Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III turned in the much anticipated final report of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election on Friday, March 22nd to Attorney General William P. Barr, who will decide how much to tell Congress or the public now.
Mueller, nearly two years after he was appointed to look into possible ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, delivered a full report of his findings and recommendations to the attorney general, as required by Justice Department regulations.
Under Justice Department regulations, Barr can decide that public interest demands full disclosure, or he can hew to rules that protect privacy for people who are investigated and not charged. Although Barr has the authority, President Trump, his lawyers and congressional Democrats will also join the fight over transparency or privacy.
President Trump’s near-daily campaign to mock and discredit Robert Mueller’s “witch hunt” has lasted longer than his campaign for the White House. The NY Times writes, “His shameful, conspiratorial attacks on the “deep state,” and on the integrity of those who have devoted their lives to upholding the rule of law, have damaged the institutions of federal law enforcement and may have gotten him in even deeper trouble.”
While there has been calls from across the spectrum to have the entire report released, Trump also joined a remarkably bipartisan House of Representatives, along with a vast majority of the American public, in calling for the release of Mueller’s report. “Let people see it,” he said on Wednesday. “There was no collusion. There was no obstruction. There was no nothing.”
For the past two years, Trump has kept repeating his mantra of “no collusion” because it’s true. But even if Mueller has found in the end that Trump did not knowingly conspire with Russia — and it is profoundly to be hoped that the report settles that question, one way or the other — that doesn’t mean this inquiry has been a witch hunt.
The fact remains that throughout the 2016 campaign and transition cycle, Trump and many of his top officials and advisers reportedly had more than 100 contacts with Russian nationals and WikiLeaks, or their intermediaries. These contacts were apparently so unmemorable that many Trump advisers forgot all about them, even when asked under oath.
Mueller has already demonstrated the first way to publicize his findings: by filing charges in federal court. The indictments and pleas have laid out details of what Mueller found involving Russian activity, lies about contacts with Russians and more. The work has led to criminal charges against 34 people, including six former Trump associates and advisers. Mueller’s work has also spawned cases that are being pursued in other jurisdictions.
Several of Trump’s inner circle policy advisors and leaders of his campaign and administration have been charged on multiple counts and are serving or on way to jail sentences. Michael Flynn, the president’s first national security adviser; Rick Gates, the deputy campaign chairman; George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser on the campaign; and Michael Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer and fixer, are only some of those charged. Paul Manafort is also accused of lying repeatedly to investigators, but that’s the least of his problems.
Trump’s ties to Russia have been intensely scrutinized. The public and the investigators are aware Trump’s shifting positions in four areas: His relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his stance on Russian election interference, his knowledge about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting and his business interests in Russia.
“Without an indictment against him, Trump is going to hammer home the waste of time, taxpayer money and resources to prove that he was right all along and that he did nothing wrong,” said Ron Bonjean, a veteran Republican strategist who helped shepherd Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch through the Senate confirmation process.
But without seeing the report, it’s hard to know at this time whether the decision not to prosecute amounts to a vindication for Trump, said former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for example. They, along with Manafort, met on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya and several other Russians. The meeting occurred after Trump Jr. was promised it would yield dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That meeting was a focal point of Mueller’s investigation, but the fact that no one has faced charges for it, would it suggest, Mueller’s team didn’t think it amounted to a crime?
“If Mueller declined to prosecute because there was insufficient evidence, that’s hardly exoneration,” she said. “And if he didn’t indict Trump only because of the (Justice Department) policy against indicting a sitting president, that’s as far from a clean bill of health as you can get.”
Justice Department policy also holds that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Evidence about Trump could be included in the confidential report to the attorney general but may not be made public.
No matter what Mr. Mueller’s efforts have turned up, the fact that he is now presenting his findings free of presidential interference is a bit of good news for the rule of law in America. Now all Americans deserve the chance to review those findings and reach their own conclusions.
Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen honored Miss India Worldwide Shree Saini, an Indian-American, with the “Woman Hero” award at the South Asian Women Empowerment Gala held in New York on March 19. Sen, a Bollywood star, was the chief guest at the program. When she called Saini to the stage to present the award, the audience rose to its feet in applause, according to a press release.
Saini announced at the gathering that she was off to Johannesburg for the Miss India Gauteng Pageant. “Pageantry improves the lives and confidence of women throughout the world,” she is quoted saying.
Both Sen and Saini were honored with citation by the 18th District Nassau County Legislator Joshua A. Lafazan. According to the press release, the citation presented to Shree Saini read, “In recognition of your service to the community, neighbours and families; And in recognition of your leadership and dedication to enriching the lives of others, I, Joshua A. Lafazan, Nassau County Legislator recognise (sic), honour and congratulate Shree Saini.”
In 1994, Sen became the youngest woman to be selected Femina Miss India Universe at that time. A few days later she was crowned the 43rd Miss Universe at the age of 18, the first Indian to win that title. Other distinguished women who were honored at the March 19 event included Urmil “Tracy” Marshal, Sangeeta Mudnal and Dr. Uzma Syed, according to the press release.
Indian-American Shree Saini was crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018 at a glittering pageant held at the Royal Alberts Palace, in Fords, New Jersey on Friday, December 14, 2018. Shree, 22, who was told by the doctors that she can never dance after being installed with a pacemaker at the age of 12, said one should never give up. “I truly believe your legacy is defined by how you make others feel and the positive difference you make in your lifetime,” said Shree, who started her non-profit organisation, when she was 15. Shree said it was her dream to compete for a world title, which was started when she was in the elementary school.
Beautiful, compassionate, talented, ambitious, gentle, humble, determined and dedicated to achieving the lofty goals she has set before herself at a very young age, Shree Saini is a woman with a golden heart. Shree from the state of Washington was born in India. She immigrated to the United States as a toddler.
Shree Saini has been in a public profile for years. She literally can make her choice on how she wants to mould her image and pave the way for her future. Shree Saini, an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a double degree in public administration and business, wants to “lead a life of service.” When asked between the many engagements around the nation, where she finds the time to study, Shree says, “I study on the plane, while waiting for flights, as almost every weekend, there is an event I need to attend.”
Regarding her future goals and ambitions, Shree is candid about her choices. If good offers come her way, Shree is open to acting in movies, whether it be in Bollywood or Hollywood. Another effective way to showcase her talents and still more importantly, another way to champion and spread her message for a better, just and peaceful world. “Meanwhile, I want to continue working on my nonprofit and become an ambassador of emotional health by continuing to visit as many places as possible, spreading my positive message of hope,” Saini says.
Amruta Fadnavis, a trained classical singer, a social activist, a banker, and the First Lady of the state of Maharashtra, will be the lead singer along with award winning Bollywood singer Sukhwinder Singh at the Ten-City Jai Ho Musical Dhamaka this spring, performing in Ten Cities around the United States.
After mesmerizing musical lovers all across the world with his enchanting voice, Sukhwinder Singh, a top Bollywood singer, accompanied by Amruta Fadnavis, is now on yet another tour across North America.
Organized by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the proceeds from the 10-city musical tour will support some of the noble initiatives of AAPI, says Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI. “We are requesting all AAPI members, all doctors of Indian origin, all south Asians to rally and support this amazing opportunity of the 10-city musical tour to promote awareness and raise funds for supporting the many programs to address the rapidly growing problem of cardiovascular diseases in south Asians and minorities living in the United States and Lymphoma & Leukemia in India.”
Coupled with three honorable causes addressing cardiovascular disease, lymphoma and leukemia, this is truly a worthy and honorable effort that enhances AAPI’s commitment to major health issues and its strong support to eradicate them, Dr. Parikh added.
Amruta Fadnavis, married to the 18th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, is the youngest First Lady in the history of Maharashtra. Currently she serves as the Vice President – Transaction Banking with Axis Bank.
The beautiful and talented young artist has represented India at the National Prayer Breakfast – 2017, an International peace initiative presided over by US President Donald Trump. She has perfectly blended her life as a working woman and a socialite to nurture her interests and passions. She chose to have her own individuality rather than wrapped herself under the covers of first lady of Maharashtra and which is definitely an inspiration for many women today.
A major objective of this program is to bring together various local Chapters, says Dr. Parikh. National coordinators of the program, Drs. Narendra Kumar. Hemant Dhingra, Raj Bhayani. Amit Chkrabarty, Anjana Samadder, and Gautam Samaddar, as well as and the entire AAPI team and leadership enthusiastically received this idea and the net result of our collaboration and dialogue is the 10-city grand mega concert, he added.
With the whole hearted support and enthusiastic responses from senior leadership and several past Presidents and leaders and members of AAPI, this mega event across the nation is going to bring AAPI and its members closer, Dr. Parikh says. “I am sincerely grateful to Dr. Narendra Kumar, Dr. Sanku Rao, Dr. Vinod Shah, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Dr. Jayesh Shah, and Dr. Vijay Koli, all past Presidents of AAPI for their senior advisory role in making this mega event a grand success.”
Describing the process leading to the Tour, Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, recalls, “Realizing that it takes a lot of coordination and tremendous effort, we were successful in involving dozens of AAPI office-bearers of various Chapters and Executive Committee members. Each of them is committed to work hard, coordinate with the local leadership, while committing to have the funds raised would be given to AAPI, the local Chapters, and the many philanthropic endeavors organized by AAPI and its Charitable Foundation.”
The spectacular musical program combined with educational and networking opportunities for AAPI members, supporters and sponsors, is being organized with the objective of bringing CME and non-CME sponsored medical lectures, exhibits, Gala Dinner, community outreach talks and lively musical nite in each of the 10 cities across the country.
The 10 city musical and educational tour will debut on Friday, May 10th in Tampa, Fl; and will be followed by Atlanta on May 11th and in Washington DC on May 12th. Sukhvinder and his team will perform in Charlotte, NC on May 17th, in New Jersey on May 18th and in Dallas, TX on May 19th. In the final weekend, the popular artists will begin the tour in Milwaukee, WI on May 24th, in Columbus, Ohio May 25th in Columbus, Ohio; in Hollywood City, Los Angeles on May 26th; and, the grand finale will be in Fresno, CA on May 27th, 2019.
“Following the past successes of multi-city musical tours organized by AAPI, I am inspired by the concept and how such events have helped in strengthening the relationship between the AAPI Chapters and national office, in addition to help raise funds for the many noble programs for AAPI and the local Chapters” says Dr. Narendra Kumar, past President of AAPI.
Dr. Hemant Dhingra, Entertainment Chair of AAPI provided a detailed description of the planned 10-City Tour by popular Bollywood star, Sukhvinder, which is a way to raise funds for AAPI and its many local Chapters. Dr. Dhingra, who has close relationship with the Entertainment Industry, worked with Sukhwinder Singh and team to put together the mega event.
Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, Chief Strategy Adviser says,, “We are now poised to take our commitment to newer heights, the 10-City Musical Tour by world renowned Bollywood artist Sukwinder accompanied by an icon of women leadership, the first lady of Maharashtra. The presence of Ms. Amruta Fadnavis is a very well-known personality, a great singer and an amazing community leader that continues to pursue her career with her spouse being in the most powerful office in Maharashtra, is a true demonstration of great leadership and commitment for AAPI and its noble causes.”
Sukhwinder Singh, an internationally recognized Bollywood playback artist, best known for singing “Chaiyya,” for which he won the Best Male Playback Award at the 1999 Filmfare Awards, in association with composer A.R. Rahman has resulted in numerous hit songs. The list includes Chaiyya from Dil Se, Ramta Jogi, Ni Main Samajh Gayee, Taal Se Taal Mila and Nahin Samne from Taal, Ruth Aa Gayee Re, Raat Ki Daldal Hain and Yeh Jo Zindagi Hain from Earth, Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai from Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, Aayo Re Sakhi, Bhangari Morori and Piya Ho from Water, Chinnamma Chilakkamma from Meenaxi, Thok De Killi from Raavan and the most popular Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire.
The song “Jai Ho”, sung by Singh, composed by A.R. Rahman and written by Gulzar, was nominated as a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Song and won an Oscar Academy Award for Best Original Song. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media in 2010.
Amruta Fadnavis was born, as Amruta Ranade on April 9th, 1979 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, to Dr. Sharad Ranade, an Ophthalmologist and Dr. Charulata Ranade, a Gynaecologist. She grew up in a household where education and independence for women was essential. She initially studied at St. Joseph Convent School, Nagpur. She graduated from G.S. College of Commerce and Economics. Later she pursued MBA in finance and studied taxation laws from Symbiosis Law School, Pune. Along with studies she also participated in sports and an excellent sports person. She was a state level under 16 tennis player.
“Entertainment was only just one component of the entire program,” Dr. Parikh adds. “The idea is to put together mini seminars, networking and strengthening the relationship between members and the national office. “Due to popular demand from several physicians on the need for enhancing scientific component at AAPI meetings and allowing greater number of members to participate, AAPI is now organizing the 13-city programs to make it easy for physicians to participate locally avoiding extensive travel and time away from practice,” he explains.
“Many of our industry partners liked this concept where they could get prime time with a few hundred doctors in each location for product promotion/theater, non CME lectures, exhibits, booths,” Dr. Narendra Kumar, national coordinator of the event, says. “These multi-city mini-seminars are a novel concept for education and recreation that will raise funds for the local chapters of AAPI, the national AAPI and the AAPI Charitable Foundation.”
The Seminars, CMEs, and workshops will be led by accomplished faculty of leading Physicians, Industry Leaders, Cardiologists, Cardiovascular Surgeons and Psychiatrists. Each of the nine medical educational programs is expected to have an audience of 250-400 Physicians, which will be followed by an annual gala event and entertainment with an expected 2,500+ audience at each location.
Dr. Parikh promises to “make the musical tour both transparent and successful, and we hope it becomes an annual event. Many of our industry partners have also shown great interest in this concept, where they can receive prime time with a few hundred doctors for product promotion, theater, non-CME lectures, exhibits and booths. Because of this, we hope to have a significant number of national sponsors for this program.”
This extensive Musical/Educational Tour program put together by Dr. Parikh and his Team is a step towards reaching the message of AAPI across the globe and help AAPI realize its noble mission. “I am calling on all AAPI members, all doctors of Indian origin, all South Asians to rally and support an amazing opportunity of the 10-city musical tour to promote awareness and raise funds for supporting essential programs to address the rapidly growing problem of cardiovascular diseases in South Asians and minorities living in the United States and Lymphoma & Leukemia in India.” For more details on the Musical Tour and for sponsorship opportunities, please visit: http://www.aapiusa.org/ https://www.aapievents.com/
“I Have A Running War With The Media.” During a visit to CIA headquarters, President Donald Trump said he has “a running war with the media” and called reporters “among the most dishonest human beings on earth.”
President Donald Trump and his administration are engaged in an unprecedented war on the press, which began during his presidential campaign and continued into thetransitionperiod. Trump and his administration’s continued attacks on the press pose a distinct threat to our First Amendment freedoms, and we as journalists, who are the guardians of people’s freedom, are concerned about Trump’s rhetoric and its consequences on the freedom of the press and the safety of the lives of the media personnel at all.
The New York Times noted that Trump “unleash[ed] a remarkably bitter attack on the news media, falsely accusing journalists of both inventing a rift between him and intelligence agencies and deliberately understating the size of his inauguration crowd.” Trump accused the media of lying and claimed, “I think they’re going to pay a big price.”
The then Press Secretary Sean Spicer falsely claimed that the Media “Engaged In Deliberately False Reporting” on inauguration crowd size. In his first official statement from the White House press briefing room on January 21, 2017, White House press secretary Sean Spicer claimed that “some members of the media were engaged in deliberately false reporting.” He also falsely claimed that media reported “inaccurate numbers involving crowd size” at the inauguration and falsely claimed, “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration — period.” Spicer added, “We’re going to hold the press accountable.”
The war with the media started the day Donald Trump was inaugurated as the President of the great nation, the United States. When inaccurate stories from the right wing media about accuracies around Trump’s claim that he would won the popular vote by millions if only the “illegal immigrants” were stopped from voting, Trump falsely claimed that the author of a Pew report on voter registration inaccuracies provided evidence of voter fraud. When Pew fact-checked the president, saying that the Pew Research said “they found no evidence of voter fraud,” Trump claimed the Pew author was “groveling again” and added “I always talk about the reporters that grovel when they write something that you want to hear but not necessarily millions of people want to hear, or have to hear.”
The New York Times reported that Stephen Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, attacked the entire mainstream media as “the opposition party” in an interview. Bannon lambasted the media’s “humiliating defeat” in incorrectly predicting Trump would lose the election and demanded that media should “keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while.”
On Fox & Friends, Kelly Conway, a chief media strategist at the Trump White House, suggested that “it’s dangerous to the democracy and for those around the world watching what we do and how this president is covered in his early days” for the press to call out Trump’s lies. Conway was suggesting that the American media close their eyes and ears to the lies of Trump day and in day out.
That poses me to the nest question. How many lies has Trump said since his inauguration? The Washington Post wrote recently; “Two years after taking the oath of office, President Trump has made 8,158 false or misleading claims, according to The Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. That includes an astonishing 6,000-plus such claims in the president’s second year. Put another way: The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. But he hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year, almost triple the pace.”
The leading daily reported that in the first 100 days, the president made 492 unsupported claims. He managed to top that number just in the first three weeks of 2019. In October, as he was barnstorming the country in advance of the midterm elections, he made more than 1,200 false or misleading claims.
That brings us to our next question: How many times Trump has called the media and their reporting as “fake news?” President Donald Trump often dismisses news stories or media outlets that he doesn’t like as “fake news.” How often? A database of his public remarks contains 320 references in his first year in office to “fake news.” There are times, when he has labeled accurate news reporting as “fake news” or spread false information himself, while at the same time accusing the media of being “fake” or “dishonest.”
Recently, Trump even took credit for inventing the term. “Look, the media is fake,” Trump said in an interview with conservative pundit and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. “The media is — really, the word, I think one of the greatest of all terms I’ve come up with — is fake. I guess other people have used it perhaps over the years, but I’ve never noticed it.”
On his first full day in office, Trump visited the CIA and said of journalists: “They are among the most dishonest human beings on Earth. And they sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community. And I just want to let you know, the reason you’re the number-one stop is exactly the opposite — exactly.”
Since the beginning of 2017, President Trump has invoked the phrase “fake news” hundreds of separate occasions. Virtually every instance has been in response to critical news coverage of himself.
Trump has used it when he felt he wasn’t getting enough credit for positive actions, such as helping Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria. “We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates,” he said on Twitter.
He’s used the term after news channels simply reported what he said, such as his comments about white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va. “The only people giving a platform to these hate groups is the media itself, and the fake news,” Trump said at a campaign-style rally in Phoenix.
And he’s used the term repeated when news organizations have covered basic facts about the government’s own investigations into Russia’s influence on the 2016 election. “It is the same Fake News Media that said there is ‘no path to victory for Trump’ that is now pushing the phony Russia story. A total scam!” Trump said on Twitter.
Most often, PolitiFact found, his targets have been CNN, and NBC (19 mentions), followed by the New York Times and the Washington Post . It has been found that only one news outlet that had been singled out for praise during his discussions of fake news: Fox News.
Trump is particularly quick to label coverage “fake news” when the reports have unnamed sources, and unnamed sources seem to make Trump the most irate.
In tweet on August 5th, 2018, Trum wrote: “The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it’s TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!”
There have been calls for the media to boycott Trump. When a sitting President does not want to trust the media, calling it fake, just because the media is reporting accurately and showing to the world his blatant lies, why should a responsible media report on someone, who calls truth as “fake.”
In recent calls for boycott of Trump have been intensifying. Critiques of such calls can’t imagine being able to do their jobs without sitting in a White House Press Room and watching Sarah Huckabee Sanders act put out that people don’t like being lied to for an hour. “The White House is a lousy source of information about itself, but it is also the best available source,” New Yorker writer Masha Gessen argued. “It would mean walking away from politics altogether, which, for journalists, would be an abdication of responsibility.”
Reporters could stage a group protest. But that would make them look like they’re at war with the president, just as he always says they are. Or they could do nothing and effectively “submit to his authority to determine who gets to hold him accountable,” as the former Republican presidential strategist Steve Schmidt put it.
However, the fact remains, the White House press briefings exist not to share any valuable information, but to share disinformation. Sanders rarely tells the truth, and when she does, it’s either accidental or mundane information with no real news value. Trump himself lies even more, and often just for the hell of it — perhaps to make the point that he can lie about obvious things and still not lose power.
Anita Dunn, a Democratic strategist and former White House adviser to Mr. Obama, saya: “That puts them in the middle of the story. The more they personalize this, the more it becomes a fight between the press and the president, as opposed to the press doing its job,” she added. “When they are covering the story, as opposed to being the story, they’re on firmer ground.”
It’s time to boycott a President who is anti- truth, anti-press, anti-civility, ant-diversity, anti-inclusiveness, anti-immigration, anti-scientific research; anti-ecology; anti-justice sytem…..The hateful rhetoric spewed forth from Donald Trump gets too much free airtime by the mainstream media. That needs to stop. He must be starved of free publicity and his rhetoric and false claims need to be ignored by the mainstream media and the general public.
“My journey with Create Foundation began with my first ever show “Mahatma – Come find the Gandhi in you”. I performed in front of a huge audience at The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai as a lead dancer for the Show, and from then on there was no stopping me,” says a former student at CREATE Foundation. “Under the Create program, I have grown in self-confidence, grooming, and communication. Create Foundation feels like my second home. I got an opportunity to perform on stage in front of such an elite audience, my own personal green room, my first character role and a chance to meet so many amazing people and actors. I made tons of friends and so many memories.
“People stop me in the street and ask me “Weren’t you the lead dancer in that show?” When such incidents happen, I feel like I’m living the life of a star, not a life of a child from a low income house and of a backward class.
“I still can’t believe I’m in Gujarat for “Roots of Dancing- Season 3” and that too on a scholarship. I want to thank the entire team of Create Foundation and Raёll Padamsee for giving me this opportunity to prove myself.”
The above testimony by a former student at CREATE Foundation summarizes in a nutshell what this Foundation stands for. CREATE foundation was established in loving memory of theatre veteran Pearl Padamsee, as a Charitable Trust in 2002 with the objective of addressing the needs of local communities from mid to low economic sector for soft skill education and empowerment providing them the platform to enhance their communication and soft skills. This improves their chances of employability resulting in a higher salary scale.
PEARL PADAMSEE was a bundle of energy. She was witty without being sarcastic, solemn without being sombre, and human without being preachy and moralistic. If she was not profound, she was not frivolous either. There was no malice, no rancour in her. She was real, despite spending almost all her life in the absurdly unreal.
Many of us who take these opportunities for granted because of our family of origin, where we have been blessed with opportunities to develop the talents and potential, millions of children in India, who are born in poor families lacking resources, care and time to develop such talents. “Going to school daily is a dream for many. And joining an acting school a school for developing skills in leadership, communications, team work, self confidence and self esteem is beyond the reach of hundreds of milli0ns of children. Their talents and skills stay and die with them, because they cannot afford and there is no one to encourage them and giving them an opportunity to develop them.
Raёll Padamsee, Pearl’s daughter was instrumental in founding the CREATE Foundation. Raëll a vibrant, versatile, dynamic, well-known theatre personality. She says “We want to make learning come alive. One of the ways we do this is through this Foundation.”
CREATE foundation works with children and youth from this sector, who strongly desire to achieve their dreams and live an empowered life with dignity and respect. CREATE Foundation provides various creative platforms for self development and life skills. It aims to “CREATE a world that holds equal opportunity for all irrespective of backgrounds and disadvantages. The children go through extensive rehearsals and are trained by the best in the business of creative expertise, be it singing, dancing or acting and are given an equal opportunity to perform. This strengthens their talent providing tremendous exposure and boosts their overall personality and confidence.”
CREATE aims to create a more equal society which is actually great as this foundation is giving opportunity to every child and helping in bringing out their talents – Priti Sonar, 16 years, Salam Bombay. Providing an inclusive world where every child irrespective of their challenges and economic background has access to equal opportunity to become productive members of society, the Foundation provides opportunities to To empower and educate children from marginalized backgrounds with leadership, teamwork, self-confidence and communication skills through the medium of drama and the creative arts.
Sabira Merchant, a Trustee at the Foundation, is India’s finest etiquette trainer. She specializes in transforming youth into savvy personalities. She says “Teaching manners & soft skills to teenagers gives them the extra edge to excel at interviews and lands them better jobs to function and succeed as adults.”
Raёll says, the result s of their programs are seen in an impressive impact study conducted by Sattva Consultancy Pvt Ltd depicting the improvements before and after the CREATE program. This was conducted with all the stakeholders comprising of children, parents, non-profits and staff.
Where to name a few categories:
Their confidence increased by 57%
Discipline increased by 23%
Team Work increased by 49%
Creative Thinking increased by 40% and
Leadership qualities increased by 49%
CREATE Foundation is urging all those who are committed to make a difference in the lives of poor and marginalized children by: Volunteer – By giving your time to the CREATE Foundation; Donate – By Cheque in favour of Create Foundation – For Wire Transfer & Foreign contributions – please log on to https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/soft-skill-training-for-450-children-for-a-year/ where you get various options to sponsor – The education of a classroom of 30 students or 60 students, As The Create Foundation is a partner at Global Giving, donors who donate are eligible for US(501 (c ) 3 and UK tax benefits (Gift aid) and Spread the word – Refer a friend to contribute to the CREATE foundation.
(Chicago, February 25th, 2019) While much progress has been made to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women, the fact remains that millions of women in India and around the world are deprived of their basic rights like education, forced into marriage early on, not allowed to work, and are denied their voices and rightful places in the society. India tops the list of countries that are said to have highest mortality rates during delivery and even the highest number of non-school going girls. Nearly a quarter of total number of girls born in India don’t even live to see their 15th birthday.
There is a need to empower women, working towards women’s education, gender equality, giving them respect and honor them for their contributions and achievements. There is an urgent need to work on bringing awareness in the society about the need for gender equality and equal opportunity in terms of education, healthcare and equal wages for women. It requires immense amount of dedication and reforms in the education and healthcare systems that need to be implemented as well as monitored consistently.
It’s in this context, AAPI continues its focus on women’s education, especially in rural India. A major theme and focus of the 13th annual Global Healthcare Summit to be held from July 21st -24th 2019, Hyderabad, India, organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in collaboration with Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), will be on Women’s Health,” declared Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect and Chairman of the GHS 2019.
A team of physicians, consisting of women leaders of AAPI, including Drs. Sangeeta Agrawal; Uma Jonnalagadda; Saumya Neravelta; Stella Gandhi; Kusum Punjabi; Radhika Chimats; Swati Yalamnchi; Pooja Kinkhabawala; Dr. Meher Medavaram; and, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula will lead the sessions on Women’s Healthcare Needs. In addition, a day-long session on Rural Health Education will be held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Hyderabad on July 22nd.
The much awaited Women’s Forum at the GHS will be led by a panel consisting of inspiring women leaders who have been in the forefront, and have shown resiliency, confidence, leadership, determination, and dedication, and have withered all obstacles in life, and have become women leaders, and are recognized to be an inspiration to all.
Dr. Jagan Ailineni, past President of AAPI says, “With the objective of better understand the health care challenges in rural India and have a direct experience of rural healthcare needs, AAPI delegates will travel to Burgula village in Ranga Reddy district in the state of Telengana on July 24th.” They will have a fist hand experience of ADOPT A VILLAGE project in this village, initiated by Dr. Jagan Ailineni and Dr. Alok Agrawal.
The AAPI delegates will visit and interact with the participants and the beneficiaries of the Project in this village and get to know the impact of the many projects undertaken in this villages, especially, Kashi Reddy Guda Primary School, Swacch Pathashala Award in Telangana, Water Plant, Toilets, Mahila Mandal building, Pragathi Bhavan, Zilla Parishad High School and Primary school in Burgula. They will also visit the Primary Health Center, Burgula; Pragathi Rural Development Center, Burgula.
Delegates also will visit the Sneha Program where Menstrual Hygiene Program with distribution of Sanitary Napkins are given away to needy women. Challenges in Rural Health Care in India with Hand-outs & Brochures prepared by Dr. Alok & Sangeeta Agrawal will be handed out on July 22.
There will be a Hands on CPR in two locations simultaneously on the same day at the High School by GMCGA Alumni; and, at the Pragathi Rural Development Center by GMCGA. The CPR trainings will be provided to Anganwadi and Asha workers, who are women leaders in the local community.
According to Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary of AAPI, “The trainings are aimed at decreasing the number of deaths, especially from road accidents by enabling the first responders to provide life support to victims of accidents. The training, which includes CPI and other medical services are being provided by professional trainers from the US and is offered to personnel. In collaboration with the American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine, and the American Heart Association, AAPI is organizing the workshop/training (EMTC) trainings for first responders, as part of the GHS 2019.”
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice-President of AAPI, says, “The growing clout of the physicians of Indian origin in the United States is seen everywhere as several physicians of Indian origin hold critical positions in the healthcare, academic, research and administrative positions across the nation. Indian doctors have carved a comfortable niche in the American medical community and have earned a name for themselves with their hard work, dedication, compassion, and amazing skills and talents.”
Representing the voice of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, have been strategically engaged in working with the Union and State Governments of India for the past dozen years.
“We collaborate with more than 35 professional medical associations, pharmaceutical and medical device companies to address the health care challenges of a rapidly developing India. It is the passion, willingness and staunch loyalty towards the former motherland that draws several AAPI members to join this effort & by working with experts in India, AAPI is able to bring solutions that are India centric & takes us closer to our lofty vision of making quality healthcare affordable & accessible to all people of India,” said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of India.
“With the changing trends in healthcare both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision. AAPI would like to make a positive impact on the healthcare delivery system both in the US and in India,” Dr. Suresh Reddy said. For more information on Global Health Summit 2019, please visit www.aapiusa.org
(Chicago, IL. — Feb 25th, 2019) “American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI), wants to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the United States Administration, the Lawmakers and the public, who have overwhelmingly expressed their deep concerns of the ongoing terrorist activities, particularly the most recent heinous terrorist attack on CRPF personnel in Kashmir today,” said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI in a statement here.
A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in. At least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawans were killed and dozens of others injured in a blast in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, February 14th. The blast was triggered by militants who had targetted vehicles carrying the CRPF Jawans in the north Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “Attack on the CRPF personnel in Kashmir is despicable. We at AAPI strongly condemn this dastardly attack. Sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. We strongly urge all members of the international community to support India’s efforts to root out terrorism.”
Almost all major countries from all the continents, including the European, African, Asian and Australian countries have strongly condemned the attack. “The United States condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack by a Pakistan-based terrorist group that killed over 40 Indian paramilitary forces and wounded at least 44 others,” the White House said. Expressing “deep condolences” to the victims’ families, the Indian government, and the Indian people for the loss of life, the White House hauled up Pakistan.
“The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region. This attack only strengthens our resolve to bolster counterterrorism cooperation and coordination between the United States and India,” the Trump administration asserted.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee (@HouseForeign) tweeted the response of its Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel, D-NY, saying, “I strongly condemn the terrorist attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir state today and send my condolences to the families of the victims. Countries must not allow terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed to operate with impunity. #kashmirterrorattack.” Numerous other members of Congress from both parties, took to social media expressing unequivocal condemnation. Democratic Party leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. John Cornyn, Republican co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu woman to be in the U.S. Congress, were among the dozens of others who have condemned the deadliest terror attack by a radical Islamist terrorist group.
“This latest attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed is sadly another example of how Pakistan’s intelligence services continue to sponsor terrorist incursions into India,” said Dr. Ajeet Kothari, Chair, Board of Trustees. “While it’s heartening to see that a wide swath of the international community is unequivocally condemning the attack, such statements of solidarity must be backed up by actions which help bring to an end the ability of such terrorist groups to kill with impunity and destabilize the region.”
“My thoughts are with the families of the victims of heinous terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir last week. I send my deepest condolences to the soldiers injured and killed in this senseless attack, to their families, and to India,” said Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice-President of AAPI, said.
“Want to express our sincere gratitude for the outpouring of the support from across the world at this hour of deep sadness,” Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary of AAPI said. “This incident has undoubtedly strengthened our resolve. The Indian nation owes the deep condolence and sympathies to the families of the fallen soldiers as we sincerely appreciate and recognize how greatly indebted, we are for the unstinting and ultimate sacrifice that they made for India and its people.”
Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer of AAPI, said, “AAPI members from across the nation salute martyred soldiers and we all stand united with families of martyrs. We pray for speedy recovery of the injured. Terrorists will be given unforgettable lesson for their heinous act.”
While thanking the members of India’s armed forces who brave hostile conditions on the Indo-Pak borrder, protecting the nation from acts of terrorism and enemy attacks, Dr. Parikh said, “The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire AAPI family is united with them and their families in this hour of need. I want to convey our deepest condolences to the families of our martyrs.” While describing terrorism to be a cancer in the society, Dr. Parikh called on the international community to come together, to make collective efforts to root it out.
Dr. Parikh praised the US government for calling on “Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence and terror in the region. This attack only strengthens our resolve to bolster counter-terrorism cooperation and coordination between the US and India.” For More Details, Please Visit: http://www.aapiusa.org
The terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 44 soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force, has been roundly condemned by world leaders across the globe. From the White House to Congress, to state level lawmakers, activists and non-governmental organizations in the United States, took to social media to express their condemnation. Almost all major countries from all the continents, including the European, African, Asian and Australian countries have strongly condemned the attack.
The incident took place at Lethpora, about 20 miles from Srinagar on the Jammu-Srinagar highway around 3.15 pm on February 14th. Jammu and Kashmir police spokesperson has confirmed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. The explosion was followed by gunshots aimed at the security forces in Pulwama district of the state.
India’s prime minister warned Friday of a “crushing response” to the suicide bombing of a paramilitary convoy in Indian-controlled Kashmir, an attack killed 44 and is now the deadliest in the kashmir region’s volatile history.
“The United States condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack by a Pakistan-based terrorist group that killed over 40 Indian paramilitary forces and wounded at least 44 others,” the White House said. Expressing “deep condolences” to the victims’ families, the Indian government, and the Indian people for the loss of life, the White House hauled up Pakistan.
“The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region. This attack only strengthens our resolve to bolster counterterrorism cooperation and coordination between the United States and India,” the Trump administration asserted.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee (@HouseForeign) tweeted the response of its Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel, D-NY, saying, “I strongly condemn the terrorist attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir state today and send my condolences to the families of the victims. Countries must not allow terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed to operate with impunity. #kashmirterrorattack”
Numerous other members of Congress from both parties, took to social media expressing unequivocal condemnation. “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Kashmir. The United States stands with our friends in India, and I send heartfelt condolences to the families that lost loved ones,” Democratic Party leader Chuck Schumer said.
Sen. John Cornyn, Republican co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, called it the “deadliest attack in 30 years” by “a radical Islamist terrorist group,” adding, “I send my deepest condolences to the soldiers injured and killed in this senseless attack, to their families, and to India, a critical ally in the global war on terror.”
“The United States stands with our Indian allies against those behind this heinous act of terrorism,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, co-chair of the Senate India Caucus.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu woman to be in the U.S. Congress who is running for the 2020 presidential race, said, “We stand with the people of India in condemning the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir, and send our condolences and prayers to the victims families. We must all stand up against these jihadists and their ideology.”
Indian-American lawmakers on Capitol Hill also condemned the attack. Rep. Ami Bera, D-California, tweeted, “My thoughts are with the victims and their families today. America stands with the Indian people and strongly condemns this senseless violence.”
“I condemn the terrorist attack in Pulwama in the strongest terms, and I send my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this attack and all those touched by it. We must all stand united against terrorism,” tweeted Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois.
“Heartbreaking. My thoughts are with the families of the victims of heinous terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir today. We must confront terror and defeat it, wherever it occurs. #KashmirTerrorAttack,” tweeted Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington. The tweet was retweeted by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California.
Ohio State Rep. Niraj Antani, a Republican running for the state Senate, made a strong statement on the Kashmir attack, tweeting, “Forty soldiers in India were killed during a terrorist attack by the self proclaimed “Army of Muhammad.” Radical Islamic terror is a global threat to democracy, freedom, & the American way of life. The United States must stand with India to combat terror.”
“I strongly condemn this cowardly terrorist attack which targeted Indian soldiers in Kashmir. My thoughts and prayers to the families of the soldiers,”New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, said in a tweet.
Non-profit Indian-American organizations also came forward. The Hindu American Foundation released a statement from its Managing Director Samir Kalra, saying, ”
“This latest attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed is sadly another example of how Pakistan’s intelligence services continue to sponsor terrorist incursions into India. While it’s heartening to see that a wide swath of the international community is unequivocally condemning the attack, such statements of solidarity must be backed up by actions which help bring to an end the ability of such terrorist groups to kill with impunity and destabilize the region.”
Jeff M. Smith, an expert on South Asia, at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, tweeted, “It’s LONG past time for Pakistan’s establishment to root out these fanatic groups, many of which operate in the open and with the support of elements of the Pakistani state. It’s unacceptable. And it’s outrageous the world didn’t draw a collective red line on this a long time ago.”
“American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI), the premiere ethnic medical organization in the United States, condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack on CRPF personnel in Kashmir today,” said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI in a statement here.
While thanking the members of India’s armed forces who brave hostile conditions on the Indo-Pak borrder, protecting the nation from acts of terrorism and enemy attacks, Dr. Parikh said, “The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire AAPI family is united with them and their families in this hour of need. I want to convey our deepest condolences to the families of our martyrs.” While describing terrorism to be a cancer in the society, Dr. Parikh called on the international community to come together, to make collective efforts to root it out.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “Attack on the CRPF personnel in Kashmir is despicable. We at AAPI strongly condemn this dastardly attack. Sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. We strongly urge all members of the international community to support India’s efforts to root out terrorism.”
The Indian American Muslim Council condemned in the strongest terms the dastardly act of terror in Kashmir that has claimed the lives of 40 personnel from India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The brave CRPF personnel who laid down their lives reflected the diversity of India united in their ultimate sacrifice for the nation. IAMC called for a thorough investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice. IAMC also demands that swift action be taken against the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed that has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Indian Overseas Congress, USA, condemned the dastardly acts of terrorism perpetrated in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district by Jaish-e-Mohammed Group operating from Pakistani base. Harbachan Singh, Secretary- General of IOC, USA called on Pakistan to immediately stop providing “safe haven” to these operatives and cease giving them any support. He added that this incident has undoubtedly strengthened our resolve. India will take aggressive, decisive and forceful action to rid this menace at its borders. The Indian nation owes the deep condolence and sympathies to the families of the fallen soldiers as we sincerely appreciate and recognize how greatly indebted, we are for the unstinting and ultimate sacrifice that they made for India and its people.
(Chicago, IL. February 12, 2019) “Among the many other initiatives, a major theme and focus of the 13th annual Global Healthcare Summit to be held from July 21st -24th 2019, Hyderabad, India, organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in collaboration with Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), will be the much needed CPR Training,” declared Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect and Chairman of the GHS 2019.
Dr. Reddy will assume charge as the new president during AAPI’s annual convention in Atlanta over the July 4th weekend. He says that the GHS 2019 will focus on preventive health, targeting rural health, women’s health, and provide special CPR training, that will equip First Responders to help save lives.
“It is the passion, willingness and staunch loyalty towards the former motherland that draws several AAPI members to join this effort & by working with experts in India, AAPI is able to bring solutions that are India centric & takes us closer to our lofty vision of making quality healthcare affordable & accessible to all people of India,” says Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI.
With more than 1.2 billion people, India is estimated to account for 60 per cent of patients with heart diseases. According to the World Health Organization, heart related disorders kills almost 20 million people annually, and they are exceptionally prevalent in the sub-Indian continent. Half of all heart attacks in this population occur under the age of 50 years and 25 percent under the age of 40. It is estimated that India is estimated to have over 1.6 million strokes per year, resulting in disabilities on one third of them. Although there is some level of awareness regarding smoking, dietary habits and diabetes, somehow there is no massive intervention on a national level either by the government or by the physicians.
While coronary artery disease (CAD) tends to occur earlier in life and in a higher percentage of the population in Asian Indians than in other ethnic groups, it has been found that American Southeast Asian Indians typically develop a heart attack 10 years earlier than other populations. Studies also have found that heart disease among Indians is more severe, diffuse, and more likely to be multi-vessel compared to whites despite their younger age, smoking less, and lower rates of hypertension.
India has one of the highest accident rates leading to trauma and head injury. AAPI, in collaboration with leading healthcare institutions in India and the Indian Ministry of Health has embarked on a long-term project to create awareness on the need to prevent, treat, and provide special care and rehab services to those involved in accidents.
“In this context, AAPI’s initiative to educate and prevent deaths by accidents and chronic heart problems is very significant,” says Dr. Sanku Rao Chief Advisor of the GHS 2019. To be presented by leading global healthcare leaders and professionals, the day-long Advanced Resuscitation (Post-Cardiac Arrest) Workshop in collaboration with The Chicago Medical Society will be held at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India on July 22, 2019, Dr. Rao adds.
Dr. Dwarkanatha Reddy, Convener of says, “AAPI has been in the forefront in addressing the accidental deaths, by collaborating with the American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine, and the American Heart Association, with workshop/training (EMTC) trainings to hundreds of first responders, including police, para-medical professional at every GHS in recent years.”
The trainings are aimed at decreasing the number of deaths, especially from road accidents by enabling the first responders to provide life support to victims of accidents. The training, which includes CPI and other medical services are being provided by professional trainers from the US and is being offered to personnel from Police, Traffic Police, and other healthcare professionals from the state.
Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy, MD, MS, FAHA, FICS, Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA, and a team including, Dr. Radhika Chimata, Dr. Srinivas Ramaka, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, and Dr. K. Manohar will be the lead speakers.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, MD, is a Faculty Co-Chair, Pediatric Anesthesiologist, is based in San Antonio, Texas. She currently serves as the Secretary, AAPI & Member, AAPI Global CPR Ad-Hoc Committee. Dr. Ashima Sharma, MD, DA, is the Coordinator at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, and serves as the Head, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nizam’sInstitute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Dr. Murthy says, “The AAPI Resuscitation Workshop 2019 is designed, incorporating the basic and advanced Resuscitation Science (Post-Cardiac Arrest) information including global 2018 updates. The workshop focuses on Indian resuscitation projects to enhance outcomes after sudden cardiac arrests.”
According to Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, the workshop will be an effective way “To share information about recent global advances in Adult and Pediatric Resuscitation; and, to share information about the role of simulation technology in resuscitation training (includes a simulation session).”
The workshop is eligible for AMA PRA Cat. 1 CME Credit for 4.5 Hours (for US Physician Registrants): To be approved by the Chicago Medical Society, Chicago, Illinois, USA. All program registrants will receive Resuscitation Workshop Attendance Certificates from AAPI. Registration is open on a first-come first-served basis. No admittance to the workshop without registration. No on-site registration.
In addition to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, there will be day long concurrent CPR Trainings at the Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan and Indian Police Academy from 8 am to 1 pm on July 22nd.
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President of AAPI, says, “The growing clout of the physicians of Indian origin in the United States is seen everywhere as several physicians of Indian origin hold critical positions in the healthcare, academic, research and administrative positions across the nation. Indian doctors have carved a comfortable niche in the American medical community and have earned a name for themselves with their hard work, dedication, compassion, and amazing skills and talents.”
Representing the voice of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, AAPI, the largest ethnic organization of physicians, has been strategically engaged in working with the Union and State Governments of India for the past ten years and has collaborated with more than 35 professional medical associations, pharmaceutical and medical device companies to address the health care challenges of a rapidly developing India.
“With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision, AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare delivery system both in the US and in India,” Dr. Suresh Reddy said. For more information on Global Health Summit 2019, please visit www.aapiusa.org
(Chicago, IL. February 4, 2019) After mesmerizing musical lovers all across the world with his enchanting voice, Sukhwinder Singh, a top Bollywood singer, accompanied by the first lady of Maharashtra, Ms. Amruta Fadnavis, is now on AAPI’s Nine-City Jai Ho Musical Dhamaka this spring, performing in Nine Cities around the United States.
Organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI), the spectacular musical program combined with educational and networking opportunities for AAPI members, supporters and sponsors, is being organized with the objective of bringing CME and non-CME sponsored medical lectures, exhibits, Gala Dinner, community outreach talks and lively musical nite in each of the 9 cities across the country.
“Following the past successes of multi-city musical tours organized by AAPI, I am inspired by the concept and how such events have helped in strengthening the relationship between the AAPI Chapters and national office, in addition to help raise funds for the many noble programs for AAPI and the local Chapters” says Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI.
Dr. Hemant Dhingra, Entertainment Chair of AAPI provided a detailed description of the planned 9-City Tour by popular Bollywood star, Sukhvinder, which is a way to raise funds for AAPI and its many local Chapters. Dr. Dhingra, who has close relationship with the Entertainment Industry, worked with Sukhwinder Singh and team to put together the mega event.
The 9 city musical and educational tour is being launched on Friday, May 10 Columbus, Ohio and will be followed by Atlanta on May 11th and in Washington DC on May 12th. Sukhvinder and his team will perform in Charlotte, NC on May 17th, in New Jersey on May 18th and in Dallas, TX on May 19th. In the final weekend, the popular artist will begin his tour in Milwaukee, WI on May 24th, in San Jose, CA on May 25th and the grand finale will be in Hollywood City, Los Angeles on May 26th.
“A major objective of this program is to bring together various local Chapters, says Dr. Parikh. “National coordinators of the program, Drs. Narendra Kumar. Hemant Dhingra, Raj Bhayani. Amit Chkrabarty, Anjana Samadder, and Gautam Samaddar, as well as and the entire AAPI team and leadership enthusiastically received this idea and the net result of our collaboration and dialogue is the 9-city grand mega concert.”
Senior leadership and several past Presidents and leaders of AAPI have extended their whole-hearted support in organizing this mega event across the nation, Dr. Parikh says. “I am sincerely grateful to Dr. Narendra Kumar, Dr. Sanku Rao, Dr. Vinod Shah, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Dr. Jayesh Shah, Dr. Vijay Koli, Mr. Anwar Feroz Siddiqi and all past Presidents of AAPI for their senior advisory role in making this mega event a grand success.”
Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, Chief Strategy Adviser says, “We are now poised to take our commitment to newer heights, the 9 City Musical Tour by world renowned Bollywood artist Sukwinder accompanied by an icon of women leadership, the first lady of Maharashtra, Ms. Amruta Fadnavis, a very well know personality, a great singer and amazing community leader that continues to pursue her career with her spouse being in the most powerful office in Maharashtra, a true demonstration of great leadership.” Coupled with three honorable causes addressing cardiovascular disease, lymphoma and leukemia, this is truly a worthy and honorable effort that enhances AAPI’s commitment to major health issues and its strong support to eradicate them.
“Entertainment was only just one component of the entire program,” Dr. Parikh adds. “The idea is to put together mini seminars, networking and strengthening the relationship between members and the national office. “Due to popular demand from several physicians on the need for enhancing scientific component at AAPI meetings and allowing greater number of members to participate, AAPI is now organizing the 13-city programs to make it easy for physicians to participate locally avoiding extensive travel and time away from practice,” he explains.
“Many of our industry partners liked this concept where they could get prime time with a few hundred doctors in each location for product promotion/theater, non CME lectures, exhibits, booths,” Dr. Narendra Kumar, national coordinator of the event, says. “These multi-city mini-seminars are a novel concept for education and recreation that will raise funds for the local chapters of AAPI, the national AAPI and the AAPI Charitable Foundation.”
Describing the process leading to the Tour, Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, recalls, “Realizing that it takes a lot of coordination and tremendous effort, we were successful in involving dozens of AAPI office-bearers of various Chapters and Executive Committee members. Each of them is committed to work hard, coordinate with the local leadership, while committing to have the funds raised would be given to AAPI, the local Chapters, and the many philanthropic endeavors organized by AAPI and its Charitable Foundation.”
AAPI has established itself as the most successful and premiere ethnic medical organization in the United States. AAPI-Charitable Foundation, the crest jewel of AAPI, is committed to serve the poorest of the poor in remote areas of India and USA.
Since 1992, the Foundation has been providing an infrastructure support system for needy patients in India with two main goals: enabling AAPI members to commit their time and resources to support the clinics for the indigent; and to monitor effectively the clinics’ progress and be accountable for the overall success of the project.
The Seminars, CMEs, and workshops will be led by accomplished faculty of leading Physicians, Industry Leaders, Cardiologists, Cardiovascular Surgeons and Psychiatrists. Each of the nine medical educational programs is expected to have an audience of 250-400 Physicians, which will be followed by an annual gala event and entertainment with an expected 2,500+ audience at each location.
Sukhwinder Singh, an internationally recognized Bollywood playback artist, best known for singing “Chaiyya,” for which he won the Best Male Playback Award at the 1999 Filmfare Awards, in association with composer A.R. Rahman has resulted in numerous hit songs. The list includes Chaiyya from Dil Se, Ramta Jogi, Ni Main Samajh Gayee, Taal Se Taal Mila and Nahin Samne from Taal, Ruth Aa Gayee Re, Raat Ki Daldal Hain and Yeh Jo Zindagi Hain from Earth, Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai from Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, Aayo Re Sakhi, Bhangari Morori and Piya Ho from Water, Chinnamma Chilakkamma from Meenaxi, Thok De Killi from Raavan and the most popular Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire.
The song “Jai Ho”, sung by Singh, composed by A.R. Rahman and written by Gulzar, was nominated as a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Song and won an Oscar Academy Award for Best Original Song. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media in 2010.
Proceeds from the 9-city tour will support some of the noble initiatives of AAPI, says, Dr. Parikh. “We are requesting all AAPI members, all doctors of Indian origin, all south Asians to rally and support this amazing opportunity of the 9-city musical tour to promote awareness and raise funds for supporting programs to address the rapidly growing problem of cardiovascular diseases in south Asians and minorities living in the United States and Lymphoma & Leukemia in India.’
Ms. Amruta Fadnavis was born, as Amruta Ranade on 9 April 1979 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, to Dr. Sharad Ranade, an Ophthalmologist and Dr. Charulata Ranade, a Gynaecologist. She grew up in a household where education and independence for women was essential. She initially studied at St. Joseph Convent School, Nagpur. She graduated from G.S. College of Commerce and Economics. Later she pursued MBA in finance and studied taxation laws from Symbiosis Law School, Pune. Along with studies she also participated in sports and an excellent sports person. She was a state level under 16 tennis player.
Dr. Parikh promises to “make this event both transparent and successful, and we hope it becomes an annual event. Many of our industry partners have also shown great interest in this concept, where they can receive prime time with a few hundred doctors for product promotion, theater, non-CME lectures, exhibits and booths. Because of this, we hope to have a significant number of national sponsors for this program.”
This extensive Musical/Educational Tour program put together by Dr. Parikh and his Team is a step towards reaching the message of AAPI across the globe and help AAPI realize its noble mission. “I am calling on all AAPI members, all doctors of Indian origin, all South Asians to rally and support an amazing opportunity of the 9-city musical tour to promote awareness and raise funds for supporting essential programs to address the rapidly growing problem of cardiovascular diseases in South Asians and minorities living in the United States and Lymphoma & Leukemia in India.” For more details on the Musical Tour and for sponsorship opportunities, please visit: http://www.aapiusa.org/ https://www.aapievents.com/
Kiran Patel, chairman of Tampa, Fla.-based Freedom Health and a pioneering Cardiologist, was accorded the highest national honor given to any person of Indian origin living outside of India, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019.Dr. Patel received the award from the Indian President Ram Nath Kovind at the 15thPravasi Bharatiya Divas in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, which concluded last week.
The other three chosen fro the award from the US included, IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath, Illinois-based scientist Chandra Shekhar Mishra and Michigan resident Gitesh Jayantilal Desai. Besides the four Indian Americans, 24 other prominent personalities from the Indian diaspora worldwide received the awards.
Dr. Patel has generously contributed his fortune for several noble causes in India, his country of origin, the United States, his adopted country, and Zambia, the country of his birth. Dr. Patel is also the Chairman and President of Optimum Healthcare, Inc.
All philanthropic campaigns, contributions and projects have resulted from his passion for health, education and charity. That’s why he has also commissioned Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Global University, a 120-acre institute under construction in India.
Sharing his own experiences of investing in the state of Gujarat and in the United States, Dr. Patel, said, with the state requiring more trained personnel to support the growing needs, he is willing to establish a Medical College in Rajasthan.
Dr. Patel, a very soft spoken physician of Indian origin, said the projects combine his passions for health education and charity. In his first venture in running a university, he hopes to fulfill a need for competent doctors in the area while also educating generations of physicians who can serve in underprivileged areas across the globe.
Dr. Patel had purchased the former Clearwater Christian College property with a goal of developing an osteopathic medical school in his home-state, Florida. The Indian American physician closed on the $12 million purchase of the 25-acre campus overlooking Old Tampa Bay at the west end of the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
In 2014, Patel broke ground on the $175 million, 448-room Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach resort, creating a successful and modern hospitality business.
In July, the city of Clearwater purchased the 111 acres of wetlands and submerged lands surrounding the campus for preservation and restoration projects. If his plans are fulfilled, Patel will develop the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, catering to both domestic and international students, especially from India and Africa, who otherwise could not afford medical training.
“One goal,” he said, “is to train doctors who can return to their home countries and treat underserved communities. It is not easy — there are a lot of challenges — but if somebody’s heart is there and doing the right thing, the right results will follow,” Patel said.
The hope is for the school to serve upwards of 150 students by the fall of 2018 or early 2019, following the credentialing and certification process. Patel estimates it could cost $50 million to launch the school, most of which will come from his own pocket, although having existing classroom infrastructure and dormitories significantly reduces costs.
Mayor George Cretekos of Tampa described Patel’s proposed development as a “boom for the city.” “I think it’s a good fit and goes with what we were wanting to see with that property,” Cretekos said, according to the Tampa Bay Times report. “The potential to benefit the entire area is just amazing.”
Planning and overseeing the charitable works, according to Dr. Patel has “Two approaches: direct involvement in the areas of Zambia, East Africa and India. I oversee the utilization of the funds to the penny. What you have seen in the Tampa area is a legacy gift. To impact as large a group as possible, we have entrusted a responsible institution to perpetuate our mission, such as the performing arts center and University of South Florida.”
Born in Zambia to Indian American parents, educated in India, Dr. Kiran Patel arrived in the United States on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. He returned home to attend medical school, where he met his wife, Pallavi, a fellow student, but ultimately decided to return to the U.S. permanently. “I wanted to make sure my children had a better future, and the political climate in Africa at the time was a bit challenging,” he says.
Dr. Patel was educated in Zambia and then got his diploma in Cambridge University and The University of London. He came down to India to study medicine in Gujarat University in India and did his Internship in Africa. Dr. Patel did his residency in Internal Medicine in New Jersey in 1980. He completed a fellowship in the Cardiology program affiliated with the Columbia University of New York in 1982.
Dr. Pallavi Patel did her undergraduate degree from M.G. Science College, Gujarat University, and attended Municipal Medical College of Gujarat University in Ahmedabad. She did her internship from St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey, School of Medicine Dentistry of New Jersey and Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, in affiliation with Columbia University in New York. She started her private practice in Kabwe, Zambia, from 1974 to 1978 and worked as a part-time consultant physician from 1974 to 1978 for Kabwe Industrial Fabrics, Ltd. and Kapiri Glass Products, Ltd.
The Patel family moved to Tampa, Florida in 1982 and Dr. Kiran Patel began his practice in Cardiology. His dedication, compassion, and skills made him very successful at the very early stage of medical practice, and was soon a distinguished cardiologist in that area. He developed a physician practice management company and expanded to places adjoining Tampa Bay area diverging into 14 practices including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Cardiology.
Dr. Patel was also in partnership with several point-of-service locations to form multi-specialty networks. This network helped patients to access most medical services conveniently. He has actively engaged himself in managed care contracts and has expanded so much that it provides care for more than 80,000 patients annually. Apart from this, he has developed good associations with several HMOs and hospitals. His success in managed care contracts led a group of doctors to seek his services to help them with an HMO in New Port Richey, Florida.
Dr. Patel took up the project after discussing a pre-determined purchase option of the company. It was called the Well Care HMO, Inc. (Well Care). In 1992, Dr. Kiran Patel, along with Rupesh Shaw, CEO, and Pradip Patel, President, started a Medicaid managed care company. Not long after, this company became the largest Medicaid provider in the state of Florida.
He helped to bring around the struggling HMO, WellCare of New York and Connecticut. While turning around the company, he worked with nearly a hundred hospitals and a few hundred physicians in settling past due medical claims. Dr. Kiran Patel provided an additional $15 million in equity through Conversion of Brow and infused $10 million of new capital and acquired 55 percent of the publicly held Well Care Management Group.
Between 1995 and 2002, Dr. Kiran Patel built it into a billion-dollar company, providing services to more than 450,000 members, employing more than 1,200 employees and operating in Florida, New York and Connecticut. Dr. Patel subsequently entered the managed care industry and was the Chairman of WellCare of Florida.
