Pittsburgh_Patrika_October_2014
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Vol. 20 No 1 October 2014
www.pittsburghpatrika.com
h
ittsburgh
atrika
Return Service
Requested.
4006 Holiday Park Dr.
Murrysville, PA 15668
1
PRSRT STD
AUTO
US POSTAGE PAID
Murrysville, PA
Permit No: 87
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
2
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
The Quarterly Magazine (Jan, Apr, Jul & Oct) for the Indian Diaspora
Vol. 20 No. 1 www.pittsburghpatrika.com October 2014
4006 Holiday Park Drive, Murrysville, PA 15668
Phone/Fax: (724) 327 0953 e-mail: ThePatrika@aol.com
“Like” us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/pittsburgh.patrika
Highlights in this issue... ... ...
The High-Stakes Poker Game in World Trade
By Kollengode S Venkataraman..................................................... 2
India Day 2014 Celebrated With the Usual Gusto
By David Downey........................................................................ 10
How to collect Taxes: A Vignette from the Indian Literature
By Kollengode s Venkataraman.................................................... 14
The Viloma Poetry — Ramakrishna Kaavyam Unique to India
By Arun Jatkar.............................................................................. 16
Two Masters in A Flat Jugalbandi
By Samar Saha.............................................................................. 18
Obituary: Vimala Nayak (1947-2014)
By Kollengode S Venkataraman................................................... 22
Obituary: Shikha Mullick (1950 to 2014)
By A Family Friend....................................................................... 24
Modi’s Refreshing Address from the Red Fort
By Kollengode S Venkataraman................................................... 26
Two Horses
By Arvind Narale and Arun Jatkar................................................ 30
Two Travelers
By Arvind Narale and Arun Jatkar................................................ 31
On the Cover: Early morning last Fall in Oakland. The bright autumn
sun was just rising in the east with dark clouds on the western sky. I
was looking at the bright early morning sun drenching the Cathedral of
Learning with light with dark clouds providing the backdrop curtain.
The scene was beautifully surreal. — Kollengode S. Venkataraman •
3
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
The Quarterly Magazine (Jan, Apr, Jul & Oct) for the Indian Diaspora
Vol. 20 No. 1 www.pittsburghpatrika.com October 2014
Phone/Fax: (724) 327 0953 e-mail: ThePatrika@aol.com
The High-Stakes Poker Game in World Trade
In July India’s newly elected Modi government blocked what is known
in the arcane world of global trade as the Trade Facilitation Agreement
(TFA). Key elements of the TFA are reducing import tariffs, bureaucratic
delays and subsidies to farming in member countries.
The details of the World Trade Organization’s TFA were agreed to in
the ministerial meeting in Bali in December 2013 with India participating
under Manmohan Singh’s government. Though India agreed to the TFA,
it also wanted the WTO to simultaneously address India’s need for food
subsidies. These subsidies are lifelines for the millions and millions of
subsistence farmers worldwide. Another issue is the stockpiling of food
grains as an insurance against famines/droughts. Signing this by the 160-
strong WTO countries (out of 180-plus UN members) was thought to be a
formality. However, the WTO did not address these issues. So India under
Modi’s government, blocked the ratification of TFA. Several non-G-8
members except China, Brazil, Pakistan, and Thailand supported India.
The stockpiling of food grains is important to India given the unpredictable
monsoons and the on-again-off-again droughts. Granted, India’s
cantankerous and corrupt state governments need to better manage their
water resources and improve the productivity in farming, but this will take
time. With the chronic threat of droughts, if not famines, the problem for
India is here and now.
But protection from cheaper imports always gives complacency for
the local industries. India’s economic stagnation before 1990 itself is an
example of this. That is India’s dilemma.
For the uninformed, India, along with the other BRICS nations
and the ASEAN nations, among others, are now called Newly
Industrialized Countries. The bottom in this classification is LCDs or the
Least Developed Countries, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Nepal,
Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar… Recognizing the unique problems of
LCDs, the WTO affirmed that all nations will provide duty- and quotafree
market access for goods from LCDs.
4
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
5
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
That India wants to stock-pile food as insurance against famine would
be understandable if only one cares to know how India has been
ravaged by famines. Here are the big ones in a long list:
• The Bengal Famine of 1770 during the Mughal Empire-East India
Company transition. Ten million people died. Bengal’s population was
reduced by 33%. Neglect by the rulers was a main cause.
• The Great Famine of 1876–78 in South India under the British
Occupation. 5.5 million people died. With South India’s population 50 to
60 million then, 10% of the people, mostly the poor, died.
• Bengal’s man-made famine in 1943 during WW II under the British
rule. Two million deaths. Bengal’s population was 60 million.
• Bangladesh famine of 1974. One million died.
With the democratically elected governments in India, large-scale
famine-related deaths today would end in a bloody revolution.
