Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor with R. Balki. (Reuters)
Bollywood’s big release this month touches upon a subject that is taboo in most Indian homes and therefore, in the movies. “Padman”, which has Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in the lead, is based on the true story of social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham.
Stricken by his wife’s lack of menstrual hygiene in their small town in southern India, Muruganantham found a way to manufacture low-cost sanitary napkins, which are today used by millions of rural women.
Bollywood has traditionally eschewed such topics in the past, but is finding that stories with a social message are increasingly being accepted by audiences. Kumar’s last film was “Toilet – Ek Prem Katha”, which focused on the issue of open defecation, which is still prevalent in large parts of India. “Padman’” director R. Balki, spoke to Reuters about the film, the message and why entertainment is sacrosanct even for a movie with a social theme.
Q: What do you hope “Padman” will achieve?
A: The film is supposed to start a conversation, but it is an Akshay Kumar film. It is a mainstream film, so the entertainment quotient is key. The entertainment is delivered with an important underlying theme, and the story of a man who has spent his life doing this. I feel the film should start a conversation so that people can talk about it, and be able to buy pads for their sisters or daughters.
Q: Can we call it a biopic of Arunachalam Muruganantham?
A: The character is not called Muruganantham, so it’s not a biopic. But it is definitely inspired by his life. It is a cinematic adaptation.
Q: Why did you take the decision to base it in Madhya Pradesh and not in Tamil Nadu, which is where Muruganantham is from?
A: How will I make a full village in Tamil Nadu speak pure Hindi, everybody reacting in Hindi, and the actors speaking in Hindi? If you are making a Hindi film, you have to do it the correct way. More important to me is not the language, it is the cause. The subject we are talking of is far more important than where you are setting it in.
Q: Doesn’t that compromise the authenticity of your story?
A: I am not making a documentary. I am making a feature film. A feature film has to engage people and the cause will be lost if the film doesn’t entertain. Cinematic liberties only help if people appreciate the person’s life even more.
Q: How do you make a film about menstrual hygiene without making the audience uncomfortable?
A: The film is a love story and his journey for his wife. She happens to be the reason why he does what he does and that is what makes the journey so interesting. Journeys get very cold if it is not about the people involved and the emotions that made them do what they do.
Q: Akshay Kumar comes with his own style of films and fans. Did you have to make any changes in your style of film-making because of that?
A: All films are collaborative. All my actors have contributed phenomenally to my films. Akshay is a great creative mind and obviously, his contribution is going to be a lot more. And thank god for that, because this is an important subject we are dealing with. His mannerisms, his body language – they all suited the character. I can’t think of any other actor who could have played that part.
Q: Social messaging has become an important part of Bollywood films these days. Why do you think that is?
A: I feel that a film’s first job is to entertain. What is entertainment keeps changing from time to time. Today, people want to see things that are relevant to them. Of course, sometimes you just want to laugh at some slapstick comedy. Films can choose to take whatever responsibility they want, but the primary responsibility is to entertain. The message cannot overpower the entertainment factor.
Everything Oil, aptly named. (Renee Comet-For the Washington Post, styling by Bonnie S. Benwick)
Here’s a simple recipe that promises to boost the flavor of other savory #OnePan recipes. The slow-roasted infusion of garlic and herbs takes so little effort yet it offers so many possibilities. Use it to saute onions and to coat roasting vegetables. Pan-fry chicken breasts and fish with it. Brush it on grilled slices of bread. Swirl it into hummus of bowls of soup. Heck, you can even drizzle it over popcorn.
Everything Oil
Makes 3 cups
The oil can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks; or longer if you remove the solids.
Ingredients
3 lemons, scrubbed well
Peeled cloves from 1 head garlic
1 small chile pepper (optional)
4 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cups olive oil (can be extra-virgin)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel of each lemon, with as little white pith as possible, placing the strips in a small ovenproof saucepan or baking dish as you work. (Reserve the remaining fruit for another use.)
Add the garlic cloves, chile, if using, bay leaves and thyme. Pour in the oil, making sure to add enough so all those components are submerged. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and slow-roast (middle rack) for about 1½ hours.
Uncover and let cool. The oil can be used right away (strained), or transfer it along with the solids to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS | Per tablespoon serving: 120 calories, 0 g protein, 0 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar
Bangladeshi-origin chemistry teacher, Syed Ahmed Jamal’s life has faced major ups and downs over the last few weeks since he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Jan. 24, after being taken from his Lawrence, Kansas home.
In the latest twist, Jamal is sitting in Honolulu, according to his attorney Rekha Sharma-Crawford, who conveyed the information to Desi Talk through her assistant.
Jamal was on a plane bound for Dacca Feb. 12, when an American judge issued a second stay on the evening of the same day, the Associated Press reported. Hundreds of supporters of Jamal and his family which includes 3 children who are citizens, have rallied behind the Kansas chemist who was offloaded at the refueling stopover in Hawaii. But when he will be returned to the mainland is not known.
“There are still no updates on the Jamal case,” Sharma-Crawford said in a statement to Desi Talk. “He is still in Honolulu. We will be posting updates on our Facebook page as they happen,” Sharma-Crawford conveyed through her assistant. A petition on Change.org, “Help to stop the deportation of Syed Ahmed Jamal,” started by a family friend, Marci Leuschen, has now garnered 97,028 signatures, by Feb. 13 afternoon. There is also a GoFundMe page for Jamal started by Leuschen, which has so far raised $67,979 and hopes to reach its goal of $75,000.
