Once, an NRI and an American were sitting side by side in the business class of a plane while traveling to India from the USA. The NRI was going on a business trip to India, and the US traveler was going to make his first India tour. The latter was curious about his destination. He was more in the know of ancient India than the 21st century India, and therefore, he was keen to see camels, snake charmers, rural belles carrying earthen pots on their heads, etc. He greeted the NRI with a broad smile and got into a conversation with him. The NRI’s sense of humor made the conversation funny.

The US traveler: Hello! Are you from India?
The NRI: Yup (taking the magazine down from in front of his face).
The US traveler: Were you born on the soil of India?
The NRI: On the soil and under the sky of India!
The US traveler: (felt amused) Very nice! Is India hot?
The NRI: Hmm! It is hot and cool just like American guys and gals.
The US traveler: I see! Where are snake charmers found in India?
The NRI: Are you on a mission to catch the snake charmers of India? Sorry! Recently, they have been rehabilitated on the moon.
The US traveler: On the moon! I will visit Rajasthan first. It is the land of camels.
The NRI: You’re absolutely right (with a suppressed lough). Don’t forget to have a camel ride.
The US traveler: I will ride on camel all around Rajasthan.
The NRI: Animal rights activists in India will award you for the ride.
The US traveler: Indians are known for their sweet tooth for desserts.
The NRI: We have a sweet tooth for salt too.
The US traveler: Which direction is South in India?
The NRI: You had better find it on Google map.
The US traveler: I will visit Rabindranath Tagore in Bengal.
The NRI: He is busy writing. Seek an appointment first.
The US traveler: I will, I will. Do you use perfume in India?
The NRI: No. Indians are too gentle to seduce ladies.
The US traveler: Is Taj Mahal visible at night?
The NRI: If you carry a lamp…
The US traveler: Where does Aishwarya Rai live in India? I have seen her on a TV show?
The NRI: She lives in the mind of every Indian.
The US traveler: Are there dance floors in Indian cities?
The NRI: Indians dance on the roof in cities (with a smile).

How did you enjoy the fun? We at Travel Beats, an Indian community portal by Indian Eagle Travel, celebrates International Joke Day with you. Happy Joke Day! Like us on Facebook and Twitter. Indian Eagle books the cheapest flights to India, even for last-minute travel. Hey, it is not a joke!

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The Ramayana, one of the two great Indian epics, is an eternal story. It has been told, retold, narrated and depicted through different mediums including TV series, cartoons, comics, movies, fictional writing and animation films in regional languages of India many a time. With a group of three young filmmakers planning to make an English film on Ramayana in 3D for a global audience, the Indian classic is all set to make its debut in the United States.

Indian American Vineet Sinha from the San Francisco Bay Area has collaborated with filmmakers Sean Graham and Ronnie Allman from the United States to create a 3D version of the Ramayana in English. They felt an urge to entertain and enlighten the world with the mythological stories of India like Ramayana in English, which are open to multilevel and multidimensional interpretations. Currently they are on a mission to crowdfund the project in India.

Is the proposed English film on Ramayana in 3D going to be another Indian movie? The USA based filmmakers claim to adapt the story of Ramayana for celluloid by means of the latest 3D technology on the same scale of excellence as that of such Hollywood films as Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes.

Indian films are not known as globally as animated versions of the most popular Hollywood films like Superman series, Batman series and Star Wars series, according to Indian American Vineet Sinha. He opines that the huge potential of Indian mythology is yet to be explored through technologically cinematic adaptations on a global scale.

We want to reach out to the audience that loves watching Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes, with our 3D film on Ramayana in English. We want to make sure that our adaptation of the Indian epic will meet the expectations of Indians and cater to the global audience’s penchant for fantasy, action and adventure, at the same time. – Vineet Sinha

“The Ramayana is not just an epic or story. It is interwoven with the religious sentiments and values of Indians at home and abroad. Recreating or retelling it in any format or for any medium is a big challenge. In our take on Ramayana in high-tech 3D, we would like to stay true to the time despite our own twist of some things,” said filmmaker Sean Graham.

Hanuman and Ravana are two most interesting characters in the story of Ramayana. Portrayal of these two Indian mythological characters is open to creativity, new-age theories and modern interpretation. The makers of the upcoming English film on Ramayana in 3D claim their depiction of Ravana and Hanuman to be a lot more exciting watch.

