voice of asia april 4 2014

VOICE OF ASIA 1 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014

Vol. 27 No. 14 Friday, April 4, 2014 Published Weekly from Houston 713-774-5140 24 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: [email protected] 25 years of dedicated service to the community

VOICE OF ASIA Don’t delay, take Advantage of Extension.Apply for Health Coverage To-dayRead more on Page18 Or Call 713-771-2900. 10,000 copies every week

Bio Skin & Laser14019 Southwest Freeway, Suite# 408

Sugar Land, TX 77478

Looking Gorgeous just got Easy!

Rejuvenate and Redefine Your Skin!281.325.0100

www.bioskinandlaser.com

• Laser Hair Removal• Skin Tightening• Skin Rejuvenation and Resurfacing• Skin Care Services• Abdominal fat loss• Botox • Bio-weight Loss• Bio-dermal Infusion• I-Image Skin Care Products• Custom Facials• Relaxing Skin Therapy

Call us today for an appointment!

Proof

VO

A©

2014

BAPS Hosts 7th Annual Women’s Conference: Lead from Within

READ REPORT ON PAGE 5

MAGH holds candlelight vigil for missing Rice University student Reny Jose, asks for answers

Rev. Fr. Roy A. Thomas President ICECH addressing the gathering.

by Shobana Muratee

MISSOURI CITY, TX March 31 2014 – Hous-ton’s Malayalee commu-

nity is looking for answers and so-lutions to missing teen Reny Jose of Rice University whose search nears a month this week. In the recent months, the Indian American com-munity has been grieving the loss of missing and dead youth: Pravin Var-ughese, 19, Southern Illinois Univer-sity student was found dead on February 18; 31-year-old Stanly Babu Kumbanattel was robbed and shot dead in Houston on March 11, Jasmine Joseph, 22, NYIT stu-dent was found dead in her car on March 12, and Reny Jose, the Rice University student who went missing in Panama City Beach on March 3, still untraceable. Prayers, condolences and a candlelight vigil went out to the teens and their family mem-bers at the condolence convention organized by the Malayalee As-sociation of Greater Houston (MAGH) in Stafford.

Addressing a gath-ering of nearly 200 people, George Jose father of Reny Jose, who flew in to attend the meeting said, “The only thing we can do is get answers from the students who were with him.” Of the 22 students who were with him, 16 of them had left before any police officer ques-tioned them, he told the gathering. Later, speaking to KPRC LOCAL 2, he said, “I felt there was some kind of foul play that happened here.” George says he believes they have not told investigators all of the in-formation they know. “I want to get an answer from the kids. The same as my wife and my daughter, they all want an answer,” Jose said. Reny is supposed to be graduating May 17th of this year.

Speaking on behalf of the Malaya-lee community, K Surendran, Secre-

Candle Light Vigil L-R: Surendran Koran, K. Surendran , Attorney at Law, Secretary MAGH, George Jose, (Reny Jose’s father), Mark Hanna, Chief of the Narcotics and Gang Division of the Fort BendCounty District Attorneys Office and Ken Mathew, Councilman, City of Stafford, TX.

tary, (MAGH) said, “It is indeed an alarming situation and time for us to work together and take action as a caring concern community.”

Thomas Varkey, President MAGH, thanked the host of high ranking po-lice officials, elected officials and leaders of the community for their support at such critical time. A booth was set up by Harris County Sher-iff’s office to hand out information on IWatch, Internet Safety for Teens and other such programs.

Rev. Roy Thomas, President ICECH, who was instrumental in putting together the meeting said, “While some may attribute these recent events to the breakdown of family structure or the poor choices of youth, the families and friends of those who have died and the family of Reny Jose will tell you a different story. These were good children in good standing with their community

and universities.”Sophia Kumbanattel, sister of Stan-

ly Babu, gave a touching account of her brother and the loss that her fam-

ily is going through.Other prominent community lead-

ers who spoke on the occasion were Koshy Thomas, publisher, Voice of Asia, had helped with organizing the meet, Alex Madathithazham, Presi-dent Knanaya Society, Jay Raman, KHS Youth representative and Joy Thumpaman. Elected officials pres-ent were Ron Reynolds, State Repre-sentative for District 27, Councilmen Harish Jajoo, City of Sugar Land, Ken Mathew, City of Stafford, and Robin Elackatt, Missouri City Councilman.

Emcees of the event were Ashley Mathew, Joanne John, Joshni John, Serena Thomas and Merina Thomas. Kennedy Joseph, Treasurer, MAGH proposed a vote of thanks.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office officials, elected officials, MAGH members and community leaders who spoke at the occasion. Photos by reflectionmediausa.com

VOICE OF ASIA 2 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

Publisher: Koshy ThomasAssociate Publisher: Sherly PhilipEditor-in-Chief: Shobana MurateeAustin Correspondent: Sherine ThomasPrint & Media Marketing: Jacob DavidMarketing: Susan Pothanikat Production: AR VadlamaniOffice Manager: Priyan Mathew Columnists:Legal: Richard M. AldermanLegal: Sharlene Sharmila RichardsLegal: Yasmin KuttyMedical: Sabina K. Cherian, MDMedical: Kesavan Shan, MDResearch: Prof. Meenakshi BhattacharjeeHealth Insurance: Sudhir MathuriaAstrology: Hardik Vyas VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

Online Editor: Shobana Muratee

All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the consent of the publisher. Voice of Asia assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on the information included herein. Pub-lished weekly by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713-774-5143. Email for editorial submissions: [email protected]; Email for advertising inquiries and submissions: [email protected]

Regular tutoring available throughout the year. IQ Learning is open 7 days a week.

IQ LEARNINGWhere Excellence is the Norm, not the Exception Programs Now Open for Grades 4 through 12

Read what our students say in the testimonial section of our website!

www.iq-learning.com • Ph: 832-387-6250 • Email: [email protected]

• More than 95% of the enrolled school students improved their scores by more than a letter grade within a few weeks at IQ. • 90% of the students have shown a 300 point minimum increase over their last scores in actual SAT tests.• Students scoring B- in Math have become toppers in Calculus AP courses after only a few weeks at IQ Learning.• Students who took the Physics Advancement Course at IQ Learning have represented their school in district level Physics tournaments.• Most of the enrolled Elementary and Middle School students are now placed in their school GT programs after attending IQ Learning.

Address: 3685 Hwy 6 S (@Settlers Way, next to Krogers), Sugar Land, TX 77478

Our Credentials:

PROOF ONLY

• Enroll for: • Math, ELA, Science, GT program prep (Elementary and Middle school) • SAT/ACT Prep • All Pre-AP and AP-level Science and Math subjects (High school)• Our Advancement courses prepare students for the coming year (www.iq-learning.com)

The best place for Learning, Tutoring and Test Prep in Sugar Land

Sugar Land

Voice of Asia (USPS 010-215) (ISSN#10705058) is published every Friday (for a subscription rate of $30 per year) by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713-774-5143. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Voice of Asia, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074

It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or confirmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints. - The Publisher

For the latest on South Asia and Community stories Visit

our websitewww.VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

Super TechConstruction Co. • Custom Homes • Hotels

• Motels • Shopping Plazas • Gas Stations

2700 Lake Olympia Pkwy Suite 102 Missouri City Texas 77459

TEL: 281-235-4870www.stctexas.com

WE BUILD

Ketki Shah

Hamid Lakhani

ALL NEW WOWS ONBOARDNavigator of the Seas

Brings to you the ultimate experience inCRUISING! www.Cruise Guzs.com

Hurry!!! Book NOW$400

Save up to:

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL™ reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement on all guests if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds $65.00 per barrel.

The fuel supplement for 1st and 2nd guest would be no more than $10 per guest per day. To a Maximum of $140 per cruise and for additional guests would be no more than $5 per person per day to a maximum of $70 per cruise. *Pricing set forth is the sole responsibility of the travel agent. Prices are per person, curise only, double occupancy, in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions apply. Government taxes and faees are additional. ©2013 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd Ships registry. The Bahamas. All rights reserved. 13034H52 • 09/4/2013 *Applicable products: Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Europe (June - December 2014).

NOW sailing Year Round from Galveston!!

VO

A © 2013

NIGHTS toWestern Caribbean7 • Jamaica • Honduras • Belize

• New Mexico • Grand Cayman

Great Savings!!!Book April 1 - 20, 2014281-724-8260

On SelectSailings!

Leave Spring

Jump into Summer!

Polio has gone from India but the dan-ger is still there

by Margaret Chan

Everyone loves a suc-cess story, especially one of this magnitude.

By not having a single polio case for over three years now, India has shown the world that there is no such thing as impos-sible.

India is now free of a virus that killed and crippled chil-dren for centuries. Many crit-ics believed that this day would never come, that the polio virus was too firmly entrenched and that India would never be polio-free. The naysayers, however, missed one decisive factor: the power of India’s determination to achieve the impossible. From half of the world’s polio burden in 2009, India saw its last case on January 13, 2011.

How did India do this?First, the government owner-

ship of the eradication initia-tive, at union, state, and district levels, was decisive, as were the crores of rupees put into the effort by the government.

Secondly, India worked to-gether seamlessly with its in-ternational partners including Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foun-dation.

Thirdly, with the support of WHO, India built a world-class surveillance system that surpasses the globally recom-mended standards and indica-tors. This was a game-changer in the fight against polio and a critical component of its suc-cess.

In 1997, WHO, in collabo-ration with the Indian govern-ment, established the National Polio Surveillance Project to provide technical support in high-risk areas for polio sur-veillance and mass polio vac-cination campaigns.

Fourthly, constant research produced evidence for the fine-tuning of strategies.

Fifthly, the vast army of vac-cinators and frontline workers, working in extremely harsh sit-uations, not only delivered but went beyond the call of duty.

Sixthly, it needed innovative and creative strategies to beat a very stubborn virus, be it the strategy to reach the under-served people, areas hard to reach or migrant populations. Special communication strate-gies and social mobilisation

efforts were needed to improve awareness and acceptance of the polio vaccine by all sec-tions of the community.

All of this is reflected in the sheer scale of the polio pro-gramme. Sample a few statis-tics. Each nation-wide polio campaign involves the vaccina-tion of nearly 170 million chil-dren in more than 225 million households by an army of 2.3

million vaccinators.However, the polio-free sta-

tus of every country remains under threat as long as the polio virus is still circulating anywhere in the world. India, however, is fully aware of the need to safeguard its magnifi-cent achievement.

Importantly, the country is us-ing the legacy of its polio suc-

cess to intensify routine immu-nisation, with special emphasis on reaching the under-served and marginalised people.

Margaret Chan is director-general, World Health Organi-zation

The views expressed by the author are personal.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Children with polio at the Amar Jyoti Research Centre, Delhi, India. Photo: WHO/P. Virot.


OMMUNITY Friday, April 4, 2014 Email: [email protected] Tel: 713-774-5140

OICE OF SIAV ASecond Front PageC

Looking For a Career???We are Hiring!!!

• Excellent Training • Comprehensive Benefits • Paid Training

www.myagla.com/abhaCall us for Quote on Life Insurance you don’t have to die to use!

2727 A Allen Parkway, suite 200, Houston TX 77019 © American International Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

The underwriting risks, financial and contractual obligations and support functions associated with products issued by American General Life Insurance Company are its responsibility. American General Life Insurance Company does not solicit business in the state of New York.

Abha Dwivedi, LUTCF,FSS281-650-3229

[email protected]

Shirin B. Mawani, LUTC832-620-0786

[email protected]

Geeta Patel, LUTCF,FSS281-615-2319

[email protected]

Salma Kurji, LUTCF832-867-2557

[email protected]

by Ritesh Seal

HOUSTON, (Date: 4/1/2014) - With more than 20 volunteers ready to go to motherland In-

dia and 6+ in addition to them already in India, it almost seems like Houston is just another Indian city working tire-lessly create a strong, stable and secure Bharat by paving the way for Naren-dra Modi be the next PM of India and leveraging his dynamic and decisive leadership that India desperately needs at present.

