The Indian Panorama

Month: September 2017

  • Bera, Pallone Introduce Resolution Supporting India’s Bid for Permanent UN Security Council Seat

    Bera, Pallone Introduce Resolution Supporting India’s Bid for Permanent UN Security Council Seat

    WASHINGTON (TIP): On Sept 26 Indian American Congressman Ami Bera (CA-07), the Vice Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the longest serving Indian-American in Congress, and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, introduced legislation supporting India having a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. The resolution would put the U.S. House of Representatives officially on record in support of India’s bid and has seven original cosponsors.

    “As the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy, the United States and India share common values and a growing partnership on many fronts, especially defense cooperation,” said Rep. Ami Bera. “India plays a critical role as a strategic partner for the United States and is a pillar of stability in South Asia. The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council reflect the world as it was 60 years ago, and it’s time we recognize India’s role increasing global prosperity. Securing a permanent spot for India on the UN Security Council would strengthen democracy around the world.”

    “I am proud to represent one of the largest Indian-American constituencies in Congress, and I strongly support India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council,” said Congressman Pallone. “At a time when international relations are being redefined, we should acknowledge and empower those nations that share our enduring core values. It’s in the interests of the United States and the world to have a U.N. Security Council whose members combine military strength with respect for democracy and pluralism, and an appreciation of the dangers posed by rouge states and terrorist groups. India belongs on the U.N. Security Council and it is imperative that Congress makes this clear to the Trump administration and the world. “

    The U.N. Security Council still reflects the world as it was in 1945 when the United Nations was created. Despite the fact that the U.N. has grown from 51 member nations at its inception to nearly 200, the Security Council has not grown to reflect these changes. There are currently five permanent members of the council, including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France. The bill was introduced on the last day that the U.N. General Assembly was in session in New York.

     

  • Defense Secretary James Mattis’ India visit aims to boost India-US defense cooperation

    Defense Secretary James Mattis’ India visit aims to boost India-US defense cooperation

    NEW DELHI (TIP): US Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived Sept 25 night, on a three day visit to India, the first cabinet level under the Trump Administration. Secretary Mattis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday Sept 26, with the goal of strengthening the pace of US-India defense cooperation and India’s role in peace and security in the Asia Pacific region. The bilateral defense deals discussed expanding trade and investments under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiatives (DTTI), along with specific proposals on F-16 and F-18A under Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. American companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin have offered to assemble the planes in India.

     In a statement ahead of the visit, the Pentagon said, “The Secretary will emphasize that the United States views India as a valued and influential partner, with broad mutual interests extending well beyond South Asia. The Secretary will also express US appreciation for India’s important contributions toward Afghanistan’s democracy, stability, prosperity, and security.” Mattis is also expected to discuss how to advance “major defense partnership”, a designation given to India by the previous Obama administration which has been continued by the Trump administration. The Pentagon is keen for more India specific documentation that would provide fundamental processes, satisfy India’s concerns and meet Congressional legislative mandates.

     This is the first follow up visit by a US cabinet official, since Prime Minister Modi’s June trip to the US and comes a week after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. Swaraj and Tillerson talks had reviewed terrorism and bilateral relations in defense and security. President Trump’s new Afghan policy envisages India as “a critical part of the South Asia strategy for America,’ with a more prominent role for developing the war- ravaged nation.

    Earlier James Mattis called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sept 26 to discuss bilateral issues.

    Prime Minister recalled his wide-ranging, candid, and fruitful discussions with President Trump during his visit to the United States in June this year. Both sides had reaffirmed their resolve to further develop their strong strategic partnership. Secretary Mattis briefed Prime Minister on the progress in advancing the bilateral agenda and implementing the decisions taken during that visit.

    They also discussed enhanced cooperation, regionally and globally, in pursuing shared priorities for peace, stability and combating terrorism.

    Prime Minister appreciated the close engagement between the two countries on regional and global issues of mutual concern.

     

  • CNN Hires Preet Bharara as Senior Legal Analyst

    CNN Hires Preet Bharara as Senior Legal Analyst

    NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney in Manhattan who was fired by the Trump administration in March, has been hired by CNN as a senior legal analyst, according to Politico. Bharara has made guest appearances on a number of TV shows.

    He also recently launched a podcast, “Stay Tuned with Preet.” “Had I not been fired, and had Donald Trump continued to cultivate a direct personal relationship with me, it’s my strong belief at some point, given the history, the president of the United States would’ve asked me to do something inappropriate,” Bharara said on the podcast. “And I would’ve resigned then. I don’t know for a fact, but that’s my strong belief.”

    Bharara was nominated to become U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York by President Barack Obama on May 15, 2009. As U.S. Attorney, Bharara earned a reputation of a “crusader” prosecutor. According to the New York Times, during his tenure he was one of “the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors of public corruption and Wall Street crime.”[Under Bharara, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York prosecuted nearly 100 Wall Street executives for insider trading and other offenses. He reached historic settlements and fines with the four largest banks in the United States, and closed multibillion-dollar hedge funds for activities including insider trading.

    During Bharara’s tenure, federal prosecutors also conducted public corruption investigations against Democratic and Republican officials, most notably securing convictions against the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver, and the Majority Leader of the State Senate, Dean Skelos.One of Bharara’s chief adversaries was Governor Andrew Cuomo, whom Bharara’s office investigated. Under Bharara, the U.S. Attorney’s office was also known for its terrorism prosecutions and civil rights cases. Bharara’s office had international reach, pursuing defendants located in many countries outside the United States.

    On March 11, 2017, during increased national debate about the appointment of a special prosecutor to manage an investigation of links between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia, Bharara was fired after he refused to follow Attorney General Jeff Sessions‘ request for all remaining 46 US Attorneys appointed during President Obama’s administration to resign. On April 1, 2017, Bharara joined the NYU School of Law faculty as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence.

