MESSAGE FROM SAM THAKKAR THE CEO OF
PERFECT GROUP OF COMPANIES-
With extreme volatile market conditions and recession expected,
how should people plan their careers and businesses?
Considering the amount of uncertainty, people are very skeptical about
their future. This message from our CEO Sam Thakkar might come
as a direction for many of you. He has consistently shown growth by
acquiring many assets in just a few years. His vision and intuition have
played very well with the different market situations. When the world
slowed down during Covid, Perfect Group of Companies tripled their
revenues. He regularly gives lectures and educative webinar talks on
how one should do business in current market scenario.
“Job market is great even in these recession times”. He says. According
to his market study, this is a federal government induced recession to
control and curb inflation, which is currently at its maximum in the history
of the US economy. If not curbed it will cause many other problems.
SAM THAKKAR Primarily, war and the stimulus federal money that was pumped into the
economy last year for Covid-19 are the factors causing inflation. There
GROUP CEO
PERFECT GROUP OF COMPANIES is almost 3 trillion dollars equity in the market.
People tend to save money in the bank at inflation times, but if they are
not investing it somewhere they are depreciating the value of money by 8%-10%. We must have some
emergency fund but beyond that we must invest. Also, volatility in the market creates opportunities.
Therefore, “when everyone buys you sell and when everyone sells you buy to become successful in
any business”. Comments Sam. Also, if small businesses, are in the process of borrowing money, the
business model must be rechecked considering the high interest rates and mortgage rates.
Sam recommends going back to the fundamentals. Since population is increasing in the DFW
metroplex which is almost a million people. By 2030 we will be the 3rd largest state in the US with
population of almost 3 million. This clearly indicates that we will need 3 times the resources. Houses,
roads, traffic would triple, and everything will explode.
Therefore, real estate could still be a good investment. Secondly, crypto mining might look dicey but
could be the next big opportunity like investing in Apple stocks in the year 2000 at $3. Whoever
bought even $10,000 of those stocks at that time would currently be having millions of dollars in their
account. Even now some stocks are nicely valued, and one could invest in them. Crypto currency is
also at all time low since last 3-4 years. Mining a bitcoin by using crypto mining technology might
give a 100% profit and be yet another good investment.
People are skeptical about Crypto, but Sam believes that the technology is very powerful. Some coins
might last, and some may not but Metaverse and trading on Metaverse are the future in the digital
world. Moreover, our currency today is not efficient to meet the future digital world eco system. If one
is patient, there is possibility of a good upside to that opportunity.
The positive and visionary Sam Thakkar concludes in his jovial attitude that if we could be Nostradamus
and see the future, we would not be required to work. Since, it is otherwise, we can take cues from
the past and project the future. He sums it up with five pointers: With economy the strongest, Inflation
high, letting your money sit as cash is risky. Investing in real estate and crypto mining opportunities
are phenomenal.
We begin July by celebrating the Independence
Day of America. It is a privilege to be
independent and have the freedom of thought
and expression. We have now stepped into the
next half of the year and my mind is reflecting
on many happenings that I had not anticipated
at
the beginning of the year. I was full of hope for
2022. A year which would be free from Covid.
Mankind would be more evolved and learned
from their experience in solitude. Least had I
known that I would be witnessing the opposite.
Infact, these few months have been
catastrophic. It started with the invasion of
Russia over Ukraine in February, the Uvalde
school
shooting was a shame, and now the recent
abortion law after Roe v. Wade is invasive to
the
very basic freedom of decision making for a
woman.
However with all the sadness there is still hope
and light within us which keeps us moving. We
offer you July 2022 Magazine with articles to
lighten up your mood and may the blessings
of the
Guru on Guru Purnimathis month help us
get through the difficult times and bring more
positivity
to the world.The interactive digital magazine
with clicks and pop-ups is up. Watch the Live
interview with the dynamic and young
entrepreneur Venkat Avasarala in our Person in
Focus
column.
You may send your contributions to navneeta@
funasia.net
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Ranbir Kapoor : embracing fatherhood
‘Grateful, excited, nervous and terrified’
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 6
Ranbir Kapoor : embracing fatherhood
‘Grateful, excited, nervous and terrified’
Ranbir Kapoor said while he finds it difficult to express his feelings, he is looking
forward to this new phase in his life.
Kapoor, 39, said
throughout his
15- year-long
career he has
always been
conscious about
his movie choices
and believes there
is nothing in his
filmography that he
will be ashamed of
while showing to his
From being “excited” to “terrified”, Bollywood child.
star Ranbir Kapoor says he is feeling a gamut of
emotions as he awaits the birth of his and Alia “I am always conscious because I know society
Bhatt’s first child. gets impacted by it. I will not do anything to
belittle anyone or anybody for the sake of
The couple tied the knot in April and Bhatt, 29, entertainment. That’s my personality. I don’t regret
announced her pregnancy last month. or (feel) ashamed of any film that I have done. “I
don’t think there is any film that I would like to
Kapoor said while he finds it difficult to express shield them (children) from. I believe failures are
his feelings, he is looking forward to this new as important as successes. I would like to hear
phase in his life from them say that ‘Papa, that was such a bad
film’ and probably laugh with them or ‘Papa that
“I am feeling grateful, excited, nervous and was so much fun’ and feel very happy about it,”
terrified. Because I have so many expectations he added.
of myself and of this relationship and what I want
from it and what I want to give… These are the Kapoor is currently looking forward to the release
only adjectives I can use,” of his period film Shamshera, directed by Karan
Malhotra. The Yash Raj Films project features the
But having a baby won’t change the course of actor in the dual role of father and son.
his career, said the actor best known for films
like Rocket Singh, Wake Up Sid, Rockstar, Yeh
Jawaani Hai Deewani and Ae Dil “Hai Mushkil.
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SINDHI BIRYANI BY SIDRA ALI
Cooking Time : 45mins
Sindhi Biryani is a special meat and rice biryani dish
originating from the Sindh province of Pakistan.
Owing to its popularity, it forms one of the most
consumed dishes of Pakistani cuisine and Sindhi
cuisine.
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate the meat in the remaining marinade ingredients for at
least 2 hours or preferably refrigerate overnight. This helps ten-
INGREDIENTS FOR MEAT derize the meat and builds flavor. Remember to remove the meat
• 1 kg mutton/goat, cut into big pieces (or half an hour before you begin cooking to bring it to room tem-
perature.
one chicken cut into 8 pieces)
• 1/4 cup yoghurt Deep fry the potato chunks on low heat until a knife pierced
through the center of each potato piece yields easily. Drain and
• 1 tsp ginger paste set aside (you may opt to boil the potatoes if you like, but I find
• 1 tsp garlic paste2 tbsp oil they hold their shape and taste a lot better fried).
• 1 tsp red chili powder Wash and then soak the rice for about 20-30 minutes.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder Heat the half cup of oil in a deep pan and then fry the onion slices
• 1 green chili, chopped until golden. Remove a quarter of the fried onions (these will be
• 1 tsp salt used later) and leave the rest in the pan. Add the whole spices
INGREDIENTS: (cumin, cardamom, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, and
black pepper). Once they sizzle, add the garlic and ginger pastes,
• 5 cups long grain basmati rice and stir them in until aromatic. Next, add tomatoes, prunes, tur-
• 1/2 cup oil meric, salt, and red chili powder.
• 6 medium onions, sliced Stir and cook this down until the tomatoes are completely mushy
• 4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped and all the excess moisture is gone. You will notice that the oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into begins to get released from the sides. Add the green chilies and
chunks (optional) the meat with its marinade. Allow the meat to cook in the tomato
• 10 dried prunes, soaked in warm water for mixture for a few minutes, then add the whipped yoghurt plus the
5 minutes saffron mixture and mix well. Then add about a cup of water (use
• 2-4 green chilies, chopped just half cup water if cooking with chicken as it will cook faster
• 1 cup fresh yoghurt, whipped until smooth than meat) and cook until the meat is tender, and the masala/gra-
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp ginger paste vy is nice and thick. I normally do this in a pressure cooker when
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste working with mutton/goat, takes less time. But you can do it in a
• 1 tsp red chili powder regular pan, just keep adjusting the water until the meat is fully
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder cooked. Now add the fried potatoes and stir them in. Sprinkle the
• 1 tsp garam masala garam masala, then cover and set this aside while you prepare
• 4 cloves the rice.
