TiE-Boston Honors Entrepreneur Venkat Srinivasan with Lifetime Achievement Award at its 20th Anniversary Gala

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

TiE-Boston, which celebrated its 20^th anniversary at a black-tie gala attended by its founding charter members, past presidents and over 300 guests, on December 18^th, bestowed its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to entrepreneur and philanthropist Venkat Srinivasan, who has founded eight companies and is credited with creating 1,800 jobs and over $2 billion in value for shareholders.

“I am honored and humbled that TiE-Boston selected me for this award,” said Srinivasan. “I salute TiE and the many charter members for fostering entrepreneurship so passionately. Entrepreneurship is a key solution to society’s many challenges.”

“He has been associated with TiE for a long time and has always inspired budding entrepreneurs by investing his time and capital, and is well-respected by fellow charter members for his philanthropic work,” Tailam added

The other awards were bestowed in the following categories: Distinguished Service to Philanthropy: Sekhar Naik; Health Innovator of the Year: Derek Haas; Rising Entrepreneur of the Year: Allis Tweed-Kent; Charter Member of the Year: Rishi Bhalerao; and Volunteer of the Year: Arjun Venkatachalam.

The gala also held a “Fireside Chat” between Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Venkat Srinivasan. The TiE-Boston Board awards the Lifetime Achievement Award when an individual has made a lasting impact in the business community, and a significant contribution to the success of TiE-Boston.

Since 1997, TiE-Boston has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking, and funding opportunities. What makes TiE unique is that the organization connects entrepreneurs with each other and other stakeholders in the ecosystem, including seasoned serial entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, service providers, and early customers. TiE-Boston is a chapter of TiE-Global, the largest global not-for-profit organization fostering entrepreneurship. TiE-Boston members leverage the global network of members from 61 chapters in 18 countries. TiE has 12,000 members throughout the world, and has contributed over $250B in wealth creation. For more information, and to become a member of TiE-Boston, visit boston.tie.org.

Pakistan summons U.S. ambassador after Trump’s angry tweet

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterSocial Media 0

Pakistan has summoned the U.S. ambassador to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s angry tweet about Pakistani “lies and deceit”, which Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed as a political stunt.

David Hale was summoned by the Pakistan foreign office on Monday last week to explain Trump’s tweet, media said. The ministry could not be reached for comment but the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad confirmed on Tuesday that a meeting had taken place.

Trump said the United States had had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for “foolishly” giving Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” he tweeted on Monday. His words drew praise from India, and Afghanistan, but long-time ally China defended Pakistan.

The White House said it would likely announce actions to pressure Pakistan within days, shortly after U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said at the United Nations that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. “There are clear reasons for this. Pakistan has played a double game for years,” Haley told reporters. “They work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan.”

A U.S. National Security Council official on Monday said the White House did not plan to send an already-delayed $255 million in aid to Pakistan “at this time” and that “the administration continues to review Pakistan’s level of cooperation”.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday chaired a National Security Committee meeting of civilian and military chiefs, focusing on Trump’s tweet. The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, was brought forward by a day and followed an earlier meeting of army generals.

Relations with Washington have been strained for years over Islamabad’s alleged support for Haqqani network militants, who are allied with the Afghan Taliban. The United States also alleges that senior Afghan Taliban commanders live on Pakistani soil, and has signaled that it will cut aid and take other steps if Islamabad does not stop helping or turning a blind eye to Haqqani militants crossing the border to carry out attacks in Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Asif dismissed Trump’s comments as a political stunt born out of frustration over U.S. failures in Afghanistan, where Afghan Taliban militants have been gaining territory and carrying out major attacks. “He has tweeted against us and Iran for his domestic consumption,” Asif told Geo TV on Monday. “He is again and again displacing his frustrations on Pakistan over failures in Afghanistan as they are trapped in dead-end street in Afghanistan.” Asif added that Pakistan did not need U.S. aid.

Meanwhile, the Indian Overseas Congress welcomed the withholding of U.S. funds from Pakistan as it has been accused of harboring terrorists. “IOC has long held the view that Pakistan is not interested in rooting out terrorism but rather using it as an instrument of policy as well as leverage to siphon off funds from the United States,” said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the newly constituted Indian Overseas Congress, USA. “We agree with the White House sentiment that the time has come to call a spade a spade and demand Pakistan to cease of their nurturing of the terrorists in its backyard.

President Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit” saying America was foolish to have given Islamabad more than 33 Billion in aid. The tweet on Monday comes in the aftermath of rising tensions between Washington and Islamabad since summer when the U.S. announced his administration’s national strategy for Afghanistan. India has long been a victim of this Pakistani duplicity, and the attack in Mumbai on 26/11 was carried out by terrorists who were trained in Pakistan.

Nikki Haley Makes Gallup Poll’s Most Admired Woman’s List

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

Since leaving the South Carolina Governor’s Mansion for the United Nations, Nikki Haley’s profile has risen. As the United States ambassador to the U.N., Haley is visible on a worldwide level that few experience. Because of that, South Carolina’s former governor shows up on lists of who’s who and is ranked among other prominent people – not just politicians.

That’s the group Haley is included with in another poll. The Republican from Lexington is included in the gallup.com ranking of the most admired women of 2017.

Haley was included in the year-end poll for the first time. She rounded out the lower half of top-10 most admired women. Gallup Dec. 27 released their most admired man and woman lists with Indian American Nikki Haley cracking the list for the first time.

Topping the woman’s list was Hillary Clinton with 9 percent, followed by former first lady Michelle Obama with 7 percent. The top most admired man on Gallup’s list was former President Barack Obama, who notched 17 percent of responses. Obama was followed by current President Donald Trump who tallied 14 percent of responses.

It is the 10th consecutive year that both Clinton and Obama have topped their respective lists.

Others receiving votes in the most admired man list included Pope Francis, the Rev. Billy Graham, U.S. Sen. John McCain, Elon Musk, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Bill Gates, among others.

The most admired woman list included entertainer Oprah Winfrey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Queen Elizabeth II and current first lady Melania Trump, among others.

Shayna’s initiative, called Making Colors Matter to raise funds for the Blind

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

She is just 11 years old and Shayna Vidyanand is determined to make a difference to the lives of the underprivileged. This young Indian-American artist recently took the first step in this direction when she raised US$4,350 through the sale of her paintings to help provide vision to the poor. She donated the funds to Sankara Eye Foundation, which will use them towards 150 eye operations in rural India.

After reading an article about how a kid made an impact by donating his birthday gifts to Steph Curry’s foundation, Shayna Vidyanand decided to do the same with her initial works of art.

This private art exhibit, she said, was the first of her “Making Colors Matter” initiatives, with which she plans to help more and more people with her art. Vidyanand, who is fluent in Kannada, Tamil and English, started painting only a year ago. Her art is inspired from her exposure to a wide range of world cultures and her diverse surroundings.

She studies various forms of art from multiple teachers, painting oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas and has recently started sketching with pencils. The gifted artist loves to experiment with colors in her paintings and is typically bold with it. Shayna’s father Ramgopal Vidyanand said that she has always been a “very compassionate person to the less fortunate.”

TCS faces discriminatory lawsuit as CA Judge dismisses appeal

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

India’s Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. will have to defend itself at a U.S. trial over claims that it’s biased against American workers. A federal judge in Oakland, California, has rejected a request from the information technology outsourcing giant to dismiss a 2015 lawsuit accusing it of violating anti-discrimination laws by favoring South Asians.

In a further setback for the company, the judge also expanded the case into a class action on behalf of American workers who lost their jobs at TCS offices in the U.S. because they hadn’t been assigned to any of its clients.

“TCS will vigorously defend its position and expects positive outcome. There are no discriminatory practices in any part of the company and TCSBSE 0.30 % is confident that it will be able to defend its position at the Trial,” TCS said in a statement.

TCS was sued back in 2015 by a white, American IT worker named Brian Buchanan, who accused them of overwhelming favoritism toward Indian American workers, adding that he experienced “substantial anti-American sentiment” in his 20 months at TCS, and was ultimately terminated.

TCS has argued that Buchanan’s experience does not prove he was a victim of bias as “he has ‘no idea’ whether the application process was discriminatory because he did not attend any of the town hall meetings he was invited to during the Edison transition to learn about open positions with TCS and how to apply for them—and he did not apply for a specific job, the company said in a court filing.”

Another IT firm, Infosys also faced a similar lawsuit in Milwaukee four years ago and both the IT firms have come under pressure from President Donald Trump’s desire to hire more American locals and he is also wanting to decrease the amount of H-1B visa applications in a year.

‘Padmavati’ Cleared with No Cuts, But Suggestions For Modifications, Title Change

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has decided to give a U/A certificate subject to no cuts, but five “modifications” – including a title change – to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film “Padmavati.” The decision has not been welcomed by the Karni Sena, a Mewar royal and some members of the film fraternity.

There were reports doing the rounds that the board had suggested 26 cuts to the film, but in a statement, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi clarified that they have only advised five modifications, including the title change, but “no cuts”.

The board has also suggested modifications in disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of sati and also relevant changes in the song ‘Ghoomar’ to befit the character portrayed, he said.

Uncertainty has been looming large over the movie’s release since a few months, but on Dec. 30, the CBFC – following an examining committee meeting — said it has decided to give a U/A certificate to the movie subject to modifications.

“There are no cuts suggested in this film by CBFC, only five modifications,” CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi told IANS via email, refuting reports that 26 cuts were ordered in the movie.

“Padmavati,” backed by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, is directed by Bhansali and features Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in lead roles. The film, which was to release on Dec. 1, has been embroiled in controversy over alleged distortion of facts regarding Rajput history, with Rajput outfits and some backed by the BJP, actively protesting its release.

CBFC has demanded modifications in the song “Ghoomar” to “befit” the character of Rajput queen Padmavati being portrayed by Padukone, and changes in the “incorrect/misleading reference to historical places.”

The decision was taken after an examining committee meeting was held on Dec. 28 in the presence of Joshi, along with a special panel comprising Arvind Singh from Udaipur, historian Chandramani Singh and Professor K.K. Singh of Jaipur University. As per CBFC, the film was approached with a “balanced view keeping in mind both the filmmakers and the society.”

Despite the go-ahead, Karni Sena, an organization of the Rajput community, which has been protesting the movie’s release on Saturday again urged a complete ban on “Padmavati” alleging “distortion of historical facts.” The CBFC’s suggestions were also slammed by a Mewar royal, who expressed his disappointment in a letter to Joshi.

Popular Bollywood celebrities like Anubhav Sinha, Renuka Shahane and Apurva Asrani, among others also slammed CBFC’s decision on Twitter, where some people edited Deepika’s photograph with her co-star Ranveer Singh, referring to the new title, “Padmavat.”

Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia was “disgusted” by CBFC’s decision. “Disgusted by the open and blatant use of political muscle to screw filmmakers during elections. Now that Gujarat and Himachal are won, ‘Padmavati’ has got its U/A, it will be praised. Rajputs’ heroism will be talked about by the same people who slammed it. Thank God we have not made a film called Gandhi! Can you imagine what title CBFC would suggest,” he tweeted.

Sonam Kapoor, Akshay Kumar show what friends are really for in the new film, PAD MAN – ‘HU BA HU’

January 9, 2018 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

PAD MAN releases in North American theaters on January 26

Even real-life super heroes need best friends – as the newly released song from PAD MAN – ‘HU BA HU’- featuring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor shows! It takes more than one man to start a Sanitary Pad revolution, and ‘HU BA HU’ celebrates the people who come into your life and help you achieve shared dreams, as Sonam Kapoor’s character Pari does as she helps Akshay Kumar (Lakshmikant) bring his invention across the country.

‘HU BA HU’ shows the journey of the two as they traverse India, touching the lives of thousands of women. From meeting individual women to talking at schools and engaging with villagers, the song charts the pair as they grow from two people making a difference from the back of an Ox and Cart to recruiting their own pad women to gaining international recognition at the UN in New York.

The song also shows the growing bond between the pair, as they become closer as they achieve their shared dream. Akshay Kumar took to social media to eloquently explain his relationship with his friend and wife saying: his wife Gayatri (played by Radhika Apte) is the reason behind his success as Pad Man but Pari (played by Sonam Kapoor) is the strength behind him.

Pad Man is a fictionalized account of Padmashri Arunachalam Muruganatham, the man who revolutionized the manufacture of the low cost sanitary napkin in India. Lakshmi is a newly married, humble welder from a rural village in the heart of India. Lakshmi’s incredible journey starts when he is shocked to discover that his wife uses an unhygienic cloth during her periods. Unable to afford a branded pad, he decides to make a sanitary pad himself. After several attempts, his irate wife refuses to be a part of his experiments. Lakshmi’s love and concern for his wife, his determination to make the pad, leads him into situations that cause so much shock and embarrassment that it compels his wife to leave him and his village to banish him.

Lakshmi doesn’t give up. His simplicity of thought, his resilience, his focus and his complete disregard for convention finally leads him to his destiny. A machine that can make a pad! The revolution that follows…from spreading menstrual hygiene, to empowering women, to starting mini cooperatives, to a vision of making India a 100% Pad using country, to accolades, to international glory and to a final resolution of his personal life, makes the rest of the feature “PAD MAN”. His journey to make India a 100% pad using country goes on…even today.

Akshay Kumar takes a ride with his PAD MAN co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte and the three reveal their confessions in these fun new videos. PAD MAN hits North American theaters later this month on January 26.

The full movie soundtrack is now available including all the melodious songs from the motion picture. Check out the audio jukebox here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ztBgtzbW0E

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/seqok8s9jimby54/AACo_R5n_QfinOvN-Xcjiu8Ha?dl=0

Watch the brand new video for “Hu Ba Hu” which includes scenes filmed in New York City:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f95uCixtik4

Pad Man Confessions 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7IokXJSGo

Pad Man Confessions 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLIBF4Y0HvU

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K9ujx8vO_A

Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/PadManTheFilm/

Extravaganza Christmas celebration in Chicago by UTCC

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: In the momentous soul of solidarity, United Telugu Christian Community (UTCC), celebrated its Annual 2017 Christmas Carols by candlelight in collaboration with the Indian Christian Federation of Midwest, Indo-Pak Christian Community with carols, dance performances, and dinner on Saturday December 9th, 2017 at Croatian Cultural Banquet, 2845 W. Devon Ave, Chicago, Illinois.

This Christmas occasion pulled in chapel individuals from different Telugu churches in the Chicago area who met up in incredible quality of solidarity to unitedly praise the Christmas season. The vital host coordinators of the event includes Mr. Vijender Doma, Mr. Johnson Sukka, Mr. Thomas Polepaka, Mr. Babu Varma, Mr, Sohail Bakshi and local pastors from North and South India of different denomination churches who participated in this successful Annual 2017 UTCC celebrations, which was attended by more than 600 people. They have worked enthusiastically to guarantee the occasion had every one of the components of festivities.

The night’s program started with a supplication offered by Rev. Thomas Polepaka, Pastor of Shekinah Evangelical Church, who welcomed all attendees for the evening of the UTCC celebrations. The opening prayer was offered by Rev. Swaraj Perumalla, Pastor of M.B. Israel House of Prayer. Rev. Thomas Polepaka, Mrs. Mahala Sukka, and Mrs. Joyce Doma emceed the proceedings of the event. Exceptional Christmas carols were displayed by choirs from different churches who sang sweet melodies.

The novel feature of the night’s festivals was all pastors, elders, and lady leaders who joined and lit candles for the UTCC celebrations. The message was conveyed by Rev. Dr. John Reynolds Ambati, guest speaker from Michigan State, who delivered a few huge components paving the way to the introduction of our ruler, Jesus Christ.

After the message, the UTCC youth group started by singing popular English Christmas carols with music by Jestin Katari and Joshua Mallela. Followed by the UTCC Telugu choir, Gujarati group, Pakistani group, Tamil group, and many other different local church groups.

Coordinators Mr. Vijender Doma, Mr. Babu Varma, Mr. Johnson Sukka and Mr. Sohail Bakshi along with Keerthi Ravoori, prominent Indian Christian and FIA leader introduced the distinguished guests for the event. Guests of Honor: Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy, Senator Ira Silverstein, Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, Mr. D. B. Bhatti. Consul, Consulate General of India, Chicago, Iftekhar Sharif, FIA, Asad Azharuddin, a rising cricketer of India, Congressman Danny Davis, MEATF representatives Mrs. Nazeema Chand, Dr. Zenoiba Sowell, Mr. Nagender Ravi Sripada, and other distinguished personalities also have graced the event. Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy commended the hard work of the coordinators.

Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy, Senator Ira Silverstein and Alderwoman Debra Silverstein were felicitated and honored with shawls presented by Ruth Varma, and Gulshan Bakshi, Joce Doma and Mahala Sukka. Congressman Raja presented the Award of Appreciation to the following outstanding people of the Indian and Pakistan Christian Community. Award of Appreciation were given to Mrs. Thara Chandran and Mrs. Suguna Vallabdas for their great dedicated services contributed to Indian Christian Community for over 4 decades in the Chicago land. More appreciation awards were given to Mr. Babu Varma, prominent Gujarati Christian Leader and FIA, to Rev. Thomas Polepaka for his dedicated service to the Indian Telugu Christian Community, to Sohail Bakshi for his dedicated service to the Pakistan Christian Community, to Mrs. Subhadra J Vipparthi for her church and women’s ministry among Telugu Christians, and finally to Dr. Regi Paul for his children’s ministry to the Indian Christian community.

2017 Community Awards were sponsored by Mr. Johnny Peddapati in memory of his wife Late Deena Peddapati. Highlights of the evening included, a team of young girls from Mount Prospect Dancing School performing a beautiful dance followed by a Gujarati group, led by Babu Verma, sang a Qawali song and the women presented a Garba Dance and a finale of ‘Silent Night’ which was effortlessly sung while the glimmer of the flame lights shone the congregation premises introducing the euphoric soul of Christmas.

Vijender Doma later called on UTCC core group, Johnson Sukka, Thomas Polepaka, Prem Mitra, Edward Jenner, Ramesh Goneh, Shyam Sunder, Raj Paul Maddela, Arun Paul Gorre, Augustine Gaddam, Enoch Raju, Myrtle Agepog, Shirley Kalvakota, Enoch Raju, David Thokkudubiyapu, Ebinizer Mangalshetty and other Coordinators Babu Varma & Sohail Bakshi to come on to the stage and expressed a vote of thanks.

Benediction was offered by Archbishop Jayakumar Jacob Agepogu and Rev. Timothy Rathod, Senior Gujarati Pastor, led all the participants with the Lord’s Prayer and prayed for the food. After dinner everyone on the dance floor enjoyed Garba Raas.

India’s Lakshmi Puri Among 6 Diplomats Receive ‘Power Of One’ Award At UN

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Six top diplomats, including an Indian woman, have been felicitated with the inaugural Diwali “Power of One” award at the UN headquarters here for their contribution to help form a more “perfect, peaceful and secure world”.

The inaugural ‘Power of One’ award was bestowed upon exceptional people who have toiled selflessly to help form a more perfect peaceful and secure world for all of us. The awards were presented on Monday last week on the occasion of the first anniversary of the US Postal Service’s issuing of a forever Diwali stamp last year.

The awardees included outgoing British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft; Lebanese Ambassador to the UN Nawaf Salam who was elected to the International Court of Justice last month and Indian head of the UN Women Lakshmi Puri.

The other awardees were Maged Abdelaziz, the former Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN; Ion Botnaru, the former Permanent Representative of Moldova to the UN and Yuriy Sergeyev, the former Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations.

Co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Belarus, Georgia and India, the event was co-sponsored by nearly two dozen countries including the US, Britain, France, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Spain, Kuwait and Algeria, a statement said. The event was held at the prestigious Trusteeship Council Chambers at the UN headquarters in New York.

New York-based Batra is credited with the seven years of effort towards the release of a Diwali stamp by the US Postal Service. “In October 2016, we won and got our Forever Diwali Stamp. I personally sold over 170,000 stamps to make the Diwali Stamp the USPS’ #1 Bestseller for Day One in its over 200 year existence,” Ms Batra said.

“I was determined to succeed in my goal to get the USPS to issue a Diwali Stamp, despite knowing many others had tried and given up. I spent nearly 7 years chasing it peacefully, and using only inclusive and respectful means,” she said.

Eminent Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra said the Diwali Foundation USA’s “Power of One Awards” were the “Oscars of Diplomacy” and helped “Good” beat evil and suffering. Speaking on the occasion, Valentin Rybakov, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN, said the awardees symbolically illuminate a way forward to a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all.

Diwali Foundation USA was established this year as an NGO to promote a peaceful and consensus-based process to achieve societal “Good” as befits the high hopes and ideals of humanity enshrined in the UN Charter.

Among others who spoke on the occasion included Frantisek Ruzicka, Chef de Cabinet, President Miroslav Lajcak, 72nd UN General Assembly and Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nation

US Tamils plan to establish Chair for Tamil Language at Harvard

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

“Tamil is one of the world’s major languages, and the only South Asian language to have evolved continuously from a very ancient past while remaining a living contemporary language spoken by tens of millions of people. Its literary tradition is among the nest in human civilisation, encompassing marvellous love poetry, epic, philosophical texts, reflexive sciences of grammar, logic, and poetics, historiography, and an enormous religious literature,” said reputed indologist David Shulman.

The antiquity of the language whose richness still awes scholars is just one of the many reasons that have encouraged Tamils in the US to pitch for a permanent chair (professorship) for the language at the Harvard University. “Besides livelihood, the purpose of education is also to create an intelligent and civilised society, teach cultural values and develop scholars,” says S T Sambandam, one of the initiators of the campaign, explaining the significance of such a chair to Tamils.

With institution of the chair estimated to cost around 6 million USD (`40 crore), the fundraising committee so far has just crossed the halfway mark, collecting close to 3 million USD. “Being one of the classical languages, Tamil draws the interest of foreigners. The interest for the study of Sangam and other literary works has also grown in recent times. The demand for the study of Tamil would also facilitate translation of Tamil books into other world languages,” says Soma Illangovan, who has been living in the US for the past 40 years.

With around 10,000 schools students currently studying Tamil as a second language in the US, Vijay Janakiraman, co-initiator of the Harvard Tamil chair campaign says the chair will encourage more students to take up Tamil, leading to a cascading effect on Tamil communities living across the world.

While raising funds for the chair is no joke, what keeps fund raising committee members going is the success story of the Tamil chair at the University of California in Berkeley. The chair was instituted in 1996 after Tamil communities in North America successfully raised 425,000 USD. Some of the major activities of the chair has been starting Tamil font encoding schemes and partly funding digitalisation of ancient literary works including those from the Sangam era. The chair also invites Tamil scholars from different parts of the world for lectures.

While Sambandam and Jayasankar have jointly contributed 1 million for the chair, major contributions have come from Tamils in Toronto and Canada and from NRIs in other communities. Tamil cinema personalities like Suriya, R Madhavan, Mysskin and GV Prakash Kumar too have done their bit.

Committee members, however, rue that no support has come from the Tamil Nadu government yet, although former chief minister J Jayalalitha had promised to contribute 50% of the required funds for the proposed chair. They feel help should come without much delay. Lest the Harvard Tamil chair committee fails to raise the required funds before June 2018, the Harvard University would cancel the proposal for the chair. The million dollar question is would the Tamil Nadu government pitch-in in time to fulfill Jayalalitha’s commitment and the dreams of the Tamil diaspora.

Narendra Modi to be first PM to attend World Economic Forum in 20 years

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterFinance/Economy 0

Indians are likely to dominate the WEF which will be held in Davos next year. More than 100 Indian CEO along with the hot shots of Indian business diaspora are likely to show up for the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian PM in 20 years to visit the World Economic Forum in Davos next year. It was in 1997 when the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had attended the event. The annual meeting in Davos is a five-day long event which will begin on January 22, 2018. When Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he had attended the regional summit of the World Economic Forum in China in 2007.

Indians are likely to dominate the WEF which will be held in Davos next year. More than 100 Indian CEOs along with the hot shots of Indian business diaspora, like Mukesh Ambani, Chanda Kochhar and Uday Kotak is expected to show up. Bollywood biggies are also expected to be present at the forum. Actor Shah Rukh Khan and film director Karan Johar are to name a few. As far as the list of Indian ministers is concerned, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are some of the big names that are likely to attend the annual event.

If the Prime Minister decides to go, he will address a plenary session on January 23 which will be attended by the world’s business elite. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek are also expected to be present. Other big names from India and abroad include former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajanand IMF chief Christine Lagarde.

Davos is a small town located in Swiss Alps, within the canton of Graubünden. Davos is a popular ski resort that has a conference center which hosts the annual World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva.

The agenda for the meeting in 2018 is said to explore the root causes of, and pragmatic solutions for, the manifold political, economic and social fractures facing global society today. WEF’s Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said, “Creating a shared future in a fractured world requires addressing issues on the global agenda in a holistic, interconnected and future-oriented way”.

Indian social entrepreneur and activist Chetna Sinha will also be a part of the forum. She will be among the seven all-women co-chairs for the event. This happens to be the first time in five-decade when WEF’s Davos Annual Meeting would have all women co-chairs.

Indian techs head to Canada as US uncertainty over H-1B visa continues

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterTravel 0

With Trump’s rhetoric over America first campaign undermining high tech Indian Americans’ prospects of continuing to work and contribute to the growth of the US economy appears uncertain, many Indian Americans are heading to Canada. Historically Indians have secured maximum number of H-1B visa allocated every year for high tech workers work on a temporary basis. With new restrictions on renewal and Green Card gateway and citizenship for these educated and high paying job holders becomes uncertain under the Trump administration, several Indian Americans have started looking towards Canada, which is more welcoming.

Computer programmers, systems analysts, and software engineers, are the top three categories of workers to benefit so far. The bulk come from India — the same country that makes up the majority of US H-1B visas issued — followed by China and France. Word is spreading throughout Canada. Biotech company Cyclica Inc is preparing to use the system for the first time to recruit an American.

As a candidate, Trump railed against the H-1B program. There are several regulatory and legislative efforts underway in the US to reduce abuse in the program and the number of applications being challenged has jumped. Applications to the annual lottery for visas dropped this year for the first time in five years, reflecting concerns about a more restrictive approach, though applications still exceed the 85,000 visas available through the lottery. To those who have watched Canada lose talent to the US over the years, the tables may be turning.

The H-1B program attracts foreign specialized workers to come to the United States for employment, many of them from India and China. Immigration, along with invasion, has been a universal phenomenon uniformly dotting the entire progression of life on earth, being neither evitable nor exclusive to humans. Some aspects of this multidimensional process could be open to spontaneous detection and spot analysis.

More than 100,000 H-4 visa holders continue to be in imminent danger of losing their hard-fought-for ability to work in the U.S., as the Trump administration considers whether it will respond by the deadline of Jan. 2 to a lawsuit which seeks to rescind their employment authorization. The administration has asked for several abeyances as it considers its position on the suit, initiated in 2016 by Save Jobs USA. In its lawsuit, the organization contends that allowing H-4 visa holders to work creates unemployment for American workers.

“There is, of course, no evidence that the H-4 EAD program depresses wages or employment opportunities for U.S. workers,” said prominent immigration attorney Sheela Murthy in a blog post. “But, the Administration has maintained that, contrary to the reams of studies that show the positive impact foreign national workers have on the U.S. economy, their presence is a threat to American workers,” said the Indian American attorney.

H-4 visas are allotted to the spouses of H-1B visa holders. The vast majority of H-4 visa holders are Indian women, many of whom have skills comparable to their spouses. In May 2015, former President Barack Obama authorized work permits for H-4 visa holders whose spouses were on track for permanent residency. From October 2015 to September 2016, 41,526 people received authorization to work under the program. Complete figures for the most recent fiscal year, which ended in September, are not yet available, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Separately, The National Law Review reported Nov. 21 that the Trump administration is circulation a draft regulation to end the H-4 EAD program. The publication noted that a new regulation would have to go the Notice-and-Comment period – to comply with the Administrative Procedures Act – before it is adopted, likely sometime in 2018.

In April, three months after he took office, Trump issued an executive order – “Buy American and Hire American” – which, in part, prioritizes American workers and seeks to impose stricter standards on employment-based visas.

Canada’s fast-track visa program is just one part of Trudeau’s drive to boost innovation. The government is also pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into venture capital and support for artificial intelligence, joining private money investing in the country’s tech hubs in Waterloo and Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver and Montreal.

Canadian PM Trudeau’s new Global Skills Strategy is taking off. The Brazilian joins 2,000 other workers who entered Canada under the program from its start on June 12 to September 30, according to government data.

According to reports, ThinkData Works Inc., a big-data processing firm, just hired a software engineer from Brazil through Canada’s new fast-track visa program for high-skilled workers. “The process was bang on,” Bryan Smith, chief executive officer of the Toronto-based company, said. It took less than the government’s target of 10 business days to process the recruit’s application. Previously it could take several months. “If the government says two weeks and it actually is, that will create a whole new process around it.”

“It’s more successful than we predicted,” Canada’s immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said. “This program came from the business community. They identified a challenge and said you need to fix it.” Those who are fast-tracked can apply to stay as long as three years and also for permanent residency.

Two thousand people may be a small sliver when compared with the 320,000 newcomers Canada welcomed last year. “It sounds like a drop in the bucket,” says Daniel Mandelbaum of immigration firm Mamann Sandaluk & Kingwell LLP. “The idea is this is two thousand of the best and brightest.”

Most People Believe the Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Trump Are True

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

More than six in ten Americans believe the various allegations of sexual misconduct raised against President Donald Trump, according to a new CNN poll released Friday morning. Of those surveyed, 61% said they believed reports that Trump has in the past made “unwanted sexual advances against women” were mostly true. Even more — 63% of respondents — said that the allegations warranted a congressional investigation.

The White House has repeatedly denied sexual misconduct allegations against President Trump. Unsurprisingly, the results of the survey fell largely along partisan lines. Nearly 90% of Democrats surveyed said they believed the reports, compared to 18% of Republicans. Pollers also asked if Trump should resign the presidency in light of the accusations: 50% of all asked said yes, but only 10% of the respondents who said they leaned Republican answered in the affirmative, compared to 79% of those who said they leaned Democrat.

The poll, conducted last week, also reflected shifting long-term ideological trends in the U.S. 64% of those who answered said they believed the country would be better governed if more women were elected to public office, up from 57% in 1999 and just 28% in 1984. Only 8% of those interviewed in last week’s survey said that sexual harassment was “not very serious” as a national problem; in 1998, during the height of the scandal surrounding President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, more than one in five Americans said they weren’t concerned about it.

CT Indian Americans Celebrate Christmas With Carol Singing

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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 16-17, and 22-24, 2015.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.

Bitcoin, the new mantra to make quick money

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterFinance/Economy 0

Bitcoin, the red hot digital currency continues to hit new highs week after week — and it’s now got the weight of the world’s biggest exchange operator behind it. Financial market giant CME Group (CME) launched bitcoin futures trading on Sunday evening in the U.S., a week after a similar move by its smaller rival Cboe Global Markets (CBOE).

The involvement of top financial institutions in the bitcoin market underscores its growing mainstream acceptance even as government officials, business leaders and economists continue to warn people against investing in it.

The CME launch “adds considerable legitimacy” to bitcoin trading, said Shane Chanel, an adviser at Australian investment services firm ASR Wealth Advisers. Bitcoin’s price (XBT) hit a record high earlier Sunday before the futures trading started on CME. It climbed to within a few hundred dollars of the $20,000 mark before slipping back. By early Monday, it was trading around $19,000.

Investors were betting it will go higher. The January futures price on CME was about $19,500 last week, down from an earlier high of $20,650. Futures are contracts that let investors buy or sell something at a specific price in the future. But unlike traditional commodities such as oil or agricultural products, bitcoins aren’t physical assets. And unlike traditional currencies, there isn’t a central bank that backs bitcoin. The virtual coins are created on computers using complex algorithms and recorded in a digital ledger.

Bitcoin has had an incredible year. Its price has skyrocketed more than 1,700% since the start of January, partly on the expectation that more and more mainstream investors will begin trading it.

That’s prompted some high-profile figures in finance and economics to sound the alarm, cautioning that the currency’s boom is simply a huge, speculative bubble. But their warnings contrast with moves like those of CME and and Cboe to start bitcoin futures trading.

CME is home to about three times as much trading per day than Cboe. With CME’s futures contracts, investors have to trade bitcoin in blocks of five, versus just one at a time with Cboe.

The two also price their bitcoin contracts in different ways. Cboe bases its price on one exchange, Gemini, whereas CME takes an average from multiple exchanges. SR’s Chanel said that the launch of futures on CME should eventually help iron out some of the wild gyrations in the price of bitcoin.

And more big names in finance are also planning to get involved. New York’s Nasdaq is expected to launch its own bitcoin futures trading sometime next year. “If this market continues charging forward, (more) exchanges will be forced to act in the fear of missing out,” Chanel said.

Nikhil Mankekar receives human rights award

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

The United Nations Association’s Boulder chapter has presented Nikhil Mankekar with the International Human Rights Award. Mankekar, a 36-year-old native of Boulder, is active in many local causes related to promoting and celebrating marginalized populations.

Mankekar, co-chair of the Boulder County Human Relations Commission, received the award on December 10th, the day celebrating the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights in 1948. Mankekar noted during the award ceremony that the declaration was signed after an historic period of mass genocide . . . which, tragically, continues to occur to this day, the Community Foundation Boulder County (CFBC) reported on Facebook, posting pictures of Mankekar who is a Fellow of the Foundation.

“Nikhil urged all of us to act locally through our personal interactions to overcome the conditions that lead to such horrible acts, making sure we treat everyone with dignity and respect,” the CFBC noted, adding that the award ceremony was held in the Boulder Public Library, which carried a sign saying, “We are Boulder together.”

“Congratulations, Nikhil, and thank you for your efforts to advance human rights (including in your role on the Boulder Chamber’s Community Affairs Council)!” the CFBC said.

According to the news outlet Dailycamera.com, the event was attended by several local politicians and others. Mankekar has been a local activist of many years standing, working for underserved and under-recognized communities including Native Americans and other minorities. He is of Sikh origin and has advocated for immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients; was instrumental in creating the Indigenous Peoples Day in Boulder; and combating the criminalization of homelessness, the Dailycamera said.

