India IntApr 1 16

GENERAL DENTISTCosmetic Dentistry

Emergencies & New Patients WelcomeEarly AM, Evening & Weekend Hours

Most Dental Insurance PlansMedicaid, Caresource Accepted

RootCanal, Dentures, Bleaching, Crowns, Bridges

Dr. Shyam Sharma, DDS 440-826-0423Middleburg Hts., 18660 Bagley Rd., Suite 304 (Bldg 2)

6855 W. 130th St., Parma Hts. OH 44130Phone 440-885-0215

All Indian Groceries ~ Fresh Vegetables(We accept Ohio Food Stamps)

Other Ohio Location: Columbus 614.798.9331

INDIA GROCERS

An Independent and the Largest Newspaper of the Asian-Indian Community in Ohio

12,000+ people read India International Every Month: To Advertise, Call 216.781.4055 or email [email protected]

CLEVELAND, OHIOAPRIL, 2013 PRICELESS–ONE COPY PER FAMILY

www.allindiagrocers.com

™

CommunityBulletinboard ......... 2Follow Your Dreams.. 5India Quiz ............... 5Community News ... 6-7Art & Culture ......... 8-9News from India ...10-11Health & Nutrition..... 12Humor, Riddles ...... 13Business ................ 14Immigration ........... 15

To receive the onlineIndia International free,please send your email

address [email protected]

India InternationalOnline

Voice of Asian-Indian Americans

INTERNATIONAL

India

INSIDE

WASHINGTON: Reflecting theconcerted effort on the part of theUS to tap the huge investment andbusiness climate that India offers,as many as eight Americangovernors and mayors are planningto visit the country this year.

“This year, at least eight Americangovernors and city mayors plan tovisit India with trade and investmentdelegations, which the StateDepartment is pleased to helparrange,” assistant secretary ofstate for south and central asia,Robert Blake, told students of theBerkeley Institute of InternationalStudies in California on March 21,reports PTI.

The California Governor, JerryBrown, too is planning a India visit,he said.

“During these visits, state officialsand private sector representativesexplore opportunities for jobcreation and investments byAmerican companies in India andIndian companies in America,” hesaid.

“Our state officials increasinglyunderstand that as the fastest-growing market for US exports,India provides significantopportunities to drive US job growthand bring economic opportunity tothe American workforce,” he added.

In February this year, a 30-member delegation from Californiatravelled to India to exploreagricultural cooperation withHaryana, Blake said.

The delegation, which includeddeans from four different California

universities, promoted the expertiseand technological know-how,including in drip irrigation, horti-culture, and cold storage facilities,of great benefit to the state’sagricultural economy, he said.

Blake said businesses andcitizens on both sides arerecognizing the benefits ofincreased partnership.

A 2012 report by the industry bodyCII (Confederation of IndianIndustries) noted that Indiancompanies in America had investedmore than $820 million in US-basedfacilities, had collectively conducted72 mergers and acquisitions in theUS since 2005, and had projectedresearch and developmentinvestments estimated to be over $190 million in 2012 alone.

Eight US Governors, Mayors Planto Visit India During 2013

HOLI

Indian companies operating in theUS are adding value to the localeconomies in which they operate,the most tangible effects of whichare felt at the state and county levels

“That’s why one of our toppriorities in building the partnershipwith India is to expand state-andlocal-level engagement,” he said.

Referring to the substantial jumpin Us-India trade, Blake said thebooming trade relationship alreadyis delivering substantial benefits tothe American people.

Over the past decade, our bilateraltrade has nearly quadrupled,reaching nearly $ 100 billion lastyear. India is also among the fastestgrowing investors in the US,highlighting the mutually beneficialnature of our economic relationship.

All Indian Grocery, Fresh VegEggless Bakery

Bengali Sweet House Mithai

Purchase $50 or moreand receive a

RIMI’S $5 GIFT CARD

440-777-011626531 Center Ridge Road

Westlake, Oh 44145

Indian Grocers ’n Bakers & Gifts

www.indianbakersngrocers.com

India and the Indian diaspora worlrdwide, including Cleveland, celebrated Holi festival in March. People smearcolor on or throw it at each other as an expression of joy at thearrival of spring.Picture shows a Holi scene fromfilm Raanjhanaa featuring Southern star Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor. The film release date is June 28.

Holi, the Indian festival ofcolors, seems to begradually gaining popularity

in the US, as a large number ofpeople including non-Indians arereported to be celebrating thefestival of colors across America.

There were reports of Holicelebrations from all over the US,including Ohio. In Cleveland, it wascelebrated at the India CommunityCenter in Cleveland Heights.

US lawmakers too greeted Indian-Americans on the occasion and Holihas gained quite a following amongyouth and non-Indians.

“The festival of Holi, known as thefestival of colors, is a time forcommunities to come together afterthe long winter months andcelebrate the coming of spring,”Congressman Joe Crowley said ina statement greeting people on theoccasion.

The eight-term representativefrom the 14th Congressional Districtof New York, Crowley is a memberof the powerful Ways and MeansCommittee and serves as ViceChair of the Democratic Caucus inthe House of Representatives.

“While Holi’s origins are in India,the festival has become a traditioncelebrated by many in the UnitedStates.”

“Today, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs andBuddhists will join family and friendsto observe Holi through dance,

Holi CelebratedAcross USA

(Continued on page 4)

US CongressmenMeet Modi

–Page 4

More Indian StudentsComing to US

–0

Indian AmericansProtest Wharton

Snub to Modi–Page 10

Cholerterol Busters–Page 12

Big Rush forH-1B Visas

–Page 14

APRIL, 2013INDIA INTERNATIONAL

National Federation of Indian AmericanAssociation (NFIA) w ww.nfia.net Headquarters: 319 Summit Hall Road,

Gaithersburg, MD 20877 USA Ph: 301-926-3013, Email:[email protected]: Rajen Anand (562) 537-1077

Global Organization of People of IndianOrigin (www.gopio.net) P.O. Box 1413, Stamford,

CT 06904, USA; Phone: (818) 708-3885 Email:[email protected]

President (USA): Inder Singh, Tel: 818-708-3885;

American Association of Physicians ofIndian Origin (AAPI) www.aapiusa.org

Executive Office: 600 Enterprise Drive, Suite 108Oak Brook, IL 60523 Phone: 630-990-2277

President: Dr. Vinod Shah

CONSULATES:There are four consulates: New York, Chicago, San

Francisco, Houston.Ohio residents are served by the New York Consulate

for visa & other services.

Consulate Generalof India, New York

3 East, 64th Street, New York, NY10065Tel: 212-774-0600; Fax 212-861-3788

E-mail: [email protected]

ChicagoTel: 312-595-0405 E-mail:[email protected]

www.chicago.indianconsulate.com

San FranciscoTel: 415-668-0662 E-mail:

[email protected]

HoustonTel: 713-626-2148/49 E-mail:

[email protected]

Atlanta5549 Glenridge Drive NE

AtlantaGA 30342

Tel: 404-963-5902Email: [email protected]

Asha for Education–ClevelandFehmida Kapadia 216-513-6977

Association of Asian-IndianWomen in Ohio (AAIWO)(440) 218-6959 www.aaiwo.orgMargaret Gonsalves 440-479-6214

American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI)Zahid Siddiqui (440) 238-3796

Association of Indian Physiciansof Northern Ohio (AIPNO)Dr Appachi (216) 312-3869

American Society of Engineersof Indian Origin (ASEI)Shantaram S. Pai (440) 734-1830

Bengali Cultural SocietySadhan C. Jana (330) 665-9921

Ekal Vidyalaya FoundationSreedhar Nair (440) 759-1500

FICA Asim Datta (216) 394-8720

Gujarati Samaj of Grt. ClevelandChirag Dave 440-525-4670

Guru Gobind Singh Sikh SocietySurinder Singh Chauhan (440)243-8439

Guru Nanak FoundationDharminder S. Kala (330) 528-0262

Indian Classical Music SocietyAnupa Deogaonkar 444-237-2791

India-Ohio Chamber of CommerceRadhika Reddy (216) 344-9441

Indian Christian Association,contact : Michael Sreshta216-403-3012

Jain Society of Greater ClevelandShanti Jain (440) 498-8234

Kasturi Kannada SocietyNaveen Uli (440) 542-1450

Kerala Association of OhioAnil Kumar (440) 572-9571

NE Ohio Marathi MandalHira Rane (440) 567-8793

Marwari AssociationSushila Mohanka (330) 598-0642

Orissa Society of AmericaBrirendra Jena (330) 494-2618

Punjabi Cultural SocietyBarjinder Dhanoa (216) 650-2311

NE Ohio Telugu Assn (NEOTA)Sravanthi Vallampati (216) [email protected]

North-East Ohio Tamil Sangam

(NEOTS)Meyy Meyyazhagan 440-899-6394South Asian Bar Association ofCleveland Neelam Gill 440-201-3460 [email protected]

Northeast Ohio Sri Lankan Asso-ciation (NEOSLA) (330) 637 2449

Please send updates to:[email protected]

CommunityAssociations

Asian-IndianStores

Asian Food & SpicesSolon Ph: 440-248-0801

Asian Imports North Olmsted Ph: 440-777-8101

India Food & SpicesParma Ph: 440-845-0000

India GrocersParma Heights Ph: 440-885-0215

Indo-American FoodsNorth Randall Ph: 216-662-0072

Indo-American ConvenientMayfield Heights Ph: 440-446-8200

Laxmi Groceries & SpicesParma Heights Ph: 440-842-2402

Lakshmi PlazaMayfield Heights Ph: 440-460-4601

Indian Embassy & Consulates in US

A church where Asian-IndianChristians meet is: St. GregoriosMalankara Orthodox ChurchContact: Dr. T. Mathew 216-591-9632www.stgregorioscleveland.org

Asian-IndianRestaurants

Bamboo GardenNorth Olsmted 440-734-0500

Bombay GrillAkron 330-664-0689

Cafe TandoorCleveland Heights 216-371-8500

Aurora 330-562-5334Westlake 440-835-7999

Chennai DelicacyParma Hts 440-481-3737

Cuisine of IndiaParma Heights 440-842-5907

Indian Delight5507Detroit Rd,Cleveland 216-651-4007

India Cafe & KitchenParma 440-842-7724Jaipur Junction

North Royalton 440-842-3555Flavors of India

North Olmsted 440-779-5774Indian Flame

University Circle 216-791-5555Indies

Colonial Mkt,Downtown 216-357-3266

Priya Indian Cuisine

Parma, 440-345-5599

Saffron PatchShaker Heights 216-295-0400

Akron 330-836-7777

TadkaNorth Omlsted 440-734-1500

Taj PalaceRichmond Heights 440-461-3737

Taste of KeralaMayfield Heights 440-461-9212

Udupi CafeParma Heights 440-743-7154

Shiva-Vishnu Temple7733 Ridge Rd, Parma, OH 44129

Phone: (440) 888-9433Sree Venkateswara (Balaji)Temple 4406 Brecksville Road,

Richfield, OH 44286Phone: (330)-668-1255

BAPS Swaminarayan Temple2915 Laurel Rd, Brunswick, OH 44212

Phone: (330) 220-4020ISSO Swaminarayan Temple13354 Pearl Rd, Strongsville,

OH 44136Phone: (440) 238-2222

Jain Temple (Jain Center)3226 Boston Mills Rd, Richfield,

OH 44286Phone: 330-659-0832

Gurudwara - Richfield(Guru Nanak Foundation)

4220 Broadview Road, Richfield,OH 44286. Phone: 330-659-3748

Gurudwara - Bedford38 Tarbell Ave. Bedford, OH 44146

Ph:440-232-1702Indo-Pak Mosque

25900 Chardon Rd, Richmond Hts,OH 44143. Phone: 440-544-MACE

Places ofWorship

Patel BrothersParma Heights Ph: 440-885-4440

Rimi’s – Indian Bakers n Grocers

& GiftsWest Lake Ph: 440-777-0116

Spice CornerAkron Ph: 330-535-1033

Best Stop MarketTwinsburg 330-487-0303

Ram Jewelers440-843-4463

Sunny Auto Repair216-362-6050

NE Ohio Community Bulletin Board

TravisaOutsourcing, Inc.

