Author: Staff Reporter

U.S. Election: It was mostly about ‘the forgotten man’

Staff ReporterEditorial, Politics, U.S. 0

By George Abraham

A pre-election poll suggested that 72% of the people who surveyed had the opinion that the country is on the wrong track. Mr. Donald J. Trump who detected that anger among the electorate and tapped it to win the Presidency is on the way to the white house. It is a historic victory that stunned the ‘Political Class’ in this country and the Globalists around the world.

The recently concluded campaign for the Presidency was characterized as one of the most acrimonious in history and vitriolic in tune that has brought disrepute and scorn upon the candidacies of Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton, one is described as misogynist, xenophobic, sexist and racist and the other as deeply corrupt and untrustworthy.

Obviously, the polls were wrong, and projection models turned out to be flawed. The pundits in the media who were veterans of previous presidential campaigns got it totally wrong as well. Defying all predictions, American voters swept Republicans to power, handing the GOP the White House, the Senate and the House in a wave very few who saw it coming. Academia will now spend the coming weeks and months studying just how and why everyone missed it!
What has gone wrong? According to Peggy Noonan of Wall Street Journal written months before the election, ‘the rise of Donald Trump is directly attributable to “protected” Americans dismissing the needs of “unprotected” ones.

Noonan who was a speechwriter for President Reagan defined the protected class as not only wealthy Americans but also financially successful people in Government, Media, Hollywood, and Wall Street and Tech sector with strong careers. They have money; they live in nice neighborhoods and ‘they can pretty much do anything and they are insulated’.

“The protected make public policy and the unprotected live in it” Noonan added. In other words, unprotected Americans with less money, less access to good schools and less opportunity than the ‘Elites’ ( also dubbed as ‘Establishment’), who mostly live in rural and suburban America are left to fend for themselves without help from either Democrats or Republicans.

The protected class, the types of Think Tanks, Career Politicians, Bureaucrats and Lobbyists continued to make policies that have enormous negative consequences on the lives of the average American, and it appears to have gone on for so long and that it finally reached a boiling point. In short, the story is that Trump, the Republican nominee, was able to tap into that feeling of alienation and succeeded.

Undoubtedly, the election of Trump is also viewed as a rebuke to the Technocratic driven policies, increasing centralization of power in Washington and unchecked Immigration policies that are heavily favored by the Democrats. Obamacare has become a hot button issue towards the end of the campaign as soaring costs of premium was seized upon as an issue by opponents and used it to sway a significant number of voters in the Blue States to go Red.

It has been said that in every election, people ultimately vote with their pocket book and there is no wonder then, the economy and the jobs were trending as top priority issues for the electorate. Trump was able to hammer home the issue that the loss of manufacturing jobs from the Rust Belt States was directly attributable to the Trade deals like NAFTA and promised to renegotiate to make it more of a ‘Fair Trade’ than ‘Free Trade.’

The failures of the Obama-Clinton foreign policies loomed large over the discourse of the election debates as well. Trump has questioned the wisdom of spending Trillions of dollars in foreign wars where America gained few advantages while wreaking havoc in the regions, especially in the Middle East, and creating millions of refugees fleeing their homes. A case in point is the US support for the Al-Nusrah Front in Syria, an offshoot of Al-Qaida that is fighting for the overthrow of the President Bashar al-Assad. The atrocities committed by ISIS against Christians, Yezidis and other minorities in the region and the threat of terrorism from these Islamic groups at home remained top concerns to many voters across the nation.

People of faith have also witnessed increased hostility and scorn from the ruling class in Washington and reacted strongly with greater mobilization and participation that certainly cushioned a Trump victory. The vacant seat in Supreme Court and its future direction also weighed heavily on this conservative segment of the electorate.
The United States was the leading proponent of globalization but the recent Brexit decision and the Trump election clearly points to a re-thinking on the part of the voters in both countries. An upswing of nationalism based on culture and sovereignty was apparently a hidden component that might have energized the largely white middle class, especially in rural America to go and vote for a change in this election cycle. However, it is unfair to characterize this whole group as ‘basket of deplorables’ though some elements who support racism and anti-immigrant policies might be part of the entire equation.

Despite the torrent of criticisms from all quarters, the United States is still considered the lone superpower in the world and a beacon to millions who value democracy, freedom, and justice. However, it is also viewed now as a nation in decline. With 90 million people out of work and 50 million people on Government assistance and 20 Trillion dollars in debt and with anemic growth in GDP and no real income growth for the middle class in last several years, the country was ready for a change.

In summary, the election of Trump is mostly about the economy and jobs, and it is also about the ‘forgotten man’ whom the establishment looked down with disdain. When someone came along and listened to their voices and connected, a tectonic shift has taken place in America; a Trump presidency!
(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations)

Avinash Iragavarapu: The Indian who helped Donald Trump win

Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Donald Trump emerged to victory defeating Hillary Clinton in the recent US president elections. Behind Trump’s victory lies the role of analytics which helped trump to understand the dynamics of the campaign and manage it from time to time. But there is an Indian angle which can not be overlooked. An Indian software engineer, dexterious in big data and analytics, was in charge of understanding the tone of the US public. Avinash Iragavarapu who is also responsible for the victory and managing analytics for Trump guided the Trump campaign with adequate, accurate insights gathered from the unstructured data lying scattered on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, etc) and the internet. Iragavarapu spent time decoding the mood of the Americans and hence provided Trump with information which proved crucial in winning the voters’ heart.

Avinash Iragavarapu, an MBA graduate from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, helped Donald Trumpto win the US Presidential elections. Political campaigning is his natural forte. He joined the YSR Congress’s election campaign in Andhra Pradesh after quitting his job with HCL Technologies Ltd in New Delhi.

“Reason for Trump’s victory: Telugu guy Avinash Iragavarapu. 30 yr old on an H4 visa from West Godavari Andhra Pradesh. He’s from IIM Lucknow, did data analytics and crunched the numbers. He did his research on every state and found out what words people like to hear in each state. Based on his research, Trump’s speeches were written and executed. He’s one of the four people Trump took with him while campaigning for nomination. He moved to the US in June 2014 to visit his wife who was a student at that time. He found a roadside placard in Chandler and helped the local Republican mayor with his ideas to victory. He quickly moved up the ranks within the GOP and Avinash currently holds the position of Sr. Executive Director for the GOP. Avinash is expected to get citizenship by approval from Trump immediately and a position of Arizona senator”

His keen interest in politics could not keep him away from it even in the US. Avinash’s wife works for Intel in Arizona. He went to join her for holidays in 2014, and it was then where it all began.

Arizona was going for polls to elect its governor. Avinash did his own research and polls chose Doug Ducey as his candidate for the primary and wrote to his campaign. Ducey’s campaign made Avinash a part of itself and he used to do a lot of “data work and polling”, primarily identifying the areas where they could spend the money they raised to gain votes.

Arizona traditionally is a Republican leaning state. Ducey went on to win the primaries, and even the Arizona Gubernatorial election in November 2014, defeating Fred DuVal comfortably. Avinash’s data work was well praised by the Arizona GOP chairman Robert Graham.

With his astounding performance, he went on to achieve heights within the Arizona GOP. He was promoted to political director and then to executive director within a span of a year. This portfolio put him in charge of all the elections for Arizona, including the general elections.

Avinash was tasked to help Donald Trump win Arizona, a state that has been a Republican stronghold since George Bush won it in 2000. Donald Trump successfully won the state of Arizona and the 47 delegates that come with it.
“I have met Donald Trump personally. He knows I am from India. He’s a totally fine person, and he’s embraced me with open arms. He has only spoken out against illegal immigration,” says Avinash.

Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Avinash Iragavarapu, a 30 years old, is in the US on H4 visa. He’s an IIM Lucknow alumnus who also spearheaded the Trump’s march among the Indian-American lobby. With the best big data skills in his baggage, he guided Trump to chalk out lucrative poll strategies.

Iragavarapu had also played a crucial role in India during the 2014 general elections where he helped YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh. Iragavarapu has also worked in the past for HCL.

After moving to the US in June 2014 on H4 visa, he found a roadside placard in Chandler to help the local Republican mayor. Thus began his march towards making Trump the next president. He helped the local candidate to win the election. His big data and analytics skills brought him to the spotlight. This proved a triggering point in his career and pushed him up in the ranks in the GOP. The Republican Party is commonly referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party). Iragavarapu currently holds the position of Sr. Executive Director for the GOP. Because of role, it is probable that Iragavarapu gets the US citizenship soon.

A Divided and Pessimistic Electorate

Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Voters skeptical of progress in many areas – even jobs – since 2008

Beyond their disagreements over specific policy issues, voters who supported President-elect Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton also differed over the seriousness of a wide array of problems facing the nation, from immigration and crime to inequality and racism.

And while voters generally said little progress has been made over the last eight years across major areas, Trump backers said things had gotten worse across the board, while Clinton supporters saw more improvement, especially on the economy.

The national online survey was conducted in the two weeks leading up to the presidential election (from October 25 through the morning of November 8) among 3,788 registered voters who reported they had already voted or planned to vote. The survey was conducted on Pew Research Center’s nationally representative American Trends Panel.

Fully 79% of Trump voters said illegal immigration was a “very big” problem in the country today, while just two-in-ten Clinton voters (20%) said the same. Nearly three-quarters of Trump supporters (74%) saw terrorism as a very big problem, compared with 42% of Clinton supporters.

Crime and job opportunities, including job opportunities for working-class Americans, also were rated as more serious problems by Trump than Clinton voters.

Conversely, climate change ranked as a leading problem among Clinton supporters (66% cited it as a very big problem), but near the bottom among Trump voters (14%). Clinton backers also saw gun violence and the gap between rich and poor as much more serious problems than did Trump supporters.

Both racism and sexism were viewed as more serious problems among Clinton voters than Trump voters. About half of Clinton voters (53%) said racism was a major problem, and 37% said that about sexism. That compared with 21% and 7%, respectively, among Trump voters.

Among 13 issues, the gaps were fairly modest on only two – drug addiction and the condition of the nation’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Majorities of Trump supporters (62%) and Clinton backers (56%) said drug addiction was a very big problem. Clinton backers (46%) were somewhat more likely than Trump supporters (36%) to cite infrastructure as a major problem.

The survey also found wide differences between Trump and Clinton voters over how best to address the nation’s problems. Nearly two-thirds of voters overall (65%) – including an overwhelming share of Clinton supporters (84%) – said the more effective way to solve problems is with proven approaches that solve problems gradually, even if change may take a while.

But Trump voters were divided on the best approach to solving problems in this country. About half (53%) favored “new approaches that may solve problems quickly, but also risk making things worse.” Conversely, 46% of Trump backers preferred a proven, if slower, approach to problem-solving. Voters said there has been scant progress across most areas.

Overall, relatively few voters thought the country had made progress on most issues since 2008. The economy was the only one of seven about which roughly as many voters said things had gotten better (38%) as worse (43%) over this period. Roughly two-in-ten (18%) thought it has stayed about the same.

But more voters said the job situation in the U.S. has gotten worse (44%) than said it has gotten better (35%), and by nearly two-to-one, voters were more likely to think the country’s security from terrorism has gotten worse than to think it has gotten better (45% vs. 23%).

Majorities of voters said race relations (67%), the country’s standing in the world (61%), crime (57%) and the immigration situation (55%) in this country had each gotten worse since 2008.

Trump voters took a uniformly negative view of progress over the past eight years: Majorities of Trump supporters said things had declined in all seven areas – from 87% who said the U.S. standing in the world had gotten worse to 69% who said the same about the job situation.

By contrast, Clinton supporters gave mixed views of the progress the country has made over the last eight years.
Majorities of Clinton voters said both the economy (67%) and the job situation (60%) have gotten better since 2008, while far fewer thought either has stayed the same or gotten worse.

Voters who back Clinton were divided on other aspects of the nation, however. While 37% thought security from terrorism in the U.S. has gotten better since 2008, about as many (41%) said it has stayed about the same, and 22% thought it has gotten worse.

A 56% majority of Clinton supporters said the immigration situation in the U.S. has stayed about the same since 2008, while about a quarter thought it has gotten worse (26%) and 18% said it has improved.

More Clinton supporters said race relations have gotten worse in this country than said this about any other issue: 55% thought this, compared with just a third (32%) who thought race relations have stayed about the same since 2008. Only about one-in-ten (12%) said they have gotten better.

As Election ay approached, voters looked ahead to the next administration with a substantial measure of pessimism. Voters had little confidence that the new Trump – or Clinton – administration would be open and transparent, improve the way government works or set a high moral standard for the presidency.

Across five specific areas, majorities of voters gave negative marks to a possible Trump presidency: 61% said that if Trump were elected, he would definitely or probably not set a high moral standard for the presidency; 57% said he would not improve U.S. global standing; 55% said he would not improve the way government works and the same percentage said he would not run an open and transparent administration. About half (52%) said he would use his office to improperly enrich himself or friends and family.

Clinton also was viewed quite negatively; in fact, nearly two-thirds of voters (65%) said she was unlikely to run an open and transparent administration (55% said this about Trump). Clinton also was viewed as less likely than Trump to improve the way government works. However, more voters thought Clinton (48%) than Trump (42%) would improve U.S. standing around the world.

Even beyond the political and ideological divides between Trump and Clinton supporters, the two cohorts showed striking differences in how they describe themselves, both in terms of attributes, lifestyle and personal affiliations. The survey asked respondents to check each description that applied to them.

Notably, the widest gap in views between Trump and Clinton supporters was over whether the term “traditional” described them. About seven-in-ten Trump voters said it did (72%), compared with just 31% of Clinton voters.
An overwhelming share of Clinton supporters (87%) thought “open-minded” describes them well – the most across any of the eight attributes. A smaller majority of Trump supporters (64%) thought the same of themselves.

There also was disagreement between supporters on what core values describe them well. Among Trump supporters, 59% said “honor and duty” described their core values, while about a third (35%) of Clinton backers said this.

By contrast, three-quarters of Clinton supporters said “compassion and helping others are my core values” described them well, while a smaller majority of Trump backers said the same (58%).

Similarly, a strong share of Trump backers (72%) said “think of myself as a typical American” is an apt descriptor. Far fewer Clinton backers (49%) said the same.

And while more Trump backers than Clinton supporters would think of themselves as “blue collar,” relatively few across either of the cohorts described themselves in this way (33% of Trump supporters, 19% of Clinton supporters).
Supporters also were distinct in their associations. A wide majority of Trump supporters (69%) said “supporter of the National Rifle Association” describes them well, more than eight times the share of Clinton supporters who said the same (8%).

Conversely, Clinton supporters were more than twice as likely as Trump supporters to say “supporter of rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people” describes them well: A two-thirds majority of Clinton supporters said this, compared with just about a quarter (24%) of Trump supporters.

Just about half (53%) of Clinton supporters said in the weeks before the election that “supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement” describes them well, including roughly three-quarters of black voters who supported Clinton (73%) and about half of white voters who supported her (51%). By contrast, just 6% of Trump supporters described themselves as supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. While only about four-in-ten Clinton supporters (38%) said “consider myself a feminist” is an apt description, this is far greater than the share of Trump supporters who thought the same (5%).

Trump Triumps in US

Staff ReporterEditorial 0

Man proposes, God disposes! Triumph of Donald Trump, 70 years young, but oldest ever to become US president, is proof you can never trust people’s judgments starting with your own. CCV was terribly upset and disappointed already, when Bernie Sanders was sidelined for Clinton to lead the Democratic party. So as in India, there was no candidate to choose from. In fact people there were thirsting for change, tired of a two time rule of many unfulfilled promises by Democrats.

But when Obama himself, the ruling president and Michel Obama the first lady put their necks on the block as if for their own election victory – something US presidents never do — we reluctantly thought she might manage to pull through, but failed miserably. The election day itself was memorable, called Super Tuesday and 9/11.

The underdog, Trump called the most divisive, inexperienced in politics seems to have surprised everyone the world over, with his brief-bright-begone victory speech. To the cheering crowd the unexpected his words: “It is time for us to come together as one united people. Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division.” To the “white Americans” WASP(White American anglo-saxon protestant), to revive old memories, he said: “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.” And he added: “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.” He repeated over and over again: “I will never ever let you down!”

Office Makes the Man

“Office makes the man”, it is said. If the weight of the office of presidency made him rethink globally, it augers well for US and to the whole world. For this we wish him well and extend our sincere congrats for rising up to the demands of his office as President, not just a controversial billionaire with whom the Republicans themselves are not in full agreement. Factr is he wants to make America Great again.

On relations with other countries his comment was: “We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict.” As for India and Indians, he has professed himself to be a “friend of Hindus” and he was all praise for Indians whom he labelled as brainy and smart. What he wanted of Indians is to stay in US and build America, not to go back after yearning degrees there. There are already five Indians in the US Congress.

What is more his words on Hilary conceding defeat was very gracious: “Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for service to the country, I mean that very sincerely.” During campaign he had called her a liar who should be locked up and other unprintable names. In short the triumph of Trump was a literal repeat of “Brexit”, an explosion of the pent up frustration with the status quo of White people in UK and USA, jobeless and slipping out of better possibility and visibility.

Contentless Campaign

What surprised us most and the whole world was the hollowness of the whole election campaign debate which was focussed totally on trivialities, name-calling and vilifying the contestants, instead of discussing burning issues bothering the majority of middle class Americans like domestic insecurity, terrorism, influx of Muslims with radical vision of Islam, racial conflict killing blacks most of the time, job-loss to Mexicans ready to work for $5/- per hour, minimum wage, influx of illegal immigrants, education, and health (threat to scrap Obama care), building walls of division instead of opening boarders, outsourcing, Chinese debt and goods suffocating US, foreign policy and diminishing military might of the country, in short the election promises and platforms for the forthcoming four year period. Usually parties contesting elections publish in advance their policies and promises. Of course these platforms are to run on and not to stay on (stay on and fulfil).

What is worse American media known for its excellence seemed to have chosen play ball with (especially with Hilary) the candidates to please as bedfellows, not critics. The media went the whole hog, to live up to their present de-facto practice of “embedded journalism”. Not only the American media, but printed and visual TV and electornical channels seems to have got fooled totally. All predicted a Clinton Victory and wrote off Trump from the realm even of possibility. Some even prepared in advance their cover page for Clinton. She on her part, for comfort, reportedly emerged as the winner of top popular vote catcher. As for electoral votes she could garner only 232 compared to 306 (only 270 needed to win) in a total of 538 electoral votes. Why? Because both the American and World press were totally focussed only on the positive side of Clinton and the negative side of Trump. The fifth estate, supposed to be the watchman, critique of ground realities and predictor of danger signals appearing on the horizon failed miserably in this US elections. (Qui custodiet ipse custodies)Who will guard the guards themselves!

Urgent Need: Change

The need of the day, any day, is not continuity but change for the better. To stay still or to tread beaten track is to slide down, not to go up or make progress. This was immortalized by the famous Ottaviani(cardinal) motto: “Semper Idem”, do the same, never change, which was and still is to some extent, the practice of the Catholic Church which was shell-shocked out of its practice of stagnation by Pope John XXII with his call for aggiornomento (updating) by letting open the closed doors and windows to light and breeze form the outside.

It was this principle that Cardinal Newman hammered in years ago when he said: “It may be different in a higher world! But here below, to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed more often.” That is why a fixed term – 4 year rule – is assigned for US presidency and similar rule for any public office in secular democratic governments. This must also become the thumb rule in the Catholic Church for office bearers – priests and bishops — through constant transfers or retirement, since the proclaimed principle is “Ecclesia simper reformanda” (Church is to be constantly reformed). CCV has to assess happening around and apply them for its own better functioning, so this comment.

The church preaches ad nauseam for change for the better, constant, reform, dialogue, discussion and consensus of the people of God, collegiality, coresponsibility, subsidiarity, in short, all best modern practices of secular institutions, but practices hardly any of them. To start with bishops, they hardly ever consult the laity, never respond even to their legitimate queries, never set up even mandated Parish and Financial committees at parish and diocesan councils. Bishops are elected for life, never retire even when incapacitated on their own like Pope Benedict. So they ought to forfeit their right to preach.

Hoping against Hope

To come back to the topic we started dealing with. President Trump’s elevation to US presidency, is an eye-opener for the whole world. He is a business man billionaire and real estate Mugul, married thrice with four children, with no experience in politics except his tree failed attempts to run for it.

Recall the monkey jumping for the bitter grapes and not reaching it. But this time he succeeded and succeeded well surprising the world with additional number of votes than required. Still a green horn in politics, the world leaders are vying with one another to get into his good books. Even those who expressed worst fears are now sending best compliments in an effort to make friends and influence people.

To begin well is half done, they say. One who has been notorious for off-the-cup dirty language has started on a very civilized and polite speech of camaraderie, collaboration, cooperation and conflict (enmity) with none, augers well for the defeated candidate Hilary and critiques in US and the all over the world. It is said we all have to live in hope even if we have to die in despair. So may better light lead American democracy the oldest, Indian democracy the largest and all democracies around the world for a better world order building bridges, not walls of separation. God bless Donald Trump, God bless America and God bless the comity of nations working in harmony!

Contact at: jameskottoor@gmail.com, Mob. 9446219203

India’s Hindu Army celebrates Trump ‘victory’ a few days early

Staff ReporterU.S., Uncategorized 0

An Indian fringe group on Friday celebrated the “victory” of U.S. presidential contender Donald Trump, hailing his friendship with diaspora Indians and backing his call to ban immigration by Muslims from countries hit by Islamic militancy.

With drums banging and speakers blaring, the Hindu Sena, or Hindu Army, gathered at Jantar Mantar – New Delhi’s answer to London’s Speakers’ Corner – to proclaim to a knot of TV crews that Trump had “already won” the Nov. 8 vote.

“Trump’s victory is confirmed early, due to his thoughts against Islamic terrorism and love for India and Hindus,” said Vishnu Gupta, the Hindu Sena’s self-styled national president.

Trump uttered the memorable phrase “I love Hindu” at a cultural event in New Jersey last month organized by supporters of his candidacy from the Indian diaspora.

That sentiment has not played so well with many diaspora Indians who are secular or belong to other faiths and, as a group, lean more toward supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton. But as far as the Hindu Sena is concerned, the feeling is mutual.

Its celebration at a roadside stall featured posters bearing the slogans, “India Loves Trump” and “Trump Our Only Hope”. One supporter held up a portrait of Trump with a tilak, or religious mark, on his forehead and held a sweet to his mouth.

Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, founder of the RHC, said he had not seen the ad, but nevertheless gave India-West an earful on Abedin’s alleged ties to terrorism. Kumar – who with his wife has donated more than $1 million to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign and organized a rally for the candidate last month in Edison,

New Jersey – noted that Abedin’s mother was the editor-in-chief of a Muslim magazine which has opined that the U.S. was responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Moreover, Abedin’s family has extensive ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has ties to radical Islam, claimed the Chicago-area businessman.

Colorful Lights and Traditions Abound at BAPS Diwali Celebration in Chicago

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: This October, lights and candles will be lit, sweets will be prepared and shared, and warm greetings and well wishes will be exchanged as millions of Hindus around the world celebrate the festival of lights, Diwali. Diwali presents Hindus around the world with an opportunity to renew the rich traditions of their roots with great fanfare.

Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival commemorating many historical events including the return of Bhagwan Shri Ram to the kingdom of Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. His return brought about a period of enlightenment within the kingdom and its people. The tradition of self-enlightenment continues today as Diwali presents an opportunity for self-improvement and progress through reflection within.

In marking the season, volunteers of all ages came together to organize a Diwali celebration at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, IL on October 31, 2016.

Colorful intricate designs called rangoli, decorative oil lamps and Annakut offerings of vegetarian food before the sacred images of God filled the atmosphere with a renewed spirit of the festival. Over 11,000 attendees experienced the culture and traditions of the auspicious holiday as they offered prayers, well wishes, and resolved to mark the New Year with spiritual enlightenment.

A beautiful exhibition entitled ‘In the joy of others’ was prepared by the youth of BAPS to celebrate the inspiring life and legacy of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Throughout his life, he has untiringly remained in the service of others restoring villages from natural disasters, building new schools, hospitals and community

centers, and strengthening societies on the foundation of compassion and peace. His humanitarian efforts have garnered widespread international respect, while his

personal spirituality has been an inspiration for millions around the world. He has guided many youth on brilliant career paths, while keeping cultural values intact.

BAPS youth take great measures to organize and conduct this annual event for the younger participants. Children enjoyed the Diwali fare filled with games, activities

and sweet treats during the Kid’s Diwali Celebration on Sunday, October 16. Arts and crafts stations were set up to illustrate traditions and teachings of Diwali. A spectacular light and sound show also took place on the steps of the Mandir on the evening of October 30 to commemorate the selfless life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who lived by the words of his life motto, “In the joy of others lies our own”.

Hundreds of devotees and well-wishers alike relished the divine atmosphere of Diwali as they immersed themselves in the traditional songs and delicious cuisines of the holiday. Many distinguished guests were also in attendance for the Diwali celebrations, impressed and personally touched by the inspiring messages portrayed in the

exhibition. “The impression made upon me is mostly compassion,” said Tom Cullerton, IL State Senator. “The caring, the selflessness, the fact that there is a mission beyond just a self-serving mission or just getting people to believe in him, but actually expanding out into entire communities. And not focused on one single sect of

people or one single basis but really trying to empower others to be better people, empower others to help other people which is something we don’t always see in today’s culture. And to have somebody who not only embodies that but preaches it, and tells everybody to do that, and has a large group of people who follow and believe everything about that, and tries to live that same mission is absolutely wonderful to be a part of.”

Similar sentiments were conveyed by the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Evelyn Sanguinetti. When asked to describe Pramukh Swami Maharaj in one word she simply said, “Servitude. That’s what he was about. Service first. Never putting himself first. But God and the people first, and that’s a big deal.” Also impressed with his humility and meekness she paralleled those qualities as a public servant stating, “That’s what we have to be, we have to be humble, we have to be meek, and help others.” Particularly emphasizing his inspiration to the youth, she believed his legacy to be timeless. “I see that these volunteers are incredibly young which leads me to believe that it’s timeless because our very young are putting in work and paying it forward.”

The exhibit invoked a personal connection with Pramukh Swami Maharaj for Raja Krishnamoorthi, Candidate for the IL House of Representatives (8th District). Pointing to a panel referencing the over 700,000 letters Pramukh Swami Maharaj has spent time personally reading and replying to, Mr. Krishnamoorthi said, “I’m proud to say I’m

two of those letters.” When describing Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s legacy, IL State Senator, Michael Connelly also offered his thoughts saying, “An amazing man. There is an exhibit where people were allowed to write something to him to thank him, and the first thing I saw was ‘thank you for making me a better person.’ And at the end of

the day, that is what his message was, that is what his life was. And if we can all dare to follow his example the world would be a very better place.” The Diwali festivities brought devotees together to serve a common purpose, develop spiritually, and please their guru His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and inspirer,

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired the celebration of Hindu festivals at BAPS centers worldwide to keep the rich traditions and ulture of India alive with emphasis on the true historic and spiritual purpose of Hindu festivals.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide spiritual and humanitarian organization that is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. Through various spiritual and humanitarian activities, BAPS

endeavors to develop better citizens of tomorrow with high esteem for their roots and culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these character-building activities. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is free of addictions as well as morally,
ethically and spiritually pure. For more details, please visit www.baps.org.

His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj is the sixth and current spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. He was ordained a swami by Yogiji Maharaj in 1961 and named Sadhu Keshavjivandas. As he was appointed the head (Mahant) of the Mandir in Mumbai, he became known as Mahant Swami. His devout, humble and service-focused life

earned him the innermost blessings of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Mahant Swami Maharaj travels throughout the world inspiring people through his insightful spiritual discourses and disciplined conduct. His virtuous lifestyle and profound devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and gurus are ideals toward which
devotees strive. Mahant Swami Maharaj became the guru and President of BAPS upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s passing in 2016.

Celebration of 141st Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

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By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The Consulate General of India in Chicago celebrated 141st Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31, 2016 with great fervor. A large cross section of Indian Community and Indian-Americans attended the event. Shri O.P. Meena, Consul, welcomed the guests. Consul General, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed delivered opening remarks.

During his opening remarks, Consul General said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an extraordinary and visionary leader, social reformer and thinker, freedom fighter and a staunch Gandhian. He mentioned that Sardar Patel had participated in “No Tax campaign” against the British to protect the farmers of Kaira from undue taxation. Later in 1928 he led the Bardoli Satyagraha.

Sardar Patel went on to become the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India. He played a crucial role not only during the freedom Struggle of India but also in the post-Independent political consolidation of India as he was instrumental in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.

The Consul General also said that the Government of India has decided to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31st October every year as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas [National Unity Day].

On the occasion, the Consul General briefed the participating India Diaspora about 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention which will be held in Bengaluru from 7th – 9th January, 2017. He also appealed PIOs/OCIs for maximum registration and their participation in the 14th PBD Convention.

During the celebration, a 39 minutes documentary on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel “A Man of Silence – Sardar Vallabbhai Patel” was screened. A photo exhibition of photographs on the life and times of Sardar Patel was also organized as part of the celebration.

A power point presentation covering key features of the 14th Pravasi Bhariya Divas Convention was also given during the celebration encouraging Indian Diaspora for maximum participation in the Convention.

