Author: Ajay Ghosh

Forty civil rights organizations, along with the Sikh Coalition, jointly sent a letter to law enforcement officials June 1, demanding justice for an Indian national and a Pakistani national who were accused of terrorism and arrested at gunpoint while riding a Greyhound bus in Amarillo, Texas.

On Feb. 21, Daljeet Singh from India, and his friend, Mohammed Chotri from Pakistan, were on board a Greyhound bus and speaking in Punjabi. According to the Sikh Coalition, a woman on the bus reported to police that the two men were “acting weird,” speaking Arabic, and discussing a bomb.

Two other passengers detained Singh and Chotri in their seats until police came and arrested them at gunpoint. Singh and Chotri were interrogated at length, and taken to jail. Both men were released the following day, with no charges filed against them.

“Mr. Singh’s turban was removed in violation of his religious rights and not returned to him until the next evening after he was released from detention,” wrote the organizations, in a letter sent to Potter County, Texas Sheriff Brian Thomas and Potter County Attorney Scott Brumley.

“Mug shots of him without his turban were taken and widely distributed to the local media, causing him shame and grief. For a Sikh, the forced removal of a turban is akin to a strip search,” wrote the organizations. “To add insult to injury, Mr. Singh was even accused by a deputy of pretending to not know how to speak English, when in fact he is from India and recently applied for asylum in the United States.”

“Mr. Singh believes that he and Mr. Chotri were profiled because of their skin color and language abilities, and in the case of Mr. Singh, also because of his turban,” said the Sikh Coalition.

“The undersigned groups believe strongly that no one should be subject to discriminatory treatment and policing on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, or English language skills. This humiliating and offensive encounter could have been avoided if the officers were properly trained in diversity and nondiscrimination; had summoned an interpreter to the scene immediately so that the two Punjabi speakers could explain themselves; or more thoroughly investigated the basis for the terrorism allegation, including rigorously questioning the passenger who filed the false police report,” wrote the organizations in their letter to Thomas and Brumley, adding: “All of us have the right to live in America free from profiling and law enforcement abuse.”

The organizations asked to review the anti-profiling policies of the Sheriff’s Department, and requested that the county require each officer to undergo diversity training. The group also asked the county to provide translation services, and to investigate future incidents of discriminatory behavior.

“I still cannot believe that this happened to me in America,” Daljeet Singh told local press after the incident. “The only crime I committed was wearing a turban, having a beard, and speaking in a different language to another brown man on the bus.”

“What happened to these two men is unconscionable. We intend to work closely with local authorities on their training procedures and response protocols to ensure that history isn’t repeated,” said Sikh Coalition policy director Arjun Singh.

“The steady stream of xenophobic rhetoric from politicians in Texas has contributed to a climate in which innocent people are targeted for discrimination, racial profiling and police overreach,” said Rebecca L. Robertson, legal and policy director at the ACLU of Texas.

“In a state as diverse as our own, it’s unacceptable that anyone could be arrested, searched, interrogated and forced to spend the night in jail for speaking Punjabi on a Greyhound bus. And, in a state as deeply religious as Texas, we should demand that police respect all faith traditions,” she said.

Davinder Singh, 47, a Sikh gas station owner was shot to death in Newark, New Jersey, by an unidentified assailant on May 30. The fact that there was no apparent sign of robbery or confrontation, family suspects the killing to be of hate crime.

The incident was being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, news reports said. But at press time the motive of the crime was not established, not the identity of the attacker.

ABC New York reported that Singh, 47, was shot at the Power Gas Station on West Market Street sometime before 4:25 p.m. May 30. Police said Singh of Iselin, was found unresponsive at the gas station and taken to a University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 4:45 p.m.

The report quoted Singh’s son Jatinder Singh as saying that he thought his father, who had moved to the United States from India 25 years ago, may have been targeted because he was Sikh and wore a turban. “There was no robbery, no struggle, no confrontation,” he said. “I don’t know what else it could be other than a hate crime,” he was quoted as saying.

He said that his father had been robbed before but had always fought back. “My dad came out to get some fresh air and the male came up to my dad, pointed a gun and shot him point-blank,” he said.

Detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Task Force were quoted by ABC saying that an investigation was on but not confirming if the case was being investigated as a hate crime.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has declared that the Union Carbide Corporation was not responsible for cleaning up the mess created by the 1984 Bhopal tragedy in India, which had killed approximately 10,000 people and injured about 600,000.