• 1 tsp Chat Masala Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add about 2 tbsp salt to it
• 2 green cardamom pods and 2 tbsp oil plus a few whole spices (two pieces each of carda-
• 2 black cardamom pods mom, cinnamon sticks, cloves). Then drain the soaked rice and
• 5 whole black pepper add it in. Cook until the rice is al-dente, do not cook it all the
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cinnamon sticks way. It should be about three quarters of the way cooked. This
• 2 bay leaves should take about 8 minutes or less. Drain the water off.
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped Layer the meat masala with the rice, remembering to sprinkle the
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped reserved fried onions, chopped coriander and mint and some food
• 1 tsp saffron, crushed and soaked in warm coloring over the rice in between the layers. Cover with a tight lid
water and place on very low heat for about 15 minutes to steam. Once
• yellow/orange food color done, open and fluff up the biryani gently.
• water, as needed Serve with an onion and tomato kachumbar and some cool mint
• oil for frying potatoes and cucumber raita to counter the spices. Enjoy!
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cover story
EK VILLAIN RETURNS
and Suri. Arjun Kapoor stepped into this film
later on. In his new movie, Suri mentions that
both the lead actors have negative shades. He
plans to make this a “villain” franchise, just like
we have super cop and superhero franchises.
Speaking about the film, John Abraham says
that the whole experience of shooting with Suri
was fantastic, and he would love to repeat
the experience in another movie. Mohit Suri
started his career as the assistant director of
Abraham’s debut film, “Jism”. Suri mentions
in an interview that working with John was a
“surreal” experience. He says that ever since
it has been his dream to direct John, and it
has finally come true. In talking about their
chemistry, Suri asserts that working with the
“Pokhran” star on and off the screen has been
fun. The “Batla House” star is looking for a
hit after his latest box-office dud “Satyamev
Jayathe.”
Action-thrillers have an audience that is Arjun Kapoor is an actor who has developed
constantly expanding. Going by the success of his style. He has come in as a replacement
Pushpa and the KGF franchises, action-thrillers for Aditya Roy Kapoor. Interestingly, Kapoor
seem to capture the audience and box office. starred in Abraham’s production, “Sardar Ka
One of the most successful Bollywood films of Grandson.” Arjun Kapoor was last seen along
2014 was “Ek Villain’. “Ek Villain” formed yet with Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, and
another successful collaboration between actor Yami Gautam in the film “Bhoot Police,” where
Shraddha Kapoor and director Mohit Suri. he played the role of a tantric. Son of producer
Kapoor has earlier starred in Suri’s “Aashiqui Boney Kapoor and his first wife Mona Kapoor,
2”. “Ek Villain” went on to establish the Arjun debuted in the blockbuster “Ishqzaade”
“Bhaagi” actor, a heartthrob among the masses along with Parineeti Chopra. The “Two States”
and established her as a star. The movie had actor believes that John owns the action space
Hitesh Deshmukh play a negative role for the and is looking forward to sharing screen space
first time. “Ek Tha Villain” also featured some with him. Arjun Kapoor worked with Mohit
great music. The songs ‘Galliyan”, “Zaroorat,” Suri in the film “Half Girlfriend” along with
and “Hamdard” became super hits. Overall, Shraddha Kapoor. Kapoor firmly believes that
“Ek Tha Villain” was declared a spell-binding this star cast under the baton of Mohit Suri will
terrifying thriller. be able to exhibit a commercially successful
Eight years later, “Ek Tha Villain” (ETV) gets a and yet gripping tale. Arjun and John are
spiritual sequel in “Ek Villain Returns” (EVR). slated to star together again in the film “Jagan
The film stars John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Shakti.” This is a remake of the Malayalam
Tara Sutaria, Disha Patani, and JD Chakravarti. super hit film, “Ayappanum Koshiyum.”
Mohit Suri wields the megaphone again for the
film. Although EVR is touted as a spiritual sequel Tara Sutaria is barely four films old but has
to ETV, the storyline is supposed to be different. been in the entertainment industry for some
Aditya Kapoor, who started his career with the time. She has been associated with the Disney
blockbuster “Aashiqui 2,” was supposed to be Channel India as a video jockey. She has also
part of the film but opted to walk out of the been recording music and advertisements in
movie due to creative differences between him India and abroad and has done some original
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work. Sutaria, one of the top seven finalists Returns,” and Aag, JD
for the “Pogo Amazing Kids Awards,” was Chakravarty will be
also one of the two choices for the role seen in mainstream
of Princess Jasmine for the 2019 Disney Bollywood for the first
production of “Aladdin.” Tara, a classical time.
ballet artist, made her debut in 2019 in the This ensemble and
film “ Student of the Year 2” opposite Tiger exciting star cast are
Shroff. Tara has been seen after her debut in brought together in
“Marjaavan’ in which she plays a mute piano “Ek Villain Returns”
teacher. In the action film “Tadap,” a remake by Manoj Suri. Suri
of the Telugu film “RX 100,”. She was last debuted as a director
seen in “Heropanti 2” again opposite Tiger with the moderately
Shroff. The film failed to make a mark. The successful film “Zeher,
25-year-old Sutaria needs a hit to prove her a murder mystery
mettle. She was ranked 12th in Times Most starring Emran Hashmi,
Desirable Women in 2020. Shamita Shetty, and Udita Goswami, whom
Disha Patani won hearts and earned huge Suri later married. Suri started working as an
accolades as Priyanka office assistant for T-Series and as an assistant
Jha, the ill-fated lover director for Vikram Bhatt in several movies. After
of cricket superstar directing several movies like “Kalyug,” “Woh
MS Dhoni in the Lamhe,” “Raaz: The Mystery Continues,” etc.,
film MS Dhoni: The Suri found his groove with his psychological
Untold Story. Patani, thriller, “Murder 2” which turned out to be
a fitness enthusiast, one of the highest-grossing films of that year.
has starred alongside His “Aashiqui
Salman Khan in 2” was a
two films, “Bharat” blockbuster,
and “Radhe.” Disha and he entered
starred opposite Tiger the 100 Crore
Shroff in “Bhaagi Club in India
2,” a sequel to the with “Ek
2016 super hit film Tha Villain.”
“Bhaagi,” as a young mother searching for her “Malang”
daughter. Disha was praised for her sincere earned him
portrayal in the movie. Disha worked earlier critical and
with Mohit Suri in the action thriller “Malang.” commercial
Her costars were Anil Kapoor and Aditya Roy success as
Kapoor. Although Malang was an average well. Suri’s
hit, the stars’ performances were praised. upcoming
Her dancing skills, lovely smile, and super-fit movies include
physique make Disha an actor to watch out for. “Aashiqui 3”
JD Chakravarthy is a veteran of the Telugu film and “Malang 2”.
industry. Actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, and The face of Indian cinema is changing, and
musician JD made his debut in the Telugu film as Bollywood adapts to this change, we are
“Siva,” directed by then debutant Ram Gopal bound to see talents from across the country.
Verma. Since then, the two have created several OTT platforms and skills from regional movies
blockbuster movies in Telugu. Satya marked the have raised the bar for films at large. With EVR,
debut of the multi-talented JD. He is noted for his we might see a movie that can keep up with this
directorial debut “Darwaza Bandh Rakho.” His changing scenario. Suri is known for keeping
story in the film “Darna Zaroori Hai” is archived his characters somewhat nebulous, which will
in the New York Institute Of Technology, New make the audience’s anticipation alive and
York, and is part of the film course. He ended guessing. Look out for ‘Ek Villain Returns” as it
up directing this thriller as well. Although he has releases worldwide and at Fun Asia’s theaters
starred in films like “Vaastu Shastra,” “Bhoot on July 29, 2022.
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Lifestyle Article
Women’s
Health
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. through the onset of menstruation generally in
their teens, and menopause during their 40s and
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
50s. These events alone behoove understanding
But when I start to tell them, and care.
They think I’m telling lies. A community’s socio-economic structure or
country affects its population’s health. Studies
I say, show that it affects women more adversely than
men because, allegedly, economically and
It’s in the reach of my arms,
culturally challenged societies tend to mistreat
The span of my hips, their women as well.
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips. Factors That Affect Women’s Health
I’m a woman HEART HEALTH
Phenomenally. In the United States alone, heart disease affects
one in four women and causes death. Interestingly,
Phenomenal woman, heart disease affects men more than women, but
That’s me. – Maya Angelou the disease affects women equally, according to
a study published in Regis College. Yet only a
54percent of women recognize that heart health
is the top killer of their gender.