In his acceptance speech, Mankekar reportedly said he knew firsthand what it felt like to be marginalized in Boulder. “The reason I’ve stayed and lived in Boulder, even despite discrimination that I’ve experienced, is to do what I’m doing now and to make it a better place for everyone,” he is quoted saying in the Daily Camera. “I’m just happy to be recognized for what I’ve been doing in the community around human rights,” the Indian-American activist added. “I’ve put a lot of myself into this, into human and civil rights issues.”

A $6 million Hindu temple planned in Connecticut

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

A Hindu temple is reportedly planned in Manchester town of Connecticut at an estimated cost of about $6 million, and is expected to complete in 2019. Planning and Zoning Commission of Town of Manchester, in its December 11 meeting, reportedly unanimously approved a place of worship to Om Foundation Inc.

Construction of this double-storey temple is expected to start during the upcoming spring on a 6.5-acre plot, which will include a 77-foot spire, reports suggest. Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of temple leaders and area community towards realizing this Hindu temple.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation).

Town of Manchester, incorporated in 1823, is the home of iconic restaurant Shady Glen and is known for Manchester Road Race. Jay Moran, Margaret H. Hackett and Scott Shanley are Mayor, Deputy Mayor and General Manager respectively. Notable people associated with Manchester include actress Astrid Allwyn, long-distance runner Alberto Salazar, ice-hockey player Doug Jarvis and memory disorder patient Henry Molaison.

Christians allege police high-handedness over arrests

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

The Christian community in Agra and Mathura on Sunday alleged police high-handedness over the arrest of seven people in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district on what it said were “fabricated charges of religious conversion”.

The seven accused, now in judicial custody, were picked up by police from a house in a village after locals complained to the police that “outsiders” were fomenting trouble by resorting to forced conversion.

The charge was denied by the accused, who told the police that it was a private family affair involving relatives. But a local activist alleged that the police came under pressure from “Hindutva groups” to act against the Christians.

Ahead of the Christmas celebrations, the community says this was an attempt to hurt their religious sentiments by rounding up people without any investigation and on flimsy grounds.

“We may have to approach the Chief Justice of India to grant us all anticipatory bail as we may be arrested when we go out singing carols,” said an agitated Christian leader in Mathura not wanting to be identified. “Imagine, in the court some lawyers called us terrorists,” he added.

Groups of lawyers mounted pressure when the bail application came up for hearing on Saturday, forcing adjournment till Tuesday, some lawyers said.

A C Michael, a community leader, told IANS that he had been trying to mobilize support and explain to police officials and also the local minister the real truth of the case. “Of the seven arrested persons, two are Hindus. So how could they be involved in religious conversion? Our community is living in fear in Agra and Mathura, ahead of Xmas.

“But we are lining up support and lawyers and have full faith in our judiciary. It was a family programme. Outsiders were provoked and they interfered, making all kinds of charges,” he added. Christian leaders in Agra have met the parish priests, the Archbishop and other officials of different denominations.

Independent lawyers in Mathura indicated that the court had been virtually forced by the slogan-shouting brigade to postpone the decision till Tuesday. A press conference scheduled for Sunday was called off as some supporters, fearing police action, backed out. A Hindu priest also chickened out, after initially agreeing to come out in their support.

Christian community leaders said their work was confined to providing healthcare and running schools. “Some vested interests are deliberately trying to create differences and tarnish our image,” said one of them who did not want to be identified by name.

The hearing of the bail application of the seven will take place on Tuesday. On Saturday evening, lawyers headed by Mathura Bar Association President Braj Gopal Sharma and Secretary Trilok Chandra Sharma wanted the District Court to be fully satisfied with the sources of funding for “such religious activities”.

The seven accused have been in judicial custody for the past 14 days. Police officer Baij Nath Singh of Surir where the case was registered told IANS: “The seven were taken into custody after some villagers complained about religious conversion in a house.”

According to the complainants, the accused were not only conducting religious ceremonies but also abusing Hindu gods. Hindutva groups said there have been repeated attempts in Mathura, Hathras and Etmadpur areas to bring poor Hindus into Christian fold.

Superintendent of Police Aditya Shukla in Mathura told IANS: “It is entirely up to the court to decide the bail plea and judge the merits of the charges… The police have no role and we should not be accused of acting unfairly.”

In an appeal urging support and prayers for those illegally artrested, AC Michael, said, “Bail application in Mathura case came up on 16th Dec. The other side, which consisted of almost all of the members of Local Bar Association including its President & Secretary asked for more time to submit their intervention. According to them Christians are same as ISIS and are on conversion spree across the country, using foreign money. The DM should investigate the use of this foreign money. Therefore, they want to submit a report on Conversion activities by Christians. Till then they do not want the hearing on this case to take place.

“To that the Judge remarked “Your malafide intention can be seen clearly. Even though the bail application was filed on 7th; till now you have not filed your submission.” He went on to say “If it was your client you would have been prepared to take up the matter on a holiday too.” Since the Court would not be functioningon Sunday and Monday, next date of hearing was fixed for 19th Dec.

“Dr. John Dayal, Advocate Pramod Singh and the undersigned were scheduled to address a press conference in the evening. Since we did not get bail, it was decided to cancel the press conference as the matter was considered sub judice. There are some miss-understandings that the Methodist Church withdrew its premises for the press conference. All Churches and Christians of Mathura City are united and are extending full support. In fact, many were in the court. If the opposition was about 50 in numbers we were about 25 inside the court room. Our lawyers matched their arguments which compelled Judge to be on the right side of law.

“Our lawyers moved an application seeking correction in the previous order dated 12/12/17 to record the presence of our lawyers in court, which judged agreed to take up at next hearing. We shall keep you updated. Thanks & regards,” wrote AC Michael.

Jobin Panicker receives Emmy Award

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Jobin Panicker of Los Angeles, California won an Emmy® Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Jobin is a television reporter and anchor for NBC (KSEE24 News) in Fresno, California. He won in the area of writing and he has been honored with seven television awards dating back to 2010. Jobin Panicker, son of Orthodox Priest Fr. Yohannan Panicker (Mecherayil Veedu, Kundara, Kerala, India) and late Lilly Panicker. Jobin is married to Jenni Panicker.

Jobin was born in New York but raised in Southern California. His journey as a reporter began at Gonzaga University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. While at Gonzaga, he and his wife (then girlfriend) joined the cheerleading squad, thereby securing courtside viewing for every Zags basketball game. From Gonzaga, Jobin traveled east to Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communication. While there, he earned a Master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. After the ‘Cuse, he set off for the “real world” and started working as a reporter for WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland. Jobin was there one and a half years when he got the desire to head back west He flew home to CA and has settled nicely into Fresno. He is married to a local attorney (his college sweetheart). Jobin plays pick-up basketball games at the gym in his spare time. He and his wife love watching the Zags and the Lakers and going to the park with their shih tzu, Samosa.

Sapan Shah to Run for Illinois’ 10th Congressional District in 2018

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

A physician and entrepreneur in Illinois recently declared his candidacy to run for the state’s 10thCongressional District seat as a Republican. Dr. Sapan Shah, 37, of Libertyville, announced his candidacy in September for the 2018 primary, with the hopes of eventually unseating Democrat incumbent Brad Schneider next November.

Among the Indian American candidate’s platform includes taxes and spending, the healthcare crisis and championing the role of citizen legislators as intended by the nation’s founders, he told Patch.com in a report.

Shah is the president and founding partner of a malpractice insurance brokerage in Chicago providing insurance and risk management solutions for more than 800 doctors. He said it has given him the chance to see the problems with the healthcare system up close, according to the report.

“As a doctor who has spent his entire adult life in and around the medical field, I am uniquely qualified to address the health care crisis we find ourselves in today,” Shah said in the report. “I will accomplish this through competition and transparency, empowering individuals by putting them in charge of their own healthcare.”

Shah said he intends to improve the economy by supporting job creators and cutting spending and taxes, the publication noted.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, yet instead of supporting them, our government seems to be doing everything it can to stifle the entrepreneurial spirit,” the candidate said in the report. “As a successful entrepreneur and small business owner, I know that businesses sometimes just need government to get out of the way.”

Additionally, Shah said that reducing taxes on businesses and individuals will “energize our economy and create better-paying jobs for the hard-working people of the 10th District.”

According to the report, Shah said he intends to run and serve in Congress for a maximum of six years, during which he will support implementing term limits.

American Dance Company to Perform in Five Indian Cities

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness, Culture/Religion 0

New York, NY: Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General of India in New York, will host a reception at the Consulate on Sunday, January 7th 2018, providing an elegant send-off for Battery Dance on the day before the lower Manhattan-based company begins a national tour of India, with performances and workshops in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata and New Delhi. The event will be an opportunity to obtain a sneak preview of the India tour.

Battery Dance, founded and directed by Jonathan Hollander in 1976, has been a cultural bridge-builder between the U.S. and India for the past quarter-century. Cross-cultural collaborations have included SONGS OF TAGORE that traversed 17 cities in the Indian subcontinent in 1997 during the 50th Anniversary of Indian Independence; and LAYAPRIYA, which toured six major metro cities in 2001. Hollander and Battery Dance have presented many of the foremost dancers and musicians of India in New York and on national US tours and annually at its Battery Dance Festival in conjunction with the Indo-American Arts Council, an institution that Hollander co-founded and on whose Board he serves.

The current India tour features SHAKTI: A Return to the Source, previously named The Durga Project, which was premiered as the centerpiece of the Company’s 40thAnniversary Season in New York in 2016 and which subsequently toured the U.S. and Sri Lanka. SHAKTI is a collaboration between Indian classical dancer Unnath Hassan Rathnaraju and the 5 principal dancers of Battery Dance – Robin Cantrell, Mira Cook, Bethany Mitchell, Sean Scantlebury and Clement Mensah. The work was inspired by the rendition of Raag Durga as recorded by the Hindustani master vocalists Rajan & Sajan Mishra who have given special permission to use their recording and who will attend the final performance of the tour in New Delhi.

The Consulate General of India, New York will be a co-sponsor in the company’s 37th Annual Dance Festival which is scheduled for August 2018 to be held in New York City where they will continue their tradition of presenting Indian dance with a special performance on India’s Independence Day, August 15th, 2018.

Santhigram Wellness Kerala Ayurveda, USA to Celebrate its 10th Anniversary on January 20, 2018 at New Jersey

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Co., USA, a leading provider of authentic Kerala specific Ayurveda therapies in the United States, having its presence at 12 locations spread all over US including New Jersey, New York, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin, proudly announces a grand celebration on the occasion of completing 10 years since its inception in US on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Edison Hotel Banquet and Conference Center, 3050 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, New Jersey.

More than 500 esteemed guests are expected to attend the function on the said day from various walks of life including clients, stakeholders, friends and well-wishers from various parts of US and abroad. It is also expected that the occasion will be graced by the presence of distinguished guests from Elected officials, Media, Community associations, Chambers of Commerce, business and other forums.

Series of programs have been lined up as part of the event, including the launch of much awaited Ayurveda training School, Santhigram Herbal products and “Santhigram Foundation” – A charity wing of Santhigram for advocating and promoting health and wellness and making awareness of the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) based on “Ayurveda” principles that nurture the human mind, body and spirit and extending the benefit of cost-efficient Ayurveda treatments and medicinal herbs for chronic ailments to low income patients.

Theme of the celebration during the extravaganza evening would be “Celebrating the Spirit of Life and Good Health” which will entail walking the audience through various chores involved in daily life and focus on realizing the supreme importance of staying pristine healthy.

Some of the distinguished members of the community and employees who have supported and contributed immensely to the growth of the unique business model, Santhigram Wellness Kerala Ayurveda which has been successfully adopted in United States, will be accorded due recognition during the function. It will be followed by variety of enthralling entertaining programs replete with a riveting dance and music programs and a sumptuous dinner evening. For further details, please contact on email: info(at)santhigramusa(dot)com

or phone number 888-537-2987 / 732-709-3347.

Christmas Musings….

December 26, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

By George Abraham

I was merely happy to be invited to the ‘Holiday Party’ organized by the South Asian Community in Queens. However, I have learned that the main purpose of the gathering was to honor the newly appointed Consul General Sandeep Chakraborthy of India and introduce him to various elected officials from Queens, New York. The program ran in typical Indian style, with as many of the community leaders jockeying for VIP seats and later on putting up a brave struggle to position themselves for a celebrity photo for their next Facebook post.

These politicos in New York City appear to show very little respect for the South Asian Community. To them, we are an ATM they could push a button on and get their so-called campaign contributions. They seem to be quite confident as well that we are ‘simple-minded’ and would go away happily after an embrace and a Selfie shoot for the next edition in an Indian weekly newspaper.

I wonder why the South Asian Community, probably the largest concentration anywhere in the U.S. has so far failed to get a footing in the mainstream politics in New York City! Indians who live even in the old Confederacy seem to have more success than their peers who live in the most liberal city in the U.S.

I had long wanted to vent this boiling frustration within me to somebody when Professor Saluja, the emcee for the evening, informed me that I would have an opportunity to say few words at the function felicitating the Chief Guest before all those public officials from the Queens. However, it never came to pass, and they simply had too many speakers who paid the bill, they said!

However, I had an opportunity to speak to Ms. Letitia James, the Public Advocate for the New York City Council. I tried to make my case and requested her to help appropriate one city council seat, probably District 23, for an Asian Indian if not a South Asian. She tried to convince me that we have to come together and fight the election. My response to her was that we are quite observant of the political dynamics here and unless the Democratic Party officially put their weight behind a South Asian, it will be a futile effort. We have indeed learned how the ‘single-party system’ dominated by the Democratic party in New York is lately reduced into machine politics and unless you are in it, ‘you ain’t going anywhere’!

As I sat there listening to speaker after speaker greeting the audience, not a single one uttered the word “Merry Christmas”. A number of them were eager to say “Happy Hannukah’ that was mostly addressed to the visiting Jewish public officials. Anyway, we could come to the conclusion by now that ‘Merry Christmas’ has become a toxic greeting phrase in New York as our Diaspora is pretty much adapted to the PC culture of the Northeast. As a Christian who was sitting there, probably one of the few in the audience, my mind wandered back to the younger days of growing up in Kerala, India where we all greeted each other with ‘Merry Christmas’ for the simple reason for the season.

Upon my return home that evening, Gujarat poll results started coming in. Congress had indeed outperformed all the expectations and appeared to have thoroughly thrashed the much-heralded exit poll results. However, people of Gujarat still handed BJP another term despite becoming miserable and more impoverished through their demonetization policies as well as the messy GST implementation. The verdict sends a clear message to the world that hate and bigotry trumps over economic troubles and personal misery!

Opening up the Internet browser the following day, I am once again reminded that this is not a season of peace and goodwill toward men as right-wing fringe groups have threatened to disrupt Christmas and New Year celebrations in some Uttar Pradesh towns. A series of warnings have come from these groups just days after an alleged attack on priests in a Madhya Pradesh town. In Aligarh, a group called the Hindu Jagran Manch has warned schools against celebrating Christmas, saying they could do so “at their own risk”.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that December 25, Christmas Day, would be observed as Good Governance day. India has 2000 years of history of Christianity that was long before even England had embraced the religion. Why then this alienation of a religious group in India that has contributed much to the educational and social development of the nation! Nevertheless, it is quite impressive to note that as the first generation Indians to the US, we are already lobbying to make Diwali a holiday in New York City!

By this time you may have heard about the decimation of ISIS and its Caliphate in Syria and Iraq. Recently, Iraqi forces with overwhelming support from U.S. Airforce have retaken the city of Mosul. ISIS has pushed Iraq’s religious minorities to the edge of extinction. However, the sad story of one Christian family brings the ugly face of religious discrimination home to us all.

The story is told as follows: A family of four lived in a small village about sixteen miles outside of Mosul. Shortly after the Islamic State took over, the father, a construction worker, took his wife of twenty-eight years to Mosul to continue her breast cancer treatments. But at the hospital, a guard refused to allow the man’s wife to enter because they were Christians. He told her that to continue receiving medical care, she would have to convert to Islam. She refused and the couple was forced to return to their village. Ten days later she died with her husband and sons at her bedside.

New York city, that sits thousands of miles away and Oceans apart, is once again on the edge during this Christmas season as ISIS propaganda machine shows chilling picture of Santa Claus next to a box of dynamite in Times Square! As we are on the threshold of a new year, the human effort to bring peace, security and harmony among disparate groups appear to be as elusive as ever! Will the year 2018 bring us a ray of hope? We can only pray!

(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations)

Church leaders meet PM, seek Rs 3,500-cr package The Church said over 6,030 fishermen were directly affected by the cyclone

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

The Latin Church has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Rs 3,500 crore Central package for Ochki relief measures. A Church delegation led by Archbishop Soosa Pakiam met the Prime Minister on Dec 19 evening and petitioned for central assistance.

The Church said over 6,030 fishermen were directly affected by the cyclone. “Among them 70 fishermen in Kerala are dead and 108 men in Kanyakumari district are reported dead. Several are still missing.

The 39 coastal villages in Kerala and the sea coast of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu are heavily eroding due to the unscientific constructions in the sea which resulted in loss of several houses in the past and during the cyclone,” the petition said. The delegation raised a number of demands, including forming a Central ministry to coordinate and effectively manage coastal and fisheries affairs in the country.

Other demands include – declaring Ochki cyclone and other sea disasters as natural calamities, introducing auto piloting systemised crafts for search operation and establish joint operation units in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, satellite-based tracking system in fishing boats in collaboration with ISRO and starting a Wireless Personal Communication (WPC) office in Thiruvananthapuram.

They said central assistance would be needed for sustainable compensation fund for the deceased, the missing families and permanently disabled families (300 crore), Satellite Tracking System and VHF Radio Sets (80 crore), Marine Ambulances (70 crore), compensation for lost vessels and replacement of small vessels (800 crore), integrated housing with basic amenities (1,250 crore), coastal protection measures (750 crore) and disaster preparedness and rescue operations (250 crore).Appreciating the rescue and relief measures carried out by the Central Government, the Church sought imminent action on the special package.

Modi spoke to over a dozen fisherwomen, fish workers’ representatives and Church leaders. He assured them that all fishermen who have been stranded in the sea will be brought back before Christmas.

The Prime Minister said the Navy and Coast Guard vessels would continue to step up surveillance to rescue the remaining fishermen. Also, efforts would continue to recover the bodies of those who have died in the cyclone.

Source: New Indian Express

John Dayal honored for lifetime contributions to the society

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

By Sudhansu Digal

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Minority Alliance (OMA) has honored John Dayal, a leading lay Catholic human rights activist and senior journalist, for his lifetime contribution for the cause of religious minorities in India.

The award was given on December 18 by Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Minister for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development, Other Backward Class and Minority Welfare, Government of Odisha, on behalf of Odisha Minority Alliance (OMA), Bhubaneswar in Bhubaneswar.

More than 300 religious minority leaders, human right defenders, social workers and academicians coming from different parts of Odisha attended the function organized on the occasion of International Minority Day.

OMA, a coalition of religious minorities in Odisha, Eastern India, comprises Christians and Muslims, the state’s major minority groups.

Barendra Kumar, convener of OMA, hailed Dayal as a multi-faced human rights crusader, towering leader of the religious minorities in India. His contributions to the commitment and dedication for the cause of minorities remain unparalleled, he added.

Jugal Kishore Ranjit, co-convener of OMA, said Dayal was the first recipient of the award. The alliance plans to award every year a distinguished person for the cause of the minorities.

Dayal, a former member of the National Integration Council, is the founder general secretary of All India Christian Council, past president and current spokesperson of the All India Catholic Council.

He volunteers to probe atrocities on any communities anywhere in the country and defends the rights of violated minority communities on both print and electronic media, Ranjit noted.

“Moreover, he does not mince his words and writings while defending the cause of the minorities. He leads from the front and remains an inspiration for minority communities,” the OMA official said. Dayal has shown equal commitment in defending the cause of other religious minority communities; be it Sikh or Muslim. “Hence, the Committee honored Dayal so that the next generation continue his mission and spirit in the challenging times ahead in the country,” he added.

Majhi stressed the need for everyone to cooperate in building up society. “It is a good sign that state government has taken initiative to construct 100 hostels for minority students and 25 multipurpose sectors in Odisha,” he pointed out.

The Odisha government, he added, would study the possibility of setting up a State Minority Commission. He invited minority community leaders for consultation to decide special budgetary allocations for the minorities welfare according to their priorities.

Dayal, while acknowledging the honor, stressed the need for sustained and collective efforts to address the issues and concerns of the minorities in India. Today they seem more vulnerable than before, he added.

The Catholic lay leader urged minority leaders to come forward to check attacks on their communities. Odisha has witnessed several such attacks, he pointed out.

“We need to multiply our efforts to foster peaceful co-existence of all communities. Challenges have soared up as religious minorities are under threats in several parts. So, we need to be on guard ourselves as seemingly the discourse is not saner for the minorities,” Dayal said.

Fr. Ajaya Kumar Singh, human rights activist, urged all to work for the realization of constitutional rights that provide them equal and equitable opportunities as equal citizenship.

Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election victory celebration in New York

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

Members of the Indian American Community organized a grand Victory celebrations in New York on Tuesday, December 19^th, 2017 in Long Island, NY. On a working day large number of community leaders and people attended the celebrations at Hicksvile, New York.

In his Key Note Address Jagdish Sewhani, president American India Public Affairs Committee said that People of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have out rightly rejected the politics of casteism, appeasement of minorities and corruption.

They have endorsed good governance and voted for development. The proof is that the BJP has been re-elected for a record sixth time. In Himachal Pradesh they have totally rejected corrupt Congress government and gave BJP a 2/3rd majority.

Sharing his personal story, Sewhani said when he was growing up in Gujarat there was long hours of power cuts were norm of the day, every year there were riots and workers went on strike. Ever since BJP has come to power they have changed the face of Gujarat. It is the most developed and industrial State of the country. It has set a gold standard of development in the country. Gujarat now has surplus power. It is now riots and strikes free. There is internet even in villages.

Gujarat has reached this development because of a stable and powerful BJP government for nearly last two decades.

This is the Gujarat Model, we need to follow. If we want a developed and powerful India – which is peaceful and strong – the vision of New India that honorable Prime Minister has envisioned, we need a stable and strong government in Delhi for at least for the next three decades.

India is on its way to Congress Mukt Bharat. BJP/NDA is now in 19 states. The credit of Victory goes to our Dynamic Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modiji, who in last 3 1/2 years has given clean government, set a standard for good governance. India is now marching ahead…. We do not want to be stopped.

As such we need to work in a mission mode for the 2019 general election. Our objective should be not only to re-elect BJP, but also target 450 Lok Sabha seats and 50 percent of the popular votes. Such a strong mandate and popular government is essential to accelerate the pace of development march on the path of New India that we all dream of.

The vision of New India requires uninterrupted power to BJP and Modiji. Modiji firmly believes in Politics of Development and Sabh ka Sath and Sabh Ka Vikas . There was lot of excitement in the audience. They were again and again Chanting Modi/Modi. The victory celebrations finally concluded with a new slogan of Modiji Jeetega Bhai Jeetega Vikas Hee Jeetega.

ASEI ORGNIZES SUCCESSFUL 32nd ANNUAL CONVENTION

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Dr. Thomas Abraham

Novi, Michigan – American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) held its 32nd Annual Convention focusing on the theme of Emerging Technologies and Entrepreneurship (ETE 2017). This convention was held on December 9th at the Novi Civic Center in Novi, Michigan. The 32nd Annual Convention is hosted by the Michigan Chapter of ASEI. The objective ETE 2017 was to provide a forum to promote and share advancements related to emerging technologies and entrepreneurship. This convention was attended by scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders across USA. This convention will feature multiple interactive sessions with prominent business owners, technologists, media personalities, educators, policy makers, and investment bankers.

The convention had multiple interactive sessions led by various subject matter experts providing information and insight on many topics related to the convention theme. The attendees found these sessions very informative and comprehensive. The sessions were organized in two tracks with topics such as Autonomous Cars, Latest Trends in Automotive Transmissions Technology, Tax Considerations for Entrepreneurs, War on Cash, Cybersecurity and Healthcare, Innovations in Branding, and Intelligent Transport Systems. The speakers for these sessions were from Ford, GM, Harman, Prudential, SBD, Futurenet, Michigan Business Network, University of Michigan, TiE, and Jenesys Group. The attendees found these sessions very informative and helpful.

There were two keynote speakers at lunch time who provided motivational presentations about their professional achievements. Sanjay Dhal – CEO of Detroit Flying Cars talked about introducing new approaches, bridging diverse domains, small footprint thinking and seeking efficiencies while pursuing his lifelong passion for designing, building and flying models and full size aircraft. Mehul Desai – Founder and CEO of DeZai, LLC focused on has 25 years of experience in ICT and related applications worldwide, focusing on fostering innovation in the areas of Technology, New Media and Social Entrepreneurship and his pioneering work in the field of secure transactions for mobile phone users, evolving the Digital Wallet to Mobile Wallet to Lifestyle Container.

There was a Youth Technology Exhibition (YTE) for middle and high school students to demonstrate their work based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. There were over 35 students from 11 teams who participated in this exhibition. All participants received a plaque and gift card from ASEI.

The one-day convention concluded with a Gala Dinner Celebration including Bollywood entertainment. There were three evening keynote speakers – Mamatha Chamarthi, CIO – ZF TRW, Sam Mahalingam – CTO, Altair, and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence – US Congress. Mamatha Chamarthi talked about her life journey and factors attributed to her professional achievements. Sam Mahalingam provided insights into his successful career spanning multiple roles in increasing responsibilities. Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence spoke about the importance of STEM and commended ASEI for taking an initiative in organizing STEM based activities. She also reflected on the positive impact from all mentors who helped her through school and college.

The annual ASEI awards were presented to several individuals for following categories:

– ASEI Technology Leadership Award – Mamatha Chamarthi, CIO – ZF TRW

– ASEI Engineer/Scientist of Year – Dr. Rahul Mittal, Global Technical Specialist – GM

– ASEI Entrepreneur of Year – Bhushan Kulkarni, CEO – GDI Infotech / Infoready Corp.

– ASEI Founder’s Award – Aaron Ghumman, President – ASEI Seattle Chapter

Harinder Bir Singh, Anjali Tiwari, and Santosh Tiwari from ASEI Michigan Chapter were recognized with an award for their dedicated service and commitment to ASEI for many years.

The American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) is a not-for-profit organization that provides a platform for networking, career advancement, community service, mentoring and technology exchange for professionals, students and businesses in the United States and abroad. Members are guided by several objectives, including the creation of an open, inclusive, and transparent organization; providing positive role models, awarding scholarships, and remaining socially responsible. ASEI was founded in 1983 in Detroit, Michigan by a handful of visionaries. Today, the organization also has chapters in Michigan, Southern California, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit: https://aseiusa.org/

Tamil professorship at Stony Brook University

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterEducation 0

Prof. Bala and Prabha Swaminathan have created a Tamil professorship at Stony Brook University in honor of Bala’s parents, called the Anandavalli and Dr. G. Swaminathan Endowed Research Professorship. “Tamil language is more than something to speak. It harbors a culture’s history and traditions, and perpetuates identity and pride. Ultimately, when its wisdom is shared, Tamil language creates better cross-cultural understanding and cooperation,” said Bala.

The University also has a very successful India Studies Center, which recently celebrated its 20th year. The couple has established the Tamil professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences to leverage interdisciplinary, scholarly research collaborations with linguistics, anthropologists, musicians and sociologists.

“I have a very high regard for Stony Brook’s research capabilities. I expect the professor in Tamil will be an active contributor on campus, publishing many papers, offering Tamil language classes and creating the new knowledge that will perpetuate and celebrate the language that still has so much to teach us,” Bala added.

Bala said that one of Tamil’s oldest texts, the Kural, inspired him as his father “lived by” the text while he was growing up in the South Indian town of Madurai. The Kural is written by the 4th century BCE poet and philosopher Valluvar and is one of the highly acclaimed texts of secular ethics as well as the most widely translated works in the world.

“Whatever we earn is to provide for others who do not have the same opportunities,” Bala recalls his father saying to him as he used to follow the Kural to help him be generous before becoming a well-known doctor.

Bala founded the New York Tamil Academy for school children and he and Prabha have two sons, Isai Maran and Kavin Mathi. Bala and Prabha’s decided to create the professorship in Tamil at Stony Brook University to help sustain the language and culture that have served them so well.

“Offering an endowed faculty appointment, such as the Anandavalli and Dr. G. Swaminathan Endowed Research Professorship in Tamil, helps us attract the most talented teachers and researchers,” said Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr.

“We are grateful to Bala and Prabha for their incredible leadership in keeping Tamil and the ideas of the Kural alive for future generations,” he added.

Stony Brook University in New York Dec. 11 announced that Bala and Prabha Swaminathan have established a new endowed professorship which will offer Tamil language studies at the university’s College of Arts and Sciences.

The Tamil language is nearly as old as Hebrew, and stands next to Chinese as the most enduring classical language still spoken today, according to a university news release. Despite the language standing the test of time, only a handful of colleges and universities offer Tamil as a language study, it said.

In a quest to change that, the Swaminathans created the Anandavalli and Dr. G. Swaminathan Endowed Research Professorship in Tamil at Stony Brook University in honor of Bala’s mother and father.

“Tamil language is more than something to speak,” said Bala Swaminathan in a statement. “It harbors a culture’s history and traditions, and perpetuates identity and pride. Ultimately, when its wisdom is shared, Tamil language creates better cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.”

While the university is also home to a thriving India Studies Center, the Swaminathans deliberately established the Tamil professorship in the college of arts and sciences to leverage interdisciplinary, scholarly research collaborations with linguistics, anthropologists, musicians and sociologists, according to the university.

“I have a very high regard for Stony Brook’s research capabilities,” Swaminathan added. “I expect the professor in Tamil will be an active contributor on campus, publishing many papers, offering Tamil language classes and creating the new knowledge that will perpetuate and celebrate the language that still has so much to teach us.”

It was the wisdom of one of Tamil’s oldest texts, the Kural, that first captivated Swaminathan as he grew up in the southern Indian town of Madurai, Stony Brook said. His father “lived by” the Kural. Written by the 4th century BCE poet and philosopher Valluvar, the Kural is one of the most venerated texts of secular ethics and most widely translated works in the world. Coincidentally, Valluvar was also born in Madurai, preceding Swaminathan by more than 2,000 years, it said.

Before Swaminathan’s father became a prominent doctor, he had little to give to others. Still, his father followed the Kural precept to be charitable, once explaining to his son, “Whatever we earn is to provide for others who do not have the same opportunities,” the university noted.

While creating a successful career in the U.S. and founding the New York Tamil Academy for school children, Swaminathan says he’s most proud of the life of purpose and meaning he shares with Prabha and their two sons, Isai Maran and Kavin Mathi, according to the news release.

The Indian American couple hopes the professorship will help sustain the language and culture that have served them so well. “Offering endowed faculty appointments, such as the Anandavalli and Dr. G. Swaminathan Endowed Research Professorship in Tamil, helps us attract the most talented teachers and researchers,” said Stony Brook University president Samuel L. Stanley Jr. in a statement. “We are grateful to Bala and Prabha for their incredible leadership in keeping Tamil and the ideas of the Kural alive for future generations.”

Dr. Ajit Pant, President US India Chamber of Commerce outlines the case for Investing in India

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: US India Chamber of Commerce, Midwest organized “2017 Annual Holiday Dinner” on December 08, 2017 at Ashyana Banquets, Downers Grove, Illinois. The theme of the event was “India: A Prime Investment Destination”.

The event was packed and attended by leading entrepreneurs, professionals and industry leaders and spouses. Roopla Khanna, Board Member welcomed the gathering. Dr. Ajit Pant, President and Founder Member, spoke about the history of the Chamber since its founding in 2002. He highlighted its recent activities and programs and explained the “Future Vision of the Chamber”.

Thereafter, an illustrious Panel consisting of Dr. Ajit Pant, Dr. Shekhar Mishra and Mr. Rajeev Ranjan discussed on the key theme of the event “India: A Prime Investment Destination”. The panel discussed the various historical improvements of the investment climate in India. Dr. Pant covered in detail the new currency, tax and land acquisition reforms. The recent program initiatives of the Indian Government such as Make In India, Skill India, Digital India, Clean India and Smart City etc. were also highlighted by Dr. Pant. He also gave an idea how the GDP growth would be positively impacted by these reforms and program initiatives. ‘

He stated that India’s edge would be as a result of the above reforms, its demographic advantage (in terms of productivity and consumption), and the communication and internet connectivity boom taking place in India. All these factors combine to make India a prime destination for foreign investments.

Dr. Pant also mentioned about huge the investments being made and envisaged by American Companies such as Amazon, Uber, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM and many others. The Panel discussion was followed by an active and enthusiastic question and answer session.

Dr. Ajit Pant introduced and honored Dr. Vemury Murthy, President of the Chicago Medical Society for his many initiatives in India in the field of medicine. Vandana Jhingan, the Republican Congressional Candidate from the 8th District of Illinois was also introduced and honored for her exemplary journalistic services to the local Indo American community.

Dr. Prakasam Tata, in his thank you remarks dwelled on the topic of giving with a philosophical touch and highlighted the Charitable Community work that he had been able to carry out in India with the help of the Rotary Club of Naperville. The event was attended by the following Board members: Dr. Ajit Pant (President), Dr. Prakasam Tata, Kanapathy, Rajiv Khanna, Mrs. Roopla Khanna, Dr. Shekhar Mishra. The event ended with more networking and a gala Cocktail and Dinner.

Ockhi cyclone: number of missing spirals to 600 in India

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

Catholic fishing communities in Kerala demand search operations continue as death toll lifted to 56.

The number of people in southern India listed as missing has increased to 600 a fortnight after cyclone Ockhi struck the coast, which includes many Catholic villages.

However, this figure is expected to fall significantly as many of them went out deep-sea fishing in large boats, rather than in vulnerable small coastal craft. The recovery of more bodies has lifted the death toll to 56 in Kerala state.

Church officials in Kerala’s Trivandrum Diosece list 232 people as missing, much higher than the government figure of 98 missing. Some 10,000 people, mostly Catholic fisherfolk, marched through the streets of Kerala’s state capital, Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), on Dec. 11.

