In this issue:

Editors Note 2
Rendezvous with Dr. Narendra B. Dahotre 3

Topic of the Quarter 6

Discussion Forum 9

India at a Glance 11

Knoxville at a Glance 14

Lifestyle 15

Asha Quest 2nd Feb 2008

A KNOXVILLE CHAPTER PUBLICATION

Issue II

From the Coordinator’s Desk….

“The aim (of education) must be the training of independently

acting and thinking individuals who, however, can see in the
service to the community their highest life achievement.”

- Albert Einstein

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous

2008. Thanks for making Quest Issue 1 a suc-
cess. The magazine was circulated to all the
Asha Chapters and to all our friends within and
outside Knoxville. There was an enthusiastic
response from other chapters and they intend
to start the magazine in their respective chap-
ters soon. Special thanks to the editorial team.

2007 at a Glance
2007 was a great year for Asha Knoxville. We
were able to lay the foundation for Asha Knoxville
in the first quarter and over the course of the year,
publicity events like registration, picnic, India fest,
movie, Quest Issue1and fundraising event like
Work an Hour (WAH) rolled out and helped us to
create a strong framework. We have raised the
modest amount of $ 3900 USD in 2007. 2007 was
also memorable as we initiated collaborations with
Manthan, Delta Phi Omega (Sorority), IAA, HCC
and Community organizations. These organizations
have been extending their help to Asha in all possi-
ble ways. We received several appraisals from
other chapter volunteers stressing the fact that the
Asha Knoxville chapter blossomed in a very short
period of time. Thanks to everyone.
...contd on Page 16

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 1

 Editors Note
The other day I was sitting in my hotel room after a tiring day at a conference related to global warming. I turned the TV on
to the History channel, and interestingly enough, they were describing how climate change is the top threat facing humanity. In another
show on the same channel, there was a discussion of how 2012 has long been predicted to be a cataclysmic, and perhaps even an apoca-
lyptic, year for all of humanity. Apparently every prophecy, from those of Nostradamus, to hidden codes within religious books like the
Christian Bible and Muslim Hadith, as well as manuscripts of nearly lost civilizations like those of the Mayans, have all pinpointed 2012 as
the year of doom or major change. In fact, there was even the mention of a particular day, December 21st, 2012. I did a quick mental
calculation. That would be twenty one issues of Asha Quest in all, assuming one issue each quarter as we expect. If so, we have only
nineteen more issues, after this one, to spread Asha’s message of hope for the education of underprivileged children in India to the
Knoxville community. Let us make the most of the time we have left. Now that I have perhaps attracted your attention, let us also have
a more serious discussion. What are among the most important issues facing humanity today, which if left unresolved, may lead to our
collective doom? Yes, there is certainly global warming, but there are also other global phenomena. There is global terrorism and conse-
quently a global war against terror, with religion often acting as the immediate pretense, justification, and even an instigator of acts of
terror. Then there is global poverty, and even global hunger. The global warming debate may benefit from political leaders who are more
scientifically educated. We are not sure. However, the other global maladies facing humanity can certainly be eradicated, or at least re-
duced, by spreading education among the economically downtrodden and the underprivileged. This is the message of Asha, and this is
the message that we at Asha Quest would want to spread in our small way. In the process, we also hope to get to know each other.
With this vision of hope, we do not care to ask whether an underprivileged child is of a particular religion or hails from a specific com-
munity, region, caste or creed. We care about that child who has been called the “Father of the Man” (and, let me hasten to add, Mother
of the Woman, as the case may be). We care about how a small effort from us can make him, or her, a better father or mother. On a
different but related note, the 2007 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to a wonderful author and person, Doris Lessing. If you have
not already read her Nobel Lecture, we urge you to do so. You may “Google” the lecture by typing the keywords “Doris Lessing Nobel
Lecture”. With all your Google skills though, we hope you do not get too carried away by Lessing’s views on computers and the inter-
net. Rather, we would point you to her thoughts about the zeal for education among the underprivileged. Here is a quote: “Classrooms
without books, without textbooks, or an atlas, or even a map pinned to a wall. A school where the teachers beg to be sent books to tell
them how to teach, they being only eighteen or nineteen themselves.” Read on, and you will find the following: “Is it really so impossible
for these privileged students to imagine such bare poverty? I do my best. They are polite.” No, the remarks were not about poor
schools in India and privileged students in the US, or about well-to-do Indian Americans for that matter. The remarks were about a
school in north-west Zimbabwe, and students in another school in North London. We pause to wonder: Does that geographical detail
even matter? We truly live in a global village, in more ways than perhaps we can imagine. The best part of the Nobel Lecture though, is
the end message of hope, or, shall we say, of “Asha”: “That poor girl trudging through the dust, dreaming of an education for her chil-
dren, do we think that we are better than she is – we, stuffed full of food, our cupboards full of clothes, stifling in our superfluities? I
think it is that girl, and the women who were talking about books and an education when they had not eaten for three days, that may yet
define us.” Can the message of Asha be better described? We salute Doris Lessing, and once again, urge you to read her full lecture.
When you are done, please also consider reading the rest of this second issue of Asha Quest.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in all the articles are those of the author and not of Asha.

Editorial Team: Auroop Ganguly, Sampath Kandala, Jheelam Banerjee, Tushti Marwah, Debashree Ganguly
Design Team: Sridhar Kuppuswamy, Malathi Narnur
Email To Editorial Team: ashamagazine@gmail.com
Asha Virtual office: http://www.ashanet.org/knoxville

Advertise with us: Full Page $100

Educate a child… 3/4th page $75
Half Page $50
Quarter Page $25
Contact : ashamagazine@gmail.com

