India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, won key state elections On March 10th that strengthen its position in national politics and offer a ringing endorsement of Modi’s vision of guiding India away from its secular founding principles.
In the battleground state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 275 seats, winning a clear majority of the 403 seats that went to the polls, according to the Election Commission of India. The northern state is the country’s most populous and is considered a political bellwether. It sends more legislators to Parliament than any other state and was key to Modi’s victories in previous national elections. The party also swept back into power in the states of Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand. These results make Modi’s BJP the favorite to win the next national election, in 2024.
With its historic victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP showed its popular support overcame criticism of its stewardship of the economy, which has stalled amid soaring unemployment and inflation, and of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, which devastated the state. “Today is a day of celebration for Indian democracy,” Modi said. “The results vindicate the BJP’s pro-poor and proactive governance.”
The results from Uttar Pradesh indicate a “triumph” for the BJP, said Nalin Mehta, author of “The New BJP,” a recent book on the party and Modi. The party’s model of welfare — direct benefits transfers and provisions of free food grains to people during the pandemic — helped it “overcome the stresses of anti-incumbency and deep economic deprivation along with an unapologetic positioning of Hindu-ness,” Mehta said. “The broad social coalition across caste and class that powered BJP’s victories since 2014 has not only remained intact, but deepened its roots.”
In the agrarian state of Punjab in northern India, a regional party known as the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, or AAP, won handsomely over the incumbent Indian National Congress. With its victory in Punjab, the AAP, which controls the Delhi capital region, became the first regional party in decades to capture power in more than one state.
The AAP’s growing reach — and the dismal performance of the Congress party — casts doubt on the future of one of India’s most storied political parties and throws into question the Congress party’s status as the BJP’s main opponent at the national level. Raghav Chadha, a leader of the AAP, told New Delhi Television that his party will be the “national and natural replacement” of the Congress party.
But the BJP’s win in Uttar Pradesh, experts say, again reinforces the dominance of the 71-year-old Modi in the country of more than 1.3 billion people for the foreseeable future. Modi in recent years has grown a long white beard, a move seen as an attempt to cast himself as a sage-like figure towering over the country’s contemporary political life.
Politics in Uttar Pradesh has long been dominated by parties catering to various castes. Under Modi, the BJP successfully brought under its umbrella voters from different castes who identify as Hindu first.
The results also indicate the emphasis on welfare politics in the country. While BJP’s victory in the states can be attributed to the welfare schemes and its effective delivery system, cutting across caste and religious lines, Kejriwal’s politics are appreciated by voters because of its focus on the welfare aspects.
The AAP’s emergence in Punjab with a splendid performance is going to create ripples that could lead to realignments at the national level too. Political observers who watch AAP closely see this performance as an endorsement of Kejriwal as a prospective national leader against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A little over eight years after it emerged as a formidable force in Delhi by unseating the Congress and leaving the BJP diminished, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is cruising to victory in Punjab by steamrolling the traditional players, heralding a tectonic shift in Indian politics.
The latest victory is likely to help the BJP forge ahead with its controversial agenda, including implementing a citizenship law that excluded Muslims from its ambit and had been pushed to the back burner after nationwide protests. Indian right-wing hard-liners also could push for their long-standing demands, such as a national civil code, which would override religious laws on matters including marriage and inheritance.
The bitterly fought state elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, have been held in staggered phases over more than a month. They were billed as a battle for India’s future, in which voter preferences would either burnish the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda or challenge what critics call the country’s tilt toward illiberal democracy.
A recent report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute, which maps the state of democracies in the world, said India was among the top 10 countries sliding into authoritarianism, a group that V-Dem says includes Brazil and Hungary. The U.S.-based nonprofit Freedom House, which assesses political rights and civil liberties globally, listed India as “partly free” for a second consecutive year in 2022, noting its decline in civil liberties.
As the incumbent party going into the crucial Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP faced a patchy governance record. Last year, the state was one of the worst-hit when the ferocious delta wave of the coronavirus pandemic swept the country and overwhelmed the health infrastructure. Corpses floated in the sacred Ganges river and were buried on sandbanks, revealing an enormous toll not always reflected in official figures, experts said.
For the Congress Party, its footprint shrunk to just two states, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, from the nine it had when Narendra Modi took charge in 2014. Congress president Sonia Gandhi signaled that the meeting of the party’s Working Committee will be called soon to discuss the way ahead but several leaders media spoke to were groping in the dark. Some younger leaders, referring to the landslide AAP victory in Punjab, did argue that the “old and jaded” need to make way for fresh blood.
Modi said that some political experts had said the results of polls in five states in 2017 decided the results of the general election in 2019, which the BJP won with a sweeping majority. “I believe this time also they will say that the results of 2022 have decided the results of 2024,” he said.
