Author: Staff Reporter

More than 500 supporters in the fields of business, arts, philanthropy and medicine attended the annual SKN Hope Gala on Friday, at the Marigold Hotel in Somerset, New Jersey, which focused its efforts to raise funds for South Asian children with special needs this year.

“We could not be more humbled by the love and generosity of the community,” said founder Dr. Naveen Mehrotra. “SKN’s goal is to educate the South Asian community about the various diseases that plague our loved ones, and this year, we wanted to shed light on how parents cope with their children with special needs.”

The major beneficiary of this year’s fundraiser will be the Special Needs Community Outreach Program for Empowerment (SCOPE).

Guest of Honor Juhi Chawla, a renowned Indian actress, humanitarian and former Miss India, spoke at the event and served as the show stopper for international fashion designer to the stars, Joy Mitra, who debuted a special collection he created just for the cause.

The fashion show spotlighted special needs children, who walked the ramp with their mothers, followed by an intimate Q&A between host Mini Mathur and the fathers.

“What an amazing opportunity for my son! I am so proud of him every day, and walking the ramp, dressed up so fabulously, allowed him to know that we love him just as he is,” said Radha Lath, mother of Aditya Lath, a child with special needs.

“Parents of special needs children have an unbelievable level of grit and determination, as they face daily life issues, and we are honored to be shedding light on some of their challenges at the SKN Foundation Gala,” said Sonalika Ahuja of Beyond Media, the woman who executed the event for the second year in a row.

The Yashpal and Urmilesh Arya India Studies Library was dedicated at Stony Brook University.  The library is located in theBishembarnath and Sheela Mattoo Center for India Studies. Its naming recognizes the gift of $250,000 by Drs. Yashpal andUrmilesh Arya to the Center’s endowment campaign, which has been matched by the Simons Match Fund. The Aryas’ donation will allow for the expansion of the library’s services and initiatives, including special collections and online courses, to make the library’s resources more widely available.

The dedication ceremony drew a large gathering of Stony Brook faculty, staff, students and administrators, and members of the Indian American community. Dr. Yashpal Arya, flanked by Dr. Urmilesh Arya, described the library’s dedication as “one of the happiest days of our lives.” He told the audience of his family’s history of philanthropy, both in India and in the United States.  “I am proud to stand here today to continue this family tradition of perpetuating further education with the help of Stony Brook University through its forward thinking, visionary policy making, and the Mattoo Center for India Studies for its strong resolve and relentless pursuit that led to the creation of this library.” Dr. Arya thanked the Stony Brook administration for their “enlightened support” for the Center. He also thanked Professors S.N. and Kamal K. Sridhar, whom he described as the Center’s “Pitamaha” and “Matamaha” (grandparents).

“You make your living by earning. You make your life by giving,” Dr. Arya told the audience.

Dr. Nirmal K. Mattoo, Chair of the Center’s executive committee, praised the Aryas for their involvement “in philanthropy on a large scale.”  He noted their long-time “commitment to the Center’s vision.”

Dean Sacha Kopp dedicated the library, and thanked attendees for their “participation in the decades-long effort to create the Center for India Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.” “A public university” Dean Kopp explained, “has the responsibility not only to serve the public through education but to give back to the public in the form of knowledge and sharing and fostering community and culture.” A library is a “gathering of community” and the “lifeblood” of a campus. “As I reflect on ‘community,’ I see it here today.”

Professor S.N. Sridhar, founding Director of the Mattoo Center, described the vital functions of the India Studies library.  It features a collection of more than 13,000 works, including major reference works, such as the Critical Edition of theMahabharata and the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, and special collections on Indian languages donated by noted research scholars. The library’s resources are used by Stony Brook students, faculty, and visiting scholars and researchers from around the world. The Mattoo Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a Gala on October 29th at Leonard’s in Great Neck.

Pratham, one of the largest educational nonprofits in India that provides quality education to underprivileged children, hosted its annual New York Tri-State Gala on September 15, at the Cipriani Wall Street.