In the early 1960s many parts of India were in severe drought. With
Jawaharlal Nehru’s Congress government mismanaging the farming sector’s
multi-faceted needs, India went begging for food all over the world
at a time when nearly 60% of Indians were engaged in farming. India has
not forgotten the embarrassment and shame.
South and Southeast Asia depend on monsoon rains for farming.
Every April/May, Indian meteorologists closely follow the weather
pattern in the Philippines region to predict the arrival and scale of the
monsoon in India and warn the governments on shortfalls in rain and potentials
for droughts. If the monsoon is delayed or is weak, it is front page
news today even in India’s tech-savvy business publications. India’s arid
regions — the Dakshin (Deccan) Plateau, the states of Bihar, Odisha, even
many river deltas — go through droughts when the monsoon falters.
In recent years, many farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and
other places got into heavy debt to pay for the costly genetically modified
seeds they need to buy from big overseas companies for every planting
season. Many killed themselves because there was no way to get out of
their debt from their low-profit-margin harvests.
In India today 40% of the population lives in rural and semi urban
areas; 25% of the population or 300 million — equivalent to the entire
population of the US -- is engaged in farming. So, Indian elected officials
have every reason to safeguard their farming sector for their national and
social interests — and for their political survival. For India, food security
is its national security. Even military comes only next.
Besides, Indian farmers already depend on big corporations for a whole
range of supplies: fertilizers weed killers and pesticides, pumps, farm
equipment, and diesel… ... and on government for electricity and water
6
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
7
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
irrigated through canals.
So, in Australia, before the July 31 deadline for the TFA signing, India
held its ground: “The way things are moving, there is no way [India] can
agree to the trade facilitation agreement being pushed by the developed
nations… Food security has always been India’s main concern and this
time we are not going to concede,” and “[It] will be really difficult for
India to sign the TFA till WTO [is] ready to discuss a permanent solution
of food subsidies and stockpiling of food grains.”
Remember, in the industrialized economies, only 2 to 3% of the
population is directly engaged in farming, which is an incredibly
energy- and resource-intensive and fully mechanized enterprise. In the
US, corporate farming has all but eliminated family-owned farmers. And
the farming industry, owned by large corporations, is still subsidized with
billions and billions of dollars. The US taxpayers spend $14 billion every
year insuring farmers against loss of crop or income. And often, farmers
are paid for every acre of the land they leave fallow.
Often, with such subsidies, the G-8 (and other countries as well) dump
their farm products at prices below their production costs to Africa and
other poorer nations, where farming is pursued by many just to survive.
With great irony and sarcasm, Joseph Stiglitz in NYT Nov 16, 2013
summarized the situation thus: “We [the US government] spend billions
every year on farm subsidies, many of which help wealthy commercial
operations to plant more crops than we need. The glut depresses world
crop prices, harming farmers in developing countries.”
Further, in the US, over 40 million people living below the official
poverty line receive tax-payer funded Food Stamps (called Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program). This is valued at $70 billion/year,
or $1750 per recipient. It is noble that the government is taking care of
the poor through these programs. After all, we are the richest, technically
and militarily the most powerful country on earth.
People on Food Stamps can use them only to buy staples — breads,
cheese, meat, vegetables, cereals, milk, eggs, etc. So, the indirect beneficiaries
of the Food Stamps are the big agribusinesses who are assured
of $70 billion business per year. This is a form of farm subsidy. Similar
subsidies for agribusinesses are entrenched in all modern nation-states.
In addition, the TFA agreement limits the value of food subsidies to
10% of the total value of food grain production. India is flexing its muscle
on this issue because the subsidies will be calculated taking 1986 as the
base year. In India, where inflation is running at 6 to 7% a year, 1986
as the baseline is meaningless, even laughable.
The TFA, it is believed, would add over $1 trillion to the GDPs
8
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
500 Mansfield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
PittsburghGreentree.DoubleTree.com
412-920-8050
DOUBLE THE LOVE.
Memorable weddings and the new DoubleTree go hand in hand. Whether it’s
planning your Sangeet ceremony or choosing the most exquisite silks to drape the Mandap,
we make the planning process effortless. When you’re ready to tie the knot,
secure the new DoubleTree.
DoubleTree by Hilton. Where the little things mean everything.
9
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
worldwide creating 21 million jobs. But the operative word in WTO is
Trade, not farming. As every farmer in India knows, the beneficiaries
in any market situation — glut or scarcity — are the wholesale and retail
traders. The subsistence farmers only see small slivers of profits in good
times, but are hit hard during droughts.
In the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the largest trading place for
agribusiness where all farm products are traded — grains, beans, poultry,
beef, eggs, milk, cheese, even alfalfa-hay — billions are made and lost
every day speculating on everything affecting any aspects of farming. So,
if the TFA is ratified, subsistence farmers worldwide would need to deal
with speculative traders on a global scale.