Sreedhar Potarazu charged in multi-million Dollar Investment Fraud scheme

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Sreedhar Potarazu, an ophthalmologist and entrepreneur, was reportedly arrested last month and charged with using his company to orchestrate a $30 million investment fraud scheme. Potarazu, of Potomac, MD, who has emerged as a major political donor of late, was arrested Oct. 6. The scheme, however, does not directly link back to his political donations.

Federal prosecutors in Alexandria say Potarazu convinced people to invest millions in his former company, VitalSpring Technologies, by hiding his tax liabilities and lying about the company’s finances.

An FBI affidavit explained that Potarazu, now the president and chief executive at software company Enziime, raised $30.5 million from more than 160 investors between 2011 and 2015, with one shareholder investing about $16 million, including a $344,000 payment as recently as August.

VitalSpring, which, according to Potarazu’s LinkedIn page, he owned from 2000 until July 2015, provided technology to companies as a means to help them analyze and control their healthcare costs. However, the affidavit noted that the company failed to pay $6 million in employment taxes from 2007 to 2015, and Potarazu never informed investors of the liability.

Additionally, it alleges Potarazu falsely told investors that a sale of the company was imminent, and would provide a profit to investors, when no such sale was in the works. According to the affidavit, Potarazu pulled $900,000 from the company for personal expenses, even as tax returns showed the company lost $31 million between 2007 and 2013.

Aniruddha Rajput elected to UN International Law Commission

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UNITED NATIONS: Aniruddha Rajput has been elected by the UN General Assembly to the International Law Commission. Rajput received 160 votes on Nov. 3, outpolling the other nine Asian candidates vying for the seven ILC seats for the region. Among them, Japan’s candidate got 148 votes and China’s 146.

A total of 34 candidates were elected to five-year terms on the Geneva-based body that works on developing and codifying international law. In his early 30s, Rajput will be the youngest member of the Commission. He completed his Ph.D. in law from the National University of Singapore only last year.

Rajput, who practices before the Indian Supreme Court, was the lawyer for the Jammu and Kashmir Study Center’s controversial suit filed last year challenging Article 35A of the Constitution that allows state governments to give special rights and privileges to its permanent residents that are not available to other citizens.

The controversial suit focuses on that article’s application in Kashmir where, according to Rajput, the state Assembly passed laws that were drafted narrowly to exclude certain communities.

The chairman of the ILC, Narinder Singh of India, will complete his term by the end of this year. He was first elected in 2006 and then re-elected in 2011. Singh, who is also the incumbent Secretary General of the Indian Society of International Law, is a former External Affairs Ministry legal adviser and head of its Legal and Treaties Division.

Rajput’s candidature is a departure from the tradition of India nominating the heads of the Legal and Treaties Division. His basic law degree is from the ILS Law College in Pune and he did his LLM at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

According to his biodata circulated by the UN, Rajput has advised on potential claims in U.S. courts under the Alien Tort Claims Act and British courts under universal jurisdiction for violations of rights of certain communities.

He drafted the Sports Bill, 2012, at the second revision stage and has advised the state governments of Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir on laws relating to industry and mining. He is also a member of the Governing Council of the Global Village Foundation.

Pakistan urges UN to send fact-finding mission to Kashmir

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New York, Nov 6: Pakistans Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has once again called on the UN to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that Indias rejection to allow one was in fact acknowledgment of the “grave atrocities” being committed by its forces.

Ambassador Lodhi made the call when the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra ad Al Hussein called on her at the Pakistan Mission in New York, the Associated Press of Pakistan cited an official press release.

The Pakistani envoy commended the High Commissioner for his effective leadership as an advocate of human rights and fundamental freedoms across the world.

Pakistan, she said, appreciated his repeated calls for grant of unconditional access for the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to both sides of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Ambassador Lodhi also noted that the calls by the High Commissioner for sending fact-finding mission to Jammu and Kashmir to independently assess the situation on the ground was a source of solace for the people of Kashmir.

Their rejection by India only reinforced the need for the office of the High Commissioner to monitor the situation on a sustained basis, she added.

The international community has an obligation to support the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination and act decisively to end human rights violations, she added.

Aakash Dalal Found Guilty Of Terrorism In Synagogue Bombing Case

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A Bergen County jury found Aakash Dalal, a former Rutgers student guilty on Nov. 1 of terrorism and 16 other charges for his role in conspiring with his former school friend Anthony Graziano for vandalism and firebombing of Jewish facilities five years ago, NorthJersey.com reported.

Aakash Dalal, a former Lodi resident, was found guilty on 17 of 20 counts in attacks and vandalism against several synagogues and other Jewish institutions, which occurred between 2011 and 2012 in Rutherford, Paramus, Hackensack and Maywood. Dalal, now 24, will be sentenced on Dec. 21, NorthJersey.com reported.

Dalal was charged as the mastermind behind the attacks who instructed Graziano to carry them out. Graziano was found guilty in May. Reports said that according to Defense attorney Brian Neary “the family is very disappointed with the jury’s verdict” and they plan to appeal, based on whether the terrorism statute that was passed

after 9/11 was properly used in this case. “The statute itself might be unconstitutional,” Neary said. These crimes “don’t put an entire population at the same level of fear as the World Trade Center” attacks of 9/11.

Nikhil Kumar wins World Cadets Chess Championship

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Nikhil Kumar, an 8th grade student from Miami, Florida, has won the World Cadets Chess Championship held in Georgia, a former Soviet Republic, late last month. Kumar, a student at Ransom Everglades in Coconut Grove, Miami, defeated No. 1 Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa of India, who at 10 became the youngest person ever to claim the title of chess International Master. Kumar also defeated Andrew Hong, who is the No. 1 is ranked under-12 player in the U.S. “Becoming the world chess champion seemed like a dream just a few months ago but hard work made this dream become a reality,” Kumar told Local10.com after returning to Miami Oct. 28.

Kumar ranked 25th at the start of competition in Georgia. Coming as the underdog, he finished first in a field of 137 students from 36 countries.

“When I was at the podium and the national anthem was played, I felt that I represented the country and Team USA well,” Kumar who returned to school Nov. 2, said.
Besides chess, Kumar’s favorite pastime includes playing the violin, tennis and participating in Mathcounts at Ransom Everglades.

“We were thrilled to hear of Nikhil’s success in the chess world championships,” Rachel Rodriguez head of the middle school, said both students and teachers were happy to hear about Nikhil’s success. “He is talented and hard-working, and has represented Ransom Everglades with class and dignity. We are proud to welcome him back to our campus today,” Rodriguez was quoted as saying.

U.S. electoral system ranks high – but not highest – in global comparisons

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As the long presidential campaign winds down, GOP nominee Donald Trump’s claims that the process is “rigged” against him – and suggestions that he might not accept the result as legitimate if he loses – seem to have struck a chord with his supporters. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 56% of Trump voters said they have little or no confidence that the election will be “open and fair,” compared with 11% of Hillary Clinton backers. Among those who say they strongly back Trump, nearly two-thirds (63%) say they have little or no confidence that the election will be fair.

Given that level of skepticism, it’s worth noting that the U.S. generally ranks highly on the overall freedom and fairness of its elections when compared with other countries, though not without some caveats.

Freedom House, a nongovernmental organization (though it receives funding from the U.S. government), has ranked nations on political and civil rights for more than 40 years. In its most recent report, Freedom House gave the U.S. electoral process 11 out of 12 possible points on its “electoral process” scale – the same rating the nation has had since 2007 (when its score was raised from a 10).

The electoral process scale is one of seven that go into Freedom House’s overall ratings of countries as free, partly free or not free. It covers three major areas: whether the head of government or other chief national authority is chosen through free and fair elections; whether national legislators are chosen through free and fair elections; and whether a country’s electoral laws and framework are fair. Among the things that go into making elections “free and fair”: “Is the vote count transparent, and is it reported honestly with the official results made public?”

Of the 195 sovereign countries Freedom House ranked this year (using 2015 data), 61 scored 12 out of 12 on the group’s electoral process scale – among them Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK. Besides the U.S., 16 other countries received 11 points out of 12. Freedom House didn’t detail where the U.S. fell short, but commented in its report that “… its elections and legislative process have suffered from an increasingly intricate system of gerrymandering and undue interference by wealthy individuals and special interests.”

While well-known and frequently cited by media and academics, the Freedom House rankings aren’t the only cross-national measures of democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit, an analytics and forecasting business affiliated with the British newsmagazine, has produced its “Democracy Index” every year or two since 2006. This year’s version gives the U.S. 9.17 out of 10 points in the “electoral process and pluralism” category, one of 21 countries to receive that score (some of the others: Cape Verde, Denmark, El Salvador and Japan). Besides whether elections for the head of government, national legislature and municipalities are free and fair, the EIU’s electoral process/pluralism measure also covers voting restrictions, campaign finance and the orderly transfer of power.

Six countries – Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway and Uruguay – received the highest possible scores on the EIU’s electoral process/pluralism scale. The EIU expressed no concerns about the integrity of U.S. elections, but commented that the U.S. electoral structure “means that participation is, in effect, restricted to a duopoly of parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Nevertheless, respect for the constitution and democratic values are deeply entrenched by centuries of democratic practice.”

Despite that assessment, there are stark political divides on certain democratic norms. In the Pew Research Center survey, 83% of Clinton supporters – but just 48% of Trump supporters – said it was “very important” to a strong democracy that those who lose elections recognize the legitimacy of the winners. And while 72% of Clinton backers said it was very important that the news media be free to criticize political leaders, only 49% of Trump backers said so.

Rutgers professor Ashutosh Goel invents way to contain radioactive iodine

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How do you handle nuclear waste that will be radioactive for millions of years, keeping it from harming people and the environment? It isn’t easy, but Rutgers researcher Ashutosh Goel has discovered ways to immobilize such waste – the offshoot of decades of nuclear weapons production – in glass and ceramics.

Goel, an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is the primary inventor of a new method to immobilize radioactive iodine in ceramics at room temperature. He’s also the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI for six glass-related research projects totaling $6.34 million in federal and private funding, with $3.335 million going to Rutgers.

“Glass is a perfect material for immobilizing the radioactive wastes with excellent chemical durability,” said Goel, who works in the School of Engineering. Developing ways to immobilize iodine-129, which is especially troublesome, is crucial for its safe storage and disposal in underground geological formations.

The half-life of iodine-129 is 15.7 million years, and it can disperse rapidly in air and water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If it’s released into the environment, iodine will linger for millions of years. Iodine targets the thyroid gland and can increase the chances of getting cancer.

Among Goel’s major funders is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which oversees one of the world’s largest nuclear cleanups following 45 years of producing nuclear weapons. The national weapons complex once had 16 major facilities that covered vast swaths of Idaho, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington state, according to the DOE.

The agency says the Hanford site in southeastern Washington, which manufactured more than 20 million pieces of uranium metal fuel for nine nuclear reactors near the Columbia River, is its biggest cleanup challenge.

Hanford plants processed 110,000 tons of fuel from the reactors. Some 56 million gallons of radioactive waste – enough to fill more than 1 million bathtubs – went to 177 large underground tanks. As many as 67 tanks – more than one third – are thought to have leaked, the DOE says. The liquids have been pumped out of the 67 tanks, leaving mostly dried solids.

The Hanford cleanup mission commenced in 1989, and construction of a waste treatment plant for the liquid radioactive waste in tanks was launched a decade later and is more than three-fifths finished.

“What we’re talking about here is highly complex, multicomponent radioactive waste which contains almost everything in the periodic table,” Goel said. “What we’re focusing on is underground and has to be immobilized.”

Goel, a native of Punjab state in northern India, earned a doctorate in glasses and glass-ceramics from the University of Aveiro in Portugal in 2009 and was a postdoctoral researcher there. He worked as a “glass scientist” at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2011 and 2012, and then as a senior scientist at Sterlite Technologies Ltd. in India before joining the Rutgers faculty in January 2014.

The six projects he’s leading or co-leading are funded by the DOE Office of River Protection, National Science Foundation and Corning Inc., with collaborators from Washington State University, University of North Texas and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

One of his inventions involves mass producing chemically durable apatite minerals, or glasses, to immobilize iodine without using high temperatures. A second innovation deploys synthesizing apatite minerals from silver iodide particles. He’s also studying how to immobilize sodium and alumina in high-level radioactive waste in borosilicate glasses that resist crystallization.

At the Hanford site, creating glass with radioactive waste is expected to start in around 2022 or 2023, Goel said, and “the implications of our research will be much more visible by that time.”

The research may eventually help lead to ways to safely dispose of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel that is stored now at commercial nuclear power plants.
“It depends on its composition, how complex it is and what it contains,” Goel said. “If we know the chemical composition of the nuclear waste coming out from those plants, we can definitely work on it.

A magnificent 49,000 sq ft Hindu temple opens in New York

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A two story 49,000 square foot temple, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, has opened in Melville (New York) on a five acres plot after three days of festivities. Constructed by utilizing eco-friendly and cost-effective technological advancements, it includes an assembly hall, classrooms, gymnasium, dining area, indoor basketball court, etc. It is open to the public daily, conducts twice daily arti and offers Gujarati classes.

Opening celebrations included kirtan aradhana, yagna, prayers, murti-pratishta, etc. Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami (Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami), one of the most senior swamis of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), presided. Although this temple was envisioned in late 1980s, its construction began in 2012.
Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of temple leaders and volunteers and area community for realizing this magnificent 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), which was the goal of Hinduism.

This temple is run by BAPS, “a socio-spiritual Hindu organization with its roots in the Vedas” and headquartered in Ahmedabad. With over 3,850 satsang centers, BAPS “encourages a lifestyle rooted in spirituality and purity”. Bhagwan Swaminarayan was the founder and His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj (Swami Keshavjivandasji) is its sixth and present spiritual guru.

Designed by about 83 years old Melville headquartered firm H2M, this traditionally built temple with domes and flags, will reportedly serve about 60,000 Hindu families of the area and beyond. It was raised with the help of large number of volunteers; including Vipul Patel, Samir Bhatt, Girish Patel, etc. Melville, a host of operations for various Fortune 500 companies, is in Suffolk County.

Mahesh Samat to take charge as Siddharth Roy Kapur resigns as Disney India Managing Director

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Film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur is reportedly stepping down as the managing director of the Walt Disney Company India to “explore his own business interests.” Mahesh Samat will be taking his place, as per a report by Walt Disney International, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Samat will return to his leadership role as managing director at the Walt Disney Company India.

“Mahesh guided Disney in India in its early days, and we are thrilled with his decision to return to the organization he helped build,” said Andy Bird, chairman of Walt Disney International. “We are encouraged by the opportunity we see to further grow our business in India, and believe Mahesh’s entrepreneurial spirit, knowledge of our brands and franchises, and long-standing expertise in our broader operations will continue the momentum we are experiencing in this dynamic market,” he added. Samat succeeds Kapur, who is departing the company to explore his own business interests.

“Sid is a pillar of the Indian entertainment industry and has demonstrated passion and commitment for the Disney business. He carved a strong position for Disney in the Indian media and entertainment space that positions us well for the future. We are immensely thankful for his service and wish him well in his next venture,” Bird said.

While working for the company, Kapur, who is married to actress Vidya Balan, introduced the Indian Broadway version of the timeless classic “Beauty and the Beast,” which was a huge success.

Samat departed Disney India four years ago to establish Epic Television Networks, and was the founder and managing director of the Epic Channel, which focused on history, folklore and mythology-based content.

As managing director, Samat will have responsibility for setting and driving the Walt Disney Company’s strategy, coordinating all business efforts in India, including overseeing Disney global franchises in the market, expanding existing businesses, and creating new business opportunities. He will take over starting Nov. 28.

Samat is excited to return to the wonderful world of Disney. “Moving forward, we will accelerate the great work done by the team and create new, innovative ways for audiences to engage with our stories, brands and characters, and drive growth across our businesses,” Samat said.

Asia Society Honors I.M. Pei, Other ‘Asia Game Changers’ at United Nations

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Asia Society honored the legendary architect I.M. Pei with a lifetime achievement award at the third annual Asia Game Changer Awards, an Asia Society celebration held at the United Nations in New York on Thursday, October 27th. In addition to Pei, nine other notable Asians were honored for their impact in shaping the world.

Born in China, the 99-year-old Pei is responsible for a number of iconic structures, including the pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, Hong Kong’s Bank of China building, and the Kennedy Library. He is also known for his role as a teacher to successive generations of architects. Accompanied by his daughter and grandchildren, Pei

addressed the crowd with characteristic humility. “Thank you all for coming. I have nothing to say,” he quipped before he expressed his gratitude for the recognition.

Thursday’s honorees included Ahmad Sarmast and Karim Wasfi, musicians from Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively, who established music academies amid persistent violence in their countries; Marita Cheng, whose startup Robogals has provided opportunities for women in engineering; Durreen Shahnaz, a pioneering Wall Street financier

turned social entrepreneur from Bangladesh; the acclaimed, award-winning Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou; Muzoon Almellehan, a Syrian refugee whose advocacy of education has earned her comparisons to Nobel laureate (and 2014 Asia Game Changer) Malala Yousafzai; and Soo-Man Lee, a Korean impresario under whose stewardship K-pop has emerged as a global phenomenon.

A common theme uniting this year’s batch of Asia Game Changers is their courage. Their ranks include Sanduk Ruit, a Nepalese eye surgeon who has cured blindness in some of Asia’s poorest countries, including North Korea, and has made eye care affordable and accessible to many others. Sarmast, the Afghan musician, who established

the National Institute of Music in Kabul in 2008 when he found there was no orchestra in the country capable of playing the Afghan national anthem. He has educated hundreds of aspiring musicians in the years since, even after surviving a deadly terrorist attack in 2014. And Wasfi, a member of the Iraqi national symphony, who traveled to the site of car bombings in Baghdad to play his cello in the midst of rubble, turning his viral fame into a vehicle for promoting music in his country.

“This is not just devoted to the lives that have been lost — but to those who have decided to live the right,” Wasfi said of his award. “It’s not just about how we die. It’s about how we live.”

In 2013, Almellehan arrived at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan after fleeing her Dara’a, Syria, in the midst of that country’s civil war. In this unlikely setting, Muzoon emerged as a forceful advocate for education, in particular stressing the rights of girls to go to school. Now 17, Muzoon’s efforts have earned her comparisons to Malala. Despite the teenager’s impressive accomplishments, she refused to use her acceptance speech to talk about herself.

“I’m here for millions of children who have lost their hopes and dreams and cannot get their right to an education,” she said. “Most people think we cannot change our communities. But we can. Change is difficult. But it’s not impossible. We need our knowledge — because our countries need us.”

Remarkably, Muzoon wasn’t even the youngest Game Changer at this year’s ceremony. That would be Joey Alexander, the 13-year-old Indonesian piano prodigy, who dazzled the guests with a performance of an original composition, “City Lights,” that kicked off the show. “I don’t see myself as a game changer,” he said in accepting his award. “I’m a musician — and I play jazz.” But, he allowed, “you can make a difference even when you’re very young.”

As the evening wound to a close, Alexander approached the stage for his second performance of the evening. There, he was joined on stage by Wasfi, the cellist, for an impromptu jazz duet set against the backdrop of the East River — an appropriate way to conclude a celebration of ten remarkable individuals.

Indian American youth arrested for swamping 911 System

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Meetkumar Hiteshbhai Desai, 18, an Indian American youth has been charged with three counts of computer tampering after “accidentally” swamping the state of Arizona’s emergency services with thousands of bogus 911 telephone calls.

Desai is reported to have told police last week that he had tried to share on Twitter a link to JavaScript code that exposed iOS bugs making phones freeze or restart, hoping Apple would pay him a bug bounty for information about the flaws, but had mistakenly linked it to an earlier version of his app. When the link was clicked, it continually called 911 and would not let the caller hang up, the BBC reported.

More than 1,000 people clicked on the exploit and flooded emergency call centers around the country with more than 100 calls over a few minutes. Desai told the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department that his friend discovered the vulnerability and that he tweaked the bug to trigger pop-ups, open emails, and to activate phone dialing. He said he was just trying to be “funny,” The Verge reported. Maricopa County sheriff’s office said the link had been clicked almost 2,000 times, threatening emergency services across Arizona.

Hilton Worldwide to host AAHOA Young Professionals’ Day at Hilton

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Hilton Worldwide will host a brand workshop today for 50 young hoteliers from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA). Participants will enjoy a full day of professional development led by Hilton executives and discussions on Hilton’s history and future, hotel construction and development, and brand management.

“As the largest hotel owners’ association in the world, we, all of us, are in a unique position of leadership and responsibility. You see we made an industry that is thriving. And it is thriving in no small part because of the incredible efforts made every day by AAHOA members,” Chip Rogers, Chairman of AAHOA, said. “However, we

also share a responsibility. An obligation to serve millions of Americans every day in their home away from home. By every measure, we are meeting and exceeding our obligations.”

AAHOA Young Professional (YP) Director at Large (Western Division) Neal Patel praised both Hilton and AAHOA leadership for their commitment to the continued development of hospitality up-and-comers.

“The incredible value of this opportunity for AAHOA’s young hoteliers cannot be overstated,” he said. “The AAHOA-Hilton relationship has grown by leaps and bounds in the past year and both parties are excited to see their efforts come to fruition in the form of a shared day of learning and networking.”

Binita Patel, AAHOA YP Director at Large (Eastern Division), echoed his thoughts and added, “This workshop is an absolutely can’t-miss chance for young hoteliers not only to beef up their industry knowledge, but also to interact with top-level executives at one of the most famous and successful hotel brands in the world.”

Hilton and AAHOA have been partnering on industry initiatives since 1996. “Hilton is committed to helping young people develop their lives and professional skills with mentorships, apprenticeships and partnering with universities to prepare the next generation of leaders,” said Bill Fortier, Hilton’s SVP of Development, Americas.

“Our partnership with AAHOA and support of the Young Professionals group is another important way we are working to train and develop the talent that will lead the future of the hospitality industry.” The workshop will take place at Hilton Worldwide headquarters in McLean, Va., and is closed to the public.

Founded in 1989, AAHOA (www.aahoa.com) is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 15,000 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States.

Christian philosophers assert India’s diversity

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The Association of Christian Philosophers of India (ACPI) discussed the theme Becoming a nation: processes and prospects. India’s Christian philosophers have resolved to celebrate the nation’s cultural diversity and religious pluralism to help the country uphold its secular traditions and affirm citizen’s human dignity and equality.

The Association of Christian Philosophers of India (ACPI) said this in a statement issued after their hosted its 41st annual research seminar at St. Albert’s College in Ranchi Oct. 20-23. The statement of some 80 philosophy teachers and students took pride in India’s secular and democratic nature, its Constitution that safeguards the fundamental rights, religious plurality, scientific advancement and immense potentiality.

“The nation’s variegated religious and spiritual traditions and its multicultural richness enhance the uniqueness of the process of becoming a nation. We are invited to affirm human dignity and equality in spite of cultural and religious differences, said the statement issued after discussing the theme, Becoming a nation: processes and prospects.

They noted “unenlightened and dysfunctional attempts” being made “to challenge and subvert” many of India’s strengths and assets. Other challenges included a colonial hangover resulting in religious polarization, the assertion of cultural supremacy and developmental projects lacking ecological sensitivity.

“Current developments seem to lead to a narrow understanding of nationalism, with fundamentalist and anti-secular overtones foregrounded by the politicized use of the media, resulting in mob violence and terrorist activities,” said the statement.

“While dissent is an integral part of democracy, what we are witnessing is the suppression of dissenting voices of intellectuals and the masses. Numerous challenges to the integrity of the Constitution via anti-democratic and anti-minority policies have emerged, resulting in cultural and economic exclusion which will have severe consequences for various subaltern communities,” they said.

“The process of “becoming a nation” invites us to celebrate differences, to recognize and accept one another, to affirm cultural liberty and plurality, and to appreciate a mutually fecund co-emergence grounded in an ethics of compassionate care,” they said.

They pledged support to democratic and rational approaches and egalitarian moments, especially of the voiceless. They also supported sustainable development that recognizes “the mutuality of science and religion, and is aimed at integral and holistic growth.”

“We will cultivate a spirit of pluralistic patriotism rather than chauvinistic nationalism. As Indians who profess the Christian faith, we will celebrate overlapping socio-cultural spaces with our fellow country men and women at macro and micro levels,” they asserted. “Our interrelationships and collaboration with diverse communities will be aimed at fostering a spirit of harmonious coexistence,” said the statement.

US indicts dozens in massive Indian call center scheme

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The callers in India, claiming to be officials with the Internal Revenue Service or immigration services, would present those who answered the phone with an ultimatum.

“Pay us, or we’ll fine you, deport you or arrest you,” reported the Washington Post. “Their network was expansive, and their work lucrative. Justice Department officials announced charges against 61 people and entities and said the call center scheme had scammed at least 15,000 victims out of more than $250 million.”

As per reports, phone scams are not new, but the breadth and sophistication of this one is notable. Justice Department officials said the defendants – 24 of them based in the United States – ran at least five call center groups overseas.

Now, the US Justice Department has brought these criminals under law. U.S. authorities said they arrested 20 people in this country and carried out nine search warrants Thursday. A few others involved were already in custody. Earlier this month, in a separate case, police in Mumbai raided a call center and detained 770

employees for questioning. The Justice Department said that it was focused on a network of call centers in Ahmedabad and that some of the centers’ owners have been charged.

According to Leslie Caldwell, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, she hoped the efforts of U.S. and Indian authorities would put a dent in the robust industry of phone scammers. “We have seen a drop-off in the success rate of these scams,” Caldwell said.

A grand jury in federal court in the Southern District of Texas returned an indictment in the case on Oct. 19. Officials announced the unsealing of it on Thursday. The charges against those involved include conspiracy to commit identity theft, false personation of an officer of the United States, wire fraud and money laundering.

Bruce Foucart, assistant director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s homeland security investigations, said the scammers conducted online research on potential targets using Facebook and other online sources and bilked “savvy, successful and law-abiding people.” He said they went to “frightening lengths” to ensure the success of their scheme. “They convey authority and a sense of urgency that leaves their victims terrified,” he said.

Those involved had a network of U.S.-based co-conspirators who would liquidate and launder the ill-gotten gains by buying prepaid debit cards, which they often registered using the personal information of identity-theft victims. They also would send wire transfers using fake names and use money transferring methods known as “hawalas,” in which money is effectively moved internationally outside the U.S. banking system.

Caldwell said the scammers were able to display their numbers on caller ID systems as being from the U.S. government, though she said no government agency would call demanding money as they did. “If you get one of these calls,” she said, “it is not the U.S. government calling you.”

NRIs Among 2016 NIH ‘New Innovator Award Program’ Recipients

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

The National Institutes of Health recently announced 2016 Director’s New Innovator Award Program recipients with at least seven Indian Americans among those honored.

Among the 48 Innovators recognized by The National Institutes of Health, the Indian Americans on the list included, Parijat Bhatnagar, Anshul Kundaje, Dr. Meena S. Madhur, Nikhil U. Nair, Rushika M. Perera, Rahul Satija and Dr. Arun P. Wiita.

The Director’s New Innovator Award Program was part of the NIH Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program that seeks to identify scientists with ideas that have the potential for high impact, but may be at a stage too early to fare well in the traditional peer review process. These awards encourage creative, outside-the-box thinkers to pursue exciting and innovative ideas in biomedical research.

The Innovator Award was established in 2007 and supports unusually innovative research from early-career investigators who are within 10 years of their final degree or clinical residency and have not yet received a research project grant or equivalent NIH grant. The award complements ongoing efforts by NIH and its institutes and centers to fund new investigators through R01 grants and other mechanisms.

“The program continues to support high-caliber investigators whose ideas stretch the boundaries of our scientific knowledge,” said NIH director Dr. Francis S. Collins.

“We welcome the newest cohort of outstanding scientists to the program and look forward to their valuable contributions.”

Chhavi Verg crowned Miss New Jersey USA 2017

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Indian American student Chhavi Verg walked away with the grand title of Miss New Jersey USA 2017 during a glittering ceremony in Parsippany, New Jersey, Oct. 16. She will now represent her state at the Miss USA pageant in 2017.

A second-year student of Rutgers University’s business school, Chhavi Verg has proved that perseverance and determination are the keys to success. The Miss New Jersey USA title had been her dream since she was a junior in high school. She embarked on her journey to beauty pageants when she was a high school senior. It took her three pageants to achieve this milestone in her journey to success.

The Edison, New Jersey native, who was the fourth runner-up in the Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2015 pageant, had been dreaming about clinching this crown for a long time.

Revealing how “visualization” can help someone achieve their dreams, the beauty queen shared her top tip for aspiring talents in an Instagram post.

“I began training for the competition the moment I stepped off the stage last year as a non-finalist,” she said, adding that feeling discouraged and disappointed, she began reflecting on what she could have done better.

Upon realizing that she couldn’t win the crown without first believing that she was deserving of the crown, Verg, who looks up to Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra as an inspiration, went on to say, “In the next 365 days, I set out on a journey to prove to myself I was deserving of the title and aimed to be a person I was proud of when I competed on that stage. Your thoughts become your reality. Remember, no one can deter you from your dreams except you.”