Thirty years after methyl isocyanate leaked out of the Bhopal plant, aquifers as far as 3.5 kilometers away are still contaminated with toxic wastes. Owners and occupants of land near the Bhopal plant are suing UCC – which was bought by Dow Chemical in 2001 – for causing injuries resulting from hazardous contaminants attributed to the plant’s inadequate waste management system. Residents living near the now-shuttered site have suffered from a variety of illnesses from drinking contaminated water, and a huge number of babies have been born with birth defects. EarthRights and the plaintiffs want UCC to clean up the toxic wastes from the site; UCC has said it is not responsible.

The plaintiffs – through EarthRights International, a non-profit organization representing thousands of Bhopal victims – have stated that UCC provided the design of waste contamination pits necessary to store hydrochloric acid, a by-product of the methyl isocyanate manufacturing process. Hydrochloric acid is the primary source of groundwater contamination emanating from the Bhopal factory.

Judge Robert Katzmann on May 24 upheld a 2014 ruling by New York District Court Judge John Keenan, which found that the Union Carbide Corporation – UCC – had turned over the day-to-day responsibilities of managing the pesticides plant to Union Carbide India Limited – UCIL — which owned and operated the facility. UCC, however, owned 51 percent of UCIL’s stock.

Keenan has ruled in favor of UCC on three previous occasions. In 2014, Keenan ruled that UCC had supplied a design to UCIL which would use non-porous clay to line the waste contamination pits. UCIL instead used a cheaper, thin polyurethane.

In his decision on the case – known as Sahu vs. Union Carbide Corp, named for the chief plaintiff Jagarnath Sahu – Katzmann quoted from Keenan’s 2012 ruling, which noted: “Even after undertaking “a discovery expedition worthy of Vasco de Gama, it is clear from the undisputed facts that UCIL, and not UCC, designed and built the actual waste disposal system.”

Katzmann also found that testimony from two witnesses – Jurgen Exner and Ian von Lindern – was not substantive enough to support EarthRight’s contention of UCC’s involvement in designing and making the waste contamination pits.

Critically, Katzmann also upheld that Lucas John Couvaras, a plant manager at the Bhopal site at the time of the gas leak, could not be deposed. In a statement introduced in court, Couvaras claimed that he worked for UCC.

UCC however, claimed that Couvaras was a contractor employed by UCIL. Couvaras’s deposition is key to the case, as his testimony stating that he was an employee of the Union Carbide Corporation would be sufficient to establish UCC’s responsibility for the industrial disaster.

A former school teacher and colleagues of Indian American Mainak Sarkar have expressed shock and sadness over news of the researcher fatally shooting his wife and a University of California-Los Angeles professor before turning the gun on himself.

Sarkar, 38, fatally shot engineering professor William Klug, 39, in his office at UCLA on June 1. Klug had refused to give him a passing grade. Before killing Klug, he killed his wife, Ashley Hasti, who was found dead in Brooklyn Park, in Minnesota.

Sarkar passed his ICSE exam from St. Michael’s School in Durgapur town of West Bengal’s Burdwan district, before passing Class 11 and 12 from another school. Lily Chowdhury, a biology teacher at St. Michael’s, described the news of the shootout as “very shocking.”

“He was a very brilliant student, meritorious student, I should say. He was one of the toppers of the class. He was the pride of our school,” said Chowdhury. She remembers Sarkar as “very well behaved.”

Some Indian researchers in the U.S. said they were “discomfited” that Sarkar, who was an IIT Kharagpur graduate, could commit such a heinous crime. Researcher Sohini Ray, who was in “lockdown” for around two hours along with her lab mates in a UCLA building, said taking someone’s life was not justifiable.

“It’s a very sad affair. We do not know what transpired internally but taking someone’s life is not justifiable and whether the person had tried to solve the problem through another method before taking the drastic step is not clear. Not just as a Bengali but as an Indian, I feel sad,” Ray told a local TV channel.

Sarkar had written the names of Klug and his wife in a note, titled “Kill List,” that police found while searching his residence. The third person Sarkar intended to kill was another professor at UCLA. However, the faculty member was off-campus June 1.

IIT-Kharagpur director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti June 2 expressed grief at the “senseless loss of life.” “We are extremely sad at this senseless loss of life and our hearts go out to the families who lost their loved ones,” Chakrabarti said when asked about the development. Shubham Goel, an economics major at University of California, Los Angeles, was in class with fellow students when all hell appeared to break loose June 1.

Indian Institute of Technology graduate and former UCLA doctoral student, Sarkar, 38, shot to death his professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, William Klug, 39, in a small room in Engineering Building 4 on South Campus. His killing spree however, had begun earlier, in Minnesota, where the body of a medical student he married in 2011 was found.

“What actually happened on our campus was very different from what we were led to believe (through the alerts and rumors),” Goel recalls. But the terror was etched in their memories and even into the day after the horrific incident, students were afraid to go back to campus, he said.

