Tag Archives: India

The green door

He lived on the north side of my town, on Dorothy street. I used to pass by his house during my evening strolls. His house had an over-sized green door that did not seem to fit the neighborhood, just like him.

With a white beard and a grey turban; he was easy to spot from a distance. I always found him outside his house, gardening the front-yard or just admiring the outdoor. As I would walk-by, I exchanged hello/hi with him. I was just being polite – out of respect for our elders. But over time, I made his acquaintance. He liked to talk, I found out pretty soon. Chatting with him became a part of my evening routines.
“Beautiful weather! Nice day for a walk!! Scattered clouds over there, look like a floating goat!!!” He would say random things with a chuckle. He laughed at his own jokes; that used to be a cue for me to laugh.

He was very fond – actually very proud, of India and all things Indian, I could tell. Not that I needed to know, but he often told me the virtues of Indian society, the pride of being Indian. He also reminded me how advanced Indian are, compared to the ‘white people’ as he would call them.

“I was the first Indian in this town” he mentioned one evening, “There were no Indian shops in this area!!”
“It must be hard back then”, I once asked; that was bad idea. For next 20-30 minutes, he told me all about the hardships of being an isolated Indian living amongst white folks.
“Many mornings I used to find eggs shells all over my new car in this driveway; these people, I tell you!….”

Sometimes, he complained, but he was not bitter. He told his past stories with the same braggadocio as a captain would shares his encounters with the rough stormy weather.

He was different. I enjoyed these brief daily encounters, or perhaps his stories, from all over the places. He came across as a fanatic Indian; he never tried to hide his obvious bias for ‘the great India’. Without hesitation, he would share his thoughts about superior Indian culture, the sins of the western society…. But it was never monotonous; he always had new anecdotes.
I did not agree with many of his views, but I never argued with him either. When in serious mood, he spoke like a professor, like a preacher – as if never in doubt. I thought to myself – you cannot change the thinking of an old man, those outdated views….

I recall it was Friday; I did not see him outside his house that evening. It was strange, his absence. Then, even more disturbing, I did not see him for days, for weeks. I looked for him, I even waited and lingered around his house, but he was nowhere to be found. Continue reading

A baby’s cry

“Mom it is a baby girl…,” her voice barely audible; she called her mother in India.
“Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” His mom inquired, her voice nervous and excited.
Sonya was too tired to respond, but that did not stop her mother from asking more questions, “When was she born? Who she looks like? Have you named her?…”
“Mom”, Sonya interrupted, “the nurse is here, I am very sleepy; will call you later..”
“Are you okay, is the baby okay?”
“yes mom, we are okay,” she said before ending the call.

The hospital discharged her along with the baby two days later. The nurse gave her a handful of literature, each pamphlet with a different title – ‘How to care for a new born’, ‘what to expect after a natural birth’, ‘Newborn feeding techniques’….
She was tired, she was drained, she was not ready to take care of her first born. They straddled the baby in the car-seat and Raj drove them home – to their apartment in Mississauga.

“How is Esha doing,” he mom phoned again next morning.
“She is okay, she is sleeping now.”
“How are you doing?”
“I am okay mom, I am very tired. the baby was awake all night.”
“Oh, where is Raj?”
“He is at work, I am home alone with the baby and I am worried”
“Worried about what, Sonya?”
“If the baby wakes up..” Continue reading

Just a job

He checked his Gmail account again. There were a few more responses to his online resume submissions, basically acknowledging the receipt of the job applications and a promise that ‘your resume is on file for future openings’. He has been getting these meaningless replies for the last one year, since he arrived in USA.

Back home in India, everyone had told him that it was very easy to get an engineering job in America. “You can make lots of money in a few years”, His future father-in-law told him at the time of his engagement 3 years ago. A year after that, he was married to Anu.

