Indian Version of "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader?"

Sooner or later it had to happen. United States Television Game show "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader" will now be replicated in India under the title "Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?". The show in India will be hosted by Shahrukh Khan and will premier in 2008 on Star Plus Channel.

"Paanchvi Paas...." has a Michigan connection!. Akash Sharma An economics graduate from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, is currently serving as an executive producer to the Indian version of "5th Grader". On a side note: Akash Sharma shares his birthday (2nd November) with Shahrukh Khan.

Can you answer this?
तोह (एशिया की सबसी लम्बी नदी कौन सी है) (Translation: Which is the longest river in Asia?)

(via)

Protect yourself against costly Appliance Repairs

The other day my kids, my wife and myself were feeling very cold at our house. Thermostat showed a reading of 65 F. So I bumped it up to 68 F....still no sign of Furnace starting up. So I decided to go down to the basement to check the furnace out.

I manually switched the furnace on. The flame would light up but then after a while it would die. As it turns out, the blower motor was not starting. It was 11 PM and I was not going to try something adventurous. So with some extra blankets we saw the night through.

First thing in the morning, I called a heating and cooling company. After 3-4 hours and spending almost $400 replacing the blower motor, our furnace started working and our home was warm again.

You know what! I could have avoided the expense had I listened to a friend who couple of weeks back had mentioned about Detroit Energy's Home Protection Plan. I did not sign up then because I was thinking that our house is fairly new and its too soon for appliances to fail.

There's no telling when another appliance will fail so I immediately signed up with Detroit Energy's Home Protection Plan. They have 5 different plans (Kitchen, A/C, Laundry, Core (which covers Furnace and Water Heater) and Ultimate Home Protection Plan). Check it out at Detroit Energy. Plan prices range from $9.95 to $23.95 a month.

Mumbai Beauty Shagun Sarabhai wins Miss India Worldwide Pageant

Mumbai beauty, Shagun Sarabhai, wins the Miss India Worldwide Pageant which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 23rd. Now Shagun Sarabhai has her eyes set on Bollywood.

Michigan Indian Beauty, Richa Gangopadhyay of Northville, MI who also took part in the pageant, unfortunately came up short. Great effort though, Richa!!

Shagun Sarabhai	Richa Gangopadhyay

CRY America - Detroit Presents SUR-TAL

CRY America - Detroit brings to you SUR-TAL (A Music and Dance Performance by Young Adults)

This event will be featuring Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Folk Dances, Bhangra, Classical Songs as well as Bollywood song and dance performances.

The event will be held on Saturday March 8th 2008 from 3.00 - 6.30 PM at Lawrence Technological University Auditorium, Science Building, D Parking Lot, 21000 W. Ten Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48075. Donation is $10 per person. All proceeds will go towards supporting CRY America's projects to restore the basic rights of underpriviliged children in India and the United States.

Click here to buy the tickets online or contact Sabina Arora (sabdetroit [at] yahoo [dot] com, 248-835-0324)

Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor - Bollywood's Best for 2007

The 53rd Filmfare awards were held today in Mumbai, India. Shahrukh Khan bagged the Best Actor award (male) for his role in "Chak De! India" and Kareena Kapoor bagged the Best Actor award (female) for her role in "Jab We Met".

Aamir Khan won the Filmfare Best Director Award for Taare Zameen Par, which was also adjudged the best film.

Deepika Padukone of Om Shanti Om won the Fresh Face of the Year Award as well as the Best Female Debutante, while the Best Male Debutant Award went to Ranbir Kapoor (Saawariya).
Note: For Filmfare awards history check out mibazaar.com

Best Actor - Shahrukh Khan	Best Actor - Kareena Kapoor

Stay in shape while you are sitting down

There's a new exercise thing out there called "Hawaiian Chair". The Infomercial states that you can use this thing in Office too and continue doing your Office work while using the Hawaiian Chair. Really....But the infomercial does not demonstrate how to drink coffee. Take a look at this video where Ellen Degeneres puts the Hawaiian Chair to test. It is Hilarious!!

