vol-8-issue-37 jan-23- jan-29- 2016
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By SATimes Team
New York Two weeks before the
first nominating contests,
Republican presidential frontrun‑
ner Donald Trump picked up his
high profile endorsement from
Sarah Palin and his bromance was
over with Ted Cruz, who is running
second in polls. On the Democratic
side, Bernie Sanders posed a rising
challenge to the frontrunner
Hillary Clinton and the gloves
were off finally.
Palin, the 2008 Republican vice‑presidential nominee, said Tuesday
that she was backing Trump while
appearing with the real estate
mogul at a raucous campaign rally
in Iowa, where both parties hold
their caucuses on Feb 1. Trump,meanwhile, continued to sow
doubts about Senator Ted Cruzʼs
ʻnatural‑born citizenʼ eligibility to
become President. On his part,
Cruz alleged that the partyʼs estab‑
lishment was starting to coalescearound Trump, ditching Marco
Rubio and Jeb Bush. The party
establishment, however, seemed to
have doubts about both Trump
and Cruz. Conservative intellectu‑
als who dominate right‑leaningmagazines, journals and political
groups say Donald Trump would
endanger the party, while lobby‑
ists, operatives and elected offi‑
cials based in Washington are
much more worried by Ted Cruz,who campaigns against the politi‑
cal establishment and could sap
their influence.
In Iowa, Trump leads Sen. Cruz
The South Asian Timese x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
excellence in journalism CULTURE 15 TOURISM 18
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Trump vs Cruz and Hillary vs Sanders slugfest
LITERATURE 27
Indians in Gulf hithard as economies
slip on steep fallin oil price
Chennai
With most Gulf coun‑
tries taking austerity measures
or planning to impose tax on the
income of expatriates, manyIndians expatriates there are
sending their families back to
India or decided not to take
their families with them.
Oman, in particular, which has
released an austerity‑driven
budget, has made moves that
are likely to affect the monthly
expenses of expatriates.
Low oil prices have also hit
the economies of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries. Gulf economies, with
the exception of Dubai, are
almost fully dependent on petro
income. The steep fall in crude
prices have led to job cuts andresulted in companies not grant‑
ing increments. There are no
new projects while several proj‑
ects have been cancelled across
the region. GCC countries are
Hyderabad Hyderabad University
on Thursday revoked the suspen‑
sion of four Dalit research schol‑
ars, but students continued to
protest for the fifth day over the
suicide of a Dalit student who too
had been suspended.
Addressing the protesting stu‑
dents at the campus, Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to
sack his ministers Smriti Irani and
Bandaru Dattatreya over the sui‑
cide by Rohith Vemula. And
protesting against HRD Minister
Irani's "misleading" statement, 10
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled
Tribe teachers quit their adminis‑
trative roles.
Under attack, the university's
executive council decided to
revoke the suspension of four
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30
Pakʼs 100+ N‑warheadsaimed at deterring
India, says US reportWashington Pakistanʼs 110‑130
nuclear warheads are aimed atdeterring India from taking mili‑
tary action against it, a latest
Congressional report has said.
The report also expressed con‑
cern that Islamabadʼs “full spec‑
trum deterrence” doctrine has
increased risk of nuclear conflict
between the two South Asian
neighbors.
“Pakistanʼs nuclear arsenal
probably consists of 110‑130
nuclear warheads, although it
could have more. Islamabad is
producing fissile material, adding
to related production facilities,
deploying additional nuclear
weapons, and new types of deliv‑ery vehicles,” Congressional
Research Service (CRS) said in its
latest report.
In its 28‑page report, the CRS
noted that Pakistanʼs nuclear
arsenal is widely regarded as
designed to dissuade India from
taking military action against it,
but Islamabadʼs expansion of its
nuclear arsenal, development of
new types of nuclear weapons
and adoption of a doctrine called
“full spectrum deterrence” haveled some observers to express
concern about an increased risk
of nuclear conflict between
Pakistan and India, which also
continues to expand its nuclear
Pakʼs Shaheen‑1A ballisticmissile fired from an undisclosed
location with impact in theArabian Sea. (Photo : Reuters)
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
Protests over Dalitscholar's suicide rage on
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal visited the University of Hyderabadon Jan. 21 where Rohith Vemula committed suicide. (IANS photo)
Detailed story on page 10.
Continued on page 4Continued on page 4
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info January 23-29, 2016
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3January 23-29, 2016TheSouthAsianTimes.info TR I S TATE COMMUNI TY
ashingtonOf the nearly nine
lakh Indians who visited the US
on visitor or business visa in
2015, more than 14,000 over‑
stayed, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report
has said.
According to the ʻEntry/Exit
Overstay Report for Fiscal 2015ʼ,
of the nearly 45 million non‑
immigrant visitor admissions
through air or sea, a total of
527,127 overstayed their wel‑
come.
In other words, 98.83 percent
left the US on time between
October 2014 and September
2015, the DHS report said.
Overstaying means a non‑immi‑
grant who was admitted into the
US for specific, temporary pur‑
pose stayed on after his or herlawful admission period ended.
While the report focuses on
non‑immigrant visitors on B1 and
WB business or pleasure (B2 and
WT) visas, it does not include fig‑
ures pertaining to work visas like
H‑1B or on F‑1 student visas.
Due to further departures byindividuals by January 4, 2016,
the DHS was able to confirm the
departures of over 99 percent of
non‑immigrant visitors scheduled
to depart in FY 2015 by air and
sea. The number continues to
grow.
The DHS report said countrieswith ties to terrorism had signifi‑
cant numbers sti l l in the US:
1,435 from Pakistan, 681 (Iraq),
564 (Iran) , 440 (Syria) , 219
(Yemen), 219 (Afghanistan) and
56 from Libya.
New York Encouraged by the suc‑
cess of Second International Hindi
Conference, Americas 2015, Hindi
Sangam Foundation, in associa‑
tion with the Consulate General of India, New York, will hold the
Third International Hindi
Conference at the consulate here
from April 29‑May 1.
The theme of the conference is:
The Hindi Language: A
Democratic Voice of Expression of
Complex Issues through
Education, Literature, Arts and
Media. The theme reflects the
growing urgency for coordinated
efforts by the language education
(public and private), government
and business communities to
expand the Hindi field inside and
outside of India.
The main objective of the con‑ference is to continue providing
an effective forum for networking
among Hindi and other language
professionals and supporters as
well as discuss and suggest guide‑
lines for expanding Hindi learning
and usage in educational institu‑
tions as well as in the literary,
media, business and commercial
arenas in the U.S. and other coun‑
tries in the world. The conferencehopes to attract educational
experts, scholars, policy makers,
business owners and profession‑
als as well as writers and poets
from the U.S., Canada, South
America, the Caribbean and India.
It will offer thought‑provoking
discussions on topics of common
interest and entertaining pro‑
grams including a Kavi Sammelan
by leading poets from India and
the Diaspora. The Consultative
Committee for the conference is
headed by Ambassador
Dnyaneshwar Mulay and includes
Dr. Bijoy Mehta, President, Akhil
Vishwa Hindi Samiti; UpendraChivukula, Commissioner,
Utilities, NJ; Dr. Navin Mehta,
Philanthropist; and Dr. Ved
Chaudhry, President, Educators
Society for the Heritage of India.
Web: [email protected]
Washington The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an
advocacy group aimed at safeguarding India's pluralist and tol‑
erant ethos, expressed shock and outrage over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University. Vemula
and four other members of Ambedkar Students Association
were victimized and subjected to relentless harassment by the
University officials, said the Council.
“Rohith Vemula and his associates were clearly targeted for
raising issues that were inconvenient not only for upper‑caste
outfits and university officials, but also for the blatantly anti‑
Dalit and sectarian BJP administration at the Centre. Their
harassment by the university on flimsy grounds included discon‑
tinuation of the monthly stipend since July last and suspension
from the university since September last year,” the council said
in a press release.
The council also said that the incident exposes the role of
Smriti Irani headed HRD Ministry. This is the second instance
where the ministry has been found exerting overbearing politi‑
cal pressure and interference in university affairs. The IIT
Madras decision to ban the Ambedkar‑Periyar Study Circle(APSC) followed the receipt of a letter from the HRD Ministry. In
this case, the ministry sent five letters to the Hyderabad
University for action on Labour Minister Bandaru Dattareya's
complaint regarding "anti‑national activities" on the campus and
the alleged "violent attack" on an ABVP leader.
