In this issue:

Editors Note 2

Rendezvous with Dr. Nivedita Ganguly 3

Topic of the Quarter 5

Readers Corner 7

India at a Glance 9

Indians at Knoxville 11

Lifestyle 12

Asha Quest
28th Oct 2007 Issue 1

A Knoxville Chapter Publication

From the Coordinator’s Desk….

“Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular

“Next
education, without which neither freedom nor justice
can be maintained.”
- James A. Garfield

The vicious cycle of “Illiteracy - Child La-

bor- Poverty” is still a persistent problem in 21st
century India. These problems have a direct and
significant impact on economic growth even though
India is one of the fastest economies. The root
cause of all these problems is a lack of basic educa-
tion.
Education system in India is currently not
accessible to everyone. Even when it is accessible,
most low-level income parents are not willing to
send their kids to school. This is not a problem
specific to India, but a result of the high ratio of
uneducated to educated people. In India, the ratio
is particularly high, especially in the rural areas.

Literacy Rate Comparison (India Vs USA)

Source: The World Fact Book

India USA
(2001 Census) (2003 Census)
Total 61 % 99 %
Population

Male 73.4 % 99 %

Female 47.8 % 99 %

...contd on pg 13

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 1

 Editors Note
As members of the editorial team we are proud and excited to launch the first issue of the quarterly magazine for the Knox-
ville chapter of “Asha for Education”. The primary mission of the magazine, which we have named “Asha Quest”, is to further the mis-
sion of Asha, which n turn is “to catalyze socio-economic change in India through education of underprivileged children”. Our quest is to
strive to reach out and bring the message of Asha not only to the Indian and Indian-American communities, but also to friends of India,
educators and patrons of education, as well as to anyone who has a moment to ponder about the fate of underprivileged children, across
communities and nationalities within the greater Knoxville area. We do seek to spread the message of compassion and kindness, but not
of sympathy, pity, or condescension. Our quest will be to continually remind ourselves and our readers how privileged we are to have
the opportunity to contribute to Asha’s mission. However, this magazine has other broader objectives as well. We would like to provide
a venue for our readers, who may be potentially interested in any aspect of Asha’s mission, to come forward and discuss new thoughts
and ideas, get to know each other, and help strengthen the shared bonds. Each issue of the magazine will carry a message from the desk
of the coordinator on Asha’s activities, as well as other relevant issues of interest. We will publish interviews of prominent educators
and visionaries in the greater Knoxville region and throw the floor open for comments and discussions from readers. We start this first
issue with an interview of Dr. Nivedita Ganguly, who is the head of the Science department at Oak Ridge High School and an educator of
national repute. Recently, she was invited to testify before a Congressional sub-committee. We sought Dr. Ganguly’s views on a variety
of relevant topics, and would welcome comments or questions from our readers. In addition, each issue of the magazine will feature
discussions and debates on topics of current interest selected by the editorial team, as well as a readers’ corner where moderated dis-
cussions on any general topic will be entertained. We will have a section on selected news in the Indian media, with a particular focus on
those that may relate to education or to Asha’s mission. Finally, we will have a section devoted to the social and cultural calendar of
Indians and Indian-Americans in the greater Knoxville region, and another devoted to lifestyles and other miscellaneous items of general
interest. We shall look forward to hearing from you on how we can improve our outreach, how we can make the magazine more attrac-
tive to you and others, and how we can better spread the message of Asha through this magazine. You can reach us by email at
ashamagazine@gmail.com. The success of this magazine depends on your participation and support.

Editorial Team: Auroop Ganguly, Sampath Kandala, Jheelum Banerjee, Tushti Marwah, Debashree Ganguly
Design Team: Sharmila Stephen, Sumeet Kaul
Email To Editorial Team: ashamagazine@gmail.com
Asha Knoxville Information: http://www.ashanet.org/knoxville

Advertise with us:

