Supreme Court to Review Case Opposing Obama’s Immigration Plan

January 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive order which would allow the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to remain in the country without fear of deportation.

The justices will hear the case in April and are expected to issue a ruling in June. Opponents of Obama’s initiative have argued that the president has overstepped his role by issuing the order, known as the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans.

More than five million undocumented U.S. residents would be affected by the plan, which allows for work permits, drivers’ licenses and relief from deportation. Obama’s executive order also expands the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has been in effect since 2011.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence in the legal arguments that we’ll be making before the court,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Jan. 19 at the daily briefing.

“The kinds of executive actions that the president took a little over a year ago now to try to bring some much-needed reforms and greater accountability to our broken immigration system were clearly consistent with the precedent that was established by other presidents, and clearly within the confines of his authority as president of the United States. That’s the nature of the argument that will be presented to the court,” he said.

“These executive actions will have on the security of communities all across the country, a positive impact on our economy, and obviously a positive impact on thousands of families inside the United States,” said Earnest.

An estimated 11 million undocumented people currently reside in the U.S. India is the fourth largest source of unauthorized immigrants in America, behind Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The Pew Research Center estimates there are 450,000 undocumented Indians living in the U.S.

The initiative was immediately challenged by 26 states after the president announced the plan in November 2014. A lawsuit brought about by the states – Texas v. USA – has kept the order from being implemented.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last November to block implementation of DAPA, upholding a lower court’s decision in February. Texas contends it would have to incur “millions” in cost for providing drivers’ licenses and unemployment benefits to at least half a million undocumented people who reside in the state.

The South Asian Bar Association applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to hear Texas v. USA, “thereby preserving the hopes of nearly four million undocumented individuals in the United States for quasi-legal status, temporary work authorization, and at least temporary relief from deportation.”

The organization noted it had filed an amicus – friend of the court – brief as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case, stating that DAPA and expansion of DACA are well within the realm of the president’s executive authority.

“While the court is sure to examine the scope of the president’s authority to enact these programs, we urge the court to consider the very real interests of the families and individuals who would benefit from this program,” said SABA president Anne Gwal in a statement.

“Separation by deportation is cruel and unnecessary, and the inability to legally work in the United States relegates millions of people to the shadow economy,” she said.

If the Supreme Court reverses the lower court’s decision and upholds the executive order, the Department of Homeland Security would have about seven months to implement these programs before a new president assumes office, noted SABA. Asian Americans Advancing Justice noted that the new DAPA initiative and expanded DACA would benefit at least 400,000 Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants nationwide.

“We applaud the Supreme Court for agreeing to hear this case. We hope they correct the lower court’s ruling, and recognize correctly the legal authority of the president to exercise discretion in immigration enforcement,” stated Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles.

Dhanush To Make Hollywood Debut In Uma Thurman Starrer

January 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Tamil-Hindi actor Dhansuh is all set to make his Hollywood debut with Uma Thurman starrer film “The Extraordinary Journey of The Fakir.” Directed by Iranian-French director Marjane Satrapi, the film also stars Alexandra Daddario, “Captain Phillips,” actor Barkhad Abdi and Laurent Lafitte, reported Variety. The film also stars “Kill Bill” actress Uma Thurman.

Dhanush is a popular actor in India, and he has worked in both Bollywood and the southern film industry. His last Hindi release was “Shamitabh” in which he starred with Indian cinematic icon Amitabh Bachchan. “The Extraordinary Journey of The Fakir”, directed by Iranian-French director Marjane Satrapi, will also see “Bandit Queen” actress Seema Biswas, reports variety.com.

Apart from them, the film, which will be shot in Paris, Rome, Jodhpur and Casablanca, will also feature Alexandra Daddario, Barkhad Abdi and Laurent Lafitte. The film will mark the most ambitious project undertaken by Satrapi, who earlier helmed films like “Persepolis” and “Chicken With Plums”. Satrapi made her English language debut with “The Voices” starring Ryan Reynolds.

“The Extraordinary Journey of The Fakir” is a comedy adventure tale based on Romain Puertolas’s bestselling debut novel “The Extraordinary Journey of The Fakir Who Got Trapped In An Ikea Wardrobe” which came out in 2014 and has been translated into 35 languages.

The novel relates the pilgrimage of a con man from India to an IKEA in Paris which turns into a philosophical odyssey. The film will follow his journey from New Delhi to Paris where he falls in love with a woman and accidentally gets deported along with a band of African refugees to the far corners of Europe against his will.

“It’s a story about love, magic and adventure and it takes place across three continents. I’m drawn to fantasy stories and I love creating worlds that don’t exist, imagining things in bigger and more beautiful ways,” Satrapi said. The shooting of the film will begin in June.

Two Teenagers Arrested For Attack On Bangladeshi Muslim In Bronx

January 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Two teenagers were last week arrested in connection with the Jan. 16 attack on Majibur Rahman, a Bangladeshi Muslim who was beaten up by the duo on a Bronx street as they yelled “ISIS”, “ISIS” at him. News Reports said a 14-year-old, and a 15-year-old were arrested Jan. 22 and charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment as a hate crime, The names of the teenagers were not released by police because of their age.

Rahman, 43, who was wearing traditional Muslim attire, was picking up his nine-year-old niece from school on Watson Avenue and Pugsley Avenue, a heavily South Asian neighborhood, around 5:30 p.m. when the two suspects attacked him, WPIX 11 TV reported.

The boys punched him in the head and knocked him onto the ground where they kicked him several times, police sources were quoted as saying by WPIX 11 TV. Rahman’s niece was physically unharmed but was “emotionally traumatized” by the attack, according to N.Y. State Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda.

“I was dressed like a Muslim,” Rahman told the Post. “That’s why I was attacked. This has never happened before. I hope and wish this doesn’t happen in the future to anyone else,” he said.

Gothamist said in a report that the teens suspected of carrying out the attack were arrested after the younger boy’s mother overheard them bragging about the assault. She turned in her son, who in turn named the older boy.

“The community is happy that the suspects were caught,” said state Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (D – Bronx).“Now it’s time for healing and praying for these two kids. It’s a sad day in our society when teenagers attack people because of their religious belief,” he said.

Meanwhile, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the FBI to join the hate crime investigation of the attack on Rahman. “The FBI should add its resources to the investigation of this disturbing incident in order to send a clear message to bigots that attacks on American Muslims will not be tolerated and that perpetrators of such attacks will face the full weight of the law,” said CAIR-NY Director of Operations Sadyia Khalique, according to a CAIR press release.

A Turbaned Sikh ousted from Donald Trump’s Rally

January 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Politics, U.S. 0

Two protesters were removed Sunday, January 24th from a Donald Trump rally after holding up a banner that read “Stop Hate.” One of the protesters — Arish Singh, a Sikh-American man — responded to the incident on Sunday, tweeting, “I am not a Muslim. But you don’t have to be a Muslim to stand against anti-Muslim bigotry.” Singh and another man were escorted out of the rally in Muscatine, Iowa, as members of the audience chanted, “USA!”

The turbaned Sikh man was ousted out of Donald Trump’s campaign rally in US, after he interrupted the Republican presidential frontrunner’s speech by displaying a banner that read ‘Stop Hate’, the media reported.

The man, wearing a beard and bright red turban, tried to interrupt Trump’s speech when he was addressing a rally on Sunday in Muscatine High School, Iowa, a mid-western state of the US. The incident began as Trump was raging against “radical Islamic terror”, about the 9/11 terror attacks, and the San Bernardino shooting, a common theme in his speeches.

The Sikh protestor stood up and revealed a banner reading “Stop Hate”. Security officials soon escorted him out of the rally amidst chanting of “USA, USA, USA” by Trump’s supporters, reported abcnews.

“We have radical Islamic terror going on all over the place, all over the world, and we have a president that won’t say it,” Trump was quoted as saying at the rally. As the Sikh raised his banner, Trump waved his hand and said, “Bye. Bye. Goodbye.”

“He wasn’t wearing one of those hats, was he? And he never will, and that’s OK because we got to do something folks because it’s not working,” said Trump, pointing to the crowd and referring to the protestor.

In the last few months, before Trump takes the stage an announcement is read telling Trump’s supporters to “not harm a protestor” but instead to chant “Trump, Trump, Trump,” as an alert to security that a protestor has been spotted. The crowd roared Sunday after the protestor was escorted out and shouted “USA, USA, USA”.

Trump is campaigning in Iowa ahead of the next week’s crucial caucus. Latest polls showed that he has taken a lead over his nearest Republican rival Ted Cruz. Iowa Caucus on February 1 is considered crucial as it would set the trend for the rest of the presidential primaries over the next few months.

Dr. Anjali Ramkissoon suspended after attack on Uber driver

January 27, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Dr. Anjali Ramkissoon, a Florida-based physician has been put on administrative leave after the emergence of a video that appears to show her hitting, kicking and screaming profanities at an Uber driver, a hospital spokeswoman reportedly told the media.

Ramkissoon, a fourth-year neurology resident within the Jackson Health System, was removed from clinical duties following January 17^th incident, and hospital officials have launched an internal investigation. “The outcome of the investigation will determine whether any disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination,” Jackson Health System said in a statement to The Washington Post.

The video, which was posted on YouTube, shows a woman in white shorts and a long-sleeved orange shirt confronting an Uber driver in a parking lot in downtown Miami. It’s unclear who filmed the incident but it was posted by someone on a YouTube account with the username Juan Cinco.

A narrative published with the video — which has not been verified by authorities — claims the Uber driver pulled up to accept one or more passengers when the woman allegedly got into the car and refused to leave. It states the people he was to pick up told him it was fine, but he did not want to drive the woman.

In the video, Ramkissoon is seen hitting the driver’s face while he tells her to “get some help.” She also damaged the driver’s car and got into the passenger seat. When the driver refuses to give her a ride, she begins throwing paper, scissors and other items out of his car.

The YouTube poster, who explained that he called the Uber and she intercepted, told the Herald, “It was only when they put her in the police car that she started crying, apologizing and claiming that she would lose her medical license … if she got arrested.” According to the poster, the Uber driver accepted a settlement and didn’t press charges. As of Jan. 26, the YouTube video — http://bit.ly/1PvQxGQ — had been viewed over 5.2 million times.

Henri Tiphagne from India Awarded Amnesty International Human Rights Award 201

January 25, 2016 Ajay GhoshProfiles, Social Media 0

New York, NY: January, 25 2016: Indian lawyer and human rights defender Henri Tiphagne will be awarded the 8th Human Rights Award by Amnesty International Germany. The award, which will be presented at an official ceremony on April 25 at the Maxim Gorki Theatre in Berlin, is a recognition of Henri Tiphagne’s exceptional commitment to human rights. “For many decades now, Henri Tiphagne has been tirelessly and bravely standing up for human rights. His organisation’s invaluable work includes campaigning against discrimination and the use of torture in India,” Amnesty International said in a statement.

“Henri Tiphagne and his organisation People’s Watch, while fighting to ensure the rights of others, are themselves being harassed and hampered in their work by the authorities. And there are other civil society organisations in India that are in a similar position. The award is therefore meant to send a strong signal of support to the whole of the Indian human rights movement,” adds Selmin Çalışkan, Director of Amnesty International Germany.

Henri Tiphagne is the founder of the organisation People’s Watch, one of the most notable human rights organisations in India. People’s Watch has been researching and documenting human rights violations, as well as providing legal representation to those affected, for over 20 years. The organisation also actively supports human rights education: In 1997, Henri Tiphagne founded an institute offering training for teachers as well as mentoring around school human rights education programmes. So far, they have managed to reach out to around 500,000 children in 18 Indian states.

In recent years, many organisations have come under intense pressure by the Indian government, and People’s Watch is no exception. The organisation’s bank accounts have been frozen repeatedly since 2012. This meant that some employees had to be dismissed and many programmes needed to be abandoned. The Delhi government in power at the time used the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act to justify this kind of harassment. A complaint filed by People’s Watch against these government actions is still pending. The same legal framework is being instrumentalised for political ends by the current government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Those targeted by the authorities include non-governmental organisations as well as activists and local protest groups campaigning, for example, against forced evictions to make way for new coal mining projects.

Whenever activists and organisations are forced to limit the scope of their work due to this kind of harassment, human rights such as the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association are under threat.

The Human Rights Award is presented by Amnesty Germany every two years in recognition of individuals or organisations campaigning for human rights under very difficult conditions. With the award, Amnesty International aims to honour and support the awardees’ exceptional human rights commitment and raise awareness of their work amongst the German public. The award is endowed with 10,000 Euros, provided by Amnesty Germany’s foundation Stiftung Menschenrechte, Förderstiftung Amnesty. The Human Rights Award will be presented for the eighth time in 2016. Former award recipients include: Monira Rahman from Bangladesh (2006), Women of Zimbabwe Arise from Zimbabwe (2008), Abel Barrera from Mexico (2011) and Alice Nkom from Cameroon (2014). Henri Tiphagne will be going to Germany several days ahead of the award ceremony in April and will be available for interviews. For more information about Henri Tiphagne’s personal background and the situation in India please contact the Press Office of Amnesty Germany.

India among Top 5 Most Promising Markets Globally

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: India has emerged as one of the five most promising markets for businesses globally as it offers one of the best opportunities for both domestic as well as global companies, says a survey.

According to the annual global CEO survey of consultancy giant PwC released here at the WEF Annual Meeting, the top five markets considered as most important for overall growth prospects by the respondents are USA, China, Germany, the UK and India.

“India, which has continued to do well under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-business government, is now among CEOs’ five most promising overseas markets,” said the survey which covered 1,409 CEOs spread across 83 countries.

It further noted that the confidence level among Indian CEOs remains higher than the global average although they have also become less confident since last year about the growth prospects of their own companies.

As per the findings, CEOs are less optimistic about prospects this year and those who think global growth would improve over the next 12 months have declined to 27 per cent from 37 per cent seen in 2015. Further, those who think the situation would worsen have increased to 23 per cent from 17 per cent. “Against this tide of pessimism, CEOs in India (64 per cent), Spain (54 per cent) and Romania (50 per cent) stand out as more optimistic,” it said.

PwC India Chairman Deepak Kapoor said CEOs in India have given strong indication of general uplift in sentiments by showing much more confidence than their global counterparts when it comes to revenue growth for their companies. “Recent policy reforms and a consequent pick up in investment and the government’s aim to boost infrastructure are also playing a role in boosting CEO confidence,” he noted. However, Kapoor said the CEO community continues to be concerned by lack of infrastructure and over-regulation.

As many as 90 per cent of the Indian CEOs cited inadequate basic infrastructure as a major threat and 80 per cent mentioned exchange rate volatility and 77 per cent cited over-regulation.

“Of business threats, 81 per cent stated availability of key skills, 79 per cent stated speed of technological change, 78 per cent stated bribery and corruption,” the survey said.

“With India as the fastest growing large economy in the world, it offers one of the best opportunities for both Indian and global companies in a world that is still coming to terms with a slower growth paradigm and increasing geopolitical uncertainty,” he added.

With respect to the global economy, 39 per cent of Indian executives expect an improvement whereas the global average is 27 per cent. Around 75 per cent of Indian CEOs believe there are more growth opportunities for their companies today than three years ago.

About countries most important for their companies’ growth in the next one year, 54 per cent said it was the US while 29 per cent respondents mentioned China and 23 per cent went for the UK.

As many as 56 per cent of the Indian executives plan to implement a cost-reduction initiative over the next 12 months. While 70 per cent anticipate increase in head count during the same period.

When it comes to disruptive trends in their industry most likely to transform wider stakeholder expectations over the next five years, 80 per cent of the respondents cited technological advances followed by demographic shifts (64 per cent) and shift in global economic power (55 per cent).

Around 64 per cent of Indian CEOs felt the government had been ineffective in achieving greater income equality. About 51 per cent thought that the government had been ineffective in reducing environmental impacts as well as in achieving a clearly understood, stable and effective tax system.

“93 per cent of Indian CEOs agree that tax is a business cost that needs to be efficiently managed like any other business cost… 87 per cent agree that a stable tax system is more important than low rates of tax,” it said.

Around 81 per cent agreed that reducing administrative burden of tax is as beneficial as reducing tax rates. With 79 per cent of CEOs concerned about over-regulation, it remains the biggest concern and is followed by geopolitical uncertainty.

The latter comes at a time when terror attacks are increasing and touching every part of the world, many linked to the heightened conflict in Iraq and Syria. “Global conflicts are also connected to anxieties about social instability and readiness to respond to crises, named by 65 per cent and 61 per cent of CEOs, respectively.

“Cyber security is also a worry for 61 per cent of CEOs, representing as it does (pose) threats to both national and commercial interests,” the survey said. As many as 66 per cent of the CEOs see more threats for their companies than it was three years ago, the report said.

Up to 87 Percent Migrants could stay in US: Study

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshTravel 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: Up to 87 percent of undocumented immigrants would be able to remain in the US if the executive action measures on immigration taken by President Barack Obama are implemented without modifications, according to a study. The report published by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) recently said that the net effect of the new policies will see a reduction in deportations from the US.

The MPI study says that the Department of Homeland Security will focus on deporting immigrants who are considered to be a public threat, who have been convicted of serious crimes, who have violated deportation orders or have recently entered the country.

The authors of the report estimate that about 13 percent of the 11 million undocumented foreigners living in the US, or some 1.4 million people, will fall within these categories, making them the priority targets for deportations after the new regulations come into effect.

In 2012, the US government launched the deferred action programme that gave immigrants who have grown up in this country permission to stay here and work, and that measure was broadened last February to include a larger number of young people, as well as the parents of children born in this country.

These two expansions of the program are currently on hold by order of a federal judge in Texas due to a lawsuit presented by more than two dozen states and the resolution of the matter in an appeals court is being awaited.

In all, 5.2 million immigrants would benefit from these immigration relief measures, but the MPI said that the implementation of new guidelines for law enforcement and immigration authorities would broaden the number of people who would benefit to 9.6 million. It could bring the number of annual expulsions down to historic minimums.

According to the MPI, deportations would be reduced by 25,000 each year, falling under 100,000. A record number of people were deported in 2011, with 180,000 immigrants, who had committed crimes, being expelled. Republicans in the House and the Senate, as well as Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, are working on bills to compel closer cooperation between federal and local authorities.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued new guidelines focusing enforcement agents on three deportation priorities, with the top one including national security threats, gang members, convicted felons and recent border crossers. The other priorities include repeat offenders with lesser crimes and people who entered the United States illegally or were ordered deported after Jan. 1, 2014.

Under the Priority Enforcement Program, federal agents will generally ask the police to notify them only if an immigrant fitting the new priorities was about to be released. In limited cases, agents can ask the police to detain an immigrant for 48 hours but only if they provide probable cause.

The Migration Policy Institute’s estimates may hearten immigrant advocates, who have pressed the administration to give some protection to unauthorized immigrants since legislation offering them legal status died in Congress last year.

Howard County Public School System Adds Diwali, Eid to School Calendar Holiday

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

Washington, DC: January 24, 2016: Howard County Public School System in the state of Maryland, has unanimously voted to add Diwali, Eid al-Adha and Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve in the school holiday calendar, for the first time in the school system’s history.

Indian-American community hailed the decision by Howard County Public School System, which manages 71 schools and serves nearly 50,000 students, as “historic”. “I am extremely pleased by the Board’s ability to discuss and unanimously agree to seek ways to recognise the diverse backgrounds of Howard County’s students and families,” Board of Education Chairwoman Christine O’Connor said in a statement after the eight member board unanimously supported such a motion. “We want to do our best to find flexibility within the calendar to provide opportunities for all students to experience all cultures within our community,” O’Connor said.

The motion in this regard as proposed by board member Janet Siddiqui. “By taking this vote, the Howard County Board of Education has shown a great way forward in acknowledging diverse religious holidays without violating the spirit of church-state separation,” said Murali Balaji education director of Hindu American Foundation.

HAF and Chinmaya Mission started a petition that collected over 250 signatures in under three weeks, while the Board received nearly 500 emails from parents asking for inclusion of Diwali.
Indian Students at Centennial High School (ISAC) also collected and submitted signatures for the effort, said Balaji, who along with several Chinmaya Mission members, testified at the Board’s hearing last month.

“This vote is proof that it is indeed possible to accommodate the religious needs of multiple faith communities in diverse school districts,” said Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Maryland Outreach Manager Zainab Chaudry, who has submitted testimony on the holiday inclusion issue.

“Religious pluralism is the hallmark of an integrated and inclusive society. We see that reflected in the Howard County Board of Education’s decision,” Chaudry said. According to Baltimore Sun, as of the 2014-2015 school year, 42 percent of Howard County students were white, 22 percent were black, 19 percent were Asian, nine percent were Hispanic and six percent were of two or more races. The school system does not record the religious backgrounds of its students, it said.

India Home to 2.36 Lakh Millionaires: Report

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshFinance/Economy 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: India is home to the fourth largest population of millionaires in the Asia Pacific region, with 2.36 lakh such high net worth individuals, while Japan topped the list with 12.60 lakh people, a report says. According to the Asia Pacific 2016 Wealth Report, by New World Wealth, India was ranked among the top five Asia Pacific countries in terms of number of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs).

HNWIs (millionaires) were defined as those individuals with net assets of $1 million or more. At the end of 2015, there were 12,60,000 millionaires in Japan, while China ranked second with 654,000 HNWIs and Australia was at the third place with 290,000.

Others in the top 10 in terms of number of HNWIs in Asia Pacific include Singapore at the fifth place with 224,000 millionaires, Hong Kong (6th, 215,000), South Korea (7th, 125,000), Taiwan (8th, 98,200), New Zealand (9th, 89,000) and Indonesia (10th, 48,500). Interestingly, India is among the top five Asia Pacific countries in terms of total private wealth held, but at the bottom in terms of per capita income.

India’s total individual wealth stood at $4,365 billion, while China, which topped the list, had a total individual wealth of $17,254 billion. Total individual wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals in each country, including all property, cash, equities and business interests.

India Culture Center Has New Executive Committee

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Houston, TX: January 24, 2016: India Culture Center, Houston (ICC) the oldest community wide organization in Houston held the elections to fill in the Executive Committee posts for 2016. The elections were held on Sunday January 10th at India house and all the positions were filled in unanimously.

According to reports here, the ICC executive team is Rajiv Bhavsar, President. Falguni Gandhi, Vice President. Ajit Patel, Treasurer and Sanjay Sohoni, Secretary. Charlie Patel would continue as Immediate Past President in the Executive Committee.

The Election Committee constituted Jawahar Malhotra, Girish Pandya and Sam Merchant.
The other Board of Directors are– Col Raj Bhalla, Veena Kaul, Nirmala Patel, Sapna Shah, Harshad Patel, Nisha Mirani, Keka Kar, Dilip Dadhich, Pramod Bengani, Manisha Gandhi and Sangita Dua.

The Trustees for ICC are Swapan Dhairyawan, Meera Kapur, Vijay Pallod, Hasu Patel, Lachhman Das, Parul Fernandes and Sangeeta Pasrija. The next signature event of ICC is the 67th Republic day celebrations at Stafford Center. The day long event is themed as Vibrant India. The program this time has activities for one and all. The essay competition will be for ages 10-15 years on “What it is like growing up as Indian American in Greater Houston?” The ICC quiz will be for kids ages 10-15 years covering topics Geography, history, culture, sports, music, Bollywood. The event will have 45+ booths and the cultural program will be showcasing a versatile local talent of over 250+ participants. The Mom and me talent contest will also be first of its kind.

India Culture Center was incorporated in June 1973. ICC is a non-profit and secular organization, serving as a coordinating link among all major Indian Organizations and Individuals of Indian origin living in the Greater Houston and surrounding areas, on issues of common interest and concern. For more information about the event visit www.icchouston.org

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Sells Obamacare To Asian Americans

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: The White House launched a special effort to reach out to Asian Americans through U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, urging them to sign up for health insurance under Obamacare before the Jan. 31 deadline.

On Jan. 19, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in collaboration with the Action for Health Justice, launched its third annual AAPI Affordable Care Act Week of Action, a public awareness drive to encourage AAPIs to enroll in the “Health Insurance Marketplace” by month end. One in three AAPIs is limited English proficient, and one in four AAPIs has not seen a doctor in the past year, according to a press release from the White House. The initiative says it is providing a 24-hour helpline in 250 languages at an 800 number that can help members of the community sign up.

“Since the first open enrollment period in 2013, nearly 18 million Americans, including many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, have gotten life-saving, quality and affordable health coverage,” Murthy is quoted saying in a press release.

“But our work is not done. There are still more than 200,000 AAPI community members who don’t have the safety, security and peace of mind that comes with having health coverage. We must close that gap because health equity is a civil rights issue, and it’s an AAPI community value,” he added. Dr. Murthy was appointed by President Obama to serve as co-Chair of the White House Initiative on AAPIs in May 2013.

The “Week of Action” activities included a stakeholder call with Murthy Jan. 19, and a Twitterstorm with special guests George Takei and Angry Asian Man’s Phil Yu on Jan. 20. among other planned activities. Stories about enrollment experiences will be featured throughout the week. For more information visit HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

Ohio apparel firm to recall Lord Ganesha products

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Culture/Religion 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: Hindus have urged for the immediate withdrawal of tee shirt, tank tops, mug and blanket with Lord Ganesha’s image sold by a Columbus (Ohio) headquartered apparel and home goods company Print Syndicate, calling these highly inappropriate.

Hindus have strongly objected to slogans/statements printed on these five products (marketed under its brand “Look Human”) around Lord Ganesha’s image, such as NAMASTE BITCHES and BITCH DON’T KILL MY VIBE.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be trivialized on consumer products with such slogans. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Print Syndicate to withdraw these products from other vendors also besides its own website, and its CEO Tanisha Robinson to offer a formal apology.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed noted.

Zed further said that such trivialization of Lord Ganesha was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

Print Syndicate claims to offer consumers access to timely, curated, well-designed and high-quality products that allow them to express who they are. Its “values” include integrity, compassion and fairness and its products (apparel, phone cases, house wares, etc.) are sold through the company’s six e-commerce brands. Tagline of Look Human is “Dress Yourself To Express Yourself”.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Blizzard strikes East Coast, shuts down travel

January 24, 2016 Ajay GhoshEnvironment 0

Washington, DC; January 24, 2016: A massive winter storm clobbered the East Coast on Saturday, January 23, 2016, dumping more than three feet of snow in parts of West Virginia and Maryland, tying up traffic on highways, grounding thousands of flights and shutting down travel in the nation’s largest city.

From the Carolinas to New York, tens of thousands were without power Saturday night as a result of the storm, which was finally heading out to the Atlantic. Except for some isolated flurries, snowfall in most of the major cities will likely finish early Sunday morning, CNN Meteorologist Sean Morris said.

