Month: December 2021
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History This Week- December 31 – Jan 6
“The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.”― James Baldwin
December 31
December 31st – New Year’s Eve, the final evening of the Gregorian calendar year, traditionally a night for merry-making to welcome in the new year.
December 31, 1781 – The first bank in the U.S., the Bank of North America, received its charter from the Confederation Congress. It opened on January 7, 1782, in Philadelphia.
Thomas Edison December 31, 1879 – Thomas Edison provided the first public demonstration of his electric incandescent lamp at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
December 31, 1971 – Austrian Kurt Waldheim became U.N. Secretary-General following the retirement of U Thant. Waldheim served until 1981 then resumed his career in Austrian politics. In 1986, he ran for the presidency. During the campaign, it was revealed he had likely given false information concerning his military service in the German Army during World War II. He claimed he left the army in 1942 after being wounded on the Russian Front, but allegations arose that he was actually lieutenant in 1943-44 stationed in the Balkans when Greek Jews were rounded up and sent to Nazi death camps and when atrocities were committed against Yugoslav resistance fighters.
Birthday – George C. Marshall (1880-1959) was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He had genius for organization and served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army throughout World War II, expanding the Army from 130,000 to 8,300,000 men. He then served as Secretary of State under President Truman and designed the Marshall Plan for the relief of war-torn Europe and to halt the spread of Communism.
January 1
New Year’s Day – The most celebrated holiday around the world.
January 1, 1502 – Portuguese explorers landed at Guanabara Bay on the coast of South America and named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). Rio de Janeiro is currently Brazil’s second largest city.
January 1, 1660 – Samuel Pepys began his famous diary in which he chronicled life in London including the Great Plague of 1664-65 and the Great Fire of 1666.
January 1, 1776 – During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag, the first national flag in America.
January 1, 1801 – Ireland was added to Great Britain by an Act of Union thus creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
January 1, 1863 – The Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the states rebelling against the Union.
Queen Victoria January 1, 1877 – Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India.
January 1, 1892 – Ellis Island in New York Harbor opened. Over 20 million new arrivals to America were processed until its closing in 1954.
January 1, 1901 – The Commonwealth of Australia was founded as six former British colonies became six states with Edmund Barton as the first prime minister.
January 1, 1915 – During World War I, the British Battleship Formidable was hit by a torpedo in the English Channel, killing 547 crewmen.
January 1, 1942 – Twenty-six countries signed the Declaration of the United Nations, in Washington, D.C., reaffirming their opposition to the Axis powers and confirming that no single nation would make a separate peace.
January 1, 1958 – The EEC (European Economic Community) known as the Common Market was formed by Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands in order to remove trade barriers and coordinate trade policies.
January 1, 1959 – Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba after leading a revolution that drove out Dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro then established a Communist dictatorship.
January 1, 1973 – Britain, Ireland and Denmark became members of the Common Market (EEC).
January 1, 1975 – During the Watergate scandal, former top aides to President Nixon including former Attorney General John Mitchell, Domestic Affairs Advisor John Ehrlichman and Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, were found guilty of obstruction of justice.
January 1, 1979 – China and the U.S. established diplomatic relations, 30 years after the foundation of the People’s Republic.
January 1, 1993 – Czechoslovakia broke into separate Czech and Slovak republics.
January 1, 1999 – Eleven European nations began using a new single European currency, the Euro, for electronic financial and business transactions. Participating countries included Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Birthday – American Patriot Paul Revere (1735-1818) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Best known for his ride on the night of April 18, 1775, warning Americans of British plans to raid Lexington and Concord.
Birthday – Betsy Ross (1752-1836) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a seamstress credited with helping to originate and sew the Stars and Stripes flag of America in 1776.
January 2
January 2, 1905 – The Russians surrendered to the Japanese after the Battle of Port Arthur during the Russian Japanese War. A peace conference was later held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with President Theodore Roosevelt serving as a mediator. In September of 1905, the Russians agreed to the Treaty of Portsmouth yielding Port Arthur and the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan. Russia also agreed to evacuate Manchuria and recognize Japan’s interests in Korea.
January 2, 1942 – During World War II in the Pacific, the Japanese captured the Philippines capital of Manila and the nearby air base at Cavite.
John F. Kennedy January 2, 1960 – In Washington, D.C., Senator John F. Kennedy announced his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
January 3
January 3, 1777 – During the American Revolution, General George Washington defeated the British at Princeton and drove them back toward New Brunswick. Washington then established winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. During the long harsh winter, Washington’s army shrank to about a thousand men as enlistments expired and deserters fled.
January 3, 1924 – British Egyptologist Howard Carter found the sarcophagus of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor after several years of searching.
January 3, 1946 – An Englishman known during World War II as “Lord Haw Haw” (William Joyce) was hanged for treason in London. Joyce had broadcast Nazi propaganda via radio from Germany to Britain during the war.