“For instance, ten heads of Ravana may be depicted symbolizing ten different human characteristics including wisdom, rationality, creativity and humor that Ravana was said to have according to some versions of the Ramayana,” elaborated Sean Graham.

Vineet Sinha, a graduate from the University of South California, is sanguine of his collaboration with the filmmaker duo – Sean Graham and Ronnie Allman – for the upcoming 3D film on Ramayana in English. It would be a short film, which is yet to be titled.

Travel Beats, a digital news portal by IndianEagle, a US-based international travel organization, publishes the latest news and stories from India, USA, Canada and Indian Diaspora.

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United Airlines flights in Economy Class seem to be better than the same flights by other airlines. United Airlines brings back free meals and drinks to its Economy flights on international routes. Moreover, an open bar to serve free beer and wine in Economy Class is like icing on the cake.

Economy travelers will be enjoying free booze on several routes to Asia including USA to India, and some Latin American routes. United Airlines has already started serving free wine and beer on some of its long-haul transpacific and transatlantic flights except international flights on some short-haul routes which are operated for domestic travel. However, a surcharge is still levied on cocktails on all flights and on all routes.

Of late, United Airlines rolled out a seasonal craft beer on its flights worldwide and at its signature United Club lounges in the U.S. The beer ‘Samuel Adams Winter Lager’ is in the selection of beverages on board. Unlike regular beer, this wheat winter lager is bold, rich and spicy with ground cinnamon, ginger and orange peel.

“We do always listen to our customers and strive to make their flights more enjoyable,” said Jimmy Samartzis, United’s Vice President for food services and United Clubs. “With our fingers on the pulse of customers to know their likes and choices, we deliver restaurant-like meals cooked with the best ingredients, and serve complimentary alcoholic drinks like seasonal beer.”

Non-alcoholic passengers need not be disappointed. There is something special for them on all United Airlines flights. Since December 1, 2015, the airline has been serving Illy Coffee on all international flights. United Airlines partnered with the Italian Coffee brand to treat all passengers to free coffee on all international routes including USA to India. The same coffee will be served at all United Club lounges in 2016.

In addition to free beer and free coffee on all Economy flights across its international network, United Airlines has revised the menu of premium cabin meals and snacks for the flights departing San Jose, Bogota, Santo Domingo, and Port of Spain.

Don’t miss your cup of Illy coffee and mug of Samuel Adams beer on United Airlines flights from USA to India. . Check the FAQ posts for details of inflight services and baggage allowance of major airlines flying between the USA and India. – Indian Eagle

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Actor Anupam Kher will be seen in a Hollywood film, The Headhunter’s Calling, to be directed by Mark Williams, who is an actor, comedian and screenwriter. Mark Williams is best known for playing Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter films. Anupam Kher, a maverick Indian actor who made his acting debut in Bollywood in 1982, will play an Indian-American oncologist in the upcoming Hollywood film.

Anupam Kher will share space with actor Gerard Butler on the screen. Gerard Butler is also co-producer of the movie. Kher is quoted saying, “Gerard Butler is a great actor. It’s nice to work with him.” Willem Dafoe, Alison Brie and Alfred Molina are other actors in the cast. Bill Dubuque, an eminent screenplay writer, penned the script. The shooting has already begun in Toronto.

Anupam Kher is not a new face in Hollywood. Besides several hundred Indian films, he has a few Hollywood movies to his fame. He acted in in award-winning Hollywood films like Silver Linings Playbook, Bend It Like Behckham, Lust, and Caution. Lust directed by Ang Lee won the Golden Lion award in 2007. David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook won the Academy Awards in 2013.

Kher played Dr. Chris Patel in Silver Linings Playbook. His immaculate portrayal of the character earned him critical acclaims in Hollywood. He shared space with Robert De Niro, an Academy Award winning actor and producer. Anupam Kher has such a good rapport with Robert De Niro that the latter visited his acting school, “An Actor Prepares,” in Mumbai.

Born in Shimla in the Himalayan region of India, actor Kher has donned different hats and added multiple feathers to his cap. He earned India’s National Film Award for Maine Gandhi Nahin Mara (2005), which he produced and acted in. He has acted with superstar Shah Rukh Khan in several Bollywood films, including Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Veer-Zara. He was also cast in Bride and Prejudice in 2004 and The Mistress of Spices in 2006.

