Author: Ajay Ghosh

The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center (keralacenterny.com) will honor six Indian American Malayalees for their outstanding achievements in their field of specialization or for their service to the society. The awardees were selected by a committee consisting of four members headed by Kerala Center Board Member and Trustee Dr. Thomas Abraham.

The awardees will be honored at the Kerala Center’s 23rd Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 7th starting at 6.30 p.m. at World’s Fair Marina in Flushing (Queens, New York City, address: 1 World’s Fair Marina, Flushing).  The chief guest is Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Consul General of India in New York and the keynote speaker is Mr. K. Mohandas, former Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Indian affairs and Shipping, Govt. of India.

“Every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to be selected to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements,” said Dr. Abraham.

An entertainment will follow after the award ceremony by Mayura School of Arts from m New Jersey. Tickets for banquet can be reserved by contacting Kerala Center at 516-358-2000 or e-mail at kc@keralacenterny.com. This year’s celebration also includes an Indian American Entrepreneurs Meet and Technology Summit for Kerala III where invitations are extended to Malayalee academics, scientists, technologists, engineers, entrepreneurs and businessmen to be held at the Kerala Center, 1824 Fairfax St., Elmont, New York. It will be held preceding the banquet starting at 9.30 a.m. on November 7th. Visit www.newkeralainitiative.com or send an e-mail to register at kc@keralacenterny.com. This is a community initiative of North American Malayalees who are entrepreneurs and/or involved in science, engineering and technology areas.

This year’s honorees are: Dr. Navin Manjooran, Global Director (Energy) for Siemens AG ​ and ​​ responsible for the​ entire Siemens energy portfolio in Engineering; Dr. Sasi K. Pillay, Chief Information Officer, University Wisconsin System, Madison, WI and Former NASA CTO for IT and CIO, NASA Glenn Research Center for Information Technology; Dr. Prem Soman, Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Associate Professor of Medicine, and Clinical and Translation Science at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Medicine; Dr. George M. Kakkanatt, a former US Air Force Captain, professional psychotherapist  and Managing Director and Chief Editor of Azchavattom Malayalam News weekly for Journalism and Community Service;  Ms. Leela Maret, Scientist at New York City’s Environmental Protection for Community Service; and Captain Jophiel Philips, Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Air Force for Service to the Nation.

Dr. Navin Manjooran will be honored for his outstanding contributions in Engineering. Dr. Navin Manjooran ​is ​the Global Director (Energy) for Siemens AG ​ and ​​is responsible for the​  entire Siemens energy portfolio. He also serves as an engineering professor at Virginia Tech. Navin graduated with a BE degree from NIT (Warangal), a MS from University of Florida (Gainesville, USA), Ph.D. from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, USA), all with the highest honors and later on completed MBA from University of Chicago. Navin has 11 patents/ disclosures, 9 books, 37 publications and 51 presentations at national/international conferences. He has received several awards including TMS Young Leader, ASM International Leadership Award ​and ​Siemens Performance Award. ​Navin is a Member of the US Technology Advisory Board and ​Virginia Tech Univ. Board  and the Board of Trustees of Univ. of Chicago.

Dr. Sasi K. Pillay, is being recognized for Outstanding Contribution in Information Technology. Dr. Sasi K, Pillay serves as the CIO of the University of Wisconsin System comprising 26 campuses where he has started several initiatives such as the Innovation Program and Business Intelligence,  while managing a portfolio of shared services totaling $45million.  In his prior roles at NASA, Dr. Pillay oversaw the IT innovation program consisting of global crowd sourcing and the launch of the innovation program which have won several national awards.  He is the recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the U.S. President’s Rank Award as a Meritorious Executive.