The event, which was attended by approximately 600 influential leaders from the business and Indian-American communities, raised over $3.8 million for Pratham’s innovative, award-winning educational programs targeted at the underprivileged in India.

Established in the slums of Mumbai in 1995, Pratham is now one of India’s largest non-governmental education organizations, having affected the lives of more than 50 million underprivileged children in the past two decades.

Guests were entertained by writer, comedian and Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj, who delivered a rousing 20-minute set. Born to an immigrant family, Minaj talked about his upbringing and stressed the importance of “giving kids an opportunity.”

Mangala Mehar, a Pratham vocational program graduate, shared the impact the organization has made on her life. Today, the 22-year-old is a senior housekeeper at a Maldives resort, earning enough to pay her father’s medical bills and send her younger brother to college.

“I had always dreamed of becoming a successful and independent woman. The Pratham course gave me something far greater than the skills to get a job at a fancy hotel. Pratham gave me the motivation and self-confidence to keep moving ahead,” said Mehar before receiving a standing ovation.

The evening honored Ajay Piramal, Chairman of The Piramal Group and the Pratham Education Foundation, who is stepping down from the latter position after a decade of service. In that time, the organization experienced tremendous growth, tripling in size to its current $36 million.

“This has been a very satisfying journey for me where I have learned a lot. I am most grateful to Pratham for this,” said Piramal. “We can look ahead with a lot of optimism,” he added as he reflected on how, in 22 years, Pratham has gone from a single program in a Mumbai slum to one of the most influential forces in India’s education sector.

In her speech, Pratham CEO Dr. Rukmini Banerji described the next frontier for Pratham: exploring an edtech approach to accelerating children’s learning of foundational literacy and numeracy. She praised the significant support Pratham has received from Google and a family-based trust to experiment with digital learning and determine the optimum solution for educating India’s 100 million children who are functionally illiterate.

Chapter President and PNC executive Gagan Singh attributed the evening’s success to the gala committee, staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly over many months, and to donors who have remained loyal to the organization year after year. “In the end,” he concluded, “what is also really important to recognize is that we have an amazing organization in Pratham led by truly passionate and inspiring leaders, which makes it easy for all of us to tell the story.”

Established in the slums of Mumbai in 1995, Pratham is now one of India’s largest non-governmental education organizations, having affected the lives of more than 50 million underprivileged children in the past two decades. To achieve its mission of “every child in school and learning well,” Pratham develops practical solutions to address gaps in the education system and works in collaboration with India’s governments, communities, educators and industry to increase learning outcomes and influence education policy.

This year, Event Guru Inc. will be team up with Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF), an organization committed to eradicating curable blindness in India, for Diwali at Times Square, according to a press release issued here. SEF (https://www.giftofvision.org/) aims to reach out to the underprivileged communities in India and provides them with quality eye care free of cost by building operationally self-sufficient super specialty eye care hospitals across the country.

“Diwali is the harbinger of hope and all things good, which is why charitable works are encouraged during this time of the year. To fulfill the most important tenets of Diwali, we are pledging to support Sankara Eye Foundation and I urge everyone to donate and spread the light of sight,” said Neeta Bhasin, the founder of Event Guru Inc.

The objective for Diwali at Times Square this year is to stand up with Sankara Eye Foundation’s work by raising awareness and formulating fundraising opportunities on visual impairment, which affects about 55 million people.

SEF has, to this date performed over 1.6 million, free eye surgeries for the needy and is urging everyone to donate and gift the light of sight this year during Diwali at Times Square, which is on October 7.

“Sankara Eye Foundation, is very happy to partner with Event Guru Inc., for ‘Diwali at Times Square.’ This partnership will help SEF bring light into the lives of many more visually handicapped people. On the occasion of this grand ‘Festival of Lights’ let us light many many lamps and spread love – Jyot se jyot jalate chalo, Prem ki Ganga bahate chalo,” said Murali Krishnamurthy, the founder and CEO of Sankara Eye Foundation.