With ‘Houston for NaMo’ in heart, 200+ Houstonian NRIs and volunteers under the platform of GIBV (Global In-dia for Bharat Vikas) came together at India House on 29th March as part of the bigger ‘Vote for India’ campaign jointly organized by various institutions over 100+ locations in USA.

From Modi’s inspirational speeches especially his ‘My idea of India’ vision to a live phone dial to an enthusiastic Indian voter in India pitching the notion of voting for Modi to felicitation of vol-unteers going to India with traditional ‘aarti’ and blessings from elders, myriad programs kept the audience captivated to the stage and kept the motivational spirits at zenith. The central theme of making reference calls to India to our friends and relatives coupled with call-ing focused constituencies within India to strategic group of people via techno sites like justdial was pitched on myriad occasions to boost up the motivation to do a bit for our motherland. It’s a good time to pitch in the fact that today’s pro-gram was a gala culmination of series of events where over 600+ volunteers in the past 10 weeks have tirelessly made 11,000 calls to friends and families in India urging them with to vote for NaMo and BJP in addition to hosting various events and 2 to 3 ‘Chai Pe Char-chas’ every week. To put in simplest perspective, Houston NRI volunteers can proudly claim to have connected to 30,000+ Indian voters and channel-ized them to vote for BJP to restore the golden luster that our ‘Sone ki Chidiya’ motherland has lost over historical mis-rule.

Right from the start, the audience gave a rousing round of applause when Gitesh Desai, GIBV National Coordina-tor, revealed the realistic opinion polls of a clear BJP victory by various main-stream media and then went off to con-coct a light ‘shayari’ (two liner in Hindi purporting the sentiments of the lyrics) sarcastically indicating the poor gover-nance of present party. The pinnacle of

Houstonian NRIs champion Vote for India mega campaign in support of NaMo and BJP

the day was reached when Ritesh Seal, Houston media coordinator of GIBV and Dharminder Dargan, an enthusias-tic GIBV volunteer, put forwarded two fold live demonstration in the form of conversational drama whereby they re-enacted the conversation between a Houston volunteer and two prospective voters in India, a 19-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, coaxing both of them to vote for NaMo.

Anand Bhattad, the main coordinator of today’s event and an avid GIBV vol-unteer, first mesmerized the audience with his emotional speech followed by demonstrating a live call to an Indian voter in India and convincing him to vote for BJP. One of the catchy phrases came from Achalesh Amar, Houston city coordinator of GIBV, whereby he rightfully mentioned ‘Houston, we have a problem. Right from NASA to NaMo, Houston has been entrusted with providing solutions for mission critical projects. GIBV Houston is providing the backbone for the reference calling and constituency focused calling efforts to help NaMo team achieve mission 272+’.

Long-time Houstonian Dilip Mehta and Meena Shah shared their views and explained why Houstonians should show interest in Indian politics. “We need to do it for the betterment of In-dia. This is a crucial election. If we miss it this time, India will be go down the drain,” Mehta said.

Dr. Rajni Sarin, co-convener of Over-seas Friends of BJP (Global), visiting from New Delhi, spoke on the BJP plat-form and the growing support for the party among the youth. Ramesh Bhuta-da of Houston, who inspired and en-couraged the Houston team to embark on the “NaMo for PM” campaign, said the outcome of this election will decide India’s path for the next few decades.

“Our common cause is a strong India. This is the moment to pay our debt to our motherland,” Bhutada said.

The event culminated with each and every motivated volunteer fully real-ized the fact that India is at crossroads and they all need to do their bit for their motherland. With NaMo’s motivational songs and speeches played in various times during the event and at lunch, the crowd vowed to pick up the phone, call known people in India and then go on to dial general Indian voters in focused constituencies with the sole objective to maximize the vote share for NaMo and fulfill mission 300+ for BJP and India.

GIBV volunteers and supporters at the ‘Vote for India’ event held on March 29, 2014. Below: A section of the guests who attended the event. Photos by Kunal Deshmukh.

HARD MONEY LOANS

[email protected]

• Business • Real EstateKersi Engineer - 713-553-5151

• No Tax Returns or Credit Check Required • Quick Close!

Funds Available for

VIRGO FINANCE CO., LLC.


Q. We just got a call from a debt collector saying that if I did not promptly pay, he would garnish my tax refund from the IRS. My wife and I have been counting on this money to pay some other expenses. We have been paying the debt collector all we can afford. Can the debt collector do this?

A. The debt collector cannot garnish your federal tax refund from the IRS. Tax refunds may only be taken in very limited circumstances. For example, a refund may be taken for a debt owed to the federal government, a debt owed to a state, or a debt for past-due child support. A private creditor may not garnish your tax return. In fact, threatening to garnish your tax refund probably violates state and federal debt collection laws. Under these laws, a debt collector is prohibited from making threats to take legal action he has no right to take. I suggest you let the debt collector know that you know your legal rights and continue to pay what you can afford.

Q. I have a question about medical law in the state of Texas. I was under the impression that people can’t be sued in Texas for outstanding medical bills or have it count against their credit report score, if they are making an attempt to pay. Have the laws changed or am I mistaken?

A. The law has not changed, and you are mistaken. Debts arising from medical care are not treated differently from debts arising from any other obligation. Whether you owe a credit card bill, a hospital bill or a doctor’s bill, the collection procedures are the same and the informa-tion stays on your credit report for the same seven-year period.

Q. I am 67 years old. I don’t pay property taxes because of my exemptions. Someone just told me that when I die my estate would have to pay all the back taxes, plus interest. Is this true?

A. It is not true; your estate will not owe any taxes. Your question, however, points out the dif-ference between a tax “exemption” and a tax “deferment.” Under the property tax system, you pay taxes based on the value of your property. Some portion of that value is “exempt” and no taxes are due on that portion. The amount of the exemption increases at age 65. In your case, there are no taxes due because the amount of the exemption is greater than the value of your property. On the other hand, if you owe taxes even when the exemption is applied, you have the right to “defer” the taxes when you reach age 65. This means that you do not have to pay when the taxes are assessed. The taxes, however, are still owed. Taxes, plus interest, must be paid when you die or sell the property. If you had your taxes deferred, your estate would have to pay the taxes plus interest after your death.

Q. I sold my used car to someone. The buyer has now come back and threatened to sue me because I did not disclose some major problems with the car. She says that I violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. What is this law? Does it apply to me? I am not a business.

A. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is our state’s consumer protection law. It applies to any consumer, including most small businesses. Under this law, any seller can be liable if the seller misleads or deceives the buyer, or fails to disclose material information. A seller who acts “knowingly,” may be liable for up to three times the buyer’s damages. The Decep-tive Trade Practices Act is designed to protect consumers anytime they buy or lease anything. It applies to all sellers, from the largest businesses to an individual. If you knew about serious problems with the car and didn’t tell the buyer so he would buy it, you probably have violated this law. I suggest you try to resolve the problem, before the buyer considers a lawsuit.

Do you want to know a lot more about your legal rights? Will you be in Houston this Satur-day, April 5th? That’s when the Center for Consumer Law at the University of Houston Law Center will present the latest session of the People’s Law School. This free program is your chance to learn more about your legal rights, and get help with basic legal problems. As more than 50,000 people have learned, knowing your legal rights can help avoid problems and resolve disputes. The program is free, but you must register in advance. To register or get more information, go to www.peopleslawyer.net. I look forward to seeing you this Saturday.

The People’s Lawyer

Debt Collector cannot take your tax refund

Richard M. AldermanInterim Dean of the Law Center

www.peopleslawyer.net

4151 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 600, Houston, Texas 77027 Our business is rated A+ by the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Attorney at Law

For Your Free Consultation,

Relative Petitions: $200* Citizenship: $400* Green Card: $800* *Subject to restrictions

Other types of cases such as Removal of Condition, L, E, H-1B, O, P visas, PERM Labor, Appeals, Waivers etc, all Reasonably Priced.

www.richardsimmigration.com

CALL US Today at: 713-623-8088

IMMIGRATION

Attention New Home Buyers in TexasGet 2% Contribution on your

New Home Closing Cost

Over 23 Years of Real Estate Experience

RON AGAShowcase Properties of Texas1708 Washington Ave. Ste B.

Houston TX 77007

Mem

ber G

reat

er H

oust

on B

uild

ers

Ass

oc.

832 423-6973REALTOR

www.RonSellsHouston.com

Email: [email protected]

COMMUNITY/LEGAL

TVS GRANITESPECIAL: Granite Countertops

$22.99/s.ft Installed

Bathroom and Kitchen Countertops, Quality Granite, Installation Included.Call George (Shaji): 1-979-997-8514

proof281-975-8318 • [email protected]

Free Stainless Steel Sink(with 50 sq.ft installation minimum required)

Often times in a consult, a potential client will confess he or she is experiencing fi-nancial hardship and cannot afford a divorce. Both con-tested and uncontested di-vorces are costly. However, you can save some time and money if you have a low-conflict and straightforward case, by obtaining a child sup-port order from the Office of the Attorney General’s Child Support Division prior to fil-ing for divorce. The office cannot assist with the divorce but can assist with obtaining a child support order which is called a “Suit Affecting Parent-Child Relationship” (SAPCR).

In the State of Texas, a party can go to their local field of-fice at the Office of the Attor-ney General’s Child Support Division and request services to initiate a child support or-

On a tight budget, minimize your costs in a divorce

of paternity, child support, custody and visitation will all have been addressed in the SAPCR.

This is a viable option when you have a simple case and are on a tight budget. The downside is that the Child Support Division cannot cus-tomize the order to suit the parties’ needs. You are better off hiring an attorney if you need a customized visitation schedule, have a contentious relationship, custody is be-ing contested, or where the parties cannot agree on any major issue such as the child support amount.

Finally, the option to use the Child Support Division is not available if a private di-vorce action is already pend-ing. You need to open up a case with their office prior to taking any legal action. Once you obtain your SAPCR, go see a family law attorney to assist you in filing for your divorce.

der for “free”. The location of the field office is determined by your zip code. The phone numbers are listed on the offi-cial Attorney General website at www.oag.state.tx.us. The At-torney General’s Office can as-sist with establishing paternity, setting child support, custody and visitation. The office can-not customize the orders in any way and if the parties cannot reach an agreement the case will be filed in court. At that junc-ture, parties may need to hire their own attorneys or represent themselves in court. However, once the parties reach an agree-ment or the judge makes a rul-ing the order will be final and is fully enforceable.

Next, a party can then take the SAPCR order to a divorce lawyer and file for divorce. The only issues left to finalize would be the division of marital assets and liabilities. The SAPCR can then be attached and referenced in the final decree of divorce. This step will save a party time and money because the issues

Yasmin Kutty

By Yasmin Kutty, Divorce Attorney,www.kuttylawfirm.com

• Litigation in state and federal courts• Wrongful termination and other employment discrimination claims• Whistleblower and retaliation claims• Overtime and wage/FLSA claims• Employment contracts• Severance agreements• Department of Labor investigations• Non-compete and non-solicitation matters

For more information: Call 832-623-6420 or visit

www.sudemploymentlaw.com

Attorney Nitin Sud

Board Certified Labor and Employment Attorney Nitin Sud represents employees, executives, and small businesses in the following matters:

VOICE OF ASIA 5 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014COMMUNITY

Bombay / Delhi ... $699

Bangalore ...... $749

Chennai ..... $759

Cochin ..... $779

Hyderabad ..... $759

Kolko�a ..... $769

Karachi / Dhaka ..... $749

Mangalore ..... $769

Colombo ..... $849

Fly Safe!