He had served as Chairman of Visionary Medical Systems. He believes that the Visionary Office will reduce the paperwork for the physicians and give them more time to devote on their patients. He is a member on the following organizations: Fellow of American College of Cardiology; American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Association of Physicians from the South East Asia, Past Chair Scholarship Committee.
A cardiologist, visionary, businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Kiran Patel, along with his wife devotes substantial sums towards charity and education both in India, Zambia as well as in the United States. A 50-bed charity hospital serving 100,000 villagers in India was established by her along with her family; provision of funds for annual scholarship for underprivileged children to obtain a college education; funding for the construction of the USF Charter School for Underprivileged Children in Hillsborough County; sponsoring of 25 orphans from India to visit and perform a cross-cultural program in the United States.
In 2003, the Patels sold their majority of his interest in their business, and Dr. Patel turned his attention to the family’s many philanthropic endeavors. That same year, he became chairman of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). It was from this vantage point that he began to tackle several significant humanitarian projects in India, including the construction of numerous hospitals, a diabetes research study, and improved health care access for poor and rural citizens. His enormous contributions during and after national calamities in India are very remarkable.
Dr. Patel united the Tampa Bay community and AAPI and led an effort that eventually rehabilitated the villagers’ homes, constructed an orphanage and model school and created four modern hospitals, and was able to utilize generous contributions from the Tampa Bay community, and often matched them with his own money.
One of the leading philanthropists in America, the Patels also sponsor 25 orphans from India to come annually to the United States and participate in cross-cultural programs.
On the challenges he had to face upon arrival here in the US, Dr. Patels says, “There are many challenges when you come from an Eastern culture to the Western world. It’s a tougher transition for children than for us. I have a rigid personality … as a parent I have firm expectations on behavior, certain etiquette and rules. My children all got used to it, in a good way. They know I am there for them and they for me, but I’m not a warm, fuzzy type of guy.”
The couple’s gift of $12 million to the University of South Florida, resulted in converting the Patel School of Global Sustainability to the Patel College of Global Sustainability. “It was important to create a college to be a perpetual institution that creates students and scholars who are going to change the world dramatically,” Dr. Patel says. “I believe it will create champions of the profession. Most people don’t understand sustainability; they think it’s just a problem for third world countries. They don’t realize the U.S. and Europe are most guilty of consuming resources. At the current rate the Western world uses natural resources, we would need six Earths to provide the rest of the world the same lifestyle. We must change.”
Another area of focus for the Patels is health. “Intellectual capability without physical capability, you still have a problem. Arts and culture are more in the luxurious category, which it should not be, but I feel that way. It can play a unique role in integrating people, but if someone is starving, he’s not going to think of the arts,” he says.
The family has become renowned in the Tampa Bay area and beyond for their openhanded philanthropy: The suburbs of Tampa is home to one of the largest single-family estate in the United States, according to property assessment records obtained by the Tampa Tribune. Dr. Kiran and Dr. Pallavi Patel, along with their son, daughters, and grandchildren, live inan elegantly built beautiful house with the combined square footage of the buildings within the estate amounts to 35,000 square feet, with the main residence contributing 15,000 square footage of the total. Each of the six satellite homes is more than 7,000 square feet.
Dr. Pallavi serves on many boards and is a member of several organizations. She is president and CEO of Stat Care and Bay Area Primary Care Association, Inc. with five locations across Tampa. She is also a founder, trustee and administrator for the India Cultural Center. She is a member of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees, Shakti Krupa Charitable Foundation Board of Directors and the ICC Hope Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors.
In 2003 the couple set up a nonprofit Foundation for Global Understanding. Dr. Kiran Patel serves as the chairman and Dr. Pallavi Patel is president of Foundation that develops and funds a wide variety of programs in health, education, arts and culture. Together they have made possible the USF/Dr. Kiran C. Patel Charter School along with the Dr. Pallavi Patel Pediatric Care Center at the school as well as the highly celebrated Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory.
The Patels not only earned a highly cherished reputation as physicians, but also gained a unique vision of the future of the medical care. Rather than shunning the growing trend toward managed health care, they began to develop solutions that made sense from the physician’s point of view.
Recognitions came their way with several awards and honors from around the country. Among the honors and awards that he has received is the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Southeast United States, Jefferson Award for Public Service-National Media Award, Community Leader Award-Community Development Corporation of Tampa, Lions Clubs International Academy Award for Humanitarian Service, and Ike Tribble Award from National Urban League.
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services charities, presented its highest honor – the 2012 Ballington and Maud Booth Award – to Drs. Pallavi and Kiran Patel on during the organization’s national conference at the Hyatt Regency Tampa.
On New Year’s day in 2007, Dr. Patel was honored with the “Glory of Gujarat” award from the Chief Minister of his home State in India. In May 2007, Dr. Patel received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for Exceptional Immigrant Patriots. Both Dr. Kiran Patel and Pallavi Patel were inducted into the Tampa Bay Hall of Fame in 2010 by the business community of Tampa Bay.
Dr. Pallavi Patel was honored as the Business Woman of the Year in 2006 for her outstanding role in the community. In 2007, she was awarded Woman of Distinction by the Girls Scouts of Florida, and in 2008 she was inducted into the prestigious Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.
The Patels were selected for the 2012 Booth Award because of their generous philanthropic work to support programs in health, education, arts and culture, both in the Tampa area and around the world. Their foundation supported the Pepin Heart Hospital Research Institute in Tampa as well as the Dr. Pallavi Patel Conservatory for Performing Arts. In 2011, the Dr. Kiran C. Patel for Global Solutions, based at the University of South Florida, was established to develop solutions to some of today’s major global problems.
In 2003, Dr. Kiran Patel was appointed by Florida’s governor to the University of South Florida Board of Trustees. In 2004, the Patel were awarded the Cultural Contributor of the Year Award by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation also support a yearly U.S. scholarship fund for underprivileged youth and the IMAGINE Project, which teaches philanthropic entrepreneurism to young leaders. USF CHART-India Program, another innovative foundation project, works aggressively to provide HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and education programs throughout India’s rural and urban populations.
The Patels believe that “education gives the maximum impact. In my father’s village, we built a school that has transformed a generation. Uplifting a single student will uplift five or 10 families.” And the noble mission goes on with no boundaries, benefitting millions of deserving people across all continents.
Kamala Harris, 54, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, has announced her decision to enter the crowded political field of Democratic candidates, seeking to unseat incumbent, President Donald Trump.
Kamala Harris announced Monday, January 21st, that she is running for president in 2020, arguing that the time has come to fight against what she views as the injustices of the past two years of the Trump presidency.
Harris chose to announce on Monday to honor the legacies of two of her heroes. Forty-seven years ago this week, Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman ever to run for president, launched her campaign. And Martin Luther King Jr. has been a role model for Harris throughout her life in what she views as his “aspirational fight for progress.”
In a brief video from her campaign that was released on social media Monday morning at the same time she appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Harris called on her supporters to join with her to “claim our future.”
“Justice. Decency. Equality. Freedom. Democracy. These aren’t just words. They’re the values we as Americans cherish. And they’re all on the line now,” Harris said in the video, teasing her official kickoff in her birthplace of Oakland next Sunday.
“The future of our country depends on you and millions of others lifting our voices to fight for our American values,” the Democratic California senator said. “That’s why I’m running for president of the United States. “I’m running to lift those voices, to bring our voices together.”
Harris is the first African-American woman and the first Indian American to announce a run for the White House in 2020, and the fourth woman in the field. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu seeking the highest office, also announced earlier this month that she is running, and Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York have both announced exploratory committees, a step that Harris is skipping.
In a 2020 field that now includes four women, her allies believe that her life’s work as a prosecutor — from her start in Alameda County trying grisly crimes such as sexual assault to felonies including homicide — will help set her apart. The style developed over those years helped her build a national following when she grilled President Donald Trump’s nominees, including Brett Kavanaugh when he was a Supreme Court nominee.
Her book tour earlier this month served as a soft launch for her presidential bid, showcasing her strong appeal among women, minorities and millennials — as well as the criticism she will face over aspects of her long and complex record as a prosecutor, district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California.
Harris sought to use the anecdotes in the new book to demonstrate her toughness, including how she took on the big banks as California’s attorney general after the foreclosure crisis and held out for a $20 billion settlement for California homeowners. The clear subtext throughout her appearances was that she would not be bullied by anyone, including Trump.
While avoiding directly engaging Trump, Harris has accused the President of stoking racist and xenophobic rhetoric, while aligning his administration with white supremacists at home, and cozying up to dictators abroad.
She has argued that the needs of the middle class have been ignored, citing the federal shutdown over the President’s “vanity project” — a border wall — as the latest example.
Harris’ campaign will be headquartered in Baltimore — giving aides an East Coast hub in a racially diverse city that has struggled with wide income disparities — and Oakland, where Harris was born to immigrant parents who came to the US to advance their academic careers.
The former prosecutor chose yellow and red for her campaign logo in a nod to Chisholm’s bid for president with its red and yellow campaign buttons. Her signs will carry her campaign theme “Kamala Harris for the people,” the words that she spoke each time she rose in the courtroom as a prosecutor.
Juan Rodriguez, the strategist who managed Harris’ successful campaign for Senate in 2016 and advised California Gov. Gavin Newsom in his recent campaign, will be her campaign manager. Her sister Maya Harris, who advised Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, will serve as her campaign chair. She will continue to be guided by her longtime strategists Sean Clegg and Ace Smith.
(New York, NY: January 17, 2019): The Early Bird Special Registration for AAPI’s 37th annual convention to be held at the Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Centre (GWCC) in Atlanta from July 3 to 7, 2019, will end on April 1st.” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, declared here today. “We are expecting to have a record attendance of more than 2,000 delegates including Physicians, Academicians, Researchers and Medical students at the convention. The annual convention offers extensive academic presentations, recognition of achievements and achievers, and professional networking at the alumni and evening social events,” he added.
The annual convention this year is being organized by Georgia Chapter of AAPI. Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Vice Chair of AAPI BOT and Convention Chair, said, “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 region helping us. We are expecting a record turnout and hence I would encourage early registration to avoid later disappointment.”
Registration for the 37th annual AAPI Convention will begin on February 1st. Early Bird Registration fee for the delegates will be $100 less than the regular rates, said, Dr. Gangasani. Also, you get to pick your own choice of seats at the galas as soon as you register for the convention. The sooner you register the better the chances for getting the seats of your own choice with the ability to sit closer to the podium and with your friends/families.
A pool of dedicated AAPI leaders are working hard to make the Convention a unique event for all the participants, he said. Among them are: Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President, AAPI; Dr. Syamala Erramilli, President of GAPI; Dr. Asha Parikh, Chair of GAPI BOT; Convention Co-chairs: Dr. Raghu Lolabattu, Dr. Piyush Patel, Dr. Subodh Agrawal and several Convention Team members.
In addition to offering over 12 hours of cutting edge CMEs to the physicians, the event will have more than 12 hours of product theaters/promotional opportunities, plenary sessions, CEOs Forum, and a women’s leadership forum. The convention will be addressed by senior world leaders, and celebrities from the Hollywood and Bollywood world.
“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. Asha Parikh, Women’s Forum Chair, said.
Dr. Syamala Erramilli, President of GAPI says, 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, and special exhibition area for new innovations by young physicians.
“The 37th AAPI Atlanta Convention is where you can reach your target audience of several thousand under one roof,” said Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI.
“Some of the major attractions include 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. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda said.
“AAPI members represent a variety of important medical specialties. Sponsors will be able to take advantage of the many sponsorship packages at the 37th annual convention, creating high-powered exposure to the highly coveted demographic of AAPI‘s membership,” Dr. Dr. Raghu Lolabattu said. “The 37th AAPI Atlanta Convention is where you can reach your target audience of several thousand under one roof. Register now and aggrandize your marketing plans,” Dr. Piyush Patel added.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years, AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine, says Dr. Subodh Agrawal.
“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. Do not miss on the Early Bird Special. We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!” said Dr. Naresh Parekh.
(Hyderabad, India. January 4th, 2019) “The 13th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit will be held in Hyderabad in India in July 19th to 21st, 2019,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), during a Kick Off Dinner Event, here at the Hotel Daspalla, Kavuri Hills, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad on January 2nd.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, Chair, Global Health Summit 2019, urged all AAPI leaders, local organizers and sponsors to fully participate in order to make the next edition of AAPI’s Global Healthcare a more effective one, serving the many healthcare needs of our mother India. Dr. Reddy, who will assume charge as the President of AAPI in July this year at the convention in Atlanta, USA, said, the GHS 2019, planned to be organized by AAPI in collaboration with BAPIO & GAPIO, as well as Host Alumni Chapters, including OGKTMA, ATMGUSA, KAMCOSA, and GMCGA, will focus on preventive health, targeting Rural Health, Women’s Health, and providing special CPR Trainings, that will equip First Responders to help save life.
Dr. Raghu Lolabhattu, Co-Chair, Global Health Summit 2019, in his felicitation address, said, “We flew away from India decades ago. However, our hearts are still in India.” He said, GHS 2019 will focus on several relevant issues to serve the many healthcare needs and delivery of healthcare in India. For the first time, AAPI will organize Medical Jeopardy with cash prizes to winners, he said. He praised the local community and organizers for their enthusiastic support.
Anwar Feroz Siddiqui, Chief Strategic Advisor, AAPI, in his address, complimented Dr. Suresh Reddy for his great leadership, especially his ability to choose and delegate responsibilities to top AAPI leaders. Mr. Siddiqui, who has been working with GHS since its beginning a dozen years ago, lauded AAPI and its members for their willingness, passion, and generosity to give back to their motherland.
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice-President 2018-19, pointed to the uniqueness of the next GHS, pointing to the 1st ever GHS to be held in the state of Telangana, after the state attained full statehood. “AAPI has capped the voluminous achievements of the past 37 years with a clear vision to move forward taking this noble organization and its vision for better healthcare to newer heights,” he said. He said, under his leadership, the 14th edition of GHS 2020 will be held in Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, AAPI’s Secretary 2018-19, and a key organizer of the event, reminded the audience of the passion and dedication for their motherland that brings them back to India every year. She enumerated several contributions/outcome from the past 12 GHS organized by AAPI across several cities in India.
Dr. Gotimukula said, “AAPI has made significant contributions towards addressing several issues affecting the healthcare system in India. We have addressed the issue of Traumatic Brain Injury – the scourge of young India, and helped with the development of management guidelines thereby helping prevent deaths due to road traffic accidents, raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID. Ten city pilots are well under way and significant progress is being made,” he told a captive audience,” she said.
Dr. Sanku Rao, a past President of AAPI presented the 37 year old history of AAPI and the evolution of GHS.in the past dozen years and the many accomplishments/contributions in the delivery of healthcare in US and in India. AAPI is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, and has been in existence for nearly four decades. The Association has almost 130 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations under its purview, and represents the interests of over 70,000 physicians and 15,000 medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States, Dr. Rao said.
Sreeni Gangasani. Chair of AAPI Convention, provided an overview of the upcoming AAPI Convention in Atlanta, GA, and urged all to join in to experience a historic at the next annual convention. “To be attended by over 2,000 delegates from across the United States, the 37th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) will be held at the fabulous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Centre (GWCC) in Atlanta from July 3 to 7, 2019,” he said.
Dr. Satish Kathula, referred to the highly impactful ADOPT A VILLAGE Program, spearheaded by Dr. Jagan Ailinani, a past President of AAPI, and Dr. Alok Aggarwal, who has adopted a village in the state of Telangana as examples of the good work done by AAPI. He said, AAPI provides a platform for many individuals who want to give back to their motherland.
Dr. Manoj Jain, Chair and spearheading the TB-Free India Movement, spoke about AAPI’s collaborative efforts with several non-governmental organizations and the USAID, with a commitment to strengthen its initiatives to “make every city, ever district, every village in India TB free.” Dr. Jain pointed to the planning/review session held during GHS in Mumbai on Building on Local Roadmaps for a TB-Free India – A Combined effort of AAPI and CETI under guidance of Government of India, USAID, where the progress in the 10 cities, where the program has been on for several months, was reviewed through a live webcast from each of these 10 cities. He said, Hyderabad will be joining the efforts to make its citizens TB-Free.
Dr. Dwarakanatha Reddy, Overseas Convener, AAPI Global Health Summit 2019-20 and several Alumni Medical School leaders from the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were felicitated at the kick off event. Dr. Sushma Nakka, Presdient of KAMCOSA- USA served as the MC for the evening, while Dr. Ravi Kolli delivered the vote of thanks.
A Press Conference at the famous Hyderabad Press Club was organized on January 3rd to officially announce the Global Healthcare Summit planned to be held in Hyderabad from July 19th to 21st this year. Attended by dozens of local and national reporters from the media world, the Press Conference was addressed by the top leadership of AAPI and local organizing committee members.
Packed with strategic planning sessions such as the much anticipated CEO Forum, Women’s Forum, Launching of Free Health Clinic, First Responders Training, CMEs, promote Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine Education, Research Contest, Medical Quiz, Fashion Show, Cultural Events, pre and post visits for delegates, the GHS 2019 is expected to be one with the greatest impact and significant contributions towards harnessing the power of international Indian diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India, Dr. Suresh Reddy said.
One in seven Americans is touched by a physician of Indian origin. There is an equally large percentage of medical residents, fellows and students in the USA serving millions of Americans. AAPI’s GHS has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world-renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org
The 12th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit at the glamour capital of India, Mumbai concluded here on December 30th with Physicians of Indian Origin rededicating themselves to work and collaborate towards bringing in high quality, innovative, preventable, cost-effective ways to the delivery of healthcare to millions of people in India.
The three-day historic event, inaugurated by the Honorable President of India on December 28th at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, was for the first time, jointly organized by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), from December 28th – 30th December 2018 at Hotel Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai.
In his inaugural address, the President of India said, AAPI is “more than just a platform of doctors and medical practitioners, the Indian President told the nearly 500 delegates who had come from around the world to attend the landmark Summit in Mumbai. “It is a link between two vibrant and democratic societies, both of which have addressed major public health challenges in their own way.”
The Indian President praised AAPI and the over 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States for their great contributions. “The professional-ism and goodwill of Indian doctors in America has won them – won you, I should say – a well-deserved reputation,” he told the AAPI leaders. “In fact, it has occasionally led to diplomatic gains for India for which your Association must be appreciated.”
The President of India urged AAPI to continue its efforts in the prevention and management of life-style diseases, diabetes and obesity, where physicians of Indian origin can bring in “traditional Indian wellness practices to modern medical systems. Please see what your Association can do in this area,” he told AAPI delegates
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President AAPI in his opening remarks, provided an overview of some of the major contributions of the past 11 Summits organized by AAPI. “Over the past 12 years AAPI physicians have collaborated with several professional medical associations, academic institutions, Government of India, and have made significant contributions towards addressing diabetes with the launch of Sevak program, CPR-AED training for first responders with expert faculty from the American University of Antigua, Traumatic Brain Injury – the scourge of young India, and development of management guidelines thereby helping prevent deaths due to road traffic accidents, raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID. Ten city pilots are well under way and significant progress is being made,” he told a captive audience.
Packed with strategic planning sessions such as the much anticipated CEO Forum, Women’s Forum, Launching Free Health Clinic, First Responders Training, CMEs, Research Contest, Fashion Show, Cultural extravaganza, pre and post visits to Kerala and Goa, the GHS 2018 has promised to be one with the greatest impact and significant contributions towards harnessing the power of international Indian diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India.
Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chairman for GHS 2018 said that with a view to help the delivery of healthcare to millions across the nation, said, “AAPI has capped the voluminous achievements of the past 37 years with a clear vision to move forward taking this noble organization and its vision for better healthcare to newer heights.” Dr. Jahagirdar and his wife Dr. Udita Jahagirdar contributed funds towards the Burns Unit Seth G.S. Medical College and Hospital in Mumbai and the Unit was dedicated during GHS 2018.
With a view to encourage and recognize research by upcoming generation of physicians, AAPI organized a Young Investigator Research Competition as part of the GHS 2018 at G.S. Medical College and Hospital in Mumbai had several dozens of participation from Medical Students from across the nation. Winners were recognized and awarded at the Gala on December 28th.
Leading Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally converged onto Mumbai to further the exchange of knowledge and best practices on recent global medical advances, to develop vibrant and viable health policy agendas, and address growing healthcare challenges.
“The focus of the 12th Global Health Summit was an India-centric approach, with special events such as, Global Impact and India’s contribution in providing cost effective medicines, addressing global shortages of healthcare professionals, Young Investigators Research contest, Women’s Leadership Forum, with focus on stopping violence against women and round tables to develop practical solutions for strengthening TB Free India initiative and addressing non-communicable diseases,” Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor said.
The many themes chosen for CMEs included, Healthcare, Career and Commerce, with the focus on Women’s Healthcare, including high priority areas such as Cardiology, Maternal & Child Health, Diabetes, Oncology, Surgery, Mental Health, HIT, Allergy, Immunology & Lung Health, Gastroenterology, Transplant and impact of comorbidities.
Neal Simon, President of AUA commended the efforts of AAPI and its collaboration with The American University of Antigua (AUA) and P D Hinduja Hospital for successfully conducting First Responders Training, including CPR-AED and BLS for more than 150 Mumbai Police Officers on December 22nd, 23rd& 24th after successfully completing training in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and West Bengal to provide assistance to accident victims and save lives.=.
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder GAPIO has envisioned the evolution of developing a united front for all NRI physicians to develop strong and effective programs that can be implemented with precision to face the challenges posed by Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Dr. Ramesh Mehta, President GAPIO in his opening address said that AAPI GHS 2018 is the beginning of a strong collaborative approach along with the Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO) that together will make constructive and tangible ways of ensuring that healthcare is affordable and accessible to millions of people in India.
The CEO Forum, addressed by leaders from Indian Pharmaceutical Companies, including Dr. Preetha Rajaraman, Health Attaché, US Government; Dr. Shailesh Ayyangar, MD Sanofi; Sudarshan Jain. Former MD Abbott; Madan Rohini Krishnan, MD Medtronic India; Dr. William Pinsky. President ECFMG; Neal Simon, President AUA; DG Shah, Secretary Indian Pharmaceutical Allianc;, Dr. Gurpreet Sandhu, President CHPF; Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI; Dr. Vinod Shah, AAPI Past President; Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co Chair, GHS; and, Dr Ravi Jahagirdar, Chairman GHS.
The Forum discussed ways to ensure that lower cost and effective medicines with the highest quality continue to make India the world leader in this field. The CEO Forum focused on identifying ways to successfully implement “AYUSHMAN BHARAT” – a brainchild of the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, whose vision is to provide quality healthcare to India’s billion people – a project that is being watched intently across the Globe for emulation, these sessions are designed to complement the enormous effort by several agencies and Government of India, said Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, Chief Strategy Adviser , AAPI, Honorary Adviser GAPIO and BAPIO.
The Women’s Forum had Amruta Fadnavis, First Lady of Maharashtra and Vice President of Axis Bank; Deana Uppal, Entrepreneur & Winner Miss India U; Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, President FOGSI; Dr. Ratna Jain, Former Mayor Kota, Rajasthan; and, Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospital Group as panelists. Dr. Asha Parikh, Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum and Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Vice Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum led the panelists to a lively discussion on ways to prevent and address violence against women.
Building on its collaborative efforts with several non-governmental organizations and the US-AID, AAPI committed itself to strengthen its initiatives to “make every city, ever district, every village in India TB free.” The planning/review session at the GHS was an Introduction and Review of Building on A Roadmap for a TB-Free India – A Combined effort of AAPI and CETI under guidance of Government of India, US-AID, where the progress in the 10 cities, where the program has been on for several months, was reviewed through a live webcast from each of these 10 cities.
Participants at the strategic planning session included, Dr. Naresh Parikh MD, President of AAPI; Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor; Dr. Salil Bhargava, CETI; Reuben Seamineken from US-AID; Vikas Sheel, IAS, Joint Secretary of Health, Indian Government; Kush Sachdeva, Deputy Director General of TB, Government of India; Dr. Manoj Jain; Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh; and, Dr. Thakor G. Patel.
AAPI had already launched the TB Free India project in April 2018 in strong association with Ministry for Health, WHO, CETI, USAID and industry partners such as Johnson & Johnson and Mylan. AAPI and the TB Free India collaborative is implementing pilot projects in 10 cities across India. The initial findings were presented during the GHS 2018 in Mumbai under the leadership of Dr. Manoj Jain and Dr. Thakor Patel. The special pilots in Varanasi and Nagpur are supported by Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair AAPI GHS and Dr. Surendra Purohit, Senior Adviser AAPI. Dr. SampatShivangi and Dr. Vinod Shah, past AAPI Presidents have served as the senior advisors and have contributed immensely to the success of the GHS.
Dr. Naresh Parikh praised the dedication, contributions and efforts of Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Vinod Shah, Chair of AAPI Legislative Committee, Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor, Dr. Asha Parikh, Women’s Forum Chair, and his entire Executive Committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
GHS 2018 provided the participants and world leaders in the Healthcare industry a rare platform to interact with and listen to leading physicians, healthcare professionals, academicians, scientists, and leaders of the hospitals, technology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies to develop solutions that will make cost effective and quality healthcare accessible to all Indians.
One in seven Americans is touched by a physician of Indian origin. There is an equally large percentage of medical residents, fellows and students in the USA serving millions of Americans. AAPI’s GHS has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world-renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.
Dr. Suresh Reddy invited all delegates to the 13th edition of Global Healthcare Summit planned to be held from July 19th to 21st in Hyderabad, India. Organized by AAPI in collaboration with BAPIO & GAPIO, as well as Host Alumni Chapters, including OGKTMA, ATMGUSA, and GMCGA, the GHS 2019 will focus on preventive health, targeting women’s health, and providing special CPR Trainings, Dr. Reddy, who will assume charge as the President of AAPI in July next year at the convention in Atlanta, said.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org
Captions for Pictures
1. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, delivering inaugural address at AAPI’s 12 Annual Global Healthcare Summit in Mumbai
2. Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, delivering welcome address at the 12th annual GHS 2018
3. AAPI leadership with President of India and other political leaders form India
4. AAPI leaders and collaborators recommitting to render India TB Free by 2025
5. Women’s Forum panelists with AAPI leaders
6. CEO Forum addressed by world renowned health leaders
7. A section of the audience at the inaugural event of AAPI’s GHS 2018 in Mumbai
“When a strong woman is born, she cannot be stopped,” Amruta Fadnavis, First Lady of Maharashtra and Vice President of Axis Bank, told a packed audience at the Women’s Forum during the 12th annual edition of Global Healthcare Summit at the Trident Hotel, Narimon Point, Mumbai, India on the final day of GHS, December 30th, 2018.
Organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) the Women’s Forum had a galaxy of successful women, who shared with the AAPI delegates their own stories of growing up and facing challenges with conviction and courage, and have today become role models for other women around the world.
The Women’s Forum had Amruta Fadnavis, First Lady of Maharashtra and Vice President of Axis Bank; Deana Uppal, Entrepreneur & Winner Miss India UK; Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, President FOGSI; Dr. Ratna Jain, Former Mayor Kota, Rajasthan; and, Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospital Group as panelists. Dr. Asha Parikh, Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum and Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Vice Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum, led the panelists to a lively discussion on ways to prevent and address violence against women.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Asha Parikh, Chairwoman of the Women’s Forum, described violence against women as a “burning issue” around the world. While praising AAPI for making efforts to focus on this crucial issue affecting women across all continents, she urged everyone to “identify ways to collectively address this issue.” Reminding the audience about the tradition of woman being considered a goddess in the Indian tradition, she urged everyone to respect women in all places.
Amruta Fadnavis, who was the keynote speaker at the Women’s Forum, is a trained classical singer, a social activist and a banker. Married to the 18th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, she is the youngest first lady in the history of Maharashtra. Currently, serving as the Vice President – Transaction Banking with Axis Bank, Ms. Fadnavis has represented India at National Prayer Breakfast – 2017, an International peace initiative presided by US President Donald Trump. She has perfectly blended her life as a working woman and a socialite to nurture her interests and passions. She chose to have her own individuality rather than wrapped herself under the covers of first lady of Maharashtra and which is definitely an inspiration for many women today.
Ms. Fadnavis grew up in a household where education and independence for women was essential. Being a wife, mother, businesswoman, artiste, each role she plays is so demanding. But, Ms. Fadnavis, who shared about her supporting parents and family, while growing up, said, she was able to plat all of these roles effectively, because she has a very understanding husband, who encouraged her to work towards the realization of her personal and professional goals.
“It’s smart economics to invest in a girl as much as one would in a boy,” Ms. Fadnavis said. “It’s very important to help girl child to be independent.” She stressed the need for women to be more educated than men. “Men feel threatened when women do not adhere to what men wants them to do,” she said. Pointing to many non-governmental programs she has initiated and supported, Ms. Fadnavis drew the attention of how with the trainings provided to police, more women have come forward to report violence than in the past.
Dr. Nandita Palshetkar shared with the audience about her own advocacy role she and FOGSI, her noble organization working with women are doing in Maharshtra. Describing violence against women as “most shameful,” Dr. Palshetkar stated, the prevalence of violence against women is a global phenomenon. She called for the need for education towards gender sensitization. Working with schools, health workers across the country, this can be achieved, she said. According to her, “The biggest challenge is to keep fighting. Women need to support each other and applaud each other’s victory. If you are not doing it no one is going to do it for yourself,” she told the audience.
Deana Uppal, another panelist, while acknowledging that there is discrimination in the glamour world of Hollywood and Bollywood, said, in choosing lead roles and when it comes to payments, men are always preferred over women. “We have come a long way. Changes are taking place,” she said. “There are questions raised when such practices are seen happening.” She allured to the effect of MeToo# Movement and its impact on the ability for “more people to speak out against any type of discrimination.” Stressing the need for equality, she said, “I strongly believe in promoting equality. You are the role models for all of us here. Keep fighting and support one another.”
Dr. Ratna Jain, who was elected Mayor of Kota in Rajasthan at a very young age, recommended that “Be sure of what you want to be and be passionate about what you want to achieve. Believe in yourself and go ahead and do it.” While acknowledging of the many social evils that are prevalent across India, Dr. Jain said, “When women are educated, things will be better for everyone. Many of these social evils will be eliminated.” Stressing the need for literacy, she said, “Small efforts by everyone can do wonders.”
Ms. Sangita Reddy, who moderated the panel discussion pointed out how women are being judged differently than men in almost every aspect of life. She stated that there are as many as 70% of the healthcare jobs are held by women, but only a handful of jobs in Board “There is an unconscious structural bias. There is a need for looking within and identify ways to move forward in order to be agents of change from within.
Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Co-Chair of Women’s Forum, stressed the need for enhancing professional growth without compromising one’s family, values and interests in life. She shared with the audience how her mother inspired her to dream and work towards realizing her dreams.
The 12th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit at the glamour capital of India, Mumbai concluded here on December 30th with Physicians of Indian Origin rededicating themselves to work and collaborate towards bringing in high quality, innovative, preventable, cost-effective ways to the delivery of healthcare to millions of people in India.
The three-day historic event, inaugurated by the Honorable President of India on December 28th at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, was for the first time, jointly organized by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), from December 28th – 30th December 2018 at Hotel Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai. Earlier, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President AAPI in his opening remarks, highlighted the importance of Women’s Forum, which has come to be a much sought after event at ever Convention and GHS.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org
The 12th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit at the glamour capital of India, Mumbai concluded here on December 30th with Physicians of Indian Origin rededicating themselves to work and collaborate towards bringing in high quality, innovative, preventable, cost-effective ways to the delivery of healthcare to millions of people in India.
The three-day historic event, inaugurated by the Honorable President of India on December 28th at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, was for the first time, jointly organized by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), from December 28th – 30th December 2018 at Hotel Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai.
Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, delivering inaugural address at AAPI’s 12 Annual Global Healthcare Summit in Mumbai
In his inaugural address, the President of India said, AAPI is “more than just a platform of doctors and medical practitioners, the Indian President told the nearly 500 delegates who had come from around the world to attend the landmark Summit in Mumbai. “It is a link between two vibrant and democratic societies, both of which have addressed major public health challenges in their own way.”
The Indian President praised AAPI and the over 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States for their great contributions. “The professional-ism and goodwill of Indian doctors in America has won them – won you, I should say – a well-deserved reputation,” he told the AAPI leaders. “In fact, it has occasionally led to diplomatic gains for India for which your Association must be appreciated.”
The President of India urged AAPI to continue its efforts in the prevention and management of life-style diseases, diabetes and obesity, where physicians of Indian origin can bring in “traditional Indian wellness practices to modern medical systems. Please see what your Association can do in this area,” he told AAPI delegates
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President AAPI in his opening remarks, provided an overview of some of the major contributions of the past 11 Summits organized by AAPI. “Over the past 12 years AAPI physicians have collaborated with several professional medical associations, academic institutions, Government of India, and have made significant contributions towards addressing diabetes with the launch of Sevak program, CPR-AED training for first responders with expert faculty from the American University of Antigua, Traumatic Brain Injury – the scourge of young India, and development of management guidelines thereby helping prevent deaths due to road traffic accidents, raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID. Ten city pilots are well under way and significant progress is being made,” he told a captive audience.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, delivering welcome address at the 12th annual GHS 2018
Packed with strategic planning sessions such as the much anticipated CEO Forum, Women’s Forum, Launching Free Health Clinic, First Responders Training, CMEs, Research Contest, Fashion Show, Cultural extravaganza, pre and post visits to Kerala and Goa, the GHS 2018 has promised to be one with the greatest impact and significant contributions towards harnessing the power of international Indian diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India.
Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chairman for GHS 2018 said that with a view to help the delivery of healthcare to millions across the nation, said, “AAPI has capped the voluminous achievements of the past 37 years with a clear vision to move forward taking this noble organization and its vision for better healthcare to newer heights.”
AAPI leadership with President of India and other political leaders form India
Leading Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally converged onto Mumbai to further the exchange of knowledge and best practices on recent global medical advances, to develop vibrant and viable health policy agendas, and address growing healthcare challenges.
“The focus of the 12th Global Health Summit was an India-centric approach, with special events such as, Global Impact and India’s contribution in providing cost effective medicines, addressing global shortages of healthcare professionals, Young Investigators Research contest, Women’s Leadership Forum, with focus on stopping violence against women and round tables to develop practical solutions for strengthening TB Free India initiative and addressing non-communicable diseases,” Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor said.
The many themes chosen for CMEs included, Healthcare, Career and Commerce, with the focus on Women’s Healthcare, including high priority areas such as Cardiology, Maternal & Child Health, Diabetes, Oncology, Surgery, Mental Health, HIT, Allergy, Immunology & Lung Health, Gastroenterology, Transplant and impact of comorbidities.
AAPI leaders and collaborators recommitting to render India TB Free by 2025
Neal Simon, President of AUA commended the efforts of AAPI and its collaboration with The American University of Antigua (AUA) and P D Hinduja Hospital for successfully conducting First Responders Training, including CPR-AED and BLS for more than 150 Mumbai Police Officers on December 22nd, 23rd& 24th after successfully completing training in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and West Bengal to provide assistance to accident victims and save lives.
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder GAPIO has envisioned the evolution of developing a united front for all NRI physicians to develop strong and effective programs that can be implemented with precision to face the challenges posed by Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Dr. Ramesh Mehta, President GAPIO in his opening address said that AAPI GHS 2018 is the beginning of a strong collaborative approach along with the Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO) that together will make constructive and tangible ways of ensuring that healthcare is affordable and accessible to millions of people in India.
Women’s Forum panelists with AAPI leaders
The CEO Forum, addressed by leaders from Indian Pharmaceutical Companies, including Dr. Preetha Rajaraman, Health Attaché, US Government; Dr. Shailesh Ayyangar, MD Sanofi; Sudarshan Jain. Former MD Abbott; Madan Rohini Krishnan, MD Medtronic India; Dr. William Pinsky. President ECFMG; Neal Simon, President AUA; DG Shah, Secretary Indian Pharmaceutical Allianc;, Dr. Gurpreet Sandhu, President CHPF; Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI; Dr. Vinod Shah, AAPI Past President; Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co Chair, GHS; and, Dr Ravi Jahagirdar, Chairman GHS.
The Forum discussed ways to ensure that lower cost and effective medicines with the highest quality continue to make India the world leader in this field. The CEO Forum focused on identifying ways to successfully implement “AYUSHMAN BHARAT” – a brainchild of the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, whose vision is to provide quality healthcare to India’s billion people – a project that is being watched intently across the Globe for emulation, these sessions are designed to complement the enormous effort by several agencies and Government of India, said Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, Chief Strategy Adviser , AAPI, Honorary Adviser GAPIO and BAPIO.
The Women’s Forum had Amruta Fadnavis, First Lady of Maharashtra and Vice President of Axis Bank; Deana Uppal, Entrepreneur & Winner Miss India U; Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, President FOGSI; Dr. Ratna Jain, Former Mayor Kota, Rajasthan; and, Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospital Group as panelists. Dr. Asha Parikh, Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum and Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Vice Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum led the panelists to a lively discussion on ways to prevent and address violence against women.
CEO Forum addressed by world renowned health leaders
Building on its collaborative efforts with several non-governmental organizations and the US-AID, AAPI committed itself to strengthen its initiatives to “make every city, ever district, every village in India TB free.” The planning/review session at the GHS was an Introduction and Review of Building on A Roadmap for a TB-Free India – A Combined effort of AAPI and CETI under guidance of Government of India, US-AID, where the progress in the 10 cities, where the program has been on for several months, was reviewed through a live webcast from each of these 10 cities.
Participants at the strategic planning session included, Dr. Naresh Parikh MD, President of AAPI; Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor; Dr. Salil Bhargava, CETI; Reuben Seamineken from US-AID; Vikas Sheel, IAS, Joint Secretary of Health, Indian Government; Kush Sachdeva, Deputy Director General of TB, Government of India; Dr. Manoj Jain; Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh; and, Dr. Thakor G. Patel.
Fashion Show at the GHS 2018
AAPI had already launched the TB Free India project in April 2018 in strong association with Ministry for Health, WHO, CETI, USAID and industry partners such as Johnson & Johnson and Mylan. AAPI and the TB Free India collaborative is implementing pilot projects in 10 cities across India. The initial findings were presented during the GHS 2018 in Mumbai under the leadership of Dr. Manoj Jain and Dr. Thakor Patel. The special pilots in Varanasi and Nagpur are supported by Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair AAPI GHS and Dr. Surendra Purohit, Senior Adviser AAPI. Dr. SampatShivangi and Dr. Vinod Shah, past AAPI Presidents have served as the senior advisors and have contributed immensely to the success of the GHS.
Dr. Naresh Parikh praised the dedication, contributions and efforts of Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Vinod Shah, Chair of AAPI Legislative Committee, Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor, Dr. Asha Parikh, Women’s Forum Chair, and his entire Executive Committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
GHS 2018 provided the participants and world leaders in the Healthcare industry a rare platform to interact with and listen to leading physicians, healthcare professionals, academicians, scientists, and leaders of the hospitals, technology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies to develop solutions that will make cost effective and quality healthcare accessible to all Indians.
A section of the audience at the inaugural event of AAPI’s GHS 2018 in Mumbai
One in seven Americans is touched by a physician of Indian origin. There is an equally large percentage of medical residents, fellows and students in the USA serving millions of Americans. AAPI’s GHS has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world-renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.
Dr. Suresh Reddy invited all delegates to the 13th edition of Global Healthcare Summit planned to be held from July 19th to 21st in Hyderabad, India. Organized by AAPI in collaboration with BAPIO & GAPIO, as well as Host Alumni Chapters, including OGKTMA, ATMGUSA, and GMCGA, the GHS 2019 will focus on preventive health, targeting women’s health, and providing special CPR Trainings, Dr. Reddy, who will assume charge as the President of AAPI in July next year at the convention in Atlanta, said.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org
(Mumbai, India: December 31st, 2018) Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause from a single infectious agent across the globe. Millions of people continue to fall sick with TB each year. Of the 10 million new cases of persons diagnosed with Tuberculosis in 2017, India ranked the highest accounting for over one fourth (2.74 million) cases were from India, according to a rep by WHO. Though the report underlined fears of under-reporting of cases in India, it also mentioned that India was an example of a country that took major steps in 2017-18 to expand TB-specific cash transfers and linkages to broader nutrition schemes to improve treatment outcome.
It’s in this context, the initiatives by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at the just concluded 12th annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS 2018) in Mumbai on Sunday, December 30, 2018, becomes very significant.
Building on its collaborative efforts with several non-governmental organizations and the USAID, AAPI committed to strengthen its initiatives to “make every city, ever district, every village in India TB free.” The planning/review session was an Introduction and Review of Building on Local Roadmaps for a TB-Free India – A Combined effort of AAPI and CETI under guidance of Government of India, USAID, where the progress in the 10 cities, where the program has been on for several months, was reviewed through a live webcast from each of these 10 cities.
Participants at the strategic planning session included, Dr. Naresh Parikh MD, President of AAPI; Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor; Dr. Salil Bhargava, CETI; Reuben Swamickan from USAID; Vikas Sheel, IAS, Joint Secretary of Health, Indian Government; Kuldeep Sachdeva, Deputy Director General of TB, Government of India; Dr. Manoj Jain, the Chair and spear heading the TB Free India initiative; Dr. Christine Ho and Rajesh Deshmukh from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and, Dr. Thakor G. Patel, AAPI-Savek project, Dr. Surendra Purohit anAAPI Advocate, and 60 participants from each of the local cities.
During the strategic planning session attended by top leaders of AAPI and other organizations, Dr. Naresh Parikh said, “Elimination of Tuberculosis has been a matter of national concern for many years now. Through our partnership with USAID and other organizations such as SEVAK and CETI, we aim to bring American technical expertise to help strengthen India’s fight against TB. At this GHS, we bring in leading subject matter experts, introduce global best practices and cutting-edge business solutions that will complement and grow existing USAID programs in India.”
He reminded of AAPI’s efforts earlier in April this year, with the launch of a new partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Sevak Project, and CETI to make India Free of Tuberculosis and to end tuberculosis (TB) from across the Indian sub-continent. Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor, who was instrumental and the architect of fostering the MOU between AAPI and USAID, provided a brief introduction to the efforts by AAPI and its collaborative efforts. .
“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,” Anwar Feroz said. 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.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in New Delhi and announced in Mumbai, AAPI and USAID along with other NGOs will work together to utilize the 100,000-strong network of physicians of Indian-origin living in the United States to support health programs in India, engage AAPI’s network of private charitable clinics for TB awareness, detection and treatment, and explore opportunities for collaborations between U.S. and Indian medical schools to exchange cutting-edge health care solutions. The end TB date for the program is 2025 as per government of India.
Reuben Swamickan from US-AID/India, said: “We have been supporting the TB program of the Government of India for two decades now. Along with extending technical expertise, USAID has invested $140 million to strengthen the capacity of national, state, and district-level TB programs across India. With our collaboration with AAPI, we aim to strengthen the early detection and treatment of TB, with a focus on drug-resistant strains; continue our assistance to the government to plan and implement evidence-based interventions to reach a TB-Free India, and improve patient-centered TB services.”
Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease physician, a lead for AAPI for TB Elimination, is in the forefront to eliminate TB from India. Dr. Jain, who has been involved in working with local leaders develop a Local Roadmap on how to make 10 localities TB Free: Indore, Bhopal, Rajkot, Sevek villages in Gujarat, Mumbai-Malad, Ahmedabad, Mysore, Nagpur, Varanasi, and Lucknow, by conducting field work with local NGOs in these localities to do TB screening in the slum areas.
Dr. Jain said, “AAPI and CETI are working together can collaborating with other national and international organizations. Sharing best practices and pushing the TB Free effort. We have done a successful training sessions for 10 NGOs from these communites in Indore from June 8-12. We are staring to build local teams to develop the Roadmap for TB Elimination. And, we hope to start field work in these localities within 4-6 weeks.” Details of the work on the website www.tbfree.org/aapi/
Dr. Thakor G. Patel, who along with his successful Sevak Project in Indian villages, has been another inspiring force with the aim to free India of TB. “This is a huge issue in India because of clustering of people, poor nutrition and exposure to the infected people,” Dr. Patel said. “The objective of the TB Free India initiative is to make people aware of the disease and its mode of transmission, identify new case and notify the TB program managers and make sure patients take their medicines on regular basis. Another aspect is those patients with lingering cough give their sputum for TB check and get a chest X-ray. In the long run the plan is to eliminate TB from India,’ he said. The people who are affected with the disease are poor and do not understand the spread and the need for complete treatment. By helping them we will keep them working and provide for their family on a long term basis.
And, he has charted out a plan. “Collaboration with AAPI will help reach the government agencies in India and other NGO’s to help increase the outreach. At first, we will take all the Sevak villages and have the Sevaks implement the program. Once it is in place and we have a road map on how to expand the program it will be implemented in other states through NGO’s and government. We will be looking at ASHA workers for expanding the reach.”
The deliberations from this session will be forwarded to the Government of India, and AAPI will continue to collaborate and strengthen its efforts to make India TB-free by 2025, Dr. Naresh Parikh declared. For more information, please visit: www.aapiusa.org and www.tbfree.org
Urging AAPI to bring in traditional Indian wellness practices to modern medical systems, President describes “AAPI as a link between two vibrant and democratic societies”
(Mumbai, India. December 29th, 2018) The Honorable President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the 12th edition of the Global Healthcare Summit organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at The Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai on Friday, December 28th, 2018.
In his inaugural address, the President of India said, AAPI is “more than just a platform of doctors and medical practitioners, the Indian President told the nearly 500 delegates who had come from around the world to attend the landmark Summit in Mumbai. “It is a link between two vibrant and democratic societies, both of which have addressed major public health challenges in their own way.”
He praised AAPI and the over 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States for their great contributions. “The professional-ism and goodwill of Indian doctors in America has won them – won you, I should say – a well-deserved reputation,” he told the AAPI leaders. “In fact, it has occasionally led to diplomatic gains for India for which your Association must be appreciated.” He said India and the US shared complementarities in the pharmaceutical field – in clinical research, drug discovery and manufacture. He said that both countries can work together to address common challenges posed by lifestyle diseases.
In his welcome address, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI said, “The past Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) have helped develop strategic alliances with various organizations and the government of India. It is these learning and relationships that have brought us all here in Mumbai, who are very passionate about serving their homeland, Mother India.”
Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, delivering inaugural address at AAPI’s 12 Annual Global Healthcare Summit in Mumbai
Past summits have identified areas of mutual interest and also integrated advancements of healthcare facilities in India besides ways and means of tackling long term concerns leading to long-term collaborations. Dr. Parikh reminded the audience of many outcomes of the Summit, saying, over the past 12 years AAPI physicians have collaborated with several professional medical associations, academic institutions, Government of India, and have made significant contributions towards addressing diabetes with the launch of Sevak program, CPR-AED training for first responders with expert faculty from the American University of Antigua, Traumatic Brain Injury – the scourge of young India, and development of management guidelines thereby helping prevent deaths due to road traffic accidents, raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID. Ten city pilots are well under way and significant progress is being made, said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President AAPI in his opening remarks. A significant collaboration has been reached between AAPI and Project Life to address the challenge of and to prevent Thalassemia.
Dr. Parikh praised the contributions and efforts of Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Dr. Vinod Shah, Chair of AAPI Legislative Committee, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair of GHS 2018, Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor, Dr. Asha Parikh, Women’s Forum Chair, and his entire Executive Committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Ramesh Mehta, President of GAPIO, which has jointly organized GHS for the first time in association with AAPI, also addressed he delegates during the inaugural ceremony.
Dr. Ramesh Mehta, President GAPIO in his opening address said that AAPI GHS 2018 is the beginning of a strong collaborative approach along with the Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO) that together will make constructive and tangible ways of ensuring that healthcare is affordable and accessible to millions of people in India.
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder GAPIO has envisioned the evolution of developing a united front for all NRI physicians to develop strong and effective programs that can be implemented with precision to face the challenges posed by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). GAPIO has launched several programs including Leadership Development Programs. GAPIO has representation from 34 countries according to Dr. Anupam Sibal, Vice President, GAPIO.
Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra, in his address to the international delegates, welcomed the AAPI delegates to his home state, Maharashtra. While praising the many contributions of AAPI, he urged the delegates to work collaboratively in making health care more affordable. He promised whole-hearted support to the initiatives of AAPI in the state of Maharashtra. Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, and Raj Purohit, Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra were honored guests who attended the event.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, delivering welcome address at the 12th annual GHS 2018
The President of India acknowledged the professionalism and excellent reputation of doctors of Indian origin in the US. “It is a tribute to India’s culture of knowledge and of service that one of every seven patient consultations in the US is with an Indian or Indian origin physician,” he said.
AAPI, a three-and-a-half decades old organization with an impressive CV, is the largest non-profit ethnic medical institution in the United States. “Your Association is a mini-India, comprising doctors with origins in all parts of our country,” the Indian President said.
The President said that the goal of ‘Health for All’ must be integral to our programs and policies. He noted the several initiatives of the Government of India, which he said were intended to make healthcare in the country more holistic and affordable for all citizens of the country.
The President of India lauded the great contributions of the members of AAPI to public health and to the discipline of medicine across the spectrum. “You are consulted on legislative and policy issues and are involved in cutting-edge research. Most important, you are responsible for providing medical care and treatment to a wide variety of people, including, I am happy to note, communities living in underserved areas.
The Indian diaspora, spread across the world, “serves as a living bridge between the country of its adoption and the country of its origin – such as between the US and India,” the Indian President said.
He praised AAPI for its collaborations with the Ministry of Health, Government of India, with state governments and with several medical and academic institutions to take forward the agenda of public health. “AAPI and its members have helped in addressing diabetes, taking on the challenge of TB, development of management guide-lines for brain injuries, and rural health-care, among other themes,” he said.
Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, delivering inaugural address at AAPI’s 12 Annual Global Healthcare Summit in Mumbai
The President of India praised AAPI’s contributions, especially, Imparting of “first responder training in several states of the country, including here in Maharashtra. Such training can be of immense use after road accidents or when dealing with an emergency.” He urged AAPI to take this process further and deeper, especially in rural areas, where there may be a considerable distance between the patient and a well-equipped multi-specialty hospital.
He appealed to AAPI leaders to work together with the government of India in finding innovative ways to offer quality and affordable care to millions of poor people in India, by building alliances – between doctors and patient groups, between civil society and industry, between researchers and practitioners and ultimately between countries “Disease does not discriminate, and the practice of medicine and health-care must not discriminate either,” he said.
“India’s experience with producing affordable but high quality drugs and medicines offers a huge advantage as the world – and America itself – seeks to drive down the cost of health-care and health insurance,” the Indian President pointed out. “Our countries can also work hand-in-hand in seeking answers to global pandemics and emerging zoonotic diseases.”
The President of India urged AAPI to continue its efforts in the prevention and management of life-style diseases, diabetes and obesity, where physicians of Indian origin can bring in “traditional Indian wellness practices to modern medical systems. Please see what your Association can do in this area,” he told AAPI delegates
“The goal of ‘Health for All’ must be integral to our programs and policies,” he said. “I am very happy to note that the Government of India has been doing exactly that – it had made delivery of holistic healthcare to all citizens of India, one of its primary goals.”
Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chair of GHS 2018, Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, First Lady of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra., Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, Dr. Ramesh Mehta, President GAPIO
Appealing more collaborative efforts by AAPI, especially in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, seeking to provide comprehensive medical care to all our people, from little children to the elderly, covering 40 per cent of Indian citizens, the Indian President said, Ayushman Bharat is of importance to more than just India. Its success will offer a blue-print to cost-effective universal health coverage in emerging economies and among vulnerable communities.
“That is why I would urge all of you to become part of this potentially game-changing initiative – by participating and supporting it as you can, or even by making suggestions in terms of its design and roll-out. I look forward to actionable ideas on Ayushman Bharat emerging from this Summit,” the President of India told AAPI delegates.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 37 years. One in seven American is touched by a doctor of Indian origin. There is an equally large percentage of medical residents, fellows and students in the USA. AAPI’s GHS has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org
It’s that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas and that it means to everyone. Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God.
Christmas is a season of praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, which begins with Christmas Eve (December 24 after sundown) or Day and continues through the Day of Epiphany. The name Christmas comes from the season’s first service, the Christ Mass. Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphania, which means “manifestation,” when Christ made known to the world as the Savior when Three Kings/Magi visited Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas?
Christmas has now more associated with sharing of gifts, parties and carling. The Indian American community here in the US has brought with them some of the traditions they have cherished back home in India.
Continuing with the tradition of singing Carols and spreading the message of Christmas around the community, members of Our Lady of Assumption Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission in Norwalk CT went around houses across the southern Connecticut, singing Christmas carols and bringing in the joy of Christmas and sharing blessings with members and families and friends of the newly formed Catholic Church in Fairfield County during the weekends of December 15-16, 2018.The caroling began with the carol, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful.’
Meanwhile, Trumbull Party Timers, a group of families in the Trumbull region shared the joyous Christmas blessings with children leading the Carol singing in each house in the region. “It was fun and while we had a good time we are glad we are able to share with one another the spirit of Christmas; Love, Joy, Peace, and Sharing,” said the youth who were the lead carolers of the group.
Our world that we have inherited is a beautiful place. Nature, in its abundance has bestowed on us numerous blessings. The people in our lives, the opportunities that come on our way to learn, to grow, to flourish, and to share, are all miracles that we enjoy and cherish every day of our lives.
However, our world has its own challenges. We are witnesses to hatred, wars, violence, divisions, epidemics, uncertainties, natural calamities, injustices, discriminations, and fear. Our faith in humanity can sometimes be overshadowed by doubt, despair and a sense of defeat.
The ongoing wars around the world between nations, religious, ethnic, and ideological groups, threats to human existence by terrorist groups and piling up of nuclear and biological weapons, as well as through the mindless destruction of the resources of the planet earth, have made us lose hope in ourselves and the world.
For nearly seven decades since the end of the Second World War, the United States played a key leadership role for the world. It’s interventions in Korea, Vietnam, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other parts of the world, including efforts to thwart communist insurgencies, dictatorships and other threats to peace, were aimed at sustaining a balanced world order.
Taking office in 2009, newly elected U.S. President Barack Obama lost no time in spelling out his new vision for America’s role in the world. “Leading from behind” was to become America’s new role on the world stage. A decade after this new approach, leading to many actions or inaction, had its consequences.
There are dozens of hotspots around the world that calls for immediate attention and action. The Middle East remains a seething cauldron of unrest and instability. Years of painstaking negotiations between Israel and Palestine has not produced a breakthrough, resulting in an ongoing war in Gaza that has caused the death and destruction of lives of thousands across the borders.
Despite more than a decade of warfare and more than a trillion dollars spent, Iraq is disintegrating into civil war. Afghanistan is still a hotspot with uncertainty over government formation years after the elections. Threats from Al-Qaeda affiliates around the world have posed constant threat to the safety of the world.
China continues o flex its muscles with almost all the nations on its borders, including with Japan, Taiwan, India and Tibet, contributing to unrest and tensions among the nations of the world. After Syrian president Bashar al-Assad used poison gas to kill hundreds of Syrian civilians, a clear violation of international law, and having no consequence has emboldened him and Assad continues to slaughter and displace hundreds of innocent civilians. Half a Million people, mostly civilians, have died in Syria’s continuing civil war, and the world seems powerless to stop the carnage.
Wars and sectarian violence in Yemen, Sudan, Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, and parts of Central American nations continue to cause the deaths of thousands of people every year. Terrorism has become a real threat to the entire humanity, with the brutal murder of innocent people.
Russia does not seem to help build peace in the world. It brazenly fomented discontent and among the majority Russian-leaning citizens of the Ukrainian province of Crimea, then simply annexed the region. Human right violations and interfering in the democratic processes of free nations around the world, including the United States, have been dealt with muteness.
Stephen Hadley, President George W. Bush’s national security adviser, stated that it would be harder to recover from this cold war era tactics than in the past because Bladimir Putin is effectively rejecting the international order established after the collapse of the Soviet Union.”If Not a Cold War, a Return to a Chilly Rivalry,” he was said.
Natural calamities around the globe, in response to man-made global warming, and short-sighted and narrow vision for political gains by leaders around the world, have become a common feature killing tens of thousands of people every year, and causing destruction of places, properties and nature itself, in hundreds of Billion Dollars every year.
The mindset of millions of people to radicalism, racism, and violence is a major threat to the whole world and its continuance of the current civilization. We are often not concerned because these tragedies are often not occurring in places and people closer to us. Many of us seem to be unconcerned about these threats until they come our way. And they continue to happen, and soon all of us will be consumed by these violent forces that have become a threat to humanity.
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it,” stated Albert Einstein decades ago. Looking around us we have every reason to be concerned that the world we live in has become more dangerous to the current generation than it ever has been. The advancement in technology, innovations, more open and broad minded society of the 21st century have not ushered us into a safer world. No, it has exposed humanity and the entire world to more dangers than ever been before.
The policies and programs of Donald Trump, President of the US, allegedly delivering for a faithful base of supporters who voted for him as the ultimate anti-globalism, abdicating America’s responsibilities as the world leader, and leading to trade war between nations, anti-Islamist and anti-Immigrant policies, deregulation of environmental and monetary policies that were created to safeguard the nature and common man, have pushed the US and the world to the brink of destruction.