He had big dream; after all, nobody dreams small. Once in US, he was greeted by his wife and her family and they welcome him into their home. His old classmates, now living within driving distance, came to visit him.
He was treated like a guest for many months. However, he soon realized, you cannot be a guest for too long. He had to figure out the next step – the job. With all the expenses and cost of living, he needed a job soon. His parents and siblings back home were already calling to check on him; to see when he might send them some money like every other NRI does.

He was very optimistic about his career in USA, so was the rest of his American family – his in-laws. Just like any typical Indian family, everybody was full of advice:
“You can easily find an Engineering job in your field.. no problem for a smart guy like you…”
“There is no shortage of work for Indian Engineers…this is just the fact…”
“You will find something – something good, very soon….”

After a few months, the tone of the advice changed:
“You just need to try a bit harder, maybe try something in lower pay scale to gain some experience…”
“Find a way to get your foot in the door…”
“My cousin started as a technician; now he is the director of engineering…but they are not hiring…”
“You cannot give up…We never give up…”
“You will find something – may be not that good but something… something good….”

The time went by; ‘something good’ was still illusive after a full year of job hunt. Anu was very understanding all along. She had told him that it would not be easy, but he never thought it would be a slow torture like that.
Then the pessimism kicked in… the justification from every side, from everyone:
“Economy is bad…it is not your fault”
“There are no good jobs in this economy…”
“May be you can try something part time…”
“Have you thought about trying something different?…”
“You can work at McDonald’s for now….”
“just start with something, it is ‘just a job’ after all!….”
Yes, there was no shortage of advice and guidance……. Continue reading

911 – The Emergency Call

The firm knock on the door made her jump. Even though she was expecting this knock, the police arrived much faster than she had imagined.

She looked at her husband; he was pacing nervously in the far corner of the living room. They exchanged a brief glance – both of them nervous, beyond nervous.

The officer knocked again, this time much harder. Unwillingly, she walked to the door and turned the knob without making a noise.

A tall RCMP officer in full uniform was standing at the door, with his hand cautiously placed on the gun holster.

“Mrs. Sharma?” The officer inquired.

“Yes… Yes!” She said twice; her voice just barely louder than a whisper.

The officer peeked inside the house before actually stepping in. He spotted her husband standing motionless in the far end of the living room.

“Ma’am, I am Officer Wilson; we are responding to the 911 call….the emergency call” He said; he turned his head and looked around the house, inspecting the premises while still standing at the door.

She did not say anything in response.

“Is that your husband? Mr. Sharma?” He looked at her husband with a piercing gaze.

She just nodded, without saying anything again.

“Anybody else in the house? Any kids?”

“No,… my son…. is at school right now.” She responded quickly this time .

“Mr. Sharma, have a seat if you want, I will be with you shortly. “ He said to the husband as he walked towards the door.

“Ma’am, can I talk to you outside?” It was more of an order and she obliged, stepping outside the door. She noticed another officer standing just outside the door – a female office that walked over to her as soon as she stepped out.

“Mrs. Sharma!” Officer Wilson paused, “We are responded to your emergency call.”

She did not say anything in return.

“Ma’am, what happened?” He asked, this time very affirmatively, almost demanding.

“We just had an argument…”

“And..?”

“We just had a fight!”

“Did he hit you?”

“…umm… No”

“Ma’am, I am Officer Lee. We have a reason to believe that your husband hit you. That is what you reported on the phone!” This time, the female officer asked as the male officer stepped back.

She did not say anything in response.

“You don’t need to be scared Mrs. Sharma! The law is on your side. Just tell us, so we can help you!” The female officer said in a consoling tone. Continue reading

INOC DC hosts Kapil Sibal

This post is a guest contribution by Lavika Bhagat

REPORT OF THE EVENT ORGANIZED BY INOC, DC CHAPTER

Indian National Overseas Congress (USA) Washington DC Chapter proudly hosted a reception in honor of Honorable Kapil Sibal ji, senior leader of the Indian National Congress Party, Minister for Human Resources and Development, Government of India on October 15, 2011 at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Washington DC.

