Many people tell that the full form of NEWS is North,East,West
and South. For quite a long it looked convincing as the
full form seemed to cover all the direction giving an impression that any thing
happened in any direction in reported by the News. After a little pondering however I found that
the base of the word may be just "new". It simply means what is new. Later on may be convey specifically about new
information it might have got changed to news.
Origin:
late Middle English:
plural of new, translating Old French noveles
or medieval Latin nova
'new things'
1
a.Information about recent events or happenings,
especially as reported by newspapers, periodicals, radio, or television.
b.
c.A presentation of such information, as in a
newspaper or on a newscast.
d.
2. New
information of any kind
1.current events; important or interesting recent
happenings
2.
2.
information about such events, as in the mass media
interesting or important information not previously
known or realized it's news
a report of recent events
b: previously unknown information
c: something having a specified
influence or effect
[HPI note:
Dr. M. Lal Goel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at The University
of West Florida, wrote about the similarities between India's caste system
and American society. You can read the full article at the source link,
above. Here is a summary provided by the author.]
UNITED STATES, July 30, 2010: A recent article in Newsweek by Lisa Miller
indicated that Americans "are slowly becoming more like Hindus and
less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our
selves, each other, and eternity." The author cites the following poll
data: 67 percent of Americans believe that many religions, not only
Christianity can lead to eternal life, reflecting pluralistic Hindu ethos
rather than monotheistic Christian view; 30 percent of Americans call
themselves "spiritual, not religious;" 24 percent say they
believe in reincarnation; and more than a third choose cremation rather
than burial.
To this list may be added the growing caste-like pluralism and
multiculturalism of the American populace. This essay describes features of
India's caste system, its origin, the negative impact of Muslim and British
imperial rule, and concludes with a description of the American social
landscape.
The greatest source of strength for
any society is its faith in God. The day it renounces such faith will be
the day that society begins to die. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
SAN DIEGO, CA, October 24, 2010: As
the sun began to set Sunday night, volunteers lit the wicks of dozens of
ornate brass lamps arranged near Balboa Park's Alcazar Garden. They were
among the thousands of people who had gathered for the third annual Diwali
Festival of Light, a little early, in San Diego. [HPI note: Diwali happens
on November 4 (India) or 5 (America) this year, though local communities
may celebrate them at different dates.]
The holiday is celebrated widely in India and by Indians around the world,
said M.C.Madhavan, a professor emeritus of economics and Asian studies at
San Diego State University and founder of the San Diego Indian American
Society, which helped create the event. The lamps, which were made in
India, symbolize fire, sun and the removal of darkness, he said. "It
is the celebration of virtue over vice," Madhavan said. More than
1,000 more small lamps were later lit on stage at the Spreckels Organ
Pavilion.
The Festival of Light has grown each year since it started in 2008, said
Martha Ehringer, of the Mingei International Museum, which organized the
event along with the San Diego Musem of Art and the San Diego Indian
American Society. About 700 people attended that first year, then 3,000
last year. Thousands were expected again this year. "Every year it
gets a little grander," Ehringer said.
Participants ate Indian food, got their hands designed with henna, and
perused Indian comic books donated by a Bombay-based publishing company.
Hundreds of people dressed in colorful traditional Indian garb marched and
danced in a procession through the park.
"Schedule tribes or endogenous communities are amongst the most
ecologically evolved communities amongst the world, but sadly also amongst
the most economically backward ones in India," says Darren Lobo of
Grassroutes. He informs that most tribal villages just receive two-three
hours of electricity per day, hampering a child's ability to read or play
once the sun sets. Lobo says, "Most parts of rural India function
without electricity for several hours a day. We are offering them a
renewable lighting system as part of our festive gift gesture to help make
a difference to their life."
The renewable lighting system is worth US$15 and will be either be a solar
powered lantern or a wind up lantern. The visit to the villages to hand out
the lanterns will be made post Diwali on November 13 and 14 (Children's
Day). At the village, patrons can also indulge in activities such as
milking cows and seeing how the milk is distributed. You could also chop
wood, draw water, trek, and star gaze or participate in light rappelling.
ALLAHABAD, INDIA, October 27, 2010:
When it comes to lighting on Diwali, diyas (traditional oil lamps made of
clay) occupy a special place. Despite the influx of LED lights and Chinese
bulbs, people in the city are still going for the traditional diyas this
Diwali. With the changing trends, potters too are wheeling out designer
diyas.
A potter in trans-Yamuna area said, "People prefer performing puja in
traditional style. At least 11 diyas are lit before Lord Ganesha and
Goddess Laxmi on Diwali. Their fire cannot be matched by electrical
gadgets.
The writers of the Indian
philosophies will survive when the British dominion in India shall long
have ceased to exist, and when the sources which it yielded of wealth and
power are lost to remembrances. Lord Warren Hastings (1754-1826), the first
governor general of British India
WASHINGTON,
DC, USA, July 5, 2010: (RNS) What does it mean when the two best-known
Indian-American politicians in American politics are converts to
Christianity?