"Rohith Vemula's suicide is a chilling example of the deeply
entrenched caste‑based oppression in India," said Umar Malick,
President of IAMC. "His death is not only an occasion for pro‑
found sorrow but also a call to action for all who care about
human rights and religious freedom. Continuing caste‑based
oppression in modern India and anti‑minority repression are the
bitter fruits of Hindutva," he added.The council further said that while the charges against Union
Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice‑Chancellor of the
University are a step in the right direction, justice could be elu‑
sive unless there is mass outrage over Rohith's suicide, as well as
sustained action by civil society institutions. IAMC urged all peo‑
ple of conscience, in India and across the world, to recognize
caste‑based oppression as a form of racism.
Thousands of Indiansoverstayed in America in 2015
3rd Hindi Conference at
Indian Consulate announced
Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide inHyderabad last week.
Nearly nine lakh Indians visited the US on visitor or business visa.
Indian American Muslim body reacts
to Dalit scholar's suicide issue
Big B, PriyankaChopra named newIncredible Indiabrand ambassadorsNew Delhi Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and
Priyanka Chopra will replace Aamir Khan as the new
ambassadors of the
Incredible India cam‑
paign, said a Time of
India report Thursday.
The decision came a
fortnight after Khan
was stripped of his role,
allegedly over his
remarks on intolerance.
An official announce‑
ment to this regard
will reportedly be
made after January 26. Instead of using an agency
to appoint brand ambassadors as was the practice in
the past, the report said quoting unidentified
sources, the new faces of the campaign will be
signed up directly by the tourism ministry.
Priyanka Chopra – fresh from the success of her
American TV series ʻQuanticoʼ– and Bollywoodʼs
original superstar, Bachchan, have been finally cho‑
sen. Big B is also the brand ambassador of Gujarat
Tourism. Khan fronted the governmentʼs campaign
to promote the country as a tourist destination for
10 years before he was replaced in January.
Amitabh Bachchan
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New York Winter storm Jonas is
poised to pummel New York City
this weekend, as some meteorolo‑
gists are already referring to it as
"blizzard for the ages."
New York will escape the worst
of the storm, which will pass over
the Baltimore and DC metro
areas, but new projections have
upgraded the storm's status to
blizzard as it'll bring with it up to
a foot of snow, 50 mile per hour
wind gusts, and coastal floodingakin to that experienced during
Hurricane Irene. According to the
National Weather Service, Jonas
will hit NYC and surrounding
areas Saturday morning and stick
around through Sunday before
heading up the coast.
The MTA has laid out how
they're handling the storm in a
detailed Facebook post. All week‑
end maintenance has been pre‑
emptively called off unless the
storm changes track, and subway
trains stored in yards will be
moved underground, which may
affect express service. Service on
buses, subways, Metro‑North, and
LIRR may be temporarily sus‑
pended should it snow more than
10 inches.
Mayor Bill de Blasio held a
press meeting Thursday morning
announcing measures the city
will take to prepare for Jonas, andadvising New Yorkers on how to
proceed. The Department of
Sanitation will make sure the
streets are well‑salted and plowed
by deploying 579 salt spreaders
on Friday evening, and 1,650
plows when more than two inches
of snow accumulates. About
2,400 Department of Sanitation
employees will be working 12‑
hour shifts as of Friday morning.
Chairman and Co-FounderKamlesh C. Mehta
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Contributing Editors: Meenakshi Iyer,
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West Coast Correspondent
Pooja Jain,
New Delhi Bureau
Meenakshi Iyer
Jaipur (India) Bureau
Prakash Bhandari
Photographs: Gunjesh Desai/masalajunction.com.
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ʻBlizzard for the
agesʼ to pummelNew York
Trump vs Cruz and Hillary vs Sanders..Continued from page
among likely Republican caucus‑goers, 37% to 26%.
Rubio is in third place at 14%, and Ben Carson at
6%, according to a new CNN/ORC poll released
Thursday.
But what is surprising is that Senator Bernie
Sanders has opened up an eight‑point lead over
Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, leading her in Iowa
51% to 43% among likely Democratic presidential
caucus‑goers.Even in New Hampshire, the self‑styled socialist
Sanders' lead over the former secretary of state was
rising. New Hampshire holds the first‑in‑the‑nation
primary on Feb 9. The Vermont senator was leading
Hillary by 27 points, 60 per cent to 33 per cent.
Sanders is tapping into anger over income inequal‑
ity and winning big applause in Iowa with attacks on
Hillaryʼs six‑figure speaking fees. Earlier in the cam‑
paign she had been soft on him. No more. On
Thursday she sought to turn Sanders' "establish‑
ment" attack right back on him ‑‑ saying he served in
Washington much longer than she did. She also
attacked his experience and fitness to lead the coun‑
try, criticizing his suggestion that the US should
warm its relationship with Iran.
The Democratic front‑runner told CNN's Wolf
Blitzer on "The Situation Room" that Sanders' charge
that Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights
Campaign support Clinton because they are all part
of the establishment didn't make sense to her.
Protests over Dalit scholar's suicide...Continued from page
students who along with Rohith were suspended in
November after an alleged clash with an ABVP
leader. The ABVP is the student wing of the RSS.
"After taking into account the extraordinary situa‑
tion in the university, it resolved to terminate the
punishment imposed on the students with immediate
effect," a university statement said. Vice Chancellor
P. Appa Rao urged the university community to
maintain harmony.
Slamming Irani's statement that a Dalit headed the
committee which expelled the five Dalit students
including Vemula, 10 teachers quit their administra‑
tive posts and joined the students on protest. ‑IANS
Indians in Gulf hit hard as economies..Continued from page
now imposing taxes and have increased the cost of
fuel locally. Water and electricity and other utility
charges have also increased, making it tough for
Indian expatriates. Six months ago, these countries
imposed income tax on expatriates while the UAE is
in the process of introducing value‑added tax (VAT)
and tax on remittances.
"A few companies have cancelled their projects.
The only silver lining is Expo 2020 to be hosted in
Dubai where industry hopes to sign major projects,"
Dubai‑based KV Shamsudeen of the Pravasi Bandhu
Welfare Trust said.
"Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait have projects worth
$100 billion to complete," he said. "One of the main
reasons families are returning to India is high rents
and difficulty in getting admission for their childrenin schools. Though Dubai has eight new schools it is
next to impossible to get a seat and the only alterna‑
tive is to move back to India."
According to Indian diplomats in Dubai, a number
of companies have either laid off staff or cut down
on salaries.
Arun Kumar, an HR executive from Bengaluru, who
lost his job in Dubai a few months ago said, "All of us
are saddled with loans that we took to get our sisters
married or to build a house. I defaulted on two check
payments for a personal loan and when the bank
executives arrived in my office, the company fired
me."
Many people are sending back their families
because living expenses have increased. Bhaskaran
Arunam Singh from Thiruvananthapuram, a foreman
in a construction company in Sharjah, said, "A smallfamily needs at least 10,000 dirhams in a month for
a decent life. I have been living here with my family
of four for last 20 years. But I had to send my elder
son home for Class 12. School fees, rent and travel
expenses have gone up."
"Earlier I could live with 6,000 Dirhams. This has
become impossible in Sharjah. Rent for a two bed‑
room house is 25,000 Dirhams to 35,000 Dirhams in
many areas. I live in National Paints area in Sharjah.
Rents have touched 45,000 Dirhams in Ajman too,"
he said.
(Source: The Times of India)
Pakʼs 100+ N‑warheads aimed at...Continued from page
arsenal. CRS is the independent research wing of the
U.S. Congress, which prepares periodic reports byeminent experts on a wide range of issues so as to
help lawmakers take informed decisions. Reports of
CRS are not considered as an official view of the U.S.
Congress. Pakistani and U.S. officials argue that
since the 2004 revelations about a procurement net‑
work run by former Pakistani nuclear official A.Q.
Khan, Islamabad has taken a number of steps to
improve its nuclear security and to prevent further
proliferation of nuclear‑related technologies and
materials. Source: PTI
At the 31st Annual Martin Luther King Awards Luncheon at theMarriott, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and County
Comptroller George Maragos presented citations to the HighSchool Essay Winners who are recipients of this yearʼs scholarships.
(Photo: Michael Tamborrino)
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5January 23-29, 2016TheSouthAsianTimes.info TR I S TATE COMMUNI TY
New York Girls Who Code, a non‑
profit will be giving away $1 mil‑lion in scholarships to high school
girls who want to take part in its
summer programs.
While the coding and tech class‑
es are free, CEO Reshma Saujani
said the additional funds are an
attempt to help bridge the opportu‑
nity gap.