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 2

 Rendezvous with...
DR.NARENDRA B. DAHOTRE
Dr. Narendra B. Dahotre is a Professor with joint
appointment with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and De-
partment of Materials Science and Engineering of the Univer-
sity of Tennessee-Knoxville. He is also a senior faculty mem-
ber of the Center for Laser Applications at the University of
Tennessee Space Institute-Tullahoma and was Chairman
(2002) and Vice Chairman (2003) of the center. Dr. Dahotre
is author of two technical books and editor/co-editor of 14
books. He is author of over 125 reviewed technical journal
articles. He holds 15 US patents in the area of laser materials
processing. He has organized 15 symposia and conferences in
the area of Surface Engineering and High Temperature Coat-
ings and contributed to 40 technical presentations and
chaired over 25 technical sessions at national and interna-
tional conferences. He has successfully conducted several
research projects funded by government and private industry
in the field of laser surface engineering. His current research
continues to be in laser based surface engineering. He is a
Chair of the Surface Engineering Committee of TMS and a
member of ASM International Surface Engineering Task
Force. He is elected to the 2004 Class of ASM International
Fellows. He serves on the Editorial Board of 5 technical jour-
nals in the area of materials and materials processing. He is a
member of TMS, ASM, SME, ASME and AAAS. He received
his B.S. from the University of Poona, India and M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Sci-
ence and Engineering from Michigan State University, USA.
TRANSCRIPT OF THE QA SESSION…
Would you please provide us an overview of your career, in-
cluding major milestones and the persons who have motivated
you?
I was fortunate to attend renowned institutions such as NMV High
School, Ferguson College and College of Engineering in Pune, alter-
natively known as COEP. The institutions comprised sincere fellow
students from financially lower middle class sector. Tight financial-
situations at home and encouragement from parents instilled an
intense sense for excelling in studies. Securing an admission in
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
COEP for engineering was the first milestone in my life as well as
in the lives of my parents. During those days, the entire state of
Maharashtra had only four engineering colleges with limited seats,
and the admission process was very competitive.
In India at that time metallurgy was strictly associated with metals,
especially steel, aluminum and copper. Most of the academic cur-
ricula and research was centered on mineral processing and foun-
dry technology. Very little emphasis was placed on R&D, and
hence on physical metallurgy. However, I felt intuitively drawn
toward physical metallurgy and the broad implications thereof in
the evolution of metallurgy into materials science. We had three
excellent professors who had completed their doctoral studies in
USA and UK, a rarity in India at the time, who fueled my interests
further. Following a B.E. from COEP in 1980, I joined an M. Tech.
in Metallurgical at IIT-Bombay, but left after a brief stint of 15 days
upon receiving a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) at Michigan
State University (MSU) in East Lansing.
I joined MSU on January 3, 1981 for the Spring Quarter, and a long
journey of educational pursuit began. MSU provided an opportu-
nity to follow my dream of studying physical metallurgy and
opened up new doors for research. I completed a Master’s in 1983
and a doctorate in 1987 based on a research funded by the US
Army Research Lab. The research made me realize the value of
fundamental research as well as hand-on experimentation, none of
which had been emphasized in the engineering curricula in India. A
one-year post-doctoral at the University of Wisconsin further
broadened my interests and knowledge. I was extremely fortunate
to find a staff research position within the Center for Laser Appli-
cations (CLA) at the University of Tennessee Space institute
(UTSI) in 1988. The warm and pleasant weather in the South was a
breath of fresh air after eight years of bitter Northern cold.
While the CLA had all the modern laser toys, there was no activity
or infrastructure for conducting research in the area of materials
using lasers. This was a blessing in disguise and I took this as an-
other opportunity and a challenge to set up a research program in
the area of laser materials processing. Thus began my new journey
with the University of Tennessee System. Eventually, through my
tremendous interest, hard work, and dedication to the field, I was
successful in establishing a formidable research program in the
area of laser based surface engineering and a graduate academic
program in Materials Science and Engineering at UTSI. These ac-
tivities included research projects funded by industrial giants such
as GM, Ford, Honda, Babcox & Wilcox, and ALCOA, as well as
government organization such as the Department of Defense and
NASA. This was the time when I joined the faculty of engineering
at UTSI.
You are a role model for the Indian students who come of
Tennessee: Please tell us briefly about your research.
My area of research includes the following: a broad understanding
of the interactions of lasers with materials and the engineering
aspects of laser-materials interactions; implementation of high
power lasers for materials processing such as joining and surface
engineering; addressing fundamental issues in laser surface engi-
neering of materials for application of this knowledge in the devel-
opment of new corrosion/oxidation and wear/erosion resistant
...contd on Page 4
3
 surface in challenging and extreme chemical and mechanical envi-
ronments; understanding and application of laser based surface engi-
neering on such diverse materials systems as metal matrix compos-
ites, ceramic matrix composites, super-alloys, ceramics, tool steels,
plain carbon steels, bronzes, copper alloys and low melting alloys
such as aluminum and lead alloys; unique blend of in-situ diagnostics
based on high speed temperature, physical image and radiational
signal recording complimented with post-process analytical analysis
for development of structure-property relationships in laser engi-
neered surfaces of engineering and bio materials.
What is your view on the ‘brain drain’ from India to the US,
especially as this relates to graduate students from India in the
US?
India is experiencing unprecedented growth in industrial and eco-
nomic sectors, which in turn has provided unprecedented educa-
tional and professional opportunities to the Indian youth. However,
this very globalization that resulted from, and caused, India opening
her doors wide for opportunities outside India. Migration will re-
duce or stop as opportunities within India continue to grow and
eventually the living and working conditions become comparable to
the first world. These improvements can only be achieved by
changes in academic and work environments. The root causes for
migration of Indian youth continue to be lack of resources, open-
ness and integrity, as well as mean politics and lack of respect for
co-workers. I think this needs fundamental changes in social behav-
ior which probably can only be achieved through designing a well-
rounded academic curricula, including social behavior, art and mu-
sic.
How can Indians settled in the USA contribute to the better-
ment of India?
Indians settled in USA can contribute to the betterment of India in
many ways. Majority of these Indians lie in top 5-10 percentile of
educational qualifications and training and economic status. Both
economic power and knowledge are extremely powerful assets that
they can be shared with India. related to basic needs of underprivi-
leged can be also addressed through the work of NGO supported
by these folks.
Lack of grass-root level education and the gap between indus-
tries and universities are often perceived as problems with the
Indian system. What is your vision in the area?
My experience in the US and with Indian institutes has provided me
the first hand impression that unlike in USA, the curricula in Indian
academic institutions are not tuned to real world experience, do
not impart hands-on experience, rarely expose students to latest
developments and above all, typically lack any research component
whatsoever. The academic institutions need to emphasize the
hands-on experience, industrial internship, and research at all levels,
mandated revisions of the academic curriculum (at least once in 10
years) to keep abreast with the current developments and needs of
the real world.
Do you think comparing issues in India with prevalent condi-
tion in the US is appropriate? If not, what metrics, or countries,
do you think we need to use as the guidelines?
In my personal opinion it will not be appropriate to compare the
issues in India with that of USA. The types and nature of issues in
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
USA are totally different than that in India due the fact that USA is
inherently a rich country with tremendous natural and land re-
sources and smaller population. However, there are several as-
pects associated with US issues that can be considered in address-
ing Indian issues. Nonetheless, Indian issues can well be compared
with countries like Japan and Korea in East and several countries in
Europe who have shown remarkable progress in developing living
standards and controlling migration of their citizens in spite of
limited natural resources. India should immolate their values and
work culture.
We have heard that you have an organization that supports
children in India to pursue their higher education. Please tell
us about it.
In year 2004, five like-minded past students of COEP including
myself established the COEP Charitable Foundation in USA. This
resulted from numerous discussions and exchange of ideas in the
previous two years. The organization is the first of its kind outside
of the India in the 150 years of COEP’s existence. It was registered
in the State of California as a non-profit organization with tax ex-
empt status. The Foundation’s mission is to work to restore, sus-
tain, and grow the past academic glory of the institution through
financial and other types of assistance.
What motivated you to form this organization? How does it
function?
The deep rooted culture of giving in the American society has
encouraged and motivated me to get involved in COEP Charitable
Foundation.
The Foundation is governed by the Board of Directors of 5 mem-
bers who serve 3 year term and replaced by new members
through an election. All alumni of COEP are the members of the
Foundation. The Board has a President, Treasurer and Secretary.
The board members, and office bearers, function as per the stipu-
lations dictated by the US Federal Laws associated with the non-
profit, tax exempt organization. The Foundation has established
several local chapters around the country. The foundation has set
up a web site that is updated and maintained by the volunteers.
The web site includes the information on fundraising events organ-
ized by the local chapters, achievements of past and present stu-
dents of COEP, messages and list of projects completed, underway
and proposed. A link is provided for comments and on-line dona-
tions. One can donate to the existing projects or propose a new
project. The Board conducts 3 quarterly meetings via teleconfer-
ence and one yearly on-site, which is rotated around the country.
The expenses associated with teleconference, travel and local
hospitality are borne individually by the board members and do-
nors/volunteers. The Board discusses and votes on various policy
matters and projects in light of available funds at their disposal.
The Foundation also closely works with the Alumni Association in
India that remains a link between the Foundation and COEP ad-
ministration. Often the funds for any projects at COEP are handed
over to Indian Alumni Association due to the less complexity asso-
ciated with transfer and handling of funds by the association. In
that case, Association in collaboration with COEP Administration
overseas the disbursement of the funds for intended purpose and
provides related report.
...contd on Page 5
4
 What development have you noticed in the children you have been supporting? Is there awareness among them to pursue higher
education?

