between 5% and 8.75% depending on the size of the deposit. Interestingly, Citi’s rates drops for deposits over Rs 50 lakh ostensibly to discourage customers from making leveraged deposits. Banks can offer NRIs deposits in foreign currency. But such deposits will not address the shortage of dollars in India as the funds have to be deployed in foreign exchange loans. NRE deposits result in immediate supply of dollars which are converted into rupees. (TNN)
Rao: US to Invest $1 Trillion in India KOCHI, India: US will invest $1 trillion towards infrastructure development in India to meet the needs of a growing population, said Nirupama Rao, India’s ambassador to the US. She was addressing members of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( in Kochi on December 22. “By March 2012, a trade delegation led by US secretary of commerce John E Bryson will visit India to discuss this investment. An ‘evergreen revolution’ similar to the Green Revolution is planned with US expertise to increase agricultural production and rural income. Space technology will come in handy for predicting monsoon and creating new linkages from farm to market,” she revealed. “The political engagement between India and the US has strengthened significantly and the strategic understanding has deepened. The partnership is multi-faceted and it extends to all activities that touch all aspects of the human endeavour — from education, health, agriculture to our concerns in peace, security and human dignity. A strategic dialogue was established between the two countries in 2009 and has identified five principal areas for co-operation,” she said.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
10 Best Foods to Reduce Cholesterol Have a salmon fish dinner. Snack on a handful of nuts. Pour a dash of olive oil in your salad. And bite into that sinister chocolate. Now you can do all this guilt-free! All these foods help in fighting bad cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, ‘You can reduce cholesterol in your blood by eating healthy foods’. So, here we are today with our list of top 10 cholesterol fighting foods. Oats: If you change your morning meal to oats then you can do your cholesterol level a whole lot of good. Do note that two servings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. Essentially, oats contain a substance called beta-glucan which absorbs bad cholesterol. Red Wine: Here’s yet another reason to toast to your health. The red grapes used in the manufacturing of red wine have an important effect on cholesterol levels. Two glasses of red wine in a week can do you a whole lot of good. Salmon and fatty Fish: Full of Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a natural health wonder, which helps in keeping heart conditions such as heart attacks, stroke and high cholesterol levels at bay. Fishes such as salmon, sardines and herring help in raising good cholesterol levels by 4%. Nuts: Mono-unsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds etc.) have the lowest fatty acid molecules and are the best of the three fats, namely poly-saturated fats, saturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Nuts are the best way to get those required healthy fats into your body without feeling guilty. Since the fats that come from nuts are natural and are not chemically processed, this makes them heart healthy, filling, and nutritious options. Beans: Excellent for the heart, ½ a cup of beans added in our diet (in the form of any dish or soup), helps in lowering cholesterol levels by 8%. You should try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each one of them supplies about one-third of your day’s fiber needs. Tea: Tea has antioxidants and less amounts of caffeine than coffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. Tea helps in protecting your bones because of the presence of phytochemicals in them. It is also a great defense against LDL cholesterol levels. Chocolate: Chocoholics can celebrate with a healthy dose of dark chocolate as it is full of antioxidants and cholesterolreducing properties. According to a Spanish study published in 2010 in the “Journal of Hepatology,”, “the antioxidants in dark chocolate reduce the damage that can occur to blood vessels, which can further threaten the health of people with cirrhosis. The dark chocolate can help prevent the blood vessels in the liver from rupturing”. Medical experts suggest that munching on 100 grams of chocolate every day helps in reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular mishaps by 21 percent. Spinach. Popeye the sailor was quite right when crediting his muscle power to this green leafy vegetable. It is believed that spinach contains around 13 flavonoid compounds which keep us away from cancer, heart diseases and osteoporosis. 1/2 a cup of this lutein-rich food, daily, guards us against heart attacks. Olive oil: This oil has many health benefits. It contains monounsaturated fatty acids which lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, without lowering good cholesterol levels. Different stages of pressing and processing yield different varieties of olive oil: Extra virgin,Virgin, Pure, Pomace (Source: www.healthmeup.com)
JANUARY, 2012
A good laugh is sunshine in the house. The Senate
The Short of a Story!