January 3, 1959 – Alaska was admitted as the 49th U.S. state with a land mass almost one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states together.
January 3, 1961 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba two years after Communist dictator Fidel Castro had seized power and just weeks before John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the next president.
January 3, 1990 – Manuel Noriega, the deposed leader of Panama, surrendered to American authorities on charges of drug trafficking after spending 10 days hiding in the Vatican embassy following the U.S. invasion of Panama.
January 3, 1993 – President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Start-II (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) Treaty, eliminating about two-thirds of each country’s long range nuclear weapons.
January 4
January 4, 1790 – President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address.
January 4, 1974 – President Richard Nixon rejected subpoenas from the Senate Watergate Committee seeking audio tapes and related documents.
Louis Braille Birthday – Louis Braille (1809-1852) was born in France. Blinded as a boy, he later invented a reading system for the blind using punch marks in paper.
January 5
January 5, 1919 – German Communists in Berlin led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht attempted to take over the government by seizing a number of buildings. However, ten days later, they were both assassinated by German soldiers.
January 5, 1919 – The German Workers’ Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) was founded by Anton Drexler in Munich. Adolf Hitler became member No. 7 and changed the name in April of 1920 to the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) commonly shortened to Nazi or Nazi Party.
January 5, 1925 – Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first female governor inaugurated in the U.S.
January 5, 1968 – Alexander Dubcek became first secretary of Czechoslovakia’s Communist Party. He introduced liberal reforms known as “Communism with a human face” which resulted in Soviet Russian troops invading Prague to crack down.
January 5, 1972 – President Richard Nixon signed a bill approving $5.5 billion over six years to build and test the NASA space shuttle.
January 5, 1976 – In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot announced a new constitution which legalized the Communist government and renamed the country as Kampuchea. During the reign of Pol Pot, over 1 million persons died in “the killing fields” as he forced people out of the cities into the countryside to create an idyllic agrarian society. Educated and professional city people were especially targeted for murder and were almost completely annihilated. In January of 1979, the Pol Pot was overthrown by Cambodian rebels and Vietnamese troops.
Birthday – King Juan Carlos I of Spain was born in Rome on January 5, 1938. He was chosen by Francisco Franco to inherit his right-wing dictatorship and was sworn in as King on November 22, 1975, two days after Franco’s death. The new King then announced his intention to mold Spain into a broadly based democratic society.
January 6
January 6, 1066 – Harold, Earl of Wessex, was crowned King of England following the death of his brother-in-law Edward the Confessor. Harold II was England’s last Anglo-Saxon king. In October of 1066, Harold met the invading army of William the Conqueror at Hastings and died on the field of battle.
January 6, 1941 – President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his State of the Union address to Congress asking for support for the lend-lease program aiding Allies fighting the Axis powers. Roosevelt also defined four essential freedoms worth defending; freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
January 6, 1990 – Poland’s Communist Party disbanded and then reorganized as the Social Democratic Party, an opposition party to Solidarity.
Capitol in Washington is attacked January 6, 2020-President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington with the intention of disrupting the certification of election results by the Congress. The violent mob assaulted law enforcement officers, vandalized property and occupied the building for several hours. Five people died either shortly before, during, or following the event: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes. Many people were injured, including 138 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months.
Joan of Arc Birthday – Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was born in France. After a series of mystic visitations by saints, she inspired French troops to break the British siege at Orleans and win several important victories during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between France and Britain. She was eventually captured and sold to the British who tried her for heresy and burned her at the stake. In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
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Indian-origin Former joint Punjab bureaucrat Jivat Thadani dies in US
VERMONT (TIP): A former bureaucrat, Jivat Thadani, who served in joint Punjab between 1950 and 1965, breathed his last at his home in Vermont, US, on December 23. He was 94.
An illustrious personality, Thadani after joining the Indian Administrative Service was posted to Punjab between 1950 and 1957. He served in several districts, including Amritsar, Hisar, Karnal, Mahendragarh and Ferozepur. From 1957 to 1962, he was Director of Industries, Punjab, before resigning from the service. Thadani later joined Delhi Cloth and General Mills to help develop new industries in various parts of the country.
In 1969, Thadani was employed by World Bank in Washington DC and remained a senior adviser for industrial projects before his retirement in 1987. Throughout his career, he sought to advance industrial development through various routes, seeing in it the only way to improve the condition of the poor and underprivileged whose plight had influenced him from his earliest days in India. Born in Hyderabad, Pakistan, Thadani was schooled at home in Delhi, where his father was principal of Hindu College. He subsequently attended Hindu College, and after changing his subject from English to economics, he became the first student to be granted a PhD in economics by Delhi University. Widely read in history, economics, and philosophy, and remained to the end clear in intellect, Thadani spent his last years in India, the US, and the UK. He is survived by his wife, Jaya Thadani, son Vijay Thadani, daughter-in-law Onita Connington and their grandchildren.