Fly in Comfort!

Fly Cheap!

Contact

SUNNY CHOWDHURY

Ph: 718-353-8900

Fax: 718-353-8901

Toll Free:1-877-354-8999

E-mail:[email protected]

* All Fares are based on 1/2 RT Fares. All above given fares are without taxes. All Fares are valid with certain conditions. Fares subject to change without notice.

Patel Travels

See �e Splendorthat is India!

What is leadership? Society ascribes leadership in poli-

tics, religion, communities, sports, etc. based on actions, achievement, and at times, popularity. Typically, we limit our view of “leaders” to people in position of power: CEOs, politicians, athletes, and perhaps community lead-ers. There are leaders who have a strong work ethic and who win and accomplish ma-jor tasks; but are they life’s leaders? Are their characters worth emulating? True lead-ership is rooted in a person’s character, in their actions, and in the examples they set. But are those the only leaders? Ev-eryone has the potential to be a leader in his or her own right. What about people who give their best every day to care for their communities, schools, and homes? Are they not lead-ers as well? In fact, do we rec-ognize ourselves as leaders? Should we?

To recognize the unparal-leled leaders we know and ad-mire, to acknowledge the lead-ers amongst us, and to enrich the leaders within us, BAPS

hosted a Women’s Conference themed “Lead from Within” at 10 centers across North Amer-ica on March 22, 2014.

Over 430 attendees’ women gathered at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Flush-ing, NY to participate in this annual event, now observing its seventh year. The confer-ence is inspired by His Holi-ness Pramukh Swami Maha-raj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, in an effort to highlight the empowering role of women in today’s society and also to en-sure their spiritual growth as it will help them sail smoothly through life’s vagaries.

Mrs. Tracey Edwards, Vice President of Verizon NY and Councilwoman of Town of Huntington, graced the event in Flushing, NY with her pres-ence. She conveyed the mes-sage to “Lead from Within” through her personal outtakes and stories as a wife, a daugh-ter and most importantly, a mother. The audience took inspiration from her accounts and realized how they faced similar challenges in their

lives. They understood that the choices they made every day make them true leaders.

In the opening dialogue, Ms. Reena Patel, Financial research, led an energetic and interactive exchange to iden-tify who they consider to be leaders and why. Her talk then asked of the audience, are we not leaders when we take charge of a task or project at work, in educating our chil-dren, when we care for aging parents, when we make every-day decisions impacting our careers, homes, and families? Truth is, everyone is a leader in their own way, as they take charge of their lives and are unwavering in their vision for themselves and their families. But what makes a good leader? How can we grow as leaders?

The conference proceeded to discuss leadership essentials that would make a good leader. Ms. Aditi Bhagat, emphasized the need to understand one’s self, one’s belief system, one’s values, and one’s spirituality. Her talk focused on the need for a connection with one’s conscience as it plays an im-

BAPS Hosts 7th Annual Women’s Conference: Lead from Within

portant role in day-to-day ac-tions. When we have a firm un-derstanding of who we are, the values we hold in esteem, the beliefs that guide our choices, we have a solid spiritual foun-dation. One that is essential in leadership as it speaks to our qualities, to our character. The conference aimed at portray-ing real life accounts of people who have not only cultivated but also strengthened their leadership qualities with spiri-tuality.

In delivering the closing talk of the conference, Ms. Kavita Patel, third year Dental student at NYU, shared fundamen-tal qualities exemplified by leaders she looks to emulate. She expressed her admiration for Mahatma Gandhi, his per-severance, and the personal sacrifice he made in the cause for independence. She spoke of her ultimate role model, her guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj; conveying touch-ing examples from his life ex-emplifying sacrifice humility, stillness, and courage. In clos-ing, she emphasized how his examples provide courage and stability in life’s challenging

situations, guide her in every-day interactions and choices; and how that enables her to be an effective, poised leader in all her roles.

Sharing her thoughts on the conference, Ms. Trudy Fitz-simmons, stated, the Confer-ence was eye opening. It takes lot of courage to go out and speak about leadership and today the way young speakers delivered the clear message, That leadership does not come with the manual, we all have within us to accomplished. Mrs Shushma Kotawala, Dia-mond merchant, stated, as women we lead in many ways in our life, we wear many hats and all of those hats are very important in our life, today we learnt how to manage every rolls and every challenges we come across.

After the conference, at-tendees also enjoyed the op-portunity to network and share their perspective on the talks of the day. The younger members of the audience took notice of their own belief sys-tem and gained confidence in their ability to lead in their

pursuits. Others recognized their strengths, contributions, and recognized themselves as leaders, some for the very first time.

About BAPS The BAPS Swaminarayan

Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide socio-spiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedi-cated to community service, peace and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, fami-lies and individuals. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow who have pride in their roots and their rich Hindu culture. Its 9,000 international centers, including more than 5,000 youth centers, support these activities of character building. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a com-munity that is morally, ethi-cally and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.

About Pramukh Swami Ma-haraj His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiri-tual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, has inspired millions of people across the world to lead a God-centered, morally pure life. As the pres-ent leader of BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj travels from village to village, continent to continent, emphasizing the im-portance of family harmony, community service and spiri-tual progress. His compassion for humanity, universal wis-dom and striking simplicity has touched many around the world.

More pictures and video of the event available on http://www.baps.org/News/2014/BAPS-Womens-Conference-6017.aspx

For more details, please visit www.baps.org

Musical performances by young artists was a part of the Conference One of the distinguished speakers at the Women’s Conference held at the BAPS, at Stafford, TX.

VOICE OF ASIA 9 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014COMMUNITY

DUAL ELECTRONICS5674 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX • 281-236-0258 • 713-784-3825

Mon-Sat 10:30 AM-7:45 PM • Sun 11 AM - 6:30 PM • Closed on Tuesdays

Authorized Retailer

Parts Available for:• Blenders • Wet Grinders• 220 V Appliances• Conversion Video to DVD, tape to CD• Repairs done here!

FIRST TIME IN HOUSTON: Exchange Offer for Blenders, Wet Grinders, Rice Cookers, Tawa, Luggages, Watches, Pressure Cookers, and Hot Box. (Conditions apply. Call store for details)

VO

A©

2014

Repairs for Indian mixie and wet grinders done here!

Chitram – A Portrait of India to be presented by EYS

‘Chitram – A Portrait of India’ – a grand multime-dia musical theater pro-

duction will be performed at the Cullen Performance Hall, The University of Houston on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 6:30PM.

Chitram promises to be a spectacular performance. The Indian American community of Greater Houston is engaged in bringing this production to life under the leadership of the award-winning visionary com-poser and artistic director Kan-niks Kannikeswaran of Cincin-nati, Ohio. Chitram premiered in 2005. This will be the 10th performance of Chitram in the United States.

What is Chitram? “It is an eighty-minute theater pro-duction that tells the story of India’s cultural history using choral music, dances and pow-erful visuals”, says the com-poser Kanniks Kannikeswaran who has several other such productions and recordings to his credit. Chitram will be performed by a cast of over 90 singers and dancers all from the Greater Houston area. Chitram has touched and moved large audiences in various venues in Ohio, Michigan and Florida, Toronto and Minnesota and has been hailed as a ‘must see’ for those who want to learn more about India.

A thirty-member Indian com-munity choir is at the core of this production. They will be performing an original music score that cuts across cultural traditions. The entire music is choreographed to multimedia and multi-genre dances from various parts of India. This choir is accompanied by an en-semble of Indian and Western instruments.

Dance forms and choreog-raphers will include Bharat-natyam (Dr. Ratna Kumar, Padmini Chari), Odissi (Ms. Supradipta Datta), Kathak (Ms.

INCOME TAXG.K.Pillai, M.Com, MBA, C.P.A

Ramesh Pillai, C.P.A

• 713-451-0363 • Fax 713-451-0366

Don’t get caught doing taxes alone! We are

here to help you! Allow us to be your CPA of

choice!

To get Professional Help in:Income Tax, Business Accounting, Taxation,Estate and Trust Taxation, Certified Audit,

Tax Planning

Houston Office10100 East Freeway # 203

Houston, TX 77029(Near I 10 East @ Mercury)

Stafford Office435 Murphy Rd.,

Stafford, TX 77477(Above Discount Grocers)

[email protected] Filingand Fast Refund

Available!

LEGAL Ramesh Pillai, MBA, C.P.A, JD

• 713-451-0362 • [email protected]

To get Professional Help in:Trusts & Wills,

Probate Incorporating a Business, Real Estate Transactions,Business Law,

Purchase/Sale of Business, Family Petitions,

US Citizenship, Uncontested Divorces,& General Legal Matters

VO

A©

2014

RIDDHI DESAI Attorney and Counselor in Houston since 1986

Divorce Litigation, Immigration (Labor cert, Petitions, Removal)

Criminal, Business, Contracts, Wills, Personal Injury

Licensed to Practice - Texas & Federal CourtsNot Certified by Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Website: yourimmigrationsite.com

E-mail: [email protected]

7322 S.W.Fwy., # 2020, Houston, TX 77074 (713) 333-3333 x 212

Uma Nagarseth), Folk (Ms. Pallabita Bhuyan) and Yoga (Dr. Shiram Sarvottam).

Kanniks Kannikeswaran (www.kanniks.com) is a rare visionary composer who has successfully built bridges across diverse cultures through his path-breaking creations. Producing a performance on this scale from a distance, is nothing new to Kanniks, who had his magnum opus ‘Shanti – A Journey of Peace’ per-formed by the Lehigh Valley community first in 2006 and 2008 and then by the Houston community in 2010. Kanniks has also worked thrice with the National University of Sin-gapore in remotely producing such major creations. His new work ‘Sharad’ was performed at The Hague in 2013. Kanniks is hailed as a pioneer of the Indian American choral move-ment; he has founded many In-dian diaspora community choirs throughout the United States. His choir won two silver med-als in the just concluded World Choir Games – the Olymics of Choir Music. Kanniks also teaches Indian Music Theory and History at the University of Cincinnati as an Adjunct Fac-ulty Member. He is the recipi-ent of several awards such as the Ohio Heritage Fellowship and the McKnight Fellowship. 2014 marks the 20th year since his first choral production and the 10th year since the premiere of his magnum opus ‘Shanti – A Journey of Peace’.

Proceeds from Chitram will benefit EYS (Education, Youth, Service), an initiative of the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands. EYS’s mission is to educate children in Indian teachings; instill Indian culture, heritage and values in youth; and provide service to the com-munity including senior care. For tickets contact Prabhakar Centala at 281-450-9227 or Kiran Emmi at 281-844-3420.

Houston Telugu Cultural Association (HTCA) has elected new Executive Committee for the year 2014-2015. TCA Houston is happy to announce and introduce the newly formed 2014 Executive Committee. Maruthi Reddy Chintaparthi has been elected as TCA President for the year 2014-2015. The newly elected TCA 2014 Executive Committee consists of:

President - Maruthi Reddy ChintaparthiGeneral Secretary - Raj RentalaTreasurer- Mallikarjuna Rao GattamneniCultural Secretary 1 - Jyothi PakeruCultural Secretary 2 - Prasad MaraganiWeb & Communications Secretary - Suman ManguLiterary Secretary- Pallavi Chilappagari

Houston Telugu Cultural Association (HTCA) cordially invites ALL for “UGADHI” (Telugu New Year) festival celebration in a grand style on April 12th, 2014; 3:00 PM onwards at Sri Meenakshi temple, Pearland. Please see the HCA Ugadhi flyer for more details.

TCA Houston elects 2014 EC, hosts Ugadhi on April 12


ASIANETIS NOW EXCLUSIVE TO

DISH

get $50 off!

* Other Restrictions Apply! Call store for details.