However, there is hope in the midst of all these. Initiatives of small and large by individuals, groups and nations give us hope for a better world. Technological advances that help fight diseases, protect the earth, and keep the peoples around the world connected with one another instantly through the social media give rise to hope.
I have personally met and been enriched by the examples of several individuals and small groups who have made it a commitment to share their riches, resources, skills, talents, time, and their lives to bring hope in this hopeless world.
The beginning of the New Year 2019 is a perfect time to take stock of our lives. It may be helpful at this time to reflect on the achievements of the past year, congratulating ourselves for both personal growth and goals met, and setting our agendas for the New Year.
It’s the time to make or re-evaluate our own hopes and dreams for the year, thus providing a basis to guide our year. Creating a plan for our year and something to strive for enables us to become more and more successful in our own lives.
As we celebrate Christmas, the festival of peace, joy, and love, we dedicate this issue to those who continue to bring hope and peace, making a positive changes in the lives of people, for the greater good of humanity, to make our world a better place than the one we inherited, and to give our children and for generations a better future.
Merry Christmas And A Bright, Healthy, Joy-filled, And Prosperous New Year To All.
Indian-American Shree Saini was crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018 at a glittering pageant held at the Royal Alberts Palace, in Fords, New Jersey on Friday, December 14, 2018.
Shree, 22, who was told by the doctors that she can never dance after being installed with a pacemaker at the age of 12, said one should never give up. “I truly believe your legacy is defined by how you make others feel and the positive difference you make in your lifetime,” said Shree, who started her non-profit organisation, when she was 15. Shree said it was her dream to compete for a world title, which was started when she was in the elementary school.
Indian-origin girls from as many as 17 countries participated in the annual beauty pageant on the final day, while nearly 40 women from as many countries from around the world had competed fro the coveted title. Organised by the New York-based India Festival Committee (IFC), the pageant is said to be the oldest and largest event for the Indian Diaspora community.
Sakshi Sinha from Australia and Anusha Sareen from United Kingdom were respectively declared first and second runner ups in the 27th annual global pageant for people of Indian origin.
India’s Mandeep Kaur Sandhu, who hails from Haryana, was crowned Mrs India Worldwide 2018. A mother to a boy, she lost her husband in a road accident in the first year of her marriage. “I decided to stay single to show to all those who told me that I cannot raise a child alone being a widow. I am here to represent all the widow women. If I can do it, you can do it,” Mandeep said. Jeya Priya Pandian from Malaysia and Kavita Malhotra Pattani from USA were declared the first and second runner ups of the Mrs India Worldwide 2018 respectively.
The next edition of the Miss India Worldwide will be held in Mumbai in 2019, said Dharmatma Saran, chairman and founder of the India Festival Committee that organises the pageant.
“We are proud of the fact that we have been able to imbibe Indian values, tradition and culture among Indian origin youths across the world,” he said. “We have also been successful in promoting Indian performing arts in the world,” Saran said.
Beautiful, compassionate, talented, ambitious, gentle, humble, determined and dedicated to achieving the lofty goals she has set before herself at a very young age, Shree Saini is a woman with a golden heart. Shree from the state of Washington was born in India. She immigrated to the United States as a toddler.
Being uprooted from one’s culture and dear ones was undoubtedly a major challenge. She had to experience hardships while in high school, where she was bullied. Young Shree fought bravely a heart ailment which required her to use a pacemaker. Shree, who had a pacemaker implanted at the age of 12 and was told that she would never be able to dance, is an inspiration for all. “I practice dance almost every day for several hours,” Shree says, pointing to the pacemaker she carries with her all the time.
After doctors diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect at the age of 12, Saini recalls how she struggled to adapt to the life-changing situation of needing a pacemaker while still in middle school, especially when other students did not treat her kindly as a result.
“I have been the target of brutal emotional bullying. I was ridiculed in the most subtle ways, which is why I so often talk about ‘nonverbal’ bullying. For example, there were many instances where I was left out of events or edited out of pictures, and daily ‘whispered about’ by others. As a result of this treatment, there were many times when I would cry in my school’s restrooms or come home in tears after dance class… yet I persevered.
“My family helped me endure,” she explains. “My mom said, ‘the way people treat you has nothing to do with you, but has everything to do with them.’ She empowered me to step up and be even more compassionate towards those who hurt me, and to never give up on my true belief in always being kind.”
In order to reprogram her brain towards more positive thoughts and reach an understanding of how she could find inner peace in spite of all the negativity, she read extensively. “I read books and essays on achieving a more powerful mindset, responding to acts of hate with compassion, and the true value of emotional fitness and what can be done to address the lack of education around it. From what I have learned, I have formed my personal mantra: ‘Giving powerful responses to life’s struggles while being a positive contributor to every situation.’”
These experiences did not deter young Shree from pursuing her life’s mission. “My journey went from a silent sufferer to a bitter person and finally an enabled victor,” she says. “If anything, the physical challenges and social pressures fueled her – all the way to the Joffrey Ballet and beyond, including winning the title of Miss India USA.”
Shree created the website www.ShreeSaini.com to educate people about her experiences. “It was created based on my personal struggles during my high school,” Saini says. Her hope is that it would inspire others to emulate and face the world with confidence and love. Her former tormentors are now her fans. Via social media, she’s received their congratulations – and apologies.
A woman with a noble mission, what the 22-year-old University of Washington student, is aspiring to achieve in her life, is to create awareness on a number of pressing social issues through her organization, and through her web-portal. “I began my nonprofit at age 15. I work on raising awareness and raising funds for several nonprofits including anti-human trafficking and anti-bullying,” the young visionary says. “I am very passionate about my non-profit and want to lead a life of service,” she says. “I want to help end human trafficking and work to promote the importance of emotional well-being in our society.”
In addition, she uses the many social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, among others, to enhance her life’s mission. Through Shree Saini YouTube page, she wants to spread her message by creating short videos of discussions on social issues, college life, raising awareness of important organizations and human rights, as well as anything to help the community.
Shree won the Miss India USA after many years of focus and practice, participating and winning in several pageants. Shree has competed in a number of pageants within the Miss America organization. She was the first runner-up at Miss Moses Lake 2014, Miss Seattle 2016 and Miss Seattle 2017. She also won the Miss Seattle People’s Choice Award in 2016 and 2017, and Miss Congeniality, Highest Fundraiser, Director’s Award. All her pageant exposure has served as a platform for what she truly loves, in spreading awareness against bullying and other social issues. As Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, says, “Shree has used her platform to spread her story of perseverance, tolerance and heart health.”
Miss India USA was started by the New York-based community leaders Dharmatma Saran and Neelam Saran, under the banner of the India Festival Committee around 36 years ago, Miss India USA is the longest running Indian pageant outside India. “It has evolved over the years. Earlier, the participants of pageants presented their talent around Bollywood dance and songs and classical dances. But now pageant participants come out with their own innovations,” Dharmatma Saran said.
“I am so incredibly honored, overjoyed, humbled and excited to be chosen as your “MISS INDIA WORLDWIDE 2018”! God’s amazing grace has surpassed all the words I may have to express this fete. I am astonished by the blessings showered over me,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
Shree Saini has been in a public profile for years. She literally can make her choice on how she wants to mould her image and pave the way for her future. Shree Saini, an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a double degree in public administration and business, wants to “lead a life of service.” When asked between the many engagements around the nation, where she finds the time to study, Shree says, “I study on the plane, while waiting for flights, as almost every weekend, there is an event I need to attend.”
Her passion for education started when she was very young. Even in high school, her drive led Shree to graduate with the highest number of high school credits (46, although only 26 were required). “I know education is vital to solving any of the world’s problems, and have therefore always stayed curious and dedicated myself to obtaining life skills, like public speaking, as well as gaining more knowledge by studying political science at Harvard University, and establishing my own emotional wellbeing startup at Stanford University.”
Pointing to the hard work she had to put in, Shree says, the Acting Program she attended at Yale was a very intensive conservatory program for actors comprised of 12+ hours of classes daily, which were then followed by rehearsals. With my heart condition, I had to work extra hard (just as I need to do in dance or as a UW student) in order to match the performance level of other physically-able actors. And, she succeeded through determination and hard work.
Shree’s ambition to learn and conquer what she is set to achieve in life has taken Shree to some of the most prestigious schools across the United States. Saini, who studied journalism at UW and has attended as a visiting student at Harvard, Yale and Stanford, aspires to push legislation through local governments.
After dealing with her own personal experiences, Saini penciled her thoughts in a journal, which she said helped change her from a victim to an empowered young woman. The journals in her diary turned to newspaper clippings in local papers in Washington. “In a society mainly obsessed with physical fitness, emotional problems are dismissed,” noted the young activist. “Emotional well-being is necessary to have a healthy body and mind,” she says.
Shree is working on pushing through a Bill nationwide that will help implement emotional well-being classes for K through 12. “The classes will help start at a young age to build self-esteem.” Saini hopes to follow up her undergraduate degree with graduate courses at an Ivy League school, where she intends to study public administration or policy making and nonprofit management.
A brilliant student and learner, Shree believes that children learn what they live in their own households. “Parents need to radiate kindness, and be generous enough to overlook minor offenses, while still raising responsible kids who will heal our societies.”
Shree gives credit to her parents, Sanjay and Ekta Saini, who have not only supported her dreams, but have gone beyond to help her succeed at every step of the way. Pointing to her mother, Ekta, Shree says, “My mother is my role model, who has been with me, supported me and have encouraged me to work hard and realize my dreams.”
As the reigning Miss India Worldwide, “I believe I will be able to make even more of an impact. During my reign, I am responsible for reaching out to individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and schools to make at least 100 appearances during the next 12 months. At every event, I strive to raise public awareness about the value of emotional fitness. I find I am able to engage audiences by asking them my most powerful question: ‘What is more important to you than your own emotional wellbeing?’ I also share my personal story of receiving a pacemaker at age 12, being brutally bullied, and then having to build myself back up emotionally.” She is committed to live a life of service where she intends to teach people about love, harmony and tolerance.
Regarding her future goals and ambitions, Shree is candid about her choices. If good offers come her way, Shree is open to acting in movies, whether it be in Bollywood or Hollywood. Another effective way to showcase her talents and still more importantly, another way to champion and spread her message for a better, just and peaceful world. “Meanwhile, I want to continue working on my nonprofit and become an ambassador of emotional health by continuing to visit as many places as possible, spreading my positive message of hope,” Saini says.
(Atlanta, GA. December 16th, 2018) “The 37th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) will be held at the fabulous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Centre (GWCC) in Atlanta from July 3 to 7, 2019,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, announced here at a kick off meeting.
Attended by the members of convention leadership and various Committee Teams for the convention, the event on Sunday, December 2nd, 2018 at the Georgia World Congress Centre, showed the enthusiasm and commitment of the AAPI leadership and the local organizing committee headed by Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Vice Chair of AAPI BOT and Convention Chair.
Other prominent leaders who had attended the kick off meeting included, Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President, AAPI; Dr. Syamala Erramilli, President of GAPI; Dr. Asha Parikh, Chair of GAPI BOT; Convention Co-chairs: Dr. Raghu Lolabattu, Dr. Piyush Patel, Dr. Subodh Agrawal and several Convention Team members.
“Exhibitors and Corporate Partners will remain their priority as they work together to provide a world class forum for increased interactions between physicians, sponsors, exhibitors,” said Dr. Sreeni Gangasani. “The annual convention this year is being organized by AAPI’s Georgia Chapter. A pool of dedicated AAPI leaders are working hard to make the Convention a unique event for all the participants.”
Dr. Asha Parikh said, “The 2019 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to encourage legislative priorities and to develop health policy agendas in the coming year.”
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 provides an opportunity for delegates 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,” said Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda. In addition to consumers of medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment, practice-related services, financial services, office supplies, etc., can also meet senior members of management who influence such health care facilities. The 37th AAPI Atlanta Convention is where you can reach your target audience of several thousand under one roof. Register now and aggrandize your marketing plans.
According to Dr. Syamala Erramilli, the AAPI convention will offer over 12 hours of CME credits. Scientificpresentations, exhibits, and product theatre presentations will highlight the newest advances inpatient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medicalspecialties. In a paradigm shift, the convention will explore a Symposium and/or Workshop format that will focus on current issues in the clinical management of chronic disease conditions to include evidence-based guidelines, latest therapies, and hot topics. They will also include 1-2 sessions that will count for Ethics CME that can fulfil mandatory medical license renewal requirements in most states.
This convention has been always one of the much awaited events of the year, there will be an Educational session with CME by world renowned faculty, full entertainment by Bollywood celebrates, many religious/cultural Activates and many more.
AAPI convention offers customized and exclusive sponsorship packages to meet the needs of sponsors and supporters. There are many Exciting A-Z Registration Packages like Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond Ranging from $50,000 – $250,000.
Exhibiting with AAPI gives an opportunity to access nearly 2,000 health professionals who are leaders and decision-makers regarding new products and services, Access to national and international health policy advisors. The physicians attending this convention have excelled in different specialties and sub-specialties and occupy high positions as faculty members of medical schools, heads of departments, and executives of hospital staff.
AAPI represents the interests of 80,000 physicians including 20,000 medical students, residents, and fellows. Over 2,500 attendees along with guests are expected to gather at the 37th Annual AAPI Convention in Atlanta, GA. The Team has discussed all the exciting news, updates, action plans for the upcoming event, assigned and confirmed the roles and responsibilities of members in the team. Early Bird Specials for AAPI members to save on the cost for registering early on to attend the convention will be announced shortly.
AAPI was founded in 1982 by a group of concerned Indian American medical professionals with a simple goal, to deal with the challenges around immigration and licensing issues facing by foreign medical graduates and to design a level field for them. It is the largest non-profit ethnic medical organization in the United States,one out of seven patient encounters in America is with an Indian American physician,AAPI serves as an umbrella organization with a network of over 160 component chapters including alumni, regional ,state, and specialty organizations.
“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 all in Atlanta, Georgia!” said Dr. Naresh Parikh. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org
Long Island, NY: December 14th, 2018: Nearly 500 people from across the country came together to celebrate the contributions, achievements and growth of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin of QUEENS and LONG ISLAND (AAPI-QLI) during the 23rd annual convention here at the Hilton Huntington, Long Island, NY on Saturday, December 8th, 2018. Entertainment, CME lectures, Exhibition, Business Forums, Networking, Recognition of five distinguished physicians for their achievements and contributions, Gala and Dinner were only some of those made the convention historic on this colorful and eventful day.
In his presidential address, Jagdish K. Gupta, M, President of AAPI-QLI, describing the convention as a historic event gave an overview of how the organization, and its trajectory of growth over the past 23 years and how it has become today to be one of the most powerful ethnic Physician organizations in the country. “AAPIQLI is fortunate to have a strong foundation made by its founding members. AAPI-QLI was started in June 1995 to represent the interests of all physicians of Indian origin in Queens and Long Island area and now has grown to become the largest ethnic physician organization of approximately 800 members, one of the largest chapters in National AAPI.”
Enumerating some of the programs under his able leadership AAPI-QLI initiated, Dr. Gupta said, AAPI-QLI has been providing a forum for monthly meetings for Continuing Medical Educations on Sunday, monthly sessions with discussions on current trends and changes on a range of topics in healthcare, wealth management, and practice management issues on Wednesday. “AAPI-QLI is also engaged in charitable activities for the benefit of our community at large in the form of donations to ROTACARE, INN- Soup Kitchen, Shankar Nethralaya, CRY foundation and many others. The organization also conducts many Health Camps at our religious institutions, providing free flu vaccine, eye care, dental care and preventive medical care including anti-obesity campaigns in the elementary schools and for Veterans of our nation.” AAPI-QLI also participates with other organizations, like IALI and AIA in sponsoring Health Fairs during India Fest and Deepavali Celebrations at South Street Seaport, Dr. Gupta said.
In his address, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Chairman of BOT-AAPI-QLI, and past national President of AAPI, said, “Under the leadership of Dr. Gupta, r AAPI-QLI has raised the bar higher than ever. We have been able to expand our reach to all parts of the state and improve the educational and charitable experience of our members. We want to create a strong relationship with various organizations within our community that reflect our vision and mission. AAPI-QLI will discover her own potential to be a player in shaping the health of each patient with a focus on health maintenance than disease intervention.”
Dr. Lodha described AAPIQLI as the most vibrant and powerful subchapter of national AAPI which represents more than 100,000 physicians and more than 20,000 residents and fellows of Indian subcontinent. “My friends, you do not know your own power. When AAPI speaks, people in Washington listen. AAPI has been in the forefront in shaping legislation in a number of complex challenges confronting the medical/healthcare system,” he said. He thanked and praised the hard work an
The Distinguished honorees of the Gala this year included: Dr. Alan Guerci, President & CEO, Catholic Health services, Long Island; and, Dr. Jason Naidich, Senior VP & Regional Executive Director of Northern Region at Northwell Health and Chairman of Radiology at Zucker School of Medicine.
AAPI-QLI honored there of its own members for their dedicated services and contributions as awell as their achievements in the field of Medicine and Health. Dr. Satish Anand was honored with Lifetime Distinguished Services to AAPI-QLI Award. Dr. Manjeet Chadha received the Distinguished Physician Innovation in Research Award; and, Dr. Gaddam Reddy was honored with Distinguished Physician Clinical Services Award.
In his address, Congressman Thomas Suozzi, chief guest at the event, praised the contributions of Indian Americans to the larger American society. “In this room, you represent the future of New York and the USA. I see an immense pool of talents among you. We are very lucky to have you. You do so much for the nation,” he said. Describing India’s relationship with the United States to be “the most important in the next 50 years” for both the democracies, Suozzi said, “India shares the same democratic values like the United States.”
“We take pride in our diversity,” Nassau County Executive, Steven Bellone, in his felicitation address, said. “Indian American Physicians have earned the admiration and respect of those in their community, working diligently to provide vital programs and services that contribute to the quality of life in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.”
Dr. Viny Jayam, Convention Chair, welcomed the audience to the gala and thanked the tireless efforts of the committee members for their hard work and dedication. Dr. Rakesh Dua, Immediate Past President of AAPI, congratulated the team under the leadership of DR. Gupta for their dedication and leadership. The event came to a close with a live musical performance by leading Bollywood stars, and a grand dinner.
AAPIQLI represents more than 2,000 Physicians residing in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk serving the community of New York and its Counties. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in most prominent positons at their medical institutions, including Administrative, Program Directors, Heads of Department, and Teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and Pharmaceutical Products, devices and equipment and practice related services at multiple levels in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and health care facilities. For information, please visit: http://aapiqli.org/about-aapiqli/
As the mid-term elections have come to a close, the official launch of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary season has begun. Over a dozen prospective candidates will start making moves or even launching campaigns to challenge President Donald Trump.
According to a CNN report published recetly, Kamala Harris, the Senator from California ranks 2nd among the 10 potential aspirants to the White House among the Democrats. She comes after Sen. Elizabeth warren of MA among the 10 ranked by CNN. In June this year, The Washington Post ranked the Indian Origin Senator from the Golden State 3rd after Sen. Warren and Sen. Bernie sanders of Vermont.
According to CNN, “ Harris clearly saw the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings as a chance to showcase her prosecutorial mettle. And like Booker, what you took from Harris’ performance during the hearings is likely determined by what you thought of her before the hearings. But if you are looking at what the 2018 primaries have taught us, it’s that a candidate with a profile like Harris’ — liberal record, the first Indian-American in the Senate and first black senator from California — could be just what Democratic primary voters are looking for.”
In 2017, Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as a United States Senator for California, the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history. She serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget.
Kamala has spent her life fighting injustice. It’s a passion that was first inspired by her mother, Shyamala, an Indian-American immigrant, activist, and breast cancer researcher.
Growing up in Oakland, Kamala had a stroller-eye view of the Civil Rights movement. Through the example of courageous leaders like Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley, and Charles Hamilton Houston, Kamala learned the kind of character it requires to stand up to the powerful, and resolved to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves.
After earning an undergraduate degree from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings, she began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
In 2003, Kamala became the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. Among her achievements as District Attorney, Harris started a program that gives first-time drug offenders the chance to earn a high school diploma and find employment.
Having completed two terms as the District Attorney of San Francisco, Kamala was elected as the first African-American and first woman to serve as California’s Attorney General. In this role, she worked tirelessly to hold corporations accountable and protect the state’s most vulnerable people.
Over the course of her nearly two terms in office, Kamala won a $25-billion settlement for California homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis, defended California’s landmark climate change law, protected the Affordable Care Act, helped win marriage equality for all Californians, and prosecuted transnational gangs that trafficked in guns, drugs, and human beings.
In the United States Senate, Kamala’s mission remains unchanged: fighting for the rights of all communities in California. Since taking office, she has introduced and cosponsored legislation to raise wages for working people, reform our broken criminal justice system, make healthcare a right for all Americans, address the epidemic of substance abuse, support veterans and military families, and expand access to childcare for working parents.
Dr.Vemuri S. Murthy, a well-known resuscitation educator and trainer, a veteran US and international volunteer of the American Heart Association (AHA) for more than three decades, and current faculty member of the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois @ Chicago, was honored by the US Congressmen Honorable Danny K. Davis (Democratic US Congressman, Illinois District 7) and Honorable Peter J.Roskam (Republican US Congressman, Illinois District 6) with a Medal of US Congress as a Global Champion of Resuscitation.
The award was presented at the 38th Annual Gala Banquet of the Indian American Medical Association, Illinois in Willow Brook, IL on November 17, 2018. The Medal was presented by the two Congressmen with the plaque (citation) signed by them “in recognition of his life’s mission to enhance the Global Resuscitation Outcomes with ongoing community and physician education and training”.
“I am deeply humbled to receive this honor,” Dr. Murthy said in a statement, in response to being chosen to receive this honor. “I believe it recognizes the efforts of millions of global volunteers and many organizations such as the American Heart Association (AHA) that dedicate themselves to saving precious lives that would otherwise be lost to sudden cardiac arrest.” AHA has recognized him for “outstanding support and contributions in advancing the mission of the AHA”.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) lauded Dr. Murthy’s commitment to Global Resuscitation Outcomes. “He is the Chairman of AAPI Global CPR Ad Hoc Committee for a life-saving global health project of AAPI initiated in 2018 with a mission to enhance the outcomes after sudden cardiac arrests in the US and India through ongoing community hands-only CPR training and AED awareness with multi-organizational affiliations, Dr. Parikh said. “AAPI is proud to represent thousands of U.S. physicians of Indian origin who make contributions to the motherland and to the adopted homeland,” he added.
Dr. Murthy, who is considered “a pioneer of resuscitation education in Indian Medical Colleges” for initiating mandatory resuscitation training courses in all medical colleges affiliated with Dr. NTR University of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh, has commended AAPI for its life-saving Community CPR training project for India and the US and thanked members of the CPR Committee.
Dr. Murthy, a life-member of AAPI for several years, has been a speaker at the CME events and conducted the first AAPI-AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification Program in Ahmedabad, India in 2014 as the Chairman of the AAPI-AHA liaison committee.
“I am thankful to the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the Chicago Medical Society, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, the Indian American Medical Association, Illinois, and several other organizations in the U.S. and India for their commitment to Community CPR training,” said Dr. Murthy. “I also thank the Medical Council of India for including resuscitation training in the medical curriculum”. “I hope to see the expansion of the current emergency medicine residency programs to all teaching hospitals in India” he added.
A visiting Medical University Professor and Advisor of the Medical University Resuscitation Training Programs in India, Dr. Murthy established a wide network of Physician resuscitation instructors in India. His community CPR information has been translated into several Indian languages. He has initiated an ongoing Community CPR project in India affiliated with the University of Illinois @ Chicago involving US medical residents. An International AHA faculty for resuscitation courses, he chaired programs at Annual Resuscitation Symposia in the USA, conducted resuscitation seminars and lectured at prestigious Medical Institutes in the USA and India. He is instrumental in establishing some of the AHA International Training Centers in India.
Dr. Murthy is the current President of the historic Chicago Medical Society (CMS) founded in 1850 and is the Founder of the Society’s Community CPR awareness Project SMILE (Saving More Illinois Lives through Education) in 2011, which is the first Medical Society-initiated Community CPR training project in the US. Dr. Murthy’s training participants included the US Congressmen, Illinois State and Cook County Legislators including the Speaker of the Senate, and Consul-Generals of the Chicago Consular Corps. His contributions to community health initiatives and leadership of organized medicine were commended by the US Congressmen, and State and County leadership and the former Governor of Illinois. The Mayor of Chicago and Chicago City Council recognized (2018) his contributions during a proclamation of March 30 as the “Chicago Medical Society Day”. Dr. Murthy is also the past President of the Indian American Medical Association, Illinois (1998) and a current member of the Board of Directors.
Dr. Murthy is the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions from the Professional Societies, Academic Institutions and Organizations in the USA and Internationally such as the Chicago Medical Society’s Henrietta Herbolsheimer Public Service Award, Global Health Champion Award of Global Health Consortium, Distinguished Physician Award and Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian American Medical Association, Illinois, among others. He was honored by the US Congressmen, Former Health Minister of India, Indian Medical Association (India), American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin, Cardiological Society of India, etc.
Dr. Murthy says, his motivation as a community CPR volunteer is “linked to my decades of professional practice, reviving victims of cardiac emergencies and rescuing one of my own family members.”
“I am honored to introduce to you, Tulsi Gabbard, a good friend and one of the most promising and inspiring leaders in the Democratic Party, “ said Dr. Dr. Sampat Shivangi, a leading Indian American, dedicated physician and philanthropist, while introducing Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, as she announced her candidacy for US Presidency in 2020.
Tulsi was the first Hindu ever elected to the US Congress and the first member to take her oath on the Bhagavad Gita, Dr. Shivangi told a select guest of audience, who were invited to the event in Los Angeles, CA last week. “She was also one of the two first female war veterans elected to Congress.”
Tulsi was elected to the Hawaii State legislature in 2002 at the age of 21, making her the youngest woman in the country to be elected to the state legislature. She sacrificed her state house seat in 2004 to voluntarily serve in the army as a Captain in the US army and has served on 2 deployments in the Middle East. She continues to serve as a Major in the Army National Guard.
A veteran and with multiple prestigious awards, Tulsi is the recipient of several awards, including the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award from the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government,
A 37-year-old Iraq War veteran, Tulsi has been a United States Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and is now in her 3rd term. She has won all 3 elections by a whopping 80% of the votes polled.
A former vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, she currently serves on the Armed Services Committee and Committee on Foreign Affairs and is vice chair of the Congressional India Caucus. She has been a fresh voice in the Democratic Party with her support for US-India relations, her opposition to the war in Iraq, her opposition to arms sales to Saudi Arabia and her more recent vigorous opposition to arming the rebels in Syria.
In addition to national security and international issues she has been active on Environmental, Medicare and social issues in Congress. Amid the clamor of Trump headlines and focus on higher-profile candidates, Tulsi Gabbard has been quietly making the traditional moves of a presidential candidate. She recently visited Iowa, where locals urged her to run for president, according to the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She keynoted a progressive gathering in New Hampshire in September. And she’s writing a book due out this spring titled, “Is Today the Day?: Not Another Political Memoir.”
Tulsi has distinguished herself with an anti-interventionist approach to foreign policy and the Middle East, and a progressive populist economic policy that has earned her praise from the likes of Sanders and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. She was one of the first members of Congress to endorse Sanders. “There’s a very clear contrast and clear difference when it comes to our two Democratic candidates,” Gabbard said at the time, “and who will exercise good judgment” in matters of war.
Dr. Sampat S. Shivangi is a conservative life long member of the Republican Party and hails from the state of Mississippi. Dr. Shivangi is the National President of the Indian American Forum for Political Education, one the oldest Indian American associations. For the last three decades, he has advocated for Bills in the US congress on behalf of India through his close relationships with US Senators and members of the Congress. Dr. Shivangi has worked enthusiastically in promoting the India Civil Nuclear Treaty and the US-India defense treaty that was passed in the US Congress.
Dr. Shivangi has held high offices in USA including as an advisor to US Health & Human Services appointed by the President George W. Bush, a member of the Mississippi State Board of Health by Governor Haley Barbour, then a Chair of the State Board of Mental Health, now by Governor Phil Bryant. For his significant contributions to strengthening India-US relations, Dr. Shivangi was honored with India’s highest civilian award by the President of India, with the Pravasi Bharathiya Sanman award in 2017. Dr. Shivangi was also honored with Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York in 2008.
As an admirer and strong supporter of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Dr. Shivangi told the audience in LA last week, “You may be looking at the next President of the United States in 2010; the fiorst woman ever elected to the Highest Office in the world.”
Dr. Shivangi, who was one of the very first to support and donate to her campaign when Tulsi had made her initial bid to the US Congress in 2012, described Tulsi as “truly a breath of fresh air in politics.”
Nearly a hundred AAPI leaders, including current Executive Committee Members, Members of the Board of Trustees, past AAPI Presidents, leaders of AAPI local Chapters and Regions came together at the Embassy Suites of Hilton in Dallas, TX on November 16th to take stock of AAPI and plan and recommit themselves for a stronger and more unified and forward looking organization that is more responsive to the needs of the Indian American physicians and the large population of people they are committed to serve in the United States and back home in India.
The overall themes of the day were on the need and ways to enhance AAPI membership; strengthening national and local AAPI Chapters and Regions; providing a unified voice in the national and state Capitals to make AAPI’s voice heard and recognized; and building a stronger, vibrant, transparent and unified AAPI.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, provided a brief report of his 4 months long Presidency of the largest ethnic medical organization in the US, and offered a vision for a stronger and greater AAPI. In his presidential address, Dr. Parikh stressed on: Open Communication between all bodies of AAPI and its members, through his weekly newsletter; Transparency in all aspects including finances; stronger membership drive, inviting and urging many more Physicians of Indian origin to join the group; A unified and stronger AAPI that represents all backgrounds, all areas and regions, providing representation to all groups of the large body that AAPI stands for; bridging the Generation Gap, and providing opportunity to new generation of AAPI leaders to lead the many initiatives; and for AAPI to maintain its status as a not for profit, while actively engaged in its role to be a unified voice on Capitol Hill and in the state legislatures.
Dr. Parikh pointed to a great start under his leadership with a well-coordinated Executive Committee members, and having worked to purge the AAPI membership list to be accurate, and working to create a solid financial foundation for the organization through an establishment of AAPI Endowment Fund that is ever growing and sound.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, who has served as the chairman AAPI Bylaws Revision Committee, consisting of 14 members, said, his team has worked tirelessly to make the laws more relevant to the changing and growing needs of AAPI. He presented to the Body the new Bylaws of AAPI, which was unanimously adopted by the Governing Body. He stated that the same spirit of the original laws of AAPI have been maintained, while efforts have been made to strengthen bylaws in order to make AAPI stronger. Dr. Reddy, who will assume charge as the President of AAPI at the upcoming Convention in July invited members to join the Antartica Cruise he and his team are planning for AAPI members in January 2020.
Dr. Vinod Shah, Chairman of the AAPI’s Legislative Committee, provided an update on the upcoming Legislative Day in April. “We will work with the Congress and Senate Leaders on the Hill to make our voices heard on the corridors of power,” he said, while urging AAPI members to attend at the event.
Dr. Jagan Ailinani, a past president and philanthropist addressed the delegates about the need to collaborate with the Tata Trust Foundation to address the financial and healthcare needs of the cancer patients in India and to work with the Tata Group to provide Pure Drinking Water to rural India. He urged AAPI to collaborate with Tata Foundation for Making Sustainable Difference in the lives of the people of India.
Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Chairman of the AAPI GHS in Mumbai 2018 provided a description of the many unique events that are part of the Global Healthcare Summit in Mumbai, India from December 28th to 30th. The focus of the Summit will be an India-centric approach, with special events on: Research contest, CPR Training to first responders and teachers; CMEs; Entertainment; and Pre-Post GHS Tours to Goa, Kerala, and other exotic places in India, he said.
Conceived and developed by Mr. Anwar Feroz Siddiqi and building on the successful experiences of the past twelve years of CEO forum at the AAPI Global Health Summits, The 8th HealthCare CEO forum is proposed to be Jointly Chaired by Managing Director, Niti Ayog, DGHS and Secretary Health and invited Healthcare Leaders, Health Attache US Embassy Delhi, US FDA Country Head, India, Chief Executive Officers from Hospitals, Teaching Institutions, Pharmaceutical Industry, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Health Insurance and NGO’s. Leaders from Indian Pharmaceutical Companies will discuss ways to ensure that lower cost and effective medicines with the highest quality continue to make India the world leader in this field. The forum will have a special discussion on successful implementation of “AYUSHMAN BHARAT” – is a brainchild of the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, whose vision is to provide quality healthcare to India’s billion people – a project that is being watched intently across the Globe for emulation.
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice-President, gave an update on his initiatives on enhancing the membership drive and to make known about the member benefits to the members of the 46 Chapters of AAPI across the nation. He urged each Chapter to help enrol a minimum of 20 new members.
In her address, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, notified the AAPI delegates on the progress on CPR Guidelines for India. She urged AAPI to take a lead role in establishing and the implementation of this much needed cause. As Secretary of AAPI, she appealed to AAPI leaders to help towards the realization of the Million Dollar Endowment Fund for AAPI.
Dr. Anjana Samadder was inducted as the Treasurer of AAPI, and she shared with the AAPI leaders of her vision for a vibrant and financially sound AAPI. Dr. Hemant Dhingra, Entertainment Chair of AAPI provided a detailed description of the planned 9 City Tour by popular Bollywood star, Neha Kakar, which is a way to raise funds for AAPI and its many local Chapters. The event will have its finale with Sonu Nigam joining the 60 member live artists in Atlanta, GA.
Dr. Prachi Dua, President, MSRF and Dr. Praveen Arla, President, YPS, shared with the members about their efforts to enhance membership among Young Physicians using social media, and about the planned National Volunteers Day.
Dr. Narendra Kumar, past President of AAPI, served as the Speaker of the Governing Body meeting in Dallas. It was to the credit of the organizers that the meeting had several past Presidents and current and past BOT members and Chairs.
Coordinated and organized by Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary of national AAPI and Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer of national AAPI, Dr. Udaya Shivangi, past Chairwoman of AAPI’s Women’s Forum, the annual meeting was well attended, giving an opportunity for AAPI leaders to take stock of past year and plan to work effectively for the greater good of its members and for the well-being of the larger society.
The day-long event concluded with Dr. Naresh Parikh addressing the TIPS annual Gala and fund raiser for Breast Cancer awareness. The national AAPI delegates were special guests at the gala by one of the most active and largest Chapters of AAPI.
President Donald Trump joined in the lighting of the ceremonial diya to jump-start the Diwali celebrations at the Roosevelt Room in the White House, as scores of Indians and Indian-Americans joined in the Diwali celebrations on November 13th.
The diya that President Trump lit, was surrounded by red, orange, and yellow flowers. The President arrived at 2:03 p.m. and thanked all, motioning to the large but quiet gathering of assembled media. President Trump had issued a Diwali greetings message on Nov. 7.
Trump announced at the ceremony that he had nominated Neomi Rao, current administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to fill the seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, vacated by now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
After delivering his remarks, the President proceeded to light the Diya with a white taper candle. He asked several participants to make remarks, starting with Seema Verma, then Neomi Rao, who received applause for her just-announced nomination.
After lighting the Diya, Trump called on several Indian-American officials in his administration to speak, including Administrator of Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma, Neomi Rao, and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai.
“I’m grateful to have numerous Americans of Indian and South East Asian heritage who fulfill critical roles across my administration and they’ve done an incredible job. Many of them are here today,” Trump said, naming several of them.
“The United States has deep ties to the nation of India and I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi. We’re trying very hard to make better trade deals with India. But, they’re very good traders. They’re very good negotiators. You would say right. The best. So we’re working. And it’s moving along,” said Trump.
India was represented at the event by its Ambassador Navtej Sarna and his wife Dr. Avina Sarna, and Pratik Mathur, first secretary and special assistant to the Ambassador. Ambassador Sarna thanked the President for honoring India and the Indian community in the U.S. who feel “very welcome” and have integrated with American society. “I think, we are looking at one of the best times we ever had in India US relationship,” Sarna said. “I think, that’s true. Very close, than ever before,” the President emphasized.
President Donald Trump, while officiating at this second Diwali at the White House, said the United States and India formed a bulwark against conflicts and stood for peace, that Prime Minister Modi was a “best” friend, and that America was “blessed” to have so many Indian-Americans calling this nation their home.
In an almost 8-minute speech before lighting the traditional lamp in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Trump also announced the nomination of Indian-American Neomi Rao, to fill the vacant seat on the DC Circuit, vacated by now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“India is the world’s largest democracy and the relationship between our two countries connect as a bulwark for freedom, prosperity, and peace. As we light the Diya in the White House we are joined by in a fellowship with all of those who light lamps in their own home, cities and places of worship,” Trump said, adding, “America is a land of faith and we are truly fortunate to have these wonderful traditions woven into the tapestry of our national life. And that is true.”
“On behalf of the American people, I wish everyone celebrating here, well all over our country, our land, great United States and around the world, a happy and joyful Diwali,” the President said, following with lighting the lamp.
The list of White House invitees provided by the White House, included top White House officials including Ivanka Trump, advisor to the President; Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel; Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah; Director of the Office of Public Liaison Justin Clark; recently appointed Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Neomi Rao, who President Trump announced, has been nominated to fill the seat of Judge Kavanaugh; Director for India and Indian Ocean, National Security Council Basant Sanghara; Director for India, National Security Council Jennifer Wethey; Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director of Management, Office of Management and Budget Neal Patel; Policy Advisor, Office of the Senior Counselor Pranay Udutha; and Air Force Technical (TSgt) Sergeant Dinesh Sheonath from the White House Military Office.
Other Trump administration appointees also on the list included Manisha Singh, acting under secretary at the State Department; Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services; Uttam Dhillon, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; Neil Chatterjee, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Dimple Shah, assistant secretary for International Engagement of the Department of Homeland Security; Bimal Patel, deputy assistant secretary, Financial Stability Oversight Council, Department of the Treasury; Vanila Singh, chief medical officer for the Department of Health and Human Services; Pradeep Belur, chief of staff of the Small Business Administration; Gopal Khanna, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality at the Department of Health and Human Services; Asheesh Agarwal, general counsel of the Social Security Administration; Stacy Amin, chief counsel of the Food and Drug Administration; Arjun Garg, chief counsel of the Federal Transit Administration at the Department of Transportation; Rajive Mathur, deputy commissioner and Systems/Chief Info Officer at the Social Security Administration; Gurjeet Guram, senior advisor, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and Lathika Thomas, senior counselor in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
The first White House Diwali celebration was held in 2003 in the Bush Admin and has become a tradition since then, though in 2009, President Barack Obama, was the first president to actually attend the event in person, and lighting the ceremonial lamp in the East room of the White House, when the event was attended by about 200 guests. In 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated Diwali in the East Room. She also took part in a Bollywood dance with local students in the State Dining Room. In 2017 President Trump celebrated his first Diwali with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, senior officials from his administration and a small group of Indian Americans.
Celebrating Diwali has become somewhat of a tradition in other branches of government, including the Pentagon and the State Department, as well as on Capitol Hill, where a host of lawmakers from both Houses and parties, attend, most of them belonging to the Congressional Caucus for India and Indian Americans, the largest country-caucus on Capitol Hill.
Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, the first ever Hindu Congresswoman, is considering running for president in 2020, POLITICO reported here last week.
Rania Batrice, an adviser to the progressive congresswoman and deputy campaign manager on Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, has been putting out feelers for digital and speechwriting staff for Gabbard, POPLITICO reported. “One person approached about the positions say that 2020 wasn’t mentioned explicitly, but it was heavily implied.”
Batrice reportedly denied that the staffers are being hired for a presidential campaign. She did not dispute, however, that Gabbard is considering joining what’s expected to be a crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders.
“I think everybody is focused on 2018, but we will see what happens after that,” Batrice said in an interview. “Someone like Tulsi, with her experience, is an important voice in the party and the country.” Top aides to Gabbard did not respond to multiple requests for comment, POLITICO wrote.
Amid the clamor of Trump headlines and focus on higher-profile candidates, Gabbard has been quietly making the traditional moves of a presidential candidate. She recently visited Iowa, where locals urged her to run for president, according to the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She keynoted a progressive gathering in New Hampshire in September. And she’s writing a book due out this spring titled, “Is Today the Day?: Not Another Political Memoir.”
A 37-year-old Iraq War veteran, Gabbard won her House seat in 2012 and became the first Hindu to serve in Congress. She has distinguished herself with an anti-interventionist approach to foreign policy and the Middle East, and a progressive populist economic policy that has earned her praise from the likes of Sanders and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Gabbard has also drawn controversy, which would surely become a factor in any presidential race. In 2017, she came under heavy criticism for meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad and expressing skepticism that he was behind chemical attacks, urging caution over the use of military force. She also raised suspicion among progressives for meeting with president-elect Donald Trump during the presidential transition in 2016.
Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker to serve in Congress, was first elected in 2012 and later became a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. She resigned that position in 2016 amid her endorsement of Sanders’s presidential campaign.
She was one of the first members of Congress to endorse Sanders. “There’s a very clear contrast and clear difference when it comes to our two Democratic candidates,” Gabbard said at the time, “and who will exercise good judgment” in matters of war.
(Long Island, NY: November 14th, 2018) “Tonight, our coming together here as members and supporters of AAPI-QLI, is a way of celebrating the achievements, contributions of our Indian American community, and cherish our ancient and rich cultural heritage,” said Dr. Jagdish K Gupta, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Queens and Long Island Chapter (AAPI-QLI) in his welcome address.
“We are here tonight to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, the festival of the celebration of the victory of goodness over evil,” Dr. Gupta, a practicing Gastroenterologist, serving the community for over 40 years, told the audience at the annual Diwali gala at the magnificent Leonard’s Palazzo on Long Island on November 4, 2018.
The annual Diwali event organized under the leadership of Dr. Gupta, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Chair BOT, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Chairman of function and Executive Committee of AAPI-QLI, attended by over 300 guests, including AAPIQLI members, physicians, sponsors, community leaders and Crème de la crème of Indian Community, was in every sense a celebration of the true spirit of Joy and happiness during the festive season of Diwali.
Dr. Ajay Lodha, past national President of AAPI, in his address, lauded the many achievements of the Indian Americans. “Tonight, as proud members of the AAPI-QLI, the largest and most active Chapter of national AAPI, we are celebrating the achievements of our community and our many contributions to the diverse society in New York and Long Island area.”
Dr Naresh Parikh, AAPI President graced the occasion as Guest of Honor and Honorable Ambassador Shree Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General of New York was the Chief Guest. In his address, Dr. Parikh described AAPI-QLI as the most vibrant, transformative and politically active Chapter among all AAPI chapters in the nation.” Dr. Parikh referred to the fact that Indian American Physicians serve every 7th patient in the nation and contribute enormously the healthcare industry of the United States.
At the gala, two very dynamic and young physician achievers, Drs. Preeti and Nilesh Mehta, were recognized for their humane, state of the art services to the residents of Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Also, AAPI-QLI recognized Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation for its decades long services, relieving and supporting the poorest and needy cancer patients and their families in India for over 37 years. Ramesh Goel, MBA, a simple, down to earth community leader, was recognized for his services to many religious and professional Alumni organizations.
Earlier, Diwali festival celebrations began with the traditional, Deva Shri Ganesha recital and dance followed by invocation with Shankh-naad and Shlokas by Pandit, Dixit Ji and participation in lamp lighting ceremony by the entire audience. The celebrations came to a close with amazing dance performance followed by extravaganza of delicious food and custom designed Venetian Dessert show.
AAPIQLI, one of the largest chapters of national AAPI, has been serving 800 member physicians since 1995, providing continuing medical education, charity, and discussing the state of the art topics in healthcare, wealth management and practice management.
AAPI QLI has grown rapidly in membership and has been well accepted and appreciated by all local and national professional organizations. From the very beginning the leadership put heavy emphasis on transparency and the democratic process, which is the main ingredient for its enormous success.
The Mission of AAPI Queens and Long Island has been to represent the interests of all physicians of Indian Origin in the area including providing Continuous Medical Education (CME) and engaging in charitable activities for the benefit of the larger community in the New York region.
Over a dozen others elected to state and local bodies in US 2018 Mid-Term Elections
The four Indian-American Congressmen from the Democratic Party have been re-elected to the US House of Representatives and more than a dozen others won various other races across the country in the highly polarized 2018 midterm elections held on November 6th.
Dr. Ami Bera, a three-term Congressman, was re-elected for a record fourth consecutive term from the 7th Congressional District of California. Unlike the previous three elections, Bera did not have to wait for weeks for recounting of votes. He defeated Andrew Grant of the Republican Party by a 5% margin.
In the Silicon Valley, Indian-American Ro Khanna defeated Ron Cohen of the Republican Party with a massive 44 percentage point in the 17th Congressional District of California. “Tonight was a great night for our campaign and for Democrats across the country. I’m grateful to the voters of #CA17 for giving me the opportunity to continue to represent you in Congress. This has been the honor of my life,” Khanna said. “With Democrats in control of the House, we will push for economic and foreign policy populism,” he said.
In the 8th Congressional District of Illinois, Raja Krishnamoorthi was re-elected for the second term by a comfortable margin of more than 30 percentage points. He defeated his Indian American Republican opponent J D Diganvker.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, the only Indian-American woman lawmaker in the House of Representatives, defeated her GOP rival Craig Keller by a massive 66 percentage points. “The American people voted to put the Democrats back in control of the US House of Representatives. Now, we are primed to restore the balance of power between the branches of government and push back even more strongly against the Trump administration’s deeply destructive policies. Our communities are sick and tired of the corruption and injustice,” Jayapal said in her victory speech in Seattle.
While nearly two dozen Indian American won elections to state and local bodies across the nation, several candidates seeking to be elected to the US Congress did not make it to the US Congress. For the first time, more than 100 Indian-Americans had entered the race in this mid-term elections, of which over 50 were on the ballot on Tuesday. Among them 12, including four incumbents, were running for the House and one for the Senate – a record in itself.
None of the more than half a dozen new Indian Americans candidates, many of whom caught national attention by giving tough fight to their opponents and outraising them in the fund raisers, could make it to the House of Representatives.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) had high hopes in Aftab Pureval in Ohio, Sri Preston Kulkarni in Texas and Dr. Hiral Tipirneni in Arizona by including them in its “Red to Blue” list – and additional boosts had come from major endorsements and results of recent polls. Democratic Party activists had hoped for seven Indian-Americans in Congress.
The Indian American Impact Project and its affiliate the Indian American Impact Fund have been raising funds for the candidates and also getting out high profile party members like Sen. Kamala Devi Harris and former U.S. Ambassador to India Rich Verma. Volunteers and other supporters were on the ground in the districts in Ohio, Texas, and Arizona where Pureval, Kulkarni and Tipirneni were running.
Raj Goyle, co-founder of the Indian American Impact Project, and a former Kansas state legislator, had stated, “Between the high stakes atmosphere and the sheer numbers of candidates who ran for office, this is perhaps the most competitive election cycle we’ve seen in decades. He said that more than 100 Indian-American candidates were on the ballot throughout the year and more than half are on the Nov. 6 ballot. We will see many new elected officials who are fresh faces and represent the best of our community,” he had said.
The Impact Project’s executive director, Gautam Raghavan, an ex-senior Obama administration official, said, “For the first time in history, three Indian-Americans are on the DCCC ‘Red to Blue’ list. Just ask Congressman Ami Bera — that designation can be a game-changer. We were happy when Aftab Pureval was named to the list earlier this year, and thrilled when Sri Kulkarni and Hiral Tipirneni were added earlier this month.”
“Impact Fund is proud to have contributed directly to these candidates, help them raise funds, raise their visibility nationally, and arrange for community leaders like Senator Kamala Harris and Ambassador Rich Verma to hit the campaign trail for them,” Raghavan said.
On Oct. 12, Sen. Kamala Devi Harris (D-Calif.) traveled to Arizona to keynote a joint event for Tipirneni and Malik,and continued to send emails encouraging supporters and donors on their behalf.
“I believe in these two talented Indian-American women,” she said. “I need these women in Congress with me. My constituents in California, and Indian Americans across the country, need these women in Congress. What happens in these races on Election Day will affect not only Arizona, but the entire nation.”
Indian-American of Tibetan descent Aftab Pureval, 35, lost to GOP incumbent Steve Chabot. He was the first Democrat to get elected as the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in more than 100 years. Indian-American woman Anita Malik lost to her Republican incumbent in the sixth District of Arizona, while Hiral Tipirneni was defeated by GOP rival Debbie Lesko.
Indian-Americans picked up more seats in the State assemblies. The community sent its member Ram Villivalam for the first time to the Illinois Senate and also elected a Muslim Indian-American Mujtaba Mohammed to the North Carolina State Senate. Chicago-born Villivalam, elected unopposed, became the first Asian-American State Senator and the first South Asian-American member of Illinois General Assembly ever.
Former state department diplomat Sri Preston Kulkarni lost to his GOP incumbent Pete Olson from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. A five-time incumbent, Rep Olson defeated his Indian-American Democratic challenger in the most heated 22nd Congressional District that the opposition had hoped to flip due to a large Asian-American population.
The 40-year-old relied heavily on his ability to connect with the district’s diverse population to give Democrats hope that he could pull off an upset in the district. About 20 per cent of the population in the district is of Asian heritage – more than any other district in Texas.
Sanjay Patel, who runs a successful consulting business, lost to Republican Congressman Bill Posey, who has been winning the eighth Congressional District of Florida continuously since 2009.
In the first Congressional District of Arkansas, Democratic Chintan Desai lost to Republican incumbent Rick Crawford, while Republican Harry Arora lost to incumbent Jim Himes in the fourth Congressional District of Connecticut.
Shiva Ayyadurai, a successful entrepreneur, who fought the Massachusetts Senate race as an independent, came a distant third. Democratic leader Elizabeth Warren registered a comprehensive win over her Republican rival Geoff Diehl to re-enter the US Senate.
Democratic Nima Kulkarni defeated Joshua Neubert from the GOP to make her maiden entry into the Kentucky Assembly from State District 40. A practicing and recognized lawyer, she owns Indus Law Firm specialising in immigration, employment and business law.
Mujtaba Mohammed entered the North Carolina State Senate from the Senate District 38. A former staff attorney at the Council for Children’s Rights and assistant public defender, Mohammed defeated Richard Rivette.
Incumbent Jay Chaudhuri, an accomplished entrepreneur, was re-elected to North Carolina Senate from the State Senate District 15. Republican Niraj Atani, 27, registered his third consecutive electoral victory from Ohio House 42nd District. He is the youngest Indian-American elected official in the US. He is also the second Indian-American state elected official in Ohio history, and the first Indian-American Republican.
“Representing the community in which I was born and raised is an incredible honor. I work hard every day to make it achievable for all Ohioans to have the opportunity to make their American Dream a reality,” Atani said in a statement.
In Washington State, Manka Dhingra and Vandana Slatter were re-elected for the State Senate. Among others re-elected at the State level are Sabi Kumar in Tennessee and Ash Kalra (California).
Sayu Bhojwani, the executive director of New American Leaders and author of “People Like Us: The New Wave of Candidates Knocking at Democracy’s Door,” stated, “Indian-American women across the country are donating money, writing texts and postcards, making calls and knocking on doors. We, Indian American women are leading the way in this groundbreaking election,” she said. “We have only begun to witness the power and energy we have together.”
The emergence of a large number of young Indian-Americans candidates reflects the growing desire of this small ethnic community comprising just one per cent of the US population of 325 million people in the greatest democracy in the world.
“It is time we come to recognize fully the contributions of the Indian-American community. Indian-Americans are tremendously important and we hope they would be increasingly visible not only in the government, but also in all parts of American life,” said Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng, maternal half-sister of President Obama, adding that President Obama was very proud of the community. “It is certainly a reflection of how important India is and how important Indian-Americans are to the fabric of the nation. I would just like to celebrate all of the contribution artistic, political and so much more of the community.”
To quote former Congressman and Co-Chair of the Congressional India Caucus, Joe Crowley, “I think it is wonderful for the Indian-American community. It is coming of age, politically for them.”
In a closely watched midterm election, Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives, effectively ending one-party rule in Washington — although the GOP increased its advantage in the Senate.
Democrats earned sweeping victories across the map, easily picking up the 23 seats they needed to regain control. With a number of races too close to call, Democrats could win up to 35 seats and open a significant margin in the chamber, setting up a two-year period that will likely feature multiple clashes between President Donald Trump and the House.
Progressive candidates won House seats in a number of districts that voted for Trump in 2016. Abigail Spanberger defeated incumbent U.S. Rep Dave Brat in the historically conservative Virginia 7th district and Lauren Underwood earned an upset win in Illinois’ 14th district.
The comeback of the Democrats to power is expected to end President Trump’s legislative agenda, while giving them the power to investigate his corruption. Democrats did so with a runaway win in the national popular vote — likely by about seven percentage points.
“It is gratifying to inform you that the US Senator Roger Wicker from Mississippi (R), in response to AAPI’s request, has introduced a Bill, S.281, in the US Senate with dozens of his colleagues in the Senate,” said Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Co-Chair AAPI Legislative Committee. “AAPI leadership had met Sen. Roger Wicker in April 2018 and urged him to introduce a Bill in the US Senate expediting the H-1B visa process for Physicians of Indian origin, who are waiting for their Green Card for years and decades. We, at AAPI are grateful to Senator Wicker for heeding to our request and introducing the legislation.”
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), pointed out that in order to meet the growth in demand and shortage of physicians, the US has looked up to the highly trained and qualified physicians from other countries to meet our growing demand for physicians to meet our nation’s healthcare needs. In this context, AAPI has joined other Medical Association in the country in urging the US to expedite and reduce/eliminate the hurdles for speedy process of the applicants seeking H-1B visa. The J-1 visa to qualified physicians, enabling these foreign-trained physicians to serve our nation’s healthcare needs.
“As the rapidly approaching start date for all GME programs, we at AAPI want to urge the US administration to expedite review of pending H-1B/J-1 Visa applications by non-U.S. International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who have been accepted to postgraduate training programs in order to avoid unnecessary delays,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, had said in August this year, urging the Trump administration to expedite the visa process for physicians.
American Medical Association (AMA) is in full support of such a bill and has highlighted the plight of such physicians who are struck in the green card backlog.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, joined by the senior leadership of AAPI, presented a Memorandum to the Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty. While acknowledging that there is a projected increase in the total number of office visits to primary care physicians from a base of 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025, due to aging of the US population as well as the average number of visits to primary care physicians projected to increase, resulting in higher demands and reduced supply of physicians, pointing that the US will be short by more than 90,000 physicians by 2020 and 130,000 physicians by 2025, AAPI leaders urged the Trump administration to expedite the process for Visas to physicians, enabling them to work for the greater health of the people of this adopted land of theirs.
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 co-sponsored by Sen. Wicker amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per country numerical limitation for family-based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas.
“Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians,” Dr. Vinod Shah, President of AAPI’s Legislative Committee, pointed out. “The overrepresentation of Indians in these fields (engineering, IT and medicine) is striking – in practical terms, one out of seven doctors is likely to be of Indian Heritage. They provide medical care to over 40 million of US population,” he added.
“We are much grateful for Senator Roger Wicker for his leadership on this issue where our community of high skilled workers may be engineers or Physicians who are serving in under-served regions in the nation, providing outstanding services to millions of Americans,” he added.
“Senator Roger Wicker not only has introduced this bill, but has become the Champion and our voice in the US Senate. This US bill S 281 will bring fairness for high skilled, specially our young Physician group and so also to I.T engineers across USA. This is a fairness bill, we all welcome,” Dr. Shivangi added. “Thanks to AAPI and AAPI leadership acting promptly on this issue. I feel this a major achievement for AAPi in the Legislative wing. Of course, the work is only half done as bill has to be moved and voted by entire US Senate and the US Congress,” he added.
American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic Medical Association in the nation, representing the interests of over 100,000 physicians, Fellows and Residents in the United States, while working closely with the Lawmakers individually, regionally and nationally through our AAPI Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, have consistently supported a comprehensive immigration reform.
Dr. Parikh lauded the efforts of AAPI’s Legislative Wing, in leading the initiatives of AAPI, in bringing to the forefront the issue of expedited Visa process for physicians from abroad, who want to serve in this country. For more information, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
With less than a week to go to mid term polls, Republican party and its candidates and state run governments by Republicans across the nation, while sensing heavy losses, are resorting to voter repression and false propaganda.
After the 2010 election, state lawmakers nationwide started introducing hundreds of harsh measures making it harder to vote. The new laws range from strict photo ID requirements to early voting cutbacks to registration restrictions.
The restrictions range from requiring government-issued photo identification to vote, to delaying voter registration if application information differs from government databases, to limiting voting times and locations. What remains unclear is how much they actually deter voting.
After the 2008 election, when Republicans gained control of a number of really important states in 2010, they began to introduce a wave of new restrictions to tighten access to the ballot. Then those efforts were basically given a green light by the Supreme Court when it removed a critical part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 in the Shelby County v. Holder decision and said that those states with the longest histories of discrimination no longer had to approve their voting changes with the federal government. That allowed states in the South that previously had to prove their voting changes with the federal government – places like Texas and Georgia and North Carolina and Alabama – to implement these new restrictions on voting.