40 inches of snow was recorded in Glengary, West Virginia; 39 inches fell in Philomont, Virginia; and Redhouse, Maryland, received 38 inches. In Central Park in New York City 25.1 inches of snow fell making it the third-largest snowfall on record. More than 28 inches of snow at Dulles International Airport, the second-largest snowfall recorded there. Baltimore’s BWI notched 29.2 inches.

At least 14 people dead (six in North Carolina, three in Virginia, one in Kentucky, three in New York City and one in Maryland).11 states declared states of emergency: Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia. Washington, D.C., has declared a “snow emergency.” 8,569 flights canceled for Saturday and Sunday, according to FlightAware.com. More than 74,000 people without power.

AAPI Signs MoU To Eradicate Tuberclosis In India

January 23, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

New Delhi, India: January 23rd, 2016: On the concluding day of the 10th Global Healthcare Summit in New Delhi, India, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work towards eradicating Tuberclosis (TB) by the year 2030 in India. “Continuing with AAPI’s mission, which is to provide a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research, and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs, and giving back to their motherland, India, this historic signing of the agreement, is yet another way of showing our continued commitment to helping make India’s over a billion people, healthier,” declared Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI.

While India has been proactive against TB in recent years, there is still a long way to go. This signing of the agreement by AAPI, leading policymakers, administrators, technical experts, media persons, and members of civil society working in India’s TB landscape is truly a landmark in in AAPI’s history, Dr. Jain added. The MoU outlines the multifaceted nature of the TB epidemic, its impact on communities, learnings from global successes and the way forward towards tackling the disease successfully.

While Dr. Seema Jain, signed the landmark document on behalf of AAPI, Jamhoih (Jamie) Tonsing, Regional Director of The Union South-East Asia Office; Dr. Manoj Jain, Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University; Dr. Narendra Saini of the Delhi Medical Council; Kavita Ayyagari, Project Director (Challenge TB)’ and Dr Neerja Arora, Advocacy & Partnerships Officer at The Union, South East Asia were among others who had signed the document to work towards eradicating the deadly disease from the face of the earth.

India bears the world’s largest burden of tuberculosis (TB), accounting for one-fourth of all new infections. Given that it kills nearly 300,000 people in India every year, the prevention and control of TB is a challenge at multiple levels, requiring the united efforts of a diverse range of stakeholders.

Anwar Feroz, Honorary Advisor of AAPI, who had emceed the event, referred to the the 10th international healthcare summit as a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007. “Since then AAPI has organized nine Indo-US/Global Healthcare Summits and developed strategic alliances with various organizations. It is these learning’s and relationships that have now enabled us to be part of this outstanding event that has been attended by very prominent and talented world leaders in medicine to help shape the content and make significant contributions towards “make in India” theme.

While India has been proactive against TB in recent years, there is still a long way to go. This publication features articles from leading policymakers, administrators, technical experts, journalists and members of civil society working in India’s TB landscape. It outlines the multifaceted nature of the TB epidemic, its impact on communities, learnings from global successes and the way forward towards tackling the disease successfully.

The vision underlying the MoU envisages is for a TB free India, through achieving Universal Access by provision of quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the community. It involves extending the reach of RNTCP services to all people diagnosed with TB, including those with drug resistant TB, and those seeking treatment in the private sector.

Based on other international guidelines and standards, the government of India has developed by a large number of organizations and individuals, both within and outside of the Government of India. The Standards describe what should be done, and the TB treatment and care that should be provided throughout India.

The 10th annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) 2016 organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) concluded here on Sunday, January 3rd, 2015 with a call to continue to focus on initiatives to prevent diseases and make healthcare affordable, accessible and efficient for India’s over a billion citizens. Building on past achievements and identifying new areas to collaborate with the Government of India, GHS 2016 has been historic.

The Summit also helped establish India-centric guidelines for management of head injury and trauma. “The Trauma and Brain Injury Guidelines, which has been a unique contribution of AAPI has been accepted by the Government of India and been for the firt time made part of the curriculam by the Medical Council of India,” declared Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI. The historic 10^th annual conference, attended by over 500 delegates from around the world, including 384 physicians from the United States alone, held from January 1^st to 3^rd, 2015 at the Maurya ITC Hotel in New Delhi, was packed with seminars, workshops and symposiums on modern research and healthcare topics.

Dr. Seema Jain urged members and supporters to come and participate in the the 34th annual convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) to be held at the Marriott Marquis, Time Square in New York from June 30-July 4, 2016. For more details on AAPI and its various initiatives to make India’s healthcare system affordable, accessible and efficient, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Dr. Narendra Nagareddy Accused Of Overprescribing Medications

January 22, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

(Atlanta, GA: January 22, 2016) Dr. Narendra Nagareddy, an Indian American psychiatrist in Jonesboro, Ga., has been accused of overprescribing opiates and benzodiazepine over a period of several years, a report by Clayton County police chief Mike Register, who told WSB-TV that Dr. Narendra Nagareddy overprescribed the pills which in turn led to the deaths of dozens of patients. “The guy may call himself a doctor, but if the allegations are true, I call him a drug dealer,” Register told WSB-TV.

According to reports, more than 40 law enforcement officials from several agencies converged on Nagareddy’s office Jan. 14 to arrest the psychiatrist and search his office. Police also had searched Nagareddy’s home as part of the raid. Legal documents state, 36 of his patients have died, 12 of them confirmed to have been the result of prescription drug overdoses.

Nagareddy has been charged with prescribing pain medication outside of his profession and not for a legitimate use, according to the county’s district attorney Tracy Graham Lawson. Aside from the criminal charges, the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office has also filed a RICO civil action to seize Nagareddy’s assets.

As per reports, throughout his 15 years practicing medicine, Nagareddy has had no ethical complaints filed against him. The doctor, though it is uncertain if he has hired an attorney, was released on bail Jan. 18, according to police.

Clinton Woos Indian Americans, Other Asians With Launch of ‘AAPI for Hillary’

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshPolitics, U.S. 0

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton Jan. 7 courted Indian Americans and the larger group of Asian-American voters, telling members of the nation’s fastest growing racial minority that she disagrees with the “hateful rhetoric” of her Republican challengers.

“They forget a fundamental lesson about our great country,” she told several hundred people gathered in a hotel ballroom in suburban Los Angeles. “Being an open and tolerant society does not make us vulnerable. It’s at the core of our strength.”

Clinton’s campaign stop in the San Gabriel Valley, an enclave home to more than a half million Asian-Americans, marked the launch of her grassroots outreach to the growing pool of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, called “AAPI for Hillary.” Those voters have trended Democratic in recent presidential elections, though they are still considered up for political grabs. Their influence is considered critical in some swing states. California is not one of those, having voted for a Democrat for president every election since 1992.

Republicans suggested Clinton’s visit is more about raising campaign cash. “The reality is Democrats have long taken the AAPI community for granted, and Hillary Clinton will be no different,” said Ninio Fetalvo, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.

Clinton made her appeal to Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters in a Southern California region where a number of cities are now majority Asian-American and store signs in Mandarin and Cantonese line the streets.

“Their party identity is not cast in stone,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, an Indian American professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside. “There’s still potential for persuasion there.”

In a half-hour speech, Clinton told constituents she would be the one to fix the nation’s broken immigration system, improve access to higher education, and increase wages — all issues considered top priorities for the Asian American electorate. She vowed to reduce the visa backlog and help unauthorized immigrants with deep community ties that “deserve the chance to stay.”

“Ultimately this is more than an economic or political issue,” she said. “It’s a family issue.”

Nearly 4 million Asians voted in the 2012 presidential election, a 547,000 increase over 2008. According to exit polls, nearly three-quarters of Asian-American voters favored President Barack Obama in the 2012 election. They comprised about 3 percent of the total electorate.

The Asian-American community has been the subject of relatively little discussion in the Democratic and Republican primaries.

PTI adds: The group, called “AAPI Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) for Hillary,” was launched in Southern California in the presence of a large number of Asian American leaders, including Indian Americans.

At the launch, Clinton pledged to address the concerns of the community, including those related to immigration and visas.

In her speech, Clinton pledged to work to reduce the backlog for family visas to reunite immigrant families.

“Applicants from the Asia-Pacific region make up about 40 percent of the family visa backlog. Some from the Philippines have been waiting for a visa for 23 years. If you’re a U.S. citizen and your brother lives in India, it will take at least 12 years just to get him a visa,” the former secretary of state said.

“We have got to do more to help the millions of people who are eligible for citizenship take that last step. I will work to expand fee waivers so more people can get a break on the costs. I will increase access to language programs to help people boost their English proficiency.

“I don’t want anyone who could be a citizen now to miss out on that opportunity,” she said.She also explained the reasons for her early outreach to the community.

“That is essential because right now, it’s one of the fastest-growing communities in this country, but it’s a community that votes at a lower rate than others,” Clinton said.

America’s ties to the Asia-Pacific region have always been important, but in the 21st century they will be absolutely vital, she said.

“I was very proud when my husband’s administration launched the first-ever White House initiative on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders,” she added.

The United States, she said, is a country built by the hard work of generations of immigrants and America is stronger because of its diversity and openness.

She also identified Donald Trump – the Republican presidential front runner – in her speech.

“I disagree with the Republican front-runner, Mr. Trump. See, I think America is great because generations of hardworking Americans have made us great. Our values and our ideals have made us great,” Clinton said.

Netflix In Bollywood-mad India In Pursuit Of Global Viewers

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Netflix Inc’s global expansion is set to reach movie-mad India, industry executives said, where high-speed Internet connectivity is rapidly spreading among a vast population used to paying pennies for their latest Bollywood fix.

Slowing growth at home in the United States has put pressure on video-streaming service Netflix to grow internationally and India, where a fifth of the country’s 1.3 billion people are online, is widely seen as a likely next step in Asia.

Netflix declined to comment on its plans but industry executives told Reuters they expect an India announcement as early as this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where co-founder and Chief Executive Reed Hastings is scheduled to talk about the company’s international expansion. “Netflix is entering India at the right time,” said analyst Tarun Pathak at Counterpoint Technology Research.

Most Indian Internet users go online via smartphones, which are increasingly capable of connecting to the latest, fourth-generation network (4G) which cuts streaming times considerably.

“We expect at least one in two mobile devices sold this year to be 4G equipped,” Pathak said. The challenge is convincing Indians to spend, analysts said. Netflix’s average revenue per user (ARPU) in the third quarter was $25.29 in the United States and $21.59 abroad.

In India, where a movie can cost 29 rupees (44 cents) and monthly subscriptions are as little as 200 rupees, analysts expect ARPUs to be a fraction of that.

With most Indians getting online with smartphones, a telecom partner could speed Netflix’s market entry a year after Hotstar – from Twenty-First Century Fox Inc controlled Star Network – and three years after Singapore-based Spuul.

Netflix paired with SoftBank Group Corp for its Japan launch, piggybacking on the one of the country’s mobile network providers for its first foray in Asia in September.

Netflix’s U.S.-listed Indian rival Eros International PLC announced a partnership on Monday with Idea Cellular Ltd, the country’s third-biggest mobile carrier with 167 million subscribers.

For telecoms companies, streaming services increase data consumption which is more lucrative than telephone calls. Moreover, movie subscriber numbers are widely expected to jump with the large scale introduction of 4G services, led by the Jio network of Reliance Industries Ltd. But in price-sensitive India, reaching new customers with big-budget content is likely to prove far easier than fending off the appeal of cheap, easily available pirated copies.

“In India our biggest worry is not Netflix,” said Michael Smith, chief technology officer at startup Hooq, backed by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Time Warner Inc and Sony Corp.

“It’s the 20 cent copy of a movie that has just been released.”

Priyanka Chopra Wins ‘Favourite Actress’ At People’s Choice Awards 2016

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Bollywood actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra made India proud yet again by winning a People’s Choice Award for her international debut as FBI agent Alex Parish in American TV thriller series “Quantico”. She is said to be the first South Asian actress to win the honor.

Priyanka was named the Favorite Actress in a New TV series at the gala on the night of Jan. 6
Ecstatic with the victory, she said: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted for ‘Quantico’. It is my first year in the US, and to come to another country and actually get this kind of acceptance is I guess what America is all about.

“So, thank you for accepting me, thank you to my mom, my manager, the cast and crew, the writer, ABC…everyone. I’m really overwhelmed.” The 33-year-old star was given the trophy by Hollywood action star Vin Diesel, who also gave a touching tribute to his late “Fast and Furious” co-star Paul Walker by singing the song “See you again” during the course of the show.

“Furious 7″, Walker’s last film before he passed away in November 2013 in a car accident, was named the Favorite Movie and the Favorite Action Movie at People’s Choice Awards 2016.

Other Hollywood celebrities who received awards at the ceremony held here at the Microsoft Theater were Ellen DeGeneres, Sandra Bullock, Chris Hemsworth, Johnny Depp and Meghan Trainor. Hosted by Jane Lynch, the gala honored the best in movies, TV and music, on the basis of public voting.

Melissa McCarthy, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres were some of the other winners. While McCarthy won the Favorite Comedic Movie Actress and Favorite Comedic TV Actress awards, DeGeneres took home the trophies for Favorite Daytime TV Host and Favorite Humanitarian.

The Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Pop artist awards were given to Swift. In the movies section, Channing Tatum was chosen as the Favorite Movie Actor, while Bullock was announced as the Favorite Movie Actress. The Favorite Action Movie Actor award was taken by Chris Hemsworth and Shailene Woodley was honored as the Favorite Action Movie Actress award.

Other winners included the Favorite Comedic Movie award to “Pitch Perfect 2”, Favorite Comedic Movie Actor to Kevin Hart, Favorite Dramatic Movie to “The Martian”, Favorite Dramatic Movie Actor to Johnny Depp, Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress to Dakota Johnson, Favorite Family Movie to “Minons” and Favorite Thriller Movie to “Taken 3”.

On the small screen, the Favorite TV Show award was given to “The Big Bang Theory”, which was even named the Favorite Network TV Comedy trophy. The awards for Favorite Dramatic TV Actor and Actress were given to Taylor Kinney and Ellen Pompeo.

“Homeland”, which featured Bollywood actress Nimrat Kaur, won the Favorite Premium Cable TV Show.

Other winners in the television category included Jim Parsons as Favorite Comedic TV Actor, “Grey’s Anatomy” as Favorite Network TV Drama, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” as Favorite Cable TV Comedy, “Pretty Little Liars” as Favorite Cable TV Drama, Kevin Hart and Sasha Alexander as Favorite Cable TV Actor and Actress, Dwayne Johnson and Kristen Bell as Favourite Premium Cable TV Actor and Actress among others.

Meanwhile, in music categories, singer Ed Sheeran was given the award for Favorite Male Artist, American girl group Fifth Harmony was chosen as Favorite Group and singer Shawn Mendes was given the Favourite Breakout Artist award.

The Favourite Male and Female Country Artist awards went to Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood. Singers Nicki Mnaj and Meghan Trainor were given the awards for Favorite Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Album respectively. And Justin Bieber’s hit single “What do you mean?” was announced as this year’s Favourite Single. Madonna was announced as the Favourite Music Icon.

Amongst other popular categories, Britney Spears was named as Favorite Social Media Celebrity; the Favourite Social Media Star award was taken by Matt Bellassai; Candy Crush Saga was picked as the Favourite Mobile Game, Super Smash Bros was named as Favorite Video Game and Connor Franta called the Favorite YouTube Star.

Apart from that, the People’s Choice Awards 2016 also featured some power-packed performances by Jane Lynch, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Jason Derulo, Jordan Smith and David Foster.

Sunny Leone Defends ‘Mastizaade’

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

“I feel whatever we shot for ‘Mastizaade’ is not wrong and I am not worried about people’s reaction towards me,” Sunny Leone, an Indo-Canadian adult film star, who will soon be seen in sex comedy film “Mastizaade”, said. According to her, the film director made her feel so comfortable that she never felt “wrong” shooting for the movie. “Every actor and actress have their own dos and don’ts and in this film (‘Mastizaade’), there were lots of don’t but me and Milap Zaveri (the director of the film) sat together and decided what we can do. He made me so comfortable.

“I want to tell this to everyone that Mastizaade is not a sex comedy, it’s an adult comedy for adults. As far as the censor board is concerned… the board is doing their job and it’s our job to push boundaries and create something different,” the actress told the media.

Co-produced by Pritish Nandy and Rangita Pritish Nandy, “Mastizaade” will release on January 29. The film also features Tusshar Kapoor and Vir Das, among others. Sunny feels that people have different perceptions about her but she never took it seriously.

“If people think I can do anything onscreen then that’s a natural thing for them to think. I can’t do anything about that. As an actor when you start putting limitations, you don’t have an open mind to explore.”

“Every actor and actress have their own dos and don’ts and in this film (‘Mastizaade’), there were lots of don’t but me and Milap Zaveri (the director of the film) sat together and decided what we can do. He made me so comfortable. “I feel whatever we shot for ‘Mastizaade’ is not wrong and I am not worried about people’s reaction towards me,” she added.

Controversy Over Dharma Foundation’s $1.5 million Donation To UCI

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

A controversy over $1.5 million donation by the Dharma Civilization Foundation to University of California at Irvine’s School of Humanities started last week with more than 350, including varsity students, signing an online petition questioning the non-profit’s motive behind the gift.

The petitioners questioned the donations by the foundation, saying they are worried that it might be an attempt to exert too much influence over hiring and may be pressuring professors.

The university announced the setting up of three new endowed chairs in October last year with the help of donations including from DCF. It said that the chairs will be named the Dhan Kaur Sahota Presidential Chair in Sikh Studies, Shri Parshvanath Presidential Chair in Jain Studies, and Swami Vivekananda-Dharma Civilization Foundation Presidential Chair in Modern India Studies.

The setting up of the chairs is aimed at expanding UCI’s scholarship in South Asian religions and culture. An Orange County Register report said quoting the vice president of the foundation that the current controversy is a “tempest in a teapot.”

“This petition has regrettably cast aspersions and doubt on the motivations and intentions of the Dharma Civilization Foundation” Kalyan Viswanathan, executive vice president of DCF, was quoted as saying.

It also said that the organization “rejects the accusations put forth both by the petition and the people who have endorsed it as false and having little basis in fact.”

The foundation’s objective is to simply “find safe academic environments for the accurate and respectful study of the Dharma traditions of India” in the U.S., including Hinduism, Indian Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism,” DCF was quoted as saying.

One of the criticisms against the foundation was that it brought prospective candidates to campus – which struck some as over-the-line. “DCF acknowledges that for members of the University faculty to engage with potential candidates for these proposed chairs through informal contact, at an early stage when the chairs have not yet been approved, and the faculty search committees have not yet been constituted could have given the appearance of an intent to exercise undue influence in the selection process,” Viswanathan was quoted as saying in a letter. “DCF had no such intentions, and regrets that some of its actions may have been cause for such misunderstanding.”

Some faculty members like Catherine Liu, a media studies professor in UCI’s School of Humanities, were, however, not convinced by DCF’s line of argument, saying that UCI is a secular, public university and does not teach faith-based scholarship.

“I don’t know what this scholar/practitioner line is – but DCF is implying that only a Hindu can teach Hinduism. We are not a seminary. I don’t think they understand that and I don’t think the Dean has communicated to them the nature of the academic enterprise,” Liu was quoted as saying.

UCI is still reviewing the gifts, and no decisions have been made yet, said university spokeswoman Cathy Lawhon.

Rally Against Hate Staged in Sacramento, California

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

The signs they carried said “Sacramento-United Against Hate-United For Peace,” as close to 800 people from many ethnic and religious backgrounds gathered at the steps of the California State Capitol building here Dec. 19 to both condemn the recent terror attacks in San Bernardino (and Paris), and to also unite against all kinds of intolerance, especially targeting the Muslim community.

The list of sponsors of the rally included the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento, Area Congregations Together, MLK365, the NAACP, the Coalition of Tolerance, the Florin Japanese American Citizens League, the Sikh community, Jewish Voice for Peace, OCA, APAPA, HIP, COSVIO, CAIR-Sacramento Valley, American Muslim Voice, Pakistani American Association and PASCO.

The event served a dual purpose. It showed Sacramento’s solidarity with the victims of San Bernardino, condemning terror in all forms. It also raised a voice against hate in reaction to such incidents and in support of the American Muslim community and people who may look like them (Sikhs) who might be targeted. The rally closed with a prayer by Imam Azeez.

Gurcharn Gill Stabbed to Death on New Year’s Day

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Gurcharn Gill, a Sikh American convenience store clerk, working at the Shields Express Market in Fresno, Calif., was stabbed to death on the afternoon of New Year’s day. Lt. Burke Farrah of the Fresno Police Department told the media that Gurcharn Gill, 68, was found by a customer who called 911. Police arrived on the scene, along with emergency medical personnel, and attempted to revive Gill via CPR, but were unsuccessful. Gill was pronounced dead at the scene.

Farrah said police are investigating the events that led up to the fatal stabbing. Gill’s body showed signs of trauma, according to the lieutenant, who said he could not release other details about the injuries Gill may have suffered, as such details are crucial to the investigation.

Police have not yet determined whether the stabbing was a hate crime, said Farrah, adding: “A hate crime is certainly one of the motives we’re considering.” He noted that Gill was not dressed in traditional Indian clothing, such as a kurta, and did not sport a turban or beard.

Police are also investigating the possibility of a robbery or other altercation. “I have a team of dedicated investigators who are working around the clock to solve this case,” stated Farrah. “This is on the front burner for us.” Footage from a surveillance camera inside the store is being examined for clues about the suspect or suspects.

The fatal attack on Gill occurred just seven days after another elderly Sikh man – Amrik Singh Bal – was brutally beaten as he waited for his ride to work in Fresno’s orchards.

Bal – who wears a religiously-mandated turban and beard – was sitting down and waiting when the male suspects pulled up near him and started to curse.

Bal then attempted to cross the street to avoid confrontation, according to police, but the suspects – who have not yet been captured – backed up their car and struck Bal with the rear bumper. They then got out of the car and began to beat the elderly man, striking him in the face and upper body.

Bal was taken to the Community Medical Regional Center in Fresno and treated for a broken collarbone as well as lacerations on his face, head and neck. The attack is being investigated as a hate crime, according to Fresno police. (See I-W, Dec. 29, 2015, http://bit.ly/1NP58iU)

Addressing both incidents, Farrah said the Fresno Sikh community is experiencing a heightened sense of danger. Police are working to resolve both cases as quickly as possible he noted, adding: “Fear is a horrible thing. We don’t want people to live in fear.”

The FBI and the Department of Justice are also investigating both incidents. A reward may be set up through the Fresno Police Department’s Crimestoppers Unit for information leading to the arrest of Gill’s killer. Members of the Sikh American community in Fresno held a town hall meeting last week after Bal was attacked to help the public understand Sikh culture and the role the community has played in the development of Central California’s agrarian roots.

Sikh American community activist Iqbal ‘Ike’ Grewal, a member of the Sikh Council of Central California, told the media that the attacks have “definitely caused some anxiety.” Community leaders are advising Sikh residents to be extremely cautious about their surroundings and not to travel alone, especially at night.

Grewal said the fatal stabbing of Gill was not a robbery attempt and stated that the killing of the store clerk must be investigated as a hate crime. He is attempting to reach out to Gill’s family to gain more information about the slain man.

East Coast In USA Braces For Snowstorm

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEnvironment 0

Experts are forecasting a potentially major snowstorm that could blanket the Northeast in snow over the weekend for the first time this season. “It now looks increasingly likely a significant winter storm will take shape starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend,” the Weather Channel says.

Most forecasters, though, aren’t ready to sound the major warning sirens for how much snow could potentially fall.

The National Weather Service, which issued a hazardous weather outlook for snowstorms in the Northeast this weekend, said only that the Northeast could get an “inch or greater of liquid equivalent,” meaning “many inches of snow.”

Weather Underground said at least 12.

The Weather Channel was calling for 5 to 8 inches of snow through the weekend in New York City but 22 inches of snow in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Some experts, though, went with the dire, hunker-down forecast. The so-called Euro Model, for example, called for more than 20 inches of snow in parts of Massachusetts.

The upshot: Nobody really knows just yet how much snow is coming.

“Uncertainties remain with the exact track of the storm and how long it will last,” the Weather Channel said. “It’s looking unlikely that a winter storm will fail to develop at all, but for many locations it’s far from certain what kind of impact this system will have.”

While it’s been bitter cold the last few days in the Northeast — as anyone who’s stepped outside knows all too well — warm temperatures have been the norm for most of the winter so far, and major snowfall has been notably absent.

That looks like it will change this weekend.

A low-pressure system is expected to develop over the Midwest and the South and combining with “upper-level energy” moving in from the Rockies, the Weather Channel said.

The system will gain strength, move Eastward and take aim at coastal cities, the Weather Channel predicts. The full moon this weekend could increase the impact of coastal flooding, the channel said.

“The potential exists for many, many inches of snow,” Accuweather’s Bernie Rayno said in a video forecast.

Here’s a timeline of what was being forecast Tuesday afternoon by the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center:

Thursday, January 21: Snow and rain will fall in the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi valleys, moving towards the Atlantic.

Friday, January 22: Parts of the Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic will see “heavy snow,” and the system Friday night will turn to the Northeast.

Saturday, January 23: “Heavy snow” and “high winds” will hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

The snowfall would mark the beginning of the unofficial “snow season,” especially in major cities along the East Coast that have so far been deprived of significant winter weather.

In New York City, for example, snowfall was recorded Saturday in Central Park, the sixth-latest first snow on record for the area, according to the channel.

Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are also all below average in snowfall so far this year as of January 18, the channel said.

Bangladeshi Man Attacked In Hate Crime In New York City

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Mujibur Rahman, 43, was attacked in what is described to be a hate crime in the city of New York. As Rahman, a person of Bangladeshi origin, was walking his 9-year old niece home on Jan. 16, in Parkchester, Bronx in New York City on January 16, he was attacked by two men in ski masks yelling “ISIS, ISIS.” They struck him on the head and body, beat him to the ground, leaving him bleeding, all while his terrified niece looked on. Rahman, a father of 3, was taken to a nearby hospital, treated for a possible broken rib, cuts on his head and swelling and bruises on his face and arms, according to news reports and the police. No one was immediately arrested but the attack was being investigated by the police department’s Hate Crime Task Force, the New York Police Department told the media.
“I believe as a Muslim they hate us, they hate me, and that’s why,” Rahman is quoted telling CBS through a translator.

“I am very disturbed by this incident in the Bronx and I wish the victim a speedy recovery. The actions carried out by these assailants are deplorable, and I condemn them in the strongest possible terms,” Congressman Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., told Desi Talk via email. Rep. Crowley is a co-founder and former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans on Capitol Hill.

Dr. Nadeem Maboud, an emergency medicine physician who served and trained for 5 years at a Bronx hospital trauma center, said many Bangladeshis live in the area alongside other South Asians, Muslim and non-Muslim, alongside African Americans and Hispanics.