A-One Dish International

281-493-1888

www.aonedishnetwork.com10148 Hwy 6, SouthSugar Land, TX 77498

* Sign up andReferal bonus

rnlawgroup.com

Reddy & Neumann, P.C.Since 1997 our team of attorneys has served

countless clients by making complex immigration simple. Email us: [email protected]

H-1B, TN, L, E, Visas, PERM Labor, EB-2,

I-140, Green Card,Appeals, F-1,

OPT

Free InitialConsultation

Houston Office: 11000 Richmond Ave., Ste: 300, Houston, TX 77042

Dallas Office: 15950 N.Dallas Pkwy, Ste: 400, Dallas, TX 75248

713-953-7787 214-281-8900

LIFESTYLEVol. 27 No. 14 Friday, April 4, 2014 Section 2 Email: [email protected] Tel: 713-774-5140

by Aderogba OBISESAN

LAGOS, March 27, 2014 (AFP) - Nike Ajibade and three of her colleagues sit on

a Lagos pavement with small plas-tic bottles of liquids tucked inside weather-beaten plastic buckets.

The hidden bottles of so-called ‘viagra’ drinks sell for about $2 (1.4 euros) and are much sought-after for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities.

But medical professionals warn that rather than enhancing sexual prowess, regular users could be put-ting their long-term health at risk.

“Sales are high because of good pa-tronage,” Ajibade, 27, told AFP.

“Most of my customers are manual labourers who need to boost their en-ergy in bed after a hard day’s job un-der mostly inclement weather.”

Hundreds of hawkers ply the bus-tling streets of Lagos and other Nige-rian towns and cities selling such “vi-agra” drinks, despite their unknown and untested effects on the male sex drive.

“They are creating health problems for themselves,” warned the dean of the University of Lagos’ faculty of pharmacy, Olukemi Odukoya.

“Unknown to them, some of these liquids have chemical substances which can cause liver or kidney prob-lems, which are very expensive and difficult to manage.”

- A promise of sexual potency -Viagra, taken to treat erectile dys-

function, costs between $5 and $11 per little blue pill in Nigeria -- way beyond the means of most people who live on just $2 a day.

As a result, that creates a ready market for cheaper, apparent alterna-tives.

Besides the locally produced $2 bottles, others are imported, includ-ing so-called Alomo bitters which come from Ghana.

The Ghanian liquid is a blend of rich medicinal herbs and roots that are believed to cure back pains and piles but are considered an aphrodi-siac in Nigeria.

Bootleg versions of the drink -- with 42 percent alcoholic content -- are available in the local market for about $4 for a 750 millilitre bottle.

Such drinks -- all with names promising a nirvana of sexual poten-cy -- flood the Nigerian market every day, mostly via the country’s porous borders and seaports or past officials who turn a blind eye.

“I feel high and alright each time I have sex after consuming ‘koboko’ (horse whip) or ‘kondo’ (baton) drinks and my partner gives me a feeling of satisfaction,” said one young motor mechanic after buying a bottle.

Similar “aphrodisiac” drinks are found in other West African countries such as Togo and Benin under names such “XXL”, “Rox” and “Atomic”, finding a ready market of young male consumers.

There is no official control and medical warnings against their con-sumption are regularly ignored.

- Unknown health risks -A senior lecturer in clinical phar-

macy studies at the University of Lagos, Aderemi Williams, said no known scientific studies have been

carried out on the drinks.But reports indicate they could be

harmful.Most have not been tested or ap-

proved by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulator and accreditation can be faked by un-scrupulous distributors.

“We therefore cannot vouch for their efficacy,” said the agency’s spokesman, Abubakar Jimoh.

“We are really concerned about the distribution of these illicit drugs and we are trying our best to put it in check.”

Health professionals warned that possible side effects could include anaemia, increased risk of cancer and stroke, cirrhosis and reduced fertility,

Experts warn over Nigerian ‘viagra’ drinks

The so-called ‘viagra’ drinks sell for about $2 (1.4 euros).

as well as enlargement of the prostate gland.

“If they were good, we would have them on our hospital shelves, dispen-saries and pharmacies,” said pharma-cist Kunle Abifarin.

“And I am sure that most of them are not formally approved by the reg-ulatory agencies.”

- Fertility problems -Nigeria has a wider problem with

fake and adulterated drugs, with of-ficials estimating that more than 70 percent of medication is bogus.

NAFDAC has arrested and pros-ecuted dozens of suspected deal-ers in counterfeit drugs and herbal products, destroyed seized goods and closed shops and warehouses where they were distributed, said Jimoh.

One University of Lagos clinical pharmacist said that instead of en-hancing libido, regular drinkers of liquid aphrodisiacs may be risking their future fertility -- and even life.

“They (consumers of the drinks) are only courting cheap death and creat-ing employment for grave diggers,” he added on condition of anonymity.

But Moruf Adeyemi, 29, a mechan-ic in the run-down Lagos district of Obalende, is unperturbed about the potential risks -- and is convinced that they aid his performance in bed.

“Each of us has to die somehow. I don’t believe the consumption of these sex-enhancing drinks has any side-effects,” he said.

“My wife commends my perfor-mance in bed when I take them and that gives me joy.”

by Kerry SHERIDAN

Being married makes for a healthy heart, while being divorced or widowed is

linked to higher rates of cardiovas-cular disease, according to a study of 3.5 million people released Fri-day.

The study is the larg-est of its kind to show how heart health is linked to marital status, and was presented at the American College of Cardiology confer-ence.

“These findings cer-tainly shouldn’t drive people to get married, but it’s important to know that decisions regarding who one is with, why, and why not may have important implications for vascular health,” said lead author Carlos Alviar, car-diology fellow at New York Univer-sity Langone Medical Center.

People who were divorced had a higher likelihood of any vascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, coronary artery disease and cere-brovascular disease when compared to single people, according to the study.

Widowers showed slightly higher odds of any vascular disease and coronary artery disease, also when compared to people who had never

Marriage is healthy for the heart: studybeen married.

“The study demonstrates that other risk factors, such as smoking and obe-sity, hypertension, diabetes and being sedentary also increases with being divorced or widowed, said Suzanne Steinbaum, director, women and heart disease, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

“As married people are more likely to help each other stay healthy, by making sure their spouse eats well, exercises, takes medications and helps in attending doctors appointments, married people tend to have less risk for heart disease,” added Steinbaum, who was not involved in the study.

Researchers were surprised to see that the health association was stron-gest in people under age 50.

“The association between marriage and a lower likelihood of vascular disease is stronger among younger subjects, which we didn’t anticipate,”

Alviar said.In this group, marriage was linked

to a 12 percent lower odds of any heart or artery disease.

Among those aged 51 to 60 there were seven percent lower odds of heart disease, and four percent among those 61 and older.

The patients in the study came from a US database of 3.5 million people who paid $100 to be part of a screening program. Participants came from all 50 states from 2003 to 2008.

Since those involved were paid participants, they might not represent the general population, study authors noted.

Also, there were low num-bers of minorities included.

And while the study found that marriage made for a healthier heart, one thing the research could not measure was the health of the marriages.

“Of course, it’s true that not all marriages are created equal, but we would expect the size of this study population to account for variations in good and bad marriages,” Alviar said.

Perhaps further research could shed light on how changing life events impact heart disease, he added.

VOICE OF ASIA 14 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014LEISURE

by Fakhruddin Sabir AIA, LEED AP, Architect, Hous-ton, Texas.

I have been travelling alone on planes since I was quite young, as an

unaccompanied minor. Flying was always exciting, a sincere pleasure. In the heightened alertness of youth, I observed and soaked in my surround-ings in great detail. I clearly remember the tranquil hospi-tality of the Maharaja Lounge and then the sounds of Sitar filling the aircraft as I settled into my seat. The little motifs of Indian elephants, peacocks and statues etched on the wall coverings around the window and the crisp Saris of the love-ly air hostesses as they wel-comed us with folded hands and a graceful ‘Namaste’.

The most vivid memory I have of a fascinating airport is none other than the beautiful Terminal designed by Minoru Yamasaki for the Dhahran In-ternational Airport in the 60’s. The light filtering through the colored etched glass into the serene space under the lofty arched ceilings was an expe-rience that I still cherish. But it was not until recently, after travelling through most air-ports of the east and the west over the last few decades, that I once again felt the same sense of pure inspiration and awe; a feeling of absolute joy & pride and a sense of ar-rival.

I had just landed at the T2 - Chhatrapati Shivaji Inter-national Airport in Mumbai, India.

And as I entered the Immi-gration Hall I felt as if we were all being greeted with a thou-sand shimmering ‘Diyas’ – oil lamps while soft sitar music filled the air. The scale of the space was breath taking and the impact of the interior was awe inspiring. How brilliantly GVK & SOM architects had achieved to impart the tradi-tional cultural expereince of greeting a traveller through the architecture of the space

was commendable. The huge wall of ‘Diyas’ was achieved by floor to ceiling curtains of stainless steel wire mesh with thousands of flame shaped holes that glittered as the light from behind shined throught it. What a breathtaking sight it was and even more so if you are attuned to the language of architecture.

Even the 3 km long ‘Art’ walk from the arrival gate to the immigration hall is noth-ing short of a museum of indi-an art and culture. Titled ‘Jaya Hey’, it offers a glimpse into India’s rich cultural heritage through murals & various in-digenous art forms.

By now I was in a state of heightened alertness of my youth and braced myself as the beautiful airport continued

to unfold one space and fea-ture after another.

The most amazing part of the experience was noticing these huge white trunks rising from the floor and penetrating through the upper floors and appearing to terminate into a huge canopy above. These were the main trunks of the structure – 30 in all spaced 64m apart, holding up the massive roof canopy above this 4 story vertical airport. As I followed this massive trunk to the very top at the depar-tures floor, I felt that I had ar-rived in this huge space under the shade of a massive grove of ancient white Banyan trees; and light was filtering through their leaves; and the branches were all interconnected and the vines wrapped neatly around the trunk and went all

the way down to the ground level. The overwhelming pres-ence of these tree-like struc-tures also brought to mind the story of Rabindranath Tagore taking his students outdoors to study under the canopy of the Banyan Tree. As I began gaz-ing into the neat fractal geom-etry of the canopies and the white light piercing through each opening, I began to see the white peacock feathers, and then the whole canopy suddenly became a plume of a white peacock dancing in the rain. And then all of 30 of them with their wings spread out to greet the traveler to this ancient land of great cultures & heritage that is on the cusp of its greatest flight into the future. Driving away as you are leaving the airport or ap-proaching it as you arrive -

New T–2 Mumbai International Airport

The large sweeping roof can-opy hovering on the columns is quite iconic while it cov-ers the entire passenger drop off protecting travelers and their guests from the Mum-bai weather. A thin veil of a 50-foot-tall glass cable-stayed wall - the longest in the world - continues the soaring space through to the check-in hall inside. The transparent facade allows accompanying well-wishers, to remain outside of the terminal due to Indian aviation regulations, to watch as their friends and family continue to the check-in hall and out of sight before they depart. The departure gates lounge is steeped in warmth and hospitality not unlike the outpouring emotions of the loved ones they are leaving behind. The warmth of the

space comes from its bril-liantly designed interior ar-chitecture. The lighting, the colors, the materials and the subtle allegory is all infused into a perfect blend to create the experience. The richness of wood planks on the ceiling, the feather motif perforated back-lit walls and the Brazil-ian St. Celcilia granite floors create a perfect setting for flag &spice inspired furniture in saffron, green & red pepper. The space gets its ambient lighting from large peacock feather shaped skylights that are high in the ceilings, while the seating areas are intimate-ly lit by a multitude of low hanging chandeliers inspired by the quintessentially Indian Lotus flower.