The city has now been subjected to nine days of heavy bombardment by Russian forces, destroying apartment buildings and flattening residential areas. Footage verified by the BBC showed shelling on Thursday, confirming a statement by the city council that the bombardment was ongoing.
“We appreciate the state government for this bold move. I am sure more women will feel inspired by Priya Rajan,” he added.
Father Swamy, a known social activist, said Rajan’s appointment “will blunt the [pro-Hindu] BJP’s communal propaganda in Tamil Nadu as it shows the willingness of Dravidian parties to uplift the Dalits.”
The delegation from GOPIO-CT consisted of GOPIO Intl. Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO-CT President and serial investor Ashok Nichani, GOPIO-CT Exec. VP Prasad Chintalapudi who is also Vice President of IT Company Panzer Solutions, Laser Systems President Viresh Sharma, GOPIO-CT Secretary Prachi Narayan, GOPIO-CT Treasurer and IT Consultant Srinivas Akarapu, IT Consultant Mahesh Jhangiani along with his wife Yashasvi Jhangiani and Fr. Sudhir D’Souza who us the pastor of St. Philip Catholic Church in Norwalk.
Ramakrishnan essays the lead character, Devi, a first-generation Indian American teenager juggling the pressures of her home life, including grief over losing her father, with a complicated love triangle, evolving friendships and inner emotional turmoil best expressed by narrator John McEnroe, notes ‘Variety’.
“The hospitality industry has always been one to step up in times of need,” Patel said. “The HospitalityHelps initiative is a true testament to what can be accomplished when we work together to help those who are suffering.” HospitalityHelps is currently connecting families on the run from the war in Ukraine with hotel owners across the world providing free hotel stays. “At the end of the day, people just need to feel safe. They need a roof over their heads and a place to call home while their country is experiencing extreme unrest,” Patel said. “This is the very foundation of the hotel industry and what hotel owners strive to do each and every day: provide solace and peace for those who need rest and a safe place to stay.”
Since coming to power in 2014, Modi has sought to squeeze charities and non-profit groups that receive foreign funds. Greenpeace and Amnesty International are among the civil society groups that have had to close their offices in India.
The WHO GCTM will be established in Jamnagar under the Ministry of AYUSH. A Joint Task Force (JTF) is constituted for coordination, execution and monitoring of activities for the establishment of this Centre.
Recognizing her international appeal (including over 60M followers on Instagram), the Academy inducted her into its 2020 class.
“I want to thank the dozens of AAPI Chapters and in cities and towns across the United States, who have confirmed and have started planning to organize the event in several states,” said Meher Medavram, Chair of AAPI’s Blood Donation Initiative said. The launch event will be held in Chicago on August 7th, Dr. Medavaram announced.
The growing influence of physicians 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. We the physicians of Indian origin are proud of our great achievements and contributions to our motherland, India, our adopted land, the US and in a very significant way to the transformation of the Indo-US relations.
Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, founder and president of GAPIO, and chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group was the Guest of Honor. A non-profit organization, GAPIO is a leading association for the Indian medical diaspora and the annual conference has become an important event in the medical calendar for physicians and other medical personnel around the globe.
Dr. Anupam Sibal, President of GAPIO and Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Senior Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist said, “The awardees through their immense contribution in clinical care, academics, research in different medical and surgical specialities exemplify the highest standards that Indian physicians have become synonyms with.”
“It had little to do with the Soviet Union because it was about ideologies such as anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism, anti-apartheid, and pro-Palestine, which were the basis of non-allied nations. We also supported the Soviet block, “explains TP Sreenivasan, India’s former Deputy Standing Representative for the United Nations in New York. In her article, Das writes that the tendency towards the Soviet Union is likely to be partly due. “India and the former Soviet Union share a position as an economically developing country rather than an inherent idealistic affinity.”
What triggered it?
“The President felt it was a constructive conversation,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.
“If we see more numbers like this moving forward, we can be optimistic about this year. Employment is growing at a strong rate and joblessness is getting closer and closer to pre-pandemic levels,” said Nick Bunker, economic research director at Indeed.
“The unthinkable might start to become thinkable,” 
“I have faced more challenges than I care to recount here, and I don’t cite my accomplishments to brag. Instead, they demonstrate the difficulties that many of us have faced on our ascent into leadership.”
Warne captained Hampshire for four seasons during a spell with the county from 2000 to 2007, and they named a stand after him at their Ageas Bowl ground in 2012.