Currently most of the students of COEP approach the Foundation for possible financial support to travel and pursue higher studies abroad.
They also approach the Foundation for seeking information about the educational and job opportunities in USA. On the contrary, the
Foundation has adopted different approach that includes assistance for improvement of local infrastructure. Accordingly, the Foundation
has provided financial assistance for renovation of the class rooms, installation of broad bond communication network throughout the col-
lege premises, renovation of sports arena, travel support to students and faculty members to attend national and international technical
conferences and workshops, student clubs and competitions, and establishment of Distinguished Alumni Professor Endowment at the De-
partment of Metallurgy and Materials Science. Through these and future sponsorships the Foundation hopes to improve the infrastructure
for better teaching, learning, research and social environment at COEP and encourage the students to pursue higher and better education
and both teachers and students to involve in high quality research at COEP.

You are one of the advisors of Asha too which is very commendable as you are helping out two organizations, how do you think
Asha is progressing? What are your suggestions for the betterment of the programmes that Asha supports in India? We would also
like to know your views on how Asha can improve in its activities.

I have been associated with Asha only for the past few months that have not provided me enough opportunities to work for and under-
stand Asha in deeper and broader sense. Hence, presently I am not in the position to express any thoughts about its progress. Nonethe-
less, in my strong opinion Asha should devote majority of its financial and other resources to educational causes in India, especially in the
remote and underdeveloped regions and slums. A better educated society knows how to improve and sustain its living and working condi-
tions. Thus investment in education is likely to create a long term ripple effects in various aspects of Indian lives. Asha’s investments in
causes other than education may result in short term gain.

Any message for Indian students and Indian community in Knoxville?

Please give back to your nation and society without any further expectation from them. You have received far more from them than what
you can give. Work hard, sincerely and honestly. Without embracing these values one can not set an example and expect the same from
the folks in India.

It was a distinct pleasure interviewing you, Dr. Dahotre. We are sure that working with Dr.Dahotre will give more valuable insight into the
charity activities and will help us steer in the right direction.