A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in the murder of Indian American software engineer Sasikala Narra and her six-year-old son, Anish, who were found dead in their Maple Shade, New Jersey, apartment on March 23.

Narra, 38, and Anish were found slain in the bedroom of their home by Narra’s husband, Hanumantha Rao. Both mother and son had been stabbed multiple times, Joel Bewley, spokesman for the Burlington County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office, told India-West.

“We’re hoping that this reward would be an incentive for someone to come forward with information,” said Bewley, noting that the investigation was “very active and ongoing.” Police have been going door to door in the community where Narra and her husband Hanumantha Rao lived with their son, passing out flyers offering the reward printed in Hindi, Telugu, Spanish, and English.

Bewley thanked the Indian Cultural Center in Evesham, New Jersey, for helping to translate the flyers into Hindi and Telugu.

Rao found the bodies of his wife and son on the evening of the murder, and called 911. He told dispatchers he did not know what had happened, as he had just returned home after “happy hour” after work with some of his co-workers from Cognizant.

Questioned by detectives, Rao said he could not remember whether he had used his key to get into the apartment, a key question in the case which would determine whether there was breaking and entering into the apartment.

In the 911 call released by Maple Shade police, an unidentified woman’s voice can be heard in the background. When the 911 dispatcher asked Rao if he could perform CPR on his wife and child, the woman screamed: “No you can’t. Their throats are slit.”

She can also be heard on the recording telling Rao: “Don’t go back in there.”

Rao was believed to have been having an affair with Deepa Ajit, who also works at Cognizant’s office in India. Narra had allegedly confronted her husband about Ajit: Rao allegedly told his wife there was no harm in an extramarital affair.

Bewley told India-West he could not state whether Rao and Ajit were under investigation. He also could not state whether there was any new information on how Rao entered the apartment that night or whether Ajit was in the U.S. at the time, saying the release of such information would compromise the integrity of the investigation.

Both Rao and Ajit were questioned by police after Sasikala and Anish’s bodies were found. The Telugu Association of North America raised funds to have their bodies returned to Vijayawada for the final rites.

Rao did not attend the funeral of his wife and son, though his passport had not been confiscated (see earlier India-West story here).

By Ajay Ghosh

The Ramesh Kumar Foundation has planned a silent auction, which is going live starting September 2nd, 2017and the winners will be announced on September 23, 2017, announced the Board of Directors of Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation.

Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation has also planned a first ever “Giving On The Green: A Charity Golf Outing,” to raise funds for the many noble causes the Foundation is planning to undertake in the coming months/years. Several of physicians and community leaders are expected to participate at the Golf event on September 23^rd at the Saginaw Country Club, Saginaw, MI.

All proceeds from this event will go towards eliminating the barriers of financial burden on individuals and families in need of medical treatment and also advocating for programs of medical research and education.

The silent auction items include Diamond Jewelry, Rolex watch, art collection, five-star hotel get away packages, football, basketball jerseys and many others, which have been donated/discounted to the Foundation by friends and well-wishers of Ramesh.

The Dr. Ramesh Kumar Foundation was created in honor of the urology resident at Henry Ford Hospital to continue his generosity, according to a Detroit News report. Soon after the death of Dr. Ramesh Kumar, friends and family of Michigan-based Indian American physician Dr. Ramesh Kumar, had set up a foundation in his name to help make medical treatment more affordable for people in financial need. Dr. Kumar was known for his largesse, once paying for the surgery of a woman he didn’t know, friends said, according to the report.

The Indian American doctor was the son of Narendra Kumar, former president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, and Meenakshi ‘Minni’ Kumar. He also left behind his sister, Sarada Das. Dr. Ramesh Kumar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Detroit late evening on May 4. Kumar, 32, who worked in the Urology Department of the Henry Ford Hospital, was found dead on the passenger seat of a car in a rest area, some 90 miles from Detroit, Michigan.