The rich and powerful members of the WTO worry that they would
lose control in global trade in agribusiness if the TFA is not ratified.
But poorer nations see the TFA as an effort by developed countries
to access vast markets in their growing economies. Because of this irreconcilable
built-in conflict, each group negotiates for its advantage. There
is no altruism here. US Ambassador Michael Punke warned the WTO
in Geneva, “Today, we are extremely discouraged that a small handful
of members… … are ready to walk away from their commitments… ...
Bali agreement, to kill the power of that good faith and goodwill we all
shared, to flip the lights in this building back to dark.”
Geopolitically speaking, the G-8 members have been at this game for
years and years dictating to other nations on monetary, economic, military,
and political issues. When they are on the receiving end, it hurts them.
What is worrying them is that emerging bilateral and regional free trade
agreements will weaken the reach of the WTO. But these regional/bilateral
trade arrangements make sense given the regional nature of rainfall,
weather patterns, biodiversity, ecology, transportation, population density,
culture, lifestyles and even food habits. So, putting a brake on the WTO’s
ambitious FTA may not be all that bad—it may even be a good thing.
time, the Big Boys at the WTO are dismayed that India is not
This blinking in the high-stakes poker game. Even though they threatened
to go ahead with the TFA with or without India, they cannot simply
ignore India geopolitically. India houses 1/6th of the world population; has
been a stable democracy with a disciplined military that has no ambition for
political power; has a large technical talents pool; and offers a countervailing
force, partially in any case, for China’s ambition as a global power.
India also offers limitless opportunities for foreign direct investments in
many sectors, whose beneficiaries are businesses in the G-8 countries.
That is their dilemma. — By Kollengode S Venkataraman •
10
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
11
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
India Day 2014 Celebrated
With the Usual Gusto
By David Downey e-mail: davidpdowney6@gmail.com
Note: David Downey, a recent graduate from the Dietrich School of Arts and
Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, seeks work in academic or scholarship
administration.
Late summer once again brought the India Day celebration to the Cathedral
of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. On Sunday, August
17, the Indian diaspora and curious
passersby gathered to celebrate 67
years of Indian independence. The
theme of this year’s event was Punjab
and its leaders who fought for their
political and religious freedom and
also for others’ freedom on matters
of faith.
The overcast sky withheld its rain.
And the sun didn’t need to be shining
as the parade around the Cathedral lit
up the gloomy afternoon with joyous
song and dance with Keerti Gulati and
Sumedha Nagpal as emcees. At the
conclusion of the parade, everyone
crowded inside to absorb the ambience
with performances, speeches, and the
Gyani Sucha Singh, the Granthi at the Sikh
Gurudeara in Monroeville is addressing on
the Sikh history. The imposing painting
of Guru Gobind Singh is by Mahendra
Shah.
aroma of food. Past the hoisting of
both the Indian and American flags
and singing their national anthems,
Kalpana Ramgopal and Parth Bharill
emceed the program.
The speeches were heartfelt and sincere and brief for the most part. First
was Patrick Gallagher, the new chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh.
Having been at the job for only two weeks, the India Day was one of the
first events for Chancellor Gallagher to represent the University.
County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald also spoke briefly, thanking
the Indian community of Pittsburgh for its ongoing contribution to
the region’s vitality, officially proclaiming August 17th to be India Day
in Allegheny County. He said Indian-Americans “have been absolutely
instrumental in the moving forward of what Pittsburgh has become… not
just economically, but culturally and in quality of life.”
12
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
13
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Gyani Sucha Singh, the Granthi — the trained Sikh teacher who explains
the Adi Granth to his audience — at the Sikh Gurudwara, elegantly and
passionately told his audience the impact of the Sikhs’ 10th Guru, Guru
Gobind Singh of the 17th century, in the history of Punjab.
Mayor Bill Peduto, a well-known face in India Day events, was not
scheduled to be present because of scheduling conflicts. However, he made
a brief appearance addressing the young girls and women in the audience,
saying they should get inspiration from the life of Pittsburgh’s first woman
Mayor Sophie Masloff, who had passed away the previous night.
Later, Ashok Trivedi, Co-Founder of iGATE, spoke at length about
India’s political and economic struggles & successes. Trivedi both challenged
and addressed the difficult issues in a global economy.
The term culture can denote many elements of life, but India Day celebrated
culture in every way. The performing arts were the most exciting
events inside the Cathedral. Dances by the students of Jaya Mani, Shambhavi
Desai, and Nandini Mandal involved skill to maintain rhythm and
control the movement of every limb, which are impressive all by themslves,
but the groups’ synchronization made the performances astounding.