On Feb. 12, when a federal immigration judge removed the temporary stay order issued a week ago, Sharma-Crawford, immediately filed a new motion for a stay with the Virginia Board of Immigration Appeals, Associated Press reported. That court issued a stay while Jamal was on the plane.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, went to meet Jamal when he was detained at the El Paso, Texas, over last weekend after being flooded with calls expressing concern over the fate of the Bangladeshi immigrant, Associated Press reported. Sharma-Crawford’s Facebook page is carrying a photo of Jamal speaking to the Congressman from behind a glass panel while incarcerated.
On Feb. 8, Cleaver issued a statement that he had written to the Assistant Director of ICE “encouraging him to exercise favorable discretion and grant a stay of deportation” for Jamal. Cleaver has been an advocate for a clear and permanent pathway to citizenship and is opposed to funding for a border wall. Associated Press reported the Congressman said he is planning to introduce legislation that could deal with cases like that of Jamal.
The Bangladeshi chemistry instructor came to this country on a student visa more than 30 years ago, getting degrees in molecular biosciences and pharmaceutical engineering, and settling in Lawrence with family. At some point he switched from a student visa to an H-1B visa and then back to a student visa when he enrolled for a Ph.D., according to a Washington Post report. When he was arrested, Jamal was on a temporary work permit, teaching chemistry as an adjunct professor at Park University in Kansas City, the Post reported.
NEW YORK – Out of the 83 new members and the 16 foreign members that the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has elected, 10 are Indian American and two are from India, according to a press release.
Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, according to a press release.
According to a press release, the Academy honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”
The new Indian American members are: Lallit Anand, Amit Goyal, Sanjay Jha, Ajay P. Malshe, Jayadev Misra, Raj Nair, Chandrakant D. Patel, Mukul M. Sharma, Chanan Singh and Bipin V. Vora.
The two members from India are Ashok Jhunjhunwala and Sushil K. Soonee.
Anand is a professor of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Goyal is the director of research and education in energy, environment and water institute, and ‘Empire Innovation’ professor at the University of Buffalo.
Jha is the chief executive of Globalfoundries Inc. in California.
Malshe is the founder, executive vice president and chief technology officer at NanoMech Inc.
Misra is the Schlumberger Centennial chair emeritus in computer science and a professor emeritus at the University of Texas in Austin.
Nair is the executive vice president and president of North America at Ford Motor Co.
Patel is the chief engineer and senior fellow of HP Inc. based in Palo Alto, California.
Sharma is the W.A. “Tex” Moncrief Jr. Centennial chair in petroleum, geosystems and chemical engineering as well as a professor at the UT Austin Cockrell School of Engineering.
Singh is a regents professor and Irma Runyon chair professor at the department of electrical and computer engineering at Texas A&M University.
Vora is the founder and principal consultant of Vora International Process Corp. in Naperville, Illinois.
Jhunjhunwala is a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras.
Soonee is an adviser, retired chief executive officer and founder of Power System Operation Corp.
According to a press release, the newly elected class will be formally inducted during a ceremony at the NAE’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30, 2018.
NEW YORK – The American Academy of Microbiology announced its 2018 Fellows on Jan. 16 and among 96, four are Indian Americans and two are in Bangladesh, according to a press release.
The Indian American Fellows are Ashok Chopra, Atin Datta, Rajeev Misra and Reeta Rao, along with Niyaz Ahmed and Samir Saha in Bangladesh.
Chopra is a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch in the microbiology and immunology department.
Datta is a supervisory research microbiologist and branch chief for the Department of Health and Human Services since November 2006.
Misra is a microbial geneticist who studies how proteins, synthesized in the cytoplasm, are targeted to the bacterial outer membrane and is a professor at Arizona State University’s School of Life Sciences.
Rao is an associate professor in biology and biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.
Ahmed is a professor of microbial sciences, genomicist and a veterinarian by training, and serves as a senior director at the International Centre for Diarrhoel Disease Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Saha works at the Dhaka Shishu Hospital Department of Microbiology in Bangladesh.
According to a press release, AAM Fellows are elected annually through a highly-selective, peer review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.
There are over 2,400 Fellows representing all subspecialties of the microbial sciences and involved in basic and applied research, teaching, public health, industry and government service, according to a press release.
CHICAGO – It has almost been 15 years since Harris Theater for Music and Dance opened up in downtown Chicago and the nonprofit has a string of international performances lined up for its 2018-19 season including an Indian American one, according to the Chicago Tribune. The season opens Nov. 8 with the Miami City Ballet.
The Ragamala Dance Company, directed by Indian American mother-daughter duo Aparna and Ranee Ramaswamy, will be performing at Harris Theater on Jan. 11, next year.
The dance troupe will mark its 25th season this year and will mark it by performing “Written in Water,” an original piece that mixes traditional South Indian dance with 12th century Sufi texts and Hindu mythology looking into a person’s struggle between good and evil, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Akram Khan, a Bangladeshi-British dancer, will also be performing at Harris Theater from Feb. 28 to March 2, 2019.