(All queries relating to Indianvisa should be directed tothem)

316 E. 53rd St., 2ndFloor

New York, NY 10022Phone: (212) 754-

9900Fax: (212) 754-9905

Email:[email protected]

Website:www.indian-visa.com

National/Global Organizations

� Every month, more than 10,000 people read India International – printed and its online version (sent through email)� It is your best connection to the 25,000-strong, educated, affluent Asian-Indian community in and around GreaterCleveland � It is available at all branches of Cuyahoga County Public Library, all Indian stores & restaurants, andtemples in NE Ohio

DID YOU KNOW ? � India International is the largest Asian-Indian newspaper in Ohio

For advertising in India International, call 216-781-4055 or email [email protected]

EMBASSY OF INDIA2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008

Tel: 202-939-7000 www.indianembassy.org

How to ObtainVisa for India

Popular musical trio ofShankar, Ehsaan and LoyAt Palace Theater, downtown Clevelandon Saturday, June 8th, 2013, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $50, $75, $100, $150For Tickets and Further Information Please Contact:Guniya Bafna216-832-4646, Rupa Mehta440-554-0345, Sarla Venna440-554-9290, Ritu Mahna330-906-3666, Swati Desai440-506-0409,

Support a child’s education in India: visit www.ashanet.org

Lecture by Yogi Amrit Desaion healing and transformation

Friday, April 12, 2013, 7-9 p.m.at Bhumi’s Yoga New Studio

For more information, please call 440-236-6366

EVENTS AHEAD...

Interested in starting a Haryana Association ofNortheast Ohio. Please contact Ashok K. Singhat [email protected] or at 330-821-4952.

Presidents &Phone Numbers

Indian Classical Music Society (ICMS) Cleveland presentsAn Evening With: Anand Bhate (Vocal) with Bharat Kamat

(Tabla) and Suyog Kundalkar (Harmonium)Friday, April 19, 2013, 7:00 PM

Venue: Bamboo Garden5106 Great Northern Blvd. (in the Great Northern Mall near

Best Buy)North Olmsted, OH 44070

HARYANA ASSOCIATION

InaugurationSree Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple

4406 Brecksville Road, Richfield, OH 44286Phone: 330-668-1255

Prana Pratisthapanam andKumbha Samprokshanam

May 22- 28, 2013

INDIA INTERNATIONALAPRIL, 2013

New York / Chicago – Mumbai/DelhiFrom any city in US – Lowest fares – Confirmed seatsReserve Seats Today–Free Ticket delivery anywhere in the US

Call Ranjit Dhillon: 330-467-6711; Cell: 216-401-1322

ASIAN TOURS & TRAVEL

For your convenience, we can answer your calls in English, Hindi & Punjabi

Pure Vegetarian Dinner Buffet Every Tuesday

6339 Olde York Road,Parma Heights, Ohio 44130 Phone: 440.743.7154Lunch Bufffet every day

Full Menu also available – Open every day 11 am - 9 pm

440-248-5625 www.bdsfsc.com [email protected] and Advisory Services offered through Commonwealth Financial

Network®; Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser

30405 Solon Road, #16, Solon, Ohio 44139

Five Star award recipients were nominated by either their broker/dealer or peers, or they wereprequalified. They satisfied objective eligibility and evaluation criteria associated with providingquality services to clients. The criteria include being an active credentialed financial professionalfor a minimum of five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history, fulfillment of firm’s internalreview, accepting new clients, client retention rates, client assets administered, number of clienthouseholds, education, and professional designations. No fee is paid to be included in the researchor on the final list. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Nomore than 7 percent of the wealth managers in a market receive the Five Star award.

financial networkBDS

Ashok Shendure, MS, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, CEBS, RLP

Raj Shendure, MBA, CFP®, AIF®

Smita Samant, CFP®, AIF®

UDUPI CAFE

INDIAINTERNATIONAL

Volume 13, Number 4APRIL, 2013

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

India International is publishedmonthly from Cleveland, Ohio, USA.It is distributed free in GreaterCleveland and surrounding areas.Yearly subscription is $15 for homedelivery. Copyright 2013 India In-ternational Inc. Reproduction of anyarticle, report or photograph withoutEditor’s written permission is prohib-ited.

PAGE 4 APRIL, 2013INDIA INTERNATIONAL

Published by

India International Inc.Business & Editorial offices:

1801 East 12th StreetSuite 1721

Cleveland, Ohio 44114Phone: 216-781-4055

E-Mail: [email protected]

India International is a secularand independent newspaper — anewspaper that doesn’t belong toany religious, political, social, cul-tural group or society, a newspa-per that’s truly independent.

It aims to create a better under-standing between Asian-IndianAmericans, other ethnic groups,and the mainstream American so-ciety. We believe that mutual un-derstanding fosters friendship,harmony and peace.

America is a beautiful mosaic ofmany cultures and faiths. Asian-Indian Americans are all proudAmericans and believe in Ameri-can values — freedom, equality,tolerance, and respect for eachother. Amid all its diversity inAmerica, there is a unique unitythat we aim to uphold and pre-serve.

India International supportsbasic human values and upholdsthe dignity of all human beings –values that are above religion andpolitics. We believes in universalbrotherhood !

India International seeks to pro-mote close friendly relations be-tween the United States and India,the two largest democracies.

India International also seeks tohelp preserve and promote theprecious Asian-Indian culture,heritage and values. And it seeksto uphold the pride and prestigeof Asian-Indian Americans, as wellas others’. – Publisher

WhyIndia International ?

Prakash N. Sinha

AHMEDABAD: A high-profileAmerican delegation comprisingparliamentarians and businessmenon March 28 met Gujarat chiefminister Narendra Modi here andinvited him to visit the United States.Mr. Modi has been denied US visaafter the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

An 18-member delegation, led byRepublican Congressmen fromIllinois Aaron Schock, met Mr. Modiat his official residence here onMarch 28, following their visit toSabarmati Gandhi Ashram inAhmedabad and held over an hour-long closed-door meeting with himand high ranking state officials.

Business sector representativesin the delegation were been led byIll inois-based Punjabi NRIbusinessman and OverseasFriends of BJP member ShalabhKumar. Other US Parliamentariansin the delegation included CynthiaLummis (Republican Congress-woman from Wyoming) and CathyM. Rodgers (Republican Congress-woman from Washington state).

Members of the delegationpraised the Gujarat chief ministerand his efforts to transform thestate’s economy.

“We have extended an invitationto the chief minister Modi andrequested him to show us therewhat he has achieved here in hisstate,” US Congressman fromIllinois Aaron Schock told reporters.

Asked if this invitation meant thatthe US State Department hadchanged its stand over the issue ofvisa to Modi, Schock said “obviouslyit is a matter of the United Statesadministration but we, along withother Republican lawmakers, willwork in that direction with the USadministration.”

“We have invited him to the US toshow us some of what he has done

here in the state. We wereimpressed with what we have seenhere, especially with his statementof ‘minimum government,maximum governance.’ And as aCongressman of the RepublicanParty, I also believe in limitedgovernment,” he said.

While welcoming the USdelegation, Modi spoke about thefast and inclusive, environment-friendly process of development in

US Leaders Meet Modi, Invite Him to US

Aaron Schock, Republican Congressman from Illinois, Cynthia Lummis, Republican Congresswoman fromWyoming, and Cathy M. Rodgers, Republican Congresswoman from Washington state, with Gujarat Chief MinisterNarendra Modi at his official residence in Ahmedabad on March 28, 2013.

Gujarat, an official statement issuedhere said.

“With hard work, we have beenable to create an impact in thecountry,” Modi said.

During the interaction, Schock

The delegation was visiting Indiato promote ‘People to PeopleContacts and Diplomacy’ along withthe Overseas Friends of BJP’s(OFBJP) ‘Global CommunityOverreach Program’.

The trip by the US delegates,organized in conjunction with theUS-based National Indian AmericanPublic Policy Institute and India-based Delhi Study Group, alsofeatured their meetings withgovernment officials, Members ofIndia’s Parliament and businessleaders.

The delegates, who were in Indiatill April 7, also visited Bangaloreand New Delhi.

pointed out that the people in USwere keen to work with Gujarat andthat they were impressed by the waythe state has facilitated investment.Schock stated that there wasenormous potential to work togetherwith Gujarat.

It may be recalled that followingModi’s third consecutive victory inthe 2012 Assembly Elections,Schock had made a statementcongratulating Modi on the floor ofthe US House of Representatives.

Modi has been denied visa by theUS following the 2002 riots.However, whether the visa issuewas discussed during their meeting,was not known.

MUMBAI: Dr. L Rafael Reif,President, Massachusetts Instituteof Technology (MIT) addressed thesession titled “MIT: An Instrumentfor Inventing the Future” in Mumbaion March 29.

While speaking at the sessionorganized by Confederation ofIndian Industry (CII), which was wellattended by captains of the IndianIndustry, MIT alumni and academiafrom across the State, Dr Reifmentioned that through the work ofindividual faculty and the life workof countless MIT graduates, theMassachusetts Institute ofTechnology has had a longsignificant global impact.