“It’s mind-boggling to me why you have an older looking gentleman with a child who poses no threat, being attacked,” Maboud said. He surmises such incidents happen in big cities that are violence prone combined with a “mass hysteria” around the nation about Islamic terrorism. “These Bengalis have lived here for the longest time. And many Muslims in the Bronx are very, very comfortable with practising their religion and culture,” he noted.

“Why didn’t this happen ten months ago?” Maboud questions. He places the responsibility for anti-Muslim violence at the door of heightened rhetoric by political leaders, and the need for more awareness in the borough. “Politicians are villainizing (sic) a whole group of people and this is the backlash – not just on Muslims but also Sikhs and others,” he added.

Rep. Joseph Crowley believes this act goes against New York values of multiculturalism and a live-and-let-live ethos. “This kind of despicable rhetoric and violence stems from ignorance and hate, and goes against everything New York and this country stands for,” Crowley said, adding he has faith that New Yorkers are stronger than the few who carry out anti-Muslim acts. “We must join together and speak out against intolerance and hate whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head.” Investigating this attack as a possible hate crime is the right course of action, Crowley said.

Rajat Gupta Back Home After 19-month Prison Stay

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness 0

Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. director Rajat Gupta is a free man after serving 19 months in federal prison for leaking tips to hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam. Jailed in June 2014 in Devens, Massachusetts, Gupta was freed after receiving credit for good behavior against his 30-month sentence, according to Patrick McFarland, a manager for the Federal Bureau of Prisons program in the New York area which is overseeing Gupta. McFarland declined to provide more details.

According to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the information isn’t public, Gupta was released Jan. 5 and has been living at his Manhattan home. He’s allowed to go to an office during weekdays, the person said.

A former McKinsey & Co. managing partner, Gupta is the highest-profile executive convicted in a U.S. crackdown on insider trading at hedge funds. Since August 2009, federal prosecutors in New York won 80 convictions.

Christian Saint-Vil, a spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declined to comment on Gupta’s early release.

Gupta was found guilty in 2012 of passing illegal tips to Rajaratnam, a co-founder of the Galleon Group LLC hedge fund. He told Rajaratnam about Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs and the bank’s financial results for two quarters in 2008.

Under a U.S. Bureau of Prisons program called Residential Reentry Management, Gupta must spend his evenings at home, the person familiar with his case said. He’s also permitted to leave for doctors’ and lawyers’ appointments, but must get prior approval from prison officials.

“The idea of our facilities is to assist inmates with transitioning from incarceration to full release,” McFarland said in a telephone interview Tuesday. He supervises the program for inmates who win early release from federal prison in cases handled by U.S. prosecutors in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York as well as New Jersey.

The Bureau of Prisons will continue to oversee Gupta until March 13, when his case will be transferred to federal Probation Department officials, McFarland said.

Gupta is still challenging his conviction, despite having had his appeal rejected by a New York court in July. He asked the appeals court to reconsider, but may have to wait until the Supreme Court rules on the issue, probably by the end of June.

The high court Tuesday agreed to hear a case that may definitively resolve what constitutes a personal benefit in insider trading cases, and whether it has to be something concrete like cash, or just the benefit of a close personal relationship.

Gupta has argued he didn’t get a personal benefit from Rajaratnam.

The minimum-security prison camp where Gupta did his time is about 40 miles (60 kilometers) west of Boston and formerly the site of a military base. Rajaratnam, who is serving 11 years for trading on inside tips, is at an adjacent medical center because he has diabetes and kidney disease.

Obama to Present National Medal of Science to Dr Rakesh K Jai

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshScience & Technology 0

Dr Rakesh K Jain is among 17 scientists, engineers, mathematicians and innovators who will be awarded by Obama at a White House ceremony.

Awarded annually, the Medal of Science recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, engineering, and mathematics.

Jain, an IIT-Kanpur alumnus, is professor of tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School.

He has received numerous awards for his work on tumor biology, particularly research on the link between tumor blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. is among 17 scientists, engineers, mathematicians and innovators who will be awarded by Obama at a White House ceremony.

Awarded annually, the Medal of Science recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, engineering, and mathematics.

Jain, an IIT-Kanpur alumnus, is professor of tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School.

He has received numerous awards for his work on tumor biology, particularly research on the link between tumor blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation.

India a Land Of Opportunities among BRICS Countries: Experts

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness 0

India is a land of opportunities among BRICS nations but lack of knowledge about various compliance requirements seem to be posing a challenge to the corporates here, say experts.

In recent times, stricter regulatory framework and disclosure requirements have been put in place as part of the efforts to ensure protect investor interest, increased transparency and make India a more easier place for doing business.

Describing India as a “land of opportunities”, a senior executive of global research group ‘The Conference Board’ today said efforts should be made to bring out the best practices of corporate governance here.

“The main challenge to companies in India for compliance is lack of knowledge about regulations and legislature,” The Conference Board’s Asia Pacific Executive Director Nick Sutcliffe told.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of ‘Handbook on Corporate Governance in India’, Sutcliffe said there is significant interest among corporates to have a better understanding about good governance practices.

The book’s author, Afra Afsharipour, a professor at the University of California, said India stands out among its BRICS peers.

“With most of the BRICS nation seeming to be in an economical difficulty, it is India which stands out and presents opportunity to the world. There was a real need to uncomplicate things,” she noted.

About various changes brought in the regulations by capital markets regulator Sebi as well as those in the Companies Act, Afsharipour said more things have now been brought under the ambit of legislature in a more structured manner.

“These (the changes) are not drastic overhaul or a major change. These things were there and now it is brought under the purview of legislature in a more structure way,” she added.

The book has been launched as part of the ‘The Director’s Collective’ initiative by KPMG, Khaitan & Co, Russel Reynolds and The Conference Board.

First Ever Indian-Owned TV Network to be launched in Atlanta, USA (Joy TVN)

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Joy TV Network, the first Indian owned broadcasting station in the South Eastern United States, announces their operations in Atlanta. This broadcast, anchored at Channel # 21, is a FREE TV network available to all residents in the coverage area. Apart from the HD television Channels, Joy TV will also be airing a number of 24×7 Radio channels in various Asian languages. There will be a free app available for download, which will enable live/recorded telecast of the programs.

Apart from English and Spanish channels, Joy TV will have multiple channels in various Asian languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese. Unlike other Asian Channels, which are available only by live-streaming through internet, these channels will be available Free-on-air.

Joy Television Network has a state-of-the-art recording studio and equipment. The programs are slated to go live in March 2016. It will have facilities for recording Local/National News, cultural events, health, sports, test kitchen and spotlight young entrepreneurs and educational/informational programs. Major local News and events will be broadcast live, while other events from around the US will also share prime airtime.

Initially the programs of Joy TV is scheduled to cover nearly 5 million viewers while efforts are on to broadcast through Cable carriers to telecast these programs to a wider audience. Joy TV is open to partnering with Producers to Develop programs for open/targeted audiences. It is also possible for interested parties to lease air-time from Joy TV’s channels. Joy TV welcomes inquiries from media corporations and Public relations organizations about leasing an entire TV channel to broadcast their own programs.

Mr.P.I. Joy, the Chairman of Joy TV Network, said “There is a huge market out there that is waiting to tap into the demand for Asian and Hispanic culture and programs. Also, we cannot express ourselves effectively as a community, unless we are represented by a strong media. I am certain our US Pan Asian American community’s voice will now be heard, even in the capital and overseas.”

For more information about leasing on the TV and Radio broadcasting on Joy TV Network, please contact the

1. P I Joy at pi@joytvn.com (Chairman) / +1 (678) 283 3636

2. Johnson Punchakonam at fr@joytvn.com

3. Harish Iyer at harish@joytvn.com

Foreign Affairs and the World Economic Forum Collaborate on The Fourth Industrial Revolution for Davos 2016

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshFinance/Economy 0

January 20, 2016 — Foreign Affairs magazine, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) has published a special anthology, The Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Davos Reader, to coincide with the theme of this year’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The 180-page special issue—which covers everything from social media to the Internet of Things, digital fabrication to robotics, and virtual reality to synthetic biology—will be available to all meeting attendees in both electronic and print formats.

The compilation begins with an essay by Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic ForumKlaus Schwab, who explains that the fourth industrial revolution “is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.”

“The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent. When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace. Moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country. And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance,” writes Schwab. “We must develop a comprehensive and globally shared view of how technology is affecting our lives and reshaping our economic, social, cultural, and human environments. There has never been a time of greater promise, or one of greater potential peril,” he urges.

Other highlights from the anthology include:

The Robots Are Coming: How Technological Breakthroughs Will Transform Everyday Life

http://fam.ag/1nvPEIk

It is no question that robots could “greatly improve the quality of our lives at home, at work, and at play,” writes Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Daniela Rus, who directs MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The goal of integrating robots into daily life is “to find ways for machines to assist and collaborate with humans more effectively.” That future is not quite here yet: although robots have evolved in “perception, reasoning, control, and coordination,” they still lag behind humans in “abstraction, generalization, and creative thinking.”

Will Humans Go the Way of Horses? Labor in the Second Machine Age

http://fam.ag/1JWne47

“The debate over what technology does to work, jobs, and wages is as old as the industrial era itself,” note MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee as they consider the potential for robotics and automation to render human labor obsolete, just as the steam engine did for horses. “The answer is almost certainly no,” they contend, for humans are “more dexterous and nimble than any single piece of machinery.” And although computers might outpace humans at arithmetic and pattern recognition, our mental advantages cannot be matched.

Same as It Ever Was: Why the Techno-Optimists Are Wrong

http://fam.ag/20bWaSy

In recent years, an influential strain of techno-optimism has promoted the idea that “humanity stands on the verge of breakthroughs in information technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence that will dwarf what has been achieved in the past two centuries,” writes Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator for the Financial Times. Others, he notes, warn of “great dangers, including those of soaring unemployment and inequality.” But is all the hype justified? “The answer is no,” Wolf argues.

The Innovative State: Governments Should Make Markets, Not Just Fix Them

http://fam.ag/1PoaWO9

The conventional view of a state’s role in fostering innovation is simple: get out of the way. At best, governments merely facilitate private-sector economic dynamism; at worst, they actively inhibit growth. In fact, argues University of Sussex Professor Marianna Mazzucato, in countries that owe their growth to innovation, the reverse has been true: the state has taken the lead in investing in new technology, assuming the risks that businesses will not.

The Power of Market Creation: How Innovation Can Spur Development

http://fam.ag/1Ry4Xgd

Most explanations of economic growth focus on conditions or incentives at the global or national level. But at the end of the day, societies, governments, or industries do not create jobs—companies do. Entrepreneurs and businesses choose whether or not to spend, invest, or hire. Harvard Business School’sBryan C. Mezue, Clayton M. Christensen, and Derek van Bever examine three categories of innovation—sustaining innovation, efficiency innovation, and market-creating innovation.

Also in the compilation:

New York University Professor Clay Shirky and best-selling author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell on the political power of social media

http://fam.ag/1S24qlg

Cisco’s John Chambers and Wim Elfrink on the Internet of Things

http://fam.ag/1PDjzVC

The Council on Foreign Relations’ Laurie Garrett on the promises and perils of synthetic biology

http://fam.ag/1niJbkc

The Economist’s Kenneth Cukier and the Oxford Internet Institute’s Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger on the rise and effects of big data

http://fam.ag/1WrhMrO

Indra Nooyi Is Most Generous Donor To Yale

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Education 0

Indra K. Nooyi, CEO and chairman of PepsiCo and a 1980 graduate of Yale University, made a landmark gift to endow the deanship of the School of Management

With the gift, the amount of which was not divulged by the university, Nooyi becomes the most generous graduate of Yale School of Management in terms of lifetime giving to the school. She is also the first woman to endow the deanship at a top business school, Yale said in a press release.

Nooyi has previously made substantial contributions to the construction of Edward P. Evans Hall at the Yale School of Management, including gifts to name the Nooyi Classroom and the Isaacson Classroom in memory of Professor Larry Isaacson. With her latest gift of the deanship, she also inaugurated the Fifth Decade Innovation Fund, named in recognition of the school entering its fifth decade.

“My experience at the Yale School of Management forever altered the course of my life,” Nooyi is quoted saying. “My gift to this wonderful institution pales in comparison with the gift that Yale gave me—the fundamental understanding that leadership requires an expansive worldview and a deep appreciation of the many points of intersection between business and society.”

She said she hoped the endowment will teach future generations of leaders that the most successful companies of tomorrow will do more than make money. “They will make a difference and create shareholder value by improving the quality of life in every market in which they operate,” she said.

PepsiCo is the second largest food and beverage company in the world. Nooyi, 60, has been the CEO of PepsiCo since 2006, and chairman since 2007. She is the chief architect of “Performance with Purpose,” the company’s promise to deliver top-tier financial performance integrating sustainability into its business strategy, the company bio says. Under her watch the company diversified its product line so that today, less than 25 percent of its global revenue is derived from carbonated soft drinks and approximately 20 percent comes from the company’s nutrition businesses. She has also promoted environmental sustainability in business practices, leading to reducing the company’s use of water by 23 percent and improving energy efficiency by 16 percent, according to the release.

Born in Chennai, then Madras, Nooyi studied at Madras Christian College, graduating with a degree in chemistry, physics and math. She studied at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, before attending Yale. Considered among America’s top corporate visionaries, Nooyi was appointed to the U.S.-India CEO Forum by President Obama. She is also a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She is married to Raj Nooyi, a management consultant, and the couple has two daughters, Tara and Preetha. Nooyi lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Prior to joining PepsiCo in 1994, Nooyi worked in senior roles at Asea Brown Boveri, Motorola, and the Boston Consulting Group. She serves as a member of the boards of U.S.-China Business Council, U.S.-India Business Council, the Consumer Goods Forum, Catalyst, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Tsinghua University. She is a past member of the Yale Corporation, the top governing board and policy-making body for the university. She is also a member of the, and was

New Jersey Couple Say Baby Wrongly Placed In Foster Care

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

The two-month-old baby of Ashish Pareek, a Tata Consultancy Service employee living in Jersey City, New Jersey, and his wife Vidisha, has been placed in foster care after the infant was taken to hospital with severe head injuries.

In a report NDTV said that Ashish Pareek, originally from Jaipur, has been living and working with TCS as a project manager in Jersey City along with his wife since August 2015. His wife delivered the baby in October. The report said Mrs. Pareek was carrying the baby at home when he slipped from her hands, said her husband’s brother, Abhishek Pareek, to NDTV in Jaipur.

The report did not say when the baby slipped from her hands, not in which hospital was the baby taken. It was also not mentioned in the report if the parents were charged with any criminal negligence except what was described as shaking baby syndrome by the parents in a letter to the Indian Government seeking help. “After treatment at two hospitals, the baby, Ashvid, reportedly recovered, but was handed over by child welfare officials to foster care,’ it said.

Abhishek Pareek said that the baby hit his head on a TV stand and fell hard on the floor and was rushed by Mrs. Pareek to hospital where he was diagnosed with serious internal injuries to his head.

“It was an accident but the U.S. authorities are saying that our family tried to harm the child. U.S. authorities are saying the child has been treated in an inhuman way and so cannot be handed over to the parents. But this is untrue, it was an accident,” Abhishek Pareek was quoted as saying.

In 2012, two children of an Indian couple living in Norway were placed in foster care, creating a huge diplomatic row between the countries. India said child welfare officials were culturally insensitive to the traditions of Indian parents.

Ashish Pareek has sent a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj requesting help to get the child’s custody and pleaded for Indian Government’s intervention.

AAPI’s 34th Annual AAPI Convention & Scientific Assembly To Be Held in New York, NY

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

The 34th annual convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) will be held at the Marriott Marquis, Time Square in New York from June 30-July 4, 2016. AAPI’s mission is to provide a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research, and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. For 34 years, the AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.

“The 2016 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an rare platform to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin,” says Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI . “Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. We look forward to seeing you in New York!”

The annual convention this year is being organized by AAPI’s New Jersey Chapter. Elaborating on the efforts and preparations that have been devoted to put together this unique event, Dr. Rita Ahuja, Convention Chairwoman of 2016 Annual Convention, says. “We have been working hard to put together an attractive program for our annual get together, educational activity and family enjoyment. I and the Co-Chairs are fortunate to have a dedicated team of convention committee members from the Tri-State region helping us. We are expecting a record turnout and hence I would encourage early registration to avoid later disappointment.”

In addition to the exhibition hall featuring large exhibit booth spaces in which the healthcare industry will have the opportunity to engage, inform and educate the physicians directly through one on one, hands on product demonstrations and discussions, there will be focused group and specialty Product Theater, Interactive Medical Device Trade Show, and special exhibition area for new innovations by young physicians.

“The preliminary program is in place, the major attractions include 8 – 10 hours of cutting-edge CME with renowned speakers, CEO Forum, Innovation Forum, Entrepreneur Forum, Women’s Forum, Men’s Forum, and Product Theaters to highlight the newest advances in patient care and medical technology. Alumni meetings for networking, also an AAPI-India Strategic Engagement Forum to showcase the AAPI initiatives in India like Trauma Brain Injury Guidelines, MoU on TB Eradication in India and recognition of AAPI Award winners will make this Convention unique,” Dr. Sanjay Jain, Chief Coordinating Officer of the Convention, elaborates.

A pool of dedicated AAPI leaders are working hard to make the Convention a unique event for all the participants. Dr. Thomas Alapatt is the Host City Chair for the Convention. Drs. Parminder Grewal, Hetal Gor, and Gaurav Gupta serve as co-chairs for the convention. The prime advisors of the Convention include, Drs. Virendra Sethi, Anand Sahu, Kishore Ahuja, Hemant Patel, Ratan Mirchandani, Jayesh Kanuga, and Chitra Kumar.

Expecting to have an attendance of more than 2,500 delegates including Physicians, Academicians, Researchers and Medical students to attend the convention, the annual convention offers extensive academic presentations, recognition of achievements and achievers, and professional networking at the alumni and evening social events.

“AAPI members represent a variety of important medical specialties. Sponsors will be able to take advantage of the many sponsorship packages at the 34th annual convention, creating high-powered exposure to the highly coveted demographic of AAPI’s membership,” Dr. Seema Jain, president of AAPI says.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States. AAPI is an umbrella organization which has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. For over 34 years, Indian physicians have made significant contributions to health care in this country, not only practicing in inner cities, rural areas and peripheral communities but also at the top medical schools and other academic centers. Almost 10%-12% of medical students entering US schools are of Indian origin. AAPI represents the interests of over 60,000 physicians and 25,000medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the nation, and serves as an umbrella organization.

“Many of the physicians who will attend this convention have excelled in different specialties and subspecialties and occupy high positions as faculty members of medical schools, heads of departments, and executives of hospital staff. The AAPI Convention offers an opportunity to meet directly with these physicians who are leaders in their fields and play an integral part in the decision-making process regarding new products and services,” Dr. Jain adds.

For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org

Lord Ganesha exhibit touring 5 British museums

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

The British Museum (BM) is organizing a touring exhibition headlined as “Celebrating Ganesha”.

This BM exhibition will be held in Bradford Cartwright Hall (January 16-May 15), County Durham Bowes Museum (May 21-September 18), Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (September 24-January 02, 2017), Horniman in London (January 07-April 23, 2017) and London Brent Museum (May-August 2017)

Its main object is a 13th century 119 centimeters tall schist sculpture of Lord Ganesha carved in Odisha, which depicts many of its major attributes. It is being displayed alongside complimentary Gouache paintings and woodcut prints that depict Lord Ganesha in traditional scenes.

Commending BM for showcasing Lord Ganesha in sculpture, paintings and prints; Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu art heritage with the rest of the world.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.

BM, headquartered in London and founded in 1753, is claimed to be the first national public museum in the world. . It now comprises over 8 million objects spanning the history of the world’s cultures: from the stone tools of early man to twentieth century prints. Dr Hartwig Fischer is the Director as of spring 2016.

57 Million People Died & 140 Million Born in 2015

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

The number of deaths worldwide in 2015 was approximately 57 million, representing 0.78 percent of the world’s population of 7.3 billion. In comparison, 140 million births occurred in 2015, resulting in a global population increase of 83 million people. According to reports, the major causes of death worldwide are ischemic heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections and chronic obstructive lung disease. Two-thirds of all deaths are due to non-communicable diseases, in particular cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases. As has been the case throughout recent years, cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the world, accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths.

Major causes of death also vary considerably by socio-economic conditions. The top four causes of death in low-income countries in 2012 were lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDs, diarrheal diseases and stroke. In high-income countries, in contrast, the top four killers were ischemic heart disease, stroke, trachea bronchus/lung cancers, and Alzheimer’s and other dementia

57 Million People Died & 140 Million Born in 2015

The critical behavioral risk factors for heart disease, stroke and lung diseases are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco usage. The use of tobacco, in particular smoking, is responsible for the death of about 1 in 10 adults worldwide. Communicable diseases together with maternal, neonatal and nutrition conditions account for close to one-quarter of all deaths. The deadly infectious diseases include lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, malaria and tuberculosis.

While progress has been achieved in reducing maternal deaths, maternal mortality rates continue to be high. Nearly 830 women die daily due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth. For children under age 5, the major causes of death are prematurity, pneumonia, birth asphyxia and birth trauma, and diarrheal diseases. In 2012 approximately 4 in 10 deaths of children under age 5 years took place within 28 days of birth, with prematurity responsible for 35 percent of those deaths.

Injuries are responsible for nearly one-tenth of all deaths. Road traffic injuries in particular take approximately 3,500 lives each day, placing it among the ten leading causes of death. Among people aged 15 to 29 years the major cause of death is road traffic injuries. And approximately 75 percent of all road traffic deaths are among males. One of the most important risk factors in road traffic fatalities is alcohol consumption. Child mortality under age 5 years claims 0.26 percent of all deaths and the chances of a Japanese child not reaching age 5 is about 1 in 333.

Suicide, another important cause of death, was responsible for over 800,000 deaths in 2012 or about 1.4 percent of all deaths worldwide. Due to religious, social and legal pressures, the incidence of suicide tends to be under-reported or not reported at all in some cases.

In 2012 three-fourths of all reported suicides took place in low- and middle-income countries. The most suicide-prone countries were Guyana, North Korea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Suriname and Mozambique.

The number of deaths in war and civil conflict account for approximately 0.3 percent of all deaths globally. The body count from the top twenty deadliest wars in 2014, according to the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, was 164 thousand. The four deadliest conflicts in 2014 were Syria (76 thousand), Iraq (21 thousand), Afghanistan (15 thousand) and Nigeria (12 thousand). Those and other conflicts experienced significant increases in casualties over the previous year.

Finally, as death is the inevitable outcome for everyone, the issue of the preferred or best ways to die often arises. People typically report that they prefer to die peacefully at an old age, at home in bed. Most wish to avoid a painful, lengthy and burdensome end of life.

“The United States of America is the most powerful nation on Earth,” President Obama Declares During State Of the Union Address

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshPolitics, U.S. 0

“The United States of America is the most powerful nation on Earth. Period. It’s not even close,” President Obama said last on January 12, 2016, while delivering his eighth and final State of the Union address to the nation on Tuesday night. The address was both a victory lap, celebrating the accomplishments of the last seven years, and a condemnation of what President Obama perceives to be alarmist rhetoric being used on the campaign trail over the last several months. He said those who argue the economy is crumbling and foreign enemies are gaining ground are “peddling fiction” and full of “hot air.”

There were plenty of policy proposals for the coming year to deal with issues like education, medicine, immigration, gun violence, gender equality, and the minimum wage. But delineating those proposals was not the point of the President’s.

He recognized “four big questions” regarding the economy, technology, security and democracy that the United States still faces and urged Americans to continue to address these concerns after his presidential term ends. Still, the president expressed confidence in his achievements and asserted that “the state of our union is strong.”

Obama strongly, although implicitly, condemned the campaign rhetoric of Republican presidential candidates, including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. However, he also vowed to work to mitigate the political divisiveness of today’s culture. “It’s one of the few regrets of my presidency – that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better. There’s no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I’ll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office,” said the president.

After explaining his vision of the future—one that is inclusive of all races and religions and free of vitriolic politics—President Obama laid out a list of everyday Americans who he says convince him that such a future is possible, from soldiers to students to young immigrants.

“That’s the America I know. That’s the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted. Optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word,” he said. “That’s what makes me so hopeful about our future. Because of you. I believe in you. That’s why I stand here confident that the State of our Union is strong.”

But there were lows, too. The most negative point occurred when President Obama conceded that al Qaeda and ISIL do pose “a direct threat” to US citizens. “[I]n today’s world, even a handful of terrorists who place no value on human life, including their own, can do a lot of damage,” he said. “They use the Internet to poison the minds of individuals inside our country; they undermine our allies.”

President’s address has drawn criticism from some. David French at the National Review argues that Obama’s reminders of the strength of the United States “inadvertently highlights one of his greatest failures.” He acknowledges that Obama’s statements that the U.S. has “the world’s strongest economy and the world’s strongest military” are true but explains that Obama is not the reason for these strengths. French says that Obama’s policies have actually led to increased threats from the Islamic State group, Libya and Iran.

President Obama emphasized the importance of unions in building a strong economy. “Middle-class families,” he declared, “are not going to feel more secure because we allowed attacks on collective bargaining to go unanswered.” Tuesday night’s address may not have been President Obama’s most hopeful, but it may be the most representative of his presidency—a presidency of peaks and valleys in which every success has been preceded and followed by a hard fought struggle. President Obama ended his speech by stating, “I stand here, as confident as I have ever been, that the state of our Union is strong.”

Carnegie India To Be Launched In April

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has announced that Carnegie India, its sixth international center, will open in April 2016. Based in New Delhi, Carnegie India will produce high-quality public policy research about critical national, regional, and global issues. As with Carnegie’s centers in Beijing, Beirut, Brussels, Moscow, and Washington, Carnegie India will be staffed and led by local experts who will collaborate extensively with colleagues around the world.

Raja Mohan will serve as the founding director of Carnegie India. Mohan has been a nonresident senior associate at Carnegie since 2012, as well as a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, and a visiting research professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. He also served as a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board. From 2009 to 2010, Mohan was the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the U.S. Library of Congress. Previously, he was a professor of South Asian studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and the Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He is a columnist for the Indian Express and previously worked as the diplomatic editor and Washington correspondent of the Hindu.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the center’s founding director and to work even more closely with longtime Carnegie colleagues across the world. I look forward to the center contributing to India’s rich intellectual tradition through the in-depth, nonpartisan research of our scholars,” Mohan said. “I am confident that Carnegie India will add to Carnegie’s global reputation for quality, integrity, and independence.”