Dr. Prem Soman is honored for his contributions ion the field of Medicine. Dr. Prem Soman MD, PhD, FRCP (UK), FACC is Director of Nuclear Cardiology, and Associate Professor of Medicine, and Clinical and Translation Science at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is internationally recognized for his research contributions to the field of nuclear cardiology, with more than 100 publications  and text book chapters. He has coauthored national guidelines on imaging and Appropriate Use Criteria. Dr. Soman is the current chair of the Imaging Council of the American College of Cardiology, Vice-President elect of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and Immediate Past President of the Cardiovascular Council of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Dr. George M. Kakkanatt will be recognized in Journalism and for Community Service. Dr. George Kakkanatt, a former US Air Force Captain is a professional psychotherapist. George is one of the founding members and former Global General Secretary of the World Malayalee Council (WMC), Green Kerala Foundation, and ALTIUS youth program. He is the President of the South Indian US Chamber of Commerce and also the President of the Houston Chapter of India Press Club of NA.  George is the Managing Director and Editor in Chief of Azchavattom Malayalam News weekly published from Houston. George received several awards for his creative commitment to serve the global community.

Leela Maret is honored for her community services. Leela Maret has been doing superb job as a volunteer in many community organization for the last three decades. Working as a scientist for last 29 years at New York City’s Environmental Protection, Leela is also adjunct lecturer in Bronx Community College. Leela serves as Recording Secretary of Local Employees Union 375 for the city, delegate for Central Labor Council, FOKANA National Women’s Forum Chair, Vice President of South Asians for Labor and Vice President of INOC. She had served as the President of Kerala Samajam and in other capacities of several other organizations including FOKANA. She has helped to organize Asian Heritage, Diwali function at New York City Hall, Kerala Piravi and other events in Indian Consulate, actively participated in Voter Registration, taught Malayalam at St. John’s University, and took part in the testimony of redistricting of Richmond Hill to unite South Asians. She is the recipient of various Community awards such as NYC Comptroller’s Community Service award, and two Pravasi awards.

Captain Jophiel Philips is being honored for his services to the Nation. Capt. Jophiel Philips was born in Queens, New York, were he developed a passion for football leading him to earn a football scholarship at St. Francis Prep High School.  He went on to play four years of college football, where he started at Wide Receiver.  After coaching football at the University level, Capt Philips went to law school where he won numerous academic awards and was chosen to give the commencement speech.  Capt Philips is a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Air Force.  During his recent deployment, he was awarded the Purple Heart, as well as the Bronze Star, for his actions in protecting service members from harm, after an insurgent attack- where eight of his comrades died.

Taj Sareen, a 34-year-old U.S. Marine Corps pilot, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif., was killed Oct. 22 when his fighter jet crashed in England while he was returning home from a deployment in the Persian Gulf, according to news reports.

Sareen leaves behind his parents, his sister and a toddler daughter and was scheduled to return home to celebrate the birthdays of his father Kulbhushan Sareen, retired managing partner of New York Life’s Greater San Francisco office, as also his little daughter Jade, according to India West newspaper that reported the story.

The paper quoted a spokesman for USMC Station Miramar as saying t hat he could not comment on the manner of Sareen’s death before 24 hours as per military protocol.

The Indian-American had served with the Marine Corps for more than 11 years. Stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Sareen and served with Marine Attack Squadron 232. His F/A-18C fighter jet crashed in a field in Redmere village, Cambridgeshire County, England, at about 10:30 A.M. U.K. time, shortly after it took off from Royal Air Force station Lakenheath, the paper added.

A public service announcement by the RAF Lakenheath noted that Sareen was flying from Bahrain to Miramar with five other aircraft; his jet crashed six miles northwest of the airfield. The remaining five aircraft were safely diverted to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, according to RAF Lakenheath reports, quoted by India West. The crash is under investigation by the U.K. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force.

According to other media reports, the plane avoided nearby houses before it crashed. San Diego reporter Preston Phillips, a friend of Sareen’s, was quoted by India West as telling ABC News: “That’s Taj in a heartbeat. I mean, he would do that to save people.”

Sareen, who grew up in Castro Valley and Hillsborough, and attended the University of San Francisco, joined the Marine Corps in 2004. Rennu Dhillon, founder of Genius Kids, told the paper that Sareen was pretty well-known in the Bay Area.

“He had such a magnetic presence, everyone instantly wanted to know who this handsome fellow was. He was always laughing and had such an infectious smile,” Dhillion was quoted as saying. Dhillion said that Sareen had a passion for cars and planes and he always wanted to fly.