Minister Sibal co-chaired the US-India Higher Education Summit with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Oct 13 and 14, 2011 at Washington DC. After this high-profile conference, Minister Sibal attended this personable breakfast gathering with a group of Indian American business and education leaders invited by Lavika Bhagat Singh, President of the Indian National Overseas Congress in Washington DC.

Attendees included representatives of the US Federal and State Government, prominent Indian Americans, IT industrialists, educationists, and Indian students studying in the Washington DC area. Among the many prominent Indian Americans were Dr. Natwar M. Gandhi, the Chief Financial Officer for Washington DC, Rajan Natarajan, Deputy Secretary of State of Maryland, Sanjay Rai, Provost and Dean, Montgomery College, State of Maryland, Raj Narsimhan who serves on Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment. Continue reading

How well you Know Anna Hazare? – A Quiz!

Anna Hazare has become a very popular Indian figure – home and abroad. Media is already comparing him to Gandhi. Until recently, very few people had heard of him.
How well do you know this man! Well, know it for yourself. Here is the quiz on this mysterious man:
Quiz 10:

Commonly known as Anna Hazare, his real name is:





Anna Hazare is:





Anna Hazare became famous for leading:





To exert pressure on the Indian government, main tool or method used by Anna Hazare is:





Anna Hazare received Padma Bhushan award for transforming this village to one of the model examples in the country:





During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Hazare was:





Anti-corruption social activists and Anna Hazare are proposing this Bill to deter corruption at all levels of government.





In Mid August 2011, Hazare planned indefinite hunger strike. To avoid public gatherings and protests, the government went into action and:





To show their support for Hazare and anti-corruption movement, thousands gathered at:





Anna Hazare is:







There are many more quiz on this site including the ones on Bollywood; here are some of the links:

Other Quizzes:

Continue reading

The Indian Mangoes abroad

The Indian and Pakistani Mangoes in USA!!

In Indian continent, mango is the king of the fruits! Chausa, Dasheri, Kesar, Langra, Haapoos and so on – there is no shortage of the different flavors and mouth-watering varieties as you move from one part of the country to another. This ‘fruit of the gods’ is taken for granted in Indian, Pakistani and many neighboring cuisines.

From king of fruits to just an average fruit – mango is just another fruit in the western countries. As you step outside the Indian continent, you can still find mangoes if you look for them. In USA, mangoes are sold in many fruit shops and grocery stores. However, these are not the mangoes that grow in the Indian orchards; these are not the same mangoes as the ones you once tasted on the roadside stalls in India. Yes, these are mangoes, but not your Chausa, Dasheri or Langra.

The most of the mangoes sold in US and Canada are the locally grown fruits or the ones shipped from Mexico. Many of these local mangoes leave much to be desired. They don’t taste the same as the ones from India, unless you have never had Indian mangoes, or perhaps you forgot the taste of the years. The Indian mangoes are much sweeter, mush more richer and much more… umm… let’s just say ‘tastier’. There are some things that you cannot really describe. You won’t know the difference unless you try them for yourself. Continue reading

USA welcomes prospective students from India

United States welcomes prospective Indian students
US Embassy Press release; July 28, 2011, New Delhi

“The United States is proud of its record of welcoming foreign students, and in particular the numerous Indian students who enrich America’s academic communities. The number of Indian students who have applied for visas to study in the United States increased by 20% over the same period last year. This increase is an indication of the dynamism of the Indo-U.S. partnership and the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations. It also reflects the desire of high quality Indian students to pursue a world-class education in the U.S.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the free resources offered by the U.S. government and fully research the academic options available to them. The Embassy is to provide accurate, free information that allows students and their families to research schools and to protect themselves from visa fraud rings. All legitimate students have a fair chance to study in the U.S.