Khan, known for his graceful storytelling through contemporary dance and kathak, will be performing to a reworked version of a classical ballet called “Giselle,” the Tribune reported. The romantic love story that premiered way back in 1841 at the Paris Opera Ballet, will be recast by Khan – presenting the nobles and peasants as powerful landlords and migrant factory workers. It will feature Vincenzo Lamagna’s contemporary music composition. The sets and costumes will be designed by Tim Yip, the news report said.
“Akram Khan has a very specific aesthetic, and I think he has this ability to make something that’s both gut-wrenching and beautiful on the stage,” Patricia Barretto, the president and chief executive of the theatre, told the Chicago Tribune, adding that the “Giselle” performance at Hariss Theatre will use taped music, since the cost of bringing a full orchestra to Chicago from England seemed impossible.
Other upcoming international performances that the Chicago Tribune listed as part of the 2018-19 season, include the Teatro Regio Torino opera company from Italy, who will present concert performance of Verdi’s “I Vespri Siciliani” under music director Gianandrea Noseda and Opera Atelier from Canada who will present a double bill of French baroque operas; Charpentier’s “Acteon” and Rameau’s “Pygmalion.”
NEW YORK – The Italian restaurant Piccolo Fiore, which was adjacent to India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on 44th St. between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, has given way to a new upscale Indian restaurant, Zaika New York, founded by a New Jersey-based physician, Dr. Mandeep Oberoi, and his partner and chef, Raamanuj Sharma, a veteran in the industry who’s worked in some fine kitchens, including Bukhara Delhi, Nirvana in Beverly Hills, and Tamarind Tribeca, honored with Michelin stars three years running.
Some fans of Piccolo Fiore still walk in, revealed Oberoi, as he joined me briefly at a table, for dinner, at Zaika. Finding that the only thing left of the place is the bar, with the food on the menu – served on tables behind a curved brick façade – changed from staple favorites like prosciutto with melon, chicken marsala, pasta Bolognese, or veal scallopini, to names they find it hard to pronounce, they settle for a drink, to reminisce about old times.
“I convinced them to try some of our appetizers,” said Oberoi. “They loved it, and came back.”
Zaika New York.
Zaika New York is unique in upscale Indian restaurants in Manhattan, in at least one respect: there’s no fusion food, or attempt at a pan India cuisine; focus is entirely on traditional, sumptuous, aromatic North Indian fare cooked with a variety of spices – on the mild side, that don’t get in the way of actually tasting the flavors. There’s a heavy tilt towards meat-based dishes, inspired mostly from the regions of Punjab, from where Oberoi is originally from.
“We decided to take two steps backs, to the traditional,” said Oberoi, asked on the absence of fusion food in the menu.
It’s a bold move. A welcome one, though.
Interior of Zaika New York.
The interior of Zaika has a meditative appeal to it, almost Zen-inspired, with a panel on Buddha finding prime space in the 150-seat restaurant. There’s also an enclosed private space at the back for a dozen people, or more, suitable for the delegate-rich crowd at the United Nations, a few blocks away.
The food at Zaika, like its name, is succulent and tasteful, explodes with multiple flavors in the mouth. A special recommendation is Tohfa-E-Zameen (which I would have gone for just in respect for the earthy name of it). A trio of miniature tikkis, the patties are stuffed with cheese and herbs, with a dash of blueberry chutney; beetroot with a combination of nuts and spicy tomatillo, and arrow leaf spinach with honey ginger chutney.
Zaafrani Machli
The restaurateurs at Zaika seemed to have taken a huge liking to the word ‘zameen’ (Earth). Their standout for dinner is ‘Zameen-E-Doz’ – tender Dover sole rolled in aromatic spices, served in saffron coconut sauce, with grilled dragon fruit. At $41, it’s their signature dish, and doesn’t disappoint. No doubt, the dish is also made keeping in mind the international clientele in the neighborhood. There’s also a delicious tandoori seabass (Zaafrani Machli), with buttered sauted brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes, pink pepper and fennel cognac sauce, that was a hit at my table.
I’d walked in with a good appetite. After trying the superbly concocted tikkis, it spruced me up for the rest of the evening. As the evening wore on, I discovered that the food at Zaika didn’t intimidate the palate, nor did it overwhelm with its rich ingredients. In fact, one dish led to the craving for another on the anvil.
The Paneer Akbari with its sweet dhoda and cilantro and the Rajasthani Sooley, tenderly grilled lamb kebabs, with crispy bok choy and mango-mint chutney, were also a nod to some of the favorite dishes that proliferates in North India, with a sweet twist to it. The Tawa Scallops were seared to perfection, with a lip smacking combination of saffron chili, red pepper ajwain, and spiced chutney.
Zaika New York owners Dr. Mandeep Oberoi and chef Raamanuj Sharma.
As far as I’m concerned, an Indian restaurant to pass muster, has to get its trick right on lamb chops. The grilled lamb chops by chef Hemant Mathur at Tulsi, apart from some of his other restaurants now in Manhattan, including Malai Marke, and chef Prasad Chirnomula’s effort at Thali, remain my overwhelming favorites. The lamb chops they serve up are a delicacy to be savored once in a while, to feel the taste of real grilled meat.
The tandoor lamb chops at Zaika New York were done well too; shouldn’t be missed. They were tender, and mixed with shata pepper, marble potatoes, spicy plum and glazed pears, gave off a feeling of pleasant fullness.