Following his death, Kulbhushan Sareen’s Facebook page were flooded with messages of sorrow and grief with some describing his son as the ‘brave Marine Corp pilot’ and noting that his service to the country and “the love that he brought to so many lives” will never be forgotten.

October 23, 2015 (Washington, DC) – On Thursday, October 22nd, the Sikh Coalition and Muslim Advocates co-hosted a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill, which featured victims of hate violence speaking first hand about the impact that hate has had on their lives and communities.

The briefing featured testimony by Raghuvinder Singh, whose father, Baba Punjab Singh, remains in a semi-coma after the mass shooting at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara on August 5, 2012. Mohammad Abu-Salha and Farris Barakat, who tragically lost three family members, Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife, Yusor Mohammad, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina shooting on February 10, 2015 also shared their gripping stories to a packed room of Hill staff.

The briefing, which was over-capacity, comes during a time of increased bigoted political rhetoric aimed at all minority communities and an uptick in hate crimes, and bias related incidents targeting Sikhs and Muslims across the United States. Last month, Inderjit Singh Mukker, a 53-year-old Sikh father, was assaulted in a Chicago suburb. His attacker yelled, “Terrorist…Go back to your country.”

“Hate is alive and well in America,” said Arjun Singh, Director of Law & Policy of the Sikh Coalition. “As we heard today, hate crimes don’t just terrorize individuals, they terrorize entire communities. We’re not safe in our homes, our houses of worship or even our cars. We must continue to raise this critical issue with Congress, to make sure that hate crimes and the underlying problems that come with them, are fully understood and addressed.”

Raghuvinder Singh’s moving testimony featured his father’s story of resilience in the face of tremendous adversity. “Today, my father is in a semi-comatose state, unable to move or speak. He can only communicate by blinking his eyes – twice for “yes” and once for “no.” Although three years have gone by, my family will never forget that day in August when everything changed.” Mr. Singh continued, “Despite this, my father has not lost his profound capacity for embracing love. When I ask if he is living in Chardi Kala – love and relentless optimism even in suffering – he blinks twice – yes.”

If you have been subject to threats or violence because of your identity, please reach out to the Sikh Coalition at 212-655-3095 or email legal@sikhcoalition.org for assistance. For more information on hate crimes law and how to report hate crimes, please review our Know Your Rights document. The Sikh Coalition is in regular contact with federal authorities to bring attention to our community’s needs.

Chicago IL: The Indian-American Community Outreach Advisory Board, in collaboration with the City of Aurora, the second most populous town in the State of Illinois, next to Chicago, hosted the second edition of Diwali festival, which was free and open to the public, on Saturday, October 24^th, 2015, from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM, at Waubonsie Valley High School, 2590 Ogden Avenue.

The unique feature of the event was the enthusiastic participation of thousands of people, which included not only a large chunk of people from India but also a considerable number of their counterparts from different nationalities and religions. Quite a few Non-Indians too, who were seen awe-struck, enjoyed the festivities.

Aurora’s third-term Mayor, Tom Weisner paid rich tributes to the professional contribution of Indian-Americans to the growth trajectory of the Aurora city. “The Indian-American community is very important to the fabric and culture of the USA. It adds music, food, and dance, which make Aurora a more enjoyable place to live”, he added.

Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India in Chicago said that Diwali, on account of its universal message of triumph of righteousness over evil, has emerged as a global festival and is being celebrated across the world. “Diwali is celebrated in the White House too. President Barack Obama is the first President who personally attended Diwali celebrations at the White House”, he added.

Congressman Bill Foster, who represents the 11^th Congressional District of Illinois in the US House of Representatives, said that Diwali reminds us of the importance of the shared multi-cultural American experience.  State Representative Linda Chapa Lavia said: “There is a need for more and more events like Diwali so that we represent all the colors that make us a beautiful and diverse State”. State Representative Stephanie Kifowit opined that participation in the festivals of different communities provide an opportunity to understand different cultures.