Gupta indicated that the competitive academic environment at UCLA could be difficult, and recalled his own experience. “A few years ago, some student thought I had taken his work. I hadn’t but he made a big deal about it. UCLA is a pressure cooker in that sense,” Gupta said.

“There’s been no racializing of the incident,” said Gupta. The main conversation among students is focused around issues of mental health, and the academic pressure to excel, he said rather than the shooter’s ethnicity. “There is also a lot of discussion going on about gun policies,” he added. Chief of LAPD Charlie Beck told reporters Sarkar had two semi-automatic weapons legally purchased.

Details given by the police and media reports about Sarkar’s background, as well as his Web entries, reveal that after IIT he did his Masters at Stanford University and got his doctorate from UCLA in 2013. A professor at IIT-Kharagpur’s aerospace department said he recalled that Sarkar, “a brilliant student,” was from Kolkata, according to The Hindustan Times. “He remained busy with studies and did not talk or socialize much.” The newspaper also reported that he had worked for Infosys in Bangalore before coming to the U.S.

Phani Guthula, an Indian American engineer, who had sued after he fell nearly 40 feet through a glass ceiling at Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, has settled for $7.25 million. According to his attorneys, earlier this month with the defendants, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the security company, AlliedBarton Security Services.

Guthula says a guard at the Rodin Museum in 2012 told him he could step on the glass to inspect lighting fixtures before he fell. His attorneys say he was hospitalized for over a month with injuries including femur, hip, pelvic and rib fractures. “It was the most terrifying moment of his life,” Guthula’s attorney Larry Bendesky told the media. “It’s a more terrifying moment than most of us would ever be able to come to grips with.”

As per the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Rodin Museum had completed a $9 million renovation. Guthula, then 27 and working as an engineer for ICF International, was conducting an energy audit of the building, which had applied for an energy rebate with Peco.

While conducting the audit, an AlliedBarton security guard gave Guthula access to the museum’s attic area, the lawsuit said. Guthula was required to inspect light fixtures located above a glass-paneled surface, and the guard told him he could step onto the glass. He soon plummeted to the museum floor.

Guthula’s lawsuit had accused the museum and its security company of not protecting him. In a court filing, AlliedBarton said its security guard had never been properly warned about the safety risks by the museum.

Guthula’s attorneys said he was hospitalized for over a month with injuries including femur, hip, pelvic and rib fractures. Guthula has partially recovered, but walks slowly, and suffers from a lack of energy and an inability to concentrate at times.

Guthula’s attorneys say the settlement brought some sense of closure to their client, but the effects of his injuries will likely linger the rest of his life. “He’s doing the very best he can do. He is living every day fighting through it, putting his best foot forward, and working towards living a normal life,” said Bendesky.

Queens, NY: Jackson Heights in the Queens Borough in New York has come to be recognized as the hub of multi-culturalism. But for Indian Americans, it’s their prime center, where one will find dozens of Indian businesses flourish with the active support of the influential Indian American community.

Recognizing the presence of these diverse groups, representing peoples from around the world, showcasing different cultures, a stretch of road in New York’s Jackson Heights, was officially co-named “Diversity Plaza.”

“Diversity Plaza has truly become a neighborhood gathering point for Jackson Heights and Elmhurst residents,” said New York City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst). The plaza serves as a town square, concert stage, festival space and cafe year round. There is always something exciting taking place there,” Dromm said at the co-naming ceremony.

Others who were present at the event included U.S. Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), N.Y.C. Public Advocate Letitia James (D-NYC), Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (D-Queens), N.Y. State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens), the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Friends of Diversity Plaza, SUKHI New York, and the Neighborhood Plaza Partnership, among others.

“We are very excited about the co-naming ceremony and the designation of our special public space as, officially, Diversity Plaza,” said Shekar Krishnan, Chair of Friends of Diversity Plaza. “As the gateway to Jackson Heights, it is a reflection of the incredible cultural vibrancy and diversity of our neighborhood,” he said.

“I’m proud to see my vision of Diversity Plaza as the capital of the living United Nations in New York City became real,” said Agha Saleh, founder of SUKHI, a nonprofit for South Asian community in New York. “SUKHI’s inclusive team of diversity lead by two women, Shazia Kausar and Fatima Baryab, and their dedicated work with Council Member Dromm at 37th Road during the past four years made this plaza famous around the world,” Saleh said.

In a statement Mayor Bill de Blasio noted that Diversity Plaza has been a mainstay of Jackson Heights – ‎one of the most diverse neighborhoods in one of the most diverse cities on earth – for years. “We are proud to stand with Council Member Dromm and the people of Queens to formally recognize the importance of this plaza for the folks here — who speak over 150 languages,” the mayor said.