They demanded that search operations be continued as well as provision of greater compensation and rehabilitation assistance. Neighboring Tamil Nadu state was also hit by Cyclone Ockhi between Nov. 30-Dec. 3. In Tamil Nadu, at least 462 people are officially listed as missing.

However, of the missing, 427 had gone in bigger boats for deep-sea fishing, while only 35 had headed out in 13 smaller boats. The number of missing was expected to fall as most of those involved in deep-sea fishing were expected to return. The state government was continuing search operations in collaboration with federal agencies as well as the Indian navy and air force.

Father Justin Jude, priest of the badly affected Poonthura St. Thomas parish, said families of the dead were being cared for by local communities. Voluntary agencies and clubs such as Rotary were also providing food and temporary financial help to victims’ families, Father Jude said.

Church agencies such as Caritas India and Save-a-Family are coordinating distribution of relief supplies. Some locals said the emphasis should be on ‘livelihood’ programs so people could start rebuilding their lives, including through the provision of boats and fishing equipment.

Ramayana dance drama presents “Unity in diversity” in USA

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

BYy Suresh Bodiwala

Chicago IL: International Ramayana Institute of North America (IRINA), in cooperation with the leading Indian, Indonesian and Thai Dance Drama Academies organized Ramayana Dance Drama at the Rosary High School auditorium in Aurora, Illinois on December 2nd, 2017 from 5:30-8:30 PM. This dance drama was attended by more than 350 persons from various communities that was coordinated by several community leaders-led by Mr. Nand Parkash Garg (president), Dr. Subhash Pandey (past present & Trustees), and Mrs. Rashmi Gandhi (cultural committee, Chair) from American Indian community, Mrs. Chantimar Sriaroon (past president & turstees) and Mrs. Benjamas Pongched (founding president & trustees) from American Thai community, and Mr. I Nyoman Mahartayasa from American Indonesian community.

The program was opened with lamp lighting ceremony by chief guests Ms. Neeta Bhushan, consul general of India and Ms. Rosmalawati Chalid, consul general of Indonesia in Chicago. All office bearers, past presidents, trustees and other guests were also participated in the opening ceremony. This was followed by welcome remarks by Dr. Subhash Pandey, past president and trustees of IRINA. In his remarks, he mentioned that IRINA was founded in Chicago in 2000 with help several dedicated volunteers to facilitate and promote the exchange of the literary, artistic, cultural, educational and scientific aspects of Ramayana epic among different countries worldwide. He also highlighted that IRINA had organized three international Ramayana conferences where Ramayana scholars from more than nine countries participated and presented research work and findings on Ramayana. He emphasized that IRINA is a model for the “Unity in diversity”.

Dr. Pandey then introduced the chief guests Ms. Neeta Bhushan, consul general of India and Ms. Rosmalawati Chalid, consul general of Indonesia and invited them for their remarks. In their remarks, both appreciated the efforts of IRINA for putting together 12th Ramayana dance drama and congratulated office bearers and volunteers of IRINA. Dr. Pandey expressed his special thanks to both consul generals for attending the program. The master of ceremonies was Mrs. Rashmi Gandhi, Ms. Falguni Gandhi, and Mr. Om Dhingra and one by one each program was introduced and explained by them.

Several leading dance directors from India, Indonesia and Thailand communities actively participated and dance drama starting from birth of Rama to Killing of Ravana by Rama was presented by talented dance performers from these communities. It was thrilling to see that more than 100 performers from three communities from Chicago and outside Chicago presented several scenes of Ramayana in the form beautiful dance drama. Before actual program started there was classical musical performance for 30 minutes by several talented artists from the Academy of Thai Classical Music at Wat Dhammaram.This was followed by the presentation of colorful puspanjali dance.

This is a balinese welcoming dance from Indonesia presented by dancers from the Indonesian Performing Arts of Chicago. This year India was a lead country and dancers from Indian Dance School which was choreographed and directed by Mrs. Gauri Jog presented various scenes from birth of Rama, childhood and Sita swayamvar. Mrs. Jog is well accomplished dancer, teacher and her school have performed more than 350 dance shows in North America. The dancers from Srujan dance school presented a lovely “Ghoomar” dance-a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan- in celebration of the wedding of Sita and Ram that was choreographed by Mrs. Swati Shah. After India performances, dancers from Indonesian community presented two dances one led by Mr. Tri Kumara Siddhi from the consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia and other dance-Legong dandaka sari presented by the University of Illinois School of music’s gamelan ensemble.

This dance is conceptualized in the style of legong where four primary dancers elegantly precede an abstract movement following by a depiction of the Ramayana epic (Aranya Kanda). This dance was choreographed by Ms. Putu Oka Mardiani Asnawa and directed by Mr. I Ketut Gede Asnawa. After Indonesian performances, performers from Somapa Thai Dance Company presented very attractive and beautiful Ramayana khon masked dance drama. This was choreographed and directed by Ms. Suteera Nagavajara. This was highly remarkable that dancers for Thai dance visited from Washington DC joined the efforts of IRINA in promoting the artistic aspects of Ramayana epic. The grand finale scene was war between Ram and Ravana presented by Indian dance school where performers from all counties were participated that culminated into a beautiful fusion of characters of Ramayana from each country. This was directed by Mrs. Gauri Jog that was very elegantly presented by the performers.

On behalf of IRINA, Dr. Subhash Pandey presented a formal vote of thanks to all performers, dance directors, choreographers, sponsors and volunteers for their hard work and support for the 12thRamayana Dance Drama. In addition, dance directors and choreographers were recognized and given a flower bouquet as a token of appreciation that was presented by the Consul General of Indonesia Ms. Chalid and Mr. OP Meena, Consul from India consulate General, Chicago. For more information about activities of IRINA please visit webpage-www.ramayanainstitute.com

NRI student from Stanford to Present Scientific Work at Nobel Ceremony

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterEducation, Entertainment 0

Stanford freshman Prathik Naidu is one of three U.S. student representatives who are traveling to Stockholm to present their original research at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony this Sunday. Naidu earned this honor through his award-winning entry in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2017.

Stanford freshman Prathik Naidu will present his scientific work at the Nobel ceremony in Stockholm. (Image credit: Courtesy Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology)

Naidu’s research involves machine learning algorithms to identify three-dimensional interactions between segments of DNA in cancer cells – a process that Naidu said is challenging through lab-based methods.

“Rather than using experimental techniques, you can do this kind of research on the computer,” Naidu said, pointing out that while expensive, slow and sometimes unreliable lab tests exist, his program, called DNAloopR, can be run quickly from his laptop.

While genes are encoded along a linear strand of DNA, some segments interact in three dimensions, changing the way those genes turn on and off. In cancer cells, that 3-D structure can be altered, leading to unregulated growth and other effects. Researchers haven’t been able to easily and quickly understand the process or identify DNA segments that might be responsible.

Naidu has been working on this project for over a year and a half, through his senior year of high school and now into his freshman year at Stanford. He cites high school biology and biotechnology classes for sparking his interest in cancer genetics and the Broad Institute for helping him test his ideas on large sets of data, but said that he spent much of his time working independently to perfect his algorithm.

He entered his algorithm in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles last May. “I wanted to answer a cool question and support it with data,” he said, “and I think that my entire process over the last couple of years has been about that.” He thinks that his commitment to tangible results attracted the attention of the judges.

“I think they were also pretty excited about how this was a problem that was very different from conventional health care problems. I’m trying to understand it from a very fundamental level,” Naidu said.

When his project was selected as best in category in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Naidu was also chosen to represent the United States in Stockholm this week, where he will give a formal presentation.

“Did you know there’s something fancier than a tuxedo?” he asked. On his last night in Stockholm this Sunday, he’ll be present in white tie and tails for the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony itself.

Naidu will then return to Stanford and his classes. He said that his favorite so far has been his computer vision class, which is directly in line with his ambition of pursuing the intersection between advanced technology and health care.

“I’ll be back just in time for finals.”

TiE-Boston Bestows Lifetime Achievement Award to Venkat Srinivasan, Honors 13 Other Entrepreneurs

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness, Community 0

TiE-Boston, which celebrated its 20th anniversary at a black-tie gala attended by its founding charter members, past presidents and over 300 guests, bestowed its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to entrepreneur and philanthropist Venkat Srinivasan, who has founded eight companies and is credited with creating 1,800 jobs and over $2 billion in value for shareholders.

TiE-Boston, which was founded in 1997 as TiE-Atlantic and is TiE Global’s second oldest and second largest chapter, also honored 13 other entrepreneurs in various categories. Eight entrepreneurs were awarded with the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award: Anil Agarwal, Veera Anantha, Nilanjana Bhowmik, Neil Chedda, Bhaskar Panigrahi, Ramji Raghavan, Jagat Sisodia and Satish Tadikonda.

“Venkat embodies the true spirit of TiE by building good companies, empowering employees and entrepreneurs, and giving back to solve big problems and help society at large,” said TiE-Boston President Praveen Tailam. “He has been associated with TiE for a long time and has always inspired budding entrepreneurs by investing his time and capital, and is well-respected by fellow charter members for his philanthropic work.”

Santhana Krishnan, a fellow TiE-Boston Charter Member and Managing Partner of Om Ventures, introduced Dr. Srinivasan at the gala, saying that he admired him greatly for many things, including his passion to build companies with big disruptive ideas, commitment to giving back through mentoring entrepreneurs and philanthropy.

“Venkat has charted his own unique course all his life. He broke from traditional entrepreneurial paths and has had a very interesting and remarkable professional journey,” said Mr. Krishnan. “He came to the United States from India 35 years ago, to pursue his American dream.”

Mark Nunnelly, former Managing Director of Bain Capital and a close friend paid rich tribute to Srinivasan highlighting his many qualities as a remarkable entrepreneur who at the end has a deep desire to leave the world a better place than he found it. Ravi Ramamurti, a Northeastern University Professor and former colleague, observed how Venkat’s ability to work without functional boundaries was a key factor in his success.

Mr. Krishnan noted that Dr. Srinivasan received 3 professional degrees, spent 7 years in academics, becoming a tenured professor before he left Northeastern University. He wrote over 35 research papers, published three books, received seven patents, founded and sold four companies, and currently serves on the boards of six companies and three non-profit organizations. In addition, Venkat’s ventures have employed over 1800 people, and in the process, he has created a total value of over $2 billion for shareholders. Dr. Srinivasan has also recently founded EnglishHelper, KnowYourMeds and AIinGov, all of which are double bottom-line enterprises focused on education, health and the public sector respectively. He is a uniquely experienced individual with expertise in multiple functional areas. He is an expert in knowledge-based systems architectures, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, natural language processing, corporate finance and accounting.

Venkat and his wife, Pratima, are active in the community. He is a Vice-Chair of the American India Foundation (AIF), which is dedicated to catalyzing social and economic change in India. Srinivasan is also a Trustee of BUILD, a non-profit organization focusing on entrepreneurship to excite and propel disengaged, low-income students through high school to college success in the U.S. He is a member of the Boston Harbor Now’s Advisory Board.

“I am honored and humbled that TiE-Boston selected me for this award,” said Dr. Srinivasan. “I salute TiE and the many Charter members for fostering entrepreneurship so passionately. Entrepreneurship is a key solution to society’s many challenges.”

Association of South Asian Real-estate Professional gala to discusses proposed tax reforms from Trump administration

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Chicago IL: Association of South Asian Real Estate Professionals (ASARP) held its second annual gathering at this festive time of the year, on December 15th at The Meadows Club, 2950 Golf Rd, Rolling Meadows, IL from 5.30 to 9.30 p.m.

ASARP is a registered non-for profit reputable association to provide the leadership to South Asian community required in order to achieve the cherished objectives of property ownership in United States and India. Main purpose of the program was to provide a forum for interaction among South Asian Real Estate Professionals and the communities that they represent, with some degree of entertainment and education.

The event was attended by capacity crowd consisting of active members, MS. Neeta Bhushan (Consul General of India in Chicago), Erica Harold (running for State Attorney General in Illinois), Tim Schneider (Chairman of State’s Republican Party). Dr Sapan Shah (Nominated on republican ticker for US Congress for 10th District),

Mr. Nimesh Jani-Nimesh Jani (member of Schaumburg Township Board), Pam Krieter (Pam Krieter CEOs of the Real Estate profession), Nancy Suvarnamani (Past President of Chicago Association of Realtors and FIABCI International, founder member of AREAA), Thomas Krettler (Director of National Association), Donna Wilson (Director of Global and Commercial Business) and Brian Bernardino (Political coordinator for Chicago Association of Realtors and member of Federal Taxation Committee of NAR).

The principal purpose of gathering was to discuss new proposed tax reforms and its ramifications by reputed Legal and industrial professionals for their guideline, input, panel discussion, QA sessions and provide networking.

After lamp lighting ceremony, Mr. Pradeep B. Shukla gave starting speech “As we all acknowledge the US tax systems were revised in 1986. After sporadic modifying legislations and lapsed time, it needed massive overhaul and re-organization. Some of these regulations are regressive US corporate taxes which are one of the highest in the world, tempting US corporate giants to park the funds outside the country amounting to be in trillions of dollars along with revision of high Death tax of 45% at federal level with additional incidence of about 15 to 18% at the state level”.

“With this revision in mind, Trump administration introduced “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017”. Principal goals are simplicity and tax reduction while keeping mind the principle of neutrality. The bill passed in both houses with minor variations. Now in a proposed reconciled bill, there are some significant provisions that will affect real estate industry like capping property tax deduction to $10,000, restricting mortgage interest deduction to new loans of $500,000 as against current limit of $1 million, reducing marginal tax rates at all the levels of income, 100% write off of some business assets and significant reduction of corporate tax, etc. While there is overall tax deduction, what concerns our community as realtors, is dilution of Home Ownership Deductions. The stand taken by the National Association of Realtors is that homeowners must be treated fairly, must reverse decline in first-time home buyers as the home ownership level is 50 years low in 2016”.

Thereafter, Mr Shukla invited expert Panelists on stage to discuss their views in all these matter. The Panel Moderator was Al Haroon Hussain, Attorney. The other distinguished Panelists included Paul Chawala, Attorney, Director Brian Bernandoni, Realtor and member of Federal Taxation Committee at NAR and Tom Krettler- Realtor and also Director at NAR.

These panelists addressed the tax reforms congenial to the interest of the real estate community and how would these reforms affect the growth of GDP in USA in coming years.

QA session followed. Subsequently in his concluding remark Mr. Pradeep B. Shukla advised that Taxpayers should consider paying their 2017 state and local income taxes in 2017. This will allow the deductions to be preserved and applied against 2017 income. Since the application of the Alternative Minimum Tax might mitigate these benefits, please discuss your specific situation and any other questions you might have with your accountant.

President of ASARP Mr. Pradeep B. Shukla, in highlight of his remarks, pointed out that some of the important tasks undertaken at ASARP are educating our South Asian local real estate professionals on how to serve best interests in our community, all while keeping in mind the highest degree of professional standards. He also requested members providing effective outreach to these communities including guidance on EB 5 and other programs available to foreign investors. In addition he also requested to provide effective liaison to our communities and professionals He urged educating American real estate professionals dealing with specific needs of our community, and finally acting as an effective political arm for ASARP members.

Almost half of Fortune 500 companies were founded by American immigrants or their children

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

By Ian Hathaway, Nonresident Senior Fellow – Metropolitan Policy Program

As two critical immigration policy issues face Congress—the fate of 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children (“DREAMers”), and the re-introduction of the bipartisan Startup Act, which among other things, provides 75,000 visas to entrepreneurs that come to this country to start high-potential companies—new evidence demonstrates yet again just how critical foreign-born entrepreneurs are to lasting economic prosperity in the United States.

The Center for American Entrepreneurship, a non-partisan policy and advocacy organization, published a study today on the founders of America’s most valuable companies—those in the Fortune 500. The results are striking—43 percent of companies in the 2017 Fortune 500 were founded or co-founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant, and among the Top 35, that share is 57 percent.

These 216 companies produced $5.3 trillion in global revenue and employed 12.1 million workers worldwide last year, spanning a wide range of industrial activities—though half are in the high-technology, wholesale and retail trade, and financial and insurance sectors.

These iconic immigrant-founded American companies come from a broad range of geographies, too. Sixty-eight metropolitan areas and five non-metropolitan areas spread across 33 states are headquarters to Fortune 500 firms founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant.

The New York, Chicago, San Jose, Houston, and Dallas metropolitan areas are headquarters to the most, with at least eight such companies in each. On a population adjusted-basis, metro areas with the highest density include the Northern Chicago suburbs (Lake County-Kenosha County), San Jose, Cambridge, Bridgeport-Stamford, and Richmond.

Among states, New York, California, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia have the most, as each are home to at least 13 immigrant or child-of-immigrant founded Fortune 500 firms. Delaware, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, and Illinois have the most on a population-adjusted basis.

Digging deeper into the numbers, 18.4 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants, and another 24.8 percent were founded by the children of immigrants—figures that are consistent with broader research literature. Though accounting for less than 14 percent of the population, immigrants found almost a quarter of all new businesses, nearly one-third of venture-backed companies, and half of Silicon Valley high-tech startups.

“America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.” –James Madison, Constitutional Convention (1787)

And, research has shown that the economic benefits of immigrants are lasting. U.S. cities and regions that welcomed more immigrants in the past have been linked with higher incomes, less poverty and unemployment, and greater educational attainment today. Immigrants also make outsized contributions to science and technology, whether measured as patent productivity or breakthrough discoveries—in recent years, U.S.-based researchers have been awarded with 65 percent of Nobel Prizes, though more than half of this group was born abroad.

43 percent of companies in the 2017 Fortune 500 were founded or co-founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant, and among the Top 35, that share is 57 percent.

But, the issue is much bigger than targeting only well-educated immigrants or those backed by venture capitalists. Many foreign-born founders of iconic American companies—those in the Fortune 500—wouldn’t have met such thresholds. They were poor, young, and fleeing harsh economic and political conditions. A recent Harvard Business School study found that among foreign-born entrepreneurs, those who come here as children have among the best business outcomes (growth and survival rates).

The evidence on immigrants, entrepreneurship, and economic growth is clear. Now it is up to Congress to take action—first by joining the rest of the advanced economies in creating a visa for high-potential entrepreneurs, and second by ensuring the safety and legality of DREAMers to stay and thrive in the only country they call home. During a period of slow growth, declining startup rates, and anemic productivity gains, the United States cannot afford not to.

H-4 visa EAD to be terminated in 2018, H-1B visa rules to change

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterTravel 0

Tens of thousands of immigrant families in the US. Are going to face a bitter truth. the Trump Administration has decided to move forward to terminate the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or work permit, for H-4 visa workers – given to spouses and dependents of H-1B visa workers – in 2018.

The protectionist and obnoxious move by the White House, to curb and kill the aspirations of skilled professionals who have been living in the US for years or decades on an H-4 visa, is yet another trashing of an Obama Administration rule. It’s also yet another slap in the face of skilled immigrants, who are increasingly on a slippery slope till they get a Green Card, or permanent residency.

The Trump Administration issued a notice, titled ‘Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of Aliens Eligible for Employment Authorization’, on December 14, as part of its ‘Unified Agenda’, a bi-annual list of regulations by various federal agencies. In it, the administration plans to propose an official rule in the Federal Register by February, 2018, and thereafter all existing EADs given to H-4 visa holders will be trashed, and no new ones will be issued.

The move has been hanging in balance for more than two years now, after a group called Save Jobs USA filed a lawsuit in April 2015 arguing that EAd to H-4 visa holders threatens American jobs, and pulls down salaries. It gained momentum after Trump became president, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared the H-4 EAD rule “hurts American workers.” In February this year, the Trump Administration asked for a 60-day pause to allow the new administration to assess the case.

In issuing the statement, which is sure to see a lot of highly skilled women break into tears, go into emotional distress, the Department of Homeland Security didn’t cite any reason, saying only it was acting “in light of” the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order that Trump signed in April.

The rule to give EAD to some H-4 visa holders was met with elation by tens of thousands of mostly women, a lot of them from India, who got freedom to legally work and earn money for their family. They rejoiced, felt they finally ‘belonged’ in America; were not second-class citizens, who could become a wife and mother at their free will, but were prohibited by the government to work, unless to do voluntary service for no pay in their local community.

Indians are the largest holders of H-4 visas, comprising nearly 80% of the 125,000 issued in 2015 alone. Women account for 90% of all H-4 visas. Over 41,000 of EADs were approved in the year-ended September 2016, according to the Wall Street Journal. During the next year, more than 36,000 applications were approved, through June. India accounts for 70% of all H-1B workers, of the 85,000 visas issued annually.

Meanwhile, foreign workers in the US on a H-1B work visa, the most sought after among Indian IT professionals, may work for more than one company, the country’s immigration agency has said. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

“In general, H-1B workers may work for more than one employer but must have approved I-129 for each,” the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency which receives and determines the successful applications for H-1B visas. The employee however, must submit I-29 petition, a form submitted by the employer for a non-immigrant worker. The H-1B visa has an annual numerical limit cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year as mandated by the Congress

Vaishnav Samaj of Midwest and VYOE Sponsored 2017 Toys for Tots Event

December 21, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Chicago IL: On December 11, 2017, Vaishnav Samaj of Midwest (VSM) and Vallabh Youth Organization – Education (VYOE) sponsored their first Toys for Tots event at Shreejidwar Haveli (located at 440 W. Fullerton Ave., Addison, IL). The event was attended by Hon. Evelyn Sanguinetti (Lt. Governor of Illinois), Hon. Tim Schneider (Illinois State GOP Chairman), Hon. John Dabrowski (Bloomingdale Township Assessor), Hon. Nimish Jani (Schaumburg Township Trustee), Seth Lewis (State Senate Candidate) and Dr. Bhavna Sharma-Lewis (District 76 Superintendent).

It was a very successful and well-attended event by the members of the Vaishnav community with collection of 150 toys for donation. VYOE students and parents provided warm welcome to the guests.

Dr Umang Patel welcomed all the energetic students attending VYOE Sunday school, volunteers, Board of trustees and invited dignitaries. He thanked volunteers of VYOE for achieving phenomenal success of recruiting over120 students in Sunday school, in span of just two years.

Next speaker Hon. Nimish Jani (Schaumburg Township Trustee), introduced and thanked all the honorary guests for coming and blessing the special event on this cold Sunday. First He introduced Hon. Evelyn Sanguinetti (Lt. Governor of Illinois), in his introductory speech, he compared the startling success of Honorable Mrs. Evelyn Sanguinetti to the achievement of Indian diaspora. “Her Honor also arrived in this country as a poor child of Cuban Refugee parents and climbed the ladder of success due to burning desire, determination, hard work, charming personality, and succeeded in achieving one of the highest elected position in the Illinois Government today, namely Lt. Governor”.

Lt. Governor started the address with warm greeting of ‘Namaste’, thanked VSM and VYOE for organizing the Toys for Tots drive and contributing to the greater community. She particularly thanked Nimish Jani for educating her and educating her and other dignitaries with Vaishnava Samaj Hindu faith philosophy, Tour of shreeji-dwar haveli (temple) and giving her auspicious beautiful gift of ‘shawl’.

Next speaker Mr.Timothy Sneider, Chairman of Republican Party of Illinois. Started address with greeting “Jayshrikrishna” He taught students for achieving sincere lasting pleasure, contentment and ultimate ‘Nirvana’ in one’s life by Giving rather than receiving gifts. “Like what you are doing it today by donating these toys gift to needy boys and girls, rather than and keeping toys for yourself”.

Hon. John Dabrowski (Bloomingdale Township Assessor) thanked the organization for inviting them and demonstrating the outstanding work the group’s accomplishment. He wished all the success for the future endowers.

VSM leadership (Dr. Umang Patel, MD -Chairman and Mr. Jyotin Parikh, R.Ph -President) and VYOE leadership (Mrs. Paragi Patel, R.Ph -President VYOE Chicago and Dr. Vivek Shah, PhD -Lead VYOE Chicago) were the lead coordinators of the event with support from VYOE teachers, volunteers and parents. The toys were donated by the children of VYOE was in alignment with Pujya Shri Vrajrajkumarji Mahodayshri’s message that sharing is the most important principle of being a Vaishnav. VYOE also organized the presence of Santa Claus during the event in which the children took their pictures with the Santa.

The presence of the distinguished leaders provided evidence on the growth and expansion of the local Vaishnav community over the last two decades. As an example, the Diwali and Hindu New Year event at the Haveli this year was attended by over three thousand individuals. Other special guests present were Seth Lewis (State Senate Candidate) and his wife Dr. Bhavna Sharma-Lewis (District 76 Superintendent).

Shreejidwar Haveli is a non-profit religious organization. It is dedicated to serve the religious and cultural needs of the Hindu community since 2005 and is one of cornerstone Haveli of the Midwest region. VYOE is a Global non-profit organization that offers a unique learning program to develop an appreciation for India’s rich cultural heritage, a sound value system and a variety of life skills to the children for a more productive and well-rounded life.

Gurbir Grewal, 1st Sikh in the nation, to be nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy as NJ state attorney general

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Gov.-elect Phil Murphy will nominate Bergen County prosecutor Gurbir Grewal as the state’s next attorney general, NJ Advance Media has learned. Grewal would be the nation’s first Sikh attorney general.

Grewal, an Indian-American Sikh, is Murphy’s first high-level nomination — and a historic one — as the Democrat works to fill out an administration set to take office on Jan. 16. If Grewal is confirmed by the state Senate, which seems all but certain, Murphy said he would become the first South Asian attorney general in New Jersey and the first Sikh to hold the position in any state.

“The American dream is alive and well in New Jersey,” Grewal said at a news conference in Trenton where Murphy made the announcement. Attorney general is one of the most powerful positions in New Jersey government, serving as the state’s top cop and top lawyer. The person in that role leads the 7,200-employee Department of Law and Public Safety, which includes the State Police, civil rights enforcement, consumer affairs and civil litigation.

Grewal, 44, is a Glen Rock resident and former federal prosecutor who has led the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office since Republican Gov. Chris Christie tapped him for the role in January 2016. He served in an acting capacity until the state Senate confirmed him to a five-year term and he was sworn into office in January of this year. Grewal was nominated to serve as Bergen County prosecutor by Gov. Chris Christie in 2016. At the time, Christie praised Grewal’s experience as a federal prosecutor and his diverse background.

Prior to being Bergen County’s top law enforcement officer, he worked as the former chief of the Economic Crimes Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office under former federal prosecutor Paul Fishman. He’s a past president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York and a member of the New Jersey Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association.

Murphy has stressed on multiple occasions since his November election, and repeated Tuesday, that he wants his attorney general to band together with attorneys general from other states to sue to block policies coming out of a Republican-controlled Washington, D.C. The nomination would be sent to the state Senate for approval after Murphy takes office.

Nikki Haley, the lone voice among disgruntled GOP leaders, wants women accusing Trump to be “heard”

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Nikki R. Haley, the American ambassador to the United Nations, is the sole voice in te grand old Republican Party, wanting that women who have accused President Trump of sexual misconduct “should be heard,” a surprising break from the administration’s longstanding assertion that the allegations are false and that voters rightly dismissed them when they elected Mr. Trump.

According to reports, Haley, a former governor and one of the highest-ranking women in Trump’s administration, refocused attention on the allegations against the president by insisting that his accusers should be treated no differently than the scores of women who have come forward in recent weeks with stories of sexual harassment and misconduct against other men.

“They should be heard, and they should be dealt with,” Haley told NBC in an exclusive interview last week. “And I think we heard from them prior to the election. And I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up.”

Her remarks are the latest indication that the president’s behavior toward women — more than a dozen have accused him of unwanted touching, forcible kissing or groping — may not escape renewed scrutiny at a time when an array of powerful men have had their careers derailed because of their improper treatment of women, some of which took place decades ago.

President Trump is reportedly furious with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley for saying that the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct “should be heard.”

The Associated Press reported on Monday that Haley’s comments angered Trump as the claims against him have resurfaced in recent weeks. More than a dozen women came forward to publicly accuse Trump of sexual misconduct during his presidential campaign. The White House has said that the women are lying. Trump has also dismissed their claims as “fake news.”

The #MeToo movement has engulfed prominent members of both political parties. Democrats have appeared determined to grab the moral and political high ground, largely forcing their accused party members to resign.

Republicans have been more divided: Even as some accused members have stepped down, the party has largely stood by Mr. Trump. And it remains bitterly split over how to respond to the case of Roy S. Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama who has been accused of molesting an underage girl and attempting to date other teenagers when he was in his 30s.

Some of the women who first accused Trump during the campaign last year have expressed a renewed desire to press their case. Three of them will be interviewed by Megyn Kelly on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday, December 11. So far, though, the upheaval in societal norms about sexual conduct in the workplace has swirled around the president but left him largely unscathed.

Undaunted, the president has used Twitter to mock other men who have been accused, including Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota, who announced his plans to resign after several harassment allegations. Trump has defended and endorsed Moore, calling the claims against him “troubling” but insisting that he is needed in the Senate to advance the Republican agenda.

Through it all, the White House has repeatedly sought to deflect and discredit any attempt to revisit the “Access Hollywood” tape, in which Mr. Trump crudely bragged about kissing women and grabbing their private parts, or to examine again the allegations from the women who came forward weeks before the 2016 election to accuse Mr. Trump of crude sexual behavior.

In recent months, Trump has privately been casting doubt that the “Access Hollywood” tape is authentic, despite publicly acknowledging shortly after its release in October 2016 that “I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize.”

And he has steadfastly denied all of the women’s accusations, calling them “made-up stuff” and “totally fake news.” Asked about the sexual misconduct accusations against the president and whether the women were lying, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said that they were and that “the president addressed the comments back during the campaign.”

Asia 21 Welcomes New Class of Young Leaders at Australia Summit

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The 12th annual summit of the “Asia 21” Young Leaders Network convened in Melbourne last week — the first time it had come to Australia — and before the business of the summit had even begun, these young superstars of the Asia Pacific were showered with praise. “We are in absolute awe,” said The Hon. Linda Dessau, governor of the state of Victoria, while Victoria Deputy Premier James Merlino pronounced himself “truly impressed.” Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans opened a keynote address by welcoming “this extraordinary, alarmingly distinguished group of young leaders.”

Thirty young professionals from 20 nations were chosen for the Asia 21 Class of 2017. They were joined in Melbourne by nearly 50 alumni of the network, which brings together the next generation of leaders in government, business, arts, media, and the nonprofit sector to tackle a range of regional issues. This year’s theme was “World Disrupted: Asia’s Future” and the summit featured special sessions on upheaval in the fields of politics, media, technology and the environment.

Asia 21 — born in 2006 under the leadership of the late U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke, then chair of the Asia Society’s global board — is now the Asia Pacific’s foremost network of young leaders, with an alumni base of more than 800 leaders from 40 nations representing all manner of professional backgrounds. Asia 21 leaders are selected through a highly competitive process based on outstanding achievement, commitment to public service, and a proven ability to make the world a better place. The basic aim: to draw upon the combined brain power of the network to generate creative, multidisciplinary approaches to the region’s problems.

“Our goal is not just to recognize the amazing work these young leaders are doing,” said Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran, “but to connect them to one another so that they can take on some of the biggest challenges facing the Asia-Pacific today.”

The diversity and high caliber of this year’s cohort were evident in Melbourne. Among the Class of 2017 were Serey Chea, director general of the National Bank of Cambodia; Melissa Jardine, a former Australian police officer examining how law enforcement in Asia responds to drug use, economic crimes, and terrorism; Chenhui Liu, co-founder of a mobile health startup transforming China’s healthcare system; Krating Poonpol, a venture fund manager ushering in a startup revolution in Thailand; Taiwan’s Robin Chiang, venture partner, Welkin Capital Management, and angel investor to many young entrepreneurs; Kushal Gurung, founder and CEO, WindPower Nepal; and Eugene Yi, co-founder of Cortico, a social venture launched from the MIT Media Lab that uses artificial intelligence-driven media insights to build common ground. The media contingent alone made for a diverse group: Shameer Rasooldeen, host of Sri Lanka’s “Face the Nation” program; Raheel Khursheed, Twitter’s head of news partnerships for India and Southeast Asia; Tenzing Lamsang, founder, CEO and editor-in-chief, The Bhutanese Newspaper; award-winning Reuters correspondent Yeganeh Torbati; and Wang Guan, news anchor and chief political reporter for China’s CGTN. (Full list below)

“I’ve had a fairly disruptive year. I started with a fellowship at Harvard, another at Yale through spring and through the fall term,” said Khursheed, the Twitter executive. “I’ve had an opportunity to hang out with some of the smartest people in the world. And the cherry on top of my year has been this Asia 21 fellowship. It’s been an incredible infusion of fresh ideas, fresh energy, and fresh perspectives. I hope that I’m able to give as much as I’m taking.”

Asia 21 alumni in attendance included James Kondo (Class of 2006), president of the Asia Pacific Initiative Foundation and senior advisor at Geodesic Capital; Social Innovation Park, Ltd founder Penny Low (2007), award-winning Pakistani actor and director Adnan Malik (2012), Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Australia Wahidullah Waissi (2011), and Yin Myo Su (2013),managing director of Myanmar’s Inle Princess Group and founder of the Inle Heritage Foundation.

“I love coming back to Asia 21 summits,” said Omaid Sharifi (2011), co-founder and president of the NGO ArtLords in Afghanistan. “And whenever new members come in I always see fresh blood with lots of experience, from very different sectors, very innovative people. Every time that I come here I learn a lot. I take away with me many new ideas, projects, and experiences that are vital for my country and the youth of Afghanistan.”

The “Disruption” sessions at Melbourne produced spirited debate and no shortage of suggested solutions. The technology segment covered upheaval in global banking, the future of cryptocurrency, and the rampant spread of personal data.

“How do we make sure people own and control their own data?” asked Victoria State Minister for Trade, Investment & Innovation Philip Dalidakis, who joined a trio of Asia 21 fellows leading the tech discussion. “I say it’s up to you what you do with your data. Google is entitled to collect data if you put it out there.” Others disagreed, and predicted Google, Facebook, and other top companies would continue to face a backlash. Class of 2011 alumnus Dorjee Sun imagined a day when sharing data openly as most people do today would be a taboo on par with smoking cigarettes. “It’s not going to continue the way it is today.”