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Indian American teens Arjit and Akshata Reddy remembered
LOS ANGELES (TIP): Akshata “Lucky” Chettupalli, 16, and her brother 14-year-old Arjit were traveling home from Chatsworth, a Los Angeles suburb, with their parents late at night on Dec 18 when the family’s SUV was struck by a suspected DUI driver.
Arjit died that night, his sister was taken off life support on Christmas Day after being pronounced brain dead, according to local media reports.
The two were students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Arjit was an eighth grader at Lawrence Middle School located in Chatsworth, a Los Angeles suburb.
Akshata was a junior at the Gifted Magnet Program at North Hollywood High School. She was also the student council class president.
Friends and family gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil at the corner of Lassen Street and Oakdale Avenue to mourn the deaths of the two teenagers, media reported.
“Those kids are beyond belief talented, and highly gifted kids,” their father Ram Chettupalli was quoted as saying. “It is unbelievable both kids are gone in one family.”
“My kids … there are not enough words to describe,” he said. “My daughter was amazing, and my son was, in a simple word, was kind of a human computer.
“They were very disciplined. They never did a single thing to the society. My daughter used to always tell me, ‘Daddy, I don’t know what I will do, but I will do something great for the society.’”
Dozens surrounded the heartbroken parents at Sunday’s vigil, which was held at the crash site.
Prayers were chanted, candles were lit, and tribute was paid to the two teens at the vigil as heart-broken family members thanked the community for their support. Many of Akshata’s friends came out on Sunday to show their support. “Lucky was a consistently uplifting spirit and such a hard-working student,” said classmate Enzo Banal. “We knew her from student council. She was the vice president of junior council, and it’s just such a heart-wrenching loss.”
The close-knit Indian community in San Fernando Valley has been shaken since the tragedy, and they hope the siblings’ family finds solace with the help of family and friends, abc7 said.
Investigators cited by abc7 said the driver, a 20-year-old woman, was reportedly driving under the influence. She has since been arrested on murder charges.
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Indian American multimillionaire Shri Thanedar to run for US Congress
DETROIT(TIP): Shri Thanedar, a multimillionaire Indian-American entrepreneur, author, and politician, who currently represents the 3rd district in the Michigan House, plans to run for US congressional seat held by fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib. Thanedar, who was a candidate in the Democratic Party primary for governor of Michigan in the 2018 election, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Dec 21 to run for the 13th District seat, which covers large chunks of Detroit, the state’s largest city.
“My focus is on bringing federal dollars to Detroit to address infrastructure problems, economic inequalities, and to improve quality of life for the residents,” Thanedar told the Detroit Metro Times.
“I will also seek federal assistance in the form of reparations to address decades of systemic racism in urban America.”
Whether Thanedar will face off with Tlaib in the 2022 primary election is not yet known as Congressional districts are being redrawn, and Michigan is losing a US House seat because of the state’s sluggish population growth, the Times said. Thanedar, who made his fortune in the pharmaceutical industry spent more than $10 million of his own money to run for governor in 2018 to finish third in the Democratic primary election but won Detroit city with more than 35,000 votes. Thanedar, who lives in Detroit, grew up in India before immigrating to the United States in 1979 to pursue a doctorate degree in chemistry.
He is a serial entrepreneur and ran many small businesses from 1990 to 2016. He is a three-time recipient of the “Entrepreneur of the Year” award from Ernst and Young.
According to his official bio Thanedar grew up in a working-class family that suffered financial hardship and paid for his education by working as a teacher’s assistant.
“During that time, he earned just $300 a month and sent $75 each month to his family, who were dealing with financial hardship, could put food on the table,” it says.
After earning his PhD in Chemistry, Thanedar worked as a post-doctoral research scholar at the University of Michigan (1982-84). He also earned an MBA from Fontbonne College in 1987.
Thanedar says he supports progressive solutions, including the $15 minimum wage, because he knows how important it is for Michigan families to have opportunities to earn a good-paying wage with one job instead of needing two or three jobs to make ends meet.
Thanedar says he plans to use his knowledge, expertise, passion and dedication to bring real change for Michigan families through progressive legislation to improve equality, access and security for all.
He is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship, early-childhood education, equitable K-12 funding, affordable healthcare and racial, social and economic justice, the bio says.
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Indian American Himesh Gandhi appointed to Texas public accountancy board
AUSTIN (TIP): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Indian American attorney Himesh Gandhi to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy that ensures that certified public accountants (CPAs) have the necessary skills and competence. Gandhi of Sugar Land is an attorney and equity shareholder at Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC. His term is set to expire on Jan 31, 2025, according to a press release from the Governor’s office. The public Accountancy board protects the public by ensuring that persons issued certificates as CPAs possess the necessary education, skills, and capabilities and that they perform competently in the profession of public accountancy.