A member of the Senate, known for his hot temper and acid tongue, explodes one day in mid session and begins to shout, “Half of this Senate is made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!” All the other Senators plead to the angry member that he withdraw his statement, or be removed from the remainder of the session. After a long pause, the angry member accepted. “Ok” he said, “I withdraw what I said. Half of this Senate is NOT made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!”
We are here on earth to do good for others. What the others are here for, I don’t know. –W. H. Auden A Letter From School Dear Dad, $chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can’t think of anything I need, $o if you like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you. Love,Your $on. A week later....the response from Dad arrived: Dear Son, I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics and oceaNOgraghy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task and you can never study eNOugh. Love, Dad.
FACING UP TO AN ADDICTION
T
h e 76-year-old woman walked down the hallway of Clearview Addictions Clinic, searching for the right department. She passed signs for the “Heroin Addiction Department (HAD),” the “Smoking Addiction Department (SAD)” and the “Bingo Addiction Department (BAD).” Then she spotted the department she was looking for: “Facebook Addiction Department (FAD).” It was the busiest department in the clinic, with about three dozen people filling the waiting room, most of them staring blankly into their Blackberries and iPhones. A middle-aged man with unkempt hair was pacing the room, muttering, “I need to milk my cows. I need to milk my cows.” A twenty-something man was prone on the floor, his face buried in his hands, while a curlyhaired woman comforted him. “Don’t worry. It’ll be all right.” “I just don’t understand it. I thought my update was LOL-worthy, but none of my friends even clicked the ‘like’ button.” “How long has it been?”
–William M. Thackeray
“Almost five minutes. That’s like five months in the real world.” The 76-year-old woman waited until her name was called, then followed the receptionist into the office of Alfred Zulu, Facebook Addiction Counselor. “Please have a seat, Edna,” he said with a warm smile. “And tell me how it all started.” “Well, it’s all my grandson’s fault. He sent me an invitation to join Facebook. I had never heard of Facebook before, but I thought it was something for me, because I usually have my face in a book.” “How soon were you hooked?” “Faster than you can say ‘create a profile.’ I found myself on Facebook at least eight times each day — and more times at night. Sometimes I’d wake up in the middle of the night to check it, just in case there was an update from one of my new friends in India. My husband didn’t like that. He said that friendship is a precious thing and should never be outsourced.” “What do you like most about Facebook?”
LIFE CAN BE SO FUNNY ! Melvin Durai is a Manitoba-based writer and humorist, author of the humorous novel “Bala Takes the Plunge.” A native of India, he grew up in Zambia and has lived in North America since the early 1980s. Read his humor blog at http://www.Nshima.com Write to him at
[email protected]
The Humor of Melvin Durai “It makes me feel like I have a life. In the real world, I have only five or six friends, but on Facebook, I have 674. I’m even friends with Juan Carlos Montoya.” “Who’s he?” “I don’t know, but he’s got 4,000 friends, so he must be famous.” “Facebook has helped you make some connections, I see.” “Oh yes. I’ve even connected with some of the gals from high school — I still call them ‘gals.’ I hadn’t heard from some of them in ages, so it was exciting to look at their profiles and figure out who’s retired, who’s still working, and
who’s had some work done. I love browsing their photos and reading their updates. I know where they’ve been on vacation, which movies they’ve watched, and whether they hang their toilet paper over or under. I’ve also been playing a game with some of them.” “Let me guess. Farmville?” “No, Mafia Wars. I’m a Hitman. No one messes with Edna.” “Wouldn’t you rather meet some of your friends in person?” “No, not really. It’s so much easier on Facebook. We don’t need to gussy ourselves up. We don’t need to take baths or wear perfume or use mouthwash.