In a separate session, Sun, the CEO of Carbon Conservation, led a “Blockchain Brainstorm” that sought solutions for problems as disparate as poor-quality medical research, the burning of forests, and the recent volcanic eruptions in Bali. (We probably shouldn’t give away all the ideas here. Suffice to say that nano-satellites, crowdfunding, and Bitcoin were involved.)

The media discussion sparked a fundamental debate about whether disruption in that sector had been damaging or positive. Lotfullah Najafizada (2012), at 30 years old already a much-honored director of news for Afghanistan’s TOLO TV, argued that in his country no “disruption” had been more welcome than the meteoric rise of freely available news and information — whatever the downside. “You must understand — 15 years ago there was no real news and political discussion at all in my country.” Today, he said, you can find 200 hours of such programming in every 24-hour period on Afghan television channels. “That’s positive disruption,” Najazifada said. “It’s an unprecedented opportunity. You could call it a revolution.”

The dark side, he and others acknowledged, involve the use of such platforms by ISIS, the Taliban, and other militant groups, as well as the proliferation of “fake news” across the regional landscape. “Social media gives everyone a voice, for good and bad both,” said Yusra Askari, Pakistan correspondent for New Delhi Television (2014). “It’s a voice many never had before.”

Oxford University doctoral candidate Jieun Baek (2017), an expert on dissent in authoritarian regimes, noted the potential for a very different media “disruption” in dealing with the world’s most dangerous crisis. “There’s a huge role for disruption on the Korean peninsula,” Baek said, and she wasn’t referring to the military variety. “I’m talking about bringing content into a country and a culture that criminalizes most forms of content.”

Meanwhile, Najafizada made a passionate pitch for more journalism — in war zones and quiet nations alike — that steers clear of politics. “I tell my reporters this all the time,” he said. “There are millions of people out there, so many stories that must be told, and which have nothing to do with politics or politicians.”

In a rapid-fire “give and take” session that has become a valuable staple of the Asia 21 summits, young leaders were invited to make “asks” of the group (“my wind power startup in Nepal needs help getting to scale”; “I need broader markets for my sustainable crafts brand”, and so on). In the case of the Bali volcano, there were immediate results. Ewa Wojkowska (Class of 2013), co-founder and COO of Kopernik, a Bali-based organization that helps identify “last-mile” ways to reduce poverty, made an “ask” for help for those displaced by the recent eruption. In short order, she had pledges not only of funding, but also pro-bono legal help, environmentally-friendly masks, and — from a Jakarta-based alumnus — help with Indonesian Customs officials to help steer aid into the country.

Beyond the annual summits, Asia 21 members connect in a variety of ways. Regional chapters work to improve civil society in Afghanistan, build understanding between young people in India and Pakistan, and produce public policy programming in the Philippines. Alumni lead an annual “Action Lab” that brings experienced leaders together to boost the success and sustainability of Asia 21-led startups. And this year’s summit also pledged the creation of an Asia 21 “marketplace of ideas” and a “blockchain for Asia 21” that would work to help select Asia 21-led enterprises achieve maximum impact.

Perhaps the most inspiring moment of the three-day summit had nothing to do with Blockchain or Bitcoin, or disruption in the region’s politics and media. It came instead from Pakistan’s cricket icon Sana Mir (Class of 2017), who has captained her national team to unprecedented success, won widespread praise for her leadership style, and galvanized millions of young girls in her country and beyond.

Mir showed a short, not-yet-released film about her experience, a moving tribute to the persistence of young girls drawn to cricket in a part of the world where the sport’s pitches are typically populated by boys and men. The film tells the story of Mir’s rise and that of the women she leads. Mir’s teams captured the Asian Games Gold Medal in 2010 and 2014.

“We are just following in the footsteps of the strong women of Pakistan,” Mir says in the film. “When I put on the uniform of my country, and the national anthem plays, It’s the best feeling. I feel I am one of the luckiest women in the world.”

As for the boys, Sana Mir likes to drop in on pick-up games in her travels, greet the kids who are playing, and tell them, “You’ve got to let your sister bat, too.”

“It’s a very welcoming forum,” Mir said as the Asia 21 Summit wrapped, and delegates headed home. “And I really look forward to us all working together, and actually finding solutions for Asia. Because it’s a region which is of high importance for everyone around the world. So it’s very important that we make use of this time very intelligently.”

The Melbourne Asia 21 Summit was presented in partnership with the government of the state of Victoria. Sponsors included Medtronic, Google, HCash, and Deloitte. The 2018 Summit will be in Manila next November.

Class of 2017 members:

Cherrie Atilano (Philippines), founder, president, and CEO, Agrea Agricultural Systems International, Inc.

Jieun Baek (U.S.), Ph.D. candidate studying early dissenters in authoritarian countries, Oxford University

Battushig Batbold (Mongolia), chairman of the board, Altai Holding LLC

Serey Chea (Cambodia), director general, National Bank of Cambodia

Robin Chiang (Taiwan/ Australia), venture partner, Welkin Capital Management

Kushal Gurung (Nepal), founder and CEO, WindPower Nepal

Asuka Hamakawa (Japan), executive director and co-founder, Earth Company

Sayed Zafar Hashemi (Afghanistan), political counselor, Embassy of Afghanistan, Washington, DC

Melissa Jardine (Australia), board director, Global Law Enforcement & Public Health Association

Shougat Khan (Bangladesh), founder and chairperson, H.A. Foundation

Raheel Khursheed (India), head of news partnerships for India and Southeast Asia, Twitter

Sasibai Kimis (Malaysia), managing partner, Earth Heir

Tenzing Lamsang (Bhutan), founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, The Bhutanese Newspaper

Chenhui Liu (China), co-founder and COO, Apricot Forest

Henry Makeham (Australia), associate, Linklaters LLP

Sana Mir (Pakistan), captain, Pakistan national women’s cricket team

“Allen” Ali Mohammadi (Iran), CEO and co-founder, Hippogriff AB

June Park (South Korea), postdoctoral fellow specializing in U.S. foreign economic policymaking in Northeast Asia, National University of Singapore

Cheryl Perera (Canada), founder and president, OneChild

Eleanor Rosa Pinugu (Philippines), founder, Mano Amiga Academy

Ruangroj “Krating” Poonpol (Thailand), managing partner, 500 TukTuks

Shameer Rasooldeen (Sri Lanka), host, “Face the Nation”

Santitarn Sathirathai (Thailand), head of emerging Asia economics research, Credit Suisse

Jhuma Sen (India), assistant professor, Jindal Global Law School

Sim Chi Yin (Singapore), photographer and filmmaker

Mark Switkowski (Australia), executive director, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Victorian State Government, Australia

Yeganeh Torbati (U.S.), journalist, Reuters

Guan Wang (China), news anchor and chief political reporter, CGTN

Eugene Yi (U.S.), co-founder, Cortico

Zhao Zhong (China), founder and board director, Green Camel Bell

Nikki Haley, Kamala Harris, & Hasan Minhaj among “Global re-Thinkers Of The World”

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

Nikki Haley, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California, and Hasan Minhaj, who made national headlines with his scathing stand-up delivery against President Donald Trump, are among those made it to the list of leading thinkers from around the world, according to the Foreign Policy magazine’s annual reckoning.

Kamala Harris topped the list and was recognized “For giving the Democratic Party hope in the Trump era”; Haley was included “For trying to preserve America’s traditional vision of international affairs”; Minhaj was named to the 2017 list for defining the narrative of a “New Brown America.”

This year the magazine named it’s list the “Global re-Thinkers of the World” contending that 2017 was the year when leaders had to re-calibrate their ideas and strategies after “reactionary populism swept the world” in 2016.

The list includes “legislators, technocrats, comedians, advocates, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, presidents, provocateurs, political prisoners, researchers, strategists, and visionaries — who together found amazing ways not just to rethink our strange new world but also to reshape it,” the magazine said.

“Daily Show” correspondent Hasan Minhaj gave the keynote roast at the White House Correspondents Dinner 2017 in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. MUST CREDIT: Photo by The Washington Post by Marvin Joseph

What skyrocketed Harris to the national scene was a June hearing where she flayed former Sen. Jeff Sessions, in prosecutorial style, drawing flak from Republican Senators. “Suddenly, California’s 53-year-old junior senator has become an early favorite to challenge Trump in the 2020 presidential election,” the magazine noted.

As for Minhaj, the magazine notes it was no coincidence he was chosen for the White House Correspondents Dinner. “After all, just when the U.S. president was desperately trying to ban more Muslims from entering the United States, Minhaj — the son of Muslim immigrants from Aligarh, India — was making a name for himself as the right comedian for the wrong time,” the magazine said.

“In a cabinet stacked with decorated generals and multimillionaire moguls, the daughter of Indian immigrants whose only major political experience was serving as governor of South Carolina seemed an unlikely pick,” said the magazine. But, even before she became the U.N. Ambassador, Haley “appeared to have little in common, foreign policy-wise, with her would-be boss, President Donald Trump,” according to the magazine.

“After she assumed her new role, their differences have been thrown into stark relief,” it adds. Haley’s push to keep sanctions against Russia, championing human rights, and advocating renewed commitment to NATO, over the last 10 months, “smacks more of traditional Republican (and, arguably, traditional U.S.) policies more closely in line with Ronald Reagan than with the current president.”

Average US household owes $15,654 in credit card debt

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterFinance/Economy 0

Based on a recent survey, we’re guessing those goals will probably include paying down debt. NerdWallet released its Household Credit Card Debt Study, revealing that Americans owe an estimated $905 billion in credit card debt. That figure is up 8% from last year, and includes balances from cardholders who pay off their cards every month, as well as those who carry a balance from month to month.

According to the reports, the average household owes $15,654 in credit card debt. This data is alarming, but not record-breaking. According to NerdWallet, Americans owe $8.74 trillion in mortgage debt, $1.21 trillion in auto loans, and $1.36 trillion in student loans.

For starters, more and more Americans are putting medical expenses on their credit cards. In the survey, 17% of respondents said they’re in debt because they spent money on an emergency medical expense. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care costs have increased 34% over the past decade, while income has only grown 20%. To keep up with bills, a whopping 27 million adults are putting medical expenses on a credit card.

A 2016 survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation echoed the same problem: 37% of respondents increased credit card debt to pay medical bills. Spending has also climbed in other categories, including food (22%) and housing (20%).

The increase in debt can also be attributed to interest rates. In the survey, 41% of respondents admit to spending more than they should on unnecessary purchases. Spending more can lead to carrying a balance, which leads to more money spent paying interest. For instance, if you keep a balance of $6,081, with an interest rate of 14.87%, you’ll end up paying $904 in interest per year.

First and foremost, Americans need to get honest about their spending. If you’re charging purchases that you cannot afford to pay off right away, or if you are living above your means, it’s time to rein it in. Only then can you start to address your growing debt.

In a perfect world, you would pay off your credit card balance in full every month. Still — sadly — only 1 in 5 (about 18%) of Americans actually do this. In reality, about one-quarter of cardholders say they pay whatever they can afford at the end of the month, and 23% say they only pay the minimum amount due.

If you can’t pay off your full balance every month, that’s OK. Focus on keeping interest payments as low as possible. “To reduce the amount of interest you’re paying, consider making payments more frequently than once a month to keep your average daily balance down,” said Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet’s credit card expert.

Palmer also suggests consolidating your debt onto a card with 0% introductory APR. This way, you can work on paying down debt during the interest-free 12- to 18-month introductory period.

The online survey was conducted by Harris Poll, and surveyed 2,089 adults ages 18 and older. NerdWallet also used data from the US Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Priyanka Chopra is world’s Sexiest Asian Woman

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterSocial Media 0

Priyanka Chopra has been voted the “Sexiest Asian Woman” in the world in an annual UK poll released in London last week. The 35-year-old Quantico actor topped the 2017 edition of the popular ‘50 Sexiest Asian Women’ poll by London-based weekly newspaper Eastern Eye for a record-breaking fifth time.

She reclaimed the top slot from Deepika Padukone, who had been voted the sexiest Asian in 2016. “I cannot actually take credit for this at all. Full credit should be given to my genetics and your optics! Thank you Eastern Eye and to everyone who voted for me to be Asia’s Sexiest Woman, for what I’m told is a record breaking number of times! I feel grateful and am humbled. Consistency is key,” said Chopra who has surpassed 20 million followers on Instagram.

Now in its 14th year, the longest running list of its kind is based on millions of votes sent in by fans around the world, media coverage, impact and heat generated across various social media platforms.

The list this year was trending on Twitter across different countries including India during the voting process. “Priyanka Chopra has become an incredible international ambassador for India and is smashing through glass ceilings all over the world. Apart from being courageous enough to fly into the unknown professionally, she has also done a lot of work for social causes, become a strong symbol for girl power and is making a young generation have big dreams. She is the perfect mix of beauty, brains, bravery and a kind hear,” Asjad Nazir, the Entertainment editor of Eastern Eye who founded the list and puts it together annually, said in a press release.

Padukone came in third this year while Alia Bhatt came if fourth ahead of Pakistani star Mahira Khan who was in fifth place with Drashti Dhami in sixth, Katrina Kaif in seventh, Shraddha Kapoor in eighth, Gauahar Khan in ninth and Rubina Dilaik in 10th.

Padukone, who was the reigning queen of 2016, has slipped to the third position this year. Television actress Nia Sharma takes the second spot while the fourth and fifth places are secured by actresses Alia Bhatt and Mahira Khan, respectively.

“I should thank my mom and dad for this award…lol!” Chopra, clearly delighted with the win, wrote on Twitter Dec. 6. “It’s purely my genetics and your optics… and a big thank you for the immense love you guys give me every single time which has put me on top of the list 5 times over. Thank you.”

The accolade rounds off another dream year for the actress as she makes incredible strides internationally with her Hollywood debut, noted the magazine. Currently filming Season 3 of “Quantico” in New York, Chopra has cemented her base in Hollywood. Though “Baywatch” didn’t exactly set the cash registers ringing, Chopra’s kitty is full of assignments. Her next Hollywood film, “A Kid Like Jake,” will debut at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival (see story in India-West here: http://bit.ly/2j7nRkQ). She will also be seen alongside Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine in “Isn’t It Romantic?”

The 35-year-old actress, who recently made it to Variety’s annual list of ‘500 Most Influential Business Leaders Shaping the Global Entertainment Industry,’ list also takes time to sing and has released four singles: “In My City,” “Exotic” with Pitbull, and “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” and the recent “Young and Free,” with Will Sparks.

2017 also saw the actress make it to Forbes’ annual ‘Top-10 Highest-paid TV Actresses’ list. She has continued to make giant strides as a producer, too, and remained one of the hottest Indian stars on social media, crossing 40 million followers on Instagram and Twitter combined.

Now in its 14th year, the list is based on millions of votes by fans around the world, media coverage, impact and the heat generated across various social media platforms. Eastern Eye entertainment editor and founder of the ‘50 Sexiest Asian Women’ list, Asjad Nazir, described Chopra as the perfect mix of “beauty, brains, bravery and a kind heart.”

“Priyanka Chopra has become an incredible international ambassador for India and is smashing through glass ceilings all over the world,” said Nazir. “Apart from being courageous enough to fly into the unknown professionally, she has also done a lot of work for social causes, become a strong symbol for girl power and is making a young generation have big dreams.”

INOC celebrates Sonia Gandhi’s Birthday in New York

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General, INOC, USA

The scene was one of celebration and jubilation where over 100 officers, members and supporters of INOC, USA converged at its annual meet in New York on Dec 9, 2017, over the pronouncements and road map chartered out by Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Department of All India Congress Committee on Dec.2, 2017 in New York.

Pitroda also gave official recognition to INOC, USA and established an umbrella Board which would consist of Sam Pitroda as Chairman and George Abraham as Vice Chairman and Dr. Surinder Singh Malhotra as a member. Mohinder Singh Gilzian was endorsed to continue as the President of INOC, USA until the next Lok Sabha elections in about 15 months’ time after which, elections will take place for the single Indian Overseas Congress entity that will be established and recognized as such. Also celebrated was the nomination of Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General of INOC, USA as Chair of a 3-member group to revise and update the By-laws of the single entity of the Indian Overseas Congress in USA.

These appointments were welcomed by the audience with a standing ovation and with an arousing and a thunderous applause and expressions of great satisfaction. Mr. George Abraham thanked everyone for their dedication to the values and principles of the Congress Party and their perseverance to safeguard them often through difficult times. He also called on everyone to work together and hoped transparency, accountability, and fairness would prevail in working with the other group. He also cheered the imminent appointment of Shri Rahul Gandhi as President of AICC.

It may be recalled that the Congress party in the USA has hitherto been served by two splinter organizations one of which was headed by Mr. George Abraham (INOC, USA) and the other by Shudh Parkash Singh INOC (I). Mohinder Singh Gilzian appealed everyone to work together and make the organization a strong one. He said the record of the Congress party was glorious and holds good hope for the future.

Harbachan Singh, Secretary General of INOC, USA drew attention to its great inherent strength and expressed confidence in the future of the Congress party despite the recent trials and tribulations. He said the track record was an open book for everyone to see and the experience and professionalism that it is equipped with has no parallel in modern history.

Dr. Surinder Singh Malhotra who had also joined the meeting praised the excellent work of all the senior leaders of this Congress group and encouraged them to follow the goals and policy of the Congress party which were very democratic and secular in nature.

The guest speaker, Dr. George Mathew, Chairman of the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi emphasized the excellent value of the Congress party’s secular system in modern society which had become the new horizon for the international brotherhood to develop modern international networks in trade and peaceful co-existence.

Joy Thomas, a former District Congress Committee President and former head of Consumer Federation of Kerala felicitated the audience for the great strength that they showed and the tremendous work that they continue to do for the love of the country. He lauded the outstanding accomplishments of UPA I and UPA II under the stewardship of Soniaji.

The news of Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji becoming the President of A.I.C.C was also received with joy and acclamation. Speaker after speaker expressed happiness and confidence in his leadership to lead the party on the road to victory.

The long-awaited cake cutting time to celebrate the Birthday of Madam Sonia Gandhi finally arrived and topped all ceremonies of the day. George Abraham in a toast to Soniaji highlighted her passion for pluralism and empathy for the disadvantaged. Quoting her own words which said the following: “ though born in a foreign land, I chose India as my country, I am Indian and shall remain so until my last breath. India is my motherland, dearer to me than my own life”, Abraham thanked the important role she had played in establishing INOC as a vibrant organization here in U.S. Several speakers recounted her excellent contribution to the development of the party and the establishment of the rule of law. Toasts were proposed, and sincere wishes for her continued good health and prosperity were expressed by every present.

Tejinder Singh Gill, Malini Shah, Satish Sharma, Sawaran Singh, Jasvir Singh Nawanshr, Jose Jacob, Jaya Sundaram, Devendra Vora, Gautam Sanghavi, Kulbir Singh, Koshy Oommen and Leela Maret also spoke.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal Named to Politico Power List as Person to Watch in 2018

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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.”

Jayapal, 52, is in the fifth position and the only Indian American in the power list. She is described by Politico as a “feisty freshman Democratic lawmaker from Washington state’s 7th Congressional District who knows how to punch back.”

“Jayapal, a fast-rising Democratic star and determined critic of President Donald Trump, has assumed the mantle of a House ‘leader of the resistance’,” the report said. The list, according to Politico, highlights politicians, activists and operatives across the country who are poised to have a big year in 2018. From the “resistance” on the left, to the establishment and the Bannonite wing trying to remake the GOP, these are the people to watch over the next 12 months, Politico wrote.

Politico calls the Indian American Jayapal, D-Wash., a feisty freshman Democratic lawmaker who knows how to punch back. The publication cites an incident when California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa accused the India native Jayapal, who was raised in Indonesia and Singapore, of “naiveté” on the issue of immigration on the House floor. The congresswoman followed with this tweet, “Thank goodness we have so many men in Congress to mansplain our naiveté. Here’s to you, @DarrellIssa,” Politico noted

Issa wasn’t the lone culprit. GOP Rep. Don Young of Alaska during a House debate called the 52-year-old Jayapal a “young lady’’ who “doesn’t know a damn thing.” Jayapal responded on Twitter saying, “A message to women of color out there: stand strong. Refuse to be patronized or minimized,” Politico pointed out. In talking with Politico, Jayapal said, “I thought, ‘What century am I in, that people can actually say these things to me?’”

Determined to fight “a culture of diminishment around women in this Chamber,” Jayapal said her goal is to challenge colleagues “in a way that flies high … I try to be both gracious — and pointed,” the report said.

The Indian American’s story is well-known among the Indian community in the U.S. She came to the country at 16 on her own to study at Georgetown University. In 2001 she founded Hate Free Zone — later renamed OneAmerica — dedicated to advocacy work, including registering new immigrants to vote and lobbying for immigration reform. She later became the first South Asian American to be elected to the Washington state Legislature and then earned a spot in Congress in 2016.

“I knew I would have to succeed,’’ she told Politico Playbook. “My dad used all his money to get me here.” Politico said Jayapal has assumed the mantle of a House “leader of the resistance.” From her spot as first vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she has worked as “a relentless advocate of civil rights and immigration reform on Capitol Hill,” says her friend and fellow freshman House member, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the report said.

“She’s really positioned herself to be an essential player in the future of the Democratic Caucus in the House. With determination, steely drive and some well-placed tweets, Cruickshank said, Jayapal has “taken a deliberate approach to get there”.

Jayapal is the first Indian-American woman in the US House of Representatives. She travelled to the US from Chennai at the age of 16 to study at Georgetown University. Years later, as a new US citizen, Jayapal in 2001 founded Hate Free Zone — later renamed OneAmerica — dedicated to advocacy work including registering new immigrants to vote and lobbying for immigration reform.

Fr. Varghese Paul awarded Lifetime Achievement award

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Fr. Varghese Paul, SJ has received the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD from National and International Compendium (NIC), New Delhi last month. The Award Certificate says: “Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Fr Varghese Paul, SJ, Director, Catholic Information Service Society Ahmedabad, Gujarat For Outstanding Achievements in Chosen Field of
Activity at New Delhi on 2nd November 2017”. The colorful Award certificate is signed by Dr. N.S.N. Babu, Ph.D., Executive Director.

The NIC’s letter dated October 1, 2017 communicating the news says: “The selection of the Awardees is general however based on the information gathered by us through our extensive research, which we make to identity the progressive patten of the dynamic men and women
of India. We also use all the contacts at our disposal for the said purpose”.

Fr Varghese received the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD by Registered Post
as he was unable to go to New Delhi to receive the Award in the Award Distribution function.

Fr Varghese has earlier received JEWEL OF INDIA AWARD form International Institute of Education & Management on 25 July, 2016 in a special Award function held New Delhi. In the same year Fr Varghese Paul also received STAR OF ASIA AWARD Certificate of Outstanding
Achievement on 30th September.

As a bi-lingual writer promoting love and harmony in all his writings Fr Varghese is a widely read author in Gujarati. He has written and published 45 books in Gujarati and 4 in English. His books are also translated in to Hindi, Malayalam and Bangali. His books are published
by big publishing houses like R R Sheth & Co. Mumbai-Ahmeabad, Rannade
Prakashan, Ahmedabad and Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Anand, etc.

His latest book Paryavarnani Samipe on Environmental sensibilities, published by Rannade Prakashan in 2017, was released in public functions at Ahmedabad on July 16 and at Mumbai on Nov 24, 2017. Here are pictures of Award Certificate & of the book realizing function
held at Maniben Nanavati Women’s College, Mumbai.

The Book Realizing Function was held as part of an International Conference on Re-imagining The Text: English Studies and Digital Humanities. The Conference was jointly organized by the College (MNWC) and the Guild of Indian English Writers, Editors and Critics (GIEWEC).
Fr Varghese presented a research paper on YOUTH AND THE DIGITAL MEDIA.

Towards a World without Nuclear Weapons: Challenges and Perspectives

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

BY TRANSCEND MEMBERS

Address By Ambassador Sergio Duarte – TRANSCEND Media Service

Thank you for the invitation to address this important and timely meeting. As a retired officer of the Brazilian Foreign Service, it is with special pride and honor that I return to this institution, where I spent a large part of my forty-eight years in the diplomatic career.

I was asked to provide a bird’s eye view of the three main topics of this Seminar, namely the contribution of the Treaty of Tlatelolco and ABACC to the security of Latin America and the world, the prospects for the 2020 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and the impact of the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. I shall try to discharge the nearly impossible mission of dealing with these issues in the twenty minutes allotted to me but first may I be allowed to make a few general comments.

Seventy-one years have elapsed since the first Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 1 on dealing “with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy”. It called for the elimination of nuclear weapons and all other weapons adaptable to mass destruction. Over those seven decades, the international community has successfully outlawed chemical and bacteriological weapons, but the problems related to the use of nuclear energy still defy humankind and have grown ever more complex. The high hopes of decades past based on the use of the atom to provide a clean, reliable and inexhaustible source of electric energy have been obscured by environmental and safety concerns due to disastrous accidents in civil nuclear facilities, coupled with the still unresolved question of the safe disposal of waste. The international security issues related to the military use of the explosive power of atomic fission and fusion proved even more intractable. There are still close to 15.000 nuclear weapons in the hands of nine States. 4.150 of those are deployed with operational forces and about 1.800 are kept in a state of “operational alert”. We are not told much about the status of the remaining ones.

Nuclear weapons started to proliferate in 1945 with the first experimental detonation of an explosive device intended to be used in war. Today, the horizontal dimension of nuclear proliferation seems to have been brought generally under control. However, vertical and technological proliferation continue unabated in the form of the relentless development of ever more sophisticated and destructive nuclear weapons. The economic aspect of the current “modernization” trend is particularly disturbing. Recent projections by the Arms Control Association estimate the cost of the nuclear weapons program in the United States alone over the next thirty years at somewhere around 1.35 trillion dollars, adjusted for anticipated inflation. By way of comparison, the cost of the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations just two years ago was set at a similar figure – 1.4 trillion dollars.

It is fair to recognize that over the past seven decades the international community has managed to achieve a certain degree of conceptual advancement and even some substantive progress in matters related to the control of nuclear weapons. Several agreements are now part of the corpus of positive international law and have helped to establish some important principles and rules in this area.

For instance, Latin America and the Caribbean States have been in the forefront of the quest for international regimes aimed at preventing the spread of – and at eliminating – nuclear weapons. One year before the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – the NPT – was endorsed by the General Assembly the countries in our continent undertook to use the nuclear material and facilities under their jurisdiction exclusively for peaceful purposes and at the same time prohibited the testing, use, manufacture, production and acquisition of such weapons in our region. This example was later emulated by four other inhabited areas of the world. Nuclear weapon free zones now encompass the entire African continent and large parts of Oceania as well as of Southeastern and Central Asia, spanning 113 nations plus Mongolia. Similar zones free of nuclear weapons have been proposed for the Middle East, Northeast Asia and the Arctic regions. The South Atlantic has been declared a zone of peace and cooperation.

OPANAL, the agency established to ensure compliance with the obligations contained in the Treaty of Tlatelolco, has played an important role in fostering nuclear cooperation among Latin American and Caribbean countries and has actively sought partnerships with other nuclear free zones. OPANAL has consistently worked to strengthen the rather flimsy assurances given by the nuclear weapon States in the two Protocols attached to the Treaty.

Twenty-five years ago Argentina and Brazil signed the Guadalajara Agreement creating the Argentine-Brazilian Agency for the Accounting and Control of nuclear materials – ABACC in the Portuguese/Spanish acronym. A few months later the Quadripartite agreement involving Brazil, Argentina, ABACC and the IAEA came into being. The creation of the Common System of Control of Nuclear Materials permitted not only the reinforcement of confidence through the mutual inspection of nuclear activities but also joint projects that enhance the strategic dimension of the bilateral relationship such as the current development of the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor and of the Argentine RA-10 reactor. In a joint editorial published in July last year to commemorate the anniversary of ABACC, the Ministers of External Relations of the two countries stressed that the dynamics of Brazil-Argentina cooperation highlights not only the uniqueness of their bilateral relations but also their contribution to the region and the world at large with regard to security and non-proliferation. Our experience today serves as a model of how impasses could be overcome in other regions.

The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is of course another landmark agreement. It is considered as the cornerstone of the multilateral non-proliferation regime. Over the 47 years since its entry into force the NPT has attracted near-universal membership. The unique conditions prevailing in the world in the 1960’s enabled the two superpowers to negotiate this agreement and steer its passage through the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee and the General Assembly. Such conditions are no longer present today. Most States have come to realize that their own security and that of the world at large would be better served by ensuring the absence of nuclear weapons, not only in their own territories but everywhere else. International peace and security cannot remain forever hostage to a precarious balance of terror. The system of safeguards established by the NPT together with the IAEA has been so far instrumental in preventing the alarming predictions about horizontal proliferation from becoming reality, but the Treaty was ineffective to bring about nuclear disarmament. The obligation contained in Article VI of the Treaty remains unfulfilled.

For several disturbing reasons, the forthcoming Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT assumes great importance. Tensions between the two major nuclear powers, as well as in other regions, have increased since the failed 2015 Review Conference. A new and acute focus of stress emerged in Northeast Asia as the DPRK stepped up its nuclear weapon program and both Pyongyang and Washington engaged in mutual accusations and provocations to the point of explicitly threatening each other’s total destruction. A nuclear confrontation would entail catastrophic consequences for the whole world. Alarming signs are seen in some States where sectors of public opinion openly advocate the acquisition of indigenous nuclear capabilities. The agreement between the P5+1 and Iran, known under the acronym of JPCOA, is under severe strain and many fear for its sustainability. The use of nuclear devices by extremist groups became a frightening possibility. Last, but not least, for over twenty years now the Conference on Disarmament has been unable to achieve agreement even on a program of work, raising questions about its usefulness and permanence.

The first Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference took place last May. As in previous similar occasions, its outcome did not produce any agreed result. A second session will be held in April next year. The third – and last – session, in 2019, is supposed to deal substantively with the issues at hand. Yet, experience shows that substantive questions are left to be discussed at the Review Conference itself, and then again not always in a constructive, let alone productive mood. Five out of the nine Review Conferences so far have failed to achieve agreement on a Final Document. Many Parties believe that the “strengthened review process” agreed in 1995 as part of the package that permitted the indefinite extension of the NPT has outlived its usefulness.

Another reason for concern is the fact that the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), remains in a legal limbo. This instrument was adopted over twenty years ago but is still not formally into force due to the lack of signature and/or ratification by eight of the 44 States specified in its Article XIV. Nevertheless, the CTBT set a standard of behavior that has been observed by all States in the 21stcentury with the only exception of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This treaty is a powerful measure to prevent proliferation and it is hard to understand why some of the States already possessing nuclear weapons still resist transforming their self-declared testing moratorium into a legal obligation under international law.

The ominous trends described above bring into question the artificial division of the world established by the NPT. The world community is split between two blocks of States with different and largely opposing agendas. One group values nuclear weapons and regards them as essential for their own security and that of their allies, and even for the security of the whole world. The other considers such weapons militarily ineffective, morally indefensible and abhorrent on humanitarian grounds. In their view, the mere existence of nuclear weapons constitutes a threat to international peace and security.

While both groups agree on the desirability of achieving nuclear disarmament their diametrically opposed positions on matters related to security reflect a basic disagreement. The former argues that nuclear weapons have been responsible for keeping peace and stability since the end of World War II. This argument neglects recurrent strife and instability in many parts of the globe and does not take into account the inherent dangers and risks resulting from the use or misuse of nuclear weapons, by design or by accident. Although not discarding the possibility of using atomic weapons in the circumstances they deem adequate, nuclear armed States still insist that their main purpose is to deter aggression. Having established what they consider an exclusive and indefinite right to retain their arsenals, they adamantly deny every other nation similar means of safeguarding their own security. Even as they agree on disarmament as an “ultimate objective”, nuclear States and their allies maintain that the conditions for progress do not exist at present. Those States contend further that the way to move forward is to seek agreement on partial measures that seem feasible to them. One such measure, defined by their proponents as the “next logical step” would be a prohibition on the production of fissionable material for weapons purposes. In fact, as proposed, a ban on the production of fissionable material would be redundant from the point of view of non-proliferation and innocuous from the point of view of disarmament, for the simple reason that non-nuclear weapon States are already prohibited under the NPT from acquiring atomic weapons and the envisaged ban would leave intact the huge stocks of that material amassed by the nuclear weapon States. The other group contends that the conditions for progress have never been clearly spelled out, leading to the conclusion that the real intention is to postpone indefinitely any engagement in meaningful negotiations of concrete measures of nuclear disarmament. All attempts to start action in this direction at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva have met with strong resistance from the nuclear weapon countries. Indeed, the word “disarmament” seems to have disappeared from the lexicon of the armed States and their allies.

Rising concern over the humanitarian and environmental consequences of any use of nuclear weapons coupled with frustration over the lack of tangible results in nuclear disarmament prompted several States, including Brazil, to push forward a proposal to negotiate a treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. As we know, this instrument was successfully negotiated and adopted last July at the United Nations. Fifty-three States so far have signed and three have already ratified it.

The negotiation of that treaty was also fiercely opposed with varying degrees of vehemence by the possessors of nuclear weapons. Among other alleged defects, these States pointed out: a) that the concept of the Treaty fails to take into consideration the global security environment; b) that it would be ineffective; c) that the process of its negotiation was divisive, rather than consensual; d) that the prohibition is not a substitute for reductions in current arsenals; e) that it undermines the NPT, and finally, f) that a progressive, step-by step approach is a more suitable path to achieve nuclear disarmament.

To counter these contentions supporters of the Treaty point out: a) that the ban was not conceived in isolation of the existing security conditions and that its adversaries neglected to attend the preparatory conferences where their concerns could have been voiced, and preferred instead to indict the process from the start and boycott the negotiations; b) that in fact past efforts have been ineffective in producing a clear, legally binding commitment to eliminate nuclear weapons; c) that the new treaty does not create divisions among States but simply calls attention to the longstanding gulf that has been exacerbated by the perceived disregard of the nuclear weapon States for their obligations; d) that the Treaty will obviously not result in the automatic abolition of arsenals but will make the need for nuclear disarmament more visible and hasten multilateral action; e) that rather than undermining the NPT, the Treaty provides a path for its Parties to fulfill their legal obligation to pursue negotiations in good faith and bring them to a conclusion, as clarified by the ICJ in 1996. This is what is meant by in the expression “leading to their elimination” contained in the General Assembly mandate for the negotiation of the new instrument; and finally, f) the “step-by-step” approach favored by the nuclear weapon States and their allies over the decades has not resulted in a single multilateral measure of nuclear disarmament and has, in effect, served to justify the maintenance of the status quo.