"We found a lot of girls needed to
have [some compensation] to
replace their summer job or pay
for transportation," said Saujani.
This is the first time the organi‑
zation will dole out sponsorship to
those in need. Saujani, 40, said
finances have prevented some girls
from taking part in summer pro‑grams in the past.
"I, personally, was one of those
girls," said Saujani, who started the
organization in 2012. "Even if I
were passionate about coding, I
wouldn't have been able to partici‑
pate." The summer intensive pro‑
grams, which are offered in 11
cities, run for seven weeks and are
open to high school juniors and
seniors. Girls Who Code is using
$800,000 of its operational costs,plus donations from General
Electric (GE) and individual spon‑
sors, to foot the bill. Scholarship
amounts will likely range between
$400 to $1,400, depending on
how many girls apply. Girls Who
Code's summer courses cover a
variety of tech specializations,
including web development,
design, robotics and mobile devel‑
opment. Roughly 1,560 girls are
expected to participate this year,up from 1,200 last year. There are
about 20 girls in each class.
Accenture (ACN), Adobe (ADBE)
and Facebook (FB, Tech30) are just
a few of the companies sponsoring
this year's summer intensive pro‑
grams, offering things like office
space and mentors.
New York Former Goldman Sachs
Group Inc. director Rajat Gupta is a
free man after serving 19 monthsin federal prison for leaking tips to
hedge fund bill ionaire Raj
Rajaratnam.
Jailed in June 2014 in Devens,
Massachusetts, Gupta was freed
after receiving credit for good
behavior against his 30‑month sen‑
tence, according to Patrick
McFarland, a manager for the
Federal Bureau of Prisons program
in the New York area which is over‑
seeing Gupta. McFarland declined
to provide more details.
According to a person familiar
with the matter, who asked not to
be named because the information
isnʼt public, Gupta was released Jan. 5 and has been living at his
Manhattan home. Heʼs allowed to
go to an office during weekdays,
the person said.
A former McKinsey & Co. manag‑
ing partner, Gupta is the highest‑
profile executive convicted in a U.S.
crackdown on insider trading at
hedge funds. Since August 2009,
federal prosecutors in New York
won 80 convictions.
Gupta was found guilty in 2012
of passing il legal tips to
Rajaratnam, a co‑founder of the
Galleon Group LLC hedge fund. He
told Rajaratnam about Berkshire
Hathaway Inc.ʼs $5 billion invest‑
ment in Goldman Sachs and the
bankʼs financial results for two
quarters in 2008.Gupta is still challenging his con‑
viction, despite having had his
appeal rejected by a New York
court in July. He asked the appeals
court to reconsider, but may have
to wait until the Supreme Court
rules on the issue, probably by the
end of June.
By Dr. Sulekh C. Jain &Mrs. Payal Kapadia Patani
New York As the world celebrated
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day for
his commitment, compassion and
passion to non‑violence, Jain
Society of Houston took pride and
honor to witness a historic signing
ceremony on January 17 for the
establishment of a full‑time
Bhagwaan Mahavir Post‑Doctoral
Fellowship for Jain Studies at Rice
University. The signing ceremony
was held in the main hall of Jain
Society of Houston. Prominent
individuals of Rice University,
Houston Jain Community, officials
of Jain Vishwa Bharati Meditation
Center, Harish Jajoo (City of Sugar
Council member), Mahatma Gandhi
Library and many others were in
attendance.
The event itinerary included wel‑
come, Namokar mantra prayer
invocation on music, lamp lighting
and document signing by Rice
University and Jain community
officials.
Rice University is an elite, presti‑
gious and 104 year old University
with a very beautiful campus near
the heart of the City of Houston
and next door to the world famous
Texas Medical Center.
Rice University is recognized as a
community of curious thinkers,
passionate dreamers, and energetic
doers who believe that improving
the world demands more than bold
thought and brave actions. It takes
an unconventional wisdom.
There are no course offering in
Jainism at present at any university
in Houston but that is going to
change soon with the hiring of a
full time Jain scholar with a PhD
and proven track record of leader‑
ship and publications.
This historic collaboration which
is cost shared 50:50 % between the
Jain Soc iety and Rice Univers ity
will open its doors for the Jain
Studies course in Jainismʼs philoso‑
phy, history art, culture and its con‑
tribution to the world. The scholar
will create a platform for discus‑
sion, learning and awareness of
Jain ism and will of fer clas ses in
Jainism each semester. In addition,
the scholar will also do research,
organize seminars and publish
papers and books. Another unique
feature is that the scholar will also
actively interact with the Jain com‑
munity in Houston and will facili‑
tate the learning of traditions
about Ahimsa, Anekant and
Aprigraha; the three jewels of
Jainism.
Mrs. Urvashi Jain, President of
the Jain Society of Houston wel‑
comed all the guests and then Dr.
Sulekh Jain ( Past President of
JA IN A an d Ch ai rm an of
International School for Jain
Studies in USA), Professor Sonya
Ryang, ( Director of Chao Center
for Asian Studies at Rice
Universi ty) , Professor Jef frey
Kripal (Chair Professor in
Philosophy and Religious Thought
at Rice University ) in their
remarks touched upon the signifi‑
cance of the gift from the Jain com‑
munity and how the Post‑Doctoral
fellow will not only do research
and teach a course in Jainism each
semester but will also share the
richness and philosophy of
Jainism to many other disciplines,
departments and centers within
Rice University. Currently Jains in
USA have already established
Centers for Jain Studies at 10 uni‑
versities including two fully funded
Chairs at Florida International
University and at University of
California at Irvine.
In a message earlier in the day,
Dr. Philip Clayton, Dean at
Claremont School of Theology at
Claremont California summed up
the uniqueness of this collabora‑
tion. He said “the two values of the
Jain religion make us brothers and
sisters in this endeavor ̶ Rice
University, as it commits to study
and teach Jainism; and the Jain
community, as it supports the
study of this religion by American
students. The first is the value of
pluralism in todayʼs world, or what
we call anekantavada. For thou‑
sands of years, Jains have valued
and practiced the pluralistic per‑
spective. The belief that all of the
worldʼs religious traditions are
valuable, that each has its unique
contributions to make, has now
also become a central pillar of
Religious Studies at Rice and
across the United States.”
Rice University to Now Offer Regular Programs in Jain Studies
Prominent Jain community members withRice University officials at signing ceremony.
Reshma Saujani
RajatGupta
Rajat Gupta back homeafter serving prison time
Reshma Saujaniʼs ʻGirls Who Codeʼto give $1 million in scholarships
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6 January 23-29, 2016 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TR I S TATE COMMUNI TY
New York Indian American president and
chief executive officer of MasterCard Ajay
Banga has been named the chairman of
the board of directors for 2016 by the
Financial Services Roundtable.
FSR announced the new board, as well as
officers, in a Jan. 6 statement.
“Ajay Banga is a highly respected finan‑
cial services leader and weʼll benefit
tremendously from his vision and experi‑
ence as he serves as FSRʼs 2016 chair,”FSR president and CEO Tim Pawlenty said
in a statement. Joining Banga on the board
are chairman‑elect Brian T. Moynihan, the
chairman and CEO at Bank of America
Corporation; William H. Rogers Jr., chair‑
man and CEO of SunTrust Banks Inc., who
will be the chairman of FSRʼs cybersecurity
and technology policy division BITS; and
Kessel Stelling, chairman and CEO of
Synovus, who will serve as treasurer.
BMO Financialʼs Christopher Begy,
Peopleʼs United Bankʼs John Barnes,
Quicken Loansʼ William Emerson, Royal
Bank of Canadaʼs David McKay, Unumʼs
Richard McKenney, Putnam InvestmentsʼRobert Reynolds and Barclaycardʼs Amer
Sajed round out the board appointees for
2016.
Also a member of President Barack
Obamaʼs advisory committee for trade pol‑
icy and negotiations, Banga was previously
director of Kraft Foods and has served on
the board of trustees at the Asia Society,
New York Hall of Science and National
Urban League. He was also CEO at
Citigroup Asia Pacific.
A graduate of Delhi University and the
Indian Institute of Management in
Ahmedabad, Banga began his career at
Nestlé India in a variety of roles. He alsospent time at PepsiCo, helping launch fast
food franchises in India.
AJAY BANGA NAMED 2016 CHAIR OF FSR BOARD
New York A 26‑year‑old Indian‑American
entrepreneur from Nevada has been invit‑ed on Shark Tank, the popular American
television series, the American Bazaar
reported on Wednesday.Shaan Patel will be pitching for invest‑
ment for his startup '2400 Expert', a com‑
pany that prepares students for SAT(scholastic assessment test) and ACT
(American college testing) on the January29th episode of ABC's hit show which has
the ability to make multi‑millionaires in a
few years of those who manage to get adeal.