In South Carolina, Nikki Haley won the Republican nomination for governor
despite a whisper campaign that criticized her name and religion. Many
questioned the validity of Haley's Christian faith. Some, including
Republican state Sen. Jake Knotts, called her Christian conversion into
question.
But in a country that has demonstrated that religion matters when it comes
to politics, the issue remains: does it remain difficult for Hindus, Jains
and Sikhs to be voted into high office? Both Haley and Louisiana Gov. Piyush
"Bobby" Jindal, who became the nation's first Indian-American
governor in 2007, are Republicans and converts to Christianity. Both also
have faced questions about their religion. Haley has a special section of
her campaign website devoted to dispelling rumors and to setting "the
record straight." On the site, Haley affirms her Christianity, saying
"being a Christian is not about words, but about living for Christ
every day."
The extra attention carries both positive and negative implications for
members of minority faiths, said Suhag Shukla, managing director and legal
counsel for the Hindu American Foundation. "I think it sends a mixed
sense of hope to young people in the Indian-American community that while
we may have, as a society, gotten somewhat over the race barrier, the
religion barrier is still there," she said. At least seven other
Indian-Americans are running for Congress or statewide office this year,
many of whom openly embrace Sikhism, Hinduism or other Indian religions.
Democrat Reshma Saujani, candidate for Congress from New York's
Manhattan-based 14th district, identifies herself "first and
foremost" as a "daughter of political refugees" of Indian
descent. She is a practicing Hindu who says her faith has not caused friction
in her campaign. "I think that there might be more pressure ... where
there might not be as much diversity in religious faith," she said.
"But in New York, there definitely is (religious diversity)."
Where a candidate is running can determine how much scrutiny a candidate's
faith will attract, Shukla said. A Hindu running for office in New York is
one thing; a Sikh-turned-Methodist in the Bible Belt is another. "We
still see this type of discrimination in other places, and it plays out in
some elections," she said. "Again, I think it would have to
depend on geography," she added. Indeed, some candidates are reluctant
to reveal specifics about their faith. Ravi Sangisetty, running as a
Democrat for Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District south of New Orleans,
details his Catholic school education and membership in the Catholic Church
on his campaign website. But when asked whether Sangisetty had converted, a
campaign spokeswoman responded, "Like I said, he's Catholic."
While religion and ethnicity pique interest in the national media, with
some viewing Indian ethnicity as a potential handicap, Manan Trivedi,
Democratic congressional candidate from Pennsylvania, believes "the
American electorate is smarter than that." An Indian-American himself,
Trivedi hasn't faced questions about his Hindu faith. A spokesman for
Trivedi's campaign said "people care much more about jobs and what
their candidates are going to do." "Issues are much more
important," he said.
INDIA, August 1, 2010: Every year
the Ganesha festival is commemorated with deep fervor in Maharashtra.
However, this year the surge in the petrol and diesel-price is likely to
affect the ardent devotees.
The murthi makers lament that the price of commodities. Rising prices of
petrol and diesel in the last five years, and increased transport charges
have affected the price of plaster of paris and coloring, which are
required to make a murthi. Higher labor charges have also contributed to
the increase prices of Lord Ganesha murthis in the last five years.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which falls on September 11 this year, is
also quite popular in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Goa and Karnataka, as well as in Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west.
Millions of ardent devotees worship the Lord Ganesha murthis and immerse
them into water bodies on the final day.
UNITED STATES, July 2010: Across
the country, major-league executives are meeting for prayer breakfasts and
spiritual conferences.
If America's chief executives had tried any of this 10 years ago, they
probably would have inspired ridicule and maybe even ostracism. But today,
a spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as executives of
all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into
office corridors the lessons usually doled out in churches, temples, and
mosques. Gone is the old taboo against talking about God at work. In its
place is a new spirituality, evident in the prayer groups at Deloitte &
Touche and the Talmud studies at New York law firms such as Kaye, Scholer,
Fierman, Hays & Haroller.
In Minneapolis, 150 business chiefs lunch monthly at a private, ivy-draped
club to hear chief executives such as Medtronic Inc.'s William George and
Carlson Co.'s Marilyn Carlson Nelson draw business solutions from the
Bible. In Silicon Valley, a group of high-powered, high-tech
Hindus--including Suhas Patil, founder of Cirrus Logic (CRUS), Desh
Deshpande, founder of Cascade Communications, and Krishan Kalra, founder of
BioGenex--are part of a movement to connect technology to spirituality. In
Boston, heavy hitters such as retired Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas L.
Phillips meet at an invitation-only prayer breakfast called First Tuesday,
an ecumenical affair long shrouded in secrecy. More publicly, Aetna
International (AET) Chairman Michael A. Stephen has extolled the benefits
of meditation and talked with Aetna employees about using spirituality in
their careers.
