Letters from Readers
Your review took me back to events of 1947
It was very exciting to read your book review (“Books: Love in the Time of Division”) of Aanchal Malhotra’s The Book of Everlasting Things in the January 2023 issue. I thought the title of the review was very appropriate. In 1947, love between a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl—or vice versa—was almost unheard of. Movies like Deepa Mehta’s Earth: 1947, and books such as Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan and Amrita Pritam’s Pinjar, had tragic endings.
I am also a survivor of the tragic events of 1947. As a 10-year-old, I was held prisoner in Pakistan- Occupied Kashmir (POK) from 1947 to 1948. I was an eyewitness to the violence and massacres in my native Jammu and Kashmir. Those events had a nightmarish effect on me until, in 2012, I published Forgotten Atrocities: Memoirs of a Survivor of 1947 Partition of India. It served as a catharsis for me. A U.K.-based Pakistani Muslim translated my book into Urdu. And a Sikh gentleman from Singapore visited the ruins of the Alibeg Gurudwara where I was held prisoner and made a video. The stories of many Partition survivors, including mine, have been archived at Stanford University.
Bal K. Gupta
Acworth, GA
More living options available now for immigrant seniors
As senior citizens, we read with great interest Lavina Melwani’s article (“Cover Story: The Golden Years of Indian Immigrants in America”) in the December 2022 issue. It contained vivid examples of elderly Indians living in the U.S. and India. Of particular interest were the Moravian village and the Shantiniketan communities. One can add Anand Vihar in Tampa, Florida, to this list. This senior residential community, opened recently, is for year-round living. It provides facilities and conveniences like dining, recreation, and healthcare. If people cannot afford to buy these expensive houses, or have reasons such as wanting to be near their children, they are other options like in-home living with hired assistance, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and special care facilities. Each of these options has its own challenges: cost, ease of access, limited vegetarian options, and so on. It would be useful to seniors if journalists like Melwani could conduct further research and publish their findings in Khabar. They can provide examples of seniors living in these types of living arrangements, and explore both advantages and difficulties.
Shri and Shrimati P. Swamy
Greenville, SC
Enjoyed articles on Sikhs in North America and Sen. Jon Ossoff
I have been an avid reader of Khabar for the last twenty years. The magazine continues to improve in printing and quality. I especially liked the November 2022 article (“Cover Story: The Sikhs in North America”). Theirs is a story of resilience and indomitable spirit and growing as a strong community. The article on Senator Jon Ossoff (“U.S.-India Bilateral Ties: Senator Jon Ossoff’s Weeklong Visit to India”) was also enjoyable. I am especially thankful to Khabar for connecting us to Atlanta’s Indian community.
Madan Gupta
Suwanee, GA
Interested in writing for Khabar?
Writers are invited to contact us at editor@khabar.com for submission guidelines. Please include links and/or attach copies of published articles, if any, as samples of your work. A review of our back issues online will give you a good idea of what we like to publish. Pitches or unsolicited articles that haven’t appeared elsewhere are welcome as well. If there is further interest, Khabar will respond with an offer or provide more information on our requirements.
What’s on YOUR mind?
We welcome original, unpublished letters from our readers. You could either respond to a specific article in Khabar or write about issues relevant to our community. Letters may be edited for length and other considerations. Longer submissions by readers may be considered for the “My Turn” column.
Email: letters@khabar.com • Fax: (770) 234-6115.
Mail: Khabar, Inc. 3635 Savannah Place Dr, Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30096.
Note: Views expressed in the Letters section do not necessarily represent those of the publication.
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