The event was attended by many more elected officials, including Alderman Mervine, Alderman Johnson, Alderman Bugg, Alderman Hart-Burns, Alderman Mesiacos, DuPage County Board Members, 204 School District Board Members, and several others. “Aurora, known as the ‘City of Lights’, with a multi-cultural presence is best-suited to host Diwali, India’s ‘Festival of Lights’”, said Krishna Bansal, Chairman, Aurora Indian-American Community Outreach Advisory Board.

“Diwali, which symbolizes victory of light over darkness, has assumed much greater relevance in the present-day world, characterized by widespread cultural degeneration, and, therefore, should be celebrated by one and all, irrespective of religion and region”, added Bansal.

The celebrations featured not only the diversity of India’s culture, ethnic jewelry, rare handicrafts, distinct costumes, and interesting games for children but also highlighted the contributions of Indian-Americans, locally and nationally.

The dancers not only showcased their ability to perform different genres of dances but also conveyed a gamut of emotions. Their sculpted postures, graceful moves, and incredible “abhinaya” (actions and postures expressive of sentiments) captured everyone’s heart.

The singers presented classical, semi-classical, and light music, both from Bollywood and Tollywood movies. Their melodious songs not only uplifted the mood of the audience but also ignited the air with the magic of romance.

The cultural program proved to be a magnate that brought the artists together. The dancers, singers, mentors, and orchestra, despite their different backgrounds, not only worked together as a team but also presented a spectacular show.

Food was a central part of the festivities. The unique cuisines from different regions added to the multi-faceted flavor of the event. “Even though extremely spicy, I liked the food items very much. I am tempted to taste them, again and again”, said a Non-Indian.

The festival concluded with a magnificent fireworks display. Everyone present clapped and cheered as green and red rockets lit up the skyline of the city. “Our children were so much mesmerized by the fireworks that we found it too difficult to pull them out of venue, despite being late in the night”, stated a number of parents.

Bansal thanked the high-profile guests, all the participants, sponsors, Advisory Board Members, media representatives, community organizations, management of the Waubonsie Valley High School, and the army of self-motivated volunteers for their support in making the event a formidable success.

Sanjog Aul conducted the proceedings of the festival as the MC.  Diwali, which is India’s largest festival, is celebrated by decorating homes with oil lamps and intricate rangolis (colorful designs), lighting firecrackers, and above all, exchanging gifts.

Nikita Prabhakar Nakal from Mumbai, a University of Central Oklahoma student was killed in a car attack on October 24^th. Two memorial services have been planned for Nikita, who was killed when a driver plowed through a Homecoming parade in Stillwater, Oklahoma, killing four people and injuring dozens of others, many of whom remain in critical condition.

Nikita Prabhakar Nakal had arrived at UCO – in Edmund, Oklahoma – just three months before the horrific incident. The 23-year-old woman was a resident of Mumbai. The tragedy occurred as 25-year-old Adacia Chambers drove her Hyundai sedan into the annual “Sea of Orange” Homecoming parade at Oklahoma State University. The parade – known as ‘America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration’ – features floats and marching bands, and annually draws about 80,000 spectators. Nakal was attending the parade with friends from UCO.

Chambers crashed into a police motorcycle before plowing through the crowd on Main Street. Six people remain in critical condition, while 30 others were treated and released. Witnesses at the scene described “bodies flying everywhere” as Chambers continued along her horrific quest. She is being held in custody on four counts of second-degree murder; results of a blood draw – to determine the presence of alcohol or drugs – had not been released at press time Oct. 27.

UCO Professor Donna Carlon told local media that Nakal held a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mumbai University and was intending to pursue a career as a financial analyst in India after obtaining her MBA. UCO had planned two memorial services for Nakal. The first, planned for the evening of Oct. 27, was a candlelight memorial at Broncho Lake, near the center of the university’s campus. Nakal’s friends were expected to speak at the service.

The second memorial will be held on Oct. 30 as part of “Desi Night,” a previously planned UCO Indian Student Association event designed for attendees to experience the culture of India. The evening will include remarks from friends of Nakal, university officials, representatives from the UCO International Student Council, Indian Student Association and MBA program, and the opportunity to sign a condolence card for Nakal’s family. A celebration of Indian culture will follow and is set to include traditional cuisine, dancing and music.