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

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 5

 Topic of the Quarter
"Should an individual be given the freedom to pursue subjects in their higher studies which they wish to
study based on their interests and instincts or should it be based on forced entrustment of the subjects by the
school, peer pressure or parents based on the grades they got in their past examinations?"
Mr. Sharma’s eyes were almost glued to the clock
in eager anticipation as to when it would be 6 pm and he
would rush back home. Somewhere he was tired amidst
trying to cope up with the pressures of this mundane life
involving the daily chores of going to office, dealing with
people, doing some clerical jobs, and coming back home.
Circumstances and family pressure had compelled
Mr.Sharma to take up the job of a Bank Officer which he
obtained by virtue of his father’s position. (Father passed
away and he was eligible for the job straight away). It
seemed that the only source of inspiration in his life was his
son Rahul. By God’s grace (at least he thought so) Rahul’s
academic potential and results mapped with his father’s
dream of him becoming a Doctor. He had to give up his own
career aspirations for becoming one, but he would not let it
happen in Rahul’s life. With this rationale in mind, he was
convinced that his son had the ingredients to become a great
Doctor who would mint money and establish his own nurs-
ing home in the near future. But in reality was he not trying
to live his own dreams and career through his son?
School was over and Rahul raced through the corridor to
get to the balcony lifting his head as high as possible. The
intention was to capture the view of the fantastic air vehicle
that flew through the limitless sky. In his mind he was trying
to gauge as to what airplane was passing by. Ever since he
was a kid he repetitively viewed the same scene again and
again. Someday he would rule the world from above by con-
quering the heights and driving the airplane. It was much
later that school education and awareness made him realize
that what he dreamt of was becoming a Commercial Pilot.
But these days a hope of despair had begun to creep in. Dad
was adamant that he sit for the medical entrance examina-
tions. And the bad news was that the chances of him qualify-
ing were very high thanks to his academic brilliance. The
same story was being repeated. Sometime in the near future
Rahul’s life story would be much the same like Mr. Sharma
spending the majority time of the day looking at the clock.
This case study is perhaps the most common story in almost
every family today. Parental choice, competition, success,
money, and people’s perceptions guide a majority of career
decisions. There is a common notion that a prospective ca-
reer is one which fetches you good money, is selling in the
market with a tag of being an ‘in’ career and which is an ave-
nue of fulfilling your own lost aspirations. Interest, personal-
ity and aptitude as measurable criteria for a successful career
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
have taken a back seat in this rat race for survival.
Taking another instance from Mr. Sharma’s family: If his
daughter Nisha had gone through some systematic career
guidance she would have been a successful journalist rather
than someone spending long hours on the computer devel-
oping, testing and implementing technology. Being good at
Mathematics and Computers was befitting to opt for one of
the hottest professions of Software Engineering. Gauging
one’s interest through scientific assessments is the stepping
stone for a successful career. Herein Nisha’s literary and
creative interest could have been identified easily. Most im-
portantly whether her interest was backed by aptitude for
the same could have been determined by aptitude tests
which may have been undertaken in the second phase of ca-
reer guidance. For instance, Nisha’s sister Neha wanted to
become a Fashion Designer, but it could be gauged through
scientific aptitude tests that her Spatial Reasoning aptitude (a
measurable aptitude for pursuing Fashion Designing) does not
map with her inherent interest in the profession.
Personality also plays an important role in determining what
career a person is suited for. Nisha’s extrovert-ish personal-
ity with great communication skills would map to the role of
a journalist very well. Rahul’s out of the box thinking and
creative mind could fit well with the make up of a Commer-
cial Pilot. The only hindrance in Rahul’s friend Aneesh be-
coming a Marketing Management professional is his introvert-
ish personality.
The Interest, Aptitude and Personality tests are based on
international, scientifically determined standards. The subjec-
tive element is minimized since the evaluation is based on
standardized scores. As a result, the findings are neutral and
an indication of an individual’s interest, aptitude and personal-
ity. It is only in the third phase of the career guidance that
the counselor plays a role in interpreting the findings. More
often than not the counselor will suggest Rahul a career as a
Commercial Pilot based on objective considerations and test
findings rather than imposing his own opinions. By choosing a
career in this fashion, the quotient of success is much higher.
It results in higher job satisfaction which in turn increases the
productive output per person and adds value to the person
at an individual level. In that sense it nullifies the negative
effects of Mr. Sharma’s cycle and caters to a cycle full of rich
...contd on Page 7
6
 returns. So why be a Mr. Sharma and be impervious to the
choices and options that are available at our disposal? It really
is not worth to live a life that is guided by our parents’ lost
career aspirations or what they or others perceive to be the
“happening” careers. Can living a life based on borrowed
ideas be the only plausible solution within this competitive
world of today?
The doors are set open towards building a new generation of
Rahul, Nisha and many more similar people .The onus is on
us to change the attitude of existing Mr. Sharma-s by creating
awareness and setting the tone for nurturing the budding
talents of tomorrow. Change is bound to face resistance but
that does not prevent one from setting the foundations for it.
Career guidance is indeed the need of the hour.
- Joyee
It is not uncommon to see students who have tal-
ents for the arts or the sciences working towards either en-
gineering or medical degrees in India. Why is it that many of
them do not pursue what they like and instead make choices
in the so-called “trendy” careers? In general, the causes that
lead a student to choose a major can be either extrinsic or
intrinsic. Intrinsic factors include a genuine interest in a field,
a natural inclination for a discipline, innate talent for an area
of study or work, as well as an aptitude or a proclivity that
stems from his/her own belief system, independent of exter-
nal pressures. Choices based on intrinsic factors bring forth
inherent joy and satisfaction to the students. On the other
hand, there are extrinsic factors, which drive a majority of
the students in India to choose their majors. I saw most of
my friends ask the same question before choosing their ma-
jor: Which field is endowed with high job opportunities and a
great salary? Clearly the availability of jobs is a key factor in
shaping their decisions in such cases. In addition, external
factors such as job security, financial costs, expected ease of
getting the degree, social image and family expectations can
have a potential impact on a student’s choice of the major.
One may ask which factors influence most of the students in
India. In a developing country like India, statistics show that
most of students make their choices based on external fac-
tors. Most common factors include job availability and secu-
rity, financial costs and social image. As an example, consider
the Information Technology sector in India. It is a well-known
fact that it is growing rapidly, and as a consequence, there is a
high demand for graduates in IT-related fields such as com-
puter science and engineering. Due to this high demand,
many students prefer IT-related majors, and this is reflected
in the number of new computer-related academic institutions
and the large number of IT students graduating every year
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
since the past five years in India. In this case, it is easy to see
the dominant effect of external factors on the students’ deci-
sion making.
Why do the students make their choices that are not based
on their own interests? A major cause for this blind following
of current trends among students roots back to childhood
education. We are told from childhood that we ought to
become doctors, engineers and lawyers, and that they are
the ones who earn more respect and money than anyone
else. We are always restricted in free expression of thought
in our schools. A military education inhibits the free expres-
sion of a student’s creative abilities, thus not allowing him to
use his potential to the fullest. This makes him dependent on
the opinions and will of his superiors. This produces a deter-
ring effect on the students in their latter adult lives, when
they have to make decisions about their careers. Their
choices are likely to be based on the interests or opinions of
others rather than on their own. This kind of demanding edu-
cational system is still prevalent in many schools in India
where no importance is given to the students’ voices. I think
there needs to be a reform in both the childhood and adult
educational systems, allowing for more balance and flexibility
to ensure future progress.
How many of the students who make decisions based on
external factors end up being really happy and content with
their work in the latter part of their lives? In the long run, did
it fetch what they really wanted out of their lives? It is not a
surprise to see many of the software engineers getting fed up
with their routine work and wanting to change fields at a
later point in time. I strongly believe that dependency on ex-
ternal factors weakens the capacity of a student to think for
himself and follow his own likes and dislikes. An essential
change in the attitude of students and parents towards edu-
cation is necessary in order for the students to trust their
own instincts and interests, rather than giving way for exter-
nal factors to take control. Pleasure in work and results, as
well as service to the community, should be the major mo-
tives for the students as they shape their decisions. This will
not only ensure their happiness in the long term but also
promote excellence in their fields of study.
- Suman Duvvuru
An easy ferret out of the stats will show that the
production of professionals in India is phenomenal each year.
Let us take for example the Indian engineering education
sector. Over one-third of fresh Indian graduates irrespective
….contd on Page 8
7
 of their specialization join the IT industry. Engineers are em-
ployed more than scientists or artists. With a hefty fee paid
by the parents especially in private colleges and with little or
no financial assistance or employment opportunities for stu-
dents these white-collar jobs are manna from heaven. High-
tech outsourcing companies provide one of the best financial
remunerations, overseas travel opportunities and a promising
growth rate. The engineering-to-IT still shows a rosy path to
aspiring graduates in spite of stressful working conditions and
unreasonable work hours.
On the other hand, reports and evaluations also show that
greater student quantities have come with the dilution of
quality. The key elements of scrutiny have been the lack of
trained faculty, poor spending on R&D, negligible infrastruc-
ture and a poor curriculum. Alternatively, we also see a sys-
tem of education, producing numerous dismal graduates just
out of a curriculum they never chose out of their own free
will and understanding of their real abilities. Parents devising
a practical path encourage their child to do a professional
course that gives a lucrative and stable job opportunity. The
emphasis that starts young lads to “I want to be a doctor or
engineer when I grow up” from the mouth of every child is
the one being questioned. It peaks in high school, where rig-
orous board exam training, that starts almost a year before,
brings the regular day-to-day learning of the child to a stands
still. Students fight their way out for a high rank in math and
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
science. All the vigor and motivation equip the mainstream
race for a seat in a professional course. Children are purely
assessed by their ability to score marks and in the process a
close peek at the child’s natural abilities is often missed. So as
a result, swimming in the traditional pool of technical disci-
plines, we don’t have just a fat feed of resource for the IT
industry but also a multitude of dying talents and abilities.
The artist, musician and the teacher all sleep alike while pon-
dering over how on earth that solid-state device works.
We can now cycle back to the very first paragraph on well-
paid jobs, smooth recruitments and a path of least resistance.
It may all seem reasonable that parents and schools encour-
age what is practical. A secure position in a field with more
opportunities may seem to be a smarter pick than a more
demanding one with fewer opportunities. But as Cicero says
“Natural ability without education has more often raised a
man to glory and virtue than education without natural abil-
ity.” It is really up to us to decide between fighting our way
through a path that embraces our capabilities versus one that
has been set as optimal by society.
- Meena Kalyanaraman
8
 Discussion Forum
“What is your take on sports in India and the inclination of government, investors, media and
public only for cricket?”
The role of the school in all-round sports in India
India is a key global player in myriad fields, and
needs to strongly establish herself in sports. This change
should be a perseverant and revolutionary one. Olympics is
one such channel. Kids, independent of social and economic
background, should be exposed, aptly identified and trained
at a very young age, with the goal of representing the coun-
try in Olympics. Sports should be given an equal importance
just as science and math in the form of boosted government
funding and teacher/parent awareness, thereby instilling the
spirit of sports into the roots of the Indian school system. A
series of victories in athletics, swimming, gymnastics, etc.
would then increase public interest in these areas, and in
turn attract sponsorships and funding. Rather than blaming
the monopolization by cricket, we should excel in many
sporting areas and entrench a global position for ourselves in
sports!!
- Janak Ramachandran
Indian Hockey
Let me start of with a small quiz. When is India’s
National Sports Day and why is it celebrated on that par-
ticular day? The day is 29th August, the birth-date of the
great field hockey wizard Dhyan Chand Singh. I am sure
most of you did not know that. Even I did not know about it
until I started writing this article. Such is the state of the
sport itself – forgotten glories, forgotten legends – an al-
most forgotten sport in the minds of Indians, had it not
been for Shahrukh Khan’s “Chak De India”. Team India won
six consecutive Olympic Games gold medals (1928 to 1956)
and has been performing on and off since. India won its last
Olympic gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. However,
somewhere down the road, the magic of Dhyan Chand’s
stick has lost its glory.
There are countries which pride themselves as being the
masters of a particular sport. They have not only performed
well in them in the past, but continuously hone their skills to
achieve perfection, and are thus almost synonymous with
the sport. Examples are boxing and Cuba, badminton and
Indonesia, or soccer and Brazil. Therefore, it is quite myste-
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
rious and surprising that Dhyan Chand’s magical stick-work
has become a bedtime story that is not told in many Indian
homes. Due to economical pressures of a developing coun-
try, sport in India is not a preferred career choice, and cer-
tainly hockey is not. To highlight this fact, the legend himself
did not want his own kids to make a career in hockey, and he
himself died in penury. He was treated like an orphan in his
last days, and the same treatment has been meted out to the
sport.
The beginning of live matches on TV for the first time in In-
dia, combined with India’s world cup win, probably has
served as the last nail in the coffin for field hockey in India.
World Cup win of Indian cricket team in 1983 not only
brought another sport on the colored television sets, but
images of Kapil Dev holding the World Cup were perma-
nently ingrained in the minds of us Indians. This has had a
profound effect on our generation. Who wants stale news of
what happened 2 days back? Everyone wants to know what is
happening right now. Remember what the first gulf war did
to CNN! The media has been encashing on cricket ever
since. The older generation, which grew up when hockey in
India was at its golden era, is depleting. The newer genera-
tion does not care about hockey. And when you mix the all
powerful media with today’s politics, with the pinch of
hockey-ignorant people like me and you, what we get is a
deadly broth. This is a sad situation, where on the one side
cricketers after winning a Twenty-20 World Cup get crores
of rupees, and on the other hand hockey players after defeat-
ing Korea 7-0 to win the Asia cup final in Chennai receive
one lakh rupees each.
Ever heard that in the shadow of giant banyan tree nothing
grows? Well, this broth worked as a love potion for cricket,
making it into a huge banyan tree, and the same broth acted
as a death potion not only for hockey but all the other sports
too. The question is what will it take to make hockey popular
again? If India wins the Hockey World Cup, would we see a
similar inclination towards it as has happened with cricket? I
guess not. Only time will tell.
-Gagan Rajpal
9
 Discussion Forum
India is a land 'for' champions. That line doesn't
mean that India has winners available dime a dozen at every
street corner, but what it means is that the people of India
need champions. The land craves for people who rise above
their standard way of life to compete and win over people.
The common man needs a 'hero' to inspire him to believe in
his own abilities and to make him feel that he can match or
compete with anyone. The journey of an Indian champion
typically starts from ground zero with minimal resources
mired with mindless politics and ends with his name being
forgotten at the arrival of his immediate successor. Politics,
red tape bureaucracies, and vested interests have hampered
the progress of almost all sports in India. However, things
seem to be improving lately with the emergence of extremely
talented individuals inspiring thousands of athletes with the
belief that they belong in an international arena. This has
forced the authorities to give them their shot at glory. The
lackadaisical approach towards sports has slowly drifted from
one with aggressive investment to a constant search for
champions pioneering the common man's belief system.
that has quite the same following as cricket, assuming of
course that you count watching cricket as a sport. The 11
players on a cricket field somehow manage to galvanize an
entire nation that's been tearing up itself since its incubation.
No other sport in India has enjoyed this obscene an amount
of public support since fighting for a fistful of salt stopped
being a national sport. It is very hard to believe that it is not
the national game of a country that invests countless hours
debating the elbow of a particular player. 1983 was probably
the worst day for all sports not played one a strip of land
with a piece of wood and between some more pieces of
wood. People loved the game so much that the authorities
felt obliged to invest (well, at least try to invest) a lot of
effort into bringing the sport into the limelight. The poorer
cousins of this giant game had come to terms with the fact
that they would remain that way for a long time.
-Sankar Venkatraman