Spiritual events and seminares are happening at executive enclaves. For the
past six years, 300 Xerox Corp. (XRX) employees--from senior managers to
clerks--have participated in "vision quests" as part of the
struggling copier company's $400 million project to revolutionize product
development. Alone for 24 hours with nothing more than sleeping bags and
water jugs in New Mexico's desert or New York's Catskill Mountains, the
workers have communed with nature, seeking inspiration and guidance about
building Xerox' first digital copier-fax-printer.
For Kris Kalra, chief executive of BioGenex, it's the Bhagavad Gita, the
Hindu holy text, that offers the best lessons for steering a business out
of trouble. He dropped out of corporate life for three months, studying the
Bhagavad Gita for eight hours a day. After he returned to work, he started
listening to other people's ideas and slowly let go of his micromanaging
ways.
CHENNAI, INDIA, July 26, 2010: A
number of temples and religious bodies in Tamilnadu are applying for the
International Standard Organization's (ISO) certification. This step has
been initiated by the state government's Hindu religious and charitable
endowments (HR&CE) department.
Three popular temples -- the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore,
Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane and Dhandayudhapani Temple in Vadapalani
-- have sought and received the ISO 9001:2008 certification. The ISO
officials checked for the fixed assets of the temples, their accounts and
strict adherence to rituals.
Other temples will also join the queue of ISO's stamp of approval. Most
likely among them are Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai and Sri
Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.
[HPI note:
Dr. M. Lal Goel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at The University
of West Florida, wrote about the similarities between India's caste system
and American society. You can read the full article at the source link,
above. Here is a summary provided by the author.]
UNITED STATES, July 30, 2010: A recent article in Newsweek by Lisa Miller
indicated that Americans "are slowly becoming more like Hindus and
less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our
selves, each other, and eternity." The author cites the following poll
data: 67 percent of Americans believe that many religions, not only
Christianity can lead to eternal life, reflecting pluralistic Hindu ethos
rather than monotheistic Christian view; 30 percent of Americans call
themselves "spiritual, not religious;" 24 percent say they
believe in reincarnation; and more than a third choose cremation rather
than burial.
To this list may be added the growing caste-like pluralism and
multiculturalism of the American populace. This essay describes features of
India's caste system, its origin, the negative impact of Muslim and British
imperial rule, and concludes with a description of the American social
landscape.
The greatest source of strength for
any society is its faith in God. The day it renounces such faith will be
the day that society begins to die. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
INDIA, August 1, 2010: Every year
the Ganesha festival is commemorated with deep fervor in Maharashtra.
However, this year the surge in the petrol and diesel-price is likely to
affect the ardent devotees.
The murthi makers lament that the price of commodities. Rising prices of
petrol and diesel in the last five years, and increased transport charges
have affected the price of plaster of paris and coloring, which are
required to make a murthi. Higher labor charges have also contributed to
the increase prices of Lord Ganesha murthis in the last five years.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which falls on September 11 this year, is
also quite popular in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Goa and Karnataka, as well as in Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west.
Millions of ardent devotees worship the Lord Ganesha murthis and immerse
them into water bodies on the final day.
UNITED STATES, July 2010: Across
the country, major-league executives are meeting for prayer breakfasts and spiritual
conferences.
If America's chief executives had tried any of this 10 years ago, they
probably would have inspired ridicule and maybe even ostracism. But today,
a spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as executives of
all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into
office corridors the lessons usually doled out in churches, temples, and
mosques. Gone is the old taboo against talking about God at work. In its
place is a new spirituality, evident in the prayer groups at Deloitte &
Touche and the Talmud studies at New York law firms such as Kaye, Scholer,
Fierman, Hays & Haroller.
In Minneapolis, 150 business chiefs lunch monthly at a private, ivy-draped
club to hear chief executives such as Medtronic Inc.'s William George and
Carlson Co.'s Marilyn Carlson Nelson draw business solutions from the
Bible. In Silicon Valley, a group of high-powered, high-tech
Hindus--including Suhas Patil, founder of Cirrus Logic (CRUS), Desh
Deshpande, founder of Cascade Communications, and Krishan Kalra, founder of
BioGenex--are part of a movement to connect technology to spirituality. In
Boston, heavy hitters such as retired Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas L.
Phillips meet at an invitation-only prayer breakfast called First Tuesday,
an ecumenical affair long shrouded in secrecy. More publicly, Aetna
International (AET) Chairman Michael A. Stephen has extolled the benefits
of meditation and talked with Aetna employees about using spirituality in
their careers.
Spiritual events and seminares are happening at executive enclaves. For the
past six years, 300 Xerox Corp. (XRX) employees--from senior managers to
clerks--have participated in "vision quests" as part of the
struggling copier company's $400 million project to revolutionize product
development. Alone for 24 hours with nothing more than sleeping bags and
water jugs in New Mexico's desert or New York's Catskill Mountains, the
workers have communed with nature, seeking inspiration and guidance about
building Xerox' first digital copier-fax-printer.