He emphasized that theincreasing breadth and intensity ofMIT’s global engagements,including ambitious researchprograms focused on global issueslike poverty, water, health and onlinelearning and Institute-levelcollaborations with nationsdeveloping their own innovationhubs. He opined that innovation andtechnology in education would bethe key driver for developingacademic institutes in the 21stcentury.

MIT has been globally consideredan apex institution for teaching andresearch and it is committed togenerating, disseminating andpreserving knowledge, working withacademia and the industry to bringthis knowledge to bear on theworld’s great challenges.

In July 2012, Dr. L Rafael Reif tookcharge as the 17th President of MIT.He has helped create andimplement the strategy that allowedMIT to weather the global financialcrisis. He was instrumental inlaunching a research center onnovel semiconductor devices at MIT,as well as multi-university researchcenters on advance andenvironmentally benignsemiconductor manufacturing. Healso played a key role in creating,within the Semiconductor ResearchCorporation, the national effort now,known as the Focus CenterResearch Program and in launchingits Interconnect Focus Center.

An early champion of MIT’sengagement in micro-andnanotechnologies, Dr. Reif is theinventor / co-inventor of 15 patentsand has edited / co-edited fivebooks. He focused his most recent

research on three-dimensionalintegrated circuit technologies andon environmentally benignmicroelectronics fabrication. In2004, he was named the FariborzMaseeh Professor of EmergingTechnology.

Adi Godrej, President, CII, who isalso an alumnus of the MIT, duringhis address at the sessionhighlighted the need for strongentrepreneurial culture which hasfostered large number of startups inIndia. He also mentioned that MIT,which is one of the foremostresearch universities, is worldrenowned not only for science andresearch but also for economics,business and humanities and 78noble laureates have beenassociated with MIT.

Highlighting some of MIT-Indiapartnerships, Dr. Reif opened thedoors to new collaborations bymentioning about MIT’s uniquecapacity to advance complex,interdisciplinary, problem-focusedresearch, in areas where itsstrengths can lead to some pertinentglobal issues such as water andfood, health and health care andmanufacturing.

MIT Seeks Collaboration With India toSolve Complex Problems

music, meals, the lighting ofbonfires celebrating goodness overevil and the tossing of vibrantcolored powders into the air, in agrand celebration of peace,friendship, and harmony,” Crowleysaid. Over the weekend, one of thelargest such celebrations was heldin Houston, Texas that attractedseveral thousand people includingnon-Hindu Americans. Running into its fifth annual Holifestival, this year’s theme was“Green Holi”, which stressed on theuse of new herbal and non-toxiccolors. “I have never seen such a largenumber of non-Indian participatingin an Indian festival,” said VijayPallod, another Houston resident. The Bihar and JharkhandAssociation of North America hasscheduled the celebrations in NewJersey on April 4 while Indian-Americans in the GreaterWashington Area celebrated on theMarch 30 weekend. The Barsana Dham in AustinTexas, which celebrates Holi in thetraditional “Braj way,” will do it onMarch 30.

(Continued from page 1)

Holi Celebrated

APRIL, 2013 INDIA INTERNATIONAL

•••••Family and Marriage-Based Immigration •••••Employment-Based Immigration•••••Citizenship & Naturalization •••••Change of Status and Visa Extensions•••••Deportation & Immigration Court Representation •••••Asylum & Refugee

•••••Non-Immigrant Visas - Tourist, Student, H-1Bs, E, O•••••Waivers Including J-1and I-601 Hardship Waivers

•••••Detention and Bond Cases, and Motions to Reopen•••••Extraordinary Ability Petitions and National Interest Waivers

[Washington DC Office: By Appointment Only: 1875 I St. NW Ste. 500 Washington DC 20006]

J.P. Sarmiento, Attorney-at-Law

5005 Rockside Road, Suite 600, Cleveland, Ohio 44131Ph:1.800.496.8043, 1-216-573-3712 Fax:1-888-513-6917

www.sarmientoimmigration.com

Sarmiento Immigration Law Firm

INDIA QUIZ

(Answers on page 14)

Compiled by Aditi Sinha

Follow Your Dreams ...Follow Your Dreams ...Follow Your Dreams ...Follow Your Dreams ...Follow Your Dreams ...

The starting point of all achievement is desire.Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires

bring weak results, just as a small fire makes asmall amount of heat.–Napoleon Hill (Think and

Grow Rich)

Never give up on

what you really wantto do. The person withbig dreams is morepowerful than the onewith all the facts. – Unknown

Learn to appreciate

what you have, beforetime makes youappreciate what youhad. – Unknown

I fear not the man

who has practiced10,000 kicks once,but I fear the manwho has practiced onekick 10,000 times. – Bruce Lee

Inaction breeds

doubt and fear. Actionbreeds confidenceand courage. If youwant to conquer fear,do not sit home andthink about it. Go outand get busy. –Dale Carnegie

Most people would

rather be certainthey’re miserable,than risk being happy. –Robert Anthony

Don’t let life

discourage you;everyone who gotwhere he is had tobegin where he was. –Richard L. Evans

1. In which Indian citywould you find theIndira GandhiInternational Airport?

A. MumbaiB. New DelhiC. KolkataD. Ahmedabad

2. Which city is knownas Silicon Valley ofIndia’?

A. Mumbai,B. PuneC. HyderabadD. Bangalore

3. Which state, ofthose listed, is knownas ‘God’s own country’?

A. Kerala,B. RajasthanC. OrissaD. Maharashtra

4. Which Indian city iswell known across theworld for its filmindustry?

A. AhmedabadB. MumbaiC. New DelhiD. Kolkata

5. Which place in Indiais known for its distinctFrench culture?

A. KeralaB. Goa,C. PondicherryD. Kashmir

6. Which Indian state isknown for its wonderfulbeaches?

A. GujaratB. GoaC. PunjabD. West Bengal

7. Where would you findthe only sanctuary ofAsiatic lions in the world?

A. LakshadweepB. KarnatakaC. MiziramD. Gujarat

8. Where would you findthe world famous TajMahal?

A. HubliB. JaipurC. AgraD. New Delhi

9. In which state is thefamous Pushkar fair heldevery year?

A. KarnatakaB. RajasthanC. GujaratD. Bihar

10. The Andaman andNicobar islands form apart of India?

A. TrueB. False

11. On which riverbank isGoa located?A) GangaB) MandoviC) GomatiD) Sabarmati

How well you know India? Here is a test aboutsome well-known places in India

Picture QuizWhere in India wouldyou find this ancientmonument, much olderthan the Taj Mahal

MUMBAI: There was an overwhelming response to anexhibition-cum-sale of Gandhi books in India recently. About16,508 Gandhi-Vinoba-Sarvodaya books (in English, Hindi,Marathi, Gujarati) worth Rs 5,15,247 were sold within six days.

The autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi and a set of fiveimportant books of 1500 pages, “Selected Works of MahatmaGandhi,” were the top-selling books at the exhibition. About4,300 copies of Gandhi’s autobiography and 245 sets of‘Selected Works of Mahatma Gandhi’ were sold. Other Gandhibooks on economics, politics, education, law, religion, healthetc. were also popular. It was interesting to observe thatmost of those who frequented the book fair wereyoungsters.

To commemorate Gandhi’s 65th Death Anniversary, 250books on and by Gandhi, Vinoba and the Sarvodayamovement were displayed and sold at 50% discount byMumbai Sarvodaya Mandal and Gandhi Book Centre withthe financial assistance of ‘Babulnath Mandir Charities’ from28th January to 2nd February at a specially-erected mandapat Hutatma Chowk and at the Gandhi Book Centre.

In the present context of increasing violence, terrorism andcrime, autobiography and other books of Mahatma Gandhiare inspiring many people all over the world. This year, up tonow, more than 350,000 copies of the autobiography ofMahatma Gandhi. “My Experiments With Truth,” in 15 Indianlanguages have been sold by the Navjivan Trust. About threeto four new books are published every month. (TNN)

MUMBAI: The Chinese take a keen interest in MahatmaGandhi and his non-violent movement as his teachings forman integral part of curriculum from pre-school to university,says a Chinese scholar. Quanyu Shang, who has translatedformer Indian diplomat P.A. Nazareth’s book “Gandhi’sOutstanding Leadership” into Mandarin, says Gandhi is studiedamong varied groups in his country.

“Earlier, only Chinese scholars knew about Gandhi, but todaymore and more people in China know about his movementduring the freedom struggle and are interested in his teachingsof non-violence,” Shang said. The professor of the School ofForeign Studies in South Ching Normal University sayseveryone in China studies Gandhi in some form or the otheras the education curriculum includes the Mahatma’s teachingsfrom pre-school to university levels.

“We have lessons on Gandhi in the form of drawings forchildren in pre-school, then we have war history in middleschool which contains at least one chapter on Gandhi’sstruggle through non-violent means.

“I was once invited by the University of Beijing to deliver alecture on Gandhi. Participants of Gandhi studies areexpanding today than ever before there,” Shang, who has donehis doctoral thesis on Gandhi and Nehru, says.

Shang was here for the release of the Chinese edition ofNazareth’s book, which was first published in 2006 in Englishand later translated into Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Odiyaand Spanish. Asked whether a book on an Indian leader willsee a good response in China, Shang says many books onGandhi have already been published there.

“Worldwide many books have been published on him andmost of them are on truth, non-violence, his achievements,but few talk about his leadership. This is the first book whichtalks about his leadership in such a comprehensive manner,”he said.

The book presents the components, nature and global impactof Gandhi’s leadership and his transformation from a timidyoung man into a leader. Nazareth says he had comparedGandhi with other leaders of modern period starting withNapoleon.

“The book also presents him as the ideal leadership modelfor all those aspiring to be leaders in diverse professional andother fields.”

At the release of the book here, Prime Minister ManmohanSingh had sent a message which read, “I am confident thatthe Chinese version of the book will bring the father of ournation and the ideals he stood for closer to more than a billionpeople in China and help forge a deeper understandingbetween our two great nations.”

The book, which has been translated into eight Indian andforeign languages so far, is expected to come out soon inseven more languages including Malayalam andKashmiri.(TNN)

Chinese Interest inGandhian

Teachings Growing

Gandhi Books in Demand


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ COMMUNITY NEWS ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

R ID E R TA T O T O W ER C I T Y

May 18-19, 2013, 11am to 7 pm.Asia Plaza, Payne Avenue between East 30th Street and East 27th Street.

FREE ~ Open to Public ~ Free ParkingFeaturing Authentic Asia Foods and Merchandise, Local and NationalPerforming Artists, Children’s Activities Area, Games, Eating Competitions,and Free Screening at Health Pavilion.