So many have tried to define a woman’s greatness,
but Angelou sums it up in her “Phenomenal BREAST CANCER
Woman” quite succinctly. Embracing one’s true
self is the secret to health and happiness. This This cancer affects the lining of the milk ducts
holds for the woman more than anything else. and can spread to other organs. It is the most
According to Our World In Data, women formed aggressive type of cancer that affects women. And
49.6% of the world population in 2017. It is only is prevalent more among females of developed
imperative that the health of women is attended nations due to their longer life span. Women
to. When women are nurtured and mentally and with this cancer may develop breast lumps, and
physically healthy, the family’s overall health also although most are unthreatening, it is good to
improves. have a mammogram every year, according to
your health care provider’s advice.
The health of women differs from men in unique
ways. Women undergo hormonal changes
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 14
Present coupon before consultation begins. valid till 08/15/2022
Present coupon before consultation begins. valid till 08/15/2022
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 15
Lifestyle Article
OVARIAN AND CERVICAL CANCER
Most people are unaware of the differences symptoms of this deadly disease. Lowering stress
between these two cancers that solely affect the through mindfulness helps tackle the discomfort
female population. Cervical cancer forms in that arises from this disorder.
the lower uterus, while ovarian cancer affects
the fallopian tubes. Cervical cancer causes
discharge and also pain during intercourse. The DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
symptoms of ovarian cancer are unclear and are
undetectable during pap smears, unlike cervical Women go through way more hormone
cancer. fluctuations than men. Depression presents itself
in many forms like PMS, PMDD, and postpartum
GYNECOLOGICAL HEALTH and perimenopause depression. Besides
hormonal factors, socioeconomic factors affect a
Excess bleeding during menstruation can indicate
health issues. Frequent large section of the female population. We live in
urinating and bleeding
in between menstrual
cycles should not go
unchecked. Vaginal
infections could indicate
STDs or reproductive tract
cancer. Left unchecked,
they can lead to infertility
or kidney failure.
OSTEOPOROSIS
This disease affects men
and women but tends
to affect women more
than men. It usually
affects women over the
age of 50. Women who smoke, have low body stressful times, and a little practice of breathing
weight, and take seizure medicine or steroids exercises and meditation goes a long way in
for an extended period tend to get affected by dealing with mental health issues.
this bone condition. Genetics, broken bones, or
excessive alcohol consumption can also cause Women’s health is a global issue. Women are
osteoporosis. X-rays or sound waves can detect the bearers of our future. They are the primary
this condition. caregivers of most families, and therefore investing
in modern technological treatments for physical
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE and health issues relating to women needs to
In this condition, the body’s immune system take precedence in contemporary society.
detects healthy cells as viruses. So they attack
them. The autoimmune disease presents as
exhaustion, fever, pain, skin irritation, or vertigo.
The best defense against autoimmune disease
is early detection. The stomach houses most of
our autoimmune system. Certain precautions like
consuming less sugar and fat help mitigate the
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People speak
DID YOU MISS THE BOAT AGAIN!
PEOPLE
SPEAK
A column created by RJ Zarina Khorakiwalla
Hi again and welcome to my column. So the Having said that, one reason regret is so important
question today is “Did you make it or did you for individual decision-making is because people
miss the boat again!” take the possible impact of regret into account
when making a decision, and it influences their
The boat I am referring to here is really the future decisions. These results support the Future
opportunities that we either grab or then miss on Opportunity Principle, as they are also the areas
a regular basis in life. But for some reason it feels with the greatest opportunities for change.
more so lately. With the current market inflation
and with prices of everything from groceries to Enough talking about regret for a moment,
homes and everything in between touching the however I know it will keep lingering around this
sky, it feels like we missed an entire ship, let alone read every now and then.
the boat aside.
The decisions that everyone has to make- such
as those involving a career, private life, or even
leisure time etc., all present themselves with several
opportunities and chances and when these are
missed, it leads to the most hated emotion of all
time and that is the big old ‘regret’. Out of all the
emotions that exist in this world, regret is one of
the worst. Regret is an emotion that occurs when
a person is thinking about how a current situation
would have been better if a different decision had
been made. This negative emotion emerges from
Have you noticed that things are more expensive
lately? According to a recent poll, nearly 9 in 10
Americans say they have noticed prices increasing
for essential items like gasoline, meat and dairy
products. The culprit? Inflation. As you’ve seen,
the dollar has gradually lost value over time as a
result of inflation. Every decision we make from
the time we are born to the time we die comprises
small or big decisions that we make for ourselves
or are made for us by others. Even when we do
not like other people making decisions for us, we
an undesirable evaluation process of a certain still prefer those over our own decisions, because
decision. Accordingly, the feeling leads to self- in case they don’t work out, we have someone
blaming for making the wrong decision and a else to blame and the regret factor becomes just
desire to reverse the prevailing situation. a little less. Moreover we are able to say “I told
you so” to someone else besides ourselves.
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Ok enough again about regrets, they are a part People speak
of life and here to stay. But what really are these
missed opportunities and why have they impacted
us so much in recent times? Since childhood, from regret, sorry about that!! But don’t worry you are
what clothes to wear to which friends to choose, not alone. While there are plenty of people out
there who jumped at the opportunity almost a
year ago and bought themselves a car or put a
deposit down on a home, do not forget, there are
also plenty more people like you who did not and
are now struggling and wondering what it would
have been like if they had boarded the boat on
time.
One cannot predict the future, some say things
will stabilize towards the end of the year, while the
others think prices will continue to rise. So maybe
is now the time to take action, or to wait a little
longer and then make a decision? Who knows
from education choices to career, from cars to only time will tell. I wish we had a crystal ball
home buying, everything involves research,
brainstorming, family consultations and of course
market conditions. Not to forget, luck plays a
great factor too.
So coming back to recent times, lately with the
increased prices of the homes all across the
US, and with higher inflation, living with your
parents makes more economic sense. Let’s stop
joking about young adults living in their parents’
basement. Financial independence doesn’t have
to come with a monthly rent payment :-). The cost
of shelter is a big driver of rising inflation. to predict what the future will look like, but until
then we can continue to sit and procrastinate.
They say if you snooze, you lose. Gone are the days The bottom line is to make an informed decision.
when the common man was able to negotiate, Sometimes people miss many boats because they
when he was able to offer 20k below asking price keep waiting for the ship.
on a home. The trend now is to bid on homes
that are already priced high. And if you are lucky I will leave you all with uncertainty at this point ,
enough, you may get it for 20k above the asking but with some optimism as well, that everything
price. Gone are the times when we tried to nickel will be alright in the end and if it is not alright,
and dime to search for a cheaper gas station to then it is not the end. So until next time, if you
save a few cents per gallon on gas. Now even the again worry about missing the boat, just think
super high gas prices are overlooked as the car about the Titanic!
prices have spiked. Cars are now in the backlog
and people are on the waiting lists. People are Here’s to procrastinating!
moving swiftly from gas to electric cars while they
continue to pay sky rocketing prices. Cheers,
So now we have moved from regret to more
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EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN ACCOUNTING retention effectively leads to increased performance,
productivity, employee morale and quality of work, plus a
FIRM
reduction in both turnover and employee-related problems.
Managing for employee Many employers have incorporated flexible hours and
retention in Accounting remotely work access to motivate employees stay at their job.
Practice could be There are mainly four factors that lead to employee’s
cumbersome. Some job satisfaction. Firstly, how they are compensated for their
employees join the firm for work plays and important factor for employee to stay
short experience so that with the firm for extended period. Secondly, employees
they can open their own consistently learning new things plays very important part
small firm and others switch to them staying with the firms. Not learning new things
employers by bargaining will makes their job profile very monotonous. Thirdly, each
for better perks. Employees employee wants to ensure that they receive respectful
leave organizations to treatment of all employees at all levels so that they feel that
go back to school, some they are valued. Fourthly, each employee wants to feel sense
follow a spouse who has of security and trust between them and the management.
been transferred to a different location, some retire, some They want to make sure their work is recognized and
get angry about a work-related or personal issue and quit management trust them with their expected output.
on impulse, few gets laid off by the organization itself. For One of the best ways to control turnover is
the most part, employees bounce from one company to by ensuring that the organization is competitive in terms of
another company due the lack of motivation, training, and rewards, developmental opportunities, and the quality of the
job flexibility. Incorporating a good employee retention work environment. Employers should be prepared to deal
program can play very crucial role in both attracting and with external offers for valued employees. In some case,
retaining key employees in accounting firm. It is more employees sometimes leave on impulse, without any plan to
efficient to retain a quality employee than to recruit and leave. For example, dealing with bad supervisor everyday
train new employees all the time. Constant new employees who undermines a true worth of an employee. Harassment,
can compromise quality for service and delivery. A critical bullying, or unfair and inconsistent treatment of supervisor
issue that firms face today is how to retain the employees lead employee to leave the firm on impulse. Sometimes
they want to keep. Employers that systematically manage a change of situation for example their spouse becomes
employee retention tend to have better and happy clients. pregnant, getting accepted into a degree program to
Unwanted turnover affects the performance and quality advance their career leads them to quit their job. However,
of accounting firm. However, not all turnover is harmful if their firm have family based planned leave like paternity
because replacement of bad employee might workout and maternity leave, degree sponsorship program in place
lot better form the overall health of the organization. then employee retention becomes more manageable.