Ann Arbor one of the smartest cities in United States

Right after ranking Detroit as the most "miserable city" in United States, Forbes has come out with its list of the Smartest Cities in United States. Ann Arbor which is just 40+ miles west of Detroit, has been ranked the 4th smartest city in United States. The cities ahead of Ann Arbor, MI are Boulder - CO, Bethesda - MD, Ithaca - NY.

Here's a look at all the smartest cities on Google Maps.

Thaddeus McCotter co-sponsors a resolution seeking UNSC membership for India

Gus Bilirakis, Republican from Florida along with Thaddeus McCotter who represents Michigan's 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, have co-sponsored a resolution which seeks a permanent United Nations Security Council Seat for India.

Congressman Bilirakis had this to say

India is an important ally of the US and the world community. Their enormous role in mediating and contributing to global peacekeeping missions combined with their ever-evolving economic prowess and democratic institutions makes them a natural fit as a permanent member of the Security Council.

In a article in Washington Times Congressman Bilirakis writes

Power is diffused and Islamic extremists pose a worldwide threat to moderate governments and democracy. The new foreign policy imperatives of democratic nations are to counter the rise of extremism and roll back global poverty through economic opportunity and enhanced political freedom.

Adding the voice of the world's largest democracy India to the deliberations of the Security Council would be a major improvement to an organisation too often paralysed by the intransigence of anti-democratic members.

Moreover, in meeting its mandate of maintaining world peace and enforcing UN decisions, the Security Council must have members with advanced force capacity and proven military leadership, most especially ones tempered by a belief in democratic principles like those practised by the people of India.

Rather than remaining on the sidelines when it comes to implementing reform at the UN, the US and likeminded nations should actively advocate reform of the UN Security Council, beginning with permanent membership for the world's largest democracy: India.

India is a crucial and proven partner in the global war on terror and is strategically located to combat growing Islamist extremism in South Asia

(via sify.com)

New Gurdwara opening in Canton, MI

There's impressive looking Sikh Temple (Gurdwara Sahib) coming up in Canton. It is located right across from Swaminarayan Temple on Canton Center Road.

From Singh Sabha of Michigan Website:

Total project cost of the new Gurdwara is between $2.3 to $2.5 million. The building has 2 floors with approximately 18000sq ft. The 2nd floor prayer hall is approximately 9000sq ft. The building has a capacity for 2000 worshipers.

Next time when you traveling down South on Canton Center Road (between Palmer and Geddes Road), look out for this impressive looking building. Here's a picture.

Thanks to Mumtaz Haque, Rajiv Sanghvi and Subhash Kelkar

Last week was my wife Alka's Birthday and I wanted to surprise her.

So I sent out emails to Michigan Indian Radio Hosts Rajiv Sanghvi (Swar Bahar), Subhash Kelkar (Geetanjali) and Mumtaz Haque (Manoranjan) requesting them to play my wife's favorite song - "Uthe Sab Ke Kadam..." from Bollywood Hindi Movie of 1979, "Baton Baton Mein".

Subhash Kelkar, Mumtaz and Rajiv sent me a prompt reply, agreeing to play the song.

I am glad I did what I did because it had a very positive effect on her. When they announced her name and played the song, there was no pain visible, there was smile and happiness all over.

Once again our thanks and appreciation to Subhash Kelkar (hear him every Saturday from 9 AM - 10 AM on WPON 1460 AM), Mumtaz Haque (hear her every Sunday from 9 AM - 11 AM on WPON 1460 AM) and Rajiv Sanghvi (hear him every Sunday from 11 AM to 12 Noon on WNZK 690 AM)

You can contact them at
Subhash Kelkar - indianradio [at] yahoo [dot] com
Rajiv Sanghvi - mydesimusic [at] gmail [dot] com
Mumtaz Haque - mumtaz1460 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Shanti Project to celebrate International Women's Day in Novi, MI

Shanti Project, of the University of Michigan School of Social Work is hosting an event along with the AIWA (Asian Indian Women's Association), MAIFS (Michigan Asian Indian Family Services) to increase women awareness and celebrate International Women's Day.