Overall, 24 states have put in place new restrictions since then — 13 states have more restrictive voter ID laws in place (and six states have strict photo ID requirements), 11 have laws making it harder for citizens to register, seven cut back on early voting opportunities, and three made it harder to restore voting rights for people with past criminal convictions.
In 2016, 14 states had new voting restrictions in place for the first time in a presidential election. Those 14 states were: Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
In 2017, legislatures in Arkansas and in North Dakota passed voter ID bills, which governors in each state signed, and Missouri implemented a restrictive law that was passed by ballot initiative in 2016. Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, and New Hampshire also enacted restrictions last year, in addition to laws that were on the books for previous elections.
In 2018, New Hampshire and North Carolina have enacted new restrictions. In 2013, a bare majority of the US supreme court gave the green light to North Carolina by striking down a provision of the Voting Rights Act that required states, such as North Carolina, that had a history of discrimination to preclear electoral law changes with the Department of Justice.
In addition to a requirement that voters show particular forms of ID, the state eliminated Sunday voting, narrowed the window for early voting and eliminated same-day vote registration and early registration for 16- and 17-year olds. Voter ID requirements at least have the superficial appearance of addressing the integrity of elections, although in practice the justification is bogus.
In Georgia, Ohio and elsewhere, Republican officials are purging the voter rolls — taking away people’s registration, often for no good reason.
In Arizona, North Carolina, Texas and elsewhere, Republicans have closed polling places.
In Arkansas, Iowa and North Dakota, Republicans have added onerous new identification requirements.
And in Florida, Iowa and Kentucky, Republicans have tried to make it even harder for people previously convicted of felonies to vote.
These efforts and many others across the nation, in the nation that boasts of it being called the greatest democracy in the world, are anti-voter campaign to be an outrageous injustice. And now, President Trump wants to take away the birthright citizenship that has been granted by the 14th amendment to the constitution. President Donald Trump said he’s considering an executive order removing the right to citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to parents who aren’t citizens.
To energize his base, President Trump has lasered in on immigration ahead of next week’s midterm elections, stoking fear about the caravan of migrants heading toward the U.S.-Mexico border from Central America.
According to analysts, there’s so little evidence voter fraud exists at all that Trump’s appointed voter-fraud commission collapsed. Backed by independent experts, Democrats say the GOP’s principal goal is limiting ballots cast by Democratic-leaning black, Latino, young and low-income voters.
“These laws have been pushed in recent years by Republicans, and the hardest hit have been people of color and young people and poor people,” says Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. “Restricting the vote appears to be strategic.”
Two political scientists found that Wisconsin’s voter ID law deterred thousands of voters, disproportionately poor and African-Americans from casting ballots in a state Trump narrowly carried in 2016. Another study found similar effects nationally, especially among Hispanics.
Donald Trump has tweeted about voter fraud. He repeatedly claimed without any evidence that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 elections. In fact, voter fraud is a very rare problem in American elections. It’s not like it never happens, but it’s not nearly as widespread as many people, including the president, would have you believe.
The GOP’s voter suppression efforts have continued to be well-executed and disenfranchised too many Americans from casting a ballot. That’s where organizations like Let America Vote, Flippable, and When We All Vote come into play. Extreme voter suppression laws that disproportionately impact people based on race, gender, age, income, and sexual orientation have multiplied all over the country.
Voting rights organizations are fighting back against proposals that make it harder for eligible voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Whether it’s extreme identification requirements, questionable purges of voter rolls, or voter intimidation – Republicans know how difficult it is to get certain communities to vote for them, so better they can’t vote at all.
Two Indian-American candidates have increased their winning chances in the November 6 mid-term elections as the Democratic committee has added them to the ‘Red to Blue’ programme which is for the most viable and high-impact campaigns.
Indian American Congressional candidates Hiral Tipirneni and Sri Kulkarni have been named to the “Red to Blue” program by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on October 17th. Hiral Tipirneni is running for the US House of Representatives from Arizona’s 8th Congressional District and Sri Kulkarni is fighting to be elected from Texas’ 22nd Congressional District.Previously, the DCCC recognized Aftab Pureval, a candidate in Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, with the same designation.
The Impact Fund, founded in 2016 by Raj Goyle and Deepak Raj to endorse and support Indian American candidates running for office throughout the country, had supported Tipirneni and Kulkarni’s races in March.
At the time, Raj said the fund endorsed the two because “we were confident they have the passion, tenacity and drive it takes to run, win and lead. We’re thrilled that the DCCC agrees with our analysis and grateful for their strong support for our candidates,” Raj said in a statement.
“Hiral and Sri are both highly qualified and passionate candidates who will bring fresh energy and ideas to Congress,” added Goyle, co-founder of Impact and a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives. “With just 20 days to go, it’s critical that Indian American voters, volunteers, and donors do their part to get them across the finish line.”
On November 6, Americans will vote for members of both chambers of Congress—the US House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as for governors in 36 out of the 50 states. All 435 seats in the House are up for election while 35 out of the 100 seats are being contested in the Senate. Republicans currently control the House and the Senate.
‘Red to Blue’ designation by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)’s is for the most viable and high-impact campaigns.
President Donald Trump continues to receive poor marks from a majority of Americans on his overall job performance, even as he enjoys relatively good assessments of his handling of the economy. However, among the Indian American voters, his approval ratings are overwhelmingly low.
A new study jointly conducted by AAPI Data and APIA Vote says, two out of three Indian American voters disapproved of the way Trump was handling his role as president; 28 percent said they approved of the president’s performance, while 4 percent said they did not know, according to the survey.
According to 2016 data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there are over 3.4 million people of Indian origin in the United States. Indian Americans are part of the wider Asian-American community, which is the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States.
The 10 states with the largest Indian-American communities are California, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. These states account for 73% of our nation’s Indian American population.
Indian Americans are expected to play key role in crucial elections around the country to the Congress and Senate races. Indian American voters could play decisive roles in these races and others around the nation that are similarly tight, and so it would behoove political candidates to engage more substantively with this vibrant and diverse community.
According to a 2014 Pew Research Center study, nearly two-thirds of Indian Americans surveyed identified with the Democratic Party. A post-2016 survey by researchers in California and Maryland found that 77% of Indian American respondents supported Hillary Clinton.
The Asian American Voter Survey was released Oct. 9, as voters in 34 states — including California, Florida, Texas, and New Jersey, home to large populations of Indian Americans — began receiving ‘no-excuse’ early voting ballots. Election Day is Nov. 6; several states, including California and New York, mandate that employers must provide at least two hours of paid time off for employees to go vote.
Senate races in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, and Nevada are ranked as toss-ups, and candidates there cannot afford to leave votes on the table. The Indian origin populations in these states range from 11,121 in Nevada to 143,020 in Florida. (Speaking of Florida, I voted there in 2000, when George W. Bush’s official margin of victory over Al Gore was 537 votes.)
Among House races considered competitive, several congressional districts are located in counties with substantial Indian American populations. In California alone, these include San Joaquin (17,797), Los Angeles (88,505), Ventura (12,342), and Orange (50,286) counties. Beyond California, Indian Americans are heavily represented in the toss-up 32nd congressional district of Texas, which encompasses Dallas (49,975) and Collin (47,673) counties, and they comprise nearly eight percent of the total population of Loudoun County, Virginia, which sits in that state’s potentially flippable 10th congressional district.
Asian Americans could be the margin of victory in several significant races, stated Indian Americans Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, and Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the AAPI Victory Fund. According to survey results, almost two-thirds of Indian Americans will vote for Democratic candidates in House and Senate races.
“Trump has galvanized the mid-term election,” said Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside, and founding director of the Center for Social Innovation He noted that the president’s rhetoric on a range of issues collide with the views of most Asian American voters. Many view the mid-term election as a referendum on the Trump administration and a possible opportunity for Democrats to take back their majority in the Senate.
Narasimhan said both Democratic and Republican parties have been slow to recognize the impact of the Asian American vote, and have not significantly reached out to the community. Ramakrishnan noted that Indian Americans emerged as the most progressive Asian American community on a range of social issues, including access to health care, quality education, and gun control. “The Indian American agenda goes well beyond immigration,” he said, adding that few respondents listed immigration in their top three issues of concern, though they are likely to factor in a candidate’s views of immigration policy in their voting decisions.
The study surveyed 1,316 Asian American voters from Aug. 23 to Oct. 4, critically before Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process gripped the nation. A total of 227 Indian American registered voters responded to the poll, which also included Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean American voters. The full report and slide deck can be viewed at http://aapidata.com/2018-survey/
In a spectacular ceremony held at lower Manhattan’s Cipriani on Tuesday, October 9th, Asia Society recognized Indra Nooyi, chairman and former CEO of PepsiCo for her extraordinary tenure at the helm of the iconic American corporation. Introduced by former U.S. President Bill Clinton — who called her “the real deal.”
The India-born Nooyi delivered an acceptance speech that cited her pride in running an enterprise championing women, sustainability, health, and wellness. “I believe that a company has to be more than creating value for shareholders, but for society as a whole,” she said.
In addition to Nooyi, Asia Society honored eight other individuals and groups: Wang Shi, the Chinese real estate developer and advocate for environmental sustainability; Mira Rai, child soldier turned champion distance runner from Nepal; Munjed Al Muderis, a doctor who fled Iraq only to become a pioneering surgeon in Australia; the founders of Koolulam, a musical initiative buildings bridges through song in Israel; the remarkable, award-winning Afghan Girls Robotics Team; heroes who saved lives during Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster; the incomparably brave and determined White Helmets of Syria; and, in their first-ever appearance on American soil, survivors from this summer’s incredible rescue at Thailand’s Tham Luang caves.
The fifth annual Asia Game Changers awards were a celebration of remarkable people from a vast array of ages, professions, and nationalities. But, as President Clinton said: “Our differences ma
PepsiCo reported better-than-expected earnings Tuesday, with the company’s 16 percent boost in profits signaling a strong sendoff for chief executive Indra Nooyi on her last day in the position. Core earnings per share came in at $1.59, an increase of 7 percent. The company reported third-quarter net income of $2.49 billion, a 16 percent bump from $2.14 billion the year before. The company said it expects at least 3 percent organic revenue growth for the full year.
Nooyi announced in August that she would step down after 12 years at the helm of the food-and-beverage giant and will stay on as chairman until early 2019. During her tenure, Pepsi reached into snack categories offering organic, healthful alternatives to colas and chips, including Sabra hummus and Bare Foods, a maker of fruit and vegetable snacks. Nooyi’s departure also highlighted the relative lack of female leaders — and particularly women of color — at the top of major corporations.
Nooyi was succeeded by Ramon Laguarta, who has been Pepsi’s president since last year and has been with the company for 22 years.
In a twitter post, Nooyi said: “I will continue to love this company even after I pass the baton tomorrow to @ramonlaguarta, a terrific leader who cares deeply about our business and our people. Thanks to our amazing team for propelling us forward these past 24 years. I can’t wait to see what’s next!”
Through a LinkedIn post, Nooyi offered some parting words to her staff. “As I sat down to write this note—my last as CEO—I felt a surge of emotions. All of you—my PepsiCo family—have held a special place in my heart since the day I joined this company 24 years ago. In the weeks since my departure was announced, I’ve heard from so many of you in so many different parts of the world. And while I haven’t had time to respond to all your messages, I’ve read each and every one, some with tears in my eyes. There are no words to describe how much they mean to me, how deeply I’ve been moved by the outpouring of love.
“So, while I will remain on as chairman until early next year, I’ve been in a reflective mood lately, and recently re-read my very first letter to you all, from the summer of 2006. ‘We face an ever-more-challenging business environment,’ I wrote. ‘And we need to get out in front of events and shape them, rather than to wait and be buffeted by them. This means we will have to be bolder and more creative than ever before.’
“And over the last 12 years, that’s exactly what we’ve done. That’s exactly what you’ve done. You have helped make this company the icon it is today, and you have taught me so much through your ingenuity, commitment to excellence, and passion for serving your communities.
“So, while I know this is the moment I’m supposed to gently lay down the reins, I hope you will indulge me one last time as I share some reflections, some lessons, on what I’ve learned during my tenure—lessons that have guided me throughout my career, and that I hope may be of use to you in the years to come.
“First, whether you work in operations, sales, R&D, or any of our functions, always have a clear, compelling vision for what you want to accomplish. As it is written in the Book of Proverbs, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ And I’ve found that to be true for all of us, no matter our role in the company.
“Second, focus on the short-term and the long-term. Yes, you need to hit your short-term targets, but always try to do so in a way that’s sustainable over the long haul, a way that balances the company’s level — and duration — of returns, a way that generates a profit while also making a difference, always advancing the values of Performance with Purpose.
“Third, bring people along with you. No matter how smart your strategy, success or failure usually comes down to one thing: the team. In everything you do, find teammates who can help execute your vision and empower them to succeed.
“Fourth, be good listeners. When someone gives you feedback, assume positive intent. Assume they’re genuinely trying to help. Think their words over, and be willing to challenge your assumptions. I promise, it will make you better associates and better people.
“Fifth, be lifelong students. Our world is changing rapidly all around us, and if you want to continue to thrive in the years ahead, you’ll need to continually educate yourself. Visit our Lifelong Learning Library in Purchase, take a course at PepsiCo University, listen to podcasts or search Google—however you do it, make your ongoing education a priority.
“Finally, think hard about time. We have so little of it on this earth. Make the most of your days, and make space for the loved ones who matter most. Take it from me. I’ve been blessed with an amazing career, but if I’m being honest, there have been moments I wish I’d spent more time with my children and family. So, I encourage you: be mindful of your choices on the road ahead.
“Looking to the future, I have no doubt that PepsiCo’s best days are still to come. Ramon is a great executive and one of the hardest-working, most humble people I know. A global leader who knows our business inside and out, he is exactly the right person to lead PepsiCo at this moment. And he is taking over a team that is one of the strongest, most tightly-knit in our industry or any industry.
“Serving as your CEO has been the honor of a lifetime. Now it’s on to the next adventure—for us all. Thinking about my life beyond PepsiCo, I’m reminded of the words of the great Sufi mystic Rumi. ‘Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes,’ Rumi teaches. ‘Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.’
“To all my colleagues, friends, and family, thank you for making the last 24 years special beyond words. Though I will no longer be in the office every day, I take comfort knowing that we will never truly be apart, because I have loved this company, and each of you, with all my heart and soul. And I always will. With deepest affection, Indra. Nooyi will remain the chairman of the company until early 2019.”
Nooyi said that over the past three years, Pepsi has seen consumers increasingly push for health and wellness options, including whole grains or zero-calorie flavored waters. Even while there can be varying opinions on artificial sweetness or high-fructose corn syrup, millennials are clearly driving a trend toward healthier foods and beverages, she said, adding that prepared meal options or home delivery has also helped remove barriers to healthier products.
Asked on an earnings call what she views as Pepsi’s biggest opportunities and challenges ahead, Nooyi said there was more opportunity to explore how snacks can act as mini-meals. That can include snacks paired with dips or sports beverages that can be framed as more holistic, nutritional meal options.
In her final remarks, Nooyi said that “even though I still have a lot of fuel left in my tank,” she was ready to finish out her years as chief executive. Nooyi praised the company’s achievements, ranging from investments in human rights and clean drinking water to nutritious retail options, and said that between 2006 and 2017 the company’s net revenue grew by more than 80 percent. Pepsi added a new billion dollar brand almost every other year, she said.
Indian American Cardiologist and entrepreneur Dr. Kiran Patel has invested $60 million in a medical device company whose headquarters will move from Miami to Tampa.
The investment in Concept Medical Inc. will pay for clinical studies on cardiac devices coated with a substance that reduces the risk of heart blockages and the length of time a patient needs to take blood thinners.
“Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 cause of death globally, representing 31 percent of all global deaths, and it is increasing due to changes in lifestyle and the increase in hypertension amongst the young and old,” Patel said in a release. “This venture enables me to contribute to the millions of hearts beating around the world.”
Concept Medical and its manufacturing subsidiary in India have developed new technologies in which stents and balloons used to open blocked coronary arteries are coated with Sirolimus, a substance that reduces the risk of rejection.
With conventional stent or balloon treatments, the risk of restenosis — renarrowing of the arteries — “is 8 to 10 percent,” Patel said in a phone interview. “Ours can bring it down to 3 percent. We will also be able to decrease the need to take blood thinners.”
Concept Medical already sells the Sirolimus-coated devices in Europe and parts of Asia but they cannot be sold in the United States without costly testing required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The $60 million “will be primarily to ensure we can get the FDA approvals and further studies in Europe to establish the requirements,” Patel said.
The Indian subsidiary will continue to produce the devices, but Concept Medical’s headquarters and about five employees will move to Tampa, where Patel lives. The most significant employment gains, though, will be from the clinical studies to assess the safety and effectiveness of the devices, Patel said.
“The places where we will be executing the animal studies (and) the human studies will be at renowned institutions throughout the country,” he said. “They are just launching.”
Patel helped transform a struggling New York health maintenance organization and merged it with a Florida HMO to form WellCare Management Group, which he sold in 2002 for a reported $200 million. Until recently, he was chairman and president of Tampa-based Freedom Health and Optimum Healthcare, which he also sold. Patel is also among the investors in the Tampa Bay Times.
Born in Zambia to Asian-Indian parents, educated in India, Dr. Kiran Patel arrived in the United States Thanksgiving Day, 1976. He returned home to attend medical school, where he met his wife, Pallavi, a fellow student, but ultimately decided to return to the U.S. permanently. “I wanted to make sure my children had a better future, and the political climate in Africa at the time was a bit challenging,” he says.
Dr. Patel was educated in Zambia and then got his diploma in Cambridge University and The University of London. He came down to India to study medicine in Gujarat University in India and did his Internship in Africa. Dr. Patel did his residency in Internal Medicine in New Jersey in 1980. He completed a fellowship in the Cardiology program affiliated with the Columbia University of New York in 1982.
Dr. Pallavi Patel did her undergraduate degree from M.G. Science College, Gujarat University, and attended Municipal Medical College of Gujarat University in Ahmedabad. She did her internship from St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey, School of Medicine Dentistry of New Jersey and Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, in affiliation with Columbia University in New York. She started her private practice in Kabwe, Zambia, from 1974 to 1978 and worked as a part-time consultant physician from 1974 to 1978 for Kabwe Industrial Fabrics, Ltd. and Kapiri Glass Products, Ltd.
The Patel family moved to Tampa, Florida in 1982 and Dr. Kiran Patel began his practice in Cardiology. His dedication, compassion, and skills made him very successful at the very early stage of medical practice, and was soon a distinguished cardiologist in that area. He developed a physician practice management company and expanded to places adjoining Tampa Bay area diverging into 14 practices including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Cardiology.
Dr. Patel was also in partnership with several point-of-service locations to form multi-specialty networks. This network helped patients to access most medical services conveniently. He has actively engaged himself in managed care contracts and has expanded so much that it provides care for more than 80,000 patients annually. Apart from this, he has developed good associations with several HMOs and hospitals. His success in managed care contracts led a group of doctors to seek his services to help them with an HMO in New Port Richey, Florida.
Dr. Patel’s investment will pay for clinical studies on cardiac devices coated with a substance that reduces the risk of heart blockages and the length of time a patient needs to take blood thinners.
“Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally, representing 31% of all global death and it is increasing due to changes in lifestyle and increase in hypertension amongst the young and old,” Patel, a cardiologist and serial entrepreneur, is quoted saying in a press release. “I am excited to be a part of CMI whose research & innovative technologies will meet a major unmet need in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This venture enables me to contribute to the millions of hearts beating around the world.”
The investment “will be primarily to ensure we can get the FDA approvals and further studies in Europe to establish the requirements,” Patel added. A portion of the funds will also be utilized to bolster the manufacturing operations to meet the increasing demand for their products globally.
Both companies were established about 10 years ago and have developed innovative and disruptive platform technologies in drug-delivery systems to address the unmet medical needs in interventional cardiology.
“We want to make a world of difference to the way medical devices companies operate globally. We are a young organization and innovation runs in the soul of our entire organization. This investment enables us in advancing our innovation platforms vigorously. Besides the investment, Dr. K brings a serious value-add with his vast experience which is synergistic,” Manish Doshi, founder and managing director of the company, is quoted saying in a press release.
On September 25, 2018, President Trump delivered his second address to the United Nations General Assembly. The speech was highly anticipated in light of President Trump’s often skeptical view of international institutions and multilateral cooperation, as well as recent tensions over U.S.-China trade, the future of the Iran nuclear deal and talks with North Korea, rhetorical spars with U.S. allies in Europe and elsewhere, and more.
“We will never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy,” U.S. President Donald Trump declared this week in his second UN General Assembly speech on September 25th. “America is governed by Americans.”
“We reject globalism and embrace the doctrine of patriotism,” Trump said in a clear rejection of the half-century old international institutions that emerged from the devastation of World War II. It was a declaration of the supremacy of sovereignty, and the idea that all nations should embrace their own versions of his “America First” foreign policy approach.
Trump was hardly the first U.S. president to make the point. George H. W. Bush put it positively in his 1991 address to the General Assembly, seeing international institutions as an asset in service of an international order “in which no nation must surrender one iota of its own sovereignty.” George W. Bush had a UN ambassador—John Bolton, now Trump’s national security adviser—famous for his fierce defense of sovereignty.
Trump’s speech went around the globe reprimanding ungrateful allies, lambasting so called bad trade deals and criticizing other agreements that enabled the world to take advantage of America. “The U.S. will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control and domination,” he said, defending his Administration’s retreat from U.N. organizations like the International Criminal Court, Human Rights Council and a global compact on migration.
Two weeks earlier, when John Bolton announced that Washington would “use any means necessary” to push back against the International Criminal Court, the body mandated by most of the international community to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It was initially intended to act as a “court of last resort,” to step in when nations’ legal systems fail. To Bolton, and now Trump, the court is a challenge to its constitutional authority.
In another shake-up from longstanding U.S. policy, and one that appeals to Bolton, Trump said his Administration intends to take a “hard look” at U.S. foreign assistance, particularly to nations that don’t act in U.S. interests. “Moving forward, we are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and, frankly, are our friends,” he said. “And we expect other countries to pay their fair share for the cost of their defense.”
Trump believes that international collaboration has resulted in the U.S. being swindled. For decades, he said, the United States opened its economy with few conditions, allowing foreign goods from all over the world to flow freely across U.S. borders. Other countries did not grant that same access.
“We will no longer allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated and our wealth to be plundered and transferred,” Trump said, detailing his rationale to slap China with another $200 billion in import tariffs with a promise to implement more, should Beijing retaliate. “The United States will not be taken advantage of any longer.”
Western allies have not embraced the message of sovereignty, which has traditionally been pushed by states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as a self-defense tactic. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, called on the international community to come together to help repair the broken trust. “Our future rests on solidarity,” he said. “We must reinvigorate our multilateral project.”
(Chicago, IL: September 24th, 2018) The growing influence of physicians of Indian heritage is evident, as they are increasingly recognized and 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.
Not satisfied with their own professional growth and the service they provide to their patients around the world, they are in the forefront, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others, especially those physicians and leaders in the medical field from India.
The 12th annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) 2018, organized by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at the Trident Hotel, Nariman Point, Mumbai, India, from December 28th to 30th, 2018 offers a unique forum for them to come together, sharing their knowledge and expertise in their respective medical fields with their fellow physicians from around the world, and to learn from one another.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, president of AAPI, says, “AAPI has been engaged in harnessing the power of Indian Diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India. For the first time, clinical practice workshops will be held at this summit.” The theme chosen for the GHS 2018 is: H3C: Health Care, Commerce & Career.
“This conference will focus on bringing the highest caliber of internationally acclaimed faculty and will develop a very robust agenda in collaboration with leading experts from India. The enhanced focus on conducting skills enhancement workshops, hands on experience with advanced techniques. CME sessions with academicians from India, US, UK and Canada will offer unique opportunities for local medical staff and healthcare professionals to advance leanings and provide the best possible care for the people of Maharashtra and India. More than 500 Physicians are anticipated to attend the AAPI GHS 2018,” Dr. Parikh added.
The scientific program and workshops of GHS is developed by leading experts with contributions by the Scientific Advisory Board and the International Scientific Committee. The workshops will be led by world famous physicians on topics relevant to the needs of the time.
The Summit will have an International Research competition and AAPI is committed to creating an Award of excellence will enhance the already positive image. “AAPI will work collaboratively with a leading academic medical college in Mumbai and will be conducting the 7th International Research Competition for Medical, Students, Residents, Fellows and Junior Doctors,” Dr. Ravi Jahagirdhar, Chair, GHS Organizing Committee says. “This competition will have five categories for abstract submission: 1.Basic Sciences 2. Hospital Administration 3. Innovation 4. AYUSH and 5. Clinical Science and Patient based research. More than 400 national and international participants are anticipated to participate. This competition will be launched in June/July 2018 and this will encourage innovation and presents a unique opportunity for Young Physicians to network and interact with international faculty from leading medical universities in USA.”
AAPI in conjunction with several leading trauma specialists has developed the first set of guidelines for managing TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). These are now being reviewed by MOH GOI and parts of these guidelines are being included in the overall Trauma Management. As a part of this initiative AAPI will collaborate with Maharashtra Government to organize CPR and BLS training for approximately 500 police workers. This work can be initiated as early as May 2018. By launching this campaign there will be immediate and positive impact and help prevent fatalities due to road accidents.
“This international health care summit is a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007,” Anwar Feroz, Honorary Advisor of AAPI, says. “With the objective of enabling people in India to access high quality, affordable, and cost-effective world class health services, the Summit to be held in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs & Ministry of Health, will have participation from some of the world’s most well-known physicians and industry leaders.”
Describing the message and theme for the Summit, Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, says, “AAPI has a mandate to help disseminate our medical knowledge, our expertise and technological advances to the rest of the world, and to India in particular.” Headquartered in Chicago, having a strong legislative presence in Washington, DC AAPI has come to be recognized as a strong voice in the healthcare legislation and policy arena.
More than 100 opinion leaders and expert speakers across the globe will present cutting edge scientific findings related to clinical practice by speakers drawn from major centers of excellence, institutions and professional associations. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) for 12 hours of credit, the Summit will also feature a CEO Forum, where CEOs from around the world from hospitals, teaching institutions and major healthcare sectors, including pharmaceutical, medical devices and technology, will join to explore potential opportunities for collaboration.
“The scientific program of GHS 2018 is developed by leading experts with the contributions of a stellar Scientific Advisory Board and International Scientific Committee. The Conference in collaboration with several professional associations from all over the world, accredited from Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education for 12 hours of credits will be applied for,” says, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Vice-Chair of the GHS 2018.
Expected to draw over 1,000 leading experts from several countries, GHS-16 will focus on sharing best practices, developing efficient and cost effective solutions for India. The scientific program of GHS is developed by leading experts with the contributions of a stellar scientific advisory board and international scientific committee.
“With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision of GHS2018, AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare in India,” Dr. Parikh says. “In our quest to fulfill the mission of AAPI, we are proud to share best practice and experiences from leading experts in the world and develop actionable plans for launching demonstration projects that enable access to affordable and quality healthcare for all people. To help accomplish this mission, join us at the GHS 2018 in Mumbai.” For more information on Global Health Summit 2018, please visit https://aapisummit.org
“For too long we have allowed our representatives in Hartford to finger-point and leave messes for others to clean up,” Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, a Democratic Party candidate, for the 123rd District seat in the state House of Representatives, said during a Greet & Meet event in Trumbull on Thursday, September 20th, 2018. “The time is now to take responsibility for getting our state back on the right path.” Gadkar-Wilcox said her platform will be based on creating a new kind of politics.
Gadkar-Wilcox, an Indian American, is pitted against incumbent David Rutigliano, a Republican in the November 6th elections. Rutigliano has held the seat since 2012.
The Meet & Greet was organized by the Global Organization of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Connecticut Chapter. Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International provided an overall view of GOPIO and how GOPIO works closely with local communities in responding to local needs. Describing some of the programs GOPIO-CT initiates, Abraham said, GOPIO members serve in local soup kitchens, do walkathons to support cancer patients, and jointly celebrate Diwali and India’s Independence Day with the members of multiple Indian groups in our community
Anita Bhat, President of GOPIO-CT Chapter, described the many flagship events the organization organizes every year. “Our mission at GOPIO-CT is to be active participants in the local community through involvement in community events and local politics, and by providing services to the Indian community at large here in Connecticut. This lofty goal of providing services and a political voice to the local Indian population has evolved into an exemplary community service organization thanks to the tremendous support of our local Indian community. We lack a voice for Indian Americans in the United States. We need a stronger voice. And we are here to support Sujata in her efforts to represent us in the CT Assembly,” declared Anita Bhat.
Trumbull First Selectman Vicki Tesoro said she was “thrilled” to hear she was running, and calling her “passionate about doing what is right for others.” Tesoro shared with the audience of her commitment to implementing her vision of a more positive, transparent, and inclusive government in Trumbull that listens to the voices of its citizens. Earlier, Tesoro was introduced to the audience by Ajay Ghosh, a Trumbull resident and the Chief Editor of The Universal News Network, and The Asian Era.
Gadkar-Wilcox, an associate professor at Quinnipiac where she teaches Constitutional law and human rights, spoke passionately about how she plans to represent the entire population in Trumbull that is fast growing and diverse.
Gadkar-Wilcox said she was running out of concern for the “contentious and divided” political environment. “The time is now to take responsibility for getting our state back on the right path,” she said. “We have an obligation to ensure that our children enjoy quality public education, preparing them to be innovators and problem solvers. We must find sustainable solutions to manage our budget while not imposing an undue burden on our residents. We must responsibly invest in upgrading our infrastructure, which is the economic lifeline to our state.”
A Trumbull resident for 13 years, Gadkar-Wilcox said she hoped to create a new kind of politics that would work for everyone. “I hope to earn your support so that I may carry your voice to Hartford, working to ensure that you are not only able to thrive, but that Connecticut remains the place you are proud to call home,” she said. “As we move towards election day in November, I will work to earn your trust (and your vote) by listening to your concerns and sharing my vision for a new kind of politics.”
Sujata is a Professor of Constitutional, Comparative and Human Rights Law. She was honored to receive a Fulbright-Nehru Award to support her research on the framework of the Indian Constitution. She also is a former director of juvenile law at Family Services in Westchester where she worked to train attorneys and law students in violence and delinquency prevention programs.
She was awarded the prestigious William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, which enabled her to travel to India during the 2015-2016 academic year to continue her research on the framework of the Indian Constitution.
“I am delighted to be selected for a Fulbright-Nehru grant to continue my research,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “My interest in understanding the pluralism informing the drafting of the Indian Constitution relates to my own experience of being raised in the United States by immigrant parents who instilled in us an appreciation and understanding of our own Indian cultural heritage. The process of operating in overlapping cultural spaces has always enabled me to approach issues from a different vantage point, which is what I see in the drafting of the Indian Constitution as well.”
“Both of my parents were born in India, and I was inspired as a young adult by my grandfather’s stories of his presence at Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ speech, his involvement in pro-Congress Party student protests, and his admiration for B.R. Ambedkar, both as a Maharashtrian and as an advocate for dalit “untouchables.” These led me to be intrigued by the issues of constitutional change at the time of India’s independence.
In 2017, Sujata received the James Marshall Award for Service to the Quinnipiac community. She serves as a faculty fellow with the Albert Schweitzer Institute, is a member of the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights and is a Carnegie New Leader with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. Sujata, her husband Wynn, and their two daughters live in Trumbull, CT.
In less than two months, as the mid-term elections come to a close, the official launch of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary season will begin. Over a dozen prospective candidates will start making moves or even launching campaigns to challenge President Donald Trump.
According to a CNN report published on September 13th, Kamala Harris, the Senator from California ranks 2nd among the 10 potential aspirants to the White House among the Democrats. She comes after Sen. Elizabeth warren of MA among the 10 ranked by CNN. In June this year, The Washington Post ranked the Indian Origin Senator from the Golden State 3rd after Sen. Warren and Sen. Bernie sanders of Vermont.
According to CNN, “ Harris clearly saw the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings as a chance to showcase her prosecutorial mettle. And like Booker, what you took from Harris’ performance during the hearings is likely determined by what you thought of her before the hearings. But if you are looking at what the 2018 primaries have taught us, it’s that a candidate with a profile like Harris’ — liberal record, the first Indian-American in the Senate and first black senator from California — could be just what Democratic primary voters are looking for.”
In 2017, Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as a United States Senator for California, the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history. She serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget.
Kamala has spent her life fighting injustice. It’s a passion that was first inspired by her mother, Shyamala, an Indian-American immigrant, activist, and breast cancer researcher.
Growing up in Oakland, Kamala had a stroller-eye view of the Civil Rights movement. Through the example of courageous leaders like Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley, and Charles Hamilton Houston, Kamala learned the kind of character it requires to stand up to the powerful, and resolved to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves.
After earning an undergraduate degree from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings, she began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
In 2003, Kamala became the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. Among her achievements as District Attorney, Harris started a program that gives first-time drug offenders the chance to earn a high school diploma and find employment.
Having completed two terms as the District Attorney of San Francisco, Kamala was elected as the first African-American and first woman to serve as California’s Attorney General. In this role, she worked tirelessly to hold corporations accountable and protect the state’s most vulnerable people.
Over the course of her nearly two terms in office, Kamala won a $25-billion settlement for California homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis, defended California’s landmark climate change law, protected the Affordable Care Act, helped win marriage equality for all Californians, and prosecuted transnational gangs that trafficked in guns, drugs, and human beings.
In the United States Senate, Kamala’s mission remains unchanged: fighting for the rights of all communities in California. Since taking office, she has introduced and cosponsored legislation to raise wages for working people, reform our broken criminal justice system, make healthcare a right for all Americans, address the epidemic of substance abuse, support veterans and military families, and expand access to childcare for working parents.
(Trumbull, CT: September 15th, 2017): The mood was subdued and somber. But the colorful traditional attire, children, women and men clothed in conveyed a message of hope and joyfulness. For the nearly 300 people from across the state of Connecticut, who had come together to celebrate their culture, traditions, and fellowship during the 10th annual Onam celebrations organized by Malayalee Association of Southern Connecticut (MASCONN) at Madison Middle School, Trumbull, CT on Saturday, September 15th, 2017, it was a way of cherishing their rich culture, while paying homage to those who had lost their lives, properties and to some, everything they ever had owned, due the devastating floods that inundated the beautiful state of Kerala and the livelihood of millions last month.
The colorful Pookoalm and the thilak (pottu) that had traditionally welcomed participants at the entrance of school, giving them a warm traditional Indian welcome, was missing this time, as the organizers had decided scale down the celebrations in honor of Flood Victims in Kerala.
“MASCONN is an offshoot of the natural growth of the Indian-American especially Malayalee Community in the southern Connecticut region,” said Wilson Pottackal, President of MASCON, in his welcome address. “In a very short period, we have grown by leaps and bounds and we strive to meet the growing needs of our community.” Earlier, he called on the audience to stand in silence paying homage to those who had lost their loves in Kerala in the Floods and to those who lost their lives due to Hurricane Florence in the mid-Atlantic states. The funds raised today, he announced, will be sent to help the victims of the devastating floods in Kerala.
Onam celebrations at the Madison Middle School auditorium began with the lighting of the traditional Nailavilakku or lamp by honored guests of MASCONN and the executive committee members. Thiruvathirakkali, a folk dance, typically a Keralite dance, well known for its essence, grandeur and simplicity put the audience into a nostalgic mood of Onam, as been celebrated for centuries around the world.
In this traditional dance form, women clad in traditional Kerala attire with gold brocade attached to it and wearing jasmine garlands on their heads, rhythmically moved around a lighted Nilavilakku, singing and clapping their hands, to the tune of a particular genre of songs called Thiruvathirappaattu, which is meant solely for this graceful dance.
Onam awaits one very special visitor, Kerala’s most loved legendary King Maveli. He is the King who once gave the people a golden era in Kerala. The King is so much attached to his kingdom that it is believed that he comes annually from the nether world to see his people living happily. It is in honor of King Mahabali, affectionately called Onathappan, that Onam is celebrated.
The grand welcome accorded to Legendary King Mahabali with “Pancha Vadyam” and a warm traditional welcome by a dozen beautiful women dressed in traditional attire, was also missing this year.
The cultural events consisted of several live dances, classical Bharatnatyam, fusion, Bollywood, folk and contemporary dances, live music and songs, sung in Malayalam, a language spoken by Malayalees around the world. Children from the ages of five to older adults delighted the audience with their melodious voices, and several dances both cinematic and traditional, showcasing the rich variety of dance forms prevalent in India.
Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, Democratic Candidate for Connecticut House of Representatives, Trumbull’s 123rd District, in her Onam message, urged the community to come out and vote in the upcoming Mid-Term elections in November, sending a strong voice to the government that Indian Americans are united and are ready to come to the mainstream, contributing to the decision-making process of the state and the nation.
Harry Arora, the Republican party candidate seeking to win the Congressional seat from Rep. Jim Himes, while addressing the audience, reminded of his connection to Kerala and its culture, and appealed to all to come and vote in large numbers.
The whole ambience was filled with nostalgia since it was an occasion for all the Malayalees in Connecticut to cherish their childhood memories, especially everyone enjoyed the sumptuous Onam Sadhya (meal), the most important and main attraction of the day with different traditional dishes and ”payasam” that was served on banana leaves.
Living in countries that are far away from their homeland, in the midst of different cultures, busy with the day-to-day mundane work and home tasks, the Non Resident Indian (NRI) community made this “land of opportunities” their home, have brought with them these cultural traditions and have sought to pass them on to their children, who are often born and raised here.
This fast growing presence of the Indian American community was evident when more than four hundred people from across the southern state of Connecticut came together to participate in and cherish their rich cultural heritage and be part of the annual Onam celebrations organized by the Malayalee Association of Southern Connecticut (MASCONN) on Saturday, September 17th, 2016 at Madison Middle School, Trumbull, CT. The more than four-hours long cultural extravaganza was in many ways “reliving the culture and traditions” and a “cherishing the past with a view to pass it on to the future generation.”
MASCONN is a non-political, non-religious forum to strengthen Malayalee culture and tradition and to give special emphasis to the development of the new generation of expatriate Malayalees. For the younger generation, MASCONN passes on the cultural heritage, tradition, the rarely cherished legacy and values while they are integrating into the American culture. For more information on MASCONN, please do visit. www.masconn.org
Beautiful, compassionate, talented, ambitious, gentle, humble, determined and dedicated to achieving the lofty goals she has set before herself at a very young age, Shree Saini is a woman with a golden heart. Shree from the state of Washington was crowned ‘Miss India USA 2017-2018’ at the pageant held in December last year in New Jersey. And her life has not been the same ever since.
Born in India, young Shree says, she moved to the United States as a toddler. Being uprooted from one’s culture and dear ones was undoubtedly a major challenge. She had to experience hardships while in high school, where she was bullied. Young Shree fought bravely a heart ailment which required her to use a pacemaker. Shree, who had a pacemaker implanted at the age of 12 and was told that she would never be able to dance, is an inspiration for all. “I practice dance almost every day for several hours,” Shree says, pointing to the pacemaker she carries with her all the time.
After doctors diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect at the age of 12, Saini recalls how she struggled to adapt to the life-changing situation of needing a pacemaker while still in middle school, especially when other students did not treat her kindly as a result.
“I have been the target of brutal emotional bullying. I was ridiculed in the most subtle ways, which is why I so often talk about ‘nonverbal’ bullying. For example, there were many instances where I was left out of events or edited out of pictures, and daily ‘whispered about’ by others. As a result of this treatment, there were many times when I would cry in my school’s restrooms or come home in tears after dance class… yet I persevered.
“My family helped me endure,” she explains. “My mom said, ‘the way people treat you has nothing to do with you, but has everything to do with them.’ She empowered me to step up and be even more compassionate towards those who hurt me, and to never give up on my true belief in always being kind.”
In order to reprogram her brain towards more positive thoughts and reach an understanding of how she could find inner peace in spite of all the negativity, she read extensively. “I read books and essays on achieving a more powerful mindset, responding to acts of hate with compassion, and the true value of emotional fitness and what can be done to address the lack of education around it. From what I have learned, I have formed my personal mantra: ‘Giving powerful responses to life’s struggles while being a positive contributor to every situation.’”
These experiences did not deter young Shree from pursuing her life’s mission. “My journey went from a silent sufferer to a bitter person and finally an enabled victor,” she says. “If anything, the physical challenges and social pressures fueled her – all the way to the Joffrey Ballet and beyond, including winning the title of Miss India USA.”
Shree created the website www.ShreeSaini.com to educate people about her experiences. “It was created based on my personal struggles during my high school,” Saini says. Her hope is that it would inspire others to emulate and face the world with confidence and love. Her former tormentors are now her fans. Via social media, she’s received their congratulations – and apologies.
A woman with a noble mission, what the 22-year-old University of Washington student, is aspiring to achieve in her life, is to create awareness on a number of pressing social issues through her organization, and through her web-portal. “I began my nonprofit at age 15. I work on raising awareness and raising funds for several nonprofits including anti-human trafficking and anti-bullying,” the young visionary says. “I am very passionate about my nonprofit and want to lead a life of service,” she says. “I want to help end human trafficking and work to promote the importance of emotional well-being in our society.”
In addition, she uses the many social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, among others, to enhance her life’s mission. Through Shree Saini YouTube page, she wants to spread her message by creating short videos of discussions on social issues, college life, raising awareness of important organizations and human rights, as well as anything to help the community.
Shree won the Miss India USA after many years of focus and practice, participating and winning in several pageants. Shree has competed in a number of pageants within the Miss America organization. She was the first runner-up at Miss Moses Lake 2014, Miss Seattle 2016 and Miss Seattle 2017. She also won the Miss Seattle People’s Choice Award in 2016 and 2017, and Miss Congeniality, Highest Fundraiser, Director’s Award. All her pageant exposure has served as a platform for what she truly loves, in spreading awareness against bullying and other social issues. As Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, says, “Shree has used her platform to spread her story of perseverance, tolerance and heart health.”
Miss India USA was started by the New York-based community leaders Dharmatma Saran and Neelam Saran, under the banner of the India Festival Committee around 36 years ago, Miss India USA is the longest running Indian pageant outside India. “It has evolved over the years. Earlier, the participants of pageants presented their talent around Bollywood dance and songs and classical dances. But now pageant participants come out with their own innovations,” Dharmatma Saran said.
More than 50 contestants from over two dozen states participated in the three different pageants – Miss India USA, Miss Teen India USA and Mrs. India USA. “I am so incredibly honored, overjoyed, humbled and excited to be chosen as your “MISS INDIA USA 2017”! God’s amazing grace has surpassed all the words I may have to express this fete. I am astonished by the blessings showered over me,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
Shree, who was also voted as ‘Miss Congeniality,’ and will represent the USA at Miss India Worldwide Pageant, where all national title holders like Miss India France, Miss India Australia, Miss India United Kingdom etc. will contest for the title of Miss India Worldwide in December this year. Winners of the pageants here have gone on to act in various Bollywood movies.
Indian American beauty pageant winner Shree Saini has been in a public profile for years. She literally can make her choice on how she wants to mold her image and pave the way for her future.
Shree Saini, an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a double degree in public administration and business, wants to “lead a life of service.” When asked between the many engagements around the nation, where she finds the time to study, Shree says, “I study on the plane, while waiting for flights, as almost every weekend, there is an event I need to attend.”
Her passion for education started when she was very young. Even in high school, her drive led Shree to graduate with the highest number of high school credits (46, although only 26 were required). “I know education is vital to solving any of the world’s problems, and have therefore always stayed curious and dedicated myself to obtaining life skills, like public speaking, as well as gaining more knowledge by studying political science at Harvard University, and establishing my own emotional wellbeing startup at Stanford University.”
Pointing to some of the hard work she had to put in, Shree says, the Acting Program she attended at Yale was a very intensive conservatory program for actors comprised of 12+ hours of classes daily, which were then followed by rehearsals. With my heart condition, I had to work extra hard (just as I need to do in dance or as a UW student) in order to match the performance level of other physically-able actors. And, she succeeded through determination and hard work.
Her ambition to learn and conquer what she is set to achieve in life has taken Shree to some of the most prestigious schools across the United States. Saini, who studied journalism at UW and has attended as a visiting student at Harvard, Yale and Stanford, aspires to push legislation through local governments.
After dealing with her own personal experiences, Saini penciled her thoughts in a journal, which she said helped change her from a victim to an empowered young woman. The journals in her diary turned to newspaper clippings in local papers in Washington. “In a society mainly obsessed with physical fitness, emotional problems are dismissed,” noted the young activist. “Emotional well-being is necessary to have a healthy body and mind,” she says.
Shree Saini is working on pushing through bill nationwide that will help implement emotional well-being classes for K through 12. “The classes will help start at a young age to build self-esteem.” Saini hopes to follow up her undergraduate degree with graduate courses at an Ivy League school, where she intends to study public administration or policy making and nonprofit management.
A brilliant student and learner, Shree believes that children learn what they live in their own households. “Parents need to radiate kindness, and be generous enough to overlook minor offenses, while still raising responsible kids who will heal our societies.”
Shree gives credit to her parents, Sanjay and Ekta Saini, who have not only supported her dreams, but have gone beyond to help her succeed at every step of the way. Pointing to her mother, Ekta, Shree says, “My mother is my role model, who has been with me, supported me and have encouraged me to work hard and realize my dreams.”
As the reigning Miss India USA, “I believe I will be able to make even more of an impact. During my reign, I am responsible for reaching out to individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and schools to make at least 100 appearances during the next 12 months. At every event, I strive to raise public awareness about the value of emotional fitness. I find I am able to engage audiences by asking them my most powerful question: ‘What is more important to you than your own emotional wellbeing?’ I also share my personal story of receiving a pacemaker at age 12, being brutally bullied, and then having to build myself back up emotionally.” She is committed to live a life of service where she intends to teach people about love, harmony and tolerance.
Shree is now focused on winning the title of Miss India Worldwide. And if good offers come her way, Shree is open to acting in movies, whether it be in Bollywood or Hollywood. Another effective way to showcase her talents and still more importantly, another way to champion and spread her message for a better, just and peaceful world. “Meanwhile, I want to continue working on my nonprofit and become an ambassador of emotional health by continuing to visit s many places as possible,” Saini said.
AAPI rapidly expands its vision in India – in educational research, clinical programs, global outreach and collaboration with the Government of India’s healthcare program – Ayushman Bharat
New York, NY: September 8, 2018: Healthcare in India is one of the largest sectors, in terms of revenue and employment. India is making tremendous progress in the healthcare sector and is building modern medical facilities throughout the country. Physicians of Indian origin have earned a name for themselves in the medical field and India is now being touted as a medical tourism hub. With a rise in population, there is an urgent need to create additional health infrastructure, which entails a higher level of planning, collaboration, and investment in the Indian healthcare market in the coming years.
It’s in this context, the groundbreaking AAPI Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) from December 28th to 31st, 2018 in Mumbai, organized by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in collaboration with the Government of India, with participation from some of the world’s most well-known physicians, and industry leaders becomes very critical and significant.
“This international healthcare summit is a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, says. “Providing a forum for innovative opportunities for learning, networking and giving back to our motherland that have now enabled us to plan ahead and prepare for an outstanding event that will have over 300 very prominent and talented physicians and surgeons from abroad, in addition to the hundreds of physicians from India, who are very passionate about serving their homeland, mother India.”
“Under the leadership of Dr. Naresh Parikh this year, AAPI is poised for a quantum leap in its activities in India with initiatives in new directions,” says Ravi Ravi Jahagirdar, M.D., Chairman of 2018 Global Healthcare Summit. “The Global Health Summit in December this year, will witness an expanded International Research Competition for budding residents and physicians – overseen by all the Medical Schools in Mumbai, with generous awards for the winners.”
For the first time, GAPIO (Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) will team up with a sizable representation, to promote a worldwide platform for Global Health. In keeping with its “needs based” approach, AAPI has identified the specter of Muti-Drug Resistant TB as the “Challenge of the Year,” and starting with a think tank, will oversee multisite implementation and monitoring, with involvement from the US Embassy and its Health Attache – who also represents the interests of Human and Health Resources in the USA, and works in tandem with the Clinton and the Gates Foundations.
The Women’s Leadership Forum this year is spearheaded by Mrs. Amruta Fadnavis, the dynamic and talented young wife of the Chief Minister, who is also the Chief Hostess for the entire event, Dr. Asha Parikh, Chairwoman for the Women’s Forum announced.
“While seeking to identify ways for greater collaboration and cooperation between the physicians and health care providers in India with those of Indian origin and major healthcare providers abroad, the Summit will focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment options and share ways to truly improve healthcare transcending global boundaries,” says Dr. Raj Bhayani, Co-Chair of the GHS.
With the objective of enabling people in India to access high quality, affordable, and cost-effective world class health services, the Summit to be held in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs & Ministry of Health, will provide a platform for planning for new initiatives and strengthening the past programs and actions.
As a testimony to ensuring continuity in previous initiatives, the hugely successful CPR training of police officers continues yet another year, as part of the Trauma Brain Injury (TBI) initiative.
Anwar Feroz, Strategic Advisor of AAPI, said, “For the first time at a CEO Forum – this year will have a full dedication to the AYUSHMAN BHARAT initiative by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Government of India, an ambitious project to provide financial support for about 500 million needy but poor patients.”
The participants will arrive from AYUSH, healthcare industry, academia, and from regulatory and clinical leaders, to brainstorm this gigantic challenge, and how to make it work.
For relaxation and entertainment, there will be a kaleidoscope of cultural presentations of Western India, featuring well known artists. Being held in Mumbai, one cannot be surprised to have special appearance by top stars from the Bollywood world.
“With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision of GHS 2018, and AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare in India,” Dr. Parikh says. “In our quest to fulfill the mission of AAPI, we are proud to share best practices and experiences from leading experts in the world and develop actionable plans for launching demonstration projects that enable access to affordable and quality healthcare for all people.”
With such a striking agenda, this 2018 Global Health Summit in Mumbai promises to be one of the best ever. Register ASAP – to get the better rooms and locations. There will be NO AAPI CANCELLATION CHARGES until November 1st, 2018 – just in case you may have to change plans afterwards. Still more, the Early Bird Special with the discounted rates has been extended to September 30th. Do not miss the opportunity. For more information on Global Healthcare Summit 2018, please visit www.aapiusa.org
A generation ago, the likes of Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings and Diane Sawyer were the heroes of television news in the United States. Now the biggest stars are arguably Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow. Notice the difference? Cronkite, Jennings and Sawyer reported the news. Hannity and Maddow talk about the news, and occasionally make it. But you never doubt how they feel about it.
Evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC gave straightforward accounts of the day’s events, and morning shows told you what happened while you slept. Newspapers flourished, with sections clearly marked for news and editorial pages for opinion. The one cable network, in its infancy, followed the play-it-straight rules of the big broadcasters. There was no Internet, no social media feed, no smartphone with headlines flashing.
Today, many newspapers are diminished. People are as likely to find articles through links on social media posted by friends and celebrities. Three TV news channels, two with firmly established points of view, air an endless loop of politically laced talk. There’s no easy escape from a 24-hour-a-day news culture.
The internet’s emergence has made the media far more democratic — for good and ill. There are many more voices to hear. Exposure to different content and ideas on social media and TV affects each and every one of us differently. It helps every one of us form ideas, change our attitudes, beliefs and actions in so unique ways.
There are some positive aspects to social media. It’s important to remember that teens are hardwired for socialization, and social media makes socializing easy and immediate. Teens who struggle with social skills, social anxiety, or who don’t have easy access to face-to-face socializing with other teens might benefit from connecting with other teens through social media.
A recent study found that individual-based social networking is said to have grown at the expense of more traditional personal relationships. The research found this in some instances, but more commonly found social media being used to actually reinforce traditional groups, such as family, castes, and tribes, and to repair the ruptures created by migration and mobility.
Having been connected to social media also helps change our broader views on the world and the happenings. According to a study by Pew Research Center, 14% of the people surveyed stated that they have changed their views about a political or social issue in the past year because of something they saw on social media.
Certain groups, particularly young men, are more likely than others to say they’ve modified their views because of social media. Around three-in-ten men ages 18 to 29 (29%) say their views on a political or social issue changed in the past year due to social media. This is roughly twice the share saying this among all Americans and more than double the shares among men and women ages 30 and older (12% and 11%, respectively).
There are also differences by race and ethnicity, according to the new survey. Around one-in-five black (19%) and Hispanic (22%) Americans say their views changed due to social media, compared with 11% of whites.
In 2016, the Center asked social media users whether they had “ever modified” their views about a political or social issue because of something they saw on social media. Two-in-ten said yes and 79% said no, with more Democrats and Democratic leaners than Republicans and Republican leaners saying they had modified views.
Although most people have not changed their views on a political or social issue in the past year because of social media, those who have also tend to place a high level of personal importance on social media as a tool for personal political engagement and activism.
Just over half whose views changed (56%) say social media is personally important in providing a venue to express their political opinions, compared with a third of social media users who have not changed a view in the past year (33%).
While Americans who haven’t changed their views put less personal importance in social media, majorities see these platforms as helping give a voice to underrepresented groups; highlighting important issues that might otherwise go unnoticed; or helping hold powerful people accountable for their actions.
As President Donald Trump rewrites the rules of engagement to knock the media off stride, he’s found a receptive audience among his supporters for complaints about “fake news” and journalists who are “enemies of the people.”
“We don’t have a communications and public sphere that can discern between fact and opinion, between serious journalists and phonies,” says Stephen J.A. Ward, author of 10 books on the media, including the upcoming “Ethical Journalism in a Populist Age.”
In an ideal world, Ward says, people would have an opportunity to learn media literacy. And he’d have fewer uneasy cocktail party encounters after he meets someone new and announces that he’s an expert in journalism ethics. “After they laugh, they talk about some person spouting off on Fox or something,” he says. He has to explain: That may be some people’s idea of journalism, but it’s not news reporting.
(New York, NY: August 19, 2018) “As the rapidly approaching start date for all GME programs, we at AAPI want to urge the US administration to expedite review of pending H-1B/J-1 Visa applications by non-U.S. International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who have been accepted to postgraduate training programs in order to avoid unnecessary delays,” said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, during a Media Greet & Meet event.
He, joined by the senior leadership of AAPI, presented a Citation to the Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty. The Citation acknowledged that there is a projected increase in the total number of office visits to primary care physicians from a base of 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025, due to aging of the US population as well as the average number of visits to primary care physicians projected to increase, resulting in higher demands and reduced supply of physicians, pointing that the US will be short by more than 90,000 physicians by 2020 and 130,000 physicians by 2025.
In his key note address, Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty said, “You have excelled in your fields of medicine, and thus make significant contributions through hard work, commitment and dedication to your profession and the people you are committed to serve.” While conveying his greetings and best wishes to AAPI leaders for the success of the convention and Global Healthcare Summit, Consul General of India in New York Sandeep Chakravorty described the fast-growing health sector, particularly the pharmaceutic industry in India. Ambassador Chakravorty lauded the efforts of AAPI, particularly for the free clinics across India, and urged AAPI to work with the government of India to coordinate the efforts for maximum impact. The Ambassador earlier appealed for help the victims of the flood victims in Kerala.
In his Presidential address, Dr. Parikh, who was elected unopposed in every election leading to his current leadership of national SAAPI, stated that American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic Medical Association in the nation, representing the interests of over 100,000 physicians, Fellows and Residents in the United States, while working closely with the Lawmakers individually, regionally and nationally through our AAPI Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, have consistently supported a comprehensive immigration reform.
Dr. Parikh pointed out that in order to meet the growth in demand and shortage of physicians, the US has looked up to the highly trained and qualified physicians from other countries to meet our growing demand for physicians to meet our nation’s healthcare needs. In this context, AAPI has joined other Medical Association in the country in urging the US to expedite and reduce/eliminate the hurdles for speedy process of the applicants seeking H-1B visa. The J-1 visa to qualified physicians, enabling these foreign-trained physicians to serve our nation’s healthcare needs.
Dr. Parikh lauded the efforts of Dr. Anjana Sammadder, Treasurer of AAPI, in leading the initiative in bringing to the forefront the issue of expedited Visa process for physicians from abroad, who want to serve in this country. In her remarks, Dr. Anjana assured that she will work towards ensuring financial stability to AAPI, and to work with the team to make AAPI
strong, successful and stable.”
Dr. Parikh said,his top priorities in the upcoming year will be to enhance membership, enabling AAPI members to recognize the many benefits of being members of AAPI, this attracting new members and sustaining those who are already members of AAPI. Bringing in financial stability to the organization is a major thrust for the new team, he said. Strengthening the many projects and programs in India and the United States, while taking on new initiatives and coordinating individual efforts to maximize results are some of the other plan s, he told the audience.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect of AAPI, in his passionate address, praised the leadership of Dr. Naresh Parikh. “I am so fortunate to be able to work under Dr. Parikh,” he said. He highlighted the importance of enabling the 2nd generation Indian Americans and help them realize their dreams. “AAPI is very strong,” he said and he along with the new team under Dr. Parikh will work together to enhance the image and bring stability to this noble organization.