The center’s research and programmatic focus will include the political economy of reform in India, foreign and security policy, and the role of innovation and technology in India’s internal transformation and international relations. It will build on decades of scholarship on India and South Asia across Carnegie’s programs, in particular the work of Vice President for Studies George Perkovich, Senior Associate Ashley J. Tellis, and Associate Milan Vaishnav, while placing special emphasis on developing a cadre of young, up-and-coming Indian scholars.

Shivnath Thukral will serve as Carnegie India’s managing director. He was group president of corporate branding and strategic initiatives at Essar, a $35 billion corporation. He spent fifteen years as a TV anchor and business analyst for India’s premier English TV news channel New Delhi Television, and was managing editor of the business television news channel NDTV Profit. A graduate of the Delhi School of Economics, he interned at the U.S. Senate and was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship in 2012.

The center’s creation has been supported by Carnegie India’s Founders Committee, a group of Indian and international donors co-chaired by former cabinet secretary and Indian ambassador to the United States, Naresh Chandra, and former United States ambassador to India, Frank Wisner.

“On behalf of the entire Founders Committee, we want to congratulate Carnegie on the formal launch of Carnegie India,” said ambassadors Chandra and Wisner. “India—with its strategic partnership with the United States and its growing role in the Asia-Pacific and around the world—is a significant development on the international landscape and a natural area of focus for Carnegie.”

President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Williams J. Burns, said, “We are very proud to add Carnegie India to Carnegie’s network of international centers. We are especially proud to have Raja Mohan serve as its founding director and grateful for the generous support of our donors and Founders Committee members that made this milestone possible.”

Chief Rabbi of Rome: ‘The Pope’s Visit to Synagogue Contrasts With Those Who Use Religion to Destroy’

January 20, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

The Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni, uses sober and specific words to express his expectations for Pope Francis’ visit to the Major Temple on January 17. He is the third Pontiff after John Paul II in 1986 and Benedict XVI in 2010 or, better said, the fourth, “recalling that the first Pope to enter a Synagogue was Saint Peter,” he stressed.

In this interview with ZENIT in Rome, the rabbi stressed that the memory of the visits of the previous Popes will be the connecting theme of Pope Francis’ visit this Sunday, which will take on new meaning in a historical and geopolitical context marked by religious violence and fanaticism.

“Hence, it will be a sign against those who today use religion to destroy the world,” said the Rabbi, pointing out some challenges in which Jews and Christians can speak with “once voice, “ – in the first place, about life and human dignity.

* * *

ZENIT: Pope Francis is the third Pope to visit a Synagogue (with the exception of Saint Peter). What expectations and desires do you and the Jewish community of Rome have for this Sunday’s visit?

Rabbi Di Segni: It is an important meeting, even if it is the third. Precisely the fact that he is the third Pope to visit the Synagogue means that there is a continuation of the tradition and the community awaits him with gratitude for this gesture of kindness to us. This shows, in a wider scene than the local, the desire of two religious worlds to establish and consolidate peaceful relations in regard to the negative and mortal examples that come from other religious horizons.

ZENIT: How can we frame this visit of the Pope in a moment so marked by extremism and violence?

Rabbi Di Segni: The sign [of the Pope’s visit] contrasts with those who use religion to destroy the world. We want to use religion to do something good.

ZENIT: Does the visit stem from an invitation you made to the Pontiff?

Rabbi Di Segni: Yes, it was a necessary invitation, formulated immediately to be able to plan it calmly, without urgency. Since his election, we have had a cordial relation with Pope Francis and we have had and have occasion to converse quite frequently, also by telephone. I have always found in him a great willingness to listen.

ZENIT: You also had a good relation with Benedict XVI, for whom you have expressed great esteem on several occasions.

Rabbi Di Segni: Yes, we have a good relationship. We haven’t seen one another since his resignation, but we often send letters to each other.

ZENIT: And with John Paul II? You were present during the visit to the Synagogue of April 16, 1986 – the “historic” visit that was a before and after for the Jewish-Christian dialogue. What memories do you have?

Rabbi Di Segni: Yes, I was present among the public as a spectator struck by what was happening. Time has certainly been necessary to assimilate and understand the breadth of that moment. Afterwards I had the occasion to get to know John Paul II better and to have a direct relation with him. In particular, I approached him when he was already very ill.

ZENIT: Remembering the 1986 visit, if you had to evaluate the last 30 years, what has happened? Has there been a change for better or for worse?

Rabbi Di Segni: I would say there has been progressive improvement, thanks also to the clarification of open questions. Incidents haven’t been lacking, but there has always been a way of addressing and resolving them. When it was possible …

ZENIT: Speaking of the Jubilee, which is an event that has its origin in the Jewish culture, how is the Jewish community of Rome living it?

Rabbi Di Segni: The Jubilee, as it is celebrated, is an absolute and totally Christian event, which we consider with respect and attention.

ZENIT: Last month the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism wrote a document for the 50^thanniversary of “Nostra Aetate,” in which it is affirmed that, “with the necessary reservations,” one can speak of an “intra-religious dialogue” or “intra-familiar” [dialogue] between Christians and Jews. Do you share this expression?

Rabbi Di Segni: The document – which is an extremely important document – represents the point of view of the Christian theological vision. Therefore, the fact that the relation is stressed in particular, which exists between Christianity and Judaism, is important in relation to the previous history. And, therefore, from this point of view, we can say that we are satisfied.

ZENIT: Hence, is this fraternal interpretation of the relation reciprocal?

Rabbi Di Segni: There is no doubt that it’s a relation of fraternity. The theological questions aren’t reciprocal, but different by nature.

ZENIT: In your opinion, what aspects of the dialogue between Jews and Christians must still be reflected upon and developed further?

Rabbi Di Segni: There are many fields of activity, beyond those that are merely theological, which still must be realized: parallel or joint projects on which much work must be done.

ZENIT: Can you be more specific?

Rabbi Di Segni: Yes. We always say we must work together. However, what must we do together?

ZENIT: You tell me …

Rabbi Di Segni: It is an open question on which to reflect. What are the values to present to society? What models? The first thing is that we speak to one another, which is an important sign in the historical moment we are living.

ZENIT: For example, are there current topics on which Christians and Jews can speak with one voice?

Rabbi Di Segni: One voice depends on the topics. Certainly the defense of life and human dignity are essential problems on which we can and must proceed together.

ZENIT: In connection with violence and religious persecution, destructive acts and blasphemous writings against Christians continue to occur in Israel. In your opinion, what are the roots of this growing hatred?

Rabbi Di Segni: In the first place, I reiterate my rejection of these acts, which are isolated and which can’t be justified. They stem from a tragic context and, therefore, are part of a more general uneasiness of the society, which is “poisoned” by a conflict. It’s necessary to work on this.

Cornell exhibiting Vishnu & other Hindu gods

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Ivy League Cornell University in Ithaca (New York) is showcasing various Hindu gods and goddesses in it “Gods and Scholars” exhibition, on view till March 7 at its Hirshland Gallery.

Various Hindu deities shown in its exhibit “Book of Hindu Deities” (1860-1900) displays images of Vishnu and its avatars, Shiva-Parvati, Brahma, Ganesha, Durga, Rama, Krishna, Radha, Saraswati, Hanuman, Kali, Kartikkeya, Shreenath, Bhairava, Sitla, Garur, Ganga, Jamuna, etc.

Another exhibit shows “Devi Mahatmyam” (The Glorification of the Goddess) (a Hindu text in Sanskrit glorifying Devi). Fredrika Loew is the Curator of this exhibition, which includes materials from the Rare and Manuscript Collections.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended Cornell University for showcasing Hindu gods and goddesses.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major universities of the world; including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, Cambridge, Princeton, UC Berkeley, Yale, Columbia, Toronto, Tokyo, Melbourne, etc.; to frequently organize Hinduism focused exhibitions, thus sharing rich philosophy-concepts-symbols-traditions of this oldest religion with the rest of the world. If they needed any assistance, he or other Hindu scholars would gladly help, Zed added.

Founded 1865, research university Cornell, one of whose “core values” include “Thinking otherwise”, has been named “11th best university in world” and “sixth in academic reputation”. It has about 21, 600 students and boasts of 45 Nobel laureates. Robert S. Harrison is Trustees Chairman while Elizabeth Garrett is President.

Dell Awards AIF Multi-Year Grant to Help Bridge India’s Educational & Digital Divide

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

It has been announced that Dell has awarded AIF a multi-year grant to support our Digital Equalizer (DE) program. Aiming to impact 61,000 students and 2,500 teachers in four states, this generous grant will help bridge India’s educational and digital divide and bring technology literacy and 21st century skills to more young people in the country. Since 2007, Dell has been a staunch supporter of our Digital Equalizer program.

With 70% of India’s one million public schools lacking basic computing technology, the country is facing significant challenges to prepare its youth for success in the global economy. Since 2002, Digital Equalizer has been bringing technology to schools across India and utilizing technology to transform teaching and learning into a collaborative, project-based approach. The program is creating public education reform by targeting under-resourced government schools. This approach helps teachers to be more effective while motivating and inspiring students to continue their education and open doors of opportunity to higher education and career success. To date, the program has touched the lives of over 1 million children.

The grant from Dell will create impact in the various ways that includes having training & resource centers with state-of-the-art technology, offering professional development to school administrators, and enriching math, science, and social science content. As India’s economy continues to grow, it is vital that the country’s youth have access to technology and are better prepared for the job market.

ASIA SOCIETY PRESENTS NEW YORK PREMIERE OF REZ ABBASI’S INVOCATION

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Asia Society is presenting the New York premiere of Invocation, Pakistani-born jazz guitarist Rez Abbasi’s quintet featuring pianist Vijay Iyer, saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, Johannes Weidenmueller (acoustic bass), Dan Weiss (drums), and Elizabeth Means (cello). In this special performance, the group unveils a new project that explores Carnatic classical music from Southern India through the idiom of jazz.

Titled Unfiltered Universe, this is the final installment in a trilogy that puts a jazz lens on the musical traditions of South Asia. Their 2009 debut, Things To Come, employed Hindustani North Indian music and featured Indian vocalist Kiran Ahluwalia. DownBeat magazine chose the album as one of the decade’s best. Suno Suno was released in 2012. Featuring compositions that were influenced by Abbasi’s long time love of Pakistani Qawwali music, it also received many accolades.

Abbasi is one of the foremost guitar players in modern jazz, and was recently cited as one of the “best guitarists” inDown Beat magazine’s International Critics Poll. A product of the Manhattan School of Music, he made a pilgrimage to India early in his career to study with tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha, father of Zakir Hussain. Abbasi — along with Iyer and Mahanthappa — is one of a trio of jazz musicians who are forging distinctly South Asian-inflected voices on the contemporary scene.

These talented composer/musicians have worked together for years, playing in each others ensembles and building a musical community. Asia Society has a long-term commitment to the creative work of these musicians. Starting with Asia Society’s commissioning of Vijay Iyer’s In What Language (with Mike Ladd) in 2003, and continuing with the commission of Kinsmen in 2006, Asia Society has presented ensembles lead by these three artists over the ensuing decade.

The mission of Invocation’s music, Abbasi declares, is “to create a global-based music steeped in jazz. This tradition follows in the footsteps of some of the greatest jazz musicians. Coltrane, Ellington, and Gillespie all immersed themselves in music from around the world.”

This performance of Rez Abbasi’s Invocation, presented in collaboration with Duke Performances and Walker Art Center, is supported by the Presenter Consortium for Jazz, a program of Chamber Music America funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Attorney Gurbir Grewal Nominated To Top Legal Post in New Jersey

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Attorney Gurbir Grewal became the first Indian-American of Sikh faith to be nominated in the state of New Jersey as the chief law enforcement officer of a county om January 4th. Grewal, 42, a leading state attorney, became the first ever Sikh to be sworn in to take over as acting Bergen County prosecutor, in anticipation of a confirmation some time soon. Judge

Bonnie J. Mizdol swore in Grewal as his wife Amrit looked on.

Gov. Chris Christie who had first nominated Grewal to be the Bergen County prosecutor in 2013, told lawmakers in a Dec. 31 letter that he intends to send in a re-nomination request when the state legislative session resumes in the second week of January. The state Senate has to confirm Grewal’s appointment which was stuck in limbo two years ago because the upper house failed to even schedule a hearing to clear the Indian-American nominee.

Grewal has an active advocate in the legislature. State lawmaker Raj Mukherji, told the media that he will be lobbying hard to get his colleagues to clear Grewal’s nomination. “I hope that my counterparts in the Senate act swiftly to confirm this exceptional nominee,” Mukherji said, calling it “historic but long overdue,” in a state that has a significant Asian-American and Indian-American population.

Born and raised in the U.S., Grewal takes over the post held for 14 years by John Molinelli who returns to private practice. Grewal has more than a decade of experience prosecuting cases including some major white collar crimes at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“I’m not only excited that the Governor appointed a South Asian, or that he reached across party lines to appoint a Democrat, but especially that he appointed Gurbir Grewal.” Mukherji said highlighting Grewal’s prosecutorial experience.

When Christie nominated Grewal the first time in 2013, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman praised Grewal’s work and his personality. “He’s a tremendous lawyer; thoughtful, well-prepared, great judgment and well-liked by his adversaries, the judges and his colleagues,” Fishman said, according to a Northjersey.com report.

A graduate of Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., Grewal got his law degree from The College of William and Mary – Marshall Wythe Law School. Immediately before he took over as acting Bergen County prosecutor Jan. 4, Grewal was chief of the Economic Crimes Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office since February 2014. Prior to that he was the deputy chief in the Economic Crimes Unit and the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section from July 2013 to February 2014. From November 2010 to July 2013, Grewal was assistant U.S. Attorney, Economic Crimes Unit. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Grewal was in private practice at the law firm Howrey LLP from 2008 to 2010. He also served for three years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, from 2004 to 2007.

Upset Hindus have urged for the immediate withdrawal of yoga pants carrying image of Lord

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Ganesha sold by a New York City headquartered designer yoga and activewear firm Nóli Yoga Clothing, calling it inappropriate. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be worn around one’s legs. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Nóli to withdraw these pants from other vendors also besides its own website and also offer a formal apology.

Yoga pants which Hindu devotees are finding objectionable are called “Graffiti Yoga Pants” ($68), which are claimed to “allow ease of movement that lends to our ability to explore and discover your creativity within the yoga”.

“Eco friendly” Nóli, whose tagline is “where yoga fashion and performance meet”, sells yoga pants, capris, shorts and tops; mostly aimed at women. With offices in New York City and manufacturing in Los Angeles and Miami, it claims providing “balance between fashionable and comfortable activewear”, “designed to fit and flatter”, and leggings “sleek enough to wear for any occasion off the mat”.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Mayo Clinic offering “Yoga to Enhance Your Mood”

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Mayo Clinic Health System is offering class on “Yoga to Enhance Your Mood” in Red Wing (Minnesota). This six-week yoga class will include “yoga postures, breathing practices and meditation techniques”.

“Research has found that the practice of yoga has a positive effect on changing your mood and promoting a state of relaxed alertness”, announcement says.

Welcoming the integrating of yoga in a prominent healthcare system, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, yoga was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that yoga, referred as “a living fossil” whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, was a mental and physical discipline for everybody to share and benefit from. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical, Zed added.

Rajan Zed pointed out that yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche. According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga.

Mayo Clinic Health System is a family of clinics, hospitals and health care facilities serving over 60 communities in Iowa, Georgia, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It is part of Mayo Clinic; a leading caregiver with over 150 years of patient care, research and medical education expertise; which was ranked number one in more specialties than any other hospital in the nation; served over 1.3 million people last year. Headquartered in Rochester (Minnesota), Samuel A. Di Piazza Junior is its Trustees Chair, while John H. Noseworthy is CEO.

Hindus urge Connecticut schools to offer yoga

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion, Health 0

Hindus are urging Connecticut State Board of Education and Connecticut State Department of Education to formally introduce yoga as a part of curriculum in all the public schools of the state.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, indicated that since yoga was reportedly already there in various formats in many of state’s schools, Connecticut should develop a uniform curriculum for all the state schools offering yoga as an elective subject, giving a choice to students who wanted to avail the multiple benefits yoga provided.

According to reports, Bethel High School offered “Ah Ha Yoga” (.4 or .5 credit; in place of 1 Physical Education credit) for 11th and 12th graders whose Course Description included “unite mind, body, and inner self”. There is a Beginner’s Yoga Class on Mondays at Hamden Middle School whose announcement includes “Improve your flexibility, strength, balance and stamina”. At Middlebrook School in Wilton some groups try to decrease the pulse rate using meditation and yoga under “Feel The Beat” (A Guided Exploration of Factors That Affect Pulse Rate), a “Curriculum-Embedded Performance Task” of the Department in Middle School Science.

Calling introducing yoga as a step in the positive direction, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested Connecticut to incorporate yoga in the lives of the state’s students. Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed pointed out.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

The Connecticut State Department of Education, the administrative arm of the Connecticut State Board of Education, helps to ensure “excellence in education for all Connecticut students” which number over half million spread in state’s 166 school districts. Allan B. Taylor is Chairperson of the Board, while Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell is Commissioner of Education. Dannel P. Malloy is Connecticut Governor.

Indian National Overseas Congress, USA condemns the dastardly attack on Pathankot

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Indian National Overseas Congress, USA, in a resolution passed at the Executive Committee meeting held in New York, strongly condemns the dastardly attack on Pathankot air base by terrorists originating from Pakistan. This attack appears to have been well planned and coordinated, and could not have been executed without the help from powerful sectors in the Pakistani establishment. It is not only an attack on India but of the whole humanity.

“We salute the brave-heart Nawjawans who sacrificed their lives and those who are injured in the process in order to preserve freedom and liberty for all India and its citizens and our deep sympathy and prayers are with their loved ones,” said George Abraham, Chairman of the INOC, USA.

Although it is important to maintain the diplomatic engagement with Pakistan, it is about time the BJP Government re-calibrates their current strategy of dialogue by moving up the issue of terrorism to the top of the Agenda. Experience has shown that good will gestures or political brinkmanship will not advance the cause of peace between India and Pakistan but by only demanding strong measures from Pakistan to curb the cross-border terrorist activities that are intended to destabilize the peace and security of the region. BJP should avoid theatrics and deal with the subject with due seriousness and gravitas.

Sonal Bhuchar Appointed Member of OneStar National Service Commission

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Sonal Bhuchar has been appointed to OneStar National Service Commission in Texas that promotes volunteerism and oversees administration of the AmeriCorps programs in the U.S. state. Bhuchar, a professional physiotherapist at Therapeutic Concepts and office manager at Sugar Land Med-Ped was appointed to the OneStar National Services Commission by the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, with her term lasting up to March 15, 2018.

Originally from Mumbai in India, Bhuchar got her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Bombay University. She currently serves as a board of member in leadership positions for Child Advocates of Fort Bend, chairman for the Literacy Council of Fort Bend, board member for Fort Bend Cares and board member for the City of Sugar Land PARCS.

She has formerly served as a board of trustee and board president for the Fort Bend Independent School District. The Indian-American physiotherapist also ran for the District 26 Texas state representative seat in 2012, but was not elected. Along with Bhuchar, Abbott appointed Ronnie Hagerty as the chairman, Lisa Lucero as vice chairman along with Laura Dixon, Roger O’Dell, and Annette Juba.

Toshiba Slashes 7,000 Jobs after $4.53 Billion Loss

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Finance/Economy 0

Toshiba, the Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation has informed the media that it will cut down approximately 7,000 jobs in the near future as a result of $1.3 billion accounting scandal. The company is all set to sell their television manufacturing plant in Indonesia. This sudden move might cause a huge cut down in the consumer electronic jobs in the company, reports Economic Times

According to reports, the deal of the Indonesian plant is going to be done on a net loss of $4.53 billion at the end of this financial year. The company stated that “By implementing this plan, we would like to regain the trust of all stakeholders including shareholders and transform ourselves into a robust business,”

The company has addressed a 37.8 billion yen loss in August which reflected costs and conservative estimates on operations, including the South Texas Project, a US power plant project. In July it has been reported that the company also had employees questioning their superiors. The company which launched world’s first market laptop in 1985 has said to have long overdue. The 140 years old organization is going through a change in fortune. The company has been a prominent power in the Japanese business market over a century and its former executives has also served as policy advisors for the government.

Raja Krishnamurthi’s For Congress Marches Ahead

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshPolitics, U.S. 0

Raja Krishnamurthi’s Congressional bid appears to have gained momentum with the Indian American candidate for a seat from the state of Illinois after he has bagged endorsements from top U.S. lawmakers including the influential Nancy Pelosi. Krishanmoorthi, 42, is seeking to enter the House of Representatives from the eighth Congressional District of Illinois and has been endorsed by 16 members of Congress, including Pelosi and Congressman Jan Schakowsky. His immediate challenge is to get through the March 15 primary contest before the general election.

“Raja will bring to Congress a tireless work ethic and deep experience in the public and private sectors,” Pelosi, who is leader of the Democratic Party in the U.S. House of Representatives, said. “These qualities will enable him to pursue our common goal of fighting for progressive causes and strengthening and growing our middle class,” she said in a recent statement. “I strongly endorse Raja Krishnamoorthi because he is a true progressive and the best candidate to represent the working families in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs,” Pelosi had said.

Attorney and entrepreneur, Raja has also been endorsed by David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama. In total, his campaign is supported by over 100 local and national leaders and organisations. Krishnamoorthi previously was the policy director and a senior advisor for Barack Obama’s 2004 US Senate campaign, and also served as an advisor to Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign.

He served as Deputy Treasurer of Illinois from 2007-2009 under Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, and in 2010 ran for the Democratic nomination for Illinois State Comptroller, losing to David E Miller by less than one per cent of the vote. Born in New Delhi on July 19, 1973, his parents immigrated to Buffalo, New York when he was three months old.

Krishnamurthi currently serves as president of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc, small businesses that develop and sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries. He is a co-founder of InSPIRE, a non-profit organisation that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology, and was formerly Vice-Chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, which promotes innovative technologies that support economic growth and job creation.

Early this month, Krishnamoorthi earned endorsement of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) International. The 8th District covers the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, and its eastern boundary includes portions of O’Hare airport.

NIIT Varsity, PwC India to Cultivate Talent in Cyber Security

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation, Science & Technology 0

Cyber Security market, currently at $1 billion, is expected to grow to $35 billion by 2025. The demand for skilled professionals in the space is very high. In this context, PricewaterCooper India and NIIT University (NU) have entered into a strategic partnership for creating a trained talent pool of cyber security professionals in India. For this purpose, academic experts from the university and senior professionals from PwC India have co-created a two-year work-integrated specialised master’s programme in cyber security.

“In today’s digitised environment securing our cyberspace has become a priority for businesses and citizens across the world,” said Rajendra S Pawar, chairman NIIT group. “This calls for a team of trained professionals who are equipped to combat the challenges that are posed by hackers every day.A Our partnership with PwC India is a step in that direction,” he added.

The program blends academic and professional education and industry-led research in the cyber security space is the key driver in the curriculum. “Cyber security is a major focus area and the growth driver for PwC India. With this programme with NU, PwC India is collaborating with academia to bring industry-ready talent into the market, readily employable with required customised skills set,” said Deepak Kapoor, chairman, PwC India.

Apps to Promote Digital India

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshScience & Technology 0

India is stressing heavily on developing an app under Digital India initiative. Perceiving the fact that usage of smart phones in rural parts of the country is inclining, the government of India plans to develop apps for all the specific purposes. The plan is being implemented by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) which is directly monitored by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is willing to promote the app culture.

As testified by the respective department, it has launched 666 applications on various platforms and 62 are still at testing stage, which were designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC.)

As per the opinions of the experts, the app which is developed to serve specific need will have a greater impact on the digital India and the e-governance as they are considered to be user friendly compared to the websites. App will connect any users to sought services in just a touch.

Apprehending the rise of smartphones usage in rural area the department has developed apps added with most of the regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati and apps based on e-governance, agriculture, basic health care, sanitation and education have gained higher demand compared to other categories.

Apps based on education hold major share among all the apps, intended to simplify the teaching techniques for the teachers. Further, apps dedicated for the agriculture are also in high demand as they cater all basic information on the agriculture.

Zuckerberg Fuels Free Basics vs Net Neutrality Debate in India

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshScience & Technology 0

First splashy full page ads in major Indian newspapers and now a personal piece by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a leading English daily defending Free Basics, the war over “free” or “selective” internet services for the poor and net neutrality has entered a new phase.

“Free Basics should stay to help achieve digital equality for India. Free Basics is a bridge to the full internet and digital equality,” Zuckerberg wrote in his opinion piece on Monday in the Times of India, defending his ambitious initiative to provide a pre-selected suite of internet services to those who can’t afford it.

“There’s no valid basis for denying people the choice to use Free Basics, and that’s what thousands of people across India have chosen to tell the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) over the last few weeks,” he added.

Last week, Nikhil Pahwa, a volunteer with savetheinternet.in, wrote a counterpoint in the same daily against Zuckerberg’s appeal to save Free Basics. “Why has Facebook chosen the current model for Free Basics, which gives users a selection of around a hundred sites (including a personal blog and a real estate company homepage, while rejecting the option of giving the poor free access to the open, plural and diverse web,” he asked the Facebook founder.

Users who log on to their Facebook accounts are greeted with a message: “Act Now to Save Free Basics in India. Send a message to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and tell them you support Free Basics in India.” Some users are even receiving “notifications” from friends: “sending messages to TRAI about Free Basics.”

TRAI has announced a deadline for public’s response on Free Basics while people can go to the online portal savetheinternet.in to register support for net neutrality. For those who are yet to be part of the ongoing debate, Free Basics is an app that gives users selective access to services like communication, healthcare, education, job listings and farming information — all without data charges.

On the other hand, “net neutrality” means that governments and internet service providers treat all data on the internet equally and, therefore, not deferentially charge users, content, platforms, sites, applications or mode of communication.

Facebook rechristened its free internet platform internet.org which it developed in conjunction with Reliance Communications Network as Free Basics in September. According to Facebook, it has been able to offer Free Basics services to a billion people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

According to Pahwa, India is expected to have 500 million internet users by the end of 2017. “What kind of an internet they get access to is important for our country. This is why the battle for Net Neutrality, with the last and current TRAI consultations included, is the battle for our Internet Freedom,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, a post on “Save Free Basics in India” Facebook page read: “Free Basics is in danger in India. A small, vocal group of critics are lobbying to have Free Basics banned on the basis of net neutrality.”

It says that “instead of giving people access to some basic internet services for free, they demand that people pay equally to access all internet services — even if that means one billion people can’t afford to access any services.”

Asked about net neutrality and Internet.org, Zuckerberg said during his recent visit to India in November that the Free Basics platform aims to solve three problems of connecting to the internet — availability, affordability and awareness.