Cleveland Asian Festival

March 27 to April 7, 2013The Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival is the largest Indian classical music festivaloutside of India. It was first celebrated in 1978 and has now grown to be a 12-dayfestival with more than 8,000 attendees with 2,000 appearing for the openingweekend. The year 2013 is the Festival’s 36th year.Schedule of Events: The Festival is scheduled, as always, around Easter. Thisyear, it begins on Wednesday March 27th and continues until Sunday April 7th,2013. This year being the bicentennial for the composer Maharaja Swathi Thirunal,the Festival is dedicated to his memory. The schedule includes several programsthat highlight his contribution to Carnatic music in addition to many musicalperformances. Ticketed programs are marked in the schedule. Tickets are available at the venue. You can also purchase tickets in advance. Ifyou will be attending the entire festival, season passes are also available. For rasikas who are unable to attend in person, the festival will be webcast oniCarnatic. You can get further details the festival web page http://www.aradhana.org

An evening filled with fun and laughter along with delicious dinner is arriving in Clevelandon Sunday April 28. The Hasya Kavi Sammelan this year will be held at BambooGarden, 5106 Great Northern Mall, North Olmsted, OH 44070. The registration, snacks and a sumptuous dinner will begin at 5 PM followed by rip-roaring humor, non-stop laughter and heart-warming recitals featuring renowned lyricist Dr.Kunwar Bechain of Ghaziabad, Satirist Dr. Suresh Awasthi of Kanpur, and humorist ShriDeepak Gupta of Faridabad. Dr. Kunwar Bechain is a well-recognized poet, song writer and journalist, who has recitedpoems in more than 4500 Kavi Sammelans in India, USA, Canada, France, Germany,Switzerland, Japan and other countries. Dr. Suresh Awasthi has written title songs andscreenplay of numerous TV serials. His recitation style is impressive and captivating. Mr.Deepak Gupta is a young humorist who has entertained audience in more than 800 KaviSammelans in major cities in India and the Middle East. For further information, please visit www.IHA-NEOhio.org or contact Dr. AnoopKapoor, President of IHA NE-Ohio, at 330.665.5270. The all-inclusive tickets for theevent are selling fast, so please book your seats now.

Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival

Cleveland International

Film FestivalApril 3 - 14, 2013

The 37th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) brings 180feature and 164 short films from 65 countries to Tower City

Cinemas, 230 W Huron Road in Downtown ClevelandTickets: $14; $12 for students and sebiors

Purchase tickets online or by phonewww.clevelandfilm.org or 216.623.FILM (3456), 1877-304-3456

Or at Tower City’s festival box officeFor complete schedule, please visit www.clevelandfilm.org

The CIFF will show four films from India:Elemental; Gattu; Mumbai’s King; Rafea: Solar Mama

Hasya Kavi Sammelan

A group of Indian dance performers with Cleveland MayorFrank Jackson (center in white T-shirt) at the festival


�RISING TAXATION?�POTENTIALLY OUTLIVING YOUR RETIREMENT?�RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS?�STOCK MARKET LOSSES?

Twenty-first Century Trusted AdvisorAssociated Concepts Agency, Inc.Principal of First FinancialResourcesTwo Summit Park Drive, Suite #350Independence, OH 44131

Call IMMEDIATELY for a FREE CONSULTATION� 216-642-9211 Office Email: [email protected]� 216-642-9213 Fax www.raokgaruda.com

Associated Concepts Agency will assist you in creating orfinding the missing piece of your financial plan

Member ofEd Slott’s SeniorElite Group

Do you have a plan for

“Securities offered through Gradient Securities, LLC (Shoreview, MN 866-991-1539).Member FINRA/SIPC.” First Financial Resources, LLC and Associated Concepts AgencyInc., is not an affiliate of Gradient Securities, LLC.

Rao K. Garuda, CLU, ChFC

Cleveland, Ohio, Chapter in Association with

Spelling Bee: Junior: Grades 1, 2 & 3;

Senior: Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 Vocabulary Bee: Junior: Grades 1, 2 & 3; Intermediate: Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 Math Bee: Level 1: Grades 1 & 2; Level 2:Grades 3, 4&5; Level 3:Grades 6, 7&8 Science Bee: Junior: Grades 1, 2 & 3; Intermediate: Grades 4 & 5; Senior: Grades 6, 7 & 8 Essay Writing Bee: Level 1: Grades 3, 4 & 5; Level 2: Grades 6, 7 & 8; Level 3: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12Public Speaking Bee: Junior: Grades 6, 7 & 8; Senior: Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12

Announces 2013 NSF Regional BeeContests for Indian-American Childrenon Saturday, April 27 & Sunday, April 28At Nord/Sears Hall, Case Western ReserveUniversity, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland,OH 44106

Note: Online Regis-tration for Regionalcontests has started.All Participants shouldregister online beforeApril 13/14, 2013.No on-site registra-tions allowed

Practice words forspelling/vocabularycontests will be madeavailable after thecompletion of yourregistration.

For Information, Schedule & Registration, please visit: www.northsouth.orgFor further information please Contact: Viji Vijay: [email protected] 440-716-0771; Meena Dhinakaran: [email protected]; Bhanu Maheshwar:[email protected]; Sukanya Raj:[email protected] Raghavan: [email protected]; Desi Vijay: [email protected]:Karthik Sengodan: [email protected]; Padma Jambunath:

[email protected]; Manjula Dhupati: [email protected]

North South Foundation (NSF) was established in 1989 as a non-profit and tax-exemptentity to award scholarships to exceptionally qualified and needy students in India enteringcolleges regardless of religion, gender, caste or geographic origin

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Ashwin Veeramani,younger brother of 2010 National Spelling BeeChampion Anamika Veeramani, spelledviolaceous correctly to clinch the regionalspelling bee championship, winning The PlainDealer’s Cuyahoga County Scripps SpellingBee last month.

Ashwin also is a student at The IncarnateWord Academy, a school that Anamikaattended when she became the nationalchampion. She is now a junior at LaurelSchool in Shaker Heights. Anamika, won theregional bee in 2009 and 2010.

Ashwin, 13 and a seventh-grader, willparticipate at the Scripps National SpellingBee in Washington D.C. in late May.

They live with their parents Malar andAlagaiya Veeramani in North Royalton.

His fourth-grade teacher, Janice Hearst, atIncarnate Word, coached him, just as sheguided Anamika, and many others at theParma Heights Catholic school who were atthe spelling bees.

Of the almost 300 sweaty-palmedstudents hoping to be crownedchampion of this year’s Scripps

National Spelling Bee, chances are prettygood that the winner will be of Indiandescent. Indian-Americans have won the past fourcontests, and 9 of the past 13 — even thoughthey make up less than 1 percent of thepopulation.

Over the past decade, Indian Americanshave built a veritable dynasty on the spellingbee circuit; one commentator compared theirdominance to Kenyans winning marathons.

“It’s stunning!” says Pawan Dhingra, acurator at the Smithsonian Institution’s AsianPacific American Program.

“The fact that Indians would ever win isnoteworthy. The fact that they would winmore than once is impressive,” he says.

“But the fact that they would win at such adominating level becomes almost a statisticalimpossibility. It’s phenomenal, really. Thereis more than randomness going on.”

Dhingra is heading up an exhibition at theSmithsonian this year on Indian-Americansthat will try to explain the phenomenon.

He says spelling bees offer a kind of perfectmix of everything that resonates deeply withIndian-Americans: the competition; the focuson academic achievement; the discipline ittakes; and the way a tight-knit family canteam up to train together.

Ashwin Veeramani IsRegional Spelling

Bee ChampionAsian-Indians

DominateSpelling Bee

Conducted nationwide, Patriot’s Pen,the Veterans of Foreign Wars andLadies Auxiliary-sponsored youth

essay competition, gives students anopportunity to write essays expressing theirviews on patriotic themes. The 2012-2013topic was “What I Would Tell America’sFounding Fathers.”

Seventh grader Riya Lakkaraju’s essay wassponsored by Strongsville VFW Post#3345. Riya won first place in District 7,covering 8 counties, and went on to win firstplace in the state of Ohio, and 11th place inthe nation. She earned several plaques andmonetary prizes totaling $3,100, and willreceive the Grace-Minnix Memorial Award forstanding 11th in the nation. More than125,000 students participated in thecompetition.

Riya attends the Incarnate Word Academyin Parma Heights, OH. VFW (Veterans ofForeign Wars) is a Unit of the US Army andthey have local headquarters (called Posts)serving one to several cities.

The Strongsville Post represents ParmaHeights, Parma, Middleburg Heights andStrongsville. District 7 is comprised of all theposts in Cuyahoga county, Ashtabula county,Lake county, Geauga county, Lorain county,

Riya Lakkaraju WinsPatriot’s Pen Award

Ashwin Veeramani

Summit county, Portage county and Medinacounty.

Riya is the daughter of Ravi and AnuLakkaraju, residents of Strongsville, OH.

Riya Lakkaraju

INDIA INTERNATIOPAGE 8

(Also giving lessons at Tri-C)Contact 440-892-9611 [email protected]

www.sugatachatterjee.com

Hindustani ClassicalMusic With Noted

Vocalist Sugata Chatterjee

A R A N G E T R A M

Madhavi Maheshwarand BhargaviM a h e s h w a r

peformed theirBharathanatya Arangetramon July 28, 2012 at theWestlake Performing ArtsCenter to an audience of over400. It was indeed a rarecultural treat for the audiencepresented by the talentedstudents of PadmaRajagopal, a dance teacherin Cleveland area.

The two-hour recital startedwith a traditional opening itemMurugan Kavithvum followedby (Jathiswaram) dancepatterns and then moved onto Varnam. Varnam wasperformed in Tamil languagewhich consisted of excellentfootwork, emotional expre-ssions, pure dance. Varnamis the heart of the recitaldisplaying years of trainingand the skill set which wasspecially choreographed byPadma Rajagopal for thisoccasion and executed withbeauty, grace and poise byBhargavi.

Second half of the programmoved very crisply to severalindividual dance itemsfollowed by a Hindi Bhajan onLord Rama and final pieceThillana. In the Hindi Bhajan,the dancer Madhavi exhibitedprecision, expression anddevotion (Bhakti). The entire

house gave a thunderousapplause to the sisters ontheir momentous milestone.Both the dancers were atease while performing variousrepertoires displayingexquisite foot work andbeautiful poses.

It was a delightful evening toremember. The live musicensemble, which includedviolin, mridangam, flute, avocalist and cymbal(nattuvangam ), elevated thedance recital to a high artisticlevel.