For Kris Kalra, chief executive of BioGenex, it's the Bhagavad Gita, the
Hindu holy text, that offers the best lessons for steering a business out
of trouble. He dropped out of corporate life for three months, studying the
Bhagavad Gita for eight hours a day. After he returned to work, he started
listening to other people's ideas and slowly let go of his micromanaging
ways.
CHENNAI, INDIA, July 26, 2010: A
number of temples and religious bodies in Tamilnadu are applying for the
International Standard Organization's (ISO) certification. This step has
been initiated by the state government's Hindu religious and charitable endowments
(HR&CE) department.
Three popular temples -- the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore,
Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane and Dhandayudhapani Temple in Vadapalani
-- have sought and received the ISO 9001:2008 certification. The ISO
officials checked for the fixed assets of the temples, their accounts and
strict adherence to rituals.
Other temples will also join the queue of ISO's stamp of approval. Most
likely among them are Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai and Sri
Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.
[HPI note:
Dr. M. Lal Goel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at The University
of West Florida, wrote about the similarities between India's caste system
and American society. You can read the full article at the source link,
above. Here is a summary provided by the author.]
UNITED STATES, July 30, 2010: A recent article in Newsweek by Lisa Miller
indicated that Americans "are slowly becoming more like Hindus and
less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our
selves, each other, and eternity." The author cites the following poll
data: 67 percent of Americans believe that many religions, not only
Christianity can lead to eternal life, reflecting pluralistic Hindu ethos
rather than monotheistic Christian view; 30 percent of Americans call
themselves "spiritual, not religious;" 24 percent say they
believe in reincarnation; and more than a third choose cremation rather
than burial.
To this list may be added the growing caste-like pluralism and
multiculturalism of the American populace. This essay describes features of
India's caste system, its origin, the negative impact of Muslim and British
imperial rule, and concludes with a description of the American social
landscape.
The greatest source of strength for
any society is its faith in God. The day it renounces such faith will be
the day that society begins to die. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
INDIA, August 1, 2010: Every year
the Ganesha festival is commemorated with deep fervor in Maharashtra.
However, this year the surge in the petrol and diesel-price is likely to
affect the ardent devotees.
The murthi makers lament that the price of commodities. Rising prices of
petrol and diesel in the last five years, and increased transport charges
have affected the price of plaster of paris and coloring, which are
required to make a murthi. Higher labor charges have also contributed to
the increase prices of Lord Ganesha murthis in the last five years.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which falls on September 11 this year, is
also quite popular in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Goa and Karnataka, as well as in Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west.
Millions of ardent devotees worship the Lord Ganesha murthis and immerse
them into water bodies on the final day.
UNITED STATES, July 2010: Across
the country, major-league executives are meeting for prayer breakfasts and
spiritual conferences.
If America's chief executives had tried any of this 10 years ago, they
probably would have inspired ridicule and maybe even ostracism. But today,
a spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as executives of
all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into
office corridors the lessons usually doled out in churches, temples, and
mosques. Gone is the old taboo against talking about God at work. In its
place is a new spirituality, evident in the prayer groups at Deloitte &
Touche and the Talmud studies at New York law firms such as Kaye, Scholer,
Fierman, Hays & Haroller.
In Minneapolis, 150 business chiefs lunch monthly at a private, ivy-draped
club to hear chief executives such as Medtronic Inc.'s William George and
Carlson Co.'s Marilyn Carlson Nelson draw business solutions from the
Bible. In Silicon Valley, a group of high-powered, high-tech
Hindus--including Suhas Patil, founder of Cirrus Logic (CRUS), Desh
Deshpande, founder of Cascade Communications, and Krishan Kalra, founder of
BioGenex--are part of a movement to connect technology to spirituality. In
Boston, heavy hitters such as retired Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas L.
Phillips meet at an invitation-only prayer breakfast called First Tuesday,
an ecumenical affair long shrouded in secrecy. More publicly, Aetna
International (AET) Chairman Michael A. Stephen has extolled the benefits
of meditation and talked with Aetna employees about using spirituality in
their careers.
Spiritual events and seminares are happening at executive enclaves. For the
past six years, 300 Xerox Corp. (XRX) employees--from senior managers to
clerks--have participated in "vision quests" as part of the
struggling copier company's $400 million project to revolutionize product
development. Alone for 24 hours with nothing more than sleeping bags and
water jugs in New Mexico's desert or New York's Catskill Mountains, the
workers have communed with nature, seeking inspiration and guidance about
building Xerox' first digital copier-fax-printer.
For Kris Kalra, chief executive of BioGenex, it's the Bhagavad Gita, the
Hindu holy text, that offers the best lessons for steering a business out
of trouble. He dropped out of corporate life for three months, studying the
Bhagavad Gita for eight hours a day. After he returned to work, he started
listening to other people's ideas and slowly let go of his micromanaging
ways.