Culture was visually apparent in the color, design, and styles of dresses
worn by the festivalgoers. The unlimited variations stood as a reminder to
the durable creativity of those who craft Indian clothing. There was not
one style or one color more common than another. Traditional dresses
could be found on men and women, young and old, showing the timeless
appeal and joy brought by the distinctly Indian attire.
Songs rendered in group and solo in Hindi and Tamil nicely complemented
the dances.
Food is always a distinguishing feature of the Indian culture. The food
stand managed by All India Authentic Cuisine with the usual items operated
without a lull. The appeal of Indian food is becoming widely recognized,
considering the success of the recent American film The One-Hundred
Foot Journey, aboyt an Indian family opening a restaurant in France.
And there were booths around the outer edges of the festival area on
many activities -- The Art of Living, Overseas Volunteer for a Better India,
South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters (SAMAR), Association
for India’s Development (AID), Pittsburgh Indian Community & Friends
5K Charity Walk/Run + Fun, Ekal Vidyalaya, Ramakrishna Ashrama
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Sikh Gurdwara, and Pittsburgh Tamil Sangam.
There were booths on saris, lehngas, kurtas… … even mehndi designs.
The finale was a bhangra item by Monica Srinivasa and the Tri-State-
Sikh Cultural Society, a high-level-competing troupe. The high-decibel
bhangra was a perfect end to the evening, whose theme was Punjab. •
14
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
They joined the running and gardening clubs together.
The older one is always singing; the younger one climbing.
They’re your everything.
At Sewickley Academy, we don’t take our responsibility to them lightly. We
know that the elementary school years are critical to children’s development.
We ensure that all of our students are respected for who they are and
challenged to explore who they will become.
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY
PRE-K THROUGH GRADE 12
WWW.SEWICKLEY.ORG
To learn more about a Sewickley Academy
education or to schedule a visit, contact
admission@sewickley.org or call 412-741-2235.
15
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
How to Collect Taxes
A Vignette from the Indian Literature
Corruption and bureaucratic excesses have been the bane of all kingdoms.
This has been the case ever since mankind organized itself into
societies seeking help from local leaders by paying them protection money
against thieves and thugs to guard their homes, women, lands and harvests
from pillage. That is the beginning of taxes.
Soon, much to their dismay, the villagers saw that the servants of
the kings themselves becoming the exploiters. Sometimes they were as
bad as the thugs
from whom the
villagers were
seeking protection.
Such was
the case in the
ancient Tamil
country, nearly
2000 years ago.
Many people
say, it is the
same story even
today not only in the Tamil Country, but also in much of India.
Enter Pisirandaiyaar, a courageous and socially conscious poet in such a
scene. The poet confronts his Pandya King, Arivudai-nambi, subtly telling
him of the excesses of his tax collectors towards his citizens. Here is the
Tamil original in classic Tamil from Puranaanooru, dated earlier to the
start of the Common Era (that is, 2000 years earlier to our time):
This Tamil is very different even from today’s formal Tamil, not to
speak of the spoken masala Tamil on the streets.
16
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
SummersetAtFrickPark.com
Start Living.
Townhomes • Homes • Condos • Apartments
Now leasing:
GatewayAtSummerset.com
Call Melissa Reich 412-215-8056
17
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Pisirandaiyaar uses an excellent agrarian imagery to tell his king on
his citizens suffering under his tax collectors’ excesses. Here is the sum
and substance of the Tamil verse:
“If one harvests rice and feeds an elephant with the rice cooked and
made into large balls, even from a small field [a fraction of an acre], one
can feed the elephant for very many days.
However, if one lets the elephant get into the paddy field and eat, even
several acres of land cannot feed the beast. For every morsel of rice the
elephant puts into its mouth, several ten folds are destroyed by its massive
legs stomping on the harvest.
Knowing this, a wise king is careful while collecting taxes from citizens.
Then, even with low taxes, his kingdom prospers.
However, if the king is weak, listens to his bad advisors, and recklessly
lets his underlings to extract high taxes from citizens under duress,
his kingdom would be destroyed the same way the elephant destroys the
paddy field when allowed to enter it to feed for itself.
Note that Pisirandaiyaar, over 2000 years ago, compared the bureaucracy
of his time to an elephant, an imagery used even today
in countries where elephants are not native to the soil.
— Kollengode S. Venkataraman •
18
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
YOU’VE IMAGINED EVERY DETAIL.
WE’LL MAKE IT A REALITY.
Let the wedding professionals at Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport
cater to your every need.
Engagement parties. Rehearsal dinners. At Hyatt, no detail is too small on your
special day.
Please contact Shawniece Betts-Martin
724-899-6071
shawniece.betts-martin@hyatt.com
HYATT REGENCY PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
724 899 1234
pittsburghairport.hyatt.com
Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, design and related marks are trademarks
of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. ©2010 Hyatt Hotels Corporation. All rights reserved.