He said “Free Basics programme under the Internet.org initiative aims to connect the next billion people. It does not intend to harm anyone — neither the consumers nor the operators”. He reiterated India’s importance as a market for Facebook and said nearly 250 million of the targeted next billion will come from India.

Foreign Students To India On The Rise

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

The number of foreign students who have come to India in 2012 was 76,753 which rose to 93,693 in 2013, according to records of the Ministry of Home Affairs. “More number of foreign students came to India this year with the highest draw from Malaysia followed by Afghanistan and Bangladesh,” India’s Human Resources Department Minister Smriti Irani has said. Irani, while replying to a written question in Lok Sabha, also said, there is no definite trend about the number of foreign students coming to the country.

Dipping by almost half, a total of 44,620 foreign students came to India last year. The figures, however, rose to 66,885 in 2015. Maximum of 6,471 students came to India from Malaysia followed by 5,605 from Afghanistan and 5,431 from Bangladesh, respectively. Other countries from which over 2,000 students came to India last year included Sudan, Yemen, Thailand, Sri Lanka Iran, Iraq, Nigeria and Korea.

India House & Desi Junction Radio Present Spectacular New Year Eve Celebrations -2016

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Entertainment 0

Chicago IL: India House, in association with Desi Junction, a Worldwide On-line Radio Station, presented a high impact making New Year Eve Bash -2016 at Pearl Banquets in Roselle, IL. The event was attended by over 600 persons. Captivating music and dance performances by professionally-trained local talent and comedy programs aimed at entertainment of entire family captured the hearts of the audience. The event, which was conceptualized innovatively and executed professionally, turned out to be a complete package in its own right, in terms of high-end entertainment, state-of-the-art decoration, attractive lighting, balloon drop, champagne toast at midnight, and above all, the wholesome food.

The specialized, professional, and enthusiastic team of Desi Junction put together a vibrant and mind-boggling entertainment program, consisting of soulful singing, electrifying dancing, and hilarious comedy. Their versatile singers, including Sudesh Saraf, Ajai Kumar, Suman Sharma, Ruchi Vijayvargia, and Nisha Saraswat mesmerized the audience by rendering hit Bollywood tracks.

The highlight of the evening was a high-energy quwalli parody, which was presented by Desi Junction team, comprising Ruby, Maegha Saraf, Ashita, Megha Mathur, Ankit Mahajan, Prateek Tanna, Irfan Khan, Kartik Saraf, and Dhiraj D’Stylz. Ajai Kumar, considered to be the Kishore Kumar of Chicago, sang hit number of Kishore Kumar and paid rich tributes to him.

Chicago Bollywood Dance Group, Megha Mathur, and Maegha Saraf presented gripping dance performances. A good number of members of the audience, especially their younger counterparts, gave in to the festive mood, joined the dancers on the dance floor, and matched step-for-step with them. The outpouring of the enthusiasm seemed to cast a spell with the entertainment fervor going several notches up.

The skits presented by Comedy Junction team, under the direction of Jassi Parmar, mimicry of Shatru, Big B, Jai, Veeru, Mithun, Gabbar Singh, and Salman, magic show by Mike, and tasting program of newly launched wine, “Somras”, added to the multifaceted nature of the event.

“The event, at which the guests were treated as stars, was a stupendous success. As promised by the organizers, it was truly a clean family event”, said Charandeep Singh.

“This was the only event at which the organizers paid special attention to the kids, which they richly deserve. Many exclusive items were planned and presented in order to entertain them as thoroughly as possible, keeping their typical needs in mind”, said Ritika Mathur.

DJ Dheeraj added great value to the event by appropriately using the magic of music, keeping in view the unique demands of different situations. He kept the audience fully engaged throughout the duration of the event.

Ankit Mahajan, while welcoming the guests, wished them health, happiness, and prosperity in 2016. He said that the true celebration involves specification of the goals for the New Year and initiating action towards achieving them. “Taking the first step is most important, rather than distances to be covered”, he added.

The lead organizers of the event, Jassi Parmar, Surender Mathur, Aslam Qureshi, Ravi Rawat, Pritesh Gandhi, and Gulya were pleased with the overwhelming success of the event; they hope to continue working together in future in order to bringing high-quality entertainment to Chicago.

MC Jassi Parmar, who is considered to be the showman of Chicago, entertained the audience with his unique compeering. He profusely thanked India House Partners, Ravi Rawat and Jagmohan Jayara, and his excellent team, for making exceptionally great arrangements for the event. He acknowledged the support of the sponsors too, especially Air India, and the army of committed volunteers, who contributed handsomely to success of the event.

India House and Bombay Chopsticks served about 100 varieties of finger-licking food items from cuisines from different countries. People really loved sampling everything under one roof, while adults made sure to stop by at the open bar to get their favorite drinks too.

The event was sponsored by Air India, Level Construction, Apex Cosmetics and Spa, A1 Motors, New York Life, Insurance World, Swap Motors, and many others.

16 NRIs with roots in Uttar Pradesh given the ‘UP Ratna’

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

The Uttar Pradesh government rolled out a red carpet welcome to some 250-odd members of the Indian diaspora Jan. 4 for the ‘UP Pravasi Diwas’. Uttar Pradesh will soon develop policies and schemes for the 25 million Indian diaspora to have better relations with them, state minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said on January 5th.

On the penultimate day of the maiden ‘UP Pravasi Diwas’ in Agra, India, the minister, who was in charge of the event, said immediate and serious engagement with the NRIs was imperative to bring in investment, create business opportunities and guide India’s workforce.

On initiatives of the Uttar Pradesh government, Sanjiv Sharan, principal secretary in the NRI department, talked about the newly formed department that would focus on solving grievances of NRIs and helping investors in the state.

A coffee table book was also being conceptualized for promoting the policies and familiarizing NRIs with progress and opportunities in the state, he added. Saran said the department would launch a new portal for NRIs to facilitate and resolve their issues.

FICCI secretary general A. Didar Singh spoke about the importance of connecting the Indian diaspora both emotionally and through technology. “Technology like creating forums for solving issues related to business establishments and showcasing the ease of doing business in the state would not only encourage investment opportunities but also connect the NRIs back to their roots,” he said.

Congratulating the Uttar Pradesh government for the great initiative of engaging NRIs with their roots, Charu Mathur, CEO of the Overseas Indian Facilitation Center at the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, focused on the joint responsibility of both the state and the Center to give a pleasant experience to the NRIs in their business ventures in India.

Addressing the NRIs and PIOs, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the meet was a beginning of a never-ending dialogue between them and the state government and assured them of all help.

He said that the whole idea behind the ‘UP Pravasi Diwas’ was to reconnect the diaspora with their roots in the state and work on a common and meaningful dialogue of development of the state. “I am overjoyed to see such large number of NRIs here and must admit that the gathering has exceeded my expectation,” he added.

Announcing that the event would be an annual affair, Yadav said that only the venues will change and would rotate among the major cities of the state. “We are here not only to welcome you in the Taj city but also to make you partners as the state endeavors to get its rightful place in the country,” he added to a round of applause.

“I am overjoyed to see such large number of NRIs here and must admit that the gathering has exceeded my expectation,” Yadav said, announcing the event would be held annually from now on though in different venues. “We are here not only to welcome you in the Taj city but also to make you partners as the state endeavors to get its rightful place in the country,” he added.

Other state ministers addressed the gathering outlining the needs of the largest state in the country.

Signal Settlement to Indian Guest Workers Reduced to $5 Million

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness 0

Signal International, LLC will pay about $5 million to settle a federal race discrimination lawsuit that has been pending for four years, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Dec. 18.

The final amount – approved by a bankruptcy court – significantly reduces a $20 million settlement agreed to last July by the shipping giant and 476 guest workers from India, who had filed 11 suits against the company for forcing them to live and work in harsh, brutish conditions (http://bit.ly/1e0WyQl). Signal declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on the same evening it agreed to the settlement for all 11 lawsuits and an EEOC complaint.

The settlement establishes a claims process and ensures that all aggrieved individuals included in the litigation may receive relief in spite of the bankruptcy proceedings, noted the EEOC.

Commenting on the settlement, David Lopez, EEOC general counsel, stated: “This case was challenging and hard-fought, but shows that EEOC will fight for the right of all workers to be free from discriminatory working conditions.”

“This case should remind companies that EEOC remains vigilant to prevent the exploitation of immigrant and vulnerable workers. We are especially grateful for the cooperation of the Southern Poverty Law Center during the investigation and prosecution of this egregious case,” he said.

Delner Franklin-Thomas, district director for EEOC’s Birmingham District, said in a press statement: “This lawsuit sends a powerful message that an employer must treat all workers equally without regard to their national origin or race.”

“We are very pleased Signal has accepted responsibility for its wrongdoing and that these workers, who have waited 10 long years for justice, will now receive compensation and can move on with their lives. In many cases, these men paid thousands of dollars to come to the United States, only to be subjected to inhumane conditions and exploitation after they arrived,” said Franklin-Thomas.

“We’re getting towards the end of a very long struggle. The workers will finally get the justice they deserve and we’re proud to represent them,” Jim Knoepp, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told India-West shortly after the July 12 settlement was announced.

The funds for the settlement would be based on the assets from the sale of Signal International’s facility in Orange, Texas, which sold last year for an estimated $30 million, according to Knoepp.

The workers’ immigration status or their current country of residence – the U.S. or India – will not affect their ability to participate in the settlement if they were claimants in any of the lawsuits, he said. Knoepp was not available for comment on the reduced amount of the settlement.

When they arrived in the U.S. in 2006, the 500 Indian welders and pipe-fitters – some of whom paid recruiters more than $20,000 for the opportunity to work in the country – reportedly were forced to live in squalid conditions, sleeping in small, cramped quarters and receiving sub-standard food. Costs for boarding and lodging — $1,050 per month — were deducted from the guest workers’ paychecks. The workers received $18 per hour.

Dewan Consulting was used by Signal in India to hire guest workers primarily from Kerala; recruiters charged fees of $15,000 to $20,000, promising the workers they would receive a green card and eventually be able to bring their families to reside permanently in the U.S.

Indian guest workers told this publication that they were forced to live and work in slave-like conditions and were not allowed to leave the facility to find accommodation elsewhere.

The immigrant workers were recruited to assist in cleanup efforts in the wake of recent natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Senior trial attorney Gerald Miller said the EEOC encourages all Indian H-2B workers formerly employed by Signal International to immediately contact the EEOC by calling 205-212-2060, or by e-mail at Signal_Settlement@eeoc.gov to verify their contact information and meet claim deadlines in order to receive claim forms to request monetary compensation from the settlement fund.

‘Invest Karnataka 2016’ to Focus On Women Entrepreneurs

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Women 0

The Karnataka government’s ensuing Global Investors Meet (GIM) here on February 3-5 would focus on promoting women entrepreneurs in the state, an official said last week. “For the first time in a GIM, a session on promoting women entrepreneurship in the state will be held on February 4. They will also be given a centre-stage platform to connect and network with other stakeholders,” Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industries, K. Ratna Prabha said in a statement here.

The three-day ‘Invest Karnataka 2016’ will be held at Bangalore Palace grounds in the city centre to promote the southern state as a premier destination for investments from across the country and overseas. “A delegation of women entrepreneurs from San Francisco on the U.S. west coast will participate in the GIM as an outcome of an agreement between the two cities (Bengaluru and San Francisco),” Prabha said in the statement after chairing a meeting with women associations on the event here.

Asserting that women entrepreneurs were talented, hard working and forward looking, Prabha said they performed much better in diverse sectors such as aerospace, biotech, IT, textiles and tourism. “We are encouraging women entrepreneurs also to move away from Bengaluru and set up units in tier-two and tier-three cities for giving impetus to other regions in the state,” Prabha added.

The state government has decided to provide two exclusive industrial areas for women entrepreneurs at Hubballi-Dharwad and Harohalli in Ramanagara district, about 45km from Bengaluru, five percent of plots and sheds in industrial areas and estates and exclusive textiles and gems & jeweler clusters.

Indian American Women Earn More than White Men

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshFinance/Economy 0

Economist Mark Perry wrote that the median Asian American woman earns only about 3 percent less than the median American man, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The median Asian American woman also earns significantly more than the median black or Hispanic man in the United States.

While full-time working women in the U.S. may earn 79 cents on the dollar compared to men, Indian American women actually earn more on average compared to non-Hispanic white men, according to a media report. Full-time working women may earn 79 cents on the dollar compared to men, according to the Census, but that figure doesn’t take into account the gender differences in education and career choices, among other things.

Mark Perry, at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, came to this startling conclusion based on an analysis of a new government report on the gap between men’s and women’s earnings.

Education has a lot to do with the Asian-woman advantage. More than half of Asian Americans over 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to only 33 percent of non-Hispanic whites. And 21.8 percent of Asian Americans also have graduate or professional degrees, compared to 12.8 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

In other words, Asian Americans are 50 percent more likely to have bachelor’s degrees, and nearly twice as likely to hold PhDs, law degrees, MBAs or MDs. Educational attainment is even higher for some ethnic groups. About 72 percent of Indian Americans have four-year college degrees, and a whopping 40 percent have some professional or graduate degree. Indian Americans are more likely to have advanced degrees than white Americans are likely to have finished college.

Yet, after accounting for race, education, experience, career choice and so on, economists Francine Blau and Lawrence Kahn found that about two-fifths of the gender pay gap remained unexplained by those factors, leaving gender discrimination as a major culprit. Other studies have found that the gender gap is even smaller if you control for college GPA, or take into account the fringe benefits offered in sectors dominated by women.

Chinese American women earn about the same as white men, he concluded, based on data on annual incomes from the 2014 American Community Survey, which are slightly different from the weekly wage data used by the of Bureau of Labor Statistics. And 21.8 percent of Asian Americans also have graduate or professional degrees, compared to 12.8 percent of non-Hispanic whites. Indian Americans are more likely to have advanced degrees than white Americans are likely to have finished college. It’s not surprising then, that Asian Americans tend to out-earn other groups, the Washington Post said.

What Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Pope Francis Have in Common

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshPolitics, Social Media 0

It’s not often you get to mention the Democratic and Republican front-runners for the 2016 presidential nominations, the sitting U.S. president, and the leader of the Catholic Church in the same sentence in a news article. Monday is an exception.

According to a new poll from Gallup, Americans have named Hillary Clinton, the presumptive 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, and President Barack Obama as their most admired woman and man in the world in 2015; Clinton polled at 13 percent, with Obama at 17 percent. What comes next, in terms of men, might come as a shock to some: Pope Francis and Donald Trump are tied for second at 5 percent.

This is the 20th time Clinton has finished first in the rankings, while Obama has received the honor for the eighth time.

The contrast between the Holy Father and the billionaire businessman couldn’t be more clear. Francis traveled the world in 2015, including a well-received visit to the United States, preaching a message of charity for the poor, peaceful coexistence with Muslims, and welcoming desperate refugees from places like Syria. Trump, on the other hand, rose to the forefront of American politics by calling some Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers while advocating for the closure of some mosques and for forbidding Muslims from entering the United States. It’s not clear how much the two men agree on social issues: Francis vocally opposes gay marriage and abortion, while Trump’s beliefs are difficult to discern.

In the women’s category, Clinton was followed by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai, with 5 percent. The women’s rights advocate was followed by Oprah Winfrey and first lady Michelle Obama, tied with 4 percent.

Gov. Nikki Haley Advances Chances For Vice Presidential Candidate

January 13, 2016 Ajay GhoshPolitics, U.S. 0

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) has been chosen by Republican leaders in Congress to give her party’s response to President Obama’s final State of the Union address, which he’s delivering to Congress on Tuesday, January 12^th, 2016.

The prestigious invitation was the natural next step for a governor who earned national attention and applause for her handling of the aftermath of a mass shooting in her state this summer. For that, Haley topped the list for one of the most notable governors in 2015:

After an avowed white supremacist shot and killed nine black parishioners in a Charleston church this June, Haley handled her role as the state’s griever-in-chief with grace, choking up in an emotional speech soon after, and a few months later delivering a speech in Washington calling on the GOP to be more tolerant toward minorities.

But it was the way Haley forcefully put herself at the front of the charge to end displays of the Confederate flag on public property that won her the most praise. As presidential candidates appeared to hem and haw, Haley called for the state legislature to remove the flag from statehouse grounds — something it did shortly after. “I knew that it was giving a lot of people a pass to do what was right,” she told The Washington Post’s Abby Phillip.

Tuesday’s address is also a natural platform for Haley to try out for a job some in her party have considered her for: The GOP vice presidential nominee. For a few minutes Tuesday, she’ll be a voice for her party in a speech that is likely to have major electoral overtones. She’ll be drawing contrasts between Obama’s — and by extension, likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s — vision for America and the Republican vision, while attempting to make the case to the nation that Republicans should lead it instead.

This moment was a long time coming. Whispers of Haley’s national potential began the moment in 2010 that she came from relative obscurity to win a crowded primary — as an Indian American female state legislator who defeated three more-established white male politicians — and eventually become South Carolina’s first female and first minority governor.

Haley’s background already looked like a no-brainer to be a vice presidential short-lister for a party that badly wants to make inroads with women, minorities and younger voters: She is the daughter of Indian immigrants, and at age 43, she is the youngest current governor in the U.S., despite being in her second term.

Haley has got to tap into whatever poise and courage she summoned during the post-Charleston Confederate flag debate to help make Tuesday’s speech go smoothly. The eyes of the nation will once again be on her. And if she does well, they may be for the rest of the year.

Harmony existing in India for over 1,000 years: Dalai Lama

January 5, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

The traditional and religious harmony in India has been existing for over 1,000 years, the 14th Dalai Lama said here on Monday during the belated celebration of his 80th birthday.

Various dignitaries, including senior politicians, activists, artists and religious personalities, gathered here to pay their tribute to the Dalai Lama and celebrated his 80th birthday that was in July.

Speaking on the occasion, the Tibetan spiritual leader said: “India is one of the few countries in the world that has been able to maintain its tradition of cultural harmony over 1,000 years.”

Citing examples of various religions, he said, “India is home to different religions. Yet, there is harmony and brotherhood.”

The Buddhist monk said younger generation should read and learn about the tradition and history of India.

“It is very important to acquire knowledge about traditions to keep them alive…Youngsters must read and learn about it,” he said.

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi was also present on the occasion.

Praising Dalai Lama’s way of living, Satyarthi said: “To celebrate his holiness’ birthday is to celebrate humanity, kindness and non-violence.”

“We are celebrating courage which comes through morality, and conviction which comes when you are truthful. And also compassion,” he said.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who was also present on the occasion, described Dalai Lama as “God’s gift to humanity” and said, “India is thankful to you, Your Holiness, for choosing this place after leaving Tibet.”

Dalai Lama’s culture and civilised way of life have enriched India, he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s senior leader L.K. Advani also greeted Dalai Lama on completing 80 years of his life and said: “Dalai Lama cannot think evil of any one… His positivity is embodied in him.”

Also present on the occasion were senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, former finance minister P. Chidambaram, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore and parliamentarian Karan Singh.

The Dalai Lama has been living-in-exile in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration-in-exile is based in the north Indian hill town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

Rajat Gupta Fails Bid to Overturn Insider Trading Conviction

January 5, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Less than three months before his prison term is slated to end, Indian American former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta has lost yet another bid to overturn his conviction on insider trading charges.

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals Dec. 29 dismissed Gupta’s appeal in which he argued that there was insufficient evidence at trial to prove he had received personal benefits from now-jailed hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam in exchange for confidential board room information about Goldman Sachs.

Gupta, 67, had moved the appeals court seeking a “certificate of appealability” but in the ruling the court “denied” the motion and “dismissed” his appeal.

“Appellant has not shown that ‘jurists of reason would find it debatable whether the district court was correct in its procedural ruling’ as to whether appellant’s claim was procedurally defaulted,” Circuit Judges Susan Carney and Christopher Droney said in their ruling.

Gupta’s two-year prison term is set to end in March and ever since his conviction in June 2012, he has filed several appeals, including to the U.S. Supreme Court, to overturn his conviction and prison term, but the courts have rejected his arguments and affirmed his sentence.

The former McKinsey chief is currently serving his prison term in a federal prison in Ayer, Mass.

Gupta had last filed an appeal in August in the U.S. Court of Appeals against the July ruling by District Judge Jed Rakoff, who had rejected Gupta’s appeal saying his argument that the evidence of personal benefit presented at trial was insufficient to sustain his conviction is “both too late and too little.”

In his appeals, Gupta cited a recent landmark decision by the appeals court that had said that for an insider-trading conviction, prosecutors must show that a defendant received a personal benefit for passing illegal tips.

Gupta sought to vacate his sentence and the judgment against him on the basis of an argument that the trial court’s instruction to the jury concerning the “personal benefit” element of an insider-trading violation was “erroneous” and there was insufficient evidence of such benefit.

Rakoff had also denied Gupta’s bid to seek a “certificate of appealability” that would have given the IIT and Harvard alumnus another legal recourse to challenge his conviction.

Rakoff, who had presided over Gupta’s trial and sentenced him to the two years’ imprisonment, had said that even though Gupta is a “man of many laudable qualities,” the “hard fact remains” that he committed a serious crime.

Gurbir Grewal Named Acting Prosecutor in Bergen County, New Jersey

January 5, 2016 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Politics 0

A little more than two years after being nominated by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to become the next prosecutor of Bergen County, Indian American Gurbir Singh Grewal is scheduled to be appointed the acting prosecutor Jan. 4.

Grewal, who was nominated by Christie in September 2013, will take over for the departing John Molinelli who concluded his 14-year tenure Dec. 31, according to a NorthJersey.com report.

A resident of Glen Rock, N.J., Grewal will become the first Sikh American to serve as a county prosecutor, leaders of the Sikh community told NorthJersey.com.

The 42-year-old Grewal joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010 and serves as the chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. He had previously represented the government in a case in which the president of a New Jersey-based textile company was sentenced to a three-year prison term for defrauding investors of millions.

“He’s an extraordinary talent,” state Sen. Kevin O’Toole, whose district includes Bergen County, told NorthJersey.com. “He’s very thorough and very fair. He doesn’t have a political bone in his body.”

Prior to taking the office in Bergen County, acting Attorney General John Hoffman swore Grewal in as an assistant attorney general, senators told NorthJersey.com.

The New Jersey senators were somewhat concerned that Hoffman is an acting attorney general and now Grewal will be an acting prosecutor.

“We went through two years of no nomination and now at the very end of this session we get an acting prosecutor,” state Sen. Loretta Weinberg told NorthJersey.com. “We did not have the benefit of a gubernatorial nomination and a full hearing on a county prosecutor nor have we ever had the benefit of a full hearing for the attorney general who is appointing the acting prosecutor.”

No explanation was given as to why Molinelli was not reappointed for the position.

Going forward, Christie will have to re-nominate Grewal in the new legislative session, then Grewal must be approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

At the time of his nomination, Christie in a statement said Grewal “has the right credentials and background to be the chief law enforcement officer for Bergen County. He also brings diversity to a highly diverse county.”

Grewal, who speaks Punjabi and Hindi, comes from one of the fastest growing segments of New Jersey’s population. The number of Indian Americans in the state increased 73 percent during the 2000s. In Bergen, that number grew by 40 percent to 24,973 by 2010 or 2.8 percent of Bergen County’s overall population.

Grewal is a graduate of Georgetown University and received a law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at The College of William & Mary. The Indian American is past president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York and is a member of the New Jersey Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association.

Pope erects new Syro-Malankara Eparchy in US, Canada

January 5, 2016 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Pope Francis on Monday erected the Syro-Malankara Eparchy of St. Mary, Queen of Peace, of the United States and Canada, nominating Bishop Thomas Mar Eusebius Naickamparambil as its first Bishop.

The Eparchy consists of 11,500 faithful, especially in the US states of Illinois, Texas, Michigan, Florida, New York, and Washington, D.C., served by 19 priests in 19 parishes or missions.

Three women religious Institutes also operate within the Eparchy’s territory.

The Eparchy’s seat will be at St. Vincent de Paul Malankara Catholic Cathedral in Elmont, New York.

Bishop Thomas Mar Eusebius Naickamparambil was born in Mylapra in the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum on 6 June 1961 and ordained a priest on 29 December 1986.

After completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology at Jnanadeepa in Poona, Bishop Mar Eusebius obtained his Doctorate in Philosophy in Rome.

On 14 July 2010 Pope Benedict XVI nominated him Titular Bishop of Lares and the first Exarch of the Exarchate for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the USA and Apostolic Visitator to Canada and Europe.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, recently called the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church ‘a bridge to unity’.

Obama most popular leader in world, PM Modi seventh, says survey

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshPolitics 0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been voted as the seventh most popular leader in the world in a new poll topped by US President Barack Obama. Modi evoked a favorable view from 24 per cent of people polled throughout 65 countries around the world as opposed to 20 per cent unfavorable, giving him a score of +4 per cent in the WIN/Gallup survey for ORB International’s ‘International World Leader Index’.

Modi was however beaten by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was named the sixth most popular leader but had a higher unfavourable score than the Indian leader – 30 per cent. Obama grabbed the topmost spot with a score of +30 per cent with a whopping 59 per cent in his favour and 29 per cent unfavourable. “President Obama is significantly more admired around the world than anyone else,” the survey said. Obama is followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel (+13 per cent) with British Prime Minister David Cameron completing the top three with a score of +10 per cent. Cameron scored a 37 per cent favourable rating while another 28 per cent viewed him unfavourably. People in South Asia were the most friendly to the British leader, with 53 per cent saying they viewed him favourably and just 12 per cent saying they viewed him unfavourably.

He was also popular in the rest of Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, where 44 per cent of people viewed Cameron favourably. The other leaders that made it to the top 10 include French President Francois Hollande (4th), Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (5th), Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (8th), Saudi Arabia King Salman.

India’s educational system is “strong:” Sunder Pichai

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

His is a story straight out of a dream, and has reached a shimmering chrome. Pichai Sundararajan, better known as Sundar Pichai, shot to fame when he became the CEO of tech giant Google in August. Earlier, while heading Google’s products division, his vision of a separate browser (Chrome) impressed the then CEO Eric Schmidt. Pichai joined Google in 2004 and rose to the top. He was also a potential candidate for the top jobs at Microsoft and Twitter as well.

Hailing from a middle-class Chennai family, Pichai earned a Mettalurgical Engineering degree from IIT Kharagpur, an MS from Stanford University and an MBA from Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Google, he worked with Applied Materials and McKinsey & Company. But his love for math, science and software took him to the Silicon Valley. By his own admission, as a child, Pichai was an average student and didn’t score high grades that would have fetched him a seat at one of Delhi’s top colleges. His engineer father earned Rs 3,000 a month in the 70s; Pichai’s annual package from Google is $50 million.