A second year student at the university where she is studying marketing and finance, Verg plans to use her title this year to help causes she is passionate about, including women’s education and stopping child abuse, according to a report in The Daily Targum. She also wants to spend time helping people to embrace a healthier lifestyle, both in a mental and physical sense.

“I am a huge proponent of women’s education and equality so I really would like to do appearances and talks about that,” she said.

The most sought after title of Miss New Jersey USA 2017 is a big leap for Chhavi Verg from modeling to a new world of fame, empowerment and emancipation. She had also competed in the Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2015. She found it a way to inspire and motivate many girls like her to realize their potential and discover their hidden talent. Apart from dieting and physical workout, she spent a long time with herself exploring her strengths and shortcomings. Knowing yourself is a steppingstone to success, according to Chhavi Verg.

Outside of school, Verg enjoys dancing and is a proponent of health and wellbeing. A Bharatanatyam dancer who completed her Arangetram in 2013, Verg believes that one of the most important things in life is good health. She started a website to spread that message. She believes “Success is a team effort” and advises others to “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”

Asked how she would meet the demands of her courses at school and the responsibilities of being Miss New Jersey USA 2017, Verg took a deep breath. “It’s all about time management. My friends have been such a big help in all this. And my family,” she noted. While the title is not making too many demands on her as yet, she said, “I’m still sometimes in doubt if it was a reality or a dream,” she said.

“I believe in the power of five P’s – Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance – which I learned at Rutgers Business School. Winning on such a platform as Miss USA pageant not only earns fame and recognition but also a voice to speak about the causes that I believe in and the things that I want to do in my life. That’s why I was determined to win the Miss New Jersey USA 2017 title in order to make a difference in the world,” Chhavi Verg says ebulliently.

Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center to honor 5 at annual banquet

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

“Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1991 and every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to be selected to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements,” said Dr. Abraham.

This year’s honorees are: Arun M Kumar, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service and leads the trade and investment promotion efforts of the U.S. Government for Service to the US Govt.; Ram Menon is Partner at KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing Advisory, Tax and Audit services and serves as Global Head of KPMG’s Insurance Deal Advisory practice for Corporate Leadership; Dr. Jay Radhakrishnan, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Clinical Chief of the Nephrology Division at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in Medicine; Dr. T.V. RajanBabu,

Professor and Kiberly Chair in Chemistry at Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) in Applied Sciences and Manohar Thomas, a Malayalam writer and community activist who has been very active for over 30 years in promoting Malayalam language and literature of Kerala in US for Promoting Literary Work and Community Service.

The awardees will be honored at the Kerala Center’s 23rd Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 5th starting at 6.30 p.m. at World’s Fair Marina in Flushing (Queens, New York City, address: 1 World’s Fair Marina, Flushing). The chief guest is Consul for Community Affairs at the new York Indian Consulate K. Devadasan Nair and the keynote speaker is US Asst. Secretary of Commerce Arun Kumar.

Kerala Center President Thambi Thalappillil said that the Center had recognized 131 achievers in the last 23 years who have continued to become bigger achievers and contributors to the society.

An entertainment will follow after the award ceremony by Global Arts of New York. Tickets for banquet can be reserved by contacting Kerala Center at 516-358-2000 or e-mail at kc@keralacenterny.com.

N.Y. Doctor Pleads Guilty To Falsely Certifying Physical Exams

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Gerald Surya, M.D., pleaded guilty to falsely certifying physical examinations for commercial drivers on October 21. Specifically, Dr. Surya certified that he had examined applicants for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and found them physically fit to drive heavy commercial vehicles when in fact he had not performed those examinations. When sentenced, Surya faces up to 15 years in prison.

The guilty plea was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Douglas Shoemaker, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General (USDOT-OIG).

As set forth in court filings and facts presented at the guilty plea proceeding, drivers of certain commercial vehicles, such as school buses and heavy transportation trucks, must possess a CDL issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) pursuant to regulations set forth by the United States Department of

Transportation (USDOT). Before obtaining a CDL, all applicants must pass written and road tests related to safely driving such large vehicles.

In addition, the applicants must be examined and certified fit to drive those vehicles by a physician or other qualified medical personnel authorized by the USDOT to conduct such examinations. Upon receipt of the certification, the applicant must file a copy with the DMV. Further, on a monthly basis, USDOT-certified medical examiners are required to electronically transmit to USDOT copies of certifications they have executed for CDL applicants.

Dr. Surya was authorized to conduct USDOT mandated medical examinations and certifications for CDL applicants and purportedly performed such examinations at his office located at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. In fact, the applicants were not examined by Dr. Surya, but instead by other office staff

members who had little or no medical training and were not authorized to conduct the mandated medical examinations. The guilty plea took place before United States District Judge LeShann DeArcy Hall. The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Michael H. Warren is in charge of the prosecution.

NRI pleads guilty in baby’s death, faces 18 years in prison

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Jagsheer Singh, 30, an Indian American father in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty on October 21 to manslaughter and assault charges in the death of his 4-month old son. Singh pleaded guilty to using a blunt object to fatally fracture his 4-month-old son’s skull, the Queens District Attorney announced.

Jagsheer Singh was charged with manslaughter and assault of his son, Nevin Janduher, who had died after suffering multiple skull fractures in December 2014. Nevin was left alone with his dad after his mother, Dr. Reena Malhotra, went to work at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

“As a father, the defendant’s job was to protect and nurture his helpless, innocent son,” said District Attorney Richard Brown. “Instead, the defendant assaulted his son, causing skull fractures and widespread brain injury and ultimately resulting in the child’s death. As a result, the sentence to be imposed by the court is more than warranted.”

Singh first told his wife that Nevin fell off a changing table, but doctors found that his injuries were inconsistent with a short fall and that he had suffered “abusive head trauma.” Medical personnel at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, examined the baby and found he had suffered injuries inconsistent with falling off a table. Doctors said that Nevin had suffered non-accidental inflicted trauma.

The infant died several days later on Christmas Eve after being taken to Cohen Children’s Medical Center. Singh is facing up to 18 years in prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Richard Buchter at Queens Supreme Court on Nov. 4.

Singh was arrested Dec. 21 with first degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The charges were upgraded after Nevin’s death, to second degree murder and acting in a manner injurious to a child under the age of 17.

In March 2015, Queens radiologist Reena Malhotra, Nevin’s mother and Singh’s wife, wrote to Judge Richard Buchter, who was presiding over the case, to ask that her husband be released. She pointed out that Singh was a “loving and caring father. Our family is his world,” she wrote. “He has a big heart, is a God-loving man, and is a responsible person with a calm demeanor,” she said. In September, to honor their nephew’s second birthday, Nevin’s aunts started a gofundme drive to raise donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. “We think of Nevin every day,” wrote his aunts.

Dharun Ravi’s Plea Deal Ends Long Drawn Case

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From News Dispatches.

A plea deal worked out by an Indian-American youth who was convicted on charges of bias intimidation and invasion of privacy of his gay roommate, may finally bring to an end a case that hit headlines and energized a national debate on homophobia and bullying, even evoking a response from President Obama
Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi on Oct. 27, pleaded guilty in a Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey, to one count of 3rd degree attempted invasion of privacy. Four years ago, he was convicted on 15 counts of bias intimidation and invasion of privacy as well as evidence tampering, when he put out a secretly videotaped his roommate Tyler Clementi’s encounter with a gay man. Clementi went on to commit suicide shortly thereafter. However, Ravi has consistently denied his actions led to the suicide and has never been charged on that count.

In September, a court dismissed five of thos 15 counts and called for a new trial on the remaining counts. In making the plea agreement, Ravi effectively puts to rest the case that has dragged on for five years.

According to a report in Nj.com, Ravi completed his 300 hours of community service Oct. 27, and has already served 30 days in jail, finished his probation period, and paid the $10,000 fine.

“Dharun Ravi will be sentenced to time served for the third-degree charge and will spend no additional time in jail,” according to the news report, after he admitted to attempting to activate a webcam to record his roommate’s interaction intending to let others see it as well. The activation however, failed to materialized. Ravi was quoted in nj.com saying he “feels good” and is “relieved” and his lawyer Steven Altman said, “He just wants to disappear.” The young man works in IT in New York City, the news report said.

Indian-origin baby dies after van backing out of driveway hits stroller

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An 8-month-old Indian-origin baby was killed when the stroller he was in was hit by a car as it backed out of a driveway in Queens, NY here. News reports quoting police said that the baby, Navraj Raju, was knocked out of the stroller as the van was backing out of a narrow driveway on Astoria Boulevard near 93rd Street in East Elmhurst in Queens, NY around 10 in the morning.

The baby’s mother, 35-year-old Daljit Kaur, who was pushing the stroller, had left a grocery next door with a dozen eggs. She had momentarily stopped and bent down to adjust the baby’s blanket when the stroller was suddenly hit by the van that was rolling back towards the stroller.

EMS rushed Raju to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he died. His mother was not injured. Rodriguez remained on the scene and was taken into custody. Police say he does not have a valid driver’s license.

Witnesses told the media that the mother and baby had just left a nearby deli when the mother stopped to fix the blanket on the stroller, stopping behind the van. A witness, Ahmed Ali (26), described a chaotic scene, saying the child’s mother shouted “Stop! Stop!” as the van backed up. Some passersby ran to pull Raju from under the van, Ali said.

S.P. Raj Named Interim Dean of School of Management, Syracuse University

Staff ReporterEducation 0

S.P. Raj, Distinguished Professor of Marketing and chair of the Department of Marketing, will serve as interim dean, effective immediately. Today’s announcement follows more than a month of conversations between Provost Wheatly, Vice Chancellor and Acting Dean J. Michael Haynie, students, faculty, staff and members of the Whitman School Advisory Council.

“For the last several weeks, I’ve had the good fortune of speaking with a number of stakeholders about the future of the Whitman School,” says Wheatly. “During those conversations, I encountered engaged and passionate students, faculty, staff and alumni, all committed to seeing the Whitman School continue its upward trajectory of growth and success. While many people I spoke with discussed overall qualities and characteristics for an interim leader, an overwhelming number of people specifically recommended Professor Raj. As a former senior associate dean in the Whitman School, Professor Raj is a seasoned leader whose strong institutional knowledge, commitment to shared governance and excellence in teaching and research make him the ideal person to lead the Whitman School in the interim. I am grateful to Professor Raj for stepping into this very important leadership position, and look forward to working with him in his new role.”

Raj, a member of the Syracuse University faculty since 1978, says he is honored to be asked to serve as interim dean at such a critical juncture in the life of the Whitman School.

“Thanks to our incredible students, faculty and staff, the Whitman School continues to be a leader in business education,” says Raj. “I am proud and privileged to have the opportunity to lead one of the University’s highest-achieving schools during this time of transition. I am eager to partner with the great Whitman community as we collectively seek to build on the success achieved in recent years.”

Raj is an expert in marketing strategies, specifically their influence on customer behavior, and on managing new product development and innovation. He has taught marketing strategy, marketing management, integrated marketing communications, marketing and the Internet, and marketing research. His pioneering use of multimedia in the classroom was featured in Apple’s “Imagine” series of videos for educators.

“Professor Raj is a dynamic teacher, a highly sought-after marketing expert and a gifted researcher and publisher,” says Haynie. “After speaking with my colleagues in the Whitman School, our students and our alumni, I am confident the school will continue to thrive with Professor Raj at the helm.”

Raj is the author of several teaching cases, including a best case on Managerial Issues in Transitory Economies awarded by the European Foundation for Management Development in 2006. He consistently receives high commendations for his teaching in full-time and executive programs in the U.S. and internationally. He has published in such prestigious journals as Marketing Science, the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Research and the Journal of Consumer Research, among many others. Raj is also the founding editor of the Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies.

Raj has also served as a tenured professor of marketing at Cornell University and as a visiting faculty member at Northwestern University. He earned a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree with distinction in electronics engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India.

NRIs Among 2016 NIH ‘New Innovator Award Program’ Recipients

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The National Institutes of Health recently announced 2016 Director’s New Innovator Award Program recipients with at least seven Indian Americans among those honored. Among the 48 Innovators recognized by The National Institutes of Health, the Indian Americans on the list included, Parijat Bhatnagar, Anshul Kundaje, Dr. Meena S. Madhur, Nikhil U. Nair, Rushika M. Perera, Rahul Satija and Dr. Arun P. Wiita.

The Director’s New Innovator Award Program was part of the NIH Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program that seeks to identify scientists with ideas that have the potential for high impact, but may be at a stage too early to fare well in the traditional peer review process. These awards encourage creative, outside-the-box thinkers to pursue exciting and innovative ideas in biomedical research.

The Innovator Award was established in 2007 and supports unusually innovative research from early-career investigators who are within 10 years of their final degree or clinical residency and have not yet received a research project grant or equivalent NIH grant. The award complements ongoing efforts by NIH and its institutes and centers to fund new investigators through R01 grants and other mechanisms.

“The program continues to support high-caliber investigators whose ideas stretch the boundaries of our scientific knowledge,” said NIH director Dr. Francis S. Collins. “We welcome the newest cohort of outstanding scientists to the program and look forward to their valuable contributions.”

Vatican message to Hindus emphasizes hope in family life

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome has issued its annual message to Hindus for Diwali, this time stressing family life. The message, entitled “Christians and Hindus: promoting hope among families,” said it is “especially important” that “parents, together with the wider community, instil in their children a sense of hope by guiding them towards a better future and the pursuit of the good, even in the face of adversity.”

“Providing a formation and education in hope is thus a task of paramount importance for families, as it reflects the divine nature of mercy which embraces the disheartened and gives them purpose,” it said added.

In a message titled, “Christians and Hindus: Promoting hope among families,” the statement offered best wishes as India celebrated Deepavali on October 30th, 2016. “May your celebrations around the world deepen your familial bonds, and bring joy and peace to your homes and communities. The health of society depends on our familial bonds and yet we know that today the very notion of family is being undermined by a climate that relativizes its essential significance and value. With this abiding respect for the family, and keenly aware of the global challenges daily confronting us, we wish to offer a reflection on how we, Christians and Hindus together, can promote hope in families, thus making our society ever more humane.”

INOC, USA rallies to strongly support the efforts of the Punjab Congress Party in the upcoming State Elections

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

New York: On October 30, 2016, on the auspicious day of Diwali and “BandiChoodh” at New York a very important large gathering of leaders and supporters of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA unanimously declared their full and unequivocal support for the Punjab Congress Party in the State Elections. All the burning issues of concern were emphasized.

Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA welcomed the members and participants and assured all present that Punjab Congress Party was flying high and that the Punjab Congress Party President Capt. Amrinder Singh and his team were working in full force and top gear. This was amply evident from the great confidence and cooperation that they were receiving from all the party members all over Punjab. This confidence is vital. Also, he reminded, at this time the value of lands in Punjab is decreasing, and things, in general, are getting from bad to worse. He added that Capt. Amrinder Singh is following a very strict rule that he had made that only one seat shall be given to a family and the people are content with this ruling.

Mr. George Abraham, Chairman of INOC, USA explained at length the virtues of the Congress Party which was established by great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. He explained how the party worked so hard for the people in the past and made so much of progress for the country. He appealed everyone to unite and assist the Punjab Congress Party individually or collectively with their friends and family back home. The Punjab State elections are expected to take place in February 2017.

Mr. Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General of Indian National Overseas Congress, USA narrated a litany of issues troubling the State of Punjab and explained how the present government was derelict in not attending or inadequately attending to them. Corruption, drugs, and unemployment were listed high on the list of deep concerns and fear of hooliganism was affecting the security level of the people. In the villages, the number of suicides was increasing and Punjab being a border state with Pakistan, was made to bear colossal damages and sufferings, as well as the residents, were being uprooted and displaced from their homes for indefinite periods. A worrisome fact was that Punjab was slowly buried under huge state debt. Lethargic government bureaucracy was using antiquated laws and procedures so much so that many Non-resident Indians were not willing to invest in Punjab and that some foreign companies were also closing down and moving out causing unemployment problems.

The YSL river water issue was also not solved properly. He strongly believed that only the Congress Party under Capt. Amrinder Singh can solve such problems well and that the Capt. has a track record to prove it. His new Congress Manifesto is full of descriptions of programs to successfully deal with each such problem.

Mr. Tejinder Singh Gill, President of the Punjab Chapter, appealed everyone to make sure they contact each member and friend back home in Punjab and advise them on the virtues and how good the Congress Party was and how good it was in solving the concerns and issues that were weighing heavily on the progress of Punjab. He assured them that if each member of their family could do so the same thing, the Punjab Congress Party will most certainly win. He also noted that human rights issues also needed to be addressed which Capt. Amrinder Singh could handle exceedingly well.

Mr. Jasvir Singh emphasized the importance of wrestling strongly with drug issues. He said that the youth in Punjab, in particular, had become victims of drugs which has affected the social fabric of the society. He advised everyone to set aside some of their valuable time to pay attention to needs of the state of Punjab and its people.

To be noted that while these and other speeches were going on, they were interrupted by a loud burst of slogans of support such as “Nashahatao, Captain Laeao” and, “Capt Leao, Punjab bachao”. The crowd seemed duly enthusiastic highly fired up and totally ready to act.

Singer Ameet Kamath’s 2nd Album Takes Listeners “Into The Night”

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

(New York, NY – November 1, 2016) “A most interesting pop-oriented album that transports the listener into the deepest and darkest regions of the time after sundown” is how music critic Dick Metcalf describes Ameet Kamath’s new Indie-Pop album “Into the Night.” Metcalf raves that Kamath’s vocals are “infused with the kind of energy that guides the listener into the spaces he sings about.”

This is India-born, New York City-raised and Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Kamath’s second album. In it, he weaves stories of the night with his evocative interpretation of the pop genre. The sound is reflective of an artist born in one world and shaped by another.

All 13 songs invite the listener to the nocturnal world with themes of love, loneliness and heartbreak, before metamorphosing into an upbeat promise of dance and dreams. Kamath, an American citizen and native of India, embraced Western pop and jazz music long before he earned his U.S. passport. Many of his songs redefine the Indian Diaspora, with artistic expression straddling both cultures.

As a young boy growing up in Mumbai, Kamath sang church hymns and anthems at his Jesuit grade school. He was deeply influenced by The Beatles, Culture Club, ABBA and Queen, and treasured his music collection, which included bootleg recordings of American Top 40 and Britain’s Top of the Pops.

He came to New York City as a techie with a self-described “nice-Indian-boy haircut” in 1995. With the money from his first paycheck, he hired a voice coach and, subsequently, gained his performance moxie by busking in city parks and singing in nightclubs, most notably Marion’s Continental in the NoHo neighborhood. The rest is a modern American story.

“I am not your traditional Indian import. I sought out a life in America in order to express myself; that’s the promise America always had for me,” said Kamath, 42, whose debut album, “Greasy Rails,” was self-produced in 2010 after moving from New York City to San Francisco. His debut effort earned him laudable reviews, along with the critical acclaim of his peers and the musical maestros he had worked and sang with over the years.

“In my music, I’m telling stories so that the listeners can understand life as I do – constantly negotiating spaces, first as an American immigrant in the 21st century and now as an artist,” said Kamath.  “I am not a starving artist, but I am starving to express myself,” he said, laughing.

Kamath will perform at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, at The Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. CD release party to follow the performance.

U.S. Has Failed to Ease Adjustment to Globalization and Free Trade, Says Alden in New Book

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In Failure to Adjust: How Americans Got Left Behind in the Global Economy, Council on Foreign Relations Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow Edward Alden explains why the political consensus in support of trade liberalization has collapsed, and how to correct the course.  The United States has contributed more than any other nation to writing the rules that created the competitive global economy of today, helping support stronger growth in much of the world. Yet successive U.S. administrations have done far too little to help Americans succeed under those rules, says Alden.

Against the backdrop of the U.S. presidential election cycle and the controversy over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, Alden shows how the collapse of the consensus on trade has been decades in the making. Using detailed historical research and drawing on his previous experience as a journalist covering the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Alden reveals that U.S. policymakers have long recognized the challenges that Americans would face in the new global economy, but mostly looked the other way.

The problem is not globalization, he writes. “The problem has been the domestic political response to globalization, which in too many ways has been deeply irresponsible. A central task of any government is to provide the tools to help people adjust and succeed in the face of economic change.” However, “the story of the last half century has instead been the failure by governments to ease that adjustment,” Alden says.

Failure to Adjust contends that the policies needed to help more Americans flourish in the global economy are well within reach. The book’s recommendations for the federal government include building on local and regional efforts to attract and develop internationally competitive industries; introducing corporate tax reforms and streamlining regulations; enforcing trade rules to ensure a more level playing field; reforming international rules to constrain subsidies that distort trade; developing comprehensive workforce retraining plans and apprenticeships to help American workers build necessary skills; and expanding trade adjustment assistance to workers displaced by trade.

Alden argues that “with the right support from governments—federal, state, and local—the ingredients are there to build an American economy that not only competes with the best in the world but does so in a way that once again raises the living standards of more of its citizens.”

Births Outside of Marriage Decline for Immigrant Women

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After rising for decades, the share of U.S. babies born to unmarried women has stabilized in recent years, driven by a sharp decline in births outside of marriage among foreign-born women, and a leveling off among U.S.-born women. In the newest available data (2014), a third of all births to foreign-born mothers were to unmarried women – down from a peak of 37% in 2008. At the same time, the rate has held steady for U.S.-born women and now stands at 42%, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data.

The share of babies born to unmarried mothers has consistently been higher for U.S.-born women than for immigrant women. However, the roughly 10-point gap1 between the two groups in 2014 is the largest disparity since birth data by nativity and marital status became available 30 years earlier.

The share of all babies born to unmarried women in the U.S. stood at 40% in 2014, down marginally from 41% in 2008, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Thirty years earlier, just 21% of babies were born to unmarried women.

The decline in births outside of marriage among the foreign born is being driven, in part, by the changing regions of birth of new foreign-born mothers. The share of babies born to moms from Latin America has declined, while the share of babies born to moms from regions such as Asia has increased. New foreign-born mothers from Latin America were roughly four times as likely as moms from Asia to be unmarried in 2014.

The shifting origins of new immigrant mothers are due in part to the decline in the number of recent U.S. immigrants from Latin America, which has been driven largely by post-recession declines in Mexican immigrants, and to dramatic birth rate declines among Hispanic immigrants in the wake of the Great Recession.

Plummeting fertility rates among unmarried foreign-born women are further contributing to the declining share of babies born outside of marriage for this group. In 2014 the birth rate (the annual number of births per 1,000 women of childbearing age)2 for unmarried immigrants was 60.4. This is down from 90.0 in 2008 – a drop of 33% in just six years. Fertility among married foreign-born women also declined during this period marked by the onset of the Great Recession, but by a relatively modest 10%, from 115.1 to 104.0.

In 2014, U.S. births to foreign-born women from Latin America were more likely to occur outside of marriage than those to U.S.-born women (48% vs. 42%). However, U.S. births to foreign-born women from most other regions of the world were less likely to occur outside of marriage than those to U.S.-born women.

While the annual number of babies born in the U.S. has fluctuated in recent years – most markedly during the Great Recession when there was a significant drop in births nationwide – the trajectory over the past four decades or so has been upward. In 2014, there were 4.00 million births in the U.S., compared with 3.74 million in 1970.3
This growth has been driven entirely by the increasing numbers of babies born to immigrant women. In 2014, immigrant women accounted for about 901,000 U.S. births, which marked a threefold increase from 1970 when immigrant women accounted for about 274,000 births. Meanwhile, the annual number of births to U.S.-born women dropped by 11% during that same time period, from 3.46 million in 1970 to 3.10 million in 2014.

According to Census Bureau data for 2011-2014,5 the vast majority of foreign-born new mothers in the U.S. are long-term immigrants. Fully half (51%) of those who had a baby in the preceding 12 months have lived in the U.S. for at least 11 years. Just 9% are recent immigrants, having come to the U.S. within the preceding two years. New mothers originally from the Middle East and North Africa are the most likely to be recent immigrants – about one-in-five (21%) are. Conversely, just 6% of new mothers from Latin America are recent immigrants.

In terms of financial well-being, new foreign-born mothers are less well-off than their U.S.-born counterparts – a pattern reflective of broader nativity differences in the country. While median family income for new U.S-born moms is about $51,200 annually, this figure is $41,300 for new foreign-born moms.

In 2014, about 275,000 babies were born to unauthorized-immigrant parents in the U.S., accounting for about 7% of all U.S. births, and 32% of all U.S. births to foreign-born mothers. The share of new mothers who are teenagers is higher among the U.S. born (6%) than among the foreign born (2%), regardless of the region of the world in which they were born.

Climate Doomsday – Another Step Closer

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By Baher Kamal: Credit: UNEP

Almost inadvertently, humankind is getting closer everyday to the point of no-return towards what could be called the ‘climate doomsday’. Now, globally averaged concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has surged again to new records in 2016… and will not dip below pre-2015 levels for many generations.

The warning comes from the United Nations weather agency–the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and further confirms the alarm of climate experts and world specialised organisations.

On the one hand, the WMO secretary-general, Petteri Taalas said that 2015 ushered in a new era of optimism and climate action with the Paris climate change agreement. “But it will also make history as marking a new era of climate change reality with record high greenhouse gas concentrations.”

“Without tackling carbon dioxide emissions, we cannot tackle climate change and keep temperature increases to below 2 degrees Celcius above the pre-industrial era… It is therefore of the utmost importance that the Paris Agreement does indeed enter into force well ahead of schedule on 4 November and that we fast-track its implementation,” Taalas on 24 October 2016 stressed.

The weather agency had warned earlier this year that the Earth is already one degree Celsius hotter than at the start of the 20th century, halfway to the critical two-degree threshold, and that national climate change plans adopted so far may not be enough to avoid a three-degree temperature rise.

CO2 levels had previously reached the 400 parts per million barrier for certain months of the year and in certain locations “but never before on a global average basis for the entire year.” According to WMO, the growth spurt in carbon dioxide was fuelled by the El Niño event, which started in 2015 and had a strong impact well into 2016.

The ozone layer: protecting our atmosphere for generations to come

Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Credit: UNEP

“The 400 parts per million threshold is of great symbolic importance,” said the previous WMO secretary-general Michel Jarraud in 2014. “It should serve as yet another wakeup call about the constantly rising levels of greenhouse gases which are driving climate change and acidifying our oceans.”

This triggered droughts in tropical regions and reduced the capacity of “sinks” like forests, vegetation and the oceans to absorb CO2.

These sinks currently absorb about half of CO2 emissions but there is a risk that they may become saturated, which would increase the fraction of emitted carbon dioxide which stays in the atmosphere, according to the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.

Carbon Dioxide Remains For Thousands of Years. The danger is clear: for thousands of year’s carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere, trapping heat and causing the earth to warm further. The lifespan of carbon dioxide in the oceans is even longer. It is also the single most important greenhouse gas emitted by human activities.

According to the WMO it is responsible for 85 per cent of the warming effect on our climate over the past decade. On the other hand, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) says that the droughts and floods beating down on communities in many parts of the world are linked to the current El Niño, which was expected to affect up 60 million people already by last July.
“In some areas, including in North Eastern Brazil, Somali, Ethiopia, Kenya and Namibia, the El Niño effects are coming on the back of years of severe and recurrent droughts. It is impossible for households that rely on the land for food and farm labour to recover, especially when the land is degraded,” says in this regards the UNCCD executive secretary, Monique Barbut.

What’s more, Barbut adds, these conditions do not just devastate families and destabilise communities. When they are not attended to urgently, they can become a push factor for migration, and end with gross human rights abuses and long-term security threats.

“We have seen this before – in Darfur following four decades of droughts and desertification and, more recently, in Syria, following the long drought of 2007-2010.”

t is “tragic to see a society breaking down when we can reduce the vulnerability of communities through simple and affordable acts such as restoring the degraded lands they live on, and helping countries to set up better systems for drought early warning and to prepare for and manage drought and floods,” according to Barbut.

For its part, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) alerted that the rapid change in the world’s climate is translating into more extreme and frequent weather events, heat waves, droughts and sea-level rise.

he impacts of climate change on agriculture and the implications for food security are already alarming – they are the subjects of this report, according to FAO director general José Graziano da Silva.

A major finding is that there is an urgent need to support smallholders in adapting to climate change. Farmers, pastoralists, fisher-folk and community foresters depend on activities that are intimately and inextricably linked to climate – and these groups are also the most vulnerable to climate change.

“They will require far greater access to technologies, markets, information and credit for investment to adjust their production systems and practices to climate change.”

Unless action is taken now to make agriculture more sustainable, productive and resilient, climate change impacts will seriously compromise food production in countries and regions that are already highly food-insecure, Graziano da Silva alerts.

“Through its impacts on agriculture, livelihoods and infrastructure, climate change threatens all dimensions of food security. It will expose both urban and rural poor to higher and more volatile food prices.”

According to FAO’s director general, it will also affect food availability by reducing the productivity of crops, livestock and fisheries, and hinder access to food by disrupting the livelihoods of millions of rural people who depend on agriculture for their incomes.

The FAO report–The State of Food and Agriculture 2016, describes ways of adapting smallholder production to climate change and making the livelihoods of rural populations more resilient.

Renu Khator named to Department of Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council

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Renu Khator, Chancellor of the University of Houston System and President of the University of Houston (UH), has been appointed to the United States Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) as one of eight new members. The appointment was announced Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.