Most clients in accounting firm want to stay with Constant recruitment, training and development, effective
same Accountants for endless years. The main reason is employee supervision and good compensation and
that clients give out most confidential financial data to their rewards in place makes employees less likely to quit the firm.
accountants that is perhaps not with anyone else. When
clients can same accountants work, they minimize their time By: Diwas Dhungel,
to explain their transaction and financial situation to better Senior Director, Perfect Tax & Finance
manage their tax liability. When Accountants switch, they end
of spending endless hours explaining the transaction and July 2022
company structure which many times lead to filing incorrect
tax returns. Although, it might not be possible to retain
employees forever despite client’s convenience, managing
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY in the Tamizh film, “Tamizhan” opposite South
superstar Vijay. Her Bollywood debut started
PRIYANKA CHOPRA with the film, “Hero: Love Story Of A Spy.” The
“Quantico” star went on to play lead in several
JULY 18, 1982 films after that, notable amongst them being
“Aitraz” where she played a role with negative
shades and “Don” and “Krrish” and reprised
Miss World 2000, actor, singer, and her roles in both the movies later on.
philanthropist, Priyanka Copra-Jonas
has seen and done it well before her Priyanka went on to become one of the most
40th year. Married to Nick Jonas sought-after leading ladies, but she was not
of the Jonas Brothers’ fame, satisfied with simply playing eye candy in her
Priyanka rules the hearts and films. The “Mujhse Shadi Karogi” star accepted
the tabloids equally across several path-breaking films such as an autistic
the world. The first South young woman in “Barfi,” a regal Maratha
Asian actor to lead in queen in “Bajirao Mastani,” an Anglo-Indian
an American series, femme fatale in “7 Khoon Maaf” and many
Chopra’s work other experimental roles. She won her first film
in “Quantico” fare award for playing a glamorous journalist
fetched her in the John Abraham-Abhishek Bachchan
fame and comedy, “Dostana.” The “What’s Your Rashee”
star had her own string of setbacks but emerged
a winner in the role of a model in the Madhur
Bhandarkar film, “Fashion.” This remains one
of her finest performances according to noted
film critic Rajeev Masand. Her role as Meghna
Mathur won her a national award, a film fare
award, and several others.
At the peak of her career Priyanka opted to
work in the American series, “Quantico” as Alex
Parish an FBI fugitive, for three seasons before
recognition it was cancelled. Ever since, our “desi girl” has
in the been ruling the roost in Hollywood with several
Hollywood film films, notable among them “Baywatch” and
industry. But she was “Matrix.’ Her upcoming films among several
already a formidable Hollywood films include “Aa Jee Le Zaraa,” a
name to reckon with in Farhan Akhtar film which is supposed to be
Bollywood by that time. a spiritual successor of “Zindagi Na Milegi
Time and Forbes magazines Dobara.” The “Anjana Anjani” star will also be
mentioned her as one of the seen playing the role of Ma Anand Sheela in
100 most influential people in the the movie “Sheela” which is being produced
year 2016. Winner of two National by her for Amazon studios.
Film Awards, five Filmfare awards, and
Padma Shri Priyanka has proved time and Due to their busy schedules, Priyanka and Nick
again t a girl can dream and have it all if chose to be parents through surrogacy. They
she is willing to put in her sincere efforts and became parents to Malti Marie on January 15,
take the opportunity when it comes her way 2022. She also has published a memoir called
with faith and confidence. “Unfinished Story” which is her autobiography.
Actor, singer, writer, activist Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra was born in Jamshedpur on continues to climb new heights. Sky is the limit
July 18, 1982. Her parents were both doctors for this independent lady with a sharp business
in the Indian Army. Priyanka wanted to go into acumen and we at Fun Asia wish her the very
aeronautics, but her pageant wins pulled her best for all her endeavors on her birthday!
into the film industry. She started her film career
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY sought-after stars in Bollywood Cinema. Her
performances in recent films like “Zindagi Naa
Milegi Dobaara” had garnered her recognition
KATRINA KAIF for her hard work.
Whether it was taking dance and aerobics
July 16, 1984 classes to prepare for her role as a circus
performer in “Dhoom 3” or taking shooting
lessons for her role as Pakistani ISI
Raised in British Hong Kong by her mother and agent Zoya in the
seven other siblings, Katrina Kaif’s life is about “Ek Tha Tiger”
perseverance. Kaif started as a fashion model, franchise,
winning a beauty contest in Hawaii at 14. K aif ’s
Her career as a model had taken off, and she
even made appearances at London Fashion
Week. Eventually, she garnered the interest
of filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, and her venture
into films began. She made her debut with the
2003 Hindi movie “Boom” along with Amitabh
Bachchan at just the age of 19. KAtrina recently
tied the knot with ‘Uri” actor, Vicky Kaushal.
A year later, she starred in the Telegu film
“Malliswari” alongside Telegu superstar
Venkatesh and received a nomination for a
Filmfare award in 2004. Kaif had been criticized
for her Hindi after her performance in “Boom”,
so she worked hard on her diction. She came
back to Bollywood to star in her first leading
role along with Salman Khan in the 2005
rom-com “Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?”. She was
awarded the Stardust award for breakthrough
performance-female for her portrayal of a
suicidal model. Kaif had continued to work
hard and starred in movies with high-profile
actors like Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.
The “Fitoor” star prepared for her roles by taking dedication
classes and working on facial expressions. to her roles was
For example, Kaif for the 2008 drama film apparent during the 2010
“Yuuvraaj”. Kaif had taken cello classes and decade. The “ New York” actor has continued
had practiced in front of several orchestra to prove that she is a leading star with upcoming
members. Kaif was criticized for picking roles roles in the horror film “Phone Booth” and the
that centered on her looks rather than her drama film “Jee Le Zaraa”.
performance. Kaif took these critics to heart Some Trivia about Katrina Kaif as we celebrate
and started picking roles that defined her status her 39th birthday:
as an actress.
In 2009, she starred in the Devansh Patel- Kaif had appeared twice for Sharukh Khan’s
directed spy thriller “New York” along with John “Temptations Reloaded” concert Kaif is actively
Abraham. Her role as Maya had garnered praise involved in many of her mother’s charity work,
from critics. Kaif also starred in Prakash Jha’s including one that works to prevent female
political thriller “Rajneeti” where she played the infanticide.
role of a woman who runs for the Prime Minister
of India. She won a Star Screen Award for Best Katrina launched her own cosmetics brand
Actress. These roles and performing iconic “Kay Beauty” in 2019, becoming the first Indian
dance items for songs like “Sheila Ki Jawani” celebrity to venture into the beauty world.
finalized that Katrina Kaif was one of the most
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T
A
S
D
I
L
T
K KIDS TALENT
N
E
The Invisible String
hrough this Narrative essay I wish to convey a story about a little
boy who devises his own coping mechanism to get over a personal
Ttragedy. I have included dialogs, description of characters and events
to get the reader involved. A third person voice is used that reveals the
thoughts and feelings of the characters. The tone is serious sentimental
and thoughtful whereas the mood is sympathetic. This narrative is for a
universal audience
CONTINUED
Both of them were there at the appointed time. The principal came straight
to the point. What they heard shocked them. Yash had been talking to
someone imaginary for some months now. It had been confirmed by all
his teachers and even the school counsellor. The children in his class were
either making fun of him or avoiding him altogether. This resulted in Yash
getting aggressive and physical with his peers. Just a day before, a child
got badly beaten up by him. His parents complained but on the principal’s
assurance they decided not to pursue it for the time being. The principal
Hello I am Saisha Khemka. suggested Yash take time off for some days and be shown to a therapist.