SOM Architects partner Roger Duffy has right fully said “ By subtly incorporating regional patterns and textures at all scales, T- 2 resonates with a sense of place and serves as a spectacular symbol for Mumbai and India.” T- 2 has demonstrated the potential for a modern airport to view tradition anew. Just as the ter-minal celebrates a new global, high-tech identity for Mumbai, the structure is imbued with responses to the local setting, history, and culture. The prev-alence of local art and culture, coupled with the use of warm colors and elegant accents, elevates the ambience of the terminal beyond the typical, often cold & unimaginative airport experience.

The T-2 Bollywood Airport is a true testament to the imag-ination & the will of a people of a young & free nation. GVK describes it as the ‘Mother of all challenges’ where the ab-solute success was the only option. The GVK/SOM Team of mortals has given India a Mumbai Airport that will be the pride and joy of many gen-erations to come.

Author, Fakhruddin Sabir AIA is a practicing Architect in Houston, Texas and a for-mer associate at SOM Archi-tects, Los Angeles, USA.

Images of the interior of the new T2 Mumbai International Airport


Friday, April 4, 2014 Section 2 Email: [email protected] Tel: 713-774-5140

Young Life

Delivering the best brands of Fuelssince 1948!

Call Us : 832-932-9000

ATTENTIONGas Station Owners!

• Are you building a Gas Station?• Is your Fuel Contract up for renewal?• Do you want a better gas brand for your existing station?

We can help you get the leading Gasoline Brand for your Gas Station to maximize your profit. We offer the best deals for the branding of your Gas Station.In House Financing Available for New Projects.

www.slidelloil.com

VO

A ©

201

4

iLead is Houston’s premier inter-faith youth leadership program. Participants are a selected and

diverse group of outstanding young leaders who come together to learn from successful faith, business and civic leaders.

The iLead program offers high school students a distinctive com-bination of networking and univer-sity level discourse with their peers, as well as, unprecedented access to Houston’s premier leaders from the business, civil service and faith com-munities. Once a student successfully completes our program they will be an “iLeader,” otherwise known as an effective, dynamic individual equipped with the tools, life skills and relationships to positively impact a global world.

Mission Statement:The iLead program’s mission is to

cultivate confident, respectful and en-gaged leaders who embrace their own faith traditions and embody effective multicultural leadership skills in their personal and professional lives.

The iLead program is an innova-tive approach for youth leadership. Successful candidates will be a se-lect group of high school students in the 10th grade or above from diverse backgrounds and faith traditions. iLead student leaders will embark on a journey of self-discovery through three areas:

• Religious & Spiritual Un-derstanding – Respect is our key phrase. We embrace respect for one’s own sincerely held beliefs and his or her own religious tradition. We fa-cilitate understanding the beliefs of others through dialogue and research

Indian-origin teen tells US how to save $400 million by just changing font

NEW YORK - A 14-year-old Indian-origin boy has come up with a unique plan that

could help the US save nearly $400 million a year by merely changing the font used on official documents.

Suvir Mirchandani, a student in a Pittsburgh-area middle school, claimed that if the federal govern-ment used the Garamond font exclu-sively it could save about $136 million per year, nearly 30 per cent less than the estimated $467 million dollars it spends annually on ink.

An additional $234 million could be saved annually if state governments also implemented the change.

Suvir said the idea came to him when he was trying to think of ways to cut waste and save money as part of a science fair project at his school, CNN reported.

The youngster noticed that he was getting a lot more handouts than he did in elementary school and decided to figure out if he could minimise use of paper and ink.

While recycling paper was one way to save money and conserve resourc-es, Suvir said little attention had been paid to the ink used on the papers.

“Ink is two times more expensive than French perfume by volume,” he said, adding that he then decided to fo-cus his project on finding ways to cut down the cost of ink.

As part of his experiment, he col-lected random samples of teachers’ handouts and focused on the most commonly used characters such as e, t, a, o and r.

He noted how often each character was used in different fonts like Ga-ramond, Times New Roman, Century Gothic and Comic Sans and then mea-sured how much ink was used for each letter, using an ink coverage software.

From his analysis, Suvir figured out that by using the Garamond font with its thinner strokes, his school district could reduce its ink consumption by 24 per cent and in turn save as much as $21,000 annually.

He repeated his tests on five sample

pages from documents on the Govern-ment Printing Office website and got similar results that changing the font would save money.

Suvir’s findings have been published in the Journal for Emerging Investiga-tors (JEI), a publication founded by a group of Harvard students in 2011 that provides a platform for the work of middle school and high school stu-dents.

One of the journal’s founders Sarah Fankhauser said that of the nearly 200 submissions they have received since 2011, Suvir’s project stood out.

“We were so impressed. We really could really see the real-world appli-cation in Suvir’s paper,” Fankhauser was quoted as saying.

JEI challenged the teenager to apply his project to a larger scale, preferably the federal government, to determine how much real savings his idea could generate.

The government has an annual print-ing expenditure of $1.8 billion and implementing Suvir’s idea on such a massive scale was more challenging than a school science project, the CNN report said.

Media and public relations manager at the Government Printing Office Gary Somerset described Suvir’s idea as “remarkable” but said it was con-centrating on saving money by pub-lishing documents online instead of hard copies.

“They can’t convert everything to a digital format,” Suvir said.

“Not everyone is able to access in-formation online. Some things still have to be printed. I recognise it’s dif-ficult to change someone’s behavior,” he said.

But “I definitely would love to see some actual changes and I’d be happy to go as far as possible to make that change possible,” he said. (PTI).

Suvir Mirchandani,

with one’s peers of different faiths. Lastly, we challenge our students to explore constructive interactions with others while not compromising their own beliefs.

• Business Ethics & Leader-ship – We create interaction between Houston’s business leaders and iLead students on issues of philanthropy, community service and ethics. We aim to demonstrate how one’s values and beliefs can be integrated into pro-fessional life.

• Civic Engagement – We will facilitate discussions between students and leaders from the govern-ment sector and non-profit organiza-tions, who are informed by their faith and who engage in the public sphere. (iLead is a non-partisan program, the issues or topics that will be explored will provide a balanced and respect-ful approach)

The 2014-15 program components include:

• iLead’s orientation during the first week of August 2014

• iLead’s day trip to the capi-tal building in Austin

• iLead Scheduled Sessions: See our 2014-15 program schedule

Program Fees:2014-15 fees are $500.00 due from

the applicant, $500.00 due from the applicant’s sponsoring congregation, faith community or community orga-nization. IM will invest the remaining program costs. Need based financial assistance is available.

Significant financial support for the iLead Program is provided by The El-eanor and Frank Freed Foundation.

iLead - Houston’s Inter-faith Youth Program

ONLINE.COMvoiceofasiaonline.com


People ride on camels through the Morrocan desert between Er Rachidia and Ouarzazate, southern Morocco, on January 3, 2006 (AFP Photo/Damien Meyer)

ENTERTAINMENT by Omar BROUKSY

OUARZAZATE, March 27, 2014 (AFP) - Ouarzazate in southern Morocco was once

dubbed the “Mecca” of the film indus-try for its studio facilities and the stark beauty of its locations, with many Hollywood blockbusters shot there.

“Laurence of Arabia” (1962, Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif), “The Shelter-ing Sky” (1990, Debra Winger, John Malkovich), “Kundun” (1997, Martin Scorcese), “Gladiator” (1999, Rus-sell Crowe, Oliver Reed) and “Babel” (2006, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanch-ett)...

All of them feature scenes shot at Ouarzazate, which lies at the foot of the scenic High Atlas Mountains.

But that was then and this is now. Its film industry is in the doldrums, needing fresh winds to get it moving again.

The famous town lost its appeal to international film-makers as econom-ic crisis and the turmoil of the Arab Spring swept across the region.

As the North African winter ends, and some snow still graces the moun-tain peaks, a small group of people attends a casting call at Studio Atlas, one of the town’s largest.

Ouarzazate’s lengthy affair with showbiz has life in it yet.

“I began going to the cinema in 1967,” says Larbi Agrou, who was in “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopa-tra” in 2000.

“For the past three or four years there’s no longer been a rush by pro-ducers to get their films shot.

“Most people who work in films here also have other trades to keep them going -- farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters. But without tourism and the cinema, Ouarzazate would be dead,” he says.

- ‘More crows than film-makers’ -

Agrou says the first encouraging signs of a revival appeared last year, and that 2014 “is starting rather well”.

Ouarzazate is known for attracting big-budget historic epics with large casts, and already Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks have visited since the be-

ginning of the year.

“Let’s hope it lasts,” says Aziz, an-other hopeful at the casting call, rub-bing his hands. “There are already four films in production here.”

And that means work for hundreds of people in Ouarzazate.

In 2005 alone, mega-productions such as “Indigenes” (Days of Glory) by Rachid Bouchareb, and Robert Dornhelm’s “The Ten Command-ments” were filmed there.

Fast forward to 2010, the year the Arab Spring broke out with an upris-ing to oust a dictator in Tunisia, and nothing on a similar scale was shot at Ouarzazate between then and last year.

A major factor behind that, accord-ing to Moroccan film critic Adil Sem-mar, was the rising insurance costs caused by security problems in the region, notably after the Arab Spring uprisings.

“It has made the cost of filming in

Morocco’s movie ‘Mecca’ seeks return to glory days

Morocco more expensive for big com-panies, so some films were shot in places like Israel and Spain instead,” Semmar said.

In an almost lunar landscape dotted with small oases, the imposing Tifout-out Studio, built by Italians in 1994, “is now a ruin,” says resident Said Soussou.

Robert M Young’s 1995 film “Solo-mon and Sheba” starring Halle Berry and Jimmy Smits was shot there, but the Italians then “sold it to our tribe when they left in 1997.

Because of the crisis of recent years, some parts are dilapidated,” says an-other commentator, Mohamed Hbibi.

“There are more crows here now than film-makers.”

With a decrepit wall as a backdrop, Soussou looks up at the ceiling of a half-destroyed dome that was used for David Betty’s TV movie “The Bible Project” in 2009.

Peter O’Toole on February 17, 1981 at Heathrow airport in London (AFP Photo/)

“Tifoutout can look like the archi-tecture of ancient Jerusalem,” he says. “But there is little value in that any more.”

- Diversity of locations -

“Even when a film-making company does arrive, it fixes the bit it’s inter-ested in, gives the tribe five or six hun-dred euros and then leaves again,” he says.

Most of the movie income has gone on “building a mosque and irrigation ditches.”

Ouarzazate’s fortunes contrast with the boom Morocco’s own, heavily state-funded movie industry is enjoy-ing, with 22 feature films made in the past year, compared with around five a decade ago.

Celebrated recent productions in-clude “God’s Horses” by the French director of Moroccan origin Nabil Ay-ouch, which won a prize at Cannes in 2012.

Another was “They are the Dogs” by director Hicham Lasri, which won a special jury prize for Arab features at the Dubai International Film Festival in December.

Like most Moroc-can films, however, these are low-budget movies about the gritty realities of life in the North African country, with little need for ex-pensive desert studios, says Semmar, the film critic.

Abderrahman Drissi, deputy president of the Ouarzazate Film Commission, group-ing representatives of the Moroccan Cinema Centre and the tour-ism ministry, believes the authorities have a responsibility “to save this beautiful plateau.”

But he also remains optimistic about the future.

“The diversity of lo-cations means it’s easy to sell to major pro-ducers,” he says.

ABLE MORTGAGE

Office: 281-242-8500, Cell: 281-733-4242

REFINANCE, PURCHASE & CASH OUTOver $400 Million Mortgage FinancedA low cost broker – Since 2001

Licensed States: TX, CA, NY, NJ, FL & CO

California CFL Lic. #603J747

Email: [email protected] Mortgage Company ID: 264912

MLO James Joseph Oolut – NMLS ID: 307384Web: www.ablemortgage.co

IN TEXASWe will pay your closing costs

Up to 3% of your New Home PriceWith combined Real Estate

and Mortgage Services

NATIONAL REALTY281-242-4005

TX Real Estate Lic. #397210

Pre-approve your mortgage in minutes over phone or email13401 S. W. Freeway #201, Sugar Land, TX 77478

Need Mortgage Loan Officers in all licensed states - No experience needed - attractive compensation.