The Event Brochure states:

Listen to an inspiring speech by Smt. Sharada Kumar, and participate in a discussion on how we, as women, can shape our families and our communities. Let us come together to Shape Our Progress.

The Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, March 8, 2008
• Time: 10:30-1:30 PM
• Location: Novi Community Center, 45175 West 10 Mile Road, Novi, MI 48375
• Free lunch, parking and child care will be provided.

Subhash Kelkar can be heard 24/7 on the web

Michigan's Top Rated Indian Radio Host Subhash Kelkar, also known as "Amin Sayani of Indian Radio in United States", now can be heard 24/7 on the web. (You can also hear him every Saturday from 9AM - 10AM on 1460 AM)

To listen to Subhash Kelkar 24/7 visit eprasaran.com

eprasaran.com has 2 channels, Hindi and Marathi. On the each of the channels, one can hear Hindi/Marathi music "on demand", i.e. click on any active link and the program plays. One can also fast forward & rewind songs at will.

At eprasaran.com Subhash Kelkar's voice can be heard 24/7 in programs without commentary i.e., his voice is heard at the beginning of the hour to introduce the theme of the program followed by non-stop music for an hour.

Youth Leadership Development Program for Indian-American youth

Michigan India Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Youth Leadership Development Program for Indian-American Youth. The purpose of this program is to prepare youths to deal with the challenges and opportunities of working in the global economy.

The classes run from February 23rd thru April 26th 2008. It will be held on Saturdays from 1-2.15 pm.

The Program Brochure states

By participating in this program, youths will develop or enhance their skills in:

• Communication
• Public Speaking
• Team Building &
  Problem Resolution
• Decision Making
• Collaborative Thinking
• Leadership

Check out miicc.com for pricing and other details

Driver's licenses for Legal Immigrants after all!

On February 2nd, 2008, we reported the decision made by Michigan officials (Terry Lynn Land, et. all) to no longer issue driver's licenses to people who were not legal, permanent immigrants in Michigan. Now, not issuing a license to illegal immigrants makes sense. But note, their decision was to not issue licenses to anyone who was not a permanent resident of Michigan. This decision was made on Mike Cox's (Attorney General) opinion 7210 which can be found here.

Today, this saga is finally resolved because Granholm has agreed to sign a bill as early as tomorrow to ensure that legal but temporary foreign nationals will continue to be eligible to receive a driver's license in Michigan.

The law is expected to take effect immediately after the bill is signed.

Thank the stars that the officials realized the error in their thinking. The information for this post was made available to us by a Michigan India Chamber of Commerce member, Shaju Jacobs, who is an immigration attorney with Ellis Porter.

Why is Sanjay Dutt so happy?

Because earlier this week Sanjay Dutt got married to his girlfriend of 2 years Manyata.

After the marriage ceremony at Andheri, Mumbai a beaming Dutt asked the media, "Are you happy with my marriage?". On getting an affirmative reply, he thanked the media and said, "I am also very happy and I thank you for the positive support." (via NDTV)

Munnabhai! we desis here in Detroit, MI are also very happy for you.

Jodhaa Akbar releasing on February 15th in Novi, MI

Jodhaa Akbar starring Hrithik Roshan and Bollywood Beauty Aishwarya Rai is being screened at SR Movies, Novi starting Februray 15th. Check out mimantra.com for show times.



Synopsis (via Wikipedia)

Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.

Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan). After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godavari River. Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force , Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodhaa – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice. Jodhaa-Akbar is their untold love story

Indian Doctors returning back to India

Surendra Garg a Detroit based interventional cardiologist who has over 24 years of experience, is returning back to India. Dr. Garg is joining Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital in Vaishali in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital has been set up by another Indian-American Doctor, Dr. Dinesh Bhargava who decided to return to India. Dr. Bhargava went to Albany in 1974 and did his residency and training at the University of Rochester and the Westchester County Medical Centre. Dr. Bhargava is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

Dr. Garg tells Times of India

"It is good to return to the motherland. I am really thrilled to be back with a mission to serve people in India that offers you equally promising opportunities. Things have changed a lot over the years,"

S.N. Mishra, president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the apex body of Indian doctors has this to say

"Indian health services are witnessing manifold growth in terms of quality and size and they are financially viable too. As a result, many Indian hospitals offer very attractive packages to doctors."

(more at Times of India)

Happy Birthday to my....

Today February 12th is my wife Alka's birthday. She has been through a lot this past year after a nasty auto accident.

While she gets back on her feet and on her way to normalcy, here's a song that she loves which I like to share. It is "Uthe Sab Ke Kadam..." from Baaton Baaton Mein (Amol Palekar/Tina Munim Starrer).

More Valentine's Day Options

Yesterday I blogged about Local Indian Restaurants serving special Dinner for you and your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

But what if you have other plans like buying that special gift for your sweetheart or taking her out to movies. I have put together a nice little useful Google Maps Mashup which shows you for the Zip Code you have keyed in (US Locations Only), (Hmm! how do I describe this - let's say that you are looking for that special clothing for her), florist locations. This in addition to Movie Theater locations along with Movie Show times.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Valentine's Day Dinner at Local Indian Restaurants

Valentine's Day is around the corner and Local Indian Restaurants are serving up a special Valentine Day Dinner Buffet.

India Spice located at 30701 W 12 Mile Rd,Farmington Hills, MI 48334, has a special Dinner Buffet for February 14th, 2008 from 5.30 pm to 10.30 pm. Cost for Adults is $11.95 and for Kids it is $5.95. Contact India Spice at 248-381-5449. (via)

Bombay Grille located at 29200 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, also has a special Dinner Buffet for February 14th, 2008 from 6 PM to 9 PM which will be followed by Dance. Cost for couple is $50.00 and for individual it is a nickel cheap at $24.95. Contact Bombay Grille at 248-626-2982. (via)

Mumtaz Haque to interview Jennifer Granholm on February 10th, 2008

Just got word from Mumtaz Haque (host/producer of Manoranjan Show) that Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm will be on Manoranjan Radio Show this Sunday (February 10th, 2008). The show airs every Sunday on WPON 1460 AM from 9 AM - 11 AM.

Contact Mumtaz at mumtaz1460 [at] yahoo [dot] com or through her website for any questions/concerns for the governor.

Snow Sliding in Detroit

Head on down to Detroit and experience this 200 ft snow slide during
2008 Winter Blast. This event runs from Feb 8-10. Check out http://www.winterblast.com

for more details
- sent from IPhone

Detroit Mayor kicks off Winter Blast - 2008

Detroit Mayor Kwame M Kilpatrick kicks off Winter Blast - 2008 at
downtown Detroit. Can't believe I could get this close to the mayor.
- sent from IPhone

Mitt Romney Withdraws - Not unexpected but....

I was stunned when I received a Google alert stating that Mitt Romney withdrew from the presidential campaign today. After Super Tuesday, it was not unexpected but I still didn't think that he would withdraw anytime soon. So Senator McCain who is being called the "comeback kid" is all set for the Republican nomination. Did any of us even think that even two months ago?

So what will happen now?

Who will Senator McCain choose as his running mate? Will it be Romney, Giuliani, or Condi Rice? Or will it be someone whom we've not even considered?

A friend says his money is on Condi Rice although I think that Giuliani is a better prospect as he is a "do'er".

And what will happen between Senators' Hillary and Obama? Will they partner up to make further history? I doubt that personally but political pundits say in politics, anything is possible.

We'll keep watching and pontificating too just like the rest of the world. What do you think? Share your comments and tell us what you think.