While SAT is more of an aptitude test,
testing reasoning and verbal abilities, ACTis and always has been a curriculum‑
based achievement test, measuring what a
student has learned in school.
Patel's start‑up '2400 Expert' offers six‑
week courses in 20 major US cities andonline. A Clark High School graduate,
Patel put in nearly 2,000 hours of workinto developing the curriculum and books
for his prep course.
His product pitch claims 100 strategiesdeveloped by a perfect‑scoring SAT stu‑
dent, double the course hours and half the
price of top instructors. "The secret to get‑ting on Shark Tank is to ignore Shark
Tank. Entrepreneurs who would like to geton Shark Tank should not focus on getting
Shark Tank. Instead, they should focus on
building their business," the AmericanBazaar quoted Patel as saying in an inter‑
view to CBS. Patel who has bootstrapped
the venture is not resting on the possibili‑
ty of whether he gets a deal or not on the
TV series. However, he is creating a buzzwithin the community with his call‑up on
the show, said the report."You should start with a great idea, but
more importantly great execution of that
idea. Once you have done that, Shark Tankwill be much more interested in what you
have to offer," Patel said. Patel is also try‑
ing to "recruit" viewers for his Shark Tankepisode. And he's throwing a viewing
party on January 29, 2016 at his alma‑mater Clark High School where he'll also
be giving away $30,000 worth of SAT
prep books and another $100,000 in prepcourses to the general public, revealed the
report.
New York Ohio state Rep. Niraj Antani and
Michigan Republican Party vice chair Adi
Sathi were among those honored in the
Newsmax “30 Most Influential Republicans
Under 30” list. Newsmax announced the list
of influential GOPs Jan. 13, selecting the
best of the best in fields such as politics,
grassroots organizing and media, among
many others. Antani came in at No. 2 on the
list. The 24‑year‑old is the youngest serving
member of the House, representing Ohioʼs
42nd district.
Previously, the Indian American represen‑tative was the communications director for
the Ohio State University College
Republicans during the 2012 presidential
election as well as the chair for the Young
Americans for Romney in Ohio. “I sincerely
appreciate Newsmax naming me to this
honor,” Antani said in a statement. “I am
fighting every day for young people across
Ohio to ensure every young person can get
an affordable education and a good paying
job.” A graduate of Ohio State Universi ty,
receiving a bachelorʼs in political science, as
well as a Juris doctorate degree at the
University of Dayton School of Law, Antani
announced in December he will run for re‑
election this year. Only 26‑year‑old New
Britain, Conn., Mayor Erin Stewart was
deemed more influential. The conservative
news media organization named Sathi the
18th “Most Influential Republican under
30.” Sathi was elected executive director of the Association of Big Ten Students and was
invited to the 2013 White House Youth
Summit.
Additionally, he serves as the coalitions
vice chair of the Michigan Republicans and
the deputy executive director of the
Republican Hindu Coalition. In response to
receiving the honor, Sathi tweeted,
“Honored to be named on
@Newsmax_Media's 30 Most Influential
Republicans 30 and Under 30 in the U.S.” A
graduate of the University of Michigan,
where he received his bachelorʼs in political
science and masters of social work in com‑
munity organization, Sathi also owns
Canton, Mich.‑based Apollo Educational
Services.
N e w Y o r k Last
month, Penn Masalaʼs
unique musical blend
of Indian and
American sounds
became a worldwide
hit ̶ its ninth album,
“Resonance,” reached
No.1 on iTunes World
charts on Dec. 11,
Daily Pennsylvanian
reported. This is not
the first time that the
15‑member, all‑male a cappella group has
produced a successful album. Their eighthstudio album, “Kaavish,” which was released
in 2013, also hit No. 1 on iTunes World
charts. However, Wharton junior and Penn
Masala Business Manager Pranay Sharma
said that “Resonance” stands out among the
rest.
“I think [“Resonance”] is the reflection of
how the group has matured as a whole,” he
told The Daily Pennsylvanian.
Engineering senior Prashant Ramesh, a
singer in Penn Masala, said “Resonance” is
the fruit of his ent ire college career.
“In this album, we turned to our roots a lit‑
tle more,” he noted. “At the same time, we
tried new styles and new arrangements that
makes it fresh and new.”
Ramesh went on to say that the group tried
to produce an album that appeals to an audi‑
ence ranging from children to adults.Penn Masala was formed in 1996 in a Penn
dorm room by four Indian‑American under‑
graduates who longed to make music that
represented their cultural background. The
group recruits newcomers each year ̶ stay‑
ing true to its foundersʼ musical roots while
also embracing the distinctive styles of their
new singers. As a result of the groupʼs contin‑
uous changes, members have created a tight‑
knit brotherhood around their music that reg‑
ularly improves their craft.
The group has performed in many cities
around the world including London and
Montreal and has also showcased its talent
before world leaders such President Barack
Obama and United Nations Secretary‑General
Ban Ki‑moon.
Shaan Patel's startup '2400 Expert'prepares students for SAT and ACT
MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga
Shaan Patel to pitch his startup on ʻShark Tankʼ
Penn Masala's album
ʻResonanceʼ tops worldwide charts
Niraj Antani, Adi Sathi
among ̒ Most InfluentialRepublicans Under 30ʼ
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7/32
New York A Sikh man along with his
three friends were kicked out from an
American Airlines flight allegedly becausetheir appearance made the captain
uneasy, claims a $9 million lawsuit
against the airline.
Shan Anand, a Sikh, along with three
other friends , were ordered off the
Toronto ‑New York flight from last month
based upon their perceived race, color
and ethnicity, according to a CNN report.
Anand's other friends ‑ a Bangladeshi
Muslim and an Arab Muslim ‑ were identi‑
fied only by their initials WH and MK.
Anand and his friend Faimul Alam
switched seats with strangers after board‑
ing, so they could sit next to WH and MK.
Several minutes later, a white woman
flight attendant asked WH to get off the
plane, according to the lawsuit, which wasfiled in Brooklyn Federal Court.
When they asked the flight crew why
they were being removed, the flight atten‑
dant told them to exit "peacefully" and"demanded" they return to the gate and
await further directions, the lawsuit said.
"It basically made me feel like a crimi‑
nal," WH said, adding: "It was like I was
put on a pedestal where everyone is
pointing at you. I was frightened that they
were frightened."
It was only after the plane took off that
an airline agent told the men "they could
not board because the crew members,
and specifically the captain, felt uneasy
and uncomfortable with their presence on
the flight and as such, refused to fly
unless they were removed from the
flight," the report said.
The flight took off, leaving the four men
behind. "They said it was protocol," Anandsaid.
Washington DC: An Indian‑ori‑
gin psychiatrist dubbed "Dr
Death" by police has been arrest‑
ed after 36 of his patients died
with at least 12 killed by over‑
dose on prescription medication.Narendra Nagareddy, a psychi‑
atrist in Clayton County,
Georgia, has been put behind
bars on suspicion of over‑ pre‑
scribing prescription medication
and running a 'pill mill.'
Nearly 40 federal and local
agents raided Dr Nagareddy's
offices and later moved on to his
home to seize more assets.
"He's a psychiatrist in
Jonesboro who has been over‑
prescribing opiates and benzodi‑
azepine and the last several
yea rs has had a mult itu de of
overdoses and overdose deaths,"
Clayton County Police Chief
Mike Register told WSB‑TV
Channel 2 News.
Agents with the Drug
Enforcement Administration
(DEA), the Clayton County
District Attorney's office, the
Clayton County Police
Department and the Georgia
Department of Community
Supervision converged on Dr
Nagareddy's office on Thursday
armed with a search warrant
and an arrest warrant for the
psychiatrist.
"He's charged with prescribing
pain medication which is outside
his profession as a psychiatrist
and not for a legitimate purpose
for the patient," said Clayton
County District Attorney Tracy
Graham Lawson. According to
legal documents, "36 of Dr
Nagareddy's patients have died
while being prescribed con‑
trolled substances from Dr
Nagareddy, 12 of which have
been confirmed by investigators
through autopsy reports to have
been the result of prescription
drug intoxication."
"Former and current patients
have admitted to obtaining con‑
trolled substance prescriptions
from Dr Nagareddy without hav‑
ing a legitimate medical need,"
the documents said.