  • Batukamma, Telangana’s Floral Festival celebrated with traditional flavor

    Batukamma, Telangana’s Floral Festival celebrated with traditional flavor

    CHICAGO, IL(TIP): Telugu Association of Greater Chicago (T.A.G.C – First Telugu association in North America) celebrated Batukamma/Dusshera  in grand scale with the support of Telangana State Government Tourism department and the American Telangana Association. People of Telangana celebrate Batukamma and Dusshera festivals cutting across religion and caste. Batukamma festival is an integral part of the Telangana life and culture and is a symbol of family relationships.

    TAGC celebrated Batukamma/Dusshera celebrations with more than 1000 plus guests on September 24th, 2017 at Gazebo hall, SVS Balaji Temple Aurora, IL. Since 2002, Telugu families in and around Chicago area gathered together and celebrated Batukamma /Dusshera in a traditional way with families. Later from 2011, TAGC Board has unanimously decided to celebrate Batukamma /Dusshera event under the TAGC banner in collaboration with national organizations. Last year, Telangana State Tourism department officially announced supporting TAGC as their first international Association to be a part of the state government festivals as well as all the events conducted by TAGC.

    Under the TAGC President Elect Jyothi Chintalapani’s leadership and women board of directors took the initiative to make this event a grand success with uniqueness, all along maintaining the traditions. The team decided to purchase similar Pochampally silk sarees to celebrate the festival with more enthusiasm. About 125 women wore matching sarees and brought color and uniqueness to set a record among all other Batukamma celebrations across the world. This initiative was done to support impoverished weavers in Telangana and help them financially. Due to the lack of available work, some workers have even committed suicide. Chicago women came forward to purchase sarees from them directly, as it would provide employment to the workers.

    Gazebo hall and central area were decorated with colorful fall flowers under the leadership of TAGC decoration committee chair Swetha Janamanchi and volunteers. Gazebo hall started filling with colorful & nicely decorated Batukamma from noon onwards. TAGC women volunteers prepared TAGC Batukamma around 54 inches. TAGC President and Board offered sarees, flowers, pasupu & kumkum, vodibiyyam and nose ornament to goddess Parvathi at temple, prior to the event.

    TAGC Batukamma chair Mamatha Lankily and TAGC President Ramachandra R Ade welcomed all the guests with brief introduction about the significance of the festival. Delicious vegetarian lunch with a wide variety was offered to women and all guests. Event started with a prayer song and continued with playing Batukamma in the Gazebo hall until 5:30 PM. Well renowned folk singer Shalini came all the way from India to sing and encourage the women.  Women played Batukamma with energy and passion till the end of the event and showed the world that we did not forget culture and tradition.  Kids participation and involvement was the highlight of the event. At the end of the event, all the Batukamma’s were taken as a procession with live traditional sannai and dolu musical performers and were immersed in a pond close by with the help of TAGC men volunteers. TAGC president Ramachandra Reddy Ade along with Batukamma celebration chair Mamatha Lankala and board of directors presented the gifts to Batukamma competition winners.

    TAGC raised funds to support hurricane Harvey& Irma relief fund by selling Telangana traditional snacks (Ariselu & Sakinaalu) which were prepared onsite under the leadership of Food Committee chair, Uma Avaduta. Fundraising committee chair, Vani Yetrintala played a key role in raising 1000 dollars by selling snacks with help of youth volunteers.

    After Batukamma immersion, all the families participated in Shammi/Jammi puja conducted by Balaji temple priest Sri Hanuman Prasad garu on the occasion of Dusshera. All the families took the blessing from the elder guest by sharing the Jammi

    President appreciated all the women BOD’s and volunteers for their contribution in making the celebration a grand success and emphasized the importance of these festival celebrations for preserving the culture for younger generations. ​ Also thanked Telangana state tourism department ministry team, American Telangana Association team, SVS Balaji temple management, sponsors for the event and media partners.

    (Photograph and Press release by: Asian Media USA)

  • Sikhs urge Trump administration to delay ELD rule on truck drivers

    Sikhs urge Trump administration to delay ELD rule on truck drivers

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A Sikh political action committee in the US has urged the Trump administration to delay installation of an expensive logging device in trucks, a move that will entail huge costs on the trucking industry, dominated by the Sikh-Americans.

    The new regulation, to be effective from December 18, will require almost all commercial trucks, unless a truck is in an exempted class, to buy and operate an Electronic Logging Device (ELD) to record the hours they are on and off duty.

    An ELD synchronizes with a vehicle engine to automatically record driving time, for more accurate hours of service recording.

    “We seek a delay for the ELDs mandate so that we can make sure we are following the law,” Gurinder Singh Khalsa of Indianapolis-based Sikh Political Action Committee said.

    Representing the voice of some 150,000 truck owners, a significantly large number of whom are Sikhs, Khalsa said technology is not strong and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has not approved devices.

    Noting that as of August 30, there were 99 different devices registered as complying, all offering various degrees of functionality and price points, Khalsa said the immediate concern is that they have to spend of money to buy something that may not be compliant.

    Industry reports say a wide range of prices exist for different versions of the technology, running from US$ 165 to US$ 832 annually, the most widely used being US$ 495 a truck.

    “We have no way of knowing which company will stay in business to service the purchased device. Please understand that beyond the initial purchase price, the driver or company must pay monthly service and cell phone charges,” he said.

    “There will be maintenance charges, upgrades and other fees to keep the technology current. The purchasing decisions are not simple nor easy. If the wrong decision is made the truck may be put out of service, a company can be administratively penalized and a driver may lose points on his Commercial Drivers Licenses,” Khalsa added.

    Responding to questions, Khalsa argued that ELDs are not safer and do nothing to stop a tired trucker from driving.

    The current mandate of the ELD is unfair to the American taxpayer and consumers, he added. (Source: PTI)

  • Zuckerberg hits back at Trump over allegations of Facebook bias

    Zuckerberg hits back at Trump over allegations of Facebook bias

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Mark Zuckerberg has hit back at US President Donald Trump for accusing Facebook of being “anti-Trump”, saying the social networking site is a platform for all ideas.