The name “Diversity Plaza” was coined by Dromm’s former chief of staff Will Sweeney who lives in Jackson Heights. The co-naming ceremony coincided with World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, designated by the United Nations in 2002. A special performance by Calpulli Mexican Dance Company followed Dromm’s remarks and the unveiling of the official “Diversity Plaza” street sign.

NEW YORK CITY, NY: With an aim to strengthen ties with the local Indian community in Connecticut, a high level delegation led by Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das would be visiting Hartford, Connecticut (CT) on June 3rd, 2016 for an Outreach Program.

The delegation will comprise of representatives from nationalized Indian banks, Air India, India Tourism Office, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), United States India Business Council (USIBC), Make my Trip and Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS).

During the visit, the delegation would be meeting the Honorable Governor of Connecticut Dannel Malloy, the Honorable Mayor of Hartford, Luke Bronin, local chambers of commerce, business communities and the Indian-American communities.

The delegation will address the Indian Community at a reception in the evening, starting at 7pm, at the Comfort Inn & Suites. The Consulate and the accompanying delegation members from the chambers of commerce, banks and tourism office will address any queries related to steps taken to improve consular services, passport, visa and banking services, business environment and economic reforms. This platform will provide a great opportunity for the community to interact with the Consulate and its partner stakeholders.

New Jersey: Thiruvalluvar Tamil School in Edison celebrated its 6th Annual Day with much fanfare on May 15. Dr. Palanisamy Sundaram, a renowned pediatrician and the founder of New Jersey Tamil Sangam (NJTS), a longtime promoter of Tamil language and supporter of New Jersey Tamil community, presided over the function. Current office bearers of New Jersey Tamil Sangam, Mrs. Usha Krishnakumar, President and Kalyan Muthusamy, Vice President, in their speech, heartily applauded the eagerness of students in learning the Tamil language and encouraged them.

Founded in 2010, Thiruvalluvar Tamil School, a nonprofit organization, has continually provided Tamil education to hundreds of Tamil families that live in New Jersey and has been a champion and bulwark of Tamil culture and traditions. While the school began with 12 volunteers and 65 students, its strength has grown over 500%, and today, more than 325 students are taught to speak, read, and write Tamil language with the help of 60 teachers. The students are grouped at various grade levels based on their age and caliber.

The annual day festivities at Thiruvalluvar school is an occasion for celebrating the Tamil language, promoting the arts, the culture and the heritage of the Tamil people, and showcasing the various talents of the Tamil school students.

On Sunday at 2 PM, the annual day celebrations began with a moving rendition of Tamizhthai vazhtthu (Praise of Mother Tamil) by select students in the J.P. Stevens high school auditorium, Edison. Volunteer teacher, Mrs. Sathya Paul welcomed the guests and spoke about the achievements of the school.Senthilnathan Muthusamy, Treasurer introduced the chief guest, Dr. Palanisamy Sundaram. Commending his long service to Tamil language and Tamil people living in New Jersey, Mrs. Shanthi Thangaraj, Principal, awarded a plaque to the chief guest while Lakshmikanthan Sundararajan, Vice Principal, honored him on stage with a ponnaadai (meaning, gold cloth).

Volunteer teachers, Sridhar Kumaravelu, Mrs. Srilakshmi Premkumar, Karuppaiah Ganesan and Mrs. Senthilnayaki Selvakumar compèred the event. Over 300 students, between the ages of 3 and 15, performed in various programs on stage while more than 500 people in the auditorium, clapped, whistled and whooped in joy cheering them up.

East Hanover, New Jersey – GOPIO International has elected to reach out Indian Diaspora Community through its chapters. New Jersey has a large Indian Diaspora Community and there is only one chapter, GOPIO Central Jersey based in Edison serving the New Jersey Indian community.

According to GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi, GOPIO has plans to expand in other areas of New Jersey. With that objective, GOPIO officially launched inaugurated a second chapter GOPIO-North Jersey on Sunday, May 22nd at the Fairbridge Hotel, East Hanover, New Jersey. Chapter President Dhiraj Solanki welcomed guests and said that the chapter will reach out Indian Diaspora (NRI/PIO) community and involve youth and young professionals in the chapter activities.

The chapter was inaugurated in the presence of many dignitaries and community leaders Th3e chief guest was India’s Deputy Consul General in New York Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapara who welcomed the formation of new chapter and promised to work closely with the new chapter on issues of Indian community in North Jersey.