Educate a child...
Contact : ashamagazine@gmail.com

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 2


Rendezvous
with...
DR.NIVEDITA GANGULY
Dr. Nivedita Ganguly received
her PhD in Genetics from Calcutta
University. She was also a research
scientist at NIEHS, Research Triangle
Park and the University of California,
Irvine. After receiving her M.S in Educa-
tion from University of Tennessee,
Knoxville she started teaching Genetics
and Advanced Placement Environ-
mental Science at Oak Ridge High
School where she is Science Depart-
ment Chair. Dr. Ganguly, a consultant
for the College Board conducts teacher
workshops at both national and inter-
national levels and currently holds the
designation of a National Leader. She
received the Presidential Medal and the
Siemens Award for her teaching excel-
lence. Recently, she was invited to tes-
tify before the U.S Congressional com-
mittee on Science & Technology for the
Nanotechnology Education in High
Schools Act.
TRANSCRIPT OF THE QA SESSION…
What made you move from a career in a uni-
versity to one in high school?
I realized when I was teaching
students in college that changing their atti-
tudes towards learning and enjoying study-
ing science would have to be addresses at
an earlier age. Hence, I ventured into the
unknown world of high school.
© Copyright to Asha Knoxville
What are the specific challenges, opportunities,
rewards and pitfalls of a high school teaching career
in science, compared to university or professional
research careers?
High school teaching requires certain
skills because one is dealing with young adoles-
cents who are still trying to figure out who they
are and where they want to go in the future.
They need guidance and discipline but it has to
be tempered with compassion and kindness.
Once a bond is formed between the student
and the teacher, then the teaching of science or
any other subject becomes a breeze, because
the subject can be woven into real life situa-
tions. When I decided to switch professions, I
had no idea what a difficult job I had undertaken
because it was such a huge responsibility that I
was in a position to shape a young person’s life.
Also, I had no idea how rewarding it would be.
But this is not a profession for the faint hearted
because the frustrations are many – patience,
understanding and above all “ENJOY KIDS”.
Professional research careers are also very re-
warding, but it is a personal achievement.
Teaching young people is an achievement for
both the teacher and the student.
You have made a tremendous difference as a high
school teacher. What would you personally consider
some of your biggest achievements? What would
you really like to achieve that you have not been
able to so far?
My personal achievement is my ability
to communicate with young people. My class-
room is a “home away from home” where stu-
dents not only come to class, but also come in
their spare time to “hang out”, eat lunch and
relax. There are young people who I have not
been able to reach. Their backgrounds and life
experiences have made them wary of adults. I
am always trying to think of intervention tech-
niques that will let me break down those barri-
ers.
How can the community, for example the scientific
community in ORNL and UTK, as well as the profes-
sional community in the greater Knoxville area,
contribute to help teachers like you make our
schools even better?
The community in Oak Ridge is very
supportive of the high school – they paid a sales
tax increase so that a new show case high
school could be built. The Oak Ridge National
lab is also equally involved – scientists train stu-
dents in their labs in various cutting edge tech-
nology and research, help train students for
science competitions, come to the high school
to give lectures, etc. Also, the Oak Ridge Na-
tional lab has been a great financial supporter of
the Science Olympiad Team at ORHS – giving us
3
the funds to travel to national competi-
tions as we represent the State of Ten-
nessee, which we have done for the last
eight years.
Your career is a source of inspiration to immi-
grants in this country, as it is to women and
minorities in science. Have you faced any
specific challenges because of these issues?
Have these ever affected your ability to reach
out to various sections of the society as a
teacher?
Yes, sometimes when I go as a
College Board consultant to train teach-
ers. But I have developed strategies and
techniques to diffuse those feelings, telling
myself that they are not directed at me
personally. When people realize that I
genuinely want to help and have the skills
and experience to do so, it has helped
dissipate the underlying tension.
I have never felt this in school, because
even though I am from a minority, I can
“relate to and speak” the language of my
students.
Oak Ridge High is perhaps one of the best
high schools in the state and the nation with
significant resources and great students. If a
teacher of your caliber were to consider work-
ing in relatively underprivileged localities or
among minorities, what would be the addi-
tional challenges? How can the challenges be
surmounted?
There would definitely be a
whole new set of challenges - the most
important being earning the trust of these
students. Unless they are comfortable
with you and come to the understanding
that you are genuinely there to help them
- you will not be able to teach science or
anything else.
You have demonstrated how a career choice
that some may consider bold can make a real
difference. Do you have any suggestions for
someone contemplating a career in, or service
to, primary education?
High school teaching is a hard
profession – you have to be absolutely
sure that you have the patience, compas-
sion and the ability to discipline without
being harsh. It requires a lot of energy,
organizational skills and the ability to give
your self off. Above all, to be a successful
teacher you have to like and respect your
students and they need to feel that. Re-
spect them and they will respect you.
Also, the ability to laugh at your own self
helps. … contd on pg 4
 ...contd from pg 3

Given your roots in India, you are intimately familiar with the education systems in developing countries. As one pierces the veil of glamour surrounding
the IITs and IIMs, the state of education in India is probably not where one may want this to be, especially at school levels. Do you have any comments
or suggestion?

Schools in India are based on teaching curriculum through lectures and the traditional teaching methods. Students are not allowed
to learn through personal exploration. The enjoyment of learning comes when one is personally engaged – that is lacking in India. Students
are taught the subject not the enjoyment of it. Also, students are not exposed to multiple disciplines early on in their career- They are chan-
nelized into science, art, commerce before they can find out what they want to study actually.

Do you have any specific comments on the way science is taught in the high schools in India, or the nature of learning that prepares students for exami-
nations? Influential columnists like Tom Friedman of the NY Times opined on the need for US students to catch up with their peers in India and China in
science and mathematics. On the other hand, the education systems in India and China have been accused of encouraging rote learning with less em-
phasis on creativity? Would you share your views on the topic with us? Would you consider importing aspects of the Indian system of high school educa-
tion in science to Oak Ridge High School? Would you recommend any of your methods be used in India?

A tremendous amount of content information is taught to the students in India. The concepts of science may be taught, but the
students are not given the tools by which this knowledge can be applied to different aspects of their own life. The education is narrow not
holistic. What I would import from the Indian system is to give students a more in-depth look at a subject on lesser number of topics.

Based on your experience as a successful teacher and your knowledge of India, what are the primary challenges in implementing Asha’s primary mis-
sion? Specifically, what are your thoughts on the education of student from underprivileged sections or area of India, especially in primary or high
schools?