Dr. Gautam Samadder, the immediate past President of AAPI, urged the new leadership of AAPI to stand united and help make “our voices heard” in the corridors of power. In his brief remarks, Dr. In his felicitation remarks, Dr. Ajay Lodha, the immediate past president of AAPI, praised the leadership of Dr. Parikh. “Under the leadership of D. Naresh Parikh and his team, AAPI has been brought to new heights,” he said.
Dr. Kusum Punjabi lauded the efforts of AAPI leadership, encouraging young generation of Indian Americans and helping them realize their dreams. She along with Dr. Raj Bhayani was the Emcees at the event. In his brief remarks, Dr. Bhayani, highlighted the fact that Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians. “The overrepresentation of Indians in these fields (engineering, IT and medicine) is striking – in practical terms, one out of seven doctors is likely to be of Indian Heritage. They provide medical care to over 40 million of US population.”
Dr. Raj Bhayani welcomed the AAPI delegates and the media persons to the press conference, while Dr. Suresh Reddy proposed vote of thanks. Dr. Shashi Shah, past BOT chairman introduced the Dr. Naresh Parikh to the audience. Shree Saini, Miss India USA was a special guest at the event.
Earlier, during the day, AAPI members attended an outstanding Leadership Conference, addressed by renowned speakers with a working lunch and was followed by a Conference from 10 am to 5.30 pm. The Leadership conference agenda focused on: Self Management, Team Building Skills; And Addressing Challenges in AAPI.
Towards making the goals and vision for the upcoming year for AAPI, Dr. Parikh has an excellent and dedicated executive committee, consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajit Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Parikh thanked Dr. Ajay Lodha, Dr. Raj Bhayani and Dr. Kusum Punjabi, among many others for their leadership and the initiatives in organizing the conference today.
On August 19th, AAPI joined the India Day Parade with a multi-color float spreading the message of health and wellness at the largest India Day Parade in New York City, organized by the Federation of Indian Americans. “AAPI takes special pride in saluting our beloved tricolor. Let us recall with pride the great sacrifice of our freedom fighters, whose undying love for India secured us our freedom,” Dr. Parikh said, as the float carrying AAPI leaders overflew with delegates from across the nation.
“As we celebrate the 72nd anniversary of India’s Independence. AAPI, the premier organization that represents over 65,000 physicians and 25,000 Residents of Indian Origin in the United states, want to convey our greetings to all peoples of Indian origin on this day of national celebration,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, AAPI, President, declared. For more information, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
Dr. Naresh Parikh, a cardiologist, entreprenor, leader, and community activist, assumed charge as President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) during the historic 36th annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Hall her on Saturday, July 7th night as the convention came to a conclusion with the gala attended by over 1,700 delegates from across the nation.
Along with Dr. Parikh, his executive committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, were administered the oath of office as the AAPI delegates cheered loudly wishing them the best in the upcoming year.
As the President of AAPI, “I will dedicate my time, energy and skills to maintain the integrity of AAPI and promote membership database and scrub data. We will work together encouraging and motivating more and more Physicians and Dentists to join AAPI and work towards increase in AAPI membership representing all sections, including, women, young and old, while providing enhanced membership benefits including liability insurance carrier, billing, collection company, cardiac remote monitoring, and credit card transactions through reputed banking services. Our Mission and Motto for the upcoming year is “As your president I plan to invoke this year as the year of progress and balance,” the soft spoken Dr. Parikh declared in bis inaugural address.
Dr. Parikh was gracious in acknowledging the contributions of Dr. Gautam Samadder, his predecessor. “I have enjoyed serving AAPI for all these years and it was a true pleasure this past year working in close association with Dr. Samadder. I have learned much from him and offer that as a Compliment for his achievements for AAPI,’ he said.
Dr. Gautam Samadder, through a visual presentation summarized the many achievements of his year long presidency, including GHS in Kolkatta, Health Clinic inauguration in West Bengal, African safari, contributions to Veterans Obesity and Lukemia Society, India day parade and Leadership seminar, among the many others. He thanked his executive committee members, convention committee and all who have generously devoted their time, talent and resources for the success of the many programs he had initiated under his leadership.
“It’s been a humbling experience to work with an esteemed galaxy of AAPI leaders, leading this great organization, for the past year. With the active support of my executive committee and BOT members, I truly believe, I have been able to fulfill many of the priorities I had forth at the beginning of my presidency during the convention in New Jersey last year,” Dr. Samadder said.
Placing his confidence in the AAPI members who have elected him to lead this 37 years old organization, Dr. Parikh said, “AAPI has made great progress from a fledging association of the 1980s to what you see today, a robust, powerful medical organization in our country.
An organization is only as strong as its members make it and our AAPI membership is an incredible group of dedicated passionate individuals. I would like to congratulate the members of AAPI for their strength and the support they have given in its wings of flight.”
Graduated from Nagpur Medical College in 1972 and a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Naresh Parikh is serving as the CEO of Georgia Clinic, a multi-specialty organization, founded in 1998, serving patients from dozen locations. A practicing Cardiologist in Atlanta, Georgia for 30 years, Dr. Parikh was instrumental in starting IPA in 2016 with 53 participating providers and has been active in DRS ACO. Dr. Parikh is also involved with Cigna Health Spring as a counsel to improve Hedis score and improve MRA scoring for Georgia Physicians.
“It’s been an honor and privilege for me to be associated with AAPI because I recognize the tremendous potential and the lead role that is being played by AAPI in promoting friendship between India and the United States. As members of AAPI, we have not forgotten our roots and are engaged in several activities such as conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summit that has shown us a new trail in healthcare sector in India and will continue to pave way for new frontiers in public private partnership.” As the president of AAPI, which has been playing a major role in supporting noble causes around the world, Dr. Parikh’s goal “is to be actively engaged in the SEWAK project in India.”
Dr. Parikh called upon the entire AAPI family to work towards staying united and for the betterment of the organization they all love dearly. “Let this year be a year of unity, progress and balance. Let us set aside all our differences and we all pledge to unite and work together as one team for betterment of AAPI and keep AAPI in balance,” he said.
As the President of AAPI, Dr. Parikh will “carry forward my duties of AAPI Office and keeping transparency, accountability and branding of AAPI. Under the current dynamic and dedicated team of executives, we strive to achieve higher standards for AAPI and to achieve our chosen agenda. I am committed to working with the AAPI Team to establish AAPI’s image in the US and globally.”
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 and the world. Known to be a leading ethnic medical organization that represents nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows of Indian Origin in the US and being their voice and providing a forum to its members to collectively work together to meet their diverse needs, AAPI members are proud to contribute to the wellbeing of their motherland India, and their adopted land, the United States. The convention is a forum to network, share knowledge and thoughts, and thus, enrich one another, and rededicate for the health and wellbeing of all the peoples of the world.
Dr. Naresh Parikh invited all delegates to come and participate at the 37th annual convention to be held in Atlanta, GA from July 3rd to to 7th 2019. And the Global Healthcare Summit is planned for December 28th to 30th, 2018 in Mumbai. We look forward to seeing you all in Atlanta, GA for the convention and for the GHS in Mumbai, India!” For more information on AAPI and the 36th convention, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org
“I believe in the future of Connecticut. As Treasurer, I will execute strong and sound fiscal policy to benefit our great state and residents,” says Dita Bhargava, an Indian American running to win the nomination for State Treasurer in Connecticut, representing the Democratic Party in the upcoming state primaries on August 14th. “I’ll work with businesses, colleges, and government on solutions that lead us to thrive together and make our state stronger and fairer. I want to improve our fiscal situation such that we can invite new businesses that will invest responsibly in our state, and ensure that our college graduates can find the right opportunities here at home.”
Dita Bhargava had initially wanted to run to be state’s Governor, but abandoned the run and chose to be the next Treasurer of the Constitution state. Her reason for switching from gubernatorial to treasurer candidate is because she believes her financial background is better suited to the state’s treasurer post, she told the publication.
Dita Bhargava was elected as vice chairwoman of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) and has been seen as rising star in the state Democratic Party. “Dita Bhargava is an excellent choice to serve as state party vice chairwoman,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. “I have gotten to know her as a community leader in Greenwich, and I can tell you from experience that she has the leadership skills to be highly effective in her new role. ”
“I want to thank the DSCC for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity and responsibility,” said Bhargava. “Connecticut Democrats are already working tirelessly to build a grassroots organization and expand our ranks with new voices and faces that ensure we are ready to compete in 2017 and 2018. We will hold the Connecticut Republicans supporting the Trump administration’s extreme agenda accountable. I look forward to getting right to work.”
“I’m proud to call Connecticut my home,” Bhargava says. “I believe in our great state and my vision is for Connecticut to be a place where all have a chance for success. We must create thriving cities, empower our middle class families and make revitalizing Connecticut a top priority. With my private sector experience, I know what it takes to find solutions, navigate and negotiate the complicated issues our state faces, and get things done.”
As the Treasurer, Bhargava, an young and energetic Indian American leader, is committed to work “to enhance the livelihood of our families, strengthen our economy, and restore the state’s fiscal solvency. A strong and fair Connecticut is a goal we all share, and we will deliver it together.”
“Democrats are fired up and ready to go,” said Bhargava, a former Wall Street portfolio manager from Greenwich. “What better way to tap into that energy than a series of debates that drive to the heart of the issues that they care about?” Bhargava suggested one debate in each of Connecticut’s five Congressional district, the same format that candidates for attorney general are planning for their forums.
Bhargava received an overwhelming number of votes in support of her campaign at the Democratic State Convention this Spring. “I’m excited to continue this incredible journey with you all. Now, it’s time to dig in, dig deep, and set our sights on Election Day. There is much work to be done in Connecticut, and I look forward to winning this race and getting to work to put our state back on a path of fiscal and economic prosperity.”
“This fall and winter, as I explored running for statewide office, I visited more than 60 towns across Connecticut to learn about the challenges facing our state. I heard the concerns you voiced over rising living costs and college tuition, escalating taxes, increasing budget deficits, our exodus of young workers, and the future of our pension system, among many other issues,” Bhargava said in the statement.
“Hearing these stories has emboldened my commitment to public service and helped strengthen the fiscal and economic foundations of our state. It’s also led me to reconsider how I can best harness my strengths, knowledge, and experiences in ways that best serve our citizens,” she added.
In order to succeed in her efforts to make the state successful for everyone, the talented and visionary leader, says, “It will require new ideas and strong executive leadership in Hartford. We cannot afford to keep governing the same way and expect a better outcome. That’s why I’m running for State Treasurer.”
Bhargava is an active volunteer and supporter of the Clinton Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation and Inspirica Women’s Shelter and in January of 2017, she was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Connecticut State Democratic Party, according to her website.
Bhargava said that the state will need to be steered in a new direction as Denise Nappier completes her 20-year tenure as state Treasurer. “During her tenure, Denise has expanded the discussion on corporate governance to include an awareness of businesses’ social and environmental impact. She has been a tireless advocate for better financial literacy in our state, where we lag behind our peers. The next Treasurer should have an appreciation for these issues, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of finance, investing, and the economy,” Bhargava stated, adding that her upbringing, professional experience in the financial sector and her progressive vision “are what Connecticut needs in our next Treasurer.”
Bhargava also mentioned in the statement that she wants to find solutions for the middle- and working-class families of Connecticut and she believes she can do so since she has that financial experience on Wall Street as well as in the nonprofit area where she “spent many years helping underserved communities and advocating for family-friendly policies such as paid family leave and equal pay for equal work.”
Lauding the great contributions of the Indian American community, which has excelled in almost every field, Bhargava, a second generation Indian American has urgedthe need for Indian Americans to come together, stand united and work for the greater good of the larger American society. She appealed to the fast growing Indian American community in the US to join her as “we work together to make Connecticut a prosperous state.”
“I’m fully prepared to steer Connecticut’s financial future in these challenging times. We’re already in a prolonged budgetary crisis, and Donald Trump’s federal tax plan—and the large deficits it will incur—may threaten Connecticut’s fiscal stability and its pension portfolio, already hard-pressed to match liabilities. The people of our state – retirees, workers, students, and the most vulnerable—need and deserve protection. I feel confident that with my experience, vision, and dedication, I’m the candidate most qualified and best equipped to lead our state back to fiscal and economic stability,” Bhargava stated.
India’s iconic Taj Mahal has been threatened in recent months by insect poo – environmentalists say that bugs from the polluted Yamuna river nearby are invading the monument, leaving greenish-black patches of waste on its pristine white marble walls. Over the years, the 17th Century monument has been threatened by pollution, unabashed construction, a crematorium and even bombs.
India’s Supreme Court has criticised the government for what it calls a “failure” to protect the Taj Mahal. The court said both the federal and state government had shown “lethargy” in taking steps to tackle the monument’s deteriorating condition.
The court’s comments came in response to a petition citing concerns about the impact of pollution on the 17th Century monument. The Taj Mahal is one of the world’s leading tourist attractions. It draws as many as 70,000 people every day.
In May this year, the court had already instructed the government to seek foreign help to fix the “worrying change in color” of the marble structure. The court had said then, that the famous tomb, built from white marble and other materials, had turned yellow and was now turning brown and green.
An invasion of the insect called Chironomus Calligraphus (Geoldichironomus) is turning the Taj Mahal green, says environmental activist DK Joshi. Joshi has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal – a special tribunal set up by the government to deal with environmental disputes – saying that the “explosive breeding” of the pests in the polluted Yamuna river is marring the beauty of the monument.
“Fifty-two drains are pouring waste directly into the river and just behind the monument, Yamuna has become so stagnant that fish that earlier kept insect populations in check are dying. This allows pests to proliferate in the river,” Mr Joshi told the BBC by phone from the northern city of Agra where the Taj is located.
The stains the bugs leave on the marble are washable and workers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been trying to scrub the walls clean, but Mr Joshi says frequent scrubbing can take the sheen off the marble. He says the problem has a simple solution – just clean up the Yamuna.
To restore the monument’s beauty, the ASI has been applying “mud packs” on its walls to draw out the pollutants.
Pollution, construction and insect dung are said to be among the causes. The government told the court that a special committee had been set up to suggest measures to prevent pollution in and around the monument.
It has already shut down thousands of factories near the monument, but activists say the white marble is still losing lustre. Sewage in the Yamuna River, which runs alongside the monument, also attracts insects which excrete waste on to its walls, staining them.
Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth, Taj Mahal is often described as one of the wonders of the world. It is also India’s biggest tourist attraction, visited by heads of states, celebrities and millions of Indian and foreign tourists every year. But pollution from the industries in Agra and a nearby oil refinery have seen the white marble yellowing over the years.
For a second time in its over 70 years of history, Pakistan transitioned to a peaceful politically inspired democratic transition on Wednesday, July 22nd. Imran Khan, the cricket star and A-list celebrity whose political party won this past week’s elections, could use his fame and charisma to reset Pakistan’s troubled relations with the West.
The dust has hardly settled from the election, which was marred by allegations of rigging and copious evidence that Pakistan’s military interfered to help Khan win. Khan’s party trounced the others, but as of Sunday remained short of a majority in Parliament. To become prime minister, he needs to win over independent candidates and smaller parties to build a coalition. Most analysts believe he will succeed, although it is not a sure thing.
It is widely expected that if Khan, 65, becomes prime minister, there will be an initial fascination with him as he tours the world. Most likely, he’ll visit foreign capitals and business titans, seeking help to solve Pakistan’s dire debt crisis and bring in investors. He also seems to have China in mind.
Khan’s political rivals in the months before the election, helping him win. But the Establishment chiefs may now be kicking themselves for doing a job too well. They seem to like Khan, for the time being, partly because his forcefulness with the United States and tolerance of Islamist extremists reflect how many of Pakistan’s top officers feel.
Pakistan’s military has directly ruled for much of its history and meddled during the rest. What the military bosses really wanted this time, analysts say, was a weak civilian government, with the veneer of a democracy. They were so heavy-handed in their tactics they ended up getting neither.
In many ways, Pakistan is a pivotal nation. It is the world’s sixth-most populous country, with 200 million people. It is also nuclear-armed and strategically located next to India, China, Iran and Afghanistan. For decades it has been cast in turmoil by suicide bombers, extremist groups and a nefarious spy agency that helped create the Taliban and actively supported Al Qaeda while ostensibly serving as an ally to the United States.
For a nation often in the news for all the wrong reasons — suicide bombings, support for terrorism, horrific massacres — Pakistan has reached a turning point that could possibly alter its dysfunctional trajectory. Khan also may move Pakistan much closer to the expanding sphere of China, a neighbor he has praised conspicuously as a role model.
Or Khan could simply follow the same path as many Pakistani leaders before him, supporting harsh Islamic laws and showing sympathy for militant groups, policies that have kept Pakistan isolated for years.
Khan brings something new: more star power and mystique than any recent Pakistani leader and perhaps a better chance to change the country’s narrative, even though the election was widely considered tainted. “Relatively few Pakistani leaders have won over the West,” said Michael Kugelman, deputy director for the South Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. “But Khan is familiar with operating in the international world. He already has strong name recognition. He doesn’t need to be introduced.”
Former cricketer Khan was once known as a party-loving playboy who eventually married Jemima Goldsmith, a British heiress with Jewish heritage. Now Khan was a pious Muslim and conservative politician who rejected Western values. Khan’s transformation was still never fully accepted as authentic by Pakistan’s political elite, who routinely indulged in gossip about his playboy ways and religious hypocrisy—for instance, the woman on the divan.
Oxford-educated and once married to a wealthy British woman, Khan is clearly comfortable in the highest circles of Western power brokers. He was close friends with Princess Diana. He now expresses sympathy for the Taliban and for Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws, which include the death penalty, positions that play well domestically.
“He’s dangerously accommodating of extremists, and anyone who knows him knows this,” said C. Christine Fair, a political scientist at Georgetown University.
“Khan might be more inclined to butt heads,” said Marvin Weinbaum, a scholar at the Middle East Institute and former State Department intelligence analyst. “The difference with Imran is going to be because he’s a populist, he feels he can go further than Nawaz.”
Khan’s erratic personality is a further complication. He is known for running a team of one, making impulsive decisions, contradicting himself and then using his enormous reserves of self-confidence and charisma to dig himself out.
Khan remains most focused on getting the numbers he needs in Pakistan’s Parliament to form a coalition government with him as prime minister. So far, some smaller parties have indicated they will join, but he still has a way to go. The third-place party, the Pakistan Peoples Party, has been coy about whether it will join Khan’s side or oppose him. If it did join, that would easily push Khan’s coalition into the majority.
Most Pakistanis, even those who did not vote for Khan, believe he will be the next prime minister. Expectations are soaring that he will be able to change his country’s image. “Everybody thinks of Pakistan as a terrorist world,” said a 16-year-old girl named Mahnoor, who was sitting in the food court of a fancy new mall this week, eating McDonald’s French fries. “It’s not.”
Naveed Majeed, a rice exporter, said foreigners would listen to Mr. Khan because he brings something of an aura. “And I want him to tell the world we’re not all terrorists,” Mr. Majeed said. It’s clearly a sensitive subject; many Pakistanis ache for a new story for their country.
A wealthy sports icon turned politician who constantly reminds the country’s elite they don’t know the real Pakistan, Imran Khan’s rise to power is a replay of America’s 2016 reckoning with Donald Trump and the anti-establishment wave he rode to the White House.
“While India has been proactive against TB in recent years, there is still a long way to go”
While India has been proactive against TB in recent years, there is still a long way to go. 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.
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. Now, under the new leadership of AAPI, the largest ethnic organization of any medical group in the US has initiated collaborative efforts to help eradicate TB from the face of India.
Towards this lofty goal, AAPI has announced the launch of a new partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Sevak Project, and CETI to make India Free of Tuberclosis and to end tuberculosis (TB) from across the Indian sub-continent. Anwar Feroz, AAPI’s Strategic Advisor, was instrumental and the architect of fostering the MOU between AAPI and USAID.
“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. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI. 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.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in New Delhi and announced in Mumbai, AAPI and USAID along with other NGOs will work together to utilize the 100,000-strong network of physicians of Indian-origin living in the United States to support health programs in India, engage AAPI’s network of private charitable clinics for TB awareness, detection and treatment, and explore opportunities for collaborations between U.S. and Indian medical schools to exchange cutting-edge health care solutions. The end TB date for the program is 2025 as per government of India.
XersesSidhwa, Director of Health at USAID/India, said: “We have been supporting the TB program of the Government of India for two decades now. Along with extending technical expertise, USAID has invested $140 million to strengthen the capacity of national, state, and district-level TB programs across India. With our collaboration with AAPI, we aim to strengthen the early detection and treatment of TB, with a focus on drug-resistant strains; continue our assistance to the government to plan and implement evidence-based interventions to reach a TB-Free India, and improve patient-centered TB services.”
Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease physician, a lead for AAPI for TB Elimination, has been in the forefront, as the founder of CETI, in collaborations with AAPI to eliminate TB from India based in Indore, and Faculty at Emory University Rollins School of Public health, and live and practice in Memphis, TN.
A writer, and a national leader in healthcare quality improvement, Dr. Jain has been part of this new initiative of AAPI, since its launch. Dr. Jain writes regularly for the Washington Post, and the Commercial Appeal (Memphis newspaper). His writings also appear in the New York Times and the Times of India. He received his engineering, doctorate, and public health degrees from Boston University. He has served as a consultant to the World Bank on HIV, and has been interviewed by CNN and National Public Radio. Dr. Jain has conducted research on HIV epidemiology, quality improvement, and spirituality & medicine. Presently, Dr. Jain is adjunct assistant professor at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and the medical director at Tennessee’s Quality Improvement Organizations. He is a faculty for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement www.ihi.org, and is on the leadership team for the Healthy Memphis Common Table Community Partners Council and for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant. He has founded and chaired the Annual Nonviolence Conference in Memphis.
In helping AAPI leadership in preparations for AAPI Global Health Summit in Mumbai in December 2018, Dr. Jain is involved in working with local leaders develop a Local Roadmap on how to make 10 localities TB Free: Indore, Bhopal, Rajkot, Sevek villages in Gujarat, Mumbai-Malad, Ahmedabad, Mysore, Nagpur, Varanasi, and Lucknow, by conducting Field work with local NGOs in these localities to do TB screening in the slum areas. Dr. Jain says, “AAPI and CETI are working together can collaborating with other national and international organizations. Sharing best practices and pushing the TB Free effort. We have done a successful training sessions for 10 NGOs from these communites in Indore from June 8-12. We are staring to build local teams to develop the Roadmap for TB Elimination. And, we hope to start field work in these localities within 4-6 weeks.”
Dr. Jain says, “I have been going back to India each year for the past 45 years I have been in America. For the past 10 years we have taken on the challenge to make India TB Free, devoting my times and resources, working in villages or the slums of underserved community. We can see a measurable improvement in the lives of others, when we empower those in need and those who are helping them there on the ground.”
Dr. Thakor G. Patel, currently serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, who along with his successful Sevak Project in Indian villages, has been another inspiring force with the aim to free India of TB. “This is a huge issue in India because of clustering of people, poor nutrition and exposure to the infected people,” Dr. Patel says. “The objective of the TB Free India initiative is to make people aware of the disease and its mode of transmission, identify new case and notify the TB program managers and make sure patients take their medicines on regular basis. Another aspect is those patients with lingering cough give their sputum for TB check and get a chest X-ray. In the long run the plan is to eliminate TB from India,’ he says. The people who are affected with the disease are poor and do not understand the spread and the need for complete treatment. By helping them we will keep them working and provide for their family on a long term basis.
And, he has charted out a plan. “Collaboration with AAPI will help reach the government agencies in India and other NGO’s to help increase the outreach. At first, we will take all the Sevak villages and have the Sevaks implement the program. Once it is in place and we have a road map on how to expand the program it will be implemented in other states through NGO’s and government. We will be looking at ASHA workers for expanding the reach.
“We run the Sevak Project in the State of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and the country of Guyana. The plan is to use the NGO’s and government sources. Once the government gets involved with the success, they can take over. TB elimination is a government program and we will be assisting in closing the loop by supplementing the government programs.”
Following his training in Nephrology and Internal Medicine in 1979, Dr. Patel joined the United States Navy where he served for 23 years. His assignments included Diving Medical Officer, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Head and Program Director of Nephrology and then Director, Medical Service and Medical Director at the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia. He also was the leader of a surgical support team during the invasion of Grenada in 1983 and Director, Medical Services of a fleet hospital in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. He served as Specialty Advisor to the Navy Surgeon General for Nephrology from 1988 to 1993 and for Surface Medicine from 1993 to 1998. He was responsible for starting the Surface Warfare Medical Institute in San Diego for training medical personnel going to the Fleet and redesigned the medical spaces on USS Nimitz as well as organized the first ever medical war games.
Dr. Raj Bhayani, President-Elect of AAPI-QLI, reported that nearly 2,000 villagers and underprivileged citizens from the outskirts of Varanasi, India came together as AAPI and AAPI Charitable Foundation organized World Health Day on April 7th. The day-long event was organized in association with Mahila Swarojgar Samiti with a view to educate women and children on the need for healthy living and how to prevent people from being impacted by health issues.
“This is a very much impoverished area of Varanasi where any help will be substantial,” said Dr. Bhayani. “We will be launching TB FREE VARANASI campaign soon in this region initially, and will take the campaign across the nation, later on.” About 100 volunteers have been trained and are ready to go to popularize the campaign and educate the rural people in this region on healthy living and on ways to prevent and treat Tuberclosis. Dr. Bhayani has urged AAPI leadership to “add this location for starting AAPI charitable clinic as we have a great reliable local partner and devoted and dedicated local team as well as tremendous need of clinic in this area.”
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, says: “Elimination of Tuberculosis has been a matter of national concern for many years now. Through our partnership with USAID and other NGOs in India, we aim to bring American technical expertise to help strengthen India’s fight against TB. Also, we intend to bring in leading subject matter experts, introduce global best practices and cutting-edge business solutions that will complement and grow existing USAID programs in India.” For more information, please visit: aapiusa.org
India has nearly 700,000 villages. Three out of four Indians and about 77 percent of the poor live in villages. Forty percent in India live below the property line with less than a Dollar a day. The adult literacy rate is 61 percent. The infant mortality rate is 56 per 1,000 live births. The majority of the population has no access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The needs in these rural areas are unlimited and the scope to work are endless.
“An individual can make a tremendous difference in the lives of many in India by adopting a village,” says Jagan Ailinani, M.D., FACR, who was instrumental in founding this noble program and set an example by adopting his own birth village in the state of Telangana in India. “A majority of the NRI’s hail from villages and would like to do their part to bring progress to villages in our state and country.”
AAPI has been part of the Adopt-A-Village Project, which enables Physicians of Indian Origin to adopt the village they hail from, and make a significant contribution towards its development. “Under the new AAPI leadership team, which assumed office during the 36th annual convention, we want to strengthen the ADOPT-A-VILLAGE Project. Through our efforts and coordinating with Dr. Ailinani’s initiative, we will be able to help bring healthcare and basic needs and progress in the lives of millions of people in our home country, India,” said, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI.
Dr. Jagan Ailinani, a pioneer and partner with AAPI in ADOPT A VILLAGE Project
Dr. Ailinani, a former President of AAPI, established the Project by adopting his native village of Motha (population 4,000) in Jagtial District, in Telangana state. In Motha, he funded and established safe drinking water, trash disposal and built funeral shelter with showers and toilets at the cremation site, maintaining proper hygiene and landscaping. He helped expand and upgrade the village school from 7th to 10th Grade with digital classrooms, library and hired an English teacher. He was instrumental in setting up scholarships to needy deserving students. Dr. Ailinani ensured proper nutrition by enhancing mid-day meal with extra eggs and safe drinking water to all the students in school, while teaching personal hygiene and built and maintaining hygienic toilets.Another priority for Dr. Ailinani was to provide periodic free medical, dental and vision checkups and offering free eye glasses if needed to all school children
His financial support helped construct a 2 kilometer long road from Mothe villlage to Jagtial in 1995 under the Janma Bhoomi Project. His another initiative is to construct a community center with matching funds from the Telangana state government.
He donated land for the construction of a primary health center in the village and established partnership with regional medical college PIMS to provide obstetrician and pediatricians 3 days a week to improve prenatal and childcare.
Through ADOPT A VILLAGE program, protection gear for farmers against pesticide spray being provided
Dr. Ailinani helped establish a Preventive Health Clinic in Jagtial in 2005 with a mission to improve health and wellness of the rural population of Jagtial and surrounding villages. This clinic conducted health camps in several villages with emphasis on awareness, education and prevention focusing on safe drinking water sanitation, proper prenatal care, child health and education, diabetes, hypertension, prevention, early detection of cervical cancer, educating them about evils of smoking (lung cancer)and chewing tobacco (oral cancer), and free diabetic blood pressure and cholesterol screening. and provide free basic medications.
Free ENT surgeries are performed at local government hospital by ENT specialists from Hyderabad. Dr. Ailinani helped organize Rehabilitation camps, providing with artificial limbs. To those who needed. The healthcare camps also served as a platform for the educating the farmers about the health hazards of toxic chemical exposure to pesticides spray and which easily prevented by wearing personal protective gear which include masks, eye goggles and sturdy reusable gloves, and hundreds of kits were distributed to the farmers at the camp .
Dr. Ailinani provided the first ever free ambulance in Jagtial in 2001. Another contribution of this philanthropist was establishing a Girls Orphanage Center in Jagtial and donated money for the construction of a permanent home.
Dr. Ailinani has not limited his services to his native village alone. His urge to serve humanity took him to initiate services in several other states and across India. Dr. Ailinani is a founding board member of Prathima Institute of Medical Services-PIMS with a mission to provide specialty services/Tertiary care to rural population of northern Telangana. He was instrumental in establishing a BLS-basic life support training center as well as a center of excellence for Sickle Cell center, which is only among the four centers in India and He was instrumental in obtaining affiliation with the Southern Illinois School of Medicine, USA organizing student and faculty exchange programs on a regular basis.
Dr. Ailinani conducted several CME programs including radiology through AAPI and Medical Council of India in AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Pune, and Delhi, and Assam. He raised and donated $55,000 for Tsunami relief through AAPI Charitable Foundation.
He was instrumental in raising $250,000 from the US Alumni for the establishment of a state of the art Digital Library at his alma mater, Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad.
He, along with AAPI-Charitable Foundation raised $55,000 for the relief of to help the victims of the Tsunami in India.. . He has been promoting adopt-a-village programs across all the states in India, which include safe drinking water, sanitation, maternal/child care and childhood education, farmers welfare,, vocational training for youth and women.
Mother and child care under the Project
“NRIs can adopt the village they hail from originally and make a significant contribution towards its development,” the veteran AAPI leader says. “There is a real will and desire on the part of governments, both at the state and the center to work with NRIs and NGOs to bring development to rural India. There are more NGOs today in India that are professionally run, transparent and accountable, which reach all parts of India and deliver a variety of services, than in the pasThere is a real will and desire on the part of governments, both at the state and at the federal levels to work with NRIs and NGOs to bring development to rural India. There are more NGOs today in India that deliver a variety of services, than in the past. There are more millionaires in India and the United States today and the number of people taking on philanthropic activities in India is only growing. While they are enthusiastic about initiating new programs, they are also concerned about their long-term sustainability.
Many of these projects and programs need regular finding, and management of resources. Adopting a village costs money and an ongoing commitment for investment. The cost for adopting a village depends on various factors, including the population of the villages, the services that are required and what one is willing to commit to foir the welfare and progress of the village one is committing to adopt.
In a Memorandum being submitted to Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, Dr. Ailinani, while explaining the premise of Adopt-a-Village, said, “By adopting one village at a time and working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a difference. After identifying worthwhile, need-based projects, an NRI will contribute 30 percent of the monies required. The other 70 percent of funding will come from the Government of India. Planning, execution and maintenance of the project will be done by a reputable, transparent and professionally managed NGO or an autonomous body consisting of respected individuals. Each project will involve a tripartite partnership between the NRI, state government and an autonomous body.”
According to the tripartite model he suggests, 30 percent of funding for the project comes from the NRI and the other 70 percent comes from the government, while planning, execution and maintenance is taken on by a reputable NGO – will only contribute to the development of rural India. Dr. Ailinani suggests that the plan is to set up a semi-autonomous body, which is completely transparent and is accountable to those who invest and to those who benefit from these services.
There is no instant solution for rural India’s myriad problems. But by adopting one village at a time and working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a difference. Over time, an improved village could lead to an improved region, state and country.
Physicians of Indian origin are well known around the world for their compassion, passion for patient care, medical skills, research, and leadership. They have excelled in their fields of medicine, and thus have earned a name for themselves through hard work, commitment and dedication to their profession and the people they are committed to serve. Not satisfied with their own professional growth and the service they provide to their patients around the world, they are in the forefront, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others, especially those physicians and leaders in the medical field from India.
“I want to urge AAPI members to consider joining this movement and adopt a village. May be your own village of origin. AAPI will work with you in coordinating the efforts and through the support system we have in several states, will help you achieve this goal of ‘giving back to our motherland,” urges Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI. For more details, please do visit: www. aapiusa.org
Columbus, Ohio: July 8th, 2018: Dr. Naresh Parikh, a cardiologist, entreprenor, leader, and community activist, assumed charge as President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) during the historic 36th annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Hall her on Saturday, July 7th night as the convention came to a conclusion with the gala attended by over 1,700 delegates from across the nation.
Along with Dr. Parikh, his executive committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, were administered the oath of office as the AAPI delegates cheered loudly wishing them the best in the upcoming year.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI delivering inaugural address
As the President of AAPI, “I will dedicate my time, energy and skills to maintain the integrity of AAPI and promote membership database and scrub data. We will work together encouraging and motivating more and more Physicians and Dentists to join AAPI and work towards increase in AAPI membership representing all sections, including, women, young and old, while providing enhanced membership benefits including liability insurance carrier, billing, collection company, cardiac remote monitoring, and credit card transactions through reputed banking services. Our Mission and Motto for the upcoming year is “As your president I plan to invoke this year as the year of progress and balance,” the soft spoken Dr. Parikh declared in bis inaugural address.
Dr. Parikh was gracious in acknowledging the contributions of Dr. Gautam Samadder, his predecessor. “I have enjoyed serving AAPI for all these years and it was a true pleasure this past year working in close association with Dr. Samadder. I have learned much from him and offer that as a Compliment for his achievements for AAPI,’ he said.
Dr. Gautam Samadder, through a visual presentation summarized the many achievements of his year long presidency, including GHS in Kolkatta, Health Clinic inauguration in West Bengal, African safari, contributions to Veterans Obesity and Lukemia Society, India day parade and Leadership seminar, among the many others. He thanked his executive committee members, convention committee and all who have generously devoted their time, talent and resources for the success of the many programs he had initiated under his leadership.
“It’s been a humbling experience to work with an esteemed galaxy of AAPI leaders, leading this great organization, for the past year. With the active support of my executive committee and BOT members, I truly believe, I have been able to fulfill many of the priorities I had forth at the beginning of my presidency during the convention in New Jersey last year,” Dr. Samadder said.
Placing his confidence in the AAPI members who have elected him to lead this 37 years old organization, Dr. Parikh said, “AAPI has made great progress from a fledging association of the 1980s to what you see today, a robust, powerful medical organization in our country.
An organization is only as strong as its members make it and our AAPI membership is an incredible group of dedicated passionate individuals. I would like to congratulate the members of AAPI for their strength and the support they have given in its wings of flight.”
Change of Guard at AAPI: Dr. Naresh Parikh with Dr. Gautam Samadder
Graduated from Nagpur Medical College in 1972 and a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Naresh Parikh is serving as the CEO of Georgia Clinic, a multi-specialty organization, founded in 1998, serving patients from dozen locations. A practicing Cardiologist in Atlanta, Georgia for 30 years, Dr. Parikh was instrumental in starting IPA in 2016 with 53 participating providers and has been active in DRS ACO. Dr. Parikh is also involved with Cigna Health Spring as a counsel to improve Hedis score and improve MRA scoring for Georgia Physicians.
“I had started working as an ordinary member in 1986 with Georgia Association of physicians of Indian Origin and was elected President of GAPI, and then rose to be the Regional Director of AAPI SE and had served as a member of the BOT of AAPI. And today, I am honored and humbled by AAPI members, entrusting the largest ethnic medical organization, representing the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, with the responsibility of leading it to newer heights,” Dr. Parikh recalled.
Dr. Parikh been very active and leading several local and national level programs for AAPI in the past several years. He has been a Patron Member of the AAPI Charitable Foundation since 2006. His organizing skills were highly appreciated when he served as the Chair and Convener for AAPI annual convention in 2006. Dr. Parikh was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Shankar Mahadevan and Sunidhi Chauhan concerts and was instrumental in successfully raising money for AAPI.
Not satisfied with growing professionally and contributing and leading AAPI, Dr. Parikh has been generous with his time, talents and resources towards charitable causes for long. Dr. Parikh has been devoting time energy towards several noble causes across the US and in Indihar. Parikh started Atlanta’s first Charitable Medical Clinic in 1996 and was the Medical Director for over 10 years. He has led and organized several healthcare fairs and contributed in fund raising events for AAPI in their mega shows by Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal and Hema Malini.
“It’s been an honor and privilege for me to be associated with AAPI because I recognize the tremendous potential and the lead role that is being played by AAPI in promoting friendship between India and the United States. As members of AAPI, we have not forgotten our roots and are engaged in several activities such as conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summit that has shown us a new trail in healthcare sector in India and will continue to pave way for new frontiers in public private partnership.” As the president of AAPI, which has been playing a major role in supporting noble causes around the world, Dr. Parikh’s goal “is to be actively engaged in the SEWAK project in India.”
In 2014, as the Treasurer of AAPI, Dr. Parikh had the honor of meeting with Hon. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi to launch the Swasth India Portal. In the same year, he had sponsored the screening of the popular movie in Atlanta – “The Ship to Theseus” and helped to raise awareness about the need for organ donation. In 2015 Dr. Parikh sponsored the community reception of Vikas Swarap – writer of Slum Dog Millionaire, a winner of 8 Academy awards. Since 2017 onwards, he is serving as the President of Georgia Gujarati Doctors and Dental Association.
Dr. Parikh has been in the forefront in helping AAPI sign MOUs with Rajkot, Gujarat, India Thalassemia Major Koticha Foundation; and with Rajkot, Gujarat, India Kidney Research Foundation; and with AAPNA, BMANA – Formation of “SAPNA”.
The new executive committee led by Dr. Naresh Parikh, President; Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, also assumed office
Thalassemia Major is a devastating disease, prevalent in Southern part of Gujarat. India. An NGO, Koticha Foundation is doing an excellent service for the Community. AAPI has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) whereby, we have made an appeal to the Ministry of Health to make mandatory blood screening before marriage or high school/college admissions.
AAPI recently opened a charitable clinic in Panvel, Mumbai, MS known as Tara Clinic and is being sponsored by Naresh and Asha Parikh Foundation in collaboration with AAPI Charitable Foundation. This clinic is serving residents from the Panvel tribal community which is about 2 hours away from South Mumbai.
During a historical event on Jan 27th, 2018 in Miami, FL, Dr. Naresh Parikh, along with the immediate past President Dr. Gautam Sammader and AAPI Strategy Advisor Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, was installed as a Founding Member.
Dr. Parikh initiated a strategic and symbolic “Singing of MOU with Physician of Pakistani and Bangladesh origin with AAPI in Feb 2018 In Miami, Florida. This brings about a non-binding alliance of three south Asian physicians groups that will help support strategic and agreed upon programs that impact health and wellbeing of South Asians, such as addressing the higher incidence of heart diseases in South Asians.
Dr. Parikh said, he will form a national panel and advisory committee to help and guide the international medical graduates from South Asia. He wants to have an alliance of 10 percent of the nation’s doctors, the group can be more engaged in mainstream policy through the American Medical Association. Efforts will also include civic engagement in health fairs and providing telemedicine services to South Asian nations.
Dr. Parikh wants to address three key priorities for the year July 2018 to June 2019: Opioid epidemic and awareness, to be coordinated by Dr. Kavita Gupta and Dr. Sanjay Gupta; Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, under the leadership of Dr. Vinod Shah; and, the Silent Epidemic, TB in India, with a major focus at The Global Health Summit to be held from Dec 28th to 30th in Mumbai. Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Dr. Manoj Jain of CDC and Chief Strategy Adviser of AAPI Anwar Feroz Siddiqi have been instrumental in coordinating this new initiative with the USAID and with various agencies in India. He plans to continue the “work initiated by past president Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar on Traumatic Brain Injury as we all know India is leading capital of roadside auto accidents resulting in deaths.”
He wants to continue to support past president Dr. Narendra Kumar’s project of Dr Ramesh Kumar Foundation for trauma rescue initiative in Kerala. Also, Dr. Parikh pledged to “work on Atherosclerosis prevention and education within Indian population, which is also very dear to me. Georgia Clinic will be doing research on patients in Atlanta Metro.”
Dr. Parikh was instrumental in launching of a new partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to end tuberculosis (TB) in India. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed earlier this year in New Delhi and announced in Mumbai, AAPI and USAID will work together to utilize the 100,000-strong network of physicians of Indian-origin living in the United States to support health programs in India, engage AAPI’s network of private charitable clinics for TB awareness, detection and treatment, and explore opportunities for collaborations between U.S. and Indian medical schools to exchange cutting-edge health care solutions.
The new executive team with BOT members
Speaking about the USAID-AAPI collaboration, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI, said: “Elimination of Tuberculosis has been a matter of national concern for many years now. Through our partnership with USAID, we aim to bring American technical expertise to help strengthen India’s fight against TB. Also, we intend to bring in leading subject matter experts, introduce global best practices and cutting-edge business solutions that will complement and grow existing USAID programs in India.”
In his efforts to make AAPI’s voice heard in the corridors of power, Dr. Parikh wants to continue “our ongoing and year around efforts to have a meaningful and convincing conversation with USA Lawmakers to increase Residency Slots for Physician of Indian origin that can help fill up slots and partner with USA in easing shortage of Physicians, particularly in underserved areas. This effort is being coordinated by Dr. Ajeet Singhvi who is very passionate about leading this initiative.
Dr. Parikh called upon the entire AAPI family to work towards staying united and for the betterment of the organization they all love dearly. “Let this year be a year of unity, progress and balance. Let us set aside all our differences and we all pledge to unite and work together as one team for betterment of AAPI and keep AAPI in balance,” he said.
As the President of AAPI, Dr. Parikh will “carry forward my duties of AAPI Office and keeping transparency, accountability and branding of AAPI. Under the current dynamic and dedicated team of executives, we strive to achieve higher standards for AAPI and to achieve our chosen agenda. I am committed to working with the AAPI Team to establish AAPI’s image in the US and globally.”
During the luncheon, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy, who spoke passionately about the fast-growing Indian American community, said, “The Indian-American community is often hailed as one of the most successful ethnic groups in the United States. According to census data, its members have obtained income and education levels far above the national average. But this socio-economic achievement has not translated into commensurate political clout, as shown, for example, by the community’s lack of success in federal elections.” He urged them to get actively involved in the political process of the nation. “We have the choice to be at the table or on the table. Given our heritage, we the Indian Americans belong at the table. Get actively involved in the affairs of the local community and that’s the path to larger role in the nation.”
Ambassador Sandeep Chakravarthy, Consul General of India in New York in his keynote address, praised the contributions of Indian American Physicians for their commitment, dedication and, especially for contributing to the advancement of Indo-US relationship. Describing it to be the “elephant in the Room, he spoke about how Artificial Intelligence is coming to play a key role in the healthcare sector. Dr. Parha Nandi, in his inspiring and motivational speech stressed the need for continuing to live one’s values in everyday decisions one makes despite challenges and fear of failures.
Speakers on the podium during AAPI gala
Dr. Ashok Jain, the outgoing Chair of BOT, delivered his address, enumerating the accomplishments of AAPI and wishing the new Team under Dr. Parikh all the best wishes. “As the Chairman of BOT of AAPI, it has been an eventful and exciting year for me and for all in AAPI. We have had many new beginnings and shutting down of some programs. We faced many challenges, specially cleaning up of voters list and membership list and conducting a smooth and peaceful election in 2018. During the past year, we have initiated many new projects and programs both here in the US and in India. Welcome to Dr. Kothari as the new BOT chairman. We all know, he is a man of principle and knows the bylaws by heart. He is our new BOT CHAIR, and a great asset to AAPI. I wish Dr. Kothari and the new team under his leadership, and the new Executive committee under Dr. Naresh Parikh good luck and best wishes in the coming year,’ he said.
AAPI honored its own accomplished members for their excellence in respective areas. Dr. Atul Mehta was honored as the Most Distinguished Physician; Dr. Amit Chakraborty for his Distinguished Service; Dr. Jay Bhatt as the Most Distinguished Young Physician from YPS; and Dr. Rahul Damania as the Most Distinguished MSRF member. Research and Poster Contest winners were recognized and given cash awards. Dr. Kanuj Patel and Dr. Amu Susheela were declared the winners.
The India-focused CEO Forum discussed about concrete ways AAPI delegates can contribute to the growth of the nation. Children were engaged in several activities challenging their minds. A beautifully choreographed fashion show was a treat to the hearts and souls of all as beautiful women and handsome men cat walked wearing elegantly designed Indian attire.
Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States are reputed to be leading health care providers, holding crucial positions in various h
A Section of the audience at the gala
ospitals and health care facilities around the nation and the world. Known to be a leading ethnic medical organization that represents nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows of Indian Origin in the US and being their voice and providing a forum to its members to collectively work together to meet their diverse needs, AAPI members are proud to contribute to the wellbeing of their motherland India, and their adopted land, the United States. The convention is a forum to network, share knowledge and thoughts, and thus, enrich one another, and rededicate for the health and wellbeing of all the peoples of the world.
Dr. Naresh Parikh invited all delegates to come and participate at the 37th annual convention to be held in Atlanta, GA from July 3rd to to 7th 2019. And the Global Healthcare Summit is planned for December 28th to 30th, 2018 in Mumbai. We look forward to seeing you all in Atlanta, GA for the convention and for the GHS in Mumbai, India!” For more information on AAPI and the 36th convention, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org
Columbus, OH: July 5th, 2018: With ribbon cutting and lighting of the traditional lamp below a beautifully decorated arch, Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor of Columbus and Acharya Lokesh Muni ji officially inaugurated the 36th annual convention of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at the Convention Center in Columbus, OH on July 5th, 2018.
In his warm welcome address, Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, reminded the more than 1,500 AAPI delegates from across the nation of the historic nature of the convention. “The Future is now– Its time to step up to a new era of innovation through a new age of digital healthcare that transcends biological and chemical medicine into the future. As physicians we must be equipped to tackle the next generation’s unique set of challenges and opportunities in healthcare,” Dr. Samadder said.
In his opening remarks, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther praised the many contributions of AAPI members in the United States and particularly in the state of OHIO. “You have excelled in your fields of medicine, and thus make significant contributions through hard work, commitment and dedication to your profession and the people you are committed to serve,” he said. While conveying his greetings and best wishes to AAPI leaders for the success of the convention, the mayor described the fast growing health sector, particularly the pharmaceutic industry in India. Mayor Andrew highlighted the fast growing and diverse city that Columbus has become and urged Indian American physicians to invest in and make Colubus city their home.
Acharya Lokesh Muni ji, in his inspiring address to the audience, highlighted importance of having a platform such as this to share knowledge. He underscored the importance of ancient Indian wisdom that is the basis for modern Medicine. While praising the contribution of the physicians to the world, he reminded them that they are participating in the work of God and what they do today will shape the future of the world.
Member of Indian Parliament, Vallabhbhai Katharia said, Physicians of Indian origin are well known around the world for their compassion, passion for patient care, medical skills, research, and leadership. “Indian-Americans constitute about one percent of the country’s population, but you account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians, serving one out of seven patients being treated across the nation.” He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his inspiring leadership, steering the largest democracy in the world to new heights. He urged AAPI to endow an AAPI Chair in India to share the knowledge and experience of AAPI members with their counterparts in India. Dr. Veena Gandhi of the Health Foundation of Rural India shared with the audience the immense job the Foundation does in 70,000 villages across India, benefitting millions of people.
At the Business Meeting and the Fund Raising led by AAPI Charitable Foundation, Dr. Chander Kapasi helped raise money for the Foundation, while highlighting the many charitable initiatives of AAPI both in India and in the United States. Also, AAPI recognized Raja Rajadhyaksha and Dr. Sanju Bhghya for their contributions to the society and for AAPI. Earlier, Neeraj Anthani, the youngest elected official in the Ohio state Assembly felicitated AAPI and he presented a Citation to AAPI.
A spectacular fashion show by Rohit Verma kept the audience spell-bound for an hour, while the Mystic India show took the audience to a heavenly journey, showcasing the brilliant Indian dance forms performed elegantly by talented artists.
The day was packed with back to back seminars and CMEs and conferences, including Beauty Pageant, Children and Youth activities, Medical School Alumni meetings, and inspiring speeches and a busy market place where vendors lured AAPI members with their specialty products.
This CME program is being jointly sponsored the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and has been designed to meet the educational needs of Primary Care physicians – Internists, Family Practitioners, Pediatricians, and Specialists – Cardiology, Oncology, Endocrinology, Surgery and other specialties involved in the care of patients with Atrial Fibrillation, HIV disease, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Depression, Prostate and Hematologic malignancies and Back pain.
CMEs provided comprehensive and current reviews and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various disease states to reduce morbidity and mortality and achieve cost effective quality care outcomes, enabling the attendees to gain an understanding of the causation, diagnosis and the best clinical practices for the management of the diverse group of diseases discussed during this program. AAPI members get 10 hours of CME credit hours for attending in these sessions led by world’s leading thought leaders, physicians and healthcare industry leaders.
Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Committee, praised the Local Chapter members for their hard work and dedication in meticulously planning and organizing this mega event.
Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Committee, praised the Local Chapter members for their hard work and dedication in meticulously planning and organizing this mega event. For more information on AAPI and the 36th convention, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a globally revered spiritual and humanitarian leader, led the over 1,700 AAPI delegates and their families to an authentic experience of yoga and meditation at the 36th annual convention of AAPI, though a meditation session here today at the Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH on July 6th, 2018.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has spearheaded an unprecedented worldwide movement for a stress-free, violence-free society, in his keynote address at the AAPI Executive Committee Luncheon, addressed the AAPI delegates to work towards preventing health problems by learning and living a stress-free life, before they could lead others to a stress-free healthy life.
Delegates of AAPI that represents nearly 100,000 Physicians, Fellows, and Residents in the United States, were led to meditate after an inspiring address on Yoga and Health by global thought and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The unique event served as a platform for the AAPI members to discuss the importance of meditation in resolving the nation’s pressing health concerns and how Ayurveda, Yoga, and Meditation, the ancient traditions of India offer solutions to the most pressing health problems of the world.
Sri Sri travels the world sharing wisdom and insights on a number of timely and important topics. He has written books that teach and inspire. His talks motivate and encourage, offer comfort and reassurance, and provide insights for daily living. He encouraged physicians to learn how to use pulses to assess people’s illness, which he said, could precede the many tests we do to determine one’s health.
“The secret of meditation is in letting go,” Sri Sri told the gathering, which included AAPI members and their families. “Stress arises when we have too much to do, and not enough energy or time to do it. We can neither change time nor the number of things we need to do. So, the only option is to increase energy levels. And this can be accomplished through yoga, breathing techniques and meditation,” Sri Sri elaborated.
His message to educators was: A happy mind lets you stay calm; make better decisions and improve the overall quality of life, he told the Doctors, acknowledging that they lead a stressful life. He appealed that AAPI and its members work towards making Ayurveda more acceptable and universal; offering research to prove the benefits of yoga and meditation scientifically to make the world known and use these ancient techniques.
Research has demonstrated the benefits of yoga and meditation as an effective method in reducing stress, managing depression and improving sense of well-being. In just three decades, the programs and initiatives by Sri Sri have touched the lives of over 370 million people in 152 countries, including many areas of conflict and disaster where he has offered stress- and trauma-relief programs, which have been successful in reducing the negative effects of PTSD and curbing violence.
Leading up the 20 minutes long meditation, Sri Sri told the Doctors: “Meditation is that space where thoughts have subsided and the mind is in complete rest. Meditation is the journey from movement to stillness, from sound to silence. Yoga is like a vast ocean. Yoga offers many things to different people at many different levels–whatever they aspire for: union with the cosmic consciousness, or physical health, mental clarity, emotional stability, spiritual ecstasy — all this is part of yoga.” With the chanting of “Om” that filled the Auditorium, the entire assembly in silence, he told them to go with the flow of the mind.
“Surrender is not an act, it is a state of your being. Whether you acknowledge it or not, it is there. The wise wake up and see, the unwise take a longer time. Know that you have no choice, you are in a state of surrender deep within you,” he said.
On the importance and the need to practice Yoga, which leads to one’s holistic health, he said. “Yoga is more than just stretches, poses and an elastic body. It provides inner comfort and enables you to access your intuitive ability, which is a necessary ingredient in any field – be it business, arts, science or sports,” said Sri Sri. “The ancient secrets of Yoga hold the key to open a new dimension in your life beyond body and mind that will unlock your potential and tap into a field of infinite possibilities to live a deeper, more joyous life. Yoga brings good health, sharpness of intellect, creativity, emotional stability and a broad vision.”
Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, in his welcome address, stressed the importance of ancient Indian traditions and how they sow the way to a healthier life in modern world. He thanked the many sponsors of AAPI who made the convention a success. “We are so fortunate to have Sri Sri, who travels the world sharing wisdom and insights on a number of timely and important topics, and is a world –renowned author of books that teach and inspire, has graciously come and be with us enlighten us all with his wisdom. His talks motivate and encourage, offer comfort and reassurance, and provide insights for daily living,” he said.
Dr. Samadder felicitated his executive Committee members with a plaque for their leadership and support for the past year under his leadership.
Dr. Vanila M. Singh, M.D., MACM, the Chief Medical Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in her address, shared with the audience the initiatives of Trump administration on healthcare policy and effective delivery of services. she provided a detailed description of her department and the vital services she and the Department provides to the nation.
The Chief Medical Officer serves as the primary medical advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health on the development and implementation of HHS-wide public health policy recommendations, including 11 core public health offices, the Office of the Surgeon General, 12 advisory committees, and 10 regional offices. Dr. Singh’s portfolio includes issues related to pain medicine, including opioid use and misuse; medical ethics; and public health.
During the five day event held from July 4th to 8th, attendees have the opportunity to engage with an impressive lineup of notable speakers and cutting edge medical and scientific information blended within a rich cultural backdrop of authentic Indian cuisine, fashion, yoga and entertainment from top Indian performers.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, had praises for the memorable session with the world renowmed spiritual leader, and how the delegates of AAPI were led to meditate after an inspiring address on Yoga and health by global thought and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. “The unique event has served as a platform for the AAPI members to discuss the importance of meditation in resolving the nation’s pressing health concerns and how Ayurveda, Yoga, and Meditations, the ancient traditions of India offer solutions to the most pressing health problems of the world,” Dr. Parikh said.
Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair of BOT of AAPI, highlighted the importance of ancient Indian traditions and how they sow the way to a healthier life in modern world. He thanked the many sponsors of AAPI who make conventions a success. “The presence of Sri Sri in our midst will not only enlighten us, but will enforce in each of us the important contributions of ancient India to the world, especially in the world of medicine,” Dr. Jain added.
A major highlight of the convention today was the historic 1st ever Summit on Opioid Crisis in the US, focusing on the prevalence, the causes and the ways to manage and address the concerns of the nation. The Women’s Forum led by Bollywood star, Hema Malini and featuring half a dozen Women Leaders inspired one and all for their leadership and how they overcame obstacles and transformed them into opportunities.
The convention offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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.
The convention includes CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There are forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall includes medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin from across the globe will gather at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
(Columbus, OH; July 4th, 2018): The 36th annual edition of the AAPI Annual Convention& Scientific Assembly began here at Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH on July 4th, 2018 with the much anticipated AAPI’s Got Talent contest. Music, dance, magic, drama, poetry and more. The hidden and often unappreciated side of the physicians were showcased during a competition that was a treat to all the nearly 1,500 participants who enjoyed every moment of the event.
“AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow. In this hour-long competition brought out our artistic and creative side of our members,” Dr. Samadder added.
“AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show,” declared Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, along with Dr. Samadder and the whole host of AAPIL leadership and organizing committee members, danced on stage to favorite Bollywood tunes before an enthusiastic audience. “It provided a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!” Dr. Parikh added.
Shree Saini, Miss India USA, made a special appearance at the event. Describing her experiences as the prestigious title winner as an opportunity for a year and beyond for “committed services to humanity.” The contest was elegantly emceed by Dr. Amit Chakrabarthy and Dr. Seema Arora. The evening culminated with a breathtaking musical extravaganza by world renowned artists, Palak and Palash.