"People come to this person
for help, and instead of getting
help, they're met with deadly
consequences," Clayton County
Police Chief Register was quoted
as saying. "If the allegations are
true, he is Dr Death, no doubt
about it."
The district attorney's office
said they also filed a RICO civil
action to seize Nagareddy's
assets.
7January 23-29, 2016TheSouthAsianTimes.info NAT I ONAL COMMUNI TY
Their appearance allegedly made the captain uneasy claims the $9 M lawsuit.
Psychiatrist Dr Nagareddyoverprescribed medications
'Dr Death' NarendraNagareddy arrested after
death of 36 patientsNew York Fourteen students
from the Indian diaspora havebeen selected to compete for $1
million in prizes at the presti‑
gious Intel Science Talent SearchCompetition this year by fielding
high‑level projects ranging fromcancer vaccines to complex
mathematical theories.
They are among the 40 US highschool students who made it to
the finals of the competition
sponsored by Intel Corporationand conducted by the Society for
Science & the Public. Announcing
finalists chosen from among 300semi‑finalists from across the
nation Wednesday, the president
of the society, Maya Ajmera, said,"Finalists of the Intel Science
Talent Search are the innovatorsof the future."
"Their research projects range
from highly theoretical basicresearch to innovative practical
applications aimed at solving the
most vexing problems," sheadded. Last year two Indian‑
Americans won second place
medals and two others, thirdplace medals in the competition.
The finalists will travel to
Washington in March for thecompetition that will award a
total of more that $1 million inprizes from the Intel Foundation.
The previous winners of the
Science Talent Search competi‑tion include 12 Nobel laureates,
two Fields Medals awardees and
18 MacArthur Foundation"Genius" Fellows.
Washington A US school district
has unanimously voted to addDiwali, Eid al‑Adha and Chinese
Lunar New Year's Eve in the
school holiday calendar, for the
first time in the school system's
history.
Indian‑American community
hailed the decision by Howard
County Public School System,
which manages 71 schools and
serves nearly 50,000 students, as
"historic." "I am extremely pleased
by the Board's ability to discuss
and unanimously agree to seek
ways to recognize the diverse
backgrounds of Howard County's
students and families," Board of
Education Chairwoman ChristineO'Connor said in a statement after
the eight member board unani‑
mously supported such a motion.
"We want to do our best to find
flexibility within the calendar to
provide opportunities for all stu‑dents to experience all cultures
within our community," O'Connor
said. The motion in this regard as
proposed by board member Janet
Siddiqui.
"By taking this vote, the Howard
County Board of Education has
shown a great way forward in
acknowledging diverse religious
holidays without violating the
spirit of church‑state separation,"
said Murali Balaji education direc‑
tor of Hindu American
Foundation. HAF and Chinmaya
Mission started a petition that col‑
lected over 250 signatures in
under three weeks, while theBoard received nearly 500 emails
from parents asking for inclusion
of Diwali. Indian Students at
Centennial High School (ISAC) also
collected and submitted signatures
for the effort, said Balaji, whoalong with several Chinmaya
Mission members, testified at the
Board's hearing last month. "This
vote is proof that it is indeed pos‑
sible to accommodate the reli‑
gious needs of multiple faith com‑
munities in diverse school dis‑
tricts," said Council on American‑
Islamic Relations (CAIR) Maryland
Outreach Manager Zainab
Chaudry, who has submitted testi‑
mony on the holiday inclusion
issue.
According to Baltimore Sun, as
of the 2014‑2015 school year, 42
per cent of Howard County stu‑
dents were white, 22 per centwere black, 19 per cent were
Asian, nine per cent were Hispanic
and six per cent were of two or
more races.
A Sikh, 3 Muslims sue American Airlinesfor kicking them off a flight
14 Indian students to competefor $1 M Intel Science prize
A Maryland school districtadds days off for Diwali, Eid
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8 January 23-29, 2016 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NAT I ONAL COMMUNI TY
New Delhi The US‑India Business Council(USIBC) and Indian IT industry body
Nasscom hosted a meeting with members of
the US Congress to discuss the opportunities
and challenges, including those around visa,
for Indian technology firms. The meeting,
saw participation from Nasscom member
companies and five US Congress members ‑‑
Ami Bera, Brendan Boyle, Derek Kilmer, Billy
Long and Juan Vargas.
The delegation, led by Congressman Bera,
will also meet senior government officials
and business leaders to gain a deeper under‑
standing of the opportunities for collabora‑
tion between the countries.
Bera, who is the only Indian American cur‑
rently serving in Congress, is also the co‑
chair of the House India Caucus in the USHouse of Representatives.
"This meeting was important because it
gave Indian tech companies an opportunity
to showcase the contributions they have
made to the US economy. We emphasized
that the Indian IT sector, which is a $148 bil‑lion industry, is the crown jewel of the
Indian economy and, as such, is extremely
important to the US‑India bilateral relation‑
ship," USIBC president Mukesh Aghi said in a
statement. Congressman Bera said the visit
provided great insight into the opportunities
the US and India have to strengthen and
grow their technology sectors.
Sources said the recent hike in visa fee was
also discussed.
The US, under the 9/11 Health and
Compensation Act, has imposed a special fee
of $4,000 on certain categories of H‑1B visas
and $4,500 on L1 visas. Almost all Indian IT
companies would pay between $8,000 and
$10,000 per H‑1B visa from April 1, when
the next annual H‑1B visa filing sessionstarts, thus making it quite economically
unsustainable for them. According to
Nasscom, this is expected to have an impact
of about $400 million annually on India's
technology sector.
H‑1B VISA FEE HIKE:Nasscom, USIBC meet US
Congress membersWashington DC: Aiming to leave an
impression on the US presidential election
race and play the role of a 'king‑maker' in
key states, Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders have launched a political action
committee (PAC).
AAPI or the Asian American and Pacific
Islanders communities including Indian
Americans will encourage Asian Americans
to register as electorates and then motivate
them to come out and vote in large num‑
bers. The founders said yesterday that the
panel would also endorse a candidate as the
election approaches.
"It's time for AAPIs to expect a seat at the
table," Shekar Narasimhan, chair of the AAPI
Victory Fund, said. The six states where the
AAPI Victory Fund would work, are Nevada,
Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and
Florida, Narasimhan said.
"These are the states which have made the
(margin of) difference in the last few presi‑
dential elections for either a Democrat or a
Republican," he said.
The population of Asian Americans is sig‑
nificant enough in each of these States to
make a difference "in a close race" he said.
Noting that in key battleground states, the
margin of victory is less than the potential
AAPI electorate, Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine,
said that political candidates can't afford to
ignore or underestimate this community
because Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders are that "narrow margin of victo‑
ry". "Now is our moment," Chris Lu, the
Deputy Secretary of Labor Lu said adding,
"For far too long, Asian Americans have sat
on the sidelines in politics. We know the
number of people that are naturalizing, the
numbers that are voting, is increasing ‑ but
we need to do more".
"Asian American immigrants have among
the highest rates of naturalization in the US
at 59 per cent compared to 47 per cent
among all immigrants," Lu said.
According to Dilawar Syed, co‑founder
and vice chairman of the AAPI Victory Fund,
the AAPI Victory Fund will do everything in
its power to ensure candidates supportive
of the AAPI community are rewarded.
"And those who indulge in politics of race,
division and bigotry face an Asian
Americans community mobilized across the
country," he said. (PTI)
Washington DC: The vibrant cultur‑
al experience of the Indian state of
Kerala captured the imagination of
corporat e leaders attending a
'Kerala Evening' in Silicon Valley,
which is home to the world's top
technology companies.
Kathakali and Kalaripayattu per‑formers enthralled a packed venue
of the event organized by Kerala
Tourism in partnership with
Confedera tion of Indian
Industry(CII) and US‑India Business
Council on Thursday in Palo Alto,
California.
"It is a significant day in the histo‑
ry of our state's tourism sector,"
said Kerala Tourism Minister A.P.
Anilkumar. "The United States is a
key market for Kerala Tourism. In‑bound tourism from America to
Kerala has grown about 40 percent
in the past two years," he said.
"Our f irst‑ever corporate meet in
the Silicon Valley is a crucial step to
further increase those numbers."
The executives of over 50 compa‑
nies in Silicon Valley attended the
corporate meet addressed by Kerala
Tourism Principal Secretary G.
Kamala Vardhana Rao.
Tourist arrivals from the US haveregistered a 39.24 percent growth
during 2012‑14. In 2014, the num‑
ber of American tourists who visited
Kerala was 76,616 compared to
55,741 in 2011, according to a
media release. Kerala Tourism event
was intended to introduce Kerala as
a tourist destination and also to
portray the state as an investor‑
friendly destination to the compa‑
nies in the Silicon Valley.