Sundar Pichai had a hall full of students from Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce eating out of his hands. From software to India’s education system, T20 cricket to Lionel Messi, India’s biggest success story in Silicon Valley took a range of questions from students, teachers and social media users during his maiden visit to India since becoming Google’s CEO.

Referring to India’s educational system as “strong”, Sunder Pichai pointed out that “to move forward, creativity is an important attribute.” He added that students in the US have a more practical approach, compared to India where things are rather methodical. “In the US, education is experiential, very hands on. People learn to do things, project-based experiential learning. Teach students to take risks. System shouldn’t penalise students for taking risks.”

Pichai said it was a global phenomenon but significantly pronounced in India. “It is global problem. Less than one third in usage in rural areas. Most women in rural areas don’t think the internet applies to them. The most important thing we can do is to bring them online.”

Google’s public Wi-Fi project in India will be the largest rollout of public internet anywhere on the globe, he said. “We are very excited about the public Wi-Fi project. (It is the) largest such project in the world, covering 400 railway stations. Reason why we are doing it is, in India when you bring access to the Internet, it changes people’s lives.” The Google CEO recalled how he used to travel by train from Chennai to IIT Kharagpur and would be more concerned of getting food on his train rather than internet!

On a question why Android updates are named only after western desserts (a question he must have faced many times before) Pichai said he is open to the idea and may even do an online poll on it and it may become a reality. He was responding to a question from the audience. Pichai isn’t big on sweets though, and recalled how in his childhood he would add “sambhar” to his “payasam”!

On the difference between the startup space in India and the Silicon Valley in the US, Pichai said he pleasantly surprised to find a similar wave of growth in India. He said the quality of ideas by Indian startup founders is the same as that of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and that India is well positioned to become the Silicon Valley of the East. “India has an unique opportunity. All the relevant things are already here. Very well positioned in that sense.I don’t see any difference between entrepreneurs here and the Silicon Valley”, he said.

It turns out that the Google CEO is a huge football fan and loves FC Barcelona! Pichai revealed that he was big Barcelona and Lionel Messi fan. He also said that he loved former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar and was there at the second tied test in Chennai back in 1986.

Project Loon will very soon be a reality in India, Pichai said, adding that “Google was in talks with telecom operators and regulatory authorities in the country to bring it to India, especially for rural areas which lagged in connectivity.” Pichai said India has been the starting point for Google on many projects. “We do thing first in India like YouTube Offline which started in India and is now in 77 countries. It is a goal to build things here. We do things we can build here at scale which will apply to the world.”

World Bank Approves $1.5 Billion Loan to Support ‘Clean India’ Campaign

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshEnvironment, Finance/Economy 0

The World Bank reported that it has approved a $1.5 billion loan to India for its ambitious “Clean India” campaign to support the government’s efforts to ensure all citizens in rural areas have access to improved sanitation and end the practice of open defecation by 2019. The loan, disbursed over a five-year period, will be used for the Swachh Bharat Mission Support Operation Project.

As per World Bank statistics, of the 2.4 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation globally, more than 750 million live in India, with 80 percent living in rural areas. More than 500 million of the rural population in India continues to defecate in the open, suffering from preventable deaths, illness, stunting, harassment and economic losses.

“One in every ten deaths in India is linked to poor sanitation. And studies show that low-income households bear the maximum brunt of poor sanitation,” said Onno Ruhl, World Bank country director for India. “This project, aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Swachh Bharat initiative of the government, will result in significant health benefits for the poor and vulnerable, especially those living in rural areas.

“Incentivizing good performance by states and the focus on behavioral changes are two important components of this project,” Ruhl added. The bank said the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will play the overseeing and coordinating role for the program and support the participating states.

Funds will also be used to develop the capacity of MDWS in program management, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation. “India has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in pursuing the ambitious SBM campaign and embracing the focus on behavior to complement the construction of toilets,” said Annette Dixon, World Bank vice president for the South Asia Region.

The World Bank will also provide a parallel $25 million technical assistance to build the capacity of select state governments in implementing community-led behavioral change programs targeting social norms to help ensure widespread usage of toilets by rural households.

Tejal Gandhi Among Most Influential People in Healthcare

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshHealth, Profiles 0

Dr. Tejal K. Gandhi, Indian American president of the National Patient Safety Foundation, was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by the 13th annual publication of Modern Healthcare. Gandhi, who ranked 49th in the standings, is a board certified internist, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a certified professional in patient safety. Her research interests focus on patient safety and reducing error using information systems.

Gandhi won the 2009 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety Award for her contributions to understanding the epidemiology and possible prevention strategies for medical errors in an outpatient setting.

In July 2013, Gandhi became president of the National Patient Safety Foundation, and in November 2014, president and CEO of the Foundation. Previously, she had been chief quality and safety officer at Partners HealthCare, where she helped lead the efforts to standardize and implement patient safety best practices across the system.

Prior to that, as executive director of Quality and Safety at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for ten years, she worked to redesign systems to reduce medical errors and improve quality.

Gandhi received her MD and MPh from Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, and trained at Duke University Medical Center.

Amit Majmudar Named Ohio’s First Poet Laureate

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Dr. Amit Majmudar, a nuclear radiologist from Dublin, Ohio, was last week named Ohio’s first poet laureate, a year after legislation creating the position of the state’s official poet was passed.

Gov. John R. Kasich named Majmudar, a medical doctor who serves as a diagnostic and nuclear radiologist, the poet laureate. Dec. 17 following recommendation for the position by the Ohio Poet Laureate Selection Committee that conducted an extensive statewide nomination and review process.

Throughout his medical career, Majmudar, 36, has nurtured his writing as a poet, novelist and essayist. He has published two novels, Partitions in 2009 and The Abundance in 2011. His poetry has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Atlantic Monthly, Poetry Magazine, The Antioch Review and The Best of the Best American Poetry 1988-2012.

His essays and literary criticism have appeared in a number of publications as well, including the New York Times, The Kenyon Review and Poetry Daily. “Our first poet laureate will bring a unique perspective to this new role and is a powerful example to our young people that regardless of what career path they choose to pursue, they always can tap into their other passions,” Kasich said in a press statement.

During his two-year term, beginning January 1, 2016, Majmudar said he intends to bring an “interdisciplinary approach” to promoting poetry by establishing a link with the existing, thriving Ohio arts community. According to a governor’s office press release, another important component of his outreach will be engaging Ohio high school students through a variety of means to encourage the future of poetry in Ohio.

In 2011, his poetry collection “Heaven and Earth” was named winner of the Donald Justice Prize, a national poetry award presented by the Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards. His next collection of poems, “Dothead,” will be published in March by Alfred A. Knopf.

Majmudar is a graduate of Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine and received his bachelor’s degree in natural sciences from the University of Akron. He currently works for Radiology Inc. in Columbus. According to Poetry Foundation, an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in American culture, in his precise, often formally driven poems, Majmudar explores themes of identity, history, spiritual faith, and mortality.

In an interview with the Kenyon Review, the foundation said, Majmudar stated that his credo comes from Eliot, quoting the Upanishads in his notes to ‘What the Thunder Said’: Da, dayadhvam, damyata. Give, sympathize, control.

“That is both the art of life and the art of poetry. It seems fitting to me that they should be identical,” he said. Noting Majmudar’s “expressive grasp of familial, religious, and cultural tensions and allegiances” in a review of Heaven and Earth for Verse Wisconsin, poet Zara Raab praised his ability to compose poems that “reveal tenderness in their humanity and the precision of a surgeon in their details.” Son of immigrants from India, Majmudar was born in New York and grew up in Greater Cleveland.

Alabama-based ship-building firm to pay $5 Million to Indian workers to settle EEOC Lawsuit

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshBusiness, Finance/Economy 0

An Alabama-based ship-building and repair company was last week asked by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission to pay $5 million to476 guest workers from India to settle a national origin discrimination lawsuit filed by the federal agency against the company.
EEOC announced Dec.18 that it has reached an agreement with Signal International, LLC, a Mobile, Ala. company, under which the latter will pay an estimated $5 million to the workers who were brought from India on guest worker visas by the company to work at its facilities in Texas and Mississippi after the hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

The Indian workers, EEOC alleged, were forced to live in “overcrowded, unsanitary, guarded camps.” EEOC had alleged that Signal subjected the men to “a pattern or practice of race and national origin discrimination”, including unfavorable working conditions and forcing the men to pay $1,050 a month to live in overcrowded, unsanitary, guarded camps.

“As many as 24 men were forced to live in containers the size of a double-wide trailer, while non-Indian workers were not required to live in these camps,” it said in a press statement.

According to the lawsuit, Signal International recruited the workers from India through the federal H-2B guest worker program to work at its facilities in Texas and Mississippi in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

EEOC alleged Signal subjected the men to a pattern or practice of race and national origin discrimination, including unfavorable working conditions and forcing the men to pay $1,050 a month to live in overcrowded, unsanitary, guarded camps. As many as 24 men were forced to live in containers the size of a double-wide trailer while non-Indian workers were not required to live in these camps. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination in employment-including terms and conditions of
employment–based on race or national origin.

EEOC filed suit in federal court in Mississippi in 2011 after first attempting to reach a prelitigation settlement through its conciliation process, and the suit was later transferred to the Eastern District of Louisiana.

After Signal International filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in Delaware, the settlement of EEOC’s suit and eleven related suits became subject to approval by the bankruptcy court. The settlement establishes a claims process and ensures that all aggrieved individuals included in the litigation may receive relief in spite of the bankruptcy proceedings. In addition to monetary relief, Signal International’s CEO has issued a statement “acknowledging the company’s wrongdoing” and apologizing for its treatment of the guest workers.

David Lopez, general counsel of EEOC, said in a statement that the case was challenging and hard-fought, but shows that EEOC will fight for the right of all workers to be free from discriminatory working conditions.

“This case should remind companies that EEOC remains vigilant to prevent the exploitation of immigrant and vulnerable workers. We are especially grateful for the cooperation of the Southern Poverty Law Center during the investigation and prosecution of this egregious case and to the U.S. Attorney for Delaware for assistance during the bankruptcy proceedings,” he said.

“This lawsuit sends a powerful message that an employer must treat all workers equally without regard to their national origin or race,” said Delner Franklin-Thomas, district director for EEOC’s Birmingham District.

Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage (GAPI): A Very Vibrant Group of Physicians of Indian Origin

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

Having over 800 active members, Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage (GAPI) is a very vibrant group, representing Physicians of Indian Origin in the state of Georgia with four very active regions: Augusta, Columbus, Dublin Macon/Warner Robbins and Valdosta. Not satisfied with organizing local events across the state, GAPI members have been active in organizing national events across the United States on behalf of AAPI. GAPI was proud to host the 2006 national AAPI’s annual convention with profitable margin with Dr. Vijay Koli as the President and Dr. Naresh Parikh as the Convener of the Convention.

Being a member of GAPI has been a stepping stone for many GAPI leaders to be active nationally. Dr. Naresh Parikh, who was a past president of GAPI, serves as Secretary of AAPI in the current year, and Dr. Sreeni Gangasani serves as the Regional Director. In the past, Dr. P.K. Natrjan has done many national AAPI CMEs. Drs. Yogesh Joshi, Naresh Parikh and Sudhakar Jonnalgada have served as Board of Trustees at the national AAPI.

Drs. P.B Rao and Naresh Parikh are patron member of AAPI charitable foundation, while Dr. Manoj Shah is a permanent custodian of GAPI accounts. Dr. Manoj Shah is also immediate past president of Prestigious Medical Association of Georgia .

GAPI past president, Dr. Vinayak Kammath was the Chair of Georgia Composite State Medical Board, and GAPI members, Dr. Viren Kumar and Dr. Mohan Rao are members of Composite Medical Board of Georgia.

GAPI has hosted five nationally sponsored AAPI musical charitable events. The Hema Malini concert was held twice under the leadership of Drs. P.B. Rao and Asha Parikh and Arvind Gupta. The Shreya Ghoshal show in 2012 was a huge success under the convenership of Dr. Sreeni Gangasani and Gudhakar Jonalagada. The Shankar Mahadevan Ehsan and Loy concert in 2013 was another major hit under the leadership of Drs. Naresh Parikh and PK Natrajan.

The Sunidhi Chauhan concert in 2015 under the convenrship of Drs. Naresh Parikh and P.K. Natrajan and co-convenership of Drs. Indran Indrakrishnan and Sudhakar Jonnalagadda. Dr. Asha Parikh, who headed the Fund Raising Committee for the event was proud to announce that she and the committee was so proud to raise $260,000 through the event.

Drs. Arvind Gupta and Shailesh Gandhi, both past presidents of GAPI, had recently commented during successful Sunidhi Chauhan concert about the cohesiveness of GAPI and the success it brings at all levels.

Providing free health to the needy members of the state of Georgia has been a major contribution of GAPI through the years. GAPI runs various health fairs through out the year. Most prominent and consistent are those with BAPS, being served by Coordinators, Dr. Mahendra Shah and Dr. Harshad Patel, as well as the Sai Health Fair, with the active collaboration by Dr. Sujatha Reddy. And, Dr. Bipin Chudgar, a past president of GAPI runs the famous Lydia House for the benefit of Cancer victims and their families in Augusta. GAPI runs a free medical clinic every other Saturday, serving hundreds of patients with medical care. GAPI is a patron member of AAPI’s Charitable Foundation in 2015.

The growing influence of doctors of Indian heritage is evident, as increasingly physicians of Indian origin hold critical positions in the healthcare, academic, research and administrative positions across the nation. With their hard work, dedication, compassion, and skills, they have thus carved an enviable niche in the American medical community. GAPI, which is a regional body representing AAPI, has come to be recognized as vital among members and among lawmakers.

Dr. Naresh Parikh says, “AAPI members represent a variety of important medical specialties. Many of the physicians who represent AAPI have excelled in different specialties and subspecialties and occupy high positions as faculty members of medical schools, heads of departments, and executives of hospital staff. AAPI physicians who are leaders in their fields and play an integral part in the decision-making process regarding new products and service.”

AAPI is also transitioning into a multiyear thinking and behavior by maintaining core continuity. Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States are reputed to be leading health care providers, holding crucial positions in various hospitals and health care facilities around the nation.

GAPI is currently being served by Dr. Sudha Tata as the dynamic President, Dr. Vijaya Maurya, as the vice president, Dr. Raghu Loabattu as the Secretary, and Dr. Syamala Erramali as the Treasurer. Dr. Sreeni Ganagasani serves as the Chair, BOT and the Vice Chair is Dr. Dilip Patel.

With top notch politicians and state officials, GAPI’s annual convention in Atlanta, GA, where 150 member physicians are expected to attend, when they elect a new executive body. Dr. Sudha Tata says, “I am indeed honored and pleased to be the President of Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPI). I am very excited, as you all are, to take up new projects, initiatives, organize events and help our community. I am very hopeful that you will come forward and share your enthusiasm, time and suggestions to make our organization reach out to more healthcare professions who are not currently a part of GAPI.”

Dr. Harold Persaud Gets 20 Years In Prison For Healthcare Fraud

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Dr. Harold Persaud, a Westlake, Ohio, cardiologist was sentenced to 20 years in prison for performing unnecessary catheterizations, tests, stent insertions and causing unnecessary coronary artery bypass surgeries as part of a scheme to overbill Medicare and other insurers by $29 million.

Dr. Harold Persaud, 56, was convicted earlier this year of one count of health care fraud, 13 counts of making false statements and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from criminal activity.

“This defendant used his medical license as a license to steal,” the Justice Department’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon is quoted saying in a Dec. 18 press release. She called the sentence “well deserved” in light of the crimes committed.

Other senior law enforcement officials involved in the investigation and prosecution of Persaud, said he had put patients’ lives at risk as he ripped off taxpayers. Persaud had a private medical practice in Westlake and had hospital privileges at Fairview Hospital, St. John’s Medical Center and Southwest General Hospital, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Persaud devised a scheme through which he carried out the fraud from 2006 to 2012, selecting expensive procedures from the billing code, carrying out unnecessary nuclear stress tests and falsified their results to justify cardiac catheterization procedures that were not medically necessary.

He recorded false symptoms, inserted cardiac stents in patients who did not have the needed minimum 70 percent blockage, and even went to the extent of improperly referring patients for coronary artery bypass surgery that would require further expensive tests he could then charge insurance companies and Medicare. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27, to determine how much he would have to pay in restitution apart from his jail term.

Padmasree Warrior Named CEO of NextEV U.S.

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshBusiness 0

Padmasree Warrior has been appointed CEO of Chinese electric car company NextEV, the company announced last week. The former Cisco’s chief strategy officer will also hold the role of Chief Development Officer.

Warrior was one of former Cisco CEO John Chambers’ top lieutenants, but she left the company when Chuck Robbins took over as CEO earlier this year. Since leaving Cisco, the rumor was she was on the hunt for a CEO position of her own, the first of her career. At one point, her name was suggested to run Twitter.

NextEV is working on smart, high-performance electric vehicles and is considered to be one of the top contenders to muscle into the territory of high-end EVs currently dominated by Tesla.

NextEV is eyeing California as one of its break-out markets. California wants to have 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025.

Warrior could be a good choice to lead the EV company’s US efforts. She is smart and articulate and very well-connected in the Valley after her years spent working on Cisco partnerships and M&A deals. After leaving Cisco, she joined Microsoft’s board and also serves on the boards of Box and Gap. Plus she mentors a number of startups (although she isn’t known as a particularly active angel investor).

Headquartered in Shanghai, NextEV has an 85,000 square-foot research facility in San Jose, Calif., plus design centers in Munich, Beijing, Hong Kong and London. It’s not clear how much money NextEv has raised. It was reportedly asking for $1 billion last September, Bloomberg reported, although Crunchbase says the figure it raised was half that, at $500 million (which is still a respectable sum). It is backed by some investors with deep pockets including Chinese internet giant Tencent; Bitauto.com founder William Li; autohome.com.cn founder Xiang Li; JD.com founder Richard Liu, and VCs Hillhouse Capital; Sequoia Capital and JOY Capital.

United Nations’ poverty index shows 41% of Gujarat is poor: Congress

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshFinance/Economy, India, Politics 0

The Maharashtra Congress today said the United Nations’ multi-dimensional poverty index developed in 2013 showed that 41% of people in Gujarat were poor. “Out of 41% of the poor, 18.5% live in severe poverty. How can a state where every fifth person lives in abject poverty and 41% in poverty claim to be a model for anyone,” Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sachin Sawant said at a press conference. He said the study showed that besides 41% poor, another 17% are vulnerable to poverty in Gujarat.

The state is ranked 12th in terms of development needs and falls in the “less developed” category. It is not the most developed state in the country, but on the contrary, it is the 12th most developed state, according to the RBI, he said.

Similarly, a state that boasts of agriculture growth, has 25 per cent of its population suffering from hunger and its condition is even worse that Odisha, he said. Gujarat is ranked 13th (24.69% of its population facing hunger) out of 17 states, in terms of states with the highest percentage of population affected by hunger, while the national average of such population is 23.31%, he said.

Hitting out at BJP national treasurer Piyush Goyal, who yesterday said that Gujarat had not seen farmers’ suicides, Sawant, quoting documents submitted by the Gujarat government in the legislative assembly, said from 2008 to 2013, 122 farmers committed suicide due to inability to repay their loans, crop losses and other reasons.

Sawant said the national growth rate had reached 9.3% during the UPA regime and all states, including Gujarat, had benefited. “By speaking about Gujarat and criticising other states, Modi insults people of those states,” he said, adding that the MPCC would bring out a book highlighting Narendra Modi’s “lies”. “BJP should be called Bahut Jhooti Party,” he said.

Rakesh Jain of Harvard Named Recipient of National Medal of Science

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

Dr. Rakesh Jain, of the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is among those named recipients of the National Medal of Science, Technology and Innovations the White House announced on December 22nd. The medals are the nation’s highest honors for achievement and leadership in advancing fields of science and technology, according to a White House news release.

“Science and technology are fundamental to solving some of our nation’s biggest challenges,” Obama said in a statement. “The knowledge produced by these Americans today will carry our country’s legacy of innovation forward and continue to help countless others around the world. Their work is a testament to American ingenuity.”

Jain, the A. Werk Cook professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Edwin L. Steele Laboratory for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is a member of all three branches of the U.S. National Academies – the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences – and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He received his bachelor’s degree in from IIT Kanpur and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Delaware, all in chemical engineering. The National Medal of Science was established by statute in 1959 and is administered by the National Science Foundation. It is awarded annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering.

The president receives nominations from a committee of presidential appointees based on their extraordinary knowledge in and contributions to chemistry, engineering, computing, math and the biological, behavioral/social and physical sciences.

Created by statute in 1980, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office. It recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life, and helped strengthen the nation’s technological workforce. Jain and the 16 other recipients will receive their medals at a White House ceremony early next year.

Priyanka Chopra Teaches Kids How to Prevent Anemia

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshEducation 0

Priyanka Chopra will go on a nationwide tour to spread awareness on fighting anemia among adolescents through a short movie. The actress was in New Delhi on December 23rd to launch the nationwide Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplement awareness campaign along with Health Minister J.P. Nadda.

Through the initiative, free pills will be distributed to teenagers across the country to eradicate nutritional anemia among adolescents. A short video featuring Chopra was also released.

The “Bajirao Mastani” actress, who is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, said health and nutrition play a crucial role in the development of a country.

“I am so fortunate to be able to be associated with UNICEF for around a decade and be a part of some incredible life-changing campaigns. It is in our hands to make our future better,” Chopra said. The Bollywood star said she added the “blue pill” to her diet.

“We started this campaign about six months ago in Bhopal, and I got introduced to it for the first time. It was such an easy concept, because I have a crazy lifestyle,” the actress said. “I work 16 hours a day, traveling up and down, and I don’t get time to eat. I have been taking this pill for the last six months. It has given me a strong immune system,” she added.

Steve Rao Elected Mayor Pro Tem of Morrisville, North Carolina

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshPolitics 0

ndian Americans Steve Rao and Satish Garimella were officially sworn in to the Morrisville, N.C., City Council earlier in December with the former also being elected as mayor pro tempore. Rao, who is perhaps the first Indian American elected to office in North Carolina’s Triangle region, had been considering a move to run for lieutenant governor, but decided to remain on for the duration of his council term that ends in 2017.

With a 4-to-3 private vote in favor of Rao, the City Council elected the Indian American sales executive to serve in Mayor Mark Stohlman’s stead should he be out of town or incapacitated. Later, in a public vote, the council confirmed Rao to the seat by 6-1. “I assure the council I will give it my all every day,” Rao said at the meeting, thanking Stohlman and the entire council for the appointment. Rao continued by praising the council for its work in getting many projects done.

Michael Schlink, who was also sworn in with Liz Johnson, spoke highly of Rao, who has never missed a council meeting in his time in office. “I think you’ve continued to bring officials and business leaders to the table to help residents in Morrisville,” he said at the meeting.

A sales executive for tech company Alphanumeric Systems, Rao has also helped found a number of India-focused groups including TiE and the N.C. Indian Political Action Committee, and is also a founding member of the Morrisville Innovation Foundation and the HOTTovation program to help entrepreneurs launch their business ideas.

A graduate of Emory University, earning his B.A. in political science and his J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law, Rao was elected to office in 2011 and re-elected in 2013.

After edging out Vicki Scroggins-Johnson for the mayor pro tem seat, Rao still said he will need her help on the council. Garimella takes over for Kris Gardner, who did not run for re-election in November after claiming the then-empty seat a year ago.

The Indian American was sworn in by Stohlman on the Bhagavad Gita in lieu of the Bible, and was accompanied by his wife, son, parents and founder of the local Hindu Society of North Carolina Gangadhar Sharma.

“This is really a humbling experience for me, honestly,” said the Mumbai-born Garimella at the Dec. 8 council meeting. “I promise that I will give this honor my very best.” Gardner, who was praised for his work during his time as councilman, wished Garimella well as the Indian American takes over his seat. Garimella, who is a principal technical architect at AT&T, earned his bachelor’s degree in electronics from the University of Mumbai and his M.S. in computer science from the University of Tulsa.

Baljeet Singh to Step Down from Twitter Post

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshScience & Technology 0

Baljeet Singh, who serves as the product lead in charge of video at Twitter, will step down in January 2016, according to a Twitter spokesperson in a Re/Code article published. The Indian American senior product director left YouTube after a five-year stint to join Twitter in March 2014. While at Twitter, Singh handled consumer video product for the main app, among other things.

Baljeet Singh to Step Down from Twitter Post — Baljeet Singh

Singh’s departure comes on the heels of three product executives leaving in June, as well as Glenn Brown, an ad executive, who left the company in October. According to the Re/Code article, video in social media has grown of late, with Facebook and Snapchat building up around videos. Twitter, it added, has shown increased interest in video, although not at the Facebook and Snapchat level, it added.

Singh served as senior product manager, group product manager and product director and global head of partnerships, EDU and family, while at YouTube. Prior to his stint at YouTube, Singh was the product manager at Google. He has also worked at DoubleClick, Updata Partners and Alventive. Singh is a graduate of Duke University, earning a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and computer science, and of NYU Stern School of Business, earning an M.B.A. in finance.

Dubai hosting mega yoga festival

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Dubai is reportedly expecting over 10,000 people from various parts of the world participating in mass yoga sessions in the two-day all-inclusive XYoga Dubai Festival on February 19 and 20.

Powered by XDubai and Dubai Tourism and dubbed as festival of the body and the mind, this open to the public free event, claimed to be the first lifestyle event and largest yoga event of its kind in the region, will be held at the Burj Park Downtown Dubai in the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, reports suggest.

According to reports, it will offer series of yoga sessions, workshops, meditation and talks from sunrise to sunset for people of all ages and abilities and shall be lead by globally-recognized yogis and will be an annual feature. Aim of this festival, which is anticipated as the largest mind-body festival in the region, is described as positioning Dubai as the leading destination for yoga in the region. XYoga Dubai also plans to hold other yoga events year round.

Welcoming Dubai for hosting the yoga festival, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga is the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed adds. Islam is the official religion of United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part.

Harish I. Patel pledges to address community concerns through independent, progressive leadership

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshPolitics 0

Harish I. Patel, a Democratic Party candidate for State Representative in Illinois’ 40th Legislative District, discussed his progressive policy agenda for the communities of Avondale, Logan Square, Albany Park and Irving Park on December 16, 2015 with a room full of local Muslim community leaders.

Patel, who immigrated to Chicago from India when he was just 14 years old and says he is running to bring independent Democratic leadership to the communities of the 40th District, said too many elected officials, including his opponent, who are supposed to stand up against privatization and budget cuts, are often only interested in getting along with the power brokers. The incumbent state representative in his district cannot effectively represent his constituents, because his only priority is to represent his funders, Patel said.

“We need to stand up strongly against the right-wing, destructive agenda of Governor Rauner, which prioritizes corporate interests and resorts to corrupt politics. These anti-people practices have been hurting all of us adversely for a long time,” said Patel.