Police are investigating the case to ascertain the cause of his death. The family members of Kumar say they do not suspect anyone and have ruled out the possibility of it being an incident of hate crime. “We do not know (the reason for his murder). They (The police) are yet to find out,” his father

Kumar was born in Cleveland and raised in Saginaw. He graduated from Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Boston University before receiving his medical degree from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, India.

A YouCaring crowdfunding page has been set up to raise funds for the foundation. “Our family has been overwhelmed by the love and support and kind words we have received over the last several days,” Kumar’s sister Sarada Das, who serves as the foundation president and a board member, wrote in a post on the crowdfunding page.

“Ramesh is not gone,” Mason Kashat, one of Kumar’s friends and vice president and board member of the foundation, said in the Detroit News report. “His legacy is not dead. This is not how it ends. We’re going to continue the giving and helping of others, just like he did.” More information about the foundation can be found at www.drrameshkumarfoundation.org.

The Ramesh Kumar Foundation, a tax-exempt organization with 501(c) (3) status, Tax ID number # 82-1463499, is dedicated to eliminating the barriers of the financial burden on individuals and families in need of medical treatment and also advocating for programs of medical research and education.

One can bid for one or more items and can re-bid as many times as you would like. Bids will be updated every few days. One must be logged in order to bid.  You can register on the website and then go to the auction page to bid. Once you login, you can bid for more than one item and can also re-bid. PLEASE VISIT: https://drrameshkumarfoundation.org/auction/

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: August 27^th, 2017, there was a musical evening featuring globally acclaimed artist and vocalist Humera Channa, organized to benefit Sonia Shah Organization. Key friends and supporters of Sonia Shah Organization (SSO) gathered at Deerfield Illinois for a memorable evening to support the mission. Iram Shah gave the progress on school in Pakistan and Sonia Shah scholarship program here in U.S. The board members Dr. Saira Alvi, Zahir Lavji and friends provided their perspective followed by a speech of Pakistan Councel General Faisal Trimizi.

Late Sonia Shah who at the tender age of 17 started the organization to educate and empower underprivileged girls in rural Pakistan and USA. Although Sonia died suddenly in a car accident in 2012, her dream lives on through dedication of her mom, Iram Shah, extended family, and a dedicated team of volunteers and friends who continue to run the Chicago-based nonprofit organization.

“Sonia was a gift who kept giving and tonight I want to share what we have achieved with your generosity and support,”. We have come a long way. Giving progress report of the school”, Imran said. We have now capacity children in the SSO School. Our filtration plant continues to provide clean drinking water to the village. “While other Schools in area repeatedly are being bombed and destroyed across Pakistan by Islamic militants, SSO school in Kangra village has thrived in the remote due to dedicated volunteer work”. All the money raised helps SSO to continue its life-changing work on behalf of “young girls in Pakistan who otherwise would never have gone to school, young adult women who had given up on higher education, and mature women learning skills to be economically independent,” Iram said.

Additionally, all three major projects started in 2015 are accomplished or well under way to be completed to include: Installed on the roof of Sonia Shah Memorial School, Solar panels, which provides uninterrupted electricity and security at night.” A vocational center for women, “where we are teaching women skills that can give them economic independence,” opened in June and “to our surprise 40 women registered the first day in 1st. year. Today we have a wait list of 100 women.” Since 2015, SSO’s distributes two scholarships to the recipient female students, who start college in Chicago area each fall. “This scholarship is going to help them have a new life,” Iram said.

This scholarship has made what I thought were impossible dreams a reality. “It is just a whole new experience for me. It gives me hope that I can ensure financial status for my family”, said one of the recipients.

But the journey is not done; we have many mountains to climb together. “Many [students] come to school without a proper breakfast and appear chronically malnourished. Some of these kids don’t even have shoes. We want to provide school nutritious meals, uniforms and medical check-ups and expand the Sonia Shah Scholarship program. It is a journey of hope and promise. “Please join us.”