Students in India in certain areas and in particular social structures lack the basic elements of literacy. Part of it is political, financial
and the fact that we have to deal with a huge population base.

Teachers in India have to face with these challenges, and they do not have the resources or the skills to address different learning styles by
using differentiated instruction to reach all levels. We have to up rate on the very basic premise that all children can learn and succeed at
their own level, given the opportunity to do so.

Do you think improved school education can transform the high population of developing countries from a perceived liability to a real asset?

Definitely – We have a large population of young people, who given the right environment and exposure to learning will be power-
ful asset for the country.

Do you have any final thoughts for Asha, and how Indians in the US can contribute to improved education in India?

Yes, we can help financially. But it should not stop there - being a “presence” in India will also further the goals of “Asha”. At some
point in my life, I would like to be apart of this “presence” – teaching and reaching children who have been denied the basic rudiments of
literacy. I think that, I will then truly fulfill my personal goal of teaching “children”. Thank You!

" The purpose of Delta Phi Omega shall be to foster unity among South Asian women, build commu-
nity awareness, and gain a greater understanding of oneself and others. The sorority aspires to instill
leadership traits, excel in all academic endeavors, to encourage an active relationship between the
sorority and its respective university, and shall do so with the utmost compassion, dignity, and forti-
tude. "

http://www.deltaphiomega.org/

-Contributed by Dipti Chhajwani

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 4

 Topic of the Quarter
“Elementary to high school education systems in the US have been criticized for failing to develop the level
of science or math aptitude needed to compete with kids from China or India. However, Chinese and Indian
systems have been viewed critically for their emphasis on rote learning and perceived lack of emphasis on
creativity. What is the right balance, if any?”

Over the past few months there has been an in- If you go to a professional college like engineering
or medical school you may have a good career, otherwise
crease in the number of reports that compare US educa-
your future is as secured as when you had passed your 10th
tion with the rest of the world. There are even some tests
or 12th grade (software and call centers are your best op-
that compare education of children world wide. Many of us
tions). There seems to be some missing link between school
routinely get emails that tell us how Americans are unable
education and career options.
to find many important countries including the US on a
Thus I feel comparing grades between different
world map. All these tests, reports and e-mails question the
countries may not be an appropriate or adequate way to
standard of education in America. My perspective on this
measure the success of their education systems. Seeing
subject has changed a bit over the past few years and I am
where the majority of the students end up in their careers
sure will continue to change with time.
may give a better idea of what countries can do to nurture
I was educated in India in a regular English medium
the best natural resource, their future generations.
school. I studied routine subjects like science, math and
social studies, with some languages prescribed by the board
- Azam Syed
of education; often times due to scolding from parents,
and/or because of stick in the teacher’s hand, and most
importantly, depending on which row I was made to sit in
the class and what kind of students I hung around with. The
end result of this was that I learnt what was there in the
books, scored well in my exams and got labeled as a good
student. Based on these reports and tests, I must have
faired well, and was thus considered to have received a
good education. I am positive this is true with most of the
readers. However, a few important things that I missed in
my education are liberal arts like music, painting or encour-
agement towards different sports and extra curricular ac- Rote learning is something that any Indian will famil-
tivities. iarize with instantly as it has very much been a part and parcel
Now, I have not obtained basic education in US, of our life just like Bollywood. I would not want to be a strong
so I cannot directly examine the American education sys- critic of the Indian Education System as I owe a great part of
what I am today to my education/teachers in India. However,
tem. However, I have worked in a day care as a volunteer
having been immersed for 19 years within the education system
and have known a few people closely who got educated in
in India and about 2.5 years of learning as well as teaching in the
America. In my view primary education is excellent in US, has often led me to compare the two.
America, and children are taught so much at school: Not
just bookish knowledge but general things of interest, in- Indian universities churn out 2.5 million graduates each
cluding the arts and animal studies, and sports. However, as year, a number next only to the US and China. Of these gradu-
these children move into middle school the control parents ates, 350,000 are engineers, which is double the number that
and teachers have over what children can do or cannot do the US produces. Our education system, right from the elemen-
seems to diminish, resulting directly in their “educational tary level to high school, is considerably more scrutinizing than
performance”, and by the time they move into high school the US. No wonder kids in India begin to resemble human cal-
basically it is only their interest in studies that decide where culators, solving complex calculations in a few seconds, unlike
they eventually end up. If you see children who are doing the kids in the US who are slaves to the machine even for trivial
well in US schools, chances are their parents have had a calculations. But the question is if a calculator can do a multi-
constant say in what they do. digit long division in a microsecond, and instantaneously calcu-
A strange thing however is that people who go to late derivatives and integrals then why should a student have to
college in America and get an undergraduate degree seem go through this rigmarole? Shouldn’t mathematics education
to have good careers, irrespective of the subject they focus on a mastery of concepts instead of mere memorization
choose. Pretty much everybody in India these days get a and the performance of tedious procedures?
...contd on pg 6
college diploma irrespective of whether they attend college
or just write the final exams.