“The consulate has improved the response and turnaround time for visa, passport and OCI cards services, because of feedback from GOPIO Chapters and GOPIO International,” said Dr. Mohapatra. “When GOPIO brings any matter to us, we look at it and work on it right away,” said Dr. Mohapatra. “With a population 1.8 million NRIs/PIOs in the Northeast Region, the consulate can provide better service only with the help of organizait6ons such as GOPIO,” Dr. Mohapatra added.

New Jersey Assemblyman from district 33 Raj Mukherji praised GOPIO for the services provided to 380k Indian Diaspora community residing in New Jersey. Mukherji called upon the community to be pro-active in the political process. Former Deputy Speaker of New Jersey State Assembly Upendra Chivukula who is currently the Commissioner on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities said that when GOPIO recognizes a person, Govt. of India notices it and the recipients are likely candidates for receiving Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. Chivukula congratulated the organizers for opening a chapter in North Jersey.

GOPIO-Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham said that unlike other India association, GOPIO chapters will be involved in civic affairs and service to the local communities. GOPIO motto is “Think Globally and Act Locally.”

Community leader and TV Asia Chairman H.R. Shah, GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi and GOPIO International Coordinator for North America Dr. Rajeev Mehta and GOPIO Coordinator for Tri-State New York area Lal Motwani were also present at the inauguration ceremony. GOPIO Silicon Valley President Ashok Bhatt, GOPIO-Central Jersey President Dinesh Mittal and GOPIO-CT President Shelly Nichani showed their support by attending the inauguration ceremony. GOPIO-North Jersey Vice President Rajul Shah served as the MC while the chapter Secretary Ahi Adukia gave the vote of thanks. For more information on GOPIO-North Jersey Chapter, contact its president Dhiraj Solanki at  973-714-5249, dnsolanki@hotmail.com or Vice President Rajul shah at 908-327-0605, rajulpshah@aol.com.

Attached Photo: GOPIO-North Jersey Chapter is inaugurated in the presence of dignitaries and GOPIO officials with lighting of the lamp. From l. to. r.: Dinesh Mittal, Lal Motwani, Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, H.R. Shah, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Raj Mukherji, Dr. Rajeev Mehta, Dr. Thomas Abraham and Shelly Nichani

With record numbers of people requiring life-saving assistance and funding drastically short of meeting those needs, leaders today concluded the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul endorsing five responsibilities to improve aid delivery, support refugees, uphold international law, increase financing and prevent the crises generating the largest migration flows in 70 years.

The two-day Summit brought together 55 Heads of State and Government and other officials from 173 countries in Istanbul, Turkey from May 23-24, 2016. Hundreds of representatives from the private sector and thousands from civil society also attended, marking a diverse range of actors discussing new ways to alleviate suffering, including by addressing the social, economic and other inequities that could ignite simmering tensions into violent conflict.

“This unique Summit has set us on a new course,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in closing remarks. “It is not an end point, but a turning point”. Governments, people affected by crisis, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the United Nations had come together to support the Agenda for Humanity and its five core responsibilities. “Implementing this Agenda is a necessity if we are to enable people to live in dignity and prosperity,” he declared.

Indeed, he said, humanitarian and development partners had agreed on a new way of working to reduce the need for humanitarian action, while aid agencies and donor Governments had committed to a “Grand Bargain” that placed resources in the hands of those who needed them. Governments had committed to do more to prevent conflict, uphold international law and live up to the promise of the United Nations Charter.

Ban said he would report to the General Assembly in September on the Summit’s achievements and propose ways to advance the commitments. To be sure, the people enduring conflict today and those working to alleviate their suffering were the true humanitarian heroes. “The World Humanitarian Summit must deliver for you,” he said.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, said that, given the commitments participants had made during the two days, strong action, rather than empty words, must now follow. Indeed, no country could remain indifferent to the stark differences among countries, where one could be wealthy while millions of people lived in poverty in a neighbouring State. “We must share our moral, political and financial obligations and act swiftly,” he said. “Any day that we wait causes the deaths of hundreds and the suffering of thousands.” With that in mind, he expressed hope that the Summit would open the door to a more peaceful world.

In addition, the Summit featured seven high-level leaders’ round table discussions in which Heads of State and Government and representatives of civil society, the private sector, philanthropy and the United Nations announced commitments to improve humanitarian responses. In three of those round tables held today, discussions focused around broad themes titled: “Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity”, “Natural Disaster and Climate Change — Managing Risks and Crises Differently” and “Women and Girls — Catalysing Action to Achieve Gender Equity”.

Throughout, participants decried that civilians were being indiscriminately killed in armed conflict, that the Geneva Conventions were being routinely ignored, that women and girls continued to suffer sexual abuse in emergency settings and that some 218 million people every year were impacted by natural hazards. Indeed, participants said, the Secretary-General’s core commitments were a collective promise to never overstep the limits of humanity.