VOICE OF ASIA 18 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014HEALTHHEALTHY LIVING Friday, April 4, 2014 Section 2 Email: [email protected] Tel: 713-774-5140

Obama administration will allow more time to enroll in health care on federal mar-ketplace

The Obama adminis-tration has decided to give extra time to

Americans who say that they are unable to enroll in health plans through the federal in-surance marketplace by the March 31 deadline.Federal officials confirmed last Tuesday evening that all consumers who have be-gun to apply for coverage on HealthCare.gov, but who do not finish by Monday, will have until about mid-April to ask for an extension.Under the new rules, people will be able to qualify for an extension by checking a blue box on HealthCare.gov to indicate that they tried to en-roll before the deadline. This method will rely on an honor system; the government will not try to determine whether the person is telling the truth.The rules, which will apply to the federal exchanges op-erating in three dozen states, will essentially create a large loophole even as White House officials have repeat-edly said that the March 31 deadline was firm. The extra time will not technically alter the deadline but will create a broad new category of people eligible for what’s known as a special enrollment period.The change, which the ad-ministration is scheduled to announce Wednesday, is supported by consumer ad-vocates who want as many people as possible to gain insurance under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. But it’s likely to be criticized by Republicans who oppose the law and have denounced the way the administration is implementing it.Administration officials said the accommodation is an at-tempt to prepare for a pos-sible surge of people trying to sign up in the final days before the deadline. Such a flood could leave some peo-ple unable to get through the system.“We are . . . making sure that we will be ready to help con-sumers who may be in line by the deadline to complete enrollment — either online or over the phone,” said Ju-lie Bataille, director of the office of communications for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency overseeing the fed-eral health-care exchange.The extra time will not be restricted, though, to people

who wait until the last minute to try to sign up. Although no one will be asked why they need an extension, the idea is to help people whose ap-plications have been held up because of the Web site’s technical problems, or who haven’t been able to get the system to calculate subsidies to help them pay for cover-age.According to a Health and Human Services official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about decisions that have not been made pub-lic, an exact time frame for this extension has not been set, and it will depend in part on how many people request it. Nor have officials decided precisely how long people will have to select a health plan after they get the extra time.Starting in about mid-April, people will no longer be able to get extensions through HealthCare.gov. After that, consumers will be able to request one through one of the federally sponsored call centers nationwide. At that point, the grounds for an extension will become nar-rower, matching rules for special enrollment periods that have existed for the past few months. Those include people who have a new baby, are getting a divorce, lose a job with health insurance or had a technical problem sign-ing up for coverage through HealthCare.gov.Once the narrower rules take effect, people will still be trusted to tell the truth about why they need more time — a method known as “self-attestation.”Don’t wait, call us to-day for prompt enrollment……For prompt enrollment con-tact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900.

Sudhir Mathuria

Contact: Sudhir MathuriaLicensed ProfessionalHealth Life 3606650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900www.MyMedicarePlanning.com

Center for Women’s Health

SUGARLANDPhysicians Pavillion16902 Southwest

Freeway, Suite 208Sugar Land, Texas 77479

GRAND PARKWAYGrand Parkway

Professional building7790 West Grand Parkway South,

Suite 201Richmond,

Texas 77406

HILLCROFT6420 Hillcroft Street,

Suite 402Houston,

Texas 77081

www.mywomensdoc.comAdvanced and Personalized Care for Women

Sabina K. Cherian, MDObstetrics, Gynecology & Minimally Invasive

Surgery

CALL US FOR AN APPOINTMENT

281-342-6962Trust and Care, Wellness for Women!

RICHMONDFort Bend

Doctors Pavilion1601 Liberty Street,

Suite ARichmond,

Texas 77469

• Over 3,000 babies delivered and multiple, advanced, gynecologic surgeries performed.

• Obstetrical and gyne-cological care include first-class healthcare for expectant mothers – low and high risk pregnancies.

• Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery.

• Home to Essence Medical Spa, a perfect retreat where you can rejuvenate your body and mind and experience a world of services that will enhance your youthful look.

• Botox and Juvederm treatments, laser skin treatments and weight management.

American Eyes OpticalDr. Mini JohnTherapeuticOptometrist

Services Offered:• Comprehensive Eye Exams• Pediatric Eye Exams• Treatment of Eye Disease• Cataract Surgery Co-Management• Full Service Optical Lab• Specialty Contact Lens Fitting• Accepts Most Vision Plans

281-416-7077

www.AmericanEyesOptical.com

Office HoursMonday, Wednesday and Friday : 9:00 AM - 6 PM

Tuesday and Thursday: 10:00 AM - 7 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM - 1 PM

2755 Texas ParkwaySuite: 104

Missouri City, TX 77489

Phone: 281-416-7077Fax: 281-416-7697

Email:[email protected]

WA S H I N G T O N , March 29, 2014 (AFP) - One in four

American adults over 60 being treated for high blood pressure could go off their medication under recent guidelines issued in the United States, a study said Saturday.

The changes, which stirred controversy in the medical community, could mean near-ly six million may no longer need drugs to control their blood pressure, Duke Uni-versity researchers said in the Journal of the American Medi-cal Association.

The findings are the first to analyze the impact of 2014 guidelines that raised blood pressure targets to 150/90, in-stead of the previous goal of 140/90, in adults age 60 and

Millions could go off blood pressure meds: US study

older.“Raising the target in older

adults is controversial, and not all experts agree with this new recommendation,” said lead author Ann Marie Navar-Boggan, a cardiology fellow at the Duke University School of Medicine.

“In this study, we wanted to determine the number of adults affected by these changes.”

The guidelines were issued by the Joint National Commit-tee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.

Analyzing 2005-2010 data on 16,000 people in the Na-tional Health and Nutrition Ex-amination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-

tion, Duke researchers found the proportion of US adults considered eligible for hyper-tension treatment would dip from 40.6 percent under the old guidelines to 31.7 percent under the new ones.

In addition, 13.5 million adults -- most of them over the age of 60 -- would no lon-ger be considered in a danger zone.

Of that group, 5.8 million adults would no longer need blood pressure pills.

“The new guidelines do not address whether these adults should still be considered as having hypertension,” Navar-Boggan said.

“But they would no longer need medication to lower their blood pressure.”

WA S H I N G T O N , March 29, 2014 (AFP) - Turning

the clocks forward an hour in the spring for daylight saving time is followed by a spike in heart attacks on the Monday afterward, said a US study Sat-urday.

But when the clocks fall back and people gain an hour of sleep, there is a drop in heart attacks on Tuesday, said the re-search presented at the Ameri-can College of Cardiology con-ference.

The findings showed no change in the total number of heart attacks during the en-tire week following any clock change, indicating that the spike seen on Monday is leveled out in the days that follow.

But knowing that a surge in patients can be expected in the emergency room could help doctors better prepare, said lead author Amneet Sandhu, cardi-ology fellow at the University of Colorado in Denver.

“It may be that we as people are very sensitive to the loss of even one hour’s sleep,” Sandhu told reporters.

“It may mean that people who are already vulnerable to heart disease may be at great-er risk right after sudden time changes.”

The study was based on a database of hospitals in Michi-gan.

There was a 25 percent jump in the number of heart attacks occurring the Monday after the spring time change -- or a total of eight additional heart attacks -- and a 21 percent drop the Tuesday after the fall return to standard time.

Monday is traditionally the day when most heart attacks occur, previous research has found.

But by looking at hospital data over four consecutive years, researchers saw a consis-tent 34 percent increase in heart attacks from one week to the next at the spring time change.

There were an average of 93 heart attacks the Monday be-fore compared to 125 the week after the start of daylight saving time across those four years.

Daylight saving time -- im-plemented to save energy dur-ing World War I -- is controver-sial and some believe it is not needed anymore.

Sandhu said future research should compare the Michigan findings to heart attack trends in Hawaii and Arizona, which do not have daylight saving time.

Dr. Kesavan ShanSouth Asians living in the U.S. have a 400-500% increase in serious coronary artery disease (blocked arteries supplying blood to the heart) compared to the general population. Studies have shown that the death rate from coronary ar-tery disease is 46% higher in South Asian men than other races. The risk of death in South Asian women is even greater. Indeed, census data has re-ported that all ethnic minor-

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a Global Epidemic among South Asians ity women are living longer—except for South Asian women, who have one of the highest death rates from heart dis-ease. Curiously, South Asians experience this significantly higher risk of lethal heart dis-ease despite frequently having less “traditional” cardiovascu-lar risk factors. In fact, many of the causes associated with increased risk of heart disease are less common among South Asians. For example, a large number of South Asians are life-long vegetarians (there-fore, lower saturated fat in-take), smoking is less common and LDL (bad cholesterol) lev-els are not appreciably worse than the rest of the population.

Moreover, additional con-siderations such as average weight and body mass index (BMI) are not significantly higher in South Asians than in other races. So what causes this increased risk?Stay tuned. The current thinking on why South Asians are so vulnerable to coronary artery disease and the approaches to reducing the risk will be discussed in the next four articles in this newspaper column.Dr. Kesavan Shan is a cardi-ologist with Methodist Diag-nostic Cardiology of Houston. To schedule an appointment, call 281.275.0331.

Heart attacks rise after clocks go forward: study

VOICE OF ASIA 19 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014HEALTH, TECH & SCIENCE

by Aaron Pressman

“To start this, I’m going to go to my iPad…”

Satya Nadella kicked off his first-ever product unveiling as Microsoft CEO with a fast-talking spiel that sounded nothing like either of his predecessors, Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates.

And the new product he came to showcase represented perhaps the biggest break of all: the long-awaited, long-rumored, long-de-layed version of Microsoft Office for the iPad.

As demonstrated by product manager Julia White, who started with the iPad quote above, the new versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint looked pretty amaz-ing. “The iPad has a reputation for helping you look cool,” she said. “With Excel, it can make you look smart, too.”

The entire app experience was refashioned to work with fingers on a screen instead of a mouse and hardware keyboard. On Twitter, some declared that it looked better than even the latest PC version.

Nadella, dressed in a brown polo shirt and jeans, started the event off with declarations of humility and a reference to the poet T.S. Eliot, quickly making clear that a new era had begun. “You should never cease from exploration, and at the end of your exploration, you should end up where you started and see the place with fresh eyes,” he said.

The result of Nadella’s explo-

How the new Microsoft CEO is breaking from the past with office for iPad

IIT-Delhi develops smart canes for visually impaired

IIT Delhi has developed a “smart cane” that helps the visually impaired

detect above-the-knee ob-structions from a distance of 3 metres.

Using modern sensor tech-nology, the “SmartCane” en-ables users to detect objects in the path from three metres away. It costs Rs 3,000 - a fraction of the price for simi-lar products available in glob-al markets.

“This has huge implications not only for their safety but also for their dignity. The feel-ing of dependence often makes people feel vulnerable about unknown surroundings,” IIT’s Assistech co-founder Rohan Paul told PTI.

He said the trials found that SmartCane checks the visual-ly impaired from banging into protrusions and has helped them walk with security and confidence.

“Field test reports show that users moved independently and safely with self-confi-dence using SmartCane,” he added.

More than 300 people affect-ed by blindness were involved in the development over the last eight years. Currently there are 150 users of Smart-Cane across the country.

Assistech is IIT Delhi’s Lab which works on developing affordable assistive technol-ogy solutions for the visually impaired. It developed the technology for the cane.