(Sujeet Rajan is Executive Editor, Parikh Worldwide Media. Email him: sujeet@newsindiatimes.com Follow him on Twitter @SujeetRajan1)
Creations by Misha Kaura. (IMAXTree courtesy Misha Kaura)
From splashes of red and black to purple velvet, with models that defied tradition both in size and age, Indian-American fashion designers showed their metal at the New York Fashion Week that started Feb. 9 and continues till Friday the 16th.
They included Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Misha Kaura, Naeem Khan, Sachin & Babi, and the MacDuggal brand.
From the casual to the formal, there was no stereotyping Bibhu Mohapatra Feb. 9, at Gallery II of Spring Studios. Video of the live performance shone Prabal at his best with his wide range from very wearable dresses that Millennials might sport, to formal wear for the young and the mature, nothing that could pigeonhole him, and something for every occasion. Dominant reds and blacks in mingling paint strokes and splashes, with purples thrown in; jackets and skirts, short dresses, knee length pleated skirts, tight black and gold mid-calf skirts, and even long formal dresses; puffed sleeves. loose pants, furs, a sudden space-age blouse, leather looks in some cases, and elaborate sequin-embroidered short flouncy dresses to formal long dresses in silver sequin, purple thick silk. All modern imaging.
Growing up with his family in Orissa, Mohapatra says his appreciation for sumptuous Indian fabrics and vibrant colors permeates his collections. In America since 1996, moving to the Big Apple in 1999 after getting a Masters in economics from Utah State, he studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, honing his skills as an assistant designer at the iconic American fashion label, Halston.
Creation by Misha Kaura. (IMAXTree courtesy Misha Kaura)
A relative newbie at NYFW, 25 year-old Misha Kaura’s creations were presented Feb. 10, off-site according to the NYFW website, at Industria Studios in West Village. She told Desi Talk she is influenced strongly by her Punjabi background and time spent exploring Patiala, her father’s ancestral village and the sights and sounds of Chandigarh. Writing from her sickbed following a major surgery which prevented her from being present, she said she focused on fluidity, moving beyond her training in sharp tailoring to fluid dresses that allow for movement and ease in draping, adding, “By deconstructing normal silhouettes and adding innovative touches—ostrich feathers, pearl-like beads—I was able to reflect the modernity present in the modern woman not just in the US, but worldwide.”
She regretted that her complete collection for NYFW was not featured because she was indisposed. “Unfortunately over half of the collection was unable to be shown. The remainder will be displayed at presentations over the course of the next month, including 15 other gowns, full and deconstructed hijab styles, workwear, childrenswear, outerwear, jewelry, and several new evening clutch styles,” Kaura said. Her creations were recently featured in Elle Hong Kong, Elle Spain, and Elle Italy, and received interest from many other places, “which is nice as well,” she told Desi Talk. She wants to infuse her work with a social message, using materials highlighting the work of female artisans in Punjabi villages. “Deconstructing traditional symbols of oppression—heavy corsetry and deconstructed princess seams—was also a key theme this season,” she said. “As well, I am deeply inspired by strong, smart, confident, powerful women. This collection speaks to female empowerment and the resiliency of the female spirit in the face of oppression and upheaval,” said Kaura who lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
According to Facebook entries, her show was well attended in New York. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology who interned with couturiers for top brands in London and Paris prior to launching her label in Spring Summer 2018, Kaura, says her heritage is very much a part of her even though she was born and raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. “Whether a woman is 99 or 29, she will look slim, stunning, and sparkling in Misha Kaura apparel and accessories,” according to her advertizing.
Prabal Gurung showed his electic collection on Sunday, Feb. 11 in Gallery I at Spring Studios. He was a stark contrast walking out after his elaborately dressed models were done, in a simple, well-worn white T shirt and black jeans. He shot to fame since his appearance on the catwalk in 2009. In this show, his collection wove tribal, native weaves, some with Japanese touches, others more African, or Native American, alongside plain bright and deep reds and purples, even grey pant-suits, ordinary thick cableknit sweaters, but also a very traditional thick velvet gown, some sharp blue lines, a few furs. Most interesting was the footwear, some flat shoes that verged on flip-flops, with overhanging bows, but also simple gold, white, and black boots. He also included large size models on the ramp.
Though of Nepalese descent, Gurung was born in Singapore and raised in Kathmandu. He studied design in New Delhi and moved to Parsons The New School for Design in New York. He worked at Bill Blass as design director for five years before launching his own eponymous brand.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama wore Gurung during her stay at the White House. The Dutchess of Cambridge also wore his design. Gurung has received several accolades and recognitions, and has collaborated with cosmetic houses for supporting non-profits in Nepal.
Sachin & Babi (Ahluwalia) who showed their creations Feb. 10, featured veteran model Maye Musk, noting on Facebook that, “Each silhouette in the collection was designed with intention for women of all ages and body types.” Using “Rich, floral fabrics and lush green tones” they set the stage for the Fall/Winter 2018 collection. According to their website, this season, the duo chose to forgo a traditional runway show “and instead create a compelling lookbook, and video campaign featuring 69-year-old, IMG Model, Maye Musk,” on the sidelines of NYFW.