Fifteen special sessions were held, in which participants outlined individual pledges to help those affected by disasters and conflict. Seven of the special sessions were held today, covering themes of humanitarian principles, protection of journalists, humanitarian intervention, young people, business, risk analysis and efforts to place people at the centre of humanitarian action. Speakers announced commitments to better engage a range of stakeholders in the search for pragmatic solutions to complex dilemmas. The eight special sessions held on Monday, 23 May, covered religious engagement, migrants, persons with disabilities, education, Islamic social finance, global health, regional action, and a global alliance for urban crises.

The plenary sessions, which was held alongside the other events, closed with an interactive panel moderated by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson and featuring discussion with Maria Verónica Bastias, Regional Coordinator for the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction; Butch Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation; Françoise Sivignon, President of Médecins du Monde; and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey. The Summit’s closing ceremony featured performances by the Kenya State House Girls Performance Group, Syrian Boys Choir and the Adiyaman Temporary Housing Facility Performance Group, as well as Yvonne Chaka Chaka, United Nations Millennium Development Goals Envoy for Africa.

Two top American immigration-related advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking transparency into the lottery process of H-1B work visas, the most sought after for IT professionals, particularly those from India.

The lawsuit has been filed by the American Immigration Council and American Immigration Lawyers Association against the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking information about the government’s administration of the H-1B lottery.

The two advocacy group alleged that USCIS has never been forthcoming in describing the selection process, a statement said. “When petitions are submitted to USCIS in April, it’s as if they disappear into a ‘black box’,” said Melissa Crow, legal director of the American Immigration Council.

“This suit is intended to pry open that box and let the American public and those most directly affected see how the lottery system works from start to finish, and to learn whether the system is operating fairly and all the numbers are being used as the law provides,” Crow said.

“Despite the Obama Administration’s public commitment to the values of transparency and accountability, frankly, our attempts to see into this process have been resisted,” said AILA executive director Benjamin Johnson.

“Instead of responding to our requests for information about how the lottery is conducted, how cap-subject petitions are processed and how the numbers are estimated and tracked, USCIS has kept the process entirely opaque,” he alleged.

“This litigation is intended to shine a necessary light on an important process in America’s business immigration system,” Johnson said.

German government has honored missioner Sister Hermanelde Pulm for her five-decade-long work for the poor in India with the prestigious ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit.

Michael Siebert, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mumbai, on behalf of German Federal President Joachim Gauck, conferred the award to Sister Pulm in a ceremony held in Mumbai on May 23.

Sister Pulm, 79, is a a member of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit in Mumbai. She has been working in India since 1963 through her engagement at the Holy Spirit Hospital in Andheri, Mumbai.

The hospital caters for the medical needs of Indians of all religions, especially the poorer sections of society. With this honour, Germany acknowledges her decades-long, outstanding efforts in serving Indians in need.

Siebert said the nun has “spread a very positive image of Germany in India amongst so many, but without ever stepping into the limelight. You have helped, physically and spiritually, so many babies, children, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunties in the pediatric ward.”

He lauded the nun’s efforts to build “what was then called the ‘jungle hospital’ by many in Andheri” and said her “part is huge in making it into today’s Holy Spirit Hospital.”

The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951. It is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the Nation.

The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreigners for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm and for all kinds of outstanding services to the nation in the field of social, charitable or philanthropic work.

Chicago IL: Dada J.P. Vaswani, or “Dada” as he is lovingly known, belies his age of 97, in his address to the devotees in Chicago last week, spoke of forgiveness. “The only way to forgive completely is to forget. You cannot forgive if you continue to hold the feelings of the past. The past is over, Dada said. Move on with only love in your heart. Your mind will be at peace,” he said.

His message is of love, forgiveness and bringing God back into our daily lives. He talked of respecting all forms of life, be they of animals, insects or of plants. The 21st century, Dada said, should be the century for protecting Animal Rights. Killing animals for food is inhumane. “Let us not make our stomachs graveyards for animals,” he said.

Dada emphasized the need for having humor in our daily lives. “People have forgotten to smile and laugh,” he said, and added, “You are not fully dressed till you wear a smile on your face.” Dada told us to stop complaining and start thanking. Be thankful to God. More good things are happening than bad things in our lives. Focus on the good things.

Dada underscored the need to bringing God back into our daily life. “Everything you do, do it as if you are doing it for God. Remember God as many times a day as possible and in all that you do. Make God your partner in your daily life, be it your business or your personal life. Loneliness can be overcome if you believe that you are not alone, that God is always with you every moment of the day,” he said.