As always, the U.S. government urges all prospective students to fully research their chosen educational institutes and have a firm grasp of what is and is not permitted under a student visa. In particular, all students must be aware that any of the following will result in an immediate violation of status:

  • Lack of physical attendance at classes (taking only online courses is not acceptable)
  • Failure to maintain a full courseload
  • Unauthorized employment

Violating the terms of a visa can result in deportation, arrest and even a bar on future travel to the United States. If any educational advisor or academic organization suggests that such actions are permissible under a student visa, we strongly recommend students contact the Embassy immediately in order to prevent committing visa fraud. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she is in accordance with the law. Continue reading

20 Best English Movies from India – The Indian English films

Best English Movies based on India or with Indian Themes

There are so many English movies that come out of India every year. Some equally beautiful movies based on Indian culture originate from other parts of the globe. Here are 20 best stand-outs:

1 Gandhi (1982): This Internationally acclaimed movie needs no introduction. The film stars Ben Kingsley as Gandhi, a brilliant actor by any measure. Amongst much recognition home and abroad, the film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, winning eight Academy Awards in total.

2. City of Joy (1992): The social drama is based on the life of a farmer who moves to Kolkata with his family and finds out that life is nothing but simple in the city. Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Art Malik lead the brilliant cast. This is one of best movies that use talents from India and Hollywood.

3. Monsoon Wedding (2001): Directed by Mira Nair, this is romance, comedy and drama – all together – depicting the lives of NRIs and the NRI weddings. An extravagant Punjabi wedding and the family traditions are beautifully depicted throughout this movie. Naseeruddin Shah’s acting is solid once more, and plays a father who is organizing an enormous, chaotic, and very expensive wedding that involves NRI families and joint families coming together from different parts of the world.

4. A Passage to India (1984): This classic is one of the most memorable English film based on the Indo-British relationship and their impacts on the day-to-day life during English Rule in India. Written and directed by David Lean, the screenplay is based on the 1924 novel by E.M. Forster. The acting, the direction and the beautifully landscaped scenes equally contribute to this masterpiece. The film has won various awards included Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. The brilliant acting comes from Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft and James Fox in the key roles.

5.Being Cyrus (2006): This is one of the best Indian films in English. It is a psychological drama revolving around a dysfunctional family. The brilliant acting is led by Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia; the well told story is narrated by none other but Saif Ali Khan in the role of Cyrus Mistry.

6. Bride and Prejudice (2004): This is a Bollywood style adaptation of the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It is filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue. The lead cast of Aishwarya Rai, Martin Henderson, Nadira Babbar, Anupam Kher and Naveen Andrews plays well in the desi adaptation of an old classic story from west. The wedding and party scenes, the complicated feelings of love, the dance numbers and culture depiction….are all nicely integrated

7. East is East (1999): This is a very comic and funny movie with a dark side of an NRI story based out of England. Om Puri delivers one of the best acting of a conflicted father with double standards. Married to a white woman, the father forces his kids to live the traditional and strict desi lifestyle. The children, born and grown up in UK, see themselves as British and reject their father’s rules on dress, food, religion and arranged marriage.

8. Bend it like Beckham (2002): Starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, the title comes from the soccer player David Beckham’s skill at scoring from free kicks by “bending” (curving) the ball past a wall of defenders. It is a beautiful depiction of a Punjabi family’s life in England. The film explores the lives of Indians abroad and how NRIs ‘bend’ the social and traditional rules to adapt to the local culture. It has a lively music, with a touch of folk genre.

9. Parzania (2007): Translated – Heaven and hell on earth, this is an Indian drama film catering to the extreme human emotions. It is a terrific story of the struggles of a family after they lose their 10 year old son during the racial riot. The film featured Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles. This low budget drama has lovely acting and beautiful direction. Continue reading

Plight of a woman in the NRI Marriages

For decades, this has been a common practice; it is a part of Indian thinking. Parents in India marry their beloved son or daughter to NRIs visiting from Western counties, with the hope and wish that he or she will settle abroad, and perhaps more importantly, help them migrate as well. While India is enjoying the financial boom, the common man still looks up to the other countries as the ultimate salvation for their offspring.

Yes, arranged marriage is still very common in India, and especially when it comes to marrying abroad. With very little knowledge about a ‘funny dressed’ visitor from the west, people are willing to bond their son or daughter overnight, before someone else steals their opportunity – the opportunity of a golden ticket to go abroad.