At the conclusions of the successful fund raiser, cultural program started by one and only Versatile Diva – Humera Channa, icon of Pakistan is blessed with a soulful voice, elegant personality and immaculate vocal delivery with precision. With nearly three decades long music career, Humera Channa is one of the most refined female vocalists Pakistan has produced to date. In addition to being a great musician, Channa is a polished and down-to-earth personality. If one analysis the languages in which she has sung in, one is astonished to realize that she has sung in almost every language spoken in Pakistan. However some of the languages in which her songs became significantly popular include Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto, Saraiki, Marwari, Thai and Bengali. This is a rare feat for any Pakistani vocalist. According to an estimate, to date, she has lent voice to over 5000 songs.

She has made her country proud in India, UAE, Bangladesh (SAARC Leaders Conference), Canada, UK, rest of Europe and many other countries around the globe as a true ambassador of peace and serenity.

Humera Channa gave an amazing entertainment with her team of musicians and kept the guests engaged and entertained till late at night. Humera Channa is a unique artist who has won most awards after madam Noor Jehan from Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, to 4 times winner of Nigaar Award. Now Sonia Shah Organization preparing for their annual gala on September 16th at Logan Square Auditorium.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The Consulate General of India organized 4^th edition of “Kala-Utsav” the Annual Cultural Festival on August 26, 2017, at Yellow Box, Naperville with 19 different Indian Cultural Organizations to promote the rich heritage of Indian Art and Culture in the US Mid-west. The event provided a platform for over 200 renowned as well as new Indian artists, from across the US Midwest to showcase their talents through various performances.

Hon’ble Cogressman from 8^th District of Illinois Raja Krishmoorthi was Chief  Guest and Mr. Juan Ochoa, Special Advisor to Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emmanuel and Board of Director of MPEA [Metropolitan Exposition Authority] was the Special Guest on the occasion. The festival was inaugurated by Consul General of India, Ms. Neeta Bhushan, by lighting of the lamp as per the traditional Indian customs. The Chief Guest, Special Guest, prominent community leaders and volunteers participated in the lighting of the lamp. This was followed by the Indian and the US National Anthems.

Nearly 700 people comprising of the Indian-American Diaspora hailing from different parts of US Midwest, including many US nationals and different ethnic groups attended the event.

In her inaugural address, Consul General Ms. Neeta Bhushan underlined the ancient, rich and diverse culture of India. She added that the objective of the annual ‘Kala-Utsav’ festival, which was launched by the consulate in August 2014, is not only to encourage and showcase the extraordinary talents in the Indian-American community but also to reiterate and celebrate India’s unity in diversity.

During his address, Hon’ble Congressmnan Raja Krishmoorthi also appreciated the efforts of Consulate in providing a platform for showcasing India’s various folks and classical dance forms as well rich musical tradition through the local talents.

The function started with a stunning performance of “ChendaMelam” by the Chicago Kalashetra which is the best –known and most popular kshetram vadyam (temple percussion) genre followed by a sequence of captivating dance performances representing the classical, folk and modern dance forms of India from different dance schools.

The classical dance segment included Kathak performances presented by Anila Sinha Foundation,  Bharatnatyam performance presented by Natya Dance School, Kuchupudi by Nrityamala Dance Academy, Odissi dance presented by Utkalaa Dance Group, Adardhnareshwar by Rina Rockers, Jugalbani and Bharatnatyam by Yakshagana from Indiana.

The folk dance segment was quite large. There were 6 folk dance representing six States of India. The Bengali Folk Dance presented by Jhankaar Dance, Shingari Dance School presented Kerala Folk Dance, Rhythms & Grace Dance Studio presented Rajasthani folk dance, the Assam Association of Greater Chicago presented Assam’s Folk dance and high energy Punjabi folk dance “Gidda” by Bollywood Dance Academy. The performance of “Garba”, Gujrati   folk dance, by MAFS Seniors Dance Group enthralled the audience.

The kids from Bolly Dance Fit and Fun creative kids also participated and performed in the festival.