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 5

 ...Contd from pg 5
I still remember the enormous time I spent cramming my history and geography books, which was useful only for a mere
reproduction of those details in my exam the next day. Not an iota of that ‘mugging’ remains in my brain cells right now. I strongly
feel that if these books were for voluntary reading instead of a forced curricular requirement they would have been much more
appealing to me and my fellow students. The endless time I spent memorizing those details could be utilized in training me hands on
for a vocation/hobby of my choice.
Another example of an extreme lack of creativity in college curriculum was my engineering mechanics class, which included
mind boggling statics and dynamics . I think the very reason this subject terrorized us was the vegetative approach of teaching it. For
instance, instead of making us memorize the complicated formulas for determining ‘force’, ‘momentum’ etc.. practical projects
would have given us much more insight into the concepts and fundamentals of the subject. I have been a Teaching Assistant for the
Engineering Freshmen at UT for two years. The Engineering Mechanics class curriculum I taught laid a strong emphasis on a Team
Design Project where students would be asked to design real solutions to genuine problems using the concepts/laws they are taught
in class. An example is building a small cardboard bridge or a tractor. This approach definitely enhances a student’s ability to ex-
plore, experiment, and develop a keen sense of the aesthetics of good design. The kind of learning they achieve through this hands-
on approach would stay with them forever and lay a strong foundation for their career.
My thoughts in this article are certainly not meant to disparage rote learning. For certain materials, rote learning is the only
way to learn it in a timely manner. For example, this is true when learning a foreign language or a musical notation. However let’s
not also forget to make creativity and ingenuity an important part of our curriculum, which in turn can fertilize our nation’s intellect.

- Tushti Marwah

You can make donations at our website: www.ashanet.org/knoxville or using the following donation slip

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 6

 Readers Corner
INDIANS IN AMERICA AND THE ASHA MISSION
We are not what we are but what we aspire to be. As I begin to compose my article for the very first issue of the magazine of
Asha in Knoxville, this is a thought that keeps occurring to me. As Indians in America, we are immi-
grants in a distant land, separated by our own free will from our homes and cultures by a large dis-
tance, and perhaps by a larger mental alienation. Some would say this is due to “karmic” (a word much
misused these days) destiny, some would attribute this to “kismet” or fate, and a few others, who are
either brave and confident or perhaps just not intelligent or honest enough to admit otherwise, to
strategy and personal achievements. In any case, we look back, sometimes happily and often wistfully,
through space to catch a glimpse of the life that we may have led in another part of the globe we may
have once called home, or through time for the life that we have forever left behind. We think of the
chances missed: One good turn we may have done for one orphan or destitute child but never did, or
the one call in our hearts to be a teacher in a primary school which we may have immediately brushed
aside as a childish fancy. Perhaps that one act would have contributed to sustaining or even lighting the
one spark that may have illuminated an entire nation, but we never gave that act a chance. Not that we
are unhappy in what used to be, and still is in many ways, the land of opportunities. As Indian Ameri-
cans, we are successful and happy in our new homes and proud to belong and contribute to a society and culture we admire and respect.
However, we have perhaps a lingering wistfulness for what we might have become if we had only given ourselves the opportunity. What we
could have achieved if we had the time or the inclination to think of others around us in our, by now almost forgotten, homelands, when
instead we just thought of our careers.
We wonder under what compulsion we made the decision to be so mediocre, and if this is not mediocrity, then we wonder what
is. Yet, we look forward, and we aspire. We aspire to do for once what we omitted to do for so long. We aspire to transcend the self, and
to move beyond that burning desire to grow our careers at all costs, even if only temporarily. We aspire to reach out with a helping hand,
trembling with an emotion we so little understand. Perhaps we stretch our helping hands to help our own selves as we reach our inner
sources of strength. We aspire high, and occasionally we transcend ourselves. However, we have to aim carefully, especially if we are to
ensure the continued sustenance our inner quest. Let us start our journey with the new Asha magazine today with the modest aim of gen-
erating a discussion forum where we can talk about things that matter to Asha, and, even those that seemingly may not matter.
Let us start telling each other about ourselves and about Asha for education, as well as about Asha’s goal of providing education
to the underprivileged. Hopefully, we will aspire to achieve much more. Hopefully, we will aspire to generate the inspiration and the motiva-
tion in ourselves so that we can contribute to Asha’s mission. I know this is not easy. I know one small act may get lost in a sea of need. I
know there will be skeptics. Let us not let the skeptics discourage us. However, let us also not dismiss even the skeptics amongst us, but
treasure their opinions as learning opportunities. Let us strive to remain eternally hopeful, for we know we are not what we are, but what
we collectively aspire to be.
- Desi Bijou

They choose to not display their intelligence, the in

CAN THE AVER-
AGE INDIVIDUAL
BE GOOD
ENOUGH?
In a society that emphasizes uniqueness and indi-
viduality, what is the role for the “average” person? What
of the individual who chooses to not raise his hand in class
when he knows an answer; the individual who chooses to
blend in with his peers; and, the individual who, by his
wishes, chooses to do merely what is asked of him, and no
more? Should this average person stay the way he is, or
should he strive to excel to be “above” the crowd?
Among many second-generation Indian-
Americans, such a role is indeed prevalent. They do not
want to draw attention to themselves or to their unique-
ness among their peers. They choose to blend in.
hope that they will not be thought of as the “nerdy-Asian”.
However, perhaps one can ask: Is that title such a bad thing?
Would you rather have a “nerdy-Asian” be your doctor, or a “druggy-
Asian”? When did the act of displaying intelligence become a negative char-
acteristic? Today’s figureheads are not towering intellects like Einstein and
Newton, but sports figures and movie stars. Where did this alteration
come from?
Is this a plea to ask each individual to raise his hand in class and
broadcast his opinion throughout campus? No. This is merely a request for
an individual to live up to his potential. Do not cut your-
self short because of societal pressures, strive for the best
and the best will come to you.
- Dipti Chhajwani