    Responding to Trump’s tweet labeling the leading social network platform “anti-Trump”, the Facebook CEO and founder said the social media platform had tried to be neutral in the US elections.

    He, however, said, he regretted dismissing concerns about the Facebook’s role in influencing the US presidential race.

    “Every day I work to bring people together and build a community for everyone. We hope to give all people a voice and create a platform for all ideas,” he said on his Facebook page.

    “Trump says Facebook is against him. Liberals say we helped Trump. Both sides are upset about ideas and content they don’t like. That’s what running a platform for all ideas looks like,” he argued.

    Days after Facebook agreed to cooperate with Congress on its investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, President Trump criticized the social network for being “anti-Trump”.

    Trump tweeted: “Facebook was always anti-Trump. The Networks were always anti-Trump hence, Fake News, @nytimes (apologized) & @wapo were anti-Trump. Collusion?” Facebook has said last week that it would provide the contents of 3,000 ads bought by a Russian agency to congressional investigators and make political advertising on its platform more transparent.

    Zuckerberg defended the company’s decision to cooperate with investigators. “We will do our part to defend against nation states attempting to spread misinformation and subvert elections.”

    In his long Facebook note, Zuckerberg expressed regret for saying after the election that it was a “crazy idea” that fake news disseminated on Facebook influenced the election.

    “After the election, I made a comment that I thought the idea misinformation on Facebook changed the outcome of the election was a crazy idea. Calling that crazy was dismissive and I regret it,” he wrote.

    “This is too important an issue to be dismissive.” he said.

    Shortly after Trump’s victory, the Facebook CEO had brushed aside charges that Facebook had had an impact on the race, calling it a “pretty crazy idea” and saying that voters “make decisions based on their lived experience”.

    He said that Facebook’s biggest role in the US election was as a platform for candidates and citizens to communicated directly with one another regarding issues.

    “There were billions of interactions discussing the issues that may have never happened offline. Every topic was discussed, not just what the media covered,” he asserted.

    “This was the first US election where the internet was a primary way candidate communicated. Every candidate had a Facebook page to communicate directly with tens of millions of followers every day. Campaigns spent hundreds of millions advertising online to get their messages out even further.

    That’s 1000x more than any problematic ads we’ve found,” he said.

    “We ran ‘get out the vote’ efforts that helped as many as 2 million people register to vote. To put that in perspective, that’s bigger than the get out the vote efforts of the Trump and Clinton campaigns put together. That’s a big deal,” Zuckerberg said.

    “We will continue to work to build a community for all people. We will do our part to defend against nation states attempting to spread misinformation and subvert elections,” said the Facebook founder.

    (Source: PTI)

  • US drastically slashes refugee intake to 45K

    US drastically slashes refugee intake to 45K

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The US will curtail the number of refugees it will accept for resettlement to 45,000 next year, nearly half the figure for 2016, officials said today, triggering criticism from humanitarian groups and lawmakers. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will soon brief the Congress on this, a US government official told reporters during a conference call. A presidential determination is expected to be issued in the coming days.

    Officials said they plan to complete a review of security procedures for vetting new arrivals by next month, but arrivals next year will be reduced. The regional breakdown will be: Africa, 19,000; East Asia, 5,000; Europe and Central Asia, 2,000; Latin America and the Caribbean, 1,500; Near East South Asia, 17,000.

    “The security and safety of the American people is our chief concern,” a government official said. In the 2016 fiscal year, the US accepted 84,995 refugees from around the world. This year it is on course to take in around 50,000. The US is still the world’s biggest destination for refugees, but arrivals are well down from a high of more than 200,000 in 1980. Since 1975, the US has welcomed more than 3 million refugees from all over the world.

    “While maintaining the US’ leadership role in humanitarian protection, an integral part of this mission is to ensure that refugee resettlement opportunities only go to those who are eligible for such protection and who are not known to present a risk to the safety and security of our country,” the official said.

    The official noted that the refugee resettlement is only one part of the US’ response to the crisis of forced displacement around the world. “The US also remains the world’s leading donor of humanitarian assistance, providing over $7 billion in humanitarian assistance around the world last year,” the official said.

    In 2017, the US has provided more than $1.4 billion in humanitarian assistance for the Syria crisis, and more than $581 million for the Iraq crisis.

    “We have provided nearly $2.5 billion for people from countries facing famine. And we have provided nearly $95 million for displaced persons in Burma and the region,” the official added. The move drew sharp reaction from lawmakers and human rights activists.

    (Source PTI)

  • Indian American Vikas P. Sukhatme is named as New Dean for School of Medicine at Emory University

    Indian American Vikas P. Sukhatme is named as New Dean for School of Medicine at Emory University

    ATLANTA, GA (TIP): Emory University has appointed Vikas P. Sukhatme, MD, ScD, a distinguished physician-scientist, as the new Dean of Emory University School of Medicine. He also will serve as Chief Academic Officer of Emory Healthcare and as Woodruff Professor. Sukhatme will join Emory Nov. 1, 2017. Emory President Claire E. Sterk joined Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Emory Healthcare CEO Jonathan S. Lewin and Emory Provost Dwight A. McBride in making the announcement.

    Sukhatme is currently Chief Academic Officer and Harvard Faculty Dean for Academic Programs at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the Victor J. Aresty Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

    “I am delighted to join President Sterk and Provost McBride in announcing this new appointment,” says Lewin. “Dr. Sukhatme is a highly recognized and exceptional biomedical scientist, clinician, and teacher. I am confident that under his leadership, the medical school will continue its upward trajectory in reputation and impact and will further enhance the Woodruff Health Sciences Center’s place as one of the world’s premiere academic health centers.”

    Sukhatme’s appointment is the culmination of a nearly year-long national search. He succeeds David S. Stephens, MD, who has served as interim dean.