19
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Two Masters in A Flat Jugalbandi
By Samar Saha e-mail: samar_k_saha@yahoo.com
Recently Pittsburghers had a rare opportunity to listen to two musical
giants in one session in a recital arranged by the Pandit Jasraj Institute of
Music on Saturday, July 19, 2014 at the Hillman Center of Performing
Arts of Shadyside Academy. It was advertised as one-of-a-kind performance
titled Alap-Jugalbandi be-tween Padma Vibhushan Pt. Jasraj, the
leading Hindustani vocalist; and Padma Bhushan Dr. L. Subramaniam,
the leading Karnatic violinist. Music lovers were ecstatic waiting for
the ultimate joy.
Why this ecstasy? With Jugalbandi literally meaning “entwined twins,”
in the pan-Indian classical music recitals pairing two artistes, it has come
to mean a mix of the best in both musical systems – either instrumental
or vocal or any combination thereof.
Many relate to the Hindustani and Karnatic music systems with emotions
— as “twins” born, nourished and brought up by the same loving
mother, but departing in their adulthood like two streams — one keeping
the original pure form and the other evolving into a different form by
interaction with other musical systems. So, many expected the recital
to bring the two genres of music together through the facile skills of the
two veterans. The limitations associated with each system were forgotten.
The general exuberant expectation was that these titans would overcome
all constraints with their intrinsic understanding of the other’s system and
present a performance that would be worth dying for.
The performance began close to the advertised start time of 6:30
PM, quite uncommon with Indian musical events. Pandita Tripti
Mukherjee started the evening with Narayan, Ganesh and Kali Vandanas
with Asish Sinha on the tabla and vocal support from Paromita Deshmukh,
Nidrita Mitra Sinha, Anupama Mahajan, Babeena Sharma, and Sambhavi
Desai. The invocations were both contemplative and soothing, setting up
the mahaul (ambience) for the better and greater things to come.
As the audience settled down, the next artiste, the violinist Ambi
Subramaniam, took the stage with Mahesh Krishnamurty accompa-nying
on the mrdangam. The youngest son of Dr. Subramaniam, Ambi was
proclaimed the ‘New King of Indian Classical Music’ by the Times of
India when he was sixteen. Ambi began his recital with a Ganesh Vandana
in a very auspicious Raga Nattai (close to Raga Jog in Hindustani
music). He finished his performance with a Tyagaraja krti in Raga
Nagaswaravali (close to Hindustani Khamaj) in Adi tala. Starting with
a slow alapana (alap), the recital ended with a superfast and aggressive
Jugalbandi ... ... Continued on Page 22
20
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
21
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Jugalbandi ... ... Continued from Page 20
Charana. A few Karnatic music lovers expressed disappointment at this
style of speed. One such connoisseur described Ambi’s closing piece as
a “rock-concert type high-decibel ending” seldom done in an all-Indian
traditional recital. It satisfied neither the puritans nor set the stage for the
main event properly.
The main event was Alap Jugalbandi, which the MC announced,
“will be presented in an extended Alap form but without any
percussion accompaniment. No one has attempted a Jugalbandi like this
except once in Chennai by the same artists.”
Expectations surged. Would it be another wonder like Jasrangi Jugalbandi?
Or would it be another blend where listeners could appreciate the
mix of Hindustani and Karnatic styles?
The artistes did not explain how the Jugalbandi would unfold. Jasraj-ji
started with Ati Vilambit (very slow) alap in the Raga Puriya Dhaneswari
(Karnatic equivalent Pantuvarali), a raga most suited when we transition
from evening to night. The choice could not have been any better.
A few minutes into the alap, it appeared Jasraj-ji was struggling with
his voice. The optimist in me said, “He’ll come back roaring as soon
as his voice clears.” He has done it before. Subramaniam-ji provided
the needed support but his role appeared more as an accompanist. I had
22
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
PITTSBURGH MONROEVILLE
CONVENTION CENTER
101 Mall Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146
412-373-7300 www.DoubleTreeMonroeville.com
At the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh - Monroeville Convention Center,
personalization offers you an authentic celebratory weekend with friends and family.
Let us wow you and your guests from start to finish.
For additional information or to discuss how we may assist you in planning,
please contact Kimmie Fitzhugh-Kelly, Director of Catering,
at 412-843-4416 or via e-mail at kfitzhughkelly@doubletreemonroeville.com.
Here at the DoubleTree by Hilton, the little things mean everything.
exepected the violin to pick up Pantuvarali, but that did not happen.
Jasraj-ji completed the long alap apologizing “Thori Taqlif ho rahi thi”
(Was having some difficulty).