Gandhi is board certified in Commercial Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Fort Bend Bar Association. His primary focus is in the areas of commercial real estate and assisting clients in acquisition, disposition, capitalization and formation of companies.
Gandhi’s real estate practice involves all aspects of commercial real estate including acquisition, development, capitalization, financing, leasing and disposition. In addition to practicing law, Gandhi believes strongly in community service, according to his official bio. He previously served on the Sugar Land City Council, as Vice Chairman of the Arc of Fort Bend, and as a board member for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and Child Advocates of Fort Bend. Gandhi received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Houston Baptist University and a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law. In 2012, Gandhi became the youngest at-large councilman in the history of Sugar Land when taking office at the age of 35. He has also served as the Mayor Pro-Term. In 2015, Gandhi was named a recipient of the prestigious Houston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 awards. Before that Fort Bend Business Journal named him as a Fort Bend Rising Star in 2011.
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Indian American students from University of South Florida win the Amgen Strategy Competition
TAMPA (TIP): Two Indian American students at the University of South Florida took the top prize at the Amgen Strategy Competition for a strategy proposal aimed at keeping a company’s workforce diverse. The winning pitch of Aishwarya Kulkarni and Raunak Ghosh beat out competing proposals from dozens of other universities across the country, according to a USF press release. Kulkarni and Ghosh are both graduate students in business analytics and information systems program at USF MUMA College of Business. They won first place for presenting on the topic of career development strategies to maintain the percentage of diverse talent at all levels of hierarchy. The month-long competition culminated in an in-person pitch on Nov 18 before a panel of senior leaders from Amgen, a biotech company. The pair’s winning proposal centered on making people’s stories of bias and belonging relatable.
“Our main concept was the Human Library project, where people can express their stories of overcoming any biases or issues that they had faced and how they overcame those issues, which would inspire people in the organization and bring about a sense of inclusion with respect to empathizing certain scenarios,” Ghosh said.
The Human Library Organization is a nonprofit headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark that offers diversity and inclusion training to companies and institutions. They also host events featuring volunteers with personal experience with their topic. Ghosh said they also proposed companies emphasize diversity in exit interviews, host events based on the diversity, inclusion and belonging (DIB) theme, and offer surveys to gather data on employee reactions to DIB policies and how they are treated by the company.
The pair was mentored by Amgen leader Arnold Eddula, who is the global head of operations in cybersecurity.
Ghosh said he was encouraged to see the number of companies and organizations taking a big stand on the important issues of diversity, inclusion and belonging.
“We got to understand how to make a presentation impactful for the viewers. We also understood the value of teamwork as we worked with each other, coordinating with our mentor, and implementing valuable feedback into our presentation, which eventually got us the first prize,” he said. The Indian American students bested teams from the University of Southern California and the University of California-Riverside, who took second and third place.
In all, 100 students from 23 universities and colleges across the country took part in the competition. Teams were tasked to pitch a strategy from four different topics.
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Indian American Meera Joshi set to become New York City Deputy Mayor
New York (TIP): Indian American attorney Meera Joshi is all set to become deputy mayor of operations of New York City on Jan 1 chartering yet another historic first for the Indian American community. Joshi, with over 16 years of experience leading government oversight agencies, is one of the two deputy mayors of Asian descent in a team five women deputies in mayor-elect Eric Adams’s administration. She previously served as chair and CEO of New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, for five years.
“As Deputy Mayor for Operations, Meera Joshi will ensure that our City is able to respond in real time to meet and exceed the needs of every community and be a model of excellence for all urban centers,” Adams said announcing her appointment Dec 20. “Anyone that knows me knows I’m a momma’s boy and I was raised by women,” Adams was quoted as saying. “Under the mayor-elect’s leadership, we have the opportunity to improve the lives of each and every New Yorker and their children and their children,” Joshi said.
President Joe Biden had appointed Joshi as the Deputy Administrator and senior official of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on Jan 20, the very first day of his administration. The White House sent her nomination for promotion as Administrator of the safety agency to the Senate on April 15. But Joshi’s selection as New York City’s deputy mayor would spell the end of her nomination.
American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear welcomed her appointment saying, “Joshi has led FMCSA through historic times — as an unprecedented global pandemic, countless natural disasters, a cyberattack on a major domestic pipeline, and widespread workforce shortages challenged the freight economy in ways never before seen.”
“Throughout her tenure, the trucking industry has found Deputy Administrator Joshi to be a candid, collaborative, and valued partner in government,” he stated. “Her use of data and stakeholder input drove a sound policy process designed to meet real-world needs.”
“Her leadership has helped to ensure our industry could continue to safely serve the American people and meet the demands of the economy during these incredible times,” Spear added.
In her previous role as head of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, America’s largest for-hire transportation regulator, Joshi spearheaded novel Vision Zero campaigns using data tools to keep high risk drivers and unsafe vehicles off the road, according to her official bio.