UCO president Don Betz said in a statement: “Our students come to Central with their unique goals, hopes and dreams, and Nikita was undoubtedly no different. While we mourn the potential unrealized, let us also honor her life by pulling closer and appreciating the strength of our Broncho family.” The Broncho is UCO’s mascot.

Payne County, Oklahoma District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas said Oct. 26 that Chambers would be charged with a minimum of four counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Nakal; OSU Professors Marvin and Bonnie Stone, both 65; and Nash Lucas, 2. “The state believes the acts alleged demonstrate a depraved mind and an indifference to human life,” stated Thomas in a press release announcing the charges against Chambers.

“The evidence indicates Chambers consciously drove through a red light, around a police barricade, over a police motorcycle and further into a large crowd of highly visible, innocent people enjoying a Homecoming Day parade. This was an intentional act, not an accident,” stated Thomas, adding that additional charges against Thomas are being considered.

Each charge of second degree murder carries a minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Chambers could be charged with first-degree murder if there is sufficient evidence to prove that her actions were pre-meditated, according to the district attorney’s office.

In response to questions from local media, Stillwater Police Captain Kyle Gibbs said Chambers had not taken a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the crime, but a blood draw was administered as she was taken into custody. Gibbs said the Police Department is investigating statements that indicate Chambers was fired from her job shortly before the incident, because she had shown up to work drunk. Gibbs said the department is also investigating whether Chambers has a history of mental illness.

Princeton University reportedly houses a temple for goddess Saraswati, musical instruments and books and besides private meditation, there are plans to have guided-meditation/structured-worship in this space. Located in Green Hall, it will reportedly be available daily to undergraduate and graduate students and faculty for meditation, reflection, worshipping, and connecting with God, etc.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who has been demanding a permanent and exclusive Prayer Room at Princeton University, has commended Princeton for responding to the requirements of its Hindu students to provide designated prayer-meditation hall for rituals, quiet reflection, festivals and spiritual exercise, which would help in their personal growth.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out in a statement today that it was a “step in the right direction” in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at Princeton, as it was important to meet the spiritual needs of these students. Zed thanked Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber and its Board Chair Kathryn A. Hall for University’s positive response to the requirements of its Hindu students.

Rajan Zed urged all USA and Canadian universities, both public and private, to respond to the needs of their considerable Hindu student bodies and offer prayer facility; as they needed to recognize the intersection of spirituality and education, which was important in Hinduism. Some other universities/colleges in USA do offer Hindu prayer rooms.

Editorial Board of Princeton student newspaper “The Daily Princetonian”, University’s “only paper of record”, endorsed the student initiative of creation of a Hindu prayer space on campus in April, which it said “has wide support from both Hindu and non-Hindu, religious and non-religious students across the University”. Many Princeton students, Hindus as well non-Hindus, in a survey, reportedly expressed interest in creation of Hindu prayer space and supported the idea.

Princeton reportedly already has a University Chapel hosting many Christian services, Muslim Prayer Room, Center for Jewish Life and Interfaith Prayer Room. Chartered in 1746 and spread in 500 acres, Ivy League world-renowned research university Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in USA. Many of its faculty/staff have won Nobel Prizes. Its library holdings are over 14 million and its students number around 7,946. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

INOC,USA held a press briefing at the Tandoori Hut at Richmond Hill in New York last week and expressed solidarity with the Sikh community everywhere and condemned the actions of the perpetrators of the heinous and cowardly acts of desecrating some of the sacred pages of their Holy Shri Guru Granth Sahib jiby tearing and discarding them from the historic Sikh Gurdwara Sahib in the village of Bargari in the district of Faridkot, Punjab.

President of INOC, USA, Mohinder Singh Gilzian expressed profound regret and anguish at the incident and demanded from the authorities to take immediate action to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice forthwith.