On behalf of Kera la StateIndustrial Development Corporation
(KSIDC), Rao also presented the var‑
ious investment opportunities avail‑
able in the state. Rao invited the
technology community in California
to come visit the state as well as
invest in Kerala's progress.
"Kerala is growing as a destina‑
tion for corporate leaders and exec‑
utives around the world because of
its beautiful as well as peaceful
locations to talk and do business.There is no better place than Kerala
for the Silicon Valley executives to
come and relax and even work," Rao
said.
Los Angeles Indo‑British director
Asif Kapadia's documentary
"Amy", based on the life of singer
Amy Winehouse, and Indian‑American Sanjay Patel's animated
short film "Sanjay's Super Team"
have bagged nominations at this
yea r's Aca demy Awa rds, whi ch
were announced on Thursday.
"Amy" has been nominated in
the Best Documentary Feature cat‑
egory where it will fight it out
with "Cartel Land", "The Look of
Silence", "What Happened, Miss
Simone?" and "Winter on Fire:
Ukraine's Fight for Freedom."
Kapadia, whose film has also
earned two Bafta nominations,
depicts Ms Winehouse's life large‑
ly from the standpoint of her
struggle with substance abuseproblems both before and after
her career began to her eventual
early death.
"Amy", which had its world pre‑
miere at Cannes Film Festival, has
earned many awards and has been
nominated in for various presti‑
gious awards including‑ Grammyand NME for Best Music Film.
"Sanjay's Super Team" has been
nominated in Animated Short Film
along side "Bear Story",
"Prologue", "We Can't Live without
Cosmos" and "World of
Tomorrow."
"Bridge of Spies", which hasearned seven nominations at the
Oscars including the best picture
has been co‑produced by Indian
businessman Anil Ambani and
Steven Spielberg.
Chicago: Federation of Indian asso‑
ciation (FIA), Chicago is celebrat‑
ing the 67th Republic Day of India,
followed by a Gala Banquet, with
traditional enthusiasm and fervor
on January 26th at ShalimarBanquet, Addison.
The event, with free entry, will
also be an occasion to remember
and support the victims of the
recent torrential rains and massive
flooding which devastated Chennai
and surrounding areas in the State
of Tamil Nadu.
While Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul
General of India in Chicago will be
the Chief Guest, Niranjan Shah, FIA
Trustee and Supporter of Indian
community, will be the Guest of
Honor, at the event.
Syed Hussaini and Venood Patel
will be the Chair and Co‑Chair,
respectively, of the Gala Banquet.The event has been sponsored
by Win Trust Bank, Globe Trotters,
Bombay Grill Lombard, Eyebrow
Designer 21, Hollywood Trendz,
and Shalimar Banquet.
Minhaj Akhtar, President,
Executive Committee, and Trustees
of FIA Chicago have invited Indian‑
Americans, along with their fami‑
lies and friends, to participate in
the Republic Day celebrations andGala Banquet.
“All Indian‑Americans are
requested to grace the function in
large numbers, without fail, con‑
sidering the fact that it is the
debut event of his team elected
about a month ago”, said Minhaj
Akhtar.
“The top priority of the newly‑
elected Executive Committee of
FIA, Chicago is to achieve the twin‑
objectives of not only empowering
the Indian‑American to realize
their American dream but also to
preserve their unique culture and
heritage,” added Minhaj Akhtar.
FIA Chicago is an umbrellaorganization, comprising a num‑
ber of associations as its members.
Established about 36 years ago, it
is one of the oldest organizations
in Chicago land area.
Asian AmericansLaunch Political Panel
KERALA TOURISM HOSTS CORPORATE MEET IN SILICON VALLEY
Indian origin directors' filmsbag Oscar nominations
FIA to host India's 67th RepublicDay celebrations in Chicago
Asif Kapadiaʼs ̒ Amyʼ is nominated in Best Documentary category(right) Sanjay Patelʼs ̒ Sanjayʼs Super Teamʼ is in run for Best Animated
Short Film award.
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9January 23-29, 2016TheSouthAsianTimes.info U S AFFA I RS
Washington A day after winning the
endorsement of Sarah Palin, Republican
presidential frontrunner Donald Trump
won the indirect backing of another estab‑
lishment figure as he held a 20‑point lead
in a key primary state.Texas Senator Ted Cruz would be even
worse for the Republican Party than the
real estate mogul Trump were he to win the
presidential nomination, former presiden‑
tial nominee Bob Dole told the New York
Times on Wednesday.
Warning of "cataclysmic" and "wholesale
losses" for the Republican Party if Cruz pre‑
vails, Dole, who unsuccessfully challenged
then Democratic President Bill Clinton in
1996, said Cruz had made enemies in
Washington.
"I don't know how he's going to deal with
Congress," Dole told the Times. "Nobody
likes him."
Trump, on the other hand, could "proba‑
bly work with Congress, because he's, you
know, he's got the right personality and
he's kind of a deal‑maker", Dole added.
Dole has endorsed former Florida
Governor Jeb Bush and previously said hemight "oversleep" on Election Day if Cruz
ends up the nominee.
Dole said only Trump seemed to be able
to take Cruz on, and he added that the real
estate mogul seems to have "toned down"
his rhetoric.
He added that Democratic front‑runner
Hillary Clinton was beatable ‑‑ but not for
Cruz.
"I think she'd be a pretty easy target in
the general, if we nominate the right per‑
son," Dole said. "If (Cruz) does it, I think
she'll win in a waltz."
The 92‑year‑old former lawmaker is only
the latest establishment Republican to
express concern about Cruz's growing
strength in the Republican primary polls,
after Iowa Governor Terry Branstad on
Tuesday said he hoped that Cruz was
defeated.
"We're seeing the Washington establish‑ment abandoning Marco Rubio and unify‑
ing behind Donald Trump," Cruz told
reporters this week in New Hampshire.
"And we're seeing conservatives coming
together and unifying behind our cam‑
paign. And if conservatives unite, we win."
Meanwhile, Trump, who won former
Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice
presidential nominee Palin's endorsement
on Tuesday, led by 34 percent to 14 per‑
cent over Cruz among voters in New
Hampshire's February 9 Republican pri‑
mary. Bush and Florida Senator Marco
Rubio are tied for the third spot with 10
percent each in the new CNN/WMUR Poll.
Washington The more than 72,000 Americans who
have celebrated 100 birthdays or more are now sur‑
viving longer, a new federal report shows.
Although death rates for centenarians were on therise between 2000 and 2008, that has since
changed, the study found.
According to researchers at the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, death rates for the
oldest Americans charted a steady decline between
2008 and 2014. This trend held for both genders
and across races and ethnicities, the data showed.
The leading causes of death for people living to be
100 have also shifted somewhat over the last
decade. According to the CDC analysis, heart dis‑
ease, stroke, flu/pneumonia, cancer and Alzheimer's
disease were the top five leading causes of death for
the oldest old in 2000.
However, by 2014, "heart disease was still the
leading cause of death, but Alzheimer's disease
became the second leading cause, followed by
stroke, cancer, and influenza and pneumonia," wrotestudy author Dr. Jiaquan Xu, of the CDC's National
Center for Health Statistics.
In fact, "the percentage of total deaths from
Alzheimer's disease [for centenarians] increased
124 percent between 2000 and 2014," he added.
In sheer numbers, the "100‑plus" club is a growing
demographic in the United States. Xu noted that
50,281 Americans were aged 100 or older in 2000,but by 2014 that number had jumped by almost 44
percent, to 72,197.
Women still comprise about four‑fifths of cente‑
narians, the CDC said.
"In the 19th century there were public health
efforts of clean water and sanitation and vaccina‑
tion science," explained Dr. Maria Torroella Carney,
chief of geriatric and palliative medicine at
Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Then, "in the new millennium, continued vaccina‑
tion development, health promotion activities,
injury prevention ‑‑ such as wearing seatbelts and
helmets ‑‑ have further contributed to increased
longevity and life expectancy," she said. More peo‑
ple are also avoiding or quitting smoking, and the
air Americans breathe has gotten cleaner, Carney
added.Increased access to health care and preventive
health services, "so people can prevent diseases
such as stroke, diabetes, cancers," has also boosted
lifespans, she said.
Lansing, MI: Michigan Gov. Rick
Snyder apologized to the residents of
Flint for a water crisis that has prompted
outrage, federal scrutiny and lawsuits,
vowing to seek long-term assistance for
the city’s residents. In his State of the
State address on Tuesday night, Snyder
said he was asking state lawmakers for
$28 million to help residents reeling after
Flint’s drinking water became contami-
nated with dangerously high levels of
lead. He also released his emails related
to Flint from 2014 and 2015.