She also led landmark policy, including establishing robust open transportation data standards for app-based providers; enacting America’s first for-hire driver pay protection program and providing broad access to for-hire transportation for passengers who use wheelchairs. Prior to transportation regulation, Joshi was the Inspector General for New York City’s Department of Corrections, responsible for investigation of corruption and criminality at all levels of New York City’s jail operations and the First Deputy Executive Director of New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, leading investigations of police misconduct. In addition to her government positions, Joshi served as General Manager for the New York Office of Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants and was a visiting scholar at New York University’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Joshi holds a BA and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Indian American Ashwin Vasan named New York health & Mental Hygiene commissioner
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): New York’s Mayor-elect Eric Adams has named Indian American public health expert Dr. Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD as the new Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
The current health commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, another Indian American, will continue to serve in the post through March 15. Vasan will serve as Senior Adviser for Public Health in the interim.
“The appointments will ensure continuity and a seamless transition of leadership as New York City continues to combat the surge in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant,” Adams announced in a press release on Dec 22.
The Health Commissioner will serve as a key leader and advisor to Adams on all policies relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are at a critical moment in our fight against Covid-19. The virus is a formidable opponent, and our city’s response to it must be smart and strong,” Adams said.
“My vow to New Yorkers is simple: Under my leadership, we will make this city safer, healthier, and a better place to raise healthy children and families,” he said. In the next week, Adams, Chokshi, and Vasan will roll out a comprehensive plan to ensure that City, State, and Federal resources are properly allocated to keep New York City residents safe from Covid-19, the release said.
Vasan is President and CEO of Fountain House, a national nonprofit that aims to improve health, increase opportunity, and reduce social and economic isolation for people with serious mental illness.
Vasan has grown Fountain House from a direct service provider in NYC to a national leader in mental health. A practicing physician, academic, and public servant, Vasan holds concurrent positions as an Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. Vasan previously worked at Partners In Health and at the World Health Organization to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment. He then helped lead the multi-country health systems implementation and research program ARCHeS, based at Columbia Mailman. Vasan was also founding Executive Director / Agency Deputy Medical Director of the Health Access Equity Unit at DOHMH, which grew into a bureau focused on the health, clinical systems, and social welfare of those in the criminal legal system.
Vasan holds a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology from Harvard, his MD from the University of Michigan, and his PhD in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “I am deeply honored and humbled to join Mayor-elect Adams’ administration to help New Yorkers fight back against Covid-19, and I am grateful to Dr. Chokshi for his tireless work on behalf of our City,” Vasan said. “Make no mistake: we will stop the spread of this virus. We will also deliver on the Mayor-elect’s public health priorities by fixing our broken mental health system and ensuring equitable access to clean air, clean water, healthy food, and affordable healthcare,”. “Serving as New York City’s health commissioner has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I feel a deep sense of duty and care for our City — and I’m committed to our City’s Covid response, as I have been for the past two years. New York City can count on me to see us through another winter,” Chokshi said. Chokshi has served as New York City’s 43rd Health Commissioner since August 2020. Prior to that he was the inaugural Chief Population Health Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. He continues to see patients at Bellevue Hospital, where he has been a primary care physician since 2014.
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Indian American Ritwik Behera’s success story
MARYLAND (TIP): Ritwik Behera fell in love with cricket in the spring of 2011, during the six-week-long World Cup held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Along with his older brother Rasesh, he stayed up late or got up early to watch the matches played more than 8,000 miles and multiple time zones away.
From the couch of their Clarksburg, MD, home, their father Rasananda, an information technology entrepreneur, explained the nuances of the game and its myriad rules to his two sons, then aged 8 and 11. Smitten by the experience, the Behera boys decided to try their hands at cricket. Rasananda taught the fundamentals of the game to his two sons at the lone cricket field of the Germantown Soccerplex, overlooking the picturesque Sugarloaf Mountain. Roughly 10 and a half years later, Ritwik would go on to don his country’s colors in the first Dafabet Men’s T20 International against the visiting Ireland. He was one of the only two U.S.-born players on the American team that split the two-match series with the Irish, a Test nation that is ranked 17 places above the United States. The other was fellow debutant Yasir Mohammad.
Those who have followed Behera’s fledgling career say that they were surprised at the teenager’s quick rise to the top. “He has the talent, and he did all the hard work,” said Sunny Sohal, Behera’s coach of six years.
Sohal, a former India Under-19, Punjab, Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman who has himself played for the United States in three T20 internationals, told the American Bazaar that Behera is now perfectly positioned to take his game to the next level. “The selection will give him a boost and it will motivate him to work harder,” said Sohal. Behera’s performance with the bat in the debut series was far from impressive. He was out for a fourth ball duck in the first match that the United States won. In the series-leveling second match, a day-night affair, he scored a labored 16 off 23.