A model presents creations from designer Naeem Khan’s Spring-Summer 2018 collection. REUTERS-Brendan McDermid
The couple say they are inspired by Bali’s vibrant landscapes, and that the garments are a play on texture of those landscapes. They have paired “luxe batik motif inspired jacquard textiles with hand-embroidered signature beadwork and sequins with delicate tassels.” A crane motif is incorporated throughout, “to breathe life into the collection and add a touch of whimsy,” they say. The Ahluwalias founded their eponymous label in 2009 “in a quest to redefine evening wear” and first gained recognition in New York by designing and manufacturing embroideries for the city’s renowned couture houses, according to their website.
Naeem Khan, whose runway shows are among the most anticipated events of New York Fashion Week, was scheduled to show his work on Feb. 13 afternoon, as this went to press. Among this Indian-American designer’s fan base is former First Lady Michelle Obama, singers Beyoncé, Taylor Swift Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga, and a host of stars, Pénelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emily Blunt. His creations were seen on popular shows like Sex & the City and Dreamgirls.
Khan was born in India and learnt the craft from his grandfather and father, both well known for designing intricate clothing worn by the royal families, his website says. Moving to New York as a teenager, Khan apprenticed for Halston. His collections are now sold at more than 100 specialty stores across the world. In 2008, Khan was inducted as a member of the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 10: Models prepare backstage for the Mac Duggal presentation at New York Fashion Week Powered by Art Hearts Fashion NYFW at The Angel Orensanz Foundation on February 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Arun Nevader/Getty Images for Art Hearts Fashion)
Gowns in luscious colors of bright blue, yellow, red and silver, mingled with flowing wedding gowns in ivory, lingerie pieces, and elegant dresses in all sizes, made Mac Duggal’s sometimes playful, but always unique creations on the catwalk Feb. 10, at the Angel Orensanz Center in New York, NY, engaging.
Mac Duggal, who came to the U.S. at the age of 23, continued his engagement with rich, royal, and opulent traditions of his home country with a contemporary design esthetic, his website says.
Ieena Duggal, Mac Duggal’s daughter, has played an integral part in brand development. Spending endless hours when growing up going through Mac Duggal catalogs and magazines and day dreaming about wearing the beautiful garments, shifted to wearing the gowns and then to creating them. Her first collection debuted in 2015 and was “designed for every woman” says the website, which notes that one philosophy she lives by is to ‘embrace change.’ And it certainly showed in this Fall 2018 collection.
The Mac Duggal brand has been featured in leading magazines, and worn by an “A list celebrities, TV personalities, athletes, pageant titleholders and influencers globally,” the website says. This design house stands out also for its “entrance-making drama, feminine detailing and modern sensibility,” showcasing seasonal collections ranging from couture one-of-a-kind styles fabricated for red carpet, performance, stage and screen to cocktail dresses and gowns to mark special occasions and milestone moments.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 10: Models pose with Miss USA Pageant representatives backstage after the Mac Duggal presentation at New York Fashion Week Powered by Art Hearts Fashion NYFW at The Angel Orensanz Foundation on February 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Arun Nevader/Getty Images for Art Hearts Fashion)
Sahith Theegala, a junior at Pepperdine University, Malibu campus, posted the most dominant individual victory in the history of the institution at the golf tournament Jan. 30. This photo is from the Waves Challenge. (Photo: Jeff Golden courtesy Pepperdine U)
Sahith Theegala, a junior at California’s Pepperdine University, Malibu campus, made his university proud when he posted the most dominant individual victory in the history of the institution at the golf tournament Jan. 30. At the tournament played over two days at the Saticoy Country Club, his team also scored a record-setting total in its own Waves Challenge category, a release from the university said, a 37-stroke victory over an earlier 33.
“This was the largest margin of victory that one of our players has ever won – and by a wide margin — 16 shots over our previous record of 9,” Roger Horne, assistant athletic director for golf, told News India Times. The record of 9 shots was set by Dean Kobane at the 1989 West Coast Conference Championships.
“He (Theegala) had the advantages of playing on our course, but it’s a very tough course and he really managed to play very exceptional golf over the two days,” Horne said emphasizing the description of Theegala’s game.
For Theegala, the favorite thing about golf is how “the mental toughness needed to play this sport at a high level is unbelievable and it requires your attention all the time, even though it may not necessarily require the most physical ability,” the young man says on his profile carried by the university.
Born in Orange, Calif., Theegala is the son of Karuna Theegala and Muralidhar Theegala. He has one sibling, Sahan.
Theegala is majoring in sport administration, and on his bio posted on the University website, he says he chose to attend Pepperdine because of “the amazing coaches, great location, awesome campus, close to home, the school’s small feel, the good academics and the great golf facilities.” He enjoys basketball, video games, cars and chess, and one of his favorite movies in Bollywood’s 3 Idiots and his favorite musical groups are Blasterjaxx and Keys N Krates. Henrik Stenson is his favorite pro golfer, and he likes the television show Black Mirror. He loves Thai fried rice.
Though still young, Theegala’s career achievements include having the best scoring average (71.00) in Pepperdine history after two seasons. Plus, he is already sixth on the Waves’ all-time below-par rounds list with 38. In 26 career tournaments, he has achieved 19 top-20 finishes and seven top-10 results. He has won several recognitions along the way, including earning the Golf Coaches Association of America/PING All-American third team status. PING is an American manufacturer of golf equipment. The Indian-American youth also got the Golfweek All-American honorable mention honors as a sophomore; the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year and an All-WCC first team and GCAA/PING All-West Region selection. He was a semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus Award; was ranked #16 nationally by Golfstat and #33 by Golfweek/Sagarin, and the list goes on and on.