UNITED STATES, June 19, 2020: Meet
the new wave of Indian-American politicians. At least eight children of
Indian immigrants are running for Congress or statewide office, the most
ever. The star of this trend is Nikki Haley, born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa,
who is favored to win the election for governor of South Carolina.
Indian heritage is where Haley's similarity with the other candidates seems
to end. She is the only Republican, the only one who has been widely
mistaken for a white woman, the only one who has been accused of abandoning
her heritage for converting from the Sikh faith to Christianity.
Bobby Jindal was elected the nation's first Indian governor in 2007, at age
36. Named Piyush at birth, he told his Hindu parents when he was 4 that he
wanted to be called Bobby. He converted to Catholicism as a teenager.
Speaking about their faith is rarely in the agenda for those who have not
converted to Christianity like Jindal. J. Ashwin Madia, a Minnesota
Democrat who lost a congressional election in 2008 and is a follower of the
Jain religion, says their faith is irrelevant. "They can choose to be
called what they want to be called, they can worship what they want to
worship," said Madia. "I don't think being Indian-American is
this thing they need to strive for or meet some sort of purity test. They
are finding the right balance for themselves."
Barack Hussein Obama, known as Barry in his younger days, proved that an
unusual name was not an insurmountable political barrier. Some Indian
politicians seem to be following his blueprint as they embrace their Indian
names while describing their faith in voters' lack of bias. "This
campaign is all about vision and values and policies," said Raj Goyle,
who is battling for the Democratic congressional nomination in his hometown
of Wichita, Kan. "I don't spend time thinking about differences, I
think about ways that Kansans can come together." In 2006, he became
the first Indian-American elected to the Kansas Legislature and the first
Democrat to hold his statehouse district.
Indians began immigrating to the United States in large numbers about 50
years ago, but just two have been elected to Congress: Dalip Singh Saund in
1956 and Jindal, who entered Congress in 2004 and became governor midway
through his second term. In 2008, Madia says he was the only major
Indian-American candidate for Congress. Today there are six, including
Goyle and Trivedi. Ami Bera in California, Ravi Sangisetty in Louisiana and
Reshma Saujani in New York face upcoming primaries, and Surya Yalamanchili
won a primary in Ohio.
WASHINGTON,
DC, USA, July 5, 2010: (RNS) What does it mean when the two best-known
Indian-American politicians in American politics are converts to
Christianity?
In South Carolina, Nikki Haley won the Republican nomination for governor
despite a whisper campaign that criticized her name and religion. Many
questioned the validity of Haley's Christian faith. Some, including
Republican state Sen. Jake Knotts, called her Christian conversion into
question.
But in a country that has demonstrated that religion matters when it comes
to politics, the issue remains: does it remain difficult for Hindus, Jains
and Sikhs to be voted into high office? Both Haley and Louisiana Gov.
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, who became the nation's first
Indian-American governor in 2007, are Republicans and converts to
Christianity. Both also have faced questions about their religion. Haley
has a special section of her campaign website devoted to dispelling rumors
and to setting "the record straight." On the site, Haley affirms
her Christianity, saying "being a Christian is not about words, but
about living for Christ every day."
The extra attention carries both positive and negative implications for
members of minority faiths, said Suhag Shukla, managing director and legal
counsel for the Hindu American Foundation. "I think it sends a mixed
sense of hope to young people in the Indian-American community that while
we may have, as a society, gotten somewhat over the race barrier, the
religion barrier is still there," she said. At least seven other
Indian-Americans are running for Congress or statewide office this year,
many of whom openly embrace Sikhism, Hinduism or other Indian religions.
Democrat Reshma Saujani, candidate for Congress from New York's
Manhattan-based 14th district, identifies herself "first and
foremost" as a "daughter of political refugees" of Indian
descent. She is a practicing Hindu who says her faith has not caused
friction in her campaign. "I think that there might be more pressure
... where there might not be as much diversity in religious faith,"
she said. "But in New York, there definitely is (religious
diversity)."
Where a candidate is running can determine how much scrutiny a candidate's
faith will attract, Shukla said. A Hindu running for office in New York is
one thing; a Sikh-turned-Methodist in the Bible Belt is another. "We
still see this type of discrimination in other places, and it plays out in some
elections," she said. "Again, I think it would have to depend on
geography," she added. Indeed, some candidates are reluctant to reveal
specifics about their faith. Ravi Sangisetty, running as a Democrat for
Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District south of New Orleans, details his
Catholic school education and membership in the Catholic Church on his
campaign website. But when asked whether Sangisetty had converted, a
campaign spokeswoman responded, "Like I said, he's Catholic."