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 7

 Readers Corner
A SUITABLE HABITAT- THE BASIC NECESS ITY OF LIFE
Urbanization causes pressures on basic services. Governments invest more in facilities for urban economic growth than in facili-
ties in slum areas. Slum dwellers ask for social security and a better future for their children. This requires facilities such as secure tenure,
education, housing, water, sewerage systems, sanitary facilities, waste collection systems, and energy. More than half of the inhabitants of
the rapidly growing slum areas are children and youth. In deprived neighborhoods they face the same problems everywhere: lack of social
support, education, and steady income. Urban administrators and adults make decisions about them, but without involving them. Providing
better living conditions and education for all in slums worldwide is one of the biggest challenges. Economic growth, stability and security,
the environment, good governance, education and health care are all interlinked; you cannot address one and forget about the rest. Local
governments have their own important role to play in promoting dialogue, building mutual trust and creating development prospects.

Every day, the TV news reminds us of the world’s housing problems: the fetid living conditions in the
world’s slums; the homelessness of refugees in post-conflict areas; the lack of education and the crime and violence
plaguing many cities, bringing danger and thwarting social integration. Local governments play a vital part in making
cities safe and stable places to live. Solving the complex issues causes underlying problems, which in turn requires
commitment and knowledge to address. This year’s conference to celebrate World Habitat Day, held at the
Hague in the Netherlands on the 1st and 2nd of October 2007, focused on these issues, the theme being ‘ A Safe
City is a Just City’.

The United Nations chose this year’s theme in order to raise awareness and encourage reflection on the mounting threats to
safety and social justice, particularly urban crime and violence, forced eviction and insecurity of tenure, as well as natural and human-made
disasters. As the world becomes increasingly urban, it is essential that policymakers understand the power of the city as a catalyst for na-
tional development. Cities have to be able to provide inclusive living conditions for all their residents. Rich or poor, everyone has a right to
the city, to a decent living environment. Once this is achieved, a way for education will automatically be paved.

Another significant threat to urban safety today is forced eviction and insecurity of tenure. Incidents of forced eviction are regu-
larly reported from all parts of the world. They are often linked to bulldozing of squatter settlements and slums in developing countries, as
well as to processes of gentrification, beautification and urban redevelopment in both developed and developing country cities. Forced
evictions have been highly publicized in recent years, partly because freedom from forced eviction has become recognized as a fundamental
human right within international human rights law.

Disasters, natural and human-made, are yet another current threat to urban safety. Recent evidence suggests that natural and
human-made disasters are increasing in frequency the world over, and that this trend is partly linked to climate change. From 1975 to 2005,
the number of disasters in the world increased from 100 to 400 per year. Hurricane Katrina, the Asian Tsunami and the Pakistan Earth-
quake are some of the recent disasters that exposed our woeful lack of preparedness.

Combined, these three threats to urban safety currently pose a huge challenge to both national and city governments. The meas-
ures which were identified in the conference to deal with the threats emphasized for transforming problem neighborhoods into vibrant
communities by physical improvement: made visible by creating attractive neighborhoods, such as public space, green spaces and pleasant
housing stock and by social development, this is crucial as there is a need to get the residents involved; the key to success is to enhance
social services such as employment, education, child care and health care , close government-community partnership and public-private
partnership: the key ingredients are having the right actors, mutual interest, creating leadership, sufficient resources, political will and risk
sharing.