The council, which is made up of 23 members including college presidents, academic leaders and interagency partners, provides advice and recommendations to the secretary on matters related to homeland security and the academic community. Since its formation in 2012, members have issued more than 120 recommendations in the areas of academic research and faculty exchange, campus resilience, cybersecurity, international students, DHS academic programs and recruitment of current students and recent graduates.

Khator, who will serve a four-year term on the council effective immediately, was selected by DHS based on her expertise in higher education leadership and UH’s leadership in homeland security research.

UH is the lead institution for the DHS Center of Excellence for Borders, Trade and Immigration Research, awarded in late 2015, and one of only three universities in Texas with dual designation by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security for its educational and research programs in cybersecurity and cyber defense. In addition, DHS has provided the University of Houston funding to conduct research on making biochemical threat detection economically sustainable. DHS has also awarded a grant to UH to develop technology to help protect emergency response systems against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cyber attacks.

“Serving on this council is both an honor and a serious responsibility,” said Khator. “There can be no more important task than maintaining the safety of our country. Through research, innovation and workforce development, higher education must continue to play a vital role in helping DHS meet that crucial objective.”

“What President Khator brings is not only a deep understanding of the issues facing our campuses but also a firm grasp of the mission of DHS through her work at the University of Houston,” said Trent Frazier, Executive Director of the Office of Academic Engagement. “DHS and OAE are excited to further collaborate with her.”

Khator joined the UH System in 2008 and oversees a four-university organization that serves nearly 70,000 students, has an annual budget that exceeds $1.7 billion and generates nearly $6 billion economic impact on the Greater Houston area each year. In 2011, the system’s flagship university, UH, earned Tier One status from the Carnegie Foundation and in 2016 was awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

Khator, who holds a Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Purdue University, serves as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors and is the immediate past president of the American Council on Education (ACE). In addition, she is a member of the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum. She is the first female chancellor of a Texas higher education system and the first Indian immigrant to head a comprehensive public research university in the United States.

Other new HSAAC member announced by Secretary Johnson include Eric Barron, president, Pennsylvania State University; Bruce Benson, president, University of Colorado; Carol Leary, president, Bay Path University; David Pershing, president, University of Utah; Robert Scott, president emeritus, Adelphi University; Kent Syverud, chancellor and president, Syracuse University; and Michael Young, president, Texas A&M University.

USCIS Announces Final Rule Adjusting Immigration Benefit Application and Petition Fee

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a final rule published in the Federal Register today adjusting the fees required for most immigration applications and petitions. The new fees will be effectiveDec. 23.

USCIS is almost entirely funded by the fees paid by applicants and petitioners for immigration benefits. The law requires USCIS to conduct fee reviews every two years to determine the funding levels necessary to administer the nation’s immigration laws, process benefit requests and provide the infrastructure needed to support those activities.

Fees will increase for the first time in six years, by a weighted average of 21 percent for most applications and petitions.   This increase is necessary to recover the full cost of services provided by USCIS. These include the costs associated with fraud detection and national security, customer service and case processing, and providing services without charge to refugee and asylum applicants and to other customers eligible for fee waivers or exemptions.

The final rule contains a table summarizing current and new fees. The new fees are also listed on the Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, and website. Applications and petitions postmarked or filed on or after Dec. 23 must include the new fees or USCIS will not be able to accept them.

“This is our first fee increase since November 2010, and we sincerely appreciate the valuable public input we received as we prepared this final rule,” said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. “We are mindful of the effect fee increases have on many of the customers we serve. That’s why we decided against raising fees as recommended after the fiscal year 2012 and 2014 fee reviews.  However, as an agency dependent upon users’ fees to operate, these changes are now necessary to ensure we can continue to serve our customers effectively.  We will also offer a reduced filing fee for certain naturalization applicants with limited means.”

Changes in the new fee schedule can be found here. Highlights follow: A modest fee increase of $45, or 8 percent, from $595 to $640 for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. USCIS will offer a reduced filing fee of $320 for naturalization applicants with family incomes greater than 150 percent and not more than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For 2016, this means, for example, that a household of four with an income between $36,000 and $48,600 per year could pay the reduced fee. Those eligible may apply for this option using the new Form I-942, Request for Reduced Fee. The fee for Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, and N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322, will increase from $550 or 600 to $1,170. A new fee of $3,035 is required for Form I-924A, Annual Certification of Regional Center.

Chicago Andhra Association celebrates “Samskrutika Dinotsavam”

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By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Chicago Andhra Association (CAA) celebrated “Andhra Pradesh Samskrutika Dinotsavam” on October 16th which stole hearts and minds of Telugu people portraying the unity, rich cultural heritage and service to the humanity. HTGC temple auditorium was packed to its capacity with more than 800 people for the event completely focused on the grass root culture of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

CAA’s team added color to the function by men wearing Dhothis and women in enchanting sarees. Skillfully decorated stage by Dr. Bhargavi Nettem with help from Kiran Vankayalapati, Sunitha Rachapalli, Malleswari Pedamallu, Pavitra Karumuri and Raj Potluri is all set for a grand show. It started with ‘Deepa prajwalana’ amidst of veda mantralu. Sahithi Kotha, Sireesha Kola of Cultural Committee with the help of Neelima Boddu welcomed the audience and initiated the programs with Ganesha Pancharatna Kruthi “Mudakarartha Modakam” followed by a patriotic item choreographed by Lakshminag Suribhotla. Audience were welcomed in a Kuchipudi classical style with “Swagatham” choreographed by Pavani Koduri. Andhra Janapadam was depicted on the stage thru a nrutyam choreographed by Srivani Vokkarane. “Telugammai” is another one not to be missed.

US Congressman Bill Foster was emotionally touched and made to rise for a standing ovation to “Amaravathi Geetam”, the epitome of Andhra Pradesh state, depicting the rich cultural heritage. Choreographer Jyothi Vangara helped Board Director Vani Dittakavi in bringing this concept to reality with a large number of young dancers along with CAA team members playing roles of renowned Andhra personalities. “Mohini basmasura, a semi classical dance drama by Kousalya Velagapudi and Eswari Jagarapu, titillated crowd to the core. “Sajeevanadulu”, a mesmerizing item about the linkage of the holy rivers with our lives was portrayed in a rich classical way for which Smt.Kamala Chimata and Vani deserves special credits. Other scintillating items include “Jaya Jaya Swamin” by Janaki Anandavalli Nair, “Natesha Kowtwam” by Asha Acharya Adiga captured undivided attention from audience.

Youth Director Sandhya Appalaneni presented “Endaro Mahanubhavulu” as a series items throughout the program introducing several eminent personalities from Andhra region by young boys and girls. “NRI Paatlu” a hilarious comedy play made the viewers burst into laughter. Other riveting performances such as “Rama Rama” song, Kids Keys, medleys hooked the audience to their seats all the time. Sujatha Appalaneni Cultural Chair and Events committee chair Dr. Uma Katiki expressed their happiness about the overall execution of the programs.

Sundar Dittakavi, President of the organization, explained the objectives, core values and uniqueness of the organization with diversified Board structure and leadership. In continuation Andhra Pradesh Development Forum of North America (APDFNA) Executive Director Padma Rao Appalaneni explained the various flagship programs undertaken by CAA in AP, Bhanu Swargam, Assistant Executive director explained how 25% of membership contributions are leveraged for the developmental activities and appreciated their key team members Karthik Desai and Srihari Jasti for initiating great projects at their hometowns.

Founders Committee Chairman Srinivas Pedamallu explained the CAA’s identifier having board with equal participation of men and women supplemented with youth and senior citizen directors. He also highlighted about alternate male and female Presidents running the organization every year. President Sundar Dittakavi introduced Board Directors and Executive Committee followed by Vice President Dr. Uma Katiki introducing Committees chairs and Co-Chairs. Treasurer Raghav Jatla, Board directors, Hema Tatineni, Tanvi Sri Jatla with help from Srikrishna Matukumalli, Shailesh Maddi, Karthik Desai, Bhuvana explained the benefits of CAA membership while overseeing the Membership desk. Masters of the ceremony, Youth Director Sandhya Appalaneni and Bhanu Chander maintained the smooth flow of the programs. One of the founders, Ramesh Garapaty and Board Directors Hema Tatineni and Sairavi Suribhotla helped with all activities including engaging youth volunteers. Some of the comments from the attendees include “Best programs after several years”.

Sumptuous Andhra food including delicacies such as andhra laddu, Gutti vankaya kura, punugulu and dosavakai were served to the guests under the supervision of Board Director Anu Gampala and food committee lead Suresh Sanakkayala. Dinkar Karumuri, Secretary thanked all the members, sponsors and all others who supported the event for the grand success and requested to stay tuned to www.chicagoandhra.org for upcoming schedule and day ended with group singing of “Jana Gana Mana”

Yoga Room at Miami Airport

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A Yoga Room at Miami International Airport (MIA), a major international airport in USA, has been welcomed by all yoga lovers. “The Yoga Room is a tranquil space devoted to practicing yoga”, MIA announcement stated. Located in Terminal H, it opens daily from nine am to nine pm.

Calling it a step in the positive direction for MIA, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged all top world airports to provide yoga facilities for the passengers if they wanted to help reduce their stress levels and be “world-class” airports. Zed urged MIA authorities to keep the Yoga Room open round-the-clock and invite the local yoga studios/teachers to hold occasional free yoga classes there for the passengers, employees, vendors and visitors.

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

Founded in 1928, awards winner MIA in Miami-Dade County (Florida) is second-busiest US airport for international passengers and top US airport for international freight and boasts of generating business revenue of $33.7 billion annually. In 2015, it serviced 44.3 million passengers and 2,172,676 tons of freight. Emilio T. González is the Aviation Director.

Maanasa Mendu wins America’s top Young Scientist award

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

A 13-year-old ninth grader from Mason, OH has won the 2016 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge in St. Paul, MN. Maanasa Mendu won $25,000 and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” immediately following a live competition Tuesday, October 18 at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul.

Nine other finalists from across the country competed in the scientist challenge, which paired the students with 3M scientists to develop practical inventions. Rohan Wagh of Portland, OR, a ninth grader at Sunset High School, who received second place for his invention that utilizes the natural metabolism of bacteria to create energy;

Mendu, a student at William Mason High School in the Mason City School District, created Harvest, a bio-inspired energy device that uses solar and wind power to create energy. This innovation was inspired by a visit to India where she discovered many people lacking basic life necessities, such as clean water and lighting.

Through her invention, Mendu hopes to provide a globally applicable, cost-effective energy source. Mendu’s approach reflected the competition’s goal of applying science to everyday life, creating a solution that may improve lives and strengthen communities around the globe.

Over the past three months, Mendu and the nine other finalists had the opportunity to work with a 3M scientist to develop their personal inventions as part of a summer mentorship program. Mendu was paired with Margaux Mitera, a 3M senior product development engineer whose research has helped 3M develop new Post-it Note products.

During the final competition hosted by Discovery Education Vice President Lance Rougeux, the finalists presented their completed inventions to a respected panel of scientists and leaders from both Discovery Education and 3M, including honorary guest judge Trace Dominguez, who’s producer, writer and host of Discovery’s DNews program.

“Each year, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge reminds us of the inspiring ingenuity that results when we empower our youngest generation to apply science, critical thinking and creativity to solve real world problems,” Bill Goodwyn, president and CEO of Discovery Education, said in a statement.

The remaining nine finalists also received prizes from Discovery Education and 3M. Second through fourth place winners each received $1,000 and a trip to a taping of a show on Discovery’s family of networks. Mendu hopes that her invention will provide a globally applicable, cost-effective energy source.

The competition’s goal was to apply science to everyday life, creating a solution that may improve lives and strengthen communities around the globe, and Mendu’s approach reflected the goal.

5,500 residents celebrate Diwali – Festival of Lights in Aurora, IL, the City of Lights

Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Aurora IL- Over 5,500 people attended the 3rd Diwali celebrations organized by the City of Aurora’s Indian American Outreach Advisory Board (IACOAB) at Waubonsie Valley High School on Oct 22nd.

Among the dignitaries who attended the event were US Congressman Bill Foster, Acting Indian Consul General O P Meena, outgoing Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner,  Illinois State Rep Stephanie Kifowit, Democratic Congressional candidate for the 8th district, Illinois Raja Krishnamoorthi, Lt Commander Keith Cross of the Aurora Police, Rick Guzman, Assistant Chief of Staff to the Aurora Mayor, Dr. Gopal Lalmalani, President of the Village of Oak Brook,  Dr. Siva Sivananthan CEO of Sivananthan Laboratories and Aurora Aldermen Rick Mervine.

As the members of the audience started trickling in, they were greeted with a scintillating video presentation of India’s diverse cultures and faiths, prepared by Jassi Parmar of Desi Junction, who was the EMCEE for the evening. Jassi held the event together with his wit, interactive sessions with the audience, and sheer joie de vivre.

The event kicked off with lighting of the traditional lamp while Prasad Garkhedar recited the Gayatri Mantra from the Rig Veda.  This was followed by the American national anthem sung by Avni Limdi (student at Neuqua Valley High School) and the Indian national anthem rendered by Ajai Kumar, as the respective flags were projected on the screen.

Half-way through the performances, all elected officials and dignitaries were invited on stage by Gautam Bhatia & Sharon Garcia and honored with shawls (scarfs) as a traditional Indian mark of respect by IACOAB board members.  Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and his wife were given gifts as a gesture of gratitude for the mayor’s service to the city’s growth from a sleepy town to a hub of industrial and cultural activity. Gautam Bhatia, Chairman of IACOAB, said that the board owed a debt of gratitude to Mayor Weisner, Rick Guzman and Alderman Rick Mervine for their support in the formation and growth of the board. Others dignitaries were honored with a memento and a shawl.

Gautam Bhatia and Roopa Anjanappa (Cultural Committee Chair) welcomed the guests with a brief history of the board and its agenda. Gautam thanked the board members, Jassi of Desi Junction, DJ Monu and the many volunteers for spending countless hours to make the event a resounding success. Roopa said that the board had incorporated improvements in the celebration as a result of feedback received from past events.

Kunal Majmundar (Treasurer & Sponsorship Committee Co-Chair), Deepak Mehta (Secretary and Sponsorship Committee Co-Chair) and Girish Kapur (Media and Public Relations Committee Chair), thanked the sponsors & media partners without whose support the event would not been possible on such a large scale.

Shabbir Shikora (Vice Chairman) and Anupama Setty (Cultural Committee) introduced “Varkatunda” which is an invocation to Lord Ganesha performed by Odissi dance center.5500-residents-celebrate-diwali-_

Other performances including those from the groups Bolly Mix and Bollywood Medley and a vigorous ‘Bhangra’ got an enthusiastic response from the packed hall.  At Jassi’s invitation, all the dignitaries including Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, his assistant Rick Guzman and Alderman Rick Mervine did an impromptu Bhangra on the stage to the delighted cheers of the audience.

The presence of several stalls of Indian cuisine, apparel, craft and jewelry ensured that the visitors had ample opportunity to engage in the festive mood of eating and shopping. The evening concluded with a colorful display of fireworks which brought a tinge of nostalgia to Indian Americans who recalled the robust Diwali celebrations they enjoyed growing up in India.

The Event Partners were Sivananthan Laboratories, M/I Homes while the Gold Partners were BMO Harris Bank, Biologix Solutions, Lubrication Engineers, IT People Network, Nicor Gas. The Silver Partners were Waubonsee Community College, Yoga by Degree, AAA, Alderman Edward Bugg, Alderman Rick Mervine, Deepak Mehta of ReMax, Aurora & Naperville Montessori, PMSI, Asim Hamidi of AllState. The Bronze Partners were Creative Lending Solutions, Moonstar Mortgage and Xsport Fitness.

The IACOAB members are Gautam Bhatia (Chairman), Shabbir Shikora (Vice Chairman), Deepak Mehta (Secretary), Kunal Majmundar (Treasurer), Anupama Setty, Ashok Easwaran, Girish Kapur, Niveditta Ahuja, Prasad Garkhedkar, Roopa Anajanappa, Sanjeev Pandey and Sharon Garcia.

Ivanka Trump celebrates Diwali with Indian American Community at Virginia Hindu Temple

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump participated in a Diwali event in Virginia on October 26, in yet another attempt by his campaign to reach out to the Indian American community. Mr. Trump had earlier this month addressed an event organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHA).

The Rajdhani Temple in Chantilly on the outskirts is one of the busiest in the Washington metropolitan area. Rajesh Gooty, a Hyderabad-born tech entrepreneur and organizer of the event, said the Diwali celebrations would give an opportunity for Ms. Trump to get some familiarity with the Indian culture.

“Like Christmas is celebrated by people of all sects, Diwali is celebrated by all Indians. Ivanka will get to witness some invocations, puja and Diwali gaiety. We are confident that she will be more familiar with India after this event and it will be greatly helpful when her father becomes the president,” he said. Inaugurated in 2000, the Rajdhani Temple is the oldest temple in Loudon County of Virginia, which has experienced one of the fastest growths of Indian Americans in the past decade.

Amitabh Bachchan – A Superstar, Shahenshah and now a Superhero – ASTRA!

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

By Prajith Menon

Among the many stars in the film galaxy, one legendary actor who never ceases to surprise and amaze his fans with his creative endeavors is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. Be it movies, shows, social campaigns, and more, the talented Hindi film icon is known to push boundaries and experiment as an artist. Now, stepping into the world of animation, Mr. Bachchan will be seen as a mythical hero – Astra the Immortal in the upcoming superhero series – Astra Force, which features the legendary voice of the iconic actor.

On the occasion of his birthday – 11th October, as a surprise to all his fans, Disney Channel and Graphic India revealed the first look of Astra Force in the form of short video. The first look reveals the origin story behind Astra and how he meets the two 8-year-old twins, Neal and Tara as they combine forces to save the universe from a new wave of giant monsters and super villains determined to rule the galaxy

The upcoming animation series by Graphic India and Disney Channel, Astra Force is a funny and fast-paced, action-adventure series which tells the adventures of 8-year old brother and sister twins – Neal and Tara who accidentally awaken the mythical superhero – Astra the Immortal from his long hibernation. Together, they must teach him about our modern world and save the universe. The link to the origin video: https://youtu.be/71UMCnjcFXI

Priyanka Chopra Joins Oprah & JLo In Variety Magazine’s ‘Power Of Women Impact’ List

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Priyanka Chopra has added another feature to her cap, by joining media mogul Oprah Winfrey and pop star Jennifer Lopez in Variety magazine’s ‘Power of Women Impact’ List. According to the magazine, Priyanka describes the success of her Television show Qauntico to the “amalgamation of a very fast-moving plot and at the same time you have relationships, music, plot and everything you want.”

The magazine detailed Priyanka’s recent projects like The Jungle Book, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani and Quantico Season 2. Priyanka also told Variety that she is planning a hiatus from the TV show next year as she is still figuring out which project to pick next. “My schedule is so tight,” said Priyanka.

Hollywood stars on the list are Margot Robbie, Amy Poehler, Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson and Bad Moms Team which includes Suzanne Todd, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Annie Mumolo. .”

Priyanka Chopra is currently shooting for Quantico Season 2. She has also produced a Marathi film, Ventilator. The actress, who was last seen in Jai Gangajal this year is yet to announce her next Bollywood project.From being honored as one of Hollywood’s royalty, the 34-year-old actress, who is cementing her position in the West, one step at a time, is adding another honor to her growing list of achievements.

Variety released its ‘Power of Women L.A. Impact Report,’ and Chopra has made a spot for herself alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as media mogul Oprah Winfrey, Deborah Barak, president of business operations, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Studios and CBS News; pop star Jennifer Lopez and Francie Calfo, president of Imagine Television.

Beyond her spy series, Variety describes that Chopra, in the past year, has voiced Kaa in Disney’s “Jungle Book” and also top lined the Bollywood hit, “Bajirao Mastani,” for director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and added that she also wrapped production on the upcoming “Baywatch” movie in April. Chopra expressed her desire to keep her career busy in both Hollywood and Bollywood. “I don’t know if I have enough time,” she said.

The list features some of America’s most powerful and reputed names and includes actors, businesswomen, directors and women from various other professional backgrounds. Biggies like Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Naketha Mattocks (Vice President, Original Movies, Disney Channel) and Deborah Barak (President, Business Operations, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Studios and CBS News) also feature on this list.

From being honoured as one of Hollywood’s royalty, to being on the cover of Time Magazine, Priyanka has left no stone unturned in placing India firmly on the global front. And now, yet another feather has been added to the actress’ hat.

KKR-Backed Emerald Media invests US$50mn IN YUPPTV

Staff ReporterBusiness 0

By Ashish Badshaw

MUMBAI, INDIA: Emerald Media, a Pan-Asian platform established by leading global investment firm KKR for investing in the media and entertainment sector today announced that it has acquired a significant minority stake in YuppTV for US$50mn. YuppTV is one of the world’s leading over-the-top (OTT) video platforms for South Asian content offering live TV, catch-up TV and movies on-demand in 14 languages across the globe. The growth capital will enable YuppTV to further its global footprint, expand its content library through original productions and acquisitions, and rapidly grow its paid subscriber base.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, YuppTV is a leading Internet Pay TV platform for South Asians, reaching more than 400 million households across the world. With more than 5 million monthly visitors accessing YuppTV across 27 integrated devices – with a peak monthly traffic of 20 million – YuppTV has been setting records across the OTT industry. YuppTV offers 250+ South Asian TV channels, 5000+ movies and 100+ TV shows to worldwide audiences, with a focus on the USA, UK, Middle East, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean. YuppTV continues to revolutionize the way TV and movies are viewed across the world with over 25,000 hours of entertainment content catalogued in its library, as well as nearly 5,000 hours of new on-demand content added to the YuppTV platform every day.

YuppTV has gained considerable popularity in India having recently launched in the market. With an initial focus on South India, the company has gradually expanded to the rest of the country. It has also recently implemented advanced analytics-based real-time recommendations on Live TV, to make content more discoverable.

Uday Reddy, Promoter and CEO YuppTV, said, “We couldn’t ask for a stronger partner than Emerald Media. YuppTV is a content distribution platform with a strong consumer connection, and Emerald Media has global media relationships.  We hope to leverage their relationships and existing assets Endemol, OML, Fluence and Graphic India to create original programming and make this platform a next generation distribution and content powerhouse.”

Rajesh Kamat, Managing Director of Emerald Media, said, “Emerald Media believes in driving change and value-creation by providing a distinctive combination of capital, domain knowledge and management bandwidth. The world is moving from traditional consumption to multiscreen delivery mediums. YuppTV provides a unique combination of technology, strong content relationships and revenues of scale and will be an anchor to our vision of building a new age media company.”

Paul Aiello, Managing Director of Emerald Media, added, “Uday and his team have created an exceptional online video platform with a loyal subscriber base that realizes the huge potential of the global Indian diaspora. Our investment and relationship will enable YuppTV to further their strong leadership position in the rapidly growing OTT space.”

In September 2015, YuppTV had raised its Series A round of funding from Poarch Creek Indian Tribe of Alabama.  YuppTV has had over 10 million mobile app downloads, in addition to 50 million pre-installs on Samsung TVs worldwide and 300,000+ downloads on LG Smart TV, making it one of the most downloaded Smart TV Apps. The YuppTV app is also the second most popular app in Android Playstore in India (Entertainment) and the only South Asian app available on PS3™ & PS4™. In addition, YuppTV has launched its exclusive on-demand movie streaming service, YuppFlix, which is backed by an extensive library of more than 5000+ movies across various languages.

Emerald Media is a Pan-Asian platform established by KKR to invest in the fast-growing media and entertainment industries across Asia for which KKR has committed up to $300mm from its KKR Asian Fund II. Emerald Media is led by industry veterans Rajesh Kamat and Paul Aiello, supported by an experienced team of investment and operating executives. Paul and Rajesh together have a combined experience of more than 30 years in the industry and bring a unique blend of operational and investment acumen to their business approach.

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, YuppTV is one of the world’s leading over-the-top (OTT) content player for South Asian Content, live TV, video on demand, and on-demand Movie Solutions. YuppTV a pioneer in OTT space delivers more than 250 television channels in 14 languages, 4500 videos (daily), movies, and a lot more. Content is offered to viewers through a single subscription-based service in the form of Live TV, Catch-up TV and Movies that can be viewed on any of the six screens for video content consumption – Connected TVs, Internet STBs, Smart Blu-ray players, PCs, Smart Phones and Tablets.

Mirzya review: A colourful rendition of Shakespeare in Rajasthan

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

“Et tu, Brute! (You too, Brutus),” says a would-be-bride’s drunk father. But the woman is far from reconciling and a silent war brews between them. Neither is the winner and the person pulling the strings is hidden in the background.

Two school kids in Jodhpur are inseparable. The rich girl isn’t concerned about the boy’s humble roots and both are happy until a tragedy tears them apart. They meet again in Udaipur after some years – now as princess Suchitra (Saiyami Kher) and horse trainer Aadil (Harshvardhan Kapoor).

Suchi’s marriage with Prince Karan (Anuj Choudhary) is impending, and it’s going to be a saga to remember, filled with rage, grief and romance.

With Mirzya, Gulzar is back to screenplay writing after 17 years. He chooses to depend on a ‘sutradhar’ (the narrator). Sometimes, it’s a voiceover, sometimes it’s a group of tribal women.

The women wear colourful clothes and dance to songs reflecting the protagonists’ mental states. Add to it Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s music that reflects the ecstatic pain of love and takes the narration forward.

Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra creates a surreal world. He experiments with time warp and appears confident about the technique – having used it effectively in Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

And he is willing to add more drama. Like a stage play. Amidst colour blasts and oiled bodies, where super-slow motion shots frequently feature.

You don’t mind if Gulzar’s couplets cover almost the entire film. They are beautifully written and fantastically captured by the cinematographer Pawel Dyllus.

Also, a predictable story requires such gimmicks. We know Mirza-Sahibaan’s saga, one of Punjab’s most famous folklores. The interest was around how Mehra presents it, and he nails it, but what about intercuts to the real-time story?

n this part, he doesn’t have the luxury of Zack Snyder’s 300 like graphics, or saturated colours, or booming background score. The lead actors’ performances are his prime saviour, so giving them less dialogues appears like a wise decision. It helps in escalating the tension too.

However, the undercurrents of passion never touch the surface. Despite gloss and technical wizardry, the audience fails to feel the pain. It becomes tough for them to root for anybody. They keep watching everything from a distance.

From placement of props to every character’s marking, Mirzya shows some technical finesse. It’s shot with poetic sensibilities, but that’s probably not enough to stir the audience’s soul.

Harshvardhan Kapoor has decided to debut with an unconventional film, and he gets noticed. He u nderplays it, still leaves his impression in shots where he is alone on the frame. Saiyami Kher looks mysterious as Sahibaan, but somehow the other sides of her personality don’t come out.

You feel for Anuj Choudhary. His character doesn’t get time to switch gears. His transitions are too fast, but he does it with complete submission. A prince’s carefully worn humility to dejected anger, he displays a range of emotions, leaving us wanting for more.

This 135-minute Shakespearean drama is visually impressive, but lacks the essence of a heart wrenching love-story. It’s a period drama trying hard to be a musical. And music? Probably the best in last couple of years.

Deepika Padukone launches mental health awareness campaign

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Actor Deepika Padukone’s charitable trust launched a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness on mental health issues here on Monday, coinciding with World Mental Health Day.

The campaign ‘#DobaraPoocho’ (literally, Ask Again) is by The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF), which she set up exactly a year ago. The actor was diagnosed with depression in 2014, and while addressing the gathering the actor broke down and thanked her parents and sister for helping her overcome the ailment.

“Two years ago, my parents came to visit me. They were about to leave when my mother asked me if I am okay. I told her I was fine. When she asked me again, I felt myself choking and broke down. If it wasn’t for my mother, I wouldn’t be here. I want to thank my sister, my father, my friends and family for helping me,” a teary-eyed Padukone said.

The stigma attached to mental ailments is the main reason why society is struggling to address the problem, and the day we bring awareness to mental health, we will “win this battle,” Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone said Oct. 10.

The 30-year-old actress, who herself has battled depression, was speaking here at the launch of a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of psychological disorders on World Mental Health Day.

“It is important to realize that the kind of society we live in on Monday… We have become very competitive and drilled into it, which is a good thing, but, I also think we have become a little less sensitive to people around us… No one should feel that they do not belong to society,” she said.

India promises to tackle climate change issues

Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Paris agreement will help Indians learn to care for nature and start using natural resources like water more efficiently.  India’s ratification of the Paris climate agreement may help reduce the impact of climate change and is a positive move for the nation’s sustainable growth, according to environmentalists.

By ratifying the agreement, which was formulated in Paris last December, India has agreed to reduce carbon emissions believed to cause climate change. The nation also plans to produce at least 40 percent of its electricity from non-fossil resources by 2030.

India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin submitted the instrument of ratification at the organization’s headquarters in New York on Oct. 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, father of the Indian nation.

The agreement has so far been ratified by 62 countries, including India, and will come into force when 55 countries that produce at least 55 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions ratify it.

Progress on the agreement goals will be evaluated every five years. The first evaluation will be in 2023.

“It is a very positive step forward. We are the third largest country after U.S. and China to ratify it. It is a challenge for us to be careful and make our progress sustainable,” said Jesuit Father Robert Athickal, founder of Tarumitra (friends of trees), a nationwide organization of some 200,000 students promoting ecological sensitivity.