Opponents of the Treaty contend further that it offers no solution to the grave threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear program. This argument ignores, perhaps deliberately, that the most pointed approaches so far attempted to deal with the DPRK as an emerging nuclear weapon State have not been successful either.

Despite the enthusiasm of its supporters and the disparagement of its opponents, it is too early to assess the impact of the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty on the current debate on the ultimate achievement of nuclear disarmament. The history of the negotiation and the language of the final version of the Treaty show an endeavor to take every precaution in order to avoid any incompatibility between this instrument and the NPT. In the months after the opening of the instrument to the signature of States at the United Nations it will be possible to gauge the extent of international support to the Treaty. Upon ratification, individual countries will be able to consider the adoption of national legislation containing measures that can have an impact on the policies and practices of nuclear weapon countries. States will need to find a workable convergence between the existing normative basis and the new prohibition embodied in the Prohibition Treaty in order to ensure increased security for all nations and not for just a few armed ones and their allies.

May I conclude by recalling that the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene a UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament no later than in 2018 in order to evaluate progress and advance further the elimination of nuclear weapons. The current 72nd Session of the General Assembly is expected to decide on the holding of a preparatory meeting for this High-Level Conference as well as on further work on a Fourth Special Session on Disarmament. This coincides with the preparatory cycle for the 2020 NPT Review Conference. The very articulate and thorough Final Document of the First Special Session in 1978 needs to be updated. Recent UN High Level Conferences produced important multilateral progress on issues like climate change, oceans and migration. States should avail themselves of the opportunity to participate in a process aimed at bringing new impetus to the non-proliferation and disarmament debate and at promoting concrete progress towards the elimination of nuclear weapons, with the active support of civil society organizations.

Sergio Duarte, a Brazilian Ambassador (ret.), is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment

Aziz Ansari, Kumail Nanjiani win Critics’ Choice Awards 2018 Nominations

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Indian American actor Aziz Ansari and Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani have scored nominations for the 23rd annual Critics’ Choice Awards. For both these actors, being the contenders for this prestigious award, which some say is a barometer for predicting the Oscars, is the best way to cap a pretty successful 2017.

Ansari, who has in the past got the critics’ nod for his Netflix comedy series, “Master of None,” is back in the race owing to the second season of the series, which was lapped by the fans. He has been nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Comedy Series’ category for his role in the Netflix drama.

Nanjiani, a critically acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, recently starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. The film, a romantic comedy story, which was released by Amazon Studios/Lionsgate, wowed critics and audiences alike. Nanjiani, also known for his co-starring role as Dinesh in the award-winning HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” has collected multiple nominations, for his work on both “The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley.”

CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which stars Indian American actor Kunal Nayyar, is competing for the ‘Best Comedy Series’ award. Netflix leads the television honors with 20 nominations, followed by HBO with 15, FX with 13, and ABC with 12.

The Critics’ Choice Awards are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the U.S. and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics. BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences.

The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala to be held Jan. 11, 2018 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The awards show will air on The CW Network and will be broadcast live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

Mona Patel and Samir Lakhani among “CNN Hero of the Year”

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Two Indian Americans, Mona Patel and Samir Lakhani, have been selected among 10, to be honored at the “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” on Sunday, Dec. 17. In 1990, Patel was struck by a drunken driver at the age of 17 when she was walking to class at Cal Poly University and “flew up about 12 feet” when she was pinned between the “car and a metal railing” which “smashed my leg and my foot,” she told CNN.

Weeks later, when Patel got out of the ICU, she underwent her first amputation. It was the start of seven years’ worth of surgeries in attempts to salvage the rest of her leg. She however went on to earn a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees, and became a social worker.

Today, Patel’s nonprofit, the San Antonio Amputee Foundation, aims to help amputees rebuild their lives. The group offers peer support, education and recreation opportunities, as well as financial assistance for basic home and car modifications and prosthetic limbs.

She also leads health and fitness programs and sponsors amputees to participate in tennis tournaments and endurance climbs. In 2015, led by Patel, a group of amputees climbed to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Patel had to undergo her first amputation when she got out of the ICU weeks later, which was just the start of “seven years’ worth of surgeries in attempts to salvage the rest of her leg.” Since then she has earned a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees, and became a social worker, though she has come a long way as she has continued to struggle physically with her disability.

In 2014, while then a college student, Samir Lakhani was volunteering in a Cambodian village and saw “a mother bathing her newborn in a basin filled with laundry powder and water” which he will never forget.

He then realized that his hotel was throwing away barely-used bars of soap after their customers left and thought if he recycled them and gave it to people who were actually in need of them then it would save the soap and give it a second life.

So while attending the University of Pittsburgh, Lakhani started the Eco-Soap Bank which is a nonprofit that recycles discarded bars of soap from hotels in Cambodia and distributes it to people in need. Today, the organization has four recycling centers across the country, providing jobs to 35 local women.

The used bars are sanitized and remolded into new bars or melted down into liquid soap and so far, more than 650,000 people have benefited from the group’s soap and hygiene education.

“What I love most is that we are killing three birds with one stone. We are keeping waste out of landfills, employing locals and spreading soap all over the country,” Lakhani told CNN This will be the 11th year that CNN honors 10 people who work to improve the world through their emotional stories. People can vote for “CNN Hero of the Year” online and the winner will receive $100,000 for their cause.

IIT-Bombay: 20% hike in overseas job offers

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterEducation 0

The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, which witnessed a good placement season, also saw a 20 per cent hike in international offers this year compared to last year. In the first three days of placement, 47 offers were made to students for international postings. Including the pre-placement offers, 60 students have offers from offshore companies, which is 20 per cent higher than last year. For the same period last year, 50 students had offers for international positions.

The placement team claimed that the number of offers for US-based positions has increased. Last year, owing to uncertainty over visa laws in the US, fewer offers were rolled out. This year, however, US-based companies returned to the campus and made offers, but with caveats. In case the visa laws do not turn in favour of the students, parallel offers have been made for domestic positions. This year, the number of Japanese firms has also increased, said sources in the placement team. Japanese manufacturing company Murata, IT giant Yahoo Japan, and IT company NEC Japan were some of the recruiters that made the highest number of offers and offered high packages. At least 15 Japanese firms are expected to participate in campus placements at IIT-B. Last year, too, a Japanese firm – Works app – had made the highest offer of 60 lakh Japanese Yen (JPY) per annum, a repeat of the year before.

Indian American STEM Academy to launch in India

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterEducation, Science & Technology 0

An Indian American STEM Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, will be opening a “Center of Excellence” in Delhi in January that will introduce the STEM program to middle and secondary school students along with training and certifying teachers.

According to a PTI report, the STEM program, which educates students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, will be launched in selected schools across India from January 1 and will be available for students enrolled in grades four through 10.

“The Academy’s mission is to ignite the innovative trait in young Indian students and create a new generation of youngsters who will think out of the box,” Amitabh Sharma, a co-founder of the Academy, told PTI.

Sharma added that the initiative goes along with former U.S. president Barack Obama’s drive to ‘Educate to Innovate’ as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visions of ‘Make in India,’ ‘Digital India’ and ‘New India.’

The program is targeted to students enrolled in schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), State School Boards and International Baccalaureate.

“It is an interdisciplinary way of teaching math and science, integrated with day-to-day engineering and technology,” Sharma added.

Sharma has an MBA, a law degree and a doctorate in marketing and has had experience in the oil and gas, information technology and education fields.

Being the founder of the American India Foundation’s Atlanta Leadership Council, Sharma told PTI that “STEM based learning in India has been limited due to apparent lack of structure and the STEM Academy of USA has developed a unique implementation strategy for India.”

“The world has acknowledged the strength and significance of practical project based learning. Perhaps it is time to move away from traditional rote learning to out-of-the-box creativity oriented learning that nurtures well rounded leaders. Indian youngsters then will well be on the path to becoming capable world citizens and catapulting India to its inventive best,” Sharma added. MPower Global STEM Education will be outreaching and implementing the program to the Indian schools.

Shivangi Maini crowned Miss India New York 2017

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterFashion 0

Shivangi Maini, of Queens, was crowned Miss India New York 2017 at the 36th Miss, 10th Teen and the 4th Mrs. India New York Pageant held on December 3, in Long Island, NY. The event was hosted by Nishi Bahl of Panache Entertainment and IFC, and coordinated by Shilpa Jhurani.

The largest reputed pageant held outside of India, it has provided a platform for several Bollywood actresses in the past, like Richa Sharma Dutt, and Aarti Chhabria. The event consisted of judged segments including Ethnic Wear, Evening Wear, Talent, and Question and Answer.

Preliminary judging included a three-minute talent portion, which ranged from traditional Kathak pieces, to modern Bollywood dance, and playing instruments, to public speaking skills. The Best Talent was awarded to Vinika Shikapuri of Melville, NY. She played the violin to the Indian National anthem, along with performing a dual genre dance performance to the chartbuster ‘Aisa jadoo dala re’, where she displayed her modern dance skills inclusive of props from jumping off the chair.

She concluded her performance with a medley performing traditional Indian classical kathak choreography to a mainstream song Don Omar – Danza Kuduro featuring Lucenzo. For the finale, each contestant was asked a question by the judges’ panel.

The judges’ panel included Adnan Khwaja, Director of supermodel pageant Runway Princess, expert photographer and event planner of AA Film Studios and Dream Moulders; Box Office and South Asian Insider founder Sharanjit Singh Thind, social worker and community leader Nilima Madan, founder of The Ticket Guru Abhinav Madan, and Director of Social Services in Nassau County Sunita Manjrekar.

The event was emceed by the 2016 outgoing queens Miss India New York Riya Kaur, Miss Teen India New York Rhea Manjrekar and Mrs. India New York Nishtha Chadda. The Miss India New York 2017 title went to Shivangi Maini of Queens, New York; 1st Runner-up: Renuka Joseph from Long Island; 2nd Runner-up: Inpreet Rattu of Suffolk County, New York; 3rd Runner-up: Nishigandha from Queens, Long Island.

In the Teen category, Miss Teen India New York 2017 title went to Vinika Shikapuri from Melville, Long Island; 1st Runner-up: Simran Kohli from Hicksville, Long Island; 2nd Runner-up: Priya Aguilar Bhanot of New Hyde Park; and 3rd Runner-up: Geetika Kochar from Bethpage, Long Island.

In the Mrs. Category, Mrs. India New York 2017 title went to Talath Quadri from Long Island; 1st Runner-up: Devinder “Devin”; 2nd Runner-up: Gurpreet Singh and 3rd Runner- up: Anjali Jain from Hicksville, Long Island.

In addition to these titles, there were multiple subtitle winners in all three categories, including Best Talent: Vinika Shikapuri; Beautiful Smile: Anjali Jain; Most Photogenic: Nidhi Tomar; Best Model: Sofia Win Aung.

This year, a new title of Panache Brand Ambassador was awarded to Sofia Win Aung. The winners will now proceed to compete representing the state of New York, at Miss, Teen and Mrs. India USA hosted by Neelam and Dharmatma Saran of IFC.

Racial/ethnic discrimination continues despite affluence, say Asians and Indian-Americans in new poll

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Even though Indian-Americans are possibly the highest-earning group in this country, a latest survey shows they are far from immune from discriminatory treatment on several fronts in their lives, according to a survey which includes more than 500 Indian-Americans, and conducted by Harvard.

The report on Asian-Americans released on December 4^th, is part of a series, “Discrimination in America” done for the Harvard School of Public Health as well as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and National Public Radio. The report on Asian-Americans brought out Dec. 4, about which News India Times spoke to the co-director of the study at Harvard University, is part of a series, “Discrimination in America” done for the Harvard School of Public Health as well as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and National Public Radio and is based on a nationwide random sample of 3,453 Americans. The poll was conducted between Jan. 26 and April 9.

According to the findings of the study, overall, at least one in four, or a quarter if not more, of Asian-Americans in the survey said they had felt discrimination in housing and employment. Nevertheless, Indian-Americans are more likely (33 percent) than both Chinese-Americans (16 percent) and Southeast Asian-Americans (11 percent) to say they live in a predominantly upper income area.

At the same time, Indian-Americans are much more likely than Chinese-Americans to report unfair police treatment. When asked whether they believe they or a family member had experienced unfair treatment by the police or by the court system because they are Asian, Indian-Americans are significantly more likely (17 percent) than Chinese-Americans (2 percent) to say they or a family member have been unfairly stopped or treated by the police because they are Asian.

Overall, 12 percent of Asian-Americans say that they or a family member have been unfairly stopped or treated by the police based on their race. Chart 1 shows the overall reporting of Asian-Americans’ experiences of discrimination across a range of areas of life. A quarter or more of Asian- Americans report being personally discriminated against because they are Asian when it comes to applying for jobs (27 percent), being paid equally or considered for promotion (25 percent), or when trying to rent a room or apartment or buy a house (25 percent).

Additionally, nearly one in five Asian- Americans report being discriminated against because they are Asian when applying to or while attending college (19 percent) or when interacting with police (18 percent) (Chart 1). Blendon said the size of the sample did not allow for getting statistically significant conclusions for Indian- Americans in the category of college attendance. “Because we did six groups, we had the same problem, the numbers are not large enough to go beyond the Asian American group,” except in the area of police treatment and housing, he noted.

Some one-third of Asian-Americans have experienced slurs or insensitive comments about their race or ethnicity. Chart 3 shows that 35 percent of Asian-Americans report personally experiencing people making insensitive or offensive comments or expressing negative assumptions about their race or ethnicity. Similarly, 32 percent report personally experiencing slurs because of their race or ethnicity, the report shows.

Additionally, non-immigrant Asian Americans are more than three times as likely (20 percent) as immigrant Asian Americans (6 percent) to say they have experienced violence because they are Asian, and more than twice as likely to say they have been threatened or non-sexually harassed because they are Asian (36 percent non-immigrant, 15 percent immigrant).

An important finding was that nearly one in five low income Asian Americans avoid medical care due to concern they will be discriminated against because they are Asian. While survey data revealed that 13 percent of all Asian Americans say they have been personally discriminated against because they are Asian when going to a doctor or health clinic, nearly one in ten (9 percent) Asian Americans say they have avoided going to a doctor or seeking health care out of concern that they would be discriminated against or treated poorly because they are Asian.

For policymakers and healthcare deliverers, the most significant finding was that 19 percent of low income Asian-Americans (those earning less than $25,000) reported they avoid medical care because of concerns over discrimination, compared to 5 percent of high income Asian-Americans (those earning $75,000 or more per year).

NRIs, PIOs don’t need to link bank accounts with Aadhaar, UIDAI clarifies

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

NRIs and PIOs are not required to link bank accounts and other services with Aadhaar, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said today while instructing various implementation agencies to work out a mechanism to verify the status of such individuals.

It said the Prevention of Money laundering Rules 2017 and the Income Tax Act clearly stipulate that the linking of bank accounts and PAN respectively, “is for those persons who are eligible to enroll for Aadhaar.”

It said all central ministries and departments, state governments and other implementing agencies should bear in mind that Aadhaar as an identity document can be sought only from those eligible for it under Aadhaar Act and that most NRIs/PIOs/ OCIs may not be eligible for its enrolment.

GOPIO has been campaigning on this issue with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and several members of the parliament during their visit to New York.

The Aadhaar-issuing body said several representations had been received about problems faced by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Person of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) where Aadhaar was being demanded with regard to various services and benefits.

It said that some Departments and implementing agencies were asking NRIs/OCIs/PIOs to submit or link their Aadhaar for availing services and benefits, despite the fact that they were not entitled to the 12-digit biometric identifier.

“The laws regarding submitting/linking of Aadhaar for availing the services/benefits apply to the residents as per the Aadhaar Act 2016… Most of the NRIs/PIOs/OCIs may not be eligible for Aadhaar enrollment as per Aadhaar Act…,” the UIDAI said in a note dated November 15 to central ministries and states.

Aadhaar for Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

Aadhaar Card enrolment is presently available to residents in India. Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholders who stay in India for a long time (over 182 days in twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment) and have an Indian address can also enroll for Aadhaar Card in India. Non Resident Indians (NRIs), although they are citizens of India, are not eligible for Aadhaar Card if they have not stayed for more than 182 days or more in the last 12 months. Upon completion of 182 days of their stay in India in the last 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment, NRIs can apply for Aadhaar Card.

“As per Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961, every person who is eligible to obtain Aadhaar number shall, on or after the 1st day of July, 2017, quote Aadhaar number— (i) in the application form for allotment of permanent account number; (ii) in the return of income. The above provisions apply to persons who are eligible to get Aadhaar. Under section 3 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, only a resident is entitled to get Aadhaar. Therefore, the provisions of Section 139AA quoted above regarding linking of Aadhaar to PAN or the requirement of quoting the Aadhaar number in the return shall not apply to a non-resident, who is not eligible to get Aadhaar.”

Fake Calls Leading to Possible Identity Theft

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

The Indian Consulate in New York has been receiving calls/e-mails from Indian Passport holders regarding fake calls from persons pretending to be US Immigration/Police authorities requesting for details of Passports/Travel documents.

These are hoax calls with the eventual aim of getting details of the applicant’s Passport number/date of issue etc. and could lead to Identity theft as well as other fraud. Sometimes the fraudsters may mimic the telephone numbers of the Consulate or other authorities.

Indian Passport holders are requested to exercise extreme caution and not to give any information on telephone unless sought in written from an identifiable Authority. The details may only be shared by written communication and copy endorsed to the Consulate at cons.newyork@ema.gov.in. If such call has already been received and details have been shared, please report to the nearest Police Station and keep Consulate informed about the calls along with the Passport details shared with such callers.

Hotstar Provides the Most Original, Most Exclusive, Most Cutting-Edge Online Content in North America

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

(New York, NY – December 7, 2017) This weekend, Indian megastar SHAH RUKH KHAN will host the first-ever collaboration between TED Talks and a major Indian network, Star India, which will premiere on the online digital platform, Hotstar, before it hits television. Called TED Talks India Nayi Soch, the seven-episode series will showcase some of the best innovators and thinkers of Indian origin debuting their TED Talks in a language other than English (Hindi). Tune in to the world premiere, available starting Sunday, December 10th from 7:30 a.m. ET onwards at www.us.hotstar.com. ;

Host Shah Rukh Khan raves: “It is a huge honor to host this show. When two giants like Star India and TED come together, we are sure to fire up a billion imaginations. Bringing the power of ideas to people’s living rooms across India and reaching out to, especially, the youth of our country is something that’s really exciting. I want our youth to be inspired to think of new ideas…simple and unique ideas that pack a punch. Ideas that can change lives!” Another genre of original, cutting-edge programming that is exclusive to Hotsar is the CinePlay. In this era of constant innovation, Cineplay is a novel attempt at storytelling by combining the grammar of theatre and power of cinema. It is an innovation that presents timeless theatrical dramas as digitally-immersive experiences and is especially calibrated for all screen sizes.

CinePlays are not just live recordings of a play. Sets are created especially for each production, and much like a film, a CinePlay is shot over a span of several days. With an elaborate camera, light and production set up, CinePlays weave elements of cinema into stories from theatre to create a whole new experience for Hotstar audiences.

Some of the most popular CinePlays on Hotstar include: Dance Like a Man, Between the Lines, Bombay Talkies, Typecaste and Adhe Adhure, starring the finest theatre actors of the generation like Nandita Das, Saurabh Shukla, Lillete Dubey and Darshan Jariwala.

And Hotstar’s exclusive content does not end there…it ranges from riveting documentaries to incredible lifestyle and travel shows: On Twist of Taste, join Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna on culinary journeys across India and America that will inspire new experiments in the kitchen!

Style & the City is a travel show that marries fashion with street style. Indian designers Rocky S, Rina Dhaka & Ashish Soni will create ensembles for their celebrity clients. The show is hosted by Shibani Dandekar.

Design HQ: Join interior designer Ashiesh Shah as he decodes “how to design your own space” with the likes of Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Roy Kapoor and others. Hrithik shares how he uses quotes as art across his house and how he is extremely methodical when it comes to picking furniture, color and even art.

Critics’ Choice Awards 2018 Nominations: Indian American Actor Aziz Ansari Wins One, Kumail Nanjiani Racks Up Three

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

As Hollywood begins to embrace diversity and move away from offering stereotypical roles, a few Asian actors are having breakout career moments. And now as the award season nears, it’s bringing cheer for some.

He is eligible for both film and television honors this year. Nanjiani is up for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ alongside wife Emily V. Gordon, and ‘Best Actor in a Comedy’ for “The Big Sick,” as well as ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’ for “Silicon Valley.” “The Big Sick” is also contending for the ‘Best Picture’ and the ‘Best Comedy’ awards.

CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which stars Indian American actor Kunal Nayyar, is competing for the ‘Best Comedy Series’ award.

Netflix leads the television honors with 20 nominations, followed by HBO with 15, FX with 13, and ABC with 12.

Taj Mahal belongs to all of us, it must be preserved for future generations: Supreme Court

December 13, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Pulling up Uttar Pradesh government for its adhocism towards protection of Taj Mahal, the Supreme Court on Friday directed it to formulate a pragmatic and futuristic policy to protect the monument saying that it belonged to people of the country and it must be preserved for at least couple of centuries.

A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta asked the government to involve people from civil society and experts concerned with cultural heritage to frame a road map for preservation of the monument and the area surrounding it.

“You should have a broader vision and policy to make sure that Taj Mahal remains there for centuries. Everybody needs to sit together to frame the policy. The monument needs to be protected not only for next 25-50 years but at least 400-500 years,” the bench said.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta and UP’s additional advocate general Aishwarya Bhati told the bench that the state government was committed to protect the monuments and a slew of measures had been taken by various authorities to control the pollution near Taj Mahal and to maintain ecological balance in surrounding area.

Mehta told the bench that polluting industries in Taj Trapazium Zone had switched over from coal/ coke to cleaner fuels like CNG and LPG and no construction zone had been declared within 500 meter radius of Taj Mahal. He said that commercial vehicles running in the city were being converted to CNG and interrupted power supply was being provided to discourage use of generators.

“An investment of Rs 23.34 crores is proposed to establish security and surveillance camera network in Taj Mahal premises and other parts of the city. Taj premises and other parts of the city will be monitored live from central control and command centre connected to network of CCTV surveillance cameras. The surveillance system will help in protecting Taj Mahal from threats like terrorist attacks,” Mehta said.

The Court, however, was not convinced and said that it was all adhoc measures taken by state as and when needs arose and there was no long-term plan. It granted the state eight week time to formulate a comprehensive plan for protection of Taj Mahal after the state informed the bench that it had approached School of Planning and Architecture seeking its help in preparing a vision document for preservation of Taj Mahal.

The state had told the Court that pollution level around Taj Mahal had remained almost constant in the last 15 years and the monument was completely safe. It, however, had admitted that quantity of Particulate Matter(PM)-10 at the monument was above the fixed standard.

Indian Government urged to take immediate steps to search and find thousands of fishermen still missing from the cyclone Ockhi

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The cyclone Ockhi which hit the Kanyakumari district has turned the whole district up side down and has caused great disaster in the life of people of all walks, including farmers and fisherfolk.

While it has caused great damage to the life, livelihood including boats and assets and to the houses of the fisher people in all the 48 fisher villages of Kanyakumari district, it has also caused damage to the fisher people of Tirunelveli district.

It is usual that the cyclone and storms hitting Tamil Nadu would damage Rameswaram, Danushkodi, Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Cuddalore, Puducherry, Chennai and the port towns in the parts of the states of Andrapradesh and Orissa, creating a loss of life, properties, houses and fishing gears and crafts.

Normally the threat to Kanyakumari district was sea erosion and not a disaster of this proportionate. Ockhi has done a damage far beyond their expectation.

The local people are blaming the central metrological department and state governments for having not given due warning in time about the velocity and related information.

Kanyakumari district has fishermen who have expertise on camp fishing for over 45 days. Thousands of them are capable of such fishing and by catching rare varieties and delicacies of the west, been helping the country with foreign exchange through the export of them.

Since they travel for about one week before they reach the fishing ground and stay there for about 30 days, they have limited possibility of getting information on bad weather at short notice.

While it is so, even for the short time fishers the information about the weather did not reach in right time. This has caused great loss of life and loss of crores of rupees fishing assets.

The coast guards should keep looking for the missing fishermen with the support of their helicopters.

It is firmly believed by the local fishermen that since many of these fishermen were fishing off Lakshadeep, they could have reached or swam through to the un inhabited islands and could die due to starvation.

Hence we request the defence Ministry to keep searching for them in the region of these islands with their ships, helicopters and flights. The fishermen also believe that some of them who had been fishing off Lakshadeep could up alive or as dead bodies on the coast of Oman, Iran and such gulf countries.

We request the Ministry of External Affairs to note these points and through the embassies in those countries and do the needful to keep an eye on the coasts of those countries.

A compensation of Rs. 50, Lakhs should be provided for the fishermen who have lost their life due to the storm.

The deep sea fishing vessels and their gears together cost around Rs. 1.4 Crore and the investment were not through banks, but through private loans and financing. Therefore for those vessels that have been totally damaged, the government should arrange a compensation of Rs. 1.4 crores.

The central and state governments through the fisheries department should take efforts on war footing to retriever the bodies of the dead fishermen, to redeem their assets and to do a survey to estimate the loss.

Mr. Ku. Bharathi, the Tamil Nadu coordinator of the National Fisherfolk Forum has rushed to Kanyakumari district to collect information in this regard on our behalf. A team under his leadership is making personal visit to the villages affected in the district. The report of this fact finding team will be submitted to the state and union governments.

Preliminarily, we want to bring some important issues to the notice of the state and Union governments:

The fishermen of Kanyakumari district who like the Maldives fishermen are venturing into deep sea fishing, should be provided with satellite phones as been provided in the Maldives and make a pilot project and an exemplary one honouring these pioneering fishermen.
The boats that qualify for deep sea fishing, shall be provided with license through proper registration without any further undue delay.
The delay in registration makes the insurance companies hesitate to provide an insurance coverage and so when such terrible loss happens due to natural calamities, they are not in a position to seek any due insurance coverage compensation.
The government of Tamil Nadu should implement the scheme of reimbursing 75% of the premium paid by the fishermen for their mechanised boats, just as done in Puducherry.
The Tamil Nadu government should speed up with such scheme to save the fishermen from the oncoming possibilities of natural disasters. The Union Government Fisheries Ministry should provide with 100 % financial support through special allocation.
As been promised by Selvi. Jayalalitha, the then Chief Minister during the last assembly election campaign, the cellphone towers of Kanyakumari district shall have capacity enhanced and VHF wireless communication instruments shall also have powers enhanced, so that all important messages would reach the fishermen on the deep sea.
As again promised by the late Chief Minister, helicopters shall be hired on such days of disaster to redeem fishermen who are lost in the sea.
The Kanyakumari fishermen who spend almost 45 days at a time on deep sea fishing cannot have access to the warning a couple of days before by the metrological department and therefore the Navy and coast guard should use satellite imageries and by locating the fishermen should reach them through helicopter before the storm sets, warn them and ensure that they return to the coast.

By M.Ilango, Ex.MLA, Chairperson, National Fisherfolk Forum.

GOPIO Invites nominations for annual awards 2018

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

GOPIO International is planning to hold its annual Community Service Awards (CSA) Banquet on the evening of January 8, 2018 at the Gul Hotel, Manama, Bahrain as the concluding event of GOPIO Biennial Convention 2018. The GOPIO Community Service Awards (GOPIO CSA) are given for outstanding community service, public service and/or significant charitable or philanthropic contributions of benefit to the community. Nominations of suitably qualified candidates are requested for consideration by GOPIO’s CSA 2018 Selection Committee. Please see attached file for more for details of GOPIO CSA criteria, format for submission of nominations and deadline for submission by clicking the file, GOPIO Community Service Awards (GOPIO CSA) Criteria and Nomination Form

Nominations are to be submitted using the prescribed form with supporting documents by December 5, 2017 to Chair, GOPIO CSA 2018 Selection Committee gopiointl.awards@gmail.com.

NRI Achievers Group in association with Global Organization of People of Indian Origin is going to organize “The Indian Women Achievers Sammaan 2017” to felicitate the achievements of exceptional women role-models from diverse fields who have succeeded against mighty odds. These pioneers have broken the glass ceiling for the new generation of aspiring women by setting an example with hard work, perseverance and innovation.

GOPIO is inviting nominations from the women of Indian origin irrespective of their country of residence from across the globe. Those who deserve to be considered for the selection, kindly send their detailed profile along with photographs and documentary proofs. A jury from GOPIO and NRI Achievers Group will shortlist the selected candidates who will be honored at the after the GOPIO Biennial Convention Inauguration on Jan. 6th, 2018. NRI Achievers Group and GOPIO e reserve all the rights of selection & rejection. No claim can be made whatsoever. Nomination may be sent yourself or by a colleague at bahrainconvention@nriachievers.in

Arjun Ivatury wins Grammy nomination

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Arjun Ivatury, an Indian American, more popular as 6ix, has been nominated to the prestigious Grammy award 2017. Ivatury is a record producer mostly known for his work with Maryland rapper Logic, whose hip-hop collaboration with an inspirational message, “1-800-273-8255,” is among this year’s 60th Grammy Awards ‘Song of The Year’ category nominees.

“1-800-273-8255,” titled after the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number, sheds light on mental health by creating an emotional dialogue between a suicidal caller and a crisis worker who helps the caller find a glimmer of hope by song’s end. The song also features Alessia Cara and Khalid.

Ivatury, Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II and Khalid Robinson, who co-wrote this song on Logic’s new album, “Everybody,” share the nomination. The song has also earned the distinction of being the highest-charting phone number song in Billboard chart history. The song’s video is also up for ‘Best Music Video’ award. The Prince George’s County, Maryland, native, who is steadily forging a career in music, is a medical school dropout.

6ix, otherwise known as Arjun Ivatury is a songwriter and producer based out of Maryland. Check out this adorable interview on how these two guys started to work together and how 6ixdropped out of pre-Med to pursue music and then how Logic talked to his Indian parents to convince him to move to LA.

The 26-year-old told XXL magazine that he was always a fan of music and knew that he was either going to be a doctor or a hip-hop producer. The first-generation Indian American chose the latter and dropped out of the University of Maryland in 2013 where he majored in neurobiology and physiology. A career in music did not seem like a viable option for him until he met Logic in 2010.

Arjun Ivatury a.k.a. 6ix was either going to be a doctor or a hip-hop producer. The PG County, Md. native chose the latter and dropped out of the University of Maryland in 2013 where he majored in Neurobiology and Physiology. The first generation Indian-American found success in his new field after linking with Logic in 2010.

“We actually really met on Twitter when he tweeted me and asked to meet up because he remembered me from a beat battle and asked me to send him a batch of beats. The first batch of beats, he didn’t like any of them. So, I was like, ‘Forget this dude. He’s kind of an ass****.’ I pretty much sent him all my best beats at the time and he didn’t like any of them. I kept sending him more beats and he liked this one beat in particular that went on his first project and ever since then, we’ve become homies,” Ivatury told the magazine.

Obama during visit to India told Modi privately that country shouldn’t be divided on religious lines

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

Former US President Barack Obama during his first visit to India after leaving office as the President of US, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week and discussed ways to further strengthen the US-India relationship.

While addressing the youth in India at a Town Hall Meeting, Obama was reminded of his speech at Siri Fort auditorium on January 27, 2015 — the last day of his last visit to India as US President — in which he sounded caution “against any efforts to divide ourselves along sectarian lines” and pointedly asked if the message was directed at the Modi-led BJP government.

He said the message was meant for “all of us” and “the same thing” was told “in private to Prime Minister Modi. If you see a politician doing things that are questionable one of things as citizens you can ask yourself is am I encouraging or supporting or giving licence to the values? If communities across India are saying we are not going to fall prey to division then that will strengthen the hands of those politicians who feel the same way.”

Asked how Modi responded to his message on religious tolerance particularly in the wake of Western media highlighting incidents of lynching in the name of cow protection and love jihad cases, Obama dodged a direct reply saying his goal was not to disclose his private conversations with other leaders.

But, he said, Modi’s impulses recognize the need for unity in India “to advance to the great nation status that India possesses and will continue and amplify in the years to come”. He said he had shared the concern in public in the United States of America, in Europe “because people feel worried and insecure about all the changes some of which are economic but some of which are cultural and social”.

“There are demographic changes taking place. Migration. People start looking different. There is a collision of cultures. People see much more vividly the differences between people.”Earlier in the day, Obama addressed the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. His Obama Foundation also organized a town hall meeting with young Indian leaders.

As a debate rages over growing intolerance in the country, former U.S. President Barack Obama disclosed that he had privately told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India must not split on sectarian lines and that it must cherish the fact that Muslims here identify themselves as Indians.

“Particularly in a country like India where you have such an enormous Muslim population that is successful, integrated and thinks of itself as Indian and that is unfortunately always not the case in some other countries where a religious minority nevertheless feels a part of. I think that is something that should be cherished, nurtured and cultivated.

“And I think that all farsighted Indian leadership recognizes that but it is important to continue and reinforce that,” he said speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. In an interactive session punctuated with humor and loud applause from the audience that included Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Obama said all humans inherently try to make distinctions to make themselves feel more important than others.

And these distinctions, he said, “are sometimes based on races, on religion, on class and always based on gender”. He said a counter narrative had always been taking place at all times in the world but has become louder now.

“It sometimes happens in Europe, in America and sometimes you see it in India where those old tribal impulses re-assert themselves.” He said some elected leaders try to push back against those impulses and some try to exploit them. Obama also spoke of how he admired Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh alike for their “political courage”.

Asked about his relationship with Prime Minister Modi, Obama paused a bit and said: “I like him and I think he is that he has a vision for the country that he is implementing and is in many ways modernizing the bureaucracy.”