Pujya Dada was brought to the banquet hall by his personal cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh Chhablani from the home of Dada’s host family, Dr. Gopal and Neetu Lalmalani. It was an evening of enlightenment with a spellbound audience and a spiritual Master at the beautiful banquet hall of the Oakbrook Marriott, Chicago, IL. The evening began with devotional music by two renowned singers of Chicago: Pramila Bhatia, a well known disciple of the famous Purshotamdas Jalota, a singer at the Chinmaya Mission Center of Chicago; and Anil Sharma, a talented professional singer whom the Chicago community has had the privilege of hearing for many years. The bhajan singing primed the audience to a religious mood and focus on the arrival of the highlight of the evening, Dada J.P. Vaswani.

Dada is the head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission based in Pune, India. The Mission has centers all over the world. The goals of the mission are to serve the needy and less fortunate people. It has Cardiac and Eye hospitals where free surgeries are done for the poor. Dada has written over 150 books with very leading titles, some of which are available on Amazon. The details and activities of the Sadhu Vaswani Center of Chicago, under the leadership of Prakash Jotwani, can be seen on its website www.svc-chicago.org.

Chicago, IL: Indian Community Outreach and The City of Naperville will be hosting the second grand India Day Parade and Celebration on August 14, 2016 (Sunday) to mark the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. Several thousand people from Chicago and the suburbs are expected to attend the parade and event to be held in downtown Naperville.

The India Day Parade will serve as a showcase of India’s rich and diverse culture, with more than 100 floats organized by Indian cultural, local business and political organizations. Spectators will be treated to a rich variety of Indian cuisine, ethnic arts, apparel, and jewelry. This event has the distinction of being the 2nd India Day Parade backed by any city in Midwest America.

The event is being organized by the Indian Community Outreach Organization (ICO) in association with the City of Naperville. The ICO is a non-partisan and a not for profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage and contributions of Indian Americans while promoting their integration in the growth of Naperville. Its chairman Krishna Bansal has been appointed by, and reports to the Mayor of Naperville.

Bansal said he and his team are excited to have the ICO organize this pioneering event. “Indian Americans are now a significant part of Naperville’s population in both numbers and impact,” he said. The community, which saw a dramatic growth since the nineties, now comprises over 10 percent of the suburb’s total population. Moreover, with the recent influx of information technology workers and other professionals from India, over 70 percent are first generation immigrants.

Viral Shah, board member and treasurer of ICO described several South Asian community leaders, restaurants, businesses and cultural organizations have come forward to support the event. While Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico and Consul General of India in Chicago, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, will be chief guests, Sunidhi Chauhan, Indian’s sensational singer will be the Parade Marshal.

Chirag Jani, board member of ICO and lead of event logistics explained that parade will begin in Downtown Naperville at 5:00 PM and end at Knoch Park, 724 S West St, Naperville, IL 60540 where the celebration will kick off. The final route details are being worked out with the City of Naperville. While providing outline of the event, he emphasized this to be an excellent opportunity for local businesses and groups to partner, participate and gain visibility.

The parade may be seen as a symbol of the rapid growth of the Indian American community in the Chicago suburbs. Among the other dignitaries attending are the state and local elected representatives and prominent leaders of the Naperville community.

The hip and happening Bollywood singing sensation, Sunidhi Chauhan, with several big hit under her belt, will present a number of soulful melodies on August 14, 2016, at 5.00 PM, and capture the hearts of music lovers of Chicago. She will be supported by a state-of-the art orchestra. It is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her fans considering the fact that the entry to the concert will be FREE. Additional information about the parade and celebration including applications to participate in the parade and celebrations as well as sponsorship is available on our web site www.napervilleindian.com. We encourage everyone to visit and review our website.

Harendra Singh’s lenders have demanded that the town pay more than $14.6 million after Singh defaulted on loans guaranteed by the town of Oyster Bay, according to media reports. The town of Oyster Bay on Long Island, NY has been facing a lot of heat after the Harendra Singh’s indictment last year and the troubles only seems to be growing as Oyster Bay’s credit rating has dropped to junk status after a decade of deficits, weak fiscal management and growing debt.

The Recovery – In three separate letters dated Feb. 26, representatives with the lending company wrote, “Phoenix Life hereby demands payment from the Town of Oyster Bay.” In one of the letters, the attorney and the chief investment forofficer subsidiaries of Connecticut-based The Phoenix Companies demanded payment of $9.1 million for money loaned to SRB Concession Inc., which runs Tobay Beach, and $5.4 million for money loaned to S.R.B. Convention & Catering Corp. which runs the Woodlands catering hall at the town golf course. In 2014, the town board extended the concessions agreements with the Singh companies to 2065 and 2070. Singh sold his shares in the companies to outside investors, but his wife Ruby retains controlling ownership.