Harish Rawal of Jackson, MI donates $1 million to Jackson Community College

Harish Rawal, an Indian American neurosurgeon from Jackson, MI recently donated $1 million to a Jackson Community college to help pay for its newly renovated allied health and nursing classrooms and an endowed scholarship for supporting financially backward students.

The donation, one of the largest in the college's history, will rename the new facility the Rawal Centre for Health Professions.

Harish Rawal recently told Jackson Citizen Patriot

"I hope it stimulates people to understand the importance of education and stimulates those with the ability to donate to do so,"

The local paper has named him a Distinguished Citizen for 2008.

A graduate from the B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Rawal studied surgery in Chicago before moving to Jackson 28 years ago. He founded the Great Lakes Brain & Spine Institute soon after.

(via)

Aishwarya Rai in "Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008" List

Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai and sultry Indian actress Mallika Sherawat have been named in the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008" list of the online AskMen magazine.

Aishwarya at no 27 (last year 40) and Mallika at no 67 (last year 78) are joined by Indian American model and food show host Padma Lakshmi at no 66 (not ranked last year).

Over five million AskMen.com readers cast their votes to identify the females from the worlds of music, fashion, sports, and entertainment who have the characteristics they value in a potential companion, like intelligence, humour, charisma and ambition.

Take a look at Top 30 of these celebrities here.

Governor Jennifer Granholm weighs in on Drivers' License Issue

In a letter addressed to Andy Dillon (Speaker Michigan House of Representatives) and Mike Bishop (Senate Majority Leader Michigan Senate), the Governor writes

I am writing to seek your bipartisan support for rapid enactment of amendments to the Michigan Vehicle Code to address significant concerns raised by Michigan businesses and foreign governments regarding an opinion issued by Attorney General Cox on December 27th, 2007. In that opinion, the Attorney General determined that only permanent residents may obtain a driver's license in Michigan and that individuals living here legally, but on temporary basis, must be denied a license. Resulting changes in policy subsequently implemented by the Secretary of State on January 22nd now require first-time applicants for a Michigan driver's license or identification card to prove they have established a permanent legal residence in Michigan

Unfortunately, this change is causing severe disruptions for many Michigan job providers and their employees who are legally in the United States but not permanent residents. Many businesses and foreign government representatives have contacted my office to express their dismay. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation reports that this issue already is detrimentally impacting our state's ability to attract and retain foreign investment and skilled workers. There are currently nearly 400,000 foreign businesspeople, students, and their families in Michigan on visas, many employed in the automotive industry and other important sectors. To conduct business and live their lives effectively, they need to be able to legally drive in Michigan. While we should prevent persons in our country illegally from obtaining a driver's license, it is important that the law be changed to quickly address this problem

The entire text of this letter can be found here.

(Note: Thanks to Mumtaz Haque for the tip)

Shravani Mikkilineni in Intel Science Talent Search 2008 - Finals

Shravani Mikkilineni an Indian American who attends Detroit Country Day School has made it to - Intel Science Talent Search 2008 - Finals. She is one of 40 finalists from all over United States which includes 8 Indian - Americans.

Check out this Google Maps View of Indian-American Finalists which shows the High School Locations.

Detroit tops Forbes list of "Most Miserable Cities" in America

Forbes Magazine thinks Detroit is the "Most Miserable City" in America.

Wait! Michigan is still not done. Forbes ranked Flint, MI as the 3rd most "Miserable City".

The factors Forbes considered in coming up with this ranking are

unemployment and personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime and that toxic waste dump in your backyard.

My Fellow Desis! What do you think? Do you agree with "Forbes".

I work in the city of Detroit. Yes on a day like today (we are expecting around 6 inches of snow) the commute will be a headache. But Downtown Detroit is changing for sure. Major Corporations are moving there offices to Detroit. Do they think Detroit is "Miserable" - don't think so.

There's a lot going on in Detroit even in this harsh winter weather. There's The Winter Blast in Downtown Detroit starting February 8-10 which will attract lots of people.