“The Police assault, apparently  without a Court Order, at the innocent and peaceful protesters sitting on the ground  in the village of Behbal Kalan amounted to a provocative and an uncalled for act which also deserves condemnation”, said Mr. Harbachan Singh, Secretary General of INOC,USA. Over 200 persons are also reported to have been injured in other areas of Punjab.

George Abraham, Chairman of INOC, USA expressed grave concern at this sad and unfortunate incident  and appealed for calm and good judgement to prevail especially in handling sensitive religious sentiments such as this.

Tejinder Singh Gill, Chapter President of Punjab,Mr. Sawaran Singh, Chapter President of Haryana and Mr. Jaswinder Singh Nawansher member of the Executive Committee, all of INOC, USA also echoed their horror at the incident and appealed for speedy arrest of the culprits.Mr. Gill who spoke at length was careful to caution that no one should take the law into one’s own hand.

Other INOC, USA Officials who had voiced their support included, Mr.  Zach Thomas, Vice Chairman, Mr. Jose George, Treasurer,Mr. V.B. Sharma, member Executive Committee,  Mr. Juned Qazi former President, Mr. U.A. Naseer of the Kerala Chapter and Dr. Leno Thomas.

In full accord and sharing the deep grief and sympathy, many prominent members of the New York Tri-State area Sikhs also expressed their strong feelings of pain and anguish caused by this wrong deeds.  The following stood out for their pointed remarks – Baboo Joginder Singh Miani, Mr. Manmohan Singh Pooni, Mr. Tarsem Singh, Mr. Jagjit Singh Dasuya, Mr. Satish Sharma and Mr. Gurmit Singh.  They warned to remain vigilant lest mischief makers disturb their peaceful coexistence and tranquility.

A federal appeals court on October 13 reinstated a lawsuit challenging the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslim groups in New Jersey after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying any resulting harm came from the city’s tactics, not the media’s reporting of them.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, reversing a judge’s decision last year to dismiss the case, found the Muslim plaintiffs raised sufficient allegations of religious-freedom and equal-protection violations and put the case on track for trial. The court compared the spying to other instances of heightened scrutiny of religious and ethnic groups, including Japanese-Americans during World War II.

In dismissing the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge William Martini had concluded the police could not keep watch “on Muslim terrorist activities without monitoring the Muslim community itself” and concurred with the city in blaming reporting by the Associated Press, which exposed the surveillance program, for any harm.

The appeals court said the attempt to blame the AP was akin to saying, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you. And, if you do know, don’t shoot us. Shoot the messenger.” The lawsuit revived Oct. 13 was among legal actions that followed reports by the AP that revealed how city police infiltrated Muslim student groups, put informants in mosques and otherwise spied on Muslims as part of a broad effort to prevent terrorist attacks. The reporting was honored with a Pulitzer Prize.

Plaintiff Farhaj Hassan said he was “extremely ecstatic” about the court’s decision. “I’m very happy we will get our day in court,” said Hassan, a U.S. Army sergeant who served in Iraq. “Muslim-Americans were the innocent community in this matter, and, lo and behold, their civil rights should be protected like everyone else.”

The city has called the intelligence gathering an appropriate and legal anti-terrorism tactic. The NYPD’s legal affairs chief said Oct. 13 the department would vigorously fight the revived lawsuit and expected to win.

“There’s been no finding by the court that the NYPD did anything wrong or anything illegal,” said Deputy Commissioner Lawrence Byrne. “It’s simply a procedural opportunity for the plaintiffs to see if they can prove their case.”

A senior NYPD official testified in 2012 that the demographics unit at the heart of the program never generated any leads or triggered a terrorism investigation, but former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and other officials have said the surveillance helped the nation’s largest police department identify and thwart terror plots.

Current Police Commissioner William Bratton disbanded the unit last year and reassigned its detectives. Officials said a review concluded the same information could be better collected through direct contact with community groups. During oral arguments in January, the appellate panel questioned whether police had any specific leads to justify surveillance of Muslim businesses, mosques and student groups in New Jersey from 2002 to at least 2012.

The city argued that any injuries suffered by Muslims were “self-imposed, based on subjective fears” that may have led them to avoid gathering with other Muslims after the 9/11 attacks. A city lawyer told the appeals court that the plaintiffs couldn’t simply infer the intent of the program was discriminatory.