The priest said that no country has a choice of not doing something positive when it comes to the environment. “If we do not ratify, we will suffer. We know that we are exploiting the Earth,” he said.

Father V.J. Thomas, director of Jhansi Diocese’s social service wing, said the agreement would help increase awareness about climate change. “The farmers will also learn to care for nature and will start using natural resources like water more efficiently,” the priest said.

His diocese covers the drought-hit region in Uttar Pradesh. Father Thomas introduced a program there to help farmers return to more sustainable agriculture. Caritas India said the move would improve governmental and non-governmental efforts to address climate issues.

“Caritas India had already realized the importance of addressing issues related to climate change and these include preventive measures and also mitigating the impacts of natural disasters that are now occurring more frequently due to climate change,” Rajesh Upadhyay, Caritas India’s head of partner support services, told ucanews.com.

He said that the organization has already implemented projects in various Indian states to promote natural and organic farming to reduce dependence on energy-intensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides. “We have supported rain water harvesting structures in drought-prone areas and promoted eco-friendly programs in areas prone to floods, drought and landslides,” he said.

Religious Goddesses and Conditions of Women Today in India

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, India 0

By Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service

20 Oct 2016 – In the Hindu tradition, there are many goddesses (Devis) whom we remember and pay our obeisance to today. The names of some of the principal ones are Lakshmi and Saraswati who symbolize wealth and knowledge respectively. Another goddess is Parvati who symbolizes love, virtue and strength and is the wife of the Lord Shiva. Of course Durga Devi is also a well known goddess especially in Bengal and is revered in a nine day festival known as Durga puja with prayers and religious chants.

In addition to these Devis we fondly remember Sita, the wife of Lord Ram for her   virtue and sacrifice   as related in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Radha also finds a prominent place in the Hindu tradition in relation to Lord Krishna in the epic Mahabharata.

These virtuous women whom we designate as goddesses but whose historical antecedents are not clearly known are remembered and paid obeisance to by both men and women who believe in the Hindu faith. Similarly there are other virtuous women in different faiths – Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Jewish religions.

In Christianity the name of Mary as the mother of Jesus is highly revered. Recently Mother Teresa who although born in Albania in 1910, lived for a large portion of her later life in India and founded the organization called Missionaries of Charity to help the poor and homeless. She has been canonized on 4 September 2016 as a Saint of Calcutta by Pope Francis. She had also earlier in 1979 been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In Islam Khadija bint Khuwailid – the wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is also highly respected. Sikhism also gives pride of place to some eminent women – Bibi Nanaki (sister of Guru Nanak and Mata Gujri (wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur – the ninth Sikh Guru). In the Jewish faith relatively few women are mentioned but Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel are known as matriarchs in the Old Testament.

On 19th October 20, 2016, many married Hindu women took part in a festival known as Karva Chauth which is celebrated on the fourth day after the full moon day. Women fast for the whole day praying for their husbands’ health and welfare.

But the condition of many modern women especially in poorer regions of India is deplorable and unjust. Many women are subject to discrimination and violence in India today. Many poor women who care for their children and wait for their husbands’ return in the evenings are brutalized by their husbands. Why? Many of these men are drunk and victims of poverty themselves. Several middle class women suffer indignities due to unceasing demands for dowry — for more and more material goods from the wife’s parents. In Haryana women who marry on their own without the consent of their parents are again victims of what is known as honor killing. This abhorrent practice is followed in many other regions of India and also in some other countries of South East Asia. The reasons could be marrying out of caste especially if a higher caste woman marries a lower caste boy or vice versa.

Recently a thirteen year old girl named Aradhana belonging to the Jain faith died in Hyderabad after fasting for 68 days. Jainism allows people to fast and give up their lives. But this is allowed in exceptional cases and by adults. But Aradhana was a thirteen year old child. How did their family and the community allow this child to die at such a young age? These are questions that cannot be easily answered but it does show the injustice and discrimination which women and children are subject to in India today.

An unjust practice that Indian Muslim women are subject to is known as triple talaq. Talaq means divorce. If the husband says these three words talaq, talaq, talaq even on the telephone to his wife, the woman stands divorced immediately without any recourse to her point of view. The woman may weep and cry for justice especially if she has children to look after but no help is forthcoming from the Muslim Ulema (gurus). This practice has been abolished in most Islamic countries including Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh, but in India despite many voices against this cruel practice, it continues to victimize women.

India has been subject to terrorist activities across the border by Pakistan especially across the   (Line of Control)   LoC . The borders as well as the LoC are guarded by different men belonging to the army and border security forces. These men many of whom are in their twenties are alert to the dangers across the border but still fall to the bullets from across the border. Many die and many others are injured. What happens to their wives and children that they leave behind? It is a gruesome story of weeping young women carrying their innocent babies in their laps. The families are of course compensated monetarily but who can compensate these young women who have lost their husbands in the prime of their lives? The worst part is when political parties criticize the government on one pretext or another.

Although I have focused on the situation of women in India today, in many parts of the world women are victims of prejudice, injustice and violence both physical and mental.

What can be done to alleviate the situation? There is no easy answer. Let us remember that injustice and violence is taking many forms to which we must be sensitive and act against it sincerely. Justice for women is justice for all and ushers in peace and welfare for all humanity.

With key endorsements, Kamala Harris on way to U.S. Senate

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

With key endorsements last week from Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, California’s Attorney General Kamala Harris is reported to be on her way to be a member of the world’s most coveted body, the US Senate in the upcoming elections on November 8th.

The two senators joined a long list of popular Democrats who have thrown their support behind Harris in the race between two Democratic opponents, rejecting the Orange County congresswoman.

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Gov. Jerry Brown have all backed Harris. The California Democratic Party has spent more than $560,000 on Harris’ Senate campaign, but not offered a penny to help her rival, Sanchez.

Boxer, who is retiring from the Senate after four terms, described Harris as the perfect choice to succeed her in Washington and carry on her progressive agenda, implying that Sanchez failed to meet that test.

Harris, a Democrat, and her counterpart, Orange County area Rep. Loretta Sanchez, also a Democrat, are seeking the seat in the November election, but the Indian American attorney has garnered support from a laundry list of influential dignitaries. The latest endorsements have come in the wake of the Oct. 5 debate between the two candidates.

“California deserves a continuation of clear progressive leadership in the U.S. Senate. For almost 50 years, the seat that I hold has been a leadership seat on human rights, women’s rights, civil rights, voting rights, immigrants’ rights, fair trade, a clean environment and a voice for all families — no matter their circumstances,” Boxer added. “Kamala Harris shares those values with me. Her broad array of endorsements underscores this.”

Hindus for Trump: behind the uneasy alliance with rightwing US politics

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Three weeks before the election, Trump made a brief but rousing appearance at the Republican Hindu Coalition’s (RHC) Humanity United Against Terror charity concert, an event framed around raising money to combat “radical Islamic terrorism”, particularly for Hindus from Bangladesh and Kashmir.
“I’m a big fan of Hindu, and I’m a big fan of India,” Trump told hundreds of enthusiastic attendees in Edison, New Jersey, a town known for its sizable South Asian population.

Terrorism made for a dissonant theme on a night filled with several upbeat music and dance performances by Indian choreographer Prabu Deva and Signature, the dance group known for competing on Britain’s Got Talent.

The introduction to the national anthem featured a simulated terrorist attack, in which two couples dancing on stage were suddenly attacked by two men covered in brown cloth, who were shouting and wielding toy guns with green lightsabers attached. Men dressed as US Navy Seals entered to defeat the terrorists. They all stood together for the Star-Spangled Banner before dancing to Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA.

Kamal Singh of Edison, New Jersey, said he believed Trump, who he referred to as “the big leader”, will stand with India in fighting terrorist organizations from Pakistan. “Trump is for peace and he’s fighting against terrorism,” Singh said.

Trump, after lighting Diwali lamps onstage with the RHC’s founding chairman, Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, said: “The Indian and Hindu community will have a true friend in the White House.

“Generations of Hindu and Indian Americans have strengthened our country,” he said. “Your values and hard work, education and enterprise, have truly enriched our nation.”

Trump tried to appeal to Hindus among Indian Americans in three ways:

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

First, he equated Indians with Hindus, erasing India’s religious minorities — 172 million Muslims, 28 million Christians, 21 million Sikhs and 8 million Buddhists, among others — from the picture.

Second, he equated his position on Islamic terrorism with that of India’s government. As he put it: “We appreciate the great friend that India has been to the United States in the fight against radical Islamic terrorists . . . we are going to be best friends.”

Third, he equated himself with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi who has been very energetic in reforming India’s bureaucracy. Great man, I applaud him. I look forward to doing some serious bureaucratic trimming right here in the United States . . .”

Several news sources suggested that even though the majority of Indian Americans do not support Trump, his effort to associate himself with Modi and his anti-Muslim rhetoric might win him some support. The New York Times, for example, reported that his tracking of the language of Mr. Modi “has given Mr. Trump a foothold of support among Hindus in the United States, some of whom are also drawn to his strong talk about Muslims, their longtime adversaries on the subcontinent.”

WNYC reported, “The other way that Trump aligns with some Indians and Hindus in the U.S. is his proposed ban of allowing Muslim immigrants to enter the U.S. For decades Hindus and Muslims in India have been fighting and there were outbreaks in the late 1980s that left hundreds dead. So to some extent these two communities continue to harbor suspicious against each other. . . . Trump did get a rise out of the crowd when he mentioned fighting radical Islam.”

Diwali at Times Square 2016 lights up NYC

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

‘Diwali at Times Square 2016,’ the annual celebration of India’s most famous festival lit up the streets of New York City with colors and lights, showcasing to the world of India’s rich and diverse culture. Rhythmic dances from across India, Bollywood music, ethnic Indian cuisine and performances by leading stars were a treat not only to the participants who filled the iconic Times Square, but to the onlooker and the entire world. An interactive diya lighting ceremony, on the largest Times Square digital screen, brightened the ambience of the event and the hearts of the audience.

Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The program also featured a spectacular digital diya lighting on the Times Square screens followed by a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the launch of the U.S. Postal Service commemorative Diwali stamp.

diwali-at-times-square-2016-lights-up-nyc-3U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Indian Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin, Consul General Riva Ganguly Das and former Indian representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri, were some of the guests who were in attendance. A host of appearances and performances by television actors kept the large crowds entertained, which included Shabbir Ahluwalia and Sriti Jha of “Kumkum Bhagya” fame, “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” 2016 winner Kushal Paul, and singers Jyotica Tangri and Arjun. The event also saw performances by young artists, differently-abled kids, and regional cultural dance performances from various states of India.

‘Diwali at Times Square’ is not just a grand celebration of the festival of lights but also a beautiful display of our community and its roots,” said Neeta Bhasin, CEO of Event Guru. “Our main focus this year was to give a platform to young Indian talent, both from India and the U.S., as they represent our future and will carry forward our culture for years to come.”

The U.S.-India Business Council is pleased to partner with Diwali at Times Square on October 16, 2016. Celebrating a holiday that represents courage and victory over evil, is perhaps even more important now as we face challenges to our global social fabric. By celebrating at the center of New York City’s iconic Times Square, the message of hope and light will be highlighted in the most befitting way. Enjoyed by millions of Americans with Indian heritage and links, this event will underscore the importance of Indian-Americans in creating and being part of American culture and values.

The festival has come to be annual feature of the Big Apple, showcasing cultural and dance performances, ethnic attractions, local shopping stalls, and mouth-watering Indian cuisine; all leading into “Lighting Up Times Square.”

Princeton, N.J. holds Diwali Fair

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An estimated 5,000 people attended the 3rd Grand Diwali Fair held Oct. 23, at the Westin Hotel in Princeton, N.J. and featured a variety of stalls, cultural programs, dances and singing to entertain the people throughout the day, a press release from organizers said.

Many elected officials including Linda Greenstein, Assemblyman Dan Benson were there was the traditional lamp lighting ceremony to jump-start the event. Bollywood celebrity Tanushree Dutta entertained the crowd, interacting from the stage with children and adults alike, and thanked the audience for coming in such impressive numbers to celebrate Diwali together.

Sponsors of the fair were Zee TV and & TV, Aaj Tak, Parikh Worldwide Media, Desi Talk, Academic Dental, Hamilton, N.J., Theven Theviakumar, senior partner at New York Life, 8 K Miles Radio, Wells Fargo, Sistar Mortgage and numerous others.

Vikram Chatwal arrested for lighting two dogs on fire

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Dream Hotel founder Vikram Chatwal was arrested by NYPD Tuesday, October 18 for burning 2 dogs with an aerosol can and lighter. As per reports, Chatwal allegedly walked up to the dogs on a NYC street outside his apartment last week and opened fire as they were being walked. Chatwal was booked on one felony count of criminal mischief — and 3 misdemeanors … torturing an animal, reckless endangerment and arson.

Reports stated that he posted $50,000 bail and walked out of Manhattan criminal court in silence. Vikram Chatwal, 44, founder of the Dream Hotel Group, was charged with animal torture, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment for the Oct. 7 attack on Wooster St. near Grand St in New York. Dressed in all white with a grey vest, Chatwal was silent as he stood before Judge Steve Statsinger, who issued an order of protection for the two dogs — Molly and Finnegan — their owner and their dog walker. Chatwal’s attorney said his client was a lifetime animal lover who suffers from a bipolar disorder but would never harm an animal.

The dogs suffered minor injuries when their fur was burned, officials said. Chatwal has had a number of run-ins with the police over the years. In 2013, he was jailed in Florida after cops allegedly found him with illegal drugs at an airport checkpoint. He also admitted in 2014 that he was an addict who has been in rehab several times in the past. Assistant District Attorney Erin Satterthwaite said Chatwal acted erratically that day and was screaming, “The dogs must die!” Chatwal had to surrender his passport to the court. He’s due back Dec. 8.

Amit Kanodia convicted of insider trading

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Amit Kanodia of Indian origin from Brookline, Mass., has been convicted October 17 by a federal jury in Boston of conspiracy and securities fraud after tipping off two friends in connection with an insider trading scheme that netted more than $1 million in illegal profits.

Kanodia, 49, was convicted following a six-day jury trial of one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of securities fraud. Each count represents the purchase of Cooper Tire securities by co-conspirators Iftikar Ahmed and Steven Watson.  Kanodia was acquitted of eight additional counts of securities fraud related to other purchases made by Ahmed and Watson.

The conspiracy statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greater.

The securities fraud statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million.

His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 18. Meanwhile, Ahmed remains a fugitive from justice.  Watson has pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced in November.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, in the spring of 2013, Kanodia tipped off his two friends, Ahmed and Watson, about the contemplated acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company by India-based Apollo Tyre.   Kanodia learned about the possible acquisition from his wife who was the General Counsel of Apollo at the time.

In the months leading up to the public announcement of the acquisition, both Ahmed and Watson purchased shares and options in Cooper Tire which trades on the New York Stock Exchange. On the day of the announcement, Cooper Tire’s share price increased 41% and Ahmed and Watson began selling their interests in the company for a combined profit of more than $1 million.  Both Ahmed and Watson paid Kanodia a portion of their illegal profits.

Indian American Teenager shot dead at sandwich shop

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CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Police here said they arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of Sunny Ravi Patel, a 15-year-old boy working at Mr. Hero’s. Cleveland Heights. As per reports, Daveion Perry entered the Cleveland Heights shop on Oct. 14, fired a shot that struck Sunny Ravi Patel in the back of the head and then fled with money from a cash drawer, authorities said. Sunny, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, had decided not to watch a baseball playoff game with friends that night so he could help out at the shop, which is owned by an aunt and an uncle, relatives said. Perry also is charged with robbing a Subway sandwich shop in University Heights the following night and attempting to rob of a Dollar Store in Cleveland Heights the day after that.

The arrest happened two days after Sunny Ravi Patel, 15, was shot dead inside the sandwich shop on South Taylor Road here. As per reports, officers arrested the man, who they said matched the description of the shooter, as he walked into the Dollar General on Lee and East Overlook roads.

Police watched the man walk into the store. Officers approached him as he left and a foot chase ensued. Police eventually caught him on East Overlook Road. Police said they continue to investigate shooting and the suspect in custody.

Patel, of Highland Heights, attended Mayfield Heights High School and was working at Mr. Hero’s about 8 p.m. Friday when a masked gunman tried to rob the store.

The gunman shot Patel once in the head, stole cash from the register and ran from the store. Patel died at University Hospitals. A Cleveland Heights resident set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for his funeral. The account raised more than $9,400 toward its $10,000 goal by Monday afternoon. A judge set a $1 million bond for Perry earlier this week.

9-yr-old Parth Patel dies of cancer in NJ

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A little boy battling cancer from Jersey City who received his own parade sadly died on Saturday, October 22, according to Jersey City Police.

On most days, Parth Patel was a 4th grader battling cancer who just wanted to go to his school PS 27 in Jersey City. He also loved superheroes and wanted to be a police officer. So guess what? He got his wish.

“Look at his smile! This is what it’s about!” said Adrienne Morrell, Jersey City Police Department. His day started riding shotgun with Batman.

Funeral services were held Oct. 25 morning for Parth Patel, an Indian American resident of Jersey City who had been suffering from Ewings sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, for two years. Parth leaves behind his father Sunil, mother Parul, and an elder sister Hileri.

“A beautiful life that came to an end, he died as he lived, everyone’s friend,” Hileri Patel said on her Facebook page. “In our hearts a memory will always be kept, of one we loved and will never forget. We all love this little superhero but we lost him when we weren’t ready,” said Hileri Patel.

“He’s a child. You could only wish he gets better,” Jersey City police officer Melissa Sarmiento told CBS New York. “We can only pray for him and hope things work out.” Parth Patel received the keys to the city. The parade route ended at his school, where he was celebrated with a pizza party.

Aarzu Restaurant celebrates 1st Diwali

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By Jitin Jingorani

Renowned restauranteur Kamal Arora and Arora Hospitality Group’s latest culinary venture, Aarzu Restaurant, opens its doors to the community to celebrate its first-ever Diwali season this week (Diwali is on Sunday, October 30th). Specializing in modern Indian cuisine with a focus on taste, texture and presentation, the Freehold, New Jersey-based restaurant and banquet facility is hosting a week-long Diwali Festival with a specialized Indian New Year tasting menu, in-house henna artist and live tabla player, all in an attempt to engage and excite the community and educate them about the significance of this important Hindu holiday.

“The Indian New Year is an auspicious time when we celebrate with our families, and food is at the heart of that celebration,” said Arora, who has several other successful New Jersey restaurants under his belt. “We would like to invite the community-at-large to become a part of the Aarzu family and indulge in our Diwali festival to mark an important milestone for our newest restaurant.”

Post-Diwali, Aarzu will celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving and the holiday season by helping those less fortunate in their community. “For every meal we serve at Aarzu, we will DONATE a meal of equal value to our local food bank for the entire month of November,” said managing partner and philanthropist Archana Sharma. “As a socially-responsible small business, we want to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry this time of year.”

“If you love Indian food but your spouse or friends are hesitant, this is a good one to break them in as the atmosphere is more modern chic than Indian and there are menu options that are more Indian-American fusion than hardcore Indian.” – Lou M. (Yelp)

“This restaurant is a gem! Great ambiance with a trendy vibe & creative menu. The service was attentive and friendly. The spicy cheese naan was awesome, the lamb chops delicious, and the chicken cooked in a cashew sauce was very flavorful! Love the plating of food especially the bicycle basket. The pudding dessert presented on dry ice was very impressive & the orange dessert is a must try! Looking forward to going back.” – Lu Lella (Google)

“I have never been to India, but I have been to London a number of times and I always look forward to the great Indian food. I no longer have to get on a plane to have that experience.” – Bill D., (Trip Advisor).

Hartals in Kerala: a shameful exercise in futility

Staff ReporterEditorial 0

By George Abraham

Perspective of a Non-resident Keralite

It was supposed to be just another ordinary day in the life and times of Malayalees who live in ‘God’s own country,’ as I arrived at Thiruvananthapuram for a short vacation. However, it turned out to be a day of Hartal, a tumultuous few hours, courtesy of the Congress Party and the current political dynamics in the State.

It is quite extraordinary that I had the dubious honor of facing another Hartal upon my return to the U.S. two weeks later. This time, I had to leave my hometown, Chengannur a day early, to escape the wrath and fury of the BJP and RSS loyalists for a timely arrival at the airport.

One picture in the newspaper explained it all: a man in the Khadi Shirt and Mundu (supposed to be a Gandhian!) deflating a tire of a KSRTC bus right in the middle of the Road in Palayam. There were other stories where people were dragged out of their private vehicles and some beaten up, transport buses were stoned and damaged, government offices were attacked,  and stores were forced to shut their doors including ATM counters. With protestors blocking roads and clashing with police, normal life came to a standstill on 28th September in Thiruvananthapuram.

What surprised me most about the first Hartal is that it was planned and staged by the Congress leadership in Kerala. It is quite amazing that the party which introduced a bill to curb Hartal has now provided guidance and cover in holding one. The party was apparently protesting the hike in the tuition fees in the Medical colleges and the alleged brutality of the police to the protestors.

The explanation by the Opposition leader Shri Ramesh  Chennithala is rather amusing as well. He stated that the Hartal could be held in emergency situations but struggled to clarify his evolving rationale. However, Mr. Shashi Tharoor, M.P. expressed his disagreement in tweeting. “we are right to express our anger and demand an inquiry against the police misbehavior but not to disrupt the lives of the public through Hartals.”

Hartal is one item that seriously concerns every Non-resident Keralite. Many have experienced it first hand by being held up at an airport or prevented from getting timely medical help. It is indeed a travesty of justice and infringement on the freedom of every citizen guaranteed under the constitution. Despite repeated promises to the NRKs to bring this draconian and antiquated practice to a halt, Congress has now given impetus to a whole new generation to go out and destroy public property and stop the daily lives of the ordinary people in its tracks.

The history of development in Kerala is replete with incidents involving Industrial leaders walking away from their investment plans in the State due to political instability. Communist Party has been the champion of Gheraos and Strikes and the flag bearer as the top disruptor against investment and growth opportunities. BJP is also feared for its communal angle and have used their intimidating style of operations to hold successful Hartals.

However, it is shameful for Congress Party to revert to this arcane form of protest that would have cost millions of Rupees in business and lost productivity. In the last five years, the party has prided itself as the party of development, growth and equal opportunity!  A senior Congress leader A K Antony quoted once as saying ‘ the public does not support calls for Hartals and Gheraos  but stand by those who bring about development.’ He implied at the time that the LDF failed to understand the people of Kerala who are exposed to progress through development and not by violent means.

However, after the recent severe losses in the election, it appears that the Congress party in the state seems to be in disarray and search of some new relevance.  LDF has consolidated its power, and they are digging in for the long haul. BJP has become the fastest growing political power in the State and obviously is a serious threat to supplant Congress party as the next possible alternative.

It is as if ‘when Rome is burning, the Ceasar is fiddling,’ the Congress leadership in the State at all levels is either out of touch with the aspirations of the people or simply too focused on their internal quarrels and pitiful rivalries to boost their self-development. They appear to be either so oblivious or merely unconcerned to so many serious issues facing this country such as Growing Intolerance, Rising Mistreatment and Discrimination of Dalits and Backward Castes, Eroding Civil Rights, Youth Unemployment, Environmental Degradation, Adulterated Food Supply, Rising Inflation and Falling Infrastructure, just to mention a few. It is no wonder then they have chosen the ‘rise in the tuition fee in medical colleges’ as the most pressing issue where students have already paid their dues that they could well afford,  and started their classes.

There is no doubt that the Education in the state has become a booming business. Undoubtedly, people with money stand to gain most from the current system. Most political parties also tend to benefit from it and exploit every opportunity that comes their way. I am told by someone closer to these negotiations that the Chief Minister initially warned the private school management representatives that the opposition would not accept these increases, but they persisted. It begs the question then, how they could agree to a change in tuition schedule now that the Opposition is ratcheting up the case!

It is time for the Congress Party, in particular, to level with the people of Kerala and go back to the grass roots and build up a faithful following with commitment if they are to play a meaningful role in the future. Perception of Corruption and lack of fortitude in fighting communal forces continue to dog the party and hurt its image.  It is probably time for the renewal of the Congress Party in the State with some fresh ideas outside the box and maybe, with a younger and more vibrant leadership!  A Youth Congress leader deflates the tire of a KSRTC bus as its driver and conductor look on at Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. (Photo: A.V. MUZAFAR-Deccan Chronicle)

(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and Chairman of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA)

Bhairavi Desai lauds decision of NYC Couriers for standing up for Rights

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New York City – The New York Messengers Alliance, a grass-roots labor organization lead by veteran and new bike messengers and walkers announced its formation and the launch of a Worker Safety Campaign, calling on courier companies including Uber, Postmates, DoorDash, and Caviar to pay for safety equipment and provide Workers Compensation for injured workers.  The messengers have been regularly meeting, strategizing, organizing to be the voice for 10,000 workers who labor the streets in the country’s biggest courier market.

Couriers, including bike messengers and walkers, work in all weather and in constant risk of injury. Couriers work for services such as UberRUSH and UberEATS, with no guaranteed minimum wage or paid sick leave, and few on-the-job protections.

“Uber messengers are treated the same as Uber drivers: misclassified as independent contractors, subject to poverty rates, constant wage cuts, firings, long hours, no paid time off, with the added fight of proving employee status when challenging the exploitation,” said Bhairavi Desai, President of the National Taxi Workers Alliance and Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “Uber messengers and drivers and the overall messenger and driver workforces are in a historic struggle to protect their full-time pay and stop the race to the bottom, battling a Wall Street darling valuated at over $60 billion. Like drivers, messengers – also mostly people of color and immigrants – are at a historic juncture. And with the New York Messengers Alliance, they choose to organize and fight and challenge an exploitative business model, not concede to its makers.”

NYMA is the first non-driver affiliate of the National Taxi Workers Alliance.  NYTWA and NYMA will jointly organize Uber Workers Rising, a campaign of Uber Drivers and Messengers, in solidarity with all drivers and messengers, to challenge Uber’s business model of part-time-only, poverty wages work cemented by misclassification.

“Over the summer I fractured my ankle on the job but I had to keep working, pedaling with one foot because I didn’t have any way to buy food if I took time off,” said Sadio Ballo, New York Messengers Alliance Executive Committee Member and 16-year bike messenger who formerly worked for Uber. “We are forming the New York Messengers Alliance to build our collective strength to improve the appalling conditions that couriers work under. Every day, messengers struggle to get by in this great city without decent wages and without employer-paid medical coverage if we get injured on the job. Over the past few years, app-based companies like Uber have lowered the standards, making our jobs even harder and pushing us to the breaking point. Since Uber cut our rates, we find ourselves working 12 to 16 hour shifts on our bicycles or on our feet the entire time, often making less than minimum wage for our work. We will no longer accept being taken advantage of by these billion-dollar companies. Together, we are standing up and fighting back.”

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Opens With Grand Ceremony In Long Island

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Long Island: “I am absolutely ecstatic to be here today. This is a great day for Long Island. This Mandir is absolutely beautiful. It is gorgeous,” said, Steven Bellone, Suffolk County Executive during the inauguration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Melville, New York. Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami (Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami) – one of the most senior Swami of BAPS, and revered swamis from India and North America inaugurated the temple on October 9, 2016.

After two decades of unflinching dedication and thousands of hours of volunteer work, the Mandir stood glistening as the much-anticipated inauguration ceremony started on the morning of October 9, 2016. Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami (Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami) performed the consecration ceremony in accordance with Hindu Vedic rituals to infuse divinity into the sacred images inside the Mandir in the presence of devotees and well-wishers from across the Tri-state area. The Mandir is the vision of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. It was inaugurated with the blessing of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the current spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

“The inauguration of the Mandir is a dream come true for me,” said, Girish Patel, a lead volunteer for the Mandir. “We were trying to acquire land since a long time and put in a lot of effort for the timely completion of the construction. The inauguration of the Mandir is a great moment of joy and celebration for all of us. Today onwards, the Mandir is open to one and all.” The inauguration was a culmination of a host of events, held over three days. The festivities for the opening began with a melodious “Kirtan Aradhana” (singing of devotional songs) by BAPS Swamis.

baps-long-island-mandir-inauguration-2

On Saturday, October 8th, a yagna was performed with prayers for family unity and world peace. Speaking on occasion, Steven Bellone, Suffolk County Executive said, “Long Island, Suffolk County, this nation, this world is enriched, has been made better by all of the people inside this room today. There are a lot of problems in the world today, lot of strife, war; we have problems here in our own country, and sometimes when I think about the future I think what is that going to look like. Then I come here and look out into this room and I see an army of people who are good and fighting for good and what is best about humanity in our world today. So I feel good, and I feel confident, and I feel proud about our future. ” Other dignitaries present for the event were Assemblyman Chad A. Lupinacci, Steve Zimmerman from Newsday Corporation and community leaders from New York and New Jersey.   “I have been waiting for this day for years. I can’t believe it it’s finally here and it’s so beautiful, said Sheena Shah, a devotee.