    “Dr. Sukhatme’s eclectic academic background as a basic science researcher, a clinician, and a translational scientist will be a major asset to the School of Medicine, the University at large, Emory Healthcare, and to the full array of diverse communities with which Emory interacts,” said McBride. “We look forward with great excitement to the future of the School of Medicine under his stewardship.”

    “I am deeply honored to have been selected as the Dean of Emory University School of Medicine,” Sukhatme says. “With a stellar leadership team, an extraordinary faculty, an outstanding cadre of staff, trainees and students, and distinguished alumni and supporters, Emory’s future is bright. Now is the time to take on some of the most challenging problems in medicine and biology, and to tackle them through innovative, interdisciplinary approaches.”

    Sukhatme was born in India and raised in Rome, Italy. He completed a bachelor’s degree and then a doctorate (ScD) in theoretical physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1979, he received an MD from Harvard Medical School in the Harvard-MIT program in Health Sciences and Technology. Following his residency in medicine and a clinical fellowship in nephrology at Massachusetts General Hospital, he spent two years at Stanford in immunology research.

  • Indian American Named Fulbright Specialist Scholar to Study Urban Sustainability Challenges in India

    Indian American Named Fulbright Specialist Scholar to Study Urban Sustainability Challenges in India

    AMHERST, MA (TIP):  Prashant Shenoy, professor of computer science and associate dean in the College of Information and Computer Sciences at UMass Amherst, has been named a 2017-18 Fulbright Specialist Scholar. He will travel to Mumbai, India, to work with researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on water and energy challenges in Indian cities.

    The Fulbright Specialist Program, part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program pairs highly qualified U.S. academics and researchers with host institutions to work on short-term projects in the specialists’ areas of expertise.

    As a specialist scholar, Shenoy will collaborate with researchers in IIT Bombay’s Center for Urban Science and Engineering to develop data-driven techniques to improve the reliability of the electricity supply and enhance energy-efficiency. He and his colleagues will also work to design methods to enhance the reliability of the water supply and monitor water quality using a low-cost sensor platform.

    Both projects will extend research conducted at UMass Amherst to larger-scale, urban settings in the developing world.

    Shenoy has been a member of the computer science faculty since 1998. His research focuses on computational and data-driven approaches for smart cities. He and other researchers from UMass Amherst and the Worcester campus recently founded the Center for Smart and Connected Society (CS2) to enable cross-disciplinary research into societal issues such as healthcare, transportation and energy.

  • Indian American Ria Patel’s death mourned at St. Thomas University

    Indian American Ria Patel’s death mourned at St. Thomas University

    MINNEAPOLIS (TIP): A late report from Minneapolis says students, faculty and staff are grieving the death of St. Thomas junior Ria Patel, who died in a car accident early the morning of Sept. 17. She was the daughter of Bharat and Devyani Patel of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Ria was killed after her drunk boyfriend Michael Laurence Campbell left her to die inside a car that met with a fatal accident.

    The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. at the Stinson Boulevard exit ramp off southbound Interstate 35W in Northeast Minneapolis. According to an acquaintance, Campbell was “super-drunk” when he left his home around 2 a.m. Sunday, according to the charges.

     Michael Laurence Campbell was arrested on Sept. 19 and charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide — “operating vehicle in a grossly negligent manner” and “driver who causes collision leaves scene,” according to the Hennepin County attorney’s office.

    Friends and family are still trying to make sense of the accident that took a young woman who brought light to many. In an interview with KARE 11, her uncle, Hitesh Patel, said she was “probably one of the happiest girls ever.” Cousin and fellow St. Thomas student Raveena Patel said that she and Ria were “inseparable” and that her cousin was capable of making friends with anyone.

    The St. Thomas campus community has echoed that sentiment.

    “She always knew how to light up the room wherever she would go,” said student Jenny Jirsa. “She brought people together in ways in so many different ways.”

    “I know her beautiful smile and personality will live in us and she will continue to look down at us and bless us from above,” Raveena said.

    Aarti (prayers) were held Monday, Sept. 18, with prarthana sabha (prayer service) following at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. A prayer vigil planned by students was held at the Arches on Thursday, Sept. 21, from 8:30-10:00 p.m. funeral service took place Saturday, Sept. 23, from 1:30-4 p.m. in the Anderson Student Center, James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall.

  • Indian American Baljinder Singh may lose Citizenship

    Indian American Baljinder Singh may lose Citizenship

    The Justice Department said Baljinder Singh of Carteret did not disclose a previous deportation order on his naturalization application.

    NEW YORK (TIP): The United States on Sept 19 filed civil denaturalization complaints in federal court in the Middle District of Florida, District of Connecticut and District of New Jersey, against three individuals including an Indian American Baljinder Singh, who allegedly obtained their naturalized U.S. citizenship by fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced. Two Pakistan-born and one India-born individual’s alleged frauds involved concealing their prior orders of exclusion and deportation under different identities than the identity under which they naturalized.

     “The Justice Department is committed to preserving the integrity of our nation’s immigration system, and in particular, the asylum and naturalization processes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The civil complaints charge that defendants in these cases exploited our immigration system and unlawfully secured the ultimate immigration benefit of naturalization. The filing of these cases sends a clear message to immigration fraudsters – if you break our immigration laws, we will prosecute you and denaturalize you.”

     The three cases, United States of America v. Parvez Manzoor Khan (M.D. Fla.); United States of America v. Rashid Mahmood (D. Conn.); and United States of America v. Baljinder Singh (D.N.J.) were referred to the Department of Justice by USCIS and identified as part of Operation Janus.

    Baljinder Singh aka Davinder Singh, 43, a native of India, arrived at San Francisco International Airport on Sept. 25, 1991, without any travel documents or proof of identity. He claimed his name was Davinder Singh. He was placed in exclusion proceedings, but failed to appear for his immigration court hearing and was ordered excluded and deported on Jan. 7, 1992. Four weeks later, on Feb. 6, 1992, he filed an asylum application under the name Baljinder Singh. He claimed to be an Indian who entered the United States without inspection. Singh abandoned that application after he married a U.S. citizen, who filed a visa petition on his behalf. Singh naturalized under the name Baljinder Singh on July 28, 2006. Singh has been residing in Carteret, New Jersey.