- Jheelum Banerjee

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 8

 India at a Glance
DEAL OR NO DEAL Fourteen of its 22 atomic power
reactors were designated as civilian. The
The past few months have seen
remaining eight were for its military/weapons
several viewpoints on the much talked about
program.
Nuclear Deal. Here is a glimpse of the Nuclear
Deal (dis)agreement and what the 123 agree- In return for placing its civilian
ment could do for us (Source: The Hindustan reactors under safeguards from the Interna-
Times, Wikipedia) tional Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the
nuclear watchdog of the United Nations, India
Section 123 of the United States
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, titled "Cooperation would be assured of fuel supplies for its civil-
with other Nations", establishes an agreement ian reactors.
for cooperation as a prerequisite for nuclear In addition to striking an accord
deals between the US and any other nation. with IAEA, India also needs to seal an agree-
Such an agreement is called a 123 Agreement.
ment with the Nuclear Suppliers Group
To date, the U.S. has entered into roughly
(NSG) so that nuclear commerce can resume.
twenty-five 123 Agreements with various coun-
The NSG is a cartel of 45 countries, including
tries.
the US, Russia, Canada, UK, France and
The 123 agreement seeks to restore China, which regulates all global nuclear com-
India's right to access its nuclear requirements merce and controls international nuclear fuel
in the international community. When func- and technology transfers to curb prolifera-
tional, India would get access not only to tion. Getting a waiver from it would allow
atomic power reactors, but banned 'dual use' India to resume nuclear commerce and offer
technologies useful for its space, medicine and it more choices to source its supplies than
biotechnology programs. It could also sell its Domestic critics, like those from the Left
only the US.
expertise and products. Moreover Nuclear however feel India has, by this deal, very closely
power is the best answer to global warming as The 123 Agreement takes on board aligned itself with the US. Hence the deal is facing
it is a clean fuel and will reduce our dependence India's concerns, the 'red lines' which Prime tremendous opposition from the Left as well as some
on fossil fuels Minister Manmohan Singh laid out in Parlia- allies within the UPA. This has led to the deal being
ment. These were that India's strategic or put on a hold temporarily at present.
This agreement is ONLY for peace-
weapons program must stay out of the agree-
ful uses of nuclear energy, which is why India Are all the crucial decisions pertaining to
ment's scope; that India must have assured
had to present a Separation Plan, separating its our development slave to a few power-hungry, tech-
access to fuel for the entire life of its reac-
civilian nuclear power reactors from its strate- nology-curbing bureaucrats? Are we really living in a
tors; India must have the right to reprocess
gic or weapons program. democracy that is FOR the people?
(re-use) the spent fuel from its reactors and
India must regain access to the full nuclear -Compiled by Tushti Marwah
cycle and related technologies.

‘RAM SETU’- MYTH, MYSTERY OR REALITY AND INDIA’S STAND

The Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge connects India's Rameshwaram to Sri Lanka's Talaimannar. The row over Ram Setu has been at the centre of
the country's political scene for sometime now. Sethusamudram, a project worth Rs 2,427 crores (Rs 24.27 billion), proposes to build a navigation channel
connecting the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay through Adam's Bridge which will reduce the steaming distances between the east and west coast of India and
will improve the navigation within territorial waters of India. However, it has got a controversial hue, perhaps due to a lack of transparency and because
collective sensitivities and matters of faith were not taken into full consideration. In addition to matters of heritage and belief, concerns have been ex-
pressed regarding India’s national security as well as increased impact of future tsunamis, if the Ram Setu is destroyed. If the new channel is created
through the present Setu, international ships would pass through it making a de facto international boundary between India and Sri Lanka, facilitating an
increased alien presence, thereby burdening Indian Navy to a great extent. While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's statements on the existence
of Ram has led to a huge controversy, open support has come from CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat in favor of the DMK. The war of words be-
tween the BJP and the DMK is not just escalating but becoming uglier by the day with the DMK chief Karunanidhi refusing to apologize for his statements
on Ram. Backing Karunanidhi 's right to express his opinion, Karat said that the Sethusamudram project couldn't be put on hold. (Sources: Rediff News,
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India and BBC News)

- Compiled by Jheelum Banerjee

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 9

 India at a Glance
INDIA EMERGES SECOND-BIGGEST FDI MAGNET
India has emerged as the second most-attractive location after China, ahead of the US and Russia, for global foreign direct investment (FDI) in
2007. According to UNCTAD’s world investment report, India’s ranking in inward FDI performance index has also improved to 113 in 2006 from 121 in
2005. China is the most preferred investment location, followed by India, the US, the Russian Federation and Brazil, the report said.

The share of India and China in total global FDI outflows has also risen. While the combined outflows accounted for 10% of total FDI outflows
in 2005 in the Asian region, the number increased to 25% in 2007. While China’s outflows increased 32% to $16 billion in 2006, Indian outflows witnessed
a four-time rise since 2004, registering a substantial increase in FDI amounting to $17 billion. Regarding the increased flow of FDI into India, the report
pointed out that while foreign retailers such as Wal-Mart have started to enter the Indian market, a number of US companies such as General Motors and
IBM are rapidly expanding their presence in the country, as are several large Japanese MNCs such as Toyota and Nissan. Global FDI inflows soared in 2006
to reach $1,306 billion, showing a growth of 38%.

The rising outflow of FDI from the two countries, China and India is throwing up increasing competition for countries like Hong Kong (China),
the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan as the main sources of FDI in developing Asia. Interestingly, while India’s outflows have been dominated by
privately-owned corporate houses such as the Tata group (e.g., the Tata-Corus deal), in China FDI outflows are mainly driven by the international expan-
sion of state-owned enterprises due to progressive government policies. Tata Steel acquired Corus Group in early 2007, creating Tata-Corus — the fifth-
largest steel maker in the world.

In terms of country choice for foreign investors, China polled 52% of the respondents in the UNCTAD survey, followed by India with 41%. The
US received support of 36% and Russia 22%, followed by Brazil with 12%. The emergence of China and India as important sources of FDI, coupled with
active M&A activities by investors based in the Asian newly-industrializing economies (NIE), has led to increased FDI flows from Asia to developed coun-
tries as well. (Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi, India)

- Compiled by Jheelum Banerjee

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE COUNTRY? TAKE THIS QUIZ AND FIND OUT!