“If one word could sum up the construction of this Mandir, it would be: sacrifice. It was, indeed, the dedication, service, effort and sacrifice of hundreds of volunteers from doctors to lawyers to engineers to architects who completed this Mandir”, said, Hardik Patel. “Whether it was raining or sweltering outside, volunteers came every evening and on all weekends to do everything from heavy duty labor to planning and execution of the smallest thing for making this Mandir.” The Mandir was constructed utilizing a suite of eco-friendly and cost-effective technological advancements including natural lighting techniques, and LED lights to help reduce its carbon footprint.  The building includes youth classrooms, a gymnasium, and an assembly hall to host the weekly Satsang or spiritual assemblies.

The new Mandir will surely be home for cultural, social, and religious activities for the Hindu American community will also be a hub for community service activities. Very soon we will see various activities in the areas of education, environment, health, social welfare, and culture being organized here. The Mandir will help improve the quality of life of individuals and families, said, Samir Bhatt, a BAPS representative. For more information about the new Mandir and the activities of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, please visit www.baps.org/longisland.

INOC-I given warm reception to Ashwani Kumar

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

By Rajender  Dichpally

Indian National Overseas Congress-I (INOC-I) hosted senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Ashwani Kumar here on Monday. Kumar has been in the US to deliver guest lectures at the top universities.

Welcoming the senior Congress leader from India, INOC Chairman Shudh Parkash Singh briefed him on the activities of the Indian National Overseas Congress in the US. Shudh Parkash Singh also explained to him how for the first time he initiated the process of democratic elections held last year. This was as per the advice of Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Congress Party Dr Karan Singh.

He said the voters and candidates had come from California, Texas, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and New York. “Democratization of the Party was initiated by Rahul Gandhi first time in India and we did so for the first time in the USA,” he added.

In her address, INOC President Lavika Bhagat Singh said “we are proud to have such a learned man in our midst and looking for his long-term guidance and support to grow the awareness of the INOC and make every Indian aware as to what the Congress Party has done for India that it stands right next to the United States in all its power.”

She said “the US-India partnership is one to contend with in the future and they will remain strong allies to contend with despite all upheavals that may irk the world in the future.

Lavika Bhagat Singh also spoke of her desire to host a major event next year in Washington D.C. to bring Congress economic policies in focus.INOC General Secretary Rajender Dichapally made a presentation to the former minister and senior Congress leader and explained how this seminar would build stronger US-India relations and foster closer ties and lead to better trade and bring prosperity between the two nations.

Among others, INOC Vice Presidents — Phuman Singh and Ravi Chopra — also interacted with Ashwani Kumar. Gurmeet Singh Gill, President Punjab Chapter, said he would be happy to participate in the electionc campaign to ensure the victory of the Congress Party in Punjab.

Visiting dignitary Ashwani Kumar said that he aims to project Congress party and its policies in favorite light through a series of meetings he would be delivering in the US, Canada and the UK. INOC Joint Secretary Gurminder Singh Talwandi proposed a vote of thanks. The meeting ended with a sumptuous dinner.

Ashwani Kumar represents the Indian National Congress party from Punjab in the Rajya Sabha. He has been nominated as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests in September 2014. He has also been nominated as Member of the General Purposes Committee of Rajya Sabha and Member of the Consultative Committee for Ministry of Defence in January 2015.

He has held key ministerial portfolios in the UPA government, including Ministry of Law and Justice; Parliamentary Affairs; Science and Technology and Ministry of Planning. In 1991, at the age of 37 he was appointed one of the youngest Additional Solicitor General of India. He has served as Indian National Congress party’s National Spokesperson and Chairman of its Vichar Vibhag. He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2002.

Congressional candidate Peter Jacob’s house vandalized

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

The campaign of Indian-American Democratic Congressional Candidate Peter Jacob and the community of Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, was shaken by a spate of hate graffiti painted on his home and the sidewalk adjacent to it on October 7 and October 11.

The Indian-American candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey has been speaking out against Donald Trump’s rhetoric after vandals defaced his home with swastikas twice in a matter of days.

Peter Jacob (D), who is running for office in the state’s 7th Congressional District, says the sidewalk outside his Union home was vandalized Friday night with swastikas, and that the back wall of his house was covered with the symbol two days later.

Such a hate crime, Jacob said in an email to supporters, is exactly the kind of behavior that the GOP presidential nominee enables. “Let there be no mistake, the people who committed this crime did so because they feel comfortable and confident to commit hateful acts due to an ever increasing atmosphere of accepted racism,” Jacob said. “We must work harder than ever to ensure that on November 8th, we do not let a man who has called for a ban on an entire religion, someone who has advocated for sexual assault, incest, and an attack on women’s rights, in to office.”

Jacob also called out his Republican opponent, four-term incumbent Rep. Leonard Lance, for supporting Trump’s White House run. The rise of Islamophobia in the U.S. has made targets out of many brown-skinned people, regardless of their religion. The Council on American Islamic Relations has spoken out against these attacks, including the one against Jacob. Jacob’s opponent, incumbent Republican Leonard Lance, promptly released a statement Oct. 11, calling the display of anti-Semitic hate symbols like the swastika “abhorrent.”

“At the end of the day, this is why I’m running for office – to fight racism, ignorance and divisiveness,” Jacob said.

Bhairavi Desai-led New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Uber Drivers win employee status

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New York – For the first time in New York State, Uber drivers have been determined to be employees. Uber does not contribute to unemployment benefit funds or guarantee a minimum wage for drivers because the company insists that its drivers are independent contractors. Now, the New York State Department of Labor has for the first time determined that two drivers who filed for unemployment were in fact employed by Uber.

“This is a significant victory for Uber drivers, and a game changer for all drivers in a race to the bottom due to Uber’s economic policies,” said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance which was also a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “Uber is lowering the standards for all drivers across the industry and the outcome of this fight will, in many ways, determine the future of the industry. That’s why it’s so important to hold Uber accountable. We’re calling on the Department of Labor to conduct a full audit of Uber and make a determination consistant with labor law that all drivers are employees. We will keep fighting until we win employee status for all Uber drivers and all of the legal and economic protections for workers that correspond with employee status.”

The two unemployment determinations came after Brooklyn Legal Services (a program of Legal Services NYC) filed a federal lawsuit  on behalf of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and two Uber drivers, Jakir Hossain and Levon Aleksanian, complaining that the New York State Department of Labor was refusing to investigate claims for unemployment benefits by Uber drivers. Both Uber driver plaintiffs have been determined to be employees of Uber and one of them was determined to be an employee of both Uber and Lyft.

One plaintiff, Jakir Hossain, began to receive unemployment benefits last week after struggling to get by for nearly a year while waiting for his determination. Mr. Hossain was found to be an employee of both Uber and Lyft.

“Now that I have received unemployment benefits I can finally start to make ends meet again,” said plaintiff and former Uber driver Jakir Hossain. “For nearly a year, as the Department of Labor dragged its feet, I was so broke that I had to borrow money to pay my rent and I racked up credit card debt for the first time. After Uber deactivated me for having a 4.3 rating, I was no longer able to send money home to my family in Bangladesh and I couldn’t afford basic living expenses. I came to this country with the hope that if I worked hard enough, I could create a better future for myself. But my experience with Uber left me broken hearted about the American dream. Now that I see the strength we have when drivers work together with the support of our union, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, to fight for our rights, I have reason to hope again.”

This historic victory could have a profound impact on the business models of Uber and other app-based car service companies that “terminate” drivers at will and keep them at low pay without any protections to fall back on.

Founded in 1998, NYTWA is the 19,000-member strong union of NYC taxicab drivers, representing yellow cab drivers, green car, and black car drivers, including drivers for Uber and Lyft.  We fight for justice, rights, respect and dignity for the over 50,000 licensed men and women who often labor 12 hour shifts with little pay and few protections in the city’s mobile sweatshop.  Our members come from every community, garage, and neighborhood. To find out more visit NYTWA.org

City Council Passes Three Key Data Equity Bills

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Social service agencies to improve data collection for diverse, multiracial, and LGBTQ New Yorkers

New York, NY – On October 13, 2016, the New York City Council voted and passed three bills into law that will require social service agencies to improve demographic data and better serve the City’s diverse communities. The bills, Intros 251-A, 551-A, and 552-A, were sponsored by Council Member Daniel Dromm and Council Member Margaret Chin.

Intro 251-A will require the Department of Social Services, the Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Homeless Services, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department for the Aging, the Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Department of Education to allow individuals filling out demographic forms to select from the top 30 largest ancestry groups and languages spoken in New York city based on the U.S. Census Bureau, with an option to write in a response. Intro 551-A will allow for multiracial New Yorkers to select more than one option on these forms. Intro 552-A will require demographic forms to contain questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Data will be publicly available, and implementation will include training in order to ensure that data is collected in a sensitive and respectful manner. Together these bills share a similar goal of ensuring that the City collects more accurate demographic data that reflects the diversity of NYC. Coalition for Asian American Children and Families Interim Executive Director, Henrietta Ho-Asjoe, issued the following statement:

“The Asian Pacific American community is the fastest growing community in New York City. Yet little is known about the over 40 different ethnic groups that comprises the APA population and the needs of our diverse communities. We know from our members that services and resources are not adequately allocated to meet the growing demand of APA communities because little data is available.

For too long, when city agencies issue reports, APAs are either not mentioned, categorized simply as ‘Asian,’ ‘Asian/Pacific Islander,’ or ‘Other.’ This aggregated approach renders the different APA ethnic communities invisible and masks the unique social, educational, and economic difficulties in our communities.

The passage of Intros 251-A, 551-A, and 552-A is an important first step, and we look forward to Mayor de Blasio signing these important bills into law. In particular, Intro 251-A will allow us to identify and address disparities that were previously invisible. This opens up new doors in the way that we are able to serve our community. However, we hope that this is just the beginning. More work needs to be done systemically so that small and emerging APA communities will be counted. We will continue to advocate for data that better reflects the diverse experiences and real challenges facing New Yorkers. We thank the City Council for recognizing this need within Asian Pacific American, LGBTQ, and multi-racial communities.”

CACF to honor Anurima Bhargava

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The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) is pleased to announce that it will recognize the significant achievements of Anurima Bhargava for her advocacy work around children and education, impacting the lives of thousands of children and families. Ms. Bhargava will be recognized at CACF’s 30th Anniversary Gala and Caring for Children Awards on Monday, October 17 at espace in New York City, where over 300 guests, including community leaders, advocates, and professionals from law, finance, healthcare and technology will come together and raise vital funding for CACF’s policy and advocacy campaigns.

Anurima Bhargava served as the Chief of the Educational Opportunities Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. She led the Division’s efforts to provide equal educational opportunities for all students by enforcing federal statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, language status, religion and disability in schools and institutions of higher education. Through litigation, guidance and policy, the Division addresses a broad range of issues, including school segregation; school discipline and the school to prison pipeline; harassment and bullying; sexual assault; and protecting educational access and services for English Learners, LGBTQ and undocumented students. She has served on numerous task forces and working groups, including the White House Task Force to Prevent Campus Sexual Assault and the Supportive School Discipline Initiative.

Since leaving the DOJ in February 2016, Ms. Bhargava served as a Fellow at the Institute of Politics and is currently a Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Comments Bhargava, “CACF has given a voice to our future and each of our children, the tools to dismantle barriers. It is a privilege to join CACF in celebration of the impact it has had and will have on generations to come!”

Bhargava will be honored alongside Dr. Raymond Fong and Dr. Danny Fong, both past Presidents of the Chinese American Medical Society; the Lee Family – Chester, Diana and Michael, who represent two generations of community service; and world-leading surgeons on vascular anomaly Dr. Teresa O and Dr. Milton Waner.

“As we celebrate 30 years of empowering children and families, we are thrilled to honor Anurima Bhargava, who has dedicated her professional life to improving access to education for all children.  Her selfless achievements will inspire Gala attendees and the many families and children we serve,” stated Henrietta Ho-Asjoe, CACF’s Interim Executive Director.

7-year-old Pakistani beaten up by classmates for being a Muslim

Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

A seven-year-old boy of Pakistani origin was allegedly beaten up by five classmates on a school bus in the US for being a Muslim, forcing the family to move back to Pakistan, media reports say.

Two-time Fulbright scholar, Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usman,  who uses data to prevent terror attacks, shared a post on Facebook with a picture of his son wearing a sling on his arm after he was attacked by fellow students in Cary, North Carolina.

“Welcome to the United States of America of Donald Trump.” he wrote as a caption  post on october 8, the International Business Times reported.

“Meet my son Abdul Aziz. He is in grade 1, bullied and beaten by his own classmates in school bus for being a Muslim.” he continued.

Usmani  told The Huffington Post  they twisted his son’s arm and called him “Muslim” over and over again.

“He was born and raised in the United States. He was born in Florida. As American as you can think of. He likes Captain America. He wants to be president of the United States of America,” Usmani told The Huffington Post, while speaking from Pakistan. This is not the first incident of bullying and discrimination. According to Usmani, the family has been on a receiving end of discrimination several times

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the group wants the school system to do an investigation and determine whether police should get involved.

Midwest Akali Dal performed a mega rally in Chicago

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Midwest Akali Dal Badal performed a mega rally in Chicago on Sunday, October 2, 2016 at Cascade Banquets, 800 W Irving Park Rd, Bensenville, IL. Over 500 NRI volunteers and supporters gathered at cascade banquets in Bensenville to support Midwest Akali Dal. The basic philosophy of Akali Dal is to give political voice to Sikh issues and it believes that religion and politics go hand in hand.

Akali Dal was formed in India on December 14, 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the Sikh religious body. The Akali Dal considers itself the principal representative of Sikhs. Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of a unified proper Akali Dal, but it became popular under Master Tera Singh. Chicago’s Akali Dal unit has announced Akali Dal’s Mega Political Rally in Chicago on 02 Oct 2016 to mark the Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The announcement was made at the executive meeting of the Midwest Akali Dal held under the leadership of Mr Amrik Singh, a core member of Akali Dal’s overseas unit at Maharaja Restaurant.

The chief organizer of the rally Mr. Amrik Singh (Amar Carpet Chicago) said that the motive of this rally was to explain the policies of Akali Dal in public and share the development factors which Akali government did on huge level in Punjab state. Punjab has progressed by no leaps and bounds under the Badal regime. The tangible progress is being brought to the notice of public to blunt the farcical propaganda of the opposition He also told that the name of rally was “Mission 2017.” The discussion with party workers and public how we can make Akali government in 2017.

The newly appointed member Lovdeep Singh Daulat emphasized the need to structure the campaign in such manner as results in optimum political benefits to Akali Dal during forthcoming Punjab elections. Explaining the modus operandi Amrik Singh said that a proper set up is in place to make phone calls to Punjab voters to vote for Akali Dal. He informed that as the elections will draw closer, a team of US-based volunteers will reach Punjab for door-to-door campaigning. Amrik Singh said that several significant announcements will be made at the Oct 2 Mega Rally whose focus is to highlight the achievements of Akali Regime, and the tangible progress made under Mr Badal’s leadership. Eminent Akali NRIs and Akali Dal supporters from across the United States are expected to attend.

The party workers and supporters was came from all Midwest States, Mr. Charanjit Singh Brar, OSD to deputy Chief Minister and education minister of Punjab Daljit Singh Cheema addressed to the rally on live telecast. They explain the achievements of Akali government and gave the answers of questions that was first time done by a political party in United States.

Rally Chief Amril Singh also announced the women cell of Midwest Akali Dal. Responsibility was given to BiBi Gursharan Kaur for the membership of that cell, the speakers in the rally deliver the message of Shromani Akali Dal on different accepts about, farming, industry, low income, people’s welfare schemes.

The hugely successful event was conducted by Amrik Singh Amar Carpet and supported by Member High Power Kore Committee Chef Media Incharge Chef Coordinator of this rally. S Bachan Singh Gill Chairman, S. Lovedeep S Dulat Senior Vice President, Baba Daljit Singh, S. Harvinder Singh Senior Vice President, S. Paul S Khalill Senior Vice Picture, S Narinder S Sra Senior Vice President, S Amritpal S Sangha Senior Vice President, S Onkar Singh Heer Vice President, S Gurmeet S Bhola General Secretary, S Lakhwant S Komal General Secretary of Illinois, S Yadwinder S Grewal president Illinois, S Sukhdev S Dhaliwal General Secretary, S Manminder S Heer General Secretly, Yangbaudhar S Bolina Vice President YAD Midwest did excellent job success this rally.

Harendra Singh’s quid pro quo leads to Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano’s arrest

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Indian American restaurateur Harendra Singh’s deals has led to the arrest of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife, Linda on Thursday, October 20, 2016 . The couple were arrested early morning in a bribery and kickback scheme involving the restaurateur — who paid Linda Mangano $450,000 for a no-show job as a “food taster,” authorities said.

Oyster Bay’s town supervisor, John Venditto, also was implicated in the scheme, helping out restaurateur Harendra Singh with his business in exchange for being allowed to hold fundraisers at the businessman’s restaurants and given free limousine service, according to the feds and sources.

As per reports, Mangano and his family also were treated to free trips, including vacations in Niagara Falls, St. Thomas, and Turks and Caicos, officials said. On top of that, they allegedly received a $3,371.90 ergonomic office chair, a $3,623.73 massage chair from Brookstone, a $7,304 Panerai Luminor watch and hardwood flooring in the Manganos’ bedroom worth $3,701.81.

Ed Mangano walked out of his Bethpage home without handcuffs just before 7 a.m. and got into a waiting vehicle, WABC reported. “I will have a press statement for everybody later. I plan on giving my own press conference. Let’s see what they are saying and I will be happy to respond. That’s all I can say right now,” Mangano said.

ed-manganoThe Manganos and Venditto pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court in Central Islip on Thursday and were set to be released on $500,000 bond. They posted their homes as collateral.

A 13-count federal indictment alleges that Mangano, the highest-ranking elected official in Nassau County, and Venditto used their positions to help the federally indicted Singh, who was identified by sources, to procure lucrative county contracts and loans guaranteed by the town of Oyster Bay.

In exchange, Mangano’s wife was paid for a “no-show” job at one of Singh’s restaurants, the feds allege. “We allege that she was paid ostensibly to do nothing, and so she received a salary for a period of years that totaled $450,000,” US Attorney Robert Capers said at a press conference announcing the indictment.

Mangano and Venditto have been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services fraud. The Manganos and Venditto were also charged with obstructing justice for concocting fictitious stories with Singh in an effort to hide their dirty dealings.

Singh is assisting the feds in a probe into Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign fundraising,the New York Times reported earlier Wednesday. It is unclear whether Singh is cooperating in the Mangano case.

Mangano is charged with honest-services fraud in connection with two Nassau County contracts that were given to Singh. They involve the provision of bread and rolls to the Nassau County jail in June 2012, and the provision of $237,000 worth of food to workers in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

Mangano, a Republican, was first elected county executive in 2009. He is up for re-election in 2017. He also served seven terms in the Nassau County Legislature.

AAPI To Hold 10th Annual Global Healthcare Summit In Udaipur, Rajasthan

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The groundbreaking Summit from December 28-30, 2016 will discuss ways to bring the most innovative, efficient and cost effective healthcare solutions for India

The 10th 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 & Ministry of Health and the government of Gujarat, with participation from some of the world’s most well known physicians, and industry leaders will be held from December 28th to 30th, 2016 in Udaipur, Rajasthan,.

“In order to cater to its diversity of medical specialties, AAPI continues to use a multi-disciplinary conference format to provide ongoing education to its members. The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Ajay Lodha, president of AAPI, while describing the purpose of CME said. According to Dr. Lodha, “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.”

AAPI ith JP Nadda
AAPI ith JP Nadda

“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,” Dr. Lodha added.

“In our continued effort to expand and broaden the scope, AAPI, with AIIMS as ADVISOR to the AAPI International Research Competition and in collaboration with AIIMS, RUHS and RNT is now taking this competition to the international level and at the upcoming 10th Annual Global Health Summit,” Dr. Lodha said. He invited all Medical Students, Residents, Young faculty up to 10 years after PG, Research Associates, Research Scientists, PhD Students, Hospital and Healthcare Management Students, AYUSH Professionals, Young Innovators etc. of India origin to submit articles/abstract based on Original Research done by him/her and that it has not been presented, published or submitted anywhere else.

The Research Paper Competition shall be conducted under five categories, Dr. Lodha said. 1.  Clinical Sciences and Patient Based Research; 2.      Basic Science/Translational Research; 3.      Innovations in Healthcare; 4.      Hospital and Healthcare Management; and, 5.      AYUSH. For more information on the research contest, please visit our website – www.aapiresearchcomp.org

According to Dr. Lodha, who has just returned from India, after a series of meetings with several Ministers and government officials in New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Mumbai, said, “This year AAPI Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) at Udaipur will be 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.”

AAPI with Maneka Gandhi
AAPI with Maneka Gandhi

Some of the highlights of the Summit will include,  initiating the AAPI project of saving the lives of Traumatic Brain Injury victims and Rajasthan Kota has been chosen as second town as a pilot project for saving the lives of the road side accident victim; First whole day symposium and work shop on EPS; Announcing of initiatives including treatment modalities on Non communicable medical diseases; Women’s forum where prominent women leaders of different sects have been invited to discuss on various modalities of treatment modalities and for women and child health development; and, the fifth CEO symposium with special emphasis on Patient centric care involving several CEO’s from Pharma companies, CEO’s of hospitals of American and Indian, health care leaders and directors of health care agencies and government officials.

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,” Dr. Lodha said.

The Summit will facilitate dissemination and exchange of best practices including a special session on Public-Private Partnership featuring AAPI Healthcare Charitable showcase & innovation. During the Return to India/Visa to India Seminar, a high caliber faculty will share the experiences of NRIs who have returned and about the financial, real estate and legal challenges faced. For the first time, the Udaipur Summit will have Rajasthan as the first state to launch officially the official Guidelines for addressing the trauma and brain injury victims, Dr. Lodha says.

AAPI with Richard Verma
AAPI with Richard Verma

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 that will be over 300 very prominent and talented physicians and surgeons from abroad, in addition to the hundreds of physicians from India, who are very passionate about serving their homeland, mother India,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President-Elect of AAPI, says.=

“This Summit will display how well the Indian doctors have shown themselves as an effective force in the medical world in USA,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, Vice President of AAPI, says. GHS 2014 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, Dr. Samadder explains.

To be attended by nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world, GHS is a forum for exploring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions for India. Aimed at advancing the accessibility, affordability and the quality of world-class healthcare to the people of India. While seeking to identify ways for greater collaboration and cooperation between the physicians and health care providers in India with those of Indian origin and major healthcare providers abroad, the Summit will focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment options and share ways to truly improve healthcare transcending global boundaries.

“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. Lodha says. “In our quest to fulfill the mission of AAPI, we are proud to share best practice and experiences from leading experts in the world and develop actionable plans for launching demonstration projects that enable access to affordable and quality healthcare for all people. To accomplish this mission, AAPI is backed by leading healthcare experts and professional associations, including Indian Affairs and Indian Development foundation Overseas Indians,” he adds. For more information on Global Health Summit, please visit www.aapiusa.org

Devgns win hearts of Texans in Dallas during the “Meet the Devgns USA tour for the upcoming film SHIVAAY

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Texas rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome the Bollywood power couple, Ajay Devgn and Kajol who were on their tour in the United States to promote Devgn’s upcoming action thriller “Shivaay”. Produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms, Pen India Limited and NH Studioz, “Shivaay” will be distributed overseas by Reliance Entertainment. The press and public tours are presented by Reliance Entertainment and powered by Wells Fargo, Prria Haider Productions, Dembi Productions, Sahil, Desi Junction, Cine Grand and DFW South Asian Film Festival. The duo made a quick stop in Dallas on the way to Chicago and San Fransisco from New York with an intimate affair at the W Hotel & Residencies, Dallas, Texas on the 23rd September 2016 hosted by Dr. Bharat and Smita Sangani.

‘Shivaay’ is a family drama about a mountaineer who lives in his world but also turns into a destroyer, when it comes to his family. The trailer of the film is very intriguing and has already broken all records. It shows Ajay doing stunts on the snow-clad mountains with intense fight scenes. At the same time, highly romantic and emotional side can also be seen.

The conference unveiled the second song from the movie titled ‘Darkhast’ and everything about the icy song; from music to lyrics, from cinematography to Ajay and Erika’s chemistry completely melted our hearts. Erika Kaar, a Polish actress, who made her Bollywood debut with the action-thriller, is currently the talk of the town and we just couldn’t get our eyes off her during the entire song as she has done a marvelous job. Talking about the music, Kajol describes the title song, as “one of the best songs with outstandingly written lyrics that makes it easier for everyone to understand what it means to be Shivaay”.

During the conference, Ajay talks about the connection of his character whose name is Shivaay to Lord Shiva. He states, “As Lord Shiva is almost human and got all the imperfections, can be fooled, is detrimental, is a destroyer. Similarly, Shivaay also has all elements of the imperfections that is channelized in the right way and becomes a superhero in extraordinary situations”.

When asked about the cast of the film, Ajay responded, “Since the script demanded actors from all over the world and lots of characters are not supposed to be Indian, I took 6-8 months to cast characters from US, UK, Portland and Germany and it is a performance oriented film so I took time and got lucky to find actors who are amazing”. While, the entire team did an outstanding job getting the film together; the couple talks about the physical challenges that they had concerning the weather conditions, wherein they had to shoot in -25 degrees. Kajol supported Ajay throughout and appreciated the way he directed, produced and acted at the same time, which was the biggest challenge of all.

When asked if Kajol would ever direct a film, she responded, “I love being the captain of my family and wouldn’t want to be a director ever.” They have not left any stone unturned to promote the film and we are already excited to see the much-anticipated role of Ajay in this intense film.

Jitin Hingorani, JINGO Media, DFW South Asian Film Festival and O¹Harani Luxe Experiences made the entire press conference a bhuge success. The film is set to release this Diwali, and fans of the Indian Cinema all over the United States are looking forward to the perfect combo of drama, thriller and romance.

António Guterres appointed next UN Secretary-General by acclamation

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The General Assembly appointed by acclamation the former Prime Minister of Portugal, António Guterres, as the next United Nations Secretary-General, to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on  December 31, 2016.

Guterres, aged 67, was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015. He will become the world’s top diplomat on 1 January 2017, and hold that post for the next five years.

Adopting a consensus resolution put forward by its President, Peter Thomson, the Assembly acted on the recommendation on the UN Security Council, which on 6 October forwarded Mr. Guterres’ name to the 193-member body as its nominee for UN Secretary-General for a five-year period, ending 31 December 2021.

Thanking the General Assembly for appointing him as the next Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres said he was grateful to the Member States for their trust in him as well as for the transparent and open selection process they undertook.

“I believe this process means that the true winner today is the credibility of the UN. And it also made very clear to me that, as Secretary-General, having been chosen by all Member States, I must be at the service of them all equally and with no agenda but the one enshrined in the UN Charter,” said Mr. Guterres.

The new UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who takes office on January 1, arrives with strong credentials — both as a former Prime Minister of Portugal and an ex-UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

As a senior UN official, he spearheaded an ambitious but politically intricate action plan to battle one of the world’s major humanitarian crises that threatened to unravel European unity as millions of refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia landed on the shores of Europe last year.

Guterres was elected mostly on merit – with a rare unanimous decision by the five veto-wielding permanent members at a time when the Security Council is sharply divided over Syria, Yemen, Ukraine and North Korea. The consensus in the 15-member Council, and the approval of his nomination by the 193-member General Assembly, underlined a strong affirmation of his appointment.

When both the Security Council and the General Assembly gave their overwhelming support to Guterres, they side-stepped two alternative options: picking the first woman Secretary-General or the first Secretary-General from Eastern Europe.

The lobbying for a female UN chief was initiated by more than 750 civil society and human rights organizations, while the proposal for an East European as UN chief came mostly from member states.

A member of the Socialist Party in Portugal, Guterres spent over 20 years in government and public service before he was elected by the UN General Assembly to become the 10th High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), serving for a decade until the end of 2015.

His work with the UNHCR was nothing short of groundbreaking. As High Commissioner, he oversaw the most profound structural reform process in UNHCR’s history and built up the organization’s capacity to respond to some of the largest displacement crises since the end of World War Two.

Guterres has already pledged to serve the “victims of conflicts, of terrorism, human rights violations, poverty and injustices of this world”. Ban Ki Moon rightly complimented Guterres as a “superb choice” and said “his experience as Portuguese prime minister, his wide knowledge of world affairs, and his lively intellect will serve him well in leading the United Nations in a crucial period”.

Guterres takes over the UN at a time when the world body has remained paralyzed over several unresolved political problems, including the five-year-old devastating civil war in Syria, hundreds of civilian killings in Yemen, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, and the emergence of North Korea as the world’s newest nuclear power in defiance of Security Council resolutions.

Michelle Obama Screens Freida Pinto’s ‘We Will Rise’ Documentary at White House

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First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the White House screening of the documentary “We Will Rise,” which stars Indian actress Freida Pinto who is also one of the producers of the film.

Michelle Obama and actress Meryl Streep had much to celebrate Oct. 11 when they hugged onstage at the White House during the screening, which coincided with the International Day of the Girl, reports People.com. The two traveled together over the summer to Liberia and Morocco, along with Malia and Sasha Obama, to shoot the documentary.