There are many major sports played all over India that a lot
of people care about. However, I cannot think of anything

Book Review
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
A friend of mine gave this book to me as a Christmas present and I must say that the story mesmerized me com-
pletely. It’s a spare and lovely memoir whose charm stems from its childlike perspective. ‘The Glass Castle’ will at times ex-
haust you, occasionally fill you with fury, and finally leave you in slack-jawed wonderment.

‘The Glass Castle’ is a remarkable story of a family led by a grand eccentric, Rex Walls, his tempestuous artist wife, Rose
Mary, and their four children Lori, Brian, Jeannette and Maureen. Rex, when sober, was a brilliant and charismatic father who
captured his children’s imagination, taught the children Physics and Geology, in addition to how to embrace life fearlessly.
Rose Mary, the lady of the household, was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibil-
ity of raising a family. This story is an account of how the Walls children learnt to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed
and protected one another, and eventually found success in life after experiencing an extremely poverty-filled childhood. It is
a vivid account permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.

It’s a must read as one gets to learn a lot from the never-say-die attitude of the protagonist, the author herself. The story is
written with clarity and feeling and it is her deep respect that infuses this astonishing story with grace. As Dani Shapiro, au-
thor of Family History very rightly puts it, ‘Jeannette Walls has carved a story with precision and grace out of one of the most
chaotic, heartbreaking childhoods ever to be set down on the page. This deeply affecting memoir is a triumph in every possi-
ble way, and it does what all good books should: it reaffirms our faith in the human spirit’.

- Contributed by Jheelam Banerjee

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 10

 India at a Glance
Deal or No Deal (…continued from last issue)
The key US negotiator on the India-US nuclear deal,
Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, decided
to resign from the Bush Administration on January 18, 2008.
However, India and the International Atomic Energy Agency
have been making steady progress in their negotiations on a
safeguards agreement in Vienna, with sources indicating that
another round of talks could not be ruled out, though one
more day of negotiations still remains.
The negotiations have come down to a couple of sticking
points, particularly the issue of India’s right to take corrective
measures in case there is disruption in fuel supplies. Also,
India is said to have asked for some additions in the agree-
ment like an explicit assurance that inspections will not cover
reactors used for military purposes. This is designed to rec-
ognize India’s strategic program, and can be helpful for the
Government as it convinces its Left allies.
Tata Nano: The World’s cheapest car
Tata Motors took the covers off the world’s cheap-
est car — the Nano — on Jan 10, 2008 at the New Delhi
Auto Expo. The car that will cost a mere 100,000 rupees
(roughly $2,500) and bring automotive transportation to the
mainstream Indian population has been nicknamed the
“People’s Car.”
The four-door Nano is a little over 10 feet long and nearly 5
feet wide. It is powered by a 623cc two-cylinder engine at the
back of the car. With 33 horsepower, the Nano is capable of
making 65 miles per hour. Its four small wheels are at the
absolute corners of the car to improve handling. There is a
small trunk, big enough for a duffel bag. The nearest priced
competitor is the Maruti 800, which costs roughly twice as
much.