On the 2nd day of the convention, an AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is “more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!” said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
The 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
The convention will be addressed by senior world leaders, including US Senators, Nobel Lauretes, Governors, Congressmen, and celebrities from the Hollywood and Bollywood world.
World Leader and Humanitarian Sri Sri Ravishankar will be one of the keynote speakers at AAPI Convention. He will participate in Q & A session for Physician wellness program as well.
“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. Ashok Jain, Chair of AAPI’s BOT, said.
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.
“AAPI members represent a variety of important medical specialties. Sponsors will be able to take advantage of the many sponsorship packages at the 36th annual convention, creating high-powered exposure to the highly coveted demographic of AAPI‘s membership,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, Vice President of AAPI, said.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 36 years, AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.
“Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally have convened and are participating in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. We are happy to have you all in Columbus, Ohio!” said Dr. Gautam Samadder.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin. Over 15,00 physicians and their families of Indian origin from across the United States have come together at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org
The opportunity will allow President Donald Trump to make a major, lasting mark on the nation’s highest court by putting in place a second justice, after his choice to elevate Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court last year following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016.
Trump, reacting to the news at the White House, said he had spoken with Kennedy earlier Wednesday and asked the outgoing justice about possible contenders to replace him.
Moments after Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, the media went rife with speculation on possible replacements, including Indian American jurist Amul Thapar, who currently serves on the Sixth Circuit of Appeals.
President Donald Trump told reporters after Kennedy’s announcement that a search for a replacement would begin immediately. During his remarks, Trump pointed to a list of potential picks for the court that he had maintained during the campaign and updated last fall. Fox News hinted at the president’s shortlist of six possibilities, all federal court judges including Thapar, Thomas Hardiman, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Joan Larsen and Raymond Kethledge.
Hardiman and Thapar were finalists for the seat that went to Justice Neil Gorsuch — more than a year after the abrupt death of Justice Antonin Scalia — and were personally interviewed by the president, according to Fox News.
Thapar is the first Indian American to serve on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the second Indian American federal appellate court judge in U.S. history. He is a friend of Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. The Alliance for Justice has dubbed him “ultraconservative.”
With a second Supreme Court pick less than 18 months into his presidency, Trump is poised to cement conservative control of the court and fire up supporters eager for a rightward shift on divisive social issues like abortion and gay rights.
Trump’s nominee must win confirmation by the Senate. Republicans control the chamber but only by a slim majority, making the views of moderates, including some Democrats, important.
Thapar, 49, was handpicked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to serve as the US attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. In 2006, he went on to a seat on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Trump nominated Thapar to the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017. He was born in Michigan and served in government as well as private practice. In 2007, Thapar was the first American of South Asian descent to be named to an Article III federal judgeship.
Although Thapar has moved to list of seven potential nominees from the original 25 when a replacement for Scalia was being considered, sources said that “he’s still a longshot,” unless his patron, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) “really goes to bat for him.”
Sources said that Thapar was the only minority in the new short list. The original list had been prepared for the White House by the Federalist Society and the conservative D.C. think tank, The Heritage Foundation and comprised Thapar and two other minorities: Frederico Moreno, a federal district judge in South Florida, who is Hispanic, and Robert Young, a retired Michigan Supreme Court judge, who is African-American.
The Supreme Court already has an African-American Clarence Thomas, and a Hispanic, Sonia Sotomayor and if Thapar were nominated by Trump he would be the first Asian-American named to the high court.
McConnell last year convinced Trump to nominate Thapar to the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and he was confirmed 52-44 by the Senate in May 2017, largely on a partisan vote.
At the time Thapar was confirmed for Circuit Court, Curt Levey, executive director for the Committee for Justice, noted: “Perhaps the most important thing about Thapar’s quick confirmation is that it puts him in a perfect position to fill any Supreme Court vacancies that occur in 2018 or thereafter.”
Thapar was first nominated by President George W. Bush on May 24, 2007, to a seat vacated by Joseph M. Hood and confirmed by the Senate on Dec. 13, 2007. He received commission on Jan. 4, 2008, becoming the nation’s first Article III judge of South Asian descent.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights – now led by Indian American civil rights activist Vanita Gupta beginning in June – noted in May 2017 as Thapar was undergoing his Senate confirmation process for the Appeals Court seat that the jurist had a history of controversial rulings, including a case in which he allowed a diabetic inmate to continue to be denied insulin.
Thapar also sentenced three pacifists — including an 82-year-old nun — to lengthy prison terms after they broke into a nuclear power plant in Oakridge, Tennessee, and spray-painted peace slogans, noted the Leadership Conference.
But the South Asian Bar Association of North America and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association have lauded the Thapar. Vichal Kumar, president of SABA-NA, noted last May after the Senate confirmation: “Judge Thapar’s confirmation further cements his legacy as a pioneer, esteemed jurist and dedicated public servant. We anticipate that Judge Thapar’s renowned dedication to his craft and commendable judicial temperament will serve him well in this integral position.” SABA awarded Thapar its Pioneer Award in 2010. NAPABA awarded Thapar its Trailblazer Award in 2015.
As the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky from 2006-2007, Thapar was appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, where he chaired the AGAC’s Controlled Substances and Asset Forfeiture subcommittee. He also served on the Terrorism and National Security subcommittee, the Violent Crime subcommittee, and Child Exploitation working group.
During his confirmation hearing on April 28, 2017, Thapar noted that though the Federalist Society and the conservative Heritage Foundation had named him as a possible Supreme Court nominee on a list prepared for then-candidate Trump, he had no allegiance to either organization. “I’m my own judge, and I hope my track record speaks to that,” he said.
McConnell has already made clear he would push for a confirmation vote by fall before the mid-term elections, refusing to acquiesce to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democrats that it should be held only after the November elections.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, during her first ever visit to India as a member of the Trump cabinet, has focused on trade relations, India’s oil imports from Iran, India’s military ties with the US, among other things. In her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, June 27th, the first Indian American to be on US Cabinet, told Modi that it was important that India cut Iranian oil use, but said the United States would work to allow India to use an Iranian port as corridor to Afghanistan. India is one of the largest importers of Iran’s oil.
Haley, considered to be the most powerful Indian-American in the Trump administration, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi June 27 to convey greetings from President Donald Trump. She also met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Haley assured U.S. commitment to fighting terrorism, and that she saw opportunities in developing stronger ties with New Delhi in multiple ways, especially in countering terrorism and building military cooperation.
The U.S. push to curb countries’ imports of Iranian oil comes after Trump in May withdrew from a 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers aimed at stalling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities in return for the lifting of some sanctions. Trump ordered the reimposition of U.S. sanctions that were suspended under the accord.
“Sanctions are coming (on Iran) and we’re going forward on that, and with India and the U.S. building strong relationships we hoped that they would lessen their dependence on Iran,” Haley, a member of U.S. President Donald Trump’s cabinet, told the media after her meeting with Modi in New Delhi.
“There’s a will, a political will, from both sides to figure out how to make this work,” Haley said. “Prime Minister Modi very much understands where we are with Iran, he didn’t question it, he didn’t criticize it, he understood it and he also understands that (India’s) relationship with the U.S. is strong and important and needs to stay that way.”
Despite rising trade tensions between the United States and India, Haley – the daughter of Indian immigrants – said “the idea of a trade war wasn’t even an option.” Bilateral trade rose to $115 billion in 2016, but the Trump administration wants to narrow its $31 billion deficit with India, and is pressing New Delhi to ease trade barriers.
Haley said she also discussed military cooperation with Modi as the Trump administration has launched an effort to deepen military and economic ties with India as a way to balance China’s assertive posture across Asia.
Haley said the implications of Iran-related sanctions would be discussed when the foreign and defense ministers of India and the United States meet shortly. Japan and South Korea, also major buyers of Iranian oil, are in talks with the U.S. government in a bid to avoid the adverse effects of sanctions.
Haley said she also discussed with Modi the Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran, being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for landlocked Afghanistan and which could open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut Afghanistan’s dependence on neighboring Pakistan.
“In this area, the U.S. is approaching our relationship with Pakistan differently than in the past,” Haley said in a speech June 28 in New Delhi. Indo Asian News service quoted her speech on “Advancing India-U.S. Relations,” which was organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
“We know the port has to happen and the U.S. is going to work with India to do that,” Haley said. “We know that they’re being a great partner with us in Afghanistan and really trying to assist the U.S. and trying to do more. The port’s vital in trying to do that.”
“We realize we’re threading a needle when we do that,” said Haley, describing a balancing act of ensuring Indian use of the port in Iran while Washington is at the same time trying to once again cut Tehran off from international markets.
She said both nations have felt the pain of terrorism, both share a commitment to defeat it and the hateful ideology that motivates them. The two countries share an urgent interest to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists, she said.
Modi expressed appreciation for Trump’s South Asia and Indo-Pacific strategies and commended his initiative toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. “Both the dignitaries discussed ways to enhance India-U.S. cooperation, including on counter-terrorism and in multilateral fora. They expressed confidence that strong India-U.S. partnership will continue to be an important factor for global peace and prosperity,” a government statement said.
News reports said Haley and Modi discussed ways to enhance India-U.S. cooperation in various fields. “Whether it is countering terrorism, whether it is the fact that we want to continue our democratic opportunities or start to work together more strongly on the military aspect, there are lots of things that India and the U.S. have in common,” she was quoted as saying in New Delhi.
Besides meeting officials, “Haley also visited the majestic tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun and Save Childhood Movement, a center for rescued children run by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi,” the Associated Press wrote. At the tomb, Haley said she was in India to strengthen bilateral relations and to continue the democratic bonds.
As she hoped for a free and open Indo-Pacific and protection of sovereign nations from external coercion for peace, stability and commerce, Haley said China is a matter of concern and its failure to respect the rule of law will restrict its relations with the U.S.
“Unlike India, China does not share our commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. This makes China’s expansion of loans and investments in countries in the region a matter of concern for many of us,” she said.
Indian-origin American senator Kamala Harris has not ruled out the prospects of running for the US President in 2020, according to media reports. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., says she isn’t ruling out a 2020 run for president in her most direct comments yet about her political future.
In an interview that aired Sunday on MSNBC’s “KasieDC,” Harris said she’s focused on the 2018 midterm elections. “I’m focused on a lot of other things as a higher priority” than running for president, she said. Pressed on whether she was ruling out a 2020 bid, Harris said: “I’m not ruling it out, no.”
Harris, 53, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, is viewed as a rising star in Democratic politics. Her likely presidential ambitions are the subject of wide speculation, and she’s often included on the not-so-short lists of potential Democratic 2020 hopefuls. According to the media outlet, it is her most direct comments yet about her political future.
Harris, a former prosecutor, was California’s attorney general before she was elected to the Senate in 2016. She has started to carve out a reputation as a defender of immigrants in the Trump era, a move that could give her an edge with those voters in 2020, the outlet said. Earlier this year, she bucked her party’s leadership to vote against an immigration compromise that she said made too many compromises with Republicans, angering some of her colleagues.
Other possible Democratic presidential candidates in the Senate — including Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey — voted “yes.”
In the interview, Harris also said the United States should consider abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“We’ve got to critically re-examine ICE and its role and the way that it is being administered and the work it is doing,” she said. “We probably need to think about starting from scratch.”
Yoga is among India’s most popular cultural exports. People across the globe have adopted the ancient practice for its physical, mental and spiritual benefits. But along the way, yoga has morphed and been adapted to suit the modern gym-going public, leading some yogis to voice concern that it has become little more than a series of stretching exercises, divorced from its roots as a meditative discipline.
June 21st, declared as the International yoga Day by the United Nations has drawn crowds in celebrations around the globe. The International Yoga Day, since its inception in 2015, has grown to be on the most popular cultural mass movements in the world. This year was no different as, from Dehradun in India – where Prime Minister Narendra Modi began proceedings with some asanas, to Kota in Rajasthan which created a new world record for turnout, to Times Square in New York City, where thousands of people swamped the area in bright green mats, the phenomenon was truly dazzling and spectacular to watch.
Some 50,000 people gathered with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 21 in the Himalayan foothills in Dehradun to salute the power of yoga. More than 35 volunteers from different foreign countries participated in the event and performed 21 yoga postures along with nearly 50,000 people who stretched their bodies in the sprawling lawn of Dehradun’s Forest Research Institute lawn surrounded by Shivalik peaks from three sides.
Yoga “is enriching millions of lives all over the world,” Modi said in a speech. He also urged Indians to take pride in their heritage. “The gems of India’s unique heritage, such as yoga, will be respected by the world at large only when we ourselves respect our culture and traditions,” he said. Modi said that yoga has the power to unite individuals, society, the country and the world at large, and has emerged as a major unifying force globally.
Modi said that the world has embraced yoga and this can be seen in the manner in which the International Day of Yoga is marked every year. “In fact, Yoga Day has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being,” he said, adding that yoga is beautiful because it is “ancient yet modern.” He noted that International Yoga Day celebrated across the world. “From Dehradun to Dublin, Jakarta to Johannesburg and Shanghai to Chicago people are celebrating yoga day all across the world. Yoga is giving new energy to global friendship, he said.
Modi also marked the day with a video conference address to the International Yoga Day Celebrations at the United Nations in New York. In December 2014, following a request from Modi, the U.N. General Assembly declared June 21 the International Day of Yoga. The proposal had a record number of cosponsors – 177 countries supported it – and was adopted faster than any other proposal in the history of the world body.
Modi was the one who initiated the International Yoga Day, imploring for it to be initiated, at his iconic speech at the United nations General Assembly in 2014. It has become his signature movement, in his first term in office.
Talking of yoga, at the UN, in 2014, Modi had invoked India’s traditions, saying, “It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.” The Prime Minister said that yoga is beautiful because it is “ancient yet modern. It is constant yet evolving. It has the best of our past and present and a ray of hope for our future. In yoga, we have the perfect solution to the problems we face, either as individuals or in our society,” he said.
A highlight of this year’s celebrations was Kota in Rajasthan establishing a world record on Thursday when around two lakh people performed yoga at one place on the occasion of the International Yoga Day. The event took place in the presence of yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia at the RAC ground.
Baba Ramdev tweeted that more than two lakh people performed yoga on the International Yoga Day. “Yog is the best way for the students to de-stress themselves. Thousands of students have joined #YogainKota, the education capital of Rajasthan,” he tweeted. Till date, Mysore shares the record where around 55,506 people performed yoga simultaneously at one place on International Yoga Day.
India’s President Ram Nath Kovind participated in the fourth International Yoga Day celebrations in Paramaribo along with his Suriname counterpart Desire Delano Bouterse, Vice President Michael Ashwin Adhin and other dignitaries. Kovind is on a visit to Suriname, which has a large number of Indian expatriates too.
Addressing the gathering, Kovind said yoga is an ancient Indian tradition, but it does not belong to India alone. “It is part of humanity’s intangible heritage. Millions across the world, in every continent and among all communities, have embraced yoga and interpreted yoga in their own way. The practice of yoga has had a beneficial impact on their bodies as well as their minds. Particularly in today’s world of stresses and lifestyle diseases, yoga can help all of us,” he said. Yoga is the ultimate expression of Indian soft power and it has “won us love and affection” among yoga practitioners in all corners of the planet, including in Suriname, he said.
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj led celebrations to mark International Yoga Day at the European Parliament (EU) in Brussels on Thursday, highlighting the importance of yoga for the modern world. “India believes in the concept that the world is one family. We are also celebrating our shared humanity and acknowledging our shared destiny,” she told the large gathering of EU parliamentarians, EU officials and yoga lovers and enthusiasts at the European Parliament.
She said that yoga represents one of the most powerful means for uniting the world and stated that “it is extremely heart-warming to see that India’s gift to the world has been so heartily adopted by the Europe. Today more than ever the world needs yoga,” she said, referring to the stressful lives people are leading today and added that “yoga restores harmony within. As I speak today, countries around the world are celebrating the International Day of Yoga, thereby, endorsing this holistic approach towards health and wellness,” she added. Shri Shri Ravishankar led a session on yoga at the event.
Here in the US, yoga celebrations began early in the week. In Washington, DC, it was celebrated on June 16 at the iconic US Capitol West Lawn. More than 2,500 people from all walks of life participated in these celebrations with fervor and enthusiasm. India’s Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna led the International Day of Yoga in Washington D.C. Welcoming the participants, Sarna noted that yoga is widely embraced by the American people as a survey conducted in 2016 showed that there were 36.7 million Yoga practitioners in the U.S.
The participants also included officials and representatives from the State Department, Smithsonian Institutions, World Bank, academic institutions, think tanks, representatives of various embassies, local representatives of Indian news media and other key local organizations.
Many leaders from the United States issued proclamations and felicitation messages to support and commemorate the 4th International Day of Yoga and spread awareness about yoga. These included Governor of Virginia Ralph Northam, Senator Timothy M. Kaine and Congressmen Don Beyer, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Gerald E. Connolly.
A guided yoga session based on ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ created by Government of India was conducted with the help of yoga demonstrators. The yoga session concluded with Sanskrit shlokas and shantipath.
The Indian Embassy had organized curtain raiser events, in collaboration with yoga organizations and yoga studios, at the India International School, John Hopkins University, Heartfulness Institute in Richmond, Virginia, Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lanham MD, Chinmaya Mission and Durga Temple in Virginia, North Potomac Community Center. The embassy also acknowledges the cooperation given by ‘Friends of Yoga’ – a group of organizations which support and promote yoga in this region.
The International Day of Yoga was celebrated with enthusiasm and fervor at the historic Governor’s Island on June 16, in New York City. The event organized by the Consulate General of India, New York saw enthusiastic participation from people of all ages.
The historic setting of the event in New York City in many ways exemplified the eternal values of yoga. Governors Island wass a 72-acre island in New York Harbor, approximately 800 yards from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel , approximately 400 yards. Perhaps signifying the global influence of yoga, the famous skyline of downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty formed the backdrop of the event.
US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was the chief guest for the event, in which the Consul General of India in New York Sandeep Chakravorty also participated. While complimenting the organizers, she spoke of the benefits that yoga has on contemporary lifestyles.
“Yoga, which is derived from Sanskrit, means to join or unite and symbolizes the union of body and mind” said Maloney. “It is a unique way to approach an individual’s health and well-being. Practicing yoga has been shown to decrease stress, fatigue, and alleviate chronic pains, as well as improving physical fitness. I know first-hand the benefits of practicing yoga. It is an essential part of my life, I practice it as often as I can, and it helps me to find balance and peace.”
The event featured performances from Hindu Temple, Indian Cultural Association, Mallakhambh Federation, Sam Katz (David Lynch Foundation), Art of Living Foundation, Isha Foundation, World Yoga Community and the Battery Dance Co.
The performances included demonstration of yoga mudra, salutations, common yoga protocol, yogasanas on the pole, transcendental meditation, desktop yoga, yogic music and musical performances from the Salon Di Virtuosi and a dance performance by the Battery Dance Company.
The Consulate General of India in Chicago, in collaboration with the City of Chicago and Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International rolled out the fourth edition of International Yoga Day, June 16, at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.
A lamp-lighting ceremony and singing of the National Anthems of India and United States launched the high profile event whose objective was to create a broad-based awareness about the benefits of yoga for all sections of society.
It was one of the mega events in Chicago in which about 100 community organizations and over 1000 Indian Americans and people belonging to other nationalities participated, along with their family and friends, a press release from the Indian Consulate in Chicago said.
Sister Tina from Brahma Kumaris of Chicago demonstrated the breathing technique, and a dance item by the students of Soorya Dance School followed. There was a demonstration of ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ and the event concluded with the recitation of Shanti Mantras.
India’s Consul General in Chicago, Neeta Bhushan, speaking on the occasion, dwelt on the benefits of yoga. She also thanked the office of the Mayor of Chicago for partnering with the Consulate and for enabling the Millennium Park to be used for the event.
Some of the well-known people who participated in the event included Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois; Andrea Zopp, president & CEO, World Business Chicago and former Deputy Mayor of Chicago; Smitha Shah, chair, Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, Mickey Straub, Mayor of Burr Ridge, Hardik Bhatt, former chief information officer in the Illinois Governor’s office; Ram Villivalam, candidate for Illinois Senate from District 8; and Alderman Joe Moore.
Every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose. More than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.
According to The New York Times, of the estimated 2.1 million Americans currently in the grip of opioid addiction, many are women of childbearing age. The young-adult population has been hardest hit, proportionately, with nearly 400,000 adults ages 18 to 25 suffering from addiction to prescription painkillers (the vast majority) or heroin.
“It is in this context, for the very first time ever, a summit on the Opioid Crisis in the United States has been planned as part of the upcoming AAPI’s 36th Annual National Convention & Scientific Assembly, to be held from July 4-8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. This initiative of AAPI is being put together by Convention team and headed by Dr. Nikesh Batra.
“The summit scheduled to be held on Friday July 6, 2018 9:00am – 12:00pm during the Convention is aimed at educating and creating awareness among the delegates at the convention on the growing opioid crisis, and how the physicians can play a vital role in preventing and containing the fast growing epidemic in the US,” Dr. Samadder added.
Vanila M. Singh, Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be the keynote speaker. Singh serves as the primary medical advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health on the development and implementation of HHS-wide public health policy recommendations.
“The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said. “That translates into numerous Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields. The Summit on Opioid Crisis will provide a platform for AAPI members to discuss and deliberate on effective ways to combat this national crisis, that is claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, affecting millions of families across the nation.”
The convention includes CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There are forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall includes medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.”
The opioid crisis has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences including increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. The increase in injection drug use has also contributed to the spread of infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis C. As seen throughout the history of medicine, science can be an important part of the solution in resolving such a public health crisis.
Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair, AAPI BOT said, “For the first time ever, AAPI is planning a special session on Health Care Law, which will be introduced by Dr. Hemant Patel, where round table discussion will be held between prominent lawyers, federal agencies, medical board and health care practitioner. The topics will include educating physicians about health care laws and how to take adequate precautions. This will be beneficial to AAPI members dealing with legal challenges they face in their practice.”
Also, for the first time, AAPI offers Living Well: The Happiness Program for Health Care Professionals. A unique advanced Physician wellness program that is designed from the ground up by medical professionals, for medical professionals. It’s meant to provide people working in the healthcare field with an opportunity to learn simple practices and utilize them to enhance their physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
Giving them a platform to celebrate their accomplishments, the annual convention to be attended by nearly 2,000 physicians of Indian origin, it will also provide a forum to renew their professional commitment through continuing medical educations activities. During the five-day event, attendees will engage with an impressive lineup of notable speakers and cutting edge medical and scientific information blended within a rich cultural backdrop of authentic Indian cuisine, fashion, yoga and entertainment from top Indian performers.
The convention also includes AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. It provides a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow,” said Dr. Samadder. “Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!” he added.
AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!” said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
The 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin from across the globe will gather at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
The first ever Indian-American Impact Project Summit, held on June 7th at the National Education Association Auditorium in Washington, D.C., described as the largest gathering in recent years of Indian-Americans brought together dozens of Congressional and state Assembly aspirants, incumbents, community leaders, political activists and donors, numbering over 200.
Sponsored by the Indian American Impact Project, the day-long meeting was attended by nearly 200 Indian Americans.
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), the first-ever Senator of Indian origin, delivered the keynote address. Harris’ remarks were followed by the other tag team: Pramila Jayapal of Washington state and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, also both Democrats. Together the group forms an entity Krishnamoorthi affectionately calls the “Samosa Caucus.”
“Like many of you in this room, especially those who are pursuing elected office or may think of pursuing elected office, at the time in 2002, when I decided to run against him, I was told like many of you may have been told or will be told, ‘Hmm, nobody like you has done this before.’ “ she said. “ ‘Maybe, it’s not a good time, maybe they are not ready for you, it will be a lot of hard work.’ I didn’t listen. And, part of why I am here today, is to say, don’t you listen. This moment of time is a moment in time to that moment of time when my parents were active in the civil rights movement,” she said. The moment, she said, requires the community to be part of the fight for American ideals. Even in the face of powerful voices that are sowing hate and division among us, I know it to be true and believe we have so much more in common than what divides us,” she said.
“The summit was first-ever event of its kind,” said Gautam Raghavan, executive director of the newly minted Impact Project. “We are thrilled to host the first-ever gathering of Indian American elected officials, candidates, philanthropists, community leaders, and political strategists. I am particularly excited that we have over 30 Indian American candidates and elected officials attending the Summit. Many of them are eager to connect with one another, to share stories from the campaign trail and lessons learned along the way.”
He said the rationale behind it was to brainstorm on strategies to get candidates elected and give others mulling entry into the fray the necessary training and resources for viable campaigns “This historic summit is proof that the Indian- American community has truly arrived on the political scene,” said Raj Goyle, cofounder of Impact and a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives. “Together, we can shape a future in which talented and patriotic Indian-Americans are fully represented at every level of government, from City Hall to the White House.”
Deepak Raj, a cofounder of the project, called the energy, enthusiasm and talent of those gathered “truly inspiring. Impact is proud to stand with them — and we look forward to expanding their ranks at every level of elected office.” He said the stated goal was to have at least 15 to 20 Indian- Americans in Congress “and our community should be represented in many, many places —city council, state houses, Supreme Court, state governors mansions, and who knows, thinking big, one day in the White House.”
David Cohen, senior executive vice president and chief diversity officer of Comcast Corporation, one of the summit’s sponsors, noted that while “Americans’ ambivalence to politics remains very much with us, yet good things happen when good people get involved in the political process. That’s what’s happening here,” noting it was a reason for the Comcast sponsorship. He said the Indian-American lawmakers on Capitol Hill and “political leaders like Nikki Haley — the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab, and a popular governor of South Carolina and now our ambassador to the United Nations,” provided even more encouragement, as do the 60 Indian-American candidates for office at various federal, state and local levels. The Indian-American community is spreading its political wings. And the time is right.”
“I do realize that I am an ideological minority here, but I am proud to be here and thank you for the invitation,” said Harry Arora, GOP candidate for the House seat in Connecticut’s 4th District. Arora and fellow Republican Aakash Patel, candidate for Hillsborough County Commission in Florida, shared places on a panel “Running and Serving as an ‘R.’ “ An invitation had also been extended to another Republican, two-term Ohio State Rep Niraj Antani, who did not attend.
At a panel discussion on public service and the path less traveled, featured Hoboken, New Jersey’s Mayor Ravi Bhalla; former diplomat Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic nominee for the 22nd District of Texas; Maryland lawmaker Aruna Miller, the front-runner in the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 6th District; and continuing health care advocate Ram Villivalam, Democratic nominee for the Illinois State Senate from the 8th District.
Bhalla, an attorney, recalled his own candidacy after volunteering for both the mayoral campaign of Cory Booker, who is now a senator, and the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. He was asked “how many Sikhs are there in Hoboken?” and he had replied, “My brother and I.” He said he was told: “You are not Irish, you are not Italian…where are you going to draw your vote?”
Villivalam said he too had naysayers who discouraged him when he challenged a 20-year incumbent in the Democratic primary. He got comments, he said, such as “you are a dark man knocking on doors of older white ladies at 8 p.m.” In four months, he said, he was able to win their vote.
Another panel featured women in politics, with participants including congressional aspirant, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, Democratic nominee for Arizona’s 8th District; Dr. Megan Srinivas, candidate for Iowa’s state assembly; Padma Kuppa, candidate for the Michigan state House, and Dita Bhargarva, candidate for State Treasurer in Connecticut. Kuppa urged more young Indian-American women to consider a candidacy. “The important thing to remember is that we are great candidates — and also that we are women.”
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey delivered the closing keynotes. His address was preceded by the tag-team of Indian-American members of the House of Representatives, Ami Bera and Ro Khanna, both Democrats from California. In the sporting arena of politics, Indian-Americans can – and should – punch above their weight class, said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) In his address, he noted the community’s capacity to excel in academia, technology, business and the arts. “In every area,” he said, “Indian-Americans have been out-punching [their] weight class – look at the Fortune 500 companies — except for one [class] that has been in elected officials.” He said the absence of Indian-American involvement there on a grand scale has left “the one big hole in American society.” It is a time, he said, “when the very idea of America is under assault” most notably, by bigotry.
Every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose. More than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.
According to The New York Times, of the estimated 2.1 million Americans currently in the grip of opioid addiction, many are women of childbearing age. The young-adult population has been hardest hit, proportionately, with nearly 400,000 adults ages 18 to 25 suffering from addiction to prescription painkillers (the vast majority) or heroin.
“It is in this context, for the very first time ever, a summit on the Opioid Crisis in the United States has been planned as part of the upcoming AAPI’s 36th Annual National Convention & Scientific Assembly, to be held from July 4-8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. This initiative of AAPI is being put together by Convention team and headed by Dr. Nikesh Batra.
“The summit scheduled to be held on Friday July 6, 2018 9:00am – 12:00pm during the Convention is aimed at educating and creating awareness among the delegates at the convention on the growing opioid crisis, and how the physicians can play a vital role in preventing and containing the fast growing epidemic in the US,” Dr. Samadder added.
Vanila M. Singh, Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be the keynote speaker. Singh serves as the primary medical advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health on the development and implementation of HHS-wide public health policy recommendations.
“The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said. “That translates into numerous Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields. The Summit on Opioid Crisis will provide a platform for AAPI members to discuss and deliberate on effective ways to combat this national crisis, that is claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, affecting millions of families across the nation.”
The convention includes CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There are forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall includes medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.”
The opioid crisis has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences including increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. The increase in injection drug use has also contributed to the spread of infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis C. As seen throughout the history of medicine, science can be an important part of the solution in resolving such a public health crisis.
Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair, AAPI BOT said, “For the first time ever, AAPI is planning a special session on Health Care Law, which will be introduced by Dr. Hemant Patel, where round table discussion will be held between prominent lawyers, federal agencies, medical board and health care practitioner. The topics will include educating physicians about health care laws and how to take adequate precautions. This will be beneficial to AAPI members dealing with legal challenges they face in their practice.”
Also, for the first time, AAPI offers Living Well: The Happiness Program for Health Care Professionals. A unique advanced Physician wellness program that is designed from the ground up by medical professionals, for medical professionals. It’s meant to provide people working in the healthcare field with an opportunity to learn simple practices and utilize them to enhance their physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
Giving them a platform to celebrate their accomplishments, the annual convention to be attended by nearly 2,000 physicians of Indian origin, it will also provide a forum to renew their professional commitment through continuing medical educations activities. During the five-day event, attendees will engage with an impressive lineup of notable speakers and cutting edge medical and scientific information blended within a rich cultural backdrop of authentic Indian cuisine, fashion, yoga and entertainment from top Indian performers.
The convention also includes AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. It provides a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow,” said Dr. Samadder. “Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!” he added.
AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!” said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
The 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin from across the globe will gather at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah, one of the nation’s leading cardiologists, Medical Director of UHealth Cardiology in Fort Lauderdale,was honored by The American Heart Association at their annual Broward Heart Ball on Saturday, May 19th at the Ritz Carlton in Ft. Lauderdale.
Dr. Zachariah, an Indian American cardiologist was honored for his lifelong work as a practicing cardiologist and for his commitment to his community, and for being instrumental in impacting many people affected by heart disease both locally and nationally.
“It’s a great honor and it’s humbling to be recognized by the noble organization, The American Heart Association, the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, with a mission to foster appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke for nearly a century through funding of innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide critical tools and information to save and improve lives.”
Attended by hundreds of Broward’s medical, social, and philanthropic influencers in the community, at the gala, The American Heart Association raised nearly a million dollars. The American Heart Association’s Heart Ball is a nationwide gala that celebrates the organization’s mission and success in building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
“The Broward Heart Ball is a one-night celebration of our year-round efforts. It always inspires me to see a room full of individuals who love this community and care enough to give, so we can continue to build healthier lives in South Florida”, commented Scholl. Sponsors of this year’s Broward Heart Ball included: One Beat CPR and AED, Florida Panthers Foundation, La Croix and Ultimate Software.
Dr. Zachariah, a GOP fundraiser considered among the most influential Indian-American Republicans, has been a longtime friend of the Bush family. During the tenure of President George H. W. Bush, and his sons, President George W. Bush and two-term former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, he held several influential positions. He belonged to the White House Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders. Currently Dr. Zachariah serves in the Advisory Board Of the Universal News Network,www.theunn.com
Dr. Zach Zachariah is the Medical Director of UHealth Cardiology, Fort Lauderdale and on the Clinical Faculty of the University of Miami. He also is the President of Fort Lauderdale Heart Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
He has been practicing interventional Cardiology at Holy Cross Hospital since 1976 and as its Director of Cardiovascular services till 2010.
He serves on the executive committee of the Board of Trustees of Nova Southeastern University, a member of the Council of 100 and as a member of the National Board of ExcelinED in action.
He had served on the Florida Board of Governors of the State University system from 2003 to 2010 and as its chairman of the Trustee Committee. He has also served on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health and as a member of the U.S. delegation to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. He also served as Chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine from 1990-1992, 2000-2001 and 2013-2014. He also served as a member of the President’s advisory commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001.
Dr. Zachariah is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiology and specializes in cardiology, cardiac catheterization, and interventional cardiology and has performed more than 30,000 heart catheterizations and interventional procedures in Broward County. He has also co-authored several scientific papers, and participated in various clinical trials.
He received his medical degree from the Armed Forces Medical College in India, and then completed his residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey. He also completed a fellowship in interventional cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.
Among the awards he has received include the Ellis Island American Legend Award, the Child Advocate of the Year Award, Father of the Year Award, Spirit of Life Award from City of Hope, the Golden Heart Award from the American Heart Association, Freedom Foundation Medal of Honor from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge, and Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Sister Innocent Hughes Award for his contribution to health and science by Holy Cross Hospital. In the past, 3 Florida Governors and the Cabinet have declared “Zachariah P. Zachariah Day” in Florida 5 times.
He serves on the Florida Board of Governors of the State University system.
Samir Shah, 16, Saar Shah, 15, two Indian American kids have raised over $413,000 in a seven-week campaign for blood cancer research, helping them win the national title of Students of the Year. Beating out a team from Atlanta that raised $350,000, the Shahs’ campaign received more than 800 donations ranging from $2 to $100,000.
The team of the Samir and Saar, Fly4aCure, was the first from Southern Maryland ever to participate in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s fundraising campaign. Samir Shah goes to The Calverton School, and Saar Shah attends Great Mills High School. Claire Broadhead, a Leonardtown High School student and a leukemia survivor, was the student ambassador for the campaign.
“We owe it to our community,” Samir Shah said of their campaign’s success. “I think the key factor to us being able to do what we did is our community and the connections we had to a lot of people.” “We were both very surprised by the amount of support we were shown,” Saar Shah said. “We were not really expecting the outpouring of support we got.”
“We began working with the LLS in 2010 when our cousin Ami was diagnosed with leukemia. Since then, my father, Amish, was diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoma. At that time, I was only 12 and my sister Neelam, 10,” Samir said. “We didn’t understand the significance then but now we have a better understanding of what the LLS has done to provide greater research for new innovative treatments. It has helped our family during our struggle,” he added.
For the two teenagers, raising awareness and money for blood cancer research has been a cause dear to their hearts. Samir Shah’s father, Dr. Amish Shah, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014. A cousin of Saar Shah battled with leukemia for eight years ago. Both were treated and made full recoveries.
The Shah family has been struck with blood cancers twice in the past few years. Their cousin, Ami, battled a deadly blood cancer, acute myeloid leukemia and she is now seven years cancer free. More recently, Samir’s dad, Amish, was diagnosed with primary mediastinal b-cell lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy and celebrates his incredible recovery.
Samir Shah recalled that the campaign reached out to someone who was diagnosed with a form of leukemia, but his family preferred not to talk about it as the treatment was still going on. The family later changed their minds, attended the ceremony and said that “they had hope that there’s a cure,” Samir Shah said.
“We know firsthand how important cutting-edge research and treatments are in the fight against cancer,” said Samir Shah. “We’re honored to be named this year’s Students of the Year, and we’re grateful to have had this opportunity to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, an organization that helped our family in our time of need.”
The funds raised through Students of the Year are used for: Research to advance lifesaving therapies like immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine, which are saving lives today; Free blood cancer information, education and support for patients and families; National and local advocacy efforts driving policies that accelerate new treatments and ensure patients have access to care so that they can live longer, healthier lives.
According to LLS, blood cancers, on average, account for more than 10 percent of all new cancer cases diagnosed each year—and they’re the third leading cancer killer in the country, says thebaynet.com. LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer research. While there is no way to prevent blood cancers, LLS is dedicated to finding a cure by relying on donations to fund research projects.
The teenagers said the smallest donation of $2 came from fellow students from Samir Shah’s private high school in Huntingtown.MD. Saar Shah said most donations were generally small, ranging from $25 to $100. Three fifth-graders at Calverton — Sara Chehy, Katie Mathers and Devin McClanahan — participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients fundraising program and raised $3,804, according to the Shah family.
The largest donation of $100,000 came from The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. “American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the most dynamic and ethnic organization representing more than 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, while officially launching a campaign against Leukemia and Lymphomas, is pleased to have donated $100,000 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America on March 10th,” declared Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI. “AAPI has taken on yet another cause to promote through its active support in educating people about the deadly disease around the world,” Samadder said.
“Continuing with supporting noble causes, AAPI, has taken on yet another cause to promote through its active support in educating people about the deadly disease around the world,” Dr. Vinod Shah, a past president of AAPI, and a well known philanthropist, said. Dr. Shah told this writer, “How proud I am to be part of this noble initiative of these two young children, who are so totally committed to the cause.” Dr. Vinod Shah had matched a$50,000 gift from AAPI, doubling the donation.
“Coming from a nation that has given much to the world, today physicians of Indian origin have become a powerful influence in medicine across the world. It’s truly inspiring that these two young children have been leading the fund raising efforts for this noble cause, benefitting thousands of people affected by blood cancer,” said Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI.
Among the Shah family, Samir said there are about 22 doctors practicing in Southern Maryland, and they have been heavily involved with the organization over the years. Samir Shah’s parents are both physicians in St. Mary’s, and by their estimate, there have been more than 500 active blood cancer patients diagnosed in the past two years in the tri-county area. In Amish Shah’s practice at MedStar Shah Medical Group alone, there were 400 active blood cancer patients in the past two years, the doctor said in a February interview.
Throughout the campaign, what moved Saar Shah the most was the recognition ceremony designed for those affected by blood cancer during a kite festival, hosted by their team at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds on March 17 that drew about 1,200 people. “Seeing all those names and hearing about a number of peoples’ stories, it really does seem everybody has some kind of connection to blood cancer in some way,” Saar Shah said.
The two teenagers said they plan to continue to host the kite festival around March every year. They also plan to sit on the nonprofit’s leadership council next year to help guide the new crop of students participating in the campaign. They said the advice they would give to future participants is to get the community involved with a variety of events and to start planning early.
“The evening is a celebration – a celebration not just of the accomplishments of our awardees, but also a tribute to a strong and vibrant Indian-American community that has excelled in almost all areas of life in this adopted nation of ours,” Dr. Thomas Abraham, Founder President and chairman of GOPIO International, who is also a Trustee of GOPIO-CT, chairman of the Awards Committee, said, in his opening remarks, while setting the tone for the 12th annual Gala and Awards nite.
Organized by The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO)-Connecticut Chapter in the Ballroom at The Marriott Hotel in Stamford, CT on Saturday, June 9th, 2018, the event honored five distinguished Indian Americans for their achievements and contributions to the greater good of the larger society.
Describing how the Indian America community has grown tremendously, Dr. Abraham, congratulated the elected officials of Indian origin in the US Congress, Senate, several states and towns. Wishing greater success and recognition to the community in the US, Dr. Abraham said, “We will probably see two Indian Americans, Sen. Kamla Harris and Ambassador Nikki Haley competing to be next President of the United States in 2020.”
Dr. Rohit Bhalla, MD, Vice President of Stamford Health, was honored for his contributions to Health Care Administration; Prof. Sarbani Basu, Chair of Department of Astronomy at Yale University was honored for his achievements in Basic Sciences; Hasu Patel was recognized for community Services; Sharad Patney, President and CEO of VLink, Inc. was the awardee this year for his achievements in IT Services; Asha Rangappa, a CNN national security analyst, was recognized for her services as a former Special Agent of the FBI and currently a senior lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs for Service to Govt. and Non-Profit Institutions; and, Dr. K. Sudhir, was honored for his accomplishments in Business Management. He is a Professor of Private Enterprise, Management and Marketing, and founder-director of the China India Insights Program at the Yale School of Management.
In her presidential address, Anita Bhat described the many flagship events the organization organizes every year. “Our mission at GOPIO-CT is to be active participants in the local community through involvement in community events and local politics, and by providing services to the Indian community at large here in Connecticut. This lofty goal of providing services and a political voice to the local Indian population has evolved into an exemplary community service organization thanks to the tremendous support of our local Indian community.”
Describing some of the programs GOPIO-CT initiates, Bhat said, GOPIO members serve in local soup kitchens, do walkathons to support cancer patients, and jointly celebrate Diwali and India’s Independence Day with the members of multiple Indian groups in our community. “We lack a voice for Indian Americans in the United States. We need a stronger voice. And I want GOPIO-CT to be voice for all Indian Americans in our state and beyond,” declared Anita Bhat.
Devi Prasad Mishra, Consul from the Consulate of India, in his address, said, “There is so much potential I saw in the Indian American kids who have displayed their scientific research here today. It’s in these kids the future of the Indian American community lie.” Describing how the Indian American community has excelled in education, income level, economic standing and contributions to the society, Mishra said, “You are the model for all other immigrant communities.”
“This country is the greatest nation in the history of the world because of the great contributions of immigrants,” Jim Himes, US Congressman from Connecticut, told a packed audience at the 12th annual Describing the GOPIO gala held annually as a Red-Letter Event in the state, who represents Connecticut’s 4th District in the United States House of Representatives, praised the contributions of GOPIO. Lauding the success and contributions of the fast growing Indian American community, Rep. Himes said, “You are scientists, educators, engineers, entreprenors, community activists, philanthropists, who represent the success and contributions of immigrants to the country”
Criticizing the current impasse and uncertainty the nation and its immigrants face today, Rep. Himes called it “ugly” because the immigrants are not looked up by certain sections as contributors to the growth of the nation. “We are experiencing one of the backsliding moments in the history of the where the core strength of this nation, the immigrants, are being threatened,” Rep. Himes said.
Prominent among those who had attended and spoke at the annual gala included, Congressman Jim Himes, Stamford Mayor David Martin, Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, Connecticut State Senators Tony Hwang and Toni Boucher and CT State Assemblymen Dr. Prasad Srinivasan. Echoing similar sentiments, Connecticut Assemblyman Dr. Prasad Srinivasan, in his eloquent speech highlighted the need for Indian Americans to come together, stand united and work for the greater good of the larger American society. Dr. Srinivasan urged the elite gathering of Indian American leaders to join him as we work together to make Connecticut a prosperous state.
The sold out and much anticipated event was attended by over 300 guests from across the state of Connecticut, including community leaders, elected officials, and honorees and their families. The gala included a cocktail reception, dinner, music, and dances by participants, eloquent speeches, touching life-stories and inspiring narratives on the lives of the five distinguished honorees. The program was compered by Gayatri Mahesh. Earlier the gala began with a mesmorizing Odissi, an Indian classical dance, by Ananika Nanda.
For the fourth year in a row, GOPIO-CT Scholarship for College Tuitions were given to four young students from Connecticut towards their higher education. The scholarships were presented to: Natalia Mohammed; Vedant Gannu; Meghan Prabhu; and Carolyn David. Students of Indian origin from the state of Connecticut, who have won the national contest in Astro Science were also honored for their accomplishments.
Over the last 12 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs and contributions of PIOs through community programs, forums, events and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.
The executive committee consists of Anita Bhat, President; Pradeep Govil, Exec. Vice President; Varghese Ninan, Vice President; Bhavna Juneja, Secretary; Deepender Gupta, Jt. Secretary; Viresh Sharma, Treasurer; and Shailesh Naik, and Immediate Past President. Board of Trustees are: Members are: Joe Simon – Chair; Dr. Thomas Abraham – Secretary, Comptroller Neelam Narang, Shailesh Naik, Varghese Ninan, Sanjay Santhanam, and Anita Bhat- Ex-Officio. The Scholarship Committee has Shelly Nichani (Chair), Shobhna Bhatnagar, Pradeep Govil, and Priya Easwaran (Exec. Director) as its members. The Young Professionals Network is being chaired by Nisha Govil. Board Members are: Meera Banta, Louella D’Silva, Jaya Daptadar, Santosh Gannu, Ritu Johorey, Sangeeta Ahuja, and Srinivas Akarapu; and Shelly Nichani – Ex-Officio. For more details, please visit: www.gopio-ct.org
It’s been a gradual journey for Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) from being an ordinary member of AAPI to a regional leader, elected to be an executive committee member of the national AAPI, and now looking forward to lead the organization that he has come to adore.
“I had started working as an ordinary member in 1986 with Georgia Association of physicians of Indian Origin and was elected President of GAPI, and then rose to be the Regional Director of AAPI SE and had served as a member of the BOT of AAPI. And today, I am honored and humbled by AAPI members, entrusting the largest ethnic medical organization, representing the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, with the responsibility of leading it to newer heights.”
As the President of AAPI, “I will dedicate my time, energy and skills to maintain the integrity of AAPI and promote membership database and scrub data. We will work together encouraging and motivating more and more Physicians and Dentists to join AAPI and work towards increase in AAPI membership representing all sections, including, women, young and old, while providing enhanced membership benefits including liability insurance carrier, billing, collection company, cardiac remote monitoring, and credit card transactions through reputed banking services.” Our Mission and Motto for the upcoming year is “Keep AAPI Thriving with Balance, Unity and Pride”
Graduated from Nagpur Medical College in 1972 and a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Naresh Parikh is serving as the CEO of Georgia Clinic, a multi-specialty organization, founded in 1998, serving patients from dozen locations. A practicing Cardiologist in Atlanta, Georgia for 30 years, Dr. Parikh was instrumental in starting IPA in 2016 with 53 participating providers and has been active in DRS ACO. Dr. Parikh is also involved with Cigna Health Spring as a counsel to improve Hedis score and improve MRA scoring for Georgia Physicians.
Dr. Parikh been very active and leading several local and national level programs for AAPI in the past several years. He has been a Patron Member of the AAPI Charitable Foundation since 2006. His organizing skills were highly appreciated when he served as the Chair and Convener for AAPI annual convention in 2006. Dr. Parikh was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Shankar Mahadevan and Sunidhi Chauhan concerts and was instrumental in successfully raising money for AAPI.
Not satisfied with growing professionally and contributing and leading AAPI, Dr. Parikh has been generous with his time, talents and resources towards charitable causes for long. Dr. Parikh has been devoting time energy towards several noble causes across the US and in India.Dr. Parikh started Atlanta’s first Charitable Medical Clinic in 1996 and was the Medical Director for over 10 years. He has led and organized several healthcare fairs and contributed in fund raising events for AAPI in their mega shows by Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal and Hema Malini.
Dr. Parikh says, “It’s been an honor and privilege for me to be associated with AAPI because I recognize the tremendous potential and the lead role that is being played by AAPI in promoting friendship between India and the United States. As members of AAPI, we have not forgotten our roots and are engaged in several activities such as conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summit that has shown us a new trail in healthcare sector in India and will continue to pave way for new frontiers in public private partnership.” As the president of AAPI, which has been playing a major role in supporting noble causes around the world, Dr. Parikh’s goal “is to be actively engaged in the SEWAK project in India.”
In 2014, as the Treasurer of AAPI, Dr. Parikh had the honor of meeting with Hon. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi to launch the Swasth India Portal. In the same year, he had sponsored the screening of the popular movie in Atlanta – “The Ship to Theseus” and helped to raise awareness about the need for organ donation. In 2015 Dr. Parikh sponsored the community reception of Vikas Swarap – writer of Slum Dog Millionaire, a winner of 8 Academy awards. Since 2017 onwards, he is serving as the President of Georgia Gujarati Doctors and Dental Association.
Dr. Parikh has been in the forefront in helping AAPI sign MOUs with Rajkot, Gujarat, India Thalassemia Major Koticha Foundation; and with Rajkot, Gujarat, India Kidney Research Foundation; and with AAPNA, BMANA – Formation of “SAPNA”.
Thalassemia Major is a devastating disease, prevalent in Southern part of Gujarat. India. An NGO, Koticha Foundation is doing an excellent service for the Community. AAPI has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) whereby, we have made an appeal to the Ministry of Health to make mandatory blood screening before marriage or high school/college admissions.
AAPI recently opened a charitable clinic in Panvel, Mumbai, MS known as Tara Clinic and is being sponsored by Naresh and Asha Parikh Foundation in collaboration with AAPI Charitable Foundation. This clinic is serving residents from the Panvel tribal community which is about 2 hours away from South Mumbai.
During a historical event on Jan 27th, 2018 in Miami, FL, Dr. Naresh Parikh along with Current President Dr. Gautam Sammader and AAPI Strategy Advisor Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, was installed as a Founding Member.
Dr. Parikh initiated a strategic and symbolic “Singing of MOU with Physician of Pakistani and Bangladesh origin with AAPI in Feb 2018 In Miami, Florida. This brings about a non-binding alliance of three south Asian physicians groups that will help support strategic and agreed upon programs that impact health and well being of South Asians, such as addressing the higher incidence of heart diseases in South Asians.
Dr. Parikh will form a national panel and advisory committee to help and guide the international medical graduates from South Asia. He wants to have an alliance of 10 percent of the nation’s doctors, the group can be more engaged in mainstream policy through the American Medical Association. Efforts will also include civic engagement in health fairs and providing telemedicine services to South Asian nations.
Dr. Parikh wants to address three key priorities for the year July 2018 to June 2019: Opioid epidemic and awareness, to be coordinated by Dr. Kavita Gupta and Dr. Sanjay Gupta; Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, under the leadership of Dr. Vinod Shah; and, the Silent Epidemic, TB in India, with a major focus at The Global Health Summit to be held from Dec 28th to 30th in Mumbai. Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Dr. Manoj Jain of CDC and Chief Strategy Adviser, AAPI Anwar Feroz Siddiqi have been instrumental in coordinating this new initiative with the USAID through CDC Atlanta, GA and with various agencies in India.
In his efforts to make AAPI’s voice heard in the corridors of power, Dr. Parikh wants to continue “our ongoing and year around efforts to have a meaningful and convincing conversation with USA Lawmakers to increase Residency Slots for Physician of Indian origin that can help fill up slots and partner with USA in easing shortage of Physicians, particularly in underserved areas. This effort is being coordinated by Dr. Ajeet Singhvi who is very passionate about leading this initiative.
As the President-Elect of AAPI, Dr. Parikh was instrumental in launching of a new partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to end tuberculosis (TB) in India. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed last month in New Delhi and announced in Mumbai, AAPI and USAID will work together to utilize the 100,000-strong network of physicians of Indian-origin living in the United States to support health programs in India, engage AAPI’s network of private charitable clinics for TB awareness, detection and treatment, and explore opportunities for collaborations between U.S. and Indian medical schools to exchange cutting-edge health care solutions.
Speaking about the USAID-AAPI collaboration, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said: “Elimination of Tuberculosis has been a matter of national concern for many years now. Through our partnership with USAID, we aim to bring American technical expertise to help strengthen India’s fight against TB. Also, we intend to bring in leading subject matter experts, introduce global best practices and cutting-edge business solutions that will complement and grow existing USAID programs in India.”
In his efforts to strengthen and lead AAPI to new heights, Dr. Parikh will work with the newly elected executive committee members, including, Dr. Suresh Reddy, the President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary of AAPI; and Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer of AAPI.
As the President of AAPI, when he assumes office on July 7th in Dayton, OHIO, Dr. Parikh will “carry forward my duties of AAPI Office and keeping transparency, accountability and branding of AAPI. Under the current dynamic and dedicated team of executives, we strive to achieve higher standards for AAPI and to achieve our chosen agenda. I am committed to working with the AAPI Team to establish AAPI’s image in the US and globally.”
Two young Indian-American Democrats are running for the New York State Senate from Districts 56 and 6, challenging stalwart Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate that is now considered a battleground chamber. Attorney Jeremy Cooney is running from District 56, to displace long-time incumbent State Senator Joe Robach, who was first elected in 1991. Kevin Thomas, another Indian American candidate from District 6, is also an attorney and an appointee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to the New York Advisory Committee, a federal agency tasked with civil rights oversight.
The two Indian-Americans are trying for their own party endorsement this Sept. 13, and if either of them wins in the primary, they would already make history regardless of whether they win in the Nov. 6 general elections. But it’s a tough road ahead in their effort to become the first Indian-Americans in the Empire State’s upper house.
Republicans hold just a one-seat edge because of their alliance with Democratic Sen. Simcha Felder. The deadline for filing a candidacy for the primaries is in July, which could mean other Democrats jump into the race. Ballotpedia describes NY State Senate District 6 as a “battleground” district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016 and the presidential candidate of the opposite party won. Thomas and Cooney’s run come as Democrats are making a push to take complete control of the state Senate, the report said.
Cooney’s District 56 covers Rochester, Brighton, Clarkson, Gates, Greece, Hamlin and Parma, according to the report. District 6 where Thomas is running covers Long Island. He faces off against another veteran incumbent Republican Kemp Hannon, first elected back in 1989, who defeated a Democrat, Ryan Cronin in 2016 with 53. 87 percent to Cronin’s 46.13 percent.
Cooney, who was adopted as a child from India and raised by a single mom, announced his run at a rally May 12. Jeremy Cooney is the founder of Red Thread Strategies, which strategizes and advises companies and non-profit organizations looking to partner with government “in the pursuit of public good” his profile says on the company website.
An attorney by training, Cooney has worked at all levels of government—from the U.S. Congress, to the New York State Capitol, to Rochester City Hall. Most recently, he worked as a vice president at Mercury Public Affairs in New York City. Prior to that he served as senior director of community relations for Empire State Development, focusing on downstate economic development initiatives under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Before moving to New York City, Cooney was chief of staff to Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren.
A graduate of Albany Law School, Cooney lives in downtown Rochester. In 2011, the Rochester Business Journal named him to its “40 Under 40” list of young professionals. He is an advocate for supporting the next generation of civic leaders in Upstate New York. While announcing his run, Cooney said, “I’ve been working with young professionals in Rochester for about 15 years. There’s some goals that we want to accomplish and take it to the next level to make Rochester a more vibrant space,” according to a Twitter feed he posted from News 8 – WROC-TV, May 12.
Cooney posted the photo of his mother saying, “Five years ago, I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s and Cancer. I will work in her honor to fight for more state funding for research and supportive care services for families struggling with these terrible diseases. #mothersday2018#onward56”
Thomas says his race is “about fighting for the less fortunate, those without a voice and those who have given up hope in the justice system.” If elected and serving in Albany, “Kevin will take this fight to Republicans in the Senate who are trying to turn the clock back on the progress of the past decade,” his website says.
Thomas came to the U.S. as a 10-year old with his Indian parents. According to his LinkedIn profile, he currently serves as a staff attorney with the New York Legal Assistance Group. He is also a project attorney for the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) project which provides legal support, advice, and referrals to OFE financial counselors and helps clients with complex consumer financial issues.
He also serves on the New York State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and serves on the Board of Trustees to Merrick Academy- Queens Public Charter School. Prior to joining NYLAG, Thomas worked for the senior executive counsel for General Electric Energy Division in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He has also worked as a civilian for the New York City Police Department and the Office of New York City Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. Thomas is a graduate of Western Michigan Cooley Law School.
“I left the Congressional race because I can protect more New Yorkers in the state Senate and the Democratic Party has endorsed me as their nominee,” Thomas told the media. “I will be the first Indian American to get the backing for any (New York State) office by the Democratic party,” he said.
Dr. Prasad Srinivasan, an Indian American, has been forced out of the crowded race for Connecticut Governor’s office, as he failed to secure a slot in the GOP primary in the race to become the state’s next governor at the Republican Party Convention attended by 1,150 delegates at the Foxwoods Resorts Casino in Mashantucket on May 12.
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, 54, was declared winner at the third ballot out of a field of eight candidates. Boughton is expected to easily win the primary and then face off against the Democratic nominee in a bid to regain the seat held by Democratic Gov. Dan Malloy for the past eight years. He now faces a primary in August, most probably with five other candidates — three of whom received sufficient votes to overcome the threshold and two who bypassed the state convention.
A four-term Republican Connecticut state legislator, Srinivasan, 68, of Glastonbury was eliminated after falling below the required 8 percent threshold in the first ballot at the state Republican Party Convention. He missed meeting the threshold by a whisker, garnering 7.94 percent of the delegates’ votes.
Srinivasan had entered the race more than a year ago, raising a significant amount of money much to the surprise of many analysts. Srinivasan had been among the wave of candidates who expressed a desire to run for governor and set up an exploratory committee in late 2016. By the time he entered the race on Dec. 16, he announced that in his first quarter he had raised more than $138,000
Four months after the Sandy Hook School shootings on December 2012, which killed 20 children and six staffers, Srinivasan was among 25 Republican lawmakers who supported one of the country’s toughest gun control laws passed by the Connecticut legislature. At the time, Srinivasan, an allergist-immunologist in Hartford, who represents the state’s 31st District, supported the legislation. But five years later, after he declared his candidacy for governor, he said he regretted his vote. “When I look at it now, I’m realizing more and more that it is the person behind these objects that can be used to bring about the massacres,” he told the Hartford Courant.