Patel said he is running this year because he cannot sit back and watch every organization he has worked with to bring resources and support to immigrant communities and young people be devastated by Gov. Rauner’s shortsighted cuts, while the current State Representative fails to effectively fight back. He added that people are in desperate need of real independent and progressive leadership to effectively address their concerns and to move the State of Illinois forward.

“It is another way to infuse new energy and new ideas into the conversation about the future of our State. It is an opportunity to expand the electorate so more voices like mine and yours are heard.”

As a State Representative, Patel insists he will put the needs and concerns of the diverse communities that make up the 40th District first and bring an independent voice to Springfield. He will rally for a fair income tax, in which wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes, fight back against devastating cuts to social services, support an equitable funding model for public schools, support democratically-elected school boards, and champion fully funding pensions for public employees.

Patel has a strong track record of working on progressive issues as a part of numerous eminent organizations across Chicago, including Southwest Youth Collaborative, Chicago Votes, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, and more. “This rich exposure to public life has prepared me to go to Springfield to bring people together, despite the gridlock, and to work for real solutions for the people of Illinois.”

Local leaders in attendance included Mehrdad Azemun, Seemi Choudry, Aiman Beg, Moin Haque, Asad Jafri, Sana Jafri, Hina Mahmood, Malik Mujahid, Sadiq Patel, Arif Patel, Abdelnasser Rashid, Rafiq Talaty, Sophia Zaman, and Ashfaq Syed. Check out www.harishipatel.com/vote to learn more about his campaign and to register to vote.

India Takes Up With US on Deportation of Indian Students

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshTravel, Youth 0

India has questioned the deportation of some students from India when they came to the U.S. with valid student visas to study at two Silicon Valley institutions which have denied being “blacklisted.” “There is definitely a glitch within the U.S. system,” sources said pointing out that the U.S. consulate in Hyderabad issued F-1 student visas and they carried the requisite I-20 forms issued by the educational institutions certifying their admission.

The Indian Embassy here has taken up the matter with the State Department, the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security. Their response is still awaited.

Sources also said that a couple of Indian consular officers who had gone to the San Francisco airport were not allowed to meet the Indian students who had been denied entry to the U.S. and put back on flights to India.

On reports that some students had been denied entry because they had failed to satisfactorily answer immigration officers’ questions at the port of entry, sources said there could be one or two such cases, but wholesale deportation of students pointed to a problem in the U.S. system itself.

The sources also pointed out that the 14 Indian students from India who were deported last week and 19 others not allowed to board their Air India flights to San Francisco had all sought admission to California’s Silicon Valley University in San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic in Fremont.

The two schools, meanwhile, asserted that they had not been “blacklisted” and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were just implementing stricter screening security measures, which are not specific to their students, but to all international students entering the U.S.

Advising all new and returning students to bring original documentation, SVU said “there were rumors reported by the media in India stating that SVU is being targeted by the US Customs and Border Protection.”

This, it said, was “due to the fact that there were some new SVU students being removed or deported back to India because they were not able to answer the questions adequately to the satisfaction of the inspectors at the port of entry.”

SVU said it did not “welcome those who intend to abuse their F-1 visas and have other intentions besides studying in our university.” NPU president Peter Hsieh assured “students, families, and friends” that “my team and I are deeply concerned and doing our best to clear NPU’s name and fight for your rights.”

As “definitive proof that NPU is not blacklisted,” it provided “evidence of a sample of new students that continue to enter the U.S. with F-1 visas with NPU as the designated school.”

“The samples show entry on Dec. 20, 21 and 22, which are all dates after the false information reported in the media in India,” it said.

Students flew on Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore Airlines, NPU said, claiming, “Most students had to go through secondary inspections, but a few did not (only 5 minutes of questioning).”

It had also demanded that Air India allow all NPU students to board and will contact any airline that causes such problems for their students. It had also contacted U.S. immigration officials and were seeking out officials and media in India. “We have learned that a small percentage of international students are being sent back to India, but only those that fail their immigration interviews,” NPU said.

Jesus Was Actually Not Born on December 25th

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

The birth of Jesus Christ is pretty much the most basic element of the Christmas story. From common carols to the imagery of the nativity scene, the idea that Christmas is his birthday is everywhere.

According to a report in TIME, what’s commonly accepted by those who observe the holiday isn’t exactly true to history. Quoting Mark Goodacre, a professor in the Duke University Department of Religion, TIME referred to the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, which are the only accounts of Jesus’ birth in the New Testament. Even accepting their word as the truth, each tells a different story—Luke’s starting in Nazareth and Matthew’s focused solely on events in Bethlehem—and neither is particularly detailed in terms of calendar dates. “It’s a tough one really because there is just so little in Matthew’s and Luke’s birth narratives. The gospel writers very rarely tell you when things happened and the time of year,” Goodacre says. “You don’t get any official detail so we’re in the dark really on that.”

Both accounts mention that the events of Jesus’ birth took place when Herod the Great, a Roman King, was still around, but they still probably differ from each other by about 10 years. Luke’s account mentions Jesus was around 30 years old when he started preaching, which would take his birth year back to 1 BCE. Today, however, it seems likely that Luke slightly miscalculated the death of Herod, meaning that Jesus would have been born in 4 BCE, about 2,019 years ago. And, Goodacre cautions, even that knowledge is imprecise. “You might say you’re in your 30s when you’re really 38,” he says. “When Luke is saying that, he could just be saying Jesus was in his 30s [when he started preaching]. It’s all approximate.”

As per the TIME report, things get even more confusing when you add in the December 25th factor. Scholars often point out that Luke’s gospel cites that there were shepherds in the field on the first Christmas, which suggests Jesus was not born in winter. “There’s also the idea that Mary and Joseph would have embarked on an epic journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in the middle of winter with Mary being pregnant, which seems really implausible,” Goodacre says.

As TIME put it in a 2004 cover story, “in the debates over the literal truth of the Gospels, just about everyone acknowledges that major conclusions about Jesus’ life are not based on forensic clues. There is no specific physical evidence for the key points of the story.” In his 2012 book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Pope Benedict himself cast doubt on many recollections of Jesus’ birth as well.

And the Christmas confusion doesn’t stop at when Jesus was born. Many people imagine Mary and Joseph going to some kind of inn in Bethlehem, Goodacre says, and ending up in a stable because they could not get a room. “What Luke says is that they laid Jesus in a manger because there was no room for him in the accommodation, which is probably what he means as the family house. So they went to the lower level of the house,” he says. “They’re not in a stable. It’s one of the most famous pictures of Christmas there is, of him being born in a stable, and the textual basis for that is very weak.”

Many Christmas celebrants, however, seem unconcerned about textual proof: a 2014 Pew Survey found that 65% of American adults believe anyway that the Christmas story is factually true.

Pope Francis calls for unity against militant atrocities In his Christmas Message

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Pope Francis has urged the world in his Christmas message on Friday to unite to end atrocities by Islamist militants that he said were causing immense suffering in many countries. “Where God is born, peace is born,” the Pope said. “And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war. Yet precisely where the incarnate Son of God came into the world, tensions and violence persist, and peace remains a gift to be implored and built.”

The plea came on Christmas day in the pope’s annual “Urbi et Orbi” message, meaning “to the City [Rome] and to the World.” In addition to calling generally for peace, Francis endorsed rather specific solutions in some cases. He called, for example, for the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume direct dialogue, and appeared to come close to endorsing a two-state solution to the long-running conflict, saying they should “reach an agreement which will enable the two peoples to live together in harmony.”

Pope Francis also prayed that the U.N. agreement on Syria would succeed in halting that country’s devastating civil war and in remedying the “extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people.” He prayed as well for peace in Libya, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa, mentioning in particular Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. In those African countries, some of them wracked by ethnic and political division, Francis said he hoped that “dialogue may lead to a strengthened common commitment to the building of civil societies animated by a sincere spirit of reconciliation and of mutual understanding.”

He deplored recent terrorist attacks in various locations around the world, “particularly the recent massacres which took place in Egyptian airspace, in Beirut, Paris, Bamako and Tunis.” He prayed for children who have been conscripted as soldiers, for the victims of human trafficking, and for the acceptance of migrants and refugees. “Nor may our encouragement be lacking to all those fleeing extreme poverty or war, traveling all too often in inhumane conditions and not infrequently at the risk of their lives,” Francis said. “May God repay all those, both individuals and states, who generously work to provide assistance and welcome to the numerous migrants and refugees, helping them to build a dignified future for themselves and for their dear ones, and to be integrated in the societies which receive them.”

“May the attention of the international community be unanimously directed to ending the atrocities which in those countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa, even now reap numerous victims, cause immense suffering and do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony of entire peoples.” He was clearly referring to Islamic State militants who have carried out numerous attacks in those countries and destroyed many cultural heritage sites. In October, Islamic State militants blew up the Arch of Triumph, a jewel in the exquisite collection of ruins in the Syrian oasis city of Palmyra. “Only God’s mercy can free humanity from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which selfishness spawns in our midst,” he said. “The grace of God can convert hearts and offer mankind a way out of humanly insoluble situations.”.

“Even today great numbers of men and women are deprived of their human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty, and rejection,” he said. “May our closeness today be felt by those who are most vulnerable, especially child soldiers, women who suffer violence, and the victims of human trafficking and the drug trade.”

The Pope’s words were echoed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his Christmas Day address, in which the leader of the world’s 80 million Anglicans said Christians in the Middle East faced extinction at the hands of Islamic State. Archbishop Justin Welby said IS was “igniting a trail of fear, violence, hatred and determined oppression.” He branded the group “a Herod of today”, in a reference to the ruthless king of Judea at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ.

“They hate difference, whether it is Muslims who think differently, Yazidis or Christians, and because of them the Christians face elimination in the very region in which Christian faith began,” he said.

Hindus urge Amazon.com to withdraw leggings & bedsheets bearing Hindu gods

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Hindus have urged world’s biggest retailer Amazon.com headquartered in Seattle (USA) for the immediate withdrawal of leggings, beds sheets, yoga mats, pants and shorts carrying images of various Hindu gods and goddesses and sold on its website, calling it inappropriate.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Hindu gods and goddesses were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be worn around one’s legs, crotch and hips; or to be slept on; or put your feet on while doing yoga. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Amazon.com to offer a formal apology. Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed pointed out.

Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu gods and goddesses was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

Products that Hindu devotees are finding objectionable include various women’s leggings carrying images of Lord Ganesha (one even showing Ganesha idol from Belgaum Karnataka), goddess Lakshmi, wedding of Lord Rama with Sita, and multiple deities (apparently taken from a temple wall); bed sheets carrying images of Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna with Radha, Lord Shiva; yoga mats with images of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha; harem pants, shorts, elastic waist pants, drawstring pants, yoga capris and sweatpants displaying images of Lord Ganesha. These products seem to represent various brands and come with different price tags.

Everything Store Amazon.com, Inc., a Fortune 500 company founded in 1994, claims to offer “Earth’s Biggest Selection” and “strives to be Earth’s most customer-centric company”. Jeffrey P. Bezos is President. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

The U.S. Is Still No.1 at Selling Arms to the World

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshFinance/Economy, Politics, U.S. 0

The United States remains the world’s preeminent exporter of arms, with more than 50 percent of the global weaponry market controlled by the United States as of 2014. Arms sales by the U.S. jumped 35 percent, or nearly $10 billion, to $36.2 billion in 2014, according to the Congressional Research Service report, which analyzed the global arms market between 2007 and 2014.

Trailing the U.S. in weapons receipts is Russia, with $10.2 billion in sales in 2014, followed by Sweden with $5.5 billion, France with $4.4 billion and China with $2.2 billion, reports The New York Times.

The top weapons buyer in 2014 was South Korea, a key American ally, which has been squaring off with an increasingly belligerent North Korea in recent years. Iraq was the second biggest weapons buyer, as the country seeks to build up its military capacity following the withdrawal of the bulk of American ground troops there. Brazil was the third biggest buyer, primarily of Swedish aircraft.

Year 2015: India-US Come Closer Than Ever Under Barack Obama, Narendra Modi

December 30, 2015 Ajay GhoshIndia, Politics, U.S. 0

Looking back into the year 2015, among the many things that has transformed the world, if there was one thing that stands out is the closest bond between India and the United States. Under the leadership of U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ties between the two greatest democracies have evolved into strong and productive.

A “budding bromance” between India and the U.S. or “Modbama” as Foreign Policy called it, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama, took their ties to a new high in the year gone by. The year began with Modi, once a persona non grata in the U.S., staging what was called a “diplomatic coup” with an invitation to Obama to be the first U.S. president to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day.

Beyond the symbolism, Obama’s “game changing” second visit to India in four years saw “Barack” warming up to Modi and sent what the U.S. called an “important message” to the world about their commitment to realise the full potential of India-U.S. relationship. The White House’s first National Security Strategy since 2010 reflected the changing relationship with Obama saying the U.S. was “primed to unlock the potential of its relationship with India” as part of its rebalance to Asia and the Pacific.

Nine months later, Modi returned the compliment with yet another hugely successful visit to the U.S. with a warm hug for Obama, a courtship with Silicon Valley and a love fest with the Indian diaspora. But even before Modi and Obama had their fifth bilateral meeting in New York, the two nations, at their first strategic and commercial dialogue, reached five key agreements.

Topping the list was a decision to step up their counter-terrorism efforts with Washington, for once, recognising the threat posed by South Asian terror groups, including Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, and the D company. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar ended the year on another high note. “Gelling well” with his U.S. counterpart Ashton Carter, they agreed to further expand their growing defence partnership to make it what Carter called an “anchor of global security.”

As Carter welcomed India’s rise in the Asia-Pacific region, the two countries committed to identify additional projects for possible co-development and co-production of high technology items. Meanwhile, Obama called his “friend and partner” Modi a couple of times on a new hotline, first to win his support for the Paris climate deal and then to thank him for India’s positive role in reaching the historic accord.

At his year-end victory lap, Obama highlighted American leadership in bringing China, India and Brazil on board for the Paris climate deal among his successes of 2015 from thawing relations with Cuba to halting Iran’s nuclear program. The White House also acknowledged India’s “substantial sacrifice” in backing the sanctions against Iran that helped Washington seal the deal with Tehran.

“President Obama and Prime Minister Modi have a very, strong and productive relationship, not just on climate change but broadly,” Todd Stern, the U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change said last week. “It was a quite extraordinary fact that within the space of four months there were two head of the state visits, one first to the United States in September of 2014 and then Prime Minister Modi invited the President to India just four months later in January,” the official said.

Thereafter the two leaders have been close communications with each other. “They met on the margins of the UNGA in New York and they met on the first day of the Paris meeting,” Stern said. According to Stern the meeting was a very warm and positive, cordial and detailed.

“In fact, they talked so long that – they were both supposed to go – and did go finally, but they were a little bit late to the announcement of this big Mission Innovation idea on R&D that both – well, the United States, India, China, many other countries ultimately were part of,” the U.S. official said. “So I think, that the call later, sort of more towards the end, was a check-in call to see how we were doing and to urge us all on together toward a successful conclusion. And I think it was done in that spirit, not in the spirit that there was some specific thing that had to be done before the agreement could get completed,” Stern said.

At the end of the election cycle in November next year, whosoever American voters choose as the new tenant of the White House next November, one thing is clear: Relations between India and the U.S. are poised for a take-off given solid bipartisan support for this.

$1.1 Million in Medicine Headed to Nepal

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Stamford, Conn. – Dec. 23, 2015 – AmeriCares has $1.1 million worth of medicine headed to Nepal to restock hospitals running critically low on essential supplies. The shipment, which is expected to arrive in early January, is in response to an urgent request from the World Health Organization. AmeriCares pharmaceutical partners, including AbbVie, Fresenius Kabi, and Pfizer, generously donated products for the emergency shipment.

The delivery is part of a series of aid shipments AmeriCares is sending to address a serious medicine shortage in Nepal. A political dispute is disrupting the flow of imported products from India, vastly reducing the amount of fuel, medicine and other necessities entering Nepal. This is the second shipment this month to alleviate the medicine shortages. Last week, AmeriCares shipped enough basic medicine to Nepal to support a population of 40,000 people for three months.

Many of the health facilities AmeriCares is supporting through its earthquake recovery program report suppliers have halted deliveries, and some have warned they might have to cut services if they cannot access the products they need. AmeriCares latest shipment includes antibiotics, pain relievers, thyroid medication, allergy medicine and other medical products. The WHO and the Ministry of Health and Population will manage the distribution of products to health facilities throughout the country.

“The shortage of fuel and medicines has created a second emergency only eight months after the devastating earthquake,” said AmeriCares Vice President of Emergency Response Garrett Ingoglia. “With support from our pharmaceutical partners, we are helping to ensure hospitals in Nepal can continue serving patients.”

An AmeriCares emergency response team was on the ground in Nepal within 48 hours of the April 25 earthquake, working to restore critical health services. To date, AmeriCares has deployed emergency medical teams to treat survivors, delivered more than $21 million in urgently needed medicines and relief supplies and supported health care services in affected regions. AmeriCares opened an office and warehouse in Kathmandu to oversee its earthquake recovery programs through 2018.

AmeriCares has been aiding survivors of natural disasters, political conflict and extreme poverty around the world for more than 30 years, saving lives and restoring health and hope. To donate to AmeriCares Nepal Relief Fund go to www.americares.org/nepalearthquake

Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati Among Indian American Innovators Named NAI Fellows

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshProfiles 0

Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, an Indian American vice chair of the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and professor of physiology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, was recently elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

The designation of NAI Fellows, announced Dec. 15, is awarded to those academic inventors who have demonstrated a proficient spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.

The 2015 NAI Fellows selection committee included 17 members, comprising NAI Fellows, recipients of U.S. National Medals, National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Academies and senior officials from the USPTO, Association of American Universities, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of University Technology Managers and National Inventors Hall of Fame.

The Indian American professor is the first from the UK to receive NAI Fellowship honors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have been elected to the NAI alongside so many other amazing innovators,” Ambati said in a statement. “This award is really a testament to the outstandingly creative and motivated young scientists that I am fortunate and proud to lead. I look forward to supporting the NAI’s efforts to promote the application of technology and innovation to improve quality of vision and health for people worldwide.” Ambati and his lab also recently received a $2.4 million grant to study the genetics of a new source of DNA discovered at the lab (I-W Nov. 2, 2015).

Among the 582 NAI Fellows named in 2015, more than 80 are presidents and senior leaders of research universities and nonprofit research institutes; another 310 are members of other national academies; 27 have been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame; 32 earned the United States National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the U.S. National Medal of Science; another 27 are Nobel laureates; and 17 have received the Lemelson-MIT prize, among other awards and distinctions.

Ambati, a 21-year veteran who is board certified by the American Board of Opthalmology, has been awarded several commendations for his work throughout the years. Some of his accolades include being the first ophthalmologist to be named the Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist; Burroughs Wellcome Fund clinical scientist award in translational research; the Ellison Medical Foundation senior scholar in aging award; and the Harrington Discovery Institute Scholar-innovator award.

Ambati is a graduate of the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Medicine. He then completed his Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and his residency at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y.

In addition to Ambati, several other Indian Americans and Indian origin innovators received the NAI Fellow honor. Among them were Mauli Agrawal of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Shekhar Bhansali of Florida International University, Sangeeta Bhatia of MIT, Yoginder P. Chugh of Southern Illinois University, Atam Dhawan and Somenath Mitra of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Sanjiv Sam Gambhir of Stanford University, Shubhra Gangopadhyay of the University of Missouri College of Engineering, Venu Govindaraju of the University of Buffalo, Mir Imran of the University of Pittsburgh, Chennupati Jagadish of the Australian National University, and Anil K. Jain and Ramani Narayan of Michigan State University.

Additionally, Usha N. Kasid of Georgetown University, Meyya Meyyappan of the NASA Ames Research Center, Umesh K. Mishra of U.C. Santa Barbara, Kaushik Rajashekara of the University of Texas at Dallas, Jahangir S. Rastegar of Stony Brook University, A. Hari Reddy of U.C. Davis, Ajeet Rohatgi of Georgia Institute of Technology, Pramod K. Srivastava of the University of Connecticut, Bala Subramaniam of the University of Kansas and Kalliat T. Valsaraj of Louisiana State University were honored. The Fellows will be inducted at NAI’s fifth annual conference in April in Washington, D.C.

Man Who Shot At Connecticut Mosque Charged In Hate Crime

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

Ted Hakey Jr., 48, of Meriden, Connecticut, was arrested and charged on a federal criminal complaint Dec. 17, with intentionally damaging religious property a little more than a month after he shot up the Baitul Aman Mosque in the townNov. 14. This was the first Ahmaddiya mosque founded in Connecticut in 2007.

According to the criminal complaint, Hakey, who lives next door to the mosque, is alleged to have used his high powered rifle to discharge several rounds at the Mosque. Four bullets hit the mosque, with three penetrating the building.

No one was inside the mosque at the time of the shooting and no one was injured during the incident. He committed the act in the early morning hours of November 14, shortly after learning of the terrorist attacks in Paris, the complaint says. Members of the congregation found the bullet holes in the wall on Nov. 15, when they returned to pray at the mosque on Sundayevening, the Courant reported.

The charge of intentionally damaging religious property through use of a dangerous weapon carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

“All citizens of this earth should be free to worship without fear of violence,” U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly is quoted saying a the press release, adding, “We stand ready to prosecute individuals when rhetoric crosses the line to threats of violence or—as charged here—actual violence.”

Since the shooting, the mosque has held several interfaith meetings and prayers for victims of the Nov. 13 shootings in Paris and the Dec. 2, massacre in San Bernadino, California The Governor of Connecticut Dannel P. Malloy has visited the mosque to reassure followers. “Right-thinking Americans don’t support this kind of behavior,” he is quoted saying in the Courant report. He also noted that Ahmaddiyas, who belong to an Islamic sect founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in India in 1889, were persecuted in other Muslim countries.

Regional Imam Hamid Malik said his father’s cousin was among some 90 people killed in an attack on an Ahmadi mosque in Pakistan in 2010. Mohammed Qureshi, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Connecticut, thanked local police for their prompt response and speedy investigation into the shooting, the Courant reported.

Metropolitan Museum New York showcasing Lord Vishnu

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MET), one of the world’s largest and finest art museums, is exhibiting “Encountering Vishnu: The Lion Avatar in Indian Temple Drama” till June five next.

“Dramas presented during religious festivals in southern India are an important aspect of popular Hindu celebration. This exhibition highlights five rare wooden sculptural masks that represent a largely unrecorded category of late medieval Indian devotional art”, MET announcement says. Artifacts shown go as far back as 5th century.

Exhibits include sculptures of Narasimhas in sandstone and wood, Hiranyakashipu in wood, Prahalada in wood, Ganesha in wood, Vishnu in bronze, standing Vishnu in copper, Vishnu rescuing Gajendra in stone, Vishnu slaying Hiranyakashipu in stone, standing four-armed Vishnu in terracotta, Yoga Narasimha in copper alloy; besides Vaikuntha Vishnu mask in bronze. In addition, there are paintings of Narasimha, Bhima, Krishna, Putana, Rama-Sita-Lakshmana, Matsya Avatara, Balaskandha, Assembly of Rama, Vishnu-Garuda Wahan, Shri Sheshanarayana and Hiranyaksha.

Commending MET for Lord Vishnu exhibition, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged other major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay of Paris, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu art heritage with the rest of the world.

Collections of MET, founded 1870 and whose mission includes “to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas”; include over two million works of art spanning 5,000 years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe. It has the largest assemblage of musical instruments outside Europe and its Costume Institute’s collection is over 35,000. It also undertakes traveling exhibitions, conservation, excavations, etc. Thomas P. Campbell, Daniel H. Weiss and Daniel Brodsky are Director, President and Trustees Chairman of the Museum respectively.

NYC’s Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs visits the Desi Senior Centre

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshTravel 0

New York City’s Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs, Nisha Agarwal, visited India Home’s Desi Senior Center on December 2, 2015, on the occasion of First Year Anniversary of the center. Councilman Rory Lancman and the Consul General for Bangladesh, Shammem Ashan, as well as Dr. Wahedur Rahman, the President of Jamaica Muslim Center, were also invited guests.

Commissioner Agarwal spoke about new initiatives from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs that would help immigrant seniors. She said many immigrant seniors don’t apply for citizenship because of cost, or difficulty with the qualifying exam. She said that many don’t understand that under certain circumstances, especially for older Individuals, the strict requirements are often waived. She offered to send representatives to Desi Senior Center to help our seniors better understand not only the citizenship process, but also their legal rights.

India Home as “second home”

Councilman Rory Lancman and the Consul General for Bangladesh, Shameem Ashan spoke very highly of the services offered by India Home. Councilman Lancman, said that he was “enormously proud” of this program,” and the fact that our members come to the center “even in the rain,” and that they consider it their “second home.”

AAPI-QLI donates $10 K to Chennai floods

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

NEW YORK: American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) QLI donated $10,000 towards flood relief in Chennai at a fund raiser “Chennai – we are with you” organized by America Tamil Sangam in Antun in Long Island New York past Sunday.

According to Dr Madhu Korrapati, President of AAPI-QLI, Chennai and its neighborhood witnessed worse floods in recent times throwing the city life out of gear for over 10 days. Several thousands were killed in flash floods and millions rendered homeless. “It’s our duty to take part in the massive relief work to mitigate the problems of those affected,” he said.

Representatives of AAPI-QLI, IALI, Five Town Indian Association, AKMG of Greater New York and Dr Dattatreyudu Nori pledge their support to America Tamil Sangam.

On behalf of AAPI-QLI, Dr Korrapati, Dr. Vaijinath Chakote, President-elect, Dr Rakesh K Dua, Vice President, Treasurer Dr. Himanshu Pandaya, Dr Bhavani Srinivasan, committee member presented the check to John Joseph, executive vice president and Jaya Sundaram, secretary of America Tamil Sangam.

The fund raiser was co-sponsored by Indian Association of Long Island (IALI), Five Town Indian Association and Association of Kerala Medical Graduates Association (AKMG) of Greater New York. “The monies will be used 100 percent towards the cause. Our target is to collect at least $25, 000,” John Joseph said.

Jaya Sundaram said the practice of honoring all the guests with traditional shawl in Tamil style and presenting of bouquets were dispensed with as the association felt every penny collected should go to the deserving individuals,

Dr Madhu Korrapati presenting the check to Secretary of America Tamil Sangam Jaya Sundaram while John Joseph, Dr Bhavani Srinivasan, Dr. Vaijinath Chakote, Dr. Himanshu Pandaya, Dr Madan Raj and Dr. Rakesh K Dua look on.