Learn more at www.realvastuliving.comor call us at (440) 317-1487

Call to schedule yourfree consultation today!Don’t wait to start receiving your benefits

Achieve Optimal Health, Wealth and Happiness

Learn Singing

Vastu Consulting Madhavi and Bhargavi Maheshwari

ONAL, APRIL, 2013 PAGE 9

Hello,neighbor!

cultivating the gift in every child

Birchwood School World Class Education in Cleveland

Acceleration - in all subjects based upon ability and interest

Advanced Math - extensive problem solving work including training and practice for math contests

Historical Research - training in the historical method including preparation for National History Day

Junior Great Books Experience - critical and interpretive reading in all grades

Creativity Training - instructional and training in the creative problem solving

process and opportunities to participate in Future Problem Solving

Science Research - focus on the scientific method including preparation for science fairs

and competitions

Writing - extensive, weekly composition work including preparation for publication

Foreign Language - Spanish and Latin

Birchwood School is a private elementary school serving preschool through grade 8. For information or to set up an

appointment call our admissions office at 216-251-2321 or visit us at birchwoodschool.org

4400 West 140th Street Cleveland Ohio 44135

I’m ready to help. There’s never a good time for an accident to happen.

But when it does, you can count on me to be therequickly so you can get your life back to normal.

GET TO A BETTER STATE™.CALL ME TODAY.

When“That willneverhappen tome”happens...

Jinisha H. Patel, State Farm Agent

7413 Memphis Ave, Brooklyn, OH 44144216.741.6100

Patelinsurance.net


~ ~ ~ NEWS from USA and INDIA ~ ~ ~

WASHINGTON: A noted Indian-American physician has withdrawn fromthe annual Wharton India Economic Forum in the wake of the organizer’sdecision to cancel a key-note address by Gujarat Chief Minister NarendraModi.

New Jersey-based eminent physician, philanthropist and publisher,Sudhir Parikh, was invited to address the WIEF conference on March 23in place of The Wall Street columnist Sadanand Dhume, who withdrewfrom the conference in protest of the forum’s handling the Modi affair.

“As an immigrant of over 30 years standing and dedicated to promotingthe cause of India and Indian Americans, I look forward to sharing mythoughts about NRIs as ambassadors of India,” Dr. Parikh told WIEF.

“However, the manner in which the committee has been pressurized torescind its invitation to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on entirelysuspicious grounds, I feel the intellectual integrity of the forum has beencompromised,” Dr. Parikh said in his letter, a copy of which was madeavailable to the press.

Parikh, who is the publisher of several India American publications inthe US, said that as a publisher he is constrained to err on the side of thefree flow of ideas and unfettered discussion public policy issue, be it inacademics or journalism.

“It is for this reason; I have no choice but to withdraw my name from thepanel of speakers of this year’s forum,” said Parikh, who in 2012 wasconferred with the Padma Shri award by the then President Pratibha Patil.

NEW DELHI: Getting an Americanuniversity degree is back on thepopularity charts following a two-year dip. Latest data show anincrease of 50% in visas issued toIndian students since last year.Incidentally, this could finally buckthe trend for the last two years.There are about 100,270 studentscurrently studying in the UnitedStates.

According to the US consulateservices inNew Delhi, 5600 studentvisas have been issued in Indiabetween October 2012-February2013 marking a 50% increase sincelast year.

The Open Door report 2012—thatdocuments international students

studying in the US—notes thenumber of Indian students in theU.S. in 2011-2012 dropped 3.5%compared to the previous year,marking two consecutive years ofdecline.

India had been the leading placeof origin for international studentsin the US from 2001-02 through2008-09 before being overtaken byChina.

Students from India make upapproximately 13.1% of the totalforeign student population in theUnited States.

Speaking on the rise in studentvisas, US embassy Consul GeneralJosh Glazeroff said, “We are seeingreally big growth in student visa

issuance so far....For us it is a hugejump....really positive. We think thisis in response to all the outreach wehave been doing.”

The consular services inconjunction with the US EducationalFoundation in India (USEFI) has inrecent months targeted not justschools in metro cities but tier IIcities as well.

Outreach programs have beenheld in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh,Orissa, Guwahati in the last fewmonths.

The visa section also issued500,000 visas for tourist andbusiness travel last year, up by12%, which is the highest in the lastfive years.

50% Rise in US Visas Issued toIndian Students in 2012

Mira Nair Teams Up With Disney to TellSlum Girl’s Story

US-based Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, known for her directorial ventures‘Monsoon Wedding’ and ‘The Namesake’, is working on a film with Disneyand says the narrative focuses on a slum girl who becomes a chess player.“I am working on a film with Disney. The film is about an eight-year-oldslum girl in Uganda who becomes a chess protege. She has learned toplay chess with bottle caps. We are just starting to develop that,” saidNair whose “Salaam Bombay!” was about street kids in the MaximumCity.She is also working on a musical on her film Monsoon Wedding. “It is astage musical for Broadway. VishalBhardwaj is composing it. It will be across-cultural project,” she said.The filmmaker said she is proud of her film Salaam Bombay!. “I am veryproud of ‘Salaam Bombay!’. It was made out of nothing and it still standsout. It has directly changed many children’s lives. I think it is still a work ofart, which has power and beauty,” she added.

WASHINGTON: Hindus and Sikhs in America have urged US PresidentBarack Obama and lawmakers to pass laws to curb gun violence in theUnited States.

Several eminent members of the Hindu and Sikh community were invitedto the White House to attend an event where Obama reiterated his call tothe Congress to urgently pass the gun control laws, so as to curb therecent spike in shooting incidents in the country.

“It is important that we, people inspired by our faiths, must work towardsmaking our society safe and sound for all people and especially for ourchildren. The measures which keeps guns out of the hands of criminalsand people with severe mental illness is something which should besupported by all and we urge the congress to take the lead,” RajwantSingh, chairman of Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE),said after the White House event.

Singh attended the event along with a delegation of Sikh leaders,including Prabhjot Singh Kohli, chairman of Guru Nanak Foundation ofAmerica (GNFA); Amarjeet Singh Sandhu, an official of Gurdwara SantSagar in Burtonsville, Maryland, and Guransh Singh, a Churchill HighSchool student.

Siva Subramanian from the Shiva Vishnu Temple in Maryland was alsopresent.

“We, four members of the Sikh community, represented half a dozenmembers in a shootout at a Gurudwara in Wisconsin on 5th August 2012.This was a great tragedy for all the Sikhs in America and we feared that ifthis does not stop here, there is a possibility of more such tragedies inother gurudwaras and other places in America. So we are activelysupporting the control of guns going in the wrong hands,” said Prabhjot.

In his remarks, Obama expressed his frustration at the lack of action bylawmakers and made a forceful plea to remember the horror of theDecember massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. and totake steps aimed at preventing future gun violence.

“Less than 100 days ago that happened, and the entire country wasshocked. The entire country pledged we would do something about it andthat this time would be different. Shame on us if we’ve forgotten. I haven’tforgotten those kids,” Obama said.

“This is the country’s best chance in more than a decade to take common-sense steps to pass laws that will save lives from gun violence,” Obamasaid.

About 200 Indian-Americansmarched in protest against the controversial withdrawal

of an invitation to India’s GujaratChief Minister Narendra Modi tospeak at the Wharton IndiaEconomic Forum.

Marching under the banner of agroup called Americans for FreeSpeech, they chanted: “We wantModi!” as the Forum held itsconference on March 23 afternoonat the University of PennsylvaniaMuseum of Archaeology andAnthropology in Philadelphia.

The march, followed by a seriesof speeches from guest speakers,was held across the street from theconference to which members of thepress were denied entrance, theDaily Pennsylvanian reported.

About 200 protesters from acrossthe US gathered for the march withtwo buses from New Jersey and one

from Queens, New York bringingpeople to the protest.

During the march, a sign wasposted outside the conference hallby the protesters that read: “Inmemory of Free Speech 1776-2013.Killed at Wharton by the EnglishDepartment.”

The march is “carrying the funeralof free speech”, Narain Kataria, aspeaker at the event, was quotedas saying.

Protesters held up signs that read“First they came for the Hindus”,“End McCarthyism against Hindus”,and “Stop Academic Jihad”, amongothers.

One organizer shouted to thecrowd that the march was asimportant as that of MahatmaGandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr,the newspaper reported.

People on stilts and a jazz bandmarched with the protesters to

“push the excitement”, saidmusician Devon Taylor. Bystanderswatched as the crowd of protestersslowly moved their way to FranklinField.

Modi, who has been denied a USvisa after the 2002 Gujarat riots,was disinvited to speak at the forumby live video on a petition from agroup of Pennsylvania universityfaculty and students not connectedwith Wharton.

Following the withdrawal ofinvitation to Modi, Arvind Kejriwal,founder of Aam Aadmi Party, wasinvited to speak via live video-conference.

Speaking from New Delhi, Kejriwalsaid he was “not a supporter of Mr.Modi”, but was “troubled” and“dismayed” at Wharton’s decision toissue an invitation and then cancelit “under pressure”, calling it “verywrong”.

Protesters March in PhiladelphiaAgainst Wharton Snub to Modi

Support primary education in India’s remote regions: visit www.ekal.org

Hindus, Sikhs Join Obamaon Strict Gun Control Laws

Prominent Indian AmericanWithdraws from Wharton Forum


Cleveland, Ohio

AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE

All-You-Can-Eat Lunch BuffetEvery Day: 11:30 AM to 3 PM

Dinner:Tue-Sat: 5 PM - 10 PMSun-Mon: 5 PM - 9 PM

JaipurJunction

Phone: 440-842-3555www.thejaipurjunction.com

9249 W.Sprague Rd, N.Royalton, OH 44133Lunch, Dining & Carry-out

Catering Available for All Occasions

Chef Keith Cooper isenhancing theinternational flare of

the InterContinental HotelCleveland kitchen. Cooper isputting his own uniqueculinary spin on traditionalcuisine from his Anglo-Indianheritage to create delicioustraditional and fusion Indianspecialties for hotel events.

As banquet chef at theInterContinental Cleveland,Cooper oversees thepreparation, plating andquality of food and beverageitems for banquet functions,including weddings. He’sbeen managing kitchens andpreparing multi-culturalcuisine for large and smallevents for more than adecade, most recently inBoston and Arizona.

Cooper ’s Anglo-Indianbackground gives him theunique expertise and abilityto understand the needs ofcouples and their familieswhen planning an Indianwedding. He has createdand prepared menus fornumerous Indian weddings,many right here inCleveland. With more mixed-race Indian weddings takingplace, Cooper also creates

blended menus that fit eachcouple’s personality andheritage.

“We have the capability tomake authentic Indiandishes for an elaboratewedding, right here at theInterContinental HotelCleveland,” Cooper said.“Or, depending on the couple

and their wishes, we cancreate an interesting Indianfusion menu. I love toincorporate Indian spicesinto traditional Westernfoods to give them a newtwist.”

Keith’s favorite Indian dishto prepare is lamb roganjosh, a flavorful blend oflamb, yogurt, spices andonions.