There were four presentations under the Contemporary/Fusion dance category in which over twenty five artists participated. The presentation ‘Rain , Drought & Flood’ by Soorya Dance School captured the hearts of the audience.  “Bollywood Dance ” was presented by Bollywood Rhythm and Rhythm of Kerala by Team Ghunguru. Mythilli Dance Academy attempted to keep the flame of vibrancy in the heart by presenting “ Parai Drum Dance”.  Lakshmi Parmeswaran and Ms. Tanvi Bhatt ably anchored the event as emcee and kept the audience engaged. Mr OP Meena, Consul [HOC], proposed a vote of thanks.

By Rajender Dichpally

A delegation of The Indian National Overseas Congress along with prominent community leaders met the new Indian Consul General of New York His Excellency Sandeep Chakravorty in his office at the Indian Consulate in Manhattan on August 22nd. The delegation was led by President Mr. Shudh Parkash Singh. The delegation  discussed issues relating to the Indian American Community like issues with emergency visa, delays in services etc. Many other issues were bought to the notice of the Consul General.

Rajender Dichpally General Secretary of INOC informed media that the Consul General told delegation he wants to make the consulate more inviting and more open for the Indian Community. Mr. Chakaravorty plans to bring all Indian organizations under one mobile umbrella  app of the consulate where everyone can post their events and share the information.

Shudh Parkash Singh raised the issue of issuing passport and visas to Indians including the Sikhs & Punjabis taking political asylum.  Consul General replied it is a policy decision of government of India and not under his control.

Shudh informed CG that he has taken up the issue of NRI’s property rights with the Chief Minister of Punjab and asked for protection of NRI property in cases where they were being duped by relatives in India.

Rajendar Dichpally spoke on how the Organization has taken active part in supporting candidates who are friendly with the Indian community and also wished and hoped that the Community will have more its own candidates running for office in the near future. Dr.Rajender Jinna spoke of the conventions that were organized by Telugu associations to highlight the cultural, social and business seminars. Mr.Ravi Chopra and Phuman Singh spoke on the need to have a 24 hours help line that can guide the community during emergencies. The Consul General said that this facility is already being implemented under his tenure. Any one can write to the consulate on at the email –helpline@indiacgny.org and they will get a reply within 24 hours.

Kalathil Varghese Vice President  pointed out issues relating to OCI cards and new Adhaar card rule.

Quddus Mohammed from Hyderabad Cultural Association asked for an event in the Indian Consulate to show case the Hyderabadi Culture which the Indian Consul General agreed immediately.

We found the new CG have new creative ideas. He’s very open minded and considerate man, stated Shudh Singh after the meeting. Our community here can expect a lot of good coming out of our consulate in coming days, Shudh further added. The meeting ended with the delegation fully satisfied with Consul General and his deputy for accepting all their proposals.

The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States and various coalition partners held protests in four cities across the US on July 16th, to draw attention to the growing mob rule against minorities in India and the policies of the government that are emboldening such forces.

These protests are similar to the “Not In My Name” protests that have been held across various cities in India. What: “Not In My Name” protest against mob lynchings, hate speech and the anti-minority policies of the government of India

The rally in Washington DC, hosted by Indian American Muslim Council at the Dupont Circle, Washington DC was held on July 16, 2017. The same day, the event in San Diego, CA hosted by Indian American Muslim Council iIn front of USS Midway Museum was held. The rally in San Jose, CA hosted by Multi-faith Voices for Peace & Justice, Alliance for Justice and Accountability, and other faith and community based organizations was held. The rally in New York, hosted by South Asia Solidarity  Initiative at the New York University, was followed by a gathering at Washington Square Park in the Big Apple.

While Neha Arora, of Madison, Mississippi, who was selected as the “Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi” in 2016, did not win the “Distinguished Young Women of America 2017” pageant, she did walk away with two honors at the 60th annual event that combines the chance to win college scholarships and life skill lessons for high-school girls.