Singh on Sept. 9 was charged in federal court with 13 felony counts including bribing an Oyster Bay official to obtain $20 million in loan guarantees. He has pleaded not guilty. A spokesperson for the town says it is not responsible for repaying the loans and has questioned the legality of the guarantees, but legal experts disagree.

A town spokesperson told News 12 that Oyster Bay officials are currently in settlement negotiations with the lender and new investors. The goal is to avoid a lawsuit and “amicably resolve all issues.” Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto said Wednesday, May 18, that “a lot has occurred” since the letters were sent and referred questions to the town’s outside legal counsel, Jonathan Pickhardt, at Manhattan-based Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. “Phoenix was in discussion before and after the date of these notices with the investors at the SRB entities,” Pickhardt said. “There certainly have been no legal claims that have been filed, seeking to have any court involvement in this. It continues to be the town’s position that these amendments were not properly authorized, they’re not enforceable,” he said.

The GOPIO-Upper New York Chapter held its eight Annual Dinner and Dance celebrating the arrival of Indian Indentured Laborers to Guyana on April 30, 2016. This well organized event that drew a capacity audience was held at the Starlite Pavillion, Richmond Hill, Queens, New York. The program was coordinated and emceed by Jhairam Persaud, President of the GOPIO-Upper New York Chapter, who was ably assisted by members of the Chapter’s executives.

After introductions and welcome by GOPIO Upper New York President Jhairam Persaud, GOPIO Tri-state Coordinator Lal Motwani delivered greetings on behalf of GOPIO International. In attendance were also Representatives from the Queens Borough President’s Office and the Office of the District’s Congressman, the Honorable Gregory Meeks. Four members of the Chapter received Congressional Certificates of Appreciation at this event. Those members were Netram Rambudhan, Miss Patsy Leopold, Gurdatt Jagnanan, and Premenauth Singh.

The featured speaker for the evening was Author, Novelist and Professor of English and Asian Studies, Marina Budhos, who was introduced by Dr. Jaigobin Shivcharran.  Her speech on “Immigration -Then and Now” was a compelling presentation and resonated very well with the audience. Her use of slides engaged the audience and kept everyone focused throughout her presentation.

The GOPIO UNY Community Service Award this year went to Cultural and Artistic Director of the Rajkumari Cultural Center, Pritha Singh, who was introduced by Premenauth Singh and the award was presented by GOPIO UNY President, Jhairam Persaud. Gurdatt Jagnanan concluded the event with appreciation and thanks to presenters and attendees.

Picture Caption: From left  to right: Mahendra Sawh, Dev Chedda, Dr. Jaigobin Shivcharran, Savi Narain, Ann Lutchmidat, Patsy Leopold, Gurdatt Jagnanan, Pritha Singh, Tony  Roopnarain,  Premnauth Singh, Jhairam Persaud, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Keynote speaker Marina Budhos,  Lal Motwani and Netram Rambudhan

Dr. Narendra K. Nagareddy, a 57-year-old psychiatrist from Atlanta, GA has been indicted on three counts of murder. As per reports, the drugs prescribed by Nagareddy had killed Cheryl Pennington, 47, and a 49-year-old father named David Robinson. Audrey Austin had died, less than a week after the 29-year-old mother of two left the rehab.

The substances – powerful, addictive pain medications – were allegedly prescribed by Narendra K. Nagareddy, reportedly known for his willingness to prescribe pills to nearly anyone who wanted them. Last week, the doctor was arrested for their deaths.

A Clay County grand jury indicted Nagareddy, known in the media widely as “Dr. Death,” on three counts of murder, and 59 additional counts of unauthorized distribution of pain prescriptions, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Nagareddy has denied the allegations from the outset, according to news reports. Nagareddy is accused in court documents of giving refillable painkiller prescriptions, taboo in the medical community because patients can fill the prescriptions prematurely.

“Unequivocally, we will be ready to defend this matter,” Steve Frey, Nagareddy’s attorney, told the Journal-Constitution after the indictment. “He is innocent of all of these charges.” It’s the latest development in a years-long investigation into Nagareddy’s medical practice.

A probation officer was among the first to flag Nagareddy after she noticed that three people in her caseload who had died were patients of the doctor, according to an AJC investigation. She reported the pattern to the Drug Enforcement Administration, which worked with local law enforcement to build a case that led to Nagareddy’s initial arrest in January.

He was charged with violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act by allegedly prescribing medications that had no legitimate purpose. Nagareddy was later released on a $100,000 bond, the Journal-Constitution reported. One month after his January arrest, the Georgia Composite Medical Board voted to suspend Nagareddy’s license.