The Muslim plaintiffs — including a grade school principal and members of the Muslim Student Association at Rutgers University — wanted the lawsuit revived in part so they could learn more about the program.

Their lawyer, Baher Azmy, said the Oct. 13 ruling affirmed that police cannot use religion and courts cannot accept untested national security claims as justification for spying. “There is no Muslim exception to the Constitution,” Azmy said.

In a related lawsuit in Brooklyn, the city has reached a tentative settlement with a group of Muslims, but the parties have asked the court to postpone approval until next month while they iron out final details.

Scores of Garba and traditional Navratri events were held across the New York region, bringing alive the traditions of India and the customs of the ancient Hindu religion.Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Manhattan at the Sports Center in Chelsea Piers, to swing to a live band playing music for the Gujarati Garba-Raas, a traditional folk dance. The event titled, Garba In The City, is however, just one of several events held during Navratri around New York City. The nine-day celebration of Goddess Durga takes several forms, ranging from fasting and prayer to dancing the Garba-Raas, and even professional networking.

“In the Queens and the Richmond Hills area there are almost 50 to 75 Garba-Rass (sic) events,” Pandit Vishal Maraj, 36, of the Queens, N.Y. non-profit Hindu Learning Foundation, told New York Press. Attracting many Indo-Caribbean Hindus, the Foundation located on Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park, began its Navratri with the Bali Daan, or offerings to the Goddess. Among the larger religious observances is that at the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, Queens, which began day-long rigorous prayer and fasting Oct. 13 to go on till Oct. 22.

The fifth annual Garba in the City started in 2011 by two young professionals, mirrors the rising number of Indian-Americans who choose to call Manhattan home and who earlier may have crossed the Hudson to get their Garba fix.

Some of the other events around New York included the Nartanrang Dance Academy’s Navratri Garba which took place on Oct. 10 in Mitchell Field in Garden City, N.Y.; the India Society Garba Night Celebrations also on Oct. 10, at JFK Middle School, in Port Jefferson, N.Y.; and one of the largest and most elaborate festival and pooja schedules for Navratri at Ganesh Temple, Flushing. Starting with Durga Pooja from Oct. 13 to 15, followed by Maha Lakshmi Pooja Oct. 16 to 18, Saraswati Pooja from Oct. 19 to 21, capped y Durgashtami Oct. 20, Vikaya Dashami Oct. 22. The NYC Hindu Temple on 96 Ave. B in New York City began its Navratri celebrations on Oct. 8. and ended them Oct. 16.

The Indian Square in Jersey City, one of the largest hubs of Indian-Americans residing around the area, was glitzy with lights, buntings and banners as the community celebrated the beginning of Navratri, the celebration of nine nights marking the arrival of goddess Durga on earth last week.

The inaugural event Oct. 17 was organized by the Jersey City Merchants’ Association, the organization that had organized it the past. The organizers took pride that the celebrations attracted some 8,000 people, lining up the streets of Newark Avenue, a part of which is called the Indian Square, despite somewhat untimely cold weather.

People danced to the tune of Bollywood music and live performances by local artists almost till midnight. Many non-Indians waited on the sidewalks as well to take a peek at the festivities. The festival, which started in 2003 with the cooperation of the Govinda Temple on the Newark Avenue, has been a high religio-cultural point to which the Indian-American community looks forward to every year.

This year, Patel said, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, extended full cooperation, to make the festival a success, For example, he said, the paving of the stretch of the road on Newark Avenue was completed ahead of time. “The Mayor was very cooperative and praised the community for the outdoor celebration of the event,” Patel said. Although it was in Jersey City, Navratri is being celebrated in neighboring towns of Jersey City as also in New York and across the United States.