Anupam Kher is the only Indian actor to have received honorary citizenship of Texas as a tribute to his play Mera Who Matlab Nahi Tha, which he staged across the USA and Canada in August this year. The American audience liked his performance and the play so much that the Mayor of Houston declared August 7 as Anupam Kher Day. The Mayor of Las Vegas did the same on September 10, 2015.

Travel Beats is a Cultural publication by Indian Eagle, a Texas based international travel organization. Travel Beats publishes news about the latest and upcoming events in the US, Canada and India. Indian Eagle books travel to India from USA and Canada.

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The 9th Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held on November 14 and 15 in Los Angeles, California, this year. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is at the helm of responsibilities towards organizing this annual Indian Diaspora Business Meet. Sushma Swaraj, the Minister for External Affairs of India, and John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, jointly declared the theme of the 9th RPBD Los Angeles, “The Indian Diaspora: Defining a New Paradigm in India-US Relationship.”

The Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is purposed to get the Indian diaspora involved in the development of India. This year it is focused on the ongoing relationship between India and the United States, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to California has already strengthened. The Indian Diaspora Business Meet in Los Angeles is exclusively aimed to emphasize how important role Indian American entrepreneurs will play in specific sectors such as Digital India, Renewable Energy, Social Entrepreneurship, Small Enterprise Investment, etc.

The 9th RPBD in Los Angeles will not only celebrate the contributions by the Indian American communities but also strengthen India’s economic as well as political bonds with the USA. The growing India-US relationship makes a major impact in the sectors which are critical to these countries’ mutual economic development goals.

The Indian diaspora in the United States have played an important role in IT, technology, science, medicine, hospitality, banking, education and entertainment. Seminars and discussions will be held to build on collaborations and identify the areas of improvement between India, the US and the Indian Americans, during the Indian Diaspora Business Meet in November 2015.

The ‘Clean India’ campaign (Swacch Bharat), digital initiatives, and entrepreneurial innovations are also on the list of possible topics for discussion, this year. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California, is the venue of the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015.

Travel Beats is a digital publication by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization. It caters to the interests of the Indian Diaspora in the US and connects them with India.

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Times Square, where Diwali celebration will be held on October 17, witnessed a crucial discussion by some Indian Americans over the ongoing Bihar elections in India. Several members of the Indian diaspora having their roots in the Indian state of Bihar, met at Times Square and held “Litti Pe Charcha” (discussions over Litti, a traditional dish in Bihar) about the current socio-economic scenario of Bihar.

Since Diwali as a cultural celebration in New York became a hit, other Indian American events have been adding to the vibrant ambience of Times Square. For instance, International Yoga Day was observed at Times Square in June this year. The air of Times Square was rife with the Indian diaspora’s voice in support of the Narendra Modi government in India.

The “Litti Pe Charcha” is inspired by the “Chai Pe Charcha”, one of the most popular campaigns by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before, during and after the Parliamentary Elections 2014 in India. Concerned about the development of Bihar, over 200 Indian Americans initiated the discussion “Litti Pe Charcha” over various socio-economic and socio-political aspects of their native land in India, at the iconic landmark in New York City.

They also expressed their expectations from a future government, with regards to the economy and employment in Bihar. Manik Tyagi, representing ‘Vote For India’, addressed the gathering of over 200 Indian Americans at Times Square and led the discussions about such key issues as poverty, unemployment, migration, education, agriculture, law and order in Bihar.

Anil Sharma representing HiPac, a large group of NRI youths in the US, was among the attendees during the “Litti Pe Charcha.” He highlighted the potential of human resources in Bihar and reasoned that it was not utilized to benefit the state. Other participants, too, expressed their hopes about the state’s economic growth and development in the future political regime.

Similar gatherings for the same discussion “Litti Pe Charcha” are to be held across the USA.

CHECK ALSO Details of Diwali at Times Square

Travel Beats, a cultural wing of Indian Eagle, shares details of Indian cultural events in the US. Indian Eagle is a leading travel organization offering the best airfare deals for flights to India.

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Diwali is back to Times Square in New York City. It is one of the most awaited New York events for Indian Americans. This is the third edition of Diwali at Times Square. Though India will celebrate the festival of lights on November 11 according to the celestial calendar, New York is all set to celebrate Diwali as a cultural extravaganza at different locations on different dates in October and November 2015.