He qualified for the 2017 U.S. Open in the Junior/Amateur category; Won a Collegiate Showcase event to earn an exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2017 Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club, where he made the cut and finished tied for 49th; was named the Southern Golf Association’s Amateur of the Month for February 2017; and numerous other achievements.
Theegala graduated from Diamond Bar (Calif.) High School in 2015; played four years on the varsity and was on the All-Sierra League first team all four years. He was the Sierra League’s Athlete of the Year as a senior and the League MVP as a junior.
At the latest tournament in Saticoy Country Club, Theegala shot 11-under and crushed the field with a school-record 16-shot margin of victory, which led to his second college win. The Waves finished with a two-day total of a 13-over 877 (297-297-283) at the par-72 Saticoy Country Club, far ahead of second-place UC Santa Barbara (914), the university website said.
Illinois: Indian American Raja Krishnamoorthi was elected to the House of Representatives from Illinois state on Nov. 8, 2016. The Democrat becomes the fourth Indian American elected to Congress. (Photo: IANS)
In rare praise from Democrats for President Donald Trump, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, whose legislation on strengthening technical training and education has so far been unanimously passed by the House of Represenatitives, had words of praise for the infrastructure plan just unveiled by the White House.
Krishnamoorthy, who is the lead Democrat in the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, lauded President Trump’s support for re-authorizing Perkins career and technical education (CTE) program, a part of the Indian-American lawmaker’s proposal.
“I am encouraged that the President has identified reauthorizing the Perkins career and technical education program as a key component in building a modern and dynamic workforce,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. “… I’ve seen firsthand that career and technical education is an overwhelmingly bipartisan endeavor which will close the skills gap and provide Americans with the training necessary to excel in our 21st-century economy,” Krishnamoorthi added, and said he was looking forward to continuing to work with the Administration and the Senate to pass the bipartisan bill “that provides American workers and students with good-paying, family-sustaining, high-skill jobs in emerging fields.”
Krishnamoorthi represents the 8th District of Illinois, which includes Chicago’s west and northwest suburbs. He serves on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. In addition, Raja serves as the ranking member, and top Democrat, on the Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits, and Administrative Rules. Krishnamoorthi served as an Illinois Special Assistant Attorney General in the public corruption unit and as Illinois Deputy Treasurer before becoming president of small businesses in the Chicago area focused on the national security and renewable energy sectors.
Chandrakant M. Modi MD (center), Mission in Jordan.
Chicago, IL – Growing up in India, Chandrakant M. Modi’s father encouraged him to go into medicine because he could earn a decent living while also helping the needy. He more than achieved both objectives here in the United States.
Apart from his professional success of the last 20 years, as a pathologist and in emergency medicine, Dr. Modi has helped people in distant lands going on numerous missions with the Idaho-based non-profit, Flying Doctors of America, a division of Medical Mercy Missions, Inc., to villages in Haiti, Madagascar, the Amazon, Panama, Jordan and the borders between India and Tibet.
“The trips to provide medical care have been very rewarding,” Dr. Modi, now an energetic septuagenarian living in Skokie, Ill., is quoted saying in a press release from Asian Media USA. “The people in underserved areas need care, and they appreciate our presence. Our missions bring hope and healing to the poorest of poor people,” he added. To this day Dr. Modi treasures a comb made from animal bone, presented to him by a tribal chief on one of his missions in the Amazon Jungle basin. “I didn’t need it (comb) but it was given from the heart. I still have it, and consider it one of my most valuable possessions.”
Flying Doctors organizes mercy missions about half-dozen times a year to remote areas where residents do not have regular access to medical care. Doctors, nurses, dentists and on-ground support personnel pay their own fares. The medication they dispense is also purchased from private health-care companies based in the U.S.
Among the future missions planned by Flying Doctors, are trips to Panama, Guyana, Peru, and a women’s prison in Bolivia, according to the press release, which added that Dr. Modi is also avid traveler and has explored all seven continents including Antarctica and more than 100 countries.
In 2009 Dr. Modi received the President’s Circle Award given by Flying Doctors of America, in recognition of his contribution.
Chicago, IL – Hari Om Mandir held multiple celebrations 28th of Jan, the festivals of Basant Panchami and Saraswati Pooja, as well as commemorating India’s Republic Day. The temple was decorated to highlight the three different themes to recognize the spirit of each festival and event.
Yellow, the color of Basant, was dominated for Basant Panchami – yellow flowers all around; many people dressed in yellow; yellow tinge for prasad and langar offered; and deities dressed and adorned in yellow. The walls were decorated with kites flying high, to recall memories of home when kite flying competitions marked this festival.
The Indian and U.S. national flags were displayed to commemorate the 69th Republic Day of India.
This Day is also considered to be the auspicious day for Goddess of wisdom, knowledge and learning, Saraswati. The temple management held a pooja to bless all children who came. The temple pundits, Raghubir Dave and Dharmendra Bhahmbhatt, recited Shlokas and sang Vandana in praise of Saraswati, asking her to bestow blessings on the children.