“To you, the people of Flint, I want to
say tonight, as I have before, I am sorry,
and I will fix it,” Snyder, a Republicanelected in 2010 and reelected in 2014,
said during his speech, one of multiple
times he addressed Flint residents and
expressed contrition. In April 2014, Flint
stopped getting its water from Detroit and began using
water from the Flint River. Residents quickly began
complaining of water that smelled or was
discolored. Flint began getting water
from Detroit again in October, but by that
time some residents had been drinking
the water for 19 months.
Researchers found elevated levels of
lead in Flint’s water supply and reported
that blood tests found that lead contami-
nation had nearly doubled and tripled in
children younger than 5 who were
exposed to the highest lead levels.
In his speech Tuesday, Snyder said that
he was asking the state for $28 million to
pay for bottled water, filters, testing and
the treatment of children with high lead
levels.Lead exposure can affect nearly every
system in a person’s body, and even low
levels of lead in a child’s blood have been
found to affect IQ, attention spans and
performance in school, according to the CDC. The
effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected.
Americans 100+ are living even longer now
Michigan governor apologizes for water crisis in Flint
Women comprise four‑fifths of centenarians, a federal report says.
While the nation's legal
scholars differ overthe exact meaning of
the Constitution's requirementthat a person must be a "natur‑
al born citizen" to become pres‑
ident, they're unanimous in say‑ing Ted Cruzʼe eligibility is nei‑
ther settled nor straightfor‑
ward. It's not settled ̶ becausethe Const itut ion does not
define "natural born," a phrasethat appears in the nation's
founding document only once.
And though the federal courtshave chewed on it from time to
time, the U.S. Supreme Court
has never officially said what itmeans.
At the time the Constitutionwas written there were differ‑
ent ideas about what the phrase
meant and competing legal the‑ories about where the power to
confer citizenship came from.
The meaning of the term is so
unsettled that scores of consti‑tutional experts have been writ‑ing about it in the weeks since
Donald Trump made it an issue
in the 2016 campaign.
Ted Cruz was born in Canada
in 1970, where his Cubanfather was working at the time.
But Cruz's mother was anAmerican citizen, so under US
immigration law, that made
him an American citizen, too.But does the Constitution
require something more to be
natural born? If not, why wasthe term there in the first place,
instead of providing simply thata person had to be born a citi‑
zen?
The simple answer is, it 'simpossible to know for certain.
The emerging consensus of
the legal experts, however, isthat being "natural born"
means becoming a citizen at
the moment of birth , asopposed to achieving it later
through the process of natural‑ization.
"Natural in natural born does‑
n't mean biological. It means
naturally, that is automatically,happening without any further
intervention," saidConstitutional law Professor
Jack Balkin of Yale Law School.
'Natural Born' issue forTed Cruz is not settled
and not going away
Trump starts getting backing of GOP establishment
The Republican establishment is unifyingbehind Donald Trump, asserts Ted Cruz.
(Photo: Wikipedia Commons)
Trump has made Cruzʼs eligibility to become Presidenta campaign issue. Cruz was born in Canada to an
American mother and a Cuban father.
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8/20/2019 Vol-8-Issue-37 Jan-23- Jan-29- 2016
10/32
yderabad
Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind
Kejriwal demanded the
dismissal of the vice
chancellor of Hyderabad University
over the suicide of a
Dalit research scholar.
Addressing a gather‑
ing of students at the
campus, the Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP)
leader also asked
Human Resource
Development Minister
Smriti Irani to apolo‑
gize for "playing caste
politics" over Rohith
Vemula's suicide.
"The VC should be
removed immediately,"
Kejriwal said to
applause from the stu‑
dents who have been
holding protests ever since
Vemula took his life on Sunday
after being suspended from the
university.
"Our second demand is that
Smriti Irani tried to play dirty
caste politics (on Wednesday).
She must seek forgiveness from
the country."
Kejriwal said he was ready to
stage a sit‑in at Vice Chancellor
P. Appa Rao's office to seek his
ouster but was advised against it
by the student community.
Vemula's suicide has sparked
major protests in the university.
He was suspended and his
stipend blocked after he and his
friends were accused of assault‑
ing an ABVP student leader.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi
Parishad (ABVP) is the student
wing of the RSS and is allied to
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Quoting medical reports and
an affidavit filed by the universi‑
ty registrar, Kejriwal insisted
that the allegation of assault on
the ABVP leader was concocted.
He particularly blamed central
minister and BJP leader Bandaru
Dattatreya for calling Vemula
and his friends "anti‑national,
casteist and extremist" ‑‑ allega‑
tions which led the university to
act against Vemula.
Sriharikota Andhra Pradesh): India
has placed its fifth navigation satel‑
lite in the earth's lower orbit after a
textbook‑launch from the rocket
port here.With this launch, India moves
closer to joining a select group of
nations having their own satellite‑
based navigation systems to pro‑
vide accurate position information
services to users across the country
and the region, extending approxi‑
mately 1,500 km around India.
"We have begun the new year
with a successful launch and a pre‑
cise injection of the fifth navigation‑
al satellite in the intended orbit,"
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar
said from the mission control centre
20 minutes after the PSLV rocket
carrying the satellite blasted off at9:31 a.m.
The 44‑metre‑high polar satellite
launch vehicle (PSLV‑C31), weigh‑
ing 320 tonnes and carrying the
1,425‑kg Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS‑
1E), soared into a cloudy sky, leav‑
ing behind a column of dense
orange flame and a huge cloud of
fumes at the second launch pad of
the Satish Dhawan space centre on
the sea coast here, about 80 km
north‑east of Chennai.
"The spacecraft's solar panels
were deployed soon after its separa‑
tion from the rocket and injection
in the intended orbit. The satellite'shealth is normal," the Indian space
agency's satellite director M.
Annadurai said.
President Pranab Mukherjee and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi con‑gratulated the ISRO scientists on
the successful launch.
"Heartiest congratulations to the
ISRO team on the successful launch
of navigation satellite IRNSS‑1E,"
the president said in his message.
"Congratulating the dynamism
and determination of ISRO and our
scientists on the successful launch
of PSLV‑C31 and putting IRNSS‑1E
in orbit precisely," Modi tweeted.
The Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite System (IRNSS) comprises
a constellation of seven satellites of
which IRNSS‑1A, IRNSS‑1B, IRNSS‑
1C, IRNSS‑1D and IRNSS‑1E have
been put into orbit so far."We are preparing to launch the
sixth and seventh navigation satel‑
lites in the next two months to com‑
plete the constellation of seven
satellites and have our own system,"
a beaming Annadurai said.
At the mission control centre,
space scientists remained glued to
their computer screens to watch therocket escape the earth's gravita‑
tional pull.
After 19 minutes and 20 seconds
into the flight, the rocket placed the
satellite into sub‑geosynchronous
orbit at an altitude of 503 km above
the earth.
The space agency's mission con‑
trol facility at Hassan in Karnataka,
about 180 km from Bengaluru, took
control to manage the satellite's
orbit and fire onboard motors till it
is placed in its slotted orbit.
"We have a long way to go, as we
have two more satellites in this con‑
stellation, which we intend to
launch in the next couple of months," Kiran Kumar said.
The space agency's officials earli‑
er told IANS that IRNSS had been
proved a success by the signals
received from the four navigation
satellites already orbiting the earth.
"The system will provide two
types of services ‑‑ standard posi‑
tioning services to all users and
restricted services to strategic
users," Annadurai added.
The former is provided to all
users while the later is an encrypted
service for authorized users.
The IRNSS system also includes
two satellites that would remain on
ground as stand‑bys.Each satellite costs Rs.150 crore
while the PSLV‑XL rocket costs
Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets
involve an outlay of Rs.910 crore.
10 January 23-29, 2016 TheSouthAsianTimes.info I ND IA
Hyderabad/New Delhi: As protests
continued at University of
Hyderabad over a Dalit research
scholar's suicide, the central govern‑
ment said that this was not a "Dalit
versus non‑Dalit issue".Human Resource Development
Minister Smriti Irani said there was
a "malicious attempt to project it as
a caste battle". Another central min‑
ister, Bandaru Dattatreya, insisted
he did not influence the university
to suspend Rohith Vemula ‑ who
killed himself ‑ and four other stu‑
dents.