The Jugalbandi continued in Raga Malika seamlessly gliding from one
Raga to the other – starting with Kaafi, moving into Bahar, and ending
with Bhairavi. As he wove through the ragas, exposing the mukhras (face)
of each, Subramaniam-ji followed on his magic violin with pleasant and
melodious improvisations. The main event lasted about 1-1/2 hours.
The unfulfilled expectations from this pricey concert was on each
face as the silent crowd left. I sympathize with the frailties of old
age — particularly with the voice of an octogenarian veteran vocalist. We
who adore Jasraj-ji with pride were wondering — How was this veteran
feeling at the end of the show!
The idea of Alap Jugalbandi without the percussion instruments may
have been fine, but the execution came out poorly. A distraught friend
told me, “To pull off the best in a Jugalbandi like this, the artistes need
more than raga and its presentation. The listeners like to witness harmony,
camaraderie and musical repartee between the artistes,” something that
just was not there. He added, “You need a Plan B, if things start wavering”.
There lies a lesson for the concert organizers. •
23
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Obituary: Vimala Nayak
August 1947 to June 2014
Anchor to Her Husband, Entrepreneur
Vimala Nayak, a long-time resident here and wife of Dr. Narayan
Nayak, died on June 9, 2014 in her hometown of Karkala, near Mangalore,
Karnataka, India, after a seven-year bout with
multiple myeloma. This is a type of cancer affecting
the bone marrow for which there is no cure.
She was born in 1947 in the Kukkundoor Kamath
family renowned for their philanthropy and
commitment to elementary and secondary education
even as early as the late 19th century. She continued
this tradition in a small way by starting midday
meals for 200 school children in her home town,
which now has grown to feed over 2000 kids.
In 1966, she married Dr. Narayan Nayak, also from her home-town,
who was in the Indian military serving in Ladakh. Nayak’s family was
in the retail trade in saris. Dr. Nayak came to the US in 1970 because of
the shortage of medical professionals in the US, starting his residency at
the McKeesport Hospital.
Vimala joined her husband a year later in 1971 with their three kids —
Vidya, Narasimha, and Suri. She found her hands full in the new unfamiliar
place, raising children with very few Indians here then. As Dr. Nayak set
up his practice through the rigors of his neurosurgery internship, board
certification, and private practice, Vimala was the sheet anchor for her
husband and family well into the 1990s.
Later when Nayak practiced in Johnstown, PA, Vimala stayed back in
Pittsburgh, volunteering at the S.V. Temple in Penn Hills, later becoming
a member of its governing bodies, and its Treasurer.
With her kids leaving home, she had plenty of time on her hands. Instead
of living in the comforts of her suburban life, Vimala, with support
from her husband, ventured into a small retail business of selling saris
imported from India with help from their family contacts back in India.
She ran the business through her illness.
Kanaka Prabhu, Vimala’s long-time associate, said, “Vimala, known
for her pleasant disposition, was well-liked by her friends and clients.
She was known for her honesty and integrity.”
Though she lived in relative comfort in American suburbia on one
Vimala Nayak... ... Continued on page 26
24
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
“Thank you
for staying
after class.”
Shady Side students know they
can count on our faculty to be there
when they need them. Even five or
10 years later, our students still
show up after class. And when they
say “Thank you,” we know we did
our job well.
Explore • Engage • Excel
PK-12 • Three Campuses
Admissions: 412-968-3180
Fall Open Houses October 16 – November 8.
RSVP online at www.ShadySideAcademy.org/VisitUs
25
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Obituary: Shikha Mullick (1950 to 2014)
Battled Breast Cancer with Courage and Faith
Mrs. Shikha Mullick passed away on January 28, 2014 after giving a
determined fight to her breast cancer for almost twelve years. During her
illness she was always calm and accepting with faith
in God. She knew the fate of this ill-luck and deadly
disease from the time she was diagnosed with Stage
II–III breast cancer. Shikha took all the possible treatments
available and tolerated the harsh side effects of
chemo and radiation therapies with calmness and a
smile on her face.
She continued her work in the office and at home
and treated everybody with love and respect. Shikha
was an ardent devotee of Satya Sai Baba who fulfilled
her wish of watching her son’s marriage. Shikha was very sick just a week
before the marriage date and was to be hospitalized but she insisted on
staying in home and going to Houston, TX to attend the wedding. Just
two days before the marriage she felt comfortable enough to travel all the
way to Texas, and attended the marriage with great joy. A week after
her return to Pittsburgh, she passed away. This was God’s miracle and
Shikha’s courage and faith in God.
Shikha Mullick, wife of Dr. Prakash Mullick and mother of Tuli and
Ronne and mother-in-law of Dr.Tania K.Mullick was born in India in December1950.
She had a Master’s degree in English Literature, Bachelor’s
in Education and a Diploma in Vocal Music from Sangeet Academy of
India. She was a talented singer. Shikha worked as Finance Manager at
SourcePRO Inc. in Pittsburgh. — By a Family Friend
Vimala Nayak ... ... continued from Page 24
level, she stoically endured with great dignity the heartaches life threw
her way.