1. The bank of which river was the site of the second urbanization in India?
a. Indus b. Ganga c. Narmada

2. Which collection of stories with morals, about animals, was written during the Gupta period?
a. Panchtantra b. Jataka Tales c. Vikram Aur Vetaal

3. Which is the most spoken language in India?

a. Tamil b. Gujarati c. Hindi

4. Which UNESCO World Heritage site is the largest mangrove forest in the world?
a. Saurashtra b. Ernakulam c. Sunderbans

5. Which flower of south India to blooms only once in 12 years?

1. b, 2. a, 3. c, 4. c, 5. b
a. Parijata b. Kurinji c. Surangi
Answers
Excerpted from Rediff India Abroad

Indian Railways: “Life line of the Nation”

Quick Facts

• ~ 30.5 Billion US Dollars Revenue.

• 16 Railway Zones.

• ~ 1.4 Million Employees

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 10

 Indians at Knoxville
KNOXVILLE REGION INDIAN PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATION

Knoxville Region Indian Physicians Association (KRIPA) was formed three years ago. The purpose was to have a
venue for Indian doctors to come together socially and promote cultural and philanthropic activities. We have close to sixty
members and we meet regularly. The group does medical meetings four or five times a year. We are fortunate to have ex-
ceptional speakers in our midst that we do not generally need to get outside speakers. KRIPA has arranged health education
sessions in the community. We cover wide range of topics like heart health, kidney health, children’s health and women’s
health. These sessions become very valid as Indian community seem to have different health issues compared to the general
population. Our education sessions are geared to address these problems. Along with education we have sponsored health
screens. We pool the resources of foundations like National Kidney Foundation and American Diabetes Association to
make the health screen possible. These health screens have helped early identification of problems and more importantly
increased the awareness in the community. We want to expand our activities by involving in the care of indigent population
and developing a bone marrow registry. We are proud to have started a very active group dedicated to the health of the
community.

Urath Suresh, MD

Manthan’s Events (August ‘07 - October ‘07) Garba Night (October ‘07)

Sky is the limit !!! UT Friends Diving Durga Puja (October ‘07)