Then in a discussion with members of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, the state’s largest grass-roots gun owners group, Srinivasan said he believed Connecticut had not done enough to expand mental health services and fortify security at the state’s schools, according to the Courant. Both provisions were an integral part of the omnibus legislation passed in 2013 in response to the Sandy Hook killing.
“We could pass all the laws we want. But when something falls into the wrong hands … that’s the thing we need address,” he said. He pledged that he would sign a bill repealing that law if he was elected governor.
Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence said Srinivasan’s change of heart was clearly an indication that he was pandering to a key interest group like the NRA to win the GOP nomination. Stein said that this law had been instrumental in saving lives thanks to background checks and other provisions.
According to Hartford Courant: “The better explanation for his sudden change of heart (on gun laws) is that Mr. Srinivasan is trying to separate himself from a crowded field of Republican contenders for the governor’s office by laying claim to the pro-gun contingent. That’s a shameless repudiation of one’s professed principles for political gain. It’s a betrayal of the values we hold close, and it’s a betrayal of the constituents who voted him into office. Mr. Srinivasan has shown his true colors as an opportunist who cares more for political advancement than for the citizens, and children, of the state of Connecticut.”
Echoing sentiments expressed India’s Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu who had said last week that India is fighting the problems of poverty, illiteracy, atrocities on women and weaker sections, and religious fundamentalism, despite massive growth, Archbishop Anil Couto, archbishop of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, while drawing attention to the divisiveness prevalent in the nation, has appealed and urged the people of the largest democracy on earth to pray for peace in the country pray that they elect leaders who are committed to secularism and work to unite the peoples of all faiths, rather than dividing them on the basis of caste, creed, economic status, gender, and age.
Shri Naidu, in his address in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram had said, “India has made rapid strides in various fields since attaining Independence. Yet the country is grappling with problems like poverty, illiteracy, atrocities on women and weaker sections, religious fundamentalism and terrorism.”
In a pastoral letter read out on May 13 in all the national capital’s parishes, Archbishop Couto called on Catholics in his archdiocese to start a campaign of prayer for peace and fasting every Friday ahead of the general elections in India, which is due in April 2019, as India faces a “turbulent political future” that threatens the country’s democracy.
Archbishop Anil Couto’s call has sparked a political controversy, with some fundamentalist groups accused him of undermining Indian interests and working with the Vatican to tarnish the government’s image. These divisive groups reacted angrily and said the archbishop’s statement was politically motivated.
Leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the prayer campaign was designed to turn Catholic voters against his party, which is seen as working to make India a nation of Hindu dominance. BJP spokesman Sambit Patra told some Christian leaders in a television debate that by “raking up these issues [of discrimination against Christians] you are crucifying the truth about India.”
Rakesh Sinha, an ideologue from influential Hindu group Rashtryia Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said: “This is a direct attack by the church on Indian secularism and democracy, and this is a direct intervention by the Vatican as these bishops are appointed by the pope. Their accountability is not to India but to the pope.” He told the TV debate that the prayer appeal was “only a part of activities of Vatican design to project the Modi government in a poor light.”
He said the archbishop and other Christian leaders need to be told that ever since the Modi government came to power, there has not been a single incident of rioting or anti-Christian or even anti-Muslim violence in the country.
Published data shows Shaina’s claims are incorrect. According to Christian groups, attacks against Christians rose after Modi came to power and have spiralled in recent years.
There were 736 attacks recorded against Christians in 2017 against 348 in 2016, according to data from Persecution Relief, an ecumenical forum that records Christian persecution in India and helps victims. Amid reports of increasing attacks against Christians, Modi himself in February 2015 told a Christian conference in New Delhi that his government would act against such crimes.
Delhi Archdiocesan spokesman Father Savarimuthu Sankar said the “prayers are part of Christian life and it has nothing to do with politics.” The archbishop “of course mentioned the background” for which he sought the prayers. “Media reports are enough to understand how violently people were attacked” in the name of religion-related issues, he said. Father Sankar said the angry reactions linking the prayer campaign with the Vatican and money “means that either they are afraid of our prayers or they are promoted by their own guilt.”
India’s largest lay Catholic organization, The All India Catholic Union, has expressed solidarity with Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi, who is being accused of trying to tarnish the image of India after he launched campaign to pray for peace in the country.
The All India Catholic Union, the largest and oldest movement of lay Christians in the country, in a statement issued on May 24, expressed solidarity with Archbishop Couto and commended “his courage, integrity and spiritual strength in calling attention to this rising tide of targeted violence against Dalits and religious minorities.”
“The All India Catholic Union expresses serious concern at attempts by the Union government, the ruling party and its ideological affiliates as well as a section of the media, to divide the Christian churches, pitting bishop against bishop, and targeting individual religious leaders who dare speak of the multiple threats posed to India’s democracy and its secular and plural character,” the Catholic Union stated in a press statement.
Meanwhile, less than a year ahead of elections in three northern Indian states, Christian leaders have pledged to vote for political parties assuring protection of their communities from discrimination and abuse. An Ecumenical Christian group, Sarva Isai Mahasangh (All Christian Forum) has resolved not to support parties in upcoming federal and state elections that work against religious minorities.
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh states, ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), face elections in November and December while the term of BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi expires next May.
“We are passing through a very critical period in the history of our country where people are divided on caste and religious lines,” said Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. A very dangerous trend exists in the country that undermines the secular tenets of our constitution. Come what may, we will continue with our mission of serving the poor and the needy.”
The archbishop was among some 700 Christian representatives from nine northern Indian states who attended a May 19 meeting in Bhopal to discuss an “alarming increase” in intolerance toward religious minorities. Christian leaders say extreme Hindu groups have stepped up violence against Christians in their push to make India a Hindu-only nation with support from the BJP, which controls most state governments in northern India.
“For the very first time ever, a three-hour long workshop on the Opioid Crisis in the United States will be part of the upcoming AAPI’s 36th Annual National Convention & Scientific Assembly, to be held from July 4-8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. This initiative of AAPI is being put together by Dr. Hemant Patel, past President of AAPI.
More than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opiates such as morphine have been used for pain relief in the United States since the 800s, and were used during the American Civil War. Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy.
In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid.
“The workshop scheduled to be held on Friday July 6, 2018 9:00am – 12:00pm during the Convention is aimed at educating and creating awareness among the delegates at the convention on the growing opioid crisis, and how the physicians can play a vital role in preventing and containing the fast growing epidemic in the US,” Dr. Samadder added.
Also, for the first time, AAPI offers Living Well: The Happiness Program for Health Care Professionals. A unique advanced Physician wellness program that is designed from the ground up by medical professionals, for medical professionals. It’s meant to provide people working in the healthcare field with an opportunity to learn simple practices and utilize them to enhance their physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
What’s more, Living Well’s benefits stretch well beyond HCPs themselves; Living Well is designed to prevent the Burnout Syndrome (BOS) as it influences the HCPs’ performance in all fields, including patient safety. The signature technique of Sudarshan Kriya taught at the program is a time-tested evidence based practice which reduces stress, improves sleep, increases energy and well-being. The happiness program will help MDs start developing a daily self-care routine that includes yoga, breathing & meditative practices.
Attended by over 2,000 AAPI delegates and their families, the 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 8-12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “The convention offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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.”
Giving them a platform to celebrate their accomplishments, the annual convention to be attended by nearly 2,000 physicians of Indian origin, it will also provide a forum to renew their professional commitment through continuing medical educations activities. During the five-day event, attendees will engage with an impressive lineup of notable speakers and cutting edge medical and scientific information blended within a rich cultural backdrop of authentic Indian cuisine, fashion, yoga and entertainment from top Indian performers.
The convention includes CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There are forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall includes medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.”
“The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Ashok Jain, Chairman of the BOT, while describing the purpose of CMEs said. “That translates into numerous Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields. CME will provide comprehensive and current reviews and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various disease states to reduce morbidity and mortality and achieve cost effective quality care outcomes. At the end of the activity, it is expected that attendees will gain an understanding of the causation, diagnosis and the best clinical practices for the management of the diverse group of diseases discussed during this program.”
The event also includes AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. It provides a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow,” said Dr. Samadder. “Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!” he added.
“AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!” said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin from across the globe will gather at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of the state of Kerala, officially launched the much awaited The Trauma Rescue Initiative (TRI), a life-saving ambulance service network in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, May 11th, 2018. The new initiative was launched in association with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala Branch, the Kerala Police, and the Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation, based in the United States.
“We have pledged Rs. One Crore for RAMU service and almost half of the money has already been paid to IMA. Our aim is to help the needy, the nature, and help keep the legacy and the fond memories of our beloved son, Dr. Ramesh Kumar (RAMU),” said Dr. Narendra Kumar, past President of AKMG/AAPI and a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Recipient. “In case the patient is unable to pay for the services, IMA with the help of Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation will provide the financial assistance. I am happy that this project has come into effect all over the Stat from today.”
The Chief Minister launched the prestigious Accident Rescue initiative at the CM’s Conference Room in the presence of the State Director General of Police Loknath Behera; Inspector General Manoj Abraham; Kerala State MLA and famous Cine Actor Mukesh; Personal Secretary to the CM, Jayaraj; IMA Kerala State Branch President Dr. E K Ummer; Secretary Dr. N. Sulphi; Dr. Marthandapillai; Dr. Sreejith N. Kumar; Dr. John Panicker; Sister of Dr Narendra R Kumar, Dr. Syamala Kumari; Dr. Sunoj and Dr. Danish Salim, who helped develop the software.
The Chief Minister released the helpline number 9188 100100 linked to the state-wide network of ambulances. About 1000 ambulances have been registered with the scheme across the state during the first phase of the online network. These ambulances will be visible on the police web portal.
Under the initiative, ambulance services as well as trauma medical centers, both private and government in the city, will be networked. The project will be first implemented in the capital city on a trial basis. Ten trauma care hospitals have been included in the project and ambulance drivers have been given training.
TRI is using the software, web portal and app developed by PRS hospital emergency department head Dr. Danish Salim. The entire network is known as Ambulances Networking System with emergency Response (ANSWER). The number 9188100100 is operating out of Cantonment police station in Thiruvananthapuram. To ensure 24/7 response on this number, IMA has appointed three persons exclusively for handling distress calls. Ambulance drivers have been given training by the IMA and police department for using the online service.
Once the call goes to 9188 100 100, the staff at police control room will locate the nearest available ambulance from among those linked to the network. Once the ambulance is located, the police will pass on the message, contact number and address to the driver. Soon the ambulance will reach the place and take the patient to the nearest hospital.
The police control rooms have a special portal which gives the real-time location of ambulances close to the accident spot. Similarly, there will be separate mobile applications for ambulance drivers and hospitals to manage the distress calls. The applications can identify various types of available ambulances such as the ICU equipped ones in a particular area. During the next phase, a mobile app will created on the lines of Uber app whereby the users would be able to seek service directly. The project is quite significant considering the fact that on an average 11 persons die and 120 sustain grievous to minor injuries in road accidents in the state daily.
According to the IMA, in the first phase, around 1,000 ambulances plying in the state will be included in the network. IMA also is working towards developing a mobile app for availing the service of the ambulance network in which a person can easily send an alert to the nearest ambulance service available via the app. “Those who dial 9188 100 100 will first be connected to Thiruvananthapuram City Police Control Room. Upon locating the distress call it will be redirected to the nearest ambulance driver available,” said Sulphi.
In the case of the proposed mobile app, the IMA secretary said once an ambulance driver receives an alert, the app will show the place and the direction to reach there. It will also show a list of hospitals near the accident or emergency spot.
Friends and family of Michigan-based Indian American physician Dr. Ramesh Kumar, set up the Foundation in his name to help make medical treatment more affordable for people in financial need. The Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation was created in honor of the urology resident at Henry Ford Hospital to continue his generosity. Kumar was known for his largesse, once paying for the surgery of a woman he didn’t know, friends said.
The Ramesh Kumar Foundation is dedicated to eliminating the barriers of the financial burden on individuals and families in need of medical treatment and also advocating for programs of medical research and education.
The Indian American doctor was the son of Dr. Narendra Kumar, former president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, and Meenakshi ‘Minni’ Kumar. More information about the foundation can be found at www.drrameshkumarfoundation.org.
“In the Western imagination, India conjures up everything from saris and spices to turbans and, temples—and the pulsating energy of Bollywood movies,” the prestigious Smithsonian Institute stated recently. “But in America, India’s contributions stretch far beyond these stereotypes. From the builders of some of America’s earliest railroads and farms to Civil Rights pioneers to digital technology entrepreneurs, Indian Americans have long been an inextricable part of American life. Today, one out of every 100 Americans, from Silicon Valley to Small town, USA, traces his or her roots to India. Breakthroughs in business, the arts, medicine, science, and technology, and the flavorful food, flamboyant fashion and yoga of India have become a central part of our national culture.”
In 1997, when I had landed in Milwaukee, WI to pursue my journalism degree, it was rare to find Indian Americans in the city. Today, everywhere I go, at work, shopping malls, sports arena, theaters, churches, schools where my 3 daughters attend, and in my neighborhood where I live, there is a growing number of Indian Americans. There has been an influx of Indian Americans across the nation, especially in the past couple of decades.
According to The Economist, “Three-quarters of the Indian-born population in America today arrived in the last 25 years.” The present Indian population can be explained from the nearly 147,000 immigrants that India provides to the country on a yearly basis, reported Huffington Post.
In the early 20th century just a few hundred people emigrated from India to America each year and there were only about 5,000 people of Indian heritage living in the United States. Today Indian-born Americans number over 3.8 million and they are probably the most successful minority group in the country. Compared with all other big foreign-born groups, they are younger, richer and more likely to be married and supremely well educated.
The modern immigration wave from Asia is nearly a half century old and has pushed the total population of Asian Americans—foreign born and U.S born, adults and children—to a record 18.2 million in 2011, or 5.8% of the total U.S. population, up from less than 1% in 1965.
Pew Research study has found, “Asian Americans are the highest-income, best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States. They are more satisfied than the general public with their lives, finances and the direction of the country, and they place more value than other Americans do on marriage, parenthood, hard work and career success.”
Indians have always been rising in America. As James Crabtree of Financial Times suggests, “More than any other group of outsiders, it was the Indians who figured out that, to make it in startup land, it helps to have a social network of your own.”
The less than four million Indian Americans appear to be gaining prominence and have come to be recognized as a force to reckon with in this land of opportunities that they have come to call as their adopted homeland. They are the most educated population in the United States, with more than 80 percent holding college or advanced degrees, as per a report by Pew Research Center. They have the highest income levels, earning $65,000 per year with a median household income of $88,000, far higher than the U.S. household average of 49,000, according to the survey.
Although disparities persist with nearly nine percent of Indian Americans live in poverty, they have made a mark in almost every field in the United States through their hard work, dedication and brilliance. Notching successes in fields as diverse as poetry and politics, the fast growing strong Indian American community packed more power and influence far beyond their numbers in the year gone by.
“While the Indian-American community has been the wealthiest, most-educated minority in the U.S. for some time now, they’re only more recently experiencing wide-scale recognition in public life,” Forbes magazine stated.
Indian Americans are just one percent of the American population, but 3 percent of its engineers, 7 percent of its IT force, and 8 percent of its physicians and surgeons. Some 10-20 percent of all tech start-ups have Indian founders. Indeed, a joint Duke University-UC Berkeley study revealed that between 1995-2005, Indian immigrants founded more engineering and technology companies than immigrants from countries like UK, China, Taiwan and Japan combined. They have risen to the top ranks in major companies like Satya Nadella in Microsoft, Sundar Pichai in Google and Indra Nooyi in Pepsico.
Indians for decades have been playing an important role in global technology landscape. Indians, especially in Silicon Valley, are growing in prominence, influence, and sheer population. The fact that Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, and Nikesh Arora lead some of the most prominent tech world giants is an example of their importance to the larger world and the significant contributions they continue to make.
Rajeev Suri is leading Nokia. Hyderabad-born Shantanu Narayen is the leader of Adobe, while Sanjay Jha ids the CEO of Global Foundries. George Kurian became the CEO and president of storage and data management company NetApp in June 2015. Francisco D’Souza is the CEO, Cognizant, and Dinesh Paliwal is the president and CEO of Harman International, and Ashok Vemuri is the CEO, Conduent Inc, the Xerox’s sibling business services. These are only a few of the success stories of Indians in the US, leading the tech industry in the US.
The surge in Indians moving to America was intimately linked to the rise of the technology industry. In the 1980s India loosened its rules on private colleges, leading to a large expansion in the pool of engineering and science graduates. Fear of the “Y2K” bug in the late 1990s served as a catalyst for them to engage with the global economy, with armies of Indian engineers working remotely from the subcontinent, or travelling to America on workers’ visas.
Today a quarter or more of the Indian-born workforce is employed in the tech industry. In the Silicon Valley neighborhoods such as Fremont and Cupertino, people of Indian origin make up a fifth of the population. Some 10-20% of all tech start-ups have Indian founders; Indians have ascended to the heights of the biggest firms, too.
If Indians are a powerful force in the tech sector, they have also begun to show their power in the political arena. There have been several Indian Americans who have been elected and appointed to important positions at national, state and local level offices.
A record five Indian-Americans serve in the US Congress, scripting history for the minority ethnic community that comprises just one per cent of America’s population. Congressmen Ami Bera, Raja
Photo by: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx 4/14/16 Dr. Vivek Murthy (U.S. Surgeon General) at The National Action Network Conference. (NYC)
Krishnamoorthy, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal have been elected to the US Congress while Kamla Harris represents California in the US Senate.
Kamala Harris, a rising star, the first Indian American and first black senator from California, the Huffington Post has suggested Harris could be “the next best hope for shattering that glass ceiling=,” by becoming the first female President of the greatest democracy in the world. Pundits have compared her rise to that of former President Obama.
Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a fast-rising Democratic star, has featured in the Politico magazine’s “Power List for the year 2018” for having assumed the mantle of a House “leader of the resistance.”
Over the past several months, there have been a number of articles in the national press, speculating whether former South Carolina Governor and the current US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley might consider a presidential run in 2020. Some say her efforts and clear leadership as governor and ambassador to the United Nations have put her in a strong position to possibly become this nation’s first female president.
In the most recent elections, Indian Americans made huge victories across the nation. Last November, Indian American politician Ravinder Bhalla made news by being the first Sikh mayor of the New Jersey city of Hoboken, as well as one of the first public officials in the US to wear a turban. The occupational profile presented by the Asian Indian community today is one of increasing diversity. Although a large number of Asian Indians are professionals, others own small businesses or are employed as semi- or nonskilled workers.
Forbes wrote recently about the new additions to the Trump administration: “two Indian Americans, Raj Shah and Manisha Singh, the latest instance of a relatively new, larger trend: the growing participation — and success — of Indian Americans in public service.”
Trump appointed Raj Shah principal deputy press secretary — who also continues to hold his post as deputy assistant to the president. US assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, Manisha Singh, 45, is a noted lawyer from Florida.
As the chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission, accomplished attorney Ajit Pai works on a wide variety of regulatory and transactional matters involving the cable, internet, TV, radio and satellite industries.
A respected legal scholar, Neomi Rao is the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the White House. Seema Verma is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Vishal Amin is Trump’s intellectual property enforcement coordinator. Neil Chatterjee is chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
While several Indian Americans are now key players in pushing the Trump White House’s conservative agenda, the Indian-American community in general has long leaned left. Politically, they are more Democratic leaning than any other group as a whole in the nation. A whopping 84 per cent Indian-Americans voted for President Barack Obama in the general election in 2012. Compared with other US Asian groups, Indian Americans are the most likely to identify with the Democratic Party; 65 percent are Democrats or lean to the Democrats, 18 percent are Republicans.
In the Obama era, they were recognized by the Democratic Party with important jobs in Washington, DC as never been before. “It is very exciting to serve in an Administration that has so many great Indian-Americans serving,” said Raj Shah, former Administrator of USIAD, the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama Administration.
In 2012, a record 30 Indian Americans fought to win electoral battle with Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Kamala Harris handily winning back their jobs as South Carolina governor and California’s attorney general respectively. Amiresh ‘Ami’ Bera, the lone Indian American in the US House of Representatives, repeated history by winning a tight California House race.
Dr. Vivek Verma won an uphill battle against the powerful Gun Lobby and won the majority support at the US Senate. President Barack Obama appointed Richard Rahul Verma as the first envoy from the NRI community to India. Nisha Desai Biswal was heading the State Department’s South Asia bureau. Puneet Talwar took over as assistant secretary for political-military affairs to serve as a bridge between the State and Defense departments, while Arun Madhavan Kumar became assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the US and Foreign Commercial Service.
Subra Suresh was inducted into the Institute of Medicine (IOM), making him the only university president to be elected to all three national academies, while Sujit Choudhry, a noted expert in comparative constitutional law, became the first Indian American dean of the University of California-Berkeley, School of Law, a top US law school. Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe won the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest after 52 years and for just the fourth time in the contest’s history. Indira Nooyi, another person of Indian origin has been leading as the CEO of Pepsi, one of the largest corporations.
Former US attorney Preet Bharara made history by going after small and big law breakers in the nation. Among many judges of Indian origin, Sri Srinivasan stole the headlines with his unanimous support from the US Senate to the US Federal Court in DC.
In the glamor world of the nation, Indian Americans are not far behind. Aziz Ansari, the Master of None star won the Golden Globe this year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Several others have found leading roles in the highly competitive Hollywood movies and on TV.
Priyanka Chopra has been voted the “Sexiest Asian Woman” in the world in an annual UK poll released in London last week. From splashes of red and black to purple velvet, with models that defied tradition both in size and age, Indian-American fashion designers showed their metal at the New York Fashion Week that was held in New York City in February this year. They included Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Misha Kaura, Naeem Khan, Sachin & Babi, and the MacDuggal brand.
Like all immigrant groups, Indians have found niches in America’s vast economy. Half of all motels are owned by Indians, mainly Gujaratis. Punjabis dominate the franchises for 7-Eleven stores and Subway sandwiches.
Ten richest of all Indian Americans have made it to the Forbes List 2018, The World’s Billionaires on March 6th. The richest Indian American on the list is Rakesh Gangwal, the co-founder of the airline Indigo and is worth $3.3 billion, after he made an extra $1.2 billion in the past year. Romesh T. Wadhwani, an IT entrepreneur and philanthropist, closely follows him, with a net worth of $3.1 billion, who ended up topping the list last year. Forbes list this year has a record of 2,208 members including two new Indian Americans, Niraj Shah who is worth $1.6 billion and Jayshree Ullal who is worth $1.3 billion. Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Wayfair while Ullal is the CEO of Arista Networks.
Again, quoting Pew Research, Indian Americans are the highest-income and best-educated people in the United States and the third largest among Asian Americans who have surpassed Latinos as the fastest-growing racial group, according to a new survey. Seven-in-ten (70 percent) Indian Americans ages 25 and older, have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree; this is higher than the Asian-American share (49 percent) and much higher than the national share (28 percent), the survey found.
Indian Americans generally are well-off. Median annual household income for Indian Americans in 2010 was $88,000, much higher than for all Asian Americans ($66,000) and all U.S. households ($49,800). In 2010, 28% of Indian American worked in science and engineering fields; according to the 2013 American Community Survey, more than two-thirds (69.3%) of Indian Americans 16 and older were in management, business, science and arts occupations.
They are the largest segment of any group that entered the country under the H1-B visa program, which allow highly skilled foreign workers in designated “specialty occupations” to work in the U.S. In 2011, for example, 72,438 Indians received H1-B visas, 56% of all such visas granted that year.
Indian Americans have quietly permeated many segments of the American economy and society while still retaining their Indian culture. Most Asian Indian families strive to preserve traditional Indian values and transmit these to their children. Offsprings are encouraged to marry within the community and maintain their Indian heritage.
Indian Americans stand out from most other US Asian groups in the personal importance they place on parenting; 78 percent of Indian Americans say being a good parent is one of the most important things to them personally. Indian Americans are among the most likely to say that the strength of family ties is better in their country of origin (69 percent) than in the US (8 percent).
Nearly nine-in-ten (87 percent) adult Indian Americans in the United States are foreign born, compared with about 74 percent of adult Asian Americans and 16 percent of the adult US population overall. More than half of Indian-American adults are US citizens (56 percent), lower than the share among overall adult Asian population (70 percent) as well as the national share (91 percent).
More than three-quarters of Indian Americans (76 percent) speak English proficiently, compared with 63 percent of all Asian Americans and 90 percent of the US population overall. The median age of adult Indian Americans is 37, lower than for adult Asian Americans (41) and the national median (45).
Although over four fifths of Indians belong to Hindu religion in India, only about half (51%) of Indian Americans are Hindu, while nearly all Asian-American Hindus (93%) trace their heritage to India. 18% of Indian Americans identified themselves as Christians; 10% said they were Muslim.
More than seven-in-ten (71 percent) adult Indian Americans are married, a share significantly higher than for all Asian Americans (59 percent) and for the nation (51 percent). The share of unmarried mothers was much lower among Indian Americans (2.3 percent) than among all Asian Americans (15 percent) and the population overall (37 percent).
The first Asian Indians or Indian Americans, as they are also known, arrived in America as early as the middle of the nineteenth century. By the end of the nineteenth century, about 2,000 Indians, most of them Sikhs (a religious minority from India’s Punjab region), settled on the west coast of the United States, having come in search of economic opportunity. Other Asian Indians came as merchants and traders; many worked in lumber mills and logging camps in the western states of Oregon, Washington, and California, where they rented bunkhouses, acquired knowledge of English, and assumed Western dress.
Between 1910 and 1920, as agricultural work in California began to become more abundant and better paying, many Indian immigrants turned to the fields and orchards for employment. For many of the immigrants who had come from villages in rural India, farming was both familiar and preferable. Some Indians eventually settled permanently in the California valleys where they worked. Because there was virtually no immigration by Indian women during this time, it was not unheard of for Indian males to marry Mexican women and raise families.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, about 100 Indian students also studied in universities across America. A small group of Indian immigrants also came to America as political refugees from British rule. The immigration of Indians to America was tightly controlled by the American government during this time, and Indians applying for visas to travel to the United States were often rejected by U.S. diplomats in major Indian cities like Bombay and Calcutta. The Asiatic Exclusion League (AEL) was organized in 1907 to encourage the expulsion of Asian workers, including Indians.
In July 1946, Congress passed a bill allowing naturalization for Indians and, in 1957, the first Asian Indian Congressman, Dalip Saund, was elected to Congress. Like many early Indian immigrants, Saund came to the United States from Punjab and had worked in the fields and farms of California. He had also earned a doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley. While more educated and professional Indians began to enter America, immigration restrictions and tight quotas ensured that only small numbers of Indians entered the country prior to 1965. Overall, approximately 6,000 Asian Indians immigrated to the United States between 1947 and 1965.
From 1965 onward, a wave of Indian immigration began, spurred by a change in U.S. immigration law that lifted prior quotas and restrictions and allowed significant numbers of Asians to immigrate. Between 1965 and 1974, Indian immigration to the United States increased at a rate greater than that from almost any other country.
This wave of immigrants was very different from the earliest Indian immigrants—Indians that emigrated after 1965 were overwhelmingly urban, professional, and highly educated and quickly engaged in gainful employment in many U.S. cities. Many had prior exposure to Western society and education and their transition to the United States was therefore relatively smooth. More than 100,000 such professionals and their families entered the U.S. in the decade after 1965.
Almost 40 percent of all Indian immigrants who entered the United States in the decades after 1965 arrived on student or exchange visitor visas, in some cases with their spouses and dependents. Most of the students pursued graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines. They were often able to find promising jobs and prosper economically, and many became permanent residents and then citizens.
The 1990 U.S. census reported 570,000 Asian Indians in America. In general, the Asian Indian community has preferred to settle in the larger American cities rather than smaller towns, especially in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. This appears to be a reflection of both the availability of jobs in larger cities, and the personal preference of being a part of an urban, ethnically diverse environment, one which is evocative of the Indian cities that many of the post-1965 immigrants came from.
Indian Americans are more evenly spread out than other Asian Americans. About 24 percent of adult Indian Americans live in the West, compared with 47 percent of Asian Americans and 23 percent of the US population overall. More than three-in-ten (31 percent) Indian Americans live in the Northeast, 29 percent live in the South, and the rest (17 percent) live in the Midwest.
Despite their successes, they have been also subjected to discrimination and racist attacks. According to a recent report called “Communities on Fire” by the Washington, DC-based group South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), hate crimes against Indian Americans and other South Asian Americans surged 45% from November 8, 2016, to November 7, 2017. The group recorded 302 incidents during that period, 213 of them being direct physical or verbal assaults
The Indian American community continues to play an important role in shaping the relationship between India, the largest democracy and the US, the greatest democracy in the world. “The model minority stereotype stems from the “non-threatening nature” of the Indian immigrant — a label bestowed by the white counterpart. The Indian American community is seen as “successful” – a prototype to be followed by fellow minorities,” Huffington Post wrote.
“Indian-Americans are tremendously important and we hope they would be increasingly visible not only in the government, but also in all parts of American life,” said Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng, maternal half-sister of Obama, adding that the President was very proud of the community. “It is certainly a reflection of how important India is and how important Indian-Americans are to the fabric of the nation. I would just like to celebrate all of the contribution artistic, political and so much more of the community. It is time we come to recognize fully the contribution of the Indian-American community here,” said Maya.
Washington, DC: April 21, 2018. The powerful voice of the leaders and members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, was heard on Capitol Hill early Thursday, April 12th at the annual Legislative Day. Addressed by dozens of lawmakers from both the parties, the event was forum for AAPI to have its voices heard on the corridors of power and giving them a voice in shaping the healthcare policies and programs of the nation.
In his welcome address, Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to AAPI delegates and the Congressmen “for taking the time out to come and support AAPI’s agenda at the national level, in our efforts to make our voices heard in the corridors of power. AAPI’s legislative day on Capitol Hill, addressed by dozens of US lawmakers from both the major parties, a recognition of AAPI’s growing influence and having its united voice heard in the corridors of power.”
AAPI Agenda for its 2018 Legislative day included, expressing support for the H.R. 3592 “The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2017,” providing for research and grants to improve the cardiovascular health care of South Asian Americans; Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs; Immigration Reform, enhancing H-1 and J-1 visas, Green Card that are used by many South Asian American physicians, playing an important role in providing critical health care across the country; Increased Residency Slots, help reducing the chronic physician shortage, urging legislation adding 15,000 more residency slots, which will help to train up to 45,000 more doctors in the next two decades; Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursements that have not kept up with the cost of care and the growing populations utilizing them; and, Tort Reform, to reduce the practice of defensive medicine, thus, bringing down the overall cost of health care, and limit the number of meritless lawsuits; and, discussing the disadvantages of Repeal of the Individual Mandate, especially, leading to patients drop their health care coverage and how will this impact premiums.
“I know you are hitting the Hill on a number of issues not the least of which is health care and your concerns about the direction of our country”, Democratic Congressman Joe Crowley of New York told a packed room of Indian-origin physicians in the Rayburn Building. “What really drives all of you is that you want to be able to carry out your profession in a noble way. At the same time, you want that respect which you deserve. More importantly, you want to save people’s lives, make the human condition better. That is incredibly admirable, something that is given short shrift”, he said.
Rep. Crowley assured, “I continue to work to increase the number of slots here in the United States” and spoke of the GME (Graduate Medical Education) Expansion Legislation which he introduced with Republican Congressman Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania, in 2017. The bill calls for an additional 3,000 residency positions for five consecutive years. “It is important that we increase the slots because we are going to need more doctors, more technicians, more physician assistants, not less”, Crowley said.
As Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce stated he “has worked very diligently to improving US-India relations”. The California Republican called for liberalizing changes in policy that create economic opportunity for everyone. Republican Congressman Steve Chabot who represents Cincinnati, Ohio, said, “The relationship between India and the US is, I believe, one of our most important. We are natural allies. We have so much more in common than differences”, he said.
Congressman Joe Wilson said, “I was not born in India, but I was born with an appreciation of the people of India. The lawmaker lauded the contributions of Indian-Americans, in particular Dino Teppara who has served as his chief-of-staff. Teppara, now a public affairs officer in the US Navy Reserve, has been working closely with AAPI leaders for the very successful Legislative Day on Capitol Hill.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, the first Hindu lawmaker to serve on Capitol Hill and current Democratic co-chair of the House India Caucus, pointed to how the relationship between “our two countries has progressed. It has only continued to grow stronger and stronger.” She acknowledged that “the H-1B visa issue is one of the biggest challenges facing the community” and lamented that a lot of people don’t understand the consequences of the backlog and continued effort to limit H-1B visas. “In Hawaii, we have a drastic shortage of physicians and it’s always difficult to get and retain doctors who can provide that care”, Gabbard told the AAPI delegates. “Your presence and your advocacy is very helpful as we try to construct substantive policy that best serves the American people”, she said.
Pramila Jayapal, the first ever Indian-American woman elected to the US House of Representatives, who had introduced ‘The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2017′ with her Republican colleague Joe Wilson of South Carolina to improve the cardiovascular health care of South Asian Americans, said, “It is a bill that can actually move, that helps educate our community because frankly, we can be a little flip about heart health.” Stressing that the community has incredibly high incidents of heart disease, she believed that being able to use a few resources from the federal government to emphasize and target the South Asian community is very important. “I am going to continue to lift up health care for everyone”, she pledged. To AAPI leaders, she said, “Thank you for your incredible leadership, for your advocacy, for your friendship, for your support. It means so much to me. When I come here it feels like I am coming home”.
“I have seen Dr. Shivangi, Ramesh Kapur, Dr. Shah, Dr. Bharat Barai, knocking the halls of Congress before it was popular”, Congressman Ro Khanna said at the event. “Now, it is very trendy to be Indian-American. You get invited everywhere. Everyone wants to meet with you. That was not the case earlier. These folks have dedicated their lives to being a voice for our community. They have dedicated their skill at it”, he stated, adding he is “so proud of all the doctors” as they “are the ambassadors of the community” even in rural areas.
“Some of my favorite people in America are here in this room”, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said, looking around a venue packed with his supporters. “There is only one reason that I was elected to the United States Congress and that reason is you”, he stressed. “You are a success in the greatest country the world has ever known: the United States. And you are the pride of one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known: India”, he said. Krishnamoorthi made a strong pitch for Indian-Americans to become even more engaged – to vote, volunteer on campaigns, run for political office. Referring to an adage he often repeats, ‘If you don’t have a seat on the table, you’re on the menu’, Krishnamoorthi added, “We will not be on the menu if we do the needful” by being engaged in public policy.
Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., of New Jersey, co-founder of the House India Caucus, denounced the anti-immigrant fervor emanating from the White House. He referred to a bill he introduced with two other House Democrats which would prevent the ACA from being sabotaged by President Trump and Republicans in Congress. He explained that the legislation eliminates the cap on subsidies, increases the amount that is available to help people pay their premiums, and seeks to stabilize the market by having a reinsurance component to get more insurers and create more competition to lower prices. He was hopeful the bill will pass if Democrats win the House and Senate in the 2018 midterm elections. “We need to have a pathway to citizenship for H-1B and J-1 visa holders, and for the Dreamers”, he added.
Extolling AAPI members for their “incredible work ethic and strong family values”, Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro, who had supporting pro-immigration bill H.R. 392 (Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017), said, “It is immigrants who have made America the great country that we are”. He was critical of the fact that in his home district in California, “we have 0.95 physicians for every 1,000 people, not even one physician for every 1,000 people”, he said. “The statewide average is 2.25 physicians. So, we are trying desperately, besides our Residency programs, to get a medical school in the San Joaquin Valley as part of the University of California system”. He highlighted the fact that between Bakersfield and Modesto in CA, there are over 900 Indian-American physicians, serving his district.
“We are blessed to have a great Indian-American community with physicians so well represented”, Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock of Virginia said. Referring to shortages in the whole medical field — doctors, physician assistants, nursing homes – the lawmaker told AAPI members, “As we are an aging population, we are facing all kinds of shortages and I know you are on the front lines of that. If we could work together, I would be delighted to”, she said. Regarding soaring pharmaceutical costs, Comstock mentioned she is part of a bipartisan group in the House called the Problem Solvers Caucus which, among other issues, is focused on bringing down drug prices.
Congressman Peter Roskam of Illinois, former Republican co-chair of the House India Caucus, spoke of the “enormous Indian diaspora in Chicago. Nearly every physician I meet is married to another Indian physician”, he quipped. “What is so interesting is how deeply connected and what a big leadership role these communities are playing in the Chicago area”, he said. The lawmaker, who chairs the subcommittee on health on the Ways and Means Committee, encouraged AAPI members to provide feedback from a medical point-of-view about the obstacles they face in caring for their patients.
Among other attendees at the AAPI event were: Republican Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee, one of few physicians serving on Capitol Hill; Republican Congressman Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania; Republican Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky; Maryland Delegate Aruna Miller (Democrat), currently running for Congress in the state’s sixth Congressional District; Jason Marino, Senior Assistant Director of Congressional Affairs at the American Medical Association; Dr. Naseem Shekhani, president-elect, Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA); and Nuala Moore, Associate Director of Government Relations at the American Thoracic Society.
“AAPI represents, 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 hard work, dedication, compassion, and skills, we have thus carved an enviable niche in the American medical community. AAPI’s role has come to be recognized as vital among members and among lawmakers,” Dr. Vinod Shah, AAPI’s Legislative Committee Chairman, said.
Legislative Co-Chair Dr. Sampat Shivangi, said, “There are many issues affecting our community and the physicians across the nation. Now is the time to ensure our voices are heard on these vital issues. Additionally, those with good contacts with their own congressman, should reach out to his/her office and enlist their support on these issues dear to us.”
The day began on Capitol Hill, and concluded with a packed gathering that evening at a reception and buffet dinner hosted by the Indian Embassy featuring remarks by the Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador Santosh Jha and AAPI leaders. Dr. Sudhir Sekhsaria , Co-Chair of AAPI’s Legislative Committee was instrumental in organizing the evening Gala at the Indian Embassy.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “AAPI is a non-political umbrella organization which has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. Almost 10%-12% of medical students entering US schools are of Indian origin. AAPI represents the interests of over 60,000 physicians and 25,000 medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. I am extremely happy that we have come together today to express our voices and as we all stand together to convey and communicate our concerns on this very special day to the lawmakers who have come to hear us and address our concerns.” For more details on AAPI and its numerous inittiaves, please visit:www.appiusa.org
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai made her first visit to Pakistan on March 29th, 2018, since she was shot by Taliban militants in 2012 near her home in the northern Swat Valley. The 20-year-old became the first teenager to win the Nobel Peace Prize four years ago and is currently studying at the University of Oxford.
Soon after her arrival in her native country, Yousafzai met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the capital Islamabad. Local television showed the education activist leaving Islamabad airport in the early hours of the morning amid heavy security for what is expected to be a four-day visit.
Yousafzai gave an emotional, heartfelt speech on her return to her country of birth, where she is still under threat of violence. “I’m not very old but I’ve seen a lot,” she said following a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. “I couldn’t control what happened, if it was my choice I wouldn’t have left my country at all. I had no choice, I had to leave for my life.”
In a speech in which she often had to pause for tears, the activist hailed the fact “more than 6 million dollars” has been invested on education in Pakistan in recent years, adding she hoped “we all join hands for the betterment of Pakistan for our future, to empower our women so they can earn and stand on their own two feet.”
Abbasi said he was “so happy that our child who has earned so much fame internationally has come home. You represent us in the world and especially of the youth and girls and the work you’ve done for education of girls,” he said. “It is our dream and prayers that you are successful, our prayers with you. Welcome home Malala!”
“I have always dreamed of coming back to Pakistan — we need to empower women,” Yousafzai said in a speech in Islamabad with tears in her eyes. “If I wanted I would have never left my country, for further treatment I had to go out.”
At just 11, Malala began writing an anonymous diary for BBC Urdu about her life under Taliban rule. She later became a vocal advocate of female education amid militant suppression in Pakistan. While traveling to school by bus in October 2012, she was shot in the head in retaliation for her campaign for girls to be given equal education rights in the conservative country, defying threats from militants in her hometown of Mingora.
The bullet struck just above her left eye, grazing her brain, and Yousafzai was flown to the U.K. for emergency treatment. Malala’s shooting caused international outrage and came amid a bloody struggle between the Pakistani state and Islamist militants. The Pakistani Taliban said at the time that they shot her because she was “pro-West” and “promoting Western culture in Pashtun areas”.
Lauded internationally, Yousafzai gained global recognition after pledging to continue her struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism. However, her return has received a mixed reaction in her home country. Many in the South Asian nation see her as part of a Western conspiracy against Pakistan.
Her return brings home the change that has occurred in Pakistan. The military in Pakistan has neutered some insurgent groups who target the country domestically and tourists are now returning to areas including picturesque Swat, which is known locally as the Switzerland of Pakistan.
Security in the country has greatly improved in recent years, with the number of attacks carried out by militants drastically reduced. Nevertheless it’s unclear if she will visit her home region in the Swat Valley, where her foundation recently opened a school for girls.
News of her arrival has been received enthusiastically here. But some Pakistanis have long been critics of Malala, favoring conspiracy theories claiming she is “a Western agent” or was actually shot by the CIA. For many others Pakistanis, though, Malala is a source of great pride, and now she’s finally come home.
Malala’s visit “gives the message that extremism can be challenged and defeated if one stands up against it,” said Farzana Bari, a human rights activist and former head of the Gender Studies department at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University. “This will help promote peace and girls’ education in Pakistan as we still have large areas where girls and women are discriminated against,” she said.
There are several hopefuls who want to beat Trump in the next presidential elections, but one of the leading candidates is none other than, a first-term U.S. Senator from California, considered a rising star, hoping to lead the party in the 2020 presidential race. The newly-minted California senator is avoiding any talk about her future ambitions. But her history-making Senate bid — she’s the first Indian American and first black senator from California — and the state’s size and massive Democratic dominance makes her appealing, CNN commented last month.
She is Kamala Harris who, according to her Senate bio, “was the first African-American and first woman to serve as Attorney General of California and the second African-American woman to be elected to the United States Senate in history.”
And in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s failure to become the first female president, the Huffington Post has suggested Harris could be “the next best hope for shattering that glass ceiling.” Both outlets compared her rise to that of former President Obama who also ran with just one Senate term under his belt.
Kamala Harris, the first Indian-American to be elected to the US Senate, is a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2020 elections, Washington Post, a leading American newspaper stated last week. Harris, 51, whose mother was from Chennai and father from Jamaica, is one among the six Democratic leaders, whom The Washington Post said are the top contenders to bag the party’s nomination for the 2020 presidential elections.
Interestingly four of these are women. The other three being outgoing First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from New York. Other two potential Democratic presidential candidates according to the US daily are Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey and Governor John Hickenlooper from Colorado.
“Harris will not officially become a US senator from California for more than a month, but she is already regarded as national-candidate material in four years,” Washington Post columnist Chris Cillizza had written in his article last year.
“It is not hard to see why. She is the first African American woman elected to the Senate since Carol Moseley Braun in 1992. Harris also represents the largest and most Democratic state in the country, a huge financial launchpad to a presidential bid,” he said, noting that through mid-October, she had raised more than $13 million for her Senate candidacy.
“Her law-and-order background – she was elected and reelected attorney general in California – also will appeal to many Democrats. Whether Harris wants to – or will be ready to run for national office so soon after being elected to the Senate remains to be seen,” Cillizza said.
Harris is a two-term popular Attorney General of California. She was elected to the United States Senate from California in a landslide. She was endorsed by outgoing US President Barack Obama, in her Senate race.
“No matter how many people said I couldn’t do it, I won my races for District Attorney and Attorney General,” Harris said. “I’m a fighter – I’ve fought for the people of California, especially those most in need. This campaign for Senate has ended, but the work is just beginning. And now I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.” For now, Senator-elect Kamala Harris will take the oath of office as the US Senator representing California on January 3, 2017.
There are over two years and the 2020 presidential election. But, with Donald Trump in the White House, Democratic politicians are already eagerly jockeying for position with the expectation that the party’s nominee will have a very good chance of ousting the incumbent — if his poll numbers stay anywhere as low as they are at the moment.
While she has denied interest in running in 2020, she appears to making the moves that a potential candidate would, including speaking to key groups and on high-profile panels, fundraising for fellow Democrats, and connecting with journalists.
As Democratic political adviser Bob Shrum told the news outlet, “From everything I’ve seen of her she’d be an attractive candidate, she could be a compelling candidate, and I think she’d have a lot of appeal for primary voters.” Others have agreed, with the Washington Post calling her “formidable” due to her “California fundraising and activist base coupled with her historic status in the party…”
Even if she decides to join the race in 2020, she may have some tough competition for the Democratic nomination in the form of former Vice President Joe Biden, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Andrew Cuomo, a two-term governor of New York with a record of liberal accomplishments and a famous last name.
However, when the Los Angeles Times‘ Patt Morrison asked her about running for the top job a few months ago, Harris deflected the question, saying, “I don’t know why my name is in that context. I’m focused on being the junior senator from California and very proud to be representing our beautiful state.”
The adults failed. The politicians have no motivation to act. Gun violence across the United States continues to take the lives of innocent students and others almost daily. Fed up with political inaction and seeing their loved ones targeted by gun violence the students, High Schoolers from around the nation took the streets around the country on March 23rd.
People gathered in cities across America on Saturday for massive student-led protests to demand stronger gun control measures. Hundreds of thousands took part in large “March for Our Lives” protests. They took place in major cities including Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Parkland, Florida. Parkland was the site of the February 14 attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 people dead. Some international cities also held demonstrations.
The protests were organized by students after the Parkland shooting. One of the largest took place in Washington D.C. Several survivors of the Stoneman Douglas tragedy spoke to the crowd from a stage set up on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Building on the momentum of last week’s National School Walkout, these members of a generation raised with gun violence have mobilized Americans with impassioned pleas for stricter gun control laws while honoring the 17 students and faculty members killed February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Though Washington hosted the main event, more than 800 sister marches were held across the country, from Boston to Los Angeles, and around the world. Students, teachers, parents, survivors of school shootings and celebrities took their defiant message against gun violence and the gun lobby to the seats of power.
“Politicians who sit in their gilded House and Senate seats funded by the NRA telling us nothing could have ever been done to prevent this, we call BS,” Emma Gonzalez, who survived last month’s shooting, said in during a speech that went viral. “They say that no laws could have been able to prevent the hundreds of senseless tragedies that have occurred. We call BS,” she added.
Gonzalez is one of many students who has taken to social media and the streets to call for stricter gun control after a gunman opened fire on students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month, killing 17 people and injuring more than a dozen others. According to police documents, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz confessed to the shooting.
The tragedy in Florida leads all to ponder on a bigger problem — frequent shootings at schools — almost one gun incident every month — remain a nightmare for children and parents even if most have few fatalities or only injuries. Some recent horrific incidents stand out: Columbine High School, Colorado, where 15 were killed in 1999; Red Lake Senior High School, Minnesota in 2005 with 10 fatalities; and Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut, in 2012 with 28 dead.
The survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., have broken through a decades-long stalemate in the gun-control debate in ways that no other group of survivors has been able to.
The US, the most advanced nation has the most number of deaths due to gun violence. For Indian-Americans, who come from a country without a gun culture, the contrast between India and the United States in firearms ownership and gun deaths is often shocking. GunPolicy.org that is hosted by the Sydney School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, gathered data that showed that there were 3,655 total gun deaths in 2014 in India which has a population of 1.3 billion, or three gun deaths per million people showing a decline from a total of 12,147 or 12.3 per million in 1999.
In contrast, there were 33,599 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2014, nine times more than in India. The United States tops the world in the number of guns owned by civilians, with 310 million. That amounts to 101.05 guns for every hundred people in the U.S., giving it the top rank in the rate of gun ownership, while India which ranked next after U.S. in number of guns owned by civilians at 40 million, had just 3.36 guns for every hundred people, because its population is about times bigger than the U.S.
Against this backdrop, the Indian-American community is looking at the gun control issue, which has again risen as a topic of national discussion because of the Parkland shooting. These incidents have changed life in schools and the lives of millions of people across the great nation, the United States.
“To the leaders, skeptics and cynics who told us to sit down, stay silent and wait your turn, welcome to the revolution,” Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Cameron Kasky told the throngs in Washington, where the march turned into a thunderous, standing-room-only rally. “Either represent the people or get out. Stand for us or beware.”
Neeta Bhushan, Consul General of India in Chicago hosted an impressive reception on the occasion of the visit of her husband, Sri Anurag Bhushan, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to Chicago at her residence on March 11th, 2018 (Sunday) at 6: 00 PM. The reception was graced by leading community and business leaders from different walks of life.
All the guests were bowled over by the strong academic credentials of Sri Anurag Bhushan, which,inter alia, include a graduate degree in engineering and a Post Graduate Degree in Management from such highly accredited and prestigious educational institutions as Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management, respectively.
During the course of the informal deliberations that followed, Sri Anurag Bhushan paid rich tributes to the contribution of Indian Diaspora to enriching the socio-economic and educational fabric of the countries he served during his long career spanning about two-and-a-half decades. His rich diplomatic experience across the globe proved to be not only an icing on the cake but also made the interactions a great platform of learning for the guests.
The love between the Bhushans, despite long spells of separations on account of their respective postings to different countries, transported all the guests in a state of shock and awe. . Their fine balancing of work and family touched everyone. The Bhushans ensured that they never get so busy making a living that they forget to make a life.
“Both of them achieved excellence in foreign affairs and at the same time did full justice to the genuine demands of their family”, opined all the guests unanimously and added that their achievements on professional and family fronts should become a source of inspiration for working couples, especially their counterparts, who encounter multiple challenges in meeting the demands of their profession and family.
The presence of highly eminent persons at the reception, representing a number of organizations run by Indian-Americans, belonging to different regions, religions, and languages, showcased the success of Ms. Bhushan in bringing all of them under one roof, a rare achievement which was appreciated by such high profile US leaders as Governors, Mayors, Congressmen, Senators, University Presidents, etc. in the recent past.
The memorable evening came to a close with a sumptuous dinner, comprising tasty cuisine representing different regions of India, which was relished by one and all. Some of the guests who graced the reception included Mrs. & Mr. Hardik Bhatt, Mr. Amit Jhingran, Mrs. & Dr. Muzaffar Mirza, Dr, Azher Quader, Mrs. & Dr. Shoeb Sitafalwalla, Mr. Vinoz Chanamolu, Dr. Imtiaz, Mrs. & Mr Masood Quadri, Mr. Roberto Ramirez, Mrs. & Mr Iqbal Baig, Dr. Ali Niazee, Mrs. & Mr. Vinaykant Bhatt, Mrs. & Mr. Syed Jafry, Mrs. Rita Singh, Mr.Sanjjeev Singh, Mrs. Nyla Naseeruddin, Mr. Abrar Quader, Mrs. & Mr. Amrish Manajan, Mrs. Ayeisha Osman and Mr. Ashfaq Syed. Ms. Bhushan thanked all the guests profusely for gracing the reception.
Chicago, IL: March 16th, 2018: American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has donated $100,000 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America, during the Governing Body meeting held from March 9th-11th, which was attended by members of AAPI’s Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, Chairs of all the Standing Committees, Chair of the Convention Committees.
Dr. Samadder presented the check to Rosalind Achkar, Senior Corporate Manager, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America. In her address, Ms. Achkar thanked AAPI for the donation and appreciated the efforts of Samir A. Shah and Saar D Shah, the twin 15-year old grand children of Dr. Vinod Shah for leading the campaign through their initiative, Team Fly4aCure Maryland.
While AAPI had contributed $50,000, Dr. Vinod Shah, a past president of AAPI, and a well known philanthropist, matched the amount provided by AAPI, thus doubling the donation through AAPI at this special event. Prominent among those present at the event were Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair of BOT of AAPI, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect, Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, and Dr. Vinod Shah.
The donation was part of the launching of a campaign by AAPI against Leukemia and Lymphomas. The event was held at the annual AAPI Spring Governing Body meeting at the Freemont Marriott Silicon Valley, Fremont, CA on Sunday this week. “AAPI has taken on yet another cause to promote through its active support in educating people about the deadly disease around the world,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI said.
Manushi Chillar, Miss World 2017, later on, attended a press conference on Women’s Empowerment during the Governing Body Meeting of AAPI. Dr. Samadder invited Ms. Chillar to attend the annual Convention of AAPI, which is planned to be held in Columbus, Ohio during the July 4th weekend.
Ms. Chillar was reported, in a previous report from AAPI to be the Brand Ambassador of AAPI for creating awareness about the deadly diseases, Leukemia and Lymphoma. At this time, there is no confirmation, and Ms. Chillar has not confirmed to be the Brand Ambassador of AAPI. AAPI wants to express regrets for inaccurately reporting of Ms. Manushi’s role at AAPI’s campaign against Leukemia and Lymphoma.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a 501 charitable organization, founded in 1949, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.
“Coming from a nation that has given much to the world, today physicians of Indian origin have become a powerful influence in medicine across the world. Nowhere is their authority more keenly felt than in the United States, where Indians make up the largest non-Caucasian segment of the American medical community,” Dr. Samadder said. “The overrepresentation of Indians in the field of medicine is striking – in practical terms, one out of seven doctors in the United States is of Indian Heritage. We provide medical care to over 40 million of US population, caring for one in every seven patients in the nation. There are 150 AAPI Chapters across the nation and it has an ever growing membership of Indian American Physicians,” he reported.
AAPI is an umbrella organization representing dozens of local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, AAPI represents the interests of physicians, medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. It is the largest ethnic medical organization in the nation. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
(Washington, DC: March 14, 2017) 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. AAPI’s role has come to be recognized as vital among members and among lawmakers.
In this context, as the nation continues to be divided on the health reforms, AAPI’s legislative day planned for next month on capitol and is expected to be addressed by dozens of US lawmakers from both the major parties, comes to be a vital part of AAPI’s growing influence and having its united voice heard in the corridors of power. “We are excited to announce that our next Legislative Day is on April 12th on capitol Hill in Washington, DC,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI.
“Our daytime program begins at 09:00 am and will include lunch on the Capitol in the Rayburn Building. We will conclude in the afternoon, giving participants the opportunity to meet their own Congressman on their own time. That evening, we are planning for a reception and dinner with several dignitaries at the Indian Embassy,” summarized, Dr. Samadder.
Describing that AAPI is a non-political umbrella organization which has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. Almost 10%-12% of medical students entering US schools are of Indian origin. AAPI represents the interests of over 60,000 physicians and 25,000 medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States, Dr. Samadder, a prominent physician with decades of service to the country, said, “The mission AAPI, the largest ethnic organization of physicians, is to provide a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American physicians to excel at inpatient care, teaching and research, and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. The Executive Committee is working hard to ensure active participation of young physicians, increasing membership, and enabling AAPI’s voice to be heard in the corridors of power, and thus taking AAPI to new heights.”
There are many issues affecting our community. An important debate is about the merits of doing away with the individual mandate. “As Congress has now passed a repeal of this part of the Affordable Care Act, which takes place in 2019, what does this mean for the average physician practice if patients drop their health care coverage and how will this impact premiums?” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, asks.
“Now is the time to ensure our voices are heard on these vital issues. Additionally, those with good contacts with their own congressman, should reach out to his/her office and ask them to join us at our program in the Rayburn Building, banquet room B-338, between 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. If your congressman would like to speak, we can arrange their participation,” Dr. Ashok Jain, BOT chair, said.
According to AAPI Legislative Chairman, Dr. Vinod K. Shah, AAPI’s legislative initiatives for 2017-18 include, addressing Physician Shortage, and urged the Congress to increase Residency Positions across USA. “Our nation is currently experiencing a physician shortage, which will be exacerbated by retiring baby boomers. The result of such a shortage may affect thousands of patients’ access to a physician, and ultimately the health care they need. The only way to address this future crisis is to increase the number of residency positions available for future physicians to get trained, so that our nation can effectively manage the need for increased patient care. Increasing the size of medical school classes is not enough. There must be a simultaneous increase in the size of residency positions to train these future doctors. As Congress capped the number of residency positions in 1997, it is time for Congress to act NOW to remedy this critical situation. AAPI believes that all Americans have the right to see a physician.”
AAPI Legislative Co-Chair, Dr. Sampat Shivangi, pointed to some of the other initiatives that are being presented to the Congressmen. “They include: Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs; Immigration Reform: H-1 and J-1 visas are used by many Indian American physicians, playing an important role in providing critical health care across the country. Combined with the Green Card backlog consisting of more than 4 million people, AAPI members are very concerned about the impact immigration reform will have on the Indian American community.”
Dr. Samadder pointed to Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursements. He said, “These programs have not kept up with the cost of care and the growing populations utilizing them. It is critical that Congress review reimbursement schedules; otherwise, patients may not be able to find a physician in their community who accepts Medicare and/or Medicaid patients.