Her son Narasimha performed the Hindu cremation rites for Vimala
at Karkala. Vimala leaves behind her grief-stricken husband
Narayan Nayak, now retired, of Pittsburgh; Vidya, her daughter; Louis
Craig, her son-in-law; Narasimha, her son; her two grandchildren Louie
Jr. and Maya. She also leaves behind a large number of friends among
Indian-Americans, and also in the medical fraternity by association through
her husband. She was a great supporter of the Patrika.
— By Kollengode S Venkataraman
26
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
big
moments
are better when shared
Let the Sheraton Station Square Hotel help you
create the event of a lifetime!
Call Jennifer Leech at (412) 803-3870 for more information
300 W Station Square Dr | Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | (412) 261-2000
©2013 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved
27
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Modi’s Refreshing Address from the Red Fort
This August 15, from the ramparts of the majestic Lal Kila (Red Fort),
Narendra Modi made his first address as Prime Minister of India to the
nation and the world at large as is the custom on India’s independence
day. The speech, though did not contain major initiatives that people were
looking for, was refreshing nevertheless on several key elements:
For starters, with many diplomatic dignitaries and global business leaders
were in his audience, he did away with the bullet-proof shield on the
podium as has been the practice for the last two decades. With no embarrassment,
he addressed head on several key problems afflicting India that
previous prime ministers felt
uncomfortable handling from
the grandeur of the Red Fort.
That required great conviction.
Here are the points Modi
covered:
• The lack of social hygiene
and civic sense among
Indians. He did not mince
words in telling his citizens
what everybody sees. Even
educated Indians toss garbage
on the streets even as they
keep their personal space in
homes and offices spic-andspan.
For a country that emphasizes shuddham in scriptures, this has been
an embarrassment. Modi declared that every parliamentary constituency
will have one village as a model for cleanliness, and made its member of
the parliament to lead in this effort.
• Modi declared that every school in India will have separate urinals
and rest rooms for girls within a year. How many urban Indians in the
middle class even know that in rural and interior India, schools do not
often have separate rest rooms for girls? This is one reason why girls drop
out of school. He sought partnership from Corporate India in this.
• Another important point Modi addressed was on the skewed
gender ratio, with only 940 girls for every 1000 boys on the average
because of gender selection before and during pregnancy — even killing
of infant girls. Nature keeps this ratio within tight range, around 1050
boys for every 1000 girls. If 940 girls for 1000 boys is the average, it is
obvious that in parts of India, it has to be higher. Here are the numbers:
Punjab (893 girls), Gujarat (920 girls), Haryana (877 girls), and in some
28
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
social subgroups, this ratio will be
far worse, may be even 800 girls
for 1000 boys in the extreme. As
we wrote earlier, this has huge
social consequences — crimes and
violence against women, abduction
of married women in rural areas,
changes in the sexual mores among
people, and many others.
• He also talked on violence
against women. Instead of looking
at this only as crimes, he went to
the root cause on how people raise
children in India. He declared the
obvious: After all, every young
man who rapes and molests girls is
someone else’s son. How is that, he
asked, we do not teach boys good
public behavior the same way we
raise girls at home? That was his
rhetorical question that should make
DJ Nitin
Music & Entertainment
Wedding Receptions, Barat,
Birthdays, Graduations, and
All Party Occasions… …
Up-to-date Music -- Bollywood,
Bhangra, Raas Garba, and
English Top-40 Hits
412-901-3333
www.facebook.com/pittsburghdjnitin
29
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Fresh Carp and Buffalo are delivered
every Monday to
Wholey's Market
Please visit us in the Strip
where we will be happy
to assist you,
or order online at your convenience.
We will hand select your order with the greatest care.
Open seven days a week
1711 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
1-888-946-5397
www.wholey.com
every Indian think.
The absence of bellicosity in his address was noteworthy. Another
feature was that he naturally made references to Indian thinkers who have
influenced India in big ways — Aurabindo Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda,
Jayaprakash Nayaran and Vallabhbhai Patel. With Congress prime ministers,
all the encomiums were heaped only on the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.
For them, there were no other Indian seminal thinkers worthy of recognition
except perhaps the Mahatma. So total has been the Congress cronies’
sycophancy towards the Nehru-Indira-Rajiv-Sonia-Rahul lineage, to which
now they have desperately added Priyanka as their savior. Indian regional
parties simply emulated the Congress model in sycophancy.
The only big policy announcement in Modi’s speech was that the Indian
Planning Commission, a relic of the Nehruvian Socialism, would be
dissolved. Finally.