He heaped praise on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has come under attack from the ruling BJP, saying he was a great support in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. “But I really was also great friends with Singh, and when you look at the work and the steps that Singh took to open up and modernize the economy and launch what I think was really the foundations for the modern Indian economy. That is also important.

“Here is the bottom line. Because India is a democracy, it has politics. And that is a healthy thing. As a non-Indian and as US President my job was to work with whichever party was in power. Keep in mind that Singh was primary interlocutor with me when we were saving the country from a global financial meltdown. “But, Prime Minister Modi was the primary partner in unlocking the Paris Accord. Neither of those things was easy and both required some political courage back here in India.”

The event was organized by the Obama Foundation, created in 2014 to continue the popular president’s work after he left office. The Foundation is headquartered on Chicago’s South Side, where Obama worked as a community organizer before beginning his political career.

“As one of the most culturally, religiously, linguistically, and ethnically diverse nations on earth, India’s democracy shows us the collective strength of engagement within and across communities,” noted the Obama Foundation in a press release announcing the town-hall meeting in New Delhi.

“Most of India’s one billion people are under 35 years old, an engaged and passionate generation that includes Members of Parliament, village Sarpanchs, scientists, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders who are finding innovative ways to create positive change across India — change that benefits the world.”

Dia Mirza is UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Former Miss Asia-Pacific, actor, producer, entrepreneur and environmentalist, Dia Mirza, was appointed as UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for India on Nov. 29. A long-standing supporter of environmental conservation, Mirza will take up the role to add more weight to her work on raising awareness of and seeking solutions to environmental issues that the entire world, and India in particular, face.

“I feel honored and inspired by this opportunity to work with UN Environment to protect the environment and promote sustainable development,” said Mirza. “Environmental issues will be the defining challenge of this era, and I am committed to helping the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador to do everything I can to provide a better future. Together, we will continue working towards conservation of nature, tackling climate change and inspiring people to live more sustainably.”

Dia Mirza is a committed voice for change and has contributed her efforts in the field of social change, conservation and environment. She has been to the face of many pivotal environmental campaigns across India and has worked towards the conservation of wildlife.

As a Goodwill Ambassador, Mirza will work with the United Nations to further spread the message on priority areas including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and climate change.

“I am delighted to have Dia join UN Environment as a Goodwill Ambassador,” said UN Environment head, Erik Solheim. “India faces many challenges, in particular, the air pollution that is choking many of its cities. Dia’s influence can help to turn the situation around and create a healthy future for Indians and their environment.”

UN Environment is running many global campaigns, which are having a huge impact by reaching millions of people to change behavior. “I am deeply humbled and motivated to serve nature in my new role as UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India. Committed to protect, secure and strengthen the rich treasures that nature provides us all! https://t.co/C4ECs2AGn8 @UNEP @UNinIndia @ErikSolheim” Dia Mirza tweeted on November 30, 2017.

Dia Mirza has joined other accomplished and dedicated past and present UN Goodwill Ambassadors, including UN Environment’s Li Binging, Gisele Bündchen, and Don Cheadle as also Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Katy Perry and Emma Watson.

India’s 1st Madame Tussauds opens in Delhi

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

India’s first Madame Tussauds wax museum opened its doors here on Nov. 30 with 50 life-like figures spanning across history, sports, music, films, and politics, for the public at the iconic Regal building in central Delhi.

“This is truly an exhilarating and emotional feeling to finally see Madame Tussauds in Delhi. Guests will be encouraged to interact, perform and even reflect with our figures in unique and immersive settings within the attraction,” Anshul Jain, General Manager, and Director, Merlin Entertainment Pvt Ltd, said here.

Madame Tussauds has been a successful tourist attraction in places like London, Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, San Francisco and Hong Kong. Its maiden facility here has wax statues of Indian personalities like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cinematic icon Amitabh Bachchan and Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, along with many Hollywood celebrities.

The Delhi facility is the 23rd edition of Madame Tussauds. Some other personalities here include Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Salman Khan, Will Smith, David Beckham, Kim Kardashian Justin Bieber, Beyonce Knowles, Asha Bhosle, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Sharma, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Ranbir Kapoor. It will be open for all seven days with tickets priced at Rs 960 for adults and Rs 760 for children.

FIA raises concerns over OCI, PIO & Aadhar with CG Sandeep Chakravorty

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

The Board of Trustees and Executive Team of Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Past Presidents & Executive Committee met with Consulate General Sandeep Chakravorty and his team on 29th November 2018 to raise the concerns that Indian American community has related to OCI, PIO & AADHAR card. FIA discussed various questions including apprehensions that people have with regards to converting PIO to OCI by the 31st December, 2017 deadline. They also brought up the $265 fees that will charged from January 1st, 2018.

Consulate General of India will be hosting International Women’s Day in association with FIA on March 8th, 2018. President elect Mr. Srujal Parikh thanked Consulate General for a productive conversation on the issues that Indian American community has. FIA Chairman Mr. Ramesh Patel informed Consulate General about the visa camp and other outreach programs that FIA will be organizing in 2018.

The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tristate area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is one of the largest esteemed umbrella organizations in the Indian community. Established in the year 1970, the FIA has blossomed into a commendable organization that has become an effective mouthpiece and mobilizer for the community. Contact-Head Office: 37-05 74th-St, 2nd Floor, Jackson Heights, New York 11372
Email: info@fianynjct.org

Preet Didbal is the 1st Indian-American Sikh woman to become mayor in the U.S.

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Preet Didbal, a longtime Planning Commissioner and lifetime Yuba City resident, and City Councilmember since 2014, was sworn in on December 5th, possibly making her the first Indian-American Sikh woman in the U.S., to lead a city. She was appointed by the Council and was sworn-in as the mayor of the city that thousands of Indian-American Sikhs have called home for more than a 100 years, finally has a woman mayor belonging to that community.

“I’m speechless. It’s so humbling,” Didbal told the media. “Seeing someone that looks like you, that comes from the same faith as you, to be elected in a public office in this country is inspiring and exciting. And it’s definitely moving,” Sikh Coalition’s Jaydeep Singh is quoted saying in the a media report.

While there have been male Sikh mayors in the past, including the most recent, Ravi Bhalla of Hoboken, New Jersey, and before that, former Mayor of Laurel Hollow in New York, Harvinder Singh Anand, Didbal is likely the first Sikh woman to occupy that office, according to kcra.com. “Congratultions to Mayor Preet Didbal!” the Sikh Coalition tweeted.

Didbal, a single mother, has lived in Yuba City, raising her daughter who attends River Valley High School there. According to her bio on the Council website, Didbal’s “focus is built around children being raised in a community that invests in the success of young people and will look to develop more youth and family activities.” She is also committed to creating an economic environment that will provide good-paying jobs for returning college graduates, the site says. The Sikh Coalition estimates around 500,000 people who follow the Sikh faith live in the United States.

Study finds Nikki Haley to be best communicator in American politics

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics, Profiles 0

United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley is the best communicator in American politics today, according to a technology company that specializes in voice transcription. To their robots, Haley is a better orator than Hillary Clinton and a stronger speaker than former President Barack Obama. And, according to their tests, the former South Carolina governor is far better at getting her message out than her boss, President Donald Trump.

The findings come from Trint, a web application that uses artificial intelligence robots to transcribe what people say. Trint said in a release that they wanted to find out which politicians could be better understood by these robots, and put 14 influential politicians to the test, along with a fictitious one, who was portrayed by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus from the TV show “Veep,” to find out who did best.

Trint then took the audio recordings of their speeches and ran them through its transcription A.I. and used a standard known as Word Error Rate, which measures the accuracy of an A.I.-transcribed text against a 100 percent accurate transcription, to determine the winner.

Sure enough, Haley’s score was almost perfect, with a 99.48 percent accuracy rate and was closely followed by Clinton and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Obama ended up coming in at eighth place while Trump came in 11th and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi came in last.

Trint told postandcourier.com that the reason for Haley’s victory was that “she speaks clearly, intelligibly, and is easy to understand. In comparison, politicians who scored lower tended to ‘swallow the last word of each sentence’ and have heavy accents.”

India-based startup 1st in world to finish all 20 Facebook QA bAbi tasks with 100% accuracy

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Bangalore based startup first in the world to finish all 20 Facebook QA bAbi tasks with 100% accuracy DataVal Analytics Inc, a Bangalore and Chicago-based Artificial Intelligence – (AI) startup is the first in the world to successfully complete a difficult 20-part challenge in AI created by Facebook in 2015. The test, known as the (20) QA bAbi Tasks hosted by Facebook AI Research (FAIR), assesses the ability of AI based programs to perform text understanding and reasoning. To date, NO organization has been able to solve all the 20 tasks with 100% accuracy. However, using a unique approach, DataVal has successfully completed all 20 tasks with 100% accuracy. The DataVal approach focuses on the human way of understanding Language. It also has integrated multiple processes related to language pre-processing, word sense disambiguation, conjunction processing, preposition association, co-reference resolution and time and space analysis. DataVal focuses on a holistic view of the environment and the ecosystem to reason and understand the situation, an approach similar to the human approach to problem solving.

AI is the new frontier technology of the future with far reaching implications on social, economic and political activities across the world. It will have a significant impact at home, business, factories, banking, government, education, health and lot more. All major global companies and universities have been working on AI for decades. With advances in high speed computing, low cost storage, open source software, cloud computing and smart phones, AI is now in prominence. All leading companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, IBM and a handful of startups have substantial research and development underway on AI.

The success of DataVal in solving QA bAbI tasks offers hope to address a variety of AI applications related to intelligent personal assistance, search engine, voice command & control applications, social media content analysis, and expert systems in fields such as Education, Health, Energy, Environment, Transport, Finance, Manufacturing, Services and Government. DataVal Analytics Inc has offices in Bangalore, India and Chicago, USA with a small team of highly experienced data scientists and programmers focused on Natural Language Understanding technology & Big Data Analytics. The company has been founded by veterans from the Indian Army – Lt Col Shashi Kiran (Veteran) and Lt Col Naveen Xavier (Veteran). The team is mentored by the leading entrepreneur, innovator, policy maker and development thinker, Dr. Sam Pitroda as Chairman.

Virginia to have 500+ acres Hindu retreat

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

An over 500 acres of serene and vibrant Hindu spiritual retreat has reportedly been planned near Bowling Green in Virginia (USA), which is expected to open in the summer of 2019. Known as Devasya and run by global charitable group International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO), it reportedly plans to spend over $7 million just on improvements of the existing heavily wooded property which has an open-water lake.

Described as “a modern retreat descended from the divine”, it will include a traditional Hindu temple holding over 150 years old murtis of Shree Radhikaji & Hari Krsna Maharaj, besides smaller shrines to various Hindu deities. Open year round, it will have a restaurant serving saatvik Indian and Western vegetarian cuisine; and few dozen cottages, reports suggest.

Aimed at helping discover inner peace; Devasya will celebrate all the major Hindu festivals and host many cultural programs, musical concerts, camps, conferences, seminars, etc. It will provide cultural education; including courses in sangeet, yoga, natyam, Indian languages, pranayama, meditation, vegetarian cooking, etc.

According to reports, it will be a venue for weddings and social gatherings and provide traditional naturopathy, ayurvedic and herbal treatments; besides water sports. It plans to host a Gaushala with opportunities of Gau-Pooja, Gau-Daan and cow-adoption.

Participants will be able to pray, meditate, practice yoga, etc., at Devasya, whose tagline is “What you seek. Is seeking you”. It will also conduct mahapoojas and there will be no alcohol or smoking on the campus.

Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of ISSO towards realizing this Hindu spiritual retreat. Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this retreat would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation).

Devasya is located in unincorporated Milford area in the counties of Caroline and King & Queen; between Virginia’s capital Richmond and Washington DC. Prime objective of ISSO is “to advance the Sanatan Dharma, in accordance with the principles and teachings of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, founded and ordained by Lord Shree Sahajanand Swami”. ISSO is a part of Shree Swaminaryan Sampraday under Shree Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Kalupur, Ahmedabad) which has 18 Hindu temples in USA. Acharya Shree Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj is the current Acharya.

Indian American woman from NYC woman mauled to death by shark off Costa Rican coast

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

A Manhattan private equity director was fatally mauled by a shark while scuba diving off the coast of Costa Rica, authorities said. Rohina Bhandari, 49, was identified by friends as the American tourist who was attacked by a tiger shark off of remote Isla del Coco Thursday.

Bhandari was hauled out of the water after sustaining severe bites to both of her legs, Costa Rica’s Environment Ministry said.

Park guards and medical personal vacationing on the island launched a frantic effort to treat her wounds. But Bhandari, a senior director at WL Ross & Co. LL, could not be saved, officials said.

A dive master also suffered a shark bite but those injuries were not life-threatening. The instructor, who was conscious and in relatively stable condition, told officials that the shark attacked when his group was surfacing at the tail end of the dive.

A boater and other divers tried to drive the creature away but it was too late. “Upon reaching the surface, the attack on the tourist was already serious,” the environment ministry said. Bhandari was among a group of 18 people diving off Cocos Island National Park, a World Heritage Site that’s known for its abundant species of sharks.

9.3 million family-based visas issued in 10 years, White House says

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterTravel, U.S. 0

For the first time, the White House said, the federal government has counted the green cards issued between 2005 and 2015 to migrants admitted through family preference, or as immediate relatives of migrants already admitted into the country in perhaps the fullest portrait of “chain migration” ever developed.

“For years, we’ve known that large numbers of immigrants have been coming based on petitions from previous immigrants,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Cissna told Fox News. “But this is the first time we really kind of see the whole scope of the problem. And legislators or policymakers at DHS can do what they need to do address the problem.”

During the ten-year time frame, officials said, the U.S. permanently resettled roughly 9.3 million new immigrants on the basis of family ties. That’s more than 70 percent of all new immigration in that period, the White house said, adding it is also the primary driver of low-skilled workers’ entry into the U.S. A phenomenon analyst say most directly hurts American minority groups with comparable skills.

“These numbers are explosive. They show that American immigration skews almost entirely towards family-based admissions,” said a White House official who briefed Fox News on the data. Mexico is at the top of the list with 1.7 million admissions, India and the Philippines each have more than 600,000, and Iran has more than 80,000.

President Trump has urged congressional Democrats to address chain migration in any compromise on the so-called “Dreamers” immigrants brought here as children who will face deportation in March if a deal on their disposition is not reached.

On Fox News, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed the President’s call to end chain migration in exchange for any deal on DACA. McConnell explained that last year’s Presidential election gave lawmakers a mandate to enact the pro-American immigration reforms that the President campaigned on. McConnell also warned that it would be “dumb” and political suicide for Democrats to shut down the government and endanger national security over unrelated legislative policy matters, such as granting work permits to illegal immigrants.

Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia have proposed eliminating the preference afforded to extended and adult family members. “We have current immigrants determining who future immigrants will do – will be, independent of their ability to be contributory to our economy,” Perdue told Fox News.

The group “New American Economy,” compromised of 500 mayors and business leaders committed to comprehensive immigration reform notes that 40 percent of America’s Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. “Could we do it better? Should we have more focus on merit? Absolutely,” said the group’s Executive Director Jeremy Robbins. “But that doesn’t mean in the least that we don’t want to be reuniting families, strengthening communities and bringing more people here.”

No change in H-1B visa system: US

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterTravel, U.S. 0

Amid the H-1B visa row in India, the US government has said there has been no change in law regarding the H-1B regime and the system continued to be as before. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for State for South Asia Thomas Vajda said no legislation has been passed so far on the particular category of visa.

“(There is) no change in the law today for H-1B (visa) regime or system in the United States… President (Donald) Trump asked for review of the H-1B system…but no steps have been taken. Many changes in law, so many cases, require changes of legislation. But so far no legislation has been passed on H-1B. For the moment, the system remains as it has in the past,” Vajda told reporters after an interactive session with members of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Following Trump’s election as US president on a protectionist platform, the US has announced stricter norms for issuing the H-1B and L1 visas. India’s Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu said in October that the issue of H-1B and L1 visas, which have facilitated the entry of Indian IT professionals, has been raised strongly with Washington.

Responding to a query regarding reducing pet coke imports from the US, Vajda said the US sees energy as the most potential area for inc. “The US is committed to increase energy export and support for India’s economic development,” he said.

Vajda said both the governments of India and the US have been hopeful and supportive for completion of contract between the Westinghouse Electric Company and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to build six nuclear reactors in India.

Metropolitan Asian Family Services Celebrates 25th Anniversary

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

A Pioneer, Change the landscape of Social Services in Chicagoland

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Commemorating its Silver Jubilee, Metropolitan Asian Family Services held its 25th annual fundraising dinner on November 18, 2017 at Ashyana Banquets, Downers Grove IL. The celebration started with the traditional “Deep-Lighting” performed by Swami Mukundananda of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Aurora IL. Prominent dignitaries in attendance were Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Schaumburg Trustee Nimish Jani, Philanthropist Deepak Kant Vyas, Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, Executive Director CLESE Marta Pereyra, Chairman for Indian Community Outreach Krishna Bansal, FIA Ex-President Sunil Shah, Chandmal Kumawat, Chairman of Manees Media, India, Anis Ahmed, Chairman, AMU of Greater Chicago, MAFS Board members, Dr. Firdaus Jafri, Dr. Rakesh Ashthana, Harish Kolasani, Dr. Sonal Patel, Nikunj Baxi, Sumitra Patel, James D’mello, Sagar Kumar, Sadru Noorani, Asian Coalition, and other community leaders, Narsinhbhai Patel, Dr Rasik Shah and business leaders, seniors and their families were in attendance.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi commended the MAFS team for its exemplary service to the community for 25 long years and said he wishes MAFS will continue to do so many more years in the future. Honorable Consul General of India Ms. Neeta Bhushan also congratulated MAFS for completing 25 years of serving the elderly and other immigrant populations in Chicagoland. She praised the array of services MAFS provides to the community successfully, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle appreciated the MAFS’s commitment & dedication in serving the community and gave good wishes to continue for many more years.

Santosh Kumar Executive Director MAFS, spoke about the long journey and the trials and tribulations they faced to come this far. She also remembered all the people past and present leaders of the community, such as Shankerprasad Bhatt, Manohar Manchanda, Ramesh Goyal, Narendra Patel, Yasmin Tiwana, Dr. Firdaus Jafri, Rosemary Gemperly, Marta Pareyra, who have helped to accomplish MAFS’s mission to educate, counsel, assist and empower immigrants to become productive member of American Society.

“I believe that MAFS will grow more in the coming years, to lead the way, we already have our future leaders- energetic, technically savvy and competent in management skills”, She said. Under this new leadership, MAFS is now better positioned to find new resources to seeks solutions of ever growing problems and appeals the community to support its mission wholeheartedly. She also thanked its sponsors, Dr. Jafri, Board president, board members, MAFS/UMAS staff, Media, Mr. Prashant Shah of India Tribune, Ramesh Soparwala of India Post, Vandana Jhingran, TV Asia and Suresh Bodiwala, Asian Media, USA, Mr. Jain of Ashyana., Kushal Bose, Madhura Sane, Bhupender Singh, Pooran bhai, and other artists, seniors, friends and families for their support and taking time to attend and making it an unforgettable gala celebration.

An award ceremony was performed by MAFS board and dignitaries, Hon’ble Nita Bhushan, Indian Consul General, Ms. Tony Preckwinkle, Chicago Board president, Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, Chairperson of Minority Ethnic Task force, Chandmal Kumawat, Chairman, Maneesh Media and MAFS Board president Dr. Jafri, Harish Kolasani and other board members, Santosh Kumar, MAFS.

The Pramod Kumar Philanthropy Award was introduced first time and presented to Mr. Deepak Kant Vyas Chairman & CEO Redberry Corp, for his extra ordinary philanthropic work throughout the World; The Partnership Award was presented to Mr. Sean Dunn, VP of WINTRUST Community Bank for his understanding the financial needs of MAFS; Pillar of MAFS Award was given to Promila Mehta Manager Social work Chicago center for her unconditional love and care to its mission; Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Prem Jalota Manager Roselle center for his life time commitment to MAFS mission and its family; Employee of the Year Award was given to Ms. Connie Dogaru SOS Coordinator for her dedication to serve seniors, Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Ms. Bhanumati Maheta, a Yoga Teacher for providing 15 years of teaching Yoga for seniors.

A special Award of GSA Outstanding Citizen of the year 2017 given by Shri Pranav Mukherjee, President of India on July 1, 2017, presented by Hon’ble Nita Bhushan, Indian Consul General and Dr Vijay Prabhaker, Chair person of Minority Ethnic Task Force to Mrs. Santosh Kumar, Founder of Metropolitan Asian Family Services, IL USA.

Senate Recognition was given by Senator Cristina Castro and presented by Ms. Nazneen to Mrs. Santosh Kumar, Founder of MAFS. Chandmal Kumawat, Chairman Maneesh Media, Jaipur India, presented a special Kishangarh, Rajasthan “BANI-THANI” Art Painting to Mrs. Santosh Kumar to commemorate MAFS’s Silver Jubilee celebration.

The entertainment began with Ganesh Vandana by Soorya Dance School of Northbrook, ably followed by a traditional Bosnian Dance by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Club of Chicago but Reena’s Rockers from Naperville really rocked the hall with their fusion dance mix of Ballet and Bharatnatyam. A special dance-drama was showcased to celebrate 25 years of Metropolitan Asian Family Services – “Kal Bhi Aaj Bhi” conceived, written, produced and directed by Mr. Kushal Bose was a multimedia play that incorporates live dance, narration, video projection and music that essentially translates to “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. The evening was brought to a close by “Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai” a musical tribute to the Founder/ CFO of MAFS, Late Mr. Pramod Kumar performed by well-known artistes from Chicago again researched, conceived and directed by Mr. Kushal Bose.

Jet Airways, Air France-KLM announce tie-up to boost traffic

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Indian international air traffic is booming, but much of the growth has been captured by the three big Gulf carriers including Etihad, which owns 24 percent of Jet. India’s Jet Airways and Air France-KLM announced a partnership to route more traffic through Europe and on to North America, in a potential challenge to Gulf carrier Etihad Airways that is a shareholder in Jet.

Indian international air traffic is booming, but much of the growth has been captured by the three big Gulf carriers including Etihad, which owns 24 percent of Jet. The “enhanced cooperation agreement” with Air France-KLM, signed on Wednesday in India’s financial capital Mumbai, is designed to route more traffic and expand the number of flights to Europe and then onwards to the United States.

The agreement also includes Delta Air Lines, with which Air France KLM has an existing partnership. International carriers are increasingly tying up on routes in the face of rising competition.

The Gulf will continue to be an important market and Jet will not reduce its operations there, Naresh Goyal, chairman of Jet, told reporters. He added that Jet had a “great relationship with Etihad” and that would continue.

Europe’s Growing Muslim Population

December 6, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Pew Research Foundation

Muslims are projected to increase as a share of Europe’s population – even with no future migration. In recent years, Europe has experienced a record influx of asylum seekers fleeing conflicts in Syria and other predominantly Muslim countries. This wave of Muslim migrants has prompted debate about immigration and security policies in numerous countries and has raised questions about the current and future number of Muslims in Europe.

To see how the size of Europe’s Muslim population may change in the coming decades, Pew Research Center has modeled three scenarios that vary depending on future levels of migration. These are not efforts to predict what will happen in the future, but rather a set of projections about what could happen under different circumstances.

The baseline for all three scenarios is the Muslim population in Europe (defined here as the 28 countries presently in the European Union, plus Norway and Switzerland) as of mid-2016, estimated at 25.8 million (4.9% of the overall population) – up from 19.5 million (3.8%) in 2010.

Even if all migration into Europe were to immediately and permanently stop – a “zero migration” scenario – the Muslim population of Europe still would be expected to rise from the current level of 4.9% to 7.4% by the year 2050. This is because Muslims are younger (by 13 years, on average) and have higher fertility (one child more per woman, on average) than other Europeans, mirroring a global pattern.

A second, “medium” migration scenario assumes that all refugee flows will stop as of mid-2016 but that recent levels of “regular” migration to Europe will continue (i.e., migration of those who come for reasons other than seeking asylum). Under these conditions, Muslims could reach 11.2% of Europe’s population in 2050.

Finally, a “high” migration scenario projects the record flow of refugees into Europe between 2014 and 2016 to continue indefinitely into the future with the same religious composition (i.e., mostly made up of Muslims) in addition to the typical annual flow of regular migrants. In this scenario, Muslims could make up 14% of Europe’s population by 2050 – nearly triple the current share, but still considerably smaller than the populations of both Christians and people with no religion in Europe.

The refugee flows of the last few years, however, are extremely high compared with the historical average in recent decades, and already have begun to decline as the European Union and many of its member states have made policy changes aimed at limiting refugee flows.

Taken as a whole, Europe’s population (including both Muslims and non-Muslims) would be expected to decline considerably (from about 521 million to an estimated 482 million) without any future migration. In the medium migration scenario, it would remain roughly stable, while in the high migration scenario it would be projected to grow modestly.

Countries that have received relatively large numbers of Muslim refugees in recent years are projected to experience the biggest changes in the high migration scenario – the only one that projects these heavy refugee flows to continue into the future. For instance, Germany’s population (6% Muslim in 2016) would be projected to be about 20% Muslim by 2050 in the high scenario – a reflection of the fact that Germany has accepted many Muslim refugees in recent years – compared with 11% in the medium scenario and 9% in the zero migration scenario.

And countries with Muslim populations that are especially young, or have a relatively large number of children, would see the most significant change in the zero migration scenario; these include France, Italy and Belgium.

An estimated 3.7 million Muslims migrated to Europe between mid-2010 and mid-2016, including approximately 2.5 million regular migrants entering legally as workers, students, etc., as well as 1.3 million Muslims who have or are expected to be granted refugee status (including an estimated 980,000 Muslim refugees who arrived between 2014 and mid-2016).

Between mid-2010 and mid-2016, the number of Muslims in Europe grew considerably through natural increase alone – that is, estimated births outnumbered deaths among Muslims by more than 2.9 million over that period. But most of the Muslim population growth in Europe during the period (about 60%) was due to migration: The Muslim population grew by an estimated 3.5 million from net migration.

By comparison, the non-Muslim population in Europe declined slightly between 2010 and 2016. A natural decrease of about 1.7 million people in the non-Muslim European population modestly outnumbered the net increase of non-Muslim migrants and a modest net change due to religious switching.

This report was produced by Pew Research Center as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world. Funding for the Global Religious Futures project comes from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation.

Republicans-led US Senate approves Tax Bill that benefits the wealthy and big corporations

December 4, 2017 Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, U.S. 0

In the early hours of Saturday morning, December 2nd, Senate Republicans passed their version of a sweeping tax overhaul. Roughly five hours earlier, the Senate Finance Committee publicly released their final proposal of the Bill after weeks of closed door consultations and few days of public scrutiny of the important Tax Bill that will leave over a over a Trillion Dollars to the US deficit.

The Senate passed its tax plan in a 51-49 vote early on Saturday morning, with Vice-President Mike Pence presiding over the chamber and after a frantic rewrite. Bob Corker was the sole Republican to vote against the bill, which would bestow huge benefits on US corporations and the wealthiest Americans. “We think this is a great day for the country,” the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said at a celebratory press conference.

Democrats remained united in their opposition, attacking the legislation as a giveaway to corporate America and the wealthy. “In the waning hours, this bill is tilting further towards businesses and away from families,” said Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, in a floor speech on Friday. “Every time the choice is between corporations and families, the Republicans choose corporations.”

The bill, among other things will continue to create inequality in the nation. The rich bnenfitting from the tax-cuts, while the poor and the middle income groups to be marginally benefitting from the plan, and that to for a period of 10 years only. The richest 20 percent of households reap 90 percent of the benefit of the tax cuts over that time period, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

The main focus of the tax bill is business. Republicans’ stated goal is to boost the economy. They argue that the best way to do this is to cut the taxes that businesses pay on profits, allowing companies to reinvest the money in new equipment and workers. In fact, the Senate bill centers on provisions to permanently cut the corporate tax rate — the rate paid directly by companies like Apple or Ford Motor — to 20% (from a top rate of 35%) starting in 2019, while also allowing a new deduction for individual taxpayers who own their own businesses.

Business owners tend to be wealthy — whether their assets take the form of stock holdings or privately owned ventures. The upshot is that the Senate tax plan’s benefits skew dramatically toward top earners.

According to the preliminary Tax Policy Center analysis, the top 1% of earners — those taking home more than about $900,000 a year — were set to reap about 60% of the total tax cut, for an average of more than $32,000 annually apiece. The top 0.1% — those earning $5 million or more — were to get an extra $200,000.

The GOP’s Senate tax bill, which passed in a close party-line vote, could give President Donald Trump his first legislative victory after Congress failed to overhaul the nation’s health system earlier this year.

It’s too early to tell precisely how the GOP tax plan would affect individual taxpayers. That’s because, in an effort to muster votes, Republicans continued tinkering with the tax bill behind closed doors up until a few hours before it actually passed, and the economists who typically crunch the numbers on new legislation haven’t had time to examine the tax bill’s results.

Like the House tax bill, passed earlier this month, the Senate version is largely built around reorganizing and lowering what corporations and other businesses pay in taxes in hopes of spurring economic growth. That said, middle-class Americans could be able to count on a tax cut too, at least during the next few years — assuming, that is, that the Senate bill can be reconciled with the House version and become law. You’ll probably see a tax cut, but maybe only in the short term.

Senate Republicans initially repealed the Alternative Minimum Tax, but have brought it back now in order to pay for some other additions. The AMT is intended to be a minimum tax on the wealthy. In this version, the GOP raises the income levels where it hits so it will affect fewer people. For individuals, the minimum threshold goes from $50,600 to $70,600. For those filing jointly, the threshold rises from $78,750 to $109,400.

Trump campaigned on a promise to cut middle-class taxes. And the Senate is delivering — sort of. One analysis of the tax plan, by the Tax Policy Center, a centrist think tank, found the average middle earner (someone taking home about $50,000 to $90,000) would reap an $850 tax break in 2019, benefiting in part from a standard deduction that would double to $12,000 for singles and $24,000 four couples.

Another preliminary analysis, this one by The New York Times, defined middle-class earners as those making $40,000 to $140,000 — and found that many of those, particularly the people that rely on the state and local tax deduction, could actually see a tax increase next year. However, the last minute, at the instance of Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins, would allow taxpayers to continue to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes, would likely soften the blow for at least some of these middle-income taxpayers.

For most of the Americans, the benefits of the tax cuts are also likely to be temporary, as the tax breaks for them will expire in 2026, while the huge tax cuts for the corporations are made permanent. The bill also uses a new way to account for inflation, which could push some taxpayers into higher brackets. By 2027, savings for the average taxpayer earning roughly $50,000 to $90,000 will have shrunk to just $50, the Tax Policy Center found.

During the campaign Trump promised a tax cut that would be “revenue neutral.” The idea was that, while government receipts might initially fall when rates were cut, economic growth would boost American’s incomes enough to replace the lost revenue despite the lower rates. Howver, even accounting for economic growth, the Senate plan will add about $1 trillion to the debt over the next decade, according a report from non-partisan Joint Committee On Taxation.

Many economist believe that piling still more debt on top of what the government already owes — currently $14 trillion — could eventually lead investors to sour on U.S. bonds. The result would be higher interest rates, which would push up borrowing costs for everyone from the government itself to most U.S. businesses. That in turn could choke off whatever extra growth the tax cuts spurred in the first place.

The stated goal of tax reform is improving the economy, and the right-leaning Tax Foundation predicted in November that the bill (as it stood at the time) could ultimately help the U.S. add almost a million new jobs over the next decade. But economists are divided about whether that growth will in fact play out as hoped.

The Tax Foundation tends to see rates remaining low, even as the deficit increases — hence its rosy job forecast. But many economists disagree. Earlier this month, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania estimated the tax cut could add as little as 0.03 to 0.08 percentage points to annual GDP growth over the next decade, which would presumably bring far fewer jobs.

the big winners in the GOP bill that the Senate passed early Saturday morning are corporations and the wealthy. Trump himself ― a billionaire ― stands to gain millions through the elimination of certain taxes. Far from being a middle-class tax cut, the measure is a massive corporate giveaway, a bill that recycles decades of Republican ideology on trickle-down economics and trusts that executives will hand over their new gains to average-income workers. “If my friends here want to give a tax cut to the middle class,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) asked on the Senate floor Thursday, “why don’t we give a tax cut to the middle class?”

And the bill makes other changes that reach far beyond the tax code itself. It repeals the individual mandate from the Affordable Care Act, a major change that was added in recent weeks as part of a broader GOP effort to dismantle the Obama-era law. The measure is expected to leave 13 million more people uninsured. It authorizes oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. And by curtailing deductions for state and local taxes, it will put pressure on some state and local spending on education, transportation and public health programs.

The tax package still must clear a couple more hurdles before it can become law. There are numerous differences between the House and Senate versions, ranging from when certain tax cuts expire to how the estate tax is handled, and though none are seen as showstoppers, complications could arise.

“The bill is investing heavily in the wealthy and their children — by boosting the value of their stock portfolios, creating new loopholes for them to avoid tax on their labor income, and cutting taxes on massive inheritances,” Lily Batchelder, a New York University professor who worked as an economist under President Barack Obama, said. “At the same time, it leaves low- and middle-income workers with even fewer resources to invest in their children, and increases the number of Americans without health insurance.”

America’s rich have gotten richer for decades, while the middle class and poor have seen meager gains. Since the mid-20th century, the top 1 percent have more than doubled their share of the nation’s income, from less than 10 percent to more than 20 percent. The tax overhaul the Republican Party passed through the Senate would make America’s income inequality worse. Maybe a lot worse, economists say. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on the Senate floor that this day would be remembered as one of the “great robberies in U.S. history.”

Ambassador Nikki Haley warns “N. Korean regime will be utterly destroyed” if war breaks out

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Echoing the sentiments expressed by President Donald Trump during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in August this year, The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations warned on Wednesday November 29th that the North Korean regime “will be utterly destroyed” if a war breaks out, a day after that country launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in a new provocative test.

Haley’s comments are a continuation of the Trump administration’s responses to North Korean military displays. The president stated in August that he would unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea if it continued threatening the US and its allies.