However, the teenager took four catches, two in each match, all in the deep. In the second match, he also bowled a tight over of off spin, conceding only 5 runs.
But Sohal shrugged off Behera’s struggles with the bat. If he works hard, sky is the limit, the coach said.
Sohal first began coaching Behera when he was 12. It was the first time the youngster attended an organized cricket coaching session. Later in 2019, when the former Punjab Ranji star — who was a teammate of Virat Kohli, Shikar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane on the India Under-19 squad — opened the Sunny Sohal Cricket Academy, Behara was one of the first to sign up.
Over the next two years, he played on the Academy team in various local leagues. Behera’s rise to the top has been based on several standout performances in local tournaments. Behera first announced his arrival as a 13-year-old, when he scored 86 in a senior Washington Cricket League match. In 2017, he hit a last ball six to win a match. In one National Youth Cricket League match in Bowie, in July 2019, the right hander scored 110 of 46 balls.
From there, he never looked back. In the newly launched Minor League Cricket, Behera played for DC Hawks, along with his brother Rasesh and coach Sohal. In March this year, Ritwik was selected to the Mid-Atlantic Zone squad, one of the eight teams that featured in the USA Cricket Men’s Under 19 National Championship. Three months later, in July, Behera was named to the 14-member Team USA Under 19 Squad announced for the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup qualification tournament.
(The tournament was later canceled due to Covid.)
Then came the U.S. T20I selection.
Behera was not part of the original squad that was named on December 10. He and Mohammad, who is also an Indian American, were named as replacements after a number of players were forced to sit out because of Covid.
Sohal praised the US selectors for picking Behera, Mohammad and 17-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Rahul Jariwala, among other youngsters. “This is the right time to promote them,” the coach said. “They will work harder and will be more motivated to work harder.” The United States first played a one day international in 2004 and a T20I in 2019. Most of the cricketers who have gone on to represent the country in these two formats so far have been players who were developed by the systems of cricketing powerhouses such as India, Pakistan, the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Behera is one of a handful of players produced by the nascent American system who have earned the US cap. Sohal said Behera’s selection was a proud moment for his academy. “For me also, it is a big achievement,” he said. “Now there are many kids who can look up to our academy.” He said the teenager had a practice session with him just before heading for Florida.
Family thrilled
Ritwik Behera could not be contacted for this story, but his brother, Rasesh, said his family was thrilled by the teenager’s accomplishment. “[My parents] are very excited,” said Rasesh Behera.
Rasananda and Sasmita are immigrants from the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Sasmita is a preschool teacher in Potomac, MD. Rasesh Behera said his brother’s goal, apart from representing the United States, is to “play franchise cricket all over the world.”
However, currently Ritwik is focused on his undergrad education. The Poolesville High School senior has offers from multiple universities, including the University of Maryland College Park. Ritwik is also exploring college options in England, which has excellent cricket infrastructure, as well.
Born in in Rockville, MD, just outside of Washington, DC, on November 10, 2003, Ritwik attended William B. Gibbs, Jr. Elementary School and Roberto Clemente Middle School, both in Germantown, MD.
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Indian-origin South African leaders recall Tutu’s role in liberation and reconstruction of South Africa
JOHANNESBURG (TIP): Indian-origin South African leaders on Monday, December 27, recalled the role of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in the liberation and reconstruction of South Africa as they mourned the demise of the anti-apartheid icon, saying he was an “international voice of moral conscience”. Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government against the black majority in South Africa, died on Sunday. He was 90. His funeral service will be held at 10 am on January 1 at St George’s Cathedral in central Cape Town, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said.
Paying his tribute to Tutu, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Executive Director Neeshan Balton said he was “a national as well as an international voice of moral conscience”.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation was formed by late freedom fighter and Indian-origin anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada who spent just one year less than Nelson Mandela’s 27 years in prison.
Balton said both Kathrada and Mandela had expressed “concerns at the levels of poverty, inequality and deprivation among our people. “Both were outraged at the level of corruption within the government, particularly during the (Jacob) Zuma era, and unhesitatingly expressed their views publicly against state capture and moral decay in society.”Balton said both the leaders shared a deep desire for the attainment of truly non-racial, just and equal South Africa. “While Tutu never wavered on principle, he was ever-ready to forgive his adversaries. The Archbishop Emeritus was a unique figure in the liberation and reconstruction of South Africa and will be sorely missed by millions across the globe,” he said. Anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa’s Olympic Committee Sam Ramsamy recalled how Tutu had played a key role in calming the situation after violence erupted following South Africa’s decision to participate in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The incident happened two years after Mandela was freed from prison and as many years before he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994.
“A bloody and horrible massacre was committed in (the Black township of) Boipatong by some so-called supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party, killing 45 people with many more injured. There were then calls for South Africa’s withdrawal from the Olympics. Archbishop Tutu helped calm the situation. And South Africa’s first non-racial team took part in Barcelona, bringing back two silver medals,” Ramsamy recalled.
