ICC Builds Bridges Across Communities at Packed Cultural Event
By Parul Fernandes HOUSTON: WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! The cultural show, “Building Bridges by celebrating Diwali” was a breathtaking show that the India Culture Center put up at VPSS Hall at 11175 W. Belfort Village Drive. What a show and what a unifying concept of Building Bridges! Asian countries like Vietnam, Philippines and China participated because […]
Astroworld Stampede Claims Indian Origin Student Bharati Shahani
Houston: Bharati Shahani, a 22-year-old college student who had incurred severe injuries during the Astroworld festival has passed away. Shahani had been declared brain dead a couple of days ago. With her passing the death toll from the Astroworld stampede has now risen to nine, while hundreds have been injured. The news of Shahani’s passing […]
Billboards On Houston Skyline Celebrate Hinduism
Houston: New billboards celebrating Hinduism have popped up on major highways of Houston since mid-October. The occasion was to coincide with the Hindu Heritage Month in October marked by Hindu festivals and Diwali, the festival of lights, this week. The billboards were the brainchild of two Hindu women, Dr. Kusum Vyas of Living Planet Foundation […]
Southwestern National Bank Celebrates 24th Anniversary
Houston: Southwestern National Bank is proud to be marking its 24th anniversary on November 3, 2021. CEO Simmons said 2021 is a good year to remember because we helped over 1,000 business owners to apply for assistance and save their businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Our employees worked very hard to ensure our customers […]
Diwali Dinner with Elected Officials and Hindu Leaders of Houston
Houston: Pragati USA and Ashirwad A Blessing Temple (Ashirwad) collaborated to host Diwali Dinner at India House Houston on October 29th, 2021. The goal of the event was to bring together major Hindu organizations in the Greater Houston area, and both Democratic and Republican elected officials of Harris and Fort Bend counties to celebrate Diwali, […]
Campaign for School to be Named after Sonal Bhuchar
Sugar Land: A social media campaign is underway for a Fort Bend School to be named after Sonal Bhuchar. After her long association with the Fort Bend Education Foundation, Bhuchar was elected to the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees and she served as the board president as well before her untimely passing in 2019. […]
Nasir Abasi: 1st Fort Bend Captain from South Asia
Richmond: History was made Tuesday morning as the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office swore in its new captain. Captain Nasir Abbasi is the first South Asian to rank as captain in the sheriff’s office. “We are all here. We see the true reflection of Fort Bend County,” said Captain Abbasi. Sheriff Eric Fagan, the first […]
IACCGH Webinar: Funding Your Retirement Lifestyle
By Manu Shah Houston: On 27 January, the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston hosted an engaging virtual seminar on “Funding your Retirement Lifestyle.” The event, which was presented by chamber member Amiralli Dodhiya, was primarily aimed at business owners and in particular retail owners who wish to maintain their current lifestyle in […]
Fort Bend Aide Taral Patel Joins Biden Administration
Richmond: The Indian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) of Greater Houston is a nonpartisan organization and one of its missions is to promote and encourage political involvement and increase political awareness in the Indian American community residing in the Greater Houston area. IAPAC would like to congratulate Taral Patel on his appointment to work with […]
Sewa International Distributes 260,000 lbs of Food, Water in Houston
Houston: Sewa International distributed over 260,000 pounds of food and more than 10,000 liters of bottled drinking water in Houston in six mega distribution drives held in February. Sewa volunteers served more than 7,500 families in food drives held at apartment complexes, senior citizen centers, places of worship, and a United Way distribution center. These […]
Deep Freeze Aftermath: Free Water and PPE Distribution at India House
Houston: In response to the boil water notice and busted pipes following the winter storm Uri, India House partnered with Houston City Council Member of District J, Edward Pollard to distribute water, PPE and hand sanitizer. Total 200 cases of water (24 bottles each case) were distributed. Council Member Pollard said, “India House has stepped […]
Abhilasha Rathi: New President of Maheshwaris
By Manu Shah Boston: It was the day of Diwali 2020 when Abhilasha Rathi made up her mind to helm the Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (MMNA) for the next four years. She was pleasantly surprised when her name was proposed but mulled over it for a few days. While her husband Bharat and father-in-law […]
Hindus of Greater Houston Supports BIPOC Yoga Teachers
By Pooja Salhotra Houston: In response to calls for racial justice last summer, Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) donated about $8,000 to fund yoga-teacher-training for four Black students, each of whom is, in their own way, spreading the mind and body practice to marginalized communities. Last summer, a 46-year-old Black man named George Floyd died […]
Community Organizations Help Houstonians Recover from Deep Freeze
Houston: Several South Asian community organizations gathered their resources to help the needy of Houston to survive the challenges of the Texas deep freeze last week. Among these organizations included India Culture Center, Sewa International and Dawoody Bohra Community of Houston. India Culture Center addressed the need to help Seniors by providing about 400 hot […]
TSH Celebrates Centennial of Tagore’s Visit to Houston – Feb. 13-14, 2021
By Partha Sarathi Chatterjee Tagore Society of Houston (TSH) held 100 years commemoration of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Houston on February 13, 1921. On February 13, 2021, TSH organized a socially distanced event at the Tagore Grove in Ray Miller Park in west Houston. Due to Covid restrictions, City of Houston allowed only a few […]
BAPS Donates for the Ram Janmabhumi Mandir in Ayodhya
Ahmedabad: Inspired by HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, a special ceremonial donation assembly for the Ram Mandir was held at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijaybhai Rupani, and Shri Govinddevgiriji Maharaj, a trustee and treasurer of Ram Janmabhumi Tirthkshetra, Ayodhya on February 13, 2021. […]
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s 100th Appearance Day Celebrated Worldwide
Houston: On February 11th, the auspicious day of Mauni Amavasya, devotees around the world celebrated the 100th Appearance Day (Centennial Vyasa-puja) festival of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja (known affectionately around the world as “Srila Gurudeva”), who is recognized as a pure devotee of Lord Krishna in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and […]
Houston’s Hell on Earth: Deep Freeze, No Power, Bursting Water Pipes
Indian Americans in Houston are still suffering, along with their mainstream compatriots, from the deep freeze with associated pains of loss of electric power and burst water pipes. Relief will come next week with temperatures back in the 70 degrees F. The Indian Consulate has offered a helpline for the current storm: +1 346-2325345, enquiries@swbell.net
Under Guise of Protecting Workers, California Defines (and Demonizes) Hinduism
By Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria (RNS): In a discrimination case involving a Cisco Systems employee, the state of California has taken the bold and alarming step of defining Hinduism while simultaneously demonizing it. In a case that has bounced from federal court to local court, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s lawsuit has alleged that […]
Sri Kulkarni Joins AmeriCorps Federal Agency
Washington DC: AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and service, announced the appointments of three leading experts to key positions – Sonali Nijhawan, director of AmeriCorps State and National; Dan Kohl, director of government relations; and Sri Preston Kulkarni, chief of external affairs. Joining the seven leaders announced last month, these appointees reflect the Biden […]