I was born and brought Yogesh and Maya took a little time to process what was being told to them.
up in Mumbai, India. I am They were not keen on showing Yash to a therapist as they did not find any
misbehavior at home. So, they decided to first observe Yash and take him
16 years old and I study in for a holiday.
the 10th grade. Along with Yash seemed to enjoy his vacation. Neither did his father nor Maya found
writing I also love to sing. anything amiss. They were relieved that the principal’s observations were
Everything I find, observe, incorrect.
and feel is an inspiration for Within a day of rejoining school, the principal called them yet again
and complained of the same symptoms. Yogesh was now annoyed and
my stories, and the different snapped at her saying, “Ma’am I think you need to re-assess the whole
behavioral patterns of situation as Yash is absolutely fine.” On the principal’s repeated request he
people make them a exasperatedly gave in and decided to meet a therapist to clear her doubts
stimulus for me to find the about his son if nothing else and bring this nuisance to an end.
characters for my stories. I Mr. Gupta, the therapist was a portly man in his late fifties. He had this
reassuring voice which comforted Yogesh that his son was in good hands.
am the kind of person who After two sessions, Mr. Gupta was ready with his diagnosis. Yash was not
can’t be alone, and I love given the much-needed time to grieve over his mother’s death. He was
to socialize with people and sent to school much before he could accept and understand the reality. At
love to spend time with my home Maya filled the void his mother left but at school for want of special
friends and family. Anyway, attention he started imagining his mother and talking to her. He used this
as a coping mechanism without realizing what was happening. A couple
that’s about it I hope you of more sessions would help him overcome this traumatic experience and
enjoy the story. allow him to grieve and outgrow this behaviour.
Yogesh had never felt so guilty. He had found his escape in his work and
had not realized what it would have been for a five year old. But it was no
time to dwell on this and he had to take matters in his hands. Along with
the therapy sessions Yogesh took time out of his busy schedule and spent
some quality time with his young son.
As hoped the therapy worked and Yash was able to get over his grief and
was back to his normal self. The principal never had to complain again.
END
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C
O
S
E
R
R
N
D
I
K KIDS CORNER
Listen to Kids Club with Ambreen Hasnat every
Wednesday from 3:00- 4:00 pm.
Click Here to Play
Click here to color
Did you Know?
If you want to wish your child a Happy Birthday,
Please send message to [email protected]/[email protected]
For all submissions of your kids talent: Poem, short stories, Jokes, Artwork please send submissions to
[email protected]/[email protected]
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 29
Bollywood takies
this Month
Hit: The First Case
Rajkumar Rao plays an action
hero for the first time in this film.
Homicide Intervention Team
(HIT) is the story of a cop looking
for a missing woman while
dealing with his own PTSD. HIT
Shamshera is the remake of the Telugu film
of the same title. Rajkumar Rao
is a trained martial artist that has
The long-awaited Ranbir been put to use in the film. The
Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Vaani film also stars Sanya Malhotra.
Kapoor starrer, Shamshera is
all set to release in July. Ranbir The Telugu film of the same
Kapoor is in a double role for name was released in 2020. It
the very first time. Shamshera was directed by Sailesh Kolanu
is a period of drama about Shabhaash Mithu who directs the Hindi version as
a dacoit tribe’s fight for their well. The film is jointly produced
independence from the British Tapsee Pannu dons the titular role by Bhushan Kumar, Dil Raju,
Raj. This movie will highlight of Mithali Raj in this upcoming and Kuldeep Rathore. “Hit” will
Ranbir in a role he has never movie. Mithali is a former Test hit the stands on July 15.
played before. Sanjay Dutt and ODT captain of the Indian
plays the role of an antagonist cricket team. The film chronicles
and Vanni Kapoor plays the highs and lows in the life of
the dancer. She underwent Mithali. Devadarshini, who played
training in kathak for her a Tamizh-speaking cop in the OTT
role. The film is produced by series “Family Man 2” will play
Yashraj films and has been Tapsee’s mom in the movie. Mithali
directed by Karan Malhotra. is a Tamilian by birth. She is an
Malhotra is best known for inspiration to thousands of girls who
directing “Agneepath.” The aspire to make a name in the sports
film according to Ranbir world. Speaking on the budget of
has all the aspects of a the entire film, Tapsee points out
Bollywood entertainer. It has that although “Shabhaash Mithu”
romance, humor, action, is her biggest film as a protagonist,
and drama. Interestingly the the budget equals the salary of an
2018 Malayalam superhit A-lister male superstar! The film is
“Kayamkulam Kochunni” has directed by Srijit Mukherjee. Srijit
a similar storyline. is a well-known name in Bengali
Shamshera is scheduled to cinema. He made his Bollywood
release on July 22, 2022. debut with the Vidya Balan starrer,”
Begum Jaan.”
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MELODIOUS ECHOES CONTRIBUTION
By RAJI
THE MUSIC OF THE BURMANS -SD BURMAN
Yeh Mahlon Yeh Takhton – Pyasa
Mohammed Rafi and Sd Burman gave us
so many melodious songs that it is difficult
to choose among them. . The song makes
this list because of the exhibition of several
emotions like sadness, wonderment,
and anger, all executed with a wistful
satirical twist. Brilliantly sung and emoted
The Music Of the Burmans -SD Burman by Mohammed Rafi, this song is one of
his very best, without any doubt. Sahir
The unfathomable ocean houses a variety Ludhyanvi’s crowning jewel as well.
of living and non-living beings, and one
can easily brush off the stones and the shells Mora Gora Ang Lei Le – Bandhini
they find on the shores and the waves. But Gulzar’s first composition for the film
find a pearl, and you will treasure it and industry was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and
leave it as a legacy for future generations. set to an interesting taal pattern by SDB.
The same can be said of the Burmans, the Not an easy composition by any means
creative genius Sachin Dev Burman and again, Lata’s voice traverses through the
his equally if not greater progeny Rahul song with consummate ease and beauty.
Dev Burman. Two treasured pearls in the The song is picturized on the legendary
vast ocean of music! Nutan and has an earthy flavor.
This listicle contains songs that pose a
challenge due to the complexity of their Saala Main to Saab Ban Gaya – Sagina
tune or taal or the singing style. Kishore Kumar and SDB were another
inimitable pair. SDB loved KK as his own
Sachin Dev Burman (SDB) son. There are so many songs to pick
SD can be credited with bringing the earthy and choose from, but this song is unique.
folk flavor of Bengal to the Hindi film It brings out the genius of KK, and one
world. Burman da was an accomplished remembers KK more than the “Badshah”
folk and a classical musician. His style was Dilip Kumar on whom the song was
breezy and complex, and yet the melody picturized. The vocal antics KK brings in
component was intact. “Guide,” “Jewel are hard to replicate or imitate.
thief,” “Aradhana,” and “Abhiman” are
simply a few great films that were enhanced Raat Akeli Hai – Jewel Thief
by the quality of music SDB brought. Here One of the finest “item numbers” in the
are six songs that communicate his style of film industry. As Asha Bhosle traverses
music to us. from the low to the high octave without
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CONTRIBUTION “Chal Ri Sajni”. The song tugs at your heart
as Mukesh’s voice rises: “Babul pachtaye
hathon kamal ke, kahe diya pardes tukde
ko dil ke.”
Wahan Kaun Hai Tera – Guide
“Guide” was a landmark film in many
ways. It stands as a great example of
screenplay and story. The casting of Dev
touching the middle octave as she croons” Anand and Waheeda could not have
jo bhi chahe kahiye,” it sends thrills across been more perfect. The movie had songs
our spine. Beautifully picturized on Tanuja by Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Lata
and Dev Anand, do not miss listening to Mangeshkar, and SD. Burman himself
this number repeatedly. and all the pieces are shiny gems. Sung
by the maestro himself, this profoundly
Roop Tera Mastana – Aradhana philosophical song by Sahir Ludhyanvi
One of the best-loved songs ever! haunts you long after its completion.
Aaradhana is a cult classic, and music
elevated the film to greater heights than We looked at eight gems from the treasure
before. All the songs in the movie have a
place in the hearts of film lovers. “Roop
Tera” makes an entry into this list not due
to its popularity alone but because this
song has Kishore Kumar all over it! One
cannot imagine any other singer in his
place for this song.