Nikki Haley ratcheted up talk of war with North Korea in reaction to the isolated country’s most recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, warning that Kim Jong-un’s government is on a road to ruin.

“We have never sought war with North Korea, and still today we do not seek it,” ambassador Nikki Haley said at an emergency UN Security Council meeting. “If war does come, it will be because of continued acts of aggression like we witnessed yesterday.”

“And if war comes, make no mistake, the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed,” Haley said. “The nations of the world have it within their power to further isolate, diminish and, God willing, reverse the dangerous course of the North Korean regime.”

During an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Haley asked the members of the panel to increase the sanctions imposed on North Korea and to implement penalties established by the council earlier in the year, The Hill reported. Haley also warned the panel that North Korea’s latest missile test has brought Pyongyang and Washington “closer to war.”

If war comes, make no mistake, the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed,” Haley said. “The dictator of North Korea made a choice yesterday that brings the world closer to war, not farther from it,” Ambassador Haley added.

Also on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that he would put forth “additional major sanctions” against North Korea in reaction to the recent ICBM test. Trump added that “the situation will be handled.”

North Korea’s latest ICBM test on Tuesday was its first in more than two months, and the rocket that was launched flew further than any previous launches. The distance of the launch allegedly put the US mainland into the range of the missile, according to North Korean state media. It is the third ICBM test conducted by North Korea, which has also carried out six past nuclear tests. In all, the North Koreans have test-fired rockets 18 times since Donald Trump took office in January. Of the missiles tested before that, one was intermediate-range, two were medium-range, eight were either short-range or medium-range and the range of one is unknown, according to various North Korea watchers. Four fired on June 8 were believed to be surface-to-ship cruise missiles. U.S. military officials said that the missile tested Tuesday appears to be a new variant.

As a result of the continuous pressure the US has put on Pyongyang, on November 20, Trump officially declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism. While speaking of the designation, Trump said: “In addition to threatening the world with nuclear devastation, North Korea has supported international acts of terrorism including assassinations on foreign soil.”

On November 15, as tensions between the two countries continued to heat up, the US military stated their B-1 bombers are capable of dropping nuclear weapons, and the US possesses “secret silos” of nuclear hardware.

“As long as there is a continuous hostile policy against my country by the US and as long as there are continued war games on our doorstep, then there will not be negotiations,” Pyongyang’s ambassador to the UN, Han Tae Song said.

In October, North Korea mimicked the the Trump administration’s tough talk and threatened an “unimaginable” strike on the US, as tensions further ramped up over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, North Korean state media reported.

A missile capable of reaching the United States topped with a nuclear warhead is considered to be Pyongyang’s ultimate goal. They want it because they believe the US will eventually try to remove Kim Jong Un from power. But would the United States try to topple the Kim regime if North Korea could respond with a nuclear attack?

Pyongyang believes Washington wouldn’t, and that’s why the country sees nuclear weapons as the key to sparing Kim Jong Un from a fate similar to that which befell Moammar Gaddafi in Libya and Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

The long-range missile is what really scares the United States because it means there is an existential threat of a nuclear attack, according to John Delury, a professor at Seoul’s Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Relations.

“We are in a somewhat dangerous period of a threat perception gap, as Americans adjust to the sense of vulnerability to North Korean retaliation that South Koreans and Japanese have lived with for quite some time,” he said.

Nandan Nilekani, wife Rohini to donate half their wealth

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Infosys co-founder and tech billionaire Nandan Nilekani and his wife Rohini Nilekani have joined ‘The Giving Pledge’, an elite network of the world’s wealthiest individuals committing half their wealth to philanthropy. A Forbes report pegged the Nilekanis’ wealth at $1.7 billion.

The Nilekanis are the fourth Indians after Wipro chairman Azim Premji, Biocon chairman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Sobha Developers Chairman Emeritus P N C Menon to sign up for The Giving Pledge.

The Giving Pledge website uploaded Nilekanis’ letter signing up for the cause. The letter said, “We thank Bill and Melinda for creating this unique opportunity to realise a moral aspiration inspired by the Bhagwad Gita – ‘Karmanye Va dhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Ma karma phalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani’.”

“We have a right to do our duty,but no automatic right to the fruits from the doing. It is critical that we do not slip into inaction fearing that we may not be able to reap direct reward. It is to this ideal that we pledge,” it added.

Later Bill Gates tweeted on his handle about Nilekanis’ pledge on his twitter handle. “I’m amazed by how @NandanNilekani has lent his entrepreneurial passion to philanthropy. I’m delighted to welcome him and his wife Rohini to the Giving Pledge,” Gates tweeted.

The Giving Pledge was created by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in August 2010 following a series of conversations with philanthropists around the world about how they could collectively set a new standard of generosity among the ultra-wealthy.

“Our philanthropic journey of two decades has been led by Rohini’s passion and commitment!” Nilekani tweeted. Talking about their initiatives as EkStep, Nilekanis’ letter said, “We are excited by our initial experimentation with societal platforms in early education and see immense potential for scaling up diverse solutions.”

The couple also said their philanthropic efforts would be directed at societal platforms, which are open, technology enabled ecosystems or nurturing networks. Nilekani recently returned to Infosys as Non-Executive Chairman after the exit of Sikka as Infosys CEO.

Modi remains popular: PEW Research

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Indians’ approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their satisfaction with both their country’s direction and the state of its economy have grown in recent years. Three years into Modi’s five-year tenure, the honeymoon period for his administration may be over but the public’s love affair with current conditions in India is even more intense.

Nearly nine-in-ten Indians hold a favorable opinion of Modi, comparable to their view of him in 2015, after a year in office. Roughly seven-in-ten say they have a very favorable view of the prime minister, again similar to public views in 2015.

These are among the main findings of a Pew Research Center survey conducted among 2,464 respondents in India from Feb. 21 to March 10, 2017.

Modi’s overwhelming popularity extends across India. At least nine-in-ten Indians in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana and in the western states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh hold a favorable view of the prime minister. The same is true for more than eight-in-ten in the eastern states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and the northern states of Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Since 2015, Modi’s popularity is relatively unchanged in the north, has risen in the west and the south and is down slightly in the east. Modi remains by far the most popular national figure in Indian politics tested in the survey. His favorable rating is 31 percentage points higher than that of Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, and is 30 points more than that for Rahul Gandhi, who led the Congress ticket in the last Lok Sabha election.

The public’s positive assessment of Modi is buoyed by growing contentment with the Indian economy: More than eight-in-ten say economic conditions are good, up 19 percentage points since immediately before the 2014 election. And the share of adults who say the economy is very good (30%) has tripled in the past three years.

Overall, seven-in-ten Indians are now satisfied with the way things are going in the country. This positive assessment of India’s direction has nearly doubled since 2014. Support for Prime Minister Modi is a partisan affair. Backers of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) express stronger support for the prime minister than do backers of the rival Indian National Congress party (INC), as might be expected. The 2017 partisan gap in favorable approval of Modi is 32 percentage points, larger than the 20-point divide in 2015 but relatively unchanged from 2016.

The Indian public, happy with its prime minister, believes the national government is doing the right thing for the country. More than eight-in-ten (85%) voice trust in the national government, including 39% who express a lot of trust. BJP supporters (90%) are more trusting of the government than Congress backers (76%).

The public is also quite satisfied (79%) with the way their democracy is currently working. This includes 33% who are very satisfied. Again, this is a partisan issue. BJP supporters (84%) are significantly more satisfied with Indian democracy than are Congress backers (65%).

Many Indians do not express an opinion about international affairs. One-third or more of those surveyed express no opinion about other countries or Prime Minister Modi’s handling of relations with prominent players on the world stage.

About half of Indian adults hold a favorable view of the United States, down 21 percentage points since 2015. Only 40% express confidence in President Donald Trump to do the right thing regarding world affairs, down 34 points from their faith in his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2015. Both declines began in the last year of the Obama administration and continued in 2017. The falloff in support for the U.S. has been greatest among Congress party supporters. The decline in confidence in the U.S. president has been roughly comparable among both BJP and Congress adherents. At the same time, Indian assessment of Americans (56%) remains positive and largely unchanged since the last time this question was asked.

Newton Wins Two Honors At Asia Pacific Screen Award

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

India’s Oscar entry “Newton” won two awards at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane last week, with Rajkummar Rao winning the best actor and Mayank Tewari and Amit V. Masurkar claiming the best screenplay honor. Manipuri movie “Lady of the Lake” won a special mention.

Ecstatic over the win, Rajkummar Rao tweeted: “Won the best actor award at the most prestigious APSA 2017. Thank you Maa. Thank you team ‘Newton.’ Don’t stop chasing your dreams because they really do come true.”

He also posted a photograph in which the actor is seen kissing the trophy. The winners’ names were being updated on the event’s Twitter handle, which also gave a glimpse into Rao’s acceptance speech.

“Let’s keep doing this beautiful work, let’s keep making these wonderful stories. Here’s to cinema,” Rao said and thanked his late mother for blessing “Newton,” read a post on the official APSA Twitter page.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and actor Manoj Bajpayee congratulated the movie’s team. “Congratulations my darling Rajkummar Rao and amazing talents Mayank Tewari, Amit Masurkar. A win at the APSA is a huge achievement and should make India super proud,” tweeted Hansal Mehta, who has worked with Rajkummar Rao multiple times.

“Newton” is India’s official entry for the foreign language film category at the Academy Awards 2018. Produced by Drishyam Films and directed by Masurkar, the movie revolves around a young government clerk who is sent on election duty to a Maoist-controlled town and how the ideological struggle puts him in an awkward situation.

As for “Lady of the Lake,” directed by Haobam Paban Kumar, the APSA awarded it “a special mention for the Cultural Diversity Award under the patronage of Unesco.” The award represents the shared common goals of APSA and Unesco, to promote diversity of cultural expression and raise awareness of the value of culture at local, national and international levels.

Shehnad Jalal stood a chance in APSA’s achievement in the cinematography category for “Lady of the Lake,” but lost it to a Russian movie.

Indian director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was nominated in the achievement in directing category for his Malayalam movie “S Durga,” which is in the news for being excluded from the Indian Panorama section of the ongoing 48th International Film Festival in Goa.

According to variety.com, Warwick Thornton’s Australian movie “Sweet Country” was named best film while Russia’s Andrey Zvyagintsev was named best director for “Loveless.”

Technology pioneer Vanu Bose dies at 52

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Vanu Bose, the Indian American who re-imagined cellular networks and extended service to people living in remote areas of the world, died at the age of 52 on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Concord, Massachusetts, from a pulmonary embolism that he had suffered in a hospital emergency room.

Born into one of Greater Boston’s most prominent technology families, Vanu Bose became an entrepreneur in his own right, founding a company that uses cellular base stations to help provide wireless infrastructure globally, including in sparsely populated areas from Vermont to Rwanda.

“Nobody’s been able to find a way to make rural developing-market coverage economically viable,” he told MIT Technology Review for a profile published three weeks ago.

Dr. Bose was 52 when he died Saturday of a pulmonary embolism, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced. His death comes four years after his father, Bose Corp. founder Amar G. Bose, died at 83.

Bose was the son of Amar Bose, the founder of the Bose Corporation, known for its high-quality audio systems and speakers, but instead of following through with the family business, Bose founded his own company, Vanu Inc.

The company has been able to develop durable cellular sites that could run on solar power by focusing on the radio components of wireless networks, which is used in many rural areas around the world.

Having already taken this technology to Africa, Bose’s latest venture took place in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria by donating more than three dozen cellular base stations, where it was used to help residents locate their family members. “It’s been so motivating for our employees, because everyone watches the news and says, I wish I could do something to help, suddenly we have a way to help,” Bose told the Boston Globe, nearly a month before he died.

“He always wanted to address the needs of people who did not have a voice, either politically or economically,” Andrew Beard, the chief operating officer of Vanu Inc., told the New York Times.

While he was an undergraduate at M.I.T, Bose told an M.I.T. publication, that he was always interested in wireless technology and even assisted his father in writing a paper about modifications to FM radio broadcasting.

Community Connect, a small base station developed by the company, weighing about 20 pounds, is designed to withstand grueling conditions, including temperatures of up to 132 degrees Fahrenheit, and runs on solar power rather than diesel fuel, making it better for both the economy and the environment.

This specific technology allows residents living in rural areas, to make calls or send a text message to friends and family living in nearby towns, as well as have them gain access to medical information, digital banking services and solar lighting systems. He is survived by his wife, Judy Bose, along with his daughter Kamala, 8, his mother formerly known as Prema Sarathy and his sister Maya Bose.

Indian-American Republican Committee in New York holds annual gala

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

The 2016 presidential race saw the birth of a powerful Republican Indian-American voting bloc, reversing a long history of Democratic loyalty.

The 2010 Census pegged the U.S. Asian Indian population at over 2.8 million, a ten-year growth of 69 percent that makes this one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the nation.

Indian Americans are known to be Democratic leaning. However, a powerful section of the community has supported Trump in the last general elections. The Indian American Republican Committee wing of New York State Republican Party held it’s annual gala on November 16, in White Plains, New York.

Several high-ranking New York state Republican party leaders were present at the event Westchester County, N.Y. Indian-American Republicans gathered along with people from other states. Edward F. Cox, chairman, New York state GOP, was the chief guest. He lauded the Indian-American community for its ideals of hard work, family values, and commitment to education, which he said, are akin to the values of the Republican Party.

New York City Finance Chairman Chele Chivacci Farley appreciated members of the Indian-American community’s commitment to GOP and their support to President Trump who is building special relationship with India and Prime Minister Modi.

New York state Senator Dr. Terrance P. Murphy, presented a proclamation from the N.Y. Senate, honoring Dr. Sampat Shivangi of Mississippi, as 2017 Person of the Year award for his contributions to the GOP. Shivangi has attended the last 4 Republican Party conventions, served as advisor to the U.S. Health & Human Services Department in the President George W. Bush Administration, and as chairman of Mississippi State Board of Mental Health, apart from other recognitions. Also honored were attorney Anand Ahuja, Prof D. Amar, and Chicago businessman Shalab Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition. Ven Parameshwaran, IARC vice chair, welcomed the gathering and introduced the guests. Thomas Koshy, the chair of IARC presided.

SIAEA announces new scholarship in honor of Bansi Shah

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

The Society of Indo-American Engineers and Architects (SIAEA) Scholarship Program is introducing a special Grand Scholarship in addition to the ten scholarships which are given annually to Indian American students pursuing degrees in the fields of Engineering and Architecture.

The announcement of this year’s Grand Scholarship worth $5,000, comes after the demise of the program’s former president Bansi Shah who passed away in August. Shah was a very popular, friendly and a strong community leader, who took the Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects to greater heights and worked in the construction business, IT sector, security systems and real estate.

The Bansi Shah Memorial Trust-Foundation will award one Indian American student a $5,000 scholarship along with awarding ten Indian American students, a scholarship worth $2,000 each.

To qualify for a scholarship, a student must have the following: Must be enrolled as a full time student in a college or university, who is working towards an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree or is enrolled in a master’s program in an Engineering or Architecture related field.

Preferences will be given to students who are in their third or fourth year of college as well as graduate students, Merit and need based. The student must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and be able to provide transcripts certifying the above, which will be attached to the application.

As scholarship checks will be made payable to the institution and not to students individually, a preference will be given to institutions located within the Tri-State region, though students outside of the Tri-State region are also eligible to apply. Students must be a member of SIAEA; membership forms can be sent with the scholarship application.

The Scholarship Application Form must be submitted by Dec. 1 with a permanent email address, NOT a student email address. Previous scholarship recipients are NOT eligible to apply again.

Awardees must be present to receive the Scholarship Awards during SIAEA Annual Gala on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. Scholarship Applications can be submitted to: Ketan.icc@gmail.com or mailed to:

SIAEA Scholarship Committee
SOCIETY OF INDO-AMERICAN ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS
P. O. Box 596, Tarrytown, NY 10591
Attn: Ketan Shah, Chair

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to chair 2018 World Hindu Congress in Chicago

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, the first Hindu on Capitol Hill, was named last week (Nov. 9) as chairperson of the World Hindu Congress. The WHC is held every four years and this will be the second one. Gabbard is the first Hindu elected to Congress, and the first legislator to take her oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita in 2013.

A Vaishnava Hindu, Gabbard follows the teachings of karma yoga (selfless service) and the path of bhakti yoga (loving devotion to God), according to a press release from her office. Despite India’s economic boom, Gabbard’s press release says, “Hinduphobia and antiquated stereotypes still continue to pervade western culture, which the congresswoman has decried throughout her career as a prominent female leader in the Vaishnava Hindu community.”

In a video message shared with the media, Gabbard thanked the organizers for choosing her, adding that the Chicago congress would be a “global platform where Hindus will be able to come together and share ideas and inspiration, and seek ways to positively impact the communities around us and around the world.”

“With all that’s happening in the world, the universal message of aloha – love, peace, respect, and unity – is so needed. I am looking forward to working with you and seeing you soon,” Rep. Gabbard said in a video message to the WHC organizers, ending with “Jai Shri Krishna. Namaste.”

Golden Temple awarded ‘most visited place of the world’

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

The Golden Temple has been awarded the ‘most visited place of the world’ by ‘World Book of Records’ (WBR), a London-based organisation that catalogues and verifies world records. General secretary of India chapter, Surbhi Kaul, and president of Punjab chapter, Randeep Singh Kohli, gave this award to SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh and other senior officials at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, on Friday.

Kaul said her organisation gives the award after every three months and the Golden Temple has been conferred this award on the basis of observations made from September onwards.

“Lakhs of devotees visit this holy shrine, and the footfall is increasing by the day. This is why the WBR has awarded it,” she said, adding, “So far, eight places, including Shirdi Sai Baba, Vaishno Devi and Mount Abu, have received this award.”

Kohli said the Punjab chapter recommended Golden Temple for this award two months ago to Santosh Shukla, president of WBR’s India chapter. “This award is like paying obeisance here”, said Shukla.

Kohli said they are planning to give these awards to Durgiana Temple at Amritsar and Attari-Wagah border, which also witnesse a huge footfall.

The WBR team, however, could not give satisfactory answers to questions regarding the criteria that determine this award.

Speaking on the occasion, the SGPC chief secretary said though the shrine has been hugely popular ever since its foundation, the footfall has increased since the live telecast of gurbani kirtan. He said on average more than one lakh devotees visit the shrine every day.

“The heritage street, a project of the SAD-BJP government, has contributed a lot to attracting devotees and visitors to this holy shrine,” he added.

He said the SGPC was trying its best to facilitate the devotees under the guidance of its president Kirpal Singh Badungar. Later, he honoured the WBR team with ‘siropas’ and a model of the Golden Temple.

Save country from nationalist forces, says Gandhinagar Archbishop ahead of Gujarat elections

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterIndia 0

Archbishop Thomas Macwan of Ganshinagar in the state of Gujarat in a letter says “secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake” and terms the election as “significant” for the “course of our country”.

Ahead of Gujarat assembly election, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Gandhinagar has written a letter urging Christians across India to “pray” for the victory of “humane” leaders to “save” India “from nationalist forces”.

In the letter dated November 21, Archbishop Thomas Macwan said the “secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake” and termed the election as “significant” for the “course of our country”.

Without naming any party, the letter states, “… The results of this election are significant and it will have its repercussion and reverberation throughout our beloved nation. It will influence the future course of our country. We are aware that the secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake. Human Rights are being violated. The constitutional rights are being trampled.

“Not a single day goes without an attack on our churches, church personnel, faithful or institutions. There is a growing sense of insecurity among the minorities, OBCs, BCs, poor etc. Nationalist forces are on the verge of taking over the country. The election results of Gujarat State Assembly can make a difference!”

The letter adds, “The Bishops of Gujarat state request you to organize prayer services in your parishes and convents so that we may have such people elected in the Gujarat State Assembly who would remain faithful to our Indian Constitution and respect every human being without any sort of discrimination.”

Challenges Facing Academia — Restoring Understanding and Harmony

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterEducation 0

Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service

20 Nov 2017 – After schooling, students have to decide what stream or subjects they should pursue in higher education. There are broadly four streams of studies for College students in many countries including India: Liberal Arts comprising Languages—English, Hindi and world languages such as German, French, Russian etc., Philosophy, Psychology etc.

Mathematics and Science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology etc. Commerce and Economics comprising these subjects in addition to Business Economics or Management. Social sciences consisting of Political Science, History, Sociology, Geography

The classification is not fixed – there may be variation in some of these areas but generally science and Mathematics also comprise engineering subjects, Statistics, Computer Science; related fields in Biology include bio-physics and environmental biology among others.

Again, Mathematics is generally excluded for students of liberal arts as also from social science subjects. The rationale is that first these subjects do not really require its knowledge except a very perfunctory one and secondly if students started devoting time to study of Mathematics, they would not be able to devote concentrated time to the main subjects of their study. Some people also argue that study of these liberal arts subjects require skills that are not compatible with Mathematics skills and the reverse is also true.

These arguments or rationale have some validity but as educational knowledge and academic competencies spread, one has to come out of the box thinking and make appropriate changes.

Take the example of economics – while its knowledge requires that students study formal courses in micro, macroeconomics, international trade relations and so on, the contemporary situation is that everybody is affected by the economic policies of the government — issues of wages or salary, price rise (inflation), taxes and interest rates and so on. In other words, willingly or otherwise, we must have a basic knowledge of the subject so that we may be able to adjust to the prevailing economic situation and live comfortably in our wages or salary or earnings failing which we could go into debt or be unable to meet our basic requirements. Of course, this basic knowledge also demands a minimal idea of mathematics in order to understand the concept of savings or of inflation, and so on.

Thus, basic knowledge of mathematics – beyond counting and percentages is also required by College or University students in order to better appreciate the situation that we see around us. To take another example, in today’s world, elections are a regular feature of our lives. We would like to know what various parties are promising in their manifestos and how their vote share is increasing or decreasing in the elections. Many graphical and quantitative techniques – pie charts, bar diagrams and similar devices are being increasingly used by commentators in newspapers or television programs to inform the public about the chances of victory of any political party or of the various candidates in the elections – local, state or national that occur frequently. Again a general idea of quantitative techniques and a broad understanding of numbers and percentages and graphics helps to understand the electoral scene better.

On a lighter side, a senior professor of Political Science whom I know, always gets confused between the numbers million or billion and the corresponding numbers used in India – lakh (one hundred thousand) one crore (ten million) etc. When one explains the relationship between these numbers he begins to understand but after a few days is again confused about the relationship. To continue in the lighter vein, familiarity with numbers and basic mathematics also helps in the solution of the Sudoku puzzles.

Similarly, other subjects – sociology or even history are increasingly utilizing quantitative techniques for explaining the situation at hand. For example, the outstanding French sociologist Emile Durkheim took the help of tables and charts to explain the problems of suicides being committed by people belonging to different religions and different regions – urban or rural in Europe. Texts apart, these charts and figures have helped students as well as lay persons to understand the concepts related to suicides that Emile was trying to discuss and explain. Again, the subject of geography, especially agricultural, also has to take recourse to simple mathematical concepts for better understanding of the issues involved.

Environmental pollution that includes pollution of air, rivers or seas and soil has become a very serious issue that is resulting in global warming, climate change as well as in adverse effects on the health of people especially children. In many countries of Asia especially India and China, the air quality today is extremely poor leading to aggravating asthma and lung problems as well as in advancing the risk of cancer and other diseases. Many species of plants birds or animals are also facing extinction as a result of these factors. Social media informs us that this (pollution) is due to excess CO — Carbon Monoxide in the air and particulate matter of certain thickness (PM 2.5 or PM 10). Understanding these statements – about gases or numbers in mm or microns again necessitates a certain amount of knowledge of Chemistry and mathematics respectively.

Simple ideas of Science and Technology (S and T) have also penetrated our lives although these subjects are abstract and technical. We are flooded with technical devices in our lives – home appliances, cars or bikes or smart phones based on advanced technologies resulting in our unconsciously acquiring some ideas of these subjects. Then there is the question of atomic energy and atomic bombs that are talked of in our newspapers and social media. Any person who is mildly curious tries to understand why atomic bombs are dangerous – acquiring in the process an idea of minerals such as uranium and plutonium and radioactivity. Pakistan, India and China in Asia all have atomic or nuclear bombs that this makes the region particularly dangerous and unstable politically. Whether we are students of science or of politics, the issue of nuclear weapons and how to curb their proliferation have become crucial.

Thus a clear cut demarcation of various subjects and the topics to be studied is no longer desirable or possible in today’s educational scene. An idea of mathematics, simple economics, science or S and T etc. helps us to better face the challenges we encounter in everyday life.

The foregoing situation is interesting as well as poses academic challenges as to how to modify or adjust the curricula and syllabi of different subjects in order to give a more grounded and balanced idea of the changes in local situations in diverse fields occurring in the contemporary world. These challenges are new but similar problems have occurred earlier also that scholars and academics have successfully overcome. An idea of our earlier efforts at adapting our academic curricula to the changing social scenario will help us to meet the new challenges we are facing academically. This may require a study of mathematics or science for liberal arts students or basic economics or S and T for students of other disciplines in order to promote better understanding and harmony and more fruitful lives.

Modi’s ‘Gujarat Model’ of development: a reality check’

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

By George Abraham

Narendra Modi rode the wave of ‘Gujarat Model of development’ in 2014 to catapult himself to the most powerful office in India. The social media campaign, most probably waged with the help of Madison Avenue agencies, that heralded the State’s economic performance nothing short of spectacular and credited its success to the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi started years earlier.

Is the ‘Gujarat Model’ of development a myth or reality? As the Gujarat state elections scheduled for December are only a few days away, it is an imperative that the voters are better informed and the cloud of doubts that is hanging over the claims and counterclaims be removed.

Mr. Maitreesh Ghatak, a professor at London School of Economics, characterized as such: ‘Gujarat is a proverbial case of darkness under the lamps”. According to an article written in Scroll.in, “Over the years, the high growth figures have covered up a dark underbelly of poverty, inequality and poor performance on human development indicators” said Mr. Ghatak.

To Gujarat’s credit, the World Bank has listed it as the top state on the ease of doing business. In the early 90’s, during the Congress rule, Gujarat has been at the forefront regarding both level and growth rate of income as well as infrastructure development.

However, an analysis of social data reveals the true underbelly of Gujarat, which is far behind other States in Human Development Index. If states are ranked in terms of people below poverty line, Gujarat is No.13 and has made it quite obvious that the prosperity from the high growth rate is not trickling down fast enough to make any substantial difference.

Looking at other social indicators such as Infant mortality rate and life expectancy, Gujarat ranks 17th and 10th respectively. In terms of sex-ratio, Gujarat is at 21st and in literacy, it ranks at 7th. Overall, if states are compared on the Human Development Index, Gujarat only stands at number 10. If one examines the entire period in which Modi was the CM of Gujarat, these numbers more or less remained the same.

On the other hand, a study conducted by Bangalore-based NGO Public Affairs Center rates the three south Indian States Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as the best-governed states in India. The ranking was done by the Public Affairs Index computed on ten equal parameters including human development, law and order and basic infrastructure.

In a story on the State of States awards reported by India Today, Kerala grabbed the number 1 position as the best state topping three categories such as Law and Order, Health and Environment. It topped all States in categories for Literacy, Life Expectancy, Infant Mortality and Sex-ratio. Tamil Nadu was reported to be the most improved state in eight of the ten categories and developed into an innovation-based economy with a strong performance in Manufacturing and Services.

Even when it came to economic growth, states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana increased their growth performance by a bigger margin than Gujarat. Modi may have a higher rate of economic growth than the national average, however, he may not stake any claim to the fame as it has also been true during the pre-Modi era. Why then there are no Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu models of development?

If the high economic growth and development does not translate into the better living conditions for its ordinary citizens by creating more jobs, increasing their wages, improving educational opportunities for the poor and the disadvantaged or providing better healthcare to its citizens and in general succeeding in poverty reduction as a goal; what is there to boast about? It might have been at best simple ‘crony capitalism’ favoring a group of powerful people with capital-intensive industries that did not generate necessary jobs for the masses.

When it comes to infrastructure development, one needs to take a look at the borrowing the Government has been engaged in the Modi-era. When Narendra Modi stepped into the State’s Chief Ministership in October 2001, Gujarat debt stood at roughly around 53,000 crore rupees. When he left his post to become the Prime Minister, the public debt of the state was 165,000 crores. These figures once again question the much acclaimed ‘Gujarat Model’ of development especially considering all the ongoing social upheavals in the state particularly among the Dalits and the Patidars.

In today’s Gujarat, 49% of the Children are malnourished, and 6 million Gujarati youth including 80 percent of the Engineering graduates are unable to find suitable jobs, and the unemployment rate stood at around 6.8% which is above the national average. As a matter of fact, conditions in Gujarat have only deteriorated for the workers in rural and urban areas. The major increases in the agricultural income that was accounted in the growth story in the previous years appeared to have leveled off. Meanwhile, small and medium-size industries suffered heavily under the disastrous demonetization policies and half-baked implementation of the GST. The state also has seen the closure of more than 60,000 small scale industries in 10 years and a massive mounting of debt.

Although much of the nation and the majority of the Diaspora have bought into the ‘Gujarat Model’ story in 2014, there was plenty of early skepticism, including from this very author (http://www.pravasi.com/varthaFull.php?newsId=65667). However, the opposition parties including Congress were unable to capitalize on the available information from Gujarat government’s own Department of Economics and Statistics.

According to Alpesh Thakor, leader of ‘Ekta Munch’ in Gujarat who has once announced plans to boycott the vibrant Gujarat Summit at Gandhinagar, “ Vibrant Gujarat was always media hype and a flawed model of Gujarat was highlighted as the development model”.

The ‘Gujarat Model’ of development was a mythical and fictitious tale that is not in sync with the reality. It was primarily the result of the large incentives given to big corporate houses in terms of land, water, and other resources with little regard to environmental concerns or even adverse fiscal consequences that almost left the state treasury almost empty to spend on uplifting of masses from basic poverty and inequality.

(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer at the United Nations and Executive Director of the Indo-US Democracy Foundation)

Indian American Couple Donates $1 Million to Kennedy Center for Cultural Events

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

An Indian American couple has donated $1 million to Washington’s landmark cultural institution, the Kennedy Center, to create a fund for organizing a series of Indian cultural events for several years.

The money donated by Ranvir Trehan and Adarsh Trehan will be used to organize events on India’s history, traditions, literature, music, dance and culture at the top American institution for performing arts.

“There is a need and desire for sustained India programming at the Kennedy Center for many years to come and I see this as a broad based effort by individuals both in the Indian American community and others interested in Indian culture from foundations and MNCs,” Ranvir Trehan said.

India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna said the Trehans’ initiative was “the encouragement that we need.”

“The Indian arts are at a very interesting phase… It surprises me constantly because we are all used to a certain vision of Indian culture, but if you now put on a new film or you see a new dance performance, you are always surprised because people are always crossing borders in different directions,” Sarna said.

According to an earlier report by IANS in India-West, Trehan came to the U.S. in 1964 after receiving a BS from BITS. He is chairman of the Trehan Foundation, a philanthropic organization he founded for giving primarily for international development in 2003. It is focused on global poverty, as well as a performing arts center and human services.

Previously, Trehan was vice chairman of Apptis Holdings, Inc. from 2005 to 2011 and was founder and CEO of SETA Corporation from 1987 to 2005, according to the White House.

Trehan was a department head of Information and Communications Systems from 1985 to 1987 and a member of the technical staff from 1969 to 1985 at The MITRE Corporation.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of CARE and a former member of the board of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. He holds an MSE from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Dayton.

Glittering Congressional Award Gala in Chicago honors prominent ethnic figures

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force [MEATF] of the United States Congressman Honorable Danny Davis [D-7th Dist.] held its glittering Congressional 7th Annual Award Gala with the theme “Congressional Salute to our Community Heroes” on Sunday October 29, 2017 at the Meadows Convention Center in Rolling Meadows, IL replete with flavorful ethnic extravaganza of music, dances and large culinary ethnic feast. Importantly, this black-tie gala featured Chicago’s most prominent awardees highlighting the commitment of Congressman Davis to recognize individuals who have exemplified excellence and distinction and for those who made significant contributions to society in ameliorating in social, cultural, charitable, intellectual, educational, medicine, academic, public service leadership, business endeavors.

The MEATF 7th Annual Congressional Awards Gala is popularly known as Community Oscars and was organized with red carpet walk for Awardees & Presenters, TV media interviews and a grand ten member Mexican Mariachi Band welcoming the guests during the reception .The Congressional salute gala was joined by a large number of guests representing business, community, civic, religious leaders and some of the most prominent recipients of the awards included Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle received Woman of the Year award, Dr. Bharat Barai, Renowned Oncologistreceived Man of the Year award, Edward M Brotonel received the Veteran of the year, Reza Deghati, National Geographic Photo-Journalist from Paris, France received the International Photographer of the Year award ,and Dr. Sriram & Dr. Sarada Sonty Lifetime Achievement award, to name a few. The most highlighted award of the evening went to Lagos State Assembly Speaker from Nigeria, Mr Obasa who received Golden Eagle Award and the Danny K Davis Peace Award was presented to Dr. Clyde Rivers, Founder President, iChange Nations, California.

The prominent presenters who introduced the awardees at the Community Oscars included 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin from Chicago, Mayor of Waukegan Sam Cunningham, Chief of Police, Maywood Valdimer Talley , State Rep Melissa Conyears-Ervin , 16th Ward Committeeman Ms Stephanie Coleman, 20th Ward Committeeman Kevin Bailey, President, International American Friendship Society, Ms. Leontine Horne, Honor Roll Sophomore of Perspective Charter School , Shimya Moorer, Peter Gariepy, Democratic Candidate for Cook County Treasurer,Mrs Santosh Kumar , Executive Director, Metropolitan Asian Family Services, Ms. Padma Mehta, Successful lady entrepreneur, First lady of MEATF and well-known singer of Chicago, Ms. Bushra Jawed, President Bushra Beauty Bar, Mr Sam Ma, Founder American Asian Association, Mr. Phil De Garro, President Buddy Car Wash., Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, FIA Trustee, Begum Chand Jamshad Nasim, MEATF Vice Chair, Assyrian Singing Legend Linda George, Arizona’s Animal Rights Activist Crystal Killian ,Ukraine’s Women Representative Marya Pylpiv and Ms. Galdys Loggin Folorunsho, President, USA Africa Chamber of Commerce, among others.