Joint development was un-dertaken along with Phoenix Medical Systems, Chennai and Saksham Charitable Trust, Delhi to make this product a reality.

“We saw the difficulty of walking with the white cane, particularly when there are over hanging branches and raised signboards that cause injuries to the chest and face. Our objective was to develop a solution at an affordable cost that could increase the range of the white cane,” Paul said.

Though similar products are available globally, they are expensive making it difficult for people to buy them.

“The average price point of navigation devices for the visually impaired is in the range of Rs 60,000-70,000. Our product however will cost only Rs 3,000 to ensure that people from all parts of the society can buy the prod-uct,” Paul said, adding that it includes training and distribu-tion charges.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are 37 million persons with blind-ness worldwide, of which about 90 per cent live in de-veloping countries, including India.

India has 12 million people affected by blindness, the largest for any country in the world (2011 census data).

“I strongly believe role of organisations like IIT is to promote technology entrepre-neurship so that the country develops a confidence in mak-ing quality products not only for India but also for rest of the world,” IIT Delhi Department of Computer Science Deputy Director M Balakrishnan said. (Courtesy: PTI)

ration was a big policy shift. No longer will Microsoft restrict its best and most popular goodies to Windows. From now on, the company will seek to spread its software and services “across the web, all phones, all tablets, all PCs,” he said.

To a large degree, that reflects on the failure of Nadella’s pre-decessor, Ballmer, to extend the dominance of Windows to por-table devices. Windows software has minimal market share in both

smartphones and tablets, which are dominated by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

Microsoft investors have been excited about the new revenue an iPad version of Office might bring in from the 1 billion customers al-ready using other versions. Shares of Microsoft hit a 14-year high of $40.99 this week as anticipa-tion grew about the iPad app. The shares traded down to $39.48 over the past two days amid a tough market overall for technology

stocks.White’s demo moved swiftly

from an Apple iPad to a Samsung tablet to a giant-screen Perceptive Pixel monitor to a Windows PC.

Anyone with an iPad will be able to download the new Office apps for free from Apple’s iTunes Store starting Thursday, White said. The free versions allow you to read or present Office files. But only those who have paid for an Office 365 subscription, $99 a year for a typical consumer, will

be able to edit and create docu-ments, she explained.

Nadella also made an appeal to IT professionals in big companies who may have been stressing out about the proliferation of devices employees are bringing from home and using for work. Micro-soft plans to beef up its device management offerings to help IT departments manage all the “BYOD” activity, he said.

Microsoft’s board named Na-della as CEO in February after a five-month search to replace Ballmer. Nadella said he asked Gates to spend more time at Mi-crosoft to help him get the soft-ware giant back on track as the computing market shifts increas-ingly from desktop PCs and soft-ware programs to mobile devices and Internet-based cloud services.

The Windows operating system itself, the company’s cash cow for the past few decades, was almost an afterthought at Thursday’s event. Nadella said Microsoft would announce further innova-tions relating to Windows at a conference next week.

The latest version, Windows 8, has been a critical and market-place dud. Ballmer put almost all the company’s efforts into bolster-ing Windows, even holding back the Office for iPad apps for years, according to some reports.

As he left the stage, Nadella repeated his theme of the day: “There’s no holding back on any-thing.”

Satya Nadella seen in a brown polo shirt at the unveiling Microsoft Office for the iPad.

A visually impaired man seen using the SmartCane

VOICE OF ASIA 21 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014FEATURE

by Sophie MAKRISATHENS, March 26, 2014

(AFP) - It’s a global health fad with millions of fans in Europe and the United States, and yet in Greece, many people have never heard of “Greek yo-ghurt”.

Equally surprising in an age when billions are spent on mar-keting, the term is basically a quirk of fate.

“What is known abroad as ‘Greek yoghurt’ is called ‘straggisto’ (strained yoghurt) in Greece,” explained Prokopis Ploumbis, a cheesemaker in the rural outskirts of Athens.

“The secret lies in the milk,” he adds.

Creamy, rich in protein and low in fat, strained yoghurt made from cow’s milk is in-creasingly prized by health-conscious consumers, and it has benefited from the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet in the Western world.

And yet, in terms of market-ing, neither the Greek state nor any Greek company had sought to stamp a patent on the prod-uct, unlike feta cheese which is now a protected EU term.

No court would have ac-corded protection for “Greek yoghurt” when the term is not even used in Greece.

It therefore lay open for the taking.

- Shepherding the crowds -Sensing an opportunity, Turk-

ish entrepreneur Hamdi Uluka-ya was able to make a killing on the American market with his yoghurt company, named

Huge abroad, Greek yoghurt almost unknown in Greece

Vasant Navratri begins in spring

by Sabina Cherian M.D.

Getting pregnant for the first time is a joyous occasion, an exciting

time full of wonder. However a lot of future dads feel a little lost and ignored during the whole process. Here is a guide on what to expect when they are expecting.

1) Fatigue. In the first trimester the most common complaint for the mother is needing to sleep all the time. As the fetus inside is growing

rapidly and hormone levels are rising, the body needs extra rest. It is your time to take care of things around the house so that mom can get some rest.

2) Nausea & Vomiting. Some women have very mini-mal nausea in the morning that quickly resolves later in the day. Others have nausea and vomit-ing all day and need diet modi-fications and medications to get them through this difficult pe-riod usually lasting till around 16 weeks.

3) Smells and cravings. There are certain smells that a pregnant woman will hate and they will vary with each preg-nancy. Ask your partner if you should lay off the cologne or if the smell of coffee in the morn-ing makes her sick. Offer to get her whatever she is craving when she is craving it.

4) Second trimester. This is the most pleasant time for pregnancy. Hormone levels have leveled off and the swell-ing and weight of the pregnancy has not hit her yet. Plan your

trips and special occasions ide-ally at this time.

5) Feeling loved. Make sure you tell your partner you love her and that you are af-fectionate towards her. Most women start to feel really awk-ward and unattractive as they waddle around in the third tri-mester and start being able not to see their feet. It is your job to always make her and the baby feel loved.

6) Talk to your baby. Your baby will recognize your voice and will respond to music and acoustic stimuli. Feel free to talk to and touch your partner’s belly. You will be very happy to see your baby responding to you right away when she/he enters the world.

7) Doctor’s visits. Come with your partner to her prena-tal care visits. Feel free to ask questions during the visit so that your partner feels you are inter-ested in her and the baby’s well-being. However, do not try to talk over her and ask too many questions. Your partner is the

center of attention so let her be. 8) Delivery time. Ask

your partner if she wants to go to a birthing class with you. Ask her what she wants from you during her labor. Be a sup-portive advocate for her during labor.

9) Postpartum. She will be up every 2-3 hours for the first couple of months after the baby’s birth. Take shifts with the baby-lighten her load. Look for signs of postpartum depres-sion such as frequent crying spells, lack of bonding with the baby and withdrawal from friends and family.

Sabina K. Cherian, MD was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Houston Texas. She did her residency in Brooklyn, NY and resided on the east coast for the last 9 years. She practic-es obstetrics and gynecological surgery at Center for Women’s Health’s four office locations in southwest Houston. She can be reached at 281-342-6962 private consultation or appoint-ment.

“The Husband’s Guide to Everything Baby”

Sabina Cherian M.D.

Chobani, which comes from the Turkish word for shepherd.

It is also similar to the Greek word for shepherd, and Cho-bani packages prominently call it ‘Greek yoghurt’ in the United States.

Meanwhile the Greek compa-ny that first broke open the US and European markets decades ago, Fage, features ‘Greek strained yoghurt’ in smaller type on its packages.

In just seven years, Chobani’s ‘Greek yoghurt’ has become the best-selling yoghurt brand in the United States, and strained yoghurt now accounts for 35 percent of the US yoghurt mar-ket, from only four percent in 2008.

“Because it was introduced in this country by a Greek com-pany, they called it ‘Greek yo-ghurt.’ It doesn’t matter wheth-er it’s Greek yoghurt or Turkish yoghurt, as long as it’s a good yoghurt,” Ulukaya told Fortune magazine in 2011.

Fage fought back.“Fage is the one that made

known to the world the creamy texture of Greek yoghurt, its protein concentration, its rich taste,” said the company’s commercial director Alexis Alexopoulos.

However the 88-year-old Athens-based family company, which exports dairy products to 40 countries, eventually had to concede defeat in the United States.

But it moved to protect its 95-percent share in the British market.

In British courts, Fage based

its argument on the fact that un-like Chobani, its yoghurt is ac-tually made in Greece, and won the case on appeal in January.

Chobani now markets its yoghurt as ‘strained’ in Brit-ain, and ‘Greek’ in the United States.

Fage sells its product in Brit-ain as “authentic Greek yo-ghurt”.

- Cow or sheep? -Strained yoghurt is also pop-

ular in Greece, where it also serves as a key ingredient for staple dishes like tzatziki dip.

But for traditionalists, there is also a significant yearning for non-strained and more fatty yo-ghurt made from sheep’s milk.

Yoghurt made from sheep’s milk has 6.5 percent natural fat, compared to around 2.0 percent in cow’s milk.

All over the country there are hundreds of traditional yoghurt-makers catering to the country-side or island markets.

Many of these products are consumed locally and never reach the big supermarket chains in Athens.

“Greek ewes graze in the mountains and receive no ad-ditives in their food,” said Ploumbis, the cheesemaker in Vilia, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) west of Athens.

“The best milk comes in the spring. The animals eat hun-dreds of different plants, it’s an unimaginable richness,” he added, pointing to the valley around the sheep pens, covered in shrubs and almond trees in bloom.

Youngest Astrologer of North AmericaAstrologer, Vaastu & Gem Stone Consultant

“HARDIK VYAS”Astrologer Hardik Vyas, a famous young face in Vedic Astrology from India is available in Houston. Call for guidance on Health, Wealth, Education, Career, Business, Property, Love & Passion, Marriage & Compatibility, Horoscope-Making, Child Problem, Luck & Fortune, Peace & Prosperity, Karma & Economical Sources.

Vaastushastra, the ancient science of land. Fix and appointment for personal visit to your home, plot, business/office, shop, fac-tory, and hotel. To gain peace of mind and prosperity, by doing little changes as per Vaastu Shastra. Simple, Easy, Scientific & Affordable solutions/remedies to overcome problems in your Horoscope and Vaastu.

1Su, Bu

5 3K2

12V

46

7

810

9R 11

Mn, Gu

Shani

MangKindly Note: Astrology & VaastuShastra are Science of Nature, not related with any re-ligion, caste, or community. It is an Occult Science and gift of nature for the welfare of people to get proper advice.We Speak in English, Hindi, Gujarati

and Marathi languages.Listen to me live on Sound Asia 10.50AM Radio

E-mail: [email protected] • Ph: 832-298-9950www.toaskfuture.com

Yoghurt made from sheep’s milk has 6.5 percent natural fat, compared to around 2.0 percent in cow’s milk.

Goddess Durga orna-mented with kumkum,

bangles, flowers, and jeweled attires; morning prayers ac-companied by synchronized bells and the aroma of pure but-ter delicacies, it’s time to step into the festivities of Navratri!

The word Navratri refers to the nine auspicious nights dur-ing which Goddess Durga is worshipped and most people observe fasts. It is celebrated twice a year, the beginning of

spring and at the beginning of autumn, which is considered as a sacred time to worship God-dess Durga.

During these fasts people avoid eating meat, grains, al-cohol, onion, garlic etc. From an Ayurvedic perspective, these foods attract and absorb negative energies and should be avoided during a seasonal change as our bodies tend to have low immunity around that time.