Marriage is supposed to be a sacred bond, based on mutual love and respect. However, NRI marriages are fundamentally based on greed. It is the greed that results into lifelong headaches for many couples, if not heartaches.

Everyone knows that the arranged marriage is no walk in the park, especially the arranged marriages where a couple knows very little about each-other. What follows in a typical NRI marriage is surprises, compromises and then more compromises. There are lucky couples who can adapt quicker and understand each other mush faster. And then again, there are probably more couples who find it hard to adjust, where ego comes into play more than love. What follows thereafter is a life-long misery, constant conflicts and endless arguments on daily basis.

Indian society, even modern Indian society, looks down on divorce. Many families don’t even consider the option of separation. And once you have kids in the mix, it is even more difficult to separate, both sides sacrificing for the sake of the kids.

The situation is especially difficult for the women who marry a man abroad. The women are more eager to adapt, more willing to sacrifice. Very often, the women go beyond the call of duty to satisfy their spouses in the new land. They often have very few relatives abroad to fall back on, they lack the family support, the support of their own blood. Women are less confrontational by nature to start with, and it works against them. Continue reading

NBC’s ‘Outsourced’ – A hilarious culture clash or offensive?

Many call this a strange or bold move form NBC, but it is more of a commonsense if you think about it – controversial shows get the attention from public and media alike. Thursday’s prime-time lineup from NBC includes ‘Outsourced’ – a comic satire on Indian culture through the eyes of American and Western office managers. Nothing original, but different!

The show in itself is hilarious, if you take it with a grain of salt. The Indian way of thinking, the Indian traditions, the office habits of local workers and how we perceive Americans – all on display in half an hour weekly comedy that is lighthearted and fun to watch.

The premise of ‘Outsourced’ is based on an an Indian call center in Mumbai selling American novelties. According to NBC, the Outsourced revolves around “the all-American company Mid America Novelties whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India and a manager, played by Ben Rappaport, is being transferred to India to run the operation…”

The weekly sitcom touches on a variety of social and cultural Indian issues including arranged marriage, a young woman working in the call center to support her parents, how Indians view the American women, the Indian Accent and the fake American accent….

The half an hour sitcom, actually about 20 minutes in total if you take out the commercials in between, has very natural and down to earth style of exposing the cultural differences. The show may not have the same appeal to some the Indian audience, especially those who are not intimate with American lifestyle. For example, there are dialogues like:
“…I never imagined that I will be taking to beautiful women from exotic places like Fresno and Des Moines…!” Manmeet says in one episode, who is always fascinated with American girls and spends more time flirting over the phone than selling the novelties. If you live in US, you know that there is not a whole lot exotic about Fresno or Des Moines, actually quite the opposite. So, you need first-hand American knowledge to understand some of the humor. Continue reading

The mistress, the live-in relationship, the one-night-stand!

The legality of  unconventional relationships in India

The Supreme Court of India recently ruled on the often unspoken topic of unmarried relationships. The court touches on some the legal aspects of non-conventional relations including one-night-stand, a man’s ‘keep’ and live-in-relationship. This sort of relations and living arrangements have always been considered a taboo in the Indian society -  home or abroad. Perhaps, not so much these days!

In India, a country where marriage is a part of the religious guidelines, society as a whole has always looked down on couples living outside the marital boundaries. Even the supreme body of Indian legal system did not forget to remind us of the good old morality:

“In feudal society, sexual relationship between man and woman outside marriage was totally taboo and regarded with disgust and horror as depicted in Leo Tolstoy’s novel ‘Anna Karenina’, Gustave Flaubert’s novel ‘Madame Bobary’ and the novels of the great Bengali writer Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay….”