While the IAEA favors the nuclear deal and would like to
show flexibility in concluding these talks, the problem is its
limitation as a multilateral body that has never acted as a
guarantor for fuel supplies. Meanwhile, 23 diverse organiza-
tions, including some religious ones, launched a campaign in
the US against the deal, arguing that it strengthens India’s
strategic weapons capability and is against the cause of non-
proliferation. This is a mirror opposite of the argument the
Left and other critics of the nuclear deal give in India.
The Nano will go on sale in India later this year with an initial
Only after the deal has been approved by the IAEA can it be
production run of 250,000 a year. Tata says it will offer the
presented to the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG),
which in turn can exempt India from its long-standing guide- Nano in other emerging markets in Latin America, Southeast
lines which require full-scope IAEA safeguards, which India Asia and Africa within four years.
refuses. NSG exemption is a necessary condition for the sup-
Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors, displaying the Nano in
ply of fuel, reactors, and other equipments to India's civilian
New Delhi. While some feel the car is a boon for the Indian
nuclear program. A safeguards agreement with the IAEA is
middle class, enabling them to make a smooth transition from
also a prerequisite for approval by the U.S. Congress of a
bilateral agreement with India signed this past July. In other their two wheelers to a four wheeler, others feel it could
words, the deal cannot be finalized and implemented unless worsen the problem of pollution and congestion in India. The
the requisite agreements between India and the IAEA are increase in the number of cars will also increase the demand
reached, the NSG’s exemption is obtained, and the whole for petrol in the country, which in turn may force the govern-
arrangement is ratified by the U.S. Congress. ment to increase petrol prices.

(Source: The Indian Express, IPC News) (Source: The Hindustan Times, The New York Times)

- Contributed by Tushti Marwah - Contributed by Tushti Marwah

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 11

 India at a Glance
India PM visits China for summit The soft-spoken architect educated in the U.S. at Cornell University
has set his $29 billion conglomerate on a scorching global growth
(Image: Mr. Singh is paying his first path. From picking up steel companies, hotels, coal mines, and tea
visit to China since he came to brands, he is all set to revolutionize the concept of a small car. Tata
power) also made India's largest-ever global acquisition, when he picked up
Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus for $12 billion on January 31st, 2007.
Indian Prime Minister The merger created the fifth largest steel producing entity in the
Manmohan Singh has begun a
world. Also, Tata bought two hotels in the U.S., the Ritz Carlton in
three-day official visit to China,
Boston and Campton Place in San Francisco, while Tata Coffee ac-
starting from the 14th of January
quired the US coffee chain Eight O’ Clock. He's emerged as the top
2008, aimed at improving the
bidder for Ford Motor's (F) Jaguar and Land Rover brands with a bid
strained relations between the
of $ 2.05 billion. Now all eyes are on Tata as he displayed his cher-
two countries. He told the Chi-
ished $2,500 (Rs 100,000) car at the Indian Auto Show in New Delhi
nese state news agency on arri-
in January. And with all Tata's flagship companies having global ambi-
val that ties between the states
tions, there may be more big-ticket acquisitions for the group in the
had acquired global significance.
coming year.
Mr. Singh will hold talks with
President Hu Jintao, Prime Minis-
ter Wen Jiabao and China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo. Their discus- Vikram S Pandit - Citi Group
sions are expected to focus on territorial disputes and increasing
bilateral trade, worth $37bn (£18.9bn). India-born Vikram S Pandit has been ap-
pointed the chief executive officer of Citigroup, the
Trade discussions world's largest financial services organization, with
After arriving in Beijing on Sunday, Mr. Singh began his visit by tour- immediate effect.
ing several venues featuring in this year's Olympic Games. The Indian
prime minister also had warm words to say about relations between The 50-year-old Pandit from Mumbai and Nagpur,
his country and China. He said that India-China relations have today has also been made a member of the board of direc-
transcended their bilateral dimension and have acquired global and tors, ended a weeks-long high level search for a new person to lead
strategic significance. Mr. Singh's visit, the first by an Indian premier in the New York-based banking giant after former CEO Charles Prince
nearly five years, comes at a time when trade between India and stepped down on November 4 following huge investment losses for
China is booming and the upcoming talks are expected to focus on Citigroup. Pandit, who was Citigroup's investment banking head be-
surpassing the $40bn target they agreed to reach by 2010. India's fore his new appointment, also briefly headed a hedge fund called
trade deficit with China has risen from around $4bn to $9.6bn since Old Lane earlier this year. Pandit has also held a number of senior
2006, according to the Indian ministry of trade, and could exceed positions at Citigroup rival Morgan Stanley for more than two dec-
$12bn by the end of the financial year. ades, including the post of president and chief operating officer of the
Institutional Securities Group, which included the company's invest-
Border dispute ment banking, fixed income and capital markets businesses.
The talks in Beijing are also expected to touch on the unresolved
territorial disputes which were behind the 1962 conflict, but have The list of contenders for this job, apart from Vikram Pandit, in-
been the subject of special negotiations since 2003. India's relations cluded Shaukat Aziz, formerly the bank's global private banking busi-
with China have also been complicated by Beijing's strategic alliance ness head and most recently the prime minister of Pakistan, and Ajay
with Pakistan, which it has supplied with arms and missile technology. Banga, who is chief of Citi's international consumer banking group.
China, meanwhile, has expressed concern about India's involvement Pandit takes over at a time when markets are hit by credit crisis.
in the so-called axis of democracy that includes Japan, Australia and
the United States. The leaders will meets to emphasize the positive Pandit serves on the boards of Columbia University, Columbia Busi-
aspects of their relationship in the coming days. But it is going to be a ness School, India School of Business Hyderabad, India and the Trin-
long time before the two Asian giants really trust each other. ity School (NY). He is a former board member of Nasdaq, New York
(Source: BBC News) City Investment Fund, American India Foundation and the Council on
- Contributed by Jheelam Banerjee US Competitiveness. He earned a Ph.D in Finance from Columbia in
electrical engineering from Columbia University.

News Makers of Year, 2007 Citi has some 200 million customers in more than 100 countries, and
provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with
Ratan Tata - The Tata Group a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer
banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities
It was Ratan Tata's year to grab global brokerage, and wealth management.
headlines. Fantastic is the only way one could
describe what 2007 has been like for Ratan Naval
Tata, the chairman of Tata Group. ...contd on Page 13

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 12

 India at a Glance
Anand Mahindra - Mahindra and Mahindra
Infosys, under Gopalakrishnan’s leadership, is now looking at buyout
Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman targets – in consultancy, products, package implementation and the
and managing director of Mahindra & Mahin- BPO sector – in Japan, Australia, Europe and the United States. The
dra, has been selected for Business India's preferred merger and acquisition size will be between $300 million
Businessman of the Year 2007 award. M&M to $500 million.
is a part of the diversified Rs 24,000-crore
(Rs 240 billion) Mahindra group which is An alumnus of IIT Madras, Kris, as he is universally called, is soft-
chaired by Keshub Mahindra, who received spoken and unassuming. He sees his high profile job as carrying the
the award in 1989. good work forward. This is no mean task as incremental growth for
a $3 billion firm, which has set itself an industry-leading pace is chal-
From manufacturing army vehicles and lenging in itself.
tractors, the Mahindra group has made rapid strides to become In-
dia’s major force in the SUV (sports utility vehicle) and passenger car Captain G R Gopinath - Air Deccan
segments. In 2007 under the leadership of Anand Mahindra, the com-
pany forged global alliances with Renault of France, Nissan of Japan, Captain G R Gopinath is the father
and the International Truck and Engine Corporation of the United of low-cost aviation in India. This year the
States. The most significant decision that Mahindra took in 2007 was chairman of Air Deccan was conferred the
leading M&M’s entry into the passenger car market, launching the Chevalier de la legion d’Honneur (Knight of
Logan in a tie-up with Renault. The company plans to launch two and the Legion of Honor) award by the French
four door pickups and a sport utility vehicle in the US soon. The government. A recognition of his contribution
company is now a $ 4.5billion giant, and the best is yet to come. to the Indo- French cooperation in aviation.