AAPI has been urging the Congress to enact Tort Reform: In order to reduce the practice of defensive medicine, bring down the overall cost of health care, and limit the number of meritless lawsuits, tort reform will bring fairness into the court system and better serve both the doctor and patient communities.
AAPI supports federal and state legislation that places effective caps on non-economic damages, limits the use of joint-and-several liability, provides physicians with flexibility to negotiate settlements with medical insurers and further limits the statute of limitations for filing medical malpractice claims.
Pointing out that from 1980-2005, while medical school enrollment remained flat, the U.S. population increased by more than 70 million people. Because the percentage of baby-boomer generation doctors (55 and older) rose from 27 percent to 34 percent during this time, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts that America will need 90,000 physicians by 2020, Dr. Ashok Jain, said, the number of physicians needed by 2025 according to the AAMC will reach a staggering 130,000. One way to address this shortage is to increase medical school class sizes to meet this future health care need. This issue is vital as it pertains to health care reform, as more physicians will be needed to provide quality health care to our nation’s uninsured patients.
“In order to raise our voices together and to have our voices heard on Capitol, Hill, we look forward to seeing you on Capitol Hill on Thursday, April 12th, for our Legislative Day,” Dr. Samadder added. For more information on AAPI and its programs and initiatives, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
After a year of threats and diatribes, U.S. President Donald Trump and third-generation North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un have agreed to meet face-to-face for talks in May this year about the North Korea’s nuclear program. Trump and Kim prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North’s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang has pursued its nuclear program in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
“A meeting is being planned,” Trump said on Twitter after accepting an invitation to meet from Kim. There is no date or venue yet for the meeting although it could take place in May. A senior State Department official said the talks would likely only be a preliminary discussion about holding future negotiations. “The expectation is that the talks would lead to a discussion around a conclusion that we’re ready to engage in negotiations,” the official said.
The head of South Korea’s National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong, speaking in Washington, said Trump had agreed to meet the North Korean leader by May in response to Kim’s invitation. Kim had “committed to denuclearization” and to suspending nuclear and missile tests, Chung said.
U.S.-based experts say North Korea appeared to show last November that it has succeeded in developing a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the United States. Trump has derided Kim as a “maniac,” referred to him as “little rocket man” and threatened in a speech last year to “totally destroy” North Korea, a country of 26 million people, if it attacked the United States or one of its allies. Kim responded by calling Trump a “mentally deranged U.S. dotard.”
The Trump administration has led a worldwide push to tighten international sanctions on North Korea to choke off resources needed for its weapons programs. U.S. officials say the moves, which include restrictions on fuel supplies to North Korea, on its key coal exports, and to cut revenues it has received from tens of thousands of workers overseas, have begun to show signs of working.
It remains to be seen whether a summit, if it takes place, could lead to any meaningful breakthrough after an unusually provocative year. North Korea tested its most powerful nuclear weapon to date and test-launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of striking the U.S. mainland.
The entire world is awaiting with caution, while several world leaders welcomed prospects for a possible thaw in the long standoff over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program on Friday, March 9th after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to hold an unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The invitation letter sent by Kim Jong Un and the immediate acceptance by Trump has taken the world by surprise. Successive American administrations have spent years on cautious, painstaking diplomacy with the Kim family dynasty, backed by a judicious mix of sanctions and bribes. After each deal was reached the North Koreans pocketed the aid and concessions on offer, broke their word and returned to their decades-long quest to develop nuclear weapons. At best, all that expertise and patience might have slowed North Korea’s path to a bomb by a few years.
But tension eased around last month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, laying the groundwork for what would be the first meeting between leaders from North Korea and the United States, and the biggest foreign policy gamble for Trump since he took office in January last year.
News of the planned meeting was welcomed by China, which is North Korea’s largest trading partner and its sole major ally, though overall trade has fallen in recent months as U.N. economic sanctions take effect. President Xi Jinping told Trump in a phone call on Friday that he appreciates his desire to resolve the North Korea issue politically, Chinese state media said. Xi “hopes the United States and North Korea start contacts and dialogue as soon as possible and strive to reach positive results,” the report added.
Neutral Switzerland, which often hosts summits, said it was ready to facilitate the meeting. Sweden could also play a role. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho will visit Sweden in the near future, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported on Friday, quoting sources. The Swedish foreign ministry declined comment. Sweden’s embassy in Pyongyang represents U.S. interests, in the absence of U.S. diplomatic relations.
North Korea sees a Trump meeting as a chance to win relief from the sanctions as well as an opportunity to earn the international legitimacy that it seeks, the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations think tank said.
“For Kim, the prospect of an early summit with Trump provides the best prospect of removing international sanctions pressure while giving Kim room for maneuver to possibly keep his nuclear deterrent in place,” it said.
Vice President Mike Pence said the United States had made “zero concessions” and had “consistently increased the pressure” on North Korea. Some U.S. officials and experts worry North Korea could buy time to build up and refine its nuclear arsenal if it drags out talks with Washington.
The government of Japan remained cautious about the talks. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump, in a phone call, promised to continue to enforce sanctions until Pyongyang took “tangible steps … toward denuclearization,” the White House said in a statement.
Trump had agreed to meet Kim without any preconditions, a South Korean official said. “Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze,” Trump said on Twitter on Thursday night. “Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached.”
James Clapper, a career military intelligence officer who rose to become Director of National Intelligence during Barack Obama’s presidency, cautiously welcomed talk of a Trump-Kim summit. If still in office, he would recommend that the president go, he said. “But I would advise that he do something that doesn’t come easily to Donald Trump, which is to listen. We need to hear from Kim Jong Un himself what it would take for him to feel secure,” General Clapper told this blogger In 2014 the general was sent to Pyongyang on a secret mission to bring back two Americans being held in North Korea. While there, he recalled, the North Koreans had stressed their desire for a full-scale peace treaty with America, to replace the ceasefire that ended the Korean war. Yes, the former spy chief conceded, the North Koreans have ambitions to push American forces out of their region. But that is no reason not to talk. “I think they may be feeling confident now that whatever they have is enough that they would not be meeting the president as a supplicant.”
North and South Korea, where the United Sates stations 28,500 troops, are technically still at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a ceasefire, not a truce.
Analysts say Trump’s decision to accept Kim’s invitation for a summit and to do it by May could be linked in part to a desire to claim a significant achievement in his most difficult foreign policy challenge before the U.S. midterm elections in November.
Kim, on the other hand, seems desperate to save a sanctions-battered North Korean economy. Both leaders have interests in striking a big deal, said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Sejong Institute. Should it happen, the May summit between Trump and Kim will come shortly after a planned April meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. It’s likely that North Korea will also push for summits with China, Russia and Japan later in the year to further break out of its isolation, Cheong said.
Oscars 2018 took a somber turn as Tom Petty’s Room at the Top was performed by Eddie Vedder to remember the artistes who unfortunately passed away in 2017 and 2018. Indian cinema icon Shashi Kapoor and India’s first female superstar Sridevi were among those honored at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony here during the “In Memoriam” montage.
The Indian stars got a musical tribute by Eddie Vedder who took the stage to sing Tom Petty’s “Room at the top.”
They were included in the annual montage along with stars such as John Heard, Tony Anne Walker, Jane Foray, Robert Osborne, Martin Landau, Glenne Headly, Roger Moore, George A. Romero and Jerry Lewis.
Actress Jennifer Garner introduced the segment by paying tribute to late star Audrey Hepburn. “There is no joy without sorrow,” Garner said, and then acknowledged the loss of film world with the departed souls.
Actor Sridevi, who died unexpectedly on February 24, and legendary actor Kapoor was remembered during the In Memoriam session at the 90th Academy Awards held on Sunday, March 4th in California.
Sridevi, known for her ability to slip into myriad roles, expressive eyes, sheer comic timing and her fluid dancing skills, died on Feb. 24. Her death left everyone shocked, and saddened.
Boney Kapoor along with his daughters Janhvi and Khushi bid a final farewell to Sridevi in Rameswaram last week. The first female superstar’s untimely death in Dubai came as a shock to the film industry. Her mortal remains were brought back to India on February 27 after Dubai authorities determined that she had died of accidental drowning in her bathtub.
Son of Prithviraj Kapoor and younger brother of Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor made his debut in Bollywood with the 1961 film “Dharmputra” after working as a child artist. He passed away in December 2017.
Bollywood’s ultimate “charm house” Shashi Kapoor then went on to make a name for himself globally by associating with international cinema. He was honored with the Padma Bhushan – the third highest civilian honor – by the Indian government in 2011. In 2015, he was bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Also at the event was Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistan-born actor, who did not let his time on stage go to waste. Before presenting the award for best production design, Nanjiani and Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o, expressed their support for the Dreamers and other immigrants. In what The New York Times describes as the Oscars’ “most pointed political statements,” the two briefly spoke about how dreams are the very foundation of Hollywood. “To all the Dreamers out there, we stand with you,” Nanjiani said.
While the glamorous Priyanka Chopra missed this year’s awards, after sizzling on the red carpet for the past two years, as she was not well. But the “Quantico” actress took to Instagram and gave a shout out to her friends attending the Oscars. “I wish all my friends nominated tonight all the very best! So sick but wishing everyone from bed! Can’t wait to know the winners! #oscars2018,” Chopra wrote on Instagram, posting along with a selfie.
Mindy Kaling was spotted at the Vanity Fair after party along with her “The Office” star B.J. Novak, sending social media into a tizzy, wishing for the two to hook up soon. Kaling said: “I will freely admit: My relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell. He is not my boyfriend, but he is not my best friend.”
Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman was spotted at the Oscar Concert on March 1. Included in the lineup was his famous number from “Slumdog Millionaire,” the Indo-Asian News Service reported. The concert was held at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, as part of a collaboration between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Rahman won two Oscars for “Jai Ho,” from British filmmaker Danny Boyle’s film “Slumdog Millionaire” at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009.
Chicago, IL: March 6th, 2018: “American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the most dynamic and ethnic organization representing more than 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, while officially launching a campaign against Leukemia and Lymphomas, donated a large sum of money to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America on March 10th during the annual AAPI Spring Governing Body meeting at the Freemont Marriott Silicon Valley, Fremont, CA,” declared Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI.
“Continuing with supporting noble causes, AAPI, the largest ethnic association representing the physicians of Indian origin in the USA, has taken on yet another cause to promote through its active support in educating people about the deadly disease around the world,” Dr. Vinod Shah, a past president of AAPI, and a well known philanthropist, said. Dr. Shah has agreed to match the money being provided by AAPI, thus doubling the donation through AAPI at this special event.
“Manushi Chillar Miss World 2017, was present at the ceremony, during which AAPI handed over the check to representatives from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said. “Manushi, hailing from a family of doctors and scientists, an aspiring gynecologist and cardiac surgeon Manushi Chillar has agreed to be the Brand Ambassador of AAPI for creating awareness about the deadly diseases, Leukemia and Lymphoma.”
The beauty queen believes that being brought up in Delhi, has given her the confidence and power to fight all odds and win the competition. “I am blessed to have got this opportunity, and I want to give my best. I have decided to take a year’s break from my medical studies and my college is very supportive,” says Chillar.
These days, Chillar is even seen showing her full support and involvement in spreading awareness about menstrual and feminine hygiene through her pet project ‘Shakti’. She has been emphasizing on the need for educating the rural mass on the issue and has been a passionate advocate on why it is important for a woman to use a sanitary napkin.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a 501 charitable organization, founded in 1949, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.
The Governing Body meeting in san Francisco from March 9th to 11th was composed of the Executive Committee, Members of the Board of Trustees, Chairs of all the Standing Committees, Chair of the Convention Committee as defined in Section 4.3 and the Presidents of all dues paid/paying member organizations.
“Coming from a nation that has given much to the world, today physicians of Indian origin have become a powerful influence in medicine across the world. Nowhere is their authority more keenly felt than in the United States, where Indians make up the largest non-Caucasian segment of the American medical community,” Dr. Samadder said. “The overrepresentation of Indians in the field of medicine is striking – in practical terms, one out of seven doctors in the United States is of Indian Heritage. We provide medical care to over 40 million of US population, caring for one in every seven patients in the nation. There are 150 AAPI Chapters across the nation and it has an ever growing membership of Indian American Physicians,” he reported.
AAPI is an umbrella organization representing dozens of local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, AAPI represents the interests of over nearly 100,000 physicians, medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. It is the largest ethnic medical organization in the nation. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
Goutam Jois, an Indian American attorney and activist, running for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, wants to fix shared values. “Washington is broken, and our shared values are under assault. As an attorney and an activist, I’ve fought to uphold those values – justice, fairness, and dignity – and won,” Jois says as reasons for wanting to represent the Congressional district from the Garden State, which has a sizable South Asian American population.
According to Jois, “I represented a young, unarmed, African-American man who was shot by police, and won at the Supreme Court. I secured asylum for a gay man from Jamaica, won a major First Amendment case for a police officer, and obtained landmark relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I’ve organized national youth political conventions and was the Youth Governor of New Jersey. And I’ve worked with the family business, seeing firsthand what it takes to create jobs in the construction and infrastructure fields. If elected to represent New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, I will bring that experience to Washington and work to expand opportunity, improve security, and strengthen our communities.”
Jois added that hard-working families need to know that the government will stand by its end of the social contract, speaking of security. He said he will fight for universal healthcare and policies to support working families, including paid family leave and raising the minimum wage.
And he added about strengthening the community that “we cannot allow anyone, least of all the president (Donald Trump), to divide us by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, immigration status or anything else.”
Among his platform issues include the economy and jobs, women’s rights, the environment, education, civil rights, immigration, LGBTQ issues, veterans’ issues and data privacy.Jois said democracy is being skewed for three reasons.
In addition to successfully litigating police brutality, First Amendment and civil rights cases in the Supreme Court, the Harvard-trained lawyer has been a football coach and a stand-up comedian.
The son of Indian immigrants from Bangalore recently threw his hat into the ring, hoping to revive the democracy so treasured in the U.S. The Summit resident, the married father of two children, has hopes for the balloting on June 5.
“I would not say I was bitten by the political bug early in my life, but I can tell you I have always believed in democracy and its values and fought for them whether organizing student-centric activities in school, college or grad school. At every point, I have believed in the values of democracy and the hope that it generates. That is what I have been fighting for in my life, including now in the context of an electoral campaign,” Jois said.
The primary race for the 7th Congressional District in New Jersey is April 2. Other candidates outside of Jois in the Democratic Party field include Indian American Peter Jacob, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2016 election for the same seat; Tom Malinowski, Kurt Perhach, David Pringle and Linda Weber. The Republican incumbent Leonard Lance will be challenged by Lindsay Brown in the GOP primary with the winners moving on to the November general election.
During a solemn ceremony that was attended by over 250 physicians and community leaders, Dr. Jagdish Gupta and his new executive committee members assumed charge of AAPIQLI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin of Queens and Long Island) at the popular Akbar Restaurant in Garden City, Long Island, NY on February 9th.
Dr. Ajay K. Lodha , past President of AAPI-QLI and national AAPI, was elected unanimously as the Chair, BOT of AAPIQLI in a subsequent meeting on Feb. 16th,2018. Dr. Lodha assumed charge as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the inaugural event.
Dr. Lodha called upon the AAPI members to “stand united, in order to be able to fight for our rights,” while pointing to the fact that Indian American Physicians service every 7th patient in the nation and contribute immensely to the healthcare industry in the nation.
As the participants at the event cheered, the outgoing President of AAPI-QLI, Dr. Rakesh Dua, whose term ended after serving as the association through a memorable and eventful year, passed on the gavel to Dr. Jagdish K Gupta, a practicing Gastroenterologist, serving the community for over 40 years.
Along with Dr. Gupta, other members of the Executive Committee 2018, were administred the oath of office included, Dr. Himanshu Pandya, President Elect; Dr. Raj Bhayani, Vice President; Dr. Abhay Malhotra, Secretary; and Dr.Vinod Jayam, Treasurer. Ten prominent physicians were inducted as Members at Large of the Governing Body. The Organization is ably guided by 15 members, constituting Board of Trustees and Five Advisory Board Members from the community.
In his inaugural address as the incoming President, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, President-Elect of AAPI QLI, announced the exciting new programs for the members in the year 2018 under his new leadership. “We want to continue to be the most vibrant, transformative and politically active Chapter among all AAPI chapters in the nation,” he said.
AAPIQLI, one of the largest chapter of National AAPI, has been serving 800 members physicians since 1995, providing continuing medical education, and discussing the state of the art topics in healthcare, wealth management and practice management. Dr Vajinath Chakote, Chairman of the Nominating & Election Committee, declared the results of 23rd AAPI-QLI Executive Committee for 2018.
The Mission of AAPI Queens and Long Island has been to represent the interests of all physicians of Indian Origin in the area including providing Continuous Medical Education (CME) and engaging in charitable activities for the benefit of our community at large. Since its inception there was a strong alliance with and support from National AAPI.
AAPI QLI grew rapidly in membership and was well accepted by all other local and national professional organizations. From the very beginning the leadership put heavy emphasis on transparency and the democratic process, which is the main ingredient for its enormous success. AAPI of Queens and Long Island currently represents 660 active physicians and donates more than $60,000 annually for charitable purposes. It is also one of the largest chapters of National AAPI.
During the colorful event, AAPI-QLI pledged to donate funds to several community Organizations, including Governor Cuomo Puerto Rico Relief and Rebuilding Fund to alleviate devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, International Nutrition Network (INN) which serves free meals and operates 10 Soup Kitchens in 14 location across Long Island, ROTACARE which provides free medical, dental, pharmacy and other behavioral health services to low income people, Sankara Nethralaya & Eye Foundation, providing world class free tertiary eye care and helping eradicate blindness in India and many other cultural and religious community Organization.
GOPIO officials and Chapter Representatives had a fruitful meeting with Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty and other Consulate Officials in New York on Tuesday, February 20th, 2018. The meeting was a follow up to the meeting in September last year when a GOPIO delegation met India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and appealed to launch Know India Program (KIP) during the Summer for the second and third generation PIOs in the US who have not visited India. The Indian Minister had in principle had accepted this proposal and the Indian Consulate in New York had invited a GOPIO delegation to the Consulate for discussion to launch Govt. of India’s Know India Program (KIP) during the Summer for the PIO youth during summer time.
The Indian Consulate officials included Consul General Chakravorty and the other Consuls. The GOPIO officials included Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, Vice President Ram Gadhavi, Secretary Dr. Rajeev Mehta, Chapter Review Committee Chair Dinesh Mittal, GICC Co-Chair Prakash Shah, GOPIO Media Council Chair Nami Kaur and GOPIO Council on Seniors Chair Sudha Acharya. GOPIO discussed several other issues including providing assistance to NRIs/PIOs in need and joint programs with the consulate.
The Consulate on its part updated activities and services provided for the community. These include joint efforts with the community organizations as well as organized directly by the Consulate such as the India Lecture series. The Consul General reiterated that the KIP proposal presented by GOPIO to Sushma Swaraj had been accepted by the Ministry of External Affairs, and will start in Summer of 2018. This program caters to young PIOs around the world who have not visited India, to make that visit and get to know about the country of their origin.
GOPIO delegation brought the following issues to the attention of the Consulate: PIO youth participation from the US in Know India Program (KIP); High need for social services for the NRI/PIO community in the US; Growing need to address the mental health conditions within the Diaspora; PIOs being charged 10 times fees for off campus enrollment in Universities; NRI/PIO Seniors experiencing hunger, loneliness and depression; and, Limited Consulate resources to attend NRI/PIO events e.g. Independence Day.
The biggest outcome of this meeting was the plan to launch Govt. of India’s Know Indian Program (KIP) for the 3rd and above generation US PIOs of age 18-30 who have not visited India before. More details of the selection process will come later. The meeting also decided to initiate several new programs with the Indian Consulate, especially in coordinating social services to needy NRIs/PIOs, health series talks and activities of GOPIO International Chamber of Commerce (GICC) hosting Indian business delegation.
The meeting ended with a positive discussion on how GOPIO can play an instrumental role to support the Indian Government’s objectives with respect to their nationals living abroad and helping the Indian Consulate to provide services to the Diaspora community.
One cannot imagine what was going through the mind of the sad teen who stood holding up the lighted candle mourning her best friend, with her mother Shweta Kapa by her side. It was only 24 hours since Nikolas Kraus, 19, now charged with premeditated murder, went on a rampage armed with a weapons grade assault rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killed the teen’s friend, leaving 15 students and 2 teachers dead. Meanwhile, an Indian-American teacher is being hailed as a hero for protecting her students in the face of terror.
Among the victims was, an Indian-American child, who suffered minor injuries in the shooting according to a Press Trust of India report. The ninth grade student sustained minor injuries after he was hit by splinters, and is being treated at a hospital, according to a PTI report.
There were no other known casualties from the community. But Indian-Americans are traumatized with their children undergoing the ordeal at school and their friends and neighbors suffering deaths. But they can take heart from the bravery of Shanthi Viswanathan, the algebra teacher who acted so quickly to save the children. According to reports in Miami Herald, the Sun Sentinel, and Orlando Sentinel, “Mrs. V” rushed her students to a corner of the classroom, “moments before” Cruz began shooting
“Mrs. V” knew something wasn’t right when the second fire alarm of the day sounded shortly before classes were to end at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Parkland, FL.
Rather than let her Algebra II students out, Shanthi Viswanathan made them get on the floor in the corner of the room. But first she put paper over the window in the class door so no one could see in.
Her actions probably saved her students, said Dawn Jarboe, whose son Brian was in the class. “She was quick on her feet. She used her knowledge. She saved a lot of kids,” Dawn Jarboe said.
Even when the SWAT team arrived and the police were saying to open up, Viswanathan took no chance that it wasn’t a trick by the gunman to get in. “She said, ‘Knock it down or open it with a key. I’m not opening the door,’” Jarboe said.
And that’s what they did. “Some SWAT guy took out the window and cleared our room,” Brian texted his mom.
“This is a sad day for the country and the community. We all Indian Americans are praying for the victims,” Shekar Reddy, whose friend’s son was among those injured in the mass shooting, told PTI. The school reportedly has quite a few students from the Indian American community. The FBI is assisting local officials in the investigation.
The shooter, who was equipped with a gas mask and smoke grenades, set off a fire alarm to draw students out of classrooms shortly before the day ended at one of the state’s largest schools, officials said.
Students who knew the shooter, identified as Nikolas Cruz, described a volatile teenager whose strange behavior had caused others to end friendships with him, particularly after the fight that led to his expulsion.
“It’s catastrophic. There really are no words,” Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel told reporters. The attacker used the fire alarm “so the kids would come pouring out of the classrooms into the hall,” Sen. Bill Nelson told CNN. “And there the carnage began,” said Nelson, who said he was briefed by the FBI.
A law enforcement official said the former student posted highly disturbing material on social media before the shooting rampage. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Feb. 14 investigators are dissecting the suspect’s social media posts and found material that is “very, very disturbing.” He didn’t elaborate.
Considered an affluent community with a state of the art school like Stoneman Douglas, the city has attracted more Indian families looking for a good education for their children. In the entire Broward County, where Parkland is located, the Asian Indian population is 22,600 according tostatisticalatlas.com. Parkland, population 31,507, was considered the safest city in Florida in 2017 with just 7 violent crimes, a CNN report quoting the National Council for Home Safety and Security, said.
The Association of Indians in America, South Florida chapter President Kavita Deshpande, told the media that people are “very badly” affected. In a formal statement AIA said, “The Indian American community, both in Parkland as well as in greater South Florida, grieves along with the parents who have lost their children in yesterday’s horrific shooting. We stand together, now and always.”
The Hindu American Foundation spent the better part of Feb. 14, tracking its members in the Parkland-Coral Springs area to check on them, Suhag Shukla, co-founder and executive director of the organization, told this correspondent.
Minakshi De, an artist from Vero Beach, said she had many friends in the area where Cruz wreaked havoc. “There’s a huge Indian community there and we hold the biggest Durga Puja celebration there. They are scared.”
“One of our member’s business partner’s son went into surgery but has come out okay,” Shukla said with relief. “This sort of violence is not random. And it is avoidable,” she added. “There’s absolutely no reason why ordinary citizens carry assault weapons.”
Shukla has a son in his sophomore year in New Jersey and worries for him as well. Asked if she knew whether active shooter drills were carried out at his school, she said she had not heard of any.
The tragedy this month in Florida leads all to ponder on a bigger problem — frequent shootings at schools — almost one gun incident every month — remain a nightmare for children and parents even if most have few fatalities or only injuries. Some recent horrific incidents stand out: Columbine High School, Colorado, where 15 were killed in 1999; Red Lake Senior High School, Minnesota in 2005 with 10 fatalities; and Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut, in 2012 with 28 dead.
The US, the most advanced nation has the most number of deaths due to gun violence. For Indian-Americans, who come from a country without a gun culture, the contrast between India and the United States in firearms ownership and gun deaths is often shocking. GunPolicy.org that is hosted by the Sydney School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, gathered data that showed that there were 3,655 total gun deaths in 2014 in India which has a population of 1.3 billion, or three gun deaths per million people showing a decline from a total of 12,147 or 12.3 per million in 1999.
In contrast, there were 33,599 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2014, nine times more than in India. The United States tops the world in the number of guns owned by civilians, with 310 million. That amounts to 101.05 guns for every hundred people in the U.S., giving it the top rank in the rate of gun ownership, while India which ranked next after U.S. in number of guns owned by civilians at 40 million, had just 3.36 guns for every hundred people, because its population is about times bigger than the U.S.
Against this backdrop, the Indian-American community is looking at the gun control issue, which has again risen as a topic of national discussion because of the Parkland shooting. These incidents have changed life in schools and the lives of millions of people across the great nation, the United States.
Columbus, OH – February 18, 2018: “The 36th Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) will be held at the at Columbus Convention Center, OH July 4-8, 2018,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, announced here. “The 2018 AAPI Convention offers an rare platform to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin,” he added .
Ambassador Nikki Haley, the top American diplomat and US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Ambassador Navtej Singh Sarna, an Indian author-columnist, diplomat and current Indian Ambassador to the US, have agreed to attend the AAPI convention and address the delegates, Dr. Samadder announced. He had met with the top-diplomats of Indian origin recently at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC and had won their formal acceptance to be part of the convention.
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 36 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 annual convention this year is being organized by the Ohio Chapter and is led by Convention Chair, Dr. John A. Johnson, a physician, business executive, private equity/venture capital investor, and philanthropist. A pool of dedicated AAPI leaders are working hard to make the Convention a unique event for all the participants.
“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,” Dr. Johnson said.
The 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 8-12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
“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. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect, said. A pool of dedicated AAPI leaders are working hard to make the Convention a unique event for all the participants, he added.
“The preliminary program is in place, the major attractions include 12 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. Ashok Jain,Chair, Board of Trustees, said.
“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. Yashwant Reddy, Treasurer of AAPI Convention 2018, said.
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.
Physicians of Indian origin are well known around the world for their compassion, passion for patient care, medical skills, research, and leadership. Not satisfied with their own professional growth and the service they provide to their patients around the world, they are in the forefront, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others, especially those physicians and leaders in the medical field from India.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 36 years, AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.
AAPI is an umbrella organization which has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. 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.
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.
“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 Columbus, OHIO!” said Dr. Gautam Samadder. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org
Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel, philanthropists of Indian origin, based in Florida, have donated an additional $25 million to Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Nova Southeastern University. The donation comes months after the Patels committed to donate $200 million to NSU for the institution to build a new medical school. The commitment is the largest donation to an institution by an Indian American.
Kiran Patel said Nova Southeastern University has been receptive to his vision of a medical curriculum with a truly international focus. “Somebody has to believe in that, and that’s what I find very heartwarming and encouraging, that we both share a common vision,” Patel said in an interview this week. The Patels’ gift will go toward scholarships for needy students at NSU’s College of Allopathic Medicine, where students earn MDs.
A ceremony for the groundbreaking of the new medical center will be held in March. This latest gift from the Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel Family Foundation, announced Jan. 27, also brought Nova Southeastern within reach of its $250 million fundraising campaign.
Pallavi Patel said the reason she and her husband did this was to have medical students 10, 20 and 30 years from now feel like they belong somewhere, according to a WLRN.org report.
“We always wanted to help a lot of people who want to be medical professionals, and who are struggling or looking for a place where they have a happy and healthy environment to flourish their dream,” she said in the report.
Their previous commitment — a $150 million real estate investment and a $50 million gift — went toward NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and is funding the creation of a Tampa Bay Regional Campus in Clearwater, where the osteopathic program will expand. Now both M.D. and D.O. programs will be named for Kiran Patel. “I just felt that it will be appropriate for my partnership with Nova where all medical graduates come out of one college called the Patel college,” he said.
Patel, a former cardiologist who runs the Tampa-based managed health care company Freedom Health, made most of his fortune 15 years ago when he sold another HMO, WellCare Health Plans, for a reported $200 million. He and his wife turned to philanthropy, donating many millions to the University of South Florida, local hospitals and the arts.
Physician by profession, and a successful entrepreneur, Dr. Kiran Patel, said, he is also planning a medical college each in both India and Zambia. He wants to expose American students to the world and bring international students to the U.S. for their education, according to the report.
Between the colleges at NSU and those international plans, he said he envisions producing thousands of doctors who will send ripple effects of their care out into the world, the publication said. “The opportunity I have been given, be it at USF, be it at Nova or other places I’m creating … I just consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed to be able to do something for others,” he said in the report.
While Trump administration is going on with its plan to slash or do away with the H-!B, highly skilled workers visas, Americans want the number of H-0! B visas issued per year to be increased from its current 85,000.
Some 400 hiring managers in the science and tech fields say by a ratio of nearly six to one that they will be looking for foreign talent this year. According to a survey by Chicago-based Envoy Global, an immigration services firm, 59% of respondents said they would be hiring more foreign employees at their U.S. offices, up from 50% who said so in 2017 and 34% in 2016.
“The survey respondents tell us they need higher skilled immigrants and think Washington should increase the cap for the H-1B,” says Richard Burke, Envoy’s CEO. The survey was released on Wednesday.
Seven in 10 employers said that having a global workforce was “very” or “extremely important” to their talent strategy (up from 63% last year). Some 77% cited the need to fill a skills gap for looking abroad. Almost 100% of human resource managers surveyed said that their companies changed their green card policy over the past year, with 31% saying they are sponsoring green cards faster.
H-!B is not exactly an immigrant visa, though it does allow for foreigners to work legally in the United States for at least two years. But it is one of the most controversial immigration topics after building a wall and the “Dreamers.”
The H-1B visa, dominated by the big three Indian outsourcers, is in more demand this year than last. Demand is nearly double where it was in 2016. The visa program has been roundly criticized by American tech workers who have been replaced by foreign workers, or feel their salaries have stalled out due to imported, skilled labor.
The U.S. issues 85,000 new H-1B visas annually, including 20,000 that go to foreign nationals graduating from Masters or Ph.D. programs in the U.S. A similar number of H-1B visas get renewed each year. “We asked if human resources executives would prefer a merit-based immigration system and 77% of them said yes,” Burke says.
A new H-1B reform bill by Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Jeff Flake introduced legislation that aims to increase the annual quota of H-1B visas to around 100,000 and lift the cap on the 20,000 visas going to recent graduates of U.S. schools if the employer agrees to sponsor them for a green card. The bill also would allow spouses of H-1B holders a special visa to work.
Some politicians want to see minimum pay stretched out from $60,000 for basic computer software engineers to $100,000. The U.S.-centric tech companies think that will pull some of the visas away from the big Indian firms that dominate the visa program. Roughly 60% of those visas go to Indian nationals working for the big three.
Although the numbers are low in terms of the overall new immigration population here, the H-1B has run into public relations problems due to lawsuits against a number of companies, including India IT outsourcer Infosys.
60 Minutes did a special on the H-1B visa program, with workers citing abuses of the program by their American employer. But immigration policy changes in Washington are making the process of bringing in foreigners slower, with more rings of fire to jump through.
“Trump’s immigration enforcement push is making it harder,” says Burke, citing survey data. “Requests for applications go through slower, site visits are up from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and requests for evidence on applicants is increasing.”
The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and the medical associations representing Pakistani- and Bangladeshi-American physicians signed a memorandum of understanding to advance their common professional, humanitarian and policy issues, including U.S. health care reform on January 27th.
AAPI’s meeting with the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) and the Bangladeshi Medical Association of North America (BMANA) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Miami was intended to lay the groundwork for a grouping that could provide South Asian-American physicians a seat at the table in both organized medicine and mainstream policy discussions.
Longtime AAPI chief strategic affairs adviser Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, the catalyst behind the strategic gathering, said the MOU would seek “to establish a coalition of South Asian Physicians in North America (SAPNA) which will collaborate on strategic opportunities to address health and wellness of South Asians in North America and the South Asian Region.”
The meeting will be hosted by AAPNA president Dr. Zafar Hamid while AAPI and BMANA will be represented by their respective presidents Drs. Gautam Sammader and Riaz Choudhury and respective presidents-elect.
Siddiqi said the MOU is non-binding with no financial liabilities for any of the parties. He said initial deliberations and brain-storming would include the respective parties agreeing to support legislative priorities vis-à-vis medical and health care reform issues that are pending in state assemblies and on Capitol Hill. He said areas could include disparities in healthcare among minorities, visa waiver programs and residency slots for international medical graduates.
Dr. Gautam Samadder told the media that the collaboration “marks a historic step for all South Asians, as we AAPI, APPNA and BMANA join hands and sign this intent to act as a collective force on influencing, shaping and proactively dealing with healthcare challenges faced by South Asians in North America.”
Dr. Naresh Parikh, AAPI’s president-elect called it a “first step that has potential for opening many new opportunities for South Asian physicians and the population they serve.” Choudhury said that the three organizations together represent more than 100,000 practicing physicians in the U.S. — or about 10 percent of all practicing physicians nationwide.
Initiatives are expected to include promoting the research and education programs of the three organizations, instituting a research protocol to explore the cardiovascular health status among the South Asians in North America and cancer statistics at home and abroad.
He spoke of forming a national panel and advisory committee to help and guide the international medical graduates from South Asia. He said as an alliance of 10 percent of the nation’s doctors, the group can be more engaged in mainstream policy through the American Medical Association. Efforts will also include civic engagement in health fairs and providing telemedicine services to South Asian nations. Choudhury said saw the possibility of rotating the Global Healthcare Summit through the three nations.
Siddiqi said, the genesis of the alliance came in the summer when Hamid invited him to attend the APPNA convention as an observer in Orlando, Florida. He then traveled to India for the AAPI Global Healthcare Summit where, in discussions with senior Indian government officials and leaders in medicine and the healthcare industry, he learned that “India was very keen on establishing India as a healthcare center of excellence in the South Asian region.” Siddiqi said that if the groups can be aligned, the result would have the potential to achieve health and wellness goals in both the U.S. and South Asia and advance humanitarian causes too.
He said he was encouraged by the positive responses from Samadder, Dr. Naresh Parikh, AAPI president-elect, Hamid and Choudhury — and that became the key motivation behind the MOU.
He recalled that while attending the APPNA convention, he had met with Amin Hashwani, a young Pakistani philanthropist from London. Hashwani, he said, “was very passionate about helping young Pakistani children who need liver transplants and informed me that every year he sponsors several kids for liver transplants in India.”
Siddiqi said that when Hashwani found out he was with AAPI and had organized the global health forum, he asked how they might work together with groups like AAPI and APPNA on this humanitarian need.
Siddiqi said that it was a crystallization of all of these discussions and meetings that prompted him to set up an opportunity for dialogue between all the organizations. The result was an invitation to everyone to get together and sign an MOU for the groups to formally agree to work together. “And we could then explore other opportunities,” he said.
It takes a lot of hard work to get into places like Yale and Stanford. But once students make it to the Ivy League, many find that while they’re ready to tackle Shakespeare and comparative political systems, they’re lost when it comes to building emotionally rich, and balanced lives.
To that end, a growing number of top universities are offering courses that aim to put students on the happiness track. A week after Yale opened registration for its debut course “Psychology and the Good Life” this January, a quarter of the undergraduate population—more than 1,180 students—had signed up, making it the most popular course ever at the university. Meanwhile, one in six undergraduates at Stanford take a course that teaches students to apply design thinking to the “wicked problem” of creating fulfilling lives and careers. And at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, students have flocked to “Lessons of Community and Compassion,” a course on social connectedness and belonging—precisely the things they may have sacrificed to get into one of Canada’s top institutions.
“I think students are looking for meaning,” Peter Salovey, president of Yale, told Quartz at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Salovey, an early pioneer in research on emotional intelligence, says that while students today are more sophisticated and worldly than previous generations, they seem to be much less resilient. Their sense of vulnerability is driving them to search for purpose, in academic courses and beyond.
Laurie Santos, the psychology professor teaching the Yale class, says the message behind her course—helping students figure out what it means to live happier, more satisfying lives, and teaching them scientifically-tested strategies to achieve that goal—resonates with kids who are only now realizing the toll that academic rigor has taken on their sleep, mental health, and sense of social connectedness.
“Our intuitions about what to do to be happy are wrong.” “Our intuitions about what to do to be happy are wrong,” she says. We think we want to achieve high-powered positions or make a lot of money, even if that means sacrificing the things that make us balanced and sane—human connection, exercise, rest, and activities that allow us to recharge. “This is a great moment when we have rigorous research on positive psychology—what makes us happy, but also on behavioral change,” says Santos. Her course covers practical topicsranging from the psychological benefits of charitable giving to how to pick a meaningful career. And because science shows that grade-seeking can undermine happiness, she encourages the students to take the course pass-fail.
Mental health issues among young adults are on the rise at universities around the world. “I was really surprised at the levels of anxiety and depression students face,” Santos says. A 2013 report by the Yale College Council found that more than half of undergraduates sought mental health services during their time on campus. A 2009 survey of 80,121 students, conducted by the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment, showed that 39% of college students felt hopeless during the school year, and 25% felt so depressed they found it hard to function. Nearly half (47%) reported feeling overwhelming anxiety, and 84% said they felt generally overwhelmed by all they have to do.
Teaching students how to be happier isn’t just about helping them as individuals—it can also be about helping them be better citizens. In the course “Lessons of Community and Compassion: Overcoming Social Isolation and Building Social Connectedness through Policy and Program Development,” McGill University professor of practice Kim Samuel introduces students to some of the most socially isolated people on the planet—refugees and migrants, indigenous communities, families struggling with food insecurity; the displaced, disabled, and disconnected. One of the goals of her course, she says, is to teach students what it feels like to have a sense of safety and community in their own lives, so that they can help build connectedness in more disadvantaged populations. “All students have experienced some degree of social isolation in their lives,” she says, “and that recognition is the royal road to reciprocity.”
“We’re adding the ‘life’ component explicitly back to the college experience.” Many of her students say it’s a life-altering experience. Jeremy Monk, who took Samuel’s course and is now a graduate student at Columbia University, says, “I think a lot of us down the road, when we look back on where we started … this is going to be the place that we started, and where our ideas started to blossom, and where we really were given the chance to feel like we can make a difference and we are the leaders of change.”
Stanford’s “Designing Your Life” course, meanwhile, is taught by Bill Burnett, head of Stanford’s design program, and Dave Evans, who led the design of Apple’s first mouse and co-founded the gaming company Electronic Arts before becoming a lecturer in the design program.
Evans says everyone is trying to answer the question posed by poet Mary Oliver: “What is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” “None of us got the manual explaining how to figure out the answer,” he adds. Soon-to-be graduates are facing that question with immediacy, and under pressure. “They’ve been wonderfully trained to get into and attend schools for 22 years—but not how to live in the world and to determine what “a life” means to them,” Evans says. He notes that being good at school is not the same thing as being good at life.
The Stanford courses have been such a success that the university’s Life Design Lab, co-founded by Evans and Burnett, now helps other colleges and universities to develop their own versions of the program. Evans says similar courses are now being taught at Northwestern, University of Vermont, Dartmouth, University of Michigan and MIT. “We’re adding the ‘life’ component explicitly back to the college experience,” Evans says. “It’s attractive because the need is great, the priority is high, and there’s little offered to help.”
The pursuit of happiness is, of course, hardly a new development. “Plato was talking about this,” Santo says. Scores of people have bought best-selling books on achieving happiness, from Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project to Dan Gilbert’s Stumbling on Happiness. And as the New York Times notes, courses on positive psychology are a popular draw for college students; 900 students enrolled in a Harvard lecture titled Positive Psychology in 2006.
What’s new is the growing body of scientific research on what actually makes people happy—and a sense from universities that today’s undergraduates are particularly in need of guidance.
Parents hold some responsibility for students’ lack of resilience, says Salovey. Parents’ laser-sharp, lifelong focus on getting their kids into top universities means that students are terrified of messing up. “It’s a kind of parenting that’s focused on college admissions and mitigating risks. We have to help students develop their own voice, to pick themselves up after failure.”
“We have to help students develop their own voice, to pick themselves up after failure.” There’s another advantage to offering classes on happiness: They underscore that mental health and emotional balance aren’t things that young people can afford to keep putting off. According to Sonja Lyuboirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside and author of the The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, 40% of our happiness is conscious, intentional, and under our control. “It takes the work you have to put in to be a great violinist, it takes work every day,” Santos says. Happiness is never a lost cause, but the science does suggests that becoming a happy person is not a quick fix. Taking a college course on the subject may be the best short cut there is.
Santos will only teach one semester of the Yale course. But a five-part seminar-style series, “The Science of Well-Being,” will be available in March, for free, on the online education site Coursera.
So far, Santos has taught five sessions of “Psychology and the Good Life.” She says the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “They are taking these ideas to heart in a way I did not expect,” she says. Alumni are already writing her to request a copy of the syllabus, as are kindergarten teachers and PTA heads. It’s not just young people who need help with happiness, she notes: “This is a human problem.”
Three men in India were arrested Monday night after police uncovered a huge scheme that targeted more than 11,000 people in the United States. Con men posing as officials from the Internal Revenue Service left thousands of voice messages claiming to have found irregularities in tax records of the targets. The messages instructed them to call back or face legal action. But the phone number they gave connected unsuspecting people in the United States to Indian con men sitting in a second-floor office in an upscale locality called Koregaon Park in the western Indian city of Pune.
India’s in-demand call center industry has contributed to the rapid development of sleepy cities such as Pune in the past three decades, drawing hundreds of thousands of ambitious job seekers to call centers for multinational firms. But in recent years, Indian con artists are using English accents and Americanized names, often utilized in call centers, for a different reason: to cheat unsuspecting foreigners.
Indian police officers have sent thousands of emails to victims in the United States asking for details about how they were cheated. Only three people have replied, said Assistant Police Inspector Sagar Panmand from Pune’s cybercrime branch, who raided the trio’s call center.
Indian investigators said they still don’t know how many people in the United States were affected by the scheme or how much money the scammers took. They also said it is unclear how the computer-savvy con men got the victims to transfer money to India but said it probably involved the use of gift cards from Target, iTunes and Walmart.
Panmand said early investigations suggest there are at least two similar call centers in Delhi and the state of Rajasthan that police are trying to trace.
Authorities learned about the Koregaon Park call center after they discovered another ring of scammers in January, who had targeted users of Apple products in the United States. At least 1,500 people in the United States received pop-up notifications on their iPhones, iPads or Macs saying their systems had crashed. The pop-up message also gave a phone number of an Apple service center – which was the phone number for a fake call center in India. The scammers then asked their targets to pay for the service of “fixing” their systems by buying iTunes credit that could be transferred to the con men and cashed in.
During the raid Monday night, police seized hard drives and laptops with the personal details of 11,000 people in the United States. “They had bank details, bank account numbers, phone numbers, addresses, everything,” Panmand said. “American authorities will need to do their own investigations to find out how all this data got out.”
He said Pune police are in contact with the Federal Trade Commission and will support U.S. authorities in their investigations. The FTC did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
Richmond Hill, New York. On Wednesday, July 7th, Chhaya CDC launched the expansion of its Free Tax Prep Services in the historically underserved area of Richmond Hill, Queens. Chhaya began to offer these services last year with the support of NYC’s Department of Consumer Affairs and helped nearly 100 families claim the powerful asset building tool of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This year Chhaya continues to offer the tax preparation services in almost seven additional languages. By working with Queens Public Library at the Lefferts Branch, Chhaya’s program will be one of two NYC Free Tax Prep tax sites serving the communities of Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, and South Ozone Park. One out of every five households in these neighborhoods live in poverty and could benefit from access to free, professional-quality tax preparation services.
Chhaya CDC is the only South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community development organization, whose mission is advocate for and build economically stable, sustainable and thriving communities. Tax preparation is often a daunting and expensive endeavor for low to moderate income individuals, and often not seen as an opportunity. NYC Free Tax Prep increases awareness about tax credits that put money back in the pockets of working New Yorkers. Far too many qualified individuals do not take advantage of the EITC, leaving thousands of dollars on the table that can be put to good use – whether it’s education, paying off a loan, upgrading a household appliance, moving, etc.
“Chhaya’s Free Tax Prep program will be the first of its kind in this community, “said Chhaya CDC’s Executive Director Annetta Seecharran, “Building on our other immigration and housing counseling services in this neighborhood, this is an important next step in expanding Chhaya’s programs to the Richmond Hill community, which is a desert when it comes to social services. Each tax prep client will be provided a list of wrap around services connected to Chhaya’s work in housing, financial capability, and immigration.”
“The reason why Queens Library is able to provide free, high-quality services such as free tax preparation is because of our partnerships with outstanding organizations such as Chhaya CDC and government agencies such as the Department of Consumer Affairs,” said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “They make it possible for us to meet our mission to build strong communities and give our customers the information and resources to help them grow personally and intellectually.”
“Since 2015 we have helped New Yorkers file more than 425,000 returns for free and claim refund-boosting tax credits that can be pivotal in helping them pay bills, get out of debt and save for their future,” said DCA Commissioner Lorelei Salas. “We are proud to be working with Chhaya CDC again this year to expand our trusted and professional free tax prep services to previously underserved communities. I encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of this free program to ensure that their returns are completed accurately and that they are receiving every credit and deduction available to them, including the EITC.”
NYC Free Tax Prep is offered at Lefferts Library on Wednesdays: February 7, 21; March 7, 21; and April 4 at 11 AM. This free service is available for families or individuals who earned below $66,000 in 2017.
Indian actress Freida Pinto and Tony-winning Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. are set to star in Only, written and directed by Takashi Doscher. The film follows Eva (Pinto), who might be the only woman left on Earth. After a mysterious plague threatens to kill every female on the planet, the lives and relationship of a young couple, Eva and Will (Odom Jr.), are put to the ultimate test as they try to survive the disease and the dangerous people who want to hunt her down.
Pinto has two movies due out in 2018, “The Jungle Book,” a live action retelling of Rudyard Kipling’s classic; and “Love Sonia,” a film about sex trafficking alongside Demi Moore. Pinto recently starred alongside Idris Elba in John Ridley’s Showtime miniseries Guerrilla.
Pinto could not contain her excitement when she took to Instagram to inform her followers about the new film. “This gorgeous man and I are partners in crime on a soulful love story we are filming at the moment. Can’t wait for all of you to meet our Will and Eva. #Only,” she wrote alongside a cute photo of the two actors. The film will also feature “The Walking Dead’s” Chandler Riggs and Jayson Warner Smith.
Pinto, who recently starred on Showtime’s “Guerilla,” can currently be seen on Hulu’s provocative drama series, “The Path,” which returned for a third season Jan. 17.
The 70 films in the offering range from Narrative Fiction Features, Documentary Features, Short films in the fiction and documentary categories, VR/AR and 360 films, and a scriptwriting competition that also offers readings with a cast of actors for the finalist scripts, and represent 35 countries.
A number of workshops and panels complement the film screenings as the educational component of the festival, and these touch upon such topics as editing, distribution, pitching for film projects, filming in New York from the Governor’s Office for Film, Low Budget Film Production at SAG-AFTRA, Measuring the social impact of films, and others.
Through its TV access at MNN studios, SR Film Festival offers additional exposure to filmmakers through televised red carpet interviews. Spokespersons and guests of SR Socially Relevant™ Film Festival NY include Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, Erin Brockovich, Martin Sheen, Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan, prolific and best-selling French novelist Marc Levy, Academy Award Nominee and Emmy Award Winner Guy Davidi, American TV commentator and author Gretchen Carlson, and Liaison Officer of Tibet and the Dalai Lama, Kunga Tashi.
SRFF partners with film schools, cultural organizations and representations of foreign consulates and embassies in New York, and socially responsible brands, focusing on specific topics and offering discounted access to their membership. Inquiries are welcome at ratedsrfilms@gmail.com.
The Fifth edition of SR Socially Relevant Film Festival NY kicks off March 16-22, 2018 at Cinema Village. “SR is sure to appeal to cinema fans of all interests. So come on and support New York’s latest festival.” Catherine Fisher: Tribecafilm
The Indian actor Adil Hussain starrer “What Will People Say” is set to open the fourth annual Dallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival, which will run from Feb. 8 through Feb. 11 in Dallas, Texas, and Addison, Texas.
The film, which will have its U.S. premiere at the fest, centers on the life of a 16-year-old girl, Nisha, who lives a double life: at home with her family she is the perfect Pakistani daughter, but when out with her friends, she is a normal Norwegian teenager. When her father catches her in bed with her boyfriend, Nisha’s two worlds brutally collide.
This drama highlighting the complex relationship between a father and daughter is among 19 shorts, documentaries and feature films which will be screened over a four-day period at the festival.
Six films will have their international premieres, while two will see their U.S. premieres, and one film will have its world premiere at the fest, which was recognized by Texas Governor Greg Abbott as the ‘Most Innovative Small Business in Texas’ in 2017.
“This is our most ambitious, comprehensive and well-balanced programming to date; it is also the most number of international premieres we have had at our festival,” said founder and festival director Jitin Hingorani. “Our major programming themes include: father/son and father/daughter stories, films with children as central characters and portraits of South Asian families living and working in Europe.”
The South Asian film festival’s centerpiece film is Arshad Khan’s personal documentary, “Abu,” a journey to the center of a fragmented family while they grapple with religion, sexuality, colonialism and migration. Through a tapestry of narratives composed of family footage, observation and classic Bollywood films, Pakistani filmmaker Arshad Khan takes viewers through the tense relationships between family and fate, conservatism and liberalism, and modernity and familiarity.
The Marathi film “Chumbak” or “The Lottery,” which is a coming-of-age story of Baalu, a 15-year-old boy in Mumbai, who is on the crossroads of his aspirations and morals, is the festival’s closing night feature.
In the film, Baalu dreams of escaping this wretched life with a small business of his own, a little sugarcane juice stall near his village’s public bus-stand. Having exhausted all means, a desperate and broke Baalu, along with his street-smart friend Dhananjay, aka Disco, makes a plan to put together the money with the only way they can think of – the infamous ‘Nigerian SMS Scam.’ But of the hundreds expected to respond to his text messages, no one but one man falls for it…a simple, poor, mentally-slow villager named Prasanna.
Caught between his guilt and conscience of fleecing such a man and the greed to fulfill his ambitions, Baalu will now have to make a choice. “Chumbak” is the story of these choices for Baalu that shall shape his life.
Some of the other films that have been selected to be screened at the festival include Mahesh Dattani’s “Dance Like a Man,” “Love and Shukla,” and “Bhasmasur.”
As part of the Indo-European programming, the French short film, “La Lune Folle,” and the Italian film, “Babylon Sisters,” will be showcased.
The LGBTQ shorts programming includes several shorts like “Aarsa,” “Sisak,” “Devi,” “Khol,” and “Maacher Jhol.” Several screenings will be followed by Q&A with the respective film’s actors or directors. For more information, visit www.dfwsaff.com.
India has launched one of the world’s largest health insurance programs that expects to cover 100 million families or an estimated 500 million people, at an annual estimated cost of some $1.7 billion.
India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the ambitious plan on Feb. 1 as part of the 2018-2019 Budget, saying in parliament, that “This will be the world’s largest government-funded health-care program.”
It also includes the setting up of wellness centers around the country on an unprecedented scale. While the U.S. is moving away from Obamacare, the program dubbed ‘Modicare ‘by Indian media, will be covering more than one and a half times the size of the U.S. population, akin to the U.S. Medicaid program which provides coverage for the poor, but focused on catastrophic illnesses.
The government plan will cover close to 500,000 Rupees, or roughly little less than $8,000 in expenses for serious illnesses requiring hospitalization. The government is budgeting $188 million for wellness centers to expand accessibility at local levels, especially for the poor who otherwise have to travel long distances to avail of modern healthcare.
Revenues raised from a 1 percent health access — an add-on to income taxes — is expected to go partway in financing the new deal, with national insurance companies as well as states chipping in to share the cost. The government hopes that as enrollment grows, the program will begin to pay for itself.
The need for universal health care is necessary in India, says Indian-American physician and Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, founder of the Parikh Foundation for India’s Global Development. “It is a great initiative which will, according to the government, cover 40 percent of the needy population (in India),” said Parikh, who is also the joint secretary of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), as well as past-president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI). He called it an “long overdue” measure, that would help people access state-of-the-art health services. While the life expectancy in India has risen to 68.3, and infant mortality has dropped from 83 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016 according to government statistics, and maternal mortality rates have declined, India still has to go a long way improving the health of its citizens.
The program “will be a game changer”, Prathap Reddy, chairman of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., and founder president and emeritus advisor of GAPIO, is quoted saying in a Reuters report Rajiv Kumar, vice chairman of NITI Aayog, (National Institute for Transforming India) the premier government think tank, told Bloomberg News, “If we roll this out enough within this calendar year it will be an absolute game changer,” adding, “It’s a new India that we are giving birth to.” Kumar also said funding of nearly $2 billion a year to meet the expense of health insurance for the poor, would not be hard to meet as more people enrolled in the service.
But Kumar did sound a note of caution, speculating whether state governments would work in concert with the center to make the plan a reality.
Doctors look at the ultrasound scan of a patient at Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi, January 19, 2015. Reuters/Adnan Abidi. In 2014, according to the World Health Organization, India spent some 4.5 percent of its GDP on health for a population of 1.3 billion. Meanwhile, data compiled by NITIAayog, shows significant drops in infant mortality in almost every state between 2002 and 2016. However, while India has made significant advances in its health system in the last few decades, the WHO notes that India accounts for 21% of the world’s global burden of disease; the greatest burden of maternal, newborn and child deaths in the world, Key challenges the WHO identifies in India’s health situation include the need to expedite progress in child health, under nutrition and gender equity problems; High burden of disease (BoD), even though important progress has been achieved with some diseases; and dealing with the emergence of maladies like cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, cancer and mental illnesses, as well as tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, water-borne diseases and sexually transmitted diseases.
NITI Aayog data also reveals the need for more healthcare centers in line with the plan outlined by the government. In 2005, there were 146,026 health “Sub-centers” around the country, rising to 153,655 in 2016; The number of Primary Health Centers rose from a mere 23,236 in 2005 to just 25,308 in 2015; And Community Health Centers rose from just 3,346 around the country in 2005,to 5,396 in 2015, inadequate by a long margin for the population of the country, and it is hoped the $188 million allocated for building Wellness Centers will meet part of the dire health infrastructure needs.
India has a patchwork of health insurance programmes — a network of private health insurance companies that provide private sector employees and individuals, government programs for its employees, Employees State Insurance that covers some workers in the organised sector and programs of some state governments, but the new program put the country on a path to universal coverage by insuring the poor across the country who have no other access to health insurance.
Anup Karan, associate professor at the Public Health Foundation of India, speaking to News India Times via Skype, said India has tried government health insurance in various forms since the middle of the last decade, and noted that there are both concerns as well as positives about the latest initiative. While the history of state-level and national health service efforts is checkered, the new initiative will have to take into account that 60 percent of health issues in India are treated in outpatient care, according to Karan’s findings, and the new insurance program covers only hospitalization.
Karan noted the “huge success” of the 2007 “pioneering” effort by Andhra Pradesh’s state funded wellness plan, Rajiv Arogyasri; the 2008 Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana which saw very low enrollment ratios and huge operational issues; and the 2010 launch of state-level health insurance by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra covering only tertiary and surgical conditions, with mixed results, where Tamil Nadu experienced “very great success.”
“The new scheme announced February 1, is an enhanced version of the National Health Protection Scheme launched in 2016, in terms of coverage and funding,” says Karan. He worries that because poor people use mainly outpatient care, the new program’s hospitalization coverage may not help them as much; in addition, he worries that when the poor did access the new plan, healthcare providers may tend to “overprescribe and overtreat” the poor who may not be adequately informed about the details of the coverage.
“But at least there is a scheme and maybe gradually these points will be considered as it matures and outpatient healthcare will get covered,” Karan said. He hopes to see results by the second or third year of implementation.
Vinay Aggarwal, former president of the Indian Medical Association, gave a positive reading to The Washington Post, saying, “Before this, hardly 5 percent of Indians were covered by health insurance. If you take into account private health care, it’s hardly 10 percent. Now we’re addressing 45 percent.”
Parikh said, “On behalf of AAPI and GAPIO, I want to congratulate the Prime Minister on this initiative and hope it will be successful and eventually lead to universal healthcare,” an objective Jaitley says is achievable if the new initiative goes according to plan.