    (Source: DOJ)

     

  • Indian Man in Arkansas gets 5 years Prison Term for home invasion, operating gambling house

    Indian Man in Arkansas gets 5 years Prison Term for home invasion, operating gambling house

    GARLAND, ARKANSAS (TIP): A former store manager of Indian origin staying in Arkansas under a program that shields young, undocumented immigrants from deportation has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges stemming from illegal gambling at his business and a home invasion.

    The Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs reported that Sunny Ghotra Singh, 25, appeared in Garland County Circuit Court, where he entered a guilty plea on counts of residential burglary and keeping a gambling house. He was sentenced to five years on each charge, with the terms to run concurrently.

    Singh is in federal custody on accusations that he violated his status with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by possessing firearms, according to the newspaper.

    On Dec. 4, Singh was reportedly involved in a home invasion robbery in which a TV was taken from a woman and her husband who live on Ninth Street in Mountain Pine.

    The two told authorities that they peered out the window to find a white male assailant standing outside. Two other people kicked in the home’s front door soon after and entered, with a black robber armed with a gun hitting the women.

    An Indian man, identified by both victims as Singh, was armed with a shotgun and began hitting the husband, demanding money that the victim reportedly “owed him,” according to an affidavit.

    After a controlled purchase of drugs was reportedly made from Singh at the store, the Drug Task Force, along with other agencies, executed a search warrant Jan. 31 at the convenience store. Singh was arrested shortly after.

    The newspaper reported that found inside the Mountain Pine Corner Store were about 164 grams of marijuana, multiple devices related to smoking, $26,389.40 in cash, three working gambling machines, 15 surveillance cameras and four firearms.

  • Indian American Dies in House Fire in Queens

    Indian American Dies in House Fire in Queens

    QUEENS, NY (TIP): A landlord died in a fire that erupted in the basement of his three-story Queens home early Sunday, Sept 24. The blaze broke out at a home on 97th Ave. near 107th St. in Ozone Park around 2:30 a.m., according to officials.

    The 68-year-old victim, Mohinvei Singh, woke up in his bedroom on the first-floor and went down to check on smoke rising from the basement, according to his son-in-law, Raman Deol, 32.

    When his son, Belkarn Singh, awoke in a room full of smoke, he went to look for his father. When the fire was brought under control about an hour later, firefighters found Mohinvei Singh’s body lying in the basement.

  • September 29 New York Print Edition

    September 29 New York Print Edition

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  • A crusade for the Turbaned Sikhs

    A crusade for the Turbaned Sikhs

    By Prof Jaswant Singh Gandam

    It is really unsettling that turbaned Sikhs are subject to racial profiling, hate crimes and hate graffiti in some countries as they are messed up with another religio-ethnic group. It is more disquieting that even after a century of their regular migration across seven seas and their stellar role in the developments of the countries of their adoption, Sikh diaspora is still struggling to spread awareness among natives about the distinctiveness and uniqueness of Sikh turban. The recent vandalization of Vermont Gurdwara in Los Angeles, also known as the Hollywood Sikh temple, with a hate graffiti is indeed very disturbing. As per media reports, one of the messages scrawled on the pristine white walls of this California Gurdwara in the USA was a menacing call for ‘nuking’ the Sikhs. The vandal also ominously threatened to slit the throat of the brave man who had confronted him while scrawling the graffiti. Earlier too, Sikh religious places and turbaned Sikhs had been targeted and killed at several places; their business establishments damaged and their dress derided.

    France had banned turban a few year ago. Many others, including Italy, are finding fault with it. This, when the Sikh community follows a scripture -the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the living ‘shabad’ Guru- that is universal in character, secular and scientific in approach, wedded to inter-faith harmony and committed to the amelioration of the whole mankind. The ready help given by Sikhs to people in distress by organizing free community kitchen(‘langar’), providing medicines and other necessary items of daily use to them, never ever even thinking about their caste, creed or color, is the hallmark of the all-inclusive Sikh credo.

    After all, the Sikh ‘Ardas'(prayer) concludes with the Sikh cardinal principle of ‘Sarbat Da Bhala'(well-being of all). Even then, sadly enough, the Sikh diaspora is singled out for snides, insinuendoes /insinuations, racial remarks, attacks and discrimination.

    In such a grim scenario, eminent journalist and writer N.S. Shergill has emerged at the center-stage as a torch-bearer of the turbaned Sikhs’ cause. Seeming to have been catapulted by ‘Waheguru’ as a crusader for the dignity and distinctiveness of Sikh turban, Shergill has done a Yeoman’s service to the cause in his latest publication “International Vaisakhi Souvenir-2017”.

    He had championed it in his earlier publication “Indians Abroad”, brought out on the occasion of the 350th ‘Parkash Purb’ of Guru Gobind Singh ji, the tenth Guru of Sikhs and creator of new socio-religious revolutionary Order ie Khalsa Panth. Though Shergill is virtually a ‘one-man-army’, others will definitely join his campaign. The first turbaned Sikh MP of the UK Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi {Tan Dhesi) and the first turbaned Sikh Defence minister of Canada Mr Harjit Singh Sajjan would hopefully do their bits, and best, on this burning issue exercising the minds of Sikh diaspora. Turban is the crowning glory of a Sikh. It is an inalienable and inviolable article of faith for Sikhs. It is their unique identity. It is their ‘aan, baan, shan’. I pray that ‘Pagri sir da taj rahe/paij, patt atey laaj rahe”!

    Let us all join Shergill’s crusade for the distinct Sikh turban! As Majrooh Sultanpuri said famously- “Main akela hi chala tha janib-e- manzil, magar log saath aate gaye aur caravan banta gaya”.