A body found in an Alameda County, Calif., lake Oct. 7 was confirmed by the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau to be that of Indian American Raghavendra “Raghu” Indugula, media reports here suggest. Indugula, 31, who was an operations specialist contractor at Salesforce.com, went missing Oct. 2 during a company retreat. His body was found in Lake Del Valle, according to a report on SanFrancisco.CBSlocal.com.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Raghavendra Indugula, who was a contractor in Salesforce’s IT organization,” a Salesforce spokeswoman told India-West. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Raghu’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

During the day he went missing, Indugula was on a team-building excursion with co-workers and was part of a group being shuttled by boat between the Hetch Hetchy group picnic area and the lake’s marina, according to the East Bay Regional Park District, according to the SanFrancisco.CBSlocal.com report.

Seven other people were on the boat when it began to fill with water. All the passengers jumped out of the boat and swam to shore but noticed that Indugula was missing when they got there. According to an SFist.com report, none of the passengers had life vests on.

A days-long search ensued but proved unsuccessful. A fisherman found Indugula’s body floating about a half-mile north of the marina, according to park district officials. Indugula was a graduate of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad. He worked for DevMode IT Solutions in India before moving to the U.S. to work at Softential in Herndon, Va.; Coca-Cola Refreshments and Cox Communications in Atlanta, Ga.; prior to joining Salesforce in April, according to his LinkedIn profile. Indugula is survived by his wife and 1-year-old daughter, the SFist.com report stated.

Wedding bliss was in the air at the Santa Clara Convention Center Oct.11, as future brides and grooms along with their family and friends came out in droves to discover and experience exciting and convenient options and ideas needed to pull off the perfect wedding, during the annual Wedding & Lifestyle Expo Asiana, “Vivaah 2015.”

Nearly 2,000 visitors were greeted with an impressive array of elaborate displays at the premier wedding ware show’s 8th edition. About 75 booths featuring jewelry vendors, photography services, skin care specialists, venue options, décor ideas, wedding invitations, floral displays and more were on site for the benefit of the prospective newlyweds offering them a variety of high quality services and products available locally. Indian weddings are lavish affairs, and some take on a larger than life dimension, said WLEA president Leena Jay.

“The big thing always with our community is that people want to do and go above and beyond what everyone else is doing, so with our vendors and the themes that we have, that’s what we try to portray, go bigger and better, so instead of having a limo company we have an exotic car company that has Bentleys and Lamborghinis,” she told the media.

Attendees strolled through the stalls, sampling delicacies, looking for the most up-to-date wedding attire and décor, and some even hoping to land good bargains. Among the highlights of the day were the professionally choreographed fashion shows displaying the latest in bridal trousseau. Models draped in opulent saris and lehenga sets with cutout and patterned blouses took to the runway showcasing a collection that was an eclectic mix of ethnic and contemporary wear. Sporting the 60’s look with winged liners and intricate hairdos, models sashayed down the ramp to Bollywood classics wearing heavily embellished outfits in a myriad of colors.

From the gold smattered classic red to the soft, subtle, shimmery ivory, the wide ranging color palette also included pink, lilac, midnight blue, coral, fuchsia and peach. Attendees were treated to the latest trends in anarkalis, lehengas, saris and glamorous cocktail dresses.

Ornate embroidery like zardozi, kundan work, colored stones, beads and intricate threadwork formed most of the collection, which used fabrics like brocade, georgette, lace and velvet for that ultra luxurious look. Bold and dramatic metallic gold, kundan and diamond jewelry complemented the bridal wear.

For the grooms, multihued sherwanis in rich fabrics and tuxedos in black and grey were on display. The fashion, music and dance, which lasted close to two hours, commenced with a Kathak performance by Shalini Dance Academy and continued with performances by the Mona Khan Dance Company interspersed between the fashion show segments.

Shale and Patrick from Castro Valley, who will be tying the knot in July next year, won the “Raja/Rani Couple of the Year” sweepstake and will now receive a fully sponsored wedding for up to 200 guests. The contest invited prospective brides and grooms to share their love stories via video entries on social networks to win the giveaway.  “We had about 10,000 views, 6,000 likes and almost 1,000 comments on social media,” Jay told the media.

The event was emceed by Puneet Singh and Vishal Gurbuxani who kept the large crowds entertained. For the exhibitors, the popularity of the show and a chance to connect face-to-face with future customers helped improve their business prospects.