This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have. That’s the best thing about Facebook — you can’t smell anyone. Everyone is attractive, because everyone has picked a good profile pic. One of the gals is using a profile pic that was taken, I’m pretty certain, during the Eisenhower Administration.” “What pic are you using?” “Well, I spent five hours searching for a profile pic, but couldn’t find one I really liked. So I decided to visit the local beauty salon.” “To make yourself look prettier?” “No, to take a pic of one of the young ladies there. That’s what I’m using.” “Didn’t your friends notice that you look different?” “Some of them did, but I just told them I’ve been doing lots of yoga.” “When did you realize that your Facebooking might be a problem?” “I realized it last Sunday night, when I was on Facebook and saw a message on my wall from my husband: ‘I moved out of the house five days ago. Just thought you should know.’” “What did you do?” “What else? I unfriended him of course!”
If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love Melvin’s humorous novel “Bala Takes the Plunge,” available in North America through Amazon.com and McNallyRobinson.com JANUARY, 2012
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Riddle Corner
Compiled by Aditi Sinha 1. What is it that you can keep after giving it to someone else? 2. You are in a room where there are no metal objects except for two iron rods. Only one of them is a magnet. How can you identify this magnet? 3. “She” is a word that contains two personal pronouns: she and he. What fiveletter word beginning with “U” contains four personal pronouns? 4. In this teaser your job is to try and discover a shorter word within the given word that relates to the theme. The word must be an extension of the ‘theme’ word. The letters of the hidden word are NOT jumbled. Example: Theme: NIGHT ––– Sneaky = SKY (NIGHT SKY) Theme: DAY ––– a. Jacob = ? (DAY –––) b. Clapboard = ? (DAY –––––) c. Champagne = ? (DAY ––––) d. Orange = ? (DAY –––) 5. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain in the world? Anwers on Page 14
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Answer to Picture Quiz
DID YOU KNOW ?
India International is the largest and an independent AsianIndian newspaper in Ohio Every month, more than 10,000 people read India International – printed and its online version (sent through email) It is your best connection to the 25,000strong, educated, affluent Asian-Indian community in and around Greater Cleveland It is available at all branches of Cuyahoga County Public Library, all Indian temples, several Indian stores & restaurants in NE Ohio
ANSWERS to RIDDLES 1. Your word 2. You can hang the iron rods on a string and watch which one turns to the north (or hang just one rod). 3. usher: us, she, he, and her 4. a. Jacob = JOB (DAY JOB) b. Clapboard = LABOR (DAY LABOR) c. Champagne = CAMP (DAY CAMP) d. Orange = ONE (DAY ONE) 5. Mount Everest has always been the tallest mountain, even before being discovered! PAGE
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The Parliament House New Delhi, India
T
he seat of Indian Parliament is a marvelous piece of architecture designed by the famed architect Lutyens. Such was its importance that it was constructed under the direct supervision of Sir Herbert Baker. You are not allowed to loiter inside the building without special permission, for security reasons. For the foreign visitors, permits are given only after they obtain an introductory letter from the respective embassies. Then Indian Parliament has been designed as a circular
1. Saffron, White, Green
structure. The House is 85 meters in radius and about 900 meters in circumference. You will certainly notice two semicircular house chambers flank the Central Hall. The Parliament building has been provided with continuous open corridor in circular format on the first floor. This is typical of Victorian Architecture but is unparallel in grandeur. These are supported by the colonnade of 144 cream-color sandstone pillars. The exterior work is influenced by Indo-British fusion. The exterior walls of red sandstone are carved in
geometric patterns that echo Mogul Jaalis. Many of the architects have criticized this particular aspect of the building. The structure was built entirely of indigenous material, typical of all the Victorian buildings of that time. The building encloses an area of more than six acres. It has 12 gates in total. Five of these 12 gates are distinguished. You are bound to locate them because of their magnificent porches. Interior courtyards contain a number of larger-than-life-size statues of historic Indian political leaders.