Arora was among eight finalists who were granted a scholarship of $2,500 at the event, held in Mobile, Ala., June 29-July 1, which saw Skye Borg, of District of Columbia, emerge as the winner. During the program, the contestants competed in talent, fitness and self-expression rounds. For her creative answer, Arora also won the self-expression round and a $1,000 scholarship. Arora’s question was, “What is the most vital issue facing young women today?”

“I spoke about the importance of women getting involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for my answer,” Arora was quoted as saying by jacksonfreepress.com. “I talked about how my mom completed medical school in Russia and came to America alone to work in the medical field, which is something that sets a great example for women looking to enter STEM fields. I think today’s society doesn’t encourage women enough to enter those fields, and I think women should have more opportunities available to them and seek them out.”

Arora’s mother, Namita Arora, is a psychiatrist at Warren Yazoo Behavioral Health in Yazoo City, and her father, Sumesh Arora, is the state energy officer for the Mississippi Development Authority, according to the website. Her parents were both born in India and immigrated to the United States.

Arora told jacksonfreepress.com that her mother’s example inspired her to become a physician herself and motivated her to attend Emory University this fall. From there, she plans on continuing her education at medical school to study pediatrics.

“I was lucky to be able to go to a high school that gave me opportunities to engage in research and pursue a career in STEM fields,” she said. “However, a lot of women don’t get that kind of opportunity, and that kind of interest isn’t as likely to develop. I think women shouldn’t be intimidated to go into these kinds of often male-dominated fields, and I think being around the many capable and talented women involved in the Distinguished Young Women program is a great way for women to discover opportunities and pursue the career they want.”

Vegetarian Vision, an organization that was founded in 1992, and is planning the International Vegetarian Convention scheduled to be held Sept. 9 and 10, held a kick-off event July 14, at the Indian Consulate in New York City, to brief media and other stakeholders on the ongoing plans. The Convention will be held at Penn Plaza opposite Penn Station, in the heart of Manhattan.

A lamp-lighting ceremony was held at the kick-off. The chairman and founder of Vegetarian Vision, H. K. Shah gave the history of the organization and its vision of the future. Among the numerous media that attended the kickoff were mainstream publications like Village Voice, Manhattan Digest, Broadway World, Times Square Chronicles, Nation’s Restaurant News, Veg News, and Bella Magazine.

Chandra Mehta, the president of Vegetarian Vision, spoke of the benefits of plant-based diets on human health and the effects on the global environment and global warming. She appealed to the community to attend the convention to make it a success.

“We are expecting several speakers, holding yoga and meditation sessions, a children’s program and entertainment,” H.K. Shah told Desi Talk. Twenty five vegan doctors are expected to attend, he said. “This is an international event and attracts everyone from Koreans and Chinese to Jewish people and Italians,” Shah said.

Nitin Vyas, the event coordinator for the Convention, said more than 70 vendors are expected to set up stalls at the Convention. The International Vegetarian Convention takes on added importance for organizers as it is the 25th anniversary of The Vegetarian Vision which was established in New York City, has its office in Hoboken, N.J.

The Vegetarian Vision was formed to spread the word about the benefits of the vegetarian diet and serve as a resource network and a think-tank for vegetarians worldwide. “Through a dedicated committee of volunteer members the organization serves all existing and aspiring vegetarians and vegetarian associations. It is a non-partisan, apolitical group that serves anyone regardless of race, color or national origin,” according to its Facebook site.

From just 40 members at the time it was founded, Vegetarian Vision now has grown to more than 1,000 members, many patrons, and hundreds of life-members. It is particularly active in the tri-state area. It’s first major event was held in 1996, the International Vegetarian Food Festival, which took place at the Coliseum in New York City, attended by close to 17,000 people. In 1998, a similar Food Festival was held at New York Armory with repeat performance. Similar events were organized utilizing speakers, exhibits and Vegetarian Cruises. Shah said he expects around 25,000 people will make their way to this year’s event.