     (The author is a veteran Journalist)

  • Indian American Couple Makes $200 Million Donation to Nova Southeastern University

    Indian American Couple Makes $200 Million Donation to Nova Southeastern University

    TAMPA, FL (TIP): Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Florida announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history from Tampa-area cardiologist Dr. Kiran C. Patel and his wife, pediatrician Dr. Pallavi Patel. The commitment will significantly expand its programs in osteopathic medicine and health care sciences, and be used to develop a new 27-acre campus for NSU in Clearwater, Fla. The Patels are renowned in Florida for their philanthropy, community service and entrepreneurship.

    The commitment from the Patel Family Foundation includes a $50 million gift and an additional $150 million real estate and facility investment in a future 325,000 square-foot medical education complex that will be part of NSU’s new Tampa Bay Regional Campus, in Clearwater. The campus will house a new site for NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as its existing programs in the Tampa area.

    Their transformational commitment will advance health care in Florida and internationally, with a particular focus on multicultural and underserved communities. The goal is to put patients first and integrate medical and health care expertise.

    “This gift and additional investment will enrich NSU’s ability to educate highly-qualified physicians and health care professionals who understand how the medical disciplines can and must work together. These future leaders will represent the cultural diversity of our region, our nation and our world so that they can better serve their patients and communities,” said NSU President Dr. George Hanbury.

    Their $50 million gift, one of the seven-largest to any Florida university in history, catapults NSU to more than 84% of its goal to raise $250 million by 2020 for its Realizing Potential philanthropic campaign.

    “I feel that it is more important than ever to advance the current state of health care,” said Dr. Kiran C. Patel. “It is rare for someone to have the opportunity to impact the world in this way, and, as an immigrant to the United States, I am particularly honored to be able to make a difference in people’s lives around the world. I believe that NSU is the future of multi-disciplinary medical education. Together, we will be able to capitalize on an opportunity that will be beneficial to millions of human lives, many right here in Florida and many others across the globe.”

    “This partnership will benefit thousands of patients, students and doctors,” added Dr. Pallavi Patel. “Over the next 20 years, NSU will train thousands of new doctors and other health care professionals who will directly touch millions of lives, making a real difference.” 

    NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine and Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences are both part of the university’s Health Professions Division, comprised of seven health-related professional degree-granting colleges. NSU operates its Health Professions Division from its Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus as well as from several regional campuses located across Florida and in Puerto Rico. Currently, NSU is seeking accreditation for a new M.D. college and is planning the development of a teaching hospital and major medical center in partnership with HCA East Florida at its Fort Lauderdale/Davie location.

  • Indian American Couple Donates $250,000 to Houston Mayor’s Harvey Relief Fund

    Indian American Couple Donates $250,000 to Houston Mayor’s Harvey Relief Fund

    HOUSTON (TIP): An Indian American couple donated USD 250,000 to Houston Mayor’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund at a private event on Sept 24. Houston Indian American Amit Bhandari and his wife Arpita Brahmbhatt Bhandari contributed the donation to the Harvey relief fund set up by Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner, on behalf of the Greater Houston Community Foundation of which he is a premium member.

    Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast of USA on August 25, 2017 and left South Texas with a massive burden of devastation worth over $180 billion. The damage to public and private properties caused by #HurricaneHarvey2017 in and around South Texas includes the destruction of 200,000 homes (50,000 in Houston only), which may take five years to be rebuilt, according to the Governor of Texas.

    Amit Bhandari is a Houston-based entrepreneur. He is the CEO and Chairman of BioUrja Group which trades in energy and agricultural commodities across the globe. His wife, Arpita Bhandari is the Vice President of Human Resources in the company.

    The leading members of the Houston Indian community joined Mayor Sylvester Turner to thank the Indian American couple for having donated a lump sum to the Hurricane Harvey relief fund, and pledged more contributions to financially ease the relief work. Notably, Greater Houston Indian Americans have been trying all possible means to raise USD 1 million for the relief and rehabilitation fund.

    Acknowledging the generosity of Indian Americans in general, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “Indian Americans have golden hearts. They always come up with voluntary aid during hard times like Hurricane Harvey. Their contributions are not limited to the Harvey relief and rehabilitation fund. They have been making great efforts for the welfare of Houston for a long time. The Indian community is vital to Houston and will help make the city what it was before prior to Hurricane Harvey 2017.”

    The Consul General of India in Houston, Dr. Anupam Ray lauded the Indian American community for their humanitarian efforts and generous contributions while thanking Amit Bhandari and Arpita Bhandari for donating $250,000 to the relief fund. He added, “Your generosity makes India proud. A community is great if it rises above its suffering. You have demonstrated that by contributing toward Hurricane Harvey relief.”

    Amit Bhandari said that volunteers of the Greater Houston Community Foundation helped rescue 700 victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. The community has also donated $1.5 million to several charitable organizations involved in Hurricane Harvey relief and rehabilitation.

     

     

     

  • Mueller’s Russia Trump probe zeroes in on Facebook, Twitter: report

    Mueller’s Russia Trump probe zeroes in on Facebook, Twitter: report

    NEW YORK (TIP): Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election and possible connections to the Trump campaign is zeroing in on the spread of fake information on Facebook and Twitter, Bloomberg reports.

    Social media is a “red-hot” focus of Mueller’s, U.S. officials familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Mueller’s office declined to comment, Bloomberg said.

    Facebook last week said it found about $100,000 in ad spending connected to fake accounts probably run out of Russia that sought to sow political division in the run-up to the election. That followed an April report by the company that detailed campaigns by “information operators” to sway public opinion.

    The vulnerability of social media to political manipulation troubles U.S. officials. According to Bloomberg, federal agencies including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are looking into how to prevent future attempts to manipulate voters, including the 2018 midterm election.

    Congress is also concerned and says social media companies must provide more information.

    The Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr said Tuesday that it’s “probably more a question of when” than if there will be a hearing with Facebook officials as part of his panel’s probe, according to Bloomberg.