At the event, Michelle Obama shared her love for the Oscar-winning actress, saying: “The great Meryl Streep has just devoted her not-a-lot-of-time to this project. And she is delightful — she is delightful and is intelligent and is focused and engaged — as you would imagine Meryl Streep to be.”

She also expressed her admiration for the young girls and women she met during her trip abroad for the documentary, telling the audience it was her very last trip with her daughters while President Barack Obama is still in office.

“I carry their stories with me every single day. And it was a privilege to bring my mother and my daughters with me to Liberia and Morocco and for them to get to meet you. And that was our very last trip together during our time in the White House, so it was special for so many different reasons,” she said. In a sneak peek from the upcoming documentary about the initiative, Streep reflects on why she was inspired to join the program and travel with the First Lady over the summer. The documentary is directed by Tony Gerber.

“We Will Rise: Michelle Obama’s Mission to Educate Girls Around the World” is a CNN Films production produced by the same team behind the feature documentary “Girl Rising.”

Indian Americans are the highest paid community

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Indian Americans, one of the fastest-growing U.S. racial groups, is also faring quite well economically—at least, collectively. They are the highest paid Asian-Americans, according to a new U.S. Labor Department report. Full-time Indian American workers had median and average weekly earnings of $1,346 and $1,464, respectively. The group was followed by Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Filipino-Americans, respectively, the report said.

There was quite a difference between the sexes, though. Male Indian Americans had $1,500 as median weekly earnings, while females got $1,115 — a disparity of 26%. The least difference between sexes was 4% between male and female Japanese-Americans, who received $900 and $865, respectively, as median weekly earnings.

In general, Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had median and average weekly earnings of $969 and $1,183, slightly more than Whites who raked $900 and $1,090, respectively. Blacks and Hispanics earned the least. The former was paid $640 median and $809 average, while the latter earned $600 and $765, respectively.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the nearly 18 million Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the country have vastly different experiences with education, wages and the labor market, according to the report. Their general success “can mask some really important differences in what’s going on within the subgroups,” said Keith Miller, a Labor Department economist and lead researcher on the study.

Some of the highlights of the report: last year, Filipinos working full time in the U.S. earned just 64% of the weekly median for Indians; native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders were unemployed at more than twice the rate of Japanese; just a third of Vietnamese had at least a bachelor’s degree compared with 60% of Koreans.

The report, released this month, is part of a White House initiative on the so-called “AAPI” community and updates information released in 2011 and 2014. It pulls back the curtain on a group composed of more than 50 distinct ethnicities speaking more than 100 languages.

The vast majority of the community—17.4 million—consists of non-Hispanic Asian-Americans. The other small portion of 560,000 is made up of non-Hispanic Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Collectively, they represent about 5.6% of the U.S. population and descend from, or were born in, countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Nearly two-thirds are foreign-born and California is home to most, or nearly one-third of the group’s total.

Nearly three fourth of Indian Americans support Hillary Clinton

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Indian American registered voters, who are historically known to be Democrats, are overwhelmingly Democratic, with 70% of them supporting Hillary Clinton, according to a new National Asian American Survey (NAAS).

In its October 5th report, the survey found only 7% Indian American voters are likely to vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. This was the lowest support Trump got amongst Asian communities. While the Hmong community also had the same 7% support for Trump, 25% Filipinos, 20% Japanese, 16% Cambodians and Vietnamese said they would vote Trump. At 11%, even the Chinese had more likely Trump voters than Indians.

Indian American community led both the 2012 and the 2016 polls with overwhelming support for Democrats. While in 2012 it was 68% Democratic, with only 10% shown as Republicans, in 2016, 71% registered voters are seen as Democrats vs. 13% as Republicans, for a net gain of one percent.

A whopping 79% Indian Americans view Trump unfavorably, with 67% viewing him very unfavorably, the survey found. The NAAS sampled 2,238 Asian-Americans and 305 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reached out to Indian American voters at an Edison, New Jersey rally on October 15 organized by the Republican Hindu Coalition, promising India would always have a friend in the White House if he is elected.

“India is a strategic ally for the U.S. I look forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is shared between both countries,” said the candidate, addressing a crowd of 8,000 people at the “Humanity United Against Terrorism” rally, held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center.

“India has been a great friend to the U.S. in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism,” said Trump, noting that President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton have not used the phrase.

“India has seen first-hand the brutality of Islamic terrorism,” he said, uttering his first political gaffe of the 13-minute long speech by confusing the 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi with the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai, in which ten young militants arriving by sea from Pakistan killed 167 people at several venues throughout the city. “I love Hindu. I love India,” was Trump’s second gaffe of the evening, when he seemingly declared “Hindu” as a country.

In the aftermath of the 2012 election, the Republican National Committee (RNC) released a report calling on the party to do a better job connecting with minority populations. The RNC hired a national field director, Stephen Fong, and a national communications director, Jason Chung, to conduct outreach to Asian-American voters. Karthick Ramakrishnan, director of the NAAS, said in an interview that the GOP was “trying to project this image of the Republican Party that was more open, that is more tolerant, that is trying to do significant outreach to the community.”

Stopped At US Airport, Omar Abdullah Resents ‘Tiresome Randomness’

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Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, was subjected to a “secondary immigration check” upon his arrival in the U.S. due to which he had to spend two hours at the airport. “Another random secondary immigration check upon landing in the U.S. Thrice in three visits, the randomness is growing tiresome now,” Abdullah tweeted.

In another tweet he said, “I just spent TWO hours in a holding area & this happens EVERY time. Unlike @iamsrk I don’t even catch Pokémon to pass the time,” a reference to actor Shah Rukh Khan, who was “detained” in August at the Los Angeles airport, the third time in seven years that he had been stopped by U.S. immigration officials at the country’s airports.

Khan, too, had tweeted that while he fully understood and respected security protocols, “to be detained at U.S. immigration every damn time really really sucks.”

Abdullah said he is in the U.S. to speak at an event at New York University “but almost wish stayed at home instead. Ah well, that’s two hours well & truly wasted!!” he said.

He is scheduled to speak at the event organized by the students of New York University on Oct. 21, which is expected to be attended by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy.

In August, the US had apologized to Shah Rukh Khan, 50, who had tweeted after yet another detention at a US airport: “Every damn time”. The actor has been held back at the New York and New Jersey airports before, because a man with the same name is on a US no-fly list of 80,000 people.

Global Citizen Festival joins Miracle Foundation to raise funds for orphans

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British rock band Coldplay’s maiden gig in India as part of the debut edition of the Global Citizen Festival here will raise funds for orphans across the country. The inaugural Global Citizen Festival India will be headlined by Coldplay, Jay Z, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Katrina Kaif, A.R. Rahman, Farhan Akhtar, Shraddha Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Arijit Singh, Dia Mirza, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Monali Thakur. The event will be held here Nov. 19.

In its first year, the Global Citizen India movement is focusing on three major issues integral to eradicating extreme poverty — quality education, gender equality, and water sanitation and hygiene.

And now, the Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization based in New Delhi and the U.S., has partnered with the festival to raise awareness and funds for orphans across the country. The Miracle Foundation will be an official non-profit partner of Global Citizen India for the next 15 years, read a statement.

Other stars to join the movement are Shah Rukh Khan, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Ayushmann Khurrana, Malaika Arora Khan, Parineeti Chopra, Sakshi Malik, Sonakshi Sinha and Vijender Singh.

To further this initiative, the organizers of Global Citizen India and the Miracle Foundation will work with Ketto, an online crowd-funding platform, to help raise funds for children without parents. Caroline Boudreaux, founder of the Miracle Foundation, said, “Together we look forward to making a huge impact on some of the most vulnerable children in our society today.”

In addition to this association, the foundation will also be launching a social media campaign. This six-hour concert will feature live musical performances, stars, dancing and short films by eminent filmmakers. Coldplay is comprised of Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion. Martin, who visited India last year for the Global Poverty Project to oversee innovative projects addressing sanitation in local communities, is the curator for the Global Citizen Festival.

A dazzling 36th Diwali Gala Banquet and Annual Meeting of IAMA-IL

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By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Indian American Medical Association of Illinois (IAMA-IL) celebrated a very special 36th Annual Meeting and Gala Banquet on October 15th, 2016 at the Meadows Club Grand Ball Room at the Rolling Meadows. Despite number of other events of Diwali Festivities in Chicago, the event was well attended by many members and guests.

2015 & 2016 have been a very successful years for IAMA under the leadership of Dr. Samir Shah, the president of IAMA Dr.  Dr. Gopal Lalmalani, the past president of IAMA-IL and the Mayor of Oak brook presented a special Presidential Award to Dr. Shah with ten other past presidents and said, “As we celebrate 36th years of service to our physician community, allow me to thank Dr. Shah for his gallant services to our membership as President for last two years, a rare distinction in last 35 years in the history of IAMA, as most of us served for one year. His effective leadership and sheer passion to the service of our members, is so obvious that he has raised the bar significantly this past years and for that we feel most grateful to him.”

Dignitaries present were Dr. Clarence Brown President of CMS, Dr. Gautam Samadder, President -elect of AAPI,  Dr. Gopal Lalmalani, Past President of IAMA and Mayor of Oak Brook, Mr. Mickey Straub, Mayor of Burr Ridge and Mr. Raja Krishnamurthy , running for Congress, 8th District, Illinois and  Dr. Arvind Goyal, Medical Director of Illinois Dept. of Public Aide.

The crowning glory of the event was the spectacular video presentation of the IAMA (IL), 36 Years of achievements and progress as well as community and organizational activities, created by Mr. Biju Zakaria, of Desi world TV, USA. This nostalgic journey of 36 years brought back the sweet memories of good old days for many past presidents present.  The history covered many Community and Health services provided by IAMA (IL) from 1981 to 2016, exploring achievements of IAMA-IL in last 35 years. Cocktail Reception started at 5:30 pm till 7:00 pm. Members enjoyed sumptuous appetizers and booths presented by various sponsors. The Grand sponsors for the event were the Goldstone Financial Group (Anthony Pellegrino, President) & Advocate Christ Hospital, Oak Lawn (President, Kenneth Lukhard). IAMA greatly appreciates all the booth sponsors and the advertisers for the Souvenir.

Master of Ceremonies were Dr. Dr. Radhika Chimata & Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, pleasing the crowd with excellent and efficient job as MC’s. The Indian National Anthem was recited by Dr. Piyush Buch and the American National Anthem by Dr. Radhika Chimata in her sweet voice.

Dr. Samir Shah, the President of IAMA (IL) opened the evening gala, thanking members, executive committee members, board of directors and the sponsors. He stressed the importance of leadership, hard work and commitment to excellence. His Vision, Implementation and Action plan unveiled in February-2015 was the strongest force behind many of the new initiatives. 2015-2016 were exciting and action packed with 16 Community Health and Education events working with Religious and Spiritual Organizations like Chinmaya Mission- Chicago, The Shreejidwar Temple in Addison, The Jain Temple of Chicago and many more.

IAMA provided more than 29 Educational events to members and provided information on more than 50 Hours of free CME in Chicago area. Important new initiatives include beginning of IAMA Office with a part time secretary, new improved IAMA website, Karaoke Club, progress towards having our own CME programs and IAMA’s Global Health Project in India “Hands-Only CPR” in Hyderabad. The  IAMA overseas  trips to South Africa & Spain/Morocco, Golf Outing Events, Golden Stethoscope Event and  IAMA’s  Charity Foundation Semiannual Event in April, raising more than $ 125,000, were all very successful and well appreciated by members.

The theme of the Gala Banquet was “Gift of Life”-Organ donation. What a noble theme dedicated to all transplant doctors & hospitals in Chicago, the organ recipients and the Gift of Life organization, making this possible!  The Keynote speaker was Dr. Pat Pappas, a leading cardiac Surgeon from Advocate Christ Hospital. His presentation started with video of the heart transplant history, progress and actual procedure. Members enjoyed his fantastic presentation and appreciated his service and dedication to this profession for years.

The Guest of Honor was Mr. Kevin Cmunt, President & CEO of the “Gift of Life” organization. He addressed the members acknowledging the challenges and progress of the transplant activity in Chicago & Illinois. He thanked IAMA leadership and members for serving community and providing excellent medical services.  First Lady Mrs. Prerana (Bella) Shah presented handcrafted wool shawls to these two special guests as a small token of appreciation on behalf of IAMA.

The Lifetime Achievements Awards for 2016 were given to Dr. Vemuri Murthy IAMA’s past president, recognizing his years of services to CMS, AHA and as the pioneer of many CPR projects in Chicago like “SMILE’ as well as overseas, receiving many prestigious awards in USA and internationally. The Distinguished Physician award recipient was Dr. Deepak Mital, a leading Kidney Transplant Surgeon at the Advocate Christ Hospital. He is also the past president of IAMA. The award signifies his   continued Leadership, Teaching, Service to Community and Medical Organizations.

Dr. Shah presented IAMA Community Service Award to Dr. Umang Patel, our past president & Paragi Patel for their dedicated services to the Shreenathji Temple in Addison and to the community for several years. The IAMA Leadership Award was given Dr. Rohitkumar Vasa, also our past president for his dedication and selfless Services, leadership and continued support of IAMA in various activities.

The Presidents Appreciation Awards were given to Dr. Arvind Goyal, Medical director of Ill. Dept. of Public Aid. Dr. Jay Joshi & Dr. Radhika Chimata were awarded with this year’s Young Physician awards. As a part of Annual Meeting, Dr. Sukanya Reddy, the secretary of IAMA, conducted the business meeting and presented the slate of officers and chairs of the standing committees to the General Body. The slate of candidates was unanimously approved and voted by IAMA members present.

Sikh Civil Rights discussed on Capitol Hill

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Representatives from the offices of United States Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and United States Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and John Garamendi (D-CA) held a briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss Sikhs in America. The event, which was supported by the Sikh Coalition, celebrated diversity and inclusiveness, and helped raise awareness about the important issues facing the Sikh American community.

“This gathering is so important because our nation is strong and great not because we share a common religion, a common ethnicity, a common race, but because our greatness lies in our common values and our common ideals, our respect for each other, our recognition of each other’s value and worth,” said Senator Cory Booker. “I’m grateful for the Sikh Coalition’s efforts to elevate understanding and raise awareness, because when we understand each other, we get stronger.”

Sikh Coalition Director of Law and Policy, Arjun Singh, spoke at the event and discussed some of the pressing challenges that Sikh Americans face, including employment discrimination, hate violence, bullying and profiling, and prescribed policy solutions going forward.

“We thank these lawmakers for drawing attention to the Sikh American experience,” said Arjun Singh. “We must celebrate our differences, and curb the rising tide of bigotry, bullying, and employment discrimination that’s proliferating across the country.”

Also speaking at the event was Leigh O’Neill, Managing Director for Policy at the Truman National Security Project, Madihha Ahussain, a Staff Attorney at Muslim Advocates, and Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi from the United States Army. Major Kalsi, a partner of the Sikh Coalition, addressed the ongoing challenges Sikh Americans face when enlisting in the U.S. military. Despite the considerable recent progress made in our campaign to end religious discrimination in the U.S. military, Sikh Americans who wish to serve still must first obtain a religious accommodation.

Chicago Tribune Endorses Illinois Candidate Krishnamoorthi For Congress

Staff ReporterPolitics 0

Chicago Tribune has endorsed Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat running for the U.S. Congress from Illinois’ District 11 on October 10, saying “what really sets him apart is a solid, enthusiastic grasp on issues, from immigration to the war on Islamic State.”

“Krishnamoorthi’s amalgam of business and government experience makes him the best candidate, hands down,” the Chicago Tribune editorial board stated. “A Harvard Law School grad who lives in Schaumburg, he’s been a deputy state treasurer and an assistant attorney general. He’s president of two high-tech firms focused on military security and renewable energy. Those overlapping experiences give him a valuable perspective on how government policy affects businesses and workers.”

The Chicago Tribune endorsement makes it a clean sweep of Chicago-area newspaper endorsements for the progressive Democrat Krishnamoorthi following the earlier endorsements from the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald, the largest suburban newspaper in the Chicago area.

“We were impressed with Krishnamoorthi’s command of specifics about the tax code and the Affordable Care Act – and even more impressed when he emailed us after our meeting to correct himself on a minor point,” the Chicago Tribune editorial board wrote. “We like that he’s already scoped out opportunities to join in bipartisan initiatives on criminal justice reform and alternative energy. We agree with his maxim that government must do everything ‘faster, cheaper, smarter.'”

Ballotpedia rates this as a “safely Democratic” district. The 8th District covers northern suburbs of Chicago as well as most . covers the northern suburbs and northwestern suburbs of Chicago, including areas with concentrations of Indian-American residents.

The editorial board of the Tribune calls Krishnamoorthi a “good fit” for District 8. “We liked Krishnamoorthi, a business owner and Harvard Law grad, when he lost to Tammy Duckworth in the 2012 Democratic primary for this seat” the Tribune recalled. “We like him just as much or more this time,” as he seeks to succeed Duckworth, who is aiming for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Mark Kirk.

The 8th District includes west and northwest Chicago suburbs, and Krishnamoorthy hopes his relentless campaigning will bring out Millennials and others to vote for him. Krishnamoorthi lives in Schaumburg with his wife, Priya, and their three children.

5 Indian-Americans among America’s richest 400: Forbes

Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Five Indian-Americans figure among America’s 400 richest people, in a list again headed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, according to the survey by Forbes magazine. Symphony Technology founder Romesh Wadhwani, co-founders of outsourcing firm Syntel Bharat, Syntel’s Neerja Desai, airline veteran Rakesh Gangwal, entrepreneur John Kapoor and Silicon Valley angel investor Kavitark Ram Shriram figure in Forbes’ ‘The Richest People In America 2016’ list.

Gates tops the list for the 23rd year, now with a net worth of $81 billion. Wadhwani has been ranked 222nd on the list with a net worth of $3 billion.

Educated at IIT-Mumbai, he is the chairman of Symphony Technology Group, an empire of 17 data, technology, healthcare and analytics companies that together earn more than $2.8 billion in annual revenue, Forbes said.

The Desais rank 274th on the list with a net worth of $2.5 billion. Started in 1980, their firm Syntel generates over $950 million in revenue and has nearly 24,000 employees across the globe, Forbes said.

Gangwal is ranked 321 on the list with a net worth of $2.2 billion. He is an aviation entrepreneur, who co-founded InterGlobe Aviation, which operates budget airline IndiGo, that is India’s largest by market share.

US resident Gangwal owns more than 40 per cent of the company and currently serves as a board member, Forbes said. Kapoor, who ranks 335 on the list with a net worth of $2.1 billion, is the chairman of two drug companies – Akorn, which specializes in “difficult-to-manufacture” prescription drugs and Insys Therapeutics, which produces an opioid for cancer patients, Forbes added.

Shriram ranks 361 on the list with a net worth of $1.9 billion. According to Forbes, Shriram, who was one of Google’s early backers, has sold of most of his stock but remains on the board of its parent company, Alphabet. Since 2000, he has been investing in young technology startups through his firm, Sherpalo Ventures.

Sriram’s portfolio includes online card and invitation service Paperless Post, web and mobile app testing service Optimizely, and mobile advertising company Inmobi.

Abraham Verghese receives National Humanities Medal

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Abraham Verghese, MD, the critically acclaimed author, was honored at a White House ceremony for helping to deepen the nation’s understanding of the human experience.

Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “Every day in the classroom, he teaches his students that professions such as medicine benefit from an understanding of the human condition. We are so proud that his breadth of scholarship has been recognized with this honor.”

Inaugurated in 1997, the National Humanities Medal “honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects,” according to the National Endowment for the Humanities website. As many as 12 medals are awarded each year.

The organization said Verghese received the medal “for reminding us that the patient is the center of the medical enterprise.  His range of proficiency embodies the diversity of the humanities; from his efforts to emphasize empathy in medicine, to his imaginative renderings of the human drama.”

“I am humbled and excited by this honor,” said Verghese, who is the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor. “The names of previous recipients include writers I most admire. It’s a wonderful affirmation of a path that in the early years I wasn’t sure was the right path, even though it was one I felt compelled to follow.”

Verghese is a critically acclaimed, best-selling author and a physician with an international reputation for his emphasis on empathy for patients in an era in which technology often overwhelms the human side of medicine.

“This is a special honor for a physician,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine. “Through his writings and his work as a physician, Abraham has worked to battle what he has seen as a lack of humanism in modern medicine. The courage to follow his own path, and the compassion he has brought to his work, have made the world a better place.”

In his first book, My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story, Verghese focused on his early years as an orderly, his caring for terminal AIDS patients and the insights he gained from the relationships he formed and the suffering he witnessed.

“I felt strongly then and now that what I was writing about, and my interest in the human experience of being ill or caring for the ill, was as much a part of medicine as knowledge of the function of the pancreas, for example,” said Verghese, who is also a vice chair of Stanford’s Department of Medicine. In addition, Verghese directs the Stanford interdisciplinary center, Presence, which reflects these interests.

The National Endowment for the Humanities manages the nomination process for the National Humanities Medal on behalf of the White House. Each year, the NEH invites nominations from individuals and organizations across the country. The National Council on the Humanities, NEH’s presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed advisory body, reviews the nominations and provides recommendations to the president, who selects the recipients.

Joining Verghese as medal recipients this year are two other writers with Stanford connections: poet Louise Glück, a visiting faculty member in the Department of English; and Elaine Pagels, a religious historian and author of the Gnostic Gospels and Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas, who earned both bachelor’s and a master’s degrees from Stanford.

Trump would be ‘dangerous’ if elected: UN human rights chief

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US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would be “dangerous from an international point of view” if he is elected, the UN human rights chief said on Wednesday, defiantly doubling down on his recent expression of concerns about “populist demagogues” that prompted a rebuke from Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations.

In a broad-ranging news conference touching on issues like violence in Yemen, Syria and sub-Saharan Africa, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said some remarks by Trump are “deeply unsettling and disturbing to me,” particularly on torture and about “vulnerable communities.”

“If Donald Trump+ is elected, on the basis of what he has said already and unless that changes, I think it’s without any doubt that he would be dangerous from an international point of view,” Zeid told reporters in Geneva.

The comments from Zeid, a Jordanian prince, are likely to fan a debate in UN circles about whether he has been overstepping his mandate as the High Commissioner for Human Rights with comments on the US presidential nominee and nationalist, xenophobic leaders in parts of Europe.

Only a day earlier, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Vitaly Churkin, said Zeid shouldn’t criticize foreign heads of state and government “for their policies. This is not his business. He should be more focused on his specific responsibilities.”

Zeid alluded to a report Friday by The Associated Press indicating that Churkin had last month formally complained directly to the UN secretary-general about Zeid’s comments, saying: “I was not there, of course, and there was no demarche (formal report) made to me.”

Vinaya Manchaiah named ‘Future Leader of Audiology’

Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

Vinaya Manchaiah, an Indian-American associate professor at Lamar University in Texas has been named to the 2016 class of the ‘Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology’ by the American Academy of Audiology. Vinaya Manchaiah is one of only a dozen individuals selected nationwide for the honour. Audiology is a branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders.

Originally from India, Manchaiah holds a PhD in disability research from Linkoping University, Sweden. He also holds a number of degrees including an MBA from Swansea University, United Kingdom, Doctor of Audiology from Nova Southeastern University, MS in Audiology from the University of Southampton and a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing from the University of Mysore, India.

Manchaiah is also the co-founder and director for strategic planning for the non-profit non-governmental organisation Audiology India, for which he served as president from 2011 to 2015. The organisation seeks to foster ear and hearing health care in India.

The American Academy of Audiology is the world’s largest professional organisation of audiologists. The members look to provide hearing care services through education, research, and increased public awareness of hearing and balance disorders.

Antonio Guterres: New UN Secretary General

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The new UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who takes office on January 1, arrives with strong credentials — both as a former Prime Minister of Portugal and an ex-UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

As a senior UN official, he spearheaded an ambitious but politically intricate action plan to battle one of the world’s major humanitarian crises that threatened to unravel European unity as millions of refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia landed on the shores of Europe last year.

Guterres was elected mostly on merit – with a rare unanimous decision by the five veto-wielding permanent members at a time when the Security Council is sharply divided over Syria, Yemen, Ukraine and North Korea. The consensus in the 15-member Council, and the approval of his nomination by the 193-member General Assembly, underlined a strong affirmation of his appointment.

Mr. Antonio Guterres former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees addressed the press at the stakeout after the casual meeting with member states
Mr. Antonio Guterres former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees addressed the press at the stakeout after the casual meeting with member states

When both the Security Council and the General Assembly gave their overwhelming support to Guterres, they side-stepped two alternative options: picking the first woman Secretary-General or the first Secretary-General from Eastern Europe.

The lobbying for a female UN chief was initiated by more than 750 civil society and human rights organizations, while the proposal for an East European as UN chief came mostly from member states.

While there was a strong case for a woman Secretary-General in a 71-year-old male-dominated world body, Eastern Europe had less of a legitimate claim. As a geographical entity, it existed only within the confines of the UN, not outside of it. After the end of the Cold War, most Eastern European states became an integral partner of the European Union (EU) or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and often both

So, in effect, Guterres overcame both campaigns, as he was anointed the fourth Western European to hold the position. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who will step down on December 31 after a 10-year tenure, will leave behind two legacies: the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. But it will be left to Guterres to ensure their implementation.

A member of the Socialist Party in Portugal, Guterres spent over 20 years in government and public service before he was elected by the UN General Assembly to become the 10th High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), serving for a decade until the end of 2015.

His work with the UNHCR was nothing short of groundbreaking. As High Commissioner, he oversaw the most profound structural reform process in UNHCR’s history and built up the organization’s capacity to respond to some of the largest displacement crises since the end of World War Two.

Guterres has already pledged to serve the “victims of conflicts, of terrorism, human rights violations, poverty and injustices of this world”. Ban Ki Moon rightly complimented Guterres as a “superb choice” and said “his experience as Portuguese prime minister, his wide knowledge of world affairs, and his lively intellect will serve him well in leading the United Nations in a crucial period”.united-nations

However, he acknowledged that the election was also a disappointment as his vision of a female successor did not become a reality. Ban Ki Moon, is not alone in his sentiments, as many consider the outcome of the election to be “bittersweet”. Christiana Figueres, a Costa Rican diplomat and one of Guterres’ female rivals for the job, tweeted on 5 October, “Bitter:not a woman. Sweet: by far the best man in the race. Congrats Antonio Guterres! We are all with you”.

Guterres takes over the UN at a time when the world body has remained paralyzed over several unresolved political problems, including the five-year-old devastating civil war in Syria, hundreds of civilian killings in Yemen, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, and the emergence of North Korea as the world’s newest nuclear power in defiance of Security Council resolutions.

The new Secretary-General will also be entrusted with the task of resolving several lingering problems, including ongoing reports of sexual abuse of women by some UN peacekeepers and compensation for Haitian victims of cholera inadvertently brought in by UN peacekeepers, and address new challenges, such as helping muster the trillions of dollars needed to implement the 17 SDGs and the Climate Change agreement as well as ensuring a 50:50 gender parity in senior and decision-making positions in the UN Secretariat.

One of his first appointments should be to name a woman as his Deputy, preferably from the developing world. We wish him well in his endeavors.

Verandah announces start of construction in Schaumburg area

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Suresh Bodiwala

Chicago IL: Verandah Retirement Community gained successful approvals and substantial financial support from the local authorities and is now ready to start construction. Verandah’s developer, AMAN Living LLC – president Dr. Anuja Gupta announced ground-breaking ceremony and start of construction Oct 1st 2016.

The property is located at 900 Irving Park Rd in Hanover Park, Illinois. Hanover Park was selected for its central location and proximity to other attractions in the Schaumburg area including many temples, grocery stores and restaurants. The area is also well-located with easy access to the Elgin-O’Hare expressway. Downtown Chicago is 40-45 mins and O’Hare airport is 20 mins away. Two excellent medical facilities are close to the property. All these features made it the perfect location for the project.

Verandah will have for-sale townhomes and condominiums, a big clubhouse, and medical facilities for use of the residents. The townhomes include 2 bedroom/2 bathroom and 3 bedroom/2.5 bathroom units starting at $275,000. The condominiums will be in a 5-story building with elevators and include 2 bedroom/2 bathroom and 1 bedroom/1 bathroom units starting at $150,000. All housing is especially designed for senior living and includes convenience features like main level master bedrooms, no exterior maintenance and extensive amenities.

The clubhouse is planned to be the heart of the community. It includes a dining facility which will serve vegetarian food for lunch & dinner daily. There will be many spaces for socialization and activities such as a community room, a gym, a library/computer room, a beauty shop and activities studio. Festivals like Holi, Diwali, Navratri etc will be celebrated gala-style in the clubhouse, in addition to other holidays like Christmas, New Years, etc. The clubhouse also has a big outdoor seating area to enjoy the warm weather months. In addition the property will have extensively landscaped grounds including a 1-acre pond, walking paths, Small Park & water features. The medical facilities will include a doctor’s office, physical therapy office, home-health service and a licensed Assisted Living and Memory Care facility that will come at the tail end of the project.

Verandah developer Dr. Anuja Gupta said, “Loneliness is a major problem in seniors. We wanted to offer a community where neighbors felt like family and friends and there were many opportunities to socialize with like-minded people. Many seniors from our community are now reaching retirement age. They sacrificed their social and emotional lives to provide for better financial and education opportunities for their families. Especially for them we wanted to offer a community where there was the feeling of living in a close-knit environment with others who enjoyed doing similar things”.