Aa Gupchup Gupchup Pyar Karen- Sazaa
Shades of Jog bring a whimsical feel to
this song. Embellished by the deep rich
voice of Hemant Kumar and the silvery
voice of Sandhya Mukherjee, the song still trove of SD Burman. It doesn’t do enough
creates magic. The steady chorus in the justice to this illustrious composer, but
background adds to the depth of this song. we shall revisit him some other time. The
A complex yet melodious composition by timeless classics of the golden period of
Burman Da once again. Hindi films continue to capture hearts
because the stories represented the Indian
Chal Ri Sajni Ab Kya Soche – Bambai Ka fabric in its proper form and the music fit
Babu in perfectly with the times. In each of his
SD Burman usually puts himself while compositions, SD Burman worked very
singing plaintive ‘far away’ numbers. hard to bring about the right nuances from
However, he used the soulful voice of his singers, which is evident. Next time, we
Mukesh in two such songs. One was in shall continue this series on the Burmans
Bandini with “O Jaane wale ho sake” and with RD Burman’s songs.
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bollywood bonanza
VIJAY SETHUPATHI TO PLAY THE VILLAIN IN SHAH RUKH KHAN’S JAWAN
Shah Rukh Khan has a packed slate of upcoming films. On the list is his highly
anticipated film Jawan. Directed by Atlee, the film also features superstar
Nayanthara. The film will mark their first collaboration. And now, it looks
like yet another exciting cast addition has been made with Vijay Sethupathi
reportedly joining the ensemble.
As per reports in the Times of India, Vijay Sethupathi is all set to join
Shah Rukh Khan in Atlee’s Jawan. Sethupathi will be playing the film’s
antagonist who will go up against SRK’s character. The reports also mention
that Rana Daggubati was initially approached to play the role but didn’t sign
up owing to a scheduling issue.
NEHA DHUPIA
Neha Dhupia celebrated as she completed 20 years of winning the Miss India
crown. The actress and TV host made an appearance on stage at the finale of
Femina Miss India 2022 over the weekend and wore the crown once again.
Neha Dhupia attended the event with her husband Angad Bedi and kids
Mehr and Guriq. After the event, she took to Instagram to share a series of
photos as she reflected on the momentous night.
Neha wore a stunning shimmery gown with a cape for the event. She
also brought her kids on stage.
She captioned the post, “20 years that went by in a flash … but if I shut my
eyes and think, all I have is gratitude in my heart. I didn’t think that it would
be possible to wear this crown on stage again and relive one of the most
precious moments of my life with my most precious people.”
SHAH RUKH KHAN
An unseen picture of Shah Rukh Khan has been shared on social media, needless to say
the actor looks as handsome as ever. Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani took to
her social media account to share a black and white picture of the actor.
In the picture, Shah Rukh Khan can be seen seated and leaning forward. His choice
of outfit for the shoot was a full-sleeved grey tee and cargo pants. Captioning the
picture, Pooja wrote, “In a world full of Trends… A Timeless Classic!” We could not
agree more with the caption.
On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in Pathaan, which also stars Deepika
Padukone and Salman Khan. He will also be working with Atlee in his directorial Jawan
and Rajkumar Hirani in Dunki.
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goodreads MANGO MAGIC & MEMOIRS
MADHURI’S MUSINGS
Right from its raw state, the green mango is
used to make tangy aam panna - a flavorful
concoction of raw mango, sugar and spices.
Iced panna packs a punch with its sweet, spicy
sourness and refreshing coolness. Speaking
of raw mango again, visits to beaches were
times to savor slices of raw mango with salt
and chilli powder; a spicy slice of heaven right
on earth. Mango memoirs also take me back
in time to street-side Bombay bhelpuri spiced
with raw mango for a tangy twist.
The most beloved Indian fruit is without doubt Mango is a versatile primary ingredient that
the Mango! Indian summers are synonymous can find its way into your daily menu many times
with mangoes, of being drenched in their over. Not only drinks, desserts and pickles,
golden deliciousness and juicy goodness. but also your main course can be centered
It’s hard to find an Indian not touched by the around mangoes. Mango Dhal (lentils spiced
magic of mangoes right from early childhood. with mango) is both nutritious and tasty. A
As I take a trip down memory lane, I recall the product of Andhra cuisine, Mamidikaya Pappu
backyard of my childhood home being laced with steamed
with coconut and mango trees. I have lovely rice can give
memories of not only enjoying the shade and you a mango fix
wooded greenery of the trees, but also the even over lunch.
fruits that came forth. How special it was to Another favorite
have a morning smoothie or an afternoon is Mango Rice.
refreshing mango lassi from your backyard This delectable
tree! Happiness is home-made and home- dish is a must try if
grown! you haven’t had a
Even after we demolished the home and built taste of it before.
apartments, we were thankful to have retained Mango tempered
some of the mango trees. The terraces and with spices, curry
verandahs give convenient access to pluck leaves, mustard
these fruits directly for a quick bite. Not to seeds and a
forget aunts who until today convert the little coconut is
mangoes into lip-smacking tangy pickles blended with rice for a healthy and yummy
using culinary recipes from generations ago. twist.
This summer visit to India, I enjoyed my dad’s The perfect way to end meals is with Mutka
mango-in-a cup fresh juice which kickstarted Mango Kulfi- this classic creamy mango
the day. Hot afternoons were balanced with delight topped with almonds and pistachios
cooling curd rice with spicy homemade is the best frozen indulgence. If you are short
mango pickles, a delightful combination.
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on time, the quick last-minute dessert that you MADHURI’S MUSINGS
can whip up in a breeze, is Mango Mousse.
This easy to create treat can be made year- Pashmina shawls too have beautiful mango
round with mango pulp and whipped cream. motifs woven in different colors. Traditional
Eating mangoes do not need to be a guilty south Indian temple jewelry is known for its
pleasure. This national fruit of India, (also mango designs embellished in gold and
considered by some as the king of fruits) is inlaid with rubies. Mango motifs are versatile
a good source of fiber and anti-oxidants. symbols and very popular in mehendi and
For sugar watchers and calorie counters, it’s henna tatoos too.
good to know that this mouthwatering fruit is Not surprisingly, India is the world’s largest
not only a delight to taste but also gives an producer of mangoes accounting for more
instant boost of Vitamin C. Who knew that as than 40% of the global mango production.
a natural body scrub, mango can revitalize
the skin for a glowing, flawless look! Even the
leaves of mango trees are considered sacred
and placed on the water pot (kalash) as an
essential ingredient for rituals. The entrance
to Indian homes are decorated with mango
leaves to mark auspicious occasions. The
bright green beautiful color and the soft scent
of the leaves bring warmth to the entryways,
also warding off negative energy.
Outside of the Indian mango, I’ve enjoyed
fresh mangoes in Mexico sprinkled with spicy
tajine powder, Mango Salsa spiced with
jalapenos and flavorful Mango Margaritas. May 2022 marked the return of mangoes to
But there is nothing in the world quite like America for the first time since the pandemic.
Indian mangoes. Once you’ve had a taste Indian ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu
of this luscious Indian fruit, there is no other said the return of Indian mangoes to the US
substitute for it. This summer visit to India, was a reflection of the strength and robustness
I tried Starbucks’ limited-edition Mango in the India-US partnership. The US agreed to
Frappuccino but certainly preferred our give market access to Indian mangoes and
authentic mango delicacies. What is your pomegranates; in exchange for India giving
favorite mango memoir? Do you like your market access to cherries, hay and pork from
mangoes raw and green or ripe and yellow? the US. Hard to tell if that is a fair enough
Do your prefer the flavor of Alphonso’s ( exchange, but glad that our delicious golden
the king of mangoes) or the juiciness of fruits are making their way back to our US
Banganpallis ( Pride of Andhra’s)? homes and shop shelves after a long gap.