“Archbishop Tutu’s support for Olympics never faded. He was part of South Africa’s delegation for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. In 2002, he was a member of the elite group that carried the Olympic Flag in the Opening Ceremony of the Salt Lake City Games. He loved being present at major sports events,” he said.
Internationally renowned film producer Anant Singh recalled a three-decade family friendship with Tutu and the Archbishop Emeritus’s support for his ventures.
“I was fortunate to have him as our guest of honor when we opened our cinemas in Cape Town 21 years ago, and when we made our film, ‘Red Dust’, he provided us his invaluable advice,” Anant said.
The theme of the film was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to which Mandela had appointed Tutu as Chairperson.
Tutu once broke down in tears at the Commission while victims of apartheid were recalling the atrocities committed on them by the violent apartheid-era security forces.
“I was honored to have been a fellow award recipient together with the Arch from the New York-based social investment fund, ‘Shared Interest’ in 2014,” Singh said.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) also condoled the death of Tutu.
“Cricket benefitted immensely from his heroic efforts, as it ushered in a new era of unity, embodying God’s rainbow people,” the CSA said in a statement, noting that Tutu had passed away on the very day that South Africa and India commenced a Test series marking the 30th Anniversary of South Africa’s readmission into international cricket after decades of isolation from international participation due to apartheid.
“This makes the Archbishop’s passing a very painful loss to CSA, as his activism and teachings helped in transforming the sport of cricket. CSA is delighted that the Archbishop was an avid cricket fan,” CSA Acting Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki said. “There are just a handful of people who have made a greater contribution to our democracy, and the unification of sport and in particular cricket in South Africa than our beloved and much respected Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu,” he said. Meanwhile, a series of services and other events have been planned across South Africa in the week-long mourning period.
Tutu’s body will lie in state in St George’s Cathedral on Friday.
Archbishop Makgoba appealed to mourners not to make their way to Cape Town, but rather join the services of their local institutions, as only 100 people would be allowed at the funeral due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Starting Monday, the bells at St George’s Cathedral will toll for 10 minutes at noon daily till the funeral. Makgoba asked all who hear the bells to pause their activities for a moment in tribute to Tutu.
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Parenting tips: How to protect newborns from severe cold
When the mercury drops, people are advised to follow a number of steps in order to preserve body heat. As we are facing some of the oldest winter days, it is imperative to protect newborns from cold waves. The little ones have less body fat and are small in size, hence, they are at risk of losing heat more quickly in comparison to adults. This is why children fall sick more frequently. Layering the infants is important, but one needs to take care that they don’t go overboard and make the little one uncomfortable. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, the Fortis Hospital Kalyan’s Consultant Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Sushma Tomar informed that caps, socks, and mittens should be a part of the baby’s clothing, even during nighttime.
However, she opined that one should not overdress the baby, as it can cause a lot of discomfort. According to the expert, the clothing should not restrict the baby’s movement. Breastmilk is the best form of nutrition, hence, especially in winters, new mothers should include lots of salads, green vegetables, soups, cereals like Bajra and Makka in their diet to stay healthy.
While one should take the baby out in the sun during the daytime, avoid taking the newborn out during the cold hours, that is early in the morning or later in the evening. The doctor advised that if one has to take the baby out during the nighttime, one should properly cover the little one and keep it close to the body. This will keep the baby cozy and comfortable. In winters, the ventilation and regulation of room temperature ensure enough light and fresh air in the newborn’s room. Giving oil massages to infants is an age-old practice in India, and winters are the best time.
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the doctor suggested that while venturing out or if there are guests at home, parents should exercise COVID appropriate behavior to protect themselves and the baby.
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Ways you can use natural oils in your skincare routine
Sometimes it’s best to go back to basics. Natural oils is the way to heal your heart and skin this year.
Beauty routines will be all about minimalism, in line with the “skip-care” and “skin fasting” trends already gaining followers worldwide. So maybe this season is the perfect time to take the plunge, taking skincare minimalism to the extreme by using only plant oils — preferably natural and organic — to relieve seasonal skin complaints like dehydrated skin, chapped lips and dry hands.
Avocado, sweet almond and shea
Cold and windy weather tends to dry out the skin on our faces all winter long, leading to feelings of discomfort. But don’t give in to the temptation of layering, applying layers of several skincare products — even if they’re organic — in an attempt to nourish skin. Instead, try reaching for natural plant oils. As it happens, many of them have hydrating and nourishing properties. The best bet is avocado oil, one of the most nourishing options, preferably used at night to also get the best of its regenerative and antioxidant properties. Slightly richer than most oils, it can be mixed with jojoba oil, which penetrates skin more quickly.