While religion and ethnicity pique interest in the national media, with
some viewing Indian ethnicity as a potential handicap, Manan Trivedi,
Democratic congressional candidate from Pennsylvania, believes "the
American electorate is smarter than that." An Indian-American himself,
Trivedi hasn't faced questions about his Hindu faith. A spokesman for
Trivedi's campaign said "people care much more about jobs and what
their candidates are going to do." "Issues are much more
important," he said.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA,
June 30: Mr P. Parameswaran, Hinduism Today's Hindu of the Year 2010, has
received the award from the magazine's correspondent in Kerala, G.K. Nair.
Speaking on behalf of Hinduism Today, Nair said, "to raise India to
the heights Vivekananda spoke of is no easy task, but that is the defining
thread of P. Parameswaran's life."
P. Parameswaran became the recipient of this prestigious award is a result
of his dedication to fulfilling a vision of a strong India forged in Hindu
wisdom and strengthened by dharma. His accomplishments as a creative
thinker, tireless social worker and peerless leader overseeing many
institutions inspire Hindus across the globe. As a thinker, a philosopher,
a reformer and current president of Vivekananda Kendra, P. Parameswaran
strives to defend both India and Hinduism, which to him are inseparably
linked. "He founded several institutions that contribute to this vision,"
Mr Nair said during the presentation. In 2004, the President of India
awarded Parameswaran the prestigious Padma Shree, India's greatest honor
for civilians.
Thanking the editorial staff for his selection as Hindu of the Year 2010,
Mr Parameswaran said " selecting me for the coveted award is not a
recognition of my services, but of the organizations such as Bharatheeya
Vichara Kendram, Vivekananda Kendra and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It
is a beacon of the acceptance of Sanathana Dharma as a perpetual solution
to the problems the humanity is facing today by the Western world"
The Hindu Renaissance Award was created in 1991 by the founder of Hinduism
Today, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, to recognize and strengthen Hindu
leaders worldwide.
You can read the article about P. Parameshwaran in the latest issue of
Hinduism Today here.
SRINAGAR, INDIA, July 1, 2010: The
annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir kicked off on Thursday with
over 15,000 pilgrims beginning the climb to the cave shrine dedicated to
the Hindu god Shiva.
"More than 7,000 yatris began their uphill 14-km trek at 8 am on
Thursday from Baltal to the cave. Another batch of 1,100 yatris has also
left the Manigam transit camp for Baltal," a senior police officer
said here. "All the pilgrims are safe. Adequate arrangements of
security have been made at Baltal, Manigam and all along the yatra
route," he added.
The nearly two-month-long Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) ends on Aug 25.
Hari Prasad, 49, a resident of Haryana who left the Manigam transit camp
for Baltal, said: "We shall pray for peace in Kashmir and the rest of
the country when we reach the holy cave. This is the land of saints and
rishis besides being the abode of Lord Shiva. The people here are nice and
hospitable. This is my third yatra and I know the locals have always helped
the yatris in times of emergency," he added. While 1.5 lakh pilgrims
have registered themselves so far, it is expected that the number of pilgrims
will cross the half-million mark this year. The cave shrine has a natural
ice stalagmite that is worshipped as a Shiv Lingam, a symbol of Lord Shiva.
Extraordinary security arrangements have been made for the pilgrimage this
year because of the heightened tensions in the Kashmir Valley.
DEHRADUN, INDIA, June 10, 2010: To
give more prominence to Sanskrit, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal
Nishank today sanctioned the creation of 113 posts on government grant
basis in 11 non-government Sanskrit institutions in the state. The posts
include 11 principals, 39 lecturers, 30 assistant teachers, 11 clerks and
22 peons.
As the government has already extended the benefits of sixth pay commission
to the teaching as well as non-teaching staff of Sanskrit University, the
new recruits at the recognized institutions would also get the benefits of
the pay commission, an official release said today.
The state government has already accorded the status of second official
language to Sanskrit.
UNITED STATES, June 19, 2020: Meet
the new wave of Indian-American politicians. At least eight children of
Indian immigrants are running for Congress or statewide office, the most
ever. The star of this trend is Nikki Haley, born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa,
who is favored to win the election for governor of South Carolina.
Indian heritage is where Haley's similarity with the other candidates seems
to end. She is the only Republican, the only one who has been widely
mistaken for a white woman, the only one who has been accused of abandoning
her heritage for converting from the Sikh faith to Christianity.
Bobby Jindal was elected the nation's first Indian governor in 2007, at age
36. Named Piyush at birth, he told his Hindu parents when he was 4 that he
wanted to be called Bobby. He converted to Catholicism as a teenager.
Speaking about their faith is rarely in the agenda for those who have not
converted to Christianity like Jindal. J. Ashwin Madia, a Minnesota
Democrat who lost a congressional election in 2008 and is a follower of the
Jain religion, says their faith is irrelevant. "They can choose to be
called what they want to be called, they can worship what they want to
worship," said Madia. "I don't think being Indian-American is
this thing they need to strive for or meet some sort of purity test. They
are finding the right balance for themselves."