“However, Indian society is changing and this change has been reflected and recognized by Parliament by enacting the Protection of Woman from Domestic Violence Act, 2005,” the Indian Supreme Court bench said in the ruling. Continue reading

A glimmer of hope – Indian sports in international arena

Future of India in the international and global sports competitions

Indian is a country with population of 1.2 billion people;second largest in the world. Home or abroad, the Indians are known for their hard work and perseverance. And yet, when it come to the sports, India does not have much to show in the international arena. India has never been a top contender in the global sports competitions.

Yes, cricket is big; the country is crazed about the game. There are about ten competitive cricket playing nations in the world, and India is often often among the top ten! :) Beyond cricket, India does not really have much world presence in the sports and athletic competitions.

In the Olympics games, for example, India has miserably failed to deliver any world class performance. At one time, India used to rein supreme in the field hockey, but not anymore. The most medal that India has ever won in the Olympics are 3, in 2008 Olympics in Beijing. That is quite a dismal performance for a country of the size of India!

There have been numerous explanations for India’s lack of sports at the international level. Poverty, malnutrition, neglected infrastructure, lack of funding and equipment, political corruption and the predominance of cricket…..so many factors combined together have been blamed in the past.

However, it is worth noting that India is not the same country it used to be a few decades back. India, as a nation, has made a lots of headway; it has taken some giant steps in the right direction. The economy is booming and the influence of western culture including the western sports is everywhere. Could it be that the current prosperity may lead to a more competitive India at the international platform? It is quite possible. In fact, it seems that India may be on the right track for the first time. Continue reading

Floods, neighbors, media and the morons

The Pakistan Flooding and the Indian offer to help

In the name of the religion, or out of fear, or out of greed – the mankind has shown its ugly side for centuries. Time over time, we have proved that we can be idiots, stupids and morons – all combined in one. Before the partition of 1947, the Indian Continent had a seamless and peaceful coexistence of multi-cultures and multi-religions. What followed during the 1940s decade was something that would have been incomprehensible a few years before the partition – hundreds of thousands dead, rape and loot in the open, a lawless society attacking their own neighbors with vengeance, the same neighbors they had treated like their own before the riots.

Fast forward to 2010. Pakistan is suffering one of the worst crisis since partition – the mother nature has shown its ugly side this time. Beginning in July 2010 following heavy monsoon rains, a vast spread flooding has surprised Pakistan in the worst possible way. Thousands dead, over a million homes destroyed, more than twenty million people injured or homeless….. At one point, one-fifth of Pakistan’s total land area was underwater.

At a difficult and a tragic time like this, India has offered what a natural neighbor should always do – help the neighbor during crisis even if you don’t get along. India has offered $5 million in aid to Pakistan for flood relief. This could be a start of something good, something different than war-path of last 60 years. This could help the two sides to heal their wounds and perhaps start something anew. Continue reading

India through the eyes of my American Classmates

“So how do you like it here, in US?” This is a common icebreaker they use with new classmates from other countries.
“I love it; it’s fun!” is my general response. After all, I don’t need to complain about my homesickness to everybody.
“I would love to go to India, but am little bit worried about the safety and stuff over there; ….”  Some hesitation about a new country is far away is quite normal among Americans.
“Stuff like what?” I like to explore what they think about India.
“Well, it is a new place; plus I don’t speak Indian.” Some say this as a joke, while other are clueless to the Indian languages.
And sometimes, the things get slippery after such small talk! And sometimes, that’s where the snakes, the elephants and other wild animals jump into the picture. Some questions, asked even with the utmost seriousness, beg for a chuckle, if not a full blown laugh! :)

I like my American classmates and friends just as much as my desi colleagues, well almost. At least, that’s what I would like to believe and that’s what I try anyways. Many of these firangs are my close friends. We eat together, we study together and we goof-off together. It’s a fun bunch of people I am surrounded by.

I am one of the three Indians in our class. There are students from everywhere – Canada, European countries, Australia, Kenya, Mexico and Korea…to name a few. They all come from a very diverse background, not to forget in all colors – white, brown, black, yellow, pink, dark pink…well, sometimes it is hard to tell the real color with all the makeup on. :) Continue reading