S ‘Kris’ Gopalakrishnan - Infosys Technology Ltd Vijay Mallaya’s Kingfisher Airlines bought a 26 percent stake in Dec-
can aviation in June. After the Deccan buyout, the combine com-
S Gopalakrishnan, 52, who took mands a market share of about 28.9 percent, inching close to Jet
over as managing director and chief executive Airways. Deccan has completes five years of domestic operations by
officer of Infosys Technologies on June 22 will the middle of 2008 and will be eligible for international operations.
be the third founder member to occupy the
top slot, being part of the group which left December 20, Kingfisher and Air Deccan decided to merge. The
Patni Computers over a quarter century ago merger, whenever it goes through, will create the largest airline in
to help N R Narayana Murthy set up Infosys. the domestic airline market and also pave the way for Kingfisher to
Kris was preceded by Nandan M Nilekani, fly overseas. The new company will be called Kingfisher Airlines;
another co-founder of the company. Banga- Mallya will be chairman and CEO; Captain Gopi, vice-chairman.
lore-based Infosys is arguably one of the India’s most admired com-
panies and the the country’s second largest IT company, with reve- (Source: Rediff India Abroad, Business India)
nues exceeding $ 3.5 billion.
- Contributed by Sampath Kandala

Eyebrow Threading, Haircuts, Styles, Call For Appointment:

8078 Kingston Pk. Suite # 127
(Next to Chocolate Factory)
Timings:
Thursday & Friday
Saturday
updos, All Waxing, Manicure/Pedicure,
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Hair Colors, Highlights, Herbal Fa-
Cell 865-386-0501
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4-8 PM
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© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 13

 Knoxville at a Glance
“These are a few of my favorite things”: Keeping one of the most
popular phrases in mind, I would love to share some of my favorite
things with you.
Knoxville may well be considered one of the smaller cities in the
country, but it does have some of the coolest places to eat. Being a
business banker and a glutton, I have to come to know most of the
finer restaurants in town. Here are my recommendations for this
quarter:
EPHESUS: {1823 Cumberland Avenue Knoxville TN 37916, Ph: (865)
524-0884}
It’s a Mediterranean Grill, specializing in Gyro’s, Wraps and Kebabs.
My favorite is “Chicken Tava” and “Shrimp Wrap”. If you come back
without trying the warm “Baklava” dipped in honey syrup and gar-
nished with pistachio you have missed the bliss.
BRAVO: {106 Major Reynolds Place Knoxville, TN 37919 Phone (865)
584-5510}
Love Italian cuisine, “Mamma Mia!” A friend recommends this res- If you have time to read this quarter after watching all those movies,
taurant in town. He says the best menu guaranteed to tickle your here are a few interesting books we have read or heard about over
taste buds is Egg Plant Parmesan and Margarita Pizza. You cannot the last couple of months…
leave the restaurant without trying the Tiramisu or Crème Brule.
FIELD OF GREENS: {205 Union Avenue, TN 37902, Phone (865)-
546-4565}
If you think healthy food and tasty food are like two parallel lines
that only meet at infinity, then you may change your view after you
try the Gourmet Salads for lunch at the Field of Greens. They have •
the best salad ingredients and salad dressings. My favorite is “Harbor
Salad” and “Oriental Salad”.
Are you a Movie Buff????
Join the club…..I am sharing some of movies that I have enjoyed
watching.
“Taare Zameen Par”, which literally means “Stars
on the Ground”, is a movie about a child who has
what has been called the gift of dyslexia. Produce
and director Aamir Khan handles the subject deli
-cately,and manages to get an amazing performan
© Copyright of Asha Knoxville
-ce out of Darsheel Safary, who acts the 8-year old Ishaan Awasthi.
One must laud the writer and creative director, Amol Gupte, who
has penned a wonderful story and script.
(Adapted From: http://nitawriter.wordpress.com)
“The Orphanage” is a ghost story from Spain
with a few intriguing twists. It’s a ghost movie
without the goriness; but it will likely give you a
few goose bumps and perhaps occasionally even
make you jump on your seat.
“Kite Runner” is a passionate yet remarkably
Human story of a refugee from Afghanistan who
has long settled in America, until one day his
memories get jogged by a phone call from back
home. What follows is a fascinating journey down
memory lane, which ultimately leads to a journey
back home in search of destiny and fulfillment.
(Adapted From: The New York Times Online)
• Power of One by Bryce Courtenay: A story of individual hope
in a difficult time for South America
• Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: The life-story of a
scholar-criminal from home in Australia to a new home in Bom-
bay, India
Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat: A tongue in cheek tale
of life as an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of
Technology
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel: A novel about an Indian boy’s life after
shipwreck, and his discoveries in spirituality .
• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer R Weart: We hear
this is a great history of the global warming consensus and how that
has been painstakingly achieved by scientists.
- Contributed by Shree
14
 Lifestyle
GOLDEN VOICE: music and notating it is a very good practice for attaining precise
knowledge of notes. Listening helps to develop an extraordinary audi-
TALENT OR tory capability, which in turn is a pre-requisite for perceiving music.
TRAINING??? Our auditory and motor abilities are quite interrelated. What we lis-
ten through the ear is stored in brain, and then the brain orders the
muscles in our throat to function accordingly. Thus, the better the
perception of music, the better is the production. Undoubtedly, in the
present scenario, a singing student puts in more effort for vocal prac-
This is a controversial question that puzzles almost
tice than listening to what they are supposed to sing. Probably we can
everyone. But naturally, an argument can be made for either posi-
expect the future to reveal that a “little” talent with “more” training
tion. Talent is a fragile entity and must
makes a good singer. In summary, the realization of these gifts or tal-
be nurtured by ministrations of indi-
ents probably cannot occur unless they are released, nurtured, and
viduals who are knowledgeable about,
developed by an effective teacher.
and dedicated to, the cultivation of the
talent. But what are the factors that
define what we call talent? There are
these wonderful factors which science
- Sirisha Duvvuru
calls genetic traits, which work without our knowledge. Is it a
well proven fact that singing ability is a genetic trait? Not every
child of a musician ends up becoming one. It is extremely difficult
to trace a genetic component in singing. Recent updates show
that fetal hearing is another factor which has an impact on the
musical ability of the unborn child. This means that a baby in the
womb also perceives the music in the outside world. Ultimately, Laughter Corner
such a child develops good musical skills. This skill is therefore
sometimes misinterpretation as a genetic trait. In addition, there
• The Smiths were dining out when his wife noticed a familiar
are other factors that contribute to a gifted voice. Here are some
face at the bar.
below.
"Honey," she said as she pointed the guy out, "That guy at the
bar has been drinking like that since I left him seven years ago."
First, when we sing, a number of muscles at the level of our Her husband said, "That's silly, no one celebrates that much!"
throat work together in a precise fashion. There is a muscle
called “cricothyroid” which acts to control our voice pitch and
loudness. It is believed • Husband: Let's go out and have some fun tonight.
that if a person is born Wife: Okay, but if you get home before I do, leave the hallway
with a greater muscle
light on.
bulk then the control
over voice is more
precise. But the reason • Height of optimism: Soldier: Sir, we are surrounded!
why this happens is still Major: Excellent! We can attack in any direction now!
undetermined. Keeping
aside the biological
aspects, there are a lot of mental aspects that play an important • Said to a railroad engineer: What's the use of having a train
role while singing. These include remembering the notes (holding schedule if the trains are always late.
the notes in memory), sequencing the notes, retrieval of the Railroad engineer: How would we know they were late, if we
notes accurately, and the discrimination of errors while singing. didn't have a schedule?
Some people are intuitive with what is called absolute pitch mem-
ory. Individuals with absolute pitch can imitate a particular note
without reference to any other note. People with absolute pitch • Teacher:Now, Sam, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before
tend to learn music much quicker than others. This ability is very eating?
rare – about 1 in 1,00,000. Sam: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
Now the question is whether it is difficult to learn music or be-
come a singer without the above factors? The answer, apparently, • Q: Why are Egyptians’ children always confused?
is yes. At least a few of these factors must be present, even if not
all, for one to become a good singer. But lately, it has been found A: Because after death, their daddy becomes the mummy.
that listening to music extensively can make a person a better
singer. Not many research studies support this. Also, listening to