Your Horoscope for the Week of April 4, 2014As per Indian Vedic Astrology the Moon sign is considered, in which every Rashi has control over certain letters, which are initials of your name. Whereas in Western system of Sun Sign, all the people born in one month belong to the same sign. For example, every year approximately around 21 of March to 20th April, the Sun is moving in the Aries Constellation. So all the people born in that month belong to the Sign of Aries. If you were born in between those two dates then you are a Aries born.

by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 AprilRealize, you need the love & attention of others. You’re disciplined enough to accom-plish anything you want. Rid yourself of bad habits. Problems with older woman in your family may be alarming. You should do things that involve family reunions. Get

yourself into projects that will enhance your appearance and help you change your self-image. Sud-den events may change your life. Your first impression must not influence your final decision. Don’t show favoritism. Be careful not to manipulate a situation to your own liking.

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 MayNeed to communicate clearly & effectively. A misunderstanding at this time may have big repercussions, which you would love to set right if only you could understand exactly what is going on! Being stubborn will only work against you. You will be in a position to help others. Give advice but hold back if they want cash. Get on with your

life. New attitudes will develop through the company you keep. Take your time before making deci-sions. Re-direct any jangling nerves into some physical exercise if possible.

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 JuneHigh emotion & excitement, You could feel overwhelmed or overly sensitive, unable to make a move, but you can rise to fly again, perhaps higher than ever before. Your motives could be challenged by those in authority. Keep your cool, don’t waste your effort, focus your energy on finalizing agreements, contracts, promises. Your rewards

are long overdue. You will be able to achieve success, if you trust your gut feelings & remain loyal to your principles. Your universal appeal will help you dazzle even the dullest audience.

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 JulyKind a mixture of energy from your emotional moods. Special feelings about tradi-tions, relationships & a new interest in financial opportunities will surface. You can start your own traditions, make plans, include everybody close to your heart. The sup-port will give you the confidence you lack. Try to remove excess stress wherever pos-

sible, your loved ones will notice the difference, if you do. You’re not a great fan of detail but you need to focus your time properly. You could feel frustrated, or even feel personally criticized.

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 AugustUse your sense of timing & luck. Your universal appeal will make you very popular. You may find yourself in the public eye. A simple observation can provoke a strong response. You’ll need to have emotional contact with others. Even though your friends tend to show off their assets, you must keep a close eye on your budget. Best not to

discuss your future plans with one who lacks your vision & imagination. Don’t allow them to dampen your enthusiasm. Someone with whom you have almost nothing in common may come to your aid.

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 SeptemberEmotional and personal situations that will drain your energy. Refuse to get dragged into the middle of an argument. Don’t take sides. Get out and socialize with colleagues. If you can combine some work with pleasure, you will gain respect and help from those in a posi-tion to help you get ahead. If you made a promise to your family, you must not renege. Put

everything else on hold. Emotional problems with family members will be disheartening. You must listen rather than offer your opinions. Visit with friends who may be able to shed some light on your situation.

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 OctYou need to get out and meet some new people. You need to put some excitement back into your life. Emotional blackmail will get you into trouble. Don’t blame others for your own mistakes or unhappiness. New acquaintances will show interest in you if you are happy and positive about yourself. You need to make some personal changes

in your life. Don’t be depressed. You need to concentrate on your creative projects and not worry so much about what other people are saying or doing.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 NovGo into new ventures with enthusiasm and an open mind. Stay put and work on the projects that don’t require a lot of travel or communication. Take things in stride. You are best to busy yourself with personal projects. You should be thinking about a career move. Someone you work for is probably trying to hold you back. Protect your reputa-

tion and prepare yourself for unexpected changes. It’s time to take a serious look at getting into shape before summer hits and you have to shed some of those layers of clothing you’ve been hiding under.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 DecYou may sense that there may be something missing from the mix. Your intuitive fee-liUse discretion when discussing personal matters. You can avoid emotional issues with loved ones by being affectionate, fun loving and active. You’ll be able to make money if you investment in yourself. Your lover may not be sure of your intentions. Be

discriminating when discussing work. You won’t be able to trust some of your colleagues or clients. Keep your ideas to yourself for the time being.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 JanKeep continuo your efforts to help others. It will be admired by onlookers. Someone you work with may be jealous of you. Keep your thoughts and intentions to yourself. Outdoor activities will be invigorating. Take care of your family responsibilities first or include the ones you love in the events you attend. Don’t overspend on those unworthy

of your generosity. You may want to look into the nature of an organization before you donate or join it. Your partner will not put up with your possessiveness. Expect to get into a heated discussion.

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 FebYou need for a change of scenery. Travel for business or pleasure and you’ll break up the monotony. Use your finesse to get what you want. You’ll be surprised by the response you receive. Check out some of the courses offered in your community. You need to start learning new skills if you want to keep up with the never-ending techno-logical changes at work. Don’t become involved in dubious financial schemes. Ex-

travagance could be your downfall. Excessiveness will result in minor illness.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 MarchConcentrate on things you enjoy doing rather than just doing for others. You need a real break. Your colorful manner will attract attention. Use your energy in a constructive man-ner. The work you do around your home will be rewarding. Check out activities that offer a physical challenge. Now you’re ready to entertain. You must learn not to force your opinions on others. Participating in a challenging physical activity will help ease your

tension and stress. You will be looking for a good fight if things don’t go your way. Remember that you can’t make decisions for other people even if you did pay their way.

HOROSCOPE

QUICK REFERENCE SERVICES DIRECTORY

VOICE OF ASIA GROUP

Phone: 713-774-5140QR To advertise, call:

E-mail: [email protected]

Accountants

M.D. Associates LLPA full service CPA firm

3 Locations to serve you Houston 713-774-6533 Spring 281-251-2205 Dallas 214-722-7545

visit us at : www.mdassociatescpas.com

NARESH SETLUR, CPACertified, Quickbooks Proadvisor

Accounting, Tax Returns, Cost Accounting, Peachtree, Sales Tax, Franchise Tax.Visit our website www.karanika.net

Retail, Manufacturing, Construction, Franchise Accounting(832) 620.4757 - Email: [email protected]

BOOK-KEEPING INCOME TAXPersonal and Business Tax Returns, Payroll

Sales Tax, Income Tax Audits and RepresentationsS. Ram and Associates

Tel: 832-877-9625 Free Consultation asu2020.com

RestaurantsIndia’s Restaurant & Catering

for special parties and corporate events. Preferred Wine list, Authentic vegetarian & non-vegetarian dishes, finest

Indian cuisine with chef’s special dishes Ph: 713-266-0131/ 0805

Shiva Indian Restaurant & Catering specializing in North Indian cuisine, Office and Corporate catering.

• 2514 Times Blvd. Rice Village, Ph: 713-523-4753

• 2130 Lone Star Dr. Sugar Land, Ph: 281-494-2981

VEEDONE CONSTRUCTION, LLC. - ROOFINGRoofing, Siding, Gutters and Fence

WIND & HAIL INSURANCE CLAIMS SPECIALIST(281) 701-7760 www.VeeDone.com

Roofing

Visit Us www.VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

Call us

VOICE OF ASIA

713-774-5140

Electrical ServiceSuperior One Electric

Commercial & ResidentialKHOA TRINH, Electrical Technician

Tel: 832-359-5447 Free Estimate TECL# 27099* Repair/ Remodeling * New Installation * Ceiling Fans * Light Fixtures

* Electric Panel * Trouble Shooting * Services Upgrades

EducationBecome a Doctor

High School to Medical School - starts $45,000 for all 41/2 years - INDIA, EUROPE, Carib, China etc

209-830-8266; 248-419-0284 [email protected]; www.EasyMedSchool.com

VideoTK Video

HD Video, Live Stream, Editing, Dubbing, Titles Call for Weddings, Anniversary, Baptism, Graduation

Call Tony Kalladanthyil at 281-799-4518

Electrical ServiceElectricity Service

No Deposit for Seniors 65+ or CommercialService Provided by Ambit Energy LC Puct Rep 10117

www.qfactor.joinambit.com 866.202.1086 Mon-Sat 8am-8pm

Restaurants We cater from 10 people to 800

people for all occasions. We deliver to your venue.

Madhuram Mirch Masala 10758 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77070 281.955.9878 216.338.3940 (cell)

For more information Call us today

713-774-5140

You need this Space


713-774-5140

You need this Space

Heating & CoolingSAJ Heating & CoolingResidential & Commercial

Free estimates on ResidentialRepairs & New Equipment replacement

Call Saji Mathew Ph: 832.633.4347

Banquet HallPesto by Great W’kana

• Seats 200 people, Spacious, Dance Floor.• All Types of Cuisine available. Selection of Wines!

Chef Sunil Srivastava: 832-886-429111720 W.Airport Blvd, Ste:600-100, Stafford, TX 77477

FloristFlowers By Tiffany LLC

• Flowers for All Ocasionswww.flowersbytiffanystafford.com

281-208-868113230 Murphy Road, Suite 400, Stafford, TX 77477


713-774-5140

You need this Space

VOICE OF ASIA 23 FRIDAY, April 4, 2014CLASSIFIEDS

Visit us on www.VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

Seeking BrideGujarati parent invite correspondence

for their son 29 years of age and 5" 9" height well settled in Houston, ( working for an energy company). Email: [email protected]

Phone : 281-236-0258

HINDI PRARTHANADo you need PRAYER?Do you need a MIRACLE in your life?Can we pray for the CHILDLESS couple?

Contact Us 832-773-4457

today!

VOICE OF ASIA Subscription Renewal Form

Name: __________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________

City: ______________ State:___________ Zip:___________

Ph: ______________ E-mail:_________________________

Credit Card No: ____________________________________

Name on the Card: _________________________________

CVV #: __________ Exp Date:___________ Amount: $______

Fax this form to: 713-774-5143 Scan and E-mail us: [email protected]

Signature: __________________________

8303 SW Freeway, Suite 350, Houston, TX 77074We will mail 52 issues to your home or office!

One Year$30Two Years$55Five Years$100

Best Value!!!

Weekend Position AvailableIndia House is hiring a weekend shift worker to

supervise building activities and rental events on Saturday and Sunday from 9am until 5 pm .

We are located at 8888 West Bellfort Avenue Houston, Texas 77031.

Send your resume’ to Vipin at [email protected] or

call 713-929-1906.

This is our Classifieds Section

713-774-5140Sell anything!

From Garage Sales to Selling a BusinessCall us. Nothing is too trivial.

We are happy that VOICE OF ASIA gives us

SO MANY CHOICES!It makes our daily life easier!!!Thank you VOICE OF ASIA!• POST FREE

COMMUNITY EVENTS ONLINEDIRECTLY!

• POST JOB, OTHER CLASSIFIEDSWEEKLY!

• CARS FOR SALECLASSIFIEDS!

• HOME FOR SALECLASSIFIEDS!

ONLINE IN PRINT

0N VIDEO

• BUSINESS ADSBANNERS & BOX

• IT SOFTWARETRAINING ADS

• E-blastFeature!

• POST $5/WKCOMMUNITY EVENTS IN PRINTFOR 52 WEEKS!

• POST JOBS, OTHER CLASSIFIEDS,@ $30 WEEKLY!

• HOME FOR SALECLASSIFIEDS

$60 / 2 WKS.(3.47” X 4”)

• CARS FOR SALECLASSIFIEDS

@ $30 WEEKLY!(3.47” X 2”)

• QR BUSINESS DIRECTORY

$10/WK• feature your business, restaurant

• feature yourself in an interview!• video ads for your business!

• unlimited views for content.• low cost for video ads!

call

713-774-5140*One time production cost, applies on all video content and ads made by Voice of Asia. Our costs are reasonable and our advertising rates are highly competitive online and in print. Our minimum requirements must be met. Call us for more details! © 2013This is an advertisement, not a real endorsement. Photo copyright, author exclusive.

When you find some

time, READ!

READDAILY!

15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps

your brain focus better. Grab a novel!

A Community message fromVoice of Asia

Group

voice of asia april 4 2014

Documents