A group of singers led by Bharat Dhutia, Shailender Bhatnagar, Geeta Dhutia and Atwal, sang songs to commemorate Republic Day including the patriotic “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon.” The group also sang songs celebrating Basant Panchami, like “Mera Rang De Basanti Chola.”
Children from the HOM Hindi Class sang a song to Goddess Saraswati, as proud teachers watched over them.
The Program concluded with the singing of the Indian national anthem, and Vande Mataram, and salutes of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”
Chicago, IL – The Federation of Indian Associations, an umbrella organization for Indian-Americans, in partnership with The Windy City Bulls basketball team, the official NBA D-League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls, celebrated Indian Heritage Night on Feb. 9.
The FIA called it a “proud moment” for the organization because it was the second year in a row that it was partnering with the Windy City Bulls for such an event.
This concept was created and presented again this year by Sunil Shah, the founder president of this FIA, a press release from the organization said. Shah and current President of FIA Neil Khot, were honored and recognized on the center stage.
Indian Cultural dances were presented during the game by Junoon Dance Company and Kalashree Dance Academy by Toral Chaudhari. There were about 35 dancers of different ages, who braved inclement weather to represent their dance schools.
DJ Sahaj Shah played a mix of Indian and Western music to a cheering audience.
“This was a real honor for the Federation of Indian Associations,” Sunil Shah is quoted saying in the press release. Khot praised the 35 odd dancers from different dance schools who came and represented and presented Indian culture at the Basketball game. The FIA Executive Board also attended the event.
Indian American Aditya Sastry recorded a woman yelling out racial comments to him and his friend, who was of Puerto Rican descent, while they were in line for pizza with a group of friends in Seattle, Washington, according to Metro News.
According to the video which Sastry posted on Facebook, the woman asks them “Where are you from?” and says “You’re not white enough,” before telling them to “Go back to your own fucking country.”
She then continues to insult them, claiming that the innocent group are from “terrorist countries” and says that she will “have them arrested.”
At one point she even yells: “Have more respect you fucking terrorist ass’ and calls Sastry a ‘Saudi n***a.”
The video ends abruptly as the woman knocks the phone out of Sastry’s hand, shattering it.
But Sastry writes more about the incident on Facebook adding that the attack worsened after he stopped filming.
“The confrontation continued with escalating racism and threats of violence primarily against Joey, the black woman next to me, and myself. It became quickly apparent that her issue was with Joey and my appearance as we are ethnically Puerto Rican and Indian, respectively. We’ve both faced racist incidents before, but this is the second time this year I’ve been accosted by white Americans claiming this country is theirs,” Sastry wrote, adding “I was born and raised in this country and have been blessed with opportunities that don’t exist or aren’t as accessible elsewhere, but I find myself having a more and more difficult time feeling welcome in my own country.”
Sastry, who is originally from San Jose, California, told Metro News that he is sharing the video to “highlight the reality of the current socio political climate” and hopefully identify the woman who assaulted him and his friends.
Sastry told Metro News that if anyone recognized the woman then they should contact the Seattle Police Department.
YuppTV, the world’s leading OTT brand for South Asian content, will be streaming the upcoming Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018, between India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The T20 matches will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from March 6 to 18.
All the matches will be exclusively available on YuppTV in the U.S., Canada, Middle East, North Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, United Kingdom and Europe.
The opening match will take place between India and Sri Lanka and the tournament will follow a round robin format with all three teams playing each other twice, the top two teams will then progress to the final on March 18.
“Unlike other games, cricket has exemplary viewership across the globe, and T20 cricket has helped it gain more popularity than ever before. We are pleased to have exclusive rights for broadcasting the Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018 series in various geographies and look forward to offering our viewers the convenience of streaming the action-packed game, without missing a single moment of the same,” Uday Reddy, the founder and CEO of YuppTV, stated in a press release.
The tri-series tournament is being played in celebration of Sri Lanka’s 70 years of Independence.
Cricket fans can also watch the action LIVE from R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on www.yupptv.com or through the YuppTV app on their smart TVs, smart Blu-ray players, streaming media players, gaming consoles, smartphones and tablets.
The state of Colorado has come up with its own solution to the Green Card backlash: the Purple Card.
According to CBS4, some state lawmakers say that if Congress won’t reform the immigration system then they will, by introducing a bill that will allow anyone who has paid state taxes for at least two years and hasn’t had a felony in three years to be eligible for legal status.
For many, the bill would become life-changing.
“It will help me to stay in this country longer,” Llani Duenes, who from El Salvador 18 years ago and will lose her temporary protected status in 18 months under a new federal policy, told CBS4.
The bill would give her and hundreds of thousands of people like her permanent legal status in Colorado.
“It benefits the state because they know who’s working where, and we know for sure they’re paying taxes,” Omar Gomez, who is leading the purple card movement, told CBS4.
“The alternative is two-fold. One, you’re either going to be relying on the social safety net that is going to have a lot of people asking for food banksand all these other things; or you’re going to have folks who are still going to work, but just work in the black market and neither of those is acceptable policy for us in Colorado,” Rep. Dan Pabon, the bill’s sponsor, told CBS4.
Although the bill would make Colorado the first state in the country with its own legal work permit, some are still concerned about the legality of it “because it’s unconstitutional,” Rep. Patrick Neville told CBS4.
“It’s against federal law. We’re a nation of laws and this is nothing more than them politically pandering to those here illegally,” he added.