© Copyright of Asha Knoxville 15

 ...contd from pg 1
Vision for 2008
2008 is going to be a very challenging and exciting year for
Asha Knoxville. In 2007, we got our hands wet in all as-
pects of the chapter setup process. In 2008, we are work-
ing towards expanding our publicity base tremendously and
also conducting events that are geared towards high budg-
ets. Within the committee, we have set realistic financial
targets for 2008. We want to fund at least three projects
by establishing relationships among and between chapters.
For volunteers who cannot contribute on a regular basis,
events can be a great attraction to participate and help
Asha. Besides publicity, fund raising and projects, we want
to take our collaboration efforts with the Knoxville com-
munity organizations to the next level, not only by better
understanding their expectations from Asha but also by
discussing how they can be better involved. We want to
synergize our efforts to motivate the volunteers and create
a feeling of responsibility and belonging for Asha. We
strongly believe in “Team Work.”
Organization Announcement
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Narendar Dhatore
has accepted to be the faculty advisor for Asha Knoxville-
UT operations. We are hoping to get the UT registration
accomplished in spring 2008. This activity has been delayed
due to unfortunate circumstances in the “student body
committee” that are beyond the control of Asha commit-
tee.
Project Updates
We are pleased to announce our first project,
“GramaVikasa Saradhi Upper Primary School (GVS).” GVS
is located near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This pro-
ject aims at supporting the GVS upper primary school
(standard I to VII) that has been working for the past seven
years attempting to make the learning process more mean-
ingful and impart basic education to the kids who other-
wise have to lead their life weaving baskets and brooms.
Approximately 116 students had been enrolled in the GVS
School during the last 5 years. Among those students, 48
were shifted to other schools because their parents mi-
grated there for their livelihood, while the rest are in GVS
School. There are no dropouts.
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Asha-Knoxville and Asha-New River Valley are collaborating
on this project to provide the school with the dietary sup-
plies, schools supplies, teacher’s compensation, and related
coordinating activities with GVS. Site visit was done in No-
vember, 2007. The yearly budget for this project is
Rs. 2,00,000/- and Asha Knoxville has already sent the first
installment of Rs. 50,000/- . More information about the pro-
ject such as proposal, budget, site visit etc., can be obtained
from the Asha Knoxville website or by contacting either Teja
or Aashish.
Future Projects
We want to create a “community based model” to fund the
projects. Community based model will encourage volunteers
from the communities to spearhead the projects. The funding
responsibilities will be shared between the community and
Asha Knoxville. Currently, volunteers from Tamil Nadu (TN)
and West Bengal (WB) showed great interest in this model.
We are working on reviewing few proposals in TN and WB.
In situations where the community is very interested in a
particular project and if there is shortage of funds, then we
can also use the “inter-chapter funding model.” The goal is to
establish strong relationship within the chapter communities
by funding at least three projects by the end of 2008. Also,
we want to fund projects by establishing relationships with
other chapters through inter-chapter funding. “Community
based model” can be used to fund low budget projects and
“Inter-chapter model” can be used to fund high budget pro-
jects.
Publicity and Merchandise
We want to implement movie and Quest as quarterly public-
ity activities. These are great platforms to communicate the
status of Asha Knoxville, Asha Wide activities and are also
platforms for volunteers to discuss their ideas and sugges-
tions. Also, the idea is to use the movie shows as a launching
pad for Quest releases. Besides movie and Quest, we are
working towards implementing a recurring donation program
and also broadcast Indian music on the local radio channel
each week. Discussions with the authorities in the respective
organizations are in process and the results so far are favor-
able. We want to implement the “change for hope” program
in full scale. We will be selling T-shirts in the spring. Price
details for T-shirts will be sent out soon.
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 Events in 2008
We want to conduct novel events that will provide entertainment to the Knoxville community. These events will encourage
local and outside performers and participants. Below is the tentative schedule of 2008 events that we are already working on
to materialize:

Feb 2nd: Movie screening at UT and Quest 2 launch.

Feb 23rd: Carrom Tournament at HCC
Summer: 5 Mile Marathon, Cricket and Volley Ball tournament, India Fest at UT.
Fall: Work an Hour (WAH) and Musical Concert from outside band. Details of the band cannot be revealed at this point as
we still are in the preliminary stages of the proposal.

Corporate Sponsorships
We are diligently working to get corporate sponsorships. If anyone has any information on potential corporate sponsors,
please contact our corporate sponsorship coordinator, Phani Nukala.

How can you contribute?

•Become a member of the mailing list.
•Participate in the fund raising and publicity events.
•Promote “Asha” to your friends through emails and community gatherings.
If you have any questions, or if you want to volunteer for any of the above events, please feel free to contact any of the com-
mittee members. Working for a noble cause is fun and we hope you feel the same way too. With all your support, we hope
to achieve the ambitious targets for 2008.

Thank You!

Committee
Sampath Kandala - Chapter Coordinator (Ph: 865-604-3560)
Teja Sastry - Projects Coordinator (Ph: 865-406-4395)
Mohan Damu - Treasurer (Ph: 865-335-1998)
Aashish Chaurey - Events Coordinator (Ph: 865-806-1296)
Ramu Katakam - Fund Raising Coordinator (Ph: 937-554-7516)
Phani Nukala - Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator (Ph: 865-898-7287)
Meena Kalyanaraman - ARC Representative (Ph: 865-385-0275)
Bhargav Kandala - Webmaster (Ph: 865-964-0328)

BEST WISHES TO ASHA KNOXVILLE

FROM A WELL WISHER

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