“The InterContinentalHotel Cleveland has a broadrange of experience withvarious religions, ethnicitiesand cultural traditions whenit comes to planning andhosting weddings and otherevents,” said CraigCampbell, director of salesand marketing. “The hotelhas the ability to create anextraordinary Indianwedding meal, all in-house.The hotel also offers amplespace for Indian weddingcelebrations, including the8,800 square-foot FoundersBallroom.”

Couples who areinterested in learning moreabout weddings at theInterContinental HotelCleveland should call (216)707-4168 or visit www.intercontinentalweddings.com.

Indian Specialties are Heating UpInterContinental Hotel Kitchen

Indian Cardinal Youngest inVatican Conclave

Vatican City: Indian cardinal Cleemis Thottunkal was the youngest cardinal taking part inthe conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI. Also known as Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, the 53-year-oldThottunkal is the archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala state in southernIndia. He was one of the last cardinals appointed by Pope Benedict in November 2012. Thottunkal is the first cardinal of the Syro-Malankar rite, a West Syrian Rite Eastern CatholicChurch in full communion with the Holy See, which has a total membership of around500,000.Benedict, who abdicated at the end of February, also appointed Thottunkal a member ofthe Congregation for the Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for InterreligiousDialogue.Cardinal Walter Kasper, who turned 80 after Benedict abdicated, is the conclave’s oldestcardinal elector. The electors’ average age is 72.


~ ~ ~ HEALTH & NUTRITION ~ ~ ~

Food for Your Body and Mind

By Pooja Singhania, PhD, RD, CDE

Cholesterol Busters

Mrs. Pooja SinghaniaChhawcharia has receivedher Doctorate in FoodScience and Nutrition formS.N.D.T. Women’s

University, Mumbai, India,and was practicing as aRegistered Dietician (RD)at the HealthspringCommunity WellnessCenter in Mumbai, India. Dr Pooja has also workedas a Research Associate forthree years and has been alecturer at severaluniversities in India. She isalso a Certified DiabetesEducator (CDE) recognizedby the InternationalDiabetes Federation. Please send yourfeedback and queries [email protected]

Atlantic Salmon or Herring 3 ounces cooked 1.9 gramsBlue Fin Tuna 3 ounces cooked 1.5 gramsSardines, canned 3 oz. in tomato sauce 1.5 gramsAnchovies, canned 2 ounces drained 1.2 gramsAtlantic Mackerel 3 ounces cooked 1.15 gramsSalmon, canned 3 ounces drained 1.0 gramSwordfish 3 ounces cooked 0.9. gramSole, Flounder, Mussels 3 ounces cooked 0.4 gramWild Catfish, Crabmeat, Clams 3 ounces cooked/steamed 0.3 gramPrawns (Jumbo Shrimp) 6 pieces 0.15 gramAtlantic Cod, Lobster 3 ounces cooked/steamed 0.15 gramTrout, Orange Roughy 3 ounces cooked <0.1 gramTuna, white meat canned 3 ounces drained 0.5 gram

Table: Amount of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Selected Fish and SeafoodFish Serving Size Amount of Omega-3 Fat

Research showsthat 62 mill ionAsian Indians will

be suffering from CoronaryArtery Disease by 2015 andabnormal cholesterol levels(dyslipidemia) have beenfound to be one of the mostimportant contributingfactors. But, what is more startlingis that 23 million would bepatients younger than 40years of age! Thewesternization of our diet,especially from childhood,has laid the foundation forthis and many more relatedlifestyle diseases. What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fatcomponent synthesized bythe body and also present inanimal foods such as meat,poultry, fish, eggs, butter,milk and milk products. It isnot present in any plant foodsources such as grains,pulses, vegetables andfruits. Cholesterol is necessaryfor building cell walls,protecting nerves and insynthesis of hormones.There are two main types ofcholesterol levels shown inregular lipid profile reports.i) LDL- cholesterol (Lowdensity Lipoprotein) - Thisis the bad or unhealthycholesterol that getsoxidized and causesdamage to the blood vesselssupplying blood to vitalorgans. All efforts should bemade to lower this form ofcholesterol by reducing theunhealthy fat intake(saturated fat, trans fats) andrefined carbohydrates.ii) HDL- cholesterol (HighDensity Lipoprotein) – Itconstitutes the goodcholesterol component thathelps carry the excess LDLcholesterol out of the body.We must aim to increase the

good cholesterol levels inblood by exercising andhaving the right types of fats. Foods that help reducebad and increase goodcholesterol Cholesterol levels in bloodare not always directly relatedto dietary cholesterol intake.There are certain types offoods containing saturated fat(e.g. burgers, french fries,pizzas, chicken nuggets,cookies, cakes, etc) andtrans fats (samosas, pastries,kachori, khari biscuit, etc)that result in increase of thebad cholesterol in blood. Weshall see few functional foodsthat have specific effect onlowering bad cholesterol and/or increasing goodcholesterol. Oatmeal, oat bran andhigh-fiber foods Oatmeal contains solublefiber, which reduces our LDL(bad) cholesterol by bindingit and throwing it out of thebody. Soluble fiber is alsofound in such foods as kidneybeans, apples, pears, barleyand prunes. Soluble fiber canreduce the absorption ofcholesterol into yourbloodstream.

How much?� 5- 10g or more of solublefiber a day decreases totaland LDL cholesterol.� Eating 1 ½ cups of cookedoatmeal provides 6g of fiber.� If we add fruit, such asbananas, raisins, apple, etcthen we obtain more fiber

Fish and omega-3 fattyacids Eating fatty fish can be hearthealthy because of its highlevels of omega-3 fatty acids,which can reduce bloodpressure and risk ofdeveloping blood clots. In people who have alreadyhad heart attacks, fish oil —or omega-3 fatty acids —reduces the risk of suddendeath. The highest levels ofomega-3 fatty acids are inSalmon (Ravas), Mackerel(bangda), Lake trout, Herring(Bhing), Sardines (tarlo,pedvey), Albacore tuna(chura), and Halibut (Seetable).

How much?� The American HeartAssociation recommendseating at least two servingsof fish (3.5 oz / 100g) a week.

� We should bake or grillthe fish to avoid addingunhealthy fats.� We can take an omega-3or fish oil supplement to getsome of the benefits, but wewon’t get other nutrients infish, such as selenium.� Vegetarian sources ofomega-3 fatty acids areground flaxseeds (alsi/javas), canola oil orsoyabean oil.

Walnuts, almonds andother nutsWalnuts, almonds and othernuts (except cashews) canreduce blood cholesterol.Rich in polyunsaturated fattyacids, walnuts also helpkeep blood vessels healthy.All nuts are high in calories,so a handful is enough.Instead of using cheese,meat or croutons in salad,we can add a handful ofwalnuts or almonds.How much?� Eating about a handful(1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams)a day of most nuts, such asalmonds, peanuts, pistachionuts and walnuts, mayreduce risk of heart disease.� Just make sure the nutsaren’t salted or coated withsugar.

Olive oilOlive oil contains a potentmix of antioxidants that canlower “bad” (LDL)cholesterol but leave “good”(HDL) cholesteroluntouched. The cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oilare even greater if wechoose extra-virgin olive oil,meaning the oil is lessprocessed and containsmore heart-healthyantioxidants.

How much?� We must try to use about2 tablespoons (approx. 23grams) of olive oil a day inplace of other fats in our dietto get its heart-healthybenefits.� To add olive oil to our diet,we can sauté vegetables init, add it to a marinade or mixit with vinegar as a saladdressing.� We can also use olive oilas a substitute for butterwhen basting meat or as adip for bread.

� Olive oil is high in calories,

so we need to restrict totalquantities based on our dailyrequirements.

Considered the healthiest for cooking, olive oil packshealth in a bottle.

Olive oil is the juice obtained from the olive fruit and isprobably the only vegetable oil that can be consumedfreshly pressed from the fruit. This helps in theconservation of all nutrients like fatty acids and vitamins.

“It is healthiest oil with 0 per cent cholesterol and has ahigh content of mono-unsaturated fats (mainly oleic acid)and antioxidant poly-phenols,” says holistic health guruMickey Mehta.

Why it’s good

The goodness of this oil is mainly due to its high contentof both mono-unsaturated fatty acids and anti-oxidativesubstances. “The most important feature of olive oil is thatit offers protection against heart diseases by raising thegood cholesterol or HDL and by lowering the badcholesterol or LDL,” says Mehta.

Olive oil has also been found to be very effective inlowering formation of gall stones. It is also stomach-friendlyand has a beneficial effect on gastritis and ulcers.

Types of olive oil

1. Extra virgin oil: Obtained from the first pressing, ithas the highest nutritional value and taste.

2. Virgin oil: Obtained from the second pressing of thefruit.

3. Pure olive oil: Is a blend of cold-pressed virgin oil andrefined virgin oil that has been treated with chemicals andthen heated and filtered.

4. Olive Pomace oil: It is also a blend of refined olive oiland some virgin oil.

Health Benefits

� The poly-phenols present in the olive oil are potentantioxidants which help arteries to dilate helping to lowerblood pressure.� Olive oil has anti-inflammatory benefits. Studies have

shown lower incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and asthmawith regular use of olive oil. The poly-phenols also preventbone loss involved in osteoporosis.� Olive oil is also helpful for preventing ulcers and

gastritis. It activates the secretion of bile and helps lowerincidence of gall stones.

Best for Cooking

“Extra virgin olive oil is one of the best oils available forcooking and its daily consumption can act as an effectiveremedy to ward off harmful diseases,” says Mehta. Extravirgin olive oil is obtained from the first pressing of topgrade olives and has high nutritional value. A diet high inplant sources and the use of extra virgin olive oil as yourprimary source of dietary fat can reduce the risk ofdiabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Since it is very flavourful, it can be used in salads, beans,pasta, stir fries, sautes and breads. It is advisable not todeep fry with this oil as high temperatures can alter itschemical make-up.

Benefits of

Olive Oil

(Anwers on page 14)

PAGE 13APRIL, 2013 INDIA INTERNATIONAL

Riddle CornerCompiled by Aditi Sinha

If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love Melvin’s humorous novel “Bala Takes the Plunge,” available in North America throughAmazon.com and McNallyRobinson.com

Write to him at [email protected] Humor blog: www.Nshima.com

The Humor

of

Melvin

Durai

LIFE CAN BE SO FUNNY !

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. –Victor Hugo

1. Can you name the two days starting with Tbesides Tuesday and Thursday?

2. What is round on both sides but high in themiddle?

3. A murderer is condemned to death. He hasto choose between three rooms The first isfull of raging fires, the second is full ofassassins with loaded guns, and the third isfull of lions that haven’t eaten in three years.Which room is safest for him?