Satnam Singh Parhar, president of IALI, Dr Anila Midha, President of Five Town Indian Association and Dr Thomas Mathew, president of AKMG of Greater New York, Padma Shree Awardee Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, leading oncologist, spoke and offered their financial support to the flood affected people of Chennai.

AKMG Greater New York was represented by Dr. Dheeraj Kamalam, Immediate Past President, and Dr. Radhakrishnan Palangat, Secretary besides Dr, Mathew. Dr Madan Raj coordinated the event that and made a power point presentation of the gravity of flood situation in Chennai and the relief work undertaken by the President of America Tamil Sangam Prakash M Swamy in Chennai. The event was followed by cultural programs by Janani Sundaram, Lavanya Pradeep, Swati, Divya, and Kalpita.

Philadelphia Museum showcasing Lord Krishna

December 29, 2015 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

An exhibition of rare and masterful drawings “Drawn from Courtly India” created between 1500s and 1800s, shows Krishna dancing atop many-headed Kaliya demon and six naginis (Kaliya’s part-human part-snake wives); Krishna and the gopis shelter from the rain; festive image of the birth of Krishna; walking Vaishnava disciples; Devi and the Shakti forces attack Nishumbha, Shumbha, and their army; battle scene with demons; etc.

Commending PMA for showcasing drawings about Lord Krishna and other Hinduism subjects, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.

PMA is also organizing yoga party to “Celebrate the Holidays” on December 30; involving yoga through meditative exercises, yoga postures, and breathing techniques. Calling it a “peaceful stretch”, PMA is also making “Henna tattoos” available at this event.

PMA, which began as a legacy of the great Centennial Exhibition of 1876, claims to have “world-renowned collection” and to inspire the visitors “to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone”. Timothy Rub, Gail Harrity and Constance H. Williams are Director, President and Trustees Chair respectively of the Museum; while Ainsley M. Cameron is the Curator of this exhibition.

Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu and subject of major Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord) and Bhagavad-Purana. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Ashvin Kumar: The Torture of Undocumented Workers ‘Made My Skin Crawl’

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshTravel 0

Today there are some 232 million migrants around the world living outside their home country. Many risk their lives to flee poverty and conflict in search of greater economic and social opportunities in more developed regions. But often, they’re greeted with even greater hardship, or worse, become trapped in cycles of abuse and exploitation.

A new film called I Am Not Here by Academy Award-nominated Indian filmmaker Ashvin Kumar, made in association with the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), explores these issues through the lives of three women. From Trinidad, Bolivia, and Bangladesh, they migrated abroad to become domestic workers in New York City, Switzerland, and Malaysia, respectively. Through their stories, the film depicts the isolation, constant fears of deportation, and physical abuse that remain common among this vulnerable group.

On December 18 in Mumbai and December 19 in New Delhi, Asia Society in India hosted screenings of the film followed by a panel discussion with the crew and other migrant advocates. Ahead of the event, director Ashvin Kumar, Christina MacGillivray, the film’s co-producer and lead researcher, and Pia Oberoi, a migration advisor at OHCHR, spoke with Asia Society Blog about the film and exploitation of migrants.

What drew you to making this film?

Ashvin Kumar: From the start, I think I put it out there to the UN that doing a facts-and-stats sort of Nat-Geo type documentary may miss a trick or two. I wanted to go behind the figures and the nameless statistics and tell the human, emotional story about these women. Too often those who make policies forget — or rather, it’s easy to forget — that these are real people with real families and ties. The idea — in my films always — is to link the personal life experience of my audience with those who are appearing on screen. So themes like a mother separated by economic necessity from her child for over two decades. I want to put the audience in those shoes and take them for a short stroll, just to see how it must feel.

How did you choose the subjects of your film?

Christina MacGillivray: It was genuinely a grassroots door-to-door research effort. In most cases, people in an undocumented situation in any country fear sharing their stories because the risk of deportation and arrest are too great. Why come forward on film if you are risking your safety, and the safety and education of your children? It is difficult. To gain trust, I first went through dozens of nonprofits across the three continents. But you also need to speak with a person on the ground in a city in order for them to understand you are here to help. In New York City, it started in one woman’s living room. She gave me another number. I trekked across the city, spoke with another woman and it went on and on like this. In Malaysia I interviewed around 40 women, many of whom had stories nearly as difficult as the young woman in the film. We are grateful to the women — both those who appeared in the film and to the many who shared their stories that led to the film — for the courage it took to come forward and speak out.

How did you get these women to open up on camera?

Ashvin Kumar: Be it talking to ex-militants in Kashmir or undocumented women in various parts of the world, there is a cathartic, healing quality in the act of speaking to someone. I try to discover what it is about the person I am talking to that will win their trust. People who have survived ordeals don’t trust easily. The idea is to get behind that bluster they’ve put up as a defense for themselves. In the case of Jennifer [the migrant from Trinidad living in New York City], for instance, it was really hard to get her story properly. We went over it many times, and each time it was facts and figures: “In year so-and-so I came here and did that.” It wasn’t until we got her really comfortable in her bedroom and let the camera roll without interrupting her, gently nudging the conversation along, that we got the interview in the beginning of the film.

We were also dealing with Malay and Spanish for three-quarters of the interviews in the film. Though I was asking the questions, I didn’t understand a word of what they were saying. We had translators with us, but in an interview you don’t want the subject to lose the moment. I had to just look into their eyes, and feel what they were saying and then throw out another question. That was a huge challenge.

The film depicts a 17-year-old domestic worker that had been under the complete control of her employer and suffered extreme torture and sexual abuse — which the employer managed to avoid being prosecuted for. Are there any countries that are doing better than others at protecting vulnerable migrants like this?

Pia Oberoi: Sadly, the abuse of migrant domestic workers (particularly those who are in an irregular situation) is widespread in every region of the world; especially because, in many countries, domestic work is not considered a form of work and is therefore not protected by domestic labor laws. I would refer people to the OHCHR publication Behind Closed Doors, which was drafted to accompany this film and provides a sense of where there is good practice (South Africa has robust laws in place in this regard, as does Uruguay). The countries that are signatories to the recent International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 189 on domestic work have taken at least a first step towards protecting the rights of these vulnerable people.

There have been frequent reports of cruelty and inhuman treatment directed towards domestic workers in Malaysia, as well as in the Gulf countries (see a recent Amnesty International report on Qatar).

Looking at the big global picture, do you have a sense of whether exploitation of domestic workers is getting any better or worse?

Pia Oberoi: That’s a slightly difficult question to answer, as with most human rights questions! On the one hand, the international legal framework has certainly been buttressed by the ILO Convention 189, as well as other initiatives such as the General Comment No. 1 of the Committee on Migrant Workers, and initiatives such as the joint program of work between OHCHR and ILO. On the other hand, the abuses against domestic workers, given that they take place in private homes with little scrutiny, continue, and even one story like [the 17-year-old girl in Malaysia] is one too many.

The other aspect highlighted by the film is that when someone is in an irregular situation, they are generally vulnerable to exploitation because they are in constant fear of detection and deportation and so cannot challenge an employer who pays them less than the going rate, or a policeman who demands a bribe. Yet in most countries in Europe, for example, there is an almost total lack of legal channels for migrants to enter as domestic workers, meaning that most workers are irregular. We need to value domestic workers as human beings with human rights, and ensure that domestic work is decent work.

What was the most shocking thing you learned in the course of making the film?

Ashvin Kumar: The horrific torture that the girl in Malaysia had to suffer was not dissimilar to horror stories of torture and human rights abuses I’ve chronicled in Kashmir. To hear of such heinous crimes in the domestic space against child of 14 or 15 — with no legal consequences for the perpetrators — in one of the top Asian economies made my skin crawl. Things like that are very, very hard to stomach.

Drink to Your Health (in Moderation), the Science Says

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Research into how alcohol consumption affects health has been going on for a long time. According to reports, a 1990 prospective cohort study included results of more than 275,000 men followed since 1959. Compared with those who never drank alcohol, those who consumed one to two drinks a day had a significantly reduced mortality rate from both coronary heart disease and “all causes.” Those who consumed three or more drinks a day still had a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease, but had a higher mortality rate over all.

A 2004 study came to similar conclusions. It followed about 6,600 men and 8,000 women for five years and found that compared with those who drank about one drink a day on average, those who didn’t drink at all and those who drank more than two drinks a day had higher rates of death. Results like these have been consistent across a number of studies in different populations. Even studies published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research agree that moderate drinking seems to be associated with a decreased risk of death over all.

However, alcohol seems to have different effects on different diseases. Almost all of the major benefits of drinking are seen in cardiovascular illnesses. In fact, with men, even consumption of a surprisingly large amount can seem protective.

When it comes to cancer, the picture isn’t as rosy. For instance, a 2007 study involving the Women’s Health Study cohort found that increased alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. More broadly, a 2014 systematic review of epidemiologic and experimental studies looking at alcohol and breast cancer found that the overall consensus is that each additional drink per day increases the relative risk (comparing the risk in two groups) of breast cancer by a statistically significant, but small, 2 percent — although not the absolute risk.

A meta-analysis of colorectal cancer and alcohol found that heavy drinkers, but not light or moderate drinkers, were at increased risk of the disease. No relationship is seen with respect to bladder cancer or ovarian cancer. A study that included all cancers found that light drinking was protective; moderate drinking had no effect; and heavy drinking was detrimental.

Moderate alcohol consumption has been found to be associated with other benefits, though. A cohort of about 6,000 people followed in Britain found that those who consumed alcohol at least once a week had significantly better cognitive function in middle age than those who did not drink at all. This protective effect on cognition was seen in people who drank up to 30 drinks a week.

A 2004 systematic review found that moderate drinking was associated with up to 56 percent lower rates of diabetes compared with nondrinkers. Heavy drinkers, though, had an increased incidence of diabetes. This is where savvy readers should be asking: What about randomized controlled trials? After all, epidemiologic evidence and associations only go so far; they cannot get us to causation.

Recently, in Annals of Internal Medicine, such a trial was published. Patients with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes were randomized to drink 150 milliliters of water, white wine or red wine with dinner for two years. The beverages were provided to patients free of charge. They were all placed on a Mediterranean diet with no calorie restrictions.

Researchers found that those who drank the wine, most notably red wine, had a reduction in cardiometabolic risk factors, or those for heart disease, diabetes or stroke. This was especially true in patients who had certain genotypes. Further, no one had any significant adverse effects from being randomized to drink the alcohol.

In another analysis of that randomized control trial published this year, the most interesting finding was about blood pressure. In this study, some people saw a reduction in systolic blood pressure. Again, the alcohol was not associated with significant adverse effects. This contradicts the findings from systematic reviews of epidemiologic studies that show alcohol intake may be associated with a small but significant increase in blood pressure.

Adding further complications was a shorter-term trial looking at red wine consumption that found it had no effect, positive or negative, on blood pressure in patients with atherosclerosis. A different analysis of that study found that it did result in improved cholesterol levels, even though many patients were already being treated with statins.

A 2011 meta-analysis examined 63 controlled trials of wine, beer and spirits, and found that all of those beverages increased levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). There was even a dose-response, with more alcohol consumed having more of an effect.

Synthesizing all this, there seems to be a sizable amount of evidence that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and death. It also seems to be associated with increased rates, perhaps to a lesser extent, of some cancers, especially breast cancer, as well as some other diseases or conditions. The gains from improved cardiovascular disease deaths seem to outweigh all of the losses in other diseases combined. The most recent report of the U.S.D.A. Scientific Advisory Panel agrees with that assessment.

But alcohol isn’t harmless. Many people with certain diseases or disorders, and women who are pregnant, need to avoid it. Others who can’t keep their consumption to acceptable levels need to abstain. Alcohol is very harmful when abused, so much so that it’s difficult for me to tell people to start drinking for their health. That’s rarely the conclusion of any studies about alcohol, no matter how positive the results. Nor is it the advice any doctors I know give.

However, the evidence does seem to say that moderate consumption is safe, and that it may even be healthy for many people. If you’re enjoying some drinks this holiday season, it’s nice to know that they may be doing more than just bringing you cheer.

Yahoo Names the Cow ‘Personality of the Year’ in India

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshSocial Media 0

Yahoo on Dec. 21 said the ‘cow’ beat out all other contenders in 2015 to emerge as the ‘Personality of the Year’ in India. “In an unexpected twist, the humble ‘cow’ emerged as ‘Personality of the Year’, trumping other high-profile contenders for the top spot,” Yahoo said in a statement on its “Year in Review” for India which captures the year’s top trends, happenings and events.

“It started with the Maharashtra government announcing a ban on sale of beef in the state — a move which led to massive debates online and offline, spiraling into the ‘beef controversy,'” it said.

The Dadri mob lynching, ‘award wapsi’ — eminent writers returning national awards — and numerous discussions centered on ‘intolerance’ further propelled the bovine to claim the overall top spot, the statement said.

For the fourth consecutive year, among the most searched female celebrities in showbiz, former adult movie actor Sunny Leone stood first, pushing Bollywood beauties Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone to the second and third spots, while Salman Khan emerged as the top male celebrity.

Though the high-profile Delhi and Bihar assembly elections created a lot of buzz in the political scene, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came first as the most searched Indian politician, the statement said.

In the most searched news events category, terrorist organization Islamic State, late former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and cricket’s showpiece event ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 took the top three slots, respectively.

As usual, cricketers were the most searched sportspersons in India. M.S. Dhoni claimed the first position, while tennis sensation Sania Mirza made the cut for the first time with her high-octane doubles performances partnering Swiss star Martina Hingis, the statement said. Interestingly, bilingual period film “Bahubali” was the No. 1 among the most searched movies.

Yahoo also listed the top 10 positions for the most searched gadgets, epic selfies of 2015, bike launches, best Instagram account, top Bollywood moments and top fashion trends of 2015.

Potential Hate Crime Against Sikh Grandfather

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshCommunity 0

December 16, 2015 (Bakersfield, CA) – On the afternoon of December 7, 2015, a 78-year-old Sikh man was assaulted while he waited to pick up his grandson from Warren Middle School in Bakersfield, California. An unknown assailant threw an apple with great force at Mr. Gian Singh, hitting his turban. The police have not yet identified or apprehended the individual.

Mr. Singh, who picks his grandson up from school every day, was attacked when an individual in a pick-up truck threw the apple with such force that he almost fell over. The force split the apple, stained Mr. Singh’s turban, and left him with head pain and dizziness for days. Mr. Singh’s son reported the crime to the police that day.

The Singh family has retained the Sikh Coalition for direct legal support. The Sikh Coalition’s legal team is currently advocating for the Bakersfield Police Department to investigate the matter as a hate crime, given that Mr. Singh’s religiously-mandated Sikh turban was targeted.

“In the current climate of fear and backlash, we remain committed to investigating and protecting every Sikh who is subject to a possible hate crime,” said the Sikh Coalition’s Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur.

The attack on Mr. Singh occurred only days after vandals spray-painted racial slurs on the Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Buena Park, California and other backlash incidents across the country. During this period of increased anxiety, we urge Sikhs to exercise extra vigilance and caution. Please notify law enforcement of any threats or incidences of violence and contact the Sikh Coalition at 212-655-3095 or legal@sikhcoalition.org.

The Sikh Coalition has 14 years of expertise in providing free legal assistance to Sikhs who believe they have experienced discrimination or bias-based violence. Most recently, the Sikh Coalition worked with the Gurdwara Singh Sabha sangat in Buena Park to successfully pressure police to investigate bias-based vandalism at the gurdwara. An arrest has been made, and the offender delivered a public apology to the sangat on December 13, 2015. He also faces criminal charges. In addition, the attacker of Sikh Coalition client Inderjit Mukker pled guilty to a hate crime charge in DuPage County, IL on December 7, 2015.

Rohit Sharma, Cricketer, Joins Graphic India & the UK’s ISM Komix to Create New Cricket Comic Series “HYPER TYGERS”

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Graphic India, UK based, ISM Komix and Cornerstone Sport, announced last week that leading cricket sports hero, Rohit Sharma, are launching a new environmental superhero team called, “HYPER TYGERS.” The digital comic will be free to read on all devices from February 1st 2016 through Sharma’s Facebook page and the Graphic POP! Mobile app.

“I’ve been a big fan of the work Graphic India has been doing in the country to create new Indian superheroes. The idea to collaborate with them to launch India’s first cricket based superhero comic made perfect sense,” said Rohit Sharma. “Hyper Tygers is an action-packed adventure around a futuristic game of cricket unlike anything we have today. The story also serves as a larger allegory to protect our planet and its endangered wildlife, which is one of the great global challenges of our time.”

With the world and its leaders focused on the Environment and saving our planet, Mr. Modi has called for “Climate Justice” and “working towards a greener future” whilst UK PM David Cameron has said this is “a moment to remember and a huge step forward in helping to secure the future of our planet.” This calls for superheroes! Now India and the UK have teamed up to create India’s first environmental superheroes the Green Tyger and the Hyper Tygers.

Hyper Tygers and the Green Tyger are looking for corporate (including CSR), commercial, digital and marketing sponsors who share their ambition of promoting environmental awareness and positive social change.

Hyper Tygers is set in a futuristic India in the year 2077, charting the meteoric rise of a small Indian rural community and their cricket team, including their mysterious hero the Green Tyger. We follow the Hyper Tygers astronomic journey to become the greatest Hyper Cricket team in the world. It’s a rags to riches story, addressing many of the environmental and social growing pains that India and the world are undergoing as rural meets mega city, tradition clashes with future technology, class lines blur and corporations put profit over people and the environment.

The enigmatic hero of the story is a masked and rebellious cricketer known only as the Green Tyger, with amazing super powers tied to nature and the earth. Playing in the Hyper Cricket League, fighting against injustice, and saving the environment from Mr. X and the monstrous terrors created from his dreaded Shadow Corporation, experience the rise of India’s new heroes and the birth of a legendary team.

“Rohit Sharma is the perfect partner to help us bring this futuristic cricket world to India and the hundreds of millions of cricket fans in the country,” added Graphic’s Co-Founder & CEO,Sharad Devarajan. “Cricket is a sport that is beloved by billions around the world and its time we finally combined the love of that game with the fun of superheroes. Hyper Tygers will excite global audiences with epic adventures, filled with heroic characters and powerful messages to save our planet and inspire change.”

For Hyper Tygers, which will be launched in India and in the UK, Graphic India is partnered with ISM Komix, a UK based company founded by Thomas Ehret and Debbie Mason, focussed on producing digitally focused sports media to promote positive social change and awareness through sport. “We want to change the world and fight for our planet. The world has limited overs until we do irreparable damage, our goal is to inspire a generation of GREEN TYGERS, who will help shape India and inspire greater environmental consciousness and change,” added Xan Morgan, Co-Creator of Hyper Tygers, who was part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s 2012 trade delegation to India, representing Environment and Water from the United Kingdom.

“ISM Komix is creating the premier sports comics publisher in the world, producing digitally focused sports media in India, we hope to promote positive social change and awareness through sport and entertainment” Steve Salem Creative Director ISM Komix.

The Hyper Tygers characters and story were created by acclaimed UK creators, Steve Salem and Xan Morgan, with the comic series written by novelist and author, Sarwat Chadda and illustrated by acclaimed Graphic India artist, Edison George. “Associating with Hyper Tygers is an excellent opportunity for Rohit to use his extremely large fan following on social media to spread a very important message. This project appealed to Rohit right away because we are using Cricket and Social Media together as a means to educate the youth on the importance of issues like climate change and preservation of Wildlife. More importantly, this is being done in a fun and entertaining way through a comic series. This is just another step in the right direction for Cornerstone Sport with our increased focus in the digital space” Said, Bunty Sajdeh, CEO, Cornerstone Sport

Hyper Tygers will launch in January 2016 as a free weekly English and Hindi digital comic series made available on Rohit Sharma’s Facebook page, reaching his 7.5 Million fans, through the specially created, Graphic POP! Facebook app, which was created in partnership with Facebook by Graphic India. The comic series will also be available on the Graphic India iOS and Android apps as well as converted into a series of digital motion comics, which will be distributed on leading digital video platforms throughout India. A mobile game will also be released at the beginning of the year. ISM Komix and Graphic India will also be planning a worldwide animation, digital video and gaming strategy around Hyper Tygers to reach cricket audiences across numerous media platforms around the world

Sankara Eye Foundation Raises $700,000

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshHealth 0

“It’s amazing to see what the synergy of like-minded people can do. This 1.3 million is not just a number, it’s 1.3 million lives who have started seeing,” said Dr. R.V. Ramani, founder of the Sankara Eye Care Institutions in India, at Sankara Eye Foundation’s annual gala Dec. 12 at the Sakoon Restaurant.

The banquet hall was brimming with Indian American community philanthropists, business and social leaders, volunteers and donors, who gathered at the event to support the organization’s flagship mission of eliminating curable blindness in India.

Vital funds to the tune of $700,000 were raised during the night to support and empower the underprivileged experiencing sight loss in India. “Mr. Ram Reddy announced 100,000 at the BATA banquet, one anonymous person donated 100,000 and another person gave 50K,” Murali Krishnamurthy, founder and SEF executive chairman, told the media.

“I would request people to close their eyes and donate, so we will open more eyes. It’s your hospital, and we are helping our people back home,” he said, adding that an anonymous donor has offered to match all donations up to $1 million until Dec. 31, 2015.

The annual charity event attended by mostly Indian Americans was part of the foundation’s fundraising efforts for its new hospitals in Hyderabad, Telangana, and Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The land for the Indore hospital has already been procured while the land for the Hyderabad hospital has been identified, said Krishnamurthy.

SEF has played a pivotal role in increasing the number of free eye surgeries provided annually for the economically disadvantaged in India — from 8,000 in 1998 to over 150,000 surgeries and counting today.

The organization has so far conducted more than 3.6 million adult vision screenings, over 5.1 million children screenings, performed 8,145 pediatric surgeries and distributed over 107,000 free eye glasses, all free of cost.

Ramani, delivering the evening’s keynote address, spoke on Sankara’s history, growth, philosophy, goals and achievements. “Eighty percent of the country’s blind are needlessly blind,” Ramani said at the gala. “When we give vision to a child, we give the next 80-85 years of productive life, and when we give vision to an adult, we make him/her the breadwinner of the family.”

Ramani was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Radha Ramani, with whom he founded the first Sankara Eye Hospital in Coimbatore in 1977. “The whole values of Sankara are the five principles… serve silently, serve with humility, serve without conditions, serve with love and conviction,” Radha Ramani said at the gala, noting the importance of acts performed with love.

“People from this part of the globe are donating, and we deliver the service at the other end, and when we see the actual benefit reaching out to them, not in hundreds or thousands but beyond a million, it is a soul-fulfilling experience,” R.V. Ramani told the media.

Emphasizing bringing the gift of light to the underprivileged, Ramani said, “Giving vision at every age has got a tremendous impact and doing that for someone who does not have access to and cannot afford it, it’s amazing.”

The evening was an entertaining one featuring vibrant musical performances and a cocktail reception and dinner. With eight fully functional hospitals, the foundation aims to build at least 20 eye hospitals across India by the year 2020 under its Vision 20/20 project, and to perform a million surgeries annually.

“It’s like having an extended family as Sankara Foundation in United States, who contributes by thought, conviction, involvement and monetary,” said Ramani. “Today we are able to replicate the model everywhere in India because of the contribution that is coming from here.”

The organization, one of the world’s biggest charities of its kind, is the recipient of many honors along with securing a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency, said Krishnamurthy.

The uniqueness of Sankara’s social enterprise lies in its replicable and sustainable model of 80/20, wherein 20 percent of patients pay for the free treatment that the 80 percent poor receive.

Ramani said it takes about 18 months for a hospital to be constructed and fully operationalized, and about five years for it to become financially self-sustainable after inception. “Donors have to think in terms of supporting the cause not just one time,” he stated. “Every year they should give some support as the first five years they are all toddlers, and we have to hold their hands until they start walking by themselves.”

These super-specialty eye care hospitals equipped with Lasik facilities treat not only cataract, which is a major cause leading to blindness in India, but also offer a full range of comprehensive eye care services, including ocular oncology. A program called SANQALP or Sankara quality assurance learning program, is in place, where a quality champion is identified for each hospital, who drives quality in that hospital, along with tracking 48 quality indicators on a month to month basis.

“Our site restoration rate is at 98.3 percent,” Dr. Kaushik Murali, president, medical administration, at Sankara Eye Foundation, India, told the media. Forty meritorious girls from the disadvantaged section are trained on a curriculum-based program to serve as technicians, and to make sure that the knowledge percolates from the seniors to the fresh recruits; in effect, Sankara hospitals have set up a knowledge management system, Murali said.

Another unique feature of Sankara is the Rural Outreach Model, which brings eye care to the doorstep of rural India. Eye care and diagnostic camps are conducted in villages every week to screen poor patients for eye problems; those needing surgeries are taken to the base hospital for treatment.

Free transportation, food and lodging are provided for patients during their hospitalization. The also receive systematic follow-up ensuring effective post-operative care.\ The organization also uses technology to the maximum for a targeted intervention.

“Today, all our hospitals are linked and data transfer is real time. We have built our own app, SERVICE, which stands for Sankara Electronic Remote Vision Information System,” Bharath Balasubramaniam, president of community outreach at Sankara Eye Foundation, India. “The app enables us to reach out to the community, screen them and also tag them, so we are able to map diseases, identify where there is more prevalence of diabetes, cataract and hyper tension and then decide our camp location,” he said.

Sikh Broncos Fans Banned from Stadium Because of Turbans

December 23, 2015 Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion 0

Three Sikh Americans were allegedly harassed by security staff and denied entry to watch an NFL game in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 6 because they were wearing turbans. The three Indian American Denver Broncos fans, along with two other friends, were hoping to get into Qualcomm Stadium to watch the Broncos take on the Chargers, a game in which the Broncos won 17-3.

One of the men denied entry was Verinder Malhi, who explained to a guard at the stadium that his religion prohibited him and his friends from removing their headgear, according to an ABC10 news report published Dec. 11.

Malhi, who was not wearing a turban, was with a group of five, three of whom were wearing turbans. The guard, however, told the men that they would only be allowed inside if they were to do as they were told, the ABC10 article added. The guard ultimately relented and allowed the men inside still wearing their turbans.

However, on their way out, the group’s car was subjected to a search by a bomb squad after a call to police claimed the men were putting a bag in the trunk suspiciously. “Everybody is kind of confusing us with the turbans, because what you see on TV is mostly the terrorists, they wear turbans,” said Malhi in the ABC10 article.

The incident comes after Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called for the banning of all Muslims from the U.S. in the wake of the San Bernardino, Calif., attack that killed 14. “But our turbans (are) different, our faith is different, our beliefs are different,” Malhi added in the article. Malhi said the whole incident is embarrassing, adding, “We are Americans at the end of the day.” The group drove seven hours from Fresno to San Diego, and, despite being let in Dec. 6, the guard said they would not be allowed back in the future if they wore the turbans.

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