If you have very dry skin, which is starting to feel taut, you could try applying a dab of sweet almond oil or shea olein (shea oil), both known for their hydrating properties, among other things. In fact, one of the major advantages of plant-based oils is that they are bursting with benefits for the skin. For example, sweet almond oil strengthens skin’s barrier and keeps it supple, while shea oil has reparative and anti-aging virtues.
Calendula for chapped lips
What could be better than calendula flower for banishing chapped lips? This too is one of the most common winter skin complaints, and it’s not because we now spend our days hidden under face masks that we shouldn’t take care of this sensitive area. Calendula oil has all the right properties to help get your lips back in soft, rosy shape. While people with sensitive or itch-prone skin often use this oil to soothe their skin, they not many know that it can also be very effective in tackling chapped lips thanks to its soothing, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. Applying a drop to lips should be enough to get them back in top condition.
Olive oil for dry hands
While the virtues of olive oil are well known in the kitchen, this natural plant oil also has many benefits for your skin. Olive oil is the perfect ingredient to tackle dry hands thanks to its nourishing properties, as well as for hands that are irritated by the cold thanks to its soothing quality.
Plus, olive oil can be used on chapped lips or as an effective base for other formulations.
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Chicken Biryani
Chicken Biryani is that recipe of delight which, when cooked perfectly can turn into a dish par excellence. Loved by all food lovers across the world, it is one of the representative dishes of India that reminds of the culinary heritage of the regal era.
Ingredients
Chicken – 750 gms, chopped to bite sized pieces Onions – 3, finely sliced Cashewnut Paste – 1 tblsp Tomatoes – 3 to 4, pureed Basmati Rice – 2 to 3 cups, soaked for 10 minutes Ghee – 1 tblsp Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tsp Poppy Seeds – 1 tblsp, coarsely powdered Salt as per taste Saffron Strands – 1/4 tsp, soaked in 2 tblsp milk Oil – 2 to 3 tblsp Fried Onions – 1 cup, to garnish. For the marinade: Curd – 2 cups, beaten Coriander Leaves – 1 tblsp, chopped Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder – 2 tsp Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub all over the chicken pieces.
– Keep aside for 10 to 20 minutes. – Heat oil in a pan over medium flame.
– Add the ginger garlic paste and onions.
– Saute well for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions turn light golden brown. – Add the cashewnut paste, tomato puree and poppy seeds. – Stir well and simmer for a minute or two. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cover the pan with a lid.
– Reduce flame to low and cook till the chicken is tender.
– Drain the rice and rinse well. – Pressure cook till 3/4ths done and remove. Place a large, deep pan over low flame.
– Spread a layer of rice at the bottom followed by a layer of the chicken. Repeat until all the rice and chicken have been used up, finishing up with a layer of rice on top. Sprinkle the saffron strands with the milk and ghee on top. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
– Remove when the rice is cooked and chicken pieces are tender. – Gently fluff up the rice using a fork. – Garnish with the fried onions.
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Andy Murray accepts wild-card entry to Australian Open
Five-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray received a wild-card entry Thursday for the tournament’s main draw. Murray last played at Melbourne Park in 2019, when he made a teary retirement announcement before undergoing a second hip surgery to extend his career. The former top-ranked Murray had also accepted a wild-card entry last year but didn’t go after testing positive for COVID-19 shortly before he was due to board a charter flight to Melbourne.“Andy is renowned for his fighting spirit, passion and love of the game and I’m delighted to welcome him back to Melbourne in January,” Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said. Murray, No. 134 in the ATP rankings, spoke optimistically about going deep in tournaments again after beating Jannik Sinner to reach the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open in November. He had also pushed Stefanos Tsitsipas to five sets in a first-round loss at the U.S. Open in August. The three-time Grand Slam champion said he’s “really excited” to return to the Australian Open.
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Ashes: Adelaide defeat not just down to the bowlers: Anderson
England’s bowlers do not deserve to shoulder all of the blame for defeat in the second Ashes Test, veteran seamer James Anderson said, following criticism from captain Joe Root that the attack should have bowled a fuller length. After being thrashed by nine wickets in the Brisbane opener, England lost by 275 runs in Adelaide to trail 2-0 in the five-match series, with the third Test set to start in Melbourne on Sunday. Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, said the side had to improve with the bat after being bowled out for 236 and 192 at Adelaide Oval. The tourists did not fare much better in the opener, bowled out for 147 and 297 at the Gabba.
“We did not bat well enough on a pitch where the data said it was one of the flattest Adelaide surfaces ever produced and the pink ball did the least it has ever done in a day-night game,” Anderson, 39, wrote in his column for the Telegraph.
“From a bowlers’ point of view you want to be hitting the right lengths all the time. We did our best on the first two days to do that … Maybe we could have gone a touch fuller at times but we still created quite a few chances that were not taken.
“We have to be better at assessing it during a game. We can’t just go after the game, ‘we should have bowled fuller’… We have to be a bit more proactive at that too as a whole group.”