A grand entry of Congressman Danny Davis set the stage for an evening of fervor and gaiety as he waltzed in with his wife , Ms Vera to the beautiful strains of Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely song ,followed by Dr. Shoba Chokkalingam, Women’s Chair, MEATF taking to the podium with elegance and masterful eloquence in carrying forward the evening gala. Dr. Zenobia Sowell, Gala Czar gave a reflective invocation with Kishor Mehta, Chairman MEATF welcoming the guests. Kishor Mehtadescribed MEATF as an organization committed to bring under one united umbrella the people of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Chairman Mehta expressed his gratitude for Congressman Davis and Dr Vijay Prabhakar for their excellent leadership and said that Congressman Davis has established a unique way of communicating and interacting by setting up advisory task force to address the wide spectrum of ethnic issues and concerns related to public policy.

Congressman Danny K Davis recognized and presented Congressional citations to the International dignitaries who had specially flown down to attend the Gala : Mr A Kriishnamohan, Vice President, National Human Rights Council of India, Captain Arun K Chakrabortty, Kargil War Hero & National Convener, National Human Rights Council of India , and the Member of Parliament From Ghana, Mr. Samuel Nartey George.

Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar, Founder-Chair of the Congressman Davis’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force presided over the gala presenting at the outset, an in-depth historical overview of the genesis of MEATF and how it has evolved over the last seven years gathering greater momentum and significance. Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar stridently described the awards gala as an enduring symbol of unity and empowerment of the burgeoning ethnic communities and a glorious acknowledgement of the spirit of human triumph manifested in each ethnic community. Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar thanked Mr. Clarence Beal, Dr. Sowell and Gerard Moore and especially thanked Congressman Davis for his unfailing devotion to uplift the ethnic community and the awardees for highlighting their role of significance in shaping the American society.

The elegant evening gala recognizing excellence and distinction was beautifully interspersed with colorful ethnic dance presentations, inspiring acceptance remarks bringing to the forefront the inspiring ideals of the individuals who embodied merit in various fields of human endeavors.The Latin American Singer, MS Samantha Cortez awesome rendition of the popular song : “How Great Thou Art “, got a standing ovation. Hollywood singer and songwriter, Hadiya Nelson Moorer powerful rendition of the American National Anthem in the beginning set the tone for the evening.

The following were the awardees: Light of the Year Award :Deepak Kant Vyas; Physician of The Year Award : Dr Raja Rajan Gopaldas; Outstanding Child of the Year : Master Zohair Ahmed; Outstanding Child of the Year: Master Samuel Yousefzai; Student of the Year : Miss Nikita Basu;Youth of the Year(F) : Ms. Aishwarya Katiki; Youth of the Year (M) : Syed Moiz Ali Community Activist of the Year : Ms Michelle Lura White; Inter Faith Leader of The Year : Mr Sohail Bakhsh; Humanitarian of the Year : Dr Kirit Patari; Filmmaker of the Year :Parthiban Shanmugam; Rising Star of the Year : Rep Christian L Mitchell; Journalist of The Year : Isaac Lewis; Organization of the Year : Women Association Forum; Architect of the Year : Raffi Arzoumanian; Distinguished Leadership Award : Dr Chowdury Jampala; Style Icon (Female) of the Year:Hema Potla; Style Icon (Male) of the Year : Albert Memi; Sportsperson of The Year : Ms. Dorothy Gators; Digital Marketing Professional Of the Year: Thomas B Varghese;Media Person of the Year : Biju Zachariah; Businessperson of the Year : Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria; Corporate of the Year: Ram Talluri; Dentist of the Year : Dr.Amit Kumar; Community Leadership Award : Very Rev Father Bogdan Kalynyuk; Mother of the Year : Mrs Prema Chokkalingam; Father of the Year : Babu Verma; Community Service Award (M): Sadruddin Noorani; Community Service Award (F): Ms Amy Moy-Ng; ; Entrepreneur of the Year: Iman Bambooyani; Golden Eagle Award : Michael Strotter; and International Man of the Year : S. V. Anchan , CEO SafeSea Group, New Jersey.

Clarence Beals, Awards Chair thanked the entire team of MEATF and especially recognized Jerome Athishtam, Nagendar Sripada, Lawrence Pedapatti. Vijender Doma, Daniel Ravury, Colby Smith, Mayra Hinojosa,and Dr Siva Madesan for their tireless efforts as A-V Logistics, Exhibit, Stage, Souvenir, Food Court & Reception Co- Chairs. The Community Oscars was elegantly emceed by Dr. Shoba Chokkalingam, Ms. Rani Yousefzai, Ms. Joyce Doma, Ms. Starr Gadson and Ms. Shannon Baksh. Ms Vandana Jhingan of TV Asia, Parthiban Shanmugam of FB TV, Atlanta, Saurin Thakkar of Desiworld TV and Shirley Kalvakota of Flowers TV, India were the TV anchors that interviewed the Awardees at the Red Carpet and also during the Reception.

Congressman Danny K Davis in his Closing Remarks said that he was overwhelmed by the support of all his constituents especially from the ethnic communities from 24 different countries present at the Gala. Rep. Davis said that the record turnout at this event has encouraged him and inspired him to continue serving the 7th Congressional district for many more years to come as the 7th Congressional District’s Congressman and he has no plans to retire. Davis paid a special tribute to Dr Vijay Prabhakar, Founder of the Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force for his visionary and indefatigable efforts in establishing the Task Force and relentlessly nurturing the group to become a formidable force in the Sate of Illinois by showcasing the right persons from different ethnicities to lead. Today, the MULTI ETHNIC ADVISORY TASK FORCE has become a movement charged with the goal of promoting, protecting, and empowering minorities under the Chairmanship of Kishor Mehta, he added. Davis said that under Kishor Mehta’s Chairmanship, MEATF is a force to reckon with and is playing a vital role in City, State and Federal arena on all fronts. Davis congratulated all the awardees and the presenters whose contributions were equally impressive, Congressman Davis concluded that he is proud to be associated with this 7 Star Community Oscars which was inclusive of all and truly represented the diversity of America.

India loses billions to air pollution: UN

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

India had the highest share of welfare costs (or a loss of income from labour), of about $220 billion (about ₹1.4 trillion), in South and South-East Asia — of a combined total of $380 billion from mortality due to air pollution, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The global mortality costs from outdoor air pollution are projected to rise to about $25 trillion by 2060 in the absence of more stringent measures. At regional and national scale, China’s welfare costs from mortality were the highest at nearly $1 trillion followed by the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) countries with a combined total of $730 billion, the report added quoting a 2016 projection by the OECD.

Although certain forms of pollution have been reduced as “technologies and management strategies have advanced,” approximately 19 million premature deaths are estimated to occur annually as a result of the way societies use natural resources and impact the environment to support production and consumption, it notes.

“If consumption and production patterns continue as they are, the linear economic model of ‘take-make-dispose’ will seriously burden an already-polluted planet, affecting current and future generations,” the report’s foreword concludes.

To curb pollution in various forms, the UNEP called for strong high-level political commitment and engagement of the local government, civil society and other stakeholders. “Pollution is a universal challenge [but] the good news is that we already know what we need to do to prevent and reduce it,” UNEP Executive Director Erik Solheim said in a statement, stressing that “now the responsibility is on governments, businesses, cities and local authorities, civil society and individuals around the world to commit to act to beat pollution in all its forms.”

To achieve high level political commitment in key economic sectors, there is a need to go beyond the environmental ministries and include other relevant ministries such as finance, agriculture, industry, urban, transport, energy and health.

There is also a need to engage the local government, civil society organisations, business leaders, industries, trade unions and citizens at large. Reporting on the progress that comes from acting on pollution – whether through voluntary measures or formal laws – is a crucial step in this transition.

The report, ‘Towards a pollution-free planet’, was launched during the first Conference of Parties for the Minamata Convention, which addresses mercury issues, and ahead of the annual U.N. Environment Assembly, to be held in early December.

Akshay Kumar starrer PADMAN Opening on January 26

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Superstar Akshay Kumar is a new kind of hero in the first must-see film of 2018, PADMAN, releasing in North American cinemas on January 26^th, 2018. The brand new poster has premiered for this important new film from writer/director R. Balki which also stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, and is produced by Twinkle Khanna.

PADMAN is inspired by the life of Indian entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine and brought cost-effective female hygiene to India’s rural poor.

The 69^th Republic Day celebrations in the country will also see the release of the unconventional film Padman that is based on the real life story of Arunachalam Muruganatham.Padman traces the struggle of a man who makes his mission to find affordable and hygienic alternatives for sanitary pads for women in his village thereby helping the improvement of sanitation facilities especially for women during menstruation.

THE WELLIN MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS TWO EXHIBITIONS IN 2018

November 30, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

THAT EXAMINE ISSUES OF HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

Clinton, NY—In early 2018, the Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College will present concurrent exhibitions that aim to generate dialogues around world issues including but not limited to history, geography, boundaries, immigration, citizenship, community, and culture. This Place explores the contested spaces of Israel and the West Bank through the eyes of 12 acclaimed photographers from around the world who present various perspectives on the region. Margarita Cabrera: Space in Between examines the relationship between the U.S. and Latin America, presenting the stories of people from throughout Latin America who have crossed the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Both exhibitions will be on view at the Wellin from February 10 through June 10, 2018.

Tracy Adler, Johnson-Pote Director, Wellin Museum of Art, notes: “As a teaching museum within a liberal arts college, the Wellin is uniquely positioned to exhibit artworks that address challenging subjects and can serve as a point of departure for an open dialogue about the political and cultural climate today, on both a global and local level. This involves visiting artists, scholars, and curators engaging with faculty, students and the community in an exchange of ideas that supports an understanding of differing perspectives. BothThis Place and Margarita Cabrera: Space in Between incorporate pedagogical approaches to explore issues of community, identity, and history in two distinct parts of the world. These exhibitions are examples of how artists negotiate the difficulties presented by spaces that are fraught with complexities while taking into consideration multiple viewpoints and modes of expression.”

Exploring academic tie-ins that are created through artistic collaboration, the Wellin will present This Placeconcurrently with the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College, the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, and the University Art Museum at the University at Albany, SUNY. The exhibition is made possible in part through a Teagle Foundation grant focusing on pedagogical collaborations in higher education. Robert Knight, associate professor of art, is the Hamilton College faculty liaison for the Teagle Foundation initiative. The exhibition is organized by independent curators Frédéric Brenner, Matthew Brogan, and Charlotte Cotton.

This Place explores Israel and the West Bank as both place and metaphor through the work of 12 photographers: Frédéric Brenner, Wendy Ewald, Martin Kollar, Josef Koudelka, Jungjin Lee, Gilles Peress, Fazal Sheikh, Stephen Shore, Rosalind Fox Solomon, Thomas Struth, Jeff Wall, and Nick Waplington. The exhibition is divided into four parts, hosted by the Wellin, the Tang, SUNY and Colgate. Artists whose work will be featured at the Wellin Museum include Frédéric Brenner, Wendy Ewald, Fazal Sheikh, andStephen Shore.

Between 2009 and 2012, each of the photographers in This Place spent an extended period of time in Israel and the West Bank. The photographers produced wide-ranging work, both in content and approach. Whether rendered as large-format color, black-and-white photographs, or documentary images that span pictorial genres of landscape, architecture, and portraiture, the works in This Place speak to the complexities of the region and to the expansiveness of photography itself.

The four host institutions exhibiting This Place are participating in a three-year project titled Teaching and Learning with Museum Exhibitions: An Inter-Institutional Approach, in which faculty and students engage cross-institutionally with museum exhibitions over several semesters. At the Wellin, the works in the exhibition will be placed alongside an experimental classroom in the Dietrich Exhibition Gallery entitled WellinWorks to explore new pedagogical approaches and curatorial issues.

This Place was previously exhibited at DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague (October 24, 2014 –March 2, 2015); Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv (May 14 – September 6, 2015); Norton Museum of Art, Florida (October 15, 2015 – January 15, 2016); Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York (February 12 – June 5, 2016). For more information visit http://www.this-place.org/exhibitions/.

Space in Between is a collaboration between artist Margarita Cabrera, the Arizona State University Art Museum, and the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. A continuation of Cabrera’s ongoing work with Latino communities, the project centers on the creation of artworks and promotion of cultural dialogues around community, craft, immigration, cultural identity, and labor. The works on view are fabric forms that resemble desert plants and incorporate stories—stitched into the material itself—of the often-harrowing experiences of Latin Americans crossing the U.S. border.

Space in Between uses traditional sewing and embroidery techniques from Los Tenangos, Hidalgo, Mexico, which employs colorful narrative traditions reflecting popular culture, traditional rituals, and myths of the Otomi indigenous communities. Sometimes appropriating, and other times reclaiming these techniques, immigrant workers relay their own personal border-crossing experiences. The title chosen by Cabrera is inspired by the term Nepantla, which is a Nahuatl Aztec Language term referencing “the space in the middle” as it relates to marginalized cultures and their resistance strategies for survival.

Space in Between was first presented as a workshop in early 2010 at BOX 13 Artspace in Houston, Texas and select works are currently on view as part of Prospect.4: The Lotus in Spite of the Swamp, the New Orleans triennial art exhibition. Participants in the workshop were immigrants to the United States from Mexico and Central America, who produced numerous sculptural replicas of desert plants indigenous to the Southwestern United States. Subsequent workshops took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of The Knight Artist in Residence at the McColl Center for Visual Arts; at Santa Fe Art Institute; and in Phoenix at Combine Studio, with the collaboration of Arizona State University and Desert Botanical Gardens.

Margarita Cabrera was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and grew up in Mexico City, Salt Lake City, and El Paso, Texas. She received an MFA in Combined Media from Hunter College, CUNY. In 2012, she was a recipient of the Knight Artist in Residence at the McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cabrera is also a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant, and the Artspace Residency. She is an Assistant Professor of Art at Arizona State University in Tempe.

Designed by Machado Silvetti, the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College opened in October 2012. Through its exhibitions, public programs, and educational outreach, the Museum promotes interdisciplinary approaches and the cross-fertilization of concepts and ideas vital to a liberal arts education. The Museum works with emerging and established artists and collaborates with Hamilton students and faculty to develop programming exploring a wide range of disciplines. The Museum features a 27-foot-high visible archive, 6,200-square-feet of exhibition space, and other amenities that foster common exchange and learning. http://www.hamilton.edu/wellin

Manushi Chhillar of India crowned Miss World

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterFashion 0

Manushi Chhillar, 20, from India was crowned with the coveted “Miss World 2017” title at a glittering pageant, ending 16 years of drought for India at the international pageant. “The feeling is still sinking in and I am very excited to make India proud too. I’m also looking forward to the year ahead,” Manushi said in a statement after the win. Following her win, Chhillar tweeted, “Thank you, everyone, for your constant love, support. This one’s for India.”

It is estimated 126 women from all around the globe took part in the pageant which occurred in the Sanya, China. But only one lucky lady could walk away with the crown, which eventually went to a 20-year-old medical student from Haryana, India. Miss Mexico Andrea Meza was announced the first runner up, while Miss England Stephanie Hill was declared the second runner up at the event, held at Sanya City Area in China last Saturday, .

Apart from the main title, Manushi also won the “Beauty with Purpose” award. A medical student, Manushi, is the sixth Indian winner of the prestigious competition, following in the footsteps of Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai. Her win means that India is now level with Venezuela as they both hold six victories over the course of the pageant’s 67 years.

Manushi was born to doctor parents in the northern Indian state of Haryana, which once ranked the worst among all states in sex ratio in India. “My parents have always been my pillar of support and having them here tonight by my side has only brought me more strength and joy.

Manushi studied in St. Thomas School in New Delhi and Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat, Haryana. According to her profile on the Miss World website, the winner of the Miss World title aims to be a cardiac surgeon and has plans of opening non-profit hospitals in rural areas. A trained classical dancer, Manushi has a passion for outdoor sports like scuba diving, snorkelling and bungee jumping. Manushi enjoys painting hopes to open a chain of non-profit hospitals in rural areas, according to the Miss World website.

“My final answer also came to me by having them here with me in front of me,” said Manushi, whose family members, including a brother and a sister, were present at the gala. In the question-and-answer round after she was shortlisted among the top five, Manushi was asked: “Which profession deserves the highest salary and why?” She said a mother deserves it most.

Manushi was ecstatic and emotional when she was announced the winner from among contestants from 108 countries. She was crowned by Miss World 2016 winner, Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Del Valle.

Priyanka Chopra, the previous winner of the title from India, was joyous about having a “successor”. “And we have a successor! Congratulations Manushi Chhillar on becoming Miss World 2017. Cherish and learn, and most importantly enjoy it. Bravo,” she tweeted.

Former Miss World Sushmita Sen wrote: “India wins Miss World 2017! Congratulations Manushi Chhillar. Yipeeeee, about time! Super proud! Jai Hind.” Neha Dhupia, a former beauty queen and who mentored India’s Miss India pageant contestants this year, tweeted: “Congratulations Manushi Chhillar. We knew you had all the qualities to conquer the world ever since we met you for the first time! You go girl!”

Manushi did her schooling in the national capital Delhi and became a student of medicine in Sonepat. In an interview during her grooming, she said: “The only thing I believe is certain in life is uncertainty, and this is what is amazing about the pageant.” She was always confident about winning the crown. The first Miss World crown was won for India by Reita Faria in 1943, followed which Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999) and Priyanka Chopra (2000).

The competition returned to Sanya, on China’s Hainan Island for the seventh time, where the event was last held in 2015.

AAPI To Hold 11th Annual Global Healthcare Summit In Kolkata, West Bengal

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterHealth 0

The groundbreaking Summit from December 28-31, 2017 will discuss ways to bring the most innovative, efficient and cost-effective healthcare solutions for India

New York, NY: November 20, 2017: The 11th annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) organized by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs & Indian Ministry of Health and the government of West Bengal, with the participation of over 50 world renowned speakers from India, US and from around the world, and industry leaders will be held at the famous JW Marriott, Kolkata, West Bengal, India from December 28th to 31st, 2017, Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, announced here today.

With over 200 physicians from the United States, the Summit is expected to be attended by nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world. According to Dr. Samadder, who was in India recently and had held series of meetings with several Federal and State level Ministers and government officials in Kolkata and New Delhi, said, “To be held for the first time in Kolkata, this year, AAPI Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) will have many new initiatives and also will be carrying the torch of ongoing projects undertaken by AAPI’s past leaders. In addition, several prominent leaders both from India and abroad will be addressing the Summit, including the President of India and the Chief Minister of West Bengal.”

According to him, GHS will have several prominent leaders from India and the US, who will address the conference and interact with the delegates. With world renowned artists performing on stage, the delegates at the Summit will be treated to an exceptionally high quality cultural extravaganza. The Summit will also result in the inauguration of the first ever free AAPI sponsored health clinic in the state of West Bengal, serving thousands of people from the north eastern region of India.

Dr. Naresh Parekh, President-Elect of AAPI, “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 GHS 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,” he said.

This international healthcare summit is a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007. 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 with 200 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, Dr. Parikh added.

Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair of BOT, AAPI, said, “The Summit will also feature a CEO Forum, where a galaxy of 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 CEO Forum will focus on the changing trends in the healthcare sector and they impact the providers, hospitals and corporations as well as the patients. The Forum will also offer insights into managing efficiently the growing costs in the delivery of healthcare services. 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,” he added.

According to Dr. Suresh Reddy, Vice President of AAPI, “The essence of AAPI is educational. 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.”

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Secretary of AAPI, pointed out some of the major highlights of the Summit: “Other major highlights of the Global Healthcare Summit include, interactive roundtables, clinical practice workshops, scientific poster/research session and meet-the-expert sessions. The Summit will facilitate dissemination and exchange of best practices including a special session on Public-Private Partnership featuring AAPI Healthcare Charitable showcase & innovation,” he said.

Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Treasurer of AAPI, said, “The much anticipated Women’s Leadership Forum scheduled for Dec 30, 2017 is designed to conduct a “Town Hall” session with a group of highly successful Women Leaders representing a diversity of professions, involving public, private and government organizations. The theme for the forum is Women Empowerment in the 21st century, with the speakers planned to be discussing the role and opportunity for Women to address a major challenge presented by high rates of infant and maternal mortality, areas around public awareness, education and access to healthcare.”

The Young Physicians Research Forum will be held on Dec. 28th at the oldest medical college of Asia, Calcutta Medical College. International Poster Presentation Session, Two Full Days Scientific Sessions (Dec. 29-30), Workshops, CEO Forum, Women’s Forum, Specialty Workshops on Dec. 31st.

Continuing its tradition of providing the much-needed training to First Responders, American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine will offer the AUA’s Emergency Medicine Training Centre (EMTC) developed a First Aid and CPR courses for first responders, including fire fighters, policemen, and EMTs from West Bengal at the KPC Medical College. According to Dr. Samadder, AUA President and Co-founder, Neal Simon will participate in the panel discussion at the Summit’s Healthcare & Hospital CEO Forum, which[PPK1] will discuss how to establish and maintain a patient-centric approach on the operational and academic levels of organizations.

Panelists will generate a white paper with recommendations to the Ministry of Health and the Government of India for broader implementation. “The nation of India has contributed greatly to the field of medicine internationally. In light of this and in keeping with AUA’s commitment to increasing diversity in the medical field, we consider India’s medical community to be a major component of our institution’s success” said Simon.

According to Dr. Ajay Lodha, immediate past-President of AAPI, “GHS 2017 will include a scientific programs developed by leading experts with contributions by the Scientific Advisory Board and International Scientific Committee, which will includes high priority areas like Cardiology, Diabetes, Oncology, Surgery, Mental Health, Maternal and Child Health, Allergy-Immunology and Lung Health, Health Information Technology (HIT), and the impact of co-morbidities.”

This Summit will display how well the Indian doctors have shown themselves as an effective force in the medical world in USA. 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.

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 GHS 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.

The GHS Pre-Summit (DUBAI) at the Hyatt Regency from December 24-28, 2017, will provide a unique Christmas Dinner Cruise, City tour to Palm Island, Khalifa Tower, Burj Hotel, Dubai mall, Dubai Museum, etc. Desert Safari including camel ride and belly dancing shows. The Post GHS TOUR to the heavenly Bhutan fromJanuary 1-4, 2018, will take delegates to the world renowned and ancient Takshang Monestary, Hike in Tiger’s Nest, Buddha Dordenma, National Heritage museum & Dochula. For those who want to enjoy the beautiful Assam, can tour this beautiful state of Assam from January 4-8, 2018, touringf Kaziranga National Park including Rhino Park, Nehru Stadium, Assam Rajyik State Museum, Guwahati Market, Kamakhya Temple and dinner at the Governor’s Mansion. The Summit will also offer everyday Guided Tours and Evening Entertainments to the delegates, and will conclude with a special New Year’s eve gala party, welcoming the New Year 2018 with family, fun and entertainment.

“With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision of GHS, and AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare in India,” Dr. Samadder said. “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 accomplish this mission, AAPI is backed by leading healthcare experts and professional associations, including Indian Affairs and Indian Development Foundation Overseas Indians,” he added. For more information on Global Health Summit, please visit www.aapiusa.org

Justice Dalveer Bhandari of India beats Britain to win at International Court of Justice

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Justice Dalveer Bhandari of India was elected by over two thirds of the world’s nations at the United Nations to be a member of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after a hard-fought battle with the UK last week, which is considered a victory for India and all Indians. His election, hailed as a diplomatic win for India, was more than a matter of prestige for India.

The 70-year-old was elected to the world court securing 183 of the 193 votes in the United Nations General Assembly and all 15 in the security council after Britain pulled out its candidate, Christopher Greenwood.

“The election this time was more eventful in the sense that it went on and on. And my re-election is more a victory of all Indians and the country,” Bhandari told the media from New York a few hours after the polling.

Britain decided to withdraw its candidate, Christopher Greenwood, after it became clear that besides European partners such as Germany and France, the United States too had informed its mission at the UN that it faced a deadlock and loss of face due to growing support for the Indian candidate, Dalveer Bhandari.

The former Supreme Court judge was talking about 11 rounds of voting spread over several days, as the UK did everything possible to push Greenwood’s candidature. “This is the first time that I witnessed election to the world court in the general assembly. Last time I was appointed against a seat that fell vacant,” said Bhandari, who joined the ICJ in 2012.

His second term begins February 2018 and he will be with the ICJ for nine years. “My re-election will ensure representation of Indian legal system and civilization at the world court,” said Bhandari, whose orders as an SC judge ensured that those living below the poverty line got a bigger share of food grain.

Bhandari, who started out as a lawyer in the Rajasthan high court, was also instrumental in states setting up night shelters for the homeless. The ICJ is hearing India’s plea against the death sentence awarded to former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. The next hearing in the case, which has worsened ties between the two neighbors, is in December. Asked about the impact his re-election would have on the case, Bhandari said, “No comments. The issue is pending in the world court.”

The 15-member ICJ is the UN’s top judicial organ that settles disputes between countries. Five judges are elected every three years and serve for nine years. Bhandari is the fourth Indian to be a permanent ICJ judge. The other three were Sir Benegal Rau, Nagendra Singh and RS Pathak.

Sunil Shah, Anil Loomba, Dr. Anuja Gupta honored at Bollywood Sargam festival of light

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Pratibha Jairath (Bollywood Sargam) and Altaf Bukhari (A. B. Entertainment) organized an astounding Diwali Party on the evening of Nov 3rd at Ashyana Banquets in Downers Grove with an attendance of close to 500 people dressed in vibrant and stunning outfits. The venue was buzzing with excitement as people started to walk in half hour before the party time.

The best part of this event was that it was not merely a musical extravaganza and variety show but it included people from different religions, states, and communities of India to once again show unity in our diverse India. After all, the festivals are about celebration and bringing out the good spirit, friendships and alliances.

Pratibha Jairath, the host and organizer of the event opened the evening with welcoming guests and presenting a prayer and Diwali Badhai in a creative style. For Lamp lighting, she started out by first inviting Mr. Sunil Shah from New York Life to say a few words followed by Mr. Anil Loomba (Home Mortgage Solutions), Dr. Anuja Gupta (project Veranda), Sponsor Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Co-organizer Mr. Altaf Bukhari. Shen then proceeded further and invited her consistent supporters and well known generous personalities like Mr. Brij Sharma (IEM President and UPA BOARD), Dr. Surinder Jain of Ashyana and Mr. Om Dhingra (UPA and HTC BOARD)..

The musical segment began by Pratibha Jairath who started with Diwali segment of Piya Tose continuing with both classical and new numbers such as Thode Badmash from Sanwariya and other hits like Channa Mereya. Within 15 minutes, the dance floor was full with energetic folks ready to rock.

Anil Sharma, a well-known established singer with a powerful voice mesmerized folks with Kishore kumar classics such as Neele Neele Amber, Dil kya kare and Arjit Singh’s hits like suno na sangemarmar.

Raju Bankapur, another well-known multi-talented singer kept folks on dance floor with lots of new and Bollywood hits such as Bacnha ae haseeno. His rendition of Badan pe sitare brought Sunil Ji and friends on dance floor.

Raju Bankapur’s flute numbers and Anil Sharma’s Mahobbat barsa and some unique numbers were applauded by all. The slide show of excerpts from films matching with song being performed was a great touch, thanks to Mr. Virender Kothari. Ms Jairath thanked her several friends for showing awesome support by bringing different circles and special mention to decoration and reception team starting with Vandana Bankapur and Asha Mehta.

Pratibha Jairath’s Qwali item with her friends became the talk of the town. It was a mix of few Qwaalies. It is such things that made this party a multi-dimensional variety show. Hitesh Masters’ Saregama Orchestra team with talented duos Kafi Khan and Richard Christian added ‘Char Chand’ to this musical Diwali party. The Ashiyana banquet food was sumptuous and appreciated by all.

Anil Loomba commented ‘Pratibha how do you bring people from different walks of life?’ She said “It is not me, the total credit goes to my friends that bring tables after tables, generous sponsors, a number of associations such as FIA, UPA and A.B entertainment of Altaf Bukhari and so many other alliances.

Sikh Religious Society Organizes Conference in Chicago to Implement Mool Nanakshahi Calendar

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Chicago, IL: Sikh Religious Society hosted a two-day Mool Nanakshahi Calendar Implementation Conference at 1280 Winnetka St, Palatine, IL 60067, IL. The conference kicked off with a welcome dinner attended by the distinguished speakers of the conference as well as guests from various Sikh organizations in the US, Canada, India, and Australia. The welcome dinner, managed by S. Amardev Singh, featured a brief snapshot of what issues the speakers will cover during the conference.

The focus of the conference was how to preserve the unique Sikh heritage and prepare the Panth for the next millennia. The expert speakers explained the history and importance of the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar. Sardar Pal Singh Purewal, the brain behind the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar talked about the efforts he has made to create awareness about the practicality of the calendar and emphasized how important it is for next generations to adopt it.

Bibi Jasbir Kaur (Ohio) threw light on the need of passing the heritage on to the next generation in order to secure Sikh identity. She talked about how important it is for kids to understand Gurbani, and apply it in their day to day life. Other speakers at the conference were S. Sarabjit Singh (Sacramento), Prof. Niranjan Singh Dhesi, S. Surinder Singh (Talking Punjab) and Harkirat Singh Ajnoha (Australia).

The speakers stressed upon the role of overseas Sikh community in accomplishing this mission. The conference featured a presentation explaining how the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar works and helps maintain the consistency of the Sikh observations like Gurpurabs, Vaisakhi and so on. Accurate recurrence of these Sikh historical dates and preservation of Gurbani’s relevance has profound implication for Sikh generations to come.

According to the speakers, the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar forever fixed drifting Sikh historical Bikrami dates and synchronized these dates with the Common Era (CE) tropical calendar. The resolutions passed in conference entailed that, in 1999, the Sikh scholars and SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) introduced the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar, a tropical calendar; on 300th anniversary of Khalsa’s Saajna conforming to Gurbani.

Whereas, many Sikh organizations have already been following Nanakshahi Calendar for many years, except for the three dates of : Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab , Bandee Chhorrd Divas, and Holla-Muhalla. So the Chicago conference emphasized to fully adopt and forever follow The Mool Nanakshahi Calendar and its methodology to observe Sikh historical events on following fixed annual dates. A. Guru Nanak’s Parkaash purab on April 14th (1-Vaisaakh), Vaisaakhi; B. Bandee Chhorrd Divas onFebruary 12th (1-Phaggan); and, C. Holla Muhalla on March 14th (1-Chet), Mool Nanakshahi New Year Day

At the end of the conference, all the speakers unanimously requested all social, cultural, and religious (Panthak) organizations to unify to cherish the unique and blessed heritage ignited by Baba Nanak; and forever preserve it, by making every attempt to fully adopt and implement the Mool Nanakshahi calendar. Heeding the call of the conference, many Midwest gurdwaras also adopted these resolutions simultaneously.

Association of Indian Pharmacists in America celebrates Annual Banquet and Business Expo

November 23, 2017 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Chicago IL: Harish Bhatt, President of the Association of Indian Pharmacists, Board of Trustees and Volunteers of America (AIPHA), organized an exciting Annual Banquet and Business Expo on Sunday, November 11, 2017 at the Meadows Club, 2950 W Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, IL to commemorate annual business network opportunities, Diwali and the holiday season with members and their families. The program was a sold out event attended by many dignitaries.

The evening started with a social hour featuring some tasty appetizers and premium drinks. Masters of Ceremonies for the occasion, Mr. Tushar Mehta, kicked off the program by welcoming everyone to the gala.

To encourage NRI entrepreneurs to set up new manufacturing plants in India, Consul General Mr. Debandhu Bhati explained that “Annual growth of the industry by an average of 15% per year to reach twenty billion to fifty five billion dollar industry from the span of 2020 to 2030, producing world class pharmaceuticals products dwarfs with average of 5% growth of other non-pharmaceutical industries. This phenomenal growth will contribute towards significant contributor to Prime-minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Made by India’ goal. Now, due to availability of 100% approval of FDA for production of medical devices in India”

Rupesh Manek, AIPHA Executive Director and NIPA board member, encouraged all pharmacists in Illinois get involved and become members of National Indian Pharmacist Pharmacist Association (NIPA). He congratulated AIPHA for exemplary work in organizing such a breathtaking social evening . Elaborating the mission of NIPA, he indicated that NIPA is dedicated to the construction of networking opportunities and the promotion of our cultural heritage for pharmacists of Indian origins in the United States of America by ways of interaction through a common forum. The national Indian association is committed to supporting AlPHA in all of their struggles. He congratulated Harish Bhatt and team for this wonderfully planned evening, and the entire pharmacist community practicing in Illinois under some of the hardest times that have been experienced. He informed attendees that NIPA membership now spans over 19 states in the continental United States of America, and looks forward to its presence in all states of the country, as well as increased involvement from Illinois members.

Harish Bhatt, Lifelong President of the Association of Indian Pharmacists took the stage. Welcoming everyone, he elaborated past achievements of AIPHA along with future challenges and goals requiring co-operation of each and every members.

Top shelf cash bar& delicious gourmet dinner was prepared and served by the Chefs and staff of the Meadows Club. The program concluded with some great memories of an evening which was educational, fun and entertainment by Babra and party. Sponsors: Amneal, Dick Drugs, HD Smith, McKesson, Cardinal Health Smith Drugs, DAA, Micro Merchant, TCGRX, IPC, Langerman. Executive Board: President: Harish Bhatt Vice President Ambalal Patel Secretary Mahendra Patel Joint Secretary Manu Patel Treasure Tushar Mehta Joint Treasure Snehal Bhavsar Executive Director Rupesh Manak.

The AIPHA Annual Banquet and Business Expo offers a platform in which members can network amongst themselves, as well as giving them an opportunity to meet and greet with the decision makers that influence change. The Association of Indian Pharmacists of America is an organization dedicated to increasing cultural awareness and promoting diversity through various pharmaceutical services, promotional, and social events.

By Sudhansu Digal

TheUNN Corporation

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