Of the most popular New York City events, Times Square Diwali 2015 is a day-long cultural celebration on October 17. Like the last two years, it will see dazzles of fireworks in the skyline of Times Square. The events of the day include several entertainment programs like dance performance, photography exhibition, Indian fashion show, rangoli painting, etc. There is a culinary show among the programs, too.

The Indian American women organize workshops on various creative activities like Mehendi design, handcrafted art, Indian cooking, sari draping, etc. as part of the Diwali events in New York City. A stage performance by Bollywood actors including Ranbir Kapoor and his father Rishi Kapoor was the main attraction of Diwali at Times Square in 2014.

This year too, a group of artists will entertain the audience at Times Square on October 17. The names of the artists are to be announced.

• Venue: Times Square
• Location: 42-44^th Street and Broadway, New York
• Date: October 17, 2015

New York University is gearing up to host a Diwali party on November 21 this year. The NYU Global Student Dental Association is the organizer of the Diwali party. The location details are NYU Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, 10^th Floor, NY 10012.

Of the New York events in November 2015, Sur Sangam is a musical Diwali event in Garden City. Scheduled at 6:30 pm on November 15 (Sunday), the Diwali celebration will be accompanied by a gala dinner amidst melodious notes of Hindi songs at Akbar Restaurant, 2 South Street, NY 11520.

The Hindu Temple at Manhattan and the Jumeriah Essex House at Manhattan are other two venues of Diwali 2015 in New York. The Loomba Foundation will host the Diwali celebration at the Jumeriah Essex House, and the date is to be announced. The Hindu Temple is located at 96 Avenue B, Manhattan, New York 10009.

Travel Beats, a cultural wing of Indian Eagle, shares details of Indian cultural events in the USA. Indian Eagle is a leading travel organization booking best flights to India from New York and other cities in the US.

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With the green light to a three-match T20 series in the United States from the International Cricket Council, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne are all set to hit the fields in November. One of the upcoming events in the US, the T20 series will see two teams – Sachin Blasters and Warne Warriors – lock their horns under the captaincy of the two cricket legends.

On acceptance of a few conditions set by the ICC, Sachin and Warne have taken up the challenge of organizing the three-match T20 series in the USA, aiming to promote cricket among Americans. The matches will take place at City Fields in New York on November 7, Minute Main Park in Houston on November 11, and Dodger’s Stadium in Los Angeles on November 14.

The first two matches of the T20 series in the US will be held at daytime, while the third and last match will be played under the night sky. The baseball stadiums in New York, Houston and Los Angeles are being converted into cricket fields for this spots event, under supervision of a pitch specialist from New Zealand.

Who will be playing in this upcoming sports event in the United States? Among the who’s who of the cricket world, Brian Lara from West Indies, Wasim Akram from Pakistan, Michael Vaughan from England, Sangakkara from Sri Lanka, Jacques Kallis from South Africa, and Adam Gilchrist as well as Glen McGrath from Australia have been roped in for the T20 cricket matches.

The T20 series in the USA will also see some of the most popular Indian cricketers like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman besides Sachin Tendulkar. The popularity of these international cricketers will fetch the Americans to the stadiums, and it will help cricket grow in the United States.

In a recent interview, Sachin Tendulkar talked about his passion for cricket post retirement. His first match after retirement was against Shane Warne at Lord’s on the occasion of Marylebone Cricket Club’s bicentennial anniversary. He expressed his excitement about the opportunity to play against Shane Warne’s team in America.

Leverage Agency, a sports and entertainment firm, is organizing this sports event in the US cities. Ben Sturner, CEO of Leverage Agency, believes that these T20 matches would be an altogether different and thrilling experience for the Americans.

Travel Beats is a cultural wing of Indian Eagle, the leading travel partner of Indian Americans booking their trips to India. Get the cheapest flight tickets to India from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other American cities.

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Felicitation of Rita Meher, an Indian American entrepreneur, by the Seattle Globalist is great Seattle news of the week for the South Asians in the United States. Co-founder of Tasveer, a nonprofit arts and cultural organization, Rita Meher is titled the “Globalist of the Year 2015.”

The “Globalist of the Year” award is given to those whose epoch-making projects have lots of impact on international communities in Seattle and the United States at large. The Seattle Globalist recognized Rita Meher’s consistent efforts to dispel racial stereotypes about the South Asian community in the US after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Rita Meher cofounded Tasveer with Farah Nousheen in 2002 aiming to revive the image of South Asians in the American media, which was distorted and misrepresented in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Tasveer provides South Asians with an effective medium to tell their thought-provoking stories online.