Mangoes symbolize abundance and Whether its mango magic or mango-mania,
prosperity. Beyond the fruit itself, the mango mango memories are special. After all the
motif/ symbol is timeless in Indian history and scent of mangoes is a whiff of the scent of
tradition. Kanjeevaram silk sarees are woven Indian summers, a flavor of childhood, a
with mango motifs, including mango buttas taste of home!
on the pallus and body of the saree. Kashmiri
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An illustration is the South African view of community
referred to as “Ubuntu,” which is usually translated
as, “I am because of who we are.” Retired
Archbishop and social rights activist Desmond Tutu
believes that Ubuntu is the very essence of what it
is to be human
“You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you
have this quality—Ubuntu—you are known for your
generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently
as just individuals, separated from one another,
whereas you are connected and what you do affects
the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out;
Namaste /Aadab it is for the whole of humanity
A big hello to the vibrant community of the DFW In this short amount of time, we have received
metroplex. an overwhelming amount of support from the
community for our community segment. In the
I am so glad that we are connecting with the entire past few weeks segment hosted many nonprofit
community on so many levels, and “Desi Pages” is associations like ISHA foundation for their ‘save the
one of the best platforms where we can bring the soil campaign’ Sankara eye foundation, VYO and
community together. DFW Hindu temple along with Fort worth Hindu
temple & BAPS
In June we also celebrated ‘Father’s day’
We also helped to promote many big events
The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated for many non-profit associations all across the
on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. metroplex
However, it was not until 1972—58 years after
President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day Also, I am very excited to announce that Fun Asia
official—that the day honoring fathers became a is offering a huge discount on our BIG FM-HD3
nationwide holiday channel for any religious or community shows by
non-profits
The month of June was full of community activities
and some great spiritual events. We had many Pricing is as low as $300 monthly
charity events all across the metroplex
This is a huge opportunity for each of you to get
BAPS had hosted ‘charity walkathon’ to raise the more exposure and presence in the community and
awareness for cancer and to support the charity of to spread more awareness about your association
‘Susan Kaufman’
Sankara eye foundation and Isha foundation also Once again, I am thankful to our dynamic CEO,
conducted charity walkathon. Mrs. Vaishali Thakkar, for her exceptional leadership
in our endeavor to reach out to the community.
It was great to see entire community partaking in Once again, many thanks to the community for
such charities continually supporting FunAsia Radio and helping
us in ‘Bringing the Community Together
It is impossible to build a sense of belonging
and community without some form of charitable Always at community service-
practice. Neelam Dave
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BOLLYWOOD NEWS
Siddharth Malhotra’s character in new movie has allowed him to
experience the various shades of certain movies and roles
With his versatility in acting, it is anticipated that the new Sidharth Malhotra-
starrer ‘Mission Majnu’ is set out to be a critical and commercial success.
The movie focuses on Malhotra playing the character of an undercover
RAW agent who infiltrated his way into Pakistan in the 1970s, changing
the relationship. Malhotra stated in an interview that his character in
the espionage film has “more to offer than just conventional action
sequences.” Malhotra later on talked more with PTI that “It is more of a
thriller than action. This is the first time I am playing a spy agent, but it
is not a James Bond character.” He goes on to say that he is an agent
that continuously manipulates others and through that manipulation he
starts to unfold the truth, thus changing the relationship between India
and Pakistan for days to come. Malhotra states that he is very excited to
shoot this movie as he has not done a period film before and has been
able to explore the various scopes that come with such films. Recently,
Malhotra did suffer an injury while shooting a ‘conventional action sequence’ in Rohit Shetty’s new show
“Indian Police Force.” The actor suffered another injury to his knee while trying to film a stunt for Mission
Majnu itself. Here’s hoping he heals up by the time Mission Majnu hits theaters on June 10, 2022!
Ajay Kapoor’s emotional reasoning for bringing Rotem Shamir
for the shooting of ‘Garud’
With the successes of movies like ‘Parmanu,’ ‘Baby,’ and ‘Airlift,’ the
anticipation for the Ajay Kapoor produced movie ‘Garud’ is through
the roof! The movie’s production made huge headlines when Kapoor
brought in known Israeli director Rotem Shamir for the direction of
the film. Kapoor stated the reason for him bringing Shamir was that
the latter’s direction of projects like ‘Hostages’ and ‘Fauda’ will allow
the Indian box office to see the depiction of the Indian hostages in
Afghanistan and the terror they experienced during the Rescue Crisis
of 2021. The movie revolves around a fictional squad whose mission
is to get hostages out of Afghanistan, which is now being controlled
by the Taliban. Kapoor stated that this movie has him emotionally
driven due to the patriotic undertones that the movie seeks to bring.
Kapoor and his partner Subhash Kale say that they have high hopes
for Shamir’s direction as their objective of the film is to highlight the actual event and the high
stress that most of the hostages had experienced when trying to get out of Afghanistan. Shamir
also states that while ‘Garud’ focuses on the Indian spectrum of things, his direction is looking at
the event in a universal perspective. With Kapoor’s success in other patriotic-like movies, here’s
hoping that he can create the same magic with ‘Garud’ when it hits theaters August 15, 2022.
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 39
Venkat Avasarala
“One cannot get extraordinary without doing extraordinary.
You need to take risks”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time a good credit history, and was prepared to take up the first
to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I am opportunity that came his way.
going to press on.”- Barak Obama
“One cannot get extraordinary without doing extraordinary.
The above quote by Barak Obama truly describes our You need to take risks”- He says He built Capital, learned
Person in Focus Venkat Avasarala whose perseverance to skills, took risks, and networked with people. He made
attain financial independence is what has brought him here conscious choices by letting go a higher paying job to buy
today as he retired at a very young age of 38 from a full- more time to concentrate on his work after hours and on
time corporate job. His story is not only inspirational, but he weekends. He started small with buying a few apartments
is a person with a lot of courage and passion. and renovating and selling for higher prices. He has now
moved on to building multi-family apartments from ground
Venkat came to the US from a small town in Andhra, India up investing over $130 million dollars. He thanks his Investors
called Kakinada to pursue his master’s degree in Electronical who actively invest with him to grow their wealth through
Engineering from UAH, Alabama. He worked for 14 years these Real Estate Investments.
in the IT domain at several Fortune 500 companies. He is
now the owner and CEO of a multi-million dollar company The perks of working for himself apart from not working for
Stryker Properties. His wife Srilatha also retired recently from anyone else is the flexibility he enjoys with his working hours.
her Bank job to assist her husband. Happiness and comfort are the two big motivators for him
which brought him to Dallas, Texas a few years back from
An incidence that changed his perspective towards life. the east coast. He finds people here warmer and more at
ease. Venkat still travels a lot but now it is mostly for pleasure.
One October morning in 2008, as he arrived at his office
in New Jersey, he saw a fire engine, an ambulance and He has already travelled 30 countries and his goal is to visit
people lying on the floor. Later he found out that the company 100 countries. Apart from gardening, watching science and
had a mass layoff that day of 600-700 odd people. These nature documentaries, he spends a lot of time caring for his
people were in their 40’s and 50’s and were working on dogs.
some outdated technology for the company over many It was fascinating to talk to Venkat Avasarala who dared
years. They were immediately replaced. They were falling to to dream big. The realization that he had on that October
ground and even losing their lives out of worry. This incident morning outside his office in New Jersey is the spark that
shocked Venkat. ‘I had never witnessed people dying in that ignited a revolution within him. During his journey he also
way.’- he says. That is when he realized that he must take recognized that as a community we have immense potential,
responsibility of his future and not depend on being hired. but we always under value ourselves. Therefore, his message
to the young generation is to identify the exceptional world
Once he made up his mind, he started working towards
his goal. His conservative upbringing, where savings and class qualities that we possess and never let others threaten
living within one’s means was a norm served as his biggest our growth. We at FunAsia DesiPages wish Venkat more
asset in disguise. He had already saved some capital, had power to accomplish all that he aspires!
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GURU PURNIMA
The Guru is one who dwells in the Light and the Light dwells in him.
By Parul Bhatia (Dancer, Actress, Filmmaker, Director)
Guru Purnima or Vyasa
Purnima is a highly celebrated
day on which one’s heartfelt
gratitude is paid to the Gurus.
This Sanskrit word literally
translates to ‘the one who
frees us of ignorance’ - in
other words a Guru is akin to
an enlightened source who is
the dispeller of darkness. This
full moon day in the month
of Ashada is one of the most
auspicious days of the year
in Hinduism. This year Guru
Purnima will be celebrated
on July 13th 2022. It also
commemorates the birthday
of Ved Vyasa, who is credited
to have authored some of the
most important Hindu texts of
all times such as the Puranas,
Mahabharata and Vedas.