A beautiful Bhoomipujan ceremony was conducted by Dr CL Shastri on morning of October 1st 2016, the auspicious occasion being marked by the start of Navratri. The Bhoomipujan was followed by lunch with the Mayor, Board members and Village officials in the Village Hall of Hanover Park. The festivities concluded with ground-breaking celebrations at the property attended by leading members from the community.

Preliminary Injunction in Mike Honda’s lawsuit against Ro Khanna

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A federal judge has denied a motion for expedited discovery submitted by Ro Khanna and his campaign, following the filing of a lawsuit against the California 17th Congressional District challenger by incumbent Mike Honda’s campaign team for an alleged cyber attack.

Judge Edqard J. Davila of the U.S. District Court in the Northern California District denied the motion of continuance Sept. 29. “First, the information sought by defendants is not justified by its purported purpose,” the judge said in his ruling. “None of the discovery requested is needed in order for defendants to present their opposition.”

Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) has filed a lawsuit against his opponent, Democrat Ro Khanna, alleging that Khanna’s campaign manager illegally obtained sensitive fundraising data and used it to contact Honda’s supporters.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday morning in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, says Brian Parvizshahi had access to donor lists and other proprietary information in 2012, when he served as an intern for a fundraising consultant working for Honda at the time.

After he left the internship, the complaint alleges, Parvizshahi continued to access files related to Honda’s fundraising, including after he joined the Khanna campaign in January 2014.
Files were accessed repeatedly between February 2013 and June 2015 by a Dropbox account and computer bearing Parvizshahi’s name, the lawsuit claims.

Honda’s campaign said it was notified in May by Arum Group, its former fundraising consultant, that Parvizshahi had been inadvertently left on the company’s Dropbox access list after leaving his internship. His access was revoked that day, the campaign said.

The complaint claims one of the documents Parvizshahi had access to was a list of Honda donors who had contributed more than $1,000, labeled “1,000 Cranes,” which was later leaked to local website San Jose Inside and became thesource of an ethics complaint.

Some of the donors on that list, Honda’s campaign says, received unsolicited emails from Khanna asking to speak with them to discuss his campaign.

Honda has remained under the cloud of an ongoing investigation after the Office of Congressional Ethics found “substantial reason to believe” he used taxpayer resources to benefit his campaign.
Hari Sevugan, a spokesman for the Khanna campaign, says neither Khanna nor the campaign has been served with the lawsuit.

“The fact that Mike Honda went to the press before serving us tells you what this is really about: politics,” Sevugan said in a statement. “It’s clear Mike Honda will do and say anything to hold on to his seat including suing anyone who is on track to defeat him.”

Khanna, 39, narrowly bested the veteran congressman, 75, in the June primary, receiving 2,200 more votes in the hotly contested race. At a press conference, Honda campaign manager Michael Beckendorf likened the alleged breach to a “modern day Watergate” that amounted to a “violation of privacy and harassment” of Honda supporters who apparently landed on Khanna’s email lists.

Honda’s campaign claims having evidence Khanna knew about the breach, including an email exchange with one such Honda supporter in which Khanna personally responded, asking Parvizshahi to remove her from the mailing list.

“What you have here is a cyberattack,” said Gautum Dutta, an attorney for Honda’s campaign. “You have the theft of confidential, proprietary information that’s then used against the supporters of a rival campaign. That’s un-American and it’s illegal.”

Honda spoke with The Times in Washington, D.C. Thursday, saying he’d received many calls from supporters asking why they were getting emails from Khanna’s campaign.

Honda did not say if the campaign will seek criminal charges against Parvizshahi. “Under the Computer Fraud Abuse Act, there’s a great possibility that something went awry, and I think that that’s something we need to move forward with,” Honda said.

The Honda campaign says it is seeking “all available compensatory and injunctive relief” and has asked Khanna’s campaign to destroy or return all information it may have obtained.

Anushka Naiknaware wins Lego Education Builder Award at Google Science Fair

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

Anushka Naiknaware, a seventh-grader invented a bandage that can tell doctors when it needs to be changed, thus speeding healing, and with her invention, finished in the top eight in an international science contest run by Google.

Anushka Naiknaware, 13, won a $15,000 scholarship, a free trip to the Lego world headquarters in Denmark and a year’s worth of entrepreneurship mentoring from a Lego executive.
The Stoller Middle School student brought some serious scientific and mathematical chops to her feel-good science project: designing and testing a bandage that is embedded with teeny tiny monitors to let medical workers “see” whether the dressing has dried out enough that it needs to be changed without having to remove it from the patient.

Naiknaware said her project “aimed to create an inexpensive, biocompatible and reliable sensor which can detect and monitor moisture level in the wound dressing.”

Her project’s approach uses biopolymer chitosan in conjunction with carbon nanoparticles to effectively obtain all the required features. Prototype sensors were optimized over two generation. The data obtained through characterization in a controlled environment show successful meeting of the all the design objectives, she said.

The Google Science Fair, since it launched in 2011, is an annual global online science and technology competition open to individuals and teams from ages 13 to 18, broken up into categories for ages 13 to 15 and 16 to 18.

‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ has successful openings

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

With a record opening of Rs. 21.3 crore net on opening day Sept. 30, “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” has challenged the Khans’ and other superstars’ monopoly on smashing opening day collections.

The Neeraj Pandey-directed biopic on cricketer Dhoni with Sushant Singh Rajput in the title role has turned out to be the first-ever real-life saga to challenge the superstars on home turf. The biopic has achieved the impossible by entering the league so far monopolized largely by the three Khans, Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgn by setting records for the opening day numbers.

MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, which is based on the life of Indian cricketer MS Dhoni, is one of the most-awaited Bollywood movies of 2016. Its promos have garnered a lot of attention and its makers have promoted the movie widely. Along with MS Dhoni, Sushant Singh Rajput and other stars visited several media houses and toured some cities across the country to promote the movie.

Here, director Neeraj Pandey takes us 15 years earlier when Pan Singh Dhoni (Anupam Kher) is a pump operator in Ranchi. The local stadium needs water and that requires him to wake up at eleven in the night. He waters the stadium in a hazy winter night. Pan’s little son watches him from the balcony of his government quarter, and probably this is the moment when the kid decides to make it big in life. It’s the story of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Sushant Singh Rajput), the current India captain and one of the game’s most popular exponents ever.

The film has amassed a humongous Rs. 21.3 crore net (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu) at the box office. Co-starring Disha Patani, Kiara Advani and Anupam Kher, it has music by Amaal Mallik.

Clearly, Day One has belonged to the subject of M.S. Dhoni, the skills of Neeraj Pandey and the marketing/promotion/distribution strategy of Fox that saw the film in 5,000 screens. However, the man who will profit the most is Rajput, without whom the film could not have been what it is.

‘Mughal-e-Azam’ to now be a Broadway-style musical play!

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The classical, ever green Bollywood movie, ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ is planned to be made a Broadway-style musical. The show will not only be made on a grand scale like the film, but will also feature eight songs from the film to be performed as part of the narrative!

1.Asif’s 1960 extravaganza “Mughal-E-Azam,” starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, which was the most expensive film made at the time, is still considered one of the greatest Indian motion pictures ever and remains one of the biggest hits of all time, and is now going to be a musical play.

Acclaimed director Feroz Abbas Khan, known for his award-winning film “Gandhi, My Father” and successful plays like “Tumhari Amrita,” “Salesman Ramlal” and “Mahatma Vs Gandhi,” will soon helm “Mughal-E-Azam,” a Broadway-style musical play, which will be a tribute to the original film and is being produced on a grand scale.

It will be performed at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai daily from Oct. 21 until Nov. 1, followed by a staging at the end of November for another two weeks into December at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi.

The musical play will not only be made on a grand scale, but will also feature eight songs from the film to be performed as part of the narrative. Naushad had scored music while the lyrics were by Shakeel Badayuni. Needless to say, this project will be a grand musical theatrical production witnessed in India and is expected to set a new benchmark for Indian theater.

“The title ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ is apt, because the film was inspired by a play named ‘Anarkali,’ which K. Asif saw and from which he borrowed passages. It’s a dramatic father-son story with the nation at stake. In its writing skills and mounting, it was close to perfection with great dialogues and emotional story-telling, complemented by eye-catching visuals and a terrific score,” said Feroz Khan:

The musical has another connection with the original cult classic — it will be co-produced by none other than Shapoorji Pallonji, the 150-year-old business conglomerate that had funded Asif’s “Mughal-E-Azam” with a budget of $3 million in 1960, making it the most expensive film made at the time.

UN Resolution on Journalist Safety Passed, But Long Way to Go

Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) advanced its commitment to the safety of journalists after adopting a groundbreaking resolution with measures for states to ensure journalist protection. But this is only the first step, many note.

Though the UNHRC has adopted resolutions on the safety of journalists in the past, some note that this year’s resolution is more comprehensive in protecting the rights of freedom of expression and the press.

For the first time, UNHRC called for states to release arbitrarily detained journalists and to reform laws that are misused to hinder their work.

“[The resolution] brings up these issues more explicitly than it has been brought up in other resolutions,” Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch told IPS.

She stressed that the resolution acknowledges the role that states play in committing violence against journalists and in creating a permissive environment for the safety of journalists.

“It is not simply enough to talk about the safety of journalist without also addressing the need to create an environment in which freedom of expression and press freedom can flourish,” she stated.

Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) Advocacy and Communications Officer Margaux Ewen echoed similar sentiments to IPS, noting that the resolution is a “wonderful reiteration” which calls on member states to implement their international obligations.

For the first time, UNHRC called for states to release arbitrarily detained journalists and to reform laws that are misused to hinder their work.

According to CPJ, approximately 200 journalists were imprisoned worldwide in 2015. The organisation recorded the highest number of such arrests in China, where 49 journalists were imprisoned. Most recently, Chinese journalists Lu Yuyu and Li Tingyu were detained in June 2016 on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” They had been documenting and reporting on protests across the East Asian nation since 2012.

The newly adopted resolution also affirms the right of journalists to use encryption and anonymity tools. Journalists often rely on such mechanisms to safely impart information anonymously online. They are also used to encrypt their communications in order to protect their contacts and sources.

Radsch noted that these tools are essential for journalists “to do their job in the 21st century.”

The resolution also addresses the specific risks that women journalists face in their work, condemning all gender-based attacks.

Earlier in September, freelance journalist Gretchen Malalad and Al Jazeera Correspondent Jamela Alindogan-Caudron were subject to severe social media attacks, receiving threats of rape and death due to their coverage of the Philippine government’s controversial anti-drug war.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NJUP) Ryan Rosauro expressed his dismay of the state of journalism in the country, stating: “We will never take any threats, whether of physical harm or to silence us, lightly for we have lost far too many of our colleagues and hardly seen justice for them,” he said.

In a joint statement with NJUP, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stated that the government must take social media threats to journalists seriously and should penalise perpetrators to ensure the safety of journalists.

In their 2016 World Press Freedom Index, RSF ranked the Philippines 138th out of 180 countries in press freedom making it one of the most dangerous countries for practicing journalists.

As in previous years, the UNHRC also highlighted the need to end violence against journalists and to combat impunity for attacks. CPJ found that over 1,200 journalists have been killed since 1992, the majority of whom were murdered with complete impunity. Other organisations speculate that the numbers are higher, with IFJ reporting that at least 2,300 journalists and media staff have been killed since 1990.

In 2009, prominent Sri Lankan journalist and editor Lasantha Wickramatunga was beaten to death after his car was pulled over by eight helmeted men on motorcycles. Often critical of the government and its conduct in the country’s civil war, the editor had been attacked before and received death threats for months prior to his death. He even anticipated his own fate, writing an essay shortly before his death about free media in the South Asian nation.

“In the course of the past few years, the independent media have increasingly come under attack. Electronic and print-media institutions have been burnt, bombed, sealed and coerced. Countless journalists have been harassed, threatened and killed. It has been my honour to belong to all those categories and now especially the last,” Wickramatunga wrote.

Most recently, Jordanian journalist Nahed Hattar was shot dead while on his way to face charges for sharing a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam.

“The killing of Mr. Hattar is appalling, and it is unacceptable that no protection measures had been put in place to ensure his safety, particularly when the threats against him were well known to the authorities,” said UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye.

Kaye urged authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice and to ensure legislation that allows a culture of diverse expression. However, both Radsch and Ewen noted that the resolution is only the first step as it must be translated to action on the ground.

“We continue to see the failure of states to adequate investigate the murders of journalists…so while resolutions are important, we need to see actual concrete actions to accompany these normative statements,” Radsch told IPS.

Ewen stated that UN resolutions are “strong and strongly worded” but it still remains to be seen for states to implement measures to protect journalists and the right of freedom of expression. She pointed to RSF’s campaign to create a Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General for the safety of journalists as a way to ensure states comply with their international obligations.

Led by RSF, the Protect Journalists campaign has brought together over a 100 media organisations and human rights organisations including CPJ, the Guardian and the United Nations Correspondents Association to push for the establishment of a special representative.

During a press conference, RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire noted that a special representative could act as an early warning and rapid response mechanism to give journalists, when threatened, access to authorities and protective measures as laid out in the resolution. He also added that a special representative with political weight can make sure the safety of journalists is integrated in all UN programs and operations.

“Every week, there are new names on new graves in journalist cemeteries…we cannot let anymore journalists be killed because of this lack of political will,” Deloire told press.

The 47-member state council adopted the resolution on the safety of journalists by consensus, expressing a deep concern for the increased number of journalists and media workers who have been killed, tortured and detained. Nations beyond the UNHRC including Austria and the United States also joined the initiative as cosponsors.

Second October –A Day of Peace and Harmony

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Ravi P. Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service

Most people know that Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. The day is celebrated all over India as well as in several parts of the world as Gandhi Jayanti — a day to remember the concepts of truth and non violence that this great soul (Mahatma) practiced all his life. Unfortunately this man of peace and non violence died a violent death on 30 January 1948 when he was shot dead by a man who wrongly felt that Gandhi was partial to Muslims in India.

Few people outside India would know that this day is also the day when another simple and self effacing man Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in 1904. From his simple beginnings Shastri rose to become the second Prime Minister of India when Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. Unfortunately Shastri had a very short stint in this important office. He had gone to Tashkent in Uzbekistan to negotiate with his Pakistan counterpart. But on January 11, 1966, he suffered a stroke and died in Tashkent itself.

Although there is a generation gap between the two leaders, there are some unusual similarities. I will only illustrate one common element of simplicity and truthfulness. Gandhi was a prolific writer; he used to write with a pencil. One morning when he awoke he found his small pencil missing. On enquiring he was told by his son that since the pencil had been used often and was very small, he had taken it away and replaced it by a new one. Gandhi felt otherwise and felt unhappy; he felt he could write with it some more. Ultimately the small pencil was found and brought before him so that Gandhi could use it for some more time and not waste it.

Shashtri had never gone outside India. He had few clothes and no woolen jacket. When he had to go Europe during the time he was in Nehru’s cabinet he was told that he needed a jacket to ward off the cold weather in his proposed trip. But he did not have a jacket and due to his simple life style he did not wish to buy a new one. Ultimately Nehru came to his rescue and loaned him his jacket so that Shastri could travel abroad without purchasing a new one.

Like Gandhi, Shastri also preferred travelling by train not in a first class cabin but in a third class coach. Why? To remain in touch with ordinary men and women. Such are the attitudes and practices of great souls.

October 2: Nonviolence Day, Gandhi’s Birthday

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TMS PEACE JOURNALISM

“The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.” — un.org

Thus starts the UN Resolution that on 15 June 2007 formalized the legacy of one the most prominent figures of the 20th Century, born 1869 dead 1948 and still ahead of his time in 2016. Yet, in the short span of 9 years this celebration has already become merely symbolic, ceremonial, practically meaningless. Gandhi Jayanthi as it is called in India. Myths can be useless and also misleading. So let me stick to the man and his meaning to humans.

Let’s remind ourselves of the worldwide wars, proxy-wars, invasions, occupations, terrorisms (State and private); slaveries/tortures of various kinds, human trafficking, forced human mass displacements, persecutions of minorities, economic exploitation, and cruelty to animals. Governments, TNCs, the arms industry, and the top 1%—the elites– profit from all of the above across religious, political, cultural, national, ideological, geographical divides (the globalization).

Such elites will provide narratives for why they have to kill, mutilate, exploit, and cause pain & suffering. And the masses will swallow their vile interpretations and rewritings of reality with a religious apathy and disconnection from reality. And that despite Internet, cell phones, social media, instant communications, and all the gimmicks that supposedly bring info, knowledge, culture, literacy to them. Pessimism? Realpolitik? Realism? Take your pick. History at its best.

But it doesn’t matter the amount or prevalence of violence employed or practiced anywhere anytime. It was from within a violent environment, which oppressed him both in South Africa and in India, that the Mahatma, born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, gave birth to his philosophy of nonviolence. Yin-Yang. The world is readier than ever for it. Nevertheless, besides a philosophy NV can be many things for many people depending on contexts.

Gandhi reminded us that conflicts are natural occurrences. “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” They may arise from incompatible goals (Galtung). Or from pathologies. Nonviolence is one way of responding to conflicts whether at a personal, familiar, social, or political level (Micro- Meso-Macro-Mega levels: Galtung). Another response is the use of violence. Nonviolence is therefore a means to conflict resolution or transformation. Peace by peaceful means.

Because conflicts are symptoms of damaged relations, it is in the relationships that they are to be addressed, not in the parties–as a starting point. For if you steal my bicycle, and we fight over it, before ‘making peace’ you must return the stolen bike: common justice as a prerequisite.

Nonviolence can also be a political strategy to achieve a public goal or set of goals. The difference between strategy and tactics is that strategy is done above the shoulders whereas tactics are done below the shoulders, someone said. NV can be used as both, in tandem, defensively or offensively, a tool, a skill, an art: Civil Disobedience. Besides being a way of life, ahimsa.

“Non-Violence,” a sculpture by Karl Fredrik Reutersward, sits permanently outside UN Headquarters in New York. A most popular quote of Gandhiji is: “Be the change you want in the world.” The change starts in the person; nonviolence starts here—a design for living.

In his only book, The Story of My Experiments with Truth: An Autobiography, a collection of articles he wrote for Young India around 1927, Gandhi repeats many times the maxim that guided his actions throughout his life: Truth is God. Not God is truth, which would be a mere attribute, like God is love, God is light, God is the father. In his consciousness, Truth comes before God. Not mere semantics or a slogan but a principle to live–and die–for. Aptly, he named his movementSatyagraha (satya “truth”; agraha “insistence” or “holding to”).

It was this depth of commitment to truth and principle that Gandhi brought to the table and to his nonviolent interventions, which resulted in the retreat of the biggest empire of the time from India. Independence was not granted; it was conquered, but without bloodshed of the oppressors.

Sir Winston Churchill gave this unflattering description of Gandhi: “It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr Gandhi, a seditious middle temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half-naked up the steps of the viceregal palace, while he is still organising and conducting a defiant campaign of civil disobedience, to parley on equal terms with the representative of the kingemperor.” (India Today)

As the resistance and instances of civil disobedience swelled, Churchill announced: “I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion, breeding like rabbits.” Such was his hatred for the successful nonviolent uprising and Gandhi.

God was never separated from Gandhi’s actions. His understanding of nonviolence implied the need for virtue in the satyagrahi, the practitioner of NV. A few quotes of his:

“Nonviolence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice—nonviolence springs from love, cowardice from hate. The weak will never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at His feet.”

“Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral.”

“Faith is not something to grasp, is a state to grow into.”

It was here that Gene Sharp and others diverted from Gandhi’s approach to NV. Sharp tried to transform nonviolent actions into mere instruments that could be carried out by any party seeking any objective however lowly either could be.  This is not the place to elaborate on this, but I encourage readers and students to research further.

Gandhi gave a new meaning to the concept of civilization. In the 19th Century, the British spuriously classified peoples and races as Civilized, Barbarians or Savages insofar as their ‘evolution’ vis-a-vis Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest. They placed themselves, the white Anglo-Saxons, at the top of this food chain as the civilized ones. Barbarians were all non-Europeans such as Arabs, Indians, Asians; and Savages were the sub-Saharan Africans, natives from the Americas and Islanders. All non-white.

Gandhi redefined, imparted a new meaning to the term ‘Civilization’ with his concept of ‘Nonviolence’ as the way of truly civilized persons and cultures, of relations, mediation of conflicts; a necessary first step for the abolition of war as institution.  For by eliminating the violence (smoke) mediators can look into the source of conflicts (fire)—and work on them. The soft side of all religions mandate nonkilling of humans, but Gandhiji expanded it to all forms of life: ahimsa.

Gandhi’s legacy was felt also inside of India with the abolition of the caste system by law. He renamed the Untouchables as Harijans or children of God. But, like racism in the USA, also outlawed, it had little impact in society. Laws cannot and do not erase traditions and customs ingrained in people’s minds and in deep culture.  His own wife, Kasturba, would not agree in sharing their table with harijans, as he wished.

He did everything in public, with the masses he loved. He ate, prayed, fasted, slept, worked in their presence. His stomach was the weakest part of his body as he suffered from a chronic diarrhea that forced him to use diapers at times.

The Mahatma did not win a Nobel Peace Prize despite being nominated. The excuse was that he was not a man of peace, he fought against the British Empire [and dared to win—I’d say].  He was rather of the naïve persuasion, as many of us are; not a hawk, a personality trait essential for success in business and politics today. Case in point, the rat race we witness to the White House.

Last act: Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead on Jan 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic nationalist who asked forgiveness before pulling the trigger. He wouldn’t accept what in his view was Gandhi’s partiality toward Muslims in the partition of India into India/Pakistan. Upon falling, Gandhiji uttered his last word: “Rama.” One of God’s name in India.

India inks pact with Metropolitan Museum

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India’s Ministry of Culture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, signed a Memorandum of Agreement to continue the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program after a pilot project proved successful. The pilot project conducted from 2013 to 2016, provided training for Indian personnel in the latest methods of conserving artifacts and planning exhibitions etc.

The agreement was renewed for the next five years until 2021, and under it the MET will work with the Ministry of Culture to impart a broad range of knowledge on modern operations of museums.

For marking this occasion, the Consulate General of India organized a small reception with the Met Museum officials on Sept 27, where India’s Consul General Riva Ganguly Das welcomed the initiative and hoped the learning would enrich both sides, and help Indian conservationists adopt scientific western methods of conservation and management.

Carrie Rebora Barratt, deputy director for Collections and Administration at the MET, spoke about the need to conserve the rich cultural heritage of India and the mutual learning that will result from the initiative. Mariët Westermann, executive vice president for Programs and Research at Mellon Foundation, the chief sponsor of the program, expressed the same thoughts.

Raghubar Das urges NRIs to invest in Jharkand

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Raghubar Das, the Jharkand chief minister has appealed to Indian Americans to invest in the state of Jharkand, calling especially upon NRIs from Jharkhand to be partners in the development of the state that has since its creation 15 years ago failed to realize its full potential thanks to political instability.

At an investment road show at the Taj Pierre Hotel in New York on September 28, Das noted that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always said ‘Make In India’ but ‘Make in India’, actually started with ‘Make in Jharkhand by Jamshedji Tata way back in 1907 with the founding of the Tata Steel plant which then was the largest private sector investment in Asia.

The New York luncheon meeting, “Investment Opportunities in Jharkhand”, hosted by the USIBC and CII, was attended ,among others, by industrialist Prakash Hinduja, and some NRI entrepreneurs from Jharkhand, a few of whom expressed interest in setting up solar projects in the state.

On 29th September 2016, the Chief Minister addressed a gathering of investors at a roadshow organized by Govt. of Jharkhand in support of National partner Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in association with US India Business Council (USIBC). At this session, the Chief Minister raised awareness about the investment opportunities in Jharkhand as a powerhouse of India’s Manufacturing Sector (Make in India) and priority areas like, food processing, metal sector, Automotive sector, film industry, textile & apparels, tourism and others. Hon’ble Chief Minister also deliberated various investment opportunities and key business reforms carried out in the recent past by his government. The Summit is aimed at establishing Jharkhand as a premier investment destination for both foreign as well as domestic investors. Shri Sunil Kumar Burnwal, Secretary, Dept. of Industries, Mines and Geology made a detailed sectoral presentation on the investment opportunities in Jharkhand.

The Chief Minister had a series of one-one meetings with investors and interacted with entrepreneurs from Clutch Group, Medtronic, Gilead Sciences, Claudio Lilenfeld, etc. who are looking for high growth consumer markets. Healso met with members of American Association of Physician of Indian origin (AAPI). Shri P.P. Hindhuja Chairman Hinduja Group expressed interest to set up commercial vehicle assembly unit in Jharkhand and representatives of the group will visit Jharkhand in October 2016 to explore further in this proposal. Simile Train, a NGO, working in health sector also met the delegation and assured that they will further strengthen their presence in Jharkhand.Hon’able Chief Minister also met the president and other officer bearers of Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America.

Hindu American Foundation Gala Raises $550,000

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The Hindu American Foundation Northern California gala helped raise more than $550,000 to benefit Hindu American advocacy in the areas of education, policy, and community, a Sept. 28 press release from HAF said.

Held on September 18, at the Indian Community Center in Milpitas, California Nearly 450 people attended the event, which included Hindus, members of other faiths, business leaders, and elected officials, and had featured Los Angeles-based comedian and host Rajiv Satyal.

The event was emceed by Suhag Shukla, founder, executive director and legal counsel at HAF, and Ravi Kapur, founder and CEO of DiyaTV. Featured speakers included, Barbara McGraw, director of the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism, director of the Interfaith Leadership Program, and professor of Social Ethics, Law & Public Life at Saint Mary’s College of California; Murali Balaji, director of Education and Curriculum Reform at HAF, and Mohak Shroff, vice president of Engineering, Consumer Products of LinkedIn.

Among those honored at the event were D. Andrew Kille, chair of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council who received the 2016 HAF Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Religious Pluralism; and Sanjay Patel, writer and director of Pixar’s short film, Sanjay’s Super Team was bestowed the 2016 HAF Pride of the Community Award. Two Indian-American Olympic medalists, Rajeev Ram, silver medalist in doubles tennis, and Akash Modi, bronze medalist in parallel bars, were also recognized for their achievement.

Vilas Nayak, a speed painter from Ukire in Mangalore District, delighted the audience with two sessions of speed painting accompanied by lively music. Surplus food from the event was donated to Copia, an organization that distributes meals to communities in need.

Send Passwords Securely Through Your Body Instead of Wi-Fi

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

NEW YORK — A team of Indian American engineers has devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body using smartphone fingerprint sensors and laptop touchpads — rather than over the air where they’re vulnerable to hacking.

The two University of Washington doctoral students have found a way to send secure passwords through the human body. The “on-body transmissions” use what they call “benign, low-frequency transmissions generated by fingerprint sensors and touchpads on consumer devices”, according to a press release.

The students used smartphone fingerprint sensors and laptop keyboards. “Let’s say I want to open a door using an electronic smart lock,” said co-lead author Merhdad Hessar in the release. Hessar is a UW electrical engineering doctoral student. “I can touch the doorknob and touch the fingerprint sensor on my phone and transmit my secret credentials through my body to open the door, without leaking that personal information over the air.”

The pair is a part of the UW’s Networks and Mobile Systems Lab. They found 30 megahertz transmissions can travel through the human body, but not in the air, the release said.

Sending a password or secret code over airborne radio waves like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth means anyone can eavesdrop, making those transmissions vulnerable to hackers who can attempt to break the encrypted code.

Now, computer scientists and electrical engineers from the Seattle-based University of Washington have devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body — using benign, low-frequency transmissions generated by fingerprint sensors and touchpads on consumer devices.

“Fingerprint sensors have so far been used as an input device. What is cool is that we’ve shown for the first time that fingerprint sensors can be re-purposed to send out information that is confined to the body,” said senior author Shyam Gollakota, assistant professor of computer science and engineering.

These “on-body” transmissions offer a more secure way to transmit authenticating information between devices that touch parts of your body — such as a smart door lock or wearable medical device — and a phone or device that confirms your identity by asking you to type in a password.

“Let’s say I want to open a door using an electronic smart lock,” said co-lead author Merhdad Hessar, an electrical engineering doctoral student. “I can touch the doorknob and touch the fingerprint sensor on my phone and transmit my secret credentials through my body to open the door, without leaking that personal information over the air.”

The research team tested the technique on the iPhone and other fingerprint sensors, as well as Lenovo laptop trackpads and the Adafruit capacitive touchpad. In tests with 10 different subjects, they were able to generate usable on-body transmissions on people of different heights, weights and body types.

The system also worked when subjects were in motion — including while they walked and moved their arms. “We showed that it works in different postures like standing, sitting and sleeping,” said co-lead author Vikram Iyer, an electrical engineering doctoral student. “We can also get a strong signal throughout your body. The receivers can be anywhere — on your leg, chest, hands — and still work.”

The technology could also be useful for secure key transmissions to medical devices such as glucose monitors or insulin pumps, which seek to confirm someone’s i
dentity before sending or sharing data.

The new technique was described in a paper presented at the 2016 Association for Computing Machinery’s International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp 2016) in Germany this month.

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