Barack Hussein Obama, known as Barry in his younger days, proved that an
unusual name was not an insurmountable political barrier. Some Indian
politicians seem to be following his blueprint as they embrace their Indian
names while describing their faith in voters' lack of bias. "This
campaign is all about vision and values and policies," said Raj Goyle,
who is battling for the Democratic congressional nomination in his hometown
of Wichita, Kan. "I don't spend time thinking about differences, I
think about ways that Kansans can come together." In 2006, he became
the first Indian-American elected to the Kansas Legislature and the first
Democrat to hold his statehouse district.
Indians began immigrating to the United States in large numbers about 50
years ago, but just two have been elected to Congress: Dalip Singh Saund in
1956 and Jindal, who entered Congress in 2004 and became governor midway
through his second term. In 2008, Madia says he was the only major
Indian-American candidate for Congress. Today there are six, including
Goyle and Trivedi. Ami Bera in California, Ravi Sangisetty in Louisiana and
Reshma Saujani in New York face upcoming primaries, and Surya Yalamanchili
won a primary in Ohio.
WASHINGTON,
DC, USA, July 5, 2010: (RNS) What does it mean when the two best-known
Indian-American politicians in American politics are converts to
Christianity?
In South Carolina, Nikki Haley won the Republican nomination for governor
despite a whisper campaign that criticized her name and religion. Many
questioned the validity of Haley's Christian faith. Some, including
Republican state Sen. Jake Knotts, called her Christian conversion into
question.
But in a country that has demonstrated that religion matters when it comes
to politics, the issue remains: does it remain difficult for Hindus, Jains
and Sikhs to be voted into high office? Both Haley and Louisiana Gov.
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, who became the nation's first
Indian-American governor in 2007, are Republicans and converts to
Christianity. Both also have faced questions about their religion. Haley
has a special section of her campaign website devoted to dispelling rumors
and to setting "the record straight." On the site, Haley affirms
her Christianity, saying "being a Christian is not about words, but
about living for Christ every day."
The extra attention carries both positive and negative implications for
members of minority faiths, said Suhag Shukla, managing director and legal
counsel for the Hindu American Foundation. "I think it sends a mixed
sense of hope to young people in the Indian-American community that while
we may have, as a society, gotten somewhat over the race barrier, the
religion barrier is still there," she said. At least seven other
Indian-Americans are running for Congress or statewide office this year,
many of whom openly embrace Sikhism, Hinduism or other Indian religions.
Democrat Reshma Saujani, candidate for Congress from New York's
Manhattan-based 14th district, identifies herself "first and
foremost" as a "daughter of political refugees" of Indian
descent. She is a practicing Hindu who says her faith has not caused
friction in her campaign. "I think that there might be more pressure
... where there might not be as much diversity in religious faith,"
she said. "But in New York, there definitely is (religious
diversity)."
Where a candidate is running can determine how much scrutiny a candidate's
faith will attract, Shukla said. A Hindu running for office in New York is
one thing; a Sikh-turned-Methodist in the Bible Belt is another. "We
still see this type of discrimination in other places, and it plays out in
some elections," she said. "Again, I think it would have to
depend on geography," she added. Indeed, some candidates are reluctant
to reveal specifics about their faith. Ravi Sangisetty, running as a
Democrat for Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District south of New Orleans,
details his Catholic school education and membership in the Catholic Church
on his campaign website. But when asked whether Sangisetty had converted, a
campaign spokeswoman responded, "Like I said, he's Catholic."
While religion and ethnicity pique interest in the national media, with
some viewing Indian ethnicity as a potential handicap, Manan Trivedi,
Democratic congressional candidate from Pennsylvania, believes "the
American electorate is smarter than that." An Indian-American himself,
Trivedi hasn't faced questions about his Hindu faith. A spokesman for
Trivedi's campaign said "people care much more about jobs and what
their candidates are going to do." "Issues are much more
important," he said.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA,
June 30: Mr P. Parameswaran, Hinduism Today's Hindu of the Year 2010, has
received the award from the magazine's correspondent in Kerala, G.K. Nair.
Speaking on behalf of Hinduism Today, Nair said, "to raise India to
the heights Vivekananda spoke of is no easy task, but that is the defining
thread of P. Parameswaran's life."
P. Parameswaran became the recipient of this prestigious award is a result
of his dedication to fulfilling a vision of a strong India forged in Hindu
wisdom and strengthened by dharma. His accomplishments as a creative
thinker, tireless social worker and peerless leader overseeing many
institutions inspire Hindus across the globe. As a thinker, a philosopher,
a reformer and current president of Vivekananda Kendra, P. Parameswaran
strives to defend both India and Hinduism, which to him are inseparably
linked. "He founded several institutions that contribute to this
vision," Mr Nair said during the presentation. In 2004, the President
of India awarded Parameswaran the prestigious Padma Shree, India's greatest
honor for civilians.