4. What English word retains the samepronunciation, even after you take away fourof its five letters?

Buying meatballsfrom a furniturestore may seem as

ridiculous as buyingfurniture from a restaurant.But for millions of peoplewho visit IKEA’s giganticfurniture stores every year,the meatballs help makethe trip worthwhile. Not onlyare they tasty, they comewith a nice guarantee:“Less likely to break apartthan our furniture.”

IKEA is a Swedishcompany and meatballs areextremely popular inSweden. Most people don’tknow this, but the 1977 hitsong “Thank you for themusic,” by legendary popgroup ABBA, was originallyreleased in Sweden as“Thank you for themeatballs.” It’s one of thereasons that the groupbroke apart: Anni-Fridturned vegetarian, but herboyfriend, Benny, couldn’tstop eating meatballs. (Hewould later produce a songcalled “No thank you for theveggieballs.”)

IKEA sells 150 millionmeatballs a year at itsstores worldwide – andanother 10 mill ion areshipped directly to GeorgeForeman’s house. Many

Someone’s Horsing Around With Our Meatballscustomers buy frozenmeatballs to take home, butif you can’t wait to taste them,the store cafeteria is worthvisiting, and it’s pretty easy tofind.

Just follow the bright signshanging from the ceiling,which will take you severaltimes around the second floorin a maze of concentriccircles, before bringing you,finally, to a sign that says,“The cafeteria is on the thirdfloor.”

This sign is usually on theopposite end of the storefrom the elevators. Once youget to the third floor, you willhave to go through the babyfurniture section, the toddlerfurniture section, and the pre-teen furniture section, beforearriving, finally, at therestrooms.

This is okay, because thisis where you are likely to findsomeone who has just beento the cafeteria and can giveyou directions.

By the time you get to thecafeteria, you will be sohungry that you could eat ahorse. And that’s a goodthing, because you might

actually find yourself doingthat.

Not intentionally, of course.IKEA does not havehorsemeat on its menu andtakes great precautions toensure that its meatballs aremade only from pork andbeef. Nevertheless,

authorities in the CzechRepublic recently foundtraces of horsemeat in onebatch of

IKEA’s frozen meatballs,prompting the company torecall meatballs from almostall its European stores andrelease a statement

emphasizing that it takes thematter seriously and willrequire all meat-productionworkers to take an advancededucation course called “Howto spot a horse among agroup of cows.”

IKEA isn’t the only companywhose European meatproducts have been taintedwith horsemeat. Britain’sFood Standards Agency(FSA), for example, foundhorse DNA in four products,including Birds Eye’sTraditional SpaghettiBolognese, Brakes’ SpicyBeef Skewer and FarmFresh’s Assorted HorseD’oeuvres.

Horsemeat is somehowbeing substituted for beef inEurope’s meat-processingplants and you don’t have tobe a genius to figure outwho’s probably behind this:cows.

“Cows look innocent, butit’s all a question of survival,”said FSA investigator NedDunsmore.

“We’ve received severalreports of cows whisperinginto horses’ ears, perhapstelling them that the long

white truck is headed to thecarrot-processing plant.”

Eating horsemeat isn’t abig deal for some people, ofcourse. After all, 4.7 millionhorses are consumedannually worldwide, abouthalf of them in China andMexico. People in Americaprefer to ride and racehorses, not eat them. Theyalso love to bet on horses.That might explain some ofthe conversations they’rehaving.

“I bet there’s nohorsemeat in this meatball!”

“I bet there is!”

“You’re on, buddy. Fivebucks.”

“How will we find out?”

“We’ll ask that Chineseguy over there. He shouldknow. Hey buddy, do youthink there’s any

horsemeat in thismeatball?”

“Which meatball – the oneon the plate or the onetalking to me?”

If it’s true that we are here to help others,then what exactly are the others here for?

After a laborious two-weekcriminal trial in a very highprofile bank robbery case,the jury finally ended its 14hours of deliberations andentered the courtroom todeliver its verdict to thejudge.

The judge turns to thejury foreman and asks, “Hasthe jury reached a verdictin this case?”

“Yes we have, your honor,”the foreman responded.

“Would you please pass itto me,” the judge declared,as he motioned for thebailiff to retrieve theverdict slip from theforeman and deliver it tohim.

After the judge reads theverdict himself, he delivers

the verdict slip back to hisbailiff to be returned tothe foreman, and instructsthe foreman, “Please readyour verdict to the court.”

“We find the defendantNOT GUILTY of all fourcounts of bank robbery,”stated the foreman.

The family and friends ofthe defendant jump for joyat the sound of the “notguilty” verdict, and hugeach other as they shoutexpressions of divinegratitude. The defendant’sattorney turns to his clientand asks, “So, what do youthink about that?”

The defendant looksaround the courtroomslowly with a bewilderedlook on his face and thenturns to his defenseattorney and says, “I’m real

confused here. Does thismean that I have to give allthe money back?”

The Money

Upon entering the littlecountry store, the strangernoticed a sign sayingDANGER! BEWARE OFDOG! posted on the glassdoor. Inside he noticed aharmless old hound dogasleep on the floor besidethe cash register. He asked the storemanager, “Is THAT the dogfolks are supposed tobeware of?” “Yep, that’s him,” hereplied. The stranger couldn’thelp but be amused. “Thatcertainly doesn’t look like adangerous dog to me. Why

in the world would you postthat sign?” “Because”, the ownerreplied, “before I postedthat sign, people kepttripping over him.”

The father of fivechildren had won a toy ata raffle. He called hiskids together to askwhich one should havethe present. “Who is the mostobedient?” he asked.“Who never talks back tom other? Who doeseverything she says?” Five small voicesanswered in unison. “Youdo, Daddy!”

Beware!

Most Obedient

INDIA INTERNATIONALPAGE 14 APRIL, 2013

~ ~ BUSINESS ~ ~

Answers to Riddles

Answers to India Quiz

WASHINGTON: An Americanprofessional body of engineers hassupported the move for tough H-1Bvisa rules which, if implemented,would affect foreign companies, inparticular those from India.“This, along with increasing thenumber of green cards available tohigh-skill workers, would strengthenjob retention and creation in theUnited States,” IEEE-USA presidentMarc Apter said in a statementendorsing the “H-1B and L-1 VisaReform Act of 2013,” legislationintroduced last month by SenatorsSherrod Brown and Chuck Grassley.Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE)-USA is the largestbody of electrical and electronicsengineers in the US.The bill “aims to close loopholes inthe H-1B and L-1 visa programs,reduce fraud and abuse, provideprotections for American workersand for visa holders, and requiremore transparency in therecruitment of foreign workers,”IEEE-USA said.Among other things, the bill wouldrequire all companies to make agood-faith effort to hire Americansfirst, prohibit employers fromadvertising only to H-1B visaholders, require that wages paid toH-1B holders and US citizens beessentially the same and prohibitcompanies from outsourcing visaholders to other companies.Among other things, the H-1B andL-1 Visa Reform Act of 2013 ensuresthat an H-1B application filed by anemployer that employs 50 or moreUS workers will not be acceptedunless the employer attests that lessthan 50 per cent of the employer’sworkforce are H-1B and L visaholders. (Please see the next page)

Qutub Minar (English: The Qutub Tower), also known as QutbMinar and Qutab Minar, is the tallest minaret in India. Originallyan ancient Islamic Monument, inscribed with Aarabic inscriptions,

though the iron pillar has some bhramini inscriptions, and is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Located in New Delhi, the Qutub Minar is made of red sandstone andmarble. The tower has 379 stairs, is 72.5 meters (237.8 feet) high, andhas a base diameter of 14.3 meters, which narrows to 2.7 meters at thelast storey. Construction was started in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak andwas completed by Iltutmish. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures andruins, collectively known as the Qutub complex. Tradition assigns theerection of the pillar to Anang Pal, whose name it bears, with the date1052 C.E.

1. In which Indian city would you find the Indira Gandhi InternationalAirport?Answer: New DelhiNew Delhi is the capital of India. The Palam International Airport of NewDelhi is renamed after Late Mrs Indira Gandhi who was the first womanPrime Minister of India and one of the longest serving ones. A dynamiclady with an iron will, she was hugely popular among the masses. Shewas assassinated by her own body guards in 1984.

2. Which city is known as Silicon Valley of India’?Answer: BangaloreBangalore, the capital of the southern state of Karnataka is the hub ofthe emerging software industry of India. With the skyline dotted with thehead offices of giant multinationals like IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Dell andthe sprawling campuses of Indian giants like Infosys and Wipro, it hasearned the distinction of ‘Silicon Valley of India’ originally used to referto California. The city has also been declared as one of the ‘Style capitals’of the world by the prestigious Time magazine recently. A historical cityfamed for its beautiful gardens and monuments, it is the pride of modernIndia.

3. Which state, of those listed, is known as ‘God’s own country’?Answer: KeralaKerala, declared as one of the 50 places of a lifetime by NationalGeographic, is really ‘God’s own country’! With coconut palms dottingthe sun kissed beaches and the houseboats drifting in the lazybackwaters, the place is a favourite of the legendary Sir Paul McCartney.The state is also renowned for its traditional ‘Ayurveda’ system ofmedicine, its glorious culture and mouthwatering cuisine.

4. Which Indian city is well known across the world for its film industry?Answer: MumbaiMumbai, formerly Bombay, the capital of the western state ofMaharashtra is the financial capital of India. It is equally famous for itsfilm industry also known as’Bollywood’. India produces the maximumnumber of films in the world every year.

5. Which place in India is known for its distinct French culture?Answer: PondicherryThe centrally administered region of Pondicherry in southern India wasformerly a French colony. Today, it still retains its old world charm in itsbeautiful villas dotting the bougainvillaea covered boulevards.

6. Which Indian state is known for its wonderful beaches?Answer: GoaGoa, a former Portuguese colony, is the sunbather’s paradise. Withfamous beaches like the Vagator, Miramar, Calangute and beautifulchurches, this is the ultimate tourist paradise.

7. Where would you find the only sanctuary of Asiatic lions in the world? Answer: GujaratThe state of Gujarat is the only home to the Asiatic lions. The Gir Nationalpark located near the historical city of Junagadh boasts of the largestAsiatic lion population in the world.

8. Where would you find the world famous Taj Mahal?Answer: AgraAgra, on the banks of river Yamuna, is home to the Taj, one of theseven wonders of the medieval world and possibly the most gloriousmonument of love ever. This marble wonder was built by emperor ShahJahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz and houses the tombs of the couple.With beautiful landscaped Mugahal gardens,this is the eternal symbolof love.

9. In which state is the famous Pushkar fair held every year?Answer: RajasthanRajasthan, the desert state, is famous for its huge forts and beautifulmonuments surrounding the arid deserts. The annual camel fair held atPushkar is world famous. The state is famous for its hospitality andattracts the largest number of foreign tourists in India.Jaipur, its capitalalso known as the’Pink City’, recently hosted the AdAsia 2003.