"There has been a malicious
attempt to project the issue as a
caste battle. The truth is that, it is
not," Irani told the media in New
Delhi, in her first reaction to the
raging row.
She said the case was being "mis‑
represented"."It's not a Dalit versus non‑Dalit
confrontation," she said, adding
there had been media debates sug‑
gesting that Vemula mentioned the
names of people and organizations
who forced him to commit suicide.
She flashed a letter, saying it wasthe only document police got while
investigating the case. She also read
out a few lines from the letter, sug‑
gesting what was being widely pro‑
jected was not the truth.
The other suspended students,
who continued their protest on thecampus, condemned Irani and
accused her of trying to twist the
facts. The Joint Action Committee
(JAC) for social justice, an umbrella
of student groups, continue its
protest at the university that
remained shut. The protesters have
vowed not to allow classes till Vice
Chancellor Appa Rao resigns and
justice is done to Rohith's family.A two‑member committee sent by
the human resource development
ministry continued its probe for a
second consecutive day.
Minister of State for Labour
Dattareya, who represents
Secunderabad in the Lok Sabha,
clarified that he did not put pres‑
sure on the university to suspend
any student.
He said he merely forwarded two
representations he got from the
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
(ABVP) to the human resource
development ministry.
Dattatreya extended his heartfelt
condolences to Rohith's family.Politicians meanwhile continued to
swarm the campus for the second
day. On Wednesday, CPI‑M general
secretary Sitaram Yechury sought
President Pranab Mukherjee's inter‑
vention. The president is Visitor of
the university.
Addressing the students, Yechury
demanded the sacking of central
ministers Irani and Dattatreya andalso the vice chancellor, saying all
three were part of a criminal con‑
spiracy.
He called the probe ordered by
the ministry an eyewash, saying a
judicial or CBI investigation should
be ordered.
When Republican Party of India
leader Ramdas Athawale came to
the campus, he had to face the ire of
students who asked him to first
withdraw support to the BJP‑led
NDA government. Police escorted
him out.
YSR Congress party chief Y.S.
Jagan moha n Reddy also met the
students and demanded actionagainst the guilty.
Trinamool Congress MPs Derek
O'Brien and Pratima Mondal also
met the students.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi at University of Hyderabadwhere Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar,
hanged himself to death. (Photo: IANS)
Hyderabad suicide: Protests on, Irani in trouble
India is preparing to launch onesatellite every month to meetgrowing needs from its space‑
based assets.Jan Adhikar Party workers burn effigies of
Union Ministers Smriti Irani and BandaruDattatreya in Patna.
(Photo: IANS)
India puts fifth navigationsatellite in earth's orbit
Sack vice chancellor,says Kejriwal
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11January 23-29, 2016TheSouthAsianTimes.info I ND IA
New Delhi After a terror
alert, security in the national
capital has been heightened
“to an unprecedented level”
ahead of Republic Day in
which French President
Francois Hollande will be the
chief guest , said off ic ial
sources.
Home Minister Rajnath
Singh reviewed the security
situation in Delhi with Delhi
Police commissioner B.S.
Bassi and other senior offi‑
cials from intelligence and
security agencies.
As per home ministry
sources, the security machin‑
ery is fully alert to foil any threat by terror
groups and possible presence of Islamic
State sympathisers is also being factored.
“There may make an attempt to under‑
mine the sense of security through small
actions such as knife attack on security per‑
sonnel or snatching of service weapons. But
the security agencies are alert and will foil
any such attempt,” a ministry source said.
The Pathankot terror attack has been
weighing heavy on the minds of India's
security machinery and all security aspects
are being looked into.
Hollande will watch the Republic Day cele‑
brations on January 26 at the Rajpath.
President Pranab Mukherjee will take salute
of the parade.
The French president will be visiting India
over two months after the terror attacks in
Paris in which 130 people were killed.
Mumbai Bollywood actor AamirKhan spoke out in support of
actress Sunny Leone, who was at
the receiving end of harsh ques‑
tions about her professional
choices in a TV interview.
During the promotional TV
interview with CNN IBN anchor
Bhupendra Chaubey, Sunny was
asked that while she would like to
work with Aamir Khan, but would
Aamir Khan like to work with her.
Sunny faced it sportingly, and it
is this spirit that has impressed
Aamir.
"I think Sunny conducted herself
with a lot of grace and dignity. I
wish I could have said the sameabout the interviewer," Aamir
tweeted. Sunny acknowledged
Aamir's support with a re‑tweet,
which read: "I think my heart just
dropped seeing this! Thank you so
much for the support. It means
the world and beyond to me."
Sunny, who made inroads into
Bollywood with "Jism 2", is await‑
ing the release of her new film
"Mastizaade". It is to promote this
sex comedy that she went in for
the interview with Chaubey.
The interview was tagged as
"disgusting and sexist" by a string
of celebrities, who expressed sup‑
port to Sunny.Some of the questions asked
were: There are lots of married
women who look at Sunny Leone
as a threat to their husbands, do
you not care about all this?
A member of parliament, in his
speeches, has held you responsi‑
ble for corrupting Indian morality.
How do you deal with that?
She was even asked: If Sunny
Leone is becoming brand ambas‑
sador of New India, is that a dan‑gerous trend to have?
The anchor didn't stop there. He
also asked Sunny if she is the rea‑
son behind the growing porn
watchers in India.
"Since you have come to Indian
cinema, the number of people
watching porn has increased pro‑
portionately to the extent that we
are now the world's largest con‑
sumer of porn. Can you respond
to that," he asked. However, Sunnyanswered the queries with wit and
poise, thereby garnering applause
from known names of the film fra‑
ternity.
New Delhi The National Investigation
Agency sleuths raided six places in
Punjab's Gurdaspur and Amritsar towns
as part of the ongoing probe into the
January 2 terror attack at the air force
base in Pathankot.
The places where the raids were car‑
ried out belong to suspected Punjab
Police officer Salwinder Singh and his
two companions who were allegedly kid‑
napped by terrorists hours before they
mounted the attack at the air base.
"Two days after the lie detector test of
Salwinder Singh, we carried out raids atsix locations, four in Gurdaspur and two
in Amritsar," an NIA official, requesting
anonymity, told IANS.
"The locations include the residential
places of Singh, his friend Rajesh Verma
and his cook Madangopal."
Singh's lie detector test was conducted
by the National Investigation Agency
(NIA) on Tuesday.
Singh, at present, is posted as assistant
commandant of 75th Punjab Armed
Police after being shunted out as the
superintendent of police (headquarters)
at Gurdaspur.
Six Pakistani terrorists ‑‑ believed to
be from the outlawed Jaish‑e‑
Mohammed terror outfit ‑‑ sneaked into
Punjab from across the border and took
the Punjab Police officer hostage before
taking away his vehicle.
They attacked Singh's friend and cook,but left the police of f icer himself
unharmed and untouched, rasing suspi‑
cions about his role in the whole
episode.
The six terrorists later attacked the
Indian Air Force base in Pathankot,
killing seven security personnel.
French President Francois Hollande is the chief guest.
Security geared up aheadof R Day, Hollande's visit
Aamir Khan in awe of SunnyLeone's 'grace, dignity'
hmedabad Legendary
danseuse and cultural
doyen Mrinalini
Sarabhai, who was also a
Padma Bhushan
awardee, died on
Thursday at a hospital
here following age‑relat‑
ed complications, her
son said. She was 97.
Fondly known as
'Amma', Mrinalini
Sarabhai was admitted to
a city‑based hospital on
Wednesday morning after she fell
ill. Her son and scientist Kartikeya
Sarabhai said: "She (Mrinalini) had
an infection which led to the deteri‑
oration of her health."
The dance exponent's daughter
Mallika Sarabhai took to Facebook
to announce her celebrated moth‑
er's death.
"My mother Mrinalini Sarabhai
has just left for her eternal dance,"
Mallika, who's a dancer too, wrote
in a heartfelt tribute to her mother.
Mrinalini Sarabhai's last rites will
be conducted at Pethapur village in
the district of Gandhinagar, which is
the state capital. Pethapur is the
hub of the block making industry of
Gujarat and Mrinalini often visited
there because of her keen interest
in handicrafts.
Born on May 11, 1918 in Kerala,she married Dr. Vikram Sarabhai,
the pioneer of India's space science
programme, in 1942. Daughter of
former member of parliament
Ammu Swamimanathan, she spent
her childhood in Switzerland and
received her first lessons at the
Dalcroze school, an institute of
Western technique of dance move‑
ments. She then went to
Santiniketan, set up by internation‑
ally known poet and writer
Rabindranath