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 11

 Lifestyle
MUSIC A POWERFUL PILL
Stress is part of our regular life. Especially in
youth, there are social, academic and family factors aggra-
vating the stress. On and off moods, sleepless nights,
showing anger for no reasons, social withdrawal and
sometimes suicide may be the outcomes of the increasing
stress. This may end up in the use of psychiatric medica-
tions, visitations to counseling centers, and fighting hard
against this stress …. But is there a natural way of dealing
with it? The answer is undoubtedly yes!!! Music is the best
and easiest way to reduce stress and pressures, although
this is not the only solution. There are other solutions
like meditation, pranayama, and so on, but beginners may
find it difficult to follow them.
Music has a profound effect on
body and psyche. In fact there is a
growing field of health care known
as music therapy which uses music
to heal. Music can be a solution
for Stress, Insomnia (sleeplessness), Constipation, Ulcers,
Depression, Phobia (fear) and Anger.
The first target of music is our brain, more specifi-
cally the right side of the brain. Rhythm is the component of
music that synchronizes our brain waves to the beat. Strong
beat leads to increase in the nerve impulses in the brain and
creates alertness and concentrated thinking. Slow music is
associated with hypnotic and meditative states. Also, re-
search shows that music has an effect on breathing rates.
When our mind is disturbed, the first thing that is affected is
our breathing rate. Breathing becomes desynchronized dur-
ing disturbed mental state. This is an involuntary action. Lis-
tening to slow music will re -synchronize this rate gradually
and helps to keep us balanced. Slower music induces slower
breathing and slower heart rates, which in turn activates a
relaxation response. This is the mechanism for stress reduc-
tion.
The concept of ragas in Indian classical music is
found to have tremendous healing effect, especially effective
in repairing moods. A hypothesis is that the notes in the
ragas are the sounds close to nature. But how our brains
process the notes is still a mystery!
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC? It’s preferable to choose an instru-
mental (like violin, veena) music and slow rhythmic music.
Vocal music results in biases caused by liking or not liking the
voice of vocalist. The music volume should be maintained at
optimum levels (i.e., not too loud or too soft). To combat
stress, listening to music for at least 20 minutes will relax
you. There is no need to be music lover for this or even
have a capacity of appreciating music.
© Copyright to Asha Knoxville
It is sufficient if we do not hate music. Lastly, patience is very im-
portant. This is a long term phenomena. Re-
member! We are dealing with our mind- not an
easy one to handle!
- Sirisha Duvvuru
How to spot healthful foods by reading the nutrition labels on
the container
Serving Size & Servings per Container: Check carefully. Most packaged foods
contain more than one serving, especially small bags of snacks and candy as well as
bottles of regular soda.
Total Calories & Calories from Fat per serving: Individual calorie needs vary
depending on age, gender, and daily activity. Unless you get more than 30 minutes of
brisk activity in your day-to-day life, your recommended daily calorie intake is 1800
for women; 2200 for men ages 31-50.
Total Fat, Saturated Fat, Tran Fat: Try to keep your total fat intake under 60
grams per day. Most of that should come from the healthier monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated types of fat. Limit trans fats to 2 grams per day and saturated fats to
14 grams per day.
Cholesterol: Check the amount of cholesterol in one serving. Recommended daily
total is less than 300 mg.
Sodium: Salt is the most common source of sodium for the body. Recommended
daily total of sodium is less than 2300 mg. A healthy packaged food contains between
300 and 350 mg sodium per serving.
Total Carbohydrate: Talk with your doctor or dietitian about this if you are trying
to control blood sugar or have diabetes.
Sugar: In general, the less, the better.
Dietary Fiber: The amount of dietary fiber in a serving: 25-30 grams of dietary
fiber per day are recommended for most adults.
* The percents to the right in each column show the portion of a full day’s recom-
mended intake of the nutrient (fat, saturated fat, salt, etc.) based on a daily total
calorie intake of 2000.
Also you should read the list of ingredients which is typically printed on another part
of the package. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. If sugar is first, that
means the food probably has a lot of sugar. For grain products, the words 100% whole
grain should be listed first. Look for monounsaturated fats like olive, canola, and nut oils.
Avoid hydrogenated oils another name for trans fats).
Laughter Corner
I asked my new girlfriend what sort of books she's interested in,
she said: Check books.
Q: What's the difference between a good lawyer and a great law-
yer?
A: A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge.
At weddings old aunts used to tease me saying: You are next, you
are next.
But they stopped it since I started doing the same to them at fu-
nerals!
Son: Mom, when I was on the bus with Dad this morning, he told
me to give up my seat to a lady.
Q: Why doesn't law permit a man to marry a second woman?
A: Because as per law you cannot be punished twice for the same
12
 ...contd from pg 1 events to encourage more participation from commu-
The good news is that during the last two dec- nity people and to develop a relation between Univer-
ades, India has witnessed significant reformation. She en- sity students and community people. Once finalized,
tered the “Trillion Dollar Club” on April 25 2007; a full the details of these events will be published on the
thirty-eight years after the United Stated. This is nonethe- website and emails.
less very impressive considering the fact that independent How can you contribute?
India is only sixty years old. However, the growth rate can • Become a member of the mailing list.
be sustained only if education reaches the grass root level. • Participate in the fund raising and publicity events.
“Asha for education” is trying to make education • Promote “Asha” to your friends through emails
accessible at the grass root level. Asha is a secular, non- and community gatherings.
profit, non-political, and volunteer driven organization. The
concept of “Asha” is very simple. Volunteers raise funds “Asha for Education” is a small effort from us along with
through events, donations, merchandize, corporate spon- thousands of volunteers to see a glorious India.
sorships etc., and disburse these funds to NGOs in India or
to the projects taken up by Asha. All donations made in Thank You!
USA to Asha are fully tax deductible under Section 501(c)
3 of the IRS code. Like-minded volunteers who want to Committee
make a difference in India run “Asha.” There are several Sampath Kandala - Chapter Coordinator
other organizations working for the same noble cause. Teja Kuruganti - Projects Coordinator
Mohan Damu - Treasurer
Glimpse at “Asha” Wide Aashish Chaurey - Events Coordinator
Ramu Katakam - Fund Raising Coordinator
• Formed in 1991 - University of California, Berkley
Phani Nukala - Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator
• 60 + Chapters World Wide
Meena Kalyan - ARC Representative
• Total money disbursed: 13 Million + Bhargav Kandala - Webmaster
• Total projects supported: 350 + Projects
Current Asha Wide Projects
Glimpse at “Asha” Knoxville
• Formed in February 2007 with 6 Volunteers
Project Total Budget
• Recognized in May 2007 by “Asha” wide.
• Events Conducted so far: Assam Center for Rural De- 11,135..00
1. Registration Event 2. Picnic 3. WAH 4. Chak De velopment (ACRD)
India Movie Screening
Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha 9,308.00
• Funds raised till date: $ 3491.00 USD
Special thanks to volunteers of Manthan, Indian American (BTS)
Association (IAA) and Hindu Cultural Center (HCC) for 5,843.58
creating a platform to establish “Asha” chapter in Knox- Institute of Social Work Pri-
ville. Without their support, this would have been re- mary Education Project
mained a dream. (ISW)
Khajurdaha Nabankur United 24,974.00
Current Asha Knoxville activities
• Project implementation is on the top of our action Club - LTTO
items list. We are currently reviewing few project pro- 11,800.00
Needy Illiterate Children
posals. We want to take up a couple of small projects
in order to understand the project implementation Education (NICE)
process. This would also require mentoring from a Sankalp Welfare Society 28,000.00
different “Asha” chapter. Most of the projects can be
selected from the Asha projects database. In addition, Team for Education and Ac- 6702.50
word of mouth is another proven way to identify a tion (TEA Trust)
project. If anyone has any specific project ideas, please
Timbaktu Collective 87,873.00
let us know. We will work through the processes and
move toward implementation. Since we are a new Vikasana Bridge School for 27,500.00
chapter, taking up the first project is always a time
consuming process because of the initial learning Child Labour Rehabilitation
curve. Aralu Belaku 13,163.80
• The volunteers’ base and the money we raised so
To Reach You (TRY) 36,318.80
far represent only 10% of the capability in Knoxville.
We are planning to conduct publicity/ fund raising

© Copyright to Asha Knoxville 13