10. The Andaman and Nicobar islands form a part of India?Answer: TrueThe Lakshadweep Islands located in the Arabian sea to the west ofIndia and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the east in the Bay ofBengal form a part of India. These islands are famous for their unspoiltbeauty, and their flora and fauna.

11. Answer: B. Mandovi

BANGALORE: The US H-1B visaquota for the coming year isexpected to be exhausted withinfive days beginning April 1, markingthe first time since 2008 that the capwould be reached so rapidly.

Some say that growinguncertainties around obtaining L1visas - the other visa thatcompanies use to send people tothe US on work - have also pushedcompanies to try their luck with H-1B.

“Most of our customers areoptimistic of a faster US recovery,which in turn will lead to higher ITspending in the coming months.And this cautious optimism isreflecting in the higher demand forH-1B visas this year,” saidParthasarathy NS, COO ofBangalore-based IT companyMindtree.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visathat allows US employers totemporarily employ foreign workers.Indian IT companies, with Americansubsidiaries, are the biggest usersof this visa.

1. Today and tomorrow. 2. Ohio. 3. The third room. Lionsthat haven’t eaten in three years are dead. That one waseasy, right? 4. Queue

Big Rush for H-1B VisasH-1B applications are submitted

from the first working day of Aprilfor the financial year beginningOctober.

There is a cap of 65,000 for thesevisas, and if the number ofapplications quickly exceeds thequota, the US Citizenship andImmigration Services (USCIS)employs a lottery-based selectionprocess.

The Chugh Firm, a US-basedlegal firm that helps companies withimmigration issues, says in a recentnewsletter:

“We have noticed that as theeconomy has increasingly beengetting better... there has also beena steady resurgence in H-1B filings.Many companies were surprisedlast year when the H-1B visa capwas reached on June 11. USCISanticipates the quota will be usedup in the first 5 days. This could bethe first time since April 2008 thatthe H-1B cap will require alottery.”

Saju James, partner in globalcorporate immigration law firm

Fragomen in India, says the rushfor H-1Bs this year is partly aderisking move.

“L-1 visas are not very predictableespecially in moving resourcesback and forth. There are debatesaround the nature of specializationof IT service providers within clientsystems where they are workingwith the latter ’s proprietaryproducts,” he said.

There have been reports over thepast year that some companieshave seen up to 40% of their L-1applications being rejected. RakeshPrabhu, partner-immigrationpractice in ALMT Legal, said L-1swere not the preferred option forIndian IT companies.

The visa quota getting exhaustedin five days doesn’t bode well forthe Indian IT industry, believeindustry experts.

“It will be a constraint to our plans.We will use other approaches toservice our customers. Specifically,we will use local talent in our USdelivery centre,” said MindTree’sParthasarathy.

US EngineeringBody SupportsStiff H-1B rules

Answer to Picture Quiz

Qutub Minar

The Rupee weakened by 10 paise to Rs 54.46 against the US Dollar inAsian trading on Friday, March 29 due to the strengthening of the Americancurrency against the Euro and as end of month demand for the Dollarfrom importers put pressure on the Rupee. Dealers attributed the rupee’s fall to dollar gains against the eurooverseas and a lower opening in the stock market. The Indian rupeecontinued to weaken against the US dollar in late morning trade onThursday after it slipped by 4 paise to 54.40, on month-end dollar demandamid a higher value Dollar overseas.

US $ 1= Indian Rupee 54.46


I M M I G R A T I O N

CLEVELAND OFFICE:3150 Chester Ave., MWW Center, Cleveland, Oh 44114NEW YORK OFFICE:130 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013 Ph: 212.226.7011

Call: 216-566-9908

CHICAGO OFFICE: 2002 S. Wentworth Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, Il. 60616 Ph: 312.463.1899ATLANTA OFFICE:5425 Peachtree Pkwy., Norcross, GA 30092 Ph: 678.906.4061

BY APPOINTMENT ONLYCOLUMBUS OFFICE:470 Olde Worthington Road, 200, Westerville, OH 43082 Ph: 614.221.8892NASHVILLE OFFICE:301 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37211 Ph: 615-781-4236

*AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell*Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame*Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient*Author, The Immigrant’s Way

www.imwong.com Margaret W. Wong

President / Managing Partner

By Margaret W. Wong

If you are in the United States on a studentvisa, (F-Visa) but you would like to remainin the country legally, how can you go

about doing so?There are roughly 300,000 international students in the

United States, contributing almost $19 billion dollars to theeconomy through tuition, fees, and living expenses. In thecurrent political climate, there is much discussion aboutthe need to make it easier for these students, particularlythose from the sciences and technology, so-called STEMstudents, to stay in the United States once they havecompleted their studies. At the moment the process is verycomplicated and most students opt to return to their homecountries.

Currently, an international student on an F visa who wantsto remain in the United States needs to find an employerwilling to sponsor them, typically for a H-1B visa. Whilewaiting for an employer to emerge who is interested in this,the student can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT)– a period of twelve months of employment authorizationduring which the student may remain in the United States.To be eligible the student must have completed at leastnine months of study in the United States. The employmentgained during this period must be directly related to thestudent’s major field of study.

Any grant of OPT must be approved by the designatedofficial at the school of study. Students can apply anywherefrom 90-days before graduation up to 60 days afterwardsfor OPT. Once approved by the designated school official,the application process is quite simple. The student cannotbegin working for the employer until the work authorizationis issued by the United States Citizenship and ImmigrationServices. Immigration officials estimate that there areapproximately 70,000 students in OPT status. Just underhalf of these will apply for the H-1B visa, while many willtake advantage of the STEM visa extension. This extension,for up to seventeen months, is open to students in science,technology, engineering and mathematics.

If during the period of OPT your employer indicates thatthey would like you to continue your employment they cansponsor your for a visa, the H-1B visa being the mostcommon, but there are other options. Each year the numberof H-1B visas is capped at 65,000, making it very importantto plan ahead. Last minute decisions to stay in the UnitedStates are often met with disappointment. The H-1B is anon-immigrant visa that allows US employers to temporarilyemploy foreign workers in specialty occupations. A“specialty occupation” is defined as requiring theoreticaland practical application of a body of highly specializedknowledge in a variety of fields. The foreign worker mustpossess at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent andstate licensure, if required to practice in that field. H-1Bwork-authorization is strictly limited to employment by thesponsoring employer.

Staying in the USAfter StudentVisa Expires

WASHINGTON: A topAmerican Senator hasintroduced a legislation thathe claims is aimed ateliminating fraud and abuseof the H-1B visa program, butprovisions of which wouldmake it tougher for Indian-Americans to get this popularwork visa.

Among other things, the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Actof 2013 ensures that an H-1Bapplication fi led by anemployer that employs 50 ormore US workers will not beaccepted unless theemployer attests that lessthan 50 per cent of theemployer’s workforce areH-1B and L visa holders.

The legislation, introducedby Senator Chuck Grassley,a ranking member of theSenate Judiciary Committee,makes reforms to increaseenforcement, modify wagerequirements and ensureprotection for visa holders

and American workers.“Somewhere along the line,

the H-1B program got side-tracked. The program wasnever meant to replacequalified American workers,but it was instead intended asa means to fill gaps in highlyspecialized areas ofemployment. When times aretough, like they are now, it’sespecially important thatAmericans get everyconsideration before anemployer looks to hire fromabroad,” Grassley said.

“The legislation will benefitthe American worker, whilestil l ensuring that UScompanies get thespecialized workers theyneed,” he added.

The H-1B and L-1 VisaReform Act requires allcompanies to make a goodfaith effort to hire Americansfirst; requires prospective H-1B employers to list availablepositions on a Department of

Labor sponsored website fora period of 30 days prior topetitioning for foreign labor;prohibits employers fromadvertising only to H-1B visaholders and prohibitscompanies from outsourcingvisa holders to othercompanies.

A waiver is provided forcompanies that can attestthat they have not displaceda US worker, and if it is not a“labor for hire” arrangement.

It also provides that thewages paid to H-1B visaholders must be the highestof the locally-determinedprevailing wage for theoccupational classification inthe area of employment; themedian average wage for allworkers in the occupationalclassification in the area ofemployment; or the medianwage for skill level two in theoccupational classificationfound in the most recentoccupational employment

Bill to curb H-1B Visa AbuseIntroduced in Congress

statistics survey.The bill increases the ability

of the departments of Laborand Homeland Security toenforce worker protections byallowing random audits, andremoves burdensomerequirements for initiatingDepartment of Laborinvestigations and requiresDepartment of Laboremployees to shareinformation about H-1Bpetitions with the USCitizenship and ImmigrationServices.

It requires that eachemployer filing an applicationfor an H-1B visa holder mustsubmit to the Department ofLabor the W-2 tax form foreach H-1B visa holderemployed during the previousperiod.

It also increases fines perviolation from $1,000 to$2,000 and from $5,000 to$10,000 for willfulmisrepresentation andrestricts the ability of thesecompanies to participate inthe future recruiting of suchemployees.

The bill requires an L visaholder to prove that alegitimate business is beingset up in the US, modifies thewage requirements andoutplacement rules, providesL visa holders with a brochureabout their rights, andrequires a report on theblanket petition applicationprocess.

U.S. Citizenship andImmigration Services(USCIS) has said it wouldbegin accepting H-1Bpetitions, the visa forhighly skilled professionalworkers, subject to thefiscal year 2014 capbeginning April 1.

Cases will be acceptedon the date USCISreceives a properly filedpetition for which thecorrect fee has beensubmitted, not the date thepetition is postmarked.

The cap this year is65,000. In addition, the

first 20,000 H-1B petitionsfiled for those with U.S.master’s degree or higherare exempt from the thatcap.

Based on feedback,USCIS said it anticipatesit may receive morepetitions than the H-1B

cap between April 1 andApril 5. If USCIS receivesmore petitions than it canaccept, USCIS will use alottery system to randomlyselect the number ofpetitions required to reachthe numerical limit.

USCIS will reject peti-

tions that are subject to thecap and are not selected,as well as petitionsreceived after it has thenecessary num-ber ofpetitions needed to meetthe cap. The lottery for theH-1B cap was last used inApril 2008.

USCIS to Accept H-1B Visas Petitions Beginning April 1

INDIA INTERNATIONAL PAGE 16APRIL, 2013

NOW OPEN

DESIGNER FASHIONSFOR THE WHOLE FAMILYUP TO65% OFF

DEPARTMENT STORE PRICES

NORTH OLMSTEAD, OH GREAT NORTHERN PLAZA

India IntApr 1 16

Documents

Transcript of India IntApr 1 16