Articles
December 1-15, 2011
| Infamous insider-trading convict Rajaratnam enters Mass. prison
Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam, the man at the heart of one of the biggest insider trading scandals in U.S. history, started his prison sentence at The Devens Federal Medical Center in Devens, Mass., last week. Rajaratnam, who is from Sri Lanka, has been sentenced to the longest prison term ever given for insider trading — 11 years.
Rajaratnam was convicted in May of insider trading activities over a six year period starting in 2003. He was accused of racking up $70 million in profits with his insider trading. The high-profile trial revealed a widespread web of informants and friends and has resulted in the conviction of more than 50 people.
| | Online-education pioneer Khan snags MIT commencement speech slot
Sal Khan, an online-education pioneer whose free YouTube lectures have been viewed more than 100 million times, will deliver the address at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's commencement exercises on Friday, June 8 in Cambridge, Mass.
The holder of three MIT degrees -- a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and computer science, a bachelor's degree in mathematics, and a master's degree in electrical engineering and computer science -- Khan left his job as a hedge fund analyst to found the Khan Academy, whose library of nearly 3,000 homemade videos offers viewers a wide variety of lessons in mathematics and the sciences. The Khan Academy's YouTube channel has more than 227,000 followers.
| | Photographer, filmmaker shares perspective in Boston talk
Parthiv Shah, a photographer, filmmaker and graphic designer and founder-director of the Centre for Media and Alternative Communication, spoke at the Massachusetts of Institute of Technology on Dec. 8 in a talk titled "Images as Witness."
Shah has made several documentary films, curated exhibitions, and has several photo-books to his credit, including books on street children and transgenders in India. He has taught about photography and design in India and beyond, including at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Growing up in a family of artists and through his own professional training, he brings an interesting intersection of art, photography and design to his work.
| | ProjectGEM holds first event
 Project Girls Education Matters, known as ProjectGEM, held its first event on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland, Mass. The aim of the project is to provide girls in Muslim countries with basic education, with a current focus on Pakistan.
Started in 2010, ProjectGEM has raised over $100,000. It is a partnership between the Islamic Center of Boston and Oxfam America. The organizations mission statement is: "Project GEM brings together individual volunteers working to improve girls' education in developing countries through awareness building and fundraising efforts, in support of specific education initiatives enabled by the global reach of Oxfam America."
| | Two Hindi comedy plays entertain over weekend
New England Hindi Manch had a big weekend with two Hindi comedy plays — "Bin Bulaye Mehmaan" and "Thief! Police!" The plays are directed by renowned director Mohan Dali. Both the plays are originally Marathi and translated to Hindi by Deepali Khanzode.
The plays were a great opportunity for theater and Hindi lovers to enjoy hilarious plays, meet kindred spirits and support the culture by attending the shows, organizers said.
| | Washington Leadership Program seeks college students
 The Washington Leadership Program is now accepting applications from high-potential South Asian college students for the 2012 summer leadership program scheduled to take place from June 9, 2012 to August 3, 2012.
The Washington Leadership Program cultivates the South Asian American community’s next generation of leaders by placing them in Congressional offices or Government Agencies for eight-week summer internships and a structured leadership-training curriculum, according to the organization. The students gain a firsthand view of the policy-making and legislative process, as well as gain access to high-profile South-Asian leaders in the nation’s capitol. Applications are available online at www.thewlp.com. The deadline for submitting applications is January 20, 2012.
| | The 50 Most Influential People in New England announced
For the first time, INDIA New England honors The 50 Most Influential People in New England. These most influential people are entrepreneurs, executives, investors, community leaders, researchers, activists, artists, dancers, musicians, students, philanthropists or anyone whose work, effort or influence helps shape the South Asian community in New England. The honorees, listed in alphabetical order, were chosen based on community nominations and input from the editorial staff.
| | 'Bhopal Occupies Boston' event marks anniversary of disaster
Twenty-seven years after the chemical disaster in Bhopal India killed thousands of people a group of dedicated activists in Boston is making sure the fight for survivor's rights is not forgotten.
On Dec. 3, members of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal organized a series of events titled "Bhopal Occupies Boston." Around noon, more than 40 people gathered at Dewey Square in Cambridge, Mass., for a teach-in about the Bhopal disaster.
| | AIF Boston raises $1.1 million at gala
The Boston chapter of the American India Foundation collected an impressive $1.1 million from its annual gala, "Bow Ties & Bangles," held on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston. The event, which was attended by 450 people, was the fifth annual event for the Boston chapter and also celebrated the AIF's 10th anniversary.
| | Akshay Kumar talks about his new movie with INDIA New England
 Akshay Kumar, star of the current film “Desi Boyz,” shared his thoughts recently with INDIA New England about his role in the Hindi action comedy, risky stunts on the set, his co-stars, upcoming projects, family life and his career in general.
“Desi Boyz” is directed by Rohit Dhawan, son of director David Dhawan, and in addition to Kumar the film stars John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Chitrangda Singh, with a Sanjay Dutt cameo.
| | How to avoid common financial mistakes
This month’s column explores common mistakes I have seen investors make during my 25-year career as a private wealth advisor. Investors can help avoid these mistakes and stay on track to meet their financial goals by following some of the basic tips below.
Mistake No. 1: Letting emotions drive investing behavior
Mastering your emotions is essential to long–term investment success. The field of behavioral finance has received great consideration from both individual and institutional investors.
| | Matinee Masala - December 2011
The year 2011 for Bollywood can easily go unnoticed. The hits have been few and far between. But there is still hope as “Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl” and much awaited “Don2” may breathe in new life to the dawdling Bollywood track.
"Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl," released by Yash Raj Films on Dec. 9, marks the return of the hit "Band Baaja Baraat" pair as Ranveer Singh will be seen romancing Anushka Sharma again. It also stars Dipannita Sharma, Aditi Sharma and Priyanka Chopra's cousin Parineeti Chopra.
| | To teach China a lesson, India needs F-35s
A white paper published on October 24, 2011 by India's prestigious Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses warns that China could try a Kargil type of operation on India to teach India a second lesson -- the first lesson being the short border skirmish of 1962 high in the Himalaya's Aksai Chin area. The analysis goes over three escalating conflict scenarios starting with sub-conventional/Kargil level to conventional and finally the more sinister -- nuclear level.
| | Vijay Iyer Trio push modern jazz limits with imaginative Boston show
Grammy-nominated, composer-pianist Vijay Iyer and his band brought their version of the classic jazz trio, infused with cutting-edge new music and rhythmically intricate grooves, to the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Friday, Dec. 9.
While two lucky INDIA New England readers won a pair of tickets to see the smooth-fingered maestro sail through a set of mostly new tunes and some inspired covers, anyone who couldn't make the show missed a floating evening of innovative music.
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