    “We’re cooperating with the relevant investigative authorities looking into this subject,” Facebook said in a statement to USA TODAY.

    The Silicon Valley company declined to say what information it provided investigators. It has also declined to disclose the ads it discovered, saying doing so would violate its data policy and federal law.

    Separately, Facebook said September 27, it would tighten controls over who can advertise on its platform, according to Reuters. The change comes in response to the election ads linked to Russia.

  • Trump’s son-in-law to ‘vote as a woman’

    Trump’s son-in-law to ‘vote as a woman’

    NEW YORK (TIP): According to media reports, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top aide, Jared Kushner, has been registered to vote as a woman for eight years.

    Voter information records held by New York show that the presidential adviser — whose portfolio includes everything from seeking peace in the Middle East to reining in the opioid crisis in the US — was registered as “female”. The screenshot, published by Wired, is not the first time the young statesman has fallen foul of bureaucracy.

    Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, also filled out paperwork for his White House security clearance wrongly and had to refile it repeatedly, CBS reported. Prior to 2009, Kushner’s New Jersey voter registration noted his gender as “unknown”, according to The Hill news site.

    Kushner, the scion of a wealthy property-owning family, is one of a number of Trump’s inner circle previously found to have been registered to vote in more than one state during last year’s election, the Washington Post has reported. Others include ex-White House press secretary Sean Spicer and ex-lead strategist Stephen Bannon. Multiple registrations were pointed to by the president as a sign of purported widespread voter fraud in the 2016 poll.

  • Over 130,000 flee fearing volcano eruption on Bali tourist island

    Over 130,000 flee fearing volcano eruption on Bali tourist island

    BALI (TIP): More than 130,000 people have fled the region around the Mount Agung volcano on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, fearing it will soon erupt, according to an Associated Press report. .

    The disaster mitigation agency’s command post in Bali said the number of evacuees has swelled to about 134,200 by September 28 evening. That’s more than double the estimated population within the immediate danger zone, but people farther from the mountain are leaving too.

    Those who have fled are scattered in more than 500 locations across the island famed for its beaches, lush green interior and elegant Hindu culture, taking shelter in temporary camps, sports centers and other public buildings.

    The volcano has been at its highest alert level for a week, sparking the exodus. Thousands of cows were left behind in the rural communities where farming is an important livelihood, but local animal husbandry officials were arranging trucks to remove them.

    The exclusion zone around the mountain extends as far as 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the crater in places. The local observatory reported a small plume most likely of water vapor after daybreak Friday, but no ash cloud.

    Agung, which dominates the landscape in the northeast of the island, last erupted in 1963, killing more than 1,100 people. It remained active for about a year.

    Volcanologists say the past week’s dramatic escalation in tremors indicates an eruption is more likely than not, but they can’t say with certainty when it will happen.

  • Trump unveils sweeping tax reforms, stirs deficit concerns

    Trump unveils sweeping tax reforms, stirs deficit concerns

    Proposes to reduce seven tax brackets to just three, double standard deductions

    Republicans welcome; Democrats oppose

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US President Donald Trump has unveiled sweeping tax reforms which if passed by the Congress would bring down the business tax rate to 15 per cent, introduce territorial tax system that would offer level playing field to American companies.

    However, it immediately prompted criticism that the plan favors business and the rich and could add trillions of dollars to the deficit. The proposal drew a swift, skeptical response from Senator Bob Corker, a leading Republican “fiscal hawk,” who vowed not to vote for any federal tax package financed with borrowed money.

    Aimed at targeting the middle-class families, which constitutes the core of nation’s vote bank, Trump has proposed to reduce the current seven tax brackets to just three of 10, 25 and 35 per cent; double the standard deductions and provide relief for families with child and dependent care expenses.

    “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and I guess it’s probably something I can say that I’m very good at. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We’re going to cut taxes for the middle class, make the tax code simpler and more fair for everyday Americans, and we are going to bring back the jobs and wealth that have left our country—and most people thought left our country for good,” Trump said in his speech in Indiana yesterday.

    “We want tax reform that is pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-family, and, tax reform that is pro-American. It’s time to take care of our people, to rebuild our nation, and to fight for our great American workers,” he said.

    Observing that for several months, his administration has been working closely with Congress to develop a framework for tax reform, Trump said over the next few months, the House and Senate will build on this framework and produce legislation that will deliver more jobs, higher pay, and lower taxes for middle-class families, and for businesses of all sizes.

    Ruing that the total business US tax rate is 60 per cent higher than its average foreign competitors in the developed world, Trump said by doing so the US has surrendered its competitive edge to other countries.

    “But we’re not surrendering anymore. We’re not surrendering anymore. Under our framework, we will dramatically cut the business tax rate so that American companies and American workers can beat our foreign competitors and start winning again,” he said.

    “We will reduce the corporate tax rate to no higher than 20 per cent. That’s way down from 35 and 39 which is substantially below the average of other industrialized nations.

    “This is a revolutionary change, and the biggest winners will be the everyday American workers as jobs start pouring into our country, as companies start competing for American labor, and as wages start going up at levels that you haven’t seen in many years,” he said. Trump said corporations have parked many trillions of dollars in foreign countries, and many have incorporated abroad in order to avoid the punitive tax system altogether.

    Republicans have welcomed tax reforms. Paul Ryan, House Speaker said, “Today, we move one step closer to fixing our broken tax code so that it puts Americans first. This is our best opportunity in a generation to deliver real middle-class tax relief, create jobs here at home, and fuel unprecedented economic growth”.

    Democrats, on the other hand have opposed the idea. Indian-American Democrat Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said, “As the details of the plan have been trickling out, I’ve been disappointed that the House Republican leadership has taken the same secretive approach to taxes that they brought to healthcare”.

    (Source: PTI)

  • MOVIE REVIEW – KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

    MOVIE REVIEW – KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

    CAST: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Elton John, Channing Tatum

    DIRECTION: Matthew Vaughn

    GENRE: Action

    DURATION: 2 hours 21 minutes

    STORY

    When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman’s journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.