Narendra Modi deserves credit for his candor. But candor in
So, exhorting his citizens is one thing, but getting the job done through
the deeply entrenched bureaucracy is another. For there is an old saying
in Tamil: A bureaucratic egg can break a boulder. One hopes that Modi
will prevent the bureaucratic eggs in his administration from breaking the
boulders of his fresh ideas. — Kollengode S. Venkataraman •
30
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
This is girl power.
There’s a place where every girl is empowered to thrive and excel –
to lead and soar. Is this the place for your daughter? To learn more about
the excellence of an all-girls education at Ellis, call 412-661-4880,
or email admissions@theellisschool.org.
ATTEND OUR OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1 PM
Soumya, daughter of Kamala and Gopinath
Rajupet of Cheswick, PA, had her
Kuchipudi Rangapravesham on July 5,
Saturday at the Shady Side Academy’s Hillman
Auditorium in front of a large number of
invited guests. Soumya learned the art form
from her own mother Kamala since she was
six. Along the way, she participated in several
dance drama recitals in Cleveland, Chicago
and Hyderabad India. After graduating from
Fox Chapel High School, she is now pursuing
her undergraduate studies in the sciences at the
Case Western Reserve U. She also has learned to play on the piano at
music prep program at CMU, and is a passionate tennis player. •
31
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Two Horses
Arvind Narale, Thornhill, ON, Canada arvind.narale@sympatico.ca
Arun Jatkar, Monroeville, PA ajmarathi@yahoo.com
The sketch was created first by Arvind Narale, an alumnus from IIT
Kharaghpur(1963) and a retired architect in Toronto with a long list of professional
accomplishments. Our own Arun Jatkar penned the verses.
The journey is long,
The night is cold,
Exhausted, they find
The darkness is gold.
Life is grim,
the task is hard.
They do not speak,
but faithfully guard.
What lies ahead?
What will morrow bring?
Another day, the burden same,
that’s the only sure thing!
Side by side they simply stand
Keeping their kinship live and warm.
While the oats and hay are dry and plenty,
There’s no worry, no cause for alarm. •
32
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
Two Travelers
Arvind Narale, Thornhill, ON, Canada arvind.narale@sympatico.ca
Arun Jatkar, Monroeville, PA ajmarathi@yahoo.com
The sketch was created first by Arvind Narale, an alumnus from IIT Kharaghpur
(1963) and a retired architect in Toronto with a long list of professional accomplishments.
Our own Arun Jatkar penned the verses.
The journey is long,
the night is cold,
the fire burns
and all is told.
Life is grim,
the task is hard.
They do not speak
and keep their guard.
What lies ahead?
What will morrow bring?
They think it not.
It’s a futile thing.
Side by side they simply stand
Keeping themselves cozy and warm.
Each lost in the world one’s own,
causing not the slightest harm. •
33
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
What is One’s Identity?
The latest trend in India is Bollywood actors and industrialists owning
sports teams. When they own the team, they also “own” the players, like
feudal lords. Indian dailies write about players being “auctioned” like
Jersey cows or race horses. It sarted with cricket and now has spread to the
uniquely Indian sport Kabbaddi, with players paid in lakhs of rupees.
Kabbaddi tests the players’ physical strength, endurance, and lung
capacity on how long you can hold your breath under stress. It is
a team contact sport far more physical and aggressive than the American
football. Obviously, the anglicized, urban Indians are not into it. In the Indian
subcontinent kabbaddi players are, by and large, rural and rustic.
Recently, Kabbaddi matches were organized between teams from India
and Pakistan. The Lahore Lions, the Kabbaddi team from Pakistani
Punjab, was in New Delhi to play competitive matches. The players went
around seeing Delhi. Reporters asked them what more they wanted to
see. Their replies (Hindustan
Times (August
26, 2014):
A k m a l S h a h z a d
Dogar: “My native village
is in India. It is
in Tarn Taran Sahib
district in Amritsar. I
really want to go there,
but it is difficult to get
permission… Most of my team mates have their native villages in India…
They too… dream of visiting their villages.”
Babar Waseem Gujjar, captain of the Lahore Lions: “I have my village
in Ludhiana district. It is called Burj Hari Singh... my family members
too want to go there.”
These well-built muscular men in their 20s are third or fourth generation
“native” Pakistanis born and raised there. For decades the
Pakistani establishment has been indoctrinating them in schools, through
their media and mullahs against everything about India and Indian. Yet,
for many Pakistanis their affiliation is still with the native villages in India
their great grandparents left during the 1947 Partition, a man-made disaster
arbitrarily carried out in great haste by the British.
It is worth recalling here Wali Khan, a Pashtun nationalist, the son of
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, said in the 1980s: “I have been a Pashtun for
4,000 years, a Muslim for 1,400 years and a Pakistani for 40 years.”
— By K S Venkataraman •
34
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
35
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 1, October 2014
36