Cuba had spoken in Russia’s defense on Tuesday, with Ambassador Pedro Luis Cuesta blaming the crisis on what he said is the U.S. determination to keep expanding NATO toward Russia’s borders and on the delivery of modern weapons to Ukraine, ignoring Russia’s concerns for its own security. He told the assembly the resolution “suffers from lack of balance” and doesn’t begin to address the concerns of both parties, or “the responsibility of those who took aggressive actions which precipitated the escalation of this conflict.”
What started as TiE Atlantic in February 1997 as the dream of 13 Founding Members and only the second TiE Chapter worldwide, has now grown into an unparalleled network of successful, serial entrepreneurs who are deeply engaged and committed to giving back to the community by providing mentorship, tactical advice, and expertise to rising entrepreneurs.
Community leaders during the meeting appreciated India’s efforts, but also raised questions and concerns including why India has yet to take a firm position on the Ukraine issue. They raised questions around India’s decision to abstain from voting at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), lack of initiating a mandatory evacuation of its citizens prior to the start of the war, discrimination and harassment faced by Indian students at Ukraine’s borders citing media reports and social media posts, role of community leaders in assisting India respond to the crisis, India’s role in de-escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and how to respond to members of US Congress and local US officials about India’s stand on the issue of Ukraine. Community leaders have also requested Dr. Kulkarni to convey their concerns to the Indian Government to ensure the protection of Indian citizens.
I completed my Honors and Master’s in Economics from Delhi University. Our eldest brother, Rameshwar Dayal, (RD) completed his 
In 1955. the Ford Foundation provided financial support to start a pilot project in Urban Community Development (UCD). It was headed by Mr. Chatterjee, as Director, who had been in touch with Ford Foundation Consultant, Dr. Marshall Clinard. UCD worked in collaboration with BSS, Mr. Chatterjee asked Mr. Brij Krishan Chandiwala, BSS Convener, that he would like to hire me as a Research Associate. And he asked his opinion also about my work ethics etc. The offices of UCD and BSS were just a block apart in New Delhi.
Since the UCD office was in Connaught Place, almost all those who worked for the survey of slums of Delhi remained in touch with one another. During evening they all (about ten) used to meet in Cannaught Place and sit on the lawn as we had no office. I was always there and led the group. We always thought of doing something productive as all of us were fully employed.
Around 2004-05, my wife was suspected to have Alzheimer’s which was later ruled out. However, she started signs of weakness, forgetfulness and it was not possible to leave her home alone. With the help from various agencies in home care and other areas we were able to carry on for about five years or so. My wife and I knew about Shantiniketan (SN) in Tavares, Florida. Around the same time My oldest daughter Monica and her husband, Madan Gupta, were in Orlando related to their business. On my request they visited SN.
“The generosity of the members of AAPI has been unprecedented,” says Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President of AAPI. “I want to thank the AAPI fraternity, for not only contributing $5.5 Million towards Covid Relief Funds for India, but has spent hundreds of hours in coordinating and disbursing the vital medical supplies to the most needed hospitals across India.”
“We continue to coordinate efforts to make available the much needed vaccines in the Slum areas in major cities where compliance is very low and apart from life-saving equipment for severe Covid patients management in ICUs,” said Dr. Tarak Vasavada, who has been in the forefront leading AAPI’s efforts to help India during the Covid.
“AAPI has sent more than 2300 oxygen concentrators, 100 ventilators, 200 high flow oxygen devices since 2021 to various parts of India. We are working to help AIIMS across the country which have been opened recently that haven’t secured the full funding yet from the government. After our initial donation to AIIMS, Bibinagar, Telangana AAPI is planning to donate immunoanlysers to all AIIMS across the country. As you may remember, AAPI had donated ventilators and high flow oxygen equipment to AIIMS in the past,” Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Clinical Professor of Medicine and AAPI Secretary said.
The resolution proposed by the US and Albania sought to declare that Russia has committed acts of aggression against Ukraine and the situation is a breach of international peace and security. It had also demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and completely withdraw its military forces from within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
India was courted by both the US and Russia given the symbolic nature of the vote and the West’s desire to isolate the US. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to press the case for voting for the resolution.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday he was convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a decision to invade Ukraine, and though there was still room for diplomacy, he expected Russia to move on the country in the coming days. Russia has repeatedly denied preparing to invade Ukraine.
The shock to international stability could hit global markets
Russian cyberattacks have 
He arrived’ on the musical scene in a crescendo with ‘Zakhmee’ (1975) for which he composed music and also sang, pushing him to upper echelons at a very young age of barely 22.
“After all, the President’s actions here do not relate to his duties of faithfully executing the laws, conducting foreign affairs, commanding the armed forces, or managing the Executive Branch,” Mehta added. “They entirely concern his efforts to remain in office for a second term. These are unofficial acts, so the separation-of-powers concerns that justify the President’s broad immunity are not present here.”