Answers to India Quiz
2. Navy blue wheel called the Chakra 3. Peacock
13. Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary system
4. Tiger
14. The Rashtrapati Bhavan
5. Banyan tree
15. Jawaharlal Nehru
6. Mango
16. Dr Rajendra Prasad
7. Lotus
17. Rabindranath Tagore
8. August 15th
18. Vande Mataram written by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay
9. January 26th 10. The British 11. Mahatma Gandhi 12. The National Emblem of India has been taken from the Sarnath Lion capital erected by King Ashoka. In the National emblem, only three lions are visible and the fourth one is hidden from the view. All the lions are mounted on an abacus. At the centre of the Abacus,
The parliament House at New Delhi is a marvelous piece of architecture which can be admired only from outside on account of security restrictions. This domed circular structure is the seat of the Indian Parliament. The building was inaugurated by the then-Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, on January 18, 1927. Since India’s Independence from the British in August 1947, the Parliament House has served as a center of India’s flourishing democracy. It is considered as a temple in the world’s largest Democracy.
there is a Chakra (wheel) which symbolizes the Dharma Chakra (Eternal wheel of law). There is a bull, a galloping horse, an elephant and a lion, separated by intervening wheels over a bell shaped lotus. The words Satyameva Jayate (truth triumphs) have been inscribed in devanagari script.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
19. November 14th. This date the marks the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. His love for children was reason why his birthday has been chosen for the celebration of children. The day is marked with a lot of activities for children. 20. September 5th. It is the birthday of the second President of India, techer- philosopher Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. It is
considered a “celebration” day, where teachers and students report to school as usual but the usual activities and classes are replaced by activities of celebration, thanks and remembrance. At some schools on this day,the responsibility of teaching is taken up by the senior students as an appreciation for their teachers. 21. Indus valley civilization 22. The places/cities are Mohenjo-daro and Harappa 23. Nalanda near Patna in the state of Bihar. 24.Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism.
JANUARY, 2012
~~ I M M I G R A T I O N ~~
Extraordinary Ability Visas Question: Who can qualify “Extraordinary Ability” Visa visas? How many categories are there under this visa program? Answer: The EB1 category is further divided into EB1-1 (aliens of extraordinary ability), EB12 (outstanding professors and researchers), and EB1-3 (multinational executives and managers). Aliens of extraordinary ability are the small percentage of foreign nationals who have risen to the very top of the field. To qualify, they must demonstrate national or international acclaim and recognition for achievements in their field. Outstanding professors and researchers are those who are recognized internationally as outstanding in their academic field, and have at least three years of experience in teaching and/or research in the field. Multinational executives and managers are foreign workers in a managerial or
Q&A Attorney Margaret Wong Answers Your Questions Margaret Wong & Assoc. co. LPA, recognized as one of the country’s leading Immigration law firms, has been practicing for the last 29 years and has successfully represented thousands of clients. executive position who transfer from a foreign company to work at a parent, affiliate, subsidiary, branch, or joint venture in the United States. To qualify for the EB2 category, the sponsored job must require either: (1) a Master ’s or higher degree, or (2) a Bachelor’s degree plus at least 5 years of work experience. Any position that does not meet the EB2 requirements, but requires at least two years of work experience, is placed in the EB3 category.
Positions that require at least a Bachelor’s degree are categorized as professionals, whereas those that require at least two years of work experience are categorized as skilled workers. To qualify for the EB4 category, the applicant must be an Amerasian, widow of a U.S. citizen, a battered or abused spouse or child of a U.S, citizen or permanent resident, or a special immigrant, including certain religious workers and juvenile court dependents., To qualify for the EB5 category, the applicant must be an investor in a new commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and will create at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs. The required investment amount depends on the geographic location of the enterprise: the usual minimum investment if $1 million, but is lowered for targeted areas with high rates of unemployment.