“I think a purple card has a lot of problems, or there would be a lot details to work out. Anything like that, if it was going to be considered, should go along with much more aggressive enforcement of people paying their workers under the table,” Gov. John Hickenlooper told CBS4.
According to CBS4, under the bill, the state would protect employers who hire those with purple cards from federal penalties, how they will do so is still unclear.
The Colorado Department of Labor would be in charge of developing the program.
Students are evacuated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during a shooting incident in Parkland, Florida, U.S. February 14, 2018 in a still image from video. WSVN.com via REUTERS.
Multiple fatalities are reported after gunfire erupted Wednesday afternoon at a South Florida high school, sending police on a lengthy manhunt while students and teachers remained barricaded inside.
The shooting happened shortly before classes were dismissed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, northwest of Fort Lauderdale.
Police have taken the person suspected of opening fire at the school into custody, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said.
Robert Runcie, the superintendent of Broward County Public Schools, told reporters at the scene that there are “numerous fatalities.”
“It is a day you pray every day you don’t have to see,” Runcie said.
He said officials were not aware of threats made before the incident.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office said there were at least 14 victims in the incident. It was unclear how many had been injured and how many had been killed.
Earlier in the day, Dan Booker, a fire chief from a nearby city, had said that the number of injured could stretch much higher, estimating 20 to 50 victims. Some of those injured are students who were shot, Booker said.
Police cars are seen in Coral Springs after a shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. February 14, 2018 in this image obtained from social media. CREDIT: TWITTER / @DJM5226 via REUTERS
Booker said he was seeking aid from the Coast Guard and other agencies because many victims will need to be transported by helicopter.
Video from the scene showed police surrounding the building and students being quickly marched away from Stoneman Douglas High. News cameras also captured people being wheeled out on stretchers, though their conditions were not immediately clear. A tweet from the school’s parent district, Broward County Public Schools, said, “We are receiving word of multiple injuries.”
Police from nearby Coral Springs, who were also responding to the incident, urged students and teachers to remain barricaded inside the school. Law enforcement officials said they were clearing students building by building.
The school, which opened in the early 1990s, had more than 3,000 students in the 2015-2016 school year, according to federal data.
Gov. Rick Scott, R, said he had been briefed by the Broward County sheriff, whose agency was leading the response, as well as by the county’s school superintendent. President Donald Trump was notified of the shooting, White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters said.
“The president has been made aware of the school shooting in Florida. We are monitoring the situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected,” Walters said.
The Broward County school system wrote in a message on Twitter that students and staff “heard what sounded like gunfire” close to the school’s dismissal time.
“The school immediately went on lockdown but is now dismissing students,” the school system wrote. “We are receiving reports of possible multiple injuries.”
Abhishek Shukla and Harish Shabhai Panchal, both citizens of India, along with the India-based company, Jubilee Tobacco Industries Corp., were sentenced in federal District Court in Miami, for conspiring to smuggle counterfeit cigarettes into the United States.
United States District Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced both Shukla and Panchal to 23 months imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release for two years. Judge Williams sentenced Jubilee to corporate probation of two years and ordered Jubilee to forfeit $300,000 to the United States. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement about Shukla and Panchal’s sentencing in a Feb. 14 press release.
All three defendants previously pled guilty to conspiring with each other, with the intent to defraud and mislead, sell and cause the sale and dispensing of a counterfeit tobacco product cigarettes. The containers and labeling bore the trade name and marks of the American brand of Newport cigarettes on approximately 68,600 cartons of cigarettes and were almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
According to court records, including a Joint Factual Statement submitted by the parties, beginning in March 2015 and continuing through August 16, 2017, the defendants initiated contact with an individual cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, offering counterfeit cigarettes for sale. Through internet negotiations, an agreement was reached for a 20-foot container filled with counterfeit Newport brand cigarettes to be shipped from India to Miami. Payment for the shipment was made in installments through international wire transfers to bank accounts in India and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On November 1, 2016, the container arrived and was seized in Miami.
If distributed in Florida, the un-taxed importation would have an approximate value of $1.2 million.
Within two weeks of the arrival, the co-conspirators sought out FDA-OCI undercover agents offering another shipment, twice as large. By April 2017, deposits totaling $55,000 had been made for more counterfeit Newport cigarettes. On June 9, 2017, the container arrived at of Miami and was again seized with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Officers, and turned over to FDA-OCI Special Agents. It was valued at approximately $3.2 million.
Actor Dev Patel arrives at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 8, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Indo- British actor Dev Patel, who shot to fame with Slumdog Millionaire (2008) is set to play David Copperfield. Patel has played leading roles in several movies, the latest being Lion, for which he earned an Oscar nomination.
The new version of Charles Dickens’ novel that best reflects the author’s own life, will be directed and written by Armando Iannucci, of the award-winning series ‘Veep,’ Variety magazine reported in its online edition Feb. 14.
FilmNation’s retelling of “The Personal History of David Copperfield” offers a “modern take” on the character as he goes through life to find his niche, Variety reported. Dickens created the character back in 1850, one that closely mirrored his own experience of a hard childhood that he overcomes to become a successful writer.
Patel is just coming off his directorial debut with “Home Shopper” a film featured at the Sundance Festival. He earned critical acclaim for his role in The Man Who Knew Infinity, the story of genius Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