    REVIEW

    In 2014, ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ surprised everyone with an audacious screenplay, visceral action and a completely self-aware premise.

    It went on to become a sleeper hit that begged for a sequel. But does the follow-up meet everyone’s expectations? It’s certainly no easy task to recapture that lightning-in-a-bottle success, but ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ certainly tries to up the ante, keeping the same tongue-in-cheek humour intact, along with gritty action and a cast of well-known names.

    Its problem stems from the fact that it doesn’t know exactly when to pull back, in an excessive effort to surpass its predecessor.

    The story is one that we’re all quite familiar with – a psychotic villain holds the world, or at least the US, hostage in an absolutely preposterous manner. Our heroes need to save the day, but the odds are stacked against them when their resources are taken away. In order to make it even more challenging, they need to earn the trust of their new allies, and again that’s a two-way street. Throw in some crazy bad guys and we have a neat little package. But ‘The Golden Circle’ still has some tricks up its sleeve.

    Since action is the primary focus, there’s some nifty editing and camerawork that makes it much easier to follow, reminiscent of the insane chapel sequence in the ‘The Secret Service’. In the acting department, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Pedro Pascal and Julianne Moore are all effective in their respective roles, but it’s a missed opportunity by not saving Colin Firth’s return as a shocking surprise. On the other hand, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges feel underutilized – undoubtedly being reserved for the next entry in this franchise.

    This also means there’s a lot of fluff this time around which could have been done away with, to make it a leaner, meaner screenplay. But the cast,and director Matthew Vaughn seem to have had a lot of fun making this movie and that essence translates well on screen too. As long as you don’t expect it to be a genre-defying blockbuster, get comfortable and enjoy ‘The Golden Circle’ for what it’s worth. If nothing else, check it out for Elton John playing an extremely colorful version of himself – and that’s saying something!

  • ‘PLAYING BILLIE JEAN KING WAS CHALLENGING’

    ‘PLAYING BILLIE JEAN KING WAS CHALLENGING’

    Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone, who will be seen playing Billie Jean King in upcoming ‘Battle of the Sexes’ movie, feels that it was challenging to play former world number one tennis player.

    While talking at the Red Carpet of the movie, the ‘La La Land’ star said, “I’ve never played a real person before and it’s, like, this person is an icon and an absolute badass that I could never even hope to be exactly like.”

    According to a report, the actress also revealed that capturing the essence of was really important to her.

    “Capturing the essence was very important to us. It was super challenging, but [King] was so warm and welcoming and open to all of it. She was generous with her story that it made it much easier than if she was like, ‘Please don’t make this movie about me, good night,” noted Stone.

    Also in attendance was the real Billie Jean King, who is played by Stone in the film.

    “Emma, thanks for making me look so good,” King quipped about Stone when introducing the film.

    King had met everyone involved with the film before it started shooting. Although she had spent time with Stone, directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (who are also married) made sure the two kept their distance as well.

    Emma also shared that she felt weird because she had to just study videotape of Billie Jean. She needed to hear her voice at 29. Helmed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ also stars Steve Carell in the lead role.

    Source: ANI

  • ALICIA VIKANDER’S FIRST LARA CROFT POSTER OUT

    ALICIA VIKANDER’S FIRST LARA CROFT POSTER OUT

    Warner Bros and MGM have released the first official poster for the upcoming ‘Tomb Raider’ reboot, starring Alicia Vikander as the globetrotting archaeologist Lara Croft.

    The reboot comes more than 15 years after Angelina Jolie first brought the video game adventurer to the silver screen.

    The new ‘Tomb Raider’ finds Croft as an ordinary 21- year-old living in London. Haunted by the apparent death of her archaeologist father (Dominic West), she soon sets out on a high-stakes mission to find him. Roar Uthaug is directing, with Walton Goggins on board as the film’s villain.

    ‘Tomb Raider’ will hit theaters on March 16,

    2018. Source: PTI

  • MOVIE REVIEW – SIMRAN

    MOVIE REVIEW – SIMRAN

    CAST: Kangana Ranaut, Sohum Shah

    DIRECTION: Hansal Mehta

    GENRE: Comedy

    DURATION: 2 hours 4 minutes

    STORY

    Praful Patel (Kangana) is a 30-year-old divorcee living in Georgia with her middle-class parents. A housekeeper by profession, she gets drawn to a life of crime after her tryst with gambling at a Las Vegas casino. One bad turn leads to several more and before you know it, Praful is in a sordid mess.

    REVIEW

    The nice thing about Simran is that it ventures into an area where the Bollywood heroine offers no defence for being a badass. The protagonist, a woman with an undaunted spirit, lives and loves by her own set of rules. She refuses to have ‘sex without protection’ and is constantly up for adventure. She doesn’t think twice about slipping into a life of crime just to support her `character flaws’. So far so good.

    Besides the premise, everything else about the film is improbable. The writing falters in parts and naturally the execution follows. The way Praful goes about robbing banks and gets away scot-free, even after leaving her finger prints all over and notes scribbled with lipstick seems unbelievable. The media brands her the ‘lipstick bandit’, and the Atlanta cops and the victimised bank employees seem like a bunch of jokers, who keep harping on the fearless bandit’s modus operandi, and yet, they fail to foil the half-a-dozen heists! It is almost like Hansal Mehta is attempting a comic story.

    Nothing wrong there, but if is a tale that is being recounted in lighter vein, then it should have at least made the audience laugh some more.

    The only one who is having a good time here is Kangana. Whether she’s docile or daring, the actress goes about her screen business with a flourish; getting her mannerisms pat. However, there are occasions when even she gets carried away with the constant focus. But then again, is she really to be blamed? The filmmaker doesn’t even have another noteworthy star on celluloid to share the limelight.

    Simran’s parents and her fiancee, Sameer (Sohum) and other actors–foreign and desi–don’t quite add up.