Thanking the editorial staff for his selection as Hindu of the Year 2010,
Mr Parameswaran said " selecting me for the coveted award is not a
recognition of my services, but of the organizations such as Bharatheeya
Vichara Kendram, Vivekananda Kendra and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It
is a beacon of the acceptance of Sanathana Dharma as a perpetual solution
to the problems the humanity is facing today by the Western world"
The Hindu Renaissance Award was created in 1991 by the founder of Hinduism
Today, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, to recognize and strengthen Hindu
leaders worldwide.
You can read the article about P. Parameshwaran in the latest issue of
Hinduism Today here.
SRINAGAR, INDIA, July 1, 2010: The
annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir kicked off on Thursday with
over 15,000 pilgrims beginning the climb to the cave shrine dedicated to
the Hindu god Shiva.
"More than 7,000 yatris began their uphill 14-km trek at 8 am on
Thursday from Baltal to the cave. Another batch of 1,100 yatris has also
left the Manigam transit camp for Baltal," a senior police officer
said here. "All the pilgrims are safe. Adequate arrangements of
security have been made at Baltal, Manigam and all along the yatra
route," he added.
The nearly two-month-long Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) ends on Aug 25.
Hari Prasad, 49, a resident of Haryana who left the Manigam transit camp
for Baltal, said: "We shall pray for peace in Kashmir and the rest of
the country when we reach the holy cave. This is the land of saints and
rishis besides being the abode of Lord Shiva. The people here are nice and
hospitable. This is my third yatra and I know the locals have always helped
the yatris in times of emergency," he added. While 1.5 lakh pilgrims
have registered themselves so far, it is expected that the number of pilgrims
will cross the half-million mark this year. The cave shrine has a natural
ice stalagmite that is worshipped as a Shiv Lingam, a symbol of Lord Shiva.
Extraordinary security arrangements have been made for the pilgrimage this
year because of the heightened tensions in the Kashmir Valley.
DEHRADUN, INDIA, June 10, 2010: To
give more prominence to Sanskrit, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal
Nishank today sanctioned the creation of 113 posts on government grant
basis in 11 non-government Sanskrit institutions in the state. The posts
include 11 principals, 39 lecturers, 30 assistant teachers, 11 clerks and
22 peons.
As the government has already extended the benefits of sixth pay commission
to the teaching as well as non-teaching staff of Sanskrit University, the
new recruits at the recognized institutions would also get the benefits of
the pay commission, an official release said today.
The state government has already accorded the status of second official
language to Sanskrit.
UNITED STATES, June 19, 2020: Meet
the new wave of Indian-American politicians. At least eight children of
Indian immigrants are running for Congress or statewide office, the most
ever. The star of this trend is Nikki Haley, born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa,
who is favored to win the election for governor of South Carolina.
Indian heritage is where Haley's similarity with the other candidates seems
to end. She is the only Republican, the only one who has been widely
mistaken for a white woman, the only one who has been accused of abandoning
her heritage for converting from the Sikh faith to Christianity.
Bobby Jindal was elected the nation's first Indian governor in 2007, at age
36. Named Piyush at birth, he told his Hindu parents when he was 4 that he
wanted to be called Bobby. He converted to Catholicism as a teenager.
Speaking about their faith is rarely in the agenda for those who have not
converted to Christianity like Jindal. J. Ashwin Madia, a Minnesota
Democrat who lost a congressional election in 2008 and is a follower of the
Jain religion, says their faith is irrelevant. "They can choose to be
called what they want to be called, they can worship what they want to
worship," said Madia. "I don't think being Indian-American is
this thing they need to strive for or meet some sort of purity test. They
are finding the right balance for themselves."
Barack Hussein Obama, known as Barry in his younger days, proved that an
unusual name was not an insurmountable political barrier. Some Indian
politicians seem to be following his blueprint as they embrace their Indian
names while describing their faith in voters' lack of bias. "This
campaign is all about vision and values and policies," said Raj Goyle,
who is battling for the Democratic congressional nomination in his hometown
of Wichita, Kan. "I don't spend time thinking about differences, I
think about ways that Kansans can come together." In 2006, he became
the first Indian-American elected to the Kansas Legislature and the first
Democrat to hold his statehouse district.
Indians began immigrating to the United States in large numbers about 50
years ago, but just two have been elected to Congress: Dalip Singh Saund in
1956 and Jindal, who entered Congress in 2004 and became governor midway
through his second term. In 2008, Madia says he was the only major
Indian-American candidate for Congress. Today there are six, including
Goyle and Trivedi. Ami Bera in California, Ravi Sangisetty in Louisiana and
Reshma Saujani in New York face upcoming primaries, and Surya Yalamanchili
won a primary in Ohio.
Om
Tat Sat (Continued...)
(My humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ji, Satguru
Bodhianatha Velayanswami ji, Hinduism Today
dot com for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth, lovers
of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma
with others on the spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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