The decision, Friday, however, sets in motion a path to the judge weighing the factual allegations and evidence against Trump in the cases as well as possible civil trials months or years from now, where Trump is at the defense table.
Nearly 70,000 Americans have completed Google Career Certificates to date. “They are available to anyone, no college degree required. Seventy-five percent of graduates report seeing a positive impact on their career within six months, including a raise or a new job,” Pichai added.
The heartwarming moment went viral on social media with fans and celebs both congratulating Rintu and sharing the video. Actor Ali Fazal shared Rintu’s original tweet and wrote, “This is HUGEEEE!!!!!! Congratulationsssssss.” Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan also shared the video on his timeline and tweeted, “Congratulations to the whole team! This is amazing!”
“I love the way he narrates his stories and the treatment Sachin gives and weaves his characters. The process of this film is something that has changed me in and out and for the better . It’s a film made on an Iphone (smartphone) with a crew of 15 people and an actor without (hair, makeup, assistant, chauffeur) any kind of assistance: truly a liberating experience!,” she shares.
The document prepared mostly by the National Security Council and released a year after Biden assumed office sets out the plan for the Indo-Pacific, a region that his administration had said was going to be the focus of its diplomatic and strategic engagement.
Speaking about “the fundamental theology of the priesthood” at the conference, which was organized by the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops and the Center for the Research and Anthropology of Vocations, Pope Francis identified “mercenary” attitudes that emerge during crisis.
Commending the ambitious goals of 500 GW renewables by 2030 set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Glasgow (where the annual climate change summit was held in November 2021), Kerry said: “The criticality of achieving that goal was very simple. It is the only way that India itself becomes compliant with the 1.5 degrees goal, which we all ratified in Glasgow recently.”
Madhavan B Nair was born and raised in Neyyattinkara, located to the south of capital city Trivandrum of Kerala State. He is from Thalakulam Kunnakode family and born to Rajyasree Bhaskara Pillai and Rugmini Amma. His father Rajyasree Bhaskara Pillai was a freedom fighter, Editor and Publisher of Rajyasree Newspaper during that period. He completed his Primary, Middle and Higher Secondary schooling from Government School, Neyyattinkara; St. Mary’s School, Pattom and Government High School, Kattathurai respectively.
While articulating that that a new Anti-Conversion Law is not necessary since the Indian Constitution has enough provisions for the same, the signatories also stated: `Wherever the Anti-Conversion law, ironically officially called Freedom of Religion Act, was passed, it became a justification for the persecution of the minorities and other marginalized identities. The attacks on the minorities grew sharply in recent years since this law was used as a weapon targeting the dignity of Christians and Muslims particularly belonging to Adivais, Dalits and women.’ The petition called for joining hands to defend the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution and protection of human rights of the minorities and other marginalized sections in India. The petition was initiated by the National Solidarity Forum, a network of groups and individuals who started acting in response to the Kandhamal Genocide on the Adivasi Christians and Dalit Christians in 2007-2008.
“The presence of Dr. Hotez, a University Professor at Baylor University, Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University, Faculty Fellow with the Hagler Institute for Advanced Studies at Texas A&M University, and Health Policy Scholar in the Baylor Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and a True Friend of India at the AAPI Convention is a way for us, Physicians of Indian Origin to honor a legendary and celebrated champion of vaccines, who has developed vaccines for tropical diseases that afflict the world’s poorest people as he has devoted his skills, knowledge and experiences to help the world defeat COVID-19,” said Dr. Jayesh Shah, past President of AAPI and Chair of AAPI Convention 2022.
The award ceremony for this convention will end with a finale awards ceremony session on Feb27 at 10 am (PST). where 10 outstanding achievers and those who contributed to ASEI growth and the society at large will be honored in addition to student winners of the YTE competition. This year’s outstanding achievement awards go to the following:
The abrupt school closures prompted scores of panicking international students from India to flock to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa for assistance, as many of them had been forced to come up with thousands of dollars in fees without warning, only to have their education halted.
This was perhaps the third most violent Christmas the community has faced in India. On Christmas eve of 1998, 36 rural log churches were burnt and destroyed in the Dangs forested district of the state of Gujarat. The incidents were dubbed a “laboratory for right wing religious and nationalist fanatics.” On Christmas eve of 2007, another forest district, this time Kandhamal in the state of Orissa [now called Odisha] became the laboratory. Villages, houses, small prayer halls, large churches, and institutions were burnt, and people forced to flee for their lives into the forest. The violence was repeated a few months later. More than 100 were killed, many women, including a Catholic Nun raped, and close to 400 Churches and institutions destroyed. The Orissa government had identified the attackers as belonging to an arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh which had launched a massive hate campaign targeting the Christian community.