Tending to All Your
Immigration Needs Margaret W. Wong Managing Partner AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell Listed in “Best Lawyers in America” 1998 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient Email:
[email protected] Family
Immigration Non-Immigrant Visa Employment Immigration Asylum&Refugee Deportation and Criminal
Immigration Center 3150 Chester Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: 216-566-9908 Fax: 216-566-1125 By Appointment Only : Columbus, OH office: Phone 614-221-8892 Detroit, MI Office: Phone: 313-527-9989
Change Likely in Immigration Rule WASHINGTON: The Obama administration plans a rule change to help reduce the time illegal immigrant spouses and children are separated from citizen relatives while they try to win legal status in the US, a senior administration official has said. Currently, illegal immigrants must leave the country before they can ask the government to waive a three-to 10-year ban on legally coming back to the US. The length of the ban depends on how long they have lived in the US without permission. The official said on January 5 that the new rule would let children and spouses of citizens to ask the government to decide on the waiver request before the illegal immigrant heads to his or her home country to apply for a visa. The illegal immigrants still must go home to finish the visa process to come back to the US, but getting the waiver ahead of time could reduce
JANUARY, 2012
the time an illegal immigrant is out of the country. The official spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity because the proposed policy change had not been made public. The waiver shift is the latest move by US President Barack Obama to make changes to immigration policy without congressional action. Congressional Republicans repeatedly have criticized the administration for policy changes they describe as providing “backdoor amnesty” to illegal immigrants. Immigrants who do not have criminal records and who have only violated immigration laws can win a waiver if they can prove that their absence would cause an “extreme hardship” for their citizen spouse or parent. The government received about 23,000 hardship applications in 2011 and more than 70 per cent were approved, the official said. Applications for the waiver can take as long as six months to be acted upon, the
official said. The new rule is expected to reduce that processing time to just days or weeks, the official added. “This would streamline the process (and) reduce the time of separation between family members,” the official said. The proposal will be published in the Federal Register on January 6. The official said the administration hopes to change the rule later this year. Immigration has become a difficult issue for Obama ahead of the November election. As a presidential candidate, he pledged to change what many consider to be a broken immigration system. To that end, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced plans last year to review some 300,000 pending deportation cases in an effort to target criminal illegal immigrants, repeat immigration law violators and those who pose a national security or public safety threat.
www.imwong.com
THE HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRATION ACT The US House of Representatives has passed a bill modifying the visa system that will allow highly skilled immigrants to obtain permanent residency status faster. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigration Act (HR 3012), eliminates per-country caps on employmentbased visas and institutes a first come first served system. Currently, immigration law limits employment-based green cards allowing permanent residence for citizens from any one country to no more than seven percent of the total green cards approved by the State Department in any particular year. The rule makes it tougher for workers from big countries that provide most of the foreign tech workers. Although it is easier to obtain a green card for applicants from smaller countries that don’t generate a significant amount of applications. Individuals from India, the source of most tech industry immigrants to the US, often have to wait up to 10 years for a green card due to the per-country cap. The High-Skilled Immigration Act aims to correct such imbalances by switching to a first come, first served system for the roughly 140,000 employment-based green cards awarded each year. In addition to eliminating numerical caps on employment-based green cards, the Act would also raise the per-country cap for 226,000 family-related green cards from seven percent of the total to 15 per cent.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Foreign Students Contribute Billions to US Economy As per report by Migration Policy Institute, Foreign students contribute significantly to the US economy. During the 2010-11 academic year, foreign students and their dependents spent $20.2 billion between living expenses, tuition, and other related fees. Many states, including California, Texas, and New York, which receive the most international students, get substantial economic benefits. New York state received $2.43 billion from students. Last year saw an 8 percent increase in foreign students in the United States, with 723,277 studying in the country. Because of financial benefits and brain gain, various countries compete to recruit international students and, after graduation, try to retain them to reap the benefits of their advanced skill sets.
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JANUARY, 2012
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