Tasveer, based in Seattle, is on a mission to put South Asian communities in a good light through cultural events. It curates thought-provoking stories, visual artworks and films by South Asians from across the globe. Rita Meher believes that a community lives, its fame spreads and its name goes global by means of art and culture.

The Seattle South Asian Film Festival is one of the noble efforts by her as a social entrepreneur and cofounder of Tasveer. She believes that celluloid is a most effective visual medium and film is a most powerful art of telling stories to connect a culture with other cultures, and a community with other communities.

The Seattle South Asian Film Festival (SSAFF) was initiated in 2006. Produced by Tasveer, it is a 12-day Seattle event screening a selection of substantial South Asian films across Greater Seattle Area. It provides Americans a platform to explore and engage with the South Asian cultures in a lively, stimulating, interactive environment. It also brings to the fore human right issues and socio-cultural issues in the South Asian regions.

The 10^th Seattle South Asian Film Festival will commence on October 15 and continue till October 25. One of the largest South Asian film festivals in the USA and the most popular Seattle events, SSAFF 2015 will be held in five cities: Seattle, Redmond, Bothell, Renton and Bellevue.

Of other Seattle events, Rita Meher heads the South Asian Women’s Festival. It showcases the South Asian adaptation of the Vagina Monologues. Since its official inception in 2002, Tasveer has held over 500 screenings and events across Greater Seattle Area.

Apart from the “Globalist of the Year” title, Rita Meher has received the Rising Star Award from the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation. We at Indian Eagle heartily congratulates Rita Meher! 

Travel Beats is a cultural wing of Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization booking flights to India from USA. Get the best flights from Seattle to New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata at the lowest prices!

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If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second visit to the United States is hyped, it is only for the right reasons. PM Modi’s upcoming trip to New York and Silicon Valley in California seems to be a steppingstone for ‘Digital India’. Though the main purpose of this official trip is to attend the 70^th annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York, he will meet Indian American entrepreneurs in San Francisco Bay area and visit the tech giants of the world such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple.

Image Credit: Americanbazaaronline.com

PM Modi is all set to catch up with top tech leaders including Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe Systems, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook; and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motor, during his stay in California in the last week of this month. He will discuss the Indian government’s – “Make in India” and “Digital India” – with them.

California’s Indian American entrepreneurs and San Francisco Bay Area’s tech leaders have shown their interest in meeting with PM Modi. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook is looking to build a manufacturing setup in India. The Indian Prime Minister wishes his assistance in nurturing his vision of India’s digital future. He wants Tim Cook to facilitate a high level of research and development in technology through investments in India.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and CEO, has already invited PM Modi to the headquarters in Palo Alto. Mr. Modi accepted the invitation and thanked him through a tweet. It is reported that PM will address a live Q&A session at Facebook’s headquarters on September 27. In response to his thanks, Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook:

I’m excited to announce that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Facebook HQ later this month for a Townhall Q&A. I had the chance to visit Prime Minister Modi in India last year, and it’s an honor to have a chance to host him here at Facebook.

Not only CEOs of the above-mentioned tech giants in California but also CEOs from the finance, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors in the USA will meet PM Modi. Reportedly, JP Morgan has taken the responsibility of arranging an exclusive meet-up of Mr. Modi and 15 CEOs from the financial sector. Moreover, Time Inc. is reported to host a dinner in honor of PM Modi, with 100 CEOs of infrastructure and manufacturing brands.

Besides his initiatives, “Make in India’ and “Digital India”, PM Modi will discuss various aspects of renewable energy with President Barack Obama on September 28, after addressing the students of Stanford University and a gathering of some 40,000 Indian Americans at the SAP Center in San Jose.

Indians, Indian Americans, American tech leaders and PM Modi himself are expecting a lot from this official visit to California this month. It is also anticipated that Narendra Modi’s meeting with entrepreneurs and CEOs in the USA will fetch investments for India’s industrial development. It will take the political and business relationship between India and the U.S. to the next level. – Indian Eagle

The preparations for the events to be held in honor of PM Modi during his upcoming trip to California are underway. Check the agenda of his visit for more details.  

Indian Eagle, a Texas-based travel partner of Indian Americans, leads in online booking of the best flights to India from USA with the cheapest air tickets from international airlines.    

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