Guru Purnima honours Ved
Vyasa, known as one of the
most honoured Gurus of
The term “Guru” has become a popular ancient India. Senior Ayurvedic
mainstream one which is commonly consultant Dr Vishakha Mahindroo says,
understood to mean a teacher. However “Veda Vyasa, structured the four Vedas,
given its’ root context of Hindu culture, composed the epic of the Mahabharata,
Guru has always been considered created the foundation for the many
comparable to a God who guides you on Puranas and the vast encyclopedias
your margam or path in pursuing your art of Hindu sacred lore. Guru Purnima
or education or any subject that the pupil represents the date on which Lord Shiva
maybe learning.
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 41
as the Adi Guru or original guru taught containing fresh fruits and sweetened
the seven rishis who were the seers of curd. Most households also follow a strict
the Vedas. In the Yoga Sutras, Ishvara vegetarian diet on Guru Purnima, eating
as Pranava or Om is said to be the Adi delicacies like Khichdi, Poori, Choley,
Guru of Yoga. Lord Buddha was said to Halwa and sweets like Soan Papdi, Barfi,
have delivered his first sermon on this day Laddoo, Gulab Jamun and other fried
at Sarnath, reflecting the power of this and sweet treats.
sacred time.”
Guru Purnima has the importance of
It is also important to know that Vishnu puja attached to it. ‘Vishnu
Purnima is also an auspicious festival Sahatranam’ also known as the thousand
for Buddhists, as it is popularly believed names of Lord Vishnu is also recited on
that Lord Buddha gave his first sermon this day. If one wants to observe Guru
on this auspicious day. That is why, the Purnima then one needs to be in sync with
day is also known as Buddha Purnima. the self and channelize one’s energies
No matter what religion you follow, what towards obtaining blessings from the
culture you have been born and brought Guru as well as in meditation.
up in, Buddha’s teachings are universal
and all can observe it.
On the occasion of Guru Purnima temples
distribute Prasada and Charnamrita,
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pakistan corner
TRAVEL PAKISTAN
Pakistan is home to some of the most beautiful Tourist attractions in summer include Lake Kachura,
the Mantokha waterfall, Sarfranga Cold Desert,
places in the world. Last month we talked about an Ft. Shigar, and the Buddha Rock in Skardu.
exquisite fort built in the 16th century, Rohtas Fort.
This month we will talk about Skardu Valley. Celebrating the Celebrities:
The month of June marks the birthdays of some
extremely important people in the history of
Pakistan as well as some internationally acclaimed
celebrities. To name a few:
• Wasim Akram (Cricketer): June 03, 1966
• Javed Miandad (Cricketer): June 12, 1957
• Ibne Insha (Poet): June 15, 1927
• Zia Mohiuddin (actor, social worker): June 20,
1931
• Benazir Bhutto (Politician): June 21, 1953
• Sultan Rahi (Actor): June 24, 1938
Skardu, a scenic valley with blue water and high • Momina Duraid (TV Director, Producer,
mountains, is located at an elevation of over Screenwriter): June 30, 1971
7,300 feet (2,225 meters) in Pakistan’s northern
Gilgit-Baltistan region. This 10 Kilometers wide A Nazm by Ibn-e-Insha
and 40 Kilometers wide valley is surrounded
by breathtaking views of grey-brown colored Farz karo hum ahl-e-wafa hoon, farz karo hum
mountains (Karakoram Range) and the beauty of deewanay hoon
the valley is further enhanced by its fresh spring Farz karo yeh sari baatain, jhooti hoon afsanay
water, delicious fruits, the blue water of the Indus hoon
River, historical sites, lakes, and pleasant weather,
which attract tourists from around the world. Farz karo yeh ji ki bipta, jee say jor sunaee ho
Farz karo abhi aur ho itni, aadhi hum nay
The Skardu district is in a strategic northern chupayee ho
region of Pakistan bordering China, Afghanistan,
and India and the city of Skardu is the main Farz karo tumhain khush karnay kay, dhoonday
urban center and headquarters of the district. hum nay bahanay hoon
The city is situated at an elevation of nearly Farz karo yeh nain tumharay, sach much kay
2,500 meters in the Skardu Valley, at the maikhanay hoon
convergence of the Indus Rivers and Shigar
Rivers. Along with being an important gateway Farz karo yeh rog ho jhoota, jhooti preet humarai
to the nearby Karakoram mountain range, ho
the spectacular rivers, lakes, and scenery that Farz karo is preet kay rog mein, saans bhi hum
surrounds the city, make it a must-visit by both pay bhari ho
local and international travelers.
Farz karo yeh jog bajog ka hum nay dhong
The Skardu Valley is known as a major tourism rachaya ho
and trekking hub, and a gateway to four peaks Farz karo bas yehi haqeeqat, baqi sab kuch maya
towering over 8,000 meters high, attracting ho
tourists, mountaineers, and trekkers from all
across the world. The valley remains a hub for
global mountaineers from April to October during
summer, while winter remains snowy and freezing
in the area.
by KIRAN HAYAT
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BOOK REVIEW family is too poor for him to afford
to finish school and he must work
in a teashop, breaking coals and
wiping tables. But Balram gets his
break when a rich man hires him as
a chauffeur and takes him to live in
Delhi. The city is a revelation. As he
drives his master to shopping malls
and call centers, Balram becomes
increasingly aware of immense
wealth and opportunity all around
him, while knowing that he will
never be able to gain access to that
world if he continues to serve and
remain loyal to his master.
• Through the life story of Balaram the
author portrays the class struggle
and poverty existing in India. The
fate of the millions of people living
in poverty is compared to chickens
huddled together in a coup. Some
“The WHITE TIGER” of the other notable quotes from
the book are “If I were making a
- By Madhavi Nair country, I’d get the sewage pipes
first, then the democracy, then I’d
go about giving pamphlets and
• “White Tiger’, a rare “creature that comes statues of Gandhi to other people,
along only once in a generation.” The but what do I know?”. Another of
protagonist of the story Balaram was given the my other favorite one is, “See, the
title of the White Tiger when he was young by poor dream all their lives of getting
a school inspector. Balram Halwai aka Munna enough to eat and looking like the
is a poor boy who hails from the village of rich. And what do the rich dream
Laxmangarh in the district of Gaya. In this of?? Losing weight and looking like
novel, Balaram writes down his life story in the poor.”
the form of a long letter addressed
to “his excellency”, the Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao who is poised
to visit India to learn the secrets of
its rising entrepreneurship. His title
stays in his subconscious, and he
signs his letter to Jiabao as “The
White Tiger, A Thinking Man and
an Entrepreneur”.
• The story opens with our main
character as a successful
businessman in Bangalore. He says
he is “in the light now” but he “was
born and raised in darkness.”.
The light symbolizes the rich and
darkness relates to poverty. His
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 45
Still from the movie – The Kite Runner is looking for a brilliant, captivating,
and funny story.
Fun Facts
• The movie, based on the book
has been released on Netflix. It is
produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas
and directed by Ramin Bahrani. The
film offers a grim tale of corruption
and betrayal, examining the complex
dynamics of the employer-servant
relationships in India while delving
into the country’s stark rich-poor
• Balram realizes he has been brainwashed divide and its class and caste issues.
into servitude. To get out of the “Chicken
Coup” Balaram commits petty crimes • The novel has been well-received,
like giving false receipts to his master or making the New York Times bestseller
using his car as a taxi on the side but he list in addition to winning the Man
rationalizes his behavior when he thinks to Booker Prize. Aravind Adiga, 33 at
himself, “The more I stole from him, the the time of receiving was the Booker
more I realized how much he had stolen prize, was the second youngest writer
from me.” as well as the fourth debut writer to
• The White Tiger attempts to tell the story of win the prize in 2008.
contemporary India, of those few who have
money and those great many who do not. • The audible version of the book is
Balaram recounts, “In the old days there superbly delivered by John Lee. He
were one thousand castes and destinies in has a quirky and unique Indian
India. These days, there are just two castes: accent which adds another layer of
Men with Big Bellies, and Men with Small drama to the narration.
Bellies”, and only two destinies: eat- or get
eaten up.”
• It’s about the vast economic inequality The White Tiger on Broadway!!!
between the poor
and the wealthy elite.
This is an amazing
and angry novel
about injustice and
power using dark
humor and satire
You wouldn’t get any
solid lessons from
the book apart from
the exposure to the
real struggle of the
deprived in India.
But the novel is worth
reading. I would
recommend this
book to anyone who
DesiPages DFW | July 2022 VOL 41 | 46
R. MAHADEVAN & DR. NAMBI NARAYAN
